The Arizona Rattlers' latest trip to Las Vegas came up snake eyes. After a few years of being on the right side of history, Arizona made some of the wrong kind last weekend with a 70-53 loss to the expansion Las Vegas Outlaws.
The way Sherdrick Bonner left the Arizona Rattlers near the end of the 2007 season did not sit well with many fans. It did not seem quite right that the rock of the franchise, the team leader who had spent nearly 15 years in the desert, would not end his storied career in black, copper and teal.
When AFL Hall of Famer and Arizona Rattlers legend Sherdrick Bonner left the desert in 2007, his legacy was secure. The resume listed 14 seasons with two ArenaBowl titles, an ArenaBowl VIII MVP award, a spot among the Top 10 greatest AFL players ever and every meaningful Rattlers passing record.
It's tough to be too critical when you have won the last three ArenaBowl championships, but most will agree the weakest part of the Arizona Rattlers' game in their run to a dynasty has been special teams the kicking game and kickoff/missed field goal coverage.
Every team says they have the best fans, but it is quite another thing to prove it. Demonstrating the true passion of Arena Football League fans, more than 100 Arizona Rattlers diehards made the trip west to California last weekend to watch their team dominate the Los Angeles KISS 70-25.