Carmine’s Coffin Corner – The finals are finally here!

CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY!  We have arrived.   

To quote Coach Parcells: “Hey fellas! This is what you work all off season for. This is why you lift all them weights! This is why you do all that!”

Not everyone in FPF is dedicated to the weight room on a daily basis, but this is indeed what everyone has worked, sweated, and committed their season to achieving.  A shot at a championship.  I truly believe that there is no greater sports feeling than winning a football championship.  It is the ultimate team sport and no one player can win a game by themselves.

FLAGPLUS Football Cup 2019

A quick reminder that registration for the tournament opened up on August 1st.  Slightly different format this season as the league looks to create more parity amongst the different tiers.  For more info simply stalk Simon Dagenais, Peeze, or Alex the Eagle on FB.  They have multiple posts.

 

Random Thoughts & Observations

• The Braves have now been in the top division of FPF for 5 seasons. In 4 of those 5 seasons they have met up with a Finest/Outsiders variation, quickly establishing a playoff rivalry.  In the first 2 meetings Kevin Wyeth sent Jonathan Maheu packing for the off-season.  In the 2 most recent meetings it has been Jonathan Maheu coming out on top.
• I always like to see the 35+ Players doing well. Gino DiFazio leads the Mercenaries in the DC Championship game while Stephen Harripersaud (try typing that name 5 times quick!) leads the Outlaws in D1 action.  More on that in a few lines.
• Speaking of 35+ players, Jeff Rosenblatt had a tough week as both the Dream Killers and Keyport Lock were eliminated in the semi-finals.
• The DC semis saw two very close games. The Mercenaries ended the season for Simon Says in OT converts.  Very exciting action to watch.  The other semi-final had KGP slip past Keyport Lock by 2 points.  What was weird was that after this game both teams had to put their competitive emotions aside and join forces to play as the Dream Killers in the DB semi-final game.  While I wish Phil Cutler and KGP well, I do not wish them that well as I will be on the Mercenaries sideline for this one.
• The D1 final has Half-A-Stars squaring off with the Outlaws. This should be another fun game. Corey Walwaski, whom I randomly met in a theatre in the middle of the Caribbean this past Spring, leads HAS against a 35+ veteran, Stephen Harripersaud.  The Outlaws also have the ultimate energizer bunny in Kevin Kousaie.  If you have never watched this man play you are missing something.  Just a continual motor, not what you would expect at first glance.  GO Outlaws!!!
• One of my ex-employees, Marc-Alexandre Piette, leads the Buffalo Wild Wings against Les Voyous in D2 action. GO M-A!
• The ageless one, Brad Evans, is looking for his second Championship in E1 as he leads Pardon My Swag against Los Banditos.
• The E2 final showcases The Blackouts and Mambo.

 

Division A/B Sem-Final Review

2 ½ Alkaholiks put to sleep the Dream Killers 40-18

What I wrote: The first game saw the Dream Killers play without Khalil Kerr and Quaysie Gordon-Maule.  I have a funny feeling that this will not be the case for the semi-final match up.  This gives Jeff Rosenblatt his two big guns.  Add in his safety blanket, Jeremy Anderson, and things will be different for the defence of the Alkaholiks.  Speaking of which, unless Brandon Aylward puts some pressure on Rosenblatt, this will be a very LONG night for the D.  Joey Taylor runs his offence quite efficiently and I think that he will move the ball in his little dink ‘n dunk fashion.  While the first game was not that close, this one will be.  Paul Lapierre will be the difference as the Alkaholiks move to the finals in a super close game

What actually happened:  Had you told me that Paul Lapierre would be absent and that the score would be what it was, I would have expected it to be in favour of the Dream Killers.  Hats off to Joey Taylor and his squad for moving on to the finals.  While Paul is a stalwart defender, his absence forces this team to play more man-man defence and they are a very quick bunch.  Joey did his thing, finishing 19-27 for 201 yards and 6 TDs with no costly INTS.  Phil Cutler was the only defender who got a hand on a ball, so Joey played his normal game and defended the football well.  He found the 2 Danny’s and the 2 Aylward’s for 2 TDs each (figure out that math…), while his two main receivers were surprisingly silent.  Paul was absent and Zach Zwirn was held to 1 reception.  For the Dream Killers, many players were playing their second game of the evening as they squared off against each other earlier in one of the DC semi-final games.  Not sure how much of a factor that was.  Jeff Rosenblatt completed 30 passes on this night.  Unfortunately, it was for less than 200 yards, so it was a lot of short completions and the 2 ½ squad generally flag very well.  Joey Taylor led the way on this side of the ball as well with 9 tackles.  Quaysie Gordon-Maule did have a big game with 11 receptions and a TD, but as I mentioned, the yardage was low, only 53 yards on all those completions.  The Drinkers move on.

The Alpha-T’s out last Jasmin N Sons in OT 27-26

What I wrote: Can I use a lifeline and call a friend to see who is showing up for JNS?  If they try to play against TATs with 5, they will lose this game.  Jesse Dupuis will not make the same mistakes that SD did this past week.  Pat Jerome is the best player in this game.  However, the TATs do have Alexis Gaumont and Mathieu Houle who can both restrict Jerome’s vertical jump game.  Gaumont deep and Houle in the Red Zone.  Expect this game to show those match ups.  Anthony Lapointe and M-A Viens have both done a great job of getting the ball to their respective QBs and then giving them a reliable target afterwards.  Julien Paiement is one of the most dominant rushers in FPF at this point in time and will force Frederic Viens to get rid of the ball quickly.  JNS have had multiple rushers this season and I am not sure that any of them can contain Jesse Dupuis if he decides to take off with the ball.  To me this will be the difference.  Many QBs use their legs to buy time.  Jesse uses his to gain yards when he thinks he can beat the Rusher.  The first game was a tie.  Alexis Gaumont was not there, and Jesse Dupuis only rushed for 11 yards.  I cannot see that happening again.  TATS will move on to the finals.

What actually happened: While the first semi-final was not that close, OT was required for this game.  Not that big of a shock as their regular season match up ended in a tie as well.  JNS came out firing and took a 12-6 lead into the break.  Neither team showed tremendous rhythm on offence as they both finished well below 200 yards in total offence.  Frederic Viens completed 23 balls but for a grand total of 160 yards.  Pat Jerome was the playmaker (how often have people written that over the years?) as he found the end zone 3 times.  Frederic Viens does not find himself on defence very often but, with only 6 bodies for this game, he was pressed into action.  He actually led the squad in tackles, with 6, and had chances for glory as he also had 3 PDs.  Woulda, coulda, shoulda…

The TATs were led, on both sides of the ball, by Jesse Dupuis.  He finished 15/26 with 3 TDs.  Again, the yardage was not impressive but there were no INTs thrown.  His center, Anthony Lapointe led the way with 2 TDs and the 3rd was to Alexis Gaumont.  Those same 3 had a big influence on the defence as well with Gaumont leading the team with 6 tackles while Lapointe and Dupuis each had an INT.  The big one was Dupuis’ as he took it back for 6 points in a big momentum swing.  TATs edge their way to the finals.

Braves break their streak against the Outsiders 38-32

What I wrote: I really hope that we see a repeat of the Week 10 match up.  600 yards of offence and 14 TDs with a single convert dividing the teams!  Go for a bio break and you missed 3 TDs!!  These teams know each other well as they have faced off in MULTIPLE big games over the past few seasons.  While the Braves have had the more consistent roster the Outsiders have Kevin Wyeth, Pat Jerome, Serge Pilon, and Don Shepherd (4 HoF players) on their side so star power is up for grabs in this one.  While Maheu is better known as the 2 Way player, Wyeth has contributed BIG time on D when called upon this year.  2 INTs, 2 Sacks, and 4 PDs in a part time role shows that he is not out of position on D.  Alex Pilon and Serge Pilon make for a great match up.  Pat Jerome and Georges Gariepy also match up well.  Both centers have a blazing first step.  I think that Mike Pierrecin has the edge for overall top speed, but Don Shepherd makes such a difference in the Red Zone with his size.  All of this to say that I think that the Braves finally break the losing streak (Outsiders have beat them twice) and that is because of JD Chevalier.  He was forced into QB duty in the first game but played a significant role in the rematch.  I see him as the difference maker.  Part of me hates to bet against KW (he likes to prove me wrong…&$$&#%^$) and a 4th matchup between YCSWU & the Outsiders would be interesting, I simply think that the Braves will squeak this one out.

What actually happened: While we did not get the offensive explosion that we saw in the regular season this game did not disappoint for intensity.  The Spring Season does cause roster issues and it does get frustrating when players miss big games.  In this case the Outsiders found themselves without Serge Pilon.  Unfortunately for them, the other rocket-propelled Pilon twin was there, but he plays for the Braves.  Alex finished with 5 receptions for 89 yards and 2 TDs.  He also threw a TD for good measure.  While his defensive stat line was somewhat barren, he did record one of the 3 INTs from the Braves defence.  I have always wanted FPF to track turnovers on 4th down as they provide a bit more insight into the story line.  Both Maheu and Wyeth finished the night with 5 passing TDs.  While Maheu shows no INTs, the Outsiders defence did get some stops.  We just don’t see them.  As I mentioned earlier, this is the second straight playoff meeting that the Braves defeat the Outsiders after having lost the first two.  For a league lacking in big rivalries, this might be one in the making.  It was also the first time that the Braves beat the Outsiders this season.  They picked a great time to do so and punch their ticket to the finals.

 

 

Carmine’s Players of the Week

Joey Taylor (2 ½ Alkaholiks) – 19/27 for 201 yards & 6 TDs on O, 9 Tackles and a PD on D

Quaysie Gordon-Maule (Dream Killers) – 11 Receptions for 53 yards & 1 TD on O, 4 Tackles on D

Jesse Dupuis (The Alpha-T’s) – 15/26 for 149 yards & 3 TDs, 2 Rush for 17 yards on O, 5 Tackles and a PICK 6 on D

Anthony Lapointe (The Alpha-T’s) – 4 Receptions for 47 yards & 2 TDs on O, 2 Tackles and 1 INT on D

Alex Pilon (Braves) – 5 Receptions for 89 yards & 2 TDs, 1/1 for 20 yards and 1 TD on O, 1 INT on D

Georges Gariepy (Braves) – 3 Receptions for 30 yards and 2 TDs on O, 5 Tackles and 1 INT on D

 

The week ahead

YCSWU host the Braves

What happened in their first match up (Week 3): Braves win 32-26

Review of that game: Fun game loaded with big plays from each team’s big players.  No bigger player on this night than the 2-way monster for the Braves, Georges Gariepy.  6 Rec, 2 TDs, 5 tackles, an INT and PD.  He made his presence felt on this evening.  Chipping in with an INT on defence was QB Jonathan Maheu, back from a 1-week absence (loss).  He had an efficient night finishing 18-25 but, uncharacteristically for him, adding 2 INTs to go with his 5 TDs.  On the flip side, Alex Holowach put up similar numbers to Maheu but came up one score short.  I really wish we tracked 4th down stops as they are just as relevant as any INT that gets thrown.  Anthony Vendrame and Justin McLean combined for 13 receptions but only found the End Zone once while Quaid Johnson made the most of his opportunities as he scored on both of his receptions. 

What happened in their second match up (Week 6): YCSWU win 39-33

Review of that game: When everyone is there, the Braves remain the top team.  Not as fun to watch as YCSWU, but they get the job done.  Those list words came to light as the Braves were without their two-way MONSTER, Georges Gariepy, for the second straight week.  Huge impact as he plays such a vital role for this squad.  Not to take away anything from the YCSWU squad in any way, but this result has an asterisk next to it in my mind.  Both QBs go 19-33 with almost identical yardage.  The extra possession by YCSWU proves to be the difference in the game.  Justin McLean continues his mid-season push for the ROTY award with 8-99-2 TD numbers on the evening.  For the Braves it was defensive stalwart, Marc-Andre Lapointe, who stepped up with 2 big TD receptions

What I wrote in the pre-season article:

Braves

My pre-season favorite to take home the DA title.  They are a veteran team with very few weaknesses, and it took a perfect game from Marco Masciotra to keep them out of the D1 finals this past Winter.  The majority of the core have been together for several years now and they also keep sharp by playing in the Terrebonne league.  They are led by 2-way monsters Jonathan Maheu and Georges Gariepy.  Add in JD Chevalier and Mike Pierrecin, who might have the quickest first-step of any center in FPF, and they have talent everywhere.  This should be a FUN team to watch this season…just don’t blink too often or you might miss something.

YCSWU

This team kind of snuck up on people this past Winter but I do not think that they will fly under the radar this season.  Like #NR they are a D2 team that has stacked the roster for the Spring season.  Adding Anthony Vendrame and Quaid Johnson, while keeping Chris Milard (might explain why the Outsiders are advertising for a rusher?) makes them an extremely talented team.  Alex Holowach has continued to improve as a QB each season and Terry Tam continues to provide a reliable outlet when he has to check things down.  The defence should also be able to more than hold its own so I will go out on a limb and pick them to make the A division finals.

What I think will happen this time: I actually called this one way back when.  The teams split the season series and finished with the same # of points scored (for & against) combined.  Alex Holowach has played awesome all season and Justin McLean has been everywhere (how the he77 is he asking for a team to play for in the FPF Cup???).  The question mark for YCSWU is the health of Anthony Vendrame.  Will he be able to go?  He missed the JNS game this past week, so I am curious.  The Braves have been a consistent bunch this season.  New addition, Marc-Andre Lapointe, has fit right in and has been productive.  A really good player, it is nice to see him showcasing his talents in the higher levels of late.  My pre-season prediction was for the Braves to take home the title.  Nothing has changed.  Georges Gariepy makes the difference in this game.

 

The Alpha-T’s host the 2 ½ Alkaholiks

What happened in their first match up (Week 4): TATs win 40-38

Review of that game: The Alpha-T’s come as advertised.  A big team that plays to their strengths.  This game was the GOTW, so you can watch the film for a few more details.  Jesse Dupuis played a great game and spread the ball well.  I said that this game would be decided between Jesse and Brandon Aylward.  With the exception of their last drive, this battle was won big time by Jesse.  67 yards rushing at this level is a HUGE game.  He also bought himself enough time to allow multiple crossing patterns by Anthony Lapointe & Mike Pierrecin to develop 10 yards down the field.  Converts and big plays were made by the big man on the Alpha-T’s, Mathieu Houle.  Rare to have someone make Paul Lapierre look small but Houle actually does that.  Only had 3 catches (converts are not tracked) but 1 was a big TD, another was a MASSIVE 1st down after facing a 3rd down & 30!  He also caught 2 key converts.  Unfortunately for 2 1/2, in all of those instances, he was matched up against a much smaller defender who had no real opportunity to make a play as Jesse put the ball in perfect spots.  2 ½ were without their starting QB and yours truly was filling in.  A tad rusty and it showed early as I was figuring out how to use the receivers.  The team had some bad breaks early on but never stopped battling and fought back to put themselves to actually tie the game on the last play.  We now come to Paul Lapierre’s second tummy-ache of the evening.  2 ½ were also facing a roster issue (common them on the week) and had to recruit a player at game time in order to field a defence.  A knee injury has me relegated to the offensive side of the ball exclusively.

What I wrote in the pre-season article:

Alpha-T’s

Have to give them credit for making the move up the ladder for the Spring Season.  A very veteran team in FPF who have moved steadily up the ranks.  They tend to rise & fall with the play of their QB, Jesse Dupuis.  Mike Pierrecin had a massive Winter Season for them, and the bizarre rules allow him to play for them which is HUGE PLUS because now they do not have to face the Braves!  Big loop hole in the rules:” How do you avoid one of the top teams?” “Recruit one of their players!”  In this case they also have Julien Paiement from the Braves roster.  I really hope this does not get edited out!!!  In all seriousness I think that the Alpha T’s will do just fine this season.

2 ½ Alkaholiks (this is how I am going to write your name…. get used to it)

First off, I think that Mike Smith should lobby the league for a separate QB rating just so he is not the ONLY player on the team not to have one.  Seriously!  Every other player on this squad has a QB rating.  5 of them actually played QB full time this past Winter!  This should be a gong show if they really want to mess with people and drop 4 QBs!  Of course, this should be the Joey Taylor & Paul Lapierre show.  Big contrast in styles between the two.  Joey lets the rusher get close, contorts his body into a pretzel, and “throws” a 2-yard crossing pattern.  Paul also lets the rusher get close, after making him run 17 yards because of his deep drop, then he throws the ball 35 yards on a line and it arrives with enough force to sprain the receiver’s wrist!  My favorite to make the DB finals

 

What I think will happen this time: Hey look at that!  Got another finalist correct.  I completely pooched their style of play as I was expecting a 2 headed QB monster, which never transpired.  Paul Lapierre was determined to play receiver, to the point that they recruited yours truly to fill in for JT during his absence.  Unfortunately, one of those games was against TATs so we really do not have a great idea of how this Championship Game will go.  Joey Taylor defines this offence.  It is built around his ability to draw out plays and pick holes as things develop.  He will never be mistaken for the prototypical pocket passer, but he has developed into an extremely effective QB.  He has a good core around him, led by Paul Lapierre, Zach Zwirn, and Brandon Aylward.  Brandon’s true value will have to come on the other side of the ball if the Alkaholiks are going to win this one.  If he does not do a better job of controlling Jesse Dupuis than he did in the first meeting, then this will be a long night for the 2 ½ defence.  The TATs are led by the aforementioned Jesse Dupuis.  He did not with the 2 Way award by accident.  He is the heart & soul of this team on both sides of the ball and is a true triple-threat (Pass/Run/Defender).  Anthony Lapointe and Alexis Gaumont both have made major contributions this season and I see them playing big roles in the game tonight.  While it took me little while, I did get on the Orange bandwagon mid-way through the season and will stay there for one more game.  GO TATs!

On a fun note, I have been asked to provide the colour commentating for this evening.  Guess that I will not be able to hide if my choices are completely off base.  Hopefully there is a slight delay to the broadcast so that Eagle can edit some of my “colourful” comments which seem to slip out from time to time!

Thanks for reading this season.