Page 5 - Rob Keefe News Today

Week Nine featured the renewal of league's two greatest rivalries (Arizona-San Jose, Tampa Bay-Orlando). All four division leaders won against division rivals. Utah and Georgia battled in the week's highest scoring and most exciting game that was decided in the final seconds. Recaps of these games, my weekly ramblings and more Hall of Fame thoughts awaiting in Volume Three, Issue Nine of Breaking it Down.

Arizona secured home-field throughout the playoffs. Dallas clinched a playoff berth, while Iowa, Kansas City and Tampa Bay were officially eliminated. A big crowd gathered for the first outdoor AFL game in history. The SaberCats seem to be back and the UFL continues to raid the AFL for talent. This and the most comprehensive breakdown of Arena Football action around starts right now...

JACKSONVILLE -- The hunters are now officially the hunted. The band of misfits known as the Orlando Predators are back in the win column in unbelievable fashion once again, as they beat the Jacksonville Sharks on missed field goal return for a touchdown on the penultimate play of the game.

Touchdowns are worth six points. Throw in an extra point and you have seven. So why is five the most important number in Arena Football? If your team can put up 5 points per possession on offense, they're a virtual lock to win.

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...

The Philadelphia Soul fell to the Albany Empire 45-27 in ArenaBowl 32 at the Times Union Center in Albany.

The AFL sent out media ballots for the end of the season awards and All-Arena teams Sunday afternoon. After filling mine out, I wanted to share it with you and give you reasons why I feel each recipient should be named that specific award. In addition, I've included by All-Arena First and Second Teams. This is my ballot that I'm sending to the league after I post it here first.

ORLANDO - I'll be the first to admit that I hate the de facto 16-game preseason known as the 2016 AFL regular season. All eight teams are going to get into the playoffs, and we could pretty much pick the eight teams and their finishing positions right now and at least be pretty close to having the right answer.

Jason Boltus and Greg Carr and Arness Ikner and Khalil Paden don't really have the name recognition of typical Orlando Predators players. CFE Arena doesn't look anything like the Jungle which the Orlando Predators used to play in. Average crowds of around 5,000 fans are nothing like the 15,000+ old school Orlando Predators crowds. Rob Keefe doesn't look anything like an Orlando Predators coach. But dammit, even this skeptic has to admit that Friday night's 69-63 win over the ...

ORLANDO -- They don't call it the War on I-4 for no reason. Saturday night might have marked the first time that the UFC made its way to Orlando, but perhaps the best fight of the night in the City Beautiful came out of the Orlando Predators. The Preds had to fight through just about everything that an AFL team could have to get through in a record-breaking 77-65 win over the Tampa Bay Storm.