Pre-Season: Chicago Rush vs Iowa Barnstormers

The Arena Football League will hold an exhibition game between the Chicago Rush and the Iowa Barnstormers at the I-Wireless Center in Moline Illinois, on February 25, 2012.  With the end of the NFL season, Arena fans are biting at the bit for Arena season to kick off, and its just around the corner.

I've said it time and time again, I was a Chicago Rush fan before there was an Arena team in Kansas City.  When the Kansas City Brigade were the team here in Kansas City, I supported them as a Season Ticket holder, but always found my loyalties divided when the Brigade and the Rush faced off.  Now its the Kansas City Command, and I find it incredibly hard to be a Command fan after the final Brigade Season, and the fact that everything that people loved about the Brigade died when the team left its original home in Kemper Arena.  So, my team for 2012 will be as it was in 2011 ... the Chicago Rush.

How do I think the Barnstormers are going to fare against Chicago?  While there is always the off chance of an upset, the Chicago Rush completed the 2011 Season with a superior team.  There is no reason to believe that that's going to change.  Chicago has the fan support to bring in the money it takes to tap into the better players.  Then again, we need to remember that Pre-Season does not count, so there is a good chance that Chicago is not going to field their top players.

But neither team is at home here.  This is neutral ground, even with it taking place in Illinois, its right on the Mississippi with Iowa on the other bank.  Looking at the records these two teams met twice in 2011, with Chicago winning both.  With Iowa at home, the game was decided by only one point, while in Chicago the game was decided by 10 points.  So, in my opinion, if Chicago takes the game seriously, and barring one of Iowa's uncanny lucky games, Chicago should win this one.