15 January 2000
Training Camp Cuts,
Bolts Roster Trimmed to 62
Birmingham Thunderbolts

ORLANDO - The Birmingham Thunderbolts trimmed the training camp roster to the XFL-mandated 62 players by making seven player moves Monday. The Bolts waived five players, placed one on the reserve-injured list and one on the reserve-XFL exemption list.

Players waived by Birmingham included defensive backs Carlos Jones and Raphael Ball, wide receiver Chris Ortiz, running back Jesse Haynes and tight Bryan Arndt. Ball, Haynes and Arndt were all players the Bolts had obtained in the supplemental draft just before training camp began.

"This is the part of this business that is no fun," head coach Gerry DiNardo said. "This is a business though, and unfortunately we sometimes have to make tough business decisions."

Defensive back Anthony Blevins was placed on the reserve-injured list. The former UAB Blazer had successful surgery Monday at HealthSouth to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

The Bolts placed linebacker Jimmy Sprotte on the reserve-XFL exemption list. Sprotte is currently in Arizona while his father recovers from open-heart surgery.

Practice Moved

Coach Gerry DiNardo and his staff made some amendments to the practice schedule for Tuesday. The Thunderbolts were scheduled to practice Tuesday afternoon, but moved the workout to morning to give the players time to have rested legs for Wednesday's closed scrimmage. The scrimmage will be the only closed practice of the entire training camp as mandated by the XFL office.