Division D – Week 2

Another week in the books. We start to seem some separation between the top teams and also see a few favorites struggle. What the hell is going on with Jordan Allard and the Super Saiyans?

Looking forward to another great week, but in the meantime, here are your recaps and a look back on the week that was.

Thoughts of the week

• The summer season is so much busier, it looks like you guys should put aside time on Sunday afternoons for a read.
• I think we are going to see another trend this season with more individual performances happening in D-2 over D-1.
• I’m hoping there are a bunch of Division D games tonight at Stade de Montreal.
• Ultimately, it’s better that my article takes a bit of time so that you guys get Luis’ mid-week and mine at the end of the week. Spreads things out.
• Really looking forward to our game against Unknown Talent this week. Seems to be an old wisdom vs. young buck type of game.
• Most of my friends are in Miami for a bachelor party right now and I’m here writing my article. Life’s funny.
• Congrats Juice.
• Anybody else looking for a new tv show to watch? Currently taking suggestions.
• Not the biggest basketball fan in the world, but happy to see the Raptors in the finals. I have zero faith about them winning, though.
• As Nirosh pointed out, will Bachalaani win yet another receiver of the year award? I think this year we finally see somebody else get it.
• Finally, for everybody reading… Andrew Langburt… that’s my quarterback, man.

 

Weekly Recaps 

D-1

Outlaws 22 vs. The Sheriff 21

It might be weird to say right off the bat, but I would venture to say that these two teams brought out the worst in each other. I don’t mean that there was any bad blood on the field, but neither team ever really found their rhythm in this game. Stephen Harripersaud admittedly never got very comfortable in the pocket and had trouble with the athletic defense of The Sheriff, and Luis Begin was held in check on the ground by Terry Babalis. He did have a decent game passing the ball, but for The Sheriff to be successful, I think the recipe looks to be 100 yards both through the air and on the ground.

Harripersaud was picked off by Alexis Bessette on the first drive, who had an excellent game for The Sheriff. If ever an interception proved to be a bad thing, this may be one of those times. Luis Begin got caught running around twice in a row by Terry Babalis which led to the first points of the game being a safety. Anybody have that on Bet365? After another interception by Alexandre Noel, my colleague apparently did not learn his lesson and just like that, the strangest FPF score I’ve ever seen. 4-0 Outlaws. Scratch that – Alexis Bessette managed to make things even more bizarre by taking the extra point back once Vincent Benjamin finally scored for the Outlaws on a 37 yard bomb. Score showed 10-1 for the Outlaws. It didn’t seem like much at the time, but those safeties will play an important part.

On the ensuing drive, The Sheriff finally built some momentum thanks to Philippe Aussant who made two great consecutive catches along the sideline before Noel finished the drive. With the two point conversion in the books, we’re back to a 1 point game at the half. The Sheriff then took the league to start the second half and we had a little bit of a back and forth. The teams we’re evenly matched and traded two more scores which led us to the last drive and the Outlaws still up by 1.

The Sheriff were left with 5 plays to try and score but came up short. They even had two attempts from the 2 yard line but couldn’t punch it in.

 

Show Me Your TDs 20 vs. Random White Dudes 27

Random White Dudes are a brand new team with familiar faces and I think that other teams may not be taking them as seriously as they should. They faced a tough loss in week 1, however as with any new team, it may take a few weeks for them to find their rhythm. They looked much better this time around and Jared Buck played excellent on both sides of the ball to get them their first win.

Mike Addona fell into the Danny D’Amour trap and had difficulty consistently executing his playbook. Show Me Your TDs looked good at times but this was definitely not Addona’s best game and I’m sure he would have loved a few throws back. He relied heavily on Alex David, as he should, who also had a good game but ultimately it was not enough. I wonder if he’ll get his brother out enough games to qualify for the playoffs?

As for the White Dudes, as white dudes go, they’ll never be too flashy or win games by 30 points per say, but they have a solid group of guys with good depth. Ryan Vanslet is probably one of the more underrated players in the Division and he can make his opponents look silly and he compliments D’Amour nicely. We scrimmaged these guys prior to the season and I was impressed with the group they were able to put together. I can easily see them finishing 7-3 or 6-4 and then making noise in the playoffs. As for Show Me Your TD’s, they have a little bit of work to do.

 

D-2

The Infantry 14 vs. Les OG’s 12

The thing I learned in this game was that never doubt somebody with the last name Semerjian, especially not when football is concerned. We heard last week that Rory is well aware that he doesn’t have anything personal to prove in this division, however he has once again put together a strong team and wants to lead this team to a championship. While The Infantry didn’t look perfect in this game, they made a few plays when it counted and held on for the win. Their experience helped them in the redzone converting extra points which will be huge down the stretch.

The game remained tied at 0 until very late in the first half until Sean found Rory on a deep corner in the endzone which made the game 7-0. Not long after, Alex Campeau took advantage of a deep completion to Guillaume Dufresne and then, following 3 straight incompletions, Campeau was able to convert on 4th down right back to Dufresne. Extra point was not so successful and Les OG’s trailed by a point. If they utilize any kind of practice during the week, I would make the priority red zone football.

The Infantry put together another successful drive, capped off by who else, Rory Semerjian, this time from only 1 yard away. If Campeau did anything well, he can throw a very nice deep ball. After utilizing the outside of the field well on a hook to Nicolas-Emmanuel Pierre, he threw a beautiful ball to Marc-Andre Theriault for a 28 yard touchdown. The problem? They didn’t convert yet again and fell behind by 2 points and just couldn’t mount another drive. Both defences stepped up to close out the game and this will be one that Les OG’s would love to redo.

 

Ballz Deep 32 vs. Texas Shorthorns 25

Perhaps one of the more underrated teams in D-2, Ballz deep played well enough to win this week but I will actually go out on a limb to say they have still yet to find their potential. They had a huge game from Matthew Peacock, the name creator of the group who we will also hear from later on. He looks to be the leader of the team along with Justin Weir who put together a solid outing.

Texas Shorthorns, I fear, will struggle quite a bit this season and have trouble finding an identity. If it’s the same Colin Sequeira, then he definitely has football flowing through his veins. I played football and hockey with his brother Evan and they’re both good athletes. He hasn’t played a lot of FPF, though, and he should only improve. It can be difficult to read the different kinds of defenses that FPF shows you and he will need to adjust to the shorter and smaller field. John Bews looks to be his main target who had a strong game on both sides of the ball as well and they will need to find a way to will this team some wins. I don’t think that they will make the playoffs, but they should find a way to win a few games with the talent they have on this roster.

For Ballz Deep, they will be expecting a much different season. While the game was close, they showed their skill and experience and we’re able to come away with the one score victory. They got a group effort on the defensive side of the ball and Weir played almost mistake free football, with just the one poor read and Bews made a nice play on the ball. Overall, they may quietly make some noise, if that makes any sense. You get what I’m trying to say.

 

Power Rankings

D-1

 

1. Half-A-Stars (2-0) – Not to toot my own horn, but this fits based purely on statistics so far. Our upcoming stretch will help prove me right or wrong.
2. A-Town (2-0) – They continue to look like a powerhouse, can they keep it going for 10 straight weeks?
3. Unknown Talent (2-0) – If I had to pick another team for either my number 1 or 1 spot, it would be them. Looking forward to seeing them handle some pressure.
4. Les Centaures (2-0) – They have a lot of experience and just beat the Super Saiyans. Hard to put them anywhere else.
5. Les Princes de la Rive-Sud (2-0) – They continue to roll but have a tough schedule coming up.
6. Legend of 7 (2-0) – They haven’t scored a ton of points but their defense looks strong and they just beat one of the best teams in the Division. I can see them moving up, fast.
7. Outlaws (2-0) – They don’t seem to be at their best right now but they continue to win, which is what matters. If they can put it all together they can beat anybody on this list.
8. LOB (1-1) – I was torn between them and Hot Sauce, but in a tough game, ultimately I trust the more experienced quarterback.

 

D-2

1. Ballz Deep (2-0) – With both EZW and The U losing, they slide to the number 1 spot. For now.
2. Fighting Amish (2-0) – A lot of the key pieces are still around from a team that dominated in the winter. Plus Marchand looks to be the real deal.
3. The Finessers (2-0) – Interesting to see Nirosh at quarterback, I wonder if that will stick or if we will see Ryan Kharouf. Either way, a tough team to predict.
4. EZW (1-1) – They lost to a team with a lot of talent and it took them by surprise. You can bet on them bouncing back.
5. The Infantry (2-0) – Their record is impressive to start the season but ultimately there are a few teams with more weapons.
6. Les Voyous (2-0) – They’ve looked really impressive so far and I may regret keeping them this low.
7. The U (1-1) – They should climb this list incredibly quick.
8. The Underducks (1-1) – Another team that’s a surprise at 1-1, I expect them to recover quickly.

 

“You ball, you get the call”

It doesn’t happen often, but shoutout to Samuel Caron who preferred not to have any of the spotlight on him but rather his team. I respect his decision, but just want to also let everybody know that the goal of this isn’t so much to pick favorites or anything like that, but rather to hear from the players of the division and get to know all of the teams. That said, definitely not forced to take part.

This week we had a great group of performances but sadly, it was a little bit more difficult getting in touch with a few guys. That said, all of the guys who made the list are here and we’re lucky to hear from a few of them. Special thanks to the big boss Peeze who gave us an interview that doesn’t disappoint.

 

D-1

 

Les Princes de la Rive-Sud – Mathieu Girard-Provost – 5 catches, 66 yards, 2 TDs, 3 tackles, 1 INT, 1 PD

 

A-Town – Jimmy Marneris – 6 catches, 32 yards, 2 TDs, 2 tackles, 1 PD, 1 INT, 1 Def. TD

1. You guys look really strong to start the season. Is this the best A-Town team you guys have put together?

If we’re speaking about talent, this is definitely the best version of A-Town yet. We added some nice weapons like Dynell Pierre ( who hasn’t played yet), and Stéphan Larosilière, and kept the heart of the team that was already successful in previous seasons. On offence, any player can take over a game, wether it’s Dynell with his overall football skills, Goudreau with his route running, Dorcely with his football IQ or my speed,our Qb has total trust in each of us and knows how tu use us.That being said, we lack structure right now, and despite a hot start, I think that we are far from being the team we can be. If we can add structure and consistency on offence, along with better communication on defence, I truly think that we are championship bound with our current roster.

2. How did A-Town come together in the first place, have you guys played all together in the past?

A-Town is actually the nickname of the Football team for college Ahuntsic! Most of our players have played together in college with our Qb Émile, so they all already had a chemistry before flagplus. Émile and I played football for several years in high school and always had the best qb-wr chemistry possible, so despite me doing track instead of football for the past 3 years, our connection hasn’t changed a bit, and that’s what makes us so dangerous since we joined the league.

3. What are your own goals for this season besides a championship?

I’ve been scoring double digit touchdowns for the past 3 seasons, and i’m averaging more than 1 td per game since I joined the league, but i’ve never made the All-Stars, so that’s definitely on my list. Other than that, i’ve been a boom or bust receiver often knowned for his speed… I would like to be more consistent (without losing my big play ability) this year and prove to the league that I am a complete receiver, that has more to offer than speed. All that being said, the main goal is a championship and I will embrace my role on the team, no matter what it is, because for the first time I truly believe we can win it all!

 

Unknown Talent – Alessandro Barazzoni – 14/18, 252 yards, 6 TDs

Unknown Talent – Mathew Simard – 2 catches, 70 yards, 2 TDs, 1 tackle, 1 INT, 1 PD, 1 Def. TD

1. Do you guys consider yourselves to be the best team in the Division? What makes you so dangerous?

We consider ourselves to be a top 3 team in the division havent had the chance to see most of the teams but we have a roster filled with ballers at every position.

2. Since you guys are relatively new, can you tell us a bit about yourselves? What NFL QB and Receiver would you compare yourselves to?

Alesssandro compares himself to baker Mayfield, a young qb with potential but often times takes risks for the big play with a lack of experience. Matthew compares himself to Antonio brown a receiver who catches everything and can make you miss after the catch.

3. Looking forward down the schedule, any specific games you guys are looking forward to? Why?

Looking forward to playing a town… a large percentage of their roster are former st leonard cougarts teammates always great competition Hot sauce sports is always a great competitive game.

 

Hot Sauce Sports – Peeze Della Reeze – 24/35, 168 yards, 5 TDs

1. What was the biggest difference offensively from Week 1 to this Week? Can we expect this version of Peeze from now on?

Man, bourbon can be a problem. I’d like to give A-Town credit but it was all a blur. In week two we faced Voodoo and I stuck to beer which, it seems has less of an impact on my tolerance and overall charm. Honestly, it was our second week together this season so timing and spacing was a lot better. We’re also a tough matchup for Voodoo so as long as I don’t take the invitation to crash and burn it’s a typically winnable game. We didn’t beat them by 70 the way I said we would on the podcast but then again I may or may not have said that under the influence of bourbon. As for the version of me. I like to consider myself to be a chameleon of sorts. I figure at some point I’ll be playing the role of the limping veteran who is so past his prime he needs to be carried onto the field rather than off the field in victory. It’s method acting; I commit to general poor health and indulgence in vices. If that’s not what quarterbacking is then perhaps I don’t know what a quarterback is.

2. Would you call yourself a better GM or quarterback?

I wouldn’t call myself a better quarterback than anything. Well, perhaps a better qb than artist or pilot. I’m colour blind, so painting skies green and a penchant crashing planes into the ocean make being a recreational league quarterback a far more attainable goal. Aim to be your third worst they always say (where “they” is me, just now). Being a GM is a strange way to look at it to be honest. I try not to be a shitty person and it seems as though that’s an attractive quality when team building. Guys seem to want to play with me because I’m not entirely unlikeable. Jesus, look at me, I’m totally full of myself. Let’s just consider me average on the shittiness scale. As a quarterback I’ve been told I’m very frustrating to play with. I’ll have one drive or one throw that makes everyone believe and then two drives and three drinks later my game falls apart for some reason.

3. How will wedding planning and the wedding itself impact this season for you guys. Not many QBs can come in with such a low rating.

If I understand your question, and I’m confident that I don’t, the impact will be deep. Yo, deep impact is an underrated movie. I’m telling you, it holds up better than you think. Wait, I’m getting distracted, goddamn it Peeze. Ok, I’m focused…

We have a lot of guys who are far more skilled than I am at quarterback and a lot of other things. Personal finances, horseback riding, and painting walls: these are all things I’m terrible at. The point is if you need a wall painted George Aifantis is your man. sidenote: Will Power would look legendary riding a horse.

 

D-2

 

Underducks – Samuel Caron – 7 catches, 81 yards, 4 TDs, 1 tackle

Baby Sharks – Nicolas Shaefer – 18/24, 274 yards, 6 TDs, 1 INT

Baby Sharks – Felix-Antoine Lavigne – 6 catches, 126 yards, 3 TDs, 1 tackle

 

Ballz Deep – Matthew Peacock – 5 catches, 77 yards, 3 TDs, 4 tackles, 1 PD

1. The obvious question first, who came up with the team name and why did it stick?

I came up with the name and Nick lapointe found the perfect logo. Just thought it was funny and it stuck.

2. Two impressive wins to start the season, would you say you guys are not getting enough attention? Or do you prefer the underdog role?

Love the underdog role. I think being a new team it’s only fair. But don’t underestimate us because y’all don’t want this smoke.

3. You just recently joined FPF but you’ve played a lot of football in the past 2 years. What are your goals for this season?

One game at a time. Focus on next week and getting the W. We have a great team capable of big things

 

Finessers – Nirosh Suresh – 7 catches, 166 yards, 4 TDs, 2 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT

1. How does it feel to beat a solid team like EZW. Besides your own performance, what helped get you guys the win?

EZW is a solid team. They gave us a run for our money. I’m pretty sure we’ll cross paths again this season. We definitely couldn’t have won without the contribution of everyone on the team. I understand some stats flash more then others. However, Marwan, Thomas and Sacha were clutch on the defensive side of the ball, which helped us secure the dub. Also, adding a versatile player like Lucas is game changer for us. Then there’s Alex and Ryan, who obviously contribute on a weekly basis. We tend to forget this is a team sport.

2. Is it hard to get some spotlight with Ryan and Alex on the squad? Especially with Ryan’s big personality.

Nah. They can get the spotlight. All I want are the dubs.

3. Who finishes the season with better stats, you or Alex?

We complement each other. If one of us goes off, it’s usually because the other had the defense’s attention. That being said, I hope Alex wins it. We got to make him get that 5peat as receiver of the year.