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New Whiteland’s first season a productive one, looks for playoff berth in 2005 |
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NEW
WHITELAND, Indiana- If there’s an opening they will come,
and that is exactly how it came about when the Detroit franchise folded
after the 2003 Superbowl. It was July 2004 when Kevin Julbert took command
of an emaciated franchise with a roster of veterans near the end of their
careers and youngsters who were still green behind the ears, but there
was one gem on the roster, a freak of nature, WR Terrell Owens who is
arguably the best receiver in the league, not to mention the most outspoken,
scored 14 times under the new staff in 2004. “When I first approached
the league about becoming an owner, I was under the assumption that it
would be a clean slate, then the commissioner asked if I would like to
take over the roster from the previous team and after having a look and
seeing Owens and Favre on the roster, I knew then we would make a run
at the division title in the first season,” said Julbert.
Since it’s already been established that Owens is one of the best players in the league it goes without saying that he will receive one of the three guaranteed contracts that are permitted by the leagues collective bargaining agreement. Actually this is the one of the easiest teams to forecast for the future as QB Brett Favre will most likely garner one of the contracts. “Having Brett around the team even if it’s only for one more year, he is a great influence on the team and one hell of a leader.” The final contract will more than likely be awarded to RB Brian Westbrook, who in 2004 showed he was one of the most versatile players in the league. After starting 4-1, New Whiteland hobbled home 3-5 much to the chagrin of Julbert and his football operations staff. To start the season the team shuttled off to Chicago for its most memorable game yet, a 35-11 win to start the franchise off on the right foot. “Getting that first win was very nerve racking, I still can’t believe we won the first time out.” For all the hills there must be valleys it’s the fabric of the world we live in and one of New Whiteland’s biggest valleys came in week 6 a 42-33 loss to Salisbury, but they were in the thick of things until the final five minutes of the game when a Roethlisberger TD pass to Brandon Lloyd gave Salisbury a lead, then on New Whiteland’s ensuing offensive possession an interception return by Adam Archuleta sealed the game and sent the Chicken Pluckerz on a 4 game losing streak that pretty much sealed the teams fate. “I believe this is was a good season as we needed to find out what we were made of, now we can break through.” Even though the team missed the playoffs the building blocks are there for them to make the needed adjustments in the upcoming draft so that they may make the jump from pretenders to contenders.
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