MICHAEL COTTON RETURNS TO TEAM

Michael Cotton has returned to the team. Michael decided it was in his best interest to return to the Xpress after visiting the Texas Knights for a few practices. When Mr. Cotton was asked why he decided to look else where to play the 2011 season he responded " I thought Tre was not returning to the team and I thought the team would be moving in another direction and I did not think the chemistry would still be with the team like it was in the 2010 season. But I am back now and I am ready to pick up where I left off" With him returning to the team it gives us more outside speed and and adds depth to the position. The Xpress organization is glad he is back and so are both QB's Fields and Chism.

Xpress and AllStar Part Ways

The Dfw Xpress and all star wide out Michael Cotton have parted ways. The front office made a call and it was confirmed Mr. Cotton has decided to take his game to another franchise. Mr. Cotton did not notify the club that he had decided not to renew his contract making him a free agent. He decided to sign with the Texas Knights a franchise that finished the 2010 season with a 4-6 record. With the emergence of James Chism and the signing of Bobby Duncan the Xpress will not miss a beat. Michael brought us a deep threat receiver that the Vernon style offense always has, but as always the organization finds a deep threat to man the Z wide out spot. With the Titans it was 6'7 Kevin Massenburg 10T.D, 07 Bryson Clarke 10 T.D, 08 Johnny Williams 9 T.D, 09-Rashard Manning 10 t.d, and 2010 Michael Cotton 8 T.D, and in 2011 it will be James Chism. Michael put up phenomenal receiving yard numbers over 600 yards on just 18 receptions. The Xpress feel like Chism will better those numbers as a full time starter, he played Q.B. and receiver in the 2010 season, as a wide out his 3 catches for 118 yards and 2 scores showed enough promise that prompt the Xpress to move him into the starting line-up. With the signing of Free Agent wide out Bobby Duncan and Rookie sensation Anthony Caston in the slot and the returning all time leading receiver Chris Choice the Xpress offense will not miss a beat. The Xpress family would like to wish Mr. Cotton well with his new Franchise.

XPRESS MAKE MAJOR MOVE

The DFW XPRESS made a major announcement today that they were returning to play in the TUFL (Texas United Football League) in 2011. The Xpress won the NMLF Championship in 2010 and were slated to play for a national Championship this fall. Many leagues called and wanted the 2A State Champion to join there league but after heavy consideration and positive behind closed door meetings with John Kirkpatrick(Hunt County Longhorns) Shaun Ellis(Collin County Rattlers) and Brommett(Ft Worth Avengers) and positive conversations with Larry Anding and E-mails with Gary Craig I decided the best place to play and for the Xpress to play the best competition would be to play in the TUFL. The other leagues do have some very good teams but the TUFL has better competition on a weekly basis. The Xpress has gotten the reputation as being a premier team, and for the organization to continue to grow I feel like it is important to the organization to play teams like the Longhorns, Rattlers, Avengers,Bullets,and Shreveport just to name a few teams that will make the team better. Last season we finished with an overall record of 11-2 and we played any and everyone that would stand up and play us we even had teams that was scheduled to play us and backed out the week of, but we understood why they did not want to get rolled by the train. The Xpress played two full seasons in the 07,08 year and compiled a 12-8 record since the team left, the organization has compiled a 19-4 record, so going back to the TUFL will help make the TUFL stronger and help our organization gain more notoriety. The goal this year is to win the TUFL Championship and be crowned the 3A State Champion to go along with our 2010 2A State Championship. Keep an eye on the 2011 season and see if the Xpress Train can continue to roll.

Wondering

Showing curiosity. Why is this important you may ask? Well I will elaborate on this word. I have been around semi-pro, Minor League Football, or what this level of football was called over ten years ago by some was knuckle head ball where all the players do is fight! I been doing this for longer then any other coach in the DFW area, and each year someone starts rumors that my team will not be that good, or he will not field a team or his team will fold, and it's funny they say that, because the Xpress has an over all record of 31-10, 19-4 over the last 2 years, my Dallas Titans team I had before I retired had a record of 22-9, 15-5 the last 2 season. My first year owning a franchise the Falcons 1st year record was 0-10 the next year 2-8 the third year we were 4-6, I have always made teams improve where ever I coach! Now the Xpress Organization Is The Premier Team In Dallas Period! The Avengers are the best team in FT-Worth, Hunt County is the best team in East Texas and the Colin County Rattlers are the best team in the North Texas/upper Plano area. There is not a team that is worth playing that can beat this Franchise we proved that this past season! I may come off as being arrogant and I apologize if that is how you feel but oh well, I am sick and tired of outsiders saying what is going on in the Xpress organization. If you do not live in my house what do you know about what's going on behind my closed door? You are Wondering, but when you cannot figure it out you start rumors. Well let me be the first to let you in on a secret sense you are wondering, we have 35 rookies that are trying out for this 2010 championship team! and 30 returners from the 2010 championship team! so in case you are wondering will we be as strong as the 2010 team, what do you think!!!!!

TRY-OUTS

The Xpress had it's first try-out for the 2011 season and the turn out was great! with over 25 new faces in attendance and a few veterans that showed up for support the try-out was a success. Players like MLB Sam Crawford, DT Robert Teal, WR Chris Choice, TE Kendrick Matlock and WR Melvin Harris attended the try-out and gave pointers to the rookies that were in attendance. The Xpress Coaching staff sent the players through several NFL drills and received good times through out the drills. The players worked very hard throughout the try outs. There was a good show of talent that attended and the Xpress are very interested in signing several from the try out, the next try out will be OCT 3rd check back for more details.

Xpress Take Bite Out Of Vipers

The Xpress traveled to Austin to take on yet another team from another league, this time it was the Austin Vipers of the NAFL. The NAFL is a perennial league that plays during the summer and all the teams travel to play games in different states. The NAFL is arguably the highest ranking league at this level of football. The Xpress showed up at Round Rock ISD ready to show the Vipers and all Nay-Sayer's why the Xpress were the 2010 NMLF Champions. The Vipers got on the board early on their first drive a 9 play 65 yard drive to take an early 7-0 lead. the Xpress showed their big play capability when QB Fields hooked up with WR. James Chism on a 62 yard T.D. pass the 2 point conversion was no good and just like that the score was 7-6 Vipers. The Xpress defense showed why it is ranked in the top ten in the state by stopping the Vipers offense and giving the ball back to the Xpress offense this time Fields found WR Chris Choice on a 24 yard strike to put the Xpress up 12-7. The Xpress defense caused the Vipers offense to fumble the ball at the Xpress 48 yard line, this time Fields hooked up with WR Michael Cotton on a 62 yard score, Fields QB keeper for the 2 point conversion was good and the Xpress now had a 20 -7 lead. The Vipers did manage to get a F.G. right before the half to cut the lead to 20-10. The second half started off in the Vipers Favor when the Xpress defense was put in a bad situation inside their own 18 yard line 3 plays later the score was now 20-17 Xpress. After an Xpress punt, the Vipers offense had the ball for 5 plays before Demarcus Nixon intercepted his 9TH pass of the season. The Xpress offense kept the Vipers defense off balance with the running back tandem of Roberts and Franks. Roberts 11 carries 55 yards and a T.D. Frank 12 carries for 85 yards the Xpress offense drove the ball down the field with runs and passes and Roberts capped off the drive with a 4 yard score and push the lead to 28-17. On The Vipers next offensive series OLB George Tambah intercepted the Vipers and this time Fields found WR. Melvin Harris on a 18 yard strike to put the game out of reach and push the score to 34-17. The Vipers would not quit, but once again Nixon intercepted his second pass of the game to give the Xpress another chance at scoring. The offense could not do much and gave the ball back to the Vipers offense and the Vipers Q.B. connected on a 18 yard strike to cut the lead to 34-24 with just over 6 mins left in the game. The Xpress offense stalled once again and the Vipers offense had new life only to have that life die after OLB Tambah intercepted his 2ND pass of the game. The Xpress offense returned back to the field on a mission to score again this time Fields found Harris again on a 12 yard strike and after a David Steele extra point the Final score DFW Xpress 41 the Austin Vipers 24. Xpress have played teams from every league in Texas, except for the Gulf Coast league and have been dominant against every team. (Wins over the Killeen Knights 29-19 TUFL) (Win over the Terrell Sharks 27-10 EFL) ( Win over Austin Vipers 41-24 NAFL) ( Tie with The Texas Knights 12-12 MPFL which easily should have been a blow out win for the Xpress) What the Xpress displayed this year was an attitude any team any league any place we will be victorious. Lets see what happens in 2011 Stay Tuned.

Championship

The DFW played the Kaufman Sharks in the NMLF 2010 Championship in front of a crowd of 400 - 500 fans. The Xpress train started rolling early when rookie QB sensation James Chism hooked up with 2010 All Star Wide Out Chris Choice on a 27 yard T.D. pass and after a Cadenas Kick the Xpress went up 7-0. The Sharks could not muster much offense against the Xpress Monsters of the Midway defense on their first drive. The Xpress offense went back to work this time when Q.B. Tre Fields hooked up with All Star wide out Michael Cotton on a 55 yard T.D. grab for a 14-0 lead. The Xpress defense put up another defensive stand and the Xpress could not get rolling Fields was sacked in the end zone for a Sharks safety that made the score 14-2 Xpress half time lead. After half time the Sharks had the momentum but the defense stopped the Sharks and the train started to roll again this time Fields hooked with All Star T.E. Kendrick Matlock for a 38 yard score and the Xpress were up 20 -2 and the game was basically out of reach at that time. The Xpress defense had key players to stand out in the championship game. Middle Linebacker Sam Crawford and rookie Standout Stanley Sterns kept the sharks powerful running game bottle up, while free safety turned defensive end Anthony Stevenson kept constant pressure on the Sharks Q.B.'s. The defensive tackles Derrick Blount and Robert Teal kept the middle of the field running lanes closed down. With just under 9 mins to go inn the game the Xpress offense wet back to work constantly confusing the Sharks defense with the run and the pass when Rocky Frank went in un touched for an 8 yard T.D. to make the score 27-2 and with under 3 mins left to go in the game the Sharks scored a meaningless T.D. to give you a final score of Xpress 27 Sharks 10.