Turf Turnover for the Storm
Eric Keaton
Tuesday March 26, 2002
“I’m excited about the upcoming season and I’m anxious to begin camp and see what we’ve got,” said head coach Tim Marcum.
What the Storm has is a situation that is occurring more often in today’s AFL- player turnover. AFL and Storms fans should get used to the changing of players from team-to-team due to free agency, contraction and the annual expansion drafts.
The Storm’s offseason saga does not compare to the Tampa Bay Buccaneer’s offseason soap opera, but here’s a quick rundown of how the roster was revamped:
It started last November when Marcum unloaded offensive specialist James Bowden (J.B.) and defensive specialist Tommy Henry. Besides quarterback, many AFL gurus claim the offensive and defensive specialist positions are invaluable to a teams’ success. J.B. was actually an all-purpose specialist that averaged 231 plus yards a game, second best in the league in just 11 games.
On the other side of the ball, Henry posted an AFL record numbers for passes defensed in back-to-back seasons.
So why was the duo banished from the Ice Palace?
Answer: They were MIA during the playoff run. Whether it was in the box score or in the box. Bowden eventually recovered from a midseason injury to return during the postseason. Henry was benched.
Add a lopsided loss to Indiana in the playoffs and an alleged strife between the head coach and the aforementioned players, and changes came as no surprise. Both were traded- Bowden to New Jersey and Henry to Toronto.
"It was time for us to part company," Marcum told the St. Petersburg Times. "When J.B. was hurt last year, [OS] Gunnard Twyner was asked to do things and he stepped up. We have Sir Mawn Wilson, who we think is bigger, stronger and faster. It was just time. We needed to shake things up."
So who are the guys ready to replace J.B. and Henry? Here are a few names to remember.
Former Gladiator Keita Crespina is a defensive specialist who led New Jersey with 61 tackles and he was second on the squad with five interceptions last season.
“He’s played well in the AFL,” said head coach Tim Marcum. “When I watched Keita, I was impressed with his cover skills.”
Former NFL veteran Jahine Arnold will attempt to replace Bowden’s numbers. Arnold played wide receiver and returned kicks for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers from 1996-1999.
Offensive specialist Carlos Johnson was obtained from the Phantoms in the Henry deal. Johnson caught 122 passes in 2000 for the now defunct Oklahoma Wranglers.
By the time head coach Marcum blows his whistle to start the drive for a fifth title, a few more Storm household names could pop up. But no Bowden’s.
Andre Bowden, the last player from the Storm’s 1991 inaugural season, is not coming back. The fullback/linebacker is a free agent and team sources say only Carolina has shown interest in the veteran. Nyle Wiren, Darion Conner and newly acquired Basil Proctor will compete for playing time. The trio has 13 years of AFL experience combined.
Player turnover happens. The Storm not winning a championship for five years does not. With the mixture of veterans, free agents and talented rookies, the position battles will be very competitive during camp.
At least the return of fan favorites Mel Cunningham and Lawrence Samuels will add a couple of familiar faces to the turf.
Now all that’s left is to turnover the turf. Or roll it out, which the team will do every day starting Monday.
Eric Keaton is no stranger to the AFL (or to Storm head coach Tim Marcum, who calls him "Buster.") Eric enters his sixth season as a commentator on Time Warner Cable`s coverage of the Storm. He graduated from the University of South Florida in 1997 and he is the Sports Director for TW-TV47 in the Tampa Bay Area. Eric and his wife Maria live in Palm Harbor, FL.
