Interview with Danny Baugher: Punter: Las Vegas Locomotives

June 30, 2011 3 Comments

 Interview

By

Brian Dant

 

 

TFO: As a young man what sports did you play growing up?

Danny: Growing up I was very competitive and loved playing any sport. I started out doing it all.. soccer, baseball, basketball, football, any kind of game and I was all over it. In high school I played football, basketball, and ran track. 

TFO: Who was your inspiration growing up in sports? 

Danny: Both my father and my grandfather were my main inspirations. My father played football for Syracuse and my grandfather played quarterback at Temple and was a head high school football coach in Pennsylvania.

TFO:  What was your favorite memory from a game at the University of Arizona?

Danny: My senior year I felt I made the biggest impact and contributed to the the team the most when we played at USC in front of 110,000 people. We didn’t end up winning the game but I feel the punt unit kept us in a close game until the end. Four punts were pinned inside the 5 yard line making it a very long field for the USC offense to score. Also, Reggie Bush arguably the best punt returner in the nation at the time was a non factor.

TFO:  You have been on several NFL teams. Can you tell your fans what your ‘welcome to the NFL’ moment was?

Danny: In 2007 when playing for the New England Patriots we played a game in literally a monsoon. The weather was so bad both teams barely warmed up and I didn’t get a punt off in pregame. There was a strong chance the game would be delayed but when the scheduled kickoff came around the storm let up just enough to play. On my first punt attempt of the night which happened to be the first punt of the game I sailed the ball over the returners head and ended up with a 70 yard punt. The crowd went wild and from then on I felt like I belonged in professional football. 

TFO:  You are part of history being drafted in the first UFL draft. Can you explain to us as fans what that feels like?

Danny: It was always a dream of mine to be drafted into professional football. I was coming off an injury my senior year in college and didn’t end up getting drafted into the NFL. Being drafted in the UFL fulfilled one of my dreams and I am very honored to this day. To be a part of history is also something that is very special to me. 

TFO:  With the UFL being a fairly new football league what would you say to fans that are still unsure about coming out to a game?

Danny: Every fan that I have had a chance to talk to has been completely pumped up about there experience at a UFL game. They are shocked of how similar it is in terms of level of play to an NFL game for a fraction of the price. They also enjoy the tailgating and atmosphere of a real pro game. Also, your in for a great show as last season there were a ton of close and exciting games. 

TFO:  You are a two time champion in the UFL. What is it going to take for the Locos’ to win a third championship this year?

Danny: Seeing that we have won two in a row everybody is going to be gunning for us. We have to come out and prepare each game like it is the championship game. A three peat in football has to be one of the rarest accomplishments and I believe if we get better each week we will control our own destiny.

TFO: As a player on the Locos’ tell us fans what makes Coach Fassel so special as a coach.

Danny: The reason why we have been so successful is coach Fassel’s ability to bring the team together. He was a quarterback as a player and knows how to create a team environment were guys bond together as a unit and there is a cohesiveness on the field. I also think he has great instinct on where guys are and what they need to do in regards for game preparation.

TFO: If there was one thing you would want your fans to know about you that I have not asked you here what would it be?

Danny: By preparing diligently for a three-peat I have also been substitute teaching and coaching at numerous football camps. Also, I am not the stereotypical punter and consider myself an athlete first and punter second.

Interviewers Notes:

I want to thank Danny for taking the time to answer a few questions for our sports blog. Danny is an exceptional young man. When I spoke to him on our Radio Show you could hear the passion and dedication to the game of football and to the Las Vegas Locos‘ in his voice. He is ready for a 3Peat! At the end of the interview I promised Danny I would never call Danny just a punter again. So this is for you Danny. DANNY BAUGHER IS A GREAT ATHLETE! HE IS NOT ‘JUST A PUNTER‘! Thanks again Danny!

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The Secret Behind the Championship

June 29, 2011 1 Comment

By

Brian Dant

Jim Fassel’s accomplishments in his coaching career are well documented. From starting as an assistant coach at the University of Utah and Stanford University back in 1978 to winning back to back UFL Championships in 2009 and 2010, Fassel has always been known as an offensive coach. He has mentored quarterbacks Phil Simms and John Elway in his coaching career; he has been the offensive coordinator on several highly successful offensive NFL teams. He led the New York Giants to the Super Bowl.

So what makes Jim Fassel so successful?

This article was written for the UFL Website: PLEASE GO HERE TO READ THE REST: 

The Secret Behind the Championship

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Locos’ Colvin Continues to Fight Adversity

June 20, 2011 1 Comment

From the young age of 6, Las Vegas Locomotives wide receiver Cam Colvin has been faced with adversity in every stage of his life.

It was then that his father died from complications of walking pneumonia and a heart attack.

“When I was a young boy, my father passed when I was six years old,” Colvin said. “I was lying in bed with him lying right next to him. I was in his arms when he passed.”

For the rest of this story written by Brian Dant (The Fans Opinion Sports Blog)

Please go to : The UFL Website!

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Its Time For The Media to Give The UFL Some Respect!

June 14, 2011 2 Comments

United Football League Logo

For the last week we have seen many articles on the NFL lockout and predictions on when it will end. I understand the NFL is the ‘King’ of professional football but the UFL is not chump change. The NFL reporters have been like preachers predicting the end of the world with their lockout ending predictions. They have been consistently wrong. But if they keep guessing at it with their terrible journalism they will eventually get it right. As a football fan I am tired of the pundits crying ‘wolf”.

Instead of writing about how long Chad Ochocinco rode a bull why not write about the UFL draft and it making of social media history? Instead of writing about a closed secret meeting of which you really don’t have any information why not cover the Omaha Nighthawks mini-camp? I understand the NFL is where the money is. I understand that all the major sports networks have contracts with the NFL to cover its games. But as a sports media outlet you have an obligation to football fans to cover all the relevant sports leagues. In basketball the D-League (the developmental league for the NBA) gets press time. Why do the networks not cover the UFL?

I have spoken to a few reporters off the record about the UFL. I have asked them if they believe in the league and if they are excited to watch it. Every reporter I have talked to has said they are excited about the league it was ‘just to soon’ to cover it.

It seems like the networks are waiting to see if the NFL lockout ends before the UFL season starts. Then they can just sweep this ‘little league’ under the rug. Well I have news for you! The UFL is not going anywhere! The schedule is set and the first game is played August 13th, 2011 between the Hartford Colonials and the Virginia Destroyers in Virginia Beach, VA. They can’t hide the fact that NFL proven coaches with NFL caliber athletes are running NFL style offenses and NFL style defenses during each game of the UFL season.

With the great employees of the UFL teams and the great football fans in the local communities record ticket sales are being made for the 2011 UFL season. The sports networks might be able to control the content on their sites but they are not able to silence the voices of all the football fans across our nation that just want to watch football. Slowly but surely the word on this great football league call the UFL is trickling out. The fans are telling their families, friends, neighbors, and co-workers about this football league that starts in August.

I implore the sports networks, sports newspapers, sports blogs, and sports radio shows all across the world to start covering the UFL and give it the respect it deserves. I am not just talking about the major sports networks. I am talking to anyone who covers football. Whether you have an audience of 1 or multi-millions, it does not matter.

IT’S TIME TO GIVE THE UFL SOME RESPECT! COVER THEM!

WE SPEAK OUR MIND!

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The Secret Behind the Championship

May 31, 2011 Leave a comment

I wrote a piece for the UFL Website on Coach Jim Fassel and the way he coaches. He truly is the advantage the Las Vegas Locos have in winning the third championship in a row.

Please click the link below to read the article:

The Secret Behind the Championship

Thank you!

Brian Dant

The Fans Opinion

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Athletes Making a Difference! : Issue #1 : 87 Plays.org Helping youth in Nevada.

May 31, 2011 Leave a comment

It is part of our mission statement here at The Fans Opinion Sports Blog to portray positive media in sports. There is too much negative reporting going on in the media today. Not enough focus is being given to the positive character traits of the athletes and the good they do in the community. This is the first issue of many more to come detailing the charities professional sports athletes devote their time, money, and efforts making a difference in the lives of many citizens all across the United States and the world.

Adam Bergen TE, Las Vegas Locomotives of the UFL has created an organization to “promote participation in school athletics by raising funding to prevent funding cuts among schools nationwide.” Adam explains further on his website 87 Plays.org ”By participating in sports programs, I was taught the importance of teamwork, hard work and perseverance, which I believe are not easily taught in the classroom.”

With the financial crisis all across the USA the local and state governments are starting to create budget cuts that affect the school districts extracurricular activities. This charity is holding events and raising money to make sure our youth all across the nation are able to play sports in their school system if they want to. Adam want to make sure they youth of today have the same opportunity he had growing up as a young man.

These sports programs are a vital part of character building in young men and women in our society. Many children today are raised by only one parent, in foster care, or in some cases have no parents at all due to tragedy. The coaches in the youth sports leagues give a guidance unparalleled by any day care center or government after school care program. The sense of team work, pride in themselves, the drive to succeed, setting goals for their lives, respecting an authority figure, respecting their team mates, respecting themselves, a winning attitude, and many more character traits to mention are driven  in these young men and women in their local practices.

This organization has an overall mission goal  to help all the school systems nationwide. Its first mission is to help the youth of Nevada who are facing huge cuts to the school system budget. Please step up and help Adam and the Las Vegas community keep the funding for the sports programs for these kids. Even if you are not a sports fan you should care about the growth and character traits of our next generation. There is no better cause then to help the young people of today. For if we help raise them today, we raise a whole generation in the future.

SUPPORT THE CAUSE: Donate NOW!

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The Locos : Ready for a 3 Peat!

May 27, 2011 Leave a comment

The Las Vegas Locomotives are the only team to win a UFL Championship trophy since the league began two seasons ago. What sets the team apart from the other 4 teams in the league? How do the players keep up the edge and not get complacent? What is the key to repeating as champions in the league for the third straight year?

These are the questions many football fans are asking themselves, their friends, family, co-workers, and basically anyone else that will talk football.

With the current NFL lockout situation and daily reports on deadlines for their season cancellation many fans are turning to the UFL to scratch their ‘football itch’. The league is starting to take root in the homes of die-hard football fans all across our great nation.

The target on the backs of the Las Vegas Locomotives grows larger and larger as the fan base of the UFL grows.

What sets the Locos apart from the other teams is the core nucleus of players that have played together since the inaugural season in 2009. The team has a family atmosphere and they have gained trust in each other. When asked in an interview what he felt separated the Locos from the other teams in the UFL Marcus Riley LB, Las Vegas Locomotives answered “I think it’s the family atmosphere. We have a core group of guys, a nucleus that have been playing with the Locos like myself for the first two years.” Marcus went on to explain that, “Other teams kind of ship guys in and ship guys out a little more often than we do. I think camaraderie has a lot do with how you play. I think the team that can go to dinner, hang out, go do stuff off the field, and really get to know each other will only benefit from that on the field.”

The closeness and camaraderie have a lot to do with the way these players play on the field. Adam Bergen TE, Las Vegas Locomotives explains ” Guys feel really comfortable. When you feel comfortable obviously your going to play better. Your gonna play more loose, you’re gonna play more relaxed.”

The players of the Locos have continued to work together in the offseason. There is a group of players that live in the Phoenix, Arizona area and get together on Tuesdays and Thursdays to work on plays and timing. “We have about eight guys who come out on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We throw the ball around a little bit. Were just trying to get in the work. Get our timing down offensively so when training camp hits were ready to go.” Adam Bergen explained when he was describing the off-season workouts the players were doing to keep sharp with the third championship in mind. He went on further to say “Unlike the NFL, when they are playing, have mini-camps and OTA’s. In the UFL you don’t really have that. So any opportunity we can get a little work in here and there is beneficial to us.” Samie Parker WR and Chase Clement QB both spent a week in Arizona with the other players working out in the Phoenix heat. This team is not being complacent or satisfied with the two championships they already have. They all have their eye on the prize and are hungry for the 3 Peat.

The key to staying sharp and ready to win is getting better each and everyday. Not losing sight of the goal of winning the third title. When the new players arrive they need caught up on the new terminology and lingo of the team. The new players need welcomed in and feel the close bond the other players have. Once they learn the play book, they learn the new terminology, and they understand the new lingo it still comes down to execution. Who wants it more?

The players on the Locos understand this. The team leaders will remind the players to always work towards the goal of winning the third championship in a row. When asked what he felt the key to winning the 3 peat was Adam Bergen answered ” We need to be getting better each and everyday. You don’t want to be satisfied. We won two championships but we can’t be satisfied. We gotta go out there and keep working hard and getting better so that we can win this next one and make it three in a row.”

The team is in shape physically. The team is mentally prepared to put the work in and become successful. The camaraderie is there.

WATCH OUT THE TRAIN IS ROLLING! THE LOCOMOTIVES ARE ON THEIR WAY TO NUMBER 3.

WE SPEAK OUR MIND!

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Marcus Riley: Talking UFL and the Locos

May 25, 2011 Leave a comment

I wrote an article for www.UFL-Football.com on an interview I did with Marcus Riley LB, Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. I interviewed Marcus on The Fans Opinion Show 5/24/11.

Here is a link to the article on the UFL website.

Marcus Riley: Talking UFL and the Locos

Please read the article and vote! Write your comments on the bottom! The better the feedback the more they want us to write!

Brian Dant

The Fans Opinion

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Check Out The Jerrod Johnson Interview on UFL-Football.com

May 23, 2011 Leave a comment

Please go check out the Jerrod Johnson interview on the UFL Website. I had the privilege of writing this piece for the UFL.

Jerrod Johnson was the #1 pick overall in the 2011 UFL draft taken by the Hartford Colonials. He recently signed his contract with the club and is officially a Colonial.

Here is the link for the article titled:

The Courage, Strength and Hope of Jerrod Johnson: The Movie

It was an honor to write for the UFL. Hopefully many more opportunities come my way.

Brian Dant

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#WePlayFootball : GET FIRED UP FOR THE UFL!

May 17, 2011 Leave a comment

Ladies and gentleman its time for football! The UFL is in the process of having their tryouts and signing players to teams. We need a grass root fan drive to get support for the UFL teams.
The UFL is in its third season and we need to expand the fan base to increase revenue for the league to survive for decades to come.
For those of you who do not know what the UFL is I will break it down for you.
UFL stands for United Football League. It consists of five teams . Hartford Colonials, Virginia Destroyers, Omaha Nighthawks, Sacramento Mountain Lions, and Las Vegas Locomotives. The UFL has built a solid foundation by hiring great experienced coaches to coach all five teams.Jerry Glanville in Hartford, Marty Schottenheimer in Virginia, Joe Moglia in Omaha, Dennis Green in Sacramento, and Jim Fassel in Las Vegas. What an all-star cast of coaches. If that alone does not get you excited about the league than you might need a pace maker.

The players consist of newly drafted players out of college, players that have played a few years in the NFL, were injured and need a second chance, and NFL players that have significant experience that have a little left to give but can’t secure an NFL roster spot. The dynamic of the league is exciting to see these players given a second chance at a career.

There are so many talented football players all across the USA who don’t make the limited NFL roster space that want to play football and show case their skills. And its all right here in the UFL.

If you are as die-hard a football fan as I am it does not matter what name is across the back of a jersey. It matters that the team plays together as a cohesive unit and executes the plays called. It matters what logo is on the helmet of the players for they represent the breath of every fan.

I have noticed that no major networks are covering the great news that is brewing in the UFL. They seem to want to ignore the league all together. Like the UFL will just disappear if they don’t cover it.

I have had friends and family ask me “Why are you so passionate about the UFL? “Does the UFL pay you?” The answer is very clear I BELIEVE IN THE UFL!

No I am not being paid to promote the league. I do however believe in the business model the league has put forth. I also believe that quality football is played with the talent brought in. I also know for a fact by personal experience that the UFL is the most fan friendly league out there. What more does a football fan need to get excited about the UFL?

If you want to watch football this year and the NFL lockout situation has you upset or just downright bummed then go to the UFL website and pick a team.

If you are not already on twitter than sign up and follow your favorite team and the coach. You will receive amazing tweets from the league and information on your favorite team. It is amazing fan integration into the everyday events of the UFL.

If you are not a twirp like me and prefer to stay on facebook the go to the United Football League fan page and click the like button. You will get amazing news and youtube clips to watch on your favorite teams and their interaction with their local communities.

Football fans the UFL has done its job. They have created a quality football league with fan integration like no other football league has in the past or present. They have hired the best coaches and players available on the market today. THE UFL IS PLAYING FOOTBALL IN AUGUST NO MATTER WHAT!

So now the ball is in our court. What are we going to do about it? Are we just going to sit back and rely on the biased sports networks who are under contract with the NFL to promote the UFL? Are we just going to rely on the UFL marketing department to advertise the league?

Well I have news for you. The reason the UFL is so fan integrated is because they rely on us to pass the message on to our family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors. We are the advertising arm of the UFL. That is why the ticket prices are so consumer friendly.

So are you on board to help us out? Will you pick 10 people a piece to share the good news of the UFL with? Will you buy a bumper sticker of your favorite UFL team and proudly display it on your vehicle? Will you buy a jersey and when a friend asks you what team the jersey belongs to you say ” Las Vegas Locomotives of the UFL”.

I challenge all sports fans who read this article to shout the message of the UFL from your rooftops. I am only one voice here in south central, PA but together we are millions of voices all across the USA!

The UFL has one message that rings clear #WePlayFootball !

WE SPEAK OUR MIND!

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