Tampa Bay Storm
Encyclopedia
The Tampa Bay Storm are an Arena Football League
(AFL) team based in the Tampa Bay Area
of Florida
. They play their home games in the St. Pete Times Forum
in Tampa
.
The team began play in 1987 as the Pittsburgh Gladiators, one of the AFL's four charter franchises, and the only one still operating. They relocated to Tampa in 1991 and adopted their current name. They played in Tampa from 1991–2008, after which point the AFL folded, and resumed operations for the 2010 season following the league's restructuring. Together with the Orlando Predators
they have been in their city for longer than any other AFL team. During their tenure they have won five ArenaBowl
championships and won five conference titles. They are coached by Dave Ewart.
, they share the Arena Football League record for the longest tenure by a franchise in a single market area. They are also the last of the original four franchises (the Chicago Bruisers
, Denver Dynamite
and Washington Commandos
were the other three) to have operated in continuous existence from the formation of the league in 1987 until the present.
The franchise was originally known as the Pittsburgh Gladiators, and was one of the original four AFL teams formed in 1987
. The team was named by Robert Ninehouser whose entry for the team name was selected in 1987. They originally played their home games at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
. The Gladiators participated in ArenaBowl
s I
and III
, losing both.
to Tampa, Florida
in 1991
, with the team taking on the "Storm" nickname. The Cleveland Arena Football League franchise now bears the Gladiators name, however, the two organizations share no link in history nor records. On a semi-related note, the Tampa Bay Bandits
were set to break from the United States Football League
in 1986 and launch another spring football league, which could have been interpreted to mean the Arena Football League, but whatever plans there were had been scrapped when the Bandits' owner fell ill and died.
The Storm won the ArenaBowl in their first season in Tampa Bay (V
) and have won four subsequent championships (VII
, IX
, X
, and XVII
). Up to the 2006 season, the Storm had qualified for the playoffs in every season but one during their time in Tampa Bay.
The team played in the former Thunder Dome in St. Petersburg
(now called Tropicana Field
) from 1991–1996
, becoming its first regular team sports tenant. Since 1997
, the team has played its home games in the St. Pete Times Forum
(previously the Ice Palace) which is located in Tampa
.
The Storm competed in the Southern Division of the National Conference. They were coached by Tim Marcum, who is widely regarded as the greatest coach in Arena Football history.
The Storm have a heated rivalry with the Orlando Predators
known as the War On I-4. Both teams have found success and have faced each other in the ArenaBowl and playoffs numerous times.
The team's current mascot is a dog named Storm Dawg.
On December 23, 2004, Sports Illustrated
wrote in its 'The 10 Spot' feature that the AFL's players' union filed a grievance
against the Storm. The reason was that seven of the Storm's players claimed that some of the diamond
s in their 2003 AFL championship rings were fake. Six of the seven players had left the team after the 2003 season. The Storm acknowledged that some of the rings did, in fact, include cubic zirconia
instead of diamonds, and that different players received greater amounts of diamonds in their rings based on their contributions that season.
The Storm ended the 2006 season
with a 7–9 record (4th in their Division), ending a 19-year streak of playoff appearances, dating back to their days as the Pittsburgh Gladiators and the start of the Arena Football League.
The Storm followed a 9–7 season and first-round playoff exit in 2007
with an 8–8 finish in 2008
. They salvaged the .500 record by defeating the Los Angeles Avengers
72–47 in Tampa. There was no 2009 Arena Football League season due to the organization's ongoing financial difficulties, which eventually resulted in its filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy
, leaving it uncertain if the Storm, arguably the most successful team in the history of any form of indoor football, would ever play another game.
A new arena football league, originally called Arena Football 1, formed in 2009. The Storm were not one of the initial 16 teams announced. However, Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings
owner Dan Newman mentioned that the Storm were one of at least two former AFL franchises that were being negotiated with, the other being the San Jose SaberCats
. The new organization bought the rights to the intellectual property
, including the team names, logos, histories, and patented rules of the old AFL in a bankruptcy auction, which allowed to function essentially as a full successor; after this action, the name Arena Football 1 was dropped and the group resumed operating as the Arena Football League. The Storm resumed full operations for the new league's 2010 season, with some players from the former roster, and once again coached by Tim Marcum and this time owned by Tampa Bay Storm Partners LLC, a group led by Todd Boren a previous partner with the Orlando Predators and the Arizona Rattlers.
The AFL released the schedule for their inaugural season on December 31, 2009. The Storm returned during the opening weekend of the season on April 3, 2010.
On February 17, 2010, it was formally announced that the AF1 had adopted the former Arena Football League name.
In the 2010 season
the Storm went 11–5, finishing second in the South Division. In the playoffs, they earned a trip to ArenaBowl XXIII
, but lost to the Spokane Shock
57–69.
On February 17, 2011, Tim Marcum would resign as head coach of the Storm less than a month before the 2011 season
was to begin, after having the position for 15 years. He left as the AFL's all-time winningest head coach with 211 wins. Dave Ewart was named as the team's new head coach the next day. His resignation was sparked by an admission in a deposition related to a lawsuit he had filed against the Storm's previous owner, Robert Nucci. In that deposition, Marcum admitted to forwarding emails that were pornographic and racially tinged to other members of the Storm organization, using his work email address.
, and the radio color commentator is Jason Dixon who is also the director of broadcasting for the Tampa Bay Lightning
. Bright House Sports Network, owned by and shown only on Bright House Networks
cable systems, broadcasts all the Storm home games. Drew Felios and Mark Royals
are the broadcasters.
Arena Football League
The Arena Football League is the highest level of professional indoor American football in the United States. It is currently the second longest running professional football league in the United States, after the National Football League. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster...
(AFL) team based in the Tampa Bay Area
Tampa Bay Area
The Tampa Bay Area is the region of west central Florida adjacent to Tampa Bay. Definitions of the region vary. It is often considered equivalent to the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area defined by the United States Census Bureau. The Census Bureau currently...
of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. They play their home games in the St. Pete Times Forum
St. Pete Times Forum
The St. Pete Times Forum is an arena in Tampa, Florida, that has been used for ice hockey, basketball, and arena football games, as well as concerts....
in Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
.
The team began play in 1987 as the Pittsburgh Gladiators, one of the AFL's four charter franchises, and the only one still operating. They relocated to Tampa in 1991 and adopted their current name. They played in Tampa from 1991–2008, after which point the AFL folded, and resumed operations for the 2010 season following the league's restructuring. Together with the Orlando Predators
Orlando Predators
The Orlando Predators are an Arena Football League team based in Orlando, Florida that was founded in 1991. Their playoff streak is currently 19 seasons in a row, as of the season, becoming the ArenaBowl champions in 1998 and 2000...
they have been in their city for longer than any other AFL team. During their tenure they have won five ArenaBowl
ArenaBowl
The ArenaBowl is the Arena Football League's championship game. From 1987 to 2004, the ArenaBowl was hosted by either the team with the better regular-season record or the higher seeding in the playoffs. From ArenaBowl XIX in 2005 until ArenaBowl XXII in 2008, the game was played at a neutral site...
championships and won five conference titles. They are coached by Dave Ewart.
History
Along with their traditional rivals, the Orlando PredatorsOrlando Predators
The Orlando Predators are an Arena Football League team based in Orlando, Florida that was founded in 1991. Their playoff streak is currently 19 seasons in a row, as of the season, becoming the ArenaBowl champions in 1998 and 2000...
, they share the Arena Football League record for the longest tenure by a franchise in a single market area. They are also the last of the original four franchises (the Chicago Bruisers
Chicago Bruisers
The Chicago Bruisers were a charter member of the Arena Football League, playing in the four-team "demonstration season" of 1987. They played their home games in the former Rosemont Horizon, now the Allstate Arena, home of the Chicago Rush.-History:...
, Denver Dynamite
Denver Dynamite (arena football)
This article is about the former Arena Football League franchise. For the Professional Arena Soccer League soccer club, see Denver Dynamite ....
and Washington Commandos
Washington Commandos
The Washington Commandos were an Arena football team that operated from 1987 to 1990.-Inaugural season :The Washington Commandos were a charter member of the Arena Football League, playing in the initial four-team "demonstration season" of 1987....
were the other three) to have operated in continuous existence from the formation of the league in 1987 until the present.
Pittsburgh Gladiators (1987–1990)
1987 Arena Football League season
The 1987 Arena Football League season was the 1st season, also known as the "demonstration season", of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Denver Dynamite, who defeated the Pittsburgh Gladiators in ArenaBowl I.- Events :...
. The team was named by Robert Ninehouser whose entry for the team name was selected in 1987. They originally played their home games at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. The Gladiators participated in ArenaBowl
ArenaBowl
The ArenaBowl is the Arena Football League's championship game. From 1987 to 2004, the ArenaBowl was hosted by either the team with the better regular-season record or the higher seeding in the playoffs. From ArenaBowl XIX in 2005 until ArenaBowl XXII in 2008, the game was played at a neutral site...
s I
ArenaBowl I
Arena Bowl '87 was the Arena Football League's very first Arena Bowl. In this match-up, it pitted the #2 Denver Dynamite against the #1 Pittsburgh Gladiators...
and III
ArenaBowl III
Arena Bowl '89 was the Arena Football League's third Arena Bowl. The game featured the #2 Pittsburgh Gladiators against the #1 Detroit Drive...
, losing both.
Tampa Bay Storm (1991–present)
The team moved from Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
to Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
in 1991
1991 Arena Football League season
The 1991 Arena Football League season was the 5th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Tampa Bay Storm, who defeated the Detroit Drive in ArenaBowl V.-Standings:* Green indicates clinched playoff berth...
, with the team taking on the "Storm" nickname. The Cleveland Arena Football League franchise now bears the Gladiators name, however, the two organizations share no link in history nor records. On a semi-related note, the Tampa Bay Bandits
Tampa Bay Bandits
The Tampa Bay Bandits were a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. They were members of the United States Football League . They were a charter member of the USFL and folded along with the league after the 1985 season....
were set to break from the United States Football League
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
in 1986 and launch another spring football league, which could have been interpreted to mean the Arena Football League, but whatever plans there were had been scrapped when the Bandits' owner fell ill and died.
The Storm won the ArenaBowl in their first season in Tampa Bay (V
ArenaBowl V
ArenaBowl '91 was the Arena Football League's fifth ArenaBowl. The game featured the #2 Tampa Bay Storm against the #1 Detroit Drive...
) and have won four subsequent championships (VII
ArenaBowl VII
ArenaBowl '93 was the Arena Football League's seventh Arena Bowl. The game featured the #3 Tampa Bay Storm of the National Conference against the #1 Detroit Drive of the American Conference...
, IX
ArenaBowl IX
ArenaBowl IX was the Arena Football League's ninth Arena Bowl. The game featured the #6 Orlando Predators of the National Conference against the #1 Tampa Bay Storm , also of the National Conference. This would be the very first ArenaBowl to have the "War On I-4" rivalry featured in it...
, X
ArenaBowl X
ArenaBowl X was the Arena Football League's tenth ArenaBowl. The game featured the #2 Tampa Bay Storm of the National Conference against the #1 Iowa Barnstormers of the American Conference. Both teams ended their regular seasons at 12-2, yet Iowa had a better conference record...
, and XVII
ArenaBowl XVII
ArenaBowl XVII was played on June 22, 2003 at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida before a sellout crowd of 20,496. The Tampa Bay Storm earned their AFL record fifth ArenaBowl title, by defeating the Arizona Rattlers, 43-29...
). Up to the 2006 season, the Storm had qualified for the playoffs in every season but one during their time in Tampa Bay.
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
(now called Tropicana Field
Tropicana Field
Tropicana Field is a domed stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida, which has been the home of Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays since the team's inaugural season in 1998, when they were the Devil Rays. It has also served as the host stadium for the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl, an NCAA-sanctioned college...
) from 1991–1996
1996 Arena Football League season
The 1996 Arena Football League season was the 10th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Tampa Bay Storm, who defeated the Iowa Barnstormers in ArenaBowl X. The AFL finally stabilized its scheduled number of games. It expanded to a 14-game season, which would remain...
, becoming its first regular team sports tenant. Since 1997
1997 Arena Football League season
The 1997 Arena Football League season was the 11th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Arizona Rattlers, who defeated the Iowa Barnstormers in ArenaBowl XI.-Standings:* Green indicates clinched playoff berth...
, the team has played its home games in the St. Pete Times Forum
St. Pete Times Forum
The St. Pete Times Forum is an arena in Tampa, Florida, that has been used for ice hockey, basketball, and arena football games, as well as concerts....
(previously the Ice Palace) which is located in Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
.
The Storm competed in the Southern Division of the National Conference. They were coached by Tim Marcum, who is widely regarded as the greatest coach in Arena Football history.
The Storm have a heated rivalry with the Orlando Predators
Orlando Predators
The Orlando Predators are an Arena Football League team based in Orlando, Florida that was founded in 1991. Their playoff streak is currently 19 seasons in a row, as of the season, becoming the ArenaBowl champions in 1998 and 2000...
known as the War On I-4. Both teams have found success and have faced each other in the ArenaBowl and playoffs numerous times.
The team's current mascot is a dog named Storm Dawg.
On December 23, 2004, Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
wrote in its 'The 10 Spot' feature that the AFL's players' union filed a grievance
Grievance
A grievance is a wrong or hardship suffered, which is the grounds of a complaint.-History and politics:A grievance may arise from injustice or tyranny, and be cause for rebellion or revolution....
against the Storm. The reason was that seven of the Storm's players claimed that some of the diamond
Diamond
In mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
s in their 2003 AFL championship rings were fake. Six of the seven players had left the team after the 2003 season. The Storm acknowledged that some of the rings did, in fact, include cubic zirconia
Zirconium dioxide
Zirconium dioxide , sometimes known as zirconia , is a white crystalline oxide of zirconium. Its most naturally occurring form, with a monoclinic crystalline structure, is the rare mineral baddeleyite. The high temperature cubic crystalline form is rarely found in nature as mineral tazheranite O2...
instead of diamonds, and that different players received greater amounts of diamonds in their rings based on their contributions that season.
The Storm ended the 2006 season
2006 Arena Football League season
The 2006 Arena Football League season was the 20th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Chicago Rush, who defeated the Orlando Predators in ArenaBowl XX....
with a 7–9 record (4th in their Division), ending a 19-year streak of playoff appearances, dating back to their days as the Pittsburgh Gladiators and the start of the Arena Football League.
The Storm followed a 9–7 season and first-round playoff exit in 2007
2007 Arena Football League season
The 2007 Arena Football League season was the 21st season of the Arena Football League. The regular season began play on March 1, 2007 and concluded on June 25...
with an 8–8 finish in 2008
2008 Arena Football League season
The 2008 Arena Football League season was the 22nd season of the Arena Football League and final season before the 2009 cancellation. The regular season began play on February 29, 2008 and concluded on June 22...
. They salvaged the .500 record by defeating the Los Angeles Avengers
Los Angeles Avengers
The Los Angeles Avengers was an Arena Football League team based in Los Angeles, California from 2000 through 2008. They folded on April 19, 2009.-History:...
72–47 in Tampa. There was no 2009 Arena Football League season due to the organization's ongoing financial difficulties, which eventually resulted in its filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy
Chapter 7, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 7 of the Title 11 of the United States Code governs the process of liquidation under the bankruptcy laws of the United States...
, leaving it uncertain if the Storm, arguably the most successful team in the history of any form of indoor football, would ever play another game.
New future
Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings
The Bossier Shreveport Battle Wings were an Arena Football League team based in Bossier City, Louisiana. They played at the CenturyTel Center in Bossier City and represented both Bossier City and Shreveport...
owner Dan Newman mentioned that the Storm were one of at least two former AFL franchises that were being negotiated with, the other being the San Jose SaberCats
San Jose SaberCats
The San Jose SaberCats are a professional arena football team in the Arena Football League. They began play as a 1995 expansion team. They played in the Western Division of the American Conference. Their final coach in the original Arena Football League was Darren Arbet, who will be a part of the...
. The new organization bought the rights to the intellectual property
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
, including the team names, logos, histories, and patented rules of the old AFL in a bankruptcy auction, which allowed to function essentially as a full successor; after this action, the name Arena Football 1 was dropped and the group resumed operating as the Arena Football League. The Storm resumed full operations for the new league's 2010 season, with some players from the former roster, and once again coached by Tim Marcum and this time owned by Tampa Bay Storm Partners LLC, a group led by Todd Boren a previous partner with the Orlando Predators and the Arizona Rattlers.
The AFL released the schedule for their inaugural season on December 31, 2009. The Storm returned during the opening weekend of the season on April 3, 2010.
On February 17, 2010, it was formally announced that the AF1 had adopted the former Arena Football League name.
In the 2010 season
2010 Arena Football League season
The 2010 Arena Football League season was the twenty-third season in the history of the league. The regular season began on April 2, 2010 and ended on July 31...
the Storm went 11–5, finishing second in the South Division. In the playoffs, they earned a trip to ArenaBowl XXIII
ArenaBowl XXIII
NAPA Auto Parts ArenaBowl XXIII was an arena football game between the National Conference champion, Spokane Shock and the American Conference Champion, Tampa Bay Storm. The Spokane Shock won the game successfully defending ArenaCup X of the former af2...
, but lost to the Spokane Shock
Spokane Shock
The Spokane Shock is a professional arena football team of the Arena Football League from Spokane, Washington, USA. They play their home games at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena...
57–69.
On February 17, 2011, Tim Marcum would resign as head coach of the Storm less than a month before the 2011 season
2011 Arena Football League season
The 2011 Arena Football League season was the twenty-fourth season in the history of the league. The regular season began on March 11, 2011 and ended on July 23, 2011...
was to begin, after having the position for 15 years. He left as the AFL's all-time winningest head coach with 211 wins. Dave Ewart was named as the team's new head coach the next day. His resignation was sparked by an admission in a deposition related to a lawsuit he had filed against the Storm's previous owner, Robert Nucci. In that deposition, Marcum admitted to forwarding emails that were pornographic and racially tinged to other members of the Storm organization, using his work email address.
Storm highlights
- In a 1996 playoff game against the Arizona Rattlers the Storm had the lead late in the game but the Rattlers came down the field and scored a touchdown with little time left on the clock. Rather than try to tie the game with an extra point, Rattlers coach Danny WhiteDanny WhiteWilford Daniel "Danny" White is a former quarterback and punter for the Dallas Cowboys, an American football coach in the Arena Football League and also occasionally appears as an analyst on broadcasts of college football games. He was named the head coach of the Arena Football League expansion...
elected to go for the win with the two point conversion. Quarterback Sherdrick BonnerSherdrick BonnerSherdrick Bonner is a former Arena football quarterback who is currently the offensive coordinator of the Chicago Rush in the Arena Football League.-High school years:...
was stopped short and the Storm won the game. On the AFL's 20 Greatest Highlights this is ranked at number 10. - During a 1991 regular season game the Storm found themselves down 17 points against the Albany Firebirds. However they rallied late in the game to take a 57–53 lead. But it wasn't over yet as the Firebirds had five seconds left to come up with the touchdown from midfield. The Storm won the game with an interception off of the nets. On the AFL's 20 Greatest Highlights Countdown this is ranked #8.
- ArenaBowl VArenaBowl VArenaBowl '91 was the Arena Football League's fifth ArenaBowl. The game featured the #2 Tampa Bay Storm against the #1 Detroit Drive...
found the Detroit Drive hosting the Tampa Bay Storm. With seconds left in the game quarterback Jay GrudenJay GrudenJay Gruden is an American football coach and former quarterback. He is currently the offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals and was formerly the head coach of the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League. He is also a decorated player and coach in Arena Football League history,...
threw deep to Stevie Thomas in the endzone. It was complete and the Storm won the ArenaBowl. On the AFL's 20 Greatest Highlights Countdown this is ranked number 5. - Stevie Thomas saves the Storm: During a 1995 semifinal game between Albany and Tampa Bay Albany took a late one point lead with seconds left on the clock. On the ensuing kickoff the Storm couldn't field the ball off the nets and Stevie Thomas found himself in the very back of the endzone. Thomas broke five tackles at once coming out of the endzone and went all the way for a touchdown to give the Storm the win 56–49. They later went on to capture their 3rd ArenaBowl in 5 years. On the AFL's 20 Greatest Highlights Countdown this is at #2.
Radio and television
The Tampa Bay Storm are broadcast on Storm Radio, which has no affiliates; only a flagship which is AM 620 WDAE. The radio play-by-play announcer is local radio icon Jack HarrisJack Harris (broadcaster)
Jack Harris is an American radio and television personality based in Tampa, Florida who co-hosts the morning drive time program on 970 WFLA and is a broadcaster with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Tampa Bay Storm and the Outback Bowl...
, and the radio color commentator is Jason Dixon who is also the director of broadcasting for the Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
. Bright House Sports Network, owned by and shown only on Bright House Networks
Bright House Networks
Bright House Networks is a cable television company, the seventh largest cable operator and the sixth largest traditional multiple system operator in the United States owned by Advance/Newhouse, headquartered in Syracuse, New York...
cable systems, broadcasts all the Storm home games. Drew Felios and Mark Royals
Mark Royals
Mark Alan Royals is a former American football punter in the National Football League. He is currently a color commentator for coverage of the Arena Football League's Tampa Bay Storm on the regional sports television network Bright House Sports Network. He has also co-hosted various sports radio...
are the broadcasters.
Pittsburgh Gladiators
| Head coach Head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches... |
Tenure | Regular season record (W-L) |
Post season record (W-L) |
Most recent coaching staff | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Haering | 1987 1987 Arena Football League season The 1987 Arena Football League season was the 1st season, also known as the "demonstration season", of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Denver Dynamite, who defeated the Pittsburgh Gladiators in ArenaBowl I.- Events :... –1990 1990 Arena Football League season The 1990 Arena Football League season was the 4th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Detroit Drive, who defeated the Dallas Texans in ArenaBowl IV.-Standings:* Green indicates clinched playoff berth... |
15–13 | 0–3 | ||
| Darrel Jackson | 1989 1989 Arena Football League season The 1989 Arena Football League season was the 3rd season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Detroit Drive, who defeated the Pittsburgh Gladiators in ArenaBowl III.-Standings:* Green indicates clinched playoff berth... |
1–1 | 1–1 | ||
Tampa Bay Storm
| Head coach Head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches... |
Tenure | Regular season record (W–L) |
Post season record (W–L) |
Most recent coaching staff | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fran Curci Fran Curci Fran Curci is a former American football player and coach. He was an All-American quarterback at the University of Miami in 1959... |
1991 1991 Arena Football League season The 1991 Arena Football League season was the 5th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Tampa Bay Storm, who defeated the Detroit Drive in ArenaBowl V.-Standings:* Green indicates clinched playoff berth... |
8–2 | 2–0 | Arena Football League Coach of the Year (1991). |
|
| Lary Kuharich Lary Kuharich Joseph Lawrence Kuharich, Jr. is an American football coach currently serving as the Offensive Coordinator of the Arena Football League's Columbus Destroyers... |
1992 1992 Arena Football League season The 1992 Arena Football League season was the 6th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Detroit Drive, who defeated the Orlando Predators in ArenaBowl VI.... –1994 1994 Arena Football League season The 1994 Arena Football League season was the 8th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Arizona Rattlers, who defeated the Orlando Predators in ArenaBowl VIII.-Team Movement:... |
25–9 | 4–2 | 1x ArenaBowl ArenaBowl The ArenaBowl is the Arena Football League's championship game. From 1987 to 2004, the ArenaBowl was hosted by either the team with the better regular-season record or the higher seeding in the playoffs. From ArenaBowl XIX in 2005 until ArenaBowl XXII in 2008, the game was played at a neutral site... winning coach (VII ArenaBowl VII ArenaBowl '93 was the Arena Football League's seventh Arena Bowl. The game featured the #3 Tampa Bay Storm of the National Conference against the #1 Detroit Drive of the American Conference... ). |
|
| Tim Marcum | 1995 1995 Arena Football League season The 1995 Arena Football League season was the 9th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Tampa Bay Storm, who defeated the Orlando Predators in ArenaBowl IX. The AFL re-aligned its divisions for the 3rd straight year. It re-aligned to two divisions per conference... –2010 2010 Arena Football League season The 2010 Arena Football League season was the twenty-third season in the history of the league. The regular season began on April 2, 2010 and ended on July 31... |
140–77 | 16–10 | Asst. Head Coach / Line Coach / Dir. Player Personnel: Dave Ewart OC Offensive coordinator An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach... : Vacant ST Coordinator / FB Fullback (American football) A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback... / LB Linebacker A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen... Coach: Eddie Vowell DL Coach: Pete Kuharchek |
2x Arena Football League Coach of the Year (1987, 1998 1998 Arena Football League season The 1998 Arena Football League season was the 12th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Orlando Predators, who defeated the Tampa Bay Storm in ArenaBowl XII.-Standings:* Green indicates clinched playoff berth... ). 3x ArenaBowl winning coach (in Tampa Bay only, seven overall) (IX ArenaBowl IX ArenaBowl IX was the Arena Football League's ninth Arena Bowl. The game featured the #6 Orlando Predators of the National Conference against the #1 Tampa Bay Storm , also of the National Conference. This would be the very first ArenaBowl to have the "War On I-4" rivalry featured in it... , X ArenaBowl X ArenaBowl X was the Arena Football League's tenth ArenaBowl. The game featured the #2 Tampa Bay Storm of the National Conference against the #1 Iowa Barnstormers of the American Conference. Both teams ended their regular seasons at 12-2, yet Iowa had a better conference record... , XVII ArenaBowl XVII ArenaBowl XVII was played on June 22, 2003 at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida before a sellout crowd of 20,496. The Tampa Bay Storm earned their AFL record fifth ArenaBowl title, by defeating the Arizona Rattlers, 43-29... ). Arena Football League Hall of Fame (1998). Founder's Award winner (2001 2001 Arena Football League season The 2001 Arena Football League season was the 15th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Grand Rapids Rampage, who defeated the Nashville Kats in ArenaBowl XV.-Standings:* Green indicates clinched playoff berth... ). |
| Dave Ewart | 2005 2005 Arena Football League season The 2005 Arena Football League season was the 19th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Colorado Crush, who defeated the Georgia Force in ArenaBowl XIX. The AFL changed its playoff format to allow the top four teams per conference to make the playoffs. Previously, the... –2006 2006 Arena Football League season The 2006 Arena Football League season was the 20th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Chicago Rush, who defeated the Orlando Predators in ArenaBowl XX.... , 2011 2011 Arena Football League season The 2011 Arena Football League season was the twenty-fourth season in the history of the league. The regular season began on March 11, 2011 and ended on July 23, 2011... –present |
3–2 | 0–0 | ||
Notable players
- Les BarleyLes BarleyLes Barley is a former Arena Football League fullback and linebacker. In a career lasting ten years, he played for the Charlotte Rage, the Connecticut Coyotes, the Tampa Bay Storm, the Grand Rapids Rampage and the Milwaukee Mustangs. He was also a star linebacker at Winston-Salem State...
- FB/LB - Sylvester BemberySylvester BemberySylvester Bembery is a former American football lineman in the Arena Football League. Bemery, #78, was an offensive and defensive lineman for the Tampa Bay Storm from 1994–1999, and once again joined the Storm for the 2001 campaign....
- OL/DL - Tom BriggsTom BriggsTom Briggs is an Arena Football League defensive lineman for the Tampa Bay Storm. He was originally signed by the Birmingham Barracudas of the Canadian Football League...
- DE - Andre BowdenAndre BowdenAndre Bowden is a former fullback and linebacker in the Arena Football League and became the all time leading rusher for the Tampa Bay Storm from 1993-1994, 1997-2001, 2003-2004....
- FB/LB - Chris ConlinChris ConlinChristopher Howard Conlin is an assistant coach in the Arena Football League. He was a professional American football player and collegiate All-American offensive tackle at Penn State University.-College:...
- OL - Matt GrotheMatt GrotheMatt Grothe is a professional quarterback who is currently a member of the Tampa Bay Storm. He has been with the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League. He played college football at South Florida....
- QB - Jay GrudenJay GrudenJay Gruden is an American football coach and former quarterback. He is currently the offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals and was formerly the head coach of the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League. He is also a decorated player and coach in Arena Football League history,...
- QB - Johnnie HarrisJohnnie HarrisJohnnie Harris is an Arena Football League defensive specialist with the Philadelphia Soul. He has previously played for the Tampa Bay Storm , the Orlando Predators , and the Grand Rapids Rampage...
- DS - John KaleoJohn KaleoJohn Kaleo is a retired American football quarterback in the Arena Football League for the Albany Firebirds , Cleveland Thunderbolts , St...
- QB - George LaFranceGeorge LaFranceGeorge Herbert LaFrance III is a former Arena Football League Offensive Specialist. In a playing career lasting twelve years, he played for the Detroit Drive , the Tampa Bay Storm , and the New Jersey Red Dogs...
- OS - Pat O'HaraPat O'HaraPatrick O'Hara is an arena football coach and retired quarterback. He is currently the head coach of the New Orleans VooDoo of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 10th round of the 1991 NFL Draft...
- QB - Lawrence SamuelsLawrence SamuelsLawrence 'Law Dogg' Samuels is a 6' 2" 210 pound Arena Football League wide receiver/linebacker with the Tampa Bay Storm. He is the offensive coordinator and receivers coach for the Wharton High School Wildcats. Samuels played his college football at the University of West Alabama...
- WR/LB - Freddie Solomon - OS
- Pat SperdutoPat SperdutoPat Sperduto is an American football coach and executive who was the final head coach of the Columbus Destroyers of the Arena Football League as well as a scout for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League...
- OL/DL - Shane StaffordShane StaffordShane Stafford is a gridiron football quarterback for the Dallas Vigilantes of Arena Football League . He was signed by the Tallahassee Thunder as a street free agent in 2000. He played college football at Connecticut.Prior to signing with Orlando, he played with the Tampa Bay Storm for five seasons...
- QB - Rod WilliamsRod WilliamsRod Williams is an offensive/defensive lineman for the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League. He has been with the Storm since 1999.-External links:*...
- OL/DL - Peter Tom WillisPeter Tom WillisPeter Tom Willis is a former college and professional American football quarterback. From 1998-2008 he served as the radio color commentator for the Florida State University Seminoles, where he played his collegiate football....
- QB - Adam Gibbs - WR/QB