Etu Molden, right, of the Chicago Rush catches a touchdown pass off the net from quarterback Matt D'Orazio in the fourth quarter as Orlando Predators defender Kenny McEntyre arrives too late. Photo by Ralph Fountain.

It became devastatingly clear that by strolling through a tunnel at the Thomas & Mack Center on Sunday morning, I had entered a sporting territory exclusive unto itself: Nearly two hours before ArenaBowl XX, a man and woman approached to inquire about the score from an Arena Football 2 game between Tulsa and Oklahoma City.

When informed Tulsa had prevailed 59-58 the previous evening (Google saves the day again), the couple responded as if a large bus had just pulled away to unveil their new dream home.

Say this for those who fervently follow indoor football -- while their passion can appear both momentarily amusing and yet highly disturbed, their dedication is unquestioned.

Genuine and insane at the same time. You know, like soccer fans.

Arena Football League officials arrived this week hoping their championship between Chicago and Orlando might draw in the range of 12,000 interested bodies. Instead, they got the largest gathering for an arena game played at the Thomas & Mack (13,476) and for once, announced attendance truly seemed an accurate count.

(This is good news for all local sports teams, which can now continue inflating numbers without feeling the constant pressure of being the first to be truthful.)

But as encouraging as the fan response was Sunday, the level of play and entertainment surrounding XX was fairly unbalanced. Read: Thank goodness for the game.

Chicago completed its implausible postseason journey of four straight playoff wins away from home by surviving Orlando (is there any other way to actually win an arena game?) 69-61. Somewhere today, Rush part-owner Mike Ditka is deeply thankful for his team's inspiring triumph, secure now the final 20 or so years of his legacy won't solely be defined by his performance in "Kicking and Screaming.''

Here are some thoughts about what went on before, during and after XX:

• WAKE ME WHEN IT'S OVER -- Just a guess, but I'm not sure this is what they mean by being ''All you can be.'' It's nice the United States Army thinks enough of the AFL to be one of its leading sponsors, but a 30-minute pregame show of soldiers singing, tossing rifles and officially enlisting a group of local youngsters was enough to inject a lethal dose of narcolepsy into thousands.

A league defined by gimmicky entertainment needs a far more exciting beginning to its biggest game of the year. The one good thing is that if our troops must continue to be deployed, at least we have the comfort of knowing their vocal ranges will be among the best in the Middle East.

• WE HEARD YOU THE 100th TIME -- While obnoxious screaming from a sideline announcer is common during arena games, it is interesting to note that we were reminded Sunday's game was being televised on NBC more times than those actually watching at home. Last unofficial count: Obnoxious reminders 435, People Watching 422.

• FOOTBALL H-O-R-S-E -- It's possible to be worse defensively than Orlando was Sunday. The Predators actually surrendered 87 points in a loss to Dallas, which happens to be more than 15 NBA teams averaged this season. But not even the most prepared defense could have expected Chicago quarterback Matt D'Orazio to purposefully aim a pass off the net and have it fall into the hands of teammate Etu Molden for a late touchdown. Let's see Peyton Manning pull that off.

• THUMBS UP FOR BOB MCMILLEN -- The Chicago veteran of 12 AFL seasons won his third ArenaBowl championship (the previous ones with Arizona and San Jose) and all his success dates to the encouragement wife Joan offered years ago. ''I can't say enough about her,'' McMillen said. ''She was the one who told me to try out for the arena game. I knew nothing about it. I thought she was crazy. We were only making $400 a game back then. I didn't know if it was worth it to put my body through it for that.''

• AND THUMBS DOWN FOR HIM -- McMillen, who received the game's Ironman Award, was asked what one factor motivated his team most when it was 4-8 and essentially going nowhere. ''Actually it was you guys in (the media),'' he said. ''You guys didn't believe and we took that to heart.''

If he were a reporter, McMillen would be fined by the cliché police. It's a tired, tired response.

• THE STREAK CONTINUES -- In following the long and forgettable record of former lead columnist/now boss Joe Hawk here at the R-J, I incorrectly predicted the wrong winner of a big game. Just for fun, then, let's forecast today Mountain West Conference titles for Mike Sanford and Lon Kruger.

Talk about removing all pressure.

Ed Graney's column is published Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. He can be reached at 383-4618 or egraney@reviewjournal.com