Arena Football League

RON JAWORSKI treats opportunity like a Doberman treats prime rib. So when Tim Tebow was released by the New York Jets on April 29, Jaworski took a shot by reaching out to the unemployed quarterback and offered him a roster spot with the Soul. He's still waiting for a reply. "I haven't heard back from him and I'm not going to push it," said Jaworski, one of the Soul's owners. "If he decides he wants to play Arena Football, we'll make a spot for him. " Jaworski and Soul coach Clint Dolezel sent Tebow a list of plays they had in mind for him, most were around the goal line.

NEW ORLEANS VOODOO AT SOUL What: Arena Football League quarterfinals When: Saturday at 7 p.m. Where: The Wells Fargo Center About the Soul: At 15-3, the Soul enter the playoffs with the AFL's best regular-season record and riding an eight-game win streak. The Soul have the best offense in the league, averaging 68.2 points per game. While quarterback Dan Raudabaugh doesn't throw for a lot of yards by AFL standards, he is one of the more efficient passers, throwing for 115 touchdowns against 18 interceptions.

Mike Hohensee has been around the Arena Football League long enough to tell stories that few people can. As a quarterback for Pittsburgh in the inaugural 1987 season, Hohensee recalls wearing uniforms made by Zubaz, the clothing line best known for its zebra-print shorts and wild patterns. "We actually had mesh sides to our pants, so you could actually see leg," Hohensee said, laughing. "So, yeah, we've evolved. " Hohensee is now a longtime AFL coach, and he is taking over the reborn Soul, who will resume league play in April.

Looking for new live sports for its 24-hour national sports channel, CBS Sports Network has reached a two-year rights deal with the Arena Football League. Terms were not disclosed, and the contract is much shorter than those for the NFL, Major League Baseball, and major college sports. The deal "satisfies the nation's hunger for football, especially in the spring," said Dan Weinberg, senior vice president of CBS Sports Network. Arena games, including those of the Philadelphia Soul, are played between March and July.

RON JAWORSKI was in China this week trying to generate interest for American football in general, and the Arena Football League in particular. Jaworski is part of a group trying to kick-start indoor leagues all around Asia, the most populous continent in the world. "We're coming to a country that doesn't know much about what American football is, but it's a country that loves sports," Jaworski said in a story first reported on the website China.com.cn. "They will pick up on football very quickly.

Philadelphia, a city known for its passionate sports fans, now has another professional football team to cheer - and boo, too. The Arena Football League (AFL), which was founded 16 years ago and has steadily increased in popularity, is coming to Philadelphia next year. Ron Jaworski, an NFL analyst for ESPN and former Eagles quarterback, said that he and a group of partners had reached an agreement in principle yesterday to join the AFL. He said that the deal will be sealed once the paperwork is completed.

When it comes to money, David Baker, commissioner of the Arena Football League, says the main difference between his league and the big league is a few zeros missing at the end of every number. In the NFL, each team gets $70 million a year in national television revenue, which is about $70 million more than the owners of the new Philadelphia Soul figure to see from NBC, the arena league's carrier. With so little money involved, relatively speaking, the odds of making a killing in the indoor game are not huge.

Here's what local fans need to take their minds off of Reggie White's imminent departure and Norman Braman's ill-conceived shots at the city, its mayor and its fans: More football. The indoor Arena Football League (AFL) is planning to expand for its seventh season, beginning in May. Philadelphia is among four finalists for a new franchise. Perhaps you haven't been waiting all your life for this brand of Roller Derby football, which is played on a 50-yard rug ("He's at the 15, the 20, the 25, the 20 . . . ")

Saturday at 7:05 p.m., Wells Fargo Center TV: CBS Sports Network. Records: Soul, 3-4; Predators, 2-5. About the Soul: The Soul, looking for their first home victory of the season, lead the series, 7-3, and have won the last three matchups. . . . The Soul won the Week 3 game in Orlando, 61-33, on April 6. . . . The Soul offense ranks third in the Arena Football League in average total yards per game (317.7) and rushing yards (32.7) and fourth in average passing yards (285)

RON JAWORSKI treats opportunity like a Doberman treats prime rib. So when Tim Tebow was released by the New York Jets on April 29, Jaworski took a shot by reaching out to the unemployed quarterback and offered him a roster spot with the Soul. He's still waiting for a reply. "I haven't heard back from him and I'm not going to push it," said Jaworski, one of the Soul's owners. "If he decides he wants to play Arena Football, we'll make a spot for him. " Jaworski and Soul coach Clint Dolezel sent Tebow a list of plays they had in mind for him, most were around the goal line.

Looking for new live sports for its 24-hour national sports channel, CBS Sports Network has reached a two-year rights deal with the Arena Football League. Terms were not disclosed, and the contract is much shorter than those for the NFL, Major League Baseball, and major college sports. The deal "satisfies the nation's hunger for football, especially in the spring," said Dan Weinberg, senior vice president of CBS Sports Network. Arena games, including those of the Philadelphia Soul, are played between March and July.

RON JAWORSKI was in China this week trying to generate interest for American football in general, and the Arena Football League in particular. Jaworski is part of a group trying to kick-start indoor leagues all around Asia, the most populous continent in the world. "We're coming to a country that doesn't know much about what American football is, but it's a country that loves sports," Jaworski said in a story first reported on the website China.com.cn. "They will pick up on football very quickly.

When the Arena Football League's training camps kicked off six months ago, Donovan Morgan talked with his Soul teammates about returning to his hometown of New Orleans. The Soul were preparing for the season opener in the Big Easy against the New Orleans VooDoo. But Morgan wasn't talking about going back for the season's first game. He was talking about going back for the season's last game - the championship game in New Orleans. Friday night, Morgan and his Soul teammates take on the Arizona Rattlers in ArenaBowl XXV at New Orleans Arena at 10:30 p.m. (NFL Network)

THE COMMISSIONER concedes that the start time for the AFL championship game isn't optimal, but there's not a whole lot he can do. The Soul will play for its second title on Friday against Arizona in ArenaBowl 25. The game is in New Orleans, but kickoff isn't until 10:30 p.m. EST. "It's brutal," Soul owner Ron Jaworski said bluntly. Television rules sports, especially minor leagues like the Arena Football League. The NFL Network, hoping to capitalize on Tebow-mania and the huge New York market, bumped the Arena championship game for the Jets-Bengals preseason game.

NEW ORLEANS VOODOO AT SOUL What: Arena Football League quarterfinals When: Saturday at 7 p.m. Where: The Wells Fargo Center About the Soul: At 15-3, the Soul enter the playoffs with the AFL's best regular-season record and riding an eight-game win streak. The Soul have the best offense in the league, averaging 68.2 points per game. While quarterback Dan Raudabaugh doesn't throw for a lot of yards by AFL standards, he is one of the more efficient passers, throwing for 115 touchdowns against 18 interceptions.

AGENDA Who: Soul (9-3) at Milwaukee (4-7) When: Friday, 8 p.m. Where: BMO Harris Bradley Center (17,000). TV: NFL Network. Radio: None. Internet: www.UStream.com and www.PhiladelphiaSoul.com. TV move: The game has been moved to the NFL Network. It originally was scheduled to be on TCN. About the Soul: Have won two in a row after a mini midseason slump ... Lead the American Conference by 2.5 games with six games remaining ... Defensive lineman Justin Warren is dealing with family issues and will miss his second consecutive game.

THE UNIVERSITY of Arkansas says the former mistress of fired football coach Bobby Petrino has resigned her position with the program. The school announced in a news release Tuesday evening that Jessica Dorrell had stepped down as the football team's student-athlete development coordinator. Athletic director Jeff Long said the decision was mutual and that there are no immediate plans to try to fill the job. The university says Dorrell, 25, will be paid approximately $14,000 to settle "all matters between the parties.