TONIGHT’S GAME

WHO: Tampa Bay Storm (0-4) at San Jose SaberCats (1-2)

WHEN: 10:30 p.m.

RADIO: WDAE, 620 AM

NEED TO KNOW: Storm QB Stoney Case will get his first AFL start in his fourth season in the league. Last season he was a backup for the SaberCats. … Tampa Bay is the lone winless team in the AFL. … Since 2002, the Storm have faced the SaberCats seven times and have beaten them once. … After losing FB Rodney Filer to a broken leg and dislocated ankle, Tampa Bay elevated FB/LB Nyle Wiren from IR to share in the rushing duties with Torrance Marshall and Jarrod Penright. … Lawrence Samuels and T.T. Toliver are ranked third and fourth, respectively, in the AFL in receptions.

Eddie Daniels

By EDDIE DANIELS

TAMPA - It doesn’t take long to figure out what Tampa Bay Storm quarterback Stoney Case is all about.

Once you get past his first name – he was named after Stoney Burke, a character in a 1962-63 western flick - you realize the former NFL passer is all about the competition.

“I feel like it’s about time,” he said laughing. “I feel like it’s been a long time coming, honestly. I’ve been waiting for it for 3 1/2 years now and finally I’ve got that opportunity. I’ve just been waiting for it and I’m ready for it.”

Tonight in San Jose against the SaberCats (1-2) Case will get his first start in the Arena Football League, after spending his first three years in the AFL as either a third stringer or a backup.

“I don’t play football to practice. I play it to play in games,” said Case, who was a third round selection by the Cardinals and also played for the Colts, Ravens and Lions. “When you don’t get to play, it’s frustrating sometimes. It’s just a change in mentality, I’m so competitive, it’ll be nice to get on the field and let that competitiveness out.”

Although matter-of-fact with his words, nothing is intended as negative or sulking. It’s really a byproduct of his upbringing in the sport. And if you know anything about the book, movie and now NBC television series Friday Night Lights, then you understand the foundation of that passion.

That book, penned by H.G. “Buzz” Bissinger, and ensuing movie, was based on the 1988 Odessa Permian football team during Case’s junior year, in which he was the backup to Mike Winchell.

Funny thing about that book, he isn’t shy about his feelings on it.

“I didn’t like the book at all. The book was very one sided,” Case said. “There’s two sides to every story and Buzz Bissinger basically misled Odessa, my high school, everybody. His original thing was it was going to be a positive book on how a football team could bring a community together and when he writes the book, it doesn’t come out like that and it was very one-sided in the negative sense because positive doesn’t sell. He had to create controversy to sell as many copies as he did. So therefore he left out the players’ side.”

The following season, Case took the Panthers to the Texas 5A championship and a 16-0 record. Subsequently, the team was given the No. 1 ranking in the nation.

Competition on the high school level was so heavy, Case admitted he likely played more important games in high school than he did during his college days at the University of New Mexico.

Case has a strong team oriented mentality, which he said was shaped from his Permian days. The best example of that came when he fell 2-yards and two touchdowns shy of the school’s then single season record in 1989. He didn’t find that out until a week after the season concluded.

“I didn’t keep track of stats, I could care less,” said Case, a six-year NFL veteran. “All I cared about was winning. My personal stats mattered not in the least.”

Case’s previous role in this league has given him the chance to soak up the game and its nuances without the physical beating a staring quarterback takes.

That sounds good, but he would rather touch his feet to the fire than study from a safe distance.

“There’s only so much you can learn without actually getting game time reps,” said Case, who started his AFL career in 2004 after a 2000 shoulder injury while playing for the Detroit Lions required surgery in 2001. “I’ve kind of done it from a coach’s perspective, where I can break down what they’re trying to do [in certain coverages] and I wasn’t having to learn on the fly and learn by mistakes. I’ve seen it all in practice for 3 ½ years in the Arena League, running the scout team, getting my backup reps and seeing so much Arena Football and so many plays. I’ve really gotten good at understanding what defenses are trying to do. At least I think I have.”

John Kaleo, the quarterback he supplanted as the starter, has faith in his abilities.

“I think Stoney will do a great job,” he said.

He’ll have to if Tampa Bay (0-4) wants to shake its dubious distinction as the only squad in the 19-team league to go winless thus far.

Reporter Eddie Daniels can be reached at (813) 948-4214 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).