Barnstormers: Filer, Iowa not satisfied with .500 record
At 36, Rodney Filer’s passion for football has hardly dimmed.
Filer, a member of the original Iowa Barnstormers franchise in 1999-2000, is back with the team this season as the starting fullback. The Barnstormers have won their last two Arena Football League games to get back to .500 at 6-6 entering today’s 7 p.m. game at Oklahoma City (5-7), but that’s not enough for Filer.
With four games to play, the Barnstormers are 1 1/2 games behind Milwaukee (8-5) for the fourth and final playoff berth in the National Conference.
“It feels good, but the goal is not to be .500 — the goal is to win a championship,” Filer said. “It’s a good stepping stone to be able to compete to make the playoffs, and that’s the main goal.”
Filer played at Iowa in college and then in the old Arena Football League from 1999 until it went bankrupt following the 2008 season.
He and his wife work in Des Moines, owning the Gigi’s Pilates Studio, so when the opportunity came to play for the Barnstormers this season, he was all in.
“I know that this year or next year will be my last year, depending on (how) my body feels,” Filer said. “I always wanted to finish my arena career where I started. They gave me an opportunity to come in and play. I stayed in shape. I just wanted the opportunity for my family and kids to see me play.”
Filer, a personal trainer, remains in chiseled shape. At 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, he is a bruising runner.
“In ’99, I was a lot faster, but I can still run now,” Filer said. “I know the game more. I play at a smarter level. I know how to set up my blocks and things like that. I’m always in shape. I’m always running around because my (fitness) specialty is boxing and speed agility.”
Barnstormers coach John Gregory said he’s seen little change in Filer since he first played for the Barnstormers.
“He was just like he is right now,” Gregory said. “I don’t see any difference. He still has all the tools, the size and speed and the mentality. He certainly is a force, from a blocking standpoint and a running standpoint.”
His return hasn’t been pain-free. He missed the start of the season with a broken hand, then had a hip pointer in June. In eight games, Filer has rushed for five touchdownson 34 carries this year.
And while Filer said retirement is probably getting close, he’ll keep playing as long as he’s delivering harder hits than he receives.
“I love it,” Filer said. “I love the contact, the challenge of playing with these young guys and hopefully most of the time, kicking their butt.
“I’ve never put a number on (retiring). If I was getting my butt kicked, then I would walk away. As long as my body was physically able to play and I enjoyed it, and it didn’t interfere with my family, I would probably want to play. Right now, I’m playing because of the love of the game. It’s great.”
Today's Iowa Barnstormers game
WHO: Iowa Barnstormers (6-6) at Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz (5-7)
TIME: 7 p.m. at Cox Convention Center, Oklahoma City, Okla.
RADIO: KBGG-AM (1700)
SCOUTING OKLAHOMA CITY:The Yard Dawgz have won their last two games to get within one of Alabama for the final playoff spot in the American Conference. The Yard Dawgz lost to the Barnstormers 68-60 in Des Moines on April 24.
SCOUTING IOWA: The Barnstormers continue to be beset by injuries at wide receiver. Errick McCown is healthy again, but Todd Blythe and Tommy Ellingworth are injured. Iowa is coming off its two most lopsided wins of the season, crushing Utah 68-32 on June 26 and then defeating Dallas 59-38 last week.
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