Soul seek to build on playoff victory

It has been more than eight months since the Soul's Arena Football League season ended in the second round of the playoffs, after quarterback Tony Graziani fumbled on the final play near the goal line in a 31-27 loss at Orlando.

After two losing seasons, the Soul went 9-7 last year and earned their first postseason berth. They rolled past Austin, 52-35, in the first round before the Predators ended their season on May 28 in the divisional round.

As they began their fourth season with yesterday's opening practice at the NovaCare Complex, the Soul had high expectations.

"In the grand scheme of things, anything less than the playoffs would be crushing, absolutely heartbreaking," said Jon Bon Jovi, the team's majority owner.

Graziani, entering the final season of a three-year contract, went a step further.

"I think anything less than a championship will be disappointing," he said.

Although the league begins play on March 1, the Soul have a bye that week and will open their season Friday, March 9, at Nashville.

This will be a new-look Soul team.

Twenty-four of the 35 players on the training-camp roster are newcomers. Rosters must be trimmed to 24 by Feb. 26, and 20 of those players are eligible to be active for each game.

One of the standouts during yesterday's practice was defensive back Johnnie Harris, who played from 1996 to '98 in the Arena League and from 1999 to 2003 in the NFL, spending three seasons with the Oakland Raiders, then two with the New York Giants. The 34-year-old Harris has been back in the AFL since then, having played last season for Grand Rapids.

"He's a very talented player, a former defensive player of the year in this league," Soul coach Bret Munsey said.

With Harris teaming with all-AFL selection Eddie Moten and the dependable Mike Brown, the Soul should have one of the better secondaries in the league.

Munsey and the rest of the AFL teams are adapting to new substitution rules. In the past, teams lined up with one offensive specialist and one defensive specialist, and all non-specialists could substitute just once per quarter. (Teams use eight players per side.)

Now there are unlimited substitutions, cutting down on the number of two-way players. This should enhance quality, since players for the most part will concentrate on one position.

One player who will continue to perform iron-man duty for the Soul is fourth-year wide receiver/linebacker Sean Scott, a graduate of Archbishop Carroll. Scott also will play on special teams.

"Sean will play both sides," Munsey said. "He plays all three phases of the game as well as anybody in the league."

The Soul opened training camp yesterday in preparation for their fourth season in the Arena Football League.

All-time record: 20-28 (regular season), 1-1 (postseason).

Last year: 9-7, 1-1 (postseason).

Season opener: March 9 at Nashville, 8 p.m.

Home opener: March 22 vs. Colorado at the Wachovia Center, 7 p.m.

Television: ESPN2 (seven games).

League championship: July 29 at New Orleans.

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