San Jose not Alone in Race for Number One
Tim Ball
Sunday March 14, 2004
The San Jose SaberCats have been the number one team in the league for the last two seasons. The chance of that happening this year is by no means certain.
With the breaking news of losing defensive superstar Clevan Thomas to a season ending knee injury, the playing field just got much more level. But San Jose is a team known for developing stars, and it will be expected that Thomas’ replacement fill his enormous shoes.
“It’s obviously a big loss,” said head coach Darren Arbet in a statement released to the league office. “But we have depth in the defensive secondary and now everyone will have to take their game up a notch.”
The Colorado Crush didn’t win even one home game in 2003 and garnered a total of only two wins the entire season. Now the mighty SaberCats are at even odds with Colorado (4-1), Chicago (4-1), Dallas (5-1), Austin (3-1) and the New Orleans Voodoo (5-1), and many other teams will end up with winning records when this season hits the playoffs.
Wasn’t this just what the preseason buzz was all about?
Making the journey
San Jose has a reputation for doing things “a little differently” from other teams, but nothing could be further from the truth. The road traveled by San Jose is paved with wins and losses like every other team.
“The goal is making the playoffs,” said Arbet. “There will be adversity along the way and the teams that handle the good with the bad are the teams that will be there in the end.”
That adversity was compounded with not only the loss of Thomas. That trip to New York cost San Jose wide receiver/linebacker Calvin Schexnayder and wide receiver/linebacker Jerry Reese as well. The legendary strength of the SaberCats bench will be called on in a big way to achieve the goal of another championship season.
There are so many good teams this season, and with the added incentive of showcasing that talent on national television, the level of intensity has already been at an all-time high.
San Jose’s homecoming from New York will have the added drama of seeing quarterback John Dutton and wide receiver/linebacker Kevin McKenzie back in the house. As Colorado’s Ironman star McKenzie, doesn’t hide his feelings for his former team or his admiration for the level play in the AFL that the SaberCats have maintained by leading in almost every category for two seasons.
“San Jose has developed the in-your-face approach to attacking the ball on defense and many teams have the talent to follow that example, and have,” said McKenzie. “Now you see defenses right up on the line of scrimmage and quarterbacks are not getting the amount of time to throw anymore. You have the SaberCats to thank for that.
“With the playoffs taking only the top eight teams there is no game that doesn’t count. And every play can decide who will be in and who will be out at the end. It will be great to be back in San Jose, but we’re coming in to win.”
San Jose is calling up one of McKenzie’s friends, defensive specialist Wendell Davis, to replace Thomas. Though rehabbing for the first part of this season, Davis set his mark last season with a reputation as one of the fiercest tacklers in the league and was key in the quarterfinal victory over the Avengers.
With the talent level on every team simply sizzling, every game is a toss up of odds. AFL newcomer Austin is second only to San Jose in points allowed, New Orleans is terrifyingly good and the Philadelphia Soul don’t know the meaning of quit either. Colorado is winning and that alone sets the stage for a dramatic season.
Keep rolling along
Last week, the SaberCats were beaten by the Dragons and made no excuses for the loss. New York showed that the way to victory over the SaberCats takes every minute of every quarter.
The SaberCats have an experienced team and winning is a matter of fact and not a surprise. They know that Colorado is talented and should be ready to erase memories of New York at the expense of the Crush.
The Crush are enjoying that successful feeling and will come into San Jose with confidence, but the SaberCats have been the number one team the last two seasons and that is a trademark that the SaberCats will not give up anytime soon.
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.
