SaberCats face old foe in expansion Georgia Force
Tim Ball
Thursday April 11, 2002
Preseason games are very important. Team direction and aspirations for the season are set in motion during this crucial time. San Jose and Georgia couldn’t ask for a better challenge to solidify decisions that have to be made to select their 2002 teams. The Force will face a determined SaberCat club.
If enquiring minds want to know, then SaberCats’ and Georgia Force fans better tune in and keep tabs on this game. Both teams are pursuing the same goal: A championship caliber team and they are both capable of getting there.
Both teams have come so close two years in a row and are joined in the history of it all. San Jose was denied a trip to the ArenaBowl in 2000 and 2001 by the Nashville Kats. Nashville made it by the SaberCats but lost both times in the Championship games. Both teams are securing players they feel will take them all the way in 2002.
Out of the frying pan, into the Zeier
The Force have replaced AFL star Andy Kelly, (who went to another expansion team, the Dallas Desperados,) with NFL QB Eric Zeier. Although San Jose won’t have to face Kelly, they’ll have to try to figure a way through Georgia’s stonewall offensive line to make Zeier feel uncomfortable in the AFL.
With over a third of Georgia’s returning players from the Kats’ offensive line (6 of 16) who took them to the ArenaBowl, Zeier may think he’s safe. San Jose is increasing the speed and depth of its defense to counter this while maintaining the league’s most prolific offense with San Jose’s stellar QB Mark Grieb at the helm. This game is sizing up to be a great matchup, preseason or not.
San Jose and Georgia are examples of the move to blend experienced AFL players with NFL players and bringing in high caliber rookies to balance the team. It is going to be quite a task for the two coaching staffs to cut down to the 24-man roster, from the players that each team has now.
Preseason games like this one between the San Jose SaberCats and Georgia Force are an indication of just what kind of season it’s going to be in 2002. A quick look around the league at the preseason games of week one and you’ll notice plenty of cliffhangers and last second wins.
If you plan on bringing your toddlers and babies to games this season, you may want to keep them buckled into their carriers for safety towards the end of the fourth quarter. It may get wild!
Tim Ball is a writer in the Chicagoland area. Married and father of three, his opinions on Arena Football reflects the positive aspect of the game as a family event second to none in pro sports.
