<table bgcolor=#eaeaea> <td> <font color=#000000> <blockquote> <p align=justify>
What happens when your offensive linemen have way too much time on their hands?
They come up with silly monikers for themselves.
That's why Bossier-Sheveport Battle Wings linemen Greg Hodges and Nick Codutti, were proud to call themselves "600 pounds of man-love," following Saturday's season-defining win over the unbeaten Tulsa Talons.
"We do have a lot of free time," admitted Hodges with a chuckle. "We need to add (Chris) Hollie and make it a thousand pounds of man love."
That trio actually weighs a combined 980 pounds and they're one of the main reasons that quarterback Gary Cooper had enough time to complete four touchdown passes against perhaps the AF2's best defensive line in Tulsa.
"I'm fortunate that I have what I believe is the best offensive line in the AF2," Cooper said. "They stepped up their game big time against Tulsa and that's one of the main reasons we won."
<center><p><a href="http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080607/SPORTS/806070312" target="_blank">The rest of the story</a>
By Jimmy Watson •
jimwatson@gannett.com
<!--
Cooper expects to get the same caliber of protection today when divisional foe Austin rolls into town for the first meeting between the two clubs.
The Wranglers (4-5) dropped from AFL to af2 this season and have been making strides after a rocky start.
"It was a nice shot of confidence for us to beat Tulsa, but that was Saturday, and now we have a tough Austin team coming in," Hodges said. "Coach (Jon Norris) told us that five of our next seven games are against divisional foes, so we need to put forth the effort to get a little distance."
The Tulsa game was a defining moment in Hodges' career. About five minutes into the second quarter, he broke free from his block and slipped into the left corner of the end zone where he caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Cooper. It was Hodges' first touchdown at any level of football and it gave the Wings a 14-10 lead.
"I was just glad I caught it and it was an unbelievable feeling," Hodges said. "I didn't have a dance ready, but I spiked it pretty good."
Hodges, a UL-Lafayette graduate in finance (he has no idea what he'll do with the degree) joined the Battle Wings last season and was a mainstay in the line until he injured his leg 10 games in.
"I remember the day it happened," Hodges said. "It was 7-7-07, which was supposed to be a lucky day. It wasn't for me."
He went back to Lafayette to complete his degree in the off-season, took a month off, then returned to Bossier City in the spring, only to get saddled rooming with Codutti again. The feisty duo came up with the "man-love" moniker but they don't use it when trying to secure a date."
"Actually, Codutti is engaged, so he doesn't date," Hodges said. "We pretty much keep that on the field between us. We'd never say that to the ladies."
Hodges said he and Codutti hit it off last year in training camp when they found they had a lot in common.
"Be sure and say that I'm taller than him," Hodges said. "I don't have to share a bathroom with him and I don't have any complaints because he's a fairly clean roommate. He even cooks dinner for us some."
Codutti may be shorter, but he is stronger than his roomie.
"No doubt. The dude lives in the weight room," Hodges said.
When the 6-foot-3, 305-pound Hodges mans up with an opposing lineman, he uses several techniques to fend off would be sackers. But his moves aren't always taken well.
"When you stick on a guy they tend to get frustrated and they'll sometimes take a cheap shot," Hodges said. "Defensive guys like to talk a lot, but you learn to block it out. Sometimes it's almost comical."
While the Wings offensive line didn't play a perfect game against the Talons, Cooper said that he didn't dwell on their mistakes.
"They know when they make a mistake and they usually let me know," Cooper said. "But they work very hard and they stay together."
-->
</td> </table>
