...wide left! From 49 yards out on the final play of the game, it hooked to the left.
So Columbus advances with the upset and will play Dallas on Saturday. That means Philadelphia will play at Georgia next Sunday.
And of course, what did I just find on the AFL Web site? A link to live stats.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Seth Marler's Kick Is...
Touchdown, Nagy, Martinez Kick Good
And with 6.9 seconds left, the Destroyers take their first lead on the half, 56-55.
Great clock-killer one play earlier. Nagy took the snap, went into the fetal position at the one-inch line, and let the clock run to 10 before calling time out. Tampa Bay was conceding the score in hopes of getting the ball back with plenty of time to score.
Hank Edwards
Wow - the rookie receiver (who was in motion) just schooled Columbus's Jerald Brown and scored the go-ahead touchdown. But Tampa Bay's kicker, Seth Marler, missed the extra point after a delay of game penalty, making it a 55-49 game with 1:03 left to play.
Plenty of time for both teams if the Destroyers don't control the ball in the final minute. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Columbus gets two more possessions in. Or for that matter, if Tampa Bay tries an onside kick. Easier to let Columbus score quickly if you don't recover the kick than let the Destroyers let the clock run down.
Nagy to Saunders
Third and goal for the Destroyers, and they try to run the option. Torrance Marshall comes right through the line and sacks Nagy.
Next play, Nagy fakes the handoff and finds former Storm receiver David Saunders alone in the endzone. And it's a 49-49 game midway through the 4th quarter.
Thoughts Are With Nyle Wiren
When I went to the Arena Bowl in 2003, KC Rossman and Patrick Gunter introduced me to Nyle Wiren, a fullback and linebacker for the Tampa Bay Storm. I got to meet Wiren's parents, his wife, and was introduced as his "Mini Me"
He suffered a senseless tragedy last month. Nyle's wife, Caroline, died hours after giving birth to their first child, Clay. Here's a story from the Tampa Tribune. Caroline apparently bled out after childbirth. I can only imagine what Nyle is going through right now, becoming a father and losing his wife at the same time.
The Tampa Bay Storm and Palace Sports and Entertainment donate half of all full-priced ticket sales from the team's final three home games to a fund for Clay Wiren. Caroline had been a co-choreographer of the Storm's dance squad, and was the coach of the University of South Florida cheerleaders.
Waiting For The Highlights
What a great catch by Terrill Shaw in the back of the end zone to put the Storm back up. Not only did he have to leap high for the Brett Dietz pass, he had to get both feet in bounds.
Needless to say, he did it. And with 10 minutes left to play, it's 49-42 Storm.
Dragons Fans Should Be Angry
Matt Nagy just hooked up with Damien Groce for another touchdown. Those two and defending Defensive Player of the Year Jerald Brown all came up with the New York Dragons, who are at home this postseason. Former Director of Player Personnel Rory Vaccaro did a great job bringing young talent to Long Island. But Charlie Wang and company were just too cheap to keep these guys after a season or two.
End of three quarters: Tied at 42
Just when you think there isn't any more scoring...
Tampa Bay takes a 42-35 lead with 3:01 left in the third quarter. Seth Marler puts in an extra point after Torrance Marshall's touchdown plunge. I guess I should pay more attention to the television!
The Many Faces of Tim Marcum...
Happy
Angry
Frustrated
Confused
Frisky
Playful
Yeah, Tampa Bay head coach Tim Marcum rarely cracks a smile. I did see him smile when receiving the Foster Cup back in 2003, but it may have just been gas. After that, even at the post-ArenaBowl celebrations, I never saw his expression change.
Great guy to have a beer with, tough S.O.B. to interview after a win or a loss. He can be nasty and ornery at times, but everyone tells me he's an all-around good guy. This may get me banned from ever covering a Tampa Bay home game. He allegedly only wanted positive things written about his team. Write something negative and lose your credentials. See what I mean?
For more of Marcum, a person, you love, hate, or love to hate, click here, here (for some comments by "fans"), and here.
Halftime: Columbus 35, Tampa Bay 35
Peter Martinez shanked a short field goal as the half expired. Will it come back to haunt the Columbus Destroyers?
Without live scoring updates on arenafootball.com, trying to keep up from home is a bit frustrating. ESPN has the boxscore, but things like time of possession aren't being updated well. But it shows that Columbus's Matt Nagy is pitching a near perfect game, 8-for-9 and 117 yards. But penalties could come back to haunt them. The Destroyers have 6, the Storm just 1.
So far B.J. Barre is my Ironman of the Game selection (though I don't have a say). An interception return for a touchdown and a rushing score on offense usually has the voters looking.
Tampa Bay Fans Among League's Best
I've covered the New York Dragons, New Jersey Gladiators, New England Sea Wolves, New Haven Ninjas (af2) and Mohegan Wolves (af2) over my years as a freelancer. They've tried to build fan bases there, but they don't match up to those of the Tampa Bay Storm.
I was lucky enough to cover the ArenaBowl XVIII for an online outlet in 2003. The game was in Tampa, and was the last ArenaBowl played at a non-neutral site. And 21,000 + filled the St. Pete Times Forum (yes, in Tampa).
My hosts were two of the nicest people I've ever met - KC Rossman and Patrick Gunter. Both were writing and shooting for me, and were very well-connected with the team. Bring me anyone who has ever played for the Storm, and I'll guarantee they know them well, probably went to their home for dinner, went out fishing with them, etc.
They introduced me not just to the players and front office staff, but to the diehards. Unfortunately I don't remember all their names, but they were great people to talk football with, knowing every aspect of the game without coming across like know-it-alls. Some of them were regularly seen in sideline shots during televised games, so it was fun to match those fans with their 15-minutes of fame.
Last I knew there was just one fan club, the Storm Surge. And the day of their ArenaBowl win over the Arizona Rattlers, they were raising funds for sick kids. I was beyond impressed with these guys.
If the Storm wins today, I'll try to find some of my photos from then (I wasn't digital yet) and try to get someone to scan them. And if Tampa Bay wins out, and I get a chance to go to New Orleans, I'm going to need to get together with KC and Patrick.
A Little More About the Super Rookie
Brett Dietz just capped the ensuing drive with a 2-yard sneak to tie the game at 21, so the kid is showing he can remain composed.
Dietz joined the Storm midway through the season after a slew of injuries, and went 7-1 as a starter. The QB position is the toughest of any to adapt to, say many AFL experts. But this kid from Hanover College (D-III from Indiana) did take his lumps with af2's Louisville Fire and some other minor league indoor football teams.
Here's a link to the Brett Dietz Web site, which features links to many clips about the rookie star.
Dietz May Be Human
B.J. Barre may have just shown Tampa Bay fans that super rookie QB Brett Dietz is human after all.
ESPN's Mark Jones and Merril Hodge showed a clip of Barre promising Dietz he wasn't going to be burned anymore today. Barre made a diving interception of a Dietz pass to Terrill Shaw and brought it back 50 yards for a score.
Columbus is up 21-14. So how will Dietz respond?
It's 14-7...
... Tampa Bay, but if I post after every touchdown, this blog is really going to stink. But I can't find the live stats for you, maybe the AFL has it buried somewhere on its Web site.
Either way, I think the best way to do a live blog is to add insight, not give you a play-by-play. So I'll give you what I can as the afternoon goes on.
If you don't have a TV in front of you, listen to the game. Here's the Columbus radio link, and here's Tampa Bay's.
Oh, and just before I hit "publish," Columbus scored again. See what I mean? This is a game that's faster than Wi-Fi.
Gameday: Tampa Bay Hosts Columbus
Did I fall asleep and wake up four years later? The Columbus Destroyers are in the playoffs? The Earle Bruce era was a flop. So was the Chris Spielman regime. Doug Kay is definitely getting the job done if he could get that franchise into the Arena Football League playoffs (okay, so the team finished just 7-9 after an 8-8 season).
Tampa Bay is in the playoffs for the first time in two seasons. Welcome back! After an 0-5 start this season, they have to be considered a contender. Remember, in the AFL, it's not where you finish in the standings, but how you finish the regular season.
Nathan Boudreaux wrote a game preview for the AFL Website that can be found here. Click here for the Columbus Dispatch's view of today's game, or here for the St. Pete Times' preview. The Tampa Tribune writes about today's game here.
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