1) Playoff Game Review: Luchadores vs Marshals
The San Antonio Marshals came into the first round of the playoffs as overwhelming favorites over the Tijuana Luchadores, having beaten their conference rivals four consecutive times during the regular season and holding home field advantage thanks to their league best 12 - 1 record. However, the Lucadores were the reigning champs, and finished the season strong with a 6 - 2 record - both loses however at the hands of the Marshals.
An early gamble by the San Antonio coaching staff to go for a long forth down completion back fired, and the Luchadores were able to strike first with a field goal on their ensuing drive. After trading touchdowns on a pair of long drives, the Luchadores jumped out to a 20 - 7 lead after QB Cooter Bigsby was intercepted with only a minute remaining in the half that turned into a quick field goal.
The Marshals used a long 67 yard return to open halftime to put the game within 6 points, however the play of the game crushed any momentum that touchdown may have started. After an excellent special teams play that pinned the Luchadores on their own 4 yard line, star HB Forrest Gump danced, reversed field and took it to the house on an amazing 96 yard TD run.
San Antonio was never able to recover, and the Tijuana defense was able to hold them to just one more touchdown and an unlikely 30 - 21 win over perhaps the most dominant DSFL team to date.
2) That Magic Moment
After one half, the Tijuana Luchadores held a surprising 20 - 7 lead over the dominant San Antonio Marshals, but the momentum quickly shifted after 67 yard return by CB V. Jones lead to a quick touchdown that put the Marshals within six points with just a minute and half off the clock in the second half. The quick drive re-energized the home crowd and swung momentum back to the heavy favorites. On the ensuing kick off, San Antonio special teams came through with a brilliant play that buried returner Humuhumunukunukuapua'a at the 4 yard line. The home crowd was deafening, QB Havran was backed up in the shadow of his own goal posts, and things looked like they may unravel for the underdog Luchadores.
However, star RB Forrest Gump, the MVP for the Luchadores all season, put the team on his back once again with what most assuredly the DSFL play of the year. Gump took the handoff, stepped to the right on a counter-play run, and quickly escaped out the back side of the line behind stalwart blockers Beaver-Dantes and Ulysses. The misdirection allowed him to escape into the second level of the San Antonio defense, where he was able to juke the safety and break a arm tackle from the corner back. Somehow, Gump was able to elude no less than 4 San Antonio defenders and broke free from the pile up and the foot race began. As he had all season, Gump did not let himself be caught from behind, taking the rock all 96 yards to the house for a huge touchdown.
The crowd was silenced. The Marshals hung their head in dejection. Gump had driven a dagger through their dreams of the Ultimini.
3) Head to Head Match Up
Tijuana TE Jammerson Irving vs Portland LBs Lee, Greivous and Stokeley
Throughout the regular season, Jammerson Irving was able to put up chunk yardage plays using his elite speed to beat linebackers and make plays in the second level. Tijuana used this mismatch successfully, and Irving finished the season 8th overall in receiving yards with 574, and 6th overall in receptions with 62. He made up a important part of the trio with WRs Tidwell and Rey that helped Tijuana finish with the number one passing attack during the regular season. With Tijuana featuring lethal rushing attack as well, Portland's linebackers would have to cover Irving with little help.
Unfortunately for Jammerson and the Luchadores, the trio of LBs were more than up for the task. Each of Lee, Greivous and Stokeley have excellent speed for linebackers, and the blanketed the Tijuana tight end for the entire game. Irving was completely blanked in the first half, with his one successful effort to break into the second level broken up by a safety. After half-time, the Luchadores made a more concerted effort to get Jammerson the ball, but the young tight end was not up to the task. Perhaps it was the frustration of not being able to get open in the first half, or the pressure of playing in the championship game, but all 4 of Irving's third quarter targets fell incomplete, including 2 drops. Grievous himself made an acrobatic break-up on Jammerson's final target of the quarter.
Irving did have 2 catches in the final frame, but both came in garbage time and Grievous and Lee were both able to make tackles before he could do much damage. The Portland linebackers were able to bottle up, frustrate, and ultimately erase the threat that Jammerson Irving posed.
4) Going to Disneyland!
Franklin Armstrong almost single handedly lost the Ultimini for the Portland Pythons, throwing three interceptions before finding the endzone. However, with a defense that was able to limit the Tijuana Luchadores to 10 second half points, Armstrong rallied and threw three second half touchdowns and lead his team on multiple long drives. After claiming the Ultimini MVP award, and some sweet endorsement dollars, Armstrong told television viewers his plans to visit Disney World.
The rookie quarterback had never been to Disney World before, and took in all iconic sights the park had to offer. He took a selfie in front of Cindrella's Castle, he took a ride of Space Mountain and had a slightly embarrassing picture taken on Splash Mountain's final descent. Mr. Armstrong was having a blast on his first visit. However, things soon took a dark turn....
The Country Bear Jamboree sounds like a harmless, family friendly show but Armstrong was not ready for the eldritch horror that was soon apparent. The terrifying family of bears, at times too real yet not real at all, shook Armstrong to the bone. The inbred, obviously cannibalistic family of ursine monsters caused the quarterback to flee - flee right into the "It's a Small World" ride. The boat that was his salvation from the bears soon became a prison as he realized he had just entered the creepiest area on planet Earth. Hideous miniature people assailed him from all angles, singing in tunes no human voice could attain. Being unable to swim, Armstrong was trapped - and soon lost all conscious memory of the haunting, terrible little puppets. He regained consciousness on a bench, surrounded by children and a Goofy, happily signing autographs. He bolted, knocking the crowd to the grounds as he fled the park, never to return again.
The San Antonio Marshals came into the first round of the playoffs as overwhelming favorites over the Tijuana Luchadores, having beaten their conference rivals four consecutive times during the regular season and holding home field advantage thanks to their league best 12 - 1 record. However, the Lucadores were the reigning champs, and finished the season strong with a 6 - 2 record - both loses however at the hands of the Marshals.
An early gamble by the San Antonio coaching staff to go for a long forth down completion back fired, and the Luchadores were able to strike first with a field goal on their ensuing drive. After trading touchdowns on a pair of long drives, the Luchadores jumped out to a 20 - 7 lead after QB Cooter Bigsby was intercepted with only a minute remaining in the half that turned into a quick field goal.
The Marshals used a long 67 yard return to open halftime to put the game within 6 points, however the play of the game crushed any momentum that touchdown may have started. After an excellent special teams play that pinned the Luchadores on their own 4 yard line, star HB Forrest Gump danced, reversed field and took it to the house on an amazing 96 yard TD run.
San Antonio was never able to recover, and the Tijuana defense was able to hold them to just one more touchdown and an unlikely 30 - 21 win over perhaps the most dominant DSFL team to date.
2) That Magic Moment
After one half, the Tijuana Luchadores held a surprising 20 - 7 lead over the dominant San Antonio Marshals, but the momentum quickly shifted after 67 yard return by CB V. Jones lead to a quick touchdown that put the Marshals within six points with just a minute and half off the clock in the second half. The quick drive re-energized the home crowd and swung momentum back to the heavy favorites. On the ensuing kick off, San Antonio special teams came through with a brilliant play that buried returner Humuhumunukunukuapua'a at the 4 yard line. The home crowd was deafening, QB Havran was backed up in the shadow of his own goal posts, and things looked like they may unravel for the underdog Luchadores.
However, star RB Forrest Gump, the MVP for the Luchadores all season, put the team on his back once again with what most assuredly the DSFL play of the year. Gump took the handoff, stepped to the right on a counter-play run, and quickly escaped out the back side of the line behind stalwart blockers Beaver-Dantes and Ulysses. The misdirection allowed him to escape into the second level of the San Antonio defense, where he was able to juke the safety and break a arm tackle from the corner back. Somehow, Gump was able to elude no less than 4 San Antonio defenders and broke free from the pile up and the foot race began. As he had all season, Gump did not let himself be caught from behind, taking the rock all 96 yards to the house for a huge touchdown.
The crowd was silenced. The Marshals hung their head in dejection. Gump had driven a dagger through their dreams of the Ultimini.
3) Head to Head Match Up
Tijuana TE Jammerson Irving vs Portland LBs Lee, Greivous and Stokeley
Throughout the regular season, Jammerson Irving was able to put up chunk yardage plays using his elite speed to beat linebackers and make plays in the second level. Tijuana used this mismatch successfully, and Irving finished the season 8th overall in receiving yards with 574, and 6th overall in receptions with 62. He made up a important part of the trio with WRs Tidwell and Rey that helped Tijuana finish with the number one passing attack during the regular season. With Tijuana featuring lethal rushing attack as well, Portland's linebackers would have to cover Irving with little help.
Unfortunately for Jammerson and the Luchadores, the trio of LBs were more than up for the task. Each of Lee, Greivous and Stokeley have excellent speed for linebackers, and the blanketed the Tijuana tight end for the entire game. Irving was completely blanked in the first half, with his one successful effort to break into the second level broken up by a safety. After half-time, the Luchadores made a more concerted effort to get Jammerson the ball, but the young tight end was not up to the task. Perhaps it was the frustration of not being able to get open in the first half, or the pressure of playing in the championship game, but all 4 of Irving's third quarter targets fell incomplete, including 2 drops. Grievous himself made an acrobatic break-up on Jammerson's final target of the quarter.
Irving did have 2 catches in the final frame, but both came in garbage time and Grievous and Lee were both able to make tackles before he could do much damage. The Portland linebackers were able to bottle up, frustrate, and ultimately erase the threat that Jammerson Irving posed.
4) Going to Disneyland!
Franklin Armstrong almost single handedly lost the Ultimini for the Portland Pythons, throwing three interceptions before finding the endzone. However, with a defense that was able to limit the Tijuana Luchadores to 10 second half points, Armstrong rallied and threw three second half touchdowns and lead his team on multiple long drives. After claiming the Ultimini MVP award, and some sweet endorsement dollars, Armstrong told television viewers his plans to visit Disney World.
The rookie quarterback had never been to Disney World before, and took in all iconic sights the park had to offer. He took a selfie in front of Cindrella's Castle, he took a ride of Space Mountain and had a slightly embarrassing picture taken on Splash Mountain's final descent. Mr. Armstrong was having a blast on his first visit. However, things soon took a dark turn....
The Country Bear Jamboree sounds like a harmless, family friendly show but Armstrong was not ready for the eldritch horror that was soon apparent. The terrifying family of bears, at times too real yet not real at all, shook Armstrong to the bone. The inbred, obviously cannibalistic family of ursine monsters caused the quarterback to flee - flee right into the "It's a Small World" ride. The boat that was his salvation from the bears soon became a prison as he realized he had just entered the creepiest area on planet Earth. Hideous miniature people assailed him from all angles, singing in tunes no human voice could attain. Being unable to swim, Armstrong was trapped - and soon lost all conscious memory of the haunting, terrible little puppets. He regained consciousness on a bench, surrounded by children and a Goofy, happily signing autographs. He bolted, knocking the crowd to the grounds as he fled the park, never to return again.