San Jose Holds on in Quarterfinal Win
Tim Ball
Monday June 7, 2004
San Jose, like a horde of Barbarians, ruled the first half of the quarterfinals against the Tampa Bay like the Huns
taking European farmland. The SaberCats won 35-6, had possession of everything in front of them, and suffered little by the end of the first half. With SaberCats’s faithful calling their team to action like watchmen in a tower sounding a never-ending attack of ear piercing bell-ringing, there seemed little hope that the Storm would be able to rise to the challenge set before them.
Tampa Bay, the defending champions of the league, did not just rise up to defend their honor, they came out in the second half with a counter attack worthy of legend. When the dust settled, San Jose was the victor this day, but honor was shared with the vanquished. With the final score 56-52, the Storm would leave with dignity restored and the promise of meeting another day was set in stone like a sword.
Telling it
A fan expressed the reason this brand of football, and games like these, have earned the league its reputation: “Actually, at halftime, I was thinking of Don Meredith. ‘Turn out the lights; the party’s over!’” said former Dallas Desperados head coach and current special teams coach for the Oakland Raiders Joe Avezzano. “And I should know better, ‘cuz I’ve been involved with this arena game. I didn’t think there was any way that Tampa Bay, after being behind 35-6, could get back and make this a truly close game. Yeah, I’ve seen it and it’s one of the great things about Arena Football but I sat there amazed at what was going on. I commend both teams for playing this kind of game, there were many plays that had both teams there at the end.”
No perspective about this game could be the same as Tampa’s DS Omar Smith’s. He was on Tampa Bay last season and San Jose in 2002. Having won a championship with both teams, the talented player’s opinion was sought quickly at game’s end. “That’s what champions do. That’s the effort that separates good teams from great teams and Tampa Bay is a great team,” said Smith. “We knew they would come out strong, they had nothing to lose. That’s why you play four quarters. We had a good game most of the way but the fourth quarter proved we haven’t played our best game yet.”
Smith scored a crucial touchdown on an onsides attempt by the Storm’s Ignacio Brache after Tampa Bay scored their first touchdown in the second half. Brache’s kick bounced right into Smith’s hands and there was no one between him and the endzone. “I was in the right place at the right time,” said Smith.
Michael Church, defensive coordinator for San Jose, was taking in what happened moments after the game was over. “I think we lost our focused. There’s no doubt that a big lead made us let down,” said Church. “I mean all of us. We coaches are just as responsible as the players. We’re the ones making the calls. This will be a topic of discussion this week, that’s for sure.”
Tampa head coach Tim Marcum hasn’t won seven championships by luck. Marcum was the subject of reporters as soon as the horn went off ending the game. With the energy of the effort by both teams still electrifying the arena, it seemed the league legend was still awaiting one more series of downs. “We didn’t execute in the first half that was the difference,” said Marcum. “A lot of things went their way and they did what they’re capable of doing. They took advantage of their opportunities early and the lead they built in the first half ended up being the difference in the game.”
“Tonight showed our pride,” said Storm QB Shane Stafford (25 of 43 for 318 yards, 7 TD’s). “This is a hard game to take. They got some breaks in the first half, and we came out a little flat. But there’s no way I’m happy about just coming back to lose by a few points. We’ll be back, you mark my words.”
A tale of two quarters
When all is said and done, it came down to one independent and sensational quarter for each team.
In the first, second and third quarters, SaberCats QB Mark Grieb (22 of 32 for 223-yards and 4 TD’s) was hitting receivers in stride and when pressured out of the pocket, his receivers found their way back to him. Grieb didn’t fail to put the ball on their numbers. Just the same, the Storm defense in the fourth quarter silenced Grieb and the SaberCats completely.
Tampa Bay could not find an answer to San Jose’s rush and coverage in the first half all together, but came out in the second half and took the opening possession and drive, and in two minutes and thirty four seconds showed San Jose they had figured things out in the locker room. Grieb’s counterpart found his rhythm and Stafford led his team to a jaw-dropping comeback in front of the 11,000-plus in attendance.
“We came together as a team,” said the Storm’s WR/LB Lawrence Samuels, recipient of the games Ironman award. “There’s not much coaches can tell you to do. Players have to each decide to make every down count like the game is on the line because that’s exactly what it came down too. We just ran out of time to make those plays.”
“We played a good game but we’re going to have to stay focused about closing them out,” said Grieb. “This has happened too many times this season. I agree that you can get comfortable with a big lead and let down and that’s going to let teams get right back into the game.”
The fourth quarter became the sole property of Tampa Bay, and San Jose fans were raining sweat as the SaberCats went scoreless while the Storm attempted their storybook ending.
With four and a half minutes left in the game, and Tampa Bay already having scored two unanswered touchdowns bringing the score within reach, the most shocking play happened for San Jose. Grieb fumbled the snap on what San Jose players thought was an encroachment/off sides by the Storm defense. With no referee whistling the play dead, Tampa Bay’s WR/DB David Saunders scooped up the ball and went untouched for a 35-yard touchdown. Saunders’ recovery and score brought the lead to within ten-points with plenty of time left to complete the Storm’s comeback.
On the ensuing San Jose drive, all hearts in the HP Pavilion went still. On a second down and 10 with the ball on the Storm 17-yardline, Grieb’s pass to WR James Roe was intercepted and returned 48 yards for an apparent touchdown by DB Tramain Jones.
Fortunately for the SaberCats and their silenced fans, a holding penalty gave them a reprieve from the momentum building for the Storm. With the clock now down to one minute, the Storm holding on downs and scoring again to bring the lead to within four-points, San Jose refused to let this game get away. When the fifth (or sixth?) attempt at an onsides kick failed again, like all the others before this one, San Jose had the ball and the game in hand.
Left on the field
The players were slow getting off the field. This being a playoff game, there were many football luminaries, important league personnel, and a lot of press running around getting at the players and coaches. Michael Irvin and coach Avezzano were in deep conversation in the middle of field while quotes from dejected Tampa Bay players were being gathered and balanced by those on San Jose. “It’s for quarters,” said Irvin to Avezzano and players talking with the ex-NFL star. “You got to play all four quarters like they’re your last of the season.”
As the last chapter of the 2004 season came to an end for a proud and impressive Tampa Bay team, the match-up of the last two ArenaBowl champions lived up to expectations. The San Jose SaberCats are still fearsome and talented and as Smith pointed out, still have their best game this season yet to be played.
Whatever, failure or success in one quarter, is balanced by determination, effort and fate in another. The SaberCats await their destiny next week in another semi-final for the decade-old franchise. Another post-season appearance for the talented Bay Area franchise will open another chapter yet to be told… next year.
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.
