The devil must be wearing a parka right now.

The five-time world champion Tampa Bay Storm have started the season with as many loses as the franchise has championships. In the team’s history – dating back to 1987 when the franchise was the Pittsburgh Gladiators prior to being sold and relocated to Tampa bay – this 0-5 start takes the cake.

The losing streak, dating back to the 2006 season, is seven games.

Heading to San Jose early Friday morning, you have to think everyone on the coaching staff on down thought the
SaberCats were a vulnerable and beatable team. They entered the contest 1-2 and on a two-game losing streak. Even still, San Jose got a piece of the Storm in its 69-49 home opening victory.

I’m from northern California and that flight is a long one just after seeing family and friends. I can’t imagine being stuck on a plane for nearly eight hours after being worked over.

Talking to folks on the staff and in the front office, the frustration is apparent. How can you assemble a team with the level of experience this one has and can’t buy a victory?

Sure, the quarterback situation was so-so, but this is a league where the offense has a 30-yard start in a 100-yard foot race against the defense. Practically anyone with a healthy arm and a pension for avoiding mistakes could carry a squad to victory.

Take a look at the Georgia Force. The team is 4-1 and didn’t suffer its first loss until this weekend. Quarterback Chris Greisen, out of Northwest Missouri State, is in his third year in the league, yet he has been named offensive player of the month for March and has the Force at the top of the Southern Division.

The Chicago Rush are 4-1 and sit atop the Central Division with Matt D’Orazio at QB. He officially is in his fifth AFL season.

Here in Tampa Bay, John Kaleo is in his 14th season and Stoney Case, who got his first start in the AFL in Saturday’s loss to San Jose, is in his fourth season.

Then there’s the kicking situation, but it may be a bit polarized here seeing how head coach Tim Marcum goes through kickers like a fat kid through a box of cookies.

Seth Marler is the third – and best – kicker the team has had this season with his deep kicks off in the net and his consistency on extra points. He connected on all six attempts Saturday.

After a conversation with Storm PR guy Jim Robinson Thursday, we figured what the problem was. Most successful teams may have a game or two during the season when a call could go either way. It has nothing to do with a bias from the refs, it’s just something that happens. That break. Tampa Bay has gotten zero breaks this season. If there was a call to be made against them, it has happened.

Add to that the turnovers and you have a fine goulash for trouble. Tampa Bay’s offense has lost six fumbles and thrown seven interceptions, while the Storm defense has collected five interceptions and two fumble recoveries. That’s a minus-six rating, tying the team for 16th worse in the league with Grand Rapids (1-3) and Las Vegas (1-4).

The most telling stat is Tampa Bay is 18th in the league in points scored (43.0). The team behind them – New York (41.5) – is responsible for loss No. 4.

Stoney Case may have put it best Thursday after practice.

“Every week it’s almost always something different,” he said. “We may play a good half, but we’ve got to put it together and play well in all three phases and get it done and put two halves together and that’s really true for us. We haven’t done that yet. We’re a good football team. We’ve got a lot of talent and it will come around ...”

With all of this losing, there is one thing some folks have to look forward to. Lineman Thaddeus Bullard won a National Championship with the Gators in 1996. Clint Mitchell played for the Gators from 1999 to 2002 and Robinson is also a UF alum. It’s highly likely the trio will watch their alma mater attempt its second consecutive basketball championship and possibly make history as the lone school to win a football championship and basketball title in the same academic year.

Add Marcum to that list. He coached linebackers for the Gators in 1990.