Soul may yet be able to defend Arena Championship

The Philadelphia Soul may be the final Arena Football League Champions, although some news came out today that could change that. Despite rumors swirling that the AFL was going to shut down for the 2009 season, it appears that there is still a chance the league will continue on. On Wednesday, the league directors voted to not suspend the league for next season, but that still doesn't guarantee that the AFL will continue. The league has still yet to release a schedule or allow free agency to occur so clearly some things need to be ironed out before the 2009 season is officially put back on.

While all of the talk right now is of suspending the league for just one season, I don't see how the league could come back if they took a year off. Not only will many players and coaches look elsewhere for jobs but whatever little fan interest there was might also look elsewhere for entertainment. Taking a year off could spell death for the AFL.

I guess the Soul were just too good and now everyone wants to quit! Thank goodness the Phillies won a championship so we don't have to cling to the Soul as our only champions. This league seems headed nowhere fast.

Finally, a Philadelphia sports champion!!

(Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images North America)

Okay, so it's just Arena Football, but the Philadelphia Soul have won Arena Bowl XXII over the San Jose SaberCats 59-56. I am not going to pretend like I watch Arena Football or really know anything about the team, but it's nice to see Ron Jaworski and Jon Bon Jovi bring a champion to our city.

The Soul held off a late charge by the SaberCats to knock off the defending champs. Hopefully you had quarterback Matt D'Orazio in your fantasy arena football league because he put up 302 passing yards and threw for 7 touchdowns and ran in another on his own. He was awarded with the Arena Bowl MVP award.

Congratulations, SOUL!