Too Little Too Late For The San Jose SaberCats

 “We never gave in and no one ever let down even to the last second.” -- Quarterback Mark Grieb

By Barbara Mason 7/28/08
Bay Area Sports Drive E-Mail Barbara Mason
Photos by Andy Lopusnak of Bay Area Sports Drive

While many are calling it a comeback for the ages, I prefer to call it a total breakdown on the part of the San Jose SaberCats.  This is all in reference to San Jose’s last game versus the Philadelphia Soul in Week 7 this past season.  With a 33-7 lead at half time, the SaberCats dropped the game by a single point 58-57 before a shell-shocked home crowd.

If Philadelphia thinks that they will be taking on the same San Jose team, they better think again.  In all fairness, San Jose will be facing a different team in the Soul than they did in the last meeting as well, a team that will not be falling behind early.  This is the championship game and both teams will be pulling out everything that they have.  San Jose will be in search of back-to-back titles while the Soul will be making their first appearance in the bowl game.  San Jose has three titles under their belt and is looking  to make it four in this sell-out game.

Nearly nine minutes into the first quarter, the teams were tied up 7-7 with the Soul winning the coin toss and electing to receive in the second half.  It was #17 Rodney Wright who pulled in an 8-yard pass from Mark Grieb for the first score of the game.

Philadelphia answered and it was off to the races as both teams traded scores throughout the first quarter. #3 Jason Geathers scored San Jose’s second touchdown.  As the first quarter wound down the score stood at 14 apiece with San Jose in Philadelphia territory. 

#3 Jason Geathers caught his second touchdown of the game putting San Jose ahead 20-14 when A.J. Haglund missed the extra point giving the Soul a slight edge.  The score was set straight when Philadelphia scored in the next drive with their kicker Hughes also missing the extra point in a game that could not have been more even, 20-20.  With 5:55 left in the half, the Soul shut down San Jose’s 4^th and 4 for the first stop of the game.  Philadelphia went on to score the very next play taking their first lead in the game, 27-20.  The Souls third unanswered score came with 54 seconds left in the first half giving them a 34-20 half-time lead.  San Jose’s Jason Geathers caught his third score of the game with 29 seconds left for a 34-27 deficit. At the half Philadelphia had gone on to extend their lead 37-27.  The first challenge of the game by San Jose with 29 seconds left in the half was not overturned and a near fumble recovery was negated as the first two quarters were history.

As the second half began, San Jose returned the favor when they held the Soul on 4^th and 4 in their first stop of the game.  A Mark Grieb fumble in the next series gave the ball right back to Philadelphia who turned it into a score five seconds later.  The Soul held a 44-27 lead and San Jose had their work cut out for them.  Would they return the favor that happened way back in week 7?  If San Jose continued to play the way they were playing in the third quarter there would be no confetti raining down on the SaberCats.  Adding insult to injury the Soul’s #24 sacked Mark Grieb in the next series for the safety and a 46-27 lead. 

With 21 seconds left in the third quarter, the San Jose defense came to life forcing a D’Orazio fumble and scoring the next play for a 34-46 score.  It was Jason Geathers fourth touchdown of the game.  When it looked once again as if the San Jose defense had created a turnover the Soul challenge went Philadelphia’s way as they went in to score.  The 52-34 lead for Philadelphia looked insurmountable. 

San Jose continued to fight and with 1:34 they scored pulling within 10 points, 52-42, converting for the two points.  What followed had to be one of the most exciting 1:34 seconds on recent arena football record.  With 39 seconds on the clock the Soul scored to make the score 59-42.  San Jose would not go down easy and with 28 seconds left the SaberCats were up on the scoreboard for a 59-48 score when their two-point attempt failed.  San Jose recovered their on-side kick and they were back in business and with 17 seconds the SaberCats found pay dirt once again followed by a successful two-point attempt and a 59-56 deficit.  It all ended with an unsuccessful on-side kick by San Jose and the Philadelphia Soul celebrated their first ever ArenaBowl  appearance and title.  Only in arena football would one experience such an exciting one minute and 34 seconds.  It was an incredible comeback for the SaberCats and a well-deserved win by the Philadelphia Soul.

“Jason (Geathers) did a tremendous job today,” said a disappointed Coach Arbet after the game.  “We didn’t play well enough to win the football game and that’s why we didn’t win it,” he said.  He did admit to the gallant effort that the team turned in during the fourth quarter.  “I told them I was proud of them.  They could have thrown in the towel a couple of times today but they didn’t.”  He was also very pleased with the addition of instant replay, a first in this year’s bowl.  “Anytime you have an opportunity to get it right and get another look at it, it’s a good thing.”

Quarterback Mark Grieb was also very disappointed considering the chances that they saw during the game.  “We made too many mistakes and it cost us.  I was really proud of everyone on our team and the way they battled back.  We never gave in and no one ever let down even to the last second.  That’s the kind of guys that I am proud to be associated with and proud to call them my teammates,” he said.  Although voicing disappointment, Mark Grieb realized that despite all, he played as hard as he could and his team played as hard as they could and you can’t ask for more than that.   “Did I make mistakes? Yes.  Did they make mistakes? Yes.  You just move on,” said Grieb.

“I may have had five touchdowns,” said Jason Geathers after the game.  “At the end of the day, there is nothing like a win.  I would take a win over five touchdowns any day of the week especially in this type of game.” 

Well, this game may have ended in disappointment for San Jose but they have to be proud of the way that they fought to the very end.  A couple more minutes on the clock and it may have been a very different story. Yes, as coach stated, they didn’t play their best game but I would say they played their best minute and thirty-four seconds of the season.  It was an extraordinary comeback, one that almost worked; San Jose just ran out of clock.