Bon Jovi has owned the Soul since its inception in 2004.

IRVING, Texas - Clint Dolezel should've taken pictures. For maybe the only time in his life - past, present or future - Jon Bon Jovi looked like a Desperados fan.

For his "Lost Highway Tour" performance in Dallas two weeks ago, the global rock star and Philadelphia Soul majority owner secured backstage passes for Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, tight end Jason Witten and their families. Good friend Shy Anderson, the Desperados' chief operating officer, also attended the show.

And for a few songs during his two-hour set, Bon Jovi traded his leather jacket for a No. 13 Dolezel jersey - sending a tribute to the 38-year-old quarterback enjoying his first concert, and something of an olive branch from the face of the Soul organization.

So much for the Dallas-Philly rivalry bleeding into the indoor football universe that is the Arena Football League. For one night, anyway. Typically the only time Bon Jovi calls himself a Cowboy is during a rendition of "Wanted Dead or Alive."

"We all hung out backstage for an hour or two afterwards. God, Tony's parents were even there," said the 46-year-old rocker, whose self-titled band is on the final American leg of a world tour that includes 38 U.S. cities. "We made fun of each other, but we left it there.

"Granted, we have a lot of fun with it but the truth is off the field we're all best of friends. But on the field and for those 60 minutes both teams really want to win."

Such will be the case Monday night at the old Wachovia Spectrum, where the undefeated Desperados (7-0) and Soul (8-0) will slug it out for sole possession of first place in the Eastern Division and best record in the AFL.

The Desperados are hunting their third straight division title with the usual cast of characters: Dolezel, defending Ironman of the Year Will Pettis, pass-rushing extraordinaire Colston Weatherington and kinetic linebacker Duke Pettijohn. The Soul is off to the best start of its five-year existence with the help of new faces: Backup quarterback Matt D'Orazio, who has filled in capably for injured starter Tony Graziani for more than half the season; veteran lineman Anthony Dunn and wide receiver Chris Jackson.

Their boss, who made his name selling more than 120 million records worldwide, has taken to this football stuff since purchasing the Soul in 2004. Listening to him talk about second-year wide receiver Larry Brackins' adjustment to the indoor game, or head coach Bret Munsey's vision for shaping the current Soul roster, Bon Jovi sounds more like a general manager in waiting than an international superstar.

"I've got a lot of respect for Jon. Jon is a rock star, but he's also one of the smartest business guys in the Arena League," said Anderson, the 2006 and 2007 AFL Executive of the Year. "I would say one of the smartest business guys that I know. He's on (Cowboys owner) Jerry Jones' level when it comes to strategic thinking and understanding how to make things work."

Things have never been better for the Soul franchise, and despite Bon Jovi's insistence that Monday's game won't decide the top contender in the National Conference, Philly can make a roaring statement by decking Dallas in this nationally-televised contest (ESPN2, 7 p.m. CDT).

The Desperados are looking forward to the challenge - from the Soul players and their notoriously disorderly fan base.

"I don't say 'hate', because my thinking on that word is a little far off than other people," Pettis described the rivalry. "But it's definitely similar to the NFL experience between the Eagles and the Cowboys. The stadium is going to be rowdy, the fans aren't going to like you, they're going to throw stuff at you, they're going to cuss your mama. It's going to be a battle."

Said Dolezel, who has heard thousands of unrepeatable insults from opposing fans in his 13-year career: "I love going to play at somebody else's home field, especially in Philly where they're just going to dog you the whole time. And that makes me step up my game."

He won't taunt or curse the visiting Desperados on Monday night, but the replica No. 13 jersey will come off Bon Jovi's back Monday night. No place for it in what's being dubbed "The Broad Street Brawl."

"This is a great, fun game for us, but barring injury, it's not going to really change either team's run for the championship," Bon Jovi said. "But it's going to be a sweaty mess in the Philadelphia Spectrum, I can tell you that. Forget owner's box - I'm lucky if I get an owner's bench somewhere in the corner."