You Gotta Have Heart
Adam Markowitz
Monday June 9, 2008
I don’t want to hear any more excuses from the Orlando Predators. The run of 16 consecutive playoff appearances is about to end, and I can’t honestly look myself in the mirror and say that there is one member of this team that truly deserves to play in the playoffs right now.
The Predators played uninspired football from the get-go on Saturday night’s game against the rival, Tampa Bay Storm. The defense didn’t record anywhere near a stop until the game was already out of hand (I’m not counting Bobby Perry’s interception when he got the ball ripped out of his hand shortly thereafter), the special teams were disgraceful, and the offense was up to its old tricks again: two more (offensive) turnovers and a fourth safety in the last three weeks.
Yes, for the second straight season, the Predators have been crushed by the injury bug. Still, it’s up to Coach Gruden and the staff to put together a team which at least plays hard for 60 minutes. The Predators haven’t played hard for a full 60 minutes in well over a month.
Perhaps the greatest quote of the entire game came from fellow ArenaFan writer, Adam Locascio, who put his mouth next to his recorder after Shane Stafford threw the interception that sealed the defeat and said, “And in other news, the sky is still blue and the sun will still come up in the morning!”
In spite of throwing for a season-best 362 yards (tied for the second best in team history) and a team record-tying eight touchdown passes, Stafford fumbled a snap for the fifth straight game and the tenth of 15 games this season. His 14th interception of the year marked the 13th of 15 games in which he’s turned the ball over at least once.
As of the completion of Saturday’s games, only Colorado’s John Dutton has turned the ball over in as many games as Stafford (though Dutton has turnover the ball over in 13 out of 14 games). No one in the AFL has more total turnovers, total fumbles, or fumbles lost. In fact, there aren’t many teams in the AFL that have more fumbles than Stafford does. If he were a team by himself, Stafford would still have the ninth most fumbles in the AFL.
Most Fumbles in a Season in AFL History
1996 Texas Terror: 39
1995 Miami Hooters: 38
2006 New York Dragons: 35
2001 Orlando Predators: 35
1995 Iowa Barnstormers: 35
2006 Las Vegas Gladiators: 34
2008 Orlando Predators: 32
2007 Las Vegas Gladiators: 32
2000 New Jersey Red Dogs: 32
As far as fumbles lost are concerned… well, we’re already in the record book for futility. DeAndrew Rubin’s fumble in the 3rd quarter gave the Preds 23 fumbles lost on the season, the worst in AFL history.
Most Fumbles Lost in a Season in AFL History
2008 Orlando Predators: 23
1998 New Jersey Red Dogs: 22
1996 Texas Terror: 22
Just in case you thought this was a one-year accident, the 25 Stafford fumbles in the last three years suggests otherwise.
In 32 games with Orlando (including the playoffs), Stafford is 16-15 as a starter (and 0-1 in relief), and averaged turning the ball over 1.16 times per game himself. Sorry Shane, that isn’t winning championships, thus isn’t acceptable for Predator football. This version of the Predators has already broken the team record for fumbles lost (23), is only three fumbles away from tying the team record for total fumbles in a season (35), and is two interceptions away from tying the team record for the most INTs in a season (20). Stafford is one turnover away from tying Gruden’s team record 23 turnovers in a season.
Most Fumbles by an Individual in a Season in AFL History
Kurt Warner (1995 Iowa Barnstormers): 18
Gilbert Renfroe (1993 Detroit Drive): 17
Michael Bishop (2005 Grand Rapids Rampage): 15
Jason Fife (2006 Las Vegas Gladiators): 15
Mark Grieb (2006 San Jose SaberCats): 15
Ben Bennett (1994 Orlando Predators): 14
Mike Pawlawski (1995 Miami Hooters): 14
Tony Kimbrough (1995 San Jose SaberCats): 14
John Dutton (2003 Colorado Crush): 14
Shane Stafford (2008 Orlando Predators): 14
Most Fumbles Lost by an Individual in a Season in AFL History
Gilbert Renfroe (1993 Detroit Drive): 11
Troy Kopp (1995 Memphis Pharaohs): 11
Kurt Warner (1995 Iowa Barnstormers): 8
Connell Maynor (2000 Orlando Predators): 8
John Dutton (2003 Colorado Crush): 8
Shane Stafford (2008 Orlando Predators): 8
Most Turnovers by an Individual in a Season in AFL History
Troy Kopp (1995 Memphis Pharaohs): 28
John Dutton (2003 Colorado Crush): 27
Scott Semptimphelter (2001 Detroit Fury): 26
Rohan Davey (2007 New York Dragons): 24
Andy Kelly (2003 Detroit Fury): 24
Todd Hammel (1993 Dallas Texans): 24
Peter Tom Willis (1997 Tampa Bay Storm): 24
Jay Gruden (2002 Orlando Predators): 23
Shane Stafford (2008 Orlando Predators): 22
Shane Stafford (2006 Tampa Bay Storm): 22
Tommy Maddox (2000 New Jersey Red Dogs): 22
Jeff Smoker (2007 Nashville Kats): 22
Scott Wood (1999 San Jose SaberCats): 22
James Guidry (1998 Portland Forest Dragons): 22
Kurt Warner (1995 Iowa Barnstormers): 22
Mickey Guidry (1992 New Orleans Night): 22
As many have pointed out, several of Stafford’s fumbles have come before the plays have ever started. The quarterback/center exchange has been a nightmare all year for Orlando, but yet again in Week 15 of the season, the problems continue. This is unacceptable, and Coach Gruden suggested that after several problems last week against Arizona.
What’s killing me is that the Predators aren’t getting beaten physically. They’re being beaten mentally by almost everyone they’ve played recently. In fact, short of a 61-35 defeat of the San Jose SaberCats, the Preds haven’t played a sound game since the middle of April. That just won’t get it done.
Since that San Jose game, the Predators have been outscored on average by the count of 62.2 to 51.2. Yikes. They’ve committed 36 penalties in that stretch, have fumbled the ball a whopping 16 times (11 lost), thrown five interceptions, missed eight extra points and gotten hit for four safeties (all of which have occurred in the last three games).
Speaking of safeties… The four safeties that Orlando has been victim of are tied for the most in the league with the Los Angeles Avengers.
More stats to chew on…
Worst Turnover Margins in AFL History
2003 Colorado Crush: -26
1988 New England Steamrollers: -25
1992 New Orleans Night: -24
1994 Milwaukee Mustangs: -24
2007 Las Vegas Gladiators: -24
2003 Carolina Cobras: -23
2004 Grand Rapids Rampage: -23
2006 Las Vegas Gladiators: -21
1996 Texas Terror: -21
2008 Orlando Predators: -18
2001 Houston Thunderbears: -18
1999 Houston Thunderbears: -18
Most Turnovers in a Season in AFL History
2006 Las Vegas Gladiators: 46
2003 Colorado Crush: 46
1994 Milwaukee Mustangs: 43
1992 New Orleans Night: 42
2003 Carolina Cobras: 42
2008 Orlando Predators: 41
“We’re not out of it yet,” said Coach Gruden. “But the way we’re walking around out there right now…” He paused and insinuated what we all should be thinking.
A great run of 16 straight playoff appearances will be over if Orlando can’t find a way to string one more win together against the New Orleans VooDoo next Friday night in the friendly confines of the Jungle. Even if the Preds do win, it’ll probably take a loss by the Storm at some point to lock down a playoff birth. There is still a slim chance that Orlando could win the Southern Division (with a win, a Tampa Bay loss, and two Georgia losses), but sights must be set on having to win at home on Friday, and then on the road three times to reach New Orleans for the ArenaBowl.
I haven’t said this once this year, but it’s about time to get back on the bandwagon. Coach Gruden, there is plenty of blame to go around for the 2008 season collapsing, but this is the 2nd straight year that the team has in prime position to waltz into the playoffs, and the 2nd straight year that it will be clinging to its hopes right down to the very end.
This writer would like to think that if Gruden can’t motivate his boys to beat a slumping VooDoo team on Friday, it’ll be the last time that he and several others who will come out of the tunnel in black and red will ever step foot in the Jungle as a Predator again.
Adam Markowitz is an accountant living in Orlando. Adam is an old school AFLer, having followed the AFL since 1991. He attended or covered well over 200 games, including 17 ArenaBowls. Adam worked for the Arena Football League for two years as a columnist and historian before retiring in 2017 when the 50-yard indoor war left the Sunshine State. Adam still muses about the AFL on ArenaFan from time to time, and you can follow him on Twitter @adammarkowitzea.
