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Vagabonds pull Storm through

They are the hand-me-downs, leftovers and trade-ins. Former Arena Football League stars, ex-XFLers, NFL never-weres. This is the discard pile from which the Storm drew in its frantic attempt to turn around a 6-8 season that saw six starters lost to injuries.

Now, everyone else's trash has become Tampa Bay's treasure.

"I've got one guy who's got (an ArenaBowl) ring on his finger, (receiver/linebacker) Lawrence Samuels," coach Tim Marcum said. "All the rest of these guys are vagabonds. They've come from here, there and yonder."

They're united in a common cause: get the four-time champion Storm back to the ArenaBowl.

After Saturday's 66-41 opening-round playoff victory at Los Angeles, 12th-seeded Tampa Bay is one of eight teams still in contention. The Storm got contributions from 11 players who were not with the team, or even playing football, when it lost to the Avengers 38-24 two months ago.

Some, like offensive specialist Calvin Schexnayder, were coming off injuries. Others, such as receiver/defensive back Alvin Ashley, got lost in a numbers game. Still others, such as receiver/defensive back Keita Crespina, fell out of favor with their former teams.

Fullback/linebacker David White, receiver/linebacker David Saunders, receiver/defensive back David McLeod and defensive specialist Antoine Toliver were out of the game.

But they found a home in Tampa Bay, where quarterback John Kaleo, offensive specialist Freddie Solomon, defensive specialists Melvin Cunningham and Corey Sawyer, offensive/defensive lineman Torry Epps and kicker Mike Black were lost to injuries.

Marcum liked Crespina, who played in New Jersey last season. His assistants identified some others: Lary Kuharich coached Saunders last season in New Jersey, Mitch Matuska found Toliver through a contact with the NFL's Atlanta Falcons and Doug Kay lobbied for McLeod, who played for Kay when he coached the AFL's Carolina Cobras.

"Hopefully, you pick up the phone and make a call to the right guy," Marcum said.

Marcum will continue to draw to his hand, as NFL teams make cuts. The Storm can bring in any player who is not on another team's exempt list.

But Marcum likes this group: "Right now, we feel like no one else we could bring in could upgrade a particular situation."

DEE-FENSE: How did a team that allowed 51.1 points a game during the regular season hold Los Angeles to 41? By pressuring quarterback Tony Graziani and playing more zone defense than any other time this season.

Troy Wilson, Darion Conner and Nyle Wiren led the charge up front.

"There's no question we won the line of scrimmage in the second half," Marcum said. "When you do that, then you're going to be successful. I don't care what level of football you play."

IN GOOD COMPANY: The three Southern Division teams in the playoffs were a combined 19-23 during the regular season. But Tampa Bay, Orlando (32-27 winner over Buffalo) and Carolina (72-64 over Grand Rapids) started the postseason 3-0.

NOTEWORTHY: The Storm was the first team with a losing record to win a playoff game in the league's 16 seasons. Carolina was the second. ... Shane Stafford's seven touchdown passes tied the team record shared by Jay Gruden and Kaleo for most in a playoff game.

AWARDS: Saunders was named MVP and Crespina received the Ironman award in voting by Storm players and coaches.

INJURY UPDATE: Wilson, who played with a sore groin, is questionable for Saturday's 3 p.m. game at San Jose. Toliver has a deep thigh bruise but is expected to play.

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