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By FRANK PASTOR, Times Staff WriterTampa Bay starts its season Sunday with minimal turnover, a rarity in Arena football.
TAMPA - Lawrence Samuels had options.
As a free agent this offseason, the Storm wide receiver/linebacker could have signed with another team, made more money, perhaps moved to a bigger market where he would have been recognized as one of the Arena Football League's top two-way players.
But, like most of his teammates, he returned to the Storm.
Which, Tampa Bay hopes, means it soon could return to the ArenaBowl.
In a game in which players sign one- and two-year deals, turnover is a constant. Yet the Storm, which opens the season Sunday against the defending champion San Jose SaberCats, managed to keep 18 players from last year, including each of its starters.
Among playoff teams, only San Jose and Orlando (19 each) returned more players.
"I left the team one time," said Samuels, who signed with New Jersey in 2001. "I'm not going to say I didn't enjoy it and the money factor, but there's something about playing where you like to play. I could have easily went and signed with somebody else in the offseason. It's not that I didn't have offers. But if you enjoy playing with a group of guys that you like being around, I think that's more important."
While teams such as Philadelphia and Grand Rapids threw big contracts at free agents such as quarterback Tony Graziani and offensive specialist Chris Jackson, the Storm brought back its own top-tier players at more reasonable prices.
"I just don't feel that's the way to do it, is to go spend all of your money on one guy or two guys and the rest of them, "Let them eat cake,' " Storm coach and general manager Tim Marcum said. "Most of our guys have been around $55,000 and $60,000. Instead of taking one or two or three at $120,000 (each), you've got two guys for $120,000. Do that all the way down, and you've got a nucleus of guys who are making $50,000 and $60,000."
The Storm got the ball rolling by re-signing offensive specialist Freddie Solomon to a two-year contract in April. Quarterback Shane Stafford, receiver/defensive back T.T. Toliver, receiver/linebacker David Saunders, defensive specialists Tramain Jones and Jonathan Ordway and linemen Ernest Certain and Darion Conner also agreed to terms before the start of the free-agency period, which likely would have driven up their asking price.
Samuels, kicker Matt George, fullback/linebacker Umar Muhammad and backup quarterbacks Pat O'Hara and Stoney Case went the free-agency route before re-signing.
Two key linemen, Kelvin Kinney and Nyle Wiren, already were under contract.
"When I saw the group of people that had already signed back here and recommitted to the Storm, it seemed almost foolish to go somewhere else," Stafford, 28, said. "For me, the reason I didn't go test the free-agent market is I wasn't concerned with the money and coach stepped up and came up with something comfortable. I want to win now, while I'm young. I want to win championships, because you don't know how long you're going to be in this league."
Stafford knows how fickle success can be. He watched from the stands as the Storm won its fifth ArenaBowl two seasons ago. Back on the field last season, he endured a 3-7 start that jeopardized the team's then-13-season playoff streak before rallying Tampa Bay to victories in its final six games.
Returning so many players should help the Storm avoid a similarly slow start this season. Because the bulk of the team is familiar with the system and the coaches' expectations, it made for a tighter locker room and more productive training camp.
Before they have played a snap, Kinney knows Wiren prefers to line up on the left and Stafford understands how Solomon, Toliver, Samuels and Saunders run routes differently.
"You have a foundation," Kinney said. "It's like building a house. Once you've got a foundation, then you know you can put the bricks and the rest of the pieces together. But without a foundation, the house has nothing to stand on."
Cracks formed in the foundation when Saunders sprained an ankle the final week of camp and Toliver (torn MCL), fullback/linebacker David White (high ankle sprain) and lineman Rod Williams (dislocated finger) were injured during a scrimmage last weekend against Orlando.
All four will start the season on injured reserve, with Toliver expected to be out six to eight weeks. In a fix, the Storm will turn to Lynaris Elpheage or recently signed Anthony Derricks to replace Toliver on defense with Clif Dell taking Toliver's place on offense.
Another newcomer who could make an impact is fullback/linebacker Elfrid Payton. The 37-year-old ranks second in Canadian Football League history in sacks and had three against Orlando.
But if history is a guide, the players who have been around for a few seasons ultimately will determine the Storm's fate.
"The teams that win are the teams that keep the same group of guys together," Samuels said. "You look at it, San Jose, they keep the same group of guys. Arizona, they keep the same group of guys. Orlando, they keep the same group of guys. You carry that into a season, and basically your identity and everything is already formed."