FEBRUARY, 2006: Maybe coach Kevin Porter saw this coming: the Kansas City Brigade's debut spoiled by a 58-44 loss at Dallas.

After the Brigade's only exhibition game against Grand Rapids, Porter knew there was much work to be done and little time to get it accomplished before the Arena Football League season began.

"For the most part, our guys played hard," Porter said. "We've got a long way to go, but we'll get there. We're trying to make sure the guys we have out here are doing the right thing and playing hard. For us, we've seen some good things. We're just going to keep working."

For the most part, our guys played hard," Porter said. "We've got a long way to go, but we'll get there. We're trying to make sure the guys we have out here are doing the right thing and playing hard. For us, we've seen some good things. We're just going to keep working."

The Desperados exposed several of the Brigade's flaws, including long passes against the zone defense. Three of the Dallas touchdowns passes were at least 27 yards. Brigade players acknowledged there was also insufficient communication.

"We did some good things overall on both sides of the ball, but we did some things that were not so good," said quarterback Andy Kelly, a 12-year AFL veteran who injured his groin against the Desperados while making a tackle on a fumble return in the fourth quarter. the potential is there. If we keep working hard, we're going to have a chance."

In fairness to this team, a few days of practice, one scrimmage and an inaugural game is not enough to evaluate how the Brigade will shape up in its first season. As the New Orleans Voo Doo last season, the team finished with a 9-7 record in the National Conference Southern Division, the best record in the conference for a team that did not reach the playoffs.

"We've been through a month of training camp and we have a lot of guys who have worked real hard," he said. "You don't know how you'll do until you get out there. I feel good about this team. The guys have worked hard to get an understanding of how we want to do things."

Porter, a former safety with the Chiefs, was the defensive coordinator last year with the Voo Doo, which had the AFL's second-ranked defense in terms of scoring. Defense is a relative term in the AFL, where the 45 points per game that New Orleans surrendered is considered outstanding.

"They say they're supposed to score a bunch of points, but it's my job to stop them from scoring," Porter said. Get ready for high-powered offenses playing on a 50-yard field with a seven-yard end zone. There is no punting in the AFL. If you're stuck on your own one-yard line on fourth down, you try a 56-yard field goal. If you love offense, you'll love AFL football.

"Our lines, both offense and defense, are our strength," Porter said. "We have a good mix of veterans and young guys. Our veterans have played a lot of football in this league."

What's the biggest difference in playing on the line in the AFL versus the NFL?

"They all have to play both ways," Porter said. "Our goal is to find defensive linemen and convert them. It's easier to teach a guy to play offensive line than to teach him to rush the passer. It may not seem that way, but pass rushing is an art."

"We've got really good leadership on the team -- Andy Kelly, B.J. Cohen, Chris Pointer," Porter said. "You've good experience in the secondary, but those three stand out."

Run defense is not prominent in the AFL, but the Brigade D-line, led by Jon McCall, should be solid.

"We felt that he (McCall) was one of the top five free agents at his position and we expect big things from him," Porter said.

McCall said pressuring the quarterback is essential. "That's real important, especially in this game. It's not that you don't play the run, you play run to pass. It's a little different from the outdoor game. It helps you get into your man. You read whether it's pass or not and you go from there."

The Brigade wide receivers are inexperienced. Jacques Rumph was a last-minute add to the roster and he hauled in seven passes for 64 yards and returned five kicks for 81 yards against Dallas.

"We've got good guys who can make plays," Porter said. "They just have to get game experience and get used to the indoor game."

It's almost curtain time. The first home game is Feb. 12 and Kemper could be rocking with a sellout likely.