Page 66 - Fl Stats News Today

The Arena Football League is finally back in the city of Columbus. The crowd, of 7,035, was amazing all game, as the anticipation for the first home game was building all week leading up.

The Iowa Barnstormers came into town with the same record as Milwaukee and the first half left one to believe this was going to be a close game. Milwaukee has proven to be a second half team all season and this was no different as they outscored Iowa 54-14 in the second half to bring home the victory 83-49.

Following three seasons of adequate regular season play, but less-than-stellar postseason play, the SaberCats are looking to finally break the spell and get over that last hump to the franchise's fourth ArenaBowl championship.

The Orlando Predators might have only gone 7-11 this year, and there might be a question as to whether or not they deserved to get into the playoffs. They didn't end up beating the Philadelphia Soul on Saturday night, but they did prove that they belong in a game that easily could have gone either way. Philly escaped with a 59-55 victory, but it was never an easy game.

Nobody gave this team any credit. Not one soul had the LA KISS the chance to even think about competing against a San Jose Sabercat team who believe could be playing for its own destiny and dream of a perfect season. Beating Portland was hardly a thing to the writers and experts that know that one game does not mean it can completely change the entire landscape of your season.

Week Eleven featured all four division leaders winning, a rather boring rematch of last year's ArenaBowl, the road team winning four of seven games as well as San Jose & Georgia losing for the third straight time to drop to .500. This week's edition of Breaking it Down has recaps, ramblings, history and some other stuff. Enjoy!

ORLANDO -- I was there in Arizona when the Sharks won their first championship at the gun when Aaron Garcia won the ArenaBowl. I was there when David Cool kicked the winning field goal in the net right in front of me to give the Predators won their second championships. I've watched the confetti fall from the ceiling at 15 different ArenaBowls in total. I've watched Joe Hills score eight touchdowns and Garcia throw 12. I've watched Cleveland's magical run in 2014. I've s...

1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, and 2003. Those are the banners that are hanging high in the St. Pete Times Forum as the Storm prepare for their seventh ArenaBowl appearance since moving to Tampa Bay and their ninth in franchise history.

The Dallas Desperados enter the playoffs losing their last game, losing another key player with an injury, and not playing well in each phase of the game. They will not get a bye or home field advantage throughout the playoffs. This could be bad news for the rest of the Arena Football League.

Though the first day of the 25th season of the Arena Football League didn't exactly get off to a flying start, the second day of the year has started off in much better form.