BILLINGS — You can’t make this stuff up: An indoor football team practicing outside next to a corn field on grass turf. That pretty much encompasses the entire season for this year's Billings Outlaws.
Showing up to practice an hour and a half early Tuesday, Outlaws coaches measured, marked and spray-painted white lines on the regulation-sized grass field right down to the inch of Arena Football League standards.
“I wouldn’t expect nothing less from them,” Outlaws receiver/defensive back Duane Brown told MTN Sports.
The three coaches split the work during temperatures hovering around 100 degrees, driving head coach Cedric Walker to bring out his big sombrero for sun cover.
“We were supposed to be practicing at Metra, but the electricity or power is off for three days,” Walker noted while covered by the over-sized hat.
So, there they were in the sweltering heat ironically on the home field of another Outlaws team — Elder Grove Middle School. Elder Grove is actually the professional team's fourth practice venue this season. The last-minute adjustment is candidly another example of Billings coaches piecing together a season-long puzzle.
“They make sure we get the best of any situation,” Brown said.
The Outlaws have definitely been in some situations this season to no fault of their own.
A rebooted version of the Arena Football League — which they joined this year — started with 16 teams before watching eight collapse, including Rapid City where the Outlaws were taped, dressed and ready for kickoff in May before the game was abruptly canceled, reportedly due to unpaid wages to Rapid City players.
“That was a tough one,” Walker admitted. “I think that right there was the lowest point of the season. For that to happen was very sad and it was a bad look for the league.”
Some players were on the field, others in a hallway upon learning the news.
“It was crazy, I ain’t going lie because we had just finished our warm-ups," Brown recalled. "So it was a little upsetting because we had just made that five-hour drive for nothing.”
Outlaws guard Terrence Ames shared disappointment for additional reasons.
“I learned, actually, from coach while we was out there stretching. I have family in Rapid (City), so I was happy to see them after but I wanted them to come to the game to see me play,” Ames said.
A league once prestigious in its previous incarnation was suddenly crumbling. One team after another would fold after failing to pay bills, players, coaches and staff workers.
But Outlaws players and coaches offer credit to team owner Steven Titus who made sure his guys were taken care of. In turn, the Outlaws bolted to a 7-1 record and the No. 1 seed for the AFL playoffs.
In yet another twist of fate, Saturday’s semifinal is a rematch against the Nashville Kats — a team that handed Billings its only regular-season loss.
“I think that’s the football gods. That game solely sits on me as the head coach," Walker said. "It’s good to be able to get that game back.”
“Well, we lost," Ames bluntly said. "We kind of wanted this … and, no ‘kind of’ ... we actually did want this.”
The rematch is a great reflection of a bizarre season.
The NFL Network had an agreement to televise over 30 AFL regular season games beginning in April. But that deal fell apart.
However, Saturday's 8 p.m. semifinal at First Interstate Arena at MetraPark is now set to be nationally televised on CBS Sports Network, re-energizing both players and coaches for a prime time audience.
“Yes, CBS Sports will be in the 406,” Walker said enthusiastically.
“It’s national television," said Ames. "Not YouTube, not Facebook Live. CBS — everybody’s going to be watching.”
One gets the feeling that no matter where the Outlaws practice or what field they play on (or next to), if they win twice more, this bizarre season may well be remembered as a field of dreams.
