Roommates, Friends... Now Opponents

June 28,2014




By KRISTI ROSE
“If you’re the quarterback, you get the ball pretty much every play, which makes it pretty exciting knowing that a lot of the game rides on your shoulders.”
And those shoulders in question have returned to their elite form.
“Back to 100 percent,” said Spokane Shock quarterback Erik Meyer. “I’m feeling good.”
The League’s reigning Most Valuable Player and Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Year was injured in the first matchup between the LA KISS in Week 8. Despite a 70-21 Spokane win, a crushing sack broke Meyer’s collarbone, placing him on injured reserve for weeks.
After an initial surgery and weeks of physical therapy, massages, and strength training with the Shock’s trainers, Meyer was activated prior to Week 14 and saw some second-half action in a 37-47 loss to the San Jose Sabercats. In Week 15, Meyer started, and the Shock ran past the San Antonio Talons in a 70-30 win that featured 171 yards on offense from Meyer, as well as three rushing and three passing touchdowns. Last week’s performance earned him the Week 15 MVP nod.
“We’ve got to keep that momentum going,” said Meyer. “We have to make sure we take care of what we do and not worry as much about the other teams or anything like that. We have to make sure we are playing Shock football.”
This week, a lot of that Shock football will focus on protecting Meyer against the team who injured him last.
“We do know that they have a very good pass rush,” said Meyer. “You obviously know the line is going to have to have a pretty good game, especially going up against a guy like Beau Bell.”
Beau Bell, the LA KISS’ not-so-secret weapon, has been having a great season. At 11.5 sacks, he is 4.5 off of the League’s 2012 record of 16 with four games left. He has firmly planted himself as one of the frontrunners for Riddell Defensive Player of the Year.
Bell, however, definitively holds two other interesting titles: the person responsible for injuring Meyer in Week 8, and Meyer’s former roommate in Spokane.
When Bell played for the Shock from 2011-2013, Bell had 137.5 tackles and 17 sacks. Meyer and Bell lived together over the course of those three years and became close friends.
“It was very interesting, me and Erik living together,” laughed Bell. “It was really fun and I wouldn’t trade that experience for the world… He’s a character – the most talented character and hardest competitor you’ll meet.”
“It was awesome [living with Bell],” agreed Meyer. “He was a leader – a great player, a great person, on and off the field… I have a lot of respect for him.”
The two know each other very well, and though they find themselves on opposing teams this year, they remain good friends.
How interesting, then, it is that Bell is the one responsible for putting Meyer’s season on pause.
“I’m very close with him,” said Meyer. “It’s obviously unfortunate that he’s the one who hurt me, but that’s football and that’s the way it goes.”
Bell agreed.
“I wish I wouldn’t have hurt him like that, but that’s part of the game,” he said. “[Meyer] knows it, but no matter what, we both agree that he and I are going to give a 100 percent no matter who we’re going against, whether it’s our mothers, our sisters, or our brothers – it doesn’t matter. We’re still trying to win.”
Winning this game is nearly crucial to extending LA’s season.
“We are trying to get a W at all costs,” said Bell. “We know we have to win this game. We just have to go out there and execute… I’m not thinking about records. I’m thinking about winning games.”
With a win against Spokane, LA would improve their chances to claim the berth ahead of the Portland Thunder, who currently hold the last wildcard spot in the conference after their win over the New Orleans VooDoo this week.
Spokane, additionally, can clinch a wildcard playoff spot with a win. This potential playoff spot would be their fourth in five years.
Despite a loss earlier this season, Bell and the KISS have a chance to play the Shock again, a team whose players and coaches Bell knows quite well, this time at home in Los Angeles - an opportunity he relishes.
“Of course [the loss] is in the back of my mind,” said Bell. “Playing them is fun, though. In playing with those guys for a few years, you really know them. I know what [the Shock] are capable of, so we just have to take care of what we need to defensively to slow down Erik and the rest of their offense.”
In a game that is pivotal for both teams, both Bell and Meyer look forward to the opportunity to play each other in Los Angeles, where both have plenty of family and friends coming to watch this Saturday.
“I get to play out here at home!” exclaimed Bell. “I wanted to give my home crowd a winning team and show them that I play my heart out every single time.”
“I’m excited to be down there in front of my family and friends,” agreed Meyer.
“I’ll also be looking forward to the bye for Spokane, especially when we win.”