Coached by Arena Football League passing great, Las Vegas Outlaws ready for Monday debut

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Saturday, March 28, 2015 | 2 a.m.

Aaron Garcia is more than the Las Vegas Outlaws coach.

At times, he also feels like a salesman, promoting the first-year Arena Football League team to Las Vegans.

And that’s just fine.

Garcia has more than two decades of experience in the league and is widely considered one of its best all-time quarterbacks. He holds the league’s record for all-time passing yards and touchdowns, promising his Outlaws will be creative in their offensive approach and produce plenty of exciting plays.

“This is something I really believe in,” Garcia said. “Arena football has done so much for my career, my life and my family. I’m trying to give that to other young men and give them a chance to have the same experiences.”

The Outlaws host San Jose at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Thomas & Mack Center for the inaugural game in franchise history. They are owned by Vince Neil, lead singer for Mötley Crüe who is scheduled to sing the national anthem at the opener.

This is the third AFL team in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Gladiators left in 2007 for Cleveland; the Las Vegas Sting played at the MGM Grand Garden Arena for two seasons in the mid-1990s before leaving for Anaheim.

“There are a lot of football fans here (in Las Vegas),” Garcia said. “We want to be part of that fabric for a long time to come. We’ll put a good product out there.”

Wins could be hard to come by initially.

Of the 20-player roster, eight are first-time players in the league, Garcia said. The 50-yard field, rebound nets in the end zone and boundary walls create plenty of high-scoring games, but will require an adjustment period for players to become comfortable with.

Also, the AFL doesn’t host preseason games, meaning players for a first-year franchise have no experience together.

“You can look good in shorts and T-shirts, but that might not translate to the game,” Garcia said.

Las Vegas does have a few proven players.

Wide receiver Tysson Poots, a Coronado High graduate, helped the Arizona Rattlers win the Arena Bowl the past two seasons. Quarterback JJ Raterink has played indoor football since 2006 and holds the Iowa Barnstormers record for passing yards (4,870) and touchdown passes (93) in a season.

Defensive back Tanner Varner is another seasoned player, winning first-team All-Arena honors last season with Orlando after recording 68 tackles and five interceptions. Varner was the Outlaws’ first pick in the expansion draft.

Las Vegas plays two games in less than a week in the first week of the season. It hosts Arizona April 4 in the second of nine home games through early August.

Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21