ArenaBowl V

Infobox ArenaBowl Old
sb_name = V


visitor = Storm
home = Drive
visitor_total = 48
home_total = 42

visitor_qtr1 = 7
visitor_qtr2 = 21
visitor_qtr3 = 14
visitor_qtr4 = 6

home_qtr1 = 14
home_qtr2 = 7
home_qtr3 = 9
home_qtr4 = 12

date = August 17, 1991
arena = Joe Louis Arena
city = Detroit, Michigan
attendance = 20,357
mvp = Stevie Thomas, WR/LB, Tampa Bay
ironman = Darren Willis, WR/DB, Tampa Bay
wincoach = Fran Curci
losecoach = Tim Marcum
network = Prime Network
announcers = Bill Land & Tony Hill
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Arena Bowl '91 (or Arena Bowl V) was the Arena Football League's fifth Arena Bowl. In this match-up, it pitted the #2 Tampa Bay Storm (8-2) against the #1 Detroit Drive (9-1). The Storm were in their first season in Tampa Bay, Florida since moving from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and having spent their first four seasons as the Pittsburgh Gladiators, while the Drive were trying to win an unprecedented fourth-straight Arena Bowl title.

Game summary

In the first quarter, the Storm struck first with QB Jay Gruden getting a 1-yard TD run, yet the Drive responded with QB Art Schlichter completing a 10-yard TD pass to WR/DB Gary Mullen and a 32-yard TD pass to OS George LaFrance.

In the second quarter, Tampa Bay struck back with Gruden completing a 13-yard TD pass to WR/LB Stevie Thomas. Detroit responded with FB/LB Alvin Rettig, the Storm began to take control with FB/LB Lynn Bradford getting a 3-yard TD run, while Gruden and Thomas hooked up with each other again on a 42-yard TD pass.

In the third quarter, the Drive answered with Schlichter completing a 13-yard TD pass to WR/LB Will McClay, while the Storm replied with Gruden completing a 37-yard TD pass to WR/DB Darren Willis. While Detroit could only answer with Kicker Novo Bojovic getting a 46-yard field goal, Tampa Bay increased its lead with Gruden hooking up with Thomas again with a 17-yard TD pass.

In the fourth quarter, the Drive tried to come back with Schlichter and Mullen hooking up again on a 23-yard TD pass (with a failed PAT) and FB/LB Aric Anderson getting a 1-yard TD run (with a failed 2-point conversion), the Storm wrapped the game up with Gruden and Thomas hooking up with each other once more on a 35-yard TD pass.

With the win, not only did Tampa Bay win its first-ever Arena Bowl title, but they also prevented Detroit from winning its fourth consecutive league title.

Scoring summary

1st Quarter
*TB - Gruden 1 run (Hickert kick)
*DET - Mullen 10 pass from Schlichter (Bojovic kick)
*DET - LaFrance 32 pass from Schlichter (Bojovic kick)2nd Quarter
*TB - Thomas 13 pass from Gruden (Hickert kick)
*DET - Rettig 2 run (Bojovic kick)
*TB - Bradford 3 run (Hickert kick)
*TB - Thomas 42 pass from Gruden3rd Quarter
*DET - McClay 13 pass from Schlichter (Bojovic kick failed)
*TB - Willis 37 pass from Gruden (Hickert kick)
*DET - FG Bojovic 46
*TB - Thomas 17 pass fom Gruden (Hickert kick)4th Quarter
*DET - Mullen 23 pass from Schlichter (Bojovic kick failed)
*DET - Anderson 1 run (Schlichter pass failed)
*TB - Thomas 35 pass from Gruden (Hickert kick failed)

Trivia

* On the Arena Football League's 20 Greatest Highlights Countdown (which was shown on arenafootball.com during the AFL's 20th season), this game is a #5. [http://www.arenafootball.com/mediaPlayer/video.dbml?DB_MENU_ID=&SPSID=38064&SPID=3172&DB_OEM_ID=3500&CLIP_ID=31190&CLIP_FILE_ID=35213&CONTENT_TYPE=ONDEMAND]

External links

* [http://www.arenafan.com/statistics/?page=boxscore&gameid=135 ArenaFan Box Score]