At first, it seemed Colorado Crush coach Mike Dailey had forgotten he never talks about anything in the Arena Football League season past his team’s next game.
But even with the Crush approaching only its third game of the season, tonight against Arizona at the Pepsi Center, Dailey was talking Thursday about playoffs and championship games.
He did so to point out how tough it has become to advance to the playoffs in a league that has become competitively balanced.
“In 1999 when we won the championship in Albany, I truly felt in my heart that we clearly were the best team in the AFL,” Dailey said. “When we won it here (with the Crush) in 2005, I felt we were the best team at that given time of the year. But I think there were five or six teams that could have been right there. In a six-year period, to go from being clear-cut the best team, to where you’re fighting and hoping you can get hot and win it, is the way it’s going to be from here on out.”
Dailey sees improvement across the league.
“The overall professionalism of the league, the caliber of players, the caliber of coaching, the ownership, everything makes it a better football league,” Dailey said. “With all those things, it means it’s harder to win. Five, six, seven years ago, I would have said these four teams certainly are the top, these four are at the bottom and the rest are in the middle. You can’t say that anymore.”
The Crush takes a 1-1 record into tonight’s home game against the Rattlers (0-2).
Dailey said Crush star Damian Harrell has improved from last week, when the receiver’s playing time was limited in the team’s 44-40 victory over Kansas City because of two injured quadriceps that have bothered him since training camp.
The Crush made a roster move, putting defensive back Tony Scott on injured reserve and adding defensive back Chris Angel from the practice squad. Angel has played four seasons in the AFL, with previous stops in Columbus, Nashville and New York.
Irv Moss can be reached at 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com.
Crush tonight
Who: Arizona Rattlers (0-2) vs. Colorado Crush (1-1)
What: Arena Football League game
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Pepsi Center
TV/radio: FSN (tape delay)/KOA 850 AM
