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© St. Petersburg Times, published June 18, 2002
A knee injury kept James Bowden out of New Jersey's 55-33 victory over the Storm on Saturday, but the Gladiators offensive specialist still had a personal stake in the outcome.
Bowden, who spent two seasons with Tampa Bay before being traded to New Jersey last year, believes he was treated unfairly by coach Tim Marcum.
"I've had this game marked on my calendar ever since things went on in Tampa like they did," Bowden said.
Bowden was an All-Arena second team selection last season after catching 90 passes for 1,205 yards and 26 touchdowns and returning 60 kickoffs or missed field goals for 1,318 yards and another score.
But three months after the season, he was traded to New Jersey for offensive/defensive lineman Rondel Marsh, who was released two months after the trade.
Marcum would not say why he traded the team's most productive offensive player.
"That's old news," he said. "That news is lining the parakeet's cage or wrapping the fish."
Bowden believes he was dealt because of comments he made to a reporter after the Storm's 68-31 loss to Indiana in the playoffs.
He said he was asked how much blame quarterback John Kaleo (who had three interceptions that day, two that were returned for touchdowns) should shoulder for the loss.
Bowden said he told the reporter it wasn't right to blame one player because he, too, had his worst game that day.
"I said, "Every position didn't play good,' and made the statement, "Even Coach didn't have his best game,' " Bowden said. "I was spreading the blame, and (Marcum) took offense to that."
Bowden said he went to Marcum's office after the comment appeared and tried to explain himself.
"He still took offense," Bowden said. "So his thing was to try to trade me."
But not just anywhere, according to Bowden.
Bowden said he thinks Marcum purposely traded him to the league's worst team. New Jersey was 2-12 last season.
The roles have been reversed. While the Storm (3-6) got off to the worst start in its history, the Gladiators are 6-3 and first in the Eastern Division.
"Tell them, "Thank you,' " Bowden said.
Bowden caught 15 passes for 196 yards and three touchdowns in four games before tearing his medial collateral ligament May 11 against Carolina. He spent four weeks on injured reserve before returning to practice last week.
The Storm tried Carlos Johnson, Jahine Arnold and Gunnard Twyner at offensive specialist before signing Calvin Schexnayder three weeks ago. The former AFL Offensive Player of the Year has 19 catches for 261 yards and four touchdowns in three games with the Storm, including two wins.
"I really like him," Marcum said. "If you had your choice, which would you rather have?"
INJURY UPDATE: Wide receiver/defensive back Melvin Cunningham is out for the season after an MRI revealed he tore the anterior cruciate, posterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligament in his right knee.
The team awaited results of an MRI on defensive specialist Corey Sawyer's injured right knee late Monday.
RECORD BROKEN: With eight catches Saturday, New Jersey's Mike Horacek broke Lawrence Samuels' team record for receptions in a season (65). Horacek has 68.