May 24, 2015

Bandwagon alert: The Philadelphia Soul are really, really good

The Eagles season is still far away, so hop on board with the city's AFL team

By Daniel Craig
PhillyVoice Staff

It's football season in Philadelphia.

No, you haven't traveled ahead in time to September upon clicking this article (Sorry, Jimmy). But Eagles fans can pass the time while the birds prep for OTAs and minicamp by following Philly's other football team: The Soul.

Remember them? The Soul, in case you forgot, is the city's Arena Football League team that was brought in to town in 2004 partly by way of Jersey music icon Jon Bon Jovi.

They sent a parade down Broad Street the same year the Phillies won the World Series by winning the Arena Bowl (aka the AFL's Super Bowl), and after suspending team operations from 2009-2010, came back with the help of Eagles legend and original team owner Ron Jaworski. Since then, they've made two more appearances in the league's championship game (2012 and 2013).

(Jon Bon Jovi, center, talks to the fans gathered during a celebration of the Philadelphia Soul's Arena Football League Championship, Thursday, July 31, 2008 in Philadelphia. The Soul won Arena Bowl XXII- the Arena Football League's equivalent of the Super Bowl, that year. AP Photo/Tom Mihale)

Remember now? Well if there was ever a year to take notice of Philly's other football team, this is it. They currently own a record of 8 wins and just one loss, sitting high atop the American Conference standings. After dropping their only contest this season in Jacksonville, they came back to absolutely annihilate the Tampa Bay Storm on Saturday.

The team will be in Atlantic City on Saturday, May 30 as a part of the "Boardwalk Brawl" against the Las Vegas Outlaws at Boardwalk Hall. You can grab a ticket if you're down the shore for around $30, and can even catch it on national television on the CBS Sports Network.

There's still plenty of time to hop on the bandwagon after Saturday, as the team has six more games (three at home) left on the schedule before the playoffs. Before you do, here's a few more tidbits about the most winning team in Philly right now.

They got the #1 spot on SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays

In their season opener against the Orlando Predators, the Soul were down by a point with just seconds left in the game. Quarterback Dan Raudabaugh connected with wideout Ryan McDaniel with just a few ticks left on the clock, stealing the game and making it to the number one spot on ESPN's Top 10 Play's.

They made the list again two games later

Only a couple weeks after making that game winning catch, McDaniel was back on the Top Plays for grabbing this one-handed score.

Tickets are really cheap

Obviously, the starting price to enter the Wells Fargo Center for a Soul game is much cheaper than a Flyers game, and a fraction of the cost of what you'll pay for an Eagles game at the Linc. Which is why it's a nice, cheap alternative to the four major teams in Philly. Tickets start at just $15, and who knows, you might even become part of a viral video:

Their offense has that "Chip Kelly pace"

They rank second in the league in points per game (59.7), third in rushing touchdowns and first downs, and first in receiving touchdowns (219). Raudabaugh also leads the league in passing yards and touchdowns. Chip approves.