Month: April 2024

Ahmed grateful for new opportunity

Ramiz Ahmed is the new field goal kicker for the Birmingham Stallions.

When starting a new job, some employees are broken in slowly. They’re given a chance to learn the ropes and get to know their co-workers before the heavy lifting begins.

Then’s there’s a guy like Ramiz Ahmed, who barely had a chance to get his Birmingham Stallions ID badge before he was put front row and center.

“In the NFL, you’re being flown in for a workout and you’ll compete with generally a couple of guys, usually,” Ahmed said on Wednesday. “And then if they have room and the stars align, and you kick well and put your best foot forward, then they’ll sign you up.

“But here (in the United Football League), they have to kind of get someone in quick, so they’ve got to be pretty sure about the guy. And so (the Stallions) called me, which I’m very thankful for.”

The new kicker fit right in immediately – better than anyone could’ve expected. He booted four field goals in Birmingham’s 20-18 victory over DC last Saturday, including the game-winner in the contest’s 11th hour.

“We had a lot of great individual efforts (against DC), obviously none more than our kicker,” Birmingham coach Skip Holtz said. “The job that he was able to do, especially as pretty much a rent-a-kicker for the week. Chris Blewitt had had an injury and the rules allow you to bring a kicker in for a week and then make a decision on if you want to keep them or not. And when we got back after the game, we found out Chris had a substantial injury that’s going to keep him out six to eight weeks.

“So, we went ahead and made the transition to make him our permanent kicker. It was just kind of a trial this weekend, but I thought he did excellent. Let’s hope he can continue to kick them as well as we go through the rest of the season.”

Ahmed’s kicks covered 46, 32, 27 and 46 yards, the final one flipping an 18-17 deficit into a 20-18 edge with just :04 showing on the game clock.

While new to the Stallions, the 28-year-old Ahmed has been sidewinding footballs for quite a while.

The Las Vegas native transitioned from association football to American football during his sophomore season at Bishop Gorman High School, and wound up kicking again at the University of Nevada-Reno in 2017, walking on to the football team and used mostly for kickoff duty.

“I didn’t get to kick too many field goals,” Ahmed said. “They had a three year-starter and their special teams coordinator, who I’m good buddies with now, he was like, ‘Listen, we’ve got a three-year starter who’s been solid for us, so field goal kicking isn’t open.’ They really looked at me for kickoffs, and they started me in the first game that I was eligible for at kickoffs and and it was cool. I wish I could have kicked field goals, but that first year I was a little naive.”

He did finally get his chance, and although he says there are some kicks “I wish I had back,” he caught the eye of NFL scouts.

Ahmed competed for the placekicker job with the Chicago Bears in 2020, but failed to make the active roster.

Two years later he was with the Pittsburgh Maulers of the USFL and nailed a 61-yard field goal – the longest in league history.

He then moved on to the Green Bay Packers and saw some action as a kickoff specialist, but was released in January, 2023.

Ahmed was out of pro football for 15 months before landing in Birmingham.

“I got injured at the end of my stint with the Packers,” he said. “And so, when I was released, I just had one focus in mind and that was to get healthy and get myself kicking back at the level that I know I can kick at. And so whether or not I get an opportunity again, or if my career’s done … I just didn’t feel that I needed to think about that. I just kind of put it on the backburner.

“I was mainly focused on just getting healthy.”

He did just that, and then the UFL came calling.

“(Birmingham special teams coach) Chris Boniol, who I have great respect for, and (Stallions GM) Zach Potter got together with a number of players,” Holtz explained. “There were kickers that we felt had the talent and abilities to do it, and then we started looking at players to see who was interested in doing it and who was available to do it.

“At that point, you’ve got to find availability and you’ve got to find the guy that you really feel has the talent to do it. And I know that they were really excited about Ramiz, and I think he came in and did an absolutely fantastic job.”

Ahmed’s next chance to impress his new employers comes on Saturday night at Rice Stadium when the Stallions (4-0) play the Houston Roughnecks (1-3) at 6 p.m. CDT on FOX.

“When I got picked up by the Packers, it was a similar situation,” Ahmed said. “I was picked up and our game was, I think, on either Friday or Saturday, and so I had two kicking sessions very much like when I got picked up by the Stallions and next thing you know, I’m kicking in the game.

“You’ve just got to go out and perform. I think it’s just something that you’ve got to be ready for.”

Miss Hazel

The old woman slowly raised the spoon to her lips, took a long, noisy sip of soup, then lowered the spoon to the bowl, clinking the tip twice on the rim. She repeated the process several more times, occasionally pausing to take a bite of the cornbread muffin resting on a small plate beside the bowl.

“Excuse me, mam,” said the young man. “My friend and I noticed you were eating alone, and wondered if you might like some company.”

Scott Adamson writes stuff. Follow him on Threads @sladamson1960 and Adamsonmedia on Facebook.

She looked up at the smiling fellow, who was quickly joined by a slightly older gentleman. Although she had seen the pair sitting at a nearby table, she hadn’t paid them much mind.

“Why, that would be lovely,” she said. “It might be nice to have someone to talk to.”

The men, both wearing dark windbreakers and blue jeans, pulled up chairs and introduced themselves as Jerry and Mike.

“Jerry and I have been coming to this diner for quite a while now,” Mike said. “I don’t think we’ve seen you in here before.”

She smiled.

“Oh, I don’t get out too much,” she said. “And I feel a bit guilty coming here to eat when I have plenty of food at home. I live alone and sometimes I guess I just want to see people – besides the people I see on the TV. They’re like my companions now.

“My name’s Hazel, by the way.”

Hazel – with toffee skin and  shock of white hair – was a small, thin woman, adorned in a modest amber housedress and nursing shoes. What caught the attention of Jerry and Mike, however, were her gold earbobs and a huge diamond ring on her left hand.

The men asked what kind of soup Hazel was eating, flagged down a waiter, and ordered the same. Following some lighthearted chitchat, Mike’s tone turned serious.

“I’ve got to tell you Miss Hazel,” Mike said. “Those earrings and that big rock on your hand really make you stand out – and not in such a good way. I’ll let you in on a little secret … Jerry and I are private detectives, and there have been a lot of senior citizen robberies in this neighborhood the last few weeks. Some got kinda violent and ladies like yourself got hurt.”

Hazel’s eyes widened.

“My goodness,” she said. “You had me fooled … I figured private detectives would be wearing suits like you see on those police shows. My jewelry is about the only things I own that have any real value. I don’t spend much money these days, I’ve just tried to save most of it since my husband died a while back.

“In fact, I keep it in an old cardboard box in my bedroom closet at home. Last I checked I had nearly $13,000 in there, mostly 100 and 50-dollar bills. Don’t really trust banks, not with the way the world is.”

Mike and Jerry darted their eyes at each other.

“I’m afraid you’re the perfect target for people like that … bad people who prey on senior citizens. I tell you what, when we’re done here, why don’t we give you a ride home? We can offer you some safety tips to make sure you don’t become a victim.”

Hazel leaned over, grabbed her purse and placed it on the table. She reached inside and retrieved a bulging, red-checkered napkin.

“You boys are being so kind,” she said. “When I go out, I always make sure to carry some freshly baked chocolate chip cookies with me. I want you to have them.”

The men each took a cookie and gobbled it down.

“These are delicious, Miss Hazel!” Mike said. “Jerry, why don’t you pull the car around while I pay the check. We’ll meet you out front.”

Hazel shook her head.

“No, no …. It’s my treat,” she said. “I’ll pay.”

Once outside, Mike escorted Hazel to a grimy white van with an engine that sounded as though it was in dire need of a tune-up.

“It’s not much to look at, Miss Hazel,” Mike said. “But when you work undercover like Jerry and me, you don’t want to draw attention to yourself.”

Hazel chuckled.

“At least you have a vehicle,” she said. “If I go anywhere, I have to take the bus … or walk. I just live around the corner, though, so it’ll be a short drive.”

The trio arrived at her garden home in less than a minute, pulling up in the gravel driveway and shutting off the engine.

After Mike helped Hazel out of the van, he put his left arm around her and stuck a gun in her ribs with his right hand.

“Don’t say a word, lady, and you won’t get hurt,” said Jerry, who had bolted from the drivers’ seat and was shielding Hazel and his partner from the view of anyone standing on the street. “Just be really quiet and take us inside. Give us what we want and we’ll be gone in a flash. And you can start with that ring.”

Hazel, to her credit, didn’t seem frightened. In fact, she had a gleam in her eye when she took off her ring and bobs and placed them in Jerry’s hand. After reaching the front door she took out a key, opened it, and walked into the den with Mike and Jerry so close behind they seemed like dual shadows.

Standing in the middle of the room were 11 other women, all around Hazel’s age, and all wearing bright orange robes.

The men froze – and that isn’t a figure of speech.

Once they stepped foot in the house, they were immobile, able to hear but not move and see but not speak.

Hazel closed the door behind them.

“Ladies,” she said. “This is Mike and Jerry, and they were going to rob me. They’ve been on quite a crime spree lately. Of course, now that they’ve eaten our delicious cursed cookies, they aren’t going to do much of anything ever again.”

Hazel plopped down in a chair, cracked her knuckles and sighed.

“I know it’s not demon-hunting like we used to do back in the day,” she said. “But it’s still a good service – and one the whole coven should be proud of.

“Now, who wants to help me carry these boys to the backyard and heat up the cauldron?”

Stallions reach midway point

Michigan coach Mike Nolan shakes hands with Birmingham’s Skip Holtz following their game earlier this month in Detroit. (Photo by Luke Hales/UFL/Getty Images)

How good have the Birmingham Stallions been?

Well, since kicking off on April 16, 2022, they’ve played 28 games, won 25 of them, and claimed both championships in the two seasons the modern United States Football League competed.

Scott Adamson writes stuff. Follow him on Threads @sladamson1960 and Adamsonmedia on Facebook.

In fact, no team currently participating in spring outdoor pro football has fewer losses and, of course, none have come close to the number of victories Skip Holtz’s charged have notched.

Now, as the team enters the halfway point of its third regular season – and first in the United Football League – it continues to set the standard for on-field success.

The Stallions, at 4-0, are the lone unbeaten team in the UFL. And they sit atop the USFL Conference with a two-game lead over the second-place Michigan Panthers, a club they’ve already defeated on the road.

Birmingham has two dominant wins (27-14 over Arlington and a 33-14 beatdown of Memphis); a hard-fought, 20-13 victory over Michigan; and last Saturday’s come-from-behind, 20-18 conquest of DC in a soggy, lightning-delayed field goal fest.

Not only did the most recent game produce a new hero in kicker Ramiz Ahmed (he had four field goals including the game winner), but he’s now the starter.

Chris Blewitt suffered an injury that placed home on the IR for six to eight weeks, so Ahmed has gone from a temp to a full-time employee.

The Stallions have won in different ways but the winning continues, which is the sign of a team that knows how to maintain success.

“The biggest aspect is that we’ve come together with so many new faces, and that we’ve gelled and we’ve found a way to win four games,” Holtz said on Tuesday. “It certainly hasn’t been perfect – every game on offense and perfect every game on defense – but I do feel like we’re getting better. And for us to be able to have had the success we’ve had to this point, obviously has been one of the things that I’m really proud of.”

The two-quarterback system of Matt Corral and Adrian Martinez has worked quite well, despite the fact that the popularity of platooning QBs went out with the demise of the wishbone attack.

The signal callers have combined for 942 passing yards and four touchdowns, and Martinez, C.J. Marable and Ricky Person Jr. provide a three-headed monster on the ground.

“We’re doing it right now with two quarterbacks, and I think it works because we have two very talented quarterbacks and I think everybody on the offensive line and within the quarterback room, they’ve been very professional,” Holtz said. “They’re working together to make things happen.”

Deon Cain has been the leading receiver, but eight different players have reeled in catches. Cain, Jace Sternberger, Amari Rodgers and Marlon Williams have converted receptions into TDs.

Defensively, the line has helped the unit become one of the best – and stingiest – in the UFL.

Kyahva Tezino leads the circuit in tackles (32 total and 19 solo), while Carlos’ Davis’ five sacks tops the charts.

Despite all the numerous positives, though, Holtz says Birmingham still has plenty of work to do to be the best it can be.

“If there’s one thing we really need to keep improving on, I think it’s just the overall development and execution of what we’re trying to do as an offense and defense,” Holtz explained. “We watched the film this morning (of the win over DC) as an offense, and saw things that had nothing to do with a physical mistake, they were mental mistakes and execution mistakes on our part. There were 27 plays in that game we feel like we didn’t help ourselves. We didn’t do the things that we needed to do. And I think that’s where we’ve just got to keep getting better.

“I can’t say we have to run it better or we have to throw it better or we have to stop the run better. I mean, I think we just have to overall continue to improve on what we’re doing. Because I think it’s all the little things that are the difference in winning or losing right now. And that’s what we’ve got to continue to strive for is to get those things perfected and cleaned up.”

Next up is a road trip to face the Houston Roughnecks on Saturday, a club that is basically a rebranded version of the Houston Gamblers of the 2022-23 USFL.

The Gamblers were the only USFL team that managed to beat the Stallions twice, once in the inaugural season and again last year.

But the approach to that game will be the same as Birmingham approaches them all.

“In order to win, we just have to stay focused  … kind of rinse and repeat every Sunday,” Holtz said. “Watch the film, put it to bed, and then start going through the process of what we’ve got to do to get ready for first downs today, and third downs tomorrow, and then polish some things up on Thursday and get ready for Saturday.”

Note: Starting punter Colby Wadman was injured on Saturday and won’t be making the trip to Houston. Birmingham signed Drue Chrisman, who spent time with the Cincinnati Bengals, to fill his spot.