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My first arena football game
7/28/2010 12:25:10 PM
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Splash staff writer
We will, we will SHOCK you.
We will, we will SHOCK you.
These were the first words I heard as the family and I headed up to our seats one row from the top of the Spokane Arena for my first-ever Arena Football League game.
I admittedly was underwhelmed at the lack of originality in taking the classic song by Queen and trading an "R" for a "Sh" to rile up the crowd.
But then the kickoff happened, and I was sucked in.
I loved the amount of scoring. I loved the passion of the crowd. I loved the fact that the Spokane Shock is a winning team (as a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, I need some guaranteed winners in my life).
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You see, most of my life I have avoided knock-off football leagues. I have never seen a Canadian Football League game, the World Football League folded the year I was born, NFL Europe made no sense to me and I hated the XFL, so I was slow to embrace the idea of arena football.
But after last weekend's Shock experience, I would say there are tons of reasons to check out an indoor game of football that slightly resembles a pinball game. In fact, in honor of the 11th consecutive win for the Shock (yeah, I am a bandwagon-jumper), I present 11 reasons I love arena football.
Instant offense
Literally every possession can go to the house for six points. The first half was filled with trading touchdowns back and forth. Neither team could be stopped. It was like playing Tecmo Bowl and scoring every time you got the ball.
Ridiculous stats
Kyle Rowley, the Shock quarterback, has 89 touchdown passes in 14 games. That sounds impressive until you realize the league leader has 103. If I could have one of these guys for just half a season, I would dominate my fantasy football league.
The vuvuzela
I still have World Cup fever, and watching the kid two rows in front of me let loose on his horn brought a smile to my face. The classic South African horn was just a small picture of the crazed fans that made the Shock experience a blast.
No punting allowed
You are forbidden from punting in the Arena Football League. It doesn't matter if it is fourth down and an acre to go, you have to attempt a field goal or go for it. Can you imagine Peyton Manning going for it on fourth and 25 from his own 10-yard line? Neither can I, which is a reason to love arena football.
The coach
The coach is allowed to be on the field of play during the game. That is so cool. As a high school basketball coach, I can't help but think how effective our 2-3 zone would be if I could coach from the floor and turn it into a 3-3 zone - we would dominate on defense!
Fan interaction
Whether it was fans giving pep talks to players before the kickoff or cheering and jeering from the front row as players crash into the sideboards, the amount of fan involvement is higher then any other sport I have seen. The players even hung around after the game to sign autographs.
5 p.m. start time
As a parent of three kids, I loved the early start time. As a driver of a car with three kids fighting through rush-hour traffic, I was less than thrilled with the start time. But the fact that my kids could watch a complete game and still be home at a normal time was huge. I realize most games start at 7 p.m., but here is one vote for early start times if you really want kids to get hooked on your team.
The net
At the backside of each end zone is a 32-foot-high rebound net surrounding the uprights. A ball bouncing off the net on kickoffs is live until controlled by one of the teams. Pure guts is standing with your back to eight hard-charging defenders while waiting for the ball to come down off the net.
The players' area
Baseball players have a dugout. Basketball players have a bench. NFL players have a sideline. The arena football players had a concrete slab. To enhance the fan experience, (the whole field is surrounded with fans in the immediate front row) the teams don't have sideline benches but all stand around on opposite corners of the field. No comfy seats, just a cattle pen.
Kurt Warner
The former NFL most valuable player and Super Bowl champion got his start in Des Moines, Iowa, with the Arena League Iowa Barnstormers. While trying to get his big break in football, he stocked shelves at the local Hy-Vee grocery chain. I have now managed to plug my hometown and my employer throughout high school and college in one column - thank you, arena football.
Family friendly
Between promotions for the kids, lots of action on the field and a venue where there aren't bad seats, my Arena Football League experience was extremely family friendly. My son Jonathan only had one complaint throughout the night - it was too loud when the Shock scored - and in the world of arena football, the scoring comes quickly and frequently.
Splash Staff Writer Chad Kimberley is embarking on multiple "firsts" this summer for an occasional Splash column series.