The 2010 season began with many questions and unforeseen challenges as the AFL re-launched after a one-year hiatus.  There were new teams and new markets creating new rivalries.  For the Tampa Bay Storm the season was met with high expectations and the team did not fail to deliver, winning the American Conference championship and a League record ninth ArenaBowl berth.  While the team did not bring the Jim Foster Trophy home, there are many reasons to call the 2010 season a success.

Tampa Bay Storm Head Coach Tim Marcum recorded his 200th career victory, the offense was the most prolific in team history, five players earned All-Arena honors and the best fans in Arena Football provided tremendous support as the team led the league in attendance throughout the season.

The season began back in March with a pre-season contest against the Orlando Predators and it was at half-time that the Tampa Bay community was introduced to the Storm’s new ownership group led by Todd Boren.  The group led by Boren, along with the leadership of the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Times Forum, helped to keep the Storm playing in Tampa Bay as the Storm completed its League-leading 23rd season.

 The team overcame a slow start, 2-3, to finish the season at 11-5 and in the process reeled off eight consecutive victories, the third longest single-season streak of victories in franchise history.  The streak included a thrilling victory on the road over the Predators and what may have been the best game of the entire AFL season, a 68-60 victory over the Chicago Rush at home in the St. Pete Times Forum.

 On May 1, the Tampa Bay Storm defeated the Arizona Rattlers, 62-61, as the Rattlers failed to convert a two-point conversion at the end of the game.  The win over Arizona gave Marcum his 200th career victory, the most in Arena Football.  Only five coaches in the NFL and two coaches in the CFL have more career victories than the Ole’ Ball Coach.

 Offensively Tampa Bay has never seen a season like 2010.  The Storm set numerous team and individual records.  The offense averaged a franchise high 57.8 points per game scoring a total of 926 points including a single-season high 131 touchdowns and 5,190 yards of offense.  The catalyst for Tampa Bay’s offense was quarterback Brett Dietz.

 Dietz, who earned All-Arena second team honors, finished third in the AFL with 107 touchdowns and 5,054 yards, each of which shattered franchise single-season records.  However he could not have accomplished those feats without the play of the offensive line or wide receivers. The line of Tom Kaleita, Robbie Powell and Manny Akah finished tied for the fifth fewest sacks.  Kaleita received All-Arena second team honors after allowing only one sack the entire season while Akah did not allow a sack until Week 17.

 The receivers had banner years as well as Hank Edwards, DeAndrew Rubin and Tyrone Timmons all left a mark in the franchise record books.  June 19 at Utah Edwards had a 195 yard 14 reception performance that led to the best three-game stretch in team history.  Over the course of the next two games he became the first receiver in franchise history to record 200 receiving yards in a game and culminated the three-game stretch with 32 receptions for 576 yards and 12 touchdowns.

 However, Edwards would not remain alone in the class of 200-yard reception games as DeAndrew Rubin had the best single-game by a receiver in team history against the Predators July 31 as he set single-game records with 17 receptions and 245 yards receiving.  Meanwhile Timmons quietly went about his business to lead the team in receptions (118) and touchdowns receptions (36) surpassing the single-season record of 35 set by George LaFrance in 1998.  They three became only the second trio of receivers in franchise history to all surpass 1,000 yards receiving as they accounted for 4,245 yards.

 Defensively, the team had three players earn All-Arena honors with Tim McGill receiving first team honors while Cliff Dukes and Jermaine Smith received second team honors. 

 The defense held its opponent to less than 50 points nine times this season.  Only one other team accomplished that feat, as the Storm defense finished second in the AFL allowing only 50.8 points per game. 

 The defensive front finished with 30 sacks, the most in team history.  Dukes led the team with nine sacks, tied for third in the AFL, and teamed up with Tim McGill to create one of the best pushes in the league.  Smith and Kinney joined in as well as Smith finished in the top ten with seven sacks and Kinney set or tied career highs with 19.5 tackles, 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and four blocked kicks.

 On the back end of the defense Brandon Hefflin led the team with 100 tackles and four interceptions while newcomer Michael Hawthorne scored three defensive touchdowns, forced three fumbles and recovered four fumbles.

 However none of this is worth mentioning if it were not for the tremendous fan support throughout the entire season from the Tampa Bay community.  The Storm not only led the AFL in attendance averaging 15,237 fans, Tampa Bay also had seven of the top 10 attendances including a season high of 17,302 at the regular season finale against Orlando. 

 With 2011 on the horizon the team and staff are back at work to maintain the level of success and provide Tampa Bay with a consistent winner on and off the field.