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Rush and Predators meet in Vegas for ArenaBowl Title

Posted: Thu Jun 8 12:57 PM

*** Rush and Predators meet in Vegas for ArenaBowl Title ***

(Courtesy of Arena Football)

Chicago Makes First-Ever ArenaBowl Appearance; Gruden Goes for Seventh Ring

Las Vegas, NV (Sports Network) - The ArenaBowl XX champion will be crowned on Sunday, June 11 at Thomas and Mack Center at Noon PT/3 p.m. ET on NBC. The National Conference Champion Orlando Predators (10-6, 2-0) will take on the American Conference Champion Chicago Rush (7-9, 3-0) for the Jim Foster ArenaBowl Trophy.

Orlando, the Southern Division Champions, defeated the Dallas Desperados, 45-28, last Sunday. Chicago won its third playoff road game in a row last Saturday with a 59-56 win over the San Jose SaberCats following wins at Nashville and Colorado.

The two road wins by Orlando and Chicago last week marked the first time in League history that the two road teams posted victories in the AFL Conference Championship (Semifinal) round to advance to the ArenaBowl.

Orlando has reached the playoffs for 15 straight years to tie a League record and is making its seventh ArenaBowl appearance, the most of any AFL franchise breaking a tie with the Tampa Bay Storm and Detroit Drive. Following is a list of the previous Orlando ArenaBowl appearances:

Predators DS KENNY MCENTYRE, a three-time AFL ADT Defensive Player of the Year Award winner (2000-01, 2004), and OL/DL REGGIE LEE are the lone remaining players from the last Orlando championship team that captured the ArenaBowl XIV title in 2000.

Predators Head Coach JAY GRUDEN is making his eighth ArenaBowl appearance, four as a player, four as a coach. He owns six championship rings and has a combined winning percentage of 70.2 percent as an AFL player and coach. Gruden won his first championship ring in ArenaBowl V when he completed a 35-yard touchdown pass to STEVIE THOMAS with 39 seconds remaining in the game to give Tampa Bay its first-ever ArenaBowl title.

Chicago OS BOBBY SIPPIO, who was signed by Chicago on March 29 after being released by Tampa Bay, is the AFL’s postseason leader in receptions (23), yards (342) and touchdowns (7).

Rush QB MATT D’ORAZIO is tops in the AFL postseason with 62 completions, 742 passing yards, 15 passing touchdowns, 63 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Predators QB JOE HAMILTON is right behind him with 50 yards on the ground in two games played this postseason.

Chicago Rush Head Coach MIKE HOHENSEE is making his first appearance in an ArenaBowl as a head coach. He has been a part of the AFL since its inception and is coaching in his 18th season. Hohensee quarterbacked the Pittsburgh Gladiators (1987-88) in the first ever AFL game and threw the first touchdown pass in Arena Football League history. He also played in the first ArenaBowl on August 1, 1987.