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Storm Eliminated From Playoff Race

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By ADAM ADKINS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 16, 2008

Updated: 06/16/2008 12:46 am

TAMPA - For just the second time in franchise history, the Tampa Bay Storm won't be playing in the Arena Football League's postseason.

Tampa Bay's 73-70 loss Saturday night at San Jose officially eliminated the Storm (7-8) from playoff contention. Even if New York (8-7), Cleveland (8-7) and New Orleans (8-7) all lose in their respective regular-season finales this week and Tampa Bay defeats Los Angeles in its final regular-season game Saturday at the St. Pete Times Forum, the Storm will lose out on tiebreakers under every possible scenario.

The only other time Tampa Bay has missed the postseason was in 2006.

"It's been one of the most interesting years that I've ever coached," Tampa Bay coach Tim Marcum said. "What just kind of did us in was the close games. We weren't good enough to win the close ones. We lost to Arizona and Georgia by one and Columbus by two, and you know what? Those games were the deciding factor. We just didn't get it done."

What also hurt Tampa Bay, which was picked by league prognosticators in the preseason to win the Southern Division and challenge for an ArenaBowl berth, was a five-game losing streak following a 2-0 start, a stretch in which the Storm's defense failed to force a turnover.

"That's just unacceptable," Marcum said. "I guess defensively we just weren't getting it done, and that's an area where we'll just have to really concentrate in the offseason."

In Saturday's loss, Storm quarterback Brett Dietz tossed a franchise-record 10 touchdown passes, veteran receiver Lawrence Samuels became the sixth player in professional football history to surpass 1,000 receptions for his career and kick returner Sedrick Robinson became the AFL's all-time leader in kick return yardage.

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