Preds Their Own Worst Enemy in ArenaBowl XX
Jason Lucas
Sunday June 11, 2006
Meanwhile, to my own team the Orlando Predators, you found a way to dig yourselves into a 10 point hole early in the game and you just kept on fighting all day long. Everything that could have possibly went wrong for you did, and yet you just kept coming back to make things interesting. When you were able to take a 14-10 lead after that I was thinking you had finally found the groove and lost any nerves you may have had going into this game. Jay Taylor, I am truly sorry you had to have the single worst game of your career on a day when your team was playing for a championship. The eight points you cost the team ended up being the final deficit and I will not point the finger at you anymore than you do at yourself. The Preds defense had their third worst performance today as well so there is no way to single out one guy on the team. Every single bad break the Preds could have had today happened, fumbles, interceptions for touchdowns, and of course the kickoff that hit the iron and cost the Preds an opportunity to take the lead on the first drive of the second half. Please do not hang your heads my friends, with the talent you all have we will be back next year.
My Bad
I guess I could not have been more off last night when I wrote the "Defense Key to Preds and Rush Success" as neither team played much defense today in the second highest scoring ArenaBowl in league history. The 69-61 final tally is second highest to ArenaBowl 18 in which the San Jose Sabercats defeated the Arizona Rattlers 69-62. I was so confident in the Preds and Rush ability to play defense that I bet the under today, but I will not mention that other bet I put on the Predators.
For the Rush Bobby Sippio had an amazing offensive game as well as the Preds Javarus Dudley against these respective defense’s. The Rush were able to find just enough defense to defeat the Predators today as Dennison Robinson intercepted Joe Hamilton and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown that extended the Rush lead in the third quarter. On the play the Preds receiver was completely thrown away and was on the ground as the pass sailed into Robinson’s hands. This was another 14 point swing, if the Preds found a way to get into the end zone there who knows what could have happened. However, no call was made and the Rush took a 48-28 lead at that point. This was just another example of how the Rush got every break possible today. Hats off to the Rush for being a very opportunistic team that made every play just to get here, and then capitalized on every mistake once they got here.
Being on the Losing End of an ArenaBowl
As a fan of the Orlando Predators this is a tough pill to swallow. Our team has now been made famous for letting a 7-9 team in the regular season defeat our 10-6 Preds. Today was probably the worst I have ever seen a Preds team play in an ArenaBowl since 1992. The offense had an amazing game today putting up 61 points against the Rush, but it completed a New York Dragons like feat of scoring more than 60 points and still losing because of the absence of a defense. Today was the second time the Orlando Predators offense has scored above 60 points and lost a game, the other was of course the Dallas game in the Jungle. I have always believed that if the Preds score 60 points in a game there is no way they should ever lose with the high caliber defense they have always possessed. Today the Preds defense just could not make a play on Matt D’Orazio who scrambled and made amazing throws all day long that the Preds just could not stop.
As down as I am on the team at the moment, the 2006 Orlando Predators managed to accomplish so many things this season that were not expected of them. Everyone mentions the Rush’s turnaround being when they were 5-9. The Preds turnaround came when they sat at 4-4 and then went on a six game winning streak sparking them to a 10-6 regular season record and securing a southern division championship. Before this season the Preds had not won the division since 2002, and had not been to the ArenaBowl since 2000.
With the off season coaching addition of Les Moss and the dividends it paid this season, I have no doubt in my mind that the Preds can come back in 2007 to where ever the ArenaBowl may be held. This team was led primarily by first and second year players with guys like Javarus Dudley, Jimmy Fryzel, and Jerrian James who formed the Preds starting receiver combo. I have not heard Kenny McEntyre talk about retirement at all, but it will be interesting to see if he comes back for the 2007 AFL season.
To my fellow Preds fans, I implore you to go to the airport and meet the team when they come back to Orlando. First you may want to find out when that is going to happen and post it on our Arenafan message boards. The team deserves to see how much we appreciate all that they did for us this season, and to know how much we look forward to the 2007 season.
Culmination
Today marked the 18th game of the season for yours truly. The Predators continued their string of losses when I travel more than the 90 miles to Tampa Bay to come see them play. Maybe next year I will look into not making so many road trips (wink wink). This has been by far the most fun I have had covering Arena Football either just as a fan or here with Arenafan. Today’s Arenafan tailgate party outside the Thomas and Mack Center was one of the most incredible things I have ever seen to have a fan from every team in the league show up to support the AFL in the biggest game of the year. To all of you who I got to meet out here in Las Vegas and all of my readers I want you to know that I really appreciate you reading my columns this season and I hope you are able to enjoy them for many years to come!
Jason Lucas is a part-time freelance writer based in the Orlando, Florida area. A former director of media relations with the Orlando Predators, Jason is making his return to Arenafan.com after a short stint as a public relations assistant with the UFL‘s Florida Tuskers in 2010. Lucas has followed the AFL since 1992 and began covering the Predators for Arenafan during the 2004 season. He held that position until being picked up by the Preds front office after the 2007 season. Jason‘s knowledge of arena football and love of the game is what drives him to continue covering the sport.
