Posted on Mon, Mar. 03, 2008
Shoulder injury will sideline Desperados QB Clint Dolezel

By ANGEL H. VERDEJOaverdejo@star-telegram.com
Desperados quarterback Clint Dolezel suffered a grade three shoulder separation in the team’s season-opening win over the Georgia Force on Saturday and could miss 4-6 weeks.

The team will determine later in the week whether he will be placed on injured reserve. Backup Chris Sanders, who Dallas signed in November, is the likely starter in Friday’s home opener against Columbus.

Dolezel landed on his right side in the fourth quarter after a blindside hit from Georgia defensive lineman Jermaine Smith. He finished the game, throwing two fourth-quarter touchdowns as Dallas beat the Force 51-41. The 37-year-old completed 27 of 38 passes for 283 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception.

Sanders, a former Flower Mound Marcus standout, is with his fifth AFL team and has thrown for 71 career touchdowns.

A separated shoulder and he still looked that good. Wow.

At halftime last night they were playing clips of Dolezel talking about his shoulder during the game. At one point he turned to one of his players and said something like "I hope ya'll have a great season."

I'm glad it was a clean shot at least. It may have been a blindside hit to Dolezel, but everyone else in the arena saw it coming! (I started cringing about two steps before Jermaine hit him.)

On the live broadcast, when Dolezel went back to the bench, a trainer or someone told him he was done for the day. They couldn't take the chance of doing more damage.

Dolezel told the trainer Damage!!!, he couldn't do anymore damage, it was dislocated and he had popped it back in his self and he was going to finish the game.

They had it going on for a minute or so but it ended when Dolezel turned around and said, "I"M GOING TO FINISH THIS GAME!"

We saw who won that argument.

Dolezel is one tough dude. I hate Dallas, but I always like to watch him play.

Arena football players don't get payed enougfh money to be that tough. Highly underappreciated players in an underappreciated sport.