San Jose’s Tenth Anniversary Bash
Tim Ball
Thursday March 4, 2004
The San Jose SaberCats celebrate their tenth year as an Arena Football franchise.
The excitement and expectations of another winning season and search for a second championship was highlighted from the moment fans crowded into the HP Pavilion.
On the opening kickoff, Nick Gatto, Grand Rapids’ savvy kicker, momentarily stalled the jubilant celebrations going on all around the HP Pavilion, but only stopped the inevitable for a few seconds.
On the opening kickoff, as the 15,193 fans rose to cheer their newest San Jose hero Rasheid Davis, Gatto kicked the ball fifteen rows deep and just left of the screen.
For a moment the crowd had to wait to stand on their feet and cheer.
The ensuing penalty set the ball on the 20-yard line, and set the night of excitement in motion for SaberCats players and fans.
“My left foot was a little too far away from the ball,” said Gatto. “I pulled it into the stands.”
Seeing Gatto and Davis talking at length before the game makes one wonder just what was going on between them.
“I thought they might try to kick away from me,” said Davis. “I was disappointed when the kick went out of bounds. But as you can see, it didn’t stop us.”
With only seconds off the clock, San Jose quarterback Mark Grieb hit offensive specialist James Hundon on the opening play of the game for a 30-yard touchdown pass.
And the celebration began as San Jose never lost the lead.
But that’s not all
Offense defines the style of Arena Football, but one player who is penning a new chapter in the book of AFL productivity is defensive specialist Clevan Thomas. Clearly, by all accounts from players and coaches, Thomas, the 2002 and 2003 Defensive player of the Year, is the most dominant presence on the field.
Rampage rookie quarterback Anthony Buich learned that truth by experience.
Driving his team down to the SaberCats’ 12-yard line on their first possession with a combination of crisp short passes and a running play, Buich chose the wrong side at the wrong time to try another pass.
Thomas intercepted a quick-out toss and ran it back for a 43-yard touchdown. In his usual downplay of the great play, Thomas was quick to be respectful.
“They were trying to establish a drive by using short passes back and forth across the field,” said Thomas. “I guessed right and stepped in front of it. There was no one in between me and the end zone.”
Rampage defensive specialist Cecil Doggette, a veteran of many battles with San Jose as a member of the Arizona Rattlers had good things to say about Thomas
“He’s performed at the highest level from his first game in 2002,” said Doggette. “He is one the biggest reasons the SaberCats are successful. He anticipates the coverage as good as anyone who’s played this game.”
Doggette, who has played for two teams with arguably the best fans in the AFL, Arizona and Grand Rapids, summed up an aspect of the game no one can do without.
“The SaberCats are a veteran team and also have been together as a unit for a long time,” said Doggette. “This is an aspect of any team that helps build a winner.”
Indeed, the Rampage never looked like a team that ever gave up even though the outcome of the game was a forgone conclusion by the end of the first half. Grand Rapids scored the first touchdown at the start of the second half and scored the last touchdown of the game.
The weapons housed in San Jose can beat any team in the league, and Grand Rapids, with players trying to find a rhythm and bond as teammates, may use the experience of losses to form a winner. They certainly have the fan base.
“They let us have it,” says Gatto. “There’s not a player on this team that doesn’t realize this is a championship franchise and Rampage fans are going to keep us focused.”
Franchise the real winner
While Grand Rapids goes through the inevitable pain and suffering of free agency losses, San Jose has kept their team together and is reaping what they sow.
While the superstars on San Jose did what they do best, the real winner in this celebration of San Jose’s tenth anniversary was the franchise itself, and the night belonged to other dedicated professionals as well. The house was packed and after ten years in San Jose old fans and new fans are still enjoying the show.
“I had to park so far away,” said Margie Delgado of her first time at an Arena Football game at the HP Pavilion. “I have been to several Sharks games here and never had to park in the back of the lot. I almost missed the first kickoff. Now I know why everyone likes this game. Some of the people I came with have been to games before and a few others came here for the first time. It was great, we all liked it a lot.”
Fred Dambrosio has been a fan since day one. He has seen the team go through what Grand Rapids is enduring and is not deterred by the ups and downs in being loyal to his team. Without hesitation, Dambrosio credits San Jose’s success to the coaches.
“Coaching, Darren Arbet, Terry Malley and Mike Church are the best in the league,” said Dambrosio. “They get a lot of local talent and blend it with guys like Barry Wagner from back east. I live in San Jose and I was here opening day ten years ago. We lost in over time but I was hooked even then,”
More homecoming up next
The SaberCats have had only two head coaches, Darren Arbet (1999-2004) and Todd Shell, who was with the team from its inaugural season through ‘98. Both coaches will be together on the same field when San Jose travels to New York to take on the Dragons.
For those who like quarterback matchups, Mark Grieb going against Aaron Garcia is as good as it gets. Both are polar opposites in style, but equal in productivity and leadership.
Garcia is flashy and mobile and Grieb is calculating and efficient. Either man is capable of running the score close to triple digits. Both are perfect representatives of the incredible talent in a league just now getting its due.
The eighteenth season of the Arena Football league will find fine representation in the Dragons and the SaberCats, and it remains to be seen what outcome the new playoff format will bring the league in terms of excitement or disappointment.
But for now, it’s the next game on the schedule for the players and fans to worry about and enjoy. Game time for the San Jose/New York matchup is noon eastern time on Sunday, March 7th on NBC.
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.
