Xtreme UP'N Coming

By David Curtis - Xtreme Team Reporter

Los Angeles - (13 March 2001) -- For the first time in three attempts, Los Angeles won a game televised on UPN. There were more meaningful milestones as well: The team didn't rest on its laurels after an impressive victory the week before, and the defense learned how to stop the bleeding
after early breakdowns.

But the most encouraging accomplishment came in the running game. New starting halfback Saladin McCullough, inactive four of the first five games, ran wild through a Birmingham Thunderbolt squad which obviously had no reason to expect such energy at the line of scrimmage. What he flashed in the process was a formidable blend of the talents offered by those he replaced. With the 4.3 speed of Rashaan Shehee and a short stature giving him the balance and cutback ability of Ken Oxendine, his performance seemed like a dream to LA observers. McCullough became the first Xtreme player to reach the 100-yard mark on the ground, crossing over for two touchdowns and two extra points along the way.

Not surprisingly, Tommy Maddox responded with perhaps his best effort of the year. He struck the end zone three times and had better than a two-thirds completion precentage, all while avoiding any serious threat of a turnover. The first scoring pass was a 58-yarder that hit Damon Gibson in stride after he got deep separation with a triple move; the second was a fat (and phat) 16-yard post to Darnell McDonald; the last, a seven-yard fade to Jeremaine Copeland which displayed perfect touch.

For all their explosiveness, however, the Xtreme still found themselves down at halftime and tied in the fourth. 'Bolt QB Casey Weldon torched the LA secondary for 266 yards in the first half alone, though the number here is a bit deceiving. Thirty-seven of those were gained on a spectacular catch down the left sideline by Stepfret Williams (already the league's leader in receiving yardage, and with good reason). Another 80 -- plus a touchdown -- were chalked up as Williams outraced laboring corner Terry Billups, whose hamstring tightened and then pulled on the play. Birmingham also enjoyed some inspired running from James Bostic, who broke several first-half tackles, including two on a dump-off that allowed for a long field goal by Brad Palazzo.

Halftime adjustments were apparently the key, because the same Southern-proud offense which had stormed to a 23-19 lead was held to just three points after visiting the locker room. McDonald's touchdown on the second half's opening possession and a 19-yard Jose Cortez field goal with 9:41 to play left the Xtreme on top for good at 29-26. LA defensive end Jamal Duff would later demonstrate the meaning of his "DEATHBLOW" nickname by swatting a pass into the clutches of teammate Errick Herrin. Copeland helped convert the theft into six points' worth of punctuation with his tippy-toed fade after the two-minute warning, leaving the 'Bolts to ponder this one last revolting development.