SaberCats Fall to the Determined Rattlers
Tim Ball
Tuesday June 10, 2003
“They got it done today,” said SaberCats head coach Darren Arbet on the 66-49 loss to Arizona. “They were great on both sides of the ball and Bonner was on his game. My hat’s off to them.”
 Darren Arbet was a gracious loser to Arizona. Image courtesy of Ken LaRue |
San Jose threw down the challenge by scoring easily after the first defensive stop and had Arizona once again starting deep in their own territory, after another effective Daron Alcorn kickoff. Starting at the eight-yard line, it took Bonner two passes to even the score.
With two costly San Jose turnovers in the closing minutes of the game, Bonner could finally look up at the scoreboard and know that the HP Pavilion would not be the place for his last game of the season.
“To win it here makes it special,” said Bonner. “I couldn’t have asked for better effort from my teammates. We tried to let the past not bother us and concentrate on our game plan. We didn’t make many mistakes or any turnovers and against the SaberCats you have to keep pace. Today we were the team setting the pace.”
Grieb’s glorious quest
The quarterback is the center of attention on every play. San Jose quarterback Mark Grieb was the game plan for Arizona and they never lost focus.
There is little hope for the opposing team when Grieb is allowed room enough to thread a needle between his receivers and defenders. On this day there were no holes in the Rattlers defense. Hurried, harassed, chased and sacked, Arizona’s rush and coverage kept Grieb far away from closing the gap once the lead was theirs.
The smooth running SaberCats offensive machine was sent sputtering time and again when Arizona shoved their gears into reverse. Grieb was never allowed to settle into the rhythm that drives this team and this was the key to the outcome of the game.
Going in at the half down by 10, Grieb’s offense couldn’t get any closer than three points the rest of the way. Trading scores until the last few minutes of the game, SaberCats dramatics never materialized. Sensing the game in hand, the Rattlers came up with two turnovers on an interception and a fumble in the game’s last four minutes that secured their birth in ArenaBowl XVII.
“They were the better team today,” said WR/LB James Roe, who had two TDs on the day. “They kept up pressure all game long and stuck to their game plan. This is a very disappointing end to our season but Arizona deserves the win tonight.”
White’s simple strategy
“If I had to motivate these guys for this game, I picked the wrong players.” Arizona head coach Danny White made this statement to reporters, but it was meant for a franchise.
Having endured a humiliating loss in last year’s ArenaBowl and having San Jose hang their fourth Western Division title in consecutive years, White knew he could prepare the players but they were on the field.
“They’ve had our number,” said White. “To beat San Jose, our division rival and the reigning champions… yeah, this was a big win. Of course it is. Now, it’s up to this team to get over this emotional win and focus on Tampa Bay.”
There were viscous hits from beginning to end. The question of the officiating crew making or not making calls was on a lot of people’s minds, including White. Both teams were stretching the limits and laying it on the line.
“Of course we feel like we didn’t get some calls that we should have but you have to let the game be decided by the players, not the yellow flags,” White said. “Our goal was to challenge on every play no matter where the ball was. This was a very physical game but no different than any other time we’ve played them. We played pretty much error free and got the turnovers this time.”
Arizona players wore their emotions mixed with the sweat on their sleeves after the game. Some went out of their way to say the ArenaBowl was not on their minds and others could still see the confetti falling from the ceiling of the HP Pavilion last year.
AFL legend WR/LB Hunkie Cooper let it be known that losing is not what he plays for. “Of course the ArenaBowl was on my mind,” said Cooper. “We don’t play this game for the money and losing like that in the championship didn’t sit well with me. I’m going to look around a long time before I leave this field.”
WR/DB Randy Gatewood’s sensational season continued with a five-touchdown effort and an interception to prove beyond doubt why the Ironman Award was given to him. “I just tried to focus on this game and shutout everything else,” said Gatewood.
The important things
 The crowd fell silent when Barry Wagner was flown into the boards. Image courtesy of Ken LaRue |
While visions of game 13 of last season, in which lineman Stacy Evans rode down Grieb, played in the minds of die-hard SaberCats fans, the place erupted in anger.
As Wagner lay where he fell for a longer time than he has ever been down in a SaberCats uniform, the crowd became silent. Applause stood in place of cheers as Wagner needed help to walk from the field. There are more important things than winning and losing. The fans of San Jose were more concerned with the heroic Wagner than anything else.
The future is bright for San Jose. With new stars like Clevan Thomas, Kevin McKenzie, Wendall Davis, Keala Keanaaina, Matt Kinsinger, Rashied Davis, and Aaron Bailey joining the ranks of San Jose’s superstars, there will be other days of glory. But, the ArenaBowl XVI Banner that hangs above all else in the HP Pavilion was brought to them by Wagner and a team that dominated the league like no other franchise had ever done.
Before the quarter would end Wagner would be back on the field. Fittingly, Wagner would score the last touchdown of the season for San Jose. But, this would not be the SaberCats’ or Wagner’s best day. As the big silver Foster trophy was being carried past the SaberCats’ locker room long after the game was over, Wagner reached out his hand and squeezed the rim.
Next year… Next year, the comeback begins for San Jose.
Tim Ball is a writer in the Chicagoland area. Married and father of three, his opinions on Arena Football reflects the positive aspect of the game as a family event second to none in pro sports.
