Arena League

Road to playoffs becomes a bit bumpy

By FRANK PASTOR
Published May 11, 2005

As badly as coach Tim Marcum must have felt after the Storm's 52-40 loss to Georgia on Sunday, he likely felt worse after speaking with owner Peter C. " Woody" Kern on Monday.

"He said, "You know you left about half a million dollars on the table there with hosting the two home (playoff) games?"' Marcum said.

Because division winners host divisional playoff games on May 29 and the loss cost the Storm (8-6) any chance of winning the Southern Division title, Tampa Bay likely will play its final home game of the season on Sunday against New York.

With games remaining against New York and Columbus on May 22, the Storm's best hope is to win both and earn the first of two wild-card berths.

Because teams are reseeded after each round, Tampa Bay could host the National Conference championship game June 5 provided it is the highest remaining seed in conference.

The Storm can clinch a playoff berth with a victory over New York (9-5) on Sunday combined with losses by New Orleans (8-6) to Austin (6-9) and Dallas (7-6-1) to Georgia (9-4) on Saturday.

"If we were to some way, somehow, get to 10-6 and then someone else is 10-6 or 9-7 behind us and we both were able to win (in the first round of the playoffs), we would host and reshuffle," Marcum said. "But the chances are slim."

JURISPRUDENCE: Marcum, facing charges of defrauding an insurance company, Tuesday had a trial date set for Oct.18 in Pinellas County. He is accused of filing a false $10,000 claim on his 18-foot fishing boat.

The state offered pretrial intervention, which would have required Marcum to plead guilty, but the offer came off the table once the discovery portion of the trial began, said Marcum's attorney, Ron Kurpiers.

"I personally think the prosecutor ( Doug Ellis) is just trying to make a name for himself with this case," Kurpiers said. "The more we get into discovery, the more ridiculous it is. But, unfortunately, the state attorney's office decided it wants to waste taxpayers' money."

Ellis did not immediately return messages left at his office.

Lineman Darion Conner, facing a DUI-manslaughter charge, has a primary jury trial set for July 5 and a secondary date of July 18 in Hillsborough County. Police said his sport utility vehicle struck and killed Carrollwood bicyclist Jonathan Michael Conklin in September.

Through Kurpiers, Conner rejected the state's offer of 15 years.

Both Conner and Marcum have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

SILENCED: Marcum was removed from the league's Rules and Competition Committee as part of the settlement that resulted in his four-week suspension spanning parts of this and next season for salary-cap violations in 2003 and '04, he said Monday.

CHECKING UP: In an effort to change his team's fortunes on the road, where it has lost six of seven, Marcum personally conducted bed checks for the second time in his 17-season coaching career Saturday at 11:30 p.m.

"Everybody was in, everybody was there, everybody had a good look in their eye," Marcum said. "We went out in pregame warmups, and everybody was fired up."

WHO'S IN: Quarterback Shane Stafford injured his throwing hand against Georgia but will play Sunday. Offensive specialist Freddie Solomon and lineman Ernest Certain are expected to return from injuries. Conner, who cannot travel to road games while under house arrest, is expected back in the lineup.

WHO'S OUT: Lineman Nyle Wiren will miss at least another week with shoulder and knee injuries. Fullback/linebacker Umar Muhammad could be sidelined longer with an ankle injury.

[Last modified May 11, 2005, 00:47:09]