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The City of New Orleans has been Kind to Clevan Thomas

For San Jose SaberCats defensive standout Clevan Thomas, the city of New Orleans has been kind. Last Sunday’s ArenaBowl XXI victory was the second time he has walked off of a New Orleans football field having earned the right to call himself a champion.

Sunday’s game, at the New Orleans Arena, was played just a stones throw away from the site of his previous Big Easy championship, the Superdome. Thomas started in the defensive backfield for the Florida State Seminoles in the 1999 Nokia Sugar Bowl and was a key component to the teams 12-0 perfect season and post-season route of the Michael Vick lead Virginia Tech Hokies.

Since his days in Tallahassee, Clevan Thomas has emerged as a dominant defensive force in a game best known for its offensive prowess. A three-time All-AFL selection, two-time Defensive Player of the Year recipient and the 2002 Rookie of the Year award winner. He has certainly amassed all the individual accomplishments to nicely compliment his three ArenaBowl rings. Not a shabby trophy case for the six-year pro.

“Clevan Thomas can meet a receiver at the line of scrimmage and run right with him all the way down the field,” Colorado Crush coach Mike Dailey was quoted as saying just after Thomas had shut down Damian Harrell during the second round of the AFL playoffs. Truth be told, field position is negligible, Thomas can change a game wherever the ball is spotted and he proved that Sunday. Columbus Destroyers quarterback Matt Nagy had his team positioned at the goal line, seemingly poised to take a 21-20 second quarter lead. Instead, Thomas rose to the occasion. A momentum killing goal line interception that led to a Mark Grieb touchdown and a comfortable 27-14 SaberCats cushion. A lead they would never look back from. A big-time play in a big-time game from a big-time player.

Ultimately, the decade’s most dominant team would stretch the margin of ArenaBowl XXI to 55-33 and in doing so collected yet another ArenaBowl trophy. A dominant performance from a SaberCats team that has come to define Arena Football excellence.