One thread is titled, "New direction?" Another, "Is it time to panic?" A third, "Yes, it is time to panic."
Granted, consecutive losses are reason enough for most football fans to sound the alarms. But if Internet message boards are any indication, the Storm's season quickly is reaching the crisis stage.
A 54-43 loss Sunday at Carolina was Tampa Bay's fifth in six weeks and snapped the Cobras' 16-game home losing streak. And though it might not be panic time, the window quickly is closing on the Storm's chances of extending its streak of 17 playoff seasons (four as the Pittsburgh Gladiators) and coach Tim Marcum's personal stretch of 15.
With nine weeks remaining, Tampa Bay (2-5) is tied with Indiana (2-5) for 16th in the 19-team league, two games out of the eighth and final playoff spot. Only Columbus (1-6) and Grand Rapids (0-6) are in worse shape.
"Right now, what we're doing is we're finding a way to lose," Marcum said. "We've got to have some people step up and say, "You know what? We're going to find a way to win,' fight through all the adverse conditions, and I think we've got the leadership on the team to do that.
"But there's two things about having leadership: You've got to have leaders, and you've got to have followers. Right now, we've got leaders, and we don't have any followers that I see."
Wide receivers/linebackers Lawrence Samuels and David Saunders, fullback/linebacker David White and offensive/defensive lineman Kelvin Kinney are among the team's veteran leaders. But too often this season, their words seem to have fallen on deaf ears, their actions before blind eyes.
"I think when you have so many new faces in here, maybe they're not quite sold on what we do, the way we do things around here, and I think more and more they're coming to understand that the older guys that have been around here for a while know what they're doing, know what they're talking about," Marcum said.
"It's all about selling. You've got to sell a program, you've got to sell what you're peddling. Maybe, to the new guys, we haven't sold it because we haven't been successful. If we can get them to be successful, then everybody buys into it."
If they don't, they could be gone. Though Marcum has promised changes in recent weeks, injuries to Saunders, Kinney, offensive specialist Freddie Solomon and lineman Nyle Wiren slowed his hand.
Wiren is sidelined for the season with a shoulder injury. But as the rest return to the lineup, others could be on their way out.
Kicker Mike Black and defensive specialist Del Lee were released this week.
"The only thing I know to do is you've either got to get these guys better or you've got to get new guys," Marcum said. "If there comes a point in time where you don't think you can get these guys better, then you've got to get new guys."
BACK UNDER CENTER: Shane Stafford will return as the starting quarterback after the Storm lost both of Pat O'Hara's starts.
O'Hara completed 24 of 43 passes for 279 yards and six touchdowns in Sunday's loss but threw two interceptions, missed an open Clif Dell in the end zone on one fourth-down play and had several passes batted down at the line of scrimmage.
Marcum said at least two of the blocked passes weren't O'Hara's fault. "We're not getting the hands (of the defensive linemen) down," he said.
HE'S BACK: Kinney made his presence known in his first game back from a groin injury. The 6-foot-7, 280-pound offensive/defensive lineman made two tackles and forced a fumble that Ernest Certain recovered to set up T.T. Toliver's 11-yard touchdown reception late in the second quarter.
"He's only going to get better," Marcum said.
HOLDING HIS OWN: Dell was "adequate" in his first start in place of Solomon at offensive specialist, Marcum said. The South Florida graduate caught six passes for a team-leading 115 yards and three touchdowns.
Though his numbers were comparable to Solomon's, Dell lacks Solomon's ability to stretch the field. Additionally, more repetitions at the position will allow Dell to adjust the speed and depth of his routes, Marcum said.
IN THE FOLD: The Storm signed Marquel Blackwell to the practice squad last week to introduce him to Arena football. Marcum said the former USF quarterback threw the ball well, but it's "too early to tell" what potential Blackwell might have in the league.
"We've got four quarterbacks," Marcum said. "We signed him to bring him in, let him be a part of it, learn what Arena football is all about and get some throws."
