Utah outlasted its division rivals in the first matchup, 60-59, at EnergySolutions Arena in a penalty-riddled game against the SaberCats (6-2) this season. The SaberCats lead the AFL in total offense (337.6 ypg) and passing offense (317.8 ypg) and the Blaze should expect another chaotic offensive duel with them. The SaberCats are ranking second in scoring offense (66.5 ppg). The Blaze are ranking fourth in total offense and third in passing and scoring offense under the guidance of quarterback Tommy Grady and they aren’t exactly pushovers with the football.

Last week, Grady tied an AFL record with 11 touchdown strikes and they remained atop the leader’s board in total passing touchdowns (61) and offensive touchdowns (67). After hauling in five TDs last week, Aaron Lesue boosted his AFL-best touchdown receptions to 30. The SaberCats approach their season’s halfway point and are presently in a good place.

San Jose (6-2) can take sole possession of first place Friday night with a win over the Blaze at HP Pavilion. They are tied with Utah (6-2) atop the Arena Football League’s West Division entering the ninth game of its 18-game schedule. The Cats have won five of their past six games, including three on the road and four straight games.

The loss of two offensive starters is the latest challenge confronting the SaberCats. Last Saturday against Arizona, leading receiver Ben Nelson (59 catches, 891 yards, 18 touchdowns) was injured and so was fullback Tommy Taggart (28 carries, 76 yards, nine TDs). Under AFL rules, both players will miss at least four games.

Virgil Gray was sorely missed. He is the heart and soul of the secondary and an electric return man. The Rattlers (3-2) went 16-2 and they have now lost as many games as all of the 2011 regular season. Rattlers had a narrow win over the Spokane Shock, where Gray did not play because of an ankle injury suffered.

In the end zone, Arizona opened the scoring just seconds into the game when they recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff to take a quick 7-0 lead. However, when QB J.J. Raterink connected with WR Jesse Schmidt from 14 yards out to tie the game 7-7, the Barnstormers responded. The game was halted for approximately 30 minutes due to a lightning strike and subsequent power outage, with Arizona leading 28-27 with seven minutes remaining in the second quarter. They continued to match each other in typical Arena Football fashion, when the two teams returned to the field, ending the first half knotted at 34-34.

Iowa took the lead for good when Raterink again connected with Schmidt, this time from 38 yards out, with the game tied at 40-40. Schmidt was back in his usual form chalking up 11 receptions for 129 yards and 6 touchdowns on the night, after being held to just 3 catches last week. Iowa sealed the victory with a 23-yard field goal from kicker Craig Camay and a 4th quarter interception by DB Derek Pegues. Raterink finished the night completing, 7 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, with 23 of 33 for 257 yards. Strong play of Maurice Purify, who had 12 catches for 150 yards and four TDs, was the Rattlers’ only bright spot.

Injuries have riddled the Rattlers, especially on the defensive side. Although, they pride themselves in having depth. Leading up to next Sunday’s big game, Coach Kevin Guy will make sure they come out intense in practices.

On Friday April 20, the Barnstormers are back on the road next week, as they head to Utah to battle the Blaze. On Saturday, April 28, Iowa returns home when they take on the San Jose Sabercats at 7:05pm. Plenty of time to find the best betting lines on these exciting matchups

His NFL dream may be over, but in professional sports, expecting the unexpected is what draws athletes and fans.

San Jose coach Darren Arbet said that in this season, Adam has been one of the backbones of their defense and he cannot really say adequate about Adam’s impact on the team. He added that he has heard about him playing for the Tulsa Talons in 2010 and he has been very pleased with the level of play he has given to the team in 2011.

Arbet has moved Mervin Brookins from defense to offense, as he is anxious to plug holes that a wave of injuries and other issues have left in his receiving unit.

With former NFL player Jared Tomich and current players Mike Neal (Packers), Prince Kwateng (UFL) and Pierre Thomas (Saints), Huebner retains contact from all from the region, often in quest of their advice for problems on and off the field.

When the SaberCats travel to face the Utah Blaze on Saturday, Brookins will line up at wide receiver for the second straight game. The Cats (5-4) have put some distance between themselves and Utah in the Arena Football League playoff hunt and they are looking to shatter a two-game losing streak. In the West Division, the third-place Blaze (4-4) trails second-place San Jose by a half-game.

The Barnstormers (2-6) committed four turnovers and gave up a safety. In spite of falling behind 17-7 in the first quarter after two turnovers of its own, Central Division leader Dallas (6-2) won its fourth match in a row.

When the giveaways began piling up in the second quarter, Iowa couldn’t make the two possession advantage stand up. With the Barnstormers threatening to pull within a touchdown the fourth turnover quarterback Brad Banks’ third interception proved critical in the fourth quarter. As an alternative, with 9:09 left, Dallas converted the pick into a touchdown and a 62-44 lead.

As Banks, who threw five touchdown passes, was flagged for intentional grounding in the end zone, resulting in a safety and a 64-44 Dallas lead, the disaster struck again a minute later.

In spite of a good start with two big defensive plays, the Barnstomers trailed 41-37 at halftime. The Barnstormers’ Cameron McGlenn intercepted Vigilantes quarterback Dan Raudabaugh, on the first play of the game. Even though Iowa settled for a 31-yard field goal by Kyle Schlicher and a 3-0 lead, McGlenn returned the pick 27 yards to the Dallas 14.

The Barnstormers’ Patrick Stoudamire picked off a pass and returned it 16 yards for a touchdown and a 17-7 lead, later in the first quarter. In the second quarter the Barnstormers’ offense committed two costly turnovers. When Todd Blythe hauled in a 32-yard pass but was stripped by Dallas’ Jason Harmon the first came. At the eight yard line, Vigilantes defensive back Chris Brown fell on the loose ball. For a 27-24 lead, Dallas scored five plays later.

Brown picked off a pass in the end zone, on the Barnstormers’ next possession. With a minute left before half, Dallas scored on the ensuing drive for a 34-24 lead.

Of the season, the Sydney Swans have been one of the real sleepers. The Swans have been one of the most impressive teams in the competition, apart from a loss to Geelong in their most recent game.

In the midfield, midfielders Jude Bolton and Kieren Jack have led the way, as has Adam Goodes who continues to be one of the most dangerous players going around. On the injury front, Campbell Heath looks a fortnight from being available from his knee, while Alex Johnson will miss with a hamstring injury. Nick Malceski is a month away from a return to action. He underwent LARS surgery during the off-season.

Defender Chris Yarran will be given a fitness test to see whether he has any ill consequences from the hamstring discomfort he sustained against the Crows. In the VFL, Paul Bower underwent a recurrence of his thigh injury and he will miss at least another week. Ryan Houlihan is two to three weeks from a comeback from his calf problem, while off-season recruit Andrew Collins has a shoulder complaint. Mark Austin and Levi Casboult are the Blues major long-term concerns, while Matthew Kreuzer is still a little while away yet. Marc Murphy and Andrew Walker are hitting their stride, while Chris Judd is in the sort of form that you would expect of him.

After the availability of the bookmaker prices, the betting odds for Cats are 8/11 and Swans 11/10.

Against the likewise in-form Sydney Swans, the Cats have won their past eight games, but none of those was at the SCG. To the bigger ANZ Stadium at Homebush, the Swans have a preference for the small confines of the cricket ground. In the last fight at the SCG six years ago, the Swans had beaten Geelong.

A triumph over Geelong on Saturday will help boost up the Swans on the course towards a flourishing 2011 season, believes Sydney midfielder Josh Kennedy.

Before a Friday night clash with Carlton at the SCG on April 29, the Swans have their first bye of the season next week. Having beaten Essendon and West Coast and drawing with Melbourne in the opening round, the Swans have yet to experience defeat this season.

With the Cats showing few signs of distress with life in the post-Gary Ablett era at Skilled Stadium, Kennedy forecasts the midfield battle could dictate the result of the game.

For Saturday night’s AFL game against Sydney at the SCG, Geelong has found themselves with a list brimful with talent to pick. Cats coach Chris Scott says he is optimistic that along with experienced stars Andrew Mackie and David Wojcinski, defender Tom Lonergan will be in shape to join them.

Passing for 29-of-39 and 306 yards, throwing seven touchdowns and running for two more, Grady was the unquestionable star of the game. This weekend, the team heads to Orlando for its first road game against the hometown Predators. Grady said that he had been working with his receivers for the past few days.

For the Russell Athletic Defensive Player of the Game went to DB William Mulder (6-0, 190, Campbellsville).

Robinson, in the Sharks 71-57 triumph over Georgia had seven tackles, two interceptions and five pass breakups, and he was judged the Riddell defensive player of the week.

In the fourth quarter of the Shock’s Week 2 game against the Gladiators, White (6-7, 215, Texas State) made a marvelous touchdown catch over the boards and finished with 10 catches for 103 yards and three touchdowns, making him the Cutters catch of the week.

JLS Ironman of the week went to Wright (5-9, 175, Fresno State), who in the SaberCats 60-57 Week 2 triumph over the Command caught 11 balls for 133 yards and a touchdown on offense. In the return game, he made his existence felt with seven returns for 164 yards.

Nifty playmakers of the game went to Rucker (6-5, 220, Eastern Illinois), who caught 11 balls for 83 yards and two touchdowns in his first Arena Football game, thereby making an impressive debut for the Rush.

Last Friday night, the Lions dreams were shattered from the NAB Cup competition. Over the next few weeks, the Lions will take part in a series of NAB Challenge practice matches in the lead-up to the 2011 season. For the Victorian-based Lions fans, this will be the second successive week that Lions supporters are able to see the squad live in action.

Traditional Victorian members and Victorian Plus members along with all 2011 Lions members will get free of charge permit into this Saturday’s NAB Challenge match. They need to have entry right memberships. To enable non-members to sign up for 2011, the Lions will also have a marquee placed at the ground.

Brisbane has fired Brendan Fevola. They took no notice of his last frantic requests to save his AFL career. Fevola’s misfortunes and private hitches have added up to the point that the Lions simply could not keep him, since he moved to Brisbane from Carlton at the end of 2009.

This is in spite of Fevola’s offer that he will acknowledge any additional behavioral clauses imposed by the club and he will play the whole of 2011 in the reserves, although his offer has been passed on by his management company. By dissolving Fevola’s $1.9 million contract, it is believed the Lions reached their judgment after being awarded salary cap relief by the AFL to improve the hole left.

Last week none of the Lions senior players opposed when the move to expel Fevola was floated among them. Among the players, there was no resentment or rage that pushed Jason Akermanis into exile. It was Fevola’s errant behavior that could no longer be accepted.

To vote on Fevola’s signing with the club, the full board never got the opportunity because it was dashed through so quickly and as a result they felt no loyalty to the decision. There are members of the board who were adamant that he should never have been signed in the first place. Yet, there is also an aspect of sadness to his sacking.

Fevola could have been leaving the game with repute as one of the most fascinating characters of his era, with 623 goals from 204 AFL matches. He would have been remembered long after the memories of more decorated, perhaps not a great of the game but certainly as a truly outstanding player. Instead, his career has hurled out of the game at a time when he needs the game and all of its support systems. It is disheartening to see his career to end on the most resentful note possible.

The Brisbane Lions traded away talented young forward Lachie Henderson to acquire Fevola and pick no.12 (Kane Lucas) to Carlton. However, notably, after originally being shopped around to Carlton for a probable Fevola trade, club great Daniel Bradshaw walked out and joined Sydney.

Vice president of communications for Tampa Bay Sports & Entertainment, Bill Wickett said that after hearing about the news, company officials were disappointed but he would not have any further comment, pending their own internal inquiry of the matter in question. The Storm and the Tampa Bay Lighting is owned by Tampa Bay Sports & Entertainment. Into Tim Marcum’s computer practices, the organization announced that it is going to hold an internal investigation.

In a lawsuit involving Marcum and the team’s former owner Robert Nucci, the pornography and racist e-mails became public after the former was deposed on Tuesday. After filing a lawsuit against Nucci for back wages, Marcum was being deposed.

The winningest coach in Arena League history, Marcum acknowledged exchanging some porn and racist e-mails with other sports personalities and sending material to other Storm employees, including former Bucs quarterback Steve DeBerg. He referred to Air Force One as Watermelon One and another e-mail compared First Lady Michelle Obama to a chimpanzee.

Jeff Vinik, owner of Tampa Bay Sports and Entertainment recently added the Storm to its portfolio that includes the Lightning and he said that it is looking into the matter.

Attorney for Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy organization in Washington D.C., Paul Levy said that at workplaces, a lot goes on and because employers could not possibly control all of it, therefore some is overlooked. However, the scenario changes, when there is a complaint or the information becomes public. He added that one is subject to discipline and the employer is subject to potential liability, when there is a complaint. Levy has worked in labor law and Internet free speech.

Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez threw for three touchdowns and the New York defense sacked Tom Brady five times to key the victory, with Sanchez throwing 16-for-25 and 194 yards.

While Patriot Alge Crumpler also fumbled a touchdown pass, Brady, who entered the game on the back of 355 consecutive passes without interception finally threw one with his fifth attempt of the match, Patrick Chung dropped a direct snap and Logan Mankins conceded a foul as the Patriots were driving for a scoring attempt late in the first half. Even though Sanchez was not finished, Brady threatened to orchestrate a late comeback with an eight-play drive to pull within field goal range. He found receiver Jerricho Cotchery with a 58-yard pass, who in turn delivered to Santonio Holmes in the corner of the end zone to make it 21-11 and send the Jets on their way to an upset win.

Sanchez emerged the victor over one of the NFL’s elite quarterback for a second straight week. Last weekend the Jets defeated Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. In spite of the important stakes there was an intriguing off-field undercurrent for the game. Last week Coach Rex Ryan and his players tossed verbal barbs at the Patriots. From their division rivals, the Patriots largely did not respond to the arrogant comments.