Author: Rav Deol (Page 5 of 6)

With the NFL pre-season right around the corner, and training camps already underway, I am eagerly looking forward to the upcoming NFL season. To help me get through what’s going to be a long five weeks or so before the opening game between the Redskins and Giants, I decided to tune in to Arena Bowl XXII.

The San Jose Sabercats took on the Jon Bon Jovi-owned Philadelphia Soul. I should mention that he owns the team because the broadcast wouldn’t go five minutes without showing his face. The Sabercats, who have won three titles in the past six years, are the AFL equivalent to the New England Patriots. And their quarterback, Matt Grieb, has been compared to Tom Brady. He sure didn’t play like it yesterday; he was vastly outplayed by Soul quarterback Matt D’Orazio.

I have never watched a full Arena football game, so I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. As the game began, both offenses easily drove down the field and scored with ease. Both quarterbacks had a ton of time to throw, and I was surprised at the amazing lack of defense. It was like a four-on-four schoolyard game, with both teams just taking turns scoring. It makes sense that Soul’s offense looked so good – they have Ron “Jaws” Jaworski as their team president. That guy can put together a playbook like it’s nobody’s business. The defense finally picked up late in the first half; the Soul disrupted Sabercats quarterback Matt Grieb and forced several turnovers down the stretch. San Jose made a late run late in the game, but Philly was pretty much in control the entire time, so the final score of 59-56 is a bit misleading.

Arena football is definitely a different animal than the NFL. It doesn’t have the complexity or the strategy, and I love watching defenses go at it (which is not something you’ll find in the AFL). That said, I’d still love to attend to an Arena game, it seems like it would be a fun diversion from the NFL offseason.

Arena Bowl XXII will take place this Sunday at the New Orleans Arena and it promises to be a good one. The Philadelphia Soul, coming in with a league best 15-3 record, are going up against the 13-5 San Jose Sabercats. The two met earlier this season in what was a game for the AFL ages. After San Jose jumped out to a 20-0 lead, eventually building it to 33-7, the Soul mounted a historical comeback and ultimately won, 58-57. There’s no doubt that the game is still on the mind of the San Jose players and there’s no better time than now to avenge that loss.

The Philadelphia Soul feature the league’s best offense and the league’s third ranked defense, which will be a tough combination for the Sabercats to overcome. On the other hand, San Jose’s defense offers one of the best secondaries in the AFL. They also have a league leading 31 sacks on defense, and that pressure will be key in trying to disrupt Philly’s star quarterback, Matt D’Orazio (pictured, right). The Sabercats offense is led by quarterback Matt Grieb and wide receiver Rodney Wright, but the Sabercats most consistent offensive threat, James Roe, will not be playing due to a knee injury. The teams are quite even, and this should make for a very entertaining game.

For those of you that are unfamiliar with arena football, there are some vast differences between the NFL and AFL. For one, arena football is played on a 50-yard field that has no out of bounds markers. Only a wall separates the fans and the field. The clock doesn’t stop save for a 1-minute warning, and this leads to a much faster pace than the NFL. All kickoffs and missed field goals can be returned by the opposing team. Each team plays eight players at a time, as opposed to the NFL’s lineup of 11. The live experience is much different as well. You can buy tickets to AFL games for as low as $5 dollars. Cheerleaders often throw prizes into the crowds between plays and each series. The cheerleaders and players are also required to stay on the field after the game so the fans can come down and greet them. It’s truly a great experience for those in attendance.

The Philadelphia Soul meet the San Jose Sabercats this Sunday, July 27th, at 3 PM ET, on ABC. Tune in and get your football fix.