From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

ArenaBowl XVI
Quarter 1 2 3 4 Tot Rattlers 0 0 0 14 14 SaberCats 7 17 14 14 52
Date	August 18, 2002
Arena	HP Pavilion
City	San Jose, California
Attendance	16,942
MVP	John Dutton, QB, San Jose
Ironman of the Game	Omarr Smith, WR/DB, San Jose
Winning Coach	Darren Arbet
Losing Coach	Danny White
U.S. TV
Network	ABC
Announcers	Tim Brant, Ed Cunningham, and Lynn Swann

ArenaBowl XVI was played between the San Jose SaberCats and Arizona Rattlers in San Jose, California on August 18, 2002. A game with considerable expectations given the teams' intense rivalry and respective success that year, the SaberCats surprised everyone by posting the most dominant victory in ArenaBowl history, holding the Rattlers scoreless until the final period, and winning the game by the lopsided score of 52-14 to earn their first Arena Football League title in franchise history. With the SaberCats' victory, Darren Arbet also became the first African-American head coach in pro-football to win a championship.

For much of the 2002 season, the San Jose SaberCats were entertaining the possibility of an undefeated year. They defeated their Western Division rivals, the Arizona Rattlers, 52-51 in the season opener, and continued their success en route to a 12-0 start. However, their rematch with the Rattlers in Phoenix on July 12 cost them not only their undefeated record, but also starting quarterback Mark Grieb, who suffered a season-ending broken collarbone in the SaberCats' 59-52 loss. Though it would prove to be San Jose's only loss of the season, it set the stage for what figured to be an extremely competitive ArenaBowl championship game.

That was not the case, however, as coach Arbet's San Jose squad took a 24-point lead by halftime, and extended it to 45-0 early in the fourth quarter before Arizona finally scored on a touchdown pass from Sherdrick Bonner to Maurice Bryant with 9:24 remaining in the contest. Each team scored one more touchdown, and the SaberCats emerged with a 52-14 blowout victory.

Quarterback John Dutton, who replaced Grieb following the injury, continued to roll as he had throughout the playoffs, completing 20 of 26 passes for 236 yards and five touchdowns (three to James Hundon) and earning MVP honors. Wide receiver/defensive back Omarr Smith was named the Ironman of the Game, as he had four receptions and also led a San Jose defense that forced three Rattler turnovers. San Jose won the Foster Trophy for the first time in franchise history, while the loss would prove to be the first of three consecutive ArenaBowl failures for Arizona, though they would be significantly more competitive in their future championship game appearances.

1st Quarter

• SJ - Hundon 28 pass from Dutton (Alcorn kick)

2nd Quarter

• SJ - Hundon 2 pass from Dutton (Alcorn kick)
• SJ - FG Alcorn 31
• SJ - Wagner 2 run (Alcorn kick)

3rd Quarter

• SJ - Roe 12 pass from Dutton (Alcorn kick)
• SJ - Reese 32 pass from Dutton (Alcorn kick)

4th Quarter

• SJ - McMillen 1 run (Alcorn kick)
• AZ - Bryant 30 pass from Bonner (Cooper pass from Bonner)
• SJ - Hundon 2 pass from Dutton (Alcorn kick)
• AZ - Kelly 3 run (pass failed)

• ArenaFan Box Score

ArenaBowl
I 1987 | II 1988 | III 1989 | IV 1990 | V 1991 | VI 1992 | VII 1993 | VIII 1994 | IX 1995 | X 1996 | XI 1997 | XII 1998 | XIII 1999 | XIV 2000 | XV 2001 | XVI 2002 | XVII 2003 | XVIII 2004 | XIX 2005 | XX 2006 | XXI 2007
Arena Football League | Broadcasters