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McPherson, Garcia Headline 52nd Edition of "War on I-4"

June 7, 2013 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Tampa Bay Storm News Release


CHICAGO - The 52nd edition of the "War on I-4" will be played between the Tampa Bay Storm (7-4) and the Orlando Predators (2-8) in "NET10 Wireless Arena Football Saturday" on CBS Sports Network. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET this Saturday.

"It is like a Florida vs. Florida State atmosphere," Tampa Bay head coach Dave Ewart said.

Over the years, many players have seen the game from both sides of the field. Arena Football Hall of Fame quarterback Jay Gruden guided the Tampa Bay Storm to four ArenaBowl championships before crossing over into enemy territory as a coach and then quarterback once again for the Orlando Predators. Current New Orleans VooDoo head coach Pat O'Hara spent six seasons under center for the Predators before joining the Storm for four. Several active players, including T.T. Toliver, Prechae Rodriguez and Jermaine Smith have all donned both uniforms during their careers.

One of the reasons for the routine roster flip-flops is the close proximity of the two teams. The Amway Center in Orlando and Tampa Bay Times Forum in Tampa are 85.3 miles apart and separated by Interstate 4, making the rivalry all the more heated for players and fans alike.

"Our fans don't care for them, and their fans don't care for our fans," Ewart said.

The series is also among the most competitive in sports, as each team entered the 2013 regular season having won 25 games apiece against the other. The Storm broke the tie on April 20, defeating the Predators, 53-35, in Orlando.

The game will mark the latest in a historic series that dates back more than 20 years. The first ever contest between the two squads came on June 1, 1991, when the Predators beat the Storm, 51-38, in what was also the first game in Predators history. The Storm, who relocated from Pittsburgh before the 1991 season, went on to win ArenaBowl V that season.

The Storm and Predators have plenty of postseason history as well, having met six times in nine seasons - including a pair of ArenaBowls - from 1992-2000. In the 1992 AFL Semifinals, Orlando beat Tampa Bay, 24-21, in overtime to earn their first championship game appearance. The Storm bounced back the following year to knock the Preds out of the title game, en route to victory in ArenaBowl VII.

In 1995, the two teams duked it out in ArenaBowl IX, with the Storm coming away with a 48-35 victory in front of more than 25,000 fans at the Thunderdome in St. Petersburg, Florida. Three years later at ArenaBowl XII, Orlando was able to avenge a regular season sweep by the Storm and claim a 62-31 victory over their archrivals for the first championship in franchise history.

The Storm come into this weekend's matchup at 7-4, one game behind Jacksonville for first place in the American Conference South Division. Tampa Bay is led by League MVP candidate Adrian McPherson, who has had success this season with his arm and legs so far in 2013. He has thrown for 2,695 yards, 51 touchdowns and only three interceptions so far this season, but has been even more impressive as a rusher, recording 392 rushing yards on 81 attempts with 29 rushing touchdowns - a single-season AFL record for quarterbacks.

Orlando comes into this weekend looking to snap a three-game losing streak, as last week's loss at home to the Chicago Rush dropped the Preds to 2-8 on the year. While season records tend to mean little in any rivalry, one storyline that could make this outcome very different from the last is the fact that Orlando has a new signal caller under center. This weekend will mark future Arena Football Hall of Famer Aaron Garcia's first career "War on I-4" game.

"We need to win and not turn over the ball," Garcia said. "It's that simple."

Garcia will be relying on T.T. Toliver, Prechae Rodriguez and Jason Geathers - all of whom happen to have played for the Storm as well - to make plays. Toliver, who made his AFL debut with the Storm in 2003, has tallied 78 receptions for 1,007 yards and 15 touchdowns in seven games this season. Rodriguez, who leads the Predators with 21 receiving scores this year, tied the Storm franchise record with 125 receptions a season ago.

As with any rivalry, the records coming into the game are meaningless. Whenever the Storm and Predators clash, fans can expect fireworks. The 52nd meeting of the "War on I-4" will be televised live on CBS Sports Network, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 8.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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