ArenaBowl XXIII
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Date | August 20, 2010 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Arena | Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena,Spokane, Washington | ||||||||||||||||||
MVP | Kyle Rowley,QB, Spokane
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Attendance | 11,017 | ||||||||||||||||||
Winning coach | Rob Keefe | ||||||||||||||||||
Losing coach | Tim Marcum | ||||||||||||||||||
TV in the United States | |||||||||||||||||||
Network | NFL Network | ||||||||||||||||||
Announcers | Paul Burmeister,Kurt Warner,Anthony Herron, andAri Wolfe[1] | ||||||||||||||||||
NAPA Auto PartsArenaBowl XXIIIwas anarena footballgame between the National Conference champion,Spokane Shockand the American Conference champion,Tampa Bay Storm.The Spokane Shock won the game successfully defendingArenaCup Xof the former af2. The game was played on August 20,2010,and was held at theSpokane Veterans Memorial ArenainSpokane, Washington,the first non-neutral site since 2004 (ArenaBowl XVIII). The game was shown live on theNFL Network,as well as a tape delay onEurosport 2.The corporate sponsor wasNAPA Auto Parts.
Background
[edit]Tampa Bay Storm
[edit]See:2010 Tampa Bay Storm season
Looking for their sixth championship in franchise history, and first sinceArenaBowl XVIIin2003,the Tampa Bay Storm succeeded in their first season back since 2008. Led by quarterbackBrett Dietz,who threw for 5,054 yards and 106 touchdowns in the regular season (both franchise records), they finished 11–5, 2nd in the South division, and 3rd in the American Conference.
Week | Date | Opponent | Home/Away | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | April 3 | Tulsa Talons | Away | L48–54 |
2 | Bye | |||
3 | April 16 | Dallas Vigilantes | Home | W54–41 |
4 | April 25 | Milwaukee Iron | Away | L61–72 |
5 | May 1 | Arizona Rattlers | Home | W62–61 |
6 | May 7 | Jacksonville Sharks | Home | L43–46 |
7 | May 15 | Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings | Away | W48–44 |
8 | May 22 | Bye | ||
9 | May 28 | Orlando Predators | Away | W62–50 |
10 | June 5 | Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz | Home | W50–48 |
11 | June 12 | Alabama Vipers | Away | W61–55 |
12 | June 19 | Utah Blaze | Away | W65–40 |
13 | June 25 | Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings | Home | W78–39 |
14 | July 2 | Chicago Rush | Home | W68–60 |
15 | July 9 | Dallas Vigilantes | Away | W56–34 |
16 | July 16 | Jacksonville Sharks | Away | L47–49 |
17 | July 24 | Alabama Vipers | Home | W53–49 |
18 | July 30 | Orlando Predators | Home | L60–75 |
– | August 7 | Tulsa Talons | Road | W68–38 |
– | August 14 | Orlando Predators | Home | W63–62 |
Spokane Shock
[edit]The Spokane Shock, fresh off theirArenaCup Xvictory in what would be the lastarenafootball2season, earned their spot in the postseason by going 13–3 in the regular season, the AFL's best record in 2010, which gave them home field advantage throughout the entire playoffs. It's the Shock's first ArenaBowl in franchise history, having three previousArenaCupappearances in af2.
Week | Date | Opponent | Home/Away | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | April 2 | Milwaukee Iron | Home | L62–74 |
2 | April 9 | Utah Blaze | Away | W68–34 |
3 | April 17 | Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings | Home | W78–70 |
4 | Bye | |||
5 | May 1 | Cleveland Gladiators | Home | L68–72 |
6 | May 7 | Arizona Rattlers | Away | W63–56 |
7 | May 16 | Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz | Away | W68–63 |
8 | May 22 | Utah Blaze | Home | W77–28 |
9 | May 29 | Jacksonville Sharks | Home | W67–57 |
10 | Bye | |||
11 | June 12 | Orlando Predators | Away | W53–52 |
12 | June 18 | Tulsa Talons | Home | W63–42 |
13 | June 26 | Milwaukee Iron | Away | W62–48 |
14 | July 2 | Arizona Rattlers | Home | W37–36 |
15 | July 10 | Cleveland Gladiators | Away | W62–56 (OT) |
16 | July 16 | Iowa Barnstormers | Away | W62–61 |
17 | July 23 | Chicago Rush | Home | W63–49 |
18 | July 30 | Jacksonville Sharks | Away | L49–64 |
– | August 6 | Arizona Rattlers | Home | W57–49 |
– | August 12 | Milwaukee Iron | Home | W60–57 |
Broadcasting
[edit]ArenaBowl XXIII was televised on the NFL Network and Eurosport 2. It was available in 48 countries worldwide. Radio broadcasts were available in the local markets ofTampa BayandSpokaneonly.
NFL Network
[edit]NFL Network delivered live coverage outside of the United States to these countries:
Canada
Mexico
United Kingdom
Eurosport 2
[edit]The AFL had a taped delayed broadcast available in the following countries:
France
Ireland
Italy
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Russia
Bulgaria
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Serbia
Turkey
Denmark
Ukraine
Croatia
Radio
[edit]These were the radio broadcasting groups present:
Washington State:Spokane- 700amESPN Radio700 ESPN The Ticket
Florida:Tampa Bay- 1250am Impact RadioWHNZ Tampa Bay
Playoffs
[edit]This was the 2010 playoff grid to determine ArenaBowl Champion:
Conference Semifinals | Conference Championship | ArenaBowl XXIII | ||||||||||||
1 | Jacksonville | 69 | ||||||||||||
4 | Orlando | 73 | ||||||||||||
4 | Orlando | 62 | ||||||||||||
American Conference | ||||||||||||||
3 | Tampa Bay | 63 | ||||||||||||
2 | San Antonio | 38 | ||||||||||||
3 | Tampa Bay | 68 | ||||||||||||
A3 | Tampa Bay | 57 | ||||||||||||
N1 | Spokane | 69 | ||||||||||||
1 | Spokane | 57 | ||||||||||||
4 | Arizona | 49 | ||||||||||||
1 | Spokane | 60 | ||||||||||||
National Conference | ||||||||||||||
2 | Milwaukee | 57 | ||||||||||||
2 | Milwaukee | 64 | ||||||||||||
3 | Chicago | 54 |
In the opening round of the playoffs, Spokane defeated theArizona Rattlers57–49,[2]while the Storm took care of theTulsa Talons68–38.[3]In the National Conference Championship game, Spokane edged out theMilwaukee Iron60–57.[4]In another close contest, the Storm knocked off rivalOrlando63–62 in the first playoff meeting ofThe War on I-4since2003,winning the American Conference Championship and punching their ticket to ArenaBowl XXIII.[5]
Game summary
[edit]First half
[edit]The Tampa Bay Storm received the opening kickoff, driving 45 yards in 11 plays to take a 7–0 lead on a three-yard run by Eric Ortiz. But this would be the only time in the game the Storm would lead by more than one point.
Spokane scored the next three touchdowns to take a 20–7 lead. Huey Whittaker caught the first one fromKyle Rowley,andMarkee Whitegrabbed the next two, both from four yards out.
Tampa Bay finally answered with 5:49 left in the first half, another rushing score by Ortiz to make the score 20–14.
After Markee White's third receiving touchdown gave the Shock a 27–14 lead, Tampa Bay scored consecutive touchdowns to take a 28–27 lead. But Spokane got the last points of the half. White's fourth touchdown from Rowley made it 34–28. Tampa had a chance to add three points as the first half expired, butGarrett Rivas's field goal was blocked.
Second half
[edit]The Storm took its final lead of the game 35–34 to open the third quarter on Ortiz's third rushing touchdown. But Spokane would score the next three touchdowns. The Shock led 48–35 at the end of the third quarter and expanded it to 55–35 at the beginning of the final quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the Shock just wanted to keep the clock running and force the Storm to play catch up. Both teams traded touchdowns through the entire quarter, and Tampa Bay could not make up the deficit. The Storm got the game's last score with 44 seconds left, making it 69–57, the closest it got all quarter.
Game notes
[edit]Spokane Shock quarterback Kyle Rowley was named the game's MVP. He went 24 for 32 with 237 yards. He threw nine touchdown passes without an interception and added another touchdown on the run. The nine touchdowns he threw for set an ArenaBowl record.
Spokane did not have a 100 yard receiver but Markee White caught nine passes for 99 yards and four scores. Huey Whittaker had four touchdown receptions as well to go along with eight catches for 82 yards.
The Shocks' Mervin Brookins andTravis Williamseach recorded an interception.
For Tampa Bay, quarterbackBrett Dietzthrew for 306 yards on 29 of 40 passing. He had four touchdown passes and two interceptions. The Storm'sHank Edwardsled the game with 11 catches for 132 yards. He caught two of Dietz's scoring passes. Tyrone Timmons also had eight receptions for 107 yards and a score.
Attendance
[edit]The announced attendance for ArenaBowl XXIII was 11,017. The game was a sellout, at 102% capacity givenSpokane Arena's 10,771 capacity. However, it was the second lowest attended ArenaBowl in league history, second only toArenaBowl XIXin 2005. That game between theGeorgia ForceandColorado Crushwas the AFL's first neutral site ArenaBowl with 10,822 fans at theThomas & Mack CenterinLas Vegas,Nevada.
References
[edit]- ^"Former Super Bowl MVP Kurt Warner Calls Arena Bowl on NFL Network".Spokane Shock.August 12, 2010.Archivedfrom the original on 20 August 2010.RetrievedAugust 15,2010.
- ^"Spokane moves on".Spokane Shock.August 6, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon November 28, 2010.RetrievedAugust 15,2010.
- ^"Storm Earn Second-Round Playoff Berth With 68-38 Rout Of Talons".Tampa Bay Storm.August 7, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon December 31, 2010.RetrievedAugust 15,2010.
- ^"Spokane moves on".Spokane Shock.August 6, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon November 28, 2010.RetrievedAugust 15,2010.
- ^"Storm Punch Ticket To ArenaBowl XXIII With 63-62 Win Over Predators".Tampa Bay Storm.August 14, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 21 August 2010.RetrievedAugust 15,2010.
- ArenaBowl
- 2010 Arena Football League season
- 2010 in sports in Washington (state)
- Tampa Bay Storm
- Spokane Shock
- American football competitions in Washington (state)
- 2010 in American television
- August 2010 sports events in the United States
- Sports competitions in Spokane, Washington
- 2010s in Spokane, Washington