Soul enjoys a grand ol' time in Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Bret Munsey knows what his owner wants, so he started with a smash hit.

The coach led his team to a 63-30 rout of Nashville in the Soul's Arena Football League season opener last night. The lopsided win must have looked impressive to owner Jon Bon Jovi, who scored a country-music hit in Nashville recently.

"I tell everybody that our owner is not happy with top-20 hits," Munsey said. "He's only about that one platinum record. He's got to be the No. 1 hit or he's not happy with that band. That's what he expects of this football team, too."

Tony Graziani threw for 215 yards and five touchdown passes to lead the way.

"You've got to give all the credit to the guys up front on both sides of the ball," Graziani said. "They really got after Nashville's quarterback and I was well-protected. I think that was the difference in the game."

The Soul led at halftime, 21-16, before scoring four consecutive touchdowns to take control. Charles Pauley caught three touchdown passes for the Soul in front of 7,885 at Gaylord Entertainment Center.

The visitors took a 7-0 lead on their first possession when Graziani hit Pauley with a 19-yard pass on the left side of the end zone.

Dan Alexander barreled over from the 1 as Nashville (0-2) tied the game on its first possession.

Graziani found Pauley in nearly the same spot of the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown pass on the Soul's next possession, fashioning a 14-7 lead late in the first quarter.

Kats defensive lineman Aaron McConnell sacked Graziani in the end zone for a safety, narrowing the Soul's lead to 14-9.

Soul defensive back Eddie Moten scored on a 43-yard interception return, boosting the Soul's lead to 21-9 midway through the second quarter.

Moten picked up where he left off last season when he led the AFL with 13 interceptions.

Clint Stoerner hooked up with Cornelius Bonner for a 16-yard pass late in the second quarter, narrowing the Soul's lead to 21-16.

Graziani found Sean Scott in the middle of the end zone on a 5-yard pass, boosting the Soul's lead to 28-16 early in the third quarter.

Philadelphia capitalized on a Nashville turnover when Graziani threw a 27-yard pass to Larry Brackins, increasing the Soul's lead to 35-16 in the third quarter. The touchdown came one play after Bryan Save sacked Stoerner and Dwayne Missouri recovered the fumble at the Philadelphia 23.

Things continued to go the Soul's way on the ensuing kickoff when Brian Mance made a net recovery in the end zone, increasing the Soul's advantage to 42-16.

Graziani threw his third touchdown pass to Pauley on a 27-yard strike on the first play of the fourth quarter, giving the Soul a 49-16 lead.

Nashville finally woke up when Bonner got behind the Soul secondary for a 39-yard catch from Stoerner's replacement, Jeff Smoker, and it was 49-23.

Graziani struck again with a 5-yard pass to J.J. McKelvey, boosting the Soul's lead to 56-23.

The Soul's final tally came on Idris Price's 5-yard run that boosted the marging to 63-23 late in the fourth quarter. *