San Jose Continues to Overwhelm Opponents
Tim Ball
Sunday May 19, 2002
Orlando was the recipient of head coach Darren Arbet’s “team continuity,” that he’s stressed from the first day of training camp.
The San Jose players reporting for duty during the course of Saturday`s game simply overwhelmed the Predators from start to finish. Even the valiant Jay Gruden was powerless to stem the tide of the relentless SaberCats attack as it came from both sides of the ball. As a player and coach he sat stunned in the second quarter with the Predators down by an unbelievable score of 26 to nothing.
Clevan’s short field
A defensive specialist held SaberCats quarterback Mark Grieb to under 200 yards passing for the first time this season. No, not by Orlando’s heralded DS Kenny McEntyre. By his own teammate.
Defensive specialists are supposed to shut down quarterbacks. That’s what they’re paid to do. But during Saturday’s game someone needed to tell San Jose DS Clevan Thomas that while he’s playing well, he’s ruining Grieb’s assault on the record books. Thomas’ solid play on defense coupled with error-free kickoff returns kept the SaberCats virtually mid-field the whole game. (I’m sure Grieb didn’t mind at all.)
 Mark Grieb Image courtesy of Jeff Marshall |
Everywhere at once
San Jose used every available opportunity to showcase the talent on this team. Not only was Orlando stopped cold in the first quarter, but Gruden was never allowed a moment’s peace to find a rhythm or consistency and Orlando didn’t score their second touchdown until three minutes into the third quarter.
When it looked like a long-shot fourth quarter comeback was in the works for the legendary AFL Champion, Gruden was intercepted by Omar Smith who ran it back 39 yards for a touchdown to extend San Jose’s lead to an insurmountable 77-39 with 1:21 left in the game.
Business is business
SaberCats quarterback Mark Grieb, using the bonus of good field possession, called multiple run plays followed up by strategic short passes and quick strike touchdowns seemingly at will. Grieb finished 17 of 29 with 190 yards passing, with no interceptions and had five different players scoring touchdowns. The SaberCats offense showed it is not dependent on Grieb to carry the load. This can only give confidence to a team that will undoubtedly face fierce competition from here on out.
In his first homecoming since being traded, Barry Wagner proved why he shouldn’t have been. Wagner was outstanding on both sides of the ball. With three touchdowns (two rushing and one reception) a forced fumble and an interception, Wagner showed why he is arguably the best player to date in the 16-year history of the Arena League.
BOOM !
The SaberCats are an impressive bunch. There has not been a let down in intensity at any point this season.
As a prime example: With only nine minutes left in the game, kicker Daron Alcorn stopped Antonio Stanley in his tracks on a sure kickoff return for a touchdown. Stanley had beaten all other SaberCats players and was at full speed along the sideline. Alcorn methodically pursued the speedy kick returner, picked his angle of attack, lowered his shoulder and BOOM, planted the shocked runner so firmly into the barriers that Stanley ended up facing the direction he had just come from… wrinkled but uninjured Stanley did not come off the field.
When your kicker is willing to go to this effort, you have arrived at the definition of team in the sport of football.
It is the SaberCats team that is undefeated at 5-0.
Next up
Atop the Western division and the best team in the league, San Jose will have to be prepared to face a formidable challenge, as the Dallas Desperados will be looking to prove themselves next week in San Jose. Falling to 2-3 after losing to Arizona in Dallas. The Desperados have everything to gain at the SaberCats expense.
Game time is 7:30pm May 25th, at San Jose’s Compaq Center.
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.
