Quick hitters: week one

Published on January 27, 2005 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release

CHAMPIONS COLLIDE: Winners of the last three ArenaBowls clash when Tampa Bay hosts San Jose on Sunday, January 30. San Jose captured their second league title in 2004 after winning it in 2002, while Tampa Bay won their fifth championship in 2003. The game also marks the first time in AFL history that the past two ArenaBowl champs open the season against each other.

Teams beginning defense of their ArenaBowl championship own a 14-2 record in season openers, including wins in each of the last three years. The SaberCats have never lost a season opener under head coach DARREN ARBET (6-0).

ARENABOWL FOLLOW UPS
ARENABOWL WINNER NEXT SEASON
I Denver Dynamite One-Year Hiatus
II Detroit Drive Won, at Chicago 40-28
III Detroit Drive Won, at Pittsburgh 43-35
IV Detroit Drive Won, at Denver 31-13
V Tampa Bay Storm Won, at Orlando 39-32
VI Detroit Drive Won, at Arizona 49-29
VII Tampa Bay Storm Lost, vs. Charlotte 44-39
VIII Arizona Rattlers Won, at San Jose 43-37
IX Tampa Bay Storm Won, at St. Louis 57-38
X Tampa Bay Storm Won, at Arizona 42-30
XI Arizona Rattlers Won, at Iowa 61-40
XII Orlando Predators Won, at Nashville 49-40
XIII Albany Firebirds Won, at Nashville 76-65
XIV Orlando Predators Lost, at Nashville 50-25
XV Grand Rapids Rampage Won, vs. Detroit 49-45
XVI San Jose SaberCats Won, at Arizona 49-28
XVII Tampa Bay Storm Won, vs. Orlando 52-41
XVIII San Jose SaberCats ???, at Tampa Bay on 1/29

HIGH FIVE: The SaberCats and Storm have split their 10 series meetings with each team posting five-game win streaks. San Jose has had the upper hand lately, winning the last five contests. During their winning streak, the SaberCats have a slim 7.6 point margin of victory, outscoring Tampa Bay 281 to 243. During Tampa Bay's five-game win streak, the Storm outscored San Jose 256 to 173 for a 16.6 margin of victory per game.

TOUGH ON ROOKIES: Avenger head coach ED HODGKISS is 9-1 against "rookie" AFL head coaches since taking over as a "rookie" himself in 2001. His only loss came to coach JOE AVEZZANO and the Dallas Desperados on June 1, 2002. Sunday 's season opener versus Las Vegas this Sunday on NBC at 3 p.m. ET will mark the AFL head-coaching debut for the Gladiators' RON JAMES.

NEW START: With changes in ownership, venue, coaching staff and players, it is no surprise that when the 2005 edition of the Georgia Force start the season there will be a new look to the team. Georgia's opening-day roster will feature 12 players that were not with the team at the beginning of last season including seven players in the starting line-up.

Quarterback JIM KUBIAK will be the fourth different quarterback to start for the Force on opening day in the team's four-year history (KEVIN MCDOUGAL-2002, DONNIE DAVIS-2003, LEON MURRAY-2004)

HISTORY SUGGESTS A CLOSE GAME: If history is any guide, Sunday's opener between the Rush and Desperados at 3 p.m. ET on NBC should be a close game. The teams have met five times, with two of the games heading into overtime and four of the five being decided by 8 points or less. Last season, the Rush defeated Dallas 45-41 at Allstate Arena when QB RAYMOND PHILYAW hit OS JEREMY MCDANIEL with a 37-yard TD pass with 38 seconds remaining to put the rush ahead for good. Dallas had one last opportunity, but 9-yard pass from GLEN GAUNTT to BOOBY SIPPIO in the endzone fell incomplete as time expired.

RUSHING UP THE RANKS: Entering Sunday's game against the Dallas Desperados, Chicago Rush head coach MIKE HOHENSEE needs just one more win to tie PERRY MOSS for third place on the AFL's all-time wins list. Hohensee is 3-2 all time vs. Dallas.

ALL-TIME WINNINGEST AFL COACHES
INCLUDING POSTSEASON
Coach Team Wins This Week
Tim Marcum Tampa Bay 167 Vs. San Jose
Danny White --- 141 ---
Perry Moss --- 86 ---
MIKE HOHENSEE Chicago 85 @Dallas
Michael Trigg Philadelphia 78 @Austin
John Gregory --- 73 ---

CAN'T BUST EM: Nashville WR/LB DARRYL HAMMOND has more seasons of service in the AFL than any other player. Hammond enters his 15th season in the league looking to extend that record. San Jose WR/LB BARRY WAGNER and Chicago QB TODD HAMMEL rank second on the all-time list, each entering their 14th season in the league.

Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from January 27, 2005

• Quick hitters: week one - AFL I
• Must-see matchups: week one - AFL I
• Philadelphia Soul game notes - Philadelphia Soul
• NBC Sports' Schanzer on AFL: "A Game Built For The Time In Which We Live." - AFL I
• “This Week in the AFL” returns for 2005 season - AFL I
• Storm secures Hispanic radio deal - Tampa Bay Storm
• Colorado Crush game notes - Colorado Crush
• Garcia on NBC's Weekend "Today" - New York Dragons
• Wranglers kick off second season with "See Red" attitude, excitement and traditions - Austin Wranglers
• Kats Football Takes To The Air With 10+ Station Network - Nashville Kats
• Rush extends contracts of assistant coaches - Chicago Rush
• VooDoo and Arena Football League to be heard and seen on the airwaves at kickoff - New Orleans VooDoo

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