Clint Dolezel - Grand Rapids Rampage - Arena Football League - Discovering Dolezel (page 2) On MLN Sports Zone

Discovering Dolezel
<< Continued from Page 1

One of an endless string of star high school quarterbacks to play under the "Friday Night Lights", Dolezel's academic football career started to shine at Cisco Junior College, where he was a second-team All-American. He then starred for two years at East Texas State.

Nice, but hardly the place to polish his football pedigree. Providence, however, was with him. Showing up to observe the ETSU 1992 spring football game,Trigg, a graduate of the school, had just begun his AFL coaching career with the now-defunct Fort Worth Cavalry.

It was the beginning of a mutually fruitful association, that resumed in 1995 after Dolezel had been cut after a look-see by the Cleveland Browns the previous summer.

"I actually signed him to the AFL at his bachelor party," laughed Trigg. "I ran into him by happenstance in Dallas. I saw a bunch of guys I'd coached, and they said they were there for his party. He had to cut his honeymoon short to come play Arena football."

For Dolezel, the honeymoon with the indoor game hasn't ended after six seasons. In fact, he says that it's just beginning to bloom.

At the beginning of this season, he was among the most highly sought free agents in AFL history. Loyalty to Trigg and the chance to succeed steered him to Grand Rapids.

"If these were going to be my last few years, I wanted to go where I was going to be appreciated. They really made me feel that there. I felt that we could win it all."

Said Trigg, "We've had good quality quarterbacks here. But when we had to assess our needs, we haven't had the complete quarterback. The guy who is tough. That will play hurt. That wants to win at all costs. That has the ability for this game."

"When the Bears released him, and the collective bargaining agreement allowed him to become a free agent, I was fortunate that my ownership group was willing to put up the money that Clint was commanding. I think there was no secret how we got Clint...we gave him what he asked for. We thought he would bring us a leadership and a stability thing."

"This may sound kind of hokey, but he's a family guy. He's got deep religious convictions. He lives a quality lifestyle on and off the field, and his play speaks for itself."

"He's so competitive. If you play golf with him, or cards, or trivia, he'll cheat to win if he can find a way to do that."

While Dolezel still believes he could compete in the NFL, if given the chance, he's not holding his breath waiting for opportunity to knock. And besides, he said, he's more than content with his situation.

"I feel like I can play in the NFL, but, you know, I enjoy Arena football," he said. "All the guys in the league want that opportunity, especially our young guys. There's a whole bunch of players in this league that should be playing in the NFL. But you have to be in the right place at the right time, and when you do get a chance, to make the most of it."

"[F]or me, if it happens one day... great. If it doesn't, I'll be perfectly happy where I'm at. I'm getting a little older in my career. I'm going to settle down right here in Arena ball and finish out. I love it."