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SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah Blaze have released their 2008 schedule today. Blaze head coach and general manager DANNY WHITE and his squad will kick off their third season at home against the Arizona Rattlers on Saturday, March 1 at 7 p.m. MT at the EnergySolutions Arena.
The Blaze will play a total of eight home games at the EnergySolutions Arena. Seven of those games will be played on Friday and Saturday nights. Utah will also host a nationally televised Monday night game against the Los Angeles Avengers on June 9.
"We have a very competitive schedule this year," White said. "We are continuing to build off the success we have had the last two years. The team we are putting together this offseason will be more balanced than any team we have had in the past. We are excited about getting this season underway and looking forward to quest for the ArenaBowl XXII title."
2008 schedule highlights include:
* Weeks 1 and 17, the Blaze will open the season at the EnergySolutions Arena against the Western-Division rival Arizona Rattlers. Coach White, defensive coordinator HUNKIE COOPER, WR/DB ORSHAWANTE BRYANT, QB JOE GERMAINE, and WR/LB TOM PACE will face their former team, where White coached from 1992-2004. In that time, White led the Rattlers to five ArenaBowl berths and emerged as ArenaBowl Champions in 1994 and 1997. The Blaze will also close their season with the Rattlers at Arizona in Week 17. The team will also face former teammate WR SIAHA BURLEY.
* Week 2, the Blaze will travel to Cleveland to take on the recently re-located Las Vegas Gladiators.
* Week 4, the Blaze face ArenaBowl XXI runner-up Columbus Destroyers at home.
* Week 5, the Georgia Force will play the Blaze for the first time in franchise history at the EnergySolutions Arena.
* Weeks 8 and 12, the Blaze take on defending ArenaBowl XXI Champions and Western-Division foe San Jose SaberCats. The team will also be reunited with former Blaze FB/LB FRANK CARTER.
* Week 11, WR AARON BOONE will face his former team and fellow 2006 expansion team Kansas City Brigade when the Blaze take the field at EnergySolutions Arena.
* Week 15, the Blaze will host a nationally televised Monday night game against the Western-Division foe Los Angeles Avengers.
2007 UTAH BLAZE SCHEDULE
WEEK DATE OPPONENT TIME*
1 Saturday, March 1 ARIZONA RATTLERS 7 p.m.
2 Sunday, March 9 at Cleveland AFL 10:30 a.m.
3 Friday, March 14 at Orlando Predators 5:30 p.m.
4 Friday, March 21 COLUMBUS DESTROYERS 7 p.m.
5 Saturday, March 29 GEORGIA FORCE 7 p.m.
6 Saturday, April 5 at Philadelphia Soul 5 p.m.
7 Saturday, April 12 at Los Angeles Avengers 8:30 p.m.
8 Friday, April 18 SAN JOSE SABERCATS 7 p.m.
9 Friday, April 25 at New Orleans VooDoo 6:30 p.m.
10 Saturday, May 3 KANSAS CITY BRIGADE 7 p.m.
11 Saturday, May 10 COLORADO CRUSH 7 p.m.
12 Saturday, May 17 at San Jose SaberCats 8:30 p.m.
13 Saturday, May 24 CHICAGO RUSH 7 p.m.
14 Sunday, June 1 at Grand Rapids Rampage 12 p.m.
15 Monday, June 9 LOS ANGELES AVENGERS 8 p.m.
16 BYE
17 Saturday, June 21 at Arizona Rattlers 8 p.m.
*All Times Local (MT)
