While many Bahamians are busy making final preparations to host Superbowl parties or figure out where to watch the game, head coaches of the V-8 Splash Fusion Stingrays and the Orry J Sands Pros are drawing up that one play which will give their team the advantage needed to win the Boil Fish Bowl.
The game for the prestigious title in the Commonwealth American Football League (CAFL) will be held today at the D.W. Davis Field. Kick-off time is 1 p.m. The Stingrays are this year's pennant winners and will be looking to seal the deal by capturing the championship title.
But, defending champions, the Pros are not going to let them break through their offensive line that easy. In fact, the team's Head Coach Sherwin Johnson said, "If they want it, they will have to come and get it. "What we have to do is play our game, stay fundamental and use the basics.
We expect to win. We have walked this same road last year. We were not the pennant winners; we had lost both games to the Jets in the regular season that year. We find ourselves in the same spot again this year.
It is not intentional mind you, but it is something that happened and we are going to deal with situations as [they are]. We know the Stingrays are very confident and they would like to knock off the champs, so they have to come and do it.
There is no pressure; we have done this before. They are the ones trying to accomplish something. They are trying to get what we have." Lawrence Hepburn, head coach of the Stingrays, does not want their opponents to sleep on the abilities of his players.
The fact that the Pros called his squad 'a one-dimensional team' is the driving point used behind every play today. Hepburn said that they are prepared and the objective is to go all the way and pull off the sweep. "We have not paid any attention to the pennant, wanting to focus on the championships," said Hepburn.
The championship is the team's biggest concern. They have more reasons than one why they would like to win. "The Pros have made it quite clear that we are a one-dimensional team; we say to them stop the one dimension. "If you can't stop our running game and force us to throw the ball, then don't come.
If you can not stop our attack, you are going to be in trouble. Our defense is going to be very stingy, I can promise you that. We are going to come out there well composed and put on a good showing for the fans. Our offense has adjusted.
We have a multifaceted offense but we are just more explosive in one area more so than the other. We intend to move the ball and manage the clock well. We can adjust to whatever they throw against us.
" Johnson denied that the team started the rumor, calling the Stingrays a one-dimensional team. He said he does not know where it started and believe that the statement was made up to motivate the Stingrays players.
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