I-4 Ambush Lifts Predators Over Storm
Jason Lucas
Tuesday February 15, 2005
Then something happened.
The Orlando Predators did not hit the panic button They calmly and coolly executed their game plan and ambushed the Storm with Hamilton’s accurate passes, some patented Predator defense and some tough, hard nosed running by a guy I will now refer to as I-4.
Idris "I-4" Price had without a doubt the best game of his career against the Storm Friday evening rushing for 2 touchdowns and recording 2 sacks on defense earning himself Ironman of the game honors and a new nickname from me. Hey, I am no Chris Berman but me giving you a nickname is a huge compliment! Before the game Sun Sports aired a mic’d up session with Jay Gruden telling Price he would have the best game of his career on this night and boy was Jay ever right.
The Predators finally put together four quarters of football in this game. The offense started slow but finished with a flurry of scores by Hamilton and company. When Hamilton hit Michael Brown with four seconds remaining in the first half for a 39-yard touchdown it put the Predators ahead 27-24 at the half. Brown was another Predator who had a career night also scoring a rushing touchdown and went on to earn Offensive player of the game. It did not stop there with the young Predators having great games as rookie Justin Skaggs had the best performance of his three games on Friday as well. The highlight of the night came from Skaggs’ one-handed touchdown reception that put the Predators ahead 20-17 in the second quarter.
"Justin is gonna be a great one", Gruden said of his rookie. "He and Cory (Fleming) complement each other really well and I don’t hesitate to call Justin’s number".
With all of this love I am giving the Predators offense let me change gears a little and get on the defensive bandwagon once again. Kenny "the Glove" McEntyre lived up to the nickname once again as he blanketed Tampa’s Lawrence Samuels all night long. Reggie Doster had one of his best games as a Predator on defense as well. I hear the Predators defensive linemen also love getting their names in the paper so let me just mention E.J. Burt breaking Paul McGowan’s all time Predators sack record in the third quarter. Rupert Grant caused a Shane Stafford fumble, which was returned by former Gator Buck Gurley 16 yards for a backbreaking touchdown.
One of the biggest stories coming into Friday’s game was the Predators kicking situation. Newly signed Brian Gowins gave the Predators a huge lift making 7 of 9 extra points and helping the kick coverage team with his pinpoint kickoffs that often went into the slack nets allowing for no return by Tampa’s Anthony Derricks.
Sitting on my Throne
As I said in my pre-game article this game was going to be all about which team had the most rest. I called the Predators taking a big lead and the Storm just struggling to make a game of it, and they just could not get back to within a touchdown like I had called. The key to this game was (as I said, again!) the team who had the most rest. That team was the Predators and they totally dominated the second half with their big men up front on both sides of the ball. The Storm was totally defenseless against the Predators onslaught in the second half. The Predators are making me look like a brilliant analyst so far this season.
The Jungle Experience
I understand that a lot of you that read this stuff have never really had the pleasure of seeing a game in the Jungle, much less a "War on I-4" game. So allow me to take you into the experience for just one minute.
Picture the loudest fans in the AFL sitting literally right on top of the field, so much that the end zones are cut off in the corners. The noise level so deafening that the opposing team has to blow timeouts and take delay of games often because they simply cannot hear one another. Shane Stafford took two timeouts in this game and took a delay of game.
Imagine fans actually standing up for long periods of time and they are all very into the game. This is not an NBA game where you feel guilty for standing up for more than a second so your neighbor with the free corporate package can see over you. If you still have not been to the Jungle I highly recommend that before you invest hundreds of dollars in the ArenaBowl that you come here first to get the best AFL experience you will ever have; just do not wear opposing team colors for your own safety.
Let me just add a mention to the guy with the huge beer gut who was giving Tampa Bay coach Tim Marcum hell an hour before game time. Coach Marcum is a Jungle veteran and knows the heckling is coming from his favorite kissing cousins He is a great sport about the whole thing.
Week Four
The Predators travel to Dallas and have another short week, as they will play the Desperados on Thursday night. In the last meeting Dallas return man Will Pettis returned three kicks for touchdowns but it was not enough for the win. Dallas rookie Quarterback Clint Stoerner has been a pleasant surprise for the team this season leading them to a 2-1 record.
Dallas and Orlando are two teams that match up very well, once again the Predators will come in with a slight rest advantage with two more days to recover than Dallas. Dallas will try to use their receiver speed to beat the Predators defense, who are allowing just about 40 points per contest so far this season. This game is live in its entirety in Orlando on Sun Sports at 8:30pm, while the rest of Florida will see the game picked up in progress at 9:00pm.
Closing Thoughts
Contrary to what I said previously the officiating was stellar in this game. Hats off to you David Lambros and crew, great job!
The Predators got that complete game they were looking for. Who in this league is going to stop them? You guys on these ArenaFan.com message boards can slam me all you want and try to argue your way out of it, but who in this league will be able to take the Predators down this season if they stay healthy? San Jose? OK, beat New Orleans and then we can talk, oh wait, you lost. Tampa beat San Jose by 30, the Predators beat the Storm by 15. You do the math. I know it is still early in the season so take all of that with a grain of salt. San Jose is the next visitor to the Jungle on Sunday March 6 so we will find what’s up then.
What a game by Idris "I-4" Price, how in the world will he ever be taken off the field for Marlon Moye-Moore now? Maybe they will use Marlon to give Rupert Grant a rest later in the season. I only say this because I like how Marlon runs the ball with such agility, more so than many other fullbacks I have seen over the years.
It must be a big game when AFL Commissioner C. David Baker comes to town, see you guys, even he does not miss a "War on I-4" game.
You guys that keep up with this power poll thing are crazy if you do not have the Predators as your number one. The AFLWA will recognize this week and have the Predators number one (or lose all credibility) so why should you be any different? I have had the Predators number two this week simply because I do not believe in putting my home team number one before I feel they deserve it; this week they deserve to be called best in the league.
One last thought and then I am out of here. Will "Storminator" Hudson was not able to make this game due to the passing of his mother. Many times in the past I have mentioned the ArenaFan.com family, but Will and Leslie Hudson are more like extended family to me. It tore me up to ruin his only hope for a real smile on Friday as he was calling me for updates and I had to explain how his Storm fell apart. I am truly sorry it did not end up better for you my friend.
Please send me some E-mail this week you guys!
Jason Lucas is a part-time freelance writer based in the Orlando, Florida area. A former director of media relations with the Orlando Predators, Jason is making his return to Arenafan.com after a short stint as a public relations assistant with the UFL‘s Florida Tuskers in 2010. Lucas has followed the AFL since 1992 and began covering the Predators for Arenafan during the 2004 season. He held that position until being picked up by the Preds front office after the 2007 season. Jason‘s knowledge of arena football and love of the game is what drives him to continue covering the sport.
