Much different Arbet-Munsey rematch
Andy Lopusnak
Thursday June 7, 2012
The last time Orlando head coach Bret Munsey faced off against San Jose head coach Darren Arbet, he led the Philadelphia Soul to a 59-56 win in ArenaBowl XXII. It's been nearly four years and the league has gone through a lot as has the two coaches since that day.
Little did most of us know when Munsey was handed the ArenaBowl trophy that the league would fold, miss the entire 2009 season and then get reborn with a mix of AFL and af2 teams in 2010. The SaberCats and Soul as well as Munsey and Arbet were not part of that 2010 re-boot. Both teams came back in 2011. Arbet led the SaberCats to a disappointing injury-riddled 7-11 season last year, while Munsey was in the UFL as an assistant for the Florida/Virginia franchise for three seasons.
Like Arbet last season, Munsey transition back into the indoor game has been rough this year. His Orlando Predators have the worst record in the AFL (1-10) and are at the bottom or second to last in most statistical categories. Some of that can be contributed mounting injuries as well as the Week One AFLPU strike that's crippled the Preds as well as the Pittsburgh Power.
Munsey is 2-0 against Arbet as a head coach. However, both were four years ago (by a total of just four points) and the 2012 Orlando Predators look nothing like the 2008 Philadelphia Soul.
On paper, this game shouldn't be even played. The SaberCats are 5-0 at home and the Predators are 0-6 on the road. San Jose is scoring 66.8 points per game (2nd best) while Orlando is second worst averaging just 40.4. The SaberCats have scored at least 60 points in nine of 12 games while the Preds have done so just once (in a losing effort no less). Go line by line in the stats and the numbers aren't even close. However, the pre-game numbers weren't that close last week when the SaberCats lost to a then 3-7 Milwaukee Mustangs team.
As is the case in most AFL games, turnovers kill a team and that's what happened to San Jose last week as the Mustangs converted three turnovers into 20 points in the 13-point win (two of them were net recoveries for scores). Turnovers are something Orlando is all too familiar with as the Preds are tied for the most turnovers in the league (35) and their -14 turnover differential is second worst in the league.
If the SaberCats can hold onto the ball, this game could get very ugly. To help get a few turnovers or aid in stopping one of the league's best passers, Mark Grieb, Orlando signed DB Kenny McEntyre who was recently named the #13 greatest player in AFL history. The league's all-time interceptions leader hasn't played since the Predators 63-48 loss in the first round of the playoffs last year. McEntyre has had some memorable games against the SaberCats including one in 2008 when he picked off Grieb twice and returned both for touchdowns in a 61-35 win. San Jose went on to win its next eight before losing to the Munsey-led Soul in the ArenaBowl.
Despite losing two of its last three, San Jose is still in the hunt for its first playoff berth since 2008. The SaberCats are one game back of Arizona for the West Division title and do have the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Rattlers thanks to sweeping the season series. QB Mark Grieb has been on fire the past two games completing 67.3% of his passes for 852 yards with 19 touchdowns to just one interception. He is just 92 yards away from becoming the first player in league history to post seven career 4,000-yard passing seasons (consecutively no less).
Kickoff is slated for 7:30 PM Pacific Time on Friday, June 8 at HP Pavilion in San Jose. The SaberCats are offering a family four-pack that includes: four hot dogs, four sodas, four bags of chips and four tickets to the game for just $55. For more information, call 408.673.3400 or log onto theSanJoseSaberCats.com.
