San Jose Defeats Dallas 77-54
Tim Ball
Monday May 27, 2002
Class is who you are as much as what you are. San Jose and Dallas, Saturday night, showed who and what they are. Both teams hit each other hard from the beginning to end. But they also reached out a hand or stood by watching to make sure their opponent got up OK. Then hit them again the next play…
Pre-game game
During warm-ups, opposing players interacted like Lawyers before a trial searching for an edge. Respectful and jovial but knowing the job at hand was to dismantle the opponent and shatter any hopes for appeal on a technicality. Players shook hands, joked around a bit and tried to outdo each other at everything. The game was no different.
It was like the Scopes trial and the lesson being taught was by ironically enough, a team named after an extinct cat to a team aptly named the Desperados. Falling to two wins and four losses would give Dallas’ season as much of a future as evolution did to the Neanderthal.
SaberCats quarterback Mark Grieb has a Masters degree from Stanford in Education and an undefeated team with the best offense and defense in the league. While feigning bravado, Dallas players were taking notes. (Remember, evolution lost at that trial.)
First half competition
In the first quarter, San Jose dominated the Desperados and ran the score to 21-3. In the second quarter, the Desperados came right back. Dallas had the ball for nine minutes on one possession alone. One mistake on special teams was costly for Dallas and DS Clevan Thomas (of course) made them pay with a 57-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, otherwise it would have been a one-point game going into halftime… Oh, by the way, Thomas was phenomenal in his sixth-straight game and eighth overall if you count preseason. He was named the game’s MVP.
There is a big difference to being beaten and losing, a big difference.
Coming out of the locker room before the start of the third quarter head coach Darren Arbet responded to questions from reporters with a look. A long look. No other response was needed… The SaberCats were going to have to beat the Desperados. The Desperados were going to have to beat the SaberCats.
Both teams came to play
Offensive coordinator Terry Malley’s offense has been very impressive in the third quarter and this game was no exception. San Jose scored on the opening drive after a defensive penalty on Dallas with a one strike 25-yard pass to OS James Hundon. The Sabercats could have made things much worse if it wasn’t for Dallas DS Tim Denton denying Grieb another quick score by intercepting a long pass at the two-yard line. San Jose scored four times in the third quarter, stretching their lead to 22 points.
“Dallas is a very physical team. Every player is in great shape and is very strong. They adjust quickly on defense.” said Malley. “We came in knowing we would have to show them a different offensive scheme then they have seen in our first five games.”
The Dallas Desperados and quarterback Andy Kelly did not back down at any time in this game and the fourth quarter was no exception. Scoring on a 45-yard drive to start the fourth quarter, Kelly came out throwing, with17 passes in the game’s final fifteen minutes. Though intercepted two times, Kelly and the Desperados did not go quietly into the night.
And don’t let Mark Grieb’s quiet demeanor fool you for a second. He answered Kelly with a 45-yard drive of his own, chewing up yards, time and Dallas’ chances. Daron Alcorn’s PAT proved an exclamation as well as extra point as the SaberCats set an Arena Football League record by scoring 70 points or more in three consecutive games. “I’m lucky I have so many great receivers to throw to,” said Grieb, (What a nice guy). San Jose finished with 77 points on this night and has 404 points on the season. The receivers are lucky they have Grieb too.
A lesson learned.
Dallas was brave. They did not try to go around the SaberCats, they did not try trick plays, they did not whine, complain nor use cheap hits to gain some advantage. They rolled up their sleeves and went to work.
San Jose showed why they are undefeated. No weaknesses at any position and every play depended on every player. When mistakes happen they are corrected during the game, (not just in practice). That’s why they win.
Make the play or give up points, in this version of football there is no option, the field has no room for mercy. The difference in the SaberCats and the teams they’ve beaten comes down to this one fact: They are simply a better “team.” At 6-0 the league is taking notes. Look at all the personnel movement around the AFL to prove it.
So far no team has lost to the SaberCats. They have been beaten by the SaberCats.
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.
