(ONTARIO, CALIFORNIA- TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015)

The Citizens Bank Arena in Ontario, California was set and ready to host a Father’s Day double-header with the Las Vegas Sin facing the Seattle Mist and then the Los Angeles Temptation. This was the first time in LFL history that one team would play two games in a day and there were mixed opinions on the decision to schedule the double-header. It turned out that those who believed the Sin should not have to play twice in one day had their way, as injuries and an exhausted roster for Las Vegas lead to the second game being postponed to a later date.

Everyone was interested to see how Vegas would stack up against Seattle as it appears that LA and Seattle are the leading contenders in the western conference, but with only one performance under their belt the Sin could easily change the mix with a couple of wins early this season. Before Sunday, the Sin had only taken the field once this season and that was during their 59-24 loss against Los Angeles week 6, and it was evident that they have some dangerous weapons offensively and talent on defense. After their loss against the Mist, bringing them to an 0-2 start on the year, they still have a shot at contending for the playoffs, even the regular-season western conference championship, but they will need to win at least three of their four remaining games this season.

The Seattle Mist have been on a mission to accomplish their goal of winning the Legends Cup Championship this year. Head-coach Chris Michaelson has a roster that gives him his best shot so far at winning a championship, and if the team can stay healthy expect them to keep getting closer to their goal. Michaelson is known for having intense episodes when his players are out of position or mistakes are being made, and on Sunday the referees were on the receiving end of his vocal storm. Take second to witness:

Though the referee’s calling of the game was not favored by Michaelson, it was not costly for the Mist as they were able to get the win in Ontario against the Sin. From the looks of the interaction between Michaelson and the head referee, if Seattle would have lost on Sunday, we probably would have been providing footage of some post-game altercations.

The game on Sunday ended up coming down to the final minutes with Las Vegas having a chance at an onside kick attempt with less than two minutes remaining. Seattle lead the entire game, having their biggest lead in the second quarter 21-6, and the smallest margin early in the third with Las Vegas coming within two points, 21-19. The game is definitely a must watch as there were many exciting plays and some incredible catches by both sides.

To start the game Vegas kicked off to Seattle, which was nearly a costly play for the Mist as veteran Jessica Hopkins fumbled the kick and recovered it in the end-zone for a touch-back. After two nice gains on a nine yard pass to Lily Ganston and a Granston rush for 9 yards, quarterback KK Matheny targeted receiver Bryn Renda the next two plays which were both incomplete. On third and 10 from the Vegas 17 yard-line, Seattle went to Granston again who fumbled the hand-off, which was recovered by Kimberly Jack of the Las Vegas Sin. Coach Michaelson’s reaction to the turnover is something that will also make for good TV entertainment during the Fuse broadcast next Saturday.

Las Vegas took over on their own 17 yard-line and failed to get a drive going. Quarterback Sindy Cummings failed to connect with her receiver Kia Ramos on both third and fourth down after two rushes by Dominique Maloy to start the drive that went four and out.

The next Drive for Seattle started on the Vegas 20 yard-line and on their third play of the drive from the Vegas 9 yard-line, Matheny fumbled the shotgun snap and quickly got rid of the ball to her wide-open receiver Jessica Hopkins who bobbled the catch off the wall for the first touchdown of the game, which was the first receiving highlight of many during the game. After the completed extra-point attempt, Seattle took a 7-0 lead on Las Vegas with 2:30 remaining in the first quarter.

The Sin’s next offensive series could not have been any worse, as Sindy Cummings fumbled the ball on third down, which was recovered by Seattle’s Katie Whelan in the end-zone and after converted extra-point attempt, Seattle was up 14-0 in the first quarter with 40 seconds remaining.

It took only one play for Las Vegas to answer, as Dominique Maloy on first down, broke one tackle after a hand-off from Cummings, got outside of the defenders, and ran 35 yards for the touchdown. The entire play was no longer than six seconds as Maloy showcased her track and field PAC-12 caliber speed. This was the first big play by rookie running-back Dominique Maloy in a game that she had many, as she finished with 102 yards rushing on 10 carries. After a failed extra-point attempt Vegas was down 6-14 to begin the second quarter.

Seattle sustained a nice drive on the next possession and KK Matheny found Bryn Renda for a 19 yard touchdown completion, putting Seattle up 21-6 early in the second quarter, which was their biggest lead of the game after the extra-point was good.

Las Vegas and Seattle each had a four and out drive on their next possessions before Las Vegas put together a nine play drive that included three of Cummings only completions in the firs-half on the game. On fourth and goal from the 8 yard-line, Cummings found Tamar Fennell for the touchdown that brought the Sin within one score, 21-13, after the extra-point conversion by Fennell rush was good with 30 seconds remaining in the half.

Seattle failed to reach the end-zone in the remaining seconds and went into halftime with a 21-13 lead. Coach Michaelson was not happy with his teams first half performance and his speech made that clear. Mistakes and missed opportunities, especially on a dropped pass by a wide-open Jessica Hopkins from Bryn Renda, on a perfectly drawn-up play during their last drive before half, has Michaelson furious.

Las Vegas getting things going, as Dominique Maloy stepped up big with offensive yardage, as Cummings had a slow start throwing the ball, after only completing 3 of her 9 passes in the first half.

Right out of the gates in the third quarter, Maloy struck again on a first down from the 15 yard-line. On a quick inside hand-off from Cummings Maloy broke a Lily Granston tackle, where she appeared to be nearly down, but kept her legs and continued the rest of the way for a touchdown. This play resembled the type of running that NFL fans witness from Barry Sanders in the 90’s. Maloy is quickly making a name for herself in her first two games of this season and already has a rookie-of-the-year case.

Another failed extra-point rushing attempt by Maloy kept Vegas down 19-21 against Seattle with just a minute into the second-half. Seattle started their next series off with another trick-play, this time receiver Kadi Findling completed a pass to Danika Brace for 16 yards, down to the Vegas 19 yard-line. Later in the drive, on third and goal from the 9, Matheny connected with Megan Hanson for the touchdown pass with 3:30 remaining in the third. The drive took over five minutes off the clock and after a failed extra-point rush attempt by Granston, Seattle was up 27-19 on Las Vegas.

After a quick four and out, Seattle took over on the Vegas 16 yard-line and on the first play, Stevi Schnoor ran 16 yards for the touchdown, and after a good extra-point conversion Seattle went up 34-19 with 20 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

The next dive was going well for Las Vegas as tehy marked into Seattle’s territory down to the 15 yard line after five plays, but on second and 10 from the 15 yard-line Stevi Schnoor forced a Cynthia Schmidt fumble that was recovered by Schnoor at the Seattle 8 yard-line.

It appeared that Seattle would have an opportunity to go up three scores with the next drive which would nearly close out the Sin’s chances at a comeback. However, after marching down the field during nine plays that took up nearly six minutes off the clock, Seattle failed to score on fourth down from the three yard-line, as Matheny’s pass was incomplete to Schnoor.

With 1:30 remaining in the game, Las Vegas took over and on first down a Seattle defensive pass interference by Megan Hanson brought Vegas to the Seattle 20 yard-line. The next play Cummings found Maloy in the back of the end-zone on an incredible catch that was arguably the best catch of the year as she was knocked-down by the defender, but still was able to jump up and reach for the score with 1:10 remaining. The extra-point attempt was good and Las Vegas now found themselves down by one score and a two-point conversion, 34-26.

The anticipation for the onside kick was building as Tamar Fennell was set for her attempt to give the Sin a last chance at a comeback. On the kick, Stevi Schnoor quickly grabbed the ball and secured it, which gave Seattle the ball and ability to run the clock out after two knee’s by Matheny. No wild comeback took place in the game, but Las Vegas sure made the final minutes exciting in a game where their passing attack was sub-par compared to their first game and season prior.

Seattle’s Matheny had a good performance passing the ball as she completed 9 of 19 passes for 85 yards and three touchdowns. In three games this season, Matheny has thrown 7 touchdown passes and only one interception. Las Vegas Sin’s quarterback Sindy Cummings had an unusually below average performance compared to her prior games throwing the ball, as she only completed 5 of 15 passes for 49 yards with two touchdown passes. It seemed that her timing with receivers was a little off and dropped passes by receivers like Cynthia Schmidt did not help her passing attack.

The west now stands at Los Angeles 2-1, Seattle 2-1, and Las Vegas 0-2. After the league bye week, the week 11 match-up with feature the huge western conference game between the Los Angeles Temptation and Seattle Mist in the ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington on July 3rd. This is the third game between Seattle and LA, with each team getting a win in the series already. With the way the conference is stacking up, the winner is almost guaranteed a playoff spot, and will have a good chance at winning the Western Conference regular-season championship. The first two games were both instant classic’s with one-point margins of victory in each game. Expect the July 3rd game to be just as competitive as these two teams always play great against each other.

Saturday’s game between the Mist and Sin will be broadcast primetime in HD on national television via Fuse, one week later, Saturday June 27, 9p/8c.

Game Stats

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(LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA- Wednesday, June 24, 2015)

Commissioner’s Corner returns with the Commish, guest co-host Aimee Rodriguez, and Colton Cull. On this week’s show, we go ‘Around the League’ with a special announcement of the playoffs and Legends Cup locations. Seattle Mist head coach, Chris Michaelson, and Los Angeles Temptation cornerback, Ogum Chijindu, join the show to discuss the their teams, season, and Week 11 matchup.

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(LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Wednesday, June 24, 2015) LFL officials have announced the 2015 Conference Playoffs will be played on Saturday, August 15 at Chicago’s Toyota Park while the 2015 Legends Cup has been awarded to Seattle’s ShoWare Center.

This will be the first-time both long-time LFL markets have hosted post-season play. The Eastern Conference Playoffs have already been determined as the Omaha Heart have been eliminated from post-season contention. In the Western Conference, Los Angeles or Seattle can clinch a Playoff berth with a win on July 3rd.

Tickets to Conference Playoffs and Legends Cup will be on-sale shortly.

Conference Playoffs, Saturday, August 15 at Toyota Park

Western Conference Championship, 5pm Kickoff
Eastern Conference Championship, 8pm Kickoff

Legends Cup 2015, Sunday, August 23 at ShoWare Center

Western Conference Champion vs Eastern Conference Champion, 1pm Kickoff

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(ATLANTA, GEORGIA)- Tuesday, June 30, 2015)

Lauran Ziegler has played for four different teams in her four-year Legends Football League career and, while her team colors have changed every year, her level of play has consistently been among the elite of the league. Her three consecutive All-Fantasy Team selections are proof of that.

Ziegler, now playing for Atlanta, is among the league leaders in both offensive and defensive categories this season and a recent LFL360.com fan poll has Ziegler leading ChrisDell Harris of Chicago by 2% (45-43) in fan MVP voting.

After playing the previous three seasons in Florida, most recently with Jacksonville, Ziggy joined the Steam for the 2015 season and quickly became a leader on both sides of the ball while playing receiver and running back on offense and safety on defense.

Ziegler leads Atlanta, and the league, in receiving yards per game with 39, receptions with 17 and touchdown catches with six as well as having accounted for the second most rushing yards (68 on 12 attempts) on the team while scoring two more touchdowns.

Ziegler has 18 tackles as part of the toughest defense to score on in the LFL, good for fifth most in the league.

Atlanta and Chicago will meet for the Eastern Conference title on Saturday, August 15 at Toyota Park in the second game of the conference championship double-header. The winner will advance to the 2015 Legends Cup in Seattle.

The Atlanta Steam play next on Friday, July 10^th, at home against the Omaha Heart. Be sure to get your tickets for the game that kicks off at 8pmET at the Arena at Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Georgia- July 10th Steam Tickets Here. The game will be broadcast a week later in primetime on national television via Fuse (check local listings), Saturday, July 18, 9p / 8c.

The Steam play home games at the 11,355-seat Arena at Gwinnett Center, located just off I-85 on Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth.

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“Like” Atlanta Steam News for team news, player/coach chats and fan postings.

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(LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA- Tuesday, June 30, 2015)

The two games this season between the Los Angeles Temptation and the Seattle Mist have been nothing short of incredible. Both contests featured a one-point margin of victory, with each team stealing a win on the road. Round three between the Temptation and Mist is set for this Friday night, July 3rd, at the ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington. Expect LA and Seattle to display another epic battle, as both teams want this win just as much as the other, as it will solidify a playoff birth for the winner and have them in the drivers seat for a western conference regular season championship.

Seattle (2-1) has won two straight games since their loss to LA to start the season and Los Angeles (2-1) plans to rebound from their loss to Seattle suffered June 6th at the Coliseum. LA’s backup quarterback Michelle Angel, who is replacing the injured Ashley Salerno, looks for her first career win as a starting quarterback. Seattle’s offense has been off to a great start this season, and expect coach Chris Michelson to dive deeper into his playbook as his new quarterback KK Matheny has a clear grasp of his offense. Will the two rivals put together another instant classic for LFL fans? Be sure to watch this game that will feature exciting plays, big hits, and trash-talk.

The game will be broadcast a week later in primetime on national television via Fuse (check local listings), Saturday, July 11, 9p / 8c.

Las Vegas Betting Line

Los Angeles- 2.5 points | Over/Under 43 points

Los Angeles Temptation

The Temptation were ready to play  the Las Vegas Sin on Father’s Day, after the Seattle Mist had wore the Sin team down, but due to injury and lack of depth the game was postponed. When LA takes the field on Friday night, they will be coming off a four week break since their last game and they are expected to come out firing on all cylinders.  With a defense that features two of the most physical corner-backs in the game, two key rookie defensive-ends, and the hall-of-fame linebacker Monique Gaxiola, LA is ready for the second half of their season as they push for a playoff spot in the west.

The mission of getting back to their winning ways and hoisting the Legends Cup is still in sight for the LA Temptation that is lead by head coaches, Tui Suiaunoa and David Bizub.  One hurdle for LA to climb is the temporary loss of the best quarterback to ever play this game. Over a month ago, veteran quarterback Ashley Salerno sustained a back injury during the week 7 loss to the Seattle Mist, and she will still be sidelined this week.  The team expects to have Salerno back in the lineup and starting July 24th, in their game against the Sin in Ontario. The loss of Salerno is huge, as she is the best dual-threat quarterback in the league, who possess one of the best arms and is arguably one of the toughest runners to defend in the LFL.

This week against Seattle, it will be up to Michelle Angel to get the job done on Friday night. Despite two interceptions in her first start, Angel appeared to have the ability to be a great quarterback in this league.  With another month of reps, expect this first-year quarterback to put together a solid performance this week in her second career start at quarterback. Angel might lack the experience and arm strength, but she has the leadership, mental toughness, mobility, and poise in the pocket to lead the Temptation offense.

Seattle Mist

Last Wednesday on June 24th, the league announced the date and location for the 2015 Legends Cup Championship, and if the Seattle Mist needed any more motivation to compete in the Legends Cup this season, the announcement certainly sweetened the pot for them. The championship game will be played at their home stadium, ShoWare Center (Kent, Washington), which obviously makes Seattle the only team with a chance to win it all this season in front of their home crowd.

The Mist are off to a great start this season and they have showcased a very balanced and dangerous offense. In three games, quarterback KK Matheny has performed great as she has completed 26 passes to seven different receivers, and has thrown seven touchdown passes to five different receivers.  Seattle’s ability to spread the ball around and establish a running game has been a major factor in their 2-1 start this season. Running-back Stevi Schnoor has rushed for 249 yards in Seattle’s three games, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. This week the Mist will add another weapon to the offense as Mele Gilmore will start her first game this season playing running-back, as Schnoor will now line up at starting tight-end. Seattle now wields two strong running-backs that will make their ground-game make more dangerous and effective.

Defensively, the Mist have performed well enough to win two straight games, but there is still more improvement needed to look like a championship caliber defense.  In Seattle’s last game, Sin running-back Dominique Maloy was able to make big plays against Seattle as many defenders were left empty handed trying to arm tackle the speedy Maloy.  The Mist secondary has also been exposed against LA and Vegas multiple times this season. Mele Gilmore will also start at corner-back this week for the Mist defense and her speed and presence could be a big factor in improving the defense.

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(SEATTLE, WASHINGTON- MONDAY, JULY 6, 2015)

The Legends Football League featured one of the best rivalries in the game on Friday night, in a fierce battle between the Los Angeles Temptation and the Seattle Mist. This was the third game this season between the two Western Conference front-runners and both previous contests featured a one-point margin of victory, with each team stealing a win on the road. Though the score was not as close as those first two games, this game featured some incredible highlights and both teams laid it all out on the field, as a playoff berth for victor was on the line.

Both LA and Seattle were missing some key starters on Friday night. The Temptation’s quarterback Ashley Salerno and center Laura Barba were not in the lineup and Salerno’s presence was certainly missed for the second straight game. The Mist did not have safety Lily Granston and they were still without starting defensive-end Deanna Schaper-Kotter and corner-back Lashaunda Fowler, but some players have stepped up big for the Mist. Katie Whelan has played great in her last two games at defensive-end, as she recorded four solo tackles, a fumble recovery and a sack on Friday night, and scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery against the Sin two weeks ago in a game that she also had multiple tackles one of which was a tackle-for-a-loss. The addition of Mele Gilmore also helped both offensively and defensively and it is clear the Seattle’s depth has answered the call so far this season.

Los Angeles started out on offense and quarterback Michelle Angel was ready to lead the Temptation offense in her second career start behind center. However, LA could not get much going and after a quick turnover on downs, Seattle took over on the LA 24 yard line, with just over two minutes into the first quarter.

After a Mele Gilmore 2 yard run and a Danika Brace 5 yard run, the trash-talk and physical shoving had already begun between the two rivals. On a third and three, KK Matheny found Jessica Hopkins in the flats, who caught the ball at the 18 yard-line, then sidestepped and shuffled by three defenders, as the veteran wide-receiver made her way down to the five yard-line. The next play Matheny found her receiver Bryn Renda in the back of the end-zone for the first score of the game. After a failed extra-point attempt, the Mist took a 6-0 lead.

During the drive quarterback KK Matheny took two big hits from the rookie defensive-end Naja Christmas. Both times Matheny has grabbed her towel and stood back up displaying the fearlessness the 5’2” and 120 pound quarterback has on the field. Though Matheny has only been sacked once this season, she has been on the receiving end of nearly a dozen hits by LA’s Naja Christmas and Kimm Chase, who are not showing any signs of making an effort to slow up after she releases the ball, so Matheny knows that she will need to take some hits in the pocket.

LA took over on their own fifteen yard-line with 5:12 remaining in the first quarter and after a seven yard Carmen Bourseau rush on first down, Seattle’s Katie Whelan sacked Angel for an eleven yard loss on the next play. Two plays later on fourth and thirteen, Angel connected with Monique Gaxiola for a five yard gain after Gaxiola was hit hard by defender Stevi Schnoor. Seattle’s defense again forced LA to turn the ball over on downs after just four plays.

The Temptation defense started the next series at their own 17 yard-line looking to stop the Seattle offense. After a Gilmore rush for no gain and three incomplete passes in a row by Matheny, LA quickly got the ball back with 57 seconds remaining in the first quarter. The great defensive stop was exactly what LA needed to get the momentum rolling.

From their own 17 yard-line, the LA offense began a six play drive where it was nearly all Carmen Bourseau who led the 33 yard drive. After two Bourseau runs for a combined 10 yards, Angel threw an incomplete pass to Monica Jaramilo on first down. After a 5 yard run by Sherri Awagah and a pass that went for no gain to Monica Jaramilo, LA had a fourth and five on the Seattle 18 yard-line. On the play Bourseau got by the right side of the Mist defense, using the great blocks by Monique Gaxiola and Chelsey Haardt, and ran the ball nearly untouched for an 18 yard touchdown. After a Bourseau run attempt was good for the extra-point, LA took a 7-6 lead on Seattle.

The Mist quickly answered two plays later when Matheny was under pressure and made a spin move on defenders Naja Christmas and Kimm Chase, as she evaded the rush and then connected with Bryn Renda for a 31 yard touchdown completion. Matheny resembles the NFL’s Russell Wilson more and more, as she is able to use her legs to extend plays to find the open receivers. After another failed extra-point attempt, Seattle took a 12-7 lead over LA with 6:32 remaining in the first half.

The last six minutes of the half were a must see, as the big plays and momentum swing for Seattle going into the half was huge for the Mist. LA took the lead after a great seven play scoring drive that ate up four minutes of the clock, after Sherri Awagah found the end-zone on a nine yard run. A failed extra point had LA up by a score of 13-12 with 2:29 remainig.

After a six play drive that ended with a turnover on downs by Seattle on the LA 19 yard-line, LA had the ball back with 41 seconds remaining at half to try and extend their one point lead. However, on second down Angel fumbled the ball after a Megan Hanson hit, and Seattle’s Katie Whelan recovered at the LA 18 yard-line. With 23 seconds remaining the Mist got down the field to the LA one-yard line on two plays after a Chelsey Haardt pass interference and a Matheny pass complete to Hanson for an 8 yard gain. On the next play Renda took the handoff and ran around the left side finding the end-zone following a great open-field block by Hopkins. After a third failed attempt at an extra point Seattle took an 18-13 lead over LA going into the half.

After half-time Seattle received the kick-off and started a six play scoring drive from their own 15 yard-line, where on third and five from the LA 13 yard-line Matheny found Jessica Hopkins for a 13 yard touchdown pass which extended their lead to a two-score difference, 24-13 after another failed extra-point attempt.

By the way the game was going, no one would have guessed that score would have been the final score of the game, but the remainder of the second half was nearly all great defensive play by both teams.

The next LA drive ended after three plays, when Danika Brace intercepted Angel’s pass and returned it down to the LA 12 yard-line. The Temptation defense made a terrific stop after keeping the Mist offense out of the end-zone after four plays.

LA then started a 10 play drive that took up 7:11 off the clock but they failed to reach the end-zone. That drive showcased by far one of the most dominant defensive performances as Danika Brace recorded seven tackles, three of which were smashing highlight-reel hits. Keep an eye out this week for a wow clip that features the wrath of that defensive series, led by Brace.

Seattle took over with 3:39 remaining and was able to pound the ball downfield with the legs of Stevi Schnoor. After the game clock had ran out on a two yard gain Seattle had defeated LA and took the season series 2-1 against their rivals in the Western Conference. These two teams put together three great games with unbelievable effort on both sides of the ball. Many fans are hoping for a rematch in the playoffs with both teams fielding a healthy roster, for another epic showdown between the Temptation and Mist. In order for that to happen, Los Angeles needs to regroup and focus on the other dangerous threat in the West, the Las Vegas Sin.

The Western Conference now stands at Seattle 3-1, Los Angeles 2-2, and Las Vegas 0-2. Next week the schedule features the Eastern Conference match-up between the Omaha Heart and the Atlanta Steam. After the league bye week, the Western Conference play returns when the Las Vegas Sin host the Los Angeles Temptation at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California on Thursday July, 23rd. Las Vegas needs to win their next three games for a playoff spot, otherwise LA will face Seattle in the Western Conference playoff game August 15th in Chicago.

Friday’s game between the Temptation and Mist will be broadcast primetime in HD on national television via Fuse, one week later, Saturday July 11, 9p/8c.

Game Stats

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(LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA)- Tuesday, JULY 7, 2015)

Winning consistently in any team sport is a difficult task, as many things change from season to season. Injuries, players coming and going, new coaches, and evolving competition are just a few factors that can have an impact on a team’s continued success.

The Los Angeles Temptation’s Legends Cup three-peat from 2010-12 set the standard for excellence in the Legends Football League (something that the Chicago Bliss hopes to match this season), and Los Angeles started this season with hopes of getting back to their winning ways.

Fully expecting to win a fourth Legends Cup Championship, L.A. had many key veterans and their two legendary coaches (Dave “Biz” Bizub and Tui Suiaunoa) returning, and it seemed quite possible. However, after a fast 2-0 start, the Temptation lost two games in a row to their Western Conference rival, the Seattle Mist.

On Saturday, June 6, 2015, the Seattle Mist defeated the L.A. Temptation, 24-23, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Four weeks later, the Mist did it again, back on home turf, defeating the Temptation 24-13 in Seattle.

Going into this Friday’s game, L.A. was still without the best quarterback in the league, Ashely Salerno, but the Temptation lack more than just some personnel – leadership and respect for each other is starting to fall by the wayside.

Los Angeles played well against the Mist on Friday, considering that many players were filling in for key roles, and many rookies had to step up, but the real concern for L.A. and the Temptation Nation was post-game dissension and a meltdown in the L.A. locker room. After the game, there was some finger pointing, and emotions ran high as head coach Tui Suiaunoa addressed the team.

As Monique Gaxiola expressed her thoughts on the game, Suiaunoa made sure his team knew that while he was addressing the team, everyone needed to be listening. This lead to a quick blow-up in the locker-room as emotions got the best of some players.

Suiaunoa was all business when asked about his thoughts on his teams performance and what the team needed to do to get focused and regroup for the remainder of the season.

“We played a good first half and then we just couldn’t execute in the second half,” he said. “When you have to start four rookies on defense who don’t have that much game experience, it’s tough to stop a veteran Mist team.”

Suiaunoa appeared to be optimistic about the team’s short-term future when he said, “We should be at full strength when we play Vegas on July 23 with Ashley Salerno back at quarterback.”

Quarterback and safety Michelle Angel has filled in for Salerno the last two games and proved she is a quality backup with the skills and leadership needed to play the quarterback position in the LFL. Everyone knew she had big shoes to fill, but she did a quality job as L.A. nearly beat Seattle in her first start and Friday’s game was more about their poor defensive play against the Mist’s offense.

“We knew going into the game that they had a solid track record of containing our run game so we added our Power-I formation and ran that successfully,” Angel said. “However, we also knew they would pick up our tight-end releases and force me to throw deep, which proved to work in their favor. I struggled the make the right decisions quick enough, and I feel like it is something I will learn as I gain more experience, but it definitely hindered our offense this game. Frustrations came from multiple people playing new positions on both sides of the ball, as well as rookies who have yet to play a down having to step in on defense into a starting role.”

Angel said that the Temptation was moving forward as one.

“We have already pulled back together and added additional practice times during our off weeks,” she said. “We have a couple people coming back from injury, and it should be back to business as usual in LA. Adversity builds character and we live to play another day. By no means are we down and out. We look forward to playing Seattle in the playoffs.”

Veteran corner-back Ogom Chijindu, one of the vocal leaders on the team, also spoke up after the game.

“I will not make excuses for our performance. Point blank, we did not play well,” she said. “Our team needs to go back to the fundamentals. We have two coaches and two coaches only. They should be the only ones talking and teaching during coaching sessions. As a team, we need to re-group and focus on our own individual responsibilities on the field as athletes if we want to see a playoff run.”

Chijindu added that some of her teammates might need to take a look in the mirror and question their priorities.

“What the fans do not see is the partying, drinking, disrespect and all-out lack of focus by certain players, which is affecting the entire team,” she said. “I have been on this team for five-and-a-half years, a very long time, watching players come and go. We do not have the same personnel as we did in the past, but we still have enough talented players. I know we can win the Legends Cup. Changes need to be made going forward and it will start with discipline.”

With a win against Las Vegas on July 23, L.A. will earn a playoff berth, and then end up waiting to see what Seattle and Vegas do in their final two games, which will determine if L.A. or Seattle is the Western Conference regular season champion. In short, L.A. needs to win and they’re in. If Las Vegas happens to beat L.A., the Temptation still have playoff hopes if Seattle defeats the Sin.

“Our team will bring the Legends Cup back to Los Angeles come August,” Danielle Harvey said. “Don’t believe me? Just watch!”

Last Friday’s game against Seattle will be broadcast a week later in primetime on national television via Fuse (check local listings), this Saturday, Saturday, July 11, 9p / 8c.

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(ATLANTA, GEORGIA)- Tuesday, July 7, 2015)

Atlanta is scheduled to host Omaha on Friday in the team’s final home game of the LFL 2015 season. While this will be the third meeting between the Steam (2-2) and the Heart (0-4), Omaha is a different team than the one Atlanta played earlier in the season and the Steam must guard against a letdown that could result in an upset en route to the Eastern Conference title game with Chicago.

The Week 12 meeting with Omaha will be the final game for Atlanta before a showdown with Chicago that will determine which team advances to the Legends Cup. The Steam needs a W against the Heart to build momentum heading into the game with the Bliss, but teams can be rusty coming off an extended layoff and a slow start could result in a tighter than expected game. Atlanta has outscored Omaha 141-0 in the two earlier meetings, but the talent recently added to the Heart roster makes them a better team.

Quarterback Dakota Hughes leads an explosive Atlanta offense, an offense that leads the league both in points scored (178) and points per game (44.5), that has the ability to score from anywhere on the field. The reigning league MVP (and last season’s Rookie of the Year) has thrown a league-best 13 TD passes this season and hasn’t been intercepted in 63 attempts. She also leads in passing yards (403).

The receiving corps is anchored by Lauran Ziegler. The three-time All-Fantasy Team selection leads the team and the league in receptions (17), receiving yards per game (39.0) and touchdown receptions (6). Ziggy also contributes out of the backfield, rushing for 68 yards on 12 attempts and scoring two TDs.

Nas Johnson, one of the original Steammates, leads Atlanta in rushing with 119 yards on 18 carries-good for a 6.6 yards-per-carry average- and has scored four times.

Atlanta had established a reputation as a hard-hitting, physical defense over the first two years of the franchise and the 2015 edition has not only lived up to that rep, but has put an exclamation point on it.
Leanne Hardin has 25.5 tackles, most in the league, six TFL and one interception while anchoring the middle for Atlanta. Former Breeze standout Adrian Purnell is fourth in tackles (20.5) and has a sack and six TFL. She also has four receptions for 74 yards (18.5 Avg.) with 2 touchdowns on the offensive side of the ball. Zigler, another former Breeze player, has been a difference maker of defense as well as offense totaling 18 tackles and has a fumble recovery.

Omaha made a number of changes to their roster during the six-week break between games in an effort to field a more competitive team, adding QB Anonka Dixon, WR Heather Hudson and DE Leekplay Paye- all past All-Fantasy selections (Dixon/Miami, Hudson/ Baltimore, Paye/ Minnesota). The addition of such talented veterans should help stabilize the team, but it will take time for the players to gel (as the 40-0 shutout loss to Chicago confirmed).

With just two games remaining, Omaha must build some momentum for next season and since the Heart have been outscored 230-0 this season simply scoring would be a plus. Atlanta is the better team and should improve to 3-2 after another comfortable win over Omaha, but Atlanta must stay focused on the team in front of them and not look past Omaha to Chicago and the conference title battle that awaits them.

Steam 2015 Schedule

WK 1: Saturday, April 11 vs. Chicago (L, 27-24)
WK 2: Saturday, April 18 @ Omaha (W, 79-0)
WK 4: Saturday, May 2 vs. Omaha (W, 62-0)
WK 5: Sunday, May 10 @ Chicago (L, 29-13)
WK 12: Friday, July 10 vs. Omaha

Playoffs: Saturday, August 15 @ Chicago (Eastern Conference Title Game)

The Steam play home games at the 11,355-seat Arena at Gwinnett Center, located just off I-85 on Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth.

Be sure to get your tickets for this Friday’s game that kicks off at 8pmET at the Arena at Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Georgia- July 10th Steam Tickets Here. The game will be broadcast a week later in primetime on national television via Fuse (check local listings), Saturday, July 18, 9p / 8c.

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(LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015)

The Legends Football League features another Friday night match-up on July 10th, when the Omaha Heart head down to the ‘The Factory’ (Arena at Gwinnett Center) to face the Atlanta Steam. The Atlanta Steam, an Eastern Conference elite team, along with their ‘Young-Gun’ Quarterback Dakota Hughes, will welcome the struggling Omaha Heart, who are in search of their first win this season.

Despite the Eastern Conference playoff scenario being already set in stone, there is a lot for both teams to compete for this Friday. The Atlanta Steam have this final regular season game, before they prepare for the August 15th playoff game against the their adversary, the undefeated-Chicago Bliss. After two losses to the Bliss this season, Atlanta has yet to find an answer to stop or even slow down the Chicago running game, lead by ChrisDell Harris. While Omaha has not scored a point this season, they actually have a lot of talent on offense, that just needs to execute and get in a rhythm. The Heart running-back, Sarah-Jane Thompson is not the elite running-back ChrisDell Harris, but she will certainly give the Steam defense a better look at the position than they have faced from Omaha this season. Omaha needs to play for their loyal ‘Heartland’ fans who have continued to show support through their ugly four games so far this season.

With both teams fielding healthy and rested rosters, this Friday Night Showdown should be full of excitement as there is a lot of talent on both teams. LFL on Fuse is the most unique sports experience on television, providing viewers incredible access with locker-room and huddle cameras, as well as mic’d-up players and coaches. The game will be broadcast a week later in primetime on national television via Fuse (check local listings), Saturday, July 18, 9p / 8c.

Las Vegas Betting Line

Atlanta- 26.5 points |  42 Over/ Under

Omaha Heart

Omaha’s defense looked vastly improved against the Chicago Bliss on June 13th. They forced Chicago to turn the ball over on downs at times throughout the game, and if the Heart offense had not given up so many turnovers, the game would have been a lot closer due the the improved defense. Atlanta will certainly look at the film and see that the not so established passing attack of Chicago worked well against the Heart. Atlanta has one of the best passing games in the league, so expect them to rely on Dakota Hughes and her receivers to get the offense going. With the addition of defensive-end Leeplay Paye, look for Omaha to get pressure on Hughes.

With another month of practice since the acquisitions of the offense’s new play-makers, there is no reason the Omaha Heart shouldn’t score a touchdown against the Steam. Quarterback Anonka Dixon, despite her poor performance against the Bliss, is one of the most electric players this game has ever seen. With the talented running-back, Sarah-Jane Thompson and speedy wide-receiver, Heather Hudson, coach Dontae Allen has the offensive personnel to capitalize on a drive.

Turnovers and penalties have been the deterring factor for any opportunities the Heart have had in the red-zone this season. If players know their assignments and execute properly, then the talent of Omaha should be able to make plays against the Steam defense. The offensive line lead by the return of center Sarah Robinson will have their hands full against Atlanta’s physical defensive-ends Dina Wojowski and Keyon Harrison. Chicago’s offensive front has shown how to execute against Atlanta’s d-line, so there is plenty of film available for Omaha to study.

Atlanta Steam

Atlanta through four games this year has put up great offensive numbers against the dominant Bliss and lackluster Heart. With 702 yards of total offense, 325 against the defending 2x-championship Bliss, and a passing game that has averaged just over 100 yards per game, expect Hughes & Co. to add to those numbers in their last regular season game.

As the Steam prepare for the playoffs, their main focus should be on establishing a dominant defensive scheme against the run. The inability to stop Chicago’s ground game this season has been the deciding factor in their two losses to their rival Bliss. In games against Chicago, Atlanta has had some first-half success against Chicago’s offense, but in the fourth quarter ChrisDell ‘Ferrari’ Harris appears to run with ease against the Steam. Conditioning and endurance could be the key to improving their defense’s ability late in the games.

Leanne Hardin, who leads the league in tackles this season, averaging 6.4 tackles per game has improved a lot this year, and could be the deciding factor on defense to stop Chicago in the playoffs. This week against the Heart, the Steam defense has a great opportunity to face a talented running-back Sarah-Jane Thompson to sharpen their defense. Atlanta also fields some of the best defensive play-makers in the game with safeties Lauran Ziegler and Adrian Purnell, who have greatly improved the Steam defense this season.

The post OMAHA PLAYS FOR PRIDE, WHILE ATLANTA LOOKS TO CLOSE OUT THEIR REGULAR SEASON STRONG (OFFICIAL GAME PREVIEW) appeared first on LFL360.

(LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA- Wednesday, July 8, 2015)

Commissioner’s Corner returns with the Commish, co-host Connor Scofield, and LFL360 Deputy Editor, Colton Cull. On this week’s show, we go ‘Around the League’ and discuss battle taking place in the Western Conference. Seattle Mist middle linebacker, Danika Brace, joins the show after a breakout performance in Week 11. Australian transplant, Jayne Caldwell of the Altanta Steam, discusses her time with the Steam during their long break and the upcoming game against the Omaha Heart this Friday night.

The post LFL | COMMISSIONER’S CORNER | EPISODE 86 appeared first on LFL360.

Join Adri and Marcus as the guys discuss the week 11 game against the Los Angeles Temptation and the Seattle Mist and look ahead at the next game between LA and the Las Vegas Sin following the bye week. Joining the show this week is the hard-hitting safety Lily Granston of the Seattle Mist and the standout-rookie Kimm Chase of the Los Angeles Temptation.

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(ATLANTA, GEORGIA- MONDAY, JULY 13, 2015)

The Atlanta Steam had over two months to prepare for their game against the Omaha Heart on Friday night, as they last took the field May 10^th in a loss against the Chicago Bliss. Though the game on Friday night carried no significance as far as playoffs are concerned, it was important for Omaha and Atlanta to take this game very seriously. Omaha fields a team that is full of rookies and every game the Heart play this season is crucial for their improvement and experience.  For Atlanta, the players needed to take the field again and “get the rust off” as they prepare for the Eastern Conference Championship against the Chicago Bliss, taking place August 15^th.

Atlanta was able to play their final regular season game in front of their home crowd on Friday night and ‘The Factory’ (Arena at Gwinnett Center) was a packed house.  This season the Steam offense, lead by the passing prowess of Dakota Hughes, has put up astounding numbers and Steam fans have been able to witness a lot of offense this season. Atlanta has scored twenty-three touchdowns combined this year at home in the two games against Omaha and the season-opener against Chicago.

This season Atlanta appears to have the talent and depth to be a contender for the Legends Cup, with the kind of season they are having and the offense seems to keep improving. However, the reality is Atlanta has played the awful Omaha Heart three times, and from Omaha’s lack ability this season, any team in the LFL could have gone 3-0 against the Heart and put up big numbers offensively. When you consider that fact that the 3-2 Steam have only actually beaten one team (Omaha), it’s hard to gauge exactly how good they are this season.

The Chicago Bliss have had Atlanta’s number, and dating back to the Legends Cup Championship last season the Steam are 0-3 against their now Eastern Conference rival.  Atlanta has shown they can compete with the Bliss, but until they finish with a win, Chicago will remain the top dog in the east.  Atlanta surely does not want to be known as the team in 2015 that put together three blowouts against the Omaha Heart but failed to top the Bliss in all three of their contests.  The Steam are no doubt focusing on finding an answer for Chicago’s running game, but that still didn’t distract them from what they needed to do on Friday night against the Omaha Heart, as they finished the night with a 71-13 victory and sent a battered Omaha team back home.

The Heart now 0-5 this season, had given up 230 points through their first four games and failed to score. That was by far the worst differential that the league has ever seen from one team through four games, in fact no team had ever gone four consecutive games without reaching the end-zone.  After their loss on Friday night, the Heart have given up an average of just over 60 points per game, something that the league and coaching staff must address in the offseason. Omaha had two goals on Friday night, which were to score their first points of the season and try to get their first win.  They failed to get the victory against Atlanta but their goal of crossing the goal-line was attained, twice.

Atlanta started the game receiving the kick-off from Omaha as the Heart deferred upon winning the coin-toss. Atlanta’s Nas Johnson started things off with a 34 yard kick return down to Omaha’s 13 yard-line.  The next play from scrimmage coach Dane Robinson appeared to have his Steam offense in a wild-cat formation with Lauran Ziegler in the shotgun formation next to running-back Nas Johnson.  On the play Ziegler targeted her quarterback Dakota Hughes who ran a post route beating her defender, but failing to get to the off-target Ziegler pass. This was an interesting play call as the other wide-receiver, Jodie Nettles, is the team’s back-up quarterback and definitely possesses a more accurate arm than Lauran Ziegler.  Two plays later Nas Johnson ran in her first of three touchdowns on the night. A failed extra-point pass attempt by Hughes left the Steam up 6-0 with just over eight minutes remaining in the first quarter.

Omaha took over on offense and it appeared that they would mount their first scoring drive of the season when on a third down and five to go, from their own 20 yard-line, Anonka Dixon faked a handoff and took the ball around the right side, cut back, broke three tackles and scampered 28 yards down to the two yard-line, where Lauran Ziegler caught her from behind. On the play, Atlanta’s defense displayed the reason it cannot stop the Chicago Bliss running game lead by ChridDell ‘Ferrari’ Harris. Linebacker Leanne Hardin over pursued up the middle, being forced out of the play, and Adrian Purnell, Dina Wojowski, and Ciara McMillan all had an easy opportunity to take down Dixon on the play but each failed to properly wrap up.  The fact that the rest of the players, especially Lauran Ziegler were just standing around expecting Dixon to be taken down was the biggest concern for the Steam defense as they prepare to face the Chicago running-game in the playoffs. All great defenses play until the whistle and swarm tackle the ball carrier.

Each time Omaha had been in the red-zone this season, they seemed to make mental mistakes by either a dumb penalty or a fumble which hindered their chances of scoring. That is exactly what happened on this drive as the very next play, when receiver Amanda Hogan was called for a false-start penalty and the next four plays Omaha failed to reach the end-zone. Mental mistakes and the inability to handle the ball offensively should be a huge concern for head-coach Dontae Allen and his coaching staff. At any level of football, that type of poor play reflects greatly on the coaching staff, considering that many of the rookies have been practicing since March and have had four previous games to learn the fundamentals and their offense.

After the first quarter Atlanta lead by only a score of 6-0, as they continued their offensive drive into the second quarter. However, the second quarter Atlanta displayed their quick strike offense as they scored five more touchdowns in the second quarter, three of which came within 3:00 to go in the half. The rushing touchdowns by Nas Johnson, Dakota Hughes and Jayne Caldwell along with Hughes’ touchdown passes to Jodie Nettles (42 yards) and Lauran Ziegler (35 yards) and a safety forced by Dina Wojowski brought the half-time score to 43-0. The 37 points Atlanta scored in the second quarter is a league record and displays just how poor the Omaha team is this season.

Early in that second quarter, Omaha’s offense was tested with the injury to their newly acquired quarterback Anonka Dixon who was starting her second game for the Heart. Most would believe that without Dixon in the line-up their scoring chances in Friday’s game would have been absolutely out the window.  Without a true backup quarterback on the team, rookie Lindsey Howell took over for a series and a half before wide-receiver Heather Hudson started taking snaps. Hudson’s play at quarterback to finish out the second quarter was tough to watch as she had never played the position and only seemed to possess the ability to run the ball.

Going into halftime, it was clear that Atlanta was on their way to a third dominating blow-out victory against the Omaha Heat this season.  Atlanta certainly did not play perfect football, which will be needed in the playoffs to beat Chicago but it was clear they hadn’t lost a step during their two-month break.

During halftime, the downtrodden Heart came together and decided that their one goal in the second-half of the game would be to score. If bets would have been placed on the likelihood of them scoring, many would have bet against them as their starting quarterback was out for the remainder of the game and all Atlanta would need to do is contain the run game, as Hudson clearly did not show any signs of being able to successfully pass the ball.

To start the third quarter, Omaha received the Ziegler kick and started their drive from their own 14 yard-line. Too many people’s surprise they capitalized on a 6 play scoring drive with all plays being rushing attempts by Amanda Hogan, Heather Hudson and Sarah-Jane Thompson. Even on the drive when Omaha was within the 10 yard-line they had a false-start penalty, which led most to believe they would fail to reach the end-zone again this season. However, Hudson finished the drive with a 12 yard touchdown run against Atlanta’s starting defense despite their 43-0 lead.  Atlanta displayed again why most doubt their chances at beating the Chicago Bliss in the Eastern Conference Championship this season.

Atlanta scored two more times in the third quarter on a Hughes to Adrian Purnell touchdown pass and a Johnson touchdown rush, bringing the score at the end of three to 57-6.

Three minutes into the fourth, Atlanta still with the 57-6 lead lined up again in what appeared to be a wildcat formation as Ziegler doesn’t possess much of a passing ability. With Hughes in a slot receiver position she was targeted again, this time on a short post route where the ball was in and out of her hands before being intercepted by Omaha’s Sarah-Jane Thompson.

That turnover lead to another scoring drive by Omaha when Heather Hudson completed a 23-yard touchdown pass to Sarah-Jane Thompson with 4:23 remaining in the game, bringing the score to 57-13 after a Hudson extra-point rush was good.

Atlanta did not take their foot off the gas, as Dakota Hughes stayed in the game the remainder of the fourth quarter. Atlanta scored two more times on a Ziegler rush (35 yards) and on Hughes’ fourth touchdown pass of the night with 40 seconds remaining in the game.

Hughes finished the night completing 9 of 13 passes for 182 yards and four touchdowns, no interceptions. Those numbers earned the young 20 year-old quarterback MVP on the night.

The Eastern Conference now stands at Chicago 4-0, Atlanta 3-2 and Omaha 0-5. The last regular season match-up in the east takes place in Omaha on August 8^th when the Heart play Chicago one week before the playoffs begin.

Friday’s game between the Heart and Steam will be broadcast primetime in HD on national television via Fuse, one week later, Saturday July 18, 9p/8c.

Game Stats

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Join Adri and Marcus as the guys discuss the week 12 game between the Omaha Heart and the Atlanta Steam and look ahead at next Thursday’s match-up between the Los Angeles Temptation and the Las Vegas Sin. Joining the show this week is the lovely veteran Adrian Purnell of the Atlanta Steam.

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(ATLANTA, GEORGIA)- Friday, July 17, 2015)

Atlanta closed out their regular season schedule with a 71-13 beat down of Omaha that included quarterback Dakota Hughes throwing for four touchdowns and running for another. Six different Steam players scored in a 10 touchdown, 324 yard explosion that leaves little doubt as to which team is the most potent in the LFL.

Atlanta (3-2) and Omaha (0-5) played an even opening quarter that saw the Steam up 6-0 as the second quarter began but Atlanta held a 43-0 lead as the teams headed to the locker room for the break after scoring five touchdowns and getting a safety in less than nine minutes of play.

The revamped Heart lost quarterback Anonka Dixon late in the first quarter to a leg injury forcing Heather Hudson to takeover which resulted in a number of fumbled snap exchanges that contributed to a seven fumble night for Omaha and led to the same result as the two previous meetings between the teams-an Atlanta blowout.

Coach Dane Robinson got everybody involved in the team’s final home game of the season and the stat sheet reflects that.

The Steam had 140 yards on the ground, led by Nas Johnson (54 yards on four carries and three touchdowns) while Lauran Ziegler (2/46 yards, 1 TD), Hughes (2/24 yards, 1 TD) and Jessi Locklear (3/16 yards) all were part of the rushing attack.

Hughes, the reigning league MVP and Rookie of the Year, was 9 of 13 passing for 182 yards in the win.

Zigler led Atlanta in both receptions (3) and yards (68) and added a receiving TD to go with her rushing score. Jodie Nettles (2/50 yards, TD), Adrian Purnell (2/35 yards, TD) and Johnson (2/29 yards, TD) also pulled in catches in the game. Johnson had a four touchdown game (3 rushing, 1 receiving).

As usual, the Atlanta defense was a team effort but Keyon Harrison had an outstanding individual night that included 12.5 tackles (11 UA, 3 A), a sack and 3.5 tackles for loss. Zigler was second on the team in tackles (5.0). Dina Wojowski recorded a safety and also scored an extra-point when she pulled in a deflected pass.

Omaha did score their first points of the season, but the revamped Heart have now lost two games by a combined 111-13 and look much like the Heart team that opened the season. Atlanta has faced the defending Legends Cup Champions twice this season, and have proven they can hang with the undefeated Bliss as both games were close contests.  However, with Omaha by far being the worst team in the league this season, it is hard to gauge just how strong the Eastern Conference is with Atlanta and Chicago being the only true competition in the east.

Atlanta will next take the field when they face Chicago in the Eastern Conference title game. The Steam have lost three straight to the two-time defending LFL champion Bliss and will have to snap that streak if they are to advance to their second consecutive Legends Cup Game.

Steam 2015 Schedule

WK 1: Saturday, April 11 vs. Chicago (L, 27-24)

WK 2: Saturday, April 18 @ Omaha (W, 79-0)

WK 4: Saturday, May 2 vs. Omaha (W, 62-0)

WK 5: Sunday, May 10 @ Chicago (L, 29-13)

WK 14: Friday, July 10 vs. Omaha (W, 71-13)

WK 20: Saturday, August 15 @ Chicago (Eastern Conference Title Game)

The Steam play home games at the 11,355-seat Arena at Gwinnett Center, located just off I-85 on Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth.

2015 LFL games are broadcast on national television via Fuse (check local listings).

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(LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA- MONDAY, JULY 20, 2015)

The Los Angeles Temptation (2-2) are on a quest to turn their season around and with a win on Thursday, they will punch a ticket to the August 15th, Western Conference playoff game in Chicago, Illinois. Meanwhile, the very talented Las Vegas Sin (0-2) are on a mission to get their first win and keep their playoff chances alive. With Vegas looking for their first win and an LA team trying to get back on track while expecting an Ashley Salerno return, Thursday’s match-up will be a must see for LFL fans.

The western conference currently stands at Seattle 3-1, Los Angeles 2-2,  and Las Vegas 0-2.  Seattle has already earned their playoff birth and have two games remaining this regular season against Las Vegas. Thursday’s game is LA’s final regular season game and with a win, they are in the playoffs and will face Seattle. If Las Vegas wants to clinch a playoff birth they need to win out their remaining three games, starting with a win against LA this Thursday. Vegas will play Seattle two more times, once on August 1st and another on August 5th, and would need to win both to clinch a spot in the playoffs.

Thursday’s game will be broadcast two weeks later in primetime on national television via Fuse (check local listings), Saturday, August 1, 9p / 8c.

Las Vegas Betting Line

Los Angeles – 6.5 points | 42 Over/ Under

Las Vegas Sin

Sin Head-coach Willie Garrett did a tremendous job of finding and acquiring new talent for Vegas this season. In just two games his rookie running-back Dominique Maloy has made a case for rookie-of-the-year with her big scoring plays and dominant performances running the ball.  Maloy has rushed for 166 yards on 20 carries, scoring three rushing touchdowns and one receiving, in only a game and a half of play as she suffered a dislocated shoulder in their season opener and had to miss the majority of the second-half. Her highlight reel runs, multiple going for 35 yards, have helped Maloy in leading the LFL this season with her 8.3 yards-per-carry average.

Quarterback Sindy Cummings had a breakout rookie season a year ago and impressed everyone with her throwing ability. This season most critics argue that Cummings has ‘under-performed’ to her abilities and natural talent.  Cummings has shown that she has the tools to be a dual-threat quarterback with the arm-strength and toughness she possesses but using her legs to make plays has not been a factor this season, as she has only rushed for 6 yards on 8 carries. If Cummings works to improve her conditioning she could be a headache for defensive coordinators trying to prepare against the Sin offense.

The additions of Kimberly Jack and Brittany Demery were huge for the Sin’s offensive and defensive line play against Seattle in their last game. Against the first place Seattle Mist, Vegas showed that they have the talent and team to be competitive, but too many roster changes and overall consistency to develop any form of momentum has been their problem. If the Sin can stay healthy and show up on Thursday by playing up to their abilities, they could certainly make the west interesting as the last part of the season closes out.

Los Angeles Temptation

After starting the season 2-0 and then losing their last two games, LA now has control of their playoff fate on Thursday night. With a win they clinch the playoffs, but in the case of a loss it will be left up to the final games between Seattle and Vegas to determine if LA gets a playoff bid. No team wants to be in a position of wait and see for a playoff birth, so expect LA to come out with a chip on their shoulder this Thursday.

After a 24-13 loss to Seattle on July 3rd, the Temptation did not look like a championship caliber team as in-fighting occurred and team chemistry was out the door.  With a team full of veteran coaches and players who have won multiple championships in this league, it is hard to believe that LA will not regain their focus and finish the regular season strong. The reactions and comments of many players following their July 3rd loss, which was their second straight, lead many to believe that over the last two weeks LA has been nothing but focused and determined to turn their season around.

The big question for the Temptation is whether or not Ashley Salerno will be able to go on Thursday night. After sustaining a back injury in their win against Seattle on May 29th, she has missed the last two games, both of which LA has lost. Salerno at quarterback gives LA the best chances in any game, but the question still remains if her return will in-fact have a big enough impact for a team that seems to have some issues on defense this season.

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(LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA- Wednesday, July 22, 2015)

Commissioner’s Corner returns with the Commish, co-hosts Aimee Rodriguez and Katia Dragotis, and LFL360 Deputy Editor, Colton Cull. On this week’s show, we go ‘Around the League’ and discuss the Top 4 Quarterback Rankings and Team Power Rankings as of Week 12. Later, Cynthia Schmidt of the Vegas Sin, joins the show for her first time to debate Vegas’ playoff contention heading into Week 13.

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