Even though the Destroyers had been a team in the AFL from 2004-2008, they were a new team this year, along with the expansion Blackjacks, and I wanted to see them both. This would be the only time Atlantic City would come to Columbus during the regular season.

Columbus is a mere four-and-a-half-hour drive from Kalamazoo, MI, so with a full tank of gas, my flip phone fully charged and a road atlas at my side, my son, Adam, and I set out to get our yearly Arena football fix.

When we arrived in downtown Columbus, I thought there would be several options for parking, but we did not see any at first. As it turned out, there is a parking ramp right across the street and it only cost us $10.00 to park.

Our tickets were loaded onto Adam’s smart phone, which I hate, but it made for a quick entry into the arena. I still have the ticket stub from my first Arena game in 2000, my first CFL game in 1994 and my first NFL game in 1975, but I have no ticket stub from this game, or the AAF game we attended in Memphis back in March. I really think that future generations of fans are missing out on an aspect of their sports-going lives that they will someday regret in the name of progress.  

Nationwide Arena is a great facility. There were many hard copies of game programs available, which I like, and the team store had a good selection of t-shirts, pennants, mugs, keychains and other Destroyers memorabilia for sale. I spent about $40.00 there.  

Adam decided to grab a beer before we headed to our seats. Ironically, he found one that is brewed right here in Kalamazoo by Bell’s Brewery.

Over the years, I have been to many AFL games where the home team was honoring different things, such as a Salute to the Troops Night, Star Wars Night or Education Night. But Friday night in Columbus it was Pride Night at the game. The Columbus Gay Men’s Choir sang a great rendition of the National Anthem and a drag queen was on hand all evening to help out with some of the in-game fan contests and promotions. Couple that with a last second victory and a fun time was had by all at the game.  

Whenever we go to a game, Adam likes to record the opening kickoff on his phone. He was rewarded this time when Destroyers wide receiver Fabian Guerra took the ball and returned it 57 yards for a touchdown!

The Destroyers led in the game until the third quarter. From there it was a back and forth contest that saw the lead change seven more times.

With 30 seconds to go in the game, Columbus had a go-ahead touchdown catch by Fabian Guerra called back when the play was challenged by Atlantic City. Columbus got that touchdown back with 12 seconds to go when quarterback Grant Russel threw a 13-yard completion to wide receiver Kenyattus Cook in the end zone. The extra point made the score 54-50 in favor of Columbus.

As with many AFL games, it all came down to the final play. Atlantic City completed a short pass on the final play and then proceeded to lateral he ball around to several players before the last Blackjacks player with the ball was finally tackled, ending the game and giving the Destroyers their first win of the season! It seemed like the last 30 seconds of the game took a half hour to complete, what with time outs, challenges and incomplete passes!

The announced attendance for the game was 6,029, but those who were there boisterously showed their support for the team all night long.

I am so glad that Adam and I made the trip to see this game. It was great to see Nationwide Arena for the first time and the game was exciting from start to finish. We were also glad to be there to witness Columbus getting into the win column for the first time. It made the long drive home that much better, even if we did pull into the driveway at 3 AM!

This is the 20th consecutive year that I have attended an Arena Football League or af2 game. My first AFL game was way back on June 24, 2000. The Grand Rapids Rampage hosted the Tampa Bay Storm. Adam was with me that day, as well as another son, Aaron, and one of Adam’s friends. The Rampage lost the game 74-54, but it was the most exciting sports experience I had ever been to.

I went to a second Rampage game that season with my brother, Bob. Halfway through the game, I turned to him and asked if he wanted to get season tickets in 2001. He immediately said yes. In 2001, the Rampage hosted ArenaBowl XV. Bob and I, along with three of my kids, were all there to see our team win a title. What an incredible experience that was!

In 2003, I began covering the Rampage for ArenaFan. I continued to cover the Rampage through 2008 when the league shut down. I was beside myself. Fortunately, the AFL’s developmental league, arenafootball2, remained in operation in 2009. Not wanting to let go of Arena Football, I travelled to Milwaukee twice that year to cover games of the af2 Milwaukee Iron and once to Oklahoma City to cover the Yard Dawgz.

When the AFL reemerged in 2010, the Rampage did not return and I was left without a team to cover. I began to follow the Cleveland Gladiators, as they were the closest team to Kalamazoo. Not only that, head coach Steve Thonn, who had coached the Rampage in 2008, was now the head coach in Cleveland.

Cleveland is a four-hour drive away but it was not too far for at least one trip each year to attend a game, sometimes more. The Gladiators had a once in a lifetime season in 2014. They posted a record of 17-1 and hosted ArenaBowl XXVII. It was very disappointing when Cleveland lost to the Arizona Rattlers 72-32, but I was glad that I got to attend my second ArenaBowl.

After the 2017 season, the Gladiators announced that they were going to cease operations for two years while renovations were being made to Quicken Loads Arena where they played their home games. (I am keeping my fingers crossed that they return next year)

Last season, Adam and I drove to Albany, NY to attend an Empire game against the Baltimore Brigade, keeping the AFL attendance streak alive for another year.

When I saw that Columbus was getting a team again, and that they were hosting the other new team, Atlantic City, it made the completion of 20 straight years of Arena Football a certainty.

Since 2003, I have written at least one article each year for ArenaFan. Even though I have not had a nearby team of my own to cover since 2008, I appreciate the fact that ArenaFan has allowed me to continue to contribute articles. My passion for the game has never waned, whether it was watching my beloved Grand Rapids Rampage win an ArenaBowl, traveling to af2 games including the Quad City Steamwheelers, Green Bay Blizzard, Louisville Fire and Fort Wayne Fusion or seeing two brand new AFL teams like Columbus and Atlantic City.

AFL and af2 games have also been a way for me to spend quality time with my kids, who regularly accompany me on my football travels. Thank you, ArenaFan for allowing me to continue to share my passion for the game with you and your readers.

Randy Snow covered the Grand Rapids Rampage of the Arena Football League for ArenaFan from 2003-2008. He also covered the Fort Wayne Fusion of arenafootball2 in 2007. From 2004-2008 and in 2010, he was a member of the Arena Football League Writer’s Association and, since 2011, has been a member of the Professional Football Researchers Association. Randy lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan but will travel just about anywhere for a football game or a great football story. He runs the web site www.theworldoffootball.com and hosts a podcast with his son, Adam, called “This Week in The World of Football.”