After tonight’s Colorado Crush-Arizona Rattlers game at the Pepsi Center, a player will be designated ironman of the game for his all-around performance.
But the true ironman of the Arena Football League will be known before the game starts. Crush lineman Kyle Moore-Brown has played 12 years in the Arena Football League and hasn’t missed a game.
His league-record consecutive-game streak is 191, but his short-range sights are set on 195.
“If I get that far this season, it means we’re in the ArenaBowl,” Moore-Brown said of the June 11 championship in Las Vegas. “That’s where we want to be.”
The Crush faces a major obstacle against the Rattlers. Both teams have secured berths in the postseason, but the Crush needs a victory in the regular-season finale to sew up home-field advantage.
Crush coach Mike Dailey provided the instructions for his team after Thursday’s practice.
“I told our players that it wouldn’t matter if we were 16-0, we couldn’t put ourselves in a better position than we can by winning against a really good Arizona team,” Dailey said. “We’ve taken it down to our last chance to get the home-field advantage.”
Moore-Brown looks at his durability as part of the job.
“I’m just having fun doing something I love to do,” Moore-Brown said. “I’m 35 years old and taking it one game at a time. Whatever the streak goes to, it goes to. The important thing is helping the Crush win.”
Arizona’s Randy Gatewood knows all about such performances, having been the league’s ironman of the week four times this season, including last week in Arizona’s 75-28 victory over the Las Vegas Gladiators. Gatewood had five catches for 68 yards and four touchdowns and scored a rushing touchdown.
Dailey has been on the AFL sidelines the entire 12 years of Moore-Brown’s career.
“If someone would have asked me if a playing streak like that could be done, I would have said no,” Dailey said. “Considering the game is played on artificial surface, the sideboards around the playing surface, the amount of practice time and that players play both offense and defense, it takes a remarkable person in regards to durability.”
Dailey calls Moore-Brown a coach on the field.
“He’s becoming my right-hand man on the field,” Dailey said. “He’s so familiar with what I would like to do in a game. He’s a real benefit to me.”
Moore-Brown remembers times when his streak almost came to an end.
“There have been things close to the end of the season a couple of times,” he said. “I injured an ankle before the ArenaBowl last year. But somehow I’ve always been able to go out and play.”
Crush/tonight
Who: Arizona Rattlers (8-7) at Colorado Crush (10-5)
What: Arena Football League game
Where: Pepsi Center
When: 7 p.m.
Radio: KHOW 630 AM
Irv Moss can be reached at 303-820-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com.
