The expansion Utah Blaze were an unqualified success at the box office in their first year in the Arena Football League, leading the 20-year-old league in attendance.
The Blaze weren't too bad on the field, either. Sure, they lost more than they won, but they ended the year on a good note, winning four of their final five regular season games to get into the playoffs.
It's still anybody's guess as to whether the attendance will remain as strong the second time around now that a bit of the novelty of indoor football may have worn off. But the consensus — at least with the players and coaches — is that the product on the field will be much improved. That improved play, in turn, may help the attendance and interest level stay sky high.
Call it blazing expectations.
"We feel we have a team that could win the ArenaBowl, we really do," said veteran defensive back/wide receiver Orshawante Bryant.
Some weren't quite so bold, but all feel the team is vastly more talented — especially on the defensive side of the ball — than it was in 2006.
"You watch," said Blaze lineman Hans Olsen. "This group is going to be special. This is a special team."
"We set the tone last year," said star receiver Siaha Burley, "and we have a lot of new, talented acquisitions going into this season. We are definitely looking to make some noise this year in the playoffs, and we have enough veterans and savvy to do it."
Back this season is head coach/general manager Danny White, who is second all-time in AFL history with 148 coaching victories. Utah's loss to the Arizona Rattlers in the playoffs was just the second time in 13 postseasons as a coach that one of White's teams had lost in the first round.
"(A season of) 7-9 will not be good this year," said White. "Our goal is to win the division first of all and then to earn as many playoff games at home as we can."
Being eliminated so early didn't sit well with White, so he was active in the free agent market trying to land better, more experienced players during the offseason — especially on defense.
Lineman Steve Konopka and former All-AFL linebacker Frank Carter were brought in to aid the team's anemic pass rush. Two veteran cornerbacks — ex-Ute Clarence Lawson and Terrance Joseph, who have a combined 15 years of AFL experience — will shore up the secondary.
The Blaze offense won't have as many new faces, but that's understandable. Scoring points wasn't the team's problem last season. Returning to the team that averaged 54.4 points are leading passer Joe Germaine as well as the team's top four receivers in Burley, Bryant, Tom Pace and Justin Skaggs. Add into that mix is Utah-native Aaron Boone, who was on the AFL's All-Rookie team with the Kansas City Brigade last season.
"There are a lot of good veterans out here that you can tell just want to win games," said Blaze newcomer Lawson. "They are not just worried about getting a paycheck. They want to win a championship. It's refreshing to be on a team like that."
Olsen, a member of the AFL's All-Ironman Team last season who will concentrate on being the team's center this year, likes the attitude of the newcomers.
"What's amazing about this group is that we've jelled so quickly," said Olsen. "Steve Konopka, Frank Carter, Rob Gatrell — some of these guys that I've played against the past three years and had to try to game plan against — it's amazing to have them on our side now. They are all great leaders and are good people with good values."
Not that the team didn't get along last season, but Olsen says this year's group is already tighter.
"I feel like we are more of a family at this time in training camp as a team then we were last year at the end of the season," said Olsen. "I really mean that. This is a great group of guys."
And with more experience and more talent comes higher expectations, no doubt.
"We expect a lot more this year," said Burley. "We made the playoffs last year, so we need to take that next step. We expect to go further in the playoffs."
First, the 16-game regular journey will begin Saturday when the Blaze host the New Orleans VooDoo in the EnergySolutions Arena.
E-mail: lojo@desnews.com