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Bon Jovi agonized as an owner over the postseason disappointments more than he ever did rooting for the New York Giants.
So last offseason, Jaworski and Munsey were part of a group that met at Bon Jovi’s house to decide what moves needed to be made to turn the Soul into a title winner. The answers were finding a true No. 1 receiver and a solid quarterback to back up injury-prone Tony Graziani.
They signed free-agent Chris Jackson and he led the AFL with 49 touchdown catches and was second in receptions (140) and yards (1,719). Sure enough, Graziani was hurt and former ArenaBowl MVP Matt D’Orazio stepped in to throw for 3,331 yards and 72 touchdowns (with only four interceptions).
The duo helped the Soul (13-3) win their first nine games and the Eastern Division title.
Jaworksi talked with Munsey about his shuttered experience the first title time around in New Orleans. They let the Soul go without a curfew on Wednesday night, but they were expected to have one every other night.
“We wanted to give the guys their freedom,” Jaworksi said. “They’re a real professional group of players. We felt they understood the magnitude of the game.”
The one man who did bolt out of town was their coach. No fine for this absence, though. Munsey left the team Thursday morning when his wife went into labor and gave birth to their first child, Graden Thomas. He was back later that night and will be on the sideline against the SaberCats.
Two weeks after his band performed a free concert in Central Park, Bon Jovi also will be in New Orleans. Jaworksi said the multiplatinum rocker is ready for his team to take top billing.
“He’s nervous because we’ve won football games when he’s been touring, and he says if we do lose this game, he’s going to blame himself,” said Jaworski, chuckling.
Most of the players on the Soul weren’t even born in 1980 when Jaworski’s career was blossoming. They probably don’t even realize Jaworski was in the same nerve-racking position they are in the same city and with a title game ahead. He just hopes his AFL team can win a championship in New Orleans and ease his memories of the Eagles’ defeat.
“It hangs with me now,” Jaworski said. “We felt we were a very good football team, a young football team, and we would be back. We would get our retribution.”
Twenty-seven years later, Philly is still waiting for that Super Bowl win. An AFL title would be nice in the meantime.
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