By: Adam Gaetz

The War on I-4, the most famous rivalry in Arena Football history. I was invited back for a very exciting night with the Tampa Bay Storm as they took on the Orlando Predators for the American Conference Championship. If they came out with the victory at the end off the night as the clock hit zero, they would be heading to Arena Bowl XXIII.

I thought my last seized opportunity as a Storm Chaser was amazing, but this night topped it. It started with the sound of pyrotechnics booming through the stadium, easily met with the sounds of a roaring Tampa Bay Storm crowd. Having a phenomenal view from the press box, I watched as the kick-off started the game. The first team to score may have been the Predators, but the Storm answered back with a touchdown from both Terrence Royal and DeAndrew Rubin to finish off the first quarter with a Storm leading score of 14-7.

The Predators managed to tie the score 14-14 with the first score in the second quarter, but Brett Dietz wouldn''t let it last, he got the ball to where it needed to go as he always does finding Rubin once again to take the lead back from Orlando. Bobby Sippio, being allowed to play after his last altercation in the Tampa Bay Storm game two weeks earlier tied the score back up for the Predators only for Orlando to lose the tie due to another Storm touchdown made by Ty Timmons. Orlando attempted an on-side kick in hopes of controlling the ball and catching back up when Tampa Bay's Drew Weatherford recovered the ball, and Brett Dietz found Hank Edwards in the end zone for Edward's 80th career touchdown, and a 35-21 lead at the end of the half.

As the half time show ended, and the teams came back out, the Storm made a promising increase to their score as Dietz threw to Timmons in the end zone, but the numbers wouldn't stop climbing there. Robbie Powell made a fumble recovery on a ball meant for Kalieta and ran it in bringing the score to 49-28. The crowd filled up the sound meters as a win became more eminent for the Storm. The Predators made one last score ending the third quarter, trailing the Storm 49-35.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Predators started to close the gap as they brought the ball in, and their score up to 42. The Storm fight back as Terrance Royal makes his way into the end zone to take the score to 55-42. Sippio is regrettably seen once again in the Predators end zone as Orlando continues to claw their way back up on the score board with the score reading 55-49. With hope of the win still in sight, the Storm press on, but Dietz is picked off by Byrum, and Orlando seizes the opportunity and scores, taking the lead by one point, 56-55. Orlando, feeling lucky, go for another on-side kick, but Tampa Bay recovers, and takes control once again raising the score 63-56. Tolliver puts hope in scoring for Orlando, but PAT is no good, and Tampa Bay hold the lead 63-62. With one point standing between the two teams, both crowds were off their feet, and tensions were high. Dietz threw for another touchdown to seal the deal, but it was intercepted in the end zone by Kenny McEntyre. With 2.9 seconds left on the clock, Carlos Martinez made the kick for Orlando from one side of the field to their goal.

The kick was "strait as an arrow" Dietz said, and it sailed through the air at what felt like slow motion. It came down perfectly center, but just short of the crossbar, and the crowd exploded as the Storm celebrated with their 63-62 American Conference Championship victory. With yet another spot in the Arena Bowl, Coach Tim Marcum and his team were headed to Arena Bowl XXIII.

by Connor Penn

Just minutes before the opening kickoff on Saturday night, the Tampa Bay Storm stepped out of the locker room as one team. On any other night, standout players would be greeted with individual introductions as they entered the playing field. This night, however, was the American Conference Championship game. If the Storm were to defeat the Orlando Predators, the only team standing in their way for a spot in the ArenaBowl, they would have to face their in-state rivals together.

The Storm and Predators had met just two weeks prior in the final game of the regular season. Looking back on that game in which the Predators took an early lead, offensive lineman Tom Kaleita acknowledged that once the Storm had realized that playoff home field advantage was unattainable with either a win or loss, “we didn’t come out intense because we had a few things that didn’t happen that we were hoping would happen.” The following week when postseason play began, the Storm routed the Tulsa Talons in Oklahoma and the Predators squeaked by the top-seeded Jacksonville Sharks with a 4 point win, setting the stage for the fourth installment of this season’s “War on I-4.”

On the Storm’s opening drive, a fourth down attempt fell short as quarterback Brett Dietz could not connect with 6’4” receiver Tyrone Timmons. Orlando took advantage by completing three consecutive passes on the ensuing drive, ending with Antoine Toliver’s touchdown reception.

Down an early seven points, DeAndrew Rubin out of the University of South Florida came up with two big catches for the Storm on the following drive, finding the end zone to tie the game. Later, a bad snap turnover from the Predators allowed fullback Terrence Royal to pound in a touchdown from 1 yard out and give the Storm the lead.

The two teams continued to swap scores throughout the game, but the difference came in who scored for their teams. Only two Orlando players combined for the team’s nine touchdowns, while the Storm had five different players break the plane of the end zone, including center Robert Powell. Credited for being in the right place at the right time, his fumble recovery for a touchdown marked the first of his career. After the game, Powell joked that “when a lineman scores, it’s one for the big boys.”

Though the Storm held a 14 point lead at halftime, the game’s momentum swung back and forth throughout the second half with both teams attempting numerous onside kicks to try to gain an edge. With 49 seconds remaining in the game, Orlando’s Nick Hill found Antoine Toliver in the end zone for the 7^th time in the game, drawing the Predators within one point of the Storm with the extra point still to be attempted. Two consecutive false start penalties, however, pushed the point-after attempt so far back that kicker Carlos Martinez hit the right netting.

Although the Predators onside attempt failed when rookie Michael Hawthorne held on to the kick, Orlando would have one final shot to win the game after 12-year pro Kenny McEntyre intercepted Brett Dietz in the end zone on fourth down. Still down just one point, Carlos Martinez lined up for a 54 yard attempt with 2.9 seconds remaining, and the over 10,000 fans in attendance held their breath. In a post-game press conference, Brett Dietz talked about Martinez’s game-ending field goal attempt. “When he kicked it, I looked up and saw it and I thought it was actually a little left. When it landed, I didn’t know if it was good or not good. I couldn’t tell. I saw Sedrick (Robinson) start to celebrate and they waved no good.”

The ball fell short, and the celebration began.

by Christian Lemus

After most of the team came back from the cancelled 2009 season, Coach Tim Marcum earns his 200^th coaching victory, and players Brett Dietz and Hank Edwards earn spots in the team’s record book, The Storm couldn’t have asked for a better way to earn revenge for two weeks ago during this playoff installment of the War on I-4.

The big question mark going into this game was Bobby Sippio, playmaking wide receiver for Orlando.  After getting in an altercation with a Storm fan only two weeks ago in Tampa, he padded up again with only one game spared for his suspension.  He would end up having several touchdown passes for the night.  Hank Edwards of Tampa Bay was also not out of the picture either with a potentially sidelining knee injury.  He too earned several touchdowns.

The main focuses for the Storm to advance to the ArenaBowl, though, were thoroughly exercised.  Constant pressure on the offense, along with early momentum, helped the team avoid mistakes made during the last regular season home game.

The game started out with deep visions for both play callers.  Brett Dietz tried to get deep looks to his wide receivers but they came up short.  The Predators capitalized on there mistakes first on there second drive to get a west coast drive touchdown.

“It was adrenaline, I guess”, Brett explained to me.

After seeing Orlando grasp onto one of the only leads in the game, the Storm gathered to make a big play and allow DeAndrew Rubin to grasp a touchdown pass while going over the wall.  After finding the ignition for momentum, they turned to pressuring the offensive with two fumbles for changes in possession.  With the scene set for highlight reels to roll, it became a back and fourth scoring battle until 4 minutes left in the first half.  It wouldn’t be a War on I-4 without a plethora of penalties.  A total of four were called on the away team in two minutes, which lead to lost momentum and a missed field goal.  Tampa Bay took advantage of this final opportunity to go into the locker rooms with an extra score by having Hank Edwards close out the half.

The second half reset the end zone drives for both sides of I-4.  Orlando was finding T.T Toliver going long three consecutive times while Tampa was able to be dynamic with they way they can attack.  Brett found Tyrone Timmons on a long end zone pass, Robert Powell found teammate Tom Kaleita’s fumble for a touchdown, and Terrance Royal pounded the line to run it in.  The stakes couldn’t have been any higher in the final minutes before declaring an American Conference Champion.

It started with Dion Byrum intercepting the Storm play caller’s rushed pass after both linebackers made for the quarterback.  This key defensive stop turned into the second lead that Orlando could gather on the night.  The stakes were raised and each team found the paint before Michael Hawthorne allowed the team to kill time after he caught the onside kick.  Time didn’t run down until Predator kicker Carlos Martinez missed the potentially game winning kick.  At the post game press conference, Hall of Fame coach Tim Marcum commented on the potentially championship stealing kick.

“When we played him (Carlos Martinez) in the other two games, he has not missed a kick.  I thought it was dead on, it was just short.  I think he is the best kicker in the league.  I voted him for all-league. He’s got the talent.”

Added history between not only the rivalry, but the Storm organization, was recorded tonight.  I talked to play caller Brett Dietz about the statement that they are making winning this game while continuing the winning tradition of the Storm and ACC even after a cancelled year.

“This is huge.  This is all what we came back for.  Some of the arena football two teams are just as good as the arena one teams now.  Spokane has proved that.  This defiantly puts us back on the map.  This is what we dream for.  Some people never play for a championship ever in there lives, and we have the chance to do it this week.  This is defiantly special and I’m going to cherish every second of it.”

by Samantha Ouimette

TAMPA- “One play at a time…” said Storm wide receiver Hank Edwards during pre-game warm-ups when asked how he planned on overcoming his nerves to focus solely on performing to the best of his ability, “Don’t look too far ahead and focus on the next play; just execute and take it a play at a time.”

Those words would prove to be foretelling in a game that had a “one play at a time” feel to it throughout. Considering the historic Tampa Bay Storm/Orlando Predators rivalry that to this day still does not have a clear-cut winner, it was only fitting that the game which had the two teams meeting for the chance to play for the most coveted prize in Arena Football would end the way it did: coming down to one last play in the final seconds.

The Storm defense went to work early, with defensive lineman Cliff Dukes recovering an Orlando fumble to give Tampa the chance to strike first. However, the team was unable to capitalize on the mistake of the Predators, and penalty trouble on Tampa’s part would eventually lead to Orlando wide receiver T.T. Toliver scoring his first of many touchdowns on the night to give the Predators the lead. That seemed to be the wake-up call the Storm needed, and they immediately came roaring back to put up 14 points and subsequently take the lead through the efforts of DeAndrew Rubin and Terrence Royal. A back-and-forth game would follow late into the 2^nd quarter until the Storm jumped out to a 14 point lead to end the half with the score at 35-21.

Tampa appeared to have total control of the game by half-way through the 3^rd quarter, taking a commanding 21-point lead that at the time looked to be insurmountable for the Predators. However, the ever-resilient Orlando continued to battle back, and with the help of T.T. Toliver’s 4^th touchdown of the night were able to pull within 7 points at the start of the 4^th quarter. Tampa answered with a touchdown of their own courtesy of Terrence Royal, but the missed extra point that followed would prove to be worrisome towards the end. The Predators took the lead back for the first time since the 1^st quarter with only a minute left, but the Storm quickly stole it from them and made up for their previously missed extra point with a successful two-point conversion. After a missed extra point of their own and a failed attempt at a field goal with 2.9 seconds left, Orlando was sent home for the season and the Tampa Bay Storm were crowned American Conference champions on the way to their 8^th ArenaBowl appearance.

But despite an impressive last-minute win that displayed Tampa’s talent and determination at its finest, it was obvious to all in the building that a conference championship will not satisfy this Storm team. “The confetti is falling, the trophy is being presented, and I have a little problem with it…” commented Storm coach Tim Marcum in his post-game press conference, “That means nothing to me except for the chance to go and win the other game. We don’t hang conference championship banners, and we don’t hang division banners; that’s not us, that’s not what we’re about. We’re about winning the next game. We didn’t come here to win the conference championship.”

Still, the entire team was clearly excited about seeing their hard work pay off and in turn being able to take that next step in the quest for a 6^th ArenaBowl Championship. “This is no small feat tonight…” stated quarterback Brett Dietz after the game, “I mean this is huge. This is what we all came back for. We’re one game away. I mean, this is what you dream about. You never know…some people never play for a championship ever in their lives and we have a chance to do it this week. It’s definitely special, and I’m going to cherish every second of it.”

by Devon Alter

The thing that most stands out to me about the Tampa Bay Storm and the AFL in general is how almost everything is done for the fans benefit. You have employees at the early hours of the morning setting up the field to the same ones hours after the game has ended putting it away. That is just one example of how much the fans mean to the AFL.

The combo packages for tickets offer deals almost unheard of in others sport leagues, also just hours before a game starts the Field of Dreams program lets youth leagues and families play football right on the field and believe me the looks on their faces when I was observing told the entire story. For stepping up behind the scenes for the fans is the singular thing which makes the Tampa Bay Storm a fantastic experience for fans.

But the stepping up on the field was this night when the Storm rebounded from a tough loss against the Jacksonville Sharks to a thundering victory over the Alabama Vipers 53-29. And just like the quote I got from Cliff Dukes before the game where he said his goal was to win tonight, I will keep this section short because to be honest that kind of win speaks for itself. I will instead be focusing on how my day of being a Stormchaser was everything I wanted it to be and more. First Matt Sammon gave my fellow Stormchaser and I a tour of the turf as well as the stadium, while being sure to point out many of the things that go into making the game the best it can be. After that I got a chance to discuss at length with Matt Sammon as well as Jason Dixon exactly what goes into being a broadcaster and how they got there, also learning some tricks and tips of the trade along the way.

I was given access as a Stormchaser and technically a media member to a Tampa Bay Storm and Alabama Vipers media package, both of which were very useful. Allow me to explain, these packages give journalists and broadcasters much information on the recent history of the team as well as individual player aspects such as current streaks, colleges they attended…etc. This makes figuring out questions to ask players as a media member much easier than it would be otherwise. During the actual game I was given the chance to sit in the press box, go in the production van and see how everything is done to make presentation the best it can be.

At the very end of the night my fellow Stormchaser and I got to go near the locker room for post game interviews with players such as Eric Ortiz who made a big difference in this game perhaps jumpstarting the Storms comeback with two rushing touchdowns. Even more than that I got onto the field after this and saw fans and players alike mingling together as well as the players signing autographs and taking pictures. After a few last minute interviews I left and came to a realization that made me happy. This was my first Tampa Bay Storm game but I know it will not be my last.

by Connor Penn

With both teams battling for playoff intentions, the Tampa Bay Storm defeated the Alabama Vipers last Saturday night, 53-29. The final score, however, tells little of what a fanatical 15,685 people witnessed at the St. Pete Times Forum.

The Storm found themselves behind the eight ball early in the game. Quarterback Brett Dietz, who earlier in the year shattered the Storm’s single-season passing touchdown record, failed to find his rhythm early.

The Vipers, meanwhile, connected on a flea flicker on the first play of the team’s second drive to leave the Storm defense scratching their heads. After one quarter of play, the usually stout Tampa Bay defense had allowed 93 yards of total offense and, more importantly, 10 points.

Heading into the second quarter, the Storm began to click offensively. Eric Ortiz, who usually plays linebacker, punched in a TD from 1 yard out and drew his team within three points of the Vipers.

Michael Hawthorne, spurred on by Eric Ortiz’s first career AFL touchdown, came up big on the next defensive drive. The 6’3” rookie out of Purdue intercepted Alabama quarterback Tony Colston at the Vipers own 8 yard line. Hawthorne acknowledged before the game that they “had to come out and get on top of the Vipers early and not give them confidence. The defense has to step up big today.”

Starting offensively from the opposing 4 yard line, Eric Ortiz scored once again, this time on a pitch from Dietz.

Though the Storm had scored 14 unanswered points after their early miscues, the biggest play of the game occurred on the next Alabama offensive drive. After the Storm’s previous defensive drive ended with Hawthorne’s interception, head coach Tim Marcum continued to insist to his defense that the quarterback was holding the ball too long. Defensive lineman Tim McGill took notice. “The next time they’re down there,” he told Marcum, “I’m just going to run the guy over.” McGill did just that, forcing the ball loose from QB Colston’s hands on the first play of the drive. The ball rolled into the back of the end zone and gave the Storm two points along with the ball.

The Storm never looked back. Brett Dietz finished the game 19-for-31 with 3 TDs, hitting the 100-touchdown mark for the first time in his 3-year career. The Storm defense ended the night with 2 interceptions and 4 sacks, relentlessly applying the intensity that the coach staff had stressed all week in practice.

After the game, Eric Ortiz was nothing but smiles in the locker room. His two-touchdown performance was “an awesome feeling.” Coach Marcum had let Ortiz know earlier in the week that he would take snaps at fullback in the Storm’s “heavy” package, and the 238 pound linebacker admits that in the past few days he “had been working on a dance.” Right when he scored his first touchdown since peewee ball, he “couldn’t even do anything.”

The fans did all the celebrating for him.

by Christian Lemus

For the second week in a row, the Tampa Bay Storm defense made a statement to their opposing team, thus earning them the longest winning streak of this season so far.

This is not the only reason for celebration for the Storm during the revival season. Hall of Fame coach Tim Marcum was honored with a banner for his 200th win of his career on May 1st. Baryon Brutley went into the match up with an AFL Defensive Player of the Week achievement for his contribution to helping win the War on I-4 against Orlando. The 50-48 win this week over Oklahoma City now makes it a four game streak of keeping the opposing team under 50 points.

This was more than just the first game played between the two organizations. The Yard Dawgz came off 13 personnel transactions in one week, which didn’t leave much film for the Storm to review prior to this match up. The Yard Dawgz were still able to match the scoring opportunities of Brett Dietz and the Storm took advantage of it. Going into the second quarter, Tommy Grady started to feel the pressure of the quarterback- pressuring defense Tampa Bay has seen over the past three games. Although he helped keep Oklahoma City chasing the Storm, he was sacked and struggled to get through pass deflections.

The start of the second half did not provide a new beginning for The Storm. Just like the start of the first half, the Yard Dawgz struck first with a score off a fumble recovery. Even with this scoring advantage, they were plagued with several penalties throughout the quarter. It only added to the more then 82 yards of penalties they had been leading the league in prior to this game.

The number two team, Tampa Bay, committed its share of penalties in the fourth quarter. Even with the penalties and the two interceptions that Brett Dietz threw, the defense was able to earn a safety and stop a two point conversion to seal Coach Marcum’s 203rd victory. After the victory, coach Marcum praised his team for their courage and poise to bounce back after the setbacks.

“Big time players make plays. Tim McGill, our nose guard, was the guy who had the good push down the middle all night long. He’s the guy who made the play that caused the fumble snap that went out the field for a safety. That turned the game back around in our favor”.

by Samantha Ouimette

It was a special night all-around.
A night to build momentum after a huge win against rival Orlando Predators, a night to get a series off to a great start against a team the Storm had never played before, and a night to celebrate one memorable career of Tampa Bay Storm head coach Tim Marcum.

Despite being the winningest coach in the history of the Arena Football League with over 200 wins and seven Arena Football championships under his belt, the ever-humble coach insisted “It’s not about me.” However, the fans, the players, and the banner proclaiming his unprecedented achievement helped to ensure that even if for only one night, it was.

Coming into the game, it was clear that Tampa Bay (5-3) had some key advantages over Oklahoma City (3-6). The Yard Dawgz had made 13 player transactions in the week leading up to Saturday’s game, so the new players had little time to adjust to the system of their new coach as well as learn the habits of the team veterans. They also suffered the loss of their starting kicker AJ Haglund and were forced to replace him on an emergency basis with AFL rookie Andy Eminger.

Perhaps the biggest advantage was that the Yard Dawgz were the second most penalized team in the league coming into the game, revealing a tendency to play undisciplined football and allowing their opponents to capitalize offensively. “We’re going to try to get them to come offsides” quarterback Brett Dietz revealed, “We’re going to hopefully put points on the board at their expense.”

All of those advantages seemed to disappear as the game began, with Oklahoma City jumping out to a quick 7-0 lead off a connection from Tommy Grady to offensive powerhouse Timon Marshall. But the Storm were more than ready to answer, with DeAndrew Rubin generating a great kick return that allowed Dietz and wide receiver Hank Edwards to take care of the rest and tie up the game. Despite being beaten again by Marshall and a last-second touchdown by Oklahoma City in the 2nd quarter, Tampa Bay was able to end the half with a seven point lead.

The back-and-forth pace of the 3rd quarter would set the tone for the rest of the game. Even as the Yard Dawgz were able to come right out of the gate and score, the Storm came roaring back when Dietz found Hank Edwards yet again to take back the lead. The blocked extra point attempt by defensive end Mkristo Bruce would prove costly though, and Oklahoma City held the lead well into the waning minutes of the 2nd half until a fumbled snap by Grady rolled out of the back of the end zone and gave the Storm back that point plus one. Those two points turned out to be the ones Tampa Bay needed to win the game, as they were able to stop a 2-point conversion in the final seconds of the 4th quarter thanks to the brilliant defensive work of defensive linemen Cliff Dukes and Jermaine Smith.

Coach Marcum said after the game that he feels the Storm are on the right path to becoming a championship team, but noted that they needed to “clean up some things, because right now we’re our own worst enemy.” When the conversation turned back to him and his being honored that evening, Marcum took it all in stride, even going so far as to comment that he felt the ceremony might have been a distraction from the game at hand. Since the ceremony proved to only give Tampa Bay more motivation to perform well and get yet another win both for the team and their coach, he eventually admitted that “It was a good night.”
A memorable one, too.