Saturday, May. 10, 2008

Catching records

By Ben Reynolds, Herald staff writer

J.R. Thomas has been good enough, long enough that his name is becoming a fixture in the arenafootball2 league record books.

Last week, Thomas moved into eighth all-time on the af2 career scoring list after scoring three touchdowns in the Tri-Cities Fever's 49-48 victory over Central Valley.

Now in his fifth season, Thomas has scored 762 career points, and is just 18 points away from moving into seventh ahead of Mitch Allner (780). He gets the chance to inch closer or surpass that mark tonight when the Fever (1-4) plays host to Bossier-Shreveport (3-3) at Toyota Center.

"I didn't even know until an intern told me after the game," said Thomas, who also ranks in the top six all-time in the league in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

Thomas, who battled injuries and pneumonia earlier this season, had his best game of the year last week when he caught eight passes for 113 yards and three touchdowns, all courtesy of new quarterback Josh Kellett in the Fever's first win.

"He's happy now, and everyone is glad to see that," said Fever coach Cedric Walker.

Thomas, the 2004 af2 rookie of the year for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, is coming off one of the best receiving seasons in af2 history, where he caught a career-high 135 passes for 1,851 yards -- eighth most in a single-season -- for 38 touchdowns for a Fever team that finished 8-9.

But his numbers were received with a lukewarm response from the Arena Football League. Grand Rapids showed the most interest and told Thomas to pack his bags. All he had to do was wait for the call. That call came a few days late and Thomas was locked into playing in the af2 for another season -- and locked out of his dream.

"That was frustrating," Thomas said. "I put everything I had into last year."

Thomas, now 26, says not getting that AFL contract after last season, has taught him a lot. He says he is more relaxed and is ready to accept whatever comes his way.

He still loves to play football and would love another chance at the AFL. But at the same time, the grind of minor league sports is wearing on him.

"I am tired of all the ups and downs," he said. "I have to start looking at the future."

But instead of waiting for the big break, he is starting to create a career away from football.

Thomas has founded NeX Level Sports Training, a sports specific type of training for athletes and plans on holding camps for high school athletes this summer in the Tri-Cities.

However, he said that will never replace playing football. "I have been blessed to play football this long, and I'm still having a great time," Thomas said. "I know I can play at the next level."

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