Danton Barto News Today

Weird week of AFL football. The road team won seven of nine games. The last winless team beat a previously unbeaten. Chicago, Orlando and San Jose all overcame 14-0 deficits against former af2 teams to win. Four winners failed to reach 50 points. The last two ArenaBowl champs are both 1-4. And Rod Windsor's back!

This week, I took some time to interview Carlton Brown,a defensive back and kick returner for the Kansas City Command. He played college ball at Jackson State in Mississippi, and is in his third year in the AFL, having played last year for the Milwaukee Iron and in 2008 for the Utah Blaze.

It may not have looked pretty, but the Kansas City Command won their second game of the season against the Chicago Rush with a final score 58-51. The Command showed up, ready to play this game, and ready to put last week's loss behind them.

Due to many injuries before this week's game and during the game, the Kansas City Command lost to the New Orleans VooDoo. What should have been an easy win turned into a game of chance and insecurities.

The Bears’ Breck Ackley was recognized as one of the NFL’s best scouts Wednesday night at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, receiving an inaugural BART Award from his peers.

Another late comeback was not to be. Entering the final quarter with a seven point lead, the Rush stepped on the gas and pulled away to a comfortable 58-30 victory.

Kicker Brian Umstead topped off a mixed performance by converting the game winning field goal from the 23 yard line as the clock went to zero. The final score of 45-42 gives the Command their first two game winning streak.

Week Nine featured the renewal of league's two greatest rivalries (Arizona-San Jose, Tampa Bay-Orlando). All four division leaders won against division rivals. Utah and Georgia battled in the week's highest scoring and most exciting game that was decided in the final seconds. Recaps of these games, my weekly ramblings and more Hall of Fame thoughts awaiting in Volume Three, Issue Nine of Breaking it Down.

A few days before the Chicago Rush took on the Kansas City Command last weekend, they made a move that further changes the dynamic of their defense. The team made a trade with the Orlando Predators to obtain mac linebacker Nekos Brown.

It has been five games since the Kansas City Command scored at least 50 points. Three were losses. Saturday night, at the Sprint Center, newly promoted quarterback Stephen Wasil led the Command back to the 50 point plateau. The result was an exciting 50-41 victory over the visiting Cleveland Gladiators.