Jeff Levack:

Welcome to Season Pass, the AF1 podcast. I am your host, Jeff Levack, and man, it has been a season so far. I mean, just think about the fact, we squeezed a week zero in, so we're sneaking in games all over the place, and we've had some great competitions, we've had some blowouts, but this week, we've got it all. Week three of the AF1 season, you got the second half comeback, you got divisional rivals, and just a, all out slam fest in Nashville. And of course you got to have that hail Mary, the last second score to win it all. If you really want to cover all your bases, let's start off Friday night in Corpus Christi right here on evergreen. Of course, evergreen now dot TV, where you can watch all the AF one action. And there's the saying out there. If familiarity breeds contempt, then this has got to be the most contemptful game I've seen, because these two teams have only seen each other. They're only familiar with each other. They played in week one, and now here we are in week three as the Salina Liberty look for a little bit of revenge against the Corpus Christi Tritons, and they were getting it early. They were getting it done. Javen Kilgo, quarterback of the Liberty, looked dialed in, had it going. But then, slowly but surely, the Tritons started to put it back together. Stealing possessions is what it's all about in the game of arena football.

Sometimes it's an onside kick. Sometimes it's an interception. But if you can get back-to-back scores, a lot of times that's the boast you need to either get back into or take over a game. And that is what happened to end the first half as Fred Payton, quarterback of the Tritons, connects with Quintavious Workman for a touchdown to end the first half. The Tritons get the ball to start the second half. He goes to work again, finding Jerron McGaugh in the end zone. That's back-to-back scores. You put that together in a second half where that Tritons defense was just all over Kilgo, and you've got yourself a recipe for a comeback. Also, goat sighting there in Corpus Christi as Darius Prince, 86 total yards, two touchdowns, those touchdowns in the second half, one of them a beautiful one-handed grab going into the wall like only the goat does, and you got yourself a recipe for a second half comeback. Final score, 51-37 as the Tritons do it again and beat the Liberty. Liberty. Oh, and to Triton's two and oh, they've only played each other. What's this going to mean for the rest of the season? Could be nothing. Could be everything. We'll find out as the season goes on. As the weekend goes on, we hit Saturday night again, right here on evergreen, your chance to watch live from Nashville as the cats host, Sam Castro Nova and the Albany firebirds. The fibers looked lights out in their debut of the season. They had that 78, 20 victory at home against the then undefeated storm. Could they keep it going in Nashville? This is for the East man. The beast of the East is gonna come down to one of two teams. Is it going to be the firebirds? Is it going to be the cats? I told you before the season started with Darren or a bet as the coach, the Nashville cats were the team I expected to see improve the most over the course of the 2025 season. If I'm right, be on the lookout because the Cats just put the rest of the AF1 on notice. This was a heavyweight back and forth battle. Rakeem Cato, now the quarterback for the Cats. He throws one of the most beautiful deep passes in all of arena football. I know you're saying, LeVac, it's a 50-yard field. What's a deep pass? Well, about 50 yards. And he throws that thing like a rainbow. His guys run underneath it. But the touchdown that we're talking about for Cato, even though his Knight had three passing touchdowns, 239 yards on, I mean, he threw the ball 34 times, completing 22 of them. One of those completions, Big Man Touchdown. We all love the Big Man Touchdown. The Firebirds kind of get caught sleeping as they go tackle eligible. Number 71, Zachariah Thomas, 6'5", 315 pounds. How do you lose a skyscraper in the middle of a 50-yard football field? It happened, and he got in the end zone. The Big Man Touchdown is one of my favorite parts of all. of arena football. Could be because I'm a big man. Could be just cause it's fun to watch one way or another. It happened in this game. It was one of the great highlights for the Nashville cats. Now I'm going to tell you, this certainly was no 70, 28 win or 78, 20 winner or any of the blowout wins for the firebirds. However, It did look like Firebird football. As the game went on, Henry Nell has to be the man of the hour hitting a rare 35 yard field goal. And along with two deuces, not one, but two deuces in this game, putting this thing away, the Firebirds able to weather the storm, come on back, get this thing done. When 42 34, now up one, nothing in the East on the Nashville cats. Sunday night vice game. How you doing over here in your specialty game?

Don't forget it's on vice. And then it'll be on evergreen. The Oregon lightning look to avoid an Owen three start to this season against the two and one Southwest Kansas storm. Southwest Kansas had been playing all along. They played in week zero. They have taken on all comers. That loss comes to Albany who just beat a very good Nashville team. So this has got the makings of a heck of a game was a bit of a slow start for the lightning, but As I always tell you, arena football, AF one, it ain't over until you see three zeros on that clock. This thing comes right down to the wire. As a lot of these great games do storm quarterback. Jalen Morton is continuing his MVP candidacy. He goes out there, throws her 227 yards, four touchdowns on the ground. four touchdowns in the air adds another tidy on the ground. And I'm telling you, this guy's looking really, really good for the early candidate for that MVP, but he would find himself in a quarterback duel. with the names Dalton, Dalton Cole going out there for the lightning. And Dalton was cold blooded. My brother, he ran for two touchdowns. He threw for three more. The most impressive of those touchdowns, 39 yard bomb hail Mary with the seconds ticking off the clock. to one of the fastest men in arena football, Nicholas Brassel. He hits them in the end zone. They get the touchdown and you get that hail Mary victory Dalton Cole to Brassel 41 40 final score lightning at their first win of the young AF one season. And when you throw that kind of cold blooded hail Mary pass to win it all you get the real American beer player of the week, Dalton Cole. I'm going to keep doing the Dalton roadhouse lines. As long as I want, you can't stop me. I'm going to keep it going. Dawn Cole gets it done. Lightning looking really, really good.

So there it is week three of your AF one season, firebirds two and Oh, the lightning back in the winning category and a lot of fun to be had. And we're We're starting to see these MVP candidates, starting to see these big names. These guys were able to put up yards on the ground, in the air. It is coming together for you. One of the guys very familiar with everybody is head coach of the Washington Wolfpack, J.R. Wells. We caught up with him at the Combine, the AF1 Combine. Let's finish up that interview and get to know one of the more interesting guys in all of AF1.

Interviewer: You guys are doing everything right, you know, and the teams that are behind us, they're strong, great owners, great leaders, great coaches, you know, and they're just building a solid brand, and we're just following your guys' lead, and we're grateful for it.

JR Wells: Well, we appreciate it, you know, and brand is important, obviously, and that kind of gets to, you know, how we're able to get our brand out there. You know, we have a great streaming partner with Evergreen. you know, that are doing these interviews and be able to host a lot of things for us this year, you know, Vice TV, be able to get it, get that out there and, you know, and show everybody what it's all about. And I think that's important, like you said, for anybody that, you know, says, well, it's the way it used to be. And, you know, so we always accept that challenge obviously moving forward. Obviously, you said we're here in Florida, which we are. We built a partnership with NSC, National Scouting Combine, that's going to be able to help us have databases of players and all of that. This is the first day today that we were out there. What did you think overall?

Interviewer: First, I want to go back to some of the sponsors, you know, Evergreen and the footage that we're able to capture, you know, is is just absolutely mind blowing. You know, again, it just goes back to the AF1 and and what we're building here. You know, we talk about it as coaches all the time. Film don't lie, you know, and to be able to have great people in our corner, you know, just really edifies that we're going in the right direction. And again, you know, NSC having this this scouting combine movement Creating the database of guys around the world and gals, right? I mean I signed the first woman kicker last year for the team, you know But being able to create a database of these athletes to let them know that there is another way and that's really what it really comes down to is is saying that look These kids need an opportunity to go somewhere, because if we don't get them, the streets will get them. And it's just a great job for you guys, as the AF1, to be able to bridge that gap and bring it all together. Today, with over 150 athletes, It really just gives me goosebumps just thinking about the hard work, the drive, the determination that these kids have to fly across the world to showcase their talents in front of the coaches, NFL scouts. It's, again, just edifying that the AF1 is moving in the right direction, partnering up with the right people.

JR Wells: Absolutely. You know, like you said, you know, you're out here possibly looking for a couple of players. We'll talk about your team. You know, 2025 here, you were in the division with the Arena Bowl champions last year, the Billings Outlaws. Obviously, you know, so you guys are going out, you know, to hunt them in conference. Talk a little bit about your team and everything and what you expect for the 2025 season.

Interviewer: Yeah, definitely a great question. And I like how you phrase that the old champions, AFL is dead to us, you know, and so therefore those champs don't mean absolutely nothing. This is the AF1 new team, new year, new us. And we're really excited to come out here. We got some top tier athletes, athletes that actually have experience. which is a really big deal, you know, getting to, you know, me coming from outdoor to indoor, the transition is extremely tough, you know, so for anybody that feels like they have what it takes to play in this game, by all means, try out, you know what I'm saying, and come see what this indoor war is all about. It's not easy, for sure. High pace. I mean, look at Kurt Warner's story. But knowing that the conference that we're in, you know, is top tier. You know, Arizona, you got Oregon, and of course, Billings. You know, Seth Walker, one of the greatest coaches of all times, you know, out there. He always creates top tier games, teams. And we're excited to be out there and face the old champs. Because the champs is here! Let's go!

JR Wells: Well, good. Well, Coach, we appreciate it. Coach J.R. Wells. Yes, sir. Of the Washington Wolfpack, best of luck to you this year. Thank you, sir.

Interviewer: I appreciate it.

Jeff Levack: I just love that dude. I mean, come on. That's, this is the thing that I'm seeing is when you look around the AF one, you've got personalities up and down. The head coaches are all different kinds of dudes. And when you look at the cream, the top, the guys that have already been in the legend books, Nashville's Darren Orbet is a 2011 AFL hall of famer. You know that I'm very partial to the professor Damon Ware. We do a show together every week called flock university Cedric Walker. I mean, this guy in Billings, he is a special defensive mind. He's charismatic. He is somebody the players love the coaches in this league. I could do, I could do a feature on coach once a week and I would feel good about it. And you would feel good about it and probably check it out. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure the producers are back in the booth right now going, we're going to start doing features on coaches here on season pass, but let's not miss out. We do have a whole nother week of football week for three games for you. Remember your home for AF one football, evergreen.now.tv. If you don't have it yet, I don't know what you're waiting for. Sure. You can get season pass everywhere. Spotify, Apple, wherever you get your podcasts. But if you want to watch AF one action, you need evergreen.now.tv get evergreen. Now wherever you stream awesome content. three games this weekend, an early start in Washington. Well, it's like an early late start actually, as the Wolfpack will host the Billings outlaws. This is a 10 PM kick on Thursday night. So put the kids to bed for this one because it's a school night. And also because Billings and Washington is going to put on a show for you and make sure you're ready for that one. And again, because it's evergreen, you can watch it live at 10, or you can get up the next morning and watch it whenever you want. It's me right there for you at evergreen. Now Friday night, seven 30. We got game two of the weekend. It's right here on evergreen. We'll Dalton Cole and Oregon continue to ride the lightning of that last second hail Mary victory. That's the momentum baby. That's a Mo Turner. Can they use that to keep getting WS? It's not going to be easy for them because they're going to face Rakeem Kato and the Nashville cats in Nash, Vegas, two good teams to really, really stud QBs going toe to toe Friday night, seven 30 here on evergreen, the vice Sunday game of the week, 6 30 PM. Kickoff Eastern standard time in Salina, Kansas, the Liberty have started. Oh, and two, they've only seen the tritons. What are they going to do when the Firebirds roll into town? I guarantee you, they're going to give them all the fight they've got in them to not start this season at O and three. So what we see in the Liberty fighting the Firebirds to not go three, the Firebirds looking to stay perfect. Sam Castronova has been a touchdown machine. I have a sneaky suspicion. The real American beer player of the week for week four might come from this game right here on vice. Don't forget. featured on vice vice sports, Sunday night, six 30. And then it'll be popping up on evergreen. Now we've got it all for you here at evergreen. Now, my name is Jeff Levesque. This is the season pass the AF one podcast. I saw a lot of people asking questions about last week. You got to see, again, it's still a touchdown if I take the ball all the way to the ground. It's still a touchdown if it hits those rebound nets and I'm the guy who gets it and comes down with it. It is fun to watch. It is different. It is so much faster paced than anything you're used to in the world of football, whether it be arena or otherwise. It has been great to get you guys up to speed on this stuff. The best way that I can help you out is you let me know what you need to know. And if I don't have the answer, I'll get it from an expert. Easy connection. Hit me up on X at the Jeff Levesque at T H E J E F F L E V A C K. That's my X. Hit me up. Give me the question. Give us a post. Let us know what you think of the games. Who do you think should be the real American beer MVP of the week. Who do you think needs more attention in the league? And they're not getting it. Who do you think needs less attention? Is it me? It could be me. I don't know. Hit me up on X. Let me know what you think. I'm open to all your suggestions, questions. We're here for you on season pass. We want you to love the game as much as we do. And the best way to do that is just kind of put a magnifying glass on some of these rules because the rules are what makes it fun, man. Those nets are insane. The fact that Henry now hits a 35 yard field goal. I be willing to bet that's one of maybe three field goals. You're going to see all season long. I'll set the over under on field goals at three and a half. And that's with Henry already hitting one. That's this league is all about touchdowns. So that was fun to see the crazy South African kicker from Albany going out there and get not one, not two, two deuces and a field goal. You just don't see it every week, but you will see me every week or at least hear me every week right here on season pass arena football ones podcast. Got to thank our good friends, partners, sponsors. It's a family effort over here, my friends, part of the family, Better Edge, your chance to go toe-to-toe with other fans across the country. See what kind of wages they're putting up there. You can either accept them or put up wages of your own. It's all at Better Edge. And of course, got to thank our friends over at Real American Beer, brother. A great way to toast the game yourself. Enjoy yourself. Crispy, cold, Real American beers. That's how I celebrate every week. And Vice Sportsman, Hey, being featured on Vice Sports every week is amazing every Sunday, but you know me, pretty partial, Evergreen Now, because that's where I get to do this podcast right here. That's right, our friends at evergreennow.tv is where you can stream all the AF1 content. The games are gonna be live, and any of the games that are on Vice will pop up here on Evergreen as well, so. all the action for you, all the insight at Evergreen now. My name is Jeff Levesque. You can hit me up on X at the Jeff Levesque. I appreciate all the time you spent listening. I promise you that we will answer any questions you got out there. We'll do our best to keep you as informed as possible and share the love of arena football and the AF1 with you right here on Season Pass, the AF1 podcast.

SPEAKER_00: Season Pass, the AF1 podcast, is an Evergreen Podcast production. I'm the producer, Bill Huffman, and special thanks to executive producer, Dave Douglas, and our audio engineer, Nate Corson. Find all of our content on evergreenpodcast.com and stream every game of the Arena Football League One season on evergreennow.tv. We appreciate you listening.