Season Opener!

Arena Football, the indoor game is back! My Los Angeles Avengers had their home opener and the league season opener last night against the New Orleans VooDoo... and I'm in Boca Raton for another week. I hope my son Brian enjoyed the game, as it reads like a fun one for the home crowd, though it certainly didn't look that way at the beginning.

New Orleans wide receiver Wendell Williams returned the opening kickoff 54 yards for a touchdown. That was followed up by an inauspicious start for Avenger QB Sonny Cumbie, who was intercepted on his first pass of the season.

The Avenger comeback began when Avenger safety Damen Wheeler stripped the football from New Orleans wide receiver Wendell Williams and strutted into the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown to give Los Angeles its first lead of the game at 28-23 with 5:22 left until halftime. The Avengers trailed the VooDoo at the half 33-28, but came back strong in the second half. Sonny Cumbie completed 23 of 38 passes for 268 yards and seven touchdowns and the Los Angeles Avengers rallied to beat the New Orleans VooDoo 59-42. New Avenger Timon Marshall caught nine passes for 116 yards and three scores. Avenger star receiver Kevin Ingram had eight catches for 79 yards and a touchdown. All three of Los Angeles’ defensive backs -- Damen Wheeler, Eddie Canonico and rookie Terrell Maze notched their first picks of the season.

This is a different Avengers team than the one that netted their first playoff victory last year. Gone are perennial Avenger stars kicker Remy Hamilton, lineman Silas Demary. Wide receiver/linebacker Robert Quiroga, who was a standout last season was let go a few months ago, but resigned with the Avengers a week ago. I'm going to miss Remy and Silas, but it looks like we have added some good talent to our existing solid core.

I just hope I'm home for some of the games this season!