Storm Seek Super Sixth at ArenaBowl XXIII

Adam Markowitz
Friday August 20, 2010

"Where are your five championships?"

These are the words of ArenaFan president, editor in chief, and self-proclaimed resident homer Joe Kauffman, who is quick to remind the rest of us that this is a league belonging to the Tampa Bay Storm that we are all just living in.

Head coach Tim Marcum and his men in white and gold will be out to change Kauffman's signature phrase on Friday night in Spokane for ArenaBowl XXIII.

In his Media Day press conference, Spokane Shock majority owner and CEO Brady Nelson made no bones about the fact beating the winningest team in Arena Football League history would be amazing. "It's an honor to be against such an historic franchise, an historic coach, and to have a chance for Spokane to forever put [itself] on the Arena Football map."

For the Storm, hearing such words must be a bit humbling. However, the players standing to Coach Marcum's right during his press conference had to love the fact that the wily veteran got all choked up when talking about how much this team means to him. Simply put, Marcum said that they were, "the best."

In order to truly be "the best" in the AFL in 2010 though, Tampa Bay must overcome a very tough Shock squad that have been nearly untouchable at home all season long.

The Storm haven't exactly been woeful on the road this season, but their only wins against playoff teams as visitors came against the Orlando Predators on May 28th (62-50) and at the Tulsa Talons in the first round of the postseason (68-38). They lost early in the season at Tulsa and at the Milwaukee Iron and were defeated at the Jacksonville Sharks in their final road test of the year.

This is an environment that will be like none other the Storm have played in all season long, save perhaps in Jacksonville. Spokane prides itself on being a hellacious place to play, and with the sale of vuvuzelas to the fans, things are only going to get louder with every play Tampa Bay tries to call.

I asked QB Brett Dietz his opinion on the crowd noise and whether it would change the game plan for the Storm, and though he played it off, his response clearly suggests that there could be some difficulties. "We have to work on the silent snap count and things like that."

Dietz's backup, QB Drew Weatherford suggested that turnovers are going to be a crucial part of the game on Friday night. Dietz threw 16 INTs in the regular season and two more in last week's victory over the Orlando Predators.

Taking care of the football becomes all the more important against Spokane, a team which averaged 61.8 points per game in the regular season, the third highest mark in the AFL.

When asked the key to the game, Dietz immediate said, "We need to jump out to a quick start." Obviously an early turnover will go against the logics of both of Tampa Bay's signal callers.

One thing is for certain for the Storm though, and that's that no one will be doubting them if they can win this game on the road.

I finished my interview with Dietz by asking him what it would mean to be able to cart the Foster Trophy back to Tampa Bay this weekend. He, just like every member of the Shock that I spoke to, had a fantastic answer.

"Everything."

1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, and 2003. Those are the banners that are hanging high in the St. Pete Times Forum as the Storm prepare for their seventh ArenaBowl appearance since moving to Tampa Bay and their ninth in franchise history. If the Storm prove victorious on Friday night, Kauffman and Storm fans everywhere can then pose their newest question.

Where are your six championships?