It`s Not Odd After All
Joe Kauffman
Friday August 16, 1996
The most successful active team in the league, the Storm have gone to ArenaBowls V, VII and IX, but they lost in the semifinals in 1992 and in the quarterfinals in 1994. Now, they are going to ArenaBowl X.
In a game played between the winners of the last three championships (and four of the last five), the Tampa Bay defense came up big once again. Jay Gruden had three interceptions, two of which were telegraphed. The Rattlers earned a relatively easy 17 points thanks to these offensive mistakes. The play of the game, however, was all Tampa Bay Storm. Arizona`s two-point attempt following a touchdown with nine seconds left in the game was not even close. Bo Kelly never had a chance as he was contained by Lynn Rowland and finished off by Sylvester Bembery for a huge loss.
Arizona QB Sherdrick Bonner`s only interception thrown was the single defensive score in an otherwise offensive game, as Stevie Thomas returned the pick eight yards to bring the Storm within five points early in the third quarter. That was one of two TDs scored by Thomas, one of the Storm`s most popular players. Gruden tied his playoff record of seven touchdown passes, five going to Storm OS George LaFrance. Storm kicker Jorge Cimmadevilla was four-of-seven on PATs, but he nailed a 46-yard field goal, the longest kick of the night.
ArenaBowl X will be firsts for both the Storm and their opponents, the Iowa Barnstormers. Iowa will host the ArenaBowl in their arena, "The Barn." The second-year team is making their first ever appearance in the Arena Football`s championship game. The Storm will appear in their fourth ArenaBowl in six years, and the first time ever in their second consecutive ArenaBowl. Until this year, the Storm had only gone to the championship game in odd-numbered years.
The Storm have also had new uniform designs in each of those years. The midnight blue, metallic gold and white will be making a return trip to the league finals, something that the red, white and blue Zubas, and the silver and black uniforms never did.
When asked about his eight ArenaBowl appearance in eight years as a head coach, Storm Coach Tim Marcum said that "[ArenaBall] is a player`s game."
Marcum, whose annual goal is to win the championship, said the use of clock-time during the game was his main concern. He would not, however, second-guess Rattlers coach Danny White`s choice to go on fourth-and-seven at the beginning of the fourth quarter, giving the Storm possession of the ball at the five yard line following the failed attempt.
Afterward, Marcum gave the Storm the weekend off, and since ArenaBowl X is on a Monday night, practice would resume on Tuesday.
That`s my view from the press box.
This column was originally written for the Storm Shelter, a Tampa Bay Storm fan site.
Joe Kauffman is President and Editor in Chief of Arenafan Online, having joined the staff in 2000. He graduated from Florida State University in 1998 with a degree in communications andbuilds ecommerce sites for a day job. Joe has enjoyed Arena Football since 1991 and has been a member of the Arena Football Internet community since 1995. Prior to Joining Arenafan, he was a co-founder and Technical Editor of the Storm Shelter, which covered the Tampa Bay Storm from 1996-99. Joe and his wife Erika live in Hackettstown, New Jersey with their two daughters.
