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+---- Thread: *Redemption (/showthread.php?tid=33024)
*Redemption - ztarwarz - 06-23-2021
Arizona is no stranger to unlikely failure on the season. Of 5 losses, 1 came against a strong Berlin squad in Europe, one came against a strong Yeti squad that came out all guns blazing, and one came against a squad that all the underlying metrics say should be much better than it currently is in Austin. That Austin only has wins over the Hawks, the Hahalua, and the Sabercats besides the Outlaws is much harder of a pill to swallow, but the loss in isolation was fine. However, that still left a loss against a decent but inferior Silverbacks squad, and most notably a loss to New Orleans, who have managed to go 1-5 against the worst 4 opponents they faced this year and 7-2 against everyone else despite not having the talent to back up their record.
But it's not just this season that has made Arizona used to unlikely failure, it's the last few seasons, when the same Austin squad that was eliminated from the playoffs in Week 12 beat them to get to the Ultimus. Or New Orleans beating them in back to back games the year before that, neither of which were even close to likely outcomes. Or the year before that ending up on the outside looking in during the 9-7 5 team pileup in the ASFC. Arizona has gotten used to disappointment in the ISFL and has for a long time.
Today seemed like it would be more of the same. The Outlaws had lost 2 in a row before a warmup game against the Hahalua, during which the Outlaws seemed to come out flat in the first half before outscoring them 31-10 in the second half, and went through the Otters game with a feeling very similar to the Austin game they had lost 2 weeks prior: generally being on top but never pulling out far enough ahead to stop a late comeback. And this feeling would come through late on, as an Outlaws drive that stalled on a 3rd and 2 pass with less than 5 minutes left (thank you sim) led to a punt and the Otters would take their ball at the 25. They'd storm down the field, with only one play that went less than 6 yards. The Otters stormed down and punched the ball in with just over a minute and a half left on the clock. Not only that, but due to an earlier missed field goal, the Outlaws needed a touchdown in order to win, with less than a minute and a half on the clock.
Enter Darren Pama.
Pama, in his own words, has been a disappointment to himself this season. "I see guys from my draft class that I know I'm better than, significantly so in some cases, playing better than me. Outperforming me. For crying out loud, a RUNNING BACK FROM MY CLASS IS PLAYING BETTER THAN ME." When asked what he felt the problem was, he looked at his hands. "I drop way too much and I don't know why."
Playing from the tight end position, if his stats counted for that award Pama might be the Tight End of the Year. But it doesn't feel like it to him. "When I see Passmann, who I know I'm better than, play better than me more than half the season, when I drop more passes than I catch in that game we lost against the Second Line, when I know I'm a top 10 receiver in the league by skill, and I still perform like this, the failures stand out more to me than the successes."
Pama says that he only felt despair when he saw the Otters score what seemed like the game clinching touchdown. "I saw the bye week slipping away. I saw us having what happened to us in Season 27 again." Still, there was a minute left, so he lined up as a Tight End/Slot and waited. He surprisingly got the Go route for the play. And he completely evaded linebacker Joseph Joestar, juking him out of his shoes, and outrunning him on the way to the end zone for an 82 yard touchdown. The Otters promptly went 3 and out to end the game, and Pama's 3rd long touchdown of the season proved to be the clinching score for the Outlaws. At the same time, the Silverbacks were choking their own lead to the Hahalua, and their loss clinched the 1st overall seed in the ASFC.
Arizona has not won the Ultimus in Week 15. They could still lose their game in the Conference Finals. They could lose in the Ultimus itself. But that's not what this was about. This victory took them from maybe ending up in 3rd for the conference to locking up first. This victory was a middle finger to lady luck.
In the locker room postgame, microphones picked up Pama's postgame speech.
"NOT TODAY! WE ARE NOT LOSING ANOTHER HEARTBREAKER TODAY!"
(828 words)
RE: Redemption - Crunk - 06-24-2021
RE: Redemption - Z-Whiz - 06-24-2021