It was a huge win for a New Jersey Red Dog team that was debuting at home with a new coaching staff, and many new players. For rookie head coach Frank Mattiace the win was particularly sweet being a Jersey native himself and being able to deliver in front of 8,641 fans in the Meadowlands. Both the quarterbacks in the game had very similar passing statistics. Red Dog QB Rickey Foggie was 24-36 for 257 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception. His counterpart, Firebird QB Mike Pawlawski was 23-38 for 247 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. But it was Foggie’s last pass to all-world WR Alvin Ashley in the back of the end zone that was the biggest of the passes thrown by either QB. With only seven seconds remaining in the game, Foggie hit Ashley in the right corner with a 23 yard bullet to give the Doggies a 52-51 win over their bitter division rivals from upstate New York. It was the 140 pound wide-out’s fourth TD catch of the game and eleventh on the young season that allowed New Jersey to leap-frog over the Firebirds into second place in the Eastern Division.
On the other side of the ball, the New Jersey defense (led by tackling machine Latish Kinsler) that was able to keep Eddie Brown, the Firebird’s explosive receiver in check allowing him only seven grabs for 73 yards and three TDs. But Albany has more than just Eddie Brown, so while he was under wraps, Bird WR Greg Hopkins almost stole the show with a TD pass from Pawlawski and an interception of a Foggie pass for a TD. And like everything for Albany, including a last second FG attempt by ex-Jet Don Silvesrti, the effort came up a little short for the team that just can’t find a way to beat New Jersey.
New Jersey now leads the head-to-head series between the two ball clubs 4-2 holding a 2-1 edge in both the Meadowlands and the Pepsi Arena. The Red Dogs also now holds an extremely important tie-breaking advantage over Albany which could play a huge role in who plays where come play-off time. It was the third straight win over Albany and third straight at home for New Jersey. Alvin Ashley now has scored at least one TD in 27 consecutive games and the Dogs have scored on their opening possession in both games this year.
The relatively large crowd who witnessed this great game had to be happy with the team’s home debut, and they also had to be happy with the presence of the home debut of the Kennel Club, the official fan club of the New Jersey Red Dogs. Despite an impressive showing from the Albany faithful in the end zone, there was no doubting the volume coming from section 123, Kennel Club Central. This is the first season for the fan club and the team let them know that their support was appreciated when two of it’s members were given team jersey at a special half-time presentation. The Kennel Club showed it’s lighter side between the third and fourth quarters when three members took on the Reebok Rush Dancers in a tug or war on the field. But the highlight for the club was the three-hour tailgate party with hundreds of members before the game. There were fans of all ages, from all corners of New Jersey enjoying the sunshine and meadowland breeze while eating burgers, hot dogs, sausage and peppers, ham, chili, ribs, chicken... you name it. There were all kinds of good music cranking from the Kennel Club’s PA as a good time was had by all. Most of the members there were meeting for the first time and making new friends. If you ever wondered what it was like to get in on the beginning of the Giant family in the 1930s or the Jet family in the 1960s, you need not look much farther than the growing Red Dog family in the 1990s.
It was a great day for the fans, and a huge win for the New Jersey Red Dogs.