NASHVILLE — Last year, when Cory Fleming wanted information about his daughter Tacoria's pee wee basketball games, he had to get a play-by-play update from his wife Tracy on the telephone.

That's because while Tacoria was busy shooting baskets, dad was away on business as a member of the Arena Football League's Orlando Predators.

The Nashville Kats remedied Fleming's dilemma in October by reacquiring the former University of Tennessee star in a trade for a second go-around in his hometown of Nashville.

"One thing that I was probably most pleased about was that he wanted to come home to be with his family," Kats coach Pat Sperduto said of the 34-year-old Fleming. "I know he wanted to be home with his wife and kids, and that's admirable on his part, and that's a testament to the man."

But Fleming returning to Nashville is more than just a story about daddy coming home. The Kats are hoping Fleming will provide the veteran leadership and a boost that can lift a 6-9-1 team that re-entered the AFL a year ago into a playoff-caliber team.

And Fleming likes the new/old surroundings he finds himself in, as he begins his 10th season of Arena Football.

"I love it," Fleming said. "The guys have a lot of fun out there practicing and we have a good attitude. I just really feel like we're coming together in practicing, competing against each other and really getting to know each other well. That's going to help us as we strive for team unity."

Still, this new edition of the Kats is different, he says, compared to the days when he and Big Orange buddy Andy Kelly used to hook up on a regular basis 1997-2001.

These Kats are an interesting mix of veterans like Fleming, James Baron and Darryl Hammond to go with younger players like Dan Alexander, Clint Stoerner and Aaron McConnell, who are still feeling their way around in the indoor game and relying on the likes of Fleming for advice and leadership.

"You have a lot of young guys who have stepped into the picture and are making a lot of plays for us," Fleming said. "The old Kats had a lot of veterans, a lot of experience. We have a few veteran leaders out there, but you have a lot of young guys that have played a lot of football in the NFL and here in the Arena League."

Adds Sperduto, "He's seen it all and really the best thing is he understands what I expect and what I expect from leaders and what I expect from players and a team as a unit."

And while Saturday night's opener in New York is the first step for Fleming, he admits he might be looking at his long-awaited return to the Gaylord Entertainment Center when the Kats play their home opener on Feb. 3 even more.