Final Schutt Sports Poll Released

Posted Jun 27, 2007 by Eddie Daniels

Updated Jun 27, 2007 at 07:44 AM

In the final Schutt Sports Top 12 Poll, the Tampa Bay Storm was bumped up a notch following it’s regular-season finale victory against the Austin Wranglers. Following a 1-6 start to the season and then ending its campaign winning eight of its last nine contests, the Storm didn’t make its debut in the poll until May 16 when it was ranked 11th.

Here is the remainder of the poll, as voted on by members of the Arena Football League Writers Association:

1.      Dallas Desperados 15-1 (17) 237
2.      Georgia Force 14-2 (3) 221
3.      San Jose SaberCats 13-3 202
4.      Chicago Rush 12-4 180
5.      Kansas City Brigade 10-6 150
6.      Tampa Bay Storm 9-7 137
7.      Los Angeles Avengers 9-7 111
8.      Philadelphia Soul 8-8 86
9.      Utah Blaze 8-8 79
10.    Orlando Predators 8-8 78
11.    Colorado Crush 8-8 50
12.    Columbus Destroyers 7-9 28
Also receiving votes: Nashville Kats 1.
Dropped out: None.

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Storm Notebook

Posted Jun 26, 2007 by Eddie Daniels

Updated Jun 27, 2007 at 07:20 AM

By EDDIE DANIELS
The Tampa Tribune

TAMPA – Noon.

When the kicker of either the Tampa Bay Storm or Columbus Destroyers puts his foot to the ball Saturday, the clock will be barely past 12 p.m.

Oh, Storm head coach Tim Marcum is tickled pink to be in the playoffs, but he’d love it if that Wild Card Round game time was a wee bit later in the day.

“I’d rather play some other time, but we got to play when they got to play, when [the AFL] says we got to play,” Marcum said. “We don’t have any choice about it. Line up and get after it.

“The last time I checked, Columbus is going to play at the same time we’re playing, right? I hope they don’t. I hope they show up about 1 [p.m.]. We’ll have it 28-0 by then.”

If the third seed Storm (9-7) can secure a victory Saturday against the sixth seeded Destroyers (7-9), they will travel to face the National Conference’s second seed Georgia Force (14-2) Sunday, July 8 at 7 p.m. If the winner of the Orlando/Philadelphia can knock off the conference’s top seed in Dallas (15-1) and if the Storm advances past Georgia, Tampa Bay will host the Conference Championship. Yes, all of that is down the road a bit, but that’s how things would shape up for the team of everything fell into place.

Tickets for Saturday’s game against the Destroyers can be purchased at the Forum’s box office and at Ticketmaster outlets. For information call (813) 301-6780.

BRIGGS BACK?: Monday Marcum said he was still deciding whether to add defensive lineman Tom Briggs to the active roster after he was held out of the Austin game after suffering a bone bruise and second-degree MCL sprain to his right knee June 16 against Grand Rapids.

Tuesday afternoon, Briggs practiced for the first time since the injury and was with the first team defense. Now, if that move is made, someone will have to be deactivated and Marcum said that may have to be Nyle Wiren, who played for the first time since his wife, Caroline Wiren, died May 16 due to complications of childbirth. Marcum says that move isn’t etched in stone and ultimately, the decision may go to Briggs.

“I always go in with the assumption that nobody knows a guy’s leg except the guy,” Marcum said. “A doctor can look at it, but he knows if he can play or not. I’ve always allowed that decision to be left up to the guy .. it may be a game time decision, it may be get out there, warm up , get ready and we’ll have 21 guys ready to go, If Briggs can’t go, then someone else will.”

FAMILIAR FACES: The Columbus Destroyers will bring several familiar faces back to the Forum Saturday afternoon. Kelvin Kinney, David Saunders and Freddie Solomon. Each of those players were key cogs in Tampa Bay’s ArenaBowl XVII victory in 2003. Now they play for Columbus. Additionally, Columbus assistant Mitch Matuska was a Storm assistant during the 2003 season and Columbus head coach Doug Kay was a Storm assistant in 1993 and 2002.

Add all that to the talent already in place with the team and Marcum is convinced his team better play well to win Saturday.

“They’ve got a good football team. They’ve had a ton of injuries,” Marcum said. “They’re pass rush is as good as anybody’s in the league right now. Kelvin Kinney, they other kid [Ken] Jones.”

KEEP IT TOGETHER: If this version of the Tampa Bay Storm prove to be more than a flash in the pan, Marcum will do his best to keep this team together, something he couldn’t do in 2003.

That season, Tampa Bay collected the franchise’s fifth title, the most by one club in AFL history, and lost several of the major contributor to that championship. QB John Kaleo went to Austin; DL B.J. Cohen went to New Orleans; DS Omarr Smith returned to San Jose; DS Corey Sawyer went to Chicago; and DL Al Lucas went to Los Angeles.

Of that bunch, Cohen, Kaleo, Lucas and Smith left for teams that offered up contracts for at least $100,000.

“You’d love to keep them all,” Marcum said. “I’d love to have kept Lucas and Kaleo and Omarr Smith and all of those guys after the ’03 season, I’d love to have them.”

COACHING OPPORTUNITIES: There may come a time when Storm offensive coordinator Pat O’Hara gets the opportunity to exchange his assistant coach title with that of head coach. Marcum admits, he wants O’Hara to stick around, but if he most go, he won’t stop him.

“He’s played in the league, he’s coordinated in this league, he knows this game and he’s got great potential,” Marcum said. “If not next year then sometime.”

O’Hara, who works as a consultant for Reel Sports, a company that consults on sports movies and places athletes in those roles, is already a head coach of sorts in that position. He has had to coordinate the football plays and teach them to the players and actors. That’s what the head guy does.

“If he gets a head job, that’s a good thing. It’s all about what’s right for a guy,” Marcum said. “When Eddie Vowell was here in ’99 and had a chance to make a third more salary in 2000 up in Grand Rapids, go, go do it.”

If that is the case, he will join Will McClay, Mike Trigg and Jay Gruden as former Marcum players to move on to head coaching gigs.

WHAT WAS SAID?: So, at the start of the fourth quarter last week against Austin when the entire Tampa Bay Storm bench surrounded offensive lineman Lincoln Kennedy, he emphatically spoke to his teammates. Was that speech one of the deciding factors in the win, who knows, but what was said?

“I played on a lot of championship football teams, I can’t tell you all the secrets we have, but basically it’s a rally cry amongst the players,” Kennedy said. “We’re tired, we’re beat up … sometimes you need to do that.”

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

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AFL Attendance Grows

Posted Jun 26, 2007 by Eddie Daniels

Updated Jun 26, 2007 at 03:49 PM

Looks like the Arena Football League fan base continues to grow. According to the league, this season’s attendance numbers broke the old AFL record set in 2004.

The regular-season total for 2007 was 1,887,054. The former record was 1,827,579. The average attendance for the 152 contests this season was 12,415, which beat last season’s average of 12,326. The 2007 average is the third highest in AFL history following 2005’s 12,872 and 1991’s 12,813.

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Jeroid Johnson Named Defensive Player of the Week

Posted Jun 26, 2007 by Eddie Daniels

Updated Jun 26, 2007 at 03:31 PM

Storm defensive back Jeroid Johnson was named the ADT Defensive Player of the Week Tuesday following Saturday’s 55-51 victory against the Austin Wranglers. In that game, Johnson returned a PAT for two points and also intercepted Wranglers QB Lang Campbell with eight seconds left in the contest, sealing the Storm victory.

Johnson, in his eighth season, collected 6.5 tackles, four pass break ups and an interception. He nearly had three interceptions, but his two previous snags were negated due to penalties. He ends the regular season with 10 interceptions, which places him second in the AFL behind Nashville’s Ahmad Hawkins (13).

It’s the first weekly defensive award a Storm player has received this season. Johnson joins Lawrence Samuels (Ironman of the Week), Brett Dietz (Offensive Player of the Week, Rookie of the Month), Torrance Marshall (Ironman) and Seth Marler (Kicker of the Moth) as league-wide award winners for this season.

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Storm Back On ESPN Classic

Posted Jun 25, 2007 by Eddie Daniels

Updated Jun 25, 2007 at 07:03 AM

ESPN Classic just can’t get enough of the Tampa Bay Storm as station will air the fifth and final re-broadcast of a Storm game June 25 beginning at 4 p.m. ET.

The replay is of ArenaBowl X between the Storm and Iowa Barnstormer, which took place Aug. 26, 1996. That season the Storm won the second in consecutive titles. It was also the franchise’s fourth overall championship.

This game was ranked as the top Arena Football League contest when the league assembled an historical committee to rank the 20 Greatest Games in AFL history. In all, the Storm had six of its game on the list. This broadcast is the final of 14 contest ESPN Classic has aired, which began March 26, in conjunction with its Monday night AFL package. Tonight’s game: Dallas Desperados (14-1) at Colorado Crush (8-7) at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

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It’s Only Fitting

Posted Jun 24, 2007 by Eddie Daniels

Updated Jun 24, 2007 at 12:01 PM

When you think about who the Tampa Bay Storm will face in the opening round of the playoffs, it’s a tad ironic. Now for those who have that superstitious bone running through their body, this game is only fitting.

Tampa Bay (9-7) will host the Columbus Destroyers (7-9) June 30 at noon.

So why the talk of superstitious bones and things fitting? Back in April, Tampa Bay needed a last second, Traco Rachal pass break up on a 2-point conversion intended for Columbus receiver Marcus Knight to win the game, 34-32.

It was that game, which appeared to provide a watershed moment for the Storm. See, it was late in the second quarter when Storm QB John Kaleo suffered a season-ending injury to his left wrist. Three games prior, following an unexpected loss to the New York Dragons, Kaleo was benched in favor of backup Stoney Case. Case started three games, but in that third game, suffered a dislocated right shoulder, ending his season and putting Kaleo back into the mix.

Back to this watershed moment.

Against Columbus with 3:45 left in the second quarter and Tampa Bay behind, 13-7, the Brett Dietz Era was abruptly launched, five days after he was claimed off the Kansas City Brigade practice squad. Dietz finished that game 12 of 24 for 165 yards, two passing TDs and a rushing score.

The win against Columbus was Tampa Bay’s second victory of the season. Making the storyline juicier is the fact that Tampa Bay has gone 8-1 in games Dietz has played. As a starter, Dietz is 7-1.

Does this bode well for the Storm? Well, if you’re one of those superstitious folks, chances are, Tampa Bay will move on to the next round.

By the way, it was hard to miss the return of Tampa Bay Storm linebacker Nyle Wiren Saturday night. When introduced prior to the game, he received a rousing round of applause, one of the loudest moments of the night. He also joined Lawrence Samuels for the coin toss – a task Samuels typically conducts alone.

All week long, leading into Saturday’s contest, Storm coach Tim Marcum contemplated bringing up rookie defensive lineman Clint Mitchell to replace Tom Briggs, who suffered a second-degree strain to his right MCL. There was also the option of keeping Mitchell on the practice squad, while continuing to use Ernest Certain, who has typified Ironman football this season, in usual fashion.

Another train of thought surfaced. Why not activate Wiren from injured reserve? Sure, he hasn’t played since the Storm’s April 14 loss to the Orlando Predators, after being placed on IR with an elbow injury. On top of that, football took a backseat when Wiren’s wife, Caroline, died May 16, a day after giving birth to the couple’s first child, Clay. Wiren took three weeks away from football and returned June 6 to be with his teammates.

Then it all made sense. Activate Wiren, ASAP. Here’s a guy who plays with a high motor and with that nasty streak perfect for a football player. If he has a chance to make a play, he will. If he can hit you, bet on it. His first day back at practice in early June, Marcum and teammates reported how his aggressive style picked up the pace of the practice session.

After all he has been through, put him on the field.

He was activated June 22 and made his return to the field at Jack linebacker, recording one solo and two assisted tackles and a quarterback hurry. In continuing with the “fitting” theme, it was only fitting that one of Wiren’s closest friends, former teammate and current Orlando Predator QB Shane Stafford was inside the Forum to watch his friend return to the field.

Welcome back Nyle.

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Storm Move Into No. 3 Spot

Posted Jun 22, 2007 by Eddie Daniels

Updated Jun 22, 2007 at 03:34 PM

Looks like the boys on the western edge of Interstate-4 will have the final laugh, well, as long as they take care of business not only Saturday night, but throughout the playoffs.

Yes, the Orlando Predators beat up on Tampa Bay twice this season, winning both games, but Thursday night, Bon Jovi and the boys did the Storm a favor. The Philadelphia Soul (8-8) beat the Predators, 63-49, which dropped Orlando (8-8) from the No. 3 seed in the National Conference playoff standings to No. 5. Philadelphia moves into the No. 4 spot.

And Tampa Bay (8-7) goes from 0-5 and a long shot at a playoff spot, to the No. 3 seed in the National Conference. Now this means the Storm will host the Wild Card round contest against a team to be named really soon and if Georgia and Dallas were to be upset in the Divisional Round and Tampa Bay remains, the Storm would host the Conference Championship.

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Wiren May See Game Time

Posted Jun 22, 2007 by Eddie Daniels

Updated Jun 22, 2007 at 01:33 PM

The Storm activated linebacker Nyle Wiren from the injured reserve list and released linebacker Jarrod Penright. The squad also signed defensive back Bryant Tisdale.

Wiren has spent 12 games on injured reserve and most recently played against the Orlando Predators, but endured the unexpected death of his wife, Caroline, 34, on May 16, one day after she gave birth to the couple’s first child, Clay.

Wiren spent three weeks away from the team before returning June 6. In three games, Wiren has collected five tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble. In Tampa Bay’s first win of the season – April 7 - after going 0-5, Wiren picked off New Orleans VooDoo QB Steve Bellisari twice.

His last game was April 14 against the Orlando Predators.

Penright, in is fourth AFL season and third with Tampa Bay, collected 8.5 tackles, three pass break ups, three tackles for a loss and two quarterback hurries in nine games. The former Texas A&M linebacker was inactive for the last four games after he injured his right quad May 18 against Arizona.

Tisdale (5-10, 180), a rookie out of UTEP, collected 60 tackles, seven passes defended, two interceptions and one forced fumble in 2006, his senior season for the Miners. Tisdale is a Dunedin High grad.

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AFL Releases Divisional Round Schedule

Posted Jun 20, 2007 by Eddie Daniels

Updated Jun 20, 2007 at 01:07 PM

A smidge of the playoff puzzle has been set in place. The AFL has released its Divisional Round schedule. If your beloved Tampa Bay Storm eliminates its Wild Card Round opponent – a team to be named later – it will join this roster of contests, facing either Dallas or Georgia.

Here’s the skinny on the second round of the “Second Season”:

July 7: Team Somebody at San Jose SaberCats, 3 p.m. ET on ESPN; Team Somebody at Dallas Desperados, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)

July 8: Team Somebody at Georgia Force, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)

July 9: Team Somebody at Chicago Rush/Kansas City Brigade, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

The Wild Card Round, which begins June 29, will be released next week.

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Storm Notebook

Posted Jun 19, 2007 by Eddie Daniels

Updated Jun 19, 2007 at 06:02 PM

By EDDIE DANIELS
The Tampa Tribune

TAMPA – So how shocking is this whole last half of the season rebound where the Tampa Bay Storm is pulling out wins, which seemed impossible earlier this season? Considering the franchise’s past, it’s hardly shocking and more commonplace.

Since the squad began playing in the Tampa Bay area in 1997, the Storm (8-7) has been a proven second-half winner. Since 1997 and counting the last seven game of this season, the Storm are 56-25. Three times, the team has ended the regular season losing once, while four times they’ve ended the last half of the regular-season with two losses. The 2006 season was more of a pariah as the team went 2-6, missing the playoffs. Thus far, Tampa Bay is 6-1 after starting the season 1-6.

“We’re not going to let up. We’re going forward,” Storm coach Tim Marcum said. “We’re going to use this week to get them the best they can be in Week 17. That’s the attitude you got to have.

“If you just go out there half [hearted] and accept mediocrity, you’re going to get mediocrity.”

Here is how Tampa Bay has closed out the last half of its seasons since 1997:

The Closers
1997: 5-2
1998: 6-1
1999: 6-1
2000: 6-1
2001: 3-4
2002: 4-3
2003: 6-2
2004: 6-2
2005: 6-2
2006: 2-6
2007: 6-1 (one regular season game remaining)

SLOPPY, SLOPPY, SLOPPY: Tampa Bay forced the Grand Rapids Rampage into a franchise-high seven turnovers during Saturday’s 69-40 victory.

Being a good guest, the Storm didn’t allow Grand Rapids to be alone in the ugliness as they recorded three of their own.

“Brett [Dietz] had a bad throw on a slant route, had it behind [the receiver and] Johnnie Harris tipped it up,” Marcum said. “Snowball snapped the ball on the [sound of the air] horn. They eventually kicked the guy out in the second half for blowing the horn.

“And [Terrill] Shaw just lost the ball. He’s running down the field, it was not a hit, they didn’t pull it out or anything … he just lost the ball.”

Here’s how the Grand Rapids possession chart looked in the official game book: fumble, net recovery, touchdown, touchdown, fumble, fumble, touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, missed field goal, fumble, touchdown, interception, turn over on downs, interception and, mercifully, end of game.

BIG BULLIES: Grand Rapids quarterback and Bradenton native Adrian McPherson could not get comfortable Saturday night. Storm lineman Tim McGill recorded four quarterback pressures, two forced fumbles, 3.5 tackles, three tackles for a loss, a fumble recovery for a score, one pass break up and two sacks; Mark Word had six pressures, Ernest Certain had three pressures and 1.5 tackles; and Tom Briggs had two pressures.

IN THE (RECORD) BOOKS: Torrance Marshall entered the season as a key offseason pickup for Tampa Bay. The FB/LB was to get his fill at linebacker with the free substitution rule added for this season, while another free agent, Rodney Filer, was to handle the rushing duties. Filer did well until he suffered a broken left ankle March 23 against his former team, the New York Dragons. From that point on, it was Marshall’s job. Filer collected nine yards on 27 carries and nine TDs in four games.

Marshall has tallied 15 rushing TDs, which ties a franchise season high. Andre Bowden was the first to do so in 1993 and Les Barley did it in 1998. With at least two games remaining, Marshall, in his second season, will likely set the new standard against his former team (Austin).

Jeroid Johnson collected his ninth interception of the season, which is a career high. That also has him locked in a four-way tie for No. 2 in the AFL.

Also, Lawrence Samuels collected his 34th career fumble recovery, which is a league career best.

IRONMAN: Speaking of Marshall, he was selected as the AFL’s Ironman of the Week Tuesday for his performance against Grand Rapids Saturday night. He rushed for three TDs on 12 carries, notched a sack, a fumble recovery and 2.5 tackles.

Marshall’s teammate, Samuels was one of six total players considered for the same honor. Johnson and McGill were considered for the ADT Defensive Player of the Week award, which was won by Dallas DB Jermaine Jones.

WHO’S NEXT: Although the Wranglers will step onto Bill Currie Ford Field with a 4-11 record, Marcum is not allowing ego or the fact Tampa Bay beat Austin in the first meeting, 66-45, to override his team’s football acumen. The saying among professional players is as long as an opponent is getting paid, they too have a job to do, therefore, nothing is said and done until the game ends.

“[Austin quarterback Lang Campbell] is playing pretty damn good and this [Derrick] Lewis guy, he’s running routes and getting open as good as anybody in this league,” Marcum said. “When I look on film, I see a hell of a football player and I’m just wondering how we’re going to slow this guy down. And the quarterback is getting the ball to him.”

If any motivation is needed, here’s the main shove in the back: If Tampa Bay wins Saturday against Austin and Orlando loses to Philadelphia, Orlando would drop to No. 5 in the playoff standings and the Storm would slide up from No. 4 to No. 3, Philadelphia would move into the No. 4 spot. That means if top two seeds Dallas and Georgia are upset, Tampa Bay would play each of its playoff games at home.

Now that’s motivation.

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

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