Will The Real Storm Please Stand Up?
Adam J Locascio
Thursday February 24, 2005
Through three weeks of AFL football, the Tampa Bay Storm have shown us three sides to their 2005 story, all of which are completely unique from their counterparts.
During Week 1, the Storm manhandled the San Jose SaberCats 63-33 as they started the season avenging their playoff loss from 2004. The Storm were impressive in all facets of the game as quarterback Shane Stafford earned AFLWA Player of the Week honors with his career-best 28 completions and eight touchdowns.
The Storm, as a team, looked sharp as well. The offense was clicking, the defense was relentless (even notching a safety), and the kicking game was on target. It was the type of performance any coach would dream about.
Week 2 saw the Storm take on the Austin Wranglers. The game produced the same result but with some different methods. The Storm were able to pull out a 62-45 victory that was much closer than the score indicated. The Storm prevailed despite committing 13 penalties and turning the ball over four times.
"A good win, [but] boy, it was sloppy," said Storm head coach Tim Marcum. "Terrible, terrible. Offside penalties, giving up the easy balls down the field, stuff we don’t usually do."
The Storm then ventured to the Jungle to take on the Orlando Predators in their first road game of the season. While the game was tight for a half, the Storm were overpowered by a very physical Predator defensive line in the second half as Tampa Bay gave up five sacks and lost an important Southern Division game 61-46 to their most hated rival.
True, the Storm did play on a short week and without offensive specialist Freddie Solomon and two-way phenom T.T. Toliver, but the effort was sub-par and uninspired. It was hard to believe that this team was the one that pummeled San Jose just two weeks prior.
Which begs the question, will the real Tampa Bay Storm please stand up?
Due largely to injuries, the team’s depth is certainly being tested. With a 2-1 record, one can say that they have passed the test, thus far. Solomon has only played in one complete game all season. Toliver has yet to take the field. Lineman Kelvin Kinney has just been added to the injured reserve list with a shoulder injury. Fullback/linebacker David White suffers from a high-ankle sprain. To still have a winning record is a testament to the team that Marcum has built.
The Storm travel to New Orleans to take on the VooDoo this Friday night and this game could very well give Storm fans the answers they are looking for. New Orleans has been playing lights-out defense and boasts some of the highest scoring receivers in the league.
But VooDoo quarterback Andy Kelly is 5-10 versus the Storm in his career. His last outing against the Storm was as a member of the Detroit Fury in a 52-48 loss in Tampa during the 2003 playoffs. Furthermore, the Storm are 7-0 after a bye week. Last year, the Storm also faced the VooDoo after their bye and picked up a 59-51 victory at home.
Quarterback Shane Stafford would just as soon forget his last trip to the Big Easy. Stafford was pulled in favor of back-up QB Pat O’Hara after tossing three interceptions, all of which were returned for touchdowns.
So the question remains, which Storm team will show up for the first quarter in the French Quarter? Will it be the quick and deadly? The slow and sloppy? Or the just plain abysmal?
Whichever team decides to play, will most likely be the one that we will see for the rest of the season.
Adam J. Locascio is a financial advisor in the Tampa Bay area and a Board Member of the Tampa Bay Storm Surge Fan Club. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Phoenix and is a six-year season ticket holder for the Tampa Bay Storm.
