Blog: Raeder of the Lost Blog

Grizzlies vs. Wild, THE LIVE BLOG

Published Thursday, April 10, 2008

(10:33 p.m.) It's all over. Finally.

The Grizzlies fall to Alaska 64-20.

(10:13 p.m.) So, that mercy rule...

A 40-yard interception return leaves the Wild up 64-20.

(9:54 p.m.) The Grizzlies and Wild have traded scores.

First, Ward found Jones again, this time on a 32-yard pass, but Smith hit on his seventh touchdown pass of the day shortly after.

57-20.

(9:45 p.m.) The...third....quarter....just....won't....end.

Velazquez get his fourth touchdown reception. It's Smith's sixth touchdown pass.

50-14 Wild.

(9:40 p.m.) They're comming back. OK, so not quite...

But Ward found Jones again, this time on a 9-yard strike.

43-14 Wild with just over 90 seconds left in the third.

(9:29 p.m.) There will be no shutout!

Solomon Jones caught an 11-yard pass from Ward to get Fairbanks on the board.

43-7.

(9:22 p.m.) Maybe Fourcade is reading this blog.

The Grizzlies just came out with Ward at the helm. His first pass was a strike to Parks for a first down.

(9:19 p.m.) It keeps getting worse.

Ford catches a shovel pass from Smith and scampers into the end zone. 43-0 Wild after a 2-point conversion.

Why go for two there? Who knows, maybe because they can.

(9:15 p.m.) It's a question that seemed unfathomable entering the game, but we've got to ask — when will the Grizzlies bench Bartik?

Facing a fourth-and-goal, Bartik threw his third interception of the game, another snag by James in the end zone.

Bartik is hurting, and it sure seems to be hurting his play. Damion Ward might not have indoor experience, but the offense needs SOME spark right now.

Baritk's third INT came one play after an INT was called back on a Wild penalty.

Still 35-0 Wild.

(9:10 p.m.) Bad start to the second half.

Smith hit Velazquez again for a touchdown. This time on the first drive of the second half.

But the Grizzlies are driving on their following posession, facing 2nd-and-goal at the Wild 9.

It's 35-0 Wild.

(8:41 p.m.) HALFTIME! 29-0.

The Wild had a fourth-down heave knocked down in the end zone to end the first half up 29-0.

Grizzlies coach John Fourcade needs the mother of all halftime adjustments here.

(8:37 p.m.) More bad news.

After another go-nowhere offensive drive, Brian Stuvek's field-goal-that's-really-a-punt was blocked.

Wild ball at the Fairbanks 15.

(8:32 p.m.) The hole keeps getting deeper.

Smith found Ford wide open behind the Fairbanks defense for a touchdown.

29-0 Wild as the 2nd winds down.

(8:26 p.m.) Sputter, sputter, sputter

Fairbanks offense can't get anything going. After a few first downs, Fairbanks had first-and-goal on the Wild 7, but it quickly turned into a 4th-and-goal at the 15 and Bartik's pass was picked off by Dawon Gentry.

Wild ball at their own 15. 22-0 Wild.

(8:17 p.m.) We get by with a little help from our friends...

After getting the ball following the safety, the Wild had a 17-yard Ford touchdown run called back by a holding penalty.

The Grizzlies capitalized, tackling Ford in the backfield on the next play then forcing an errant throw from Smith. Turn over on downs.

Still 22-0 Wild midway through the 2nd.

(8:12 p.m.) Maybe there's just something about Anchorage that brings out the worst in the Grizzlies.

In their ensuing drive following the Wild touchdown, Bartik was sacked for a safety. 22-0 Wild with 12:37 to play in the 2nd quarter.

(8:04p.m.) The Fairbanks offense is sputtering.

The Grizzlies had the arena football version of a four-and-out, failing to connect on three passes and then looking for a long "field goal," which would basically have been a punt.

But...

There was a bad snap and the kicker was tackled at the Fairbanks 7.

On the next Wild play, Thomas Ford runs the ball in for a touchdown.

21-0 Wild, 13:52 to play in the first half.

(7:59 p.m.) The Wild strike quickly.

Smith's quick feet come in handy again for the Wild.

The Grizzlies had a shot at Smith in the end zone, but Smith escaped and heaved a jump-ball up for Velazquez who brought it down for a 46-yard score. 1:35 to play in the first, 14-0 Anchorage.

(7:57 p.m.) The Grizzlies can't get into the end zone.

After having 1st-and-goal from the Anchorage 1, Fairbanks turned the ball over on downs after two failed runs and two incomplete passes. Wild ball.

(7:54 p.m.) The flags are flying in Anchorage.

The Wild have picked up a pass interference, roughing the passer and illegal defense so far on this Fairbanks drive.

Fairbanks has 2nd-and-goal on the Wild 1-yard line.

(7:43 p.m.) The Wild are on the board first. Smith scrambled away from pressure by Mike Quinn in the backfiled, retreating from the Fairbanks 7 back to the 15 before finding Andre Velazquez in the end zone.

With a 6:59 minutes left in the first, 7-0 Wild.

(7:35 p.m.) Keith Smith is in for the injured Nick Mystrom for the Wild.

As the Wild drive into Fairbanks territory, Smith hasn’t done much with his arm, but he seems to be giving Fairbanks fits with his legs.

Smith, who plays wide receiver when Mystrom is healthy, has used his legs to pick up a first down and avoid sacks so far. Second-and-10 at the Fairbanks 23 for the Wild.

(7:32) Oh no, not again.

Demarcus James picks off Bartik. Sounds like the ball slipped out of his hands. Wild have the ball 1st-and-10 and the (edit) Wild 15. James had four interceptions in the Grizzlies first game against the Wild.

(7:30 p.m.) And we're off.

The Grizzlies recieved the opening kickoff and have 1st-and-10 and their own 14. Lets see what they can do here.

(7:15 p.m.) OK, so the plan today is to keep the live blog all in one post. We'll see how it goes.

Full disclosure: I'm not in Anchorage. Just listening along in Fairbanks. Sadly I couldn't talk them into sending me down there.

But anyway, I'll try to post each update at the top with the time of the post. Enjoy!

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