Page 3 - Rob Keefe News Today

All season long, Head Coach Kevin Guy has been saying to his Arizona Rattlers that his guys aren't playing for hats and jerseys this year. They're playing for a championship. Now, the Rattlers have a chance to go to back-to-back ArenaBowls if they can beat the Utah Blaze on Saturday night.

One started in Finland and stopped in Cincinnati, Louisville, and Kansas City. The other spent time in South Carolina, Columbus, Wilkes-Barre, Manchester, and Arkansas. However, on Friday night, both Tampa Bay Storm QB Brett Dietz and Spokane Shock QB Kyle Rowley will take to the field for ArenaBowl XXIII.

If the War on I-4 between the Tampa Bay Storm and the Orlando Predators was the rivalry of the AFL prior to 2008, the rivalry between the Preds and the Jacksonville Sharks has become the new hottest thing in the league. One of these two teams has represented the Southern Division and the state of Florida in the American Conference Championship Game since 2010, and that will hold true once again this season.

The Utah Blaze have, historically speaking, always been mediocre. Their best winning percentage has been 0.500, which they've achieved twice. Last year, they won the most victories in a season (9) but that could be attributed to the fact that they played more games then they have other seasons (18).

What a wild week of Arena Football action we had in Week 7! Two major underdogs (Orlando and Iowa) found ways to win their games and win them outright by huge numbers, while several teams were left trying to pick up the pieces from a disappointing and unexpected effort.

Alright Orlando, you've proven your point. There's no doubt that Rob Keefe's team was the better on the field last weekend against Arizona, the team which most of us (myself included) perceived to be the best team in the league. Would I favor the Preds to win the ArenaBowl right now if they got on the field with the Rattlers again? No, I wouldn't. But have the Predators earned their spot as the No. 1 team in this Power Poll? You betcha.

All season long, the mantra for the Albany Empire has been,

ORLANDO -- The Orlando Predators have been in existence for 24 seasons. They have made playoff appearances in 21 of those season, have made the ArenaBowl in seven of the 21, and have captured a pair of championships. Yet when the team takes the field on Saturday night against the hated Jacksonville Sharks, it will do so without an owner. Sources have told ArenaFan.com that David Pearsall, who took managing control of the Preds in the middle of last season, is no longer with the team.

ORLANDO -- Statistically speaking, the Orlando Predators pulled out their biggest victory of the season on Monday night over the Iowa Barnstormers 66-33. In the real world though, the team's best win actually came off the field, as David Siegel, the CEO and founder of Westgate Resorts has purchased the club.

Spokane became the first team to win titles in the af2 and AFL in grand fashion by beating the most storied franchise, the Tampa Bay Storm, in Arena Football history in ArenaBowl XXIII. Shock QB Kyle Rowley was responsible for all ten of the team's touchdowns en route to being named MVP. Over twenty ArenaBowl records were either set or tied in the first AFL championship game since 2008. Check out the only breakdown of the stats, history and significance of this game anywhere in the world ri...