Breaking it Down – ArenaBowl XXIII
Andy Lopusnak
Wednesday August 25, 2010
Spokane became the first team to win titles in the af2 and AFL in grand fashion by beating the most storied franchise, the Tampa Bay Storm, in Arena Football history in ArenaBowl XXIII. Shock QB Kyle Rowley was responsible for all ten of the team's touchdowns en route to being named MVP. Over twenty ArenaBowl records were either set or tied in the first AFL championship game since 2008. Check out the only breakdown of the stats, history and significance of this game anywhere in the world right in the ArenaBowl XXIII edition of Breaking it Down.
NOTE: Special thanks to the Shock for getting me a photo of all three "Arena Football" championship trophies used on the front page of this site for this article (click here to see all three - 2006 ArenaCup on the left, 2009 ArenaCup on the right and the ArenaBowl trophy in the middle). Spokane was the final team to win the original ArenaCup trophy (left) and last to win the second version of the ArenaCup trophy (right). The original ArenaCup trophy would make an awesome conference championship trophy (just switch out the af2 logo for an AFL one).
SPOKANE 69, TAMPA BAY 57
After Tampa Bay methodically executed an eleven-play drive resulting in an Eric Ortiz rushing touchdown, Spokane scored the game's next 20 points thanks to turnovers on back-to-back offensive plays by Storm QB Brett Dietz.
Tampa Bay used an onside kick recovery to spark a comeback that put the five-time champs up 28-27 with under a minute to go before halftime. However, the Storm left too much time and the Shock took advantage to go up 34-28 at the half - Tampa Bay didn't get any closer the rest of the way. The second quarter featured all four Shock touchdowns coming from Kyle Rowley-to-Markee White connections and a total of 49 points were scored b y the two teams.
At halftime, Rowley had completed 13-of-18 for 115 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions. His numbers got better in the final thirty minutes en route to MVP honors. Over the final two quarters, he was 11-of-14 for 122 yards with four passing scores, a rushing score and no interceptions. Two of his receivers had four touchdown catches on the night (White and Huey Whittaker).
Tampa Bay's 57 points scored are the third most by a losing team behind only Arizona's 62 in 2004 and Orlando's 61 in 2006. Spokane's 69 points tie an ArenaBowl record.
The 57 points for the Storm is the most ever in the team's seven ArenaBowl appearances (nine if the Pittsburgh Gladiators are included). This includes the Storm's five ArenaBowl wins. The previous Storm high in points was 51 in the team's ArenaBowl VII (1993) win over Detroit (last game Drive franchise history). ArenaBowl VII was the final Drive game coached by current Storm head coach Tim Marcum before he joined the team he could never beat in the playoffs.
KYLE KILLS THE RECORD BOOK
Spokane QB Kyle completed 24-of-32 for 237 yards with nine TD passes, a rushing TD and no interceptions to earn ArenaBowl XXIII MVP honors. Rowley set ArenaBowl records for passing touchdowns and total touchdowns responsible for (all ten of the Shock's TDs). He did this on just the 20th most passing attempts and 12th most completions. Rowley threw a touchdown on every 3.6% of his passes, which is the highest in ArenaBowl history. If the league used the old passer rating calculation, then Rowley's 135.03 rating would be the second best in ArenaBowl history (behind John Dutton's 143.59 in the 2002 ArenaBowl). However, since the league changed the way they calculated passer rating to mirror the NFL's system, Rowley's 135.05 is third most behind Mark Grieb's 137.57 in the 2007 ArenaBowl. In the old calculation, TDs were "penalized" in the calculation which would effect Grieb 13.8 TD% but not Rowley's 28.13 TD% or Dutton's 19.23 TD%, thus Grieb's rating would be lower than Rowley's rating. FYI, all three QBs in question were named ArenaBowl MVP for their outstanding efforts.
Here's a look at all of Rowley's stats and where each ranks in ArenaBowl history.
|
CATEGORY
|
STAT
|
ARENABOWL RANK
|
|
Passing Touchdowns
|
9
|
1st
|
|
Touchdowns Responsibility
|
10
|
1st
|
|
Interceptions
|
0
|
Tied for least with many
|
|
Passer Rating
|
135.03
|
2nd or 3rd
|
|
Completion Percentage
|
75.0
|
T-3rd
|
|
Completions
|
24
|
T-12th
|
|
Pass Attempts
|
32
|
T-20th
|
|
Passing Yards
|
237
|
20th
|
ARENABOWL INDIVIDUAL RECORDS SET OR TIED
Since the league (shockingly) didn't put out a list of the team and individual records set or tied in ArenaBowl XXIII, here's the list I compiled.
|
CATEGORY
|
STAT
|
PLAYER, TEAM
|
|
Passing Touchdowns
|
9
|
Kyle Rowley, SPK
|
|
TD Responsibility
|
10
|
Kyle Rowley, SPK (9 passing, 1 rushing)
|
|
2-pt conversions made via pass
|
2
|
Brett Dietz, Tampa Bay
|
|
Kickoff Returns
|
9
|
Sedrick Robinson, Tampa Bay
|
|
PAT Attempted
|
10
|
Taylor Rowan, Spokane
|
|
PAT Made
|
9
|
Taylor Rowan, Spokane
|
ARENABOWL TEAM RECORDS SET OR TIED
|
CATEGORY
|
STAT
|
TEAM
|
|
Penalties
|
15
|
Spokane
|
|
Penalty Yards
|
111
|
Spokane
|
|
Points Scored (tied)
|
69
|
Spokane
|
|
Extra-Point Kick Attempts (tied)
|
10
|
Spokane
|
|
Passing Touchdowns
|
10
|
Spokane
|
|
Total Touchdowns (tied)
|
10
|
Spokane
|
|
Points Scored in a Quarter (tied)
|
28
|
Spokane
|
|
Most 4 TD receivers (tied)
|
2
|
Spokane
|
|
Most 100-yard receivers (tied)
|
2
|
Tampa Bay
|
|
First Downs (tied)
|
28
|
Tampa Bay
|
|
Kickoff Returns
|
12
|
Tampa Bay
|
|
2-point conversions made (tied)
|
2
|
Tampa Bay
|
ARENABOWL COMBINED TEAM RECORDS SET OR TIED
|
CATEGORY
|
STAT
|
TAMPA BAY
|
SPOKANE
|
|
Penalties, Both Teams
|
25
|
10
|
15
|
|
Penalty Yards, Both Teams
|
198
|
87
|
111
|
|
Points Scored in a Quarter, Both Teams
|
49
|
21
|
28
|
|
Kickoff Returns, Both Teams
|
16
|
12
|
4
|
|
First Downs, Both Teams
|
53
|
28
|
23
|
|
First Downs by Pass, Both Teams
|
38
|
20
|
18
|
Spokane also tied a few records for the least of some offensive statistical categories. In each, the team had zero: sacks allowed, turnovers, fumbles, fumbles lost, interceptions and field goal attempts/made.
ROWLEY RARITY
Spokane QB Kyle Rowley became the first player to be named MVP of an ArenaCup and an ArenaBowl. In 2006, he led the expansion Shock to an ArenaCup victory (57-34 over Green Bay) and this year did the same for Spokane in the team's first year in the AFL. Here's a comparison of his performance in each game. His numbers in these two big games were shockingly similar.
|
ARENACUP 2006
|
CATEGORY
|
ARENABOWL XXIII
|
|
29
|
Completions
|
24
|
|
36
|
Pass Attempts
|
32
|
|
80.6
|
Comp. Pct.
|
75.0
|
|
264
|
Pass Yards
|
237
|
|
6
|
Touchdowns
|
9
|
|
0
|
Interceptions
|
0
|
|
136.81
|
Passer Rating
|
135.03
|
|
0
|
Rushing TDs
|
1
|
|
6
|
TD Responsibility
|
10
|
SHOCK FOURTH FIRST-YEAR TEAM TO WIN ARENABOWL
Spokane became the fourth franchise to win an ArenaBowl in its first season in the AFL. The Shock joins the 1987 Denver Dynamite, 1988 Detroit Drive and the 1991 Tampa Bay Storm. However, all four have different explanations on how each is a first year team.
Denver was one of four original AFL teams from the league's inaugural season. Detroit and Tampa Bay were existing franchises that moved but at the time were not considered the old franchise or an expansion team. The Drive was actually the Washington Commandos, while the Storm was the Pittsburgh Gladiators. Both teams had brand-new coaching staffs and there were very few players from the previous team (one for TB; eight for DET).
Spokane, on the other hand, was one of seven arenafootball2 franchises that merged with the AFL after the league took the 2009 season off. Interestingly, current Storm head coach Tim Marcum was involved in all four ArenaBowl winning teams in one way or another - he was the head coach for wins in Denver and Detroit, while was the losing coach against Tampa Bay and Spokane.
SPO "CAN" WIN AT ALL LEVELS
Including the Shock's four years in af2, Spokane has compiled the best five-year record in
"Arena Football" history. This includes three ArenaCup appearances (two wins) and winning this year's ArenaBowl. The photo of the three trophies on the home page for this story is a shot of all three "Arena Football" titles the Shock has won (the af2 trophy on the left is the 2006 ArenaCup trophy, the ArenaBowl trophy is in the middle and the trophy on the right is from the 2009 ArenaCup).
"Arena Football" history. This includes three ArenaCup appearances (two wins) and winning this year's ArenaBowl. The photo of the three trophies on the home page for this story is a shot of all three "Arena Football" titles the Shock has won (the af2 trophy on the left is the 2006 ArenaCup trophy, the ArenaBowl trophy is in the middle and the trophy on the right is from the 2009 ArenaCup).
Here's a look at the best five-year stretches in "Arena Football" history (includes af2). NOTE: Spokane has won its division all five seasons, but the AFL didn't have divisions and conferences for all the time for the other teams, so those will not be included.
|
1st FIVE ARENA SEASONS
|
SPOKANE
|
DETROIT
|
TAMPA BAY
|
|
Record in league championships
|
3-0
|
4-1
|
3-0
|
|
Overall Record
|
82-13
|
47-11
|
52-15
|
|
Overall Win Percentage
|
86.3
|
81.0
|
77.6
|
|
Regular Season Record
|
69-11
|
37-10
|
43-13
|
|
Regular Season Win Pct.
|
86.3
|
78.7
|
76.8
|
|
Playoff Record
|
13-2
|
10-1
|
9-2
|
|
Playoff Win Pct
|
86.7
|
90.9
|
81.8
|
TREND CONTINUES
The ArenaBowl tradition of the team leading at halftime and after three quarters going on to win the ArenaBowl continued with Spokane leading in both situations. Now, the ArenaBowl winner is 22-0 when leading at the half (ArenaBowl X was tied) and 23-0 when leading after three quarters of play.
RUSHING FIRST
For the eighth time in ArenaBowl history, a rushing touchdown was the first points scored in the championship game, which is more than any other way the first points have been scored. With Tampa Bay scoring first and also leading after the first quarter, Spokane became just the seventh and fifth team in each situation to win the ArenaBowl. This is the second straight ArenaBowl that the eventual winner didn't score first. It's the first time since 1998 that the eventual ArenaBowl winner trailed after the end of the first quarter. In ArenaBowl XII, the Storm led 14-10 after the first quarter, but was outscored 52-17 the final three quarters in the team's only other ArenaBowl loss. This time, the Storm led 7-6 and eventually lost by twelve points.
PICKY, PICKY
With Rowley not tossing an interception, it extended a streak of ten straight ArenaBowls that the winning team's quarterback had not thrown a pick in the title game. This streak goes back to 1999 when Albany's Mike Pawlawski tossed two no-nos in the Firebirds' ArenaBowl XIII win over Orlando. In the twelve ArenaBowls prior to 1999, the winning team's starting QB tossed at least one interception in seven of the twelve title games, including Jay Gruden's three interceptions in Tampa Bay's ArenaBowl V win. Also, three ArenaBowl MVPs have thrown at least a pick in a game (Art Schlichter tossed two in 1990, Gruden had one in 1993 and Sherdrick Bonner tossed one in 1994).
SINGULARITIES HAVE IT
The winner of the ArenaBowl has had a singularity as a nickname in 15 of the 23 title games. The Shock adds its name to a long list of singularities that include the Storm (five wins), the Drive (four wins), Dynamite (one win), Rampage (one win), Rush (one win), Crush (one win) and Soul (one win). Arizona became the first team with a plural as a nickname (Rattlers) to win an ArenaBowl in the eighth title game (in 1994). In fact, the Rattlers won the first two ArenaBowls as a team with a plural nickname (1994, 1997). Since then, the SaberCats (three), Predators (two) and Firebirds (one) are the only other teams with a plural nickname to win an ArenaBowl.
ALMOST RECORDS
Some other stats of note in the game were among the best in ArenaBowl history. Likely, there's more but the league's stat keeping is a joke. Don't know where Richard Clebert's 31-yard fumble return ranks as the league doesn't have fumble return yards as a category and the fact that all the ArenaBowl box scores are not accessible doesn't help matters (please bring back StatCrew and hire Elias Sports Bureau to manage the stats). Here's a look what I found...
|
TEAM RECORDS
|
STAT
|
TEAM(S)
|
AB RANK
|
|
Rushing TD, one team
|
4
|
TB
|
T-2nd
|
|
Rushing TD, both teams
|
5
|
4 TB, 1 SPK
|
3rd
|
|
Penalties, one team
|
10
|
TB
|
T-8th
|
|
Penalty Yards, one team
|
87
|
TB
|
2nd
|
|
Blocked kicks, both teams
|
2
|
1 each
|
T-2nd
|
|
Completions, one team
|
29
|
TB
|
2nd
|
|
Passing First Downs, one team
|
20
|
TB
|
T-20th
|
|
Completion Percentage, one team
|
75.0
|
SPK
|
T-3rd
|
|
Points Scored, both teams
|
126
|
SPK 69, TB 57
|
3rd
|
|
PLAYER RECORDS
|
STAT
|
PLAYER
|
AB RANK
|
|
Rushing TD
|
3
|
E. Ortiz, TB
|
T-2nd
|
|
Receiving TD
|
4
|
M. White, SPK
|
T-4th
|
|
Receiving TD
|
4
|
H. Whittaker, SPK
|
T-4th
|
|
Completion Percentage
|
75.0
|
K. Rowley, SPK
|
T-3rd
|
|
Passer Rating
|
135.03
|
K. Rowley, SPK
|
2nd
|
|
Receptions
|
11
|
H. Edwards, TB
|
T-5th
|
|
Kickoff Return Yards
|
119
|
S. Robinson, TB
|
6th
|
|
Completions
|
29
|
B. Dietz, TB
|
2nd
|
|
Pass Yards
|
306
|
B. Dietz, TB
|
9th
|
|
Tackles
|
9.0
|
E. Sammons, SPK
|
T-5th
|
ARENABOWL XXIV IN ORLANDO?
According to the Orlando Sentinel, the Predators' new digs in the Amway Center (opening this Fall) is a semifinalist for next year's ArenaBowl. This would mean that the league would go back to neutral-site championship games like it did from 2004-08). On Storm head coach Tim Marcum's radio show this past Monday, he suggested that the Orlando neutral-site ArenaBowl is a done deal.
I think Orlando is a perfect place for the ArenaBowl because the top three AFL team's in terms of attendance this year are all within a two-hour drive of the Amway Center (in 2010, TB was #1, ORL was #2 and JAX was #3). If this does happen, hopefully both the Storm and Sharks can also offer tickets to ArenaBowl XXIV with their respective season-ticket programs. As a side note, I would absolutely love to see the ArenaBowl's Silver Anniversary, a year later in 2012, to be played in Tampa just like the 25th Super Bowl was played in the city. It would be a cool bit of nostalgia having both events in Tampa (you think, Whitney Houston can do the anthem?).
Interestingly, ArenaBowl XIV was the last AFL title game played in Orlando with the Preds beating Nashville 41-38 on a last-second field goal. Overall, the ArenaBowl has been played in Orlando three times (1992, 94 and 2000 or ABs 6, 8 and 14 for those Roman numerically challenged).
SO MUCH FOR PROMOTING
I guess I should've realized a league that doesn't promote players and teams that set records via its official website or through press releases that the same league would do nothing to promote the ArenaBowl. Just hours before kickoff of the league's title game, there was still nothing to distinguish that the AFL's title game was upon us. Finally less than an hour and a half before kickoff, the league put out a lame effort of a game preview (without any stats or comparisons - though it had some wrong numbers). This was only on the website and not sent as a press release. The last press release from the league as of five days after the ArenaBowl was the All-Arena Teams. So, if you didn't go to ArenaFootball.com, you'd have no clue that the league's championship game was played, or that a team moved or than an expansion team was added.
I know I've been critical of the league and its lackluster approach to public relations and marketing, but this was just utterly wrong. Yes, there were articles about the end of year award winners (nothing with any substance though), but zilch about the game or the new ArenaBowl logo that was released on Monday or the huge sponsorship deal from NAPA Auto Parts to sponsor the ArenaBowl. NAPA was called the "entertainment partner" and "entitlement partner" during the game as well as the "sponsor" for the halftime report; but of course no press release or notification anywhere about it.
REALLY?
The ArenaBowl logo was switched five days prior to the game to a much better logo (still not great though) due to a partnership with NAPA Auto Parts. However, the jersey patch that both teams wore as well as the championship hats & T-Shirts that Spokane wore when hoisting the ArenaBowl Trophy still had the old logo. I can almost understand the patches somewhat, but getting 40 generic shirts and hats in that timeframe is very doable. It's not like in 2008 when the AFL made championship gear for both teams - this year it was just a generic shirt and hat with no specific team logos (if the Storm won, the team would've got the same hats and shirts).
I made some calls on Monday and found five companies (I stopped looking after 15 minutes) in Tampa alone that could've done all three within the timeframe and for less than $1,000, which included the cost of stitching the patches on the jersey (you'd need two different companies, but still under a grand). Even if the jersey patches had to be the same, at least fix the championship gear, which by the way is not available for sale on the league's online merchandising site. However, until Monday, you could order Tampa Bay Storm ArenaBowl XXIII championship shirts - the link is still active to the page with the shirt on it- click here (apparently, this year is the "AFL's Inaugural Season" according to the description). The league has done a great job of bringing back this awesome sport, but things like this (and the horrible PR, plus pathetic stats keeping) just make the AFL look bad. One step forward, a hundred steps back.
MORE EMBARRASSMENT
With the ArenaBowl being carried on a cable network for the first time since 1997 (first since 1991 that it wasn't on basic cable in all markets), not all AFL fans that couldn't watch the game because either they don't have cable or their provider didn't offer NFL Network. So these fans had to rely on message boards or the live stats from the league's site. As usual, the live stats were screwed up. After the Storm blocked the extra point on the Shock's first TD, the live feed died until midway through the second quarter. Then it died again for most of the second half. Still on the official box score for the game, the times for scores are not even close.
Spokane's first TD came around the four-minute mark in the first quarter, but the stats claim it happened at 00:00. At 3:51 left (after the blocked PAT), the AFL made the announcement that the Pittsburgh Power will be an expansion team next season. Also, the online game report is missing two Tampa Bay touchdowns in the scoring summary and like most games this season, the possession time doesn't add up to sixty minutes. This stats software has been a joke since the very first game and hopefully this is the last time anyone will ever hear about it.
BEYOND CAPACITY
Though the Spokane Veterans Arena was brimming over with fans, 102.23% of capacity to be precise, it was still just 195 more than the smallest crowd ever to see an ArenaBowl (2005). That 2005 game was the first time the league did a neutral site ArenaBowl, which means the announced 11,017 for ArenaBowl XXIII is the lowest for a non-neutral site ArenaBowl.
It was pointed out that this doesn't explain the atmosphere of the game, which it doesn't, but that's not what was mentioned in my article last week. The Breaking it Down articles are about history and stats - something that sadly the league has completely ignored each week as individual, team and career records were broken but the league kept silent or when they did briefly mention a record the information was wrong (just look at the ArenaBowl coverage).
Anyway, a sellout is awesome no matter the size of the arena. The atmosphere for the ArenaBowl was (as expected and never questioned) electric, but the numbers are what they are. Spokane had the greatest fan base in af2 history and proved without any doubt that it always belonged in the AFL long before ArenaBowl XXIII. The building is not large, but filling it has made Spokane a loud and intimidating place for opponents as the Storm witnessed last week.
SAUK IT TO ME
With four new teams and the movement of other teams, expect there to be a few new head coaches to Arena Football next season. Looking at some of the top current assistant coaches, I see Spokane offensive coordinator Matt Sauk and Jacksonville offensive coordinator Chris Siegfried as two of the top assistants that have never been an AFL head coach. Both called the offensive plays for the top teams in each conference.
DID YOU KNOW?
Ninety years ago on the same day as ArenaBowl XXIII, the National Football League was born. On August 20, 1920 in Canton, Ohio; four independent pro football teams (Akron Pros, Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Indians and Dayton Triangles) met and formed the American Professional Football Conference (two years later it was renamed the NFL). Legendary Jim Thorpe was named the APFA president on this date and a set membership fee for the teams was imposed. However, none of the four teams paid the $100 membership fee as it was only set to give the appearance of respectability. The rest, as they say, is history. Indirectly, the Triangles franchise has ties to the current Indianapolis Colts franchise (click here to find out more).
BREAKING IT DOWN ARENABOWL XXIII MVP: Kyle Rowley, Spokane QB
Rowley set ArenaBowl records for passing touchdowns and total TDs responsible for (ten) en route to leading the Shock to an ArenaBowl victory. Here's a final look of all the Breaking it Down MVPs for each week of the 2010 AFL season.
|
2010 BREAKING IT DOWN MVP OF THE WEEK
|
||
|
WK
|
PLAYER, TEAM
|
STAT NOTE
|
|
1
|
Chris Greisen, Milwaukee QB
|
83 comp. pct, 327 pass yds, 9 TD, 0 INT
|
|
2
|
PJ Berry, Bossier-Shreveport WR/KR
|
357 all-purpose yards, 201 rec yds, 7 total TD
|
|
3
|
Kyle Rowley, Spokane QB
|
75.7 comp. pct, 316 pass yards, 8 TD, 1 INT, 1 rush TD
|
|
4
|
Rod Windsor, Arizona WR
|
16 receptions, 230 rec. yards 6 rec TD, 2 rush TD
|
|
5
|
Tanner Varner, Iowa DB
|
15.0 tackles, 2 INT, 2 PBU, 1 TD
|
|
6
|
Tommy Grady, Oklahoma City QB
|
81 comp. pct, 430 pass yards, 10 TD, 1 INT
|
|
7
|
Ben Nelson, Cleveland WR
|
13 receptions, 202 yards, 6 TD
|
|
8
|
Nick Hill, Orlando QB
|
314 yards, 5 pass TD, 1 INT, 21 rushing yards, 3 rush TD
|
|
9
|
Caesar Rayford, Utah lineman
|
3 defensive TD (2 INT, 1 fumble), 1 sack, 2 TFL, 1 FF
|
|
10
|
Rod Windsor, Arizona WR
|
16 rec, 162 yards, 3 rec TD, 2 rush TD, GW 2pt conv.
|
|
11
|
Tiger Jones, Milwaukee WR
|
11 rec. 138 yards, 5 TD
|
|
12
|
Nick Davila, Arizona QB
|
77 comp pct, 319 yards, 9 TD, 0 INT
|
|
13
|
Ryan Vena, Iowa QB
|
90.9% (20/22), 245 yards, 7 TD, 0 INT, 38 rush yds (1 TD)
|
|
14
|
Chris Greisen, Milwaukee QB
|
91.3% (21/23), 330 yards, 8 TD, 0 INT, 158.33 rating
|
|
15
|
Donovan Morgan, Tulsa WR
|
9 receptions, 180 receiving yards, 5 TD, 1 tackle
|
|
16
|
Gabe Nyenhuis, Tulsa DL
|
2 sacks, 2 FF, 1 fumble recovery
|
|
17
|
Damian Harrell, Milwaukee WR
|
11 catches for 156 yards and four TD
|
|
18
|
T.T. Toliver, Orlando WR
|
9 receptions for 123 yards and six TD
|
|
DIV RD
|
Bobby Sippio, Orlando WR
|
9 receptions for 113 yards and four TD (also 2 rush TD)
|
|
CONF.
|
T.T. Toliver, Orlando WR
|
11 receptions for 165 yards with seven TD (playoff record)
|
|
AB 23
|
Kyle Rowley, Spokane QB
|
75 comp %, 237 yards, 9 TD, 0 INT (also 1 rush TD)
|
NON-ARENABOWL NOTES OF THE WEEK
PITTSBURGH COMES BACK AFTER 20-YEAR ABSENCE
Arena Football will come back to the Steel City in 2011 for the first time since 1990 when the Pittsburgh Gladiators, an original AFL franchise, moved south and became the Tampa Bay Storm prior to the 1991 season. The Glads appeared in two of the first three ArenaBowls (losing both).
Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver Lynn Swann is a part owner of the expansion Pittsburgh Power. He also served as a sideline report for two ArenaBowls (2001-02) for ABC.
The Pittsburgh Power is also the name of a diesel engine system and a girls softball league. Like every other sports team in Pittsburgh, the Power's primary colors will be black and gold. The logo looks like a much better version of the one from the Oakland Invaders from the USFL with a hand grabbing a lightning bolt. Sadly, it's Wednesday and the AFL still hasn't put out an official release stating that Pittsburgh got an expansion franchise. Also, sad is the new fact that the Power used an af2 football on its homepage.
SAY IT AIN'T SO HO
Mike Hohensee, the Chicago Rush's only head coach since the team came into the league in 2000, officially announced three and half hours prior to the ArenaBowl that he was leaving the Rush. It is speculated that Hohensee will be a head coach of one of the two new Pennsylvania AFL teams that take the field in 2011. With Bret Munsey working for the UFL's Florida Tuskers, the Philadelphia Soul is looking for a new head coach as is the expansion Pittsburgh Power. Hohensee has history in Pittsburgh as he was the starting QB in the AFL's first ever game in 1987 with the Pittsburgh Gladiators and he threw the first pass in league history which went 46-yards for a touchdown. There are other rumors swirling that he might be head to Philadelphia to be the Soul's head coach.
ON THE MOVE
It's official. The Alabama Vipers are now the Georgia Force, as first reported on ArenaFan Online on July 28. This will be the second incarnation of the Georgia Force - the first incarnation of this team was also a team that relocated (Nashville Kats moved to Atlanta after the 2001 season). Georgia played from 2002-09 and was 69-51 during that timeframe, including a three-point loss in ArenaBowl XIX. The Force also has a new logo, but retained the blue, silver and black colors from the last incarnation of this team. Dean Cokinos will continue to be the head coach of the team. Again, the league has yet to put out a release or an official statement about the Vipers moving and becoming the Force.
Additionally, there's rumors swirling that the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz will be relocating to Seattle (reported on Tuesday on OKBlitz.com, but then denied by the team and further denied by the WNBA's Seattle Storm ownership via the Seattle Times). The Yard Dawgz apparently are selling 2011 season tickets on their website (www.okcyarddawgz.com/tickets/">click to view), however, the Vipers were also selling tickets for next season and they still moved. During a radio interview this week, Spokane majority owner/CEO Brady Nelson said that all of the expansion teams have been announced and that a team "could be in the Northwest next season." Stay tuned to see if OKC fulfills its NBA trade and sends its AFL team for an NBA (Sonics now Thunder).
If this does happen, it will be the first time the AFL has place a team in Seattle - though the state of Washington has the ArenaBowl champion Spokane Shock and previously had two former af2 teams (Everett Hawks from 2006-07; and the Tri-Cities Fever from 2007-09). Also, expect the New Orleans VooDoo to be re-launched soon with the inevitable move of the Bossier-Shreveport BattleWings to the Big Easy.
EXPANDING TOO QUICKLY?
Assuming no more teams are added or subtracted, the AFL will expand from 15 to 19 teams in 2011. With 2011 being the 24th AFL season, all 24 seasons have had either a team fold, move or an expansion team added. This was also the case in all ten years of the af2 before it merged with the AFL this season. The addition of four teams is the most for the AFL since 1995 when five teams were added. Also, the 19 teams will tie for the most ever in a single season (2001, 2004 and 2007). In each year after the league had 19 teams, at least two teams folded in each of those seasons (four teams folded after 2001; three after 2004 and two after 2007). Technically, none of the 17 teams from 2008 played the following season and only six of those comprised the league in 2010 out of the AFL's 15 teams.
|
YEAR
|
TEAMS
|
ADDITIONS
|
MOVES
|
SUBTRACTIONS
|
|
1987
|
4
|
----
|
----
|
----
|
|
1988
|
6
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
|
1989
|
5
|
2
|
0
|
3
|
|
1990
|
6
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
|
1991
|
8
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
|
1992
|
12
|
4
|
2
|
0
|
|
1993
|
10
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
|
1994
|
11
|
3
|
1
|
2
|
|
1995
|
13
|
5
|
0
|
3
|
|
1996
|
15
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
|
1997
|
14
|
3
|
1
|
4
|
|
1998
|
14
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
|
1999
|
15
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
|
2000
|
17
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
|
2001
|
19
|
2
|
3
|
0
|
|
2002
|
16
|
1
|
1
|
4
|
|
2003
|
16
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
2004
|
19
|
3
|
1
|
0
|
|
2005
|
17
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
|
2006
|
18
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
|
2007
|
19
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
|
2008
|
17
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
|
2009
|
LEAGUE DID NOT PLAY
|
|||
|
2010
|
15
|
9
|
0
|
N/A
|
|
2011
|
19
|
4
|
2 or 3
|
????
|
ALL IN THE FAMILY
With Jacksonville Sharks head coach Les Moss being named 2010 AFL Coach of the Year, it marks the first time in AFL history that a father and son have won the award. Les' father, Perry Moss, is the only three-time AFL Coach of the Year winner. He won the award in 1988 with the Chicago Bruisers and twice with the Orlando Predators (1992 & 1994). All three seasons, his teams posted the best records in the AFL only to lose in the ArenaBowl all three times. Perry did, however, win an ArenaBowl as a head coach in 1990 when Tim Marcum left the Detroit Drive to be an assistant at the University of Florida.
Both Les and Perry won the award in their first season as a head coach in the AFL. Overall, there have been eight rookie head coaches to win the award (Tim Marcum, 1987; Perry Moss, 1988; Ernie Stautner, 1990; Fran Curci, 1991; John Gregory, 1995 and Doug Plank, 2005)
THAT AIN'T RIGHT
For the seventh year in a row, the AFL Coach of the Year failed to win the ArenaBowl. In the 23 years of the award, there have been just five AFL Coach of the Year winners to win the ArenaBowl in the same season (Tim Marcum, 1987; Fran Curci, 1991; Mike Dailey, 1999; Michael Trigg, 2001; and Darren Arbet, 2002). So only 21.7% of AFL Coach of the Year winners go on to win the ArenaBowl in the same season.
In all reality, Marcum never won the award in 1987 as the league didn't give out an actual award in 1987 and only named him as the recipient years later (he didn't get a trophy or anything from the league for the 1987 "award"). Marcum's lone Coach of the Year award came in 1998 after he had won six of the league's first eleven ArenaBowls (he didn't participate in 1990 or 1994). So he won two thirds of the ArenaBowls he could possibly compete for and the league didn't honor him. But this isn't anything new with this league. Jay Gruden won two ArenaBowls (both within his first three AFL seasons) and never received the award. Though Darren Arbet is a two-time Coach of the Year winner, he received the award only once during one of his three ArenaBowl winning seasons. Danny White received the award in 1993, but won ArenaBowls in different seasons (1994 & 1997). So, don't feel slighted Rob Keefe - this happens all the time.
Apparently, the Coach of the Year award is the kiss of death for an ArenaBowl title. Ask Perry Moss who won the award three times and lost ArenaBowls in all three seasons. Two-time winners like Doug Plank and John Gregory didn't win ArenaBowls in the years they were named Coach of the Year either. The other two multi-Coach of the Year winners (Arbet and Marcum) did win one ArenaBowl in a year named Coach of the Year, but didn't in the other year.
Andy Lopusnak is an 11-year AFL front office veteran, spending time with the Tampa Bay Storm, San Diego Riptide and Grand Rapids Rampage. He works as a statistician for NFL and college sports for CBS Sports and is a freelance photographer. Lopusnak received two Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of South Florida and has been a fan of ArenaBall since its inception.
