Post by David on Jul 19, 2019 21:03:48 GMT -8
Portland Forest Dragons History
1999 Season: End of the Dragon Age
Year Three
Regular Season Record: 7-7 (2nd in West Division)
Playoff Record: None
Coaches: Stan Brock (Head Coach)
The 1999 Portland Forest Dragons season was a make or break season for the franchise. After a 3-1 start the previous year, the Forest Dragons would go on to lose 9 of their final 10 games to finish in the basement of the West Division.
The AFL landscape didn't change much in 1999; in fact, the league grew with the addition of the Buffalo Destroyers. Only one franchise moved during the off season: the New York CityHawks shipped up to Boston to become the New England Sea Wolves.
The 1999 Season was the most successful season for Portland, as the team went 7-7 and finished in second place in the West Division, 3 wins behind the West Division Champion Arizona Rattlers and just 1 win ahead of the San Jose SaberCats. Unfortunately Portland would find itself on the outside of the playoff picture, as the Buffalo Destroyers (also at 7-7) would win the tiebreaker and clinch the final playoff spot in the American Conference.
Attendance at the Rose Garden saw a decline in 1999, as the Forest Dragons failed to cross the 10,000 attendance mark. In November 1999, the Forest Dragons would relocate to Oklahoma City to become the Oklahoma Wranglers.
With a new city and a new identity, success came early for the Wranglers as they made the playoffs in their first season. They would return to the playoffs in 2001, but would eventually fold upon the completion of the season.
1999 PRESEASON & REGULAR SEASON RESULTS
The 1999 AFL schedule was set up so that all 15 teams played 14 games in 15 weeks with one bye week.
The following is the results of Portland's 1999 schedule (bold teal green denotes home games).
PRESEASON
APRIL
Week 1 -- Wed., April 7 - at San Jose SaberCats (W 55-33)
Week 1 -- Sat., April 10 - Grand Rapids Rampage (L 40-46)
REGULAR SEASON
APRIL
Week 1 -- Fri., April 23 - Milwaukee Mustangs (W 61-27)
MAY
Week 2 -- Sat., May 1 - Nashville Kats (L 31-37)
Week 3 -- Sat., May 8 - at San Jose SaberCats (L 51-79)
Week 4 -- Mon., May 17 - New Jersey Red Dogs (L 24-38)
Week 5 -- Sat., May 22 - at Iowa Barnstormers (L 45-51)
Week 6 -- Fri., May 28 - at Florida Bobcats (W 48-37)
JUNE
Week 7 -- Sat., June 5 - San Jose SaberCats (W 39-38)
Week 8 -- Fri., June 11 - at Milwaukee Mustangs (L 47-52)
Week 9 -- Sat., June 19 - Grand Rapids Rampage (W 46-43)
Week 10 -- Sat, June 26 - at New England Sea Wolves (W 57-42)
JULY
Week 11 -- Fri., July 2 - Arizona Rattlers (L 40-45)
Week 12 -- BYE
Week 13 -- Fri., July 16 - Buffalo Destroyers (W 46-43)
Week 14 -- Fri., July 23 - at Buffalo Destroyers (L 23-30)
AUGUST
Week 15 -- Sun., August 1 - at Arizona Rattlers (W 55-35)
AWAY VENUES
Arizona Rattlers - America West Arena; Phoenix, Arizona
Buffalo Destroyers - Marine Midland Arena; Buffalo, New York
Florida Bobcats - National Car Rental Center; Sunrise, Florida
Iowa Barnstormers- Veterans Memorial Auditorium; Des Moines, Iowa
Milwaukee Mustangs - The Bradley Center; Milwaukee, Wisconsin
New England Sea Wolves - Hartford Civic Center; Hartford, Connecticut
San Jose SaberCats - San Jose Arena; San Jose, California
Individual Statistic Leaders
Passing
Ron Lopez - 211/381, 2,574 yards, 38 TD, 7 INT
James Guidry - 63/108, 851 yards, 18 TD, 3 INT
Harry Leons - 10/16, 146 yards, 2 TD
Tom Beck - 9/22, 86 yards
Chris Dittoe - 3/6, 18 yards
Rushing
Britt Bowen - 21 attempts, 66 yards, 3 TD
Tom Beck - 2 attempts, 33 yards, TD
Carlos Johnson - 6 attempts, 30 yards, TD
Brian Greene - 3 attempts, 30 yards, TD
Danjuan Magee - 16 attempts, 26 yards, TD
Travis McDonald - 7 attempts, 21 yards
Harry Leons - 2 attempts, 2 yards, TD
James Johnson - 4 attempts, 0 yards, TD
Receiving
Khevin Pratt - 79 receptions, 969 yards, 19 TD
Bobby McGowens - 51 receptions, 648 yards, 9 TD
Rico Cannon - 35 receptions, 580 yards, 7 TD
Kusanti Abdul-Salaam - 27 receptions, 300 yards, 7 TD
Carlos Johnson - 20 receptions, 306 yards, 5 TD
Barry Dillard - 17 receptions, 153 yards
Kenyatte Morgan - 15 receptions, 213 yards, 3 TD
Antonio Chandler - 14 receptions, 150 yards
Pete McFadden - 8 receptions, 140 yards, 2 TD
Chuck Reed - 5 receptions, 28 yards, TD
Tom Briggs - 5 receptions, 18 yards, 3 TD
Keith Embray - 2 receptions, 7 yards, TD
Travis McDonald - 1 reception, 15 yards, TD
Kick Returns
Mark Ricks - 68 returns, 1,125 yards
Brian Greene - 13 returns, 201 yards
Kicking
Daron Alcorn - 32/54 FG, 57/72 XP, 153 points
Defensive
Delvin Myles - 53.5 total tackles, 18 pass breakups, 5 INT, TD
Mark Ricks - 46.5 total tackles, 11 pass breakups, 1 fumble recovery, 6 INT
Barry Dillard - 29 total tackles, 4 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble, 2 INT
Bobby McGowens - 21 total tackles, 1.0 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 3 fumble recoveries
Chris Butterfield - 19.5 total tackles, 2.0 sacks
Kusanti Abdul-Salaam - 18.5 total tackles, 4 pass breakups, 2 INT
Britt Bowen - 17 total tackles, 4 pass breakups, 1 fumble recovery
Tom Briggs - 16.5 total tackles, 1.0 sacks, 9 pass breakups, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, INT
Furnell Hankton - 15 total tackles, 1 pass breakup, 1 forced fumble
Chuck Reed - 12 total tackles, 4.0 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 1 forced fumble, 1 FG block
Danjuan Magee - 10.5 total tackles
Drew Mitchell - 8 total tackles, 1.0 sacks, 1 forced fumble
Michael Kerr - 3 total tackles, 1.0 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery
Chris Smith - 2.5 total tackles, 1.0 sacks, 1 pass breakup
Ryan Green - 2 total tackles, 1.0 sacks
Honors and Awards
Most Inspirational Player of the Year: James Guidry (QB)
Second Team All-Arena Team: Mark Ricks (DS), Daron Alcorn (K)
All-Rookie Team: Bobby McGowens (WR/LB)
