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The Storm has Alvin Ashley, one of the Arena League's most decorated players, on board.
By FRANK PASTOR
© St. Petersburg Times, published June 29, 2002
When the Storm signed the veteran wide receiver/defensive back late last week, it sought an offensive sparkplug and depth in the secondary.
In Ashley, a two-time All-Arena selection and one of three players in league history with 6,000 receiving and 6,000 return yards, it should find both.
It also got one of the most flamboyant players in the league.
Through his nine-year career, Ashley has punctuated touchdowns with leaps into the stands, a practice he plans to continue in Tampa Bay.
"I'm not going to change," Ashley said. "That's just my personality. I've already been in the locker room joking with the guys, so the team has taken me well.
"I'm Mr. Funny Guy, and I think when you're laughing, that's the best medicine for the body. It takes your mind off a lot of stuff you don't need to think about."
The Storm has had much to forget this season, such as being last in the Southern Division, its franchise-high seven regular-season losses and potential season-ending injuries to four starters.
Knee injuries to defensive specialists Melvin Cunningham and Corey Sawyer preceded Ashley's signing on June20.
"I don't think there's another guy we could have gotten out there that could bring us that much experience on both sides of the football," Storm coach Tim Marcum said.
Ashley, 32, entered the season ranked seventh among active players in scoring (830 points), fifth in receptions (547) and third in kick return yards (5,504 yards).
Yet, the Fort Myers native was waived by New Jersey June11, four days before the Gladiators' 55-33 victory over the Storm. It's one game he is sorry he missed.
"I'm still upset how I was released from there even though I played with (New Jersey coach Frank) Haege (in Milwaukee, Minnesota and New Jersey) and I was captain on the team and got no explanation on why he released me," Ashley said. "I'm still a little bitter on that, so I wish I would have been here to play against those guys."
Haege said Ashley got caught in a numbers game after Sedrick Robinson and James Bowden returned from injured reserve.
"We thought it was best for our team to let Alvin go and kind of move on," Haege said.
Ashley caught 26 passes for 283 yards and four touchdowns in eight games with New Jersey this season. He started practicing with Tampa Bay June18 and had a 10-yard reception in Saturday's 62-56 loss at Dallas.
Ashley said most Arena teams use similar plays, but he has had to adjust to new terminology.
"I'm getting it down," he said. "The guys out there are helping me out. The quarterback is doing a good job getting me into position so I know. Hopefully, when the game comes, I'll be fine."
Ashley expects to return some of the swagger Tampa Bay lost without Cunningham and Sawyer.
"Hopefully, I can come back and add a little spunk to the team, because that's my character," Ashley said. "I like to keep the guys up, joke around and play for the fans.
"I feed off the fans. So, if the fans are up and loud and rowdy, I am too. That's my character. It's always been that."