Scott Adamson, Author at Adamsonmedia.com

Stallions face Roughnecks

This week the Birmingham Stallions have seen Scooby Wright – arguably the team’s most iconic player – hang up his cleats due to a neck injury suffered during last weekend’s 20-18 victory over DC.

They’re also without the services of their third leading tackler, Chris Jackson, who has been placed on injured reserve.

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C.J. Marable, the United Football League’s third-leading rusher, has missed practice due to personal reasons and won’t play on Saturday against the Houston Roughnecks.

That’s the bad news.

The good news?

Birmingham remains unbeaten and unbowed, and continues its run as the most successful team in professional spring football.

Currently sitting at 4-0 and holding a two-game lead in the UFL’s USFL Conference, the Stallions take their show on the road to face Houston (1-3).

“We’ve got a challenge this week with Houston, who is another 1-3 football team but when you look at them, they just got a couple of guys back from injury,” Birmingham coach Skip Holtz said. “I think they’re playing with a lot of confidence right now and they went in and had a big win last week. Played really well having their tailback (Mark Thompson) back. He was the USFL Offensive Player of the Year a year ago, very talented, big physical running back, which we know is gonna pose some problems for us as a defense.

“And they beat us last year – we were 1-1 against them. They play a very aggressive style of play on defense and we’re gonna have to play really well. In order to win, we just have to stay focused.”

The Roughnecks have taken their name from last season’s XFL team but, in reality, are the rebranded Gamblers from the USFL.

Not only did they split with Birmingham last season, but handed the two-time USFL champions their only loss in the inaugural campaign of 2022.

In fact, Houston is the only team that has defeated the Stallions more than once and is 2-2 all-time against them.

Thompson was limited and had just 34 yards on nine carries in last week’s 17-9 win over Arlington, but he also scored a touchdown and provided a huge boost to the team in his return to action.

“Mark Thompson really helped us get over the hump,” Roughnecks boss Curtis Johnson said. “He made some really good runs … and he’s on a pitch count.”

Reid Sinnett had a solid day behind center, hitting on 18 of 28 aerials for 191 yards and a TD, and connected with nine different receivers in the “W.”

The Houston defense also limited Arlington to 193 yards of total offense, forcing two fumbles, picking off a pass and registering two sacks.

As for Birmingham, it leads the UFL in 17 statistical categories, including total offense (1,479 yards), passing yards (917), rushing yards (562), all-purpose yards (2,023) field goals (12), sacks (17), rushing touchdowns allowed (none) and least points allowed (59).

“I feel like we are just now starting to hit our stride and starting to feel a little bit more comfortable with each other with the quarterbacks making some of the line calls and with the communication with the things going on at the line of scrimmage,” Holtz said. “I think we’re a work in progress, but I think we’re getting better and have to continue to strive to work on all those little things in order to get to be where we want to be.”

Once again, the Stallions will employ the 1-2 quarterback punch of Matt Corral and Adrian Martinez. Corral has passed for 494 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 99 yards; Martinez has thrown for 448 yards and two scores and churned out a team-leading (and second in the UFL) 165 ground yards with a TD.

Martinez will get the start on Saturday.

“I know it’s not easy when you play two quarterbacks, and I’ve heard all the arguments about how it doesn’t work and the chemistry doesn’t work,” Holtz said. “But we did it two years ago with Alex (McGough) and J’Mar (Smith).”

Through four weeks, Deon Cain is the only receiver to have doubled digit catches. His 16 receptions have resulted in 264 yards and TD.

Tight end Jace Sternberger has caught eight balls for 155 yards and a touchdown, and Marlon Williams and Amari Rodgers have each been on the money end of paydirt passes.

The loss of Jackson and Wright is a blow to the defense, but the unit has an abundance of talent.

Linebacker Kyahva Tezino has a staggering 32 tackles – including 19 solo – followed by cornerback Lorenzo Burns with 20 in all and 15 unassisted.

Derick Roberson has forced two fumbles and Kai Nacua has two picks for the Stallions.

Last week Birmingham battled through a long weather delay, two fumbles and four sacks, but was ultimately saved by new kicker Ramiz Ahmed’s four field goals. His last from 46 yards out was the game-winner. Holtz is proud of that win – and all of them – but knows his unbeaten team can take nothing for granted moving into week five.

“We’ve won four games,” he said. “But you could very easily see that was a two-point football game (last Saturday) and if the kick doesn’t go through and you lose, you know … you’re that close.

“So, we’ve just got to keep getting better.”

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 11^th 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.”

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?”