Fourth-and-Goal (Div C) – Week 2

I like where we stand going into week 3. While there is a divide between the upper and lower echelon teams of the division, it’s evident that all the lower echelon teams only need a little bit of fine-tuning in order to be competitive.

 

 

Just Like School in July

 

The Mustangs du Gridiron were in for a treat this past Thursday in Brossard. Facing an opposition that had a roster of 5, they were able to pad their stats by working on their long bombs and halfback plays. Simon Vallée looked great, throwing 4 touchdowns to 4 different receivers and even being able to have Frank Boulard run one in as well. The X-Men put up a valiant effort, attempting to control the clock and keep pace. One wonders if the result would have been different had the X-Men been at their full roster.

 

Join the Club

 

Did the pickup of Jordan McLaren pay off for the Daron Basmadjian Fan Club? Well, not only did he look right at home sporting a Michael Crabtree jersey amongst the other pro jerseys that the DBFC don, the results of the acquisition showed immediately. McLaren put up three interceptions, making us all collectively wonder if Gordon Hogan’s time in the spotlight has ended. The ball-hawking ability of McLaren and Eddy Martinez, as well as the relentless rush of Colin Taylor proved to be too much for Mathieu Thuot. This may be cause for concern for the Real Deal; they face an equally relentless rusher this week in David Faucher. Thuot may need to stay in the pocket, or get creative, in order to come out on top. Mathieu Patry and Bruno Collette may need to take a more instrumental role in regard to the leadership of the team.

 

 

Power Rankings

 

1: Prestige World Wide – It’s already week 2, and they show no signs of stopping. They have by and far the most points for, but their defense musters over 3 INTs a game. The team to beat.

2: Hall of Famers – A hard-hitting offense, and boisterous to boot. Should have some clear sailing for the next few games.

3: KGP Champs – The only thing better than experience is experience AND consistency. They’ve become much more than a one-trick pony.

4: Daron Basmadjian Fan Club: They’re looking good, but I’m getting the feeling that something’s missing. A coach, perhaps…

5: Monstars – So we finally get a glimpse of what the Monstars look like at a full roster. All they need now is to have an offence that can keep pace with their defense.

6: Sphinx – Were able to pull off a close one last week. They have an opportunity to solidify their status here this week in their matchup against Patriotes.

7: Flight of the Concords – Same old song and dance. Plenty of potential, but can they keep it consistent. Let’s hope that their vacations aren’t scheduled for playoff time this seaon!

8: Mustangs du Gridiron – The Division 5 success story. They’ve got a large roster and their play calling seems reflective of the division.

9: Predators – Ripped apart the FDF defense and offense. J-Flo and co seem to be on their way to their best season yet.

10: Broccasion – Are only really at the bottom of the rankings due to their week 1 loss. Definitely better than their record indicates.

 

 

(Not So) Quick Picks

 

It’s on. The rivalry between your two division C writers has commenced. Alongside my quick picks, I’ll be keeping a tally of who was right when Simon and I predicted two teams to win. Of course, I will never pick for or against my own team, so there are 13 remaining games that we have up for grabs. Let’s hope that we differ more and more as the season goes on. But for now: G.M. – 10/13, Simon – 9/14. (Also noteworthy: when the two of us differ in predictions, I’m 3-1!)

 

I felt like going into a little bit more detail, so there’s a one-sentence buildup to the prediction. Predictions are in bold italics.

 

KGP Champs vs. Predators – The one prediction I’m truly torn on. I feel that Predators are a deeper squad, but are also possibly going to be short players for this one. When in doubt, go with KGP Champs for consistency.

 

Patriotes vs. Sphinx – Some of the ORIGINAL Division 5 powerhouses. I get the impression that Patriotes have grown a lot as a team and will have the edge on this one.

 

The Incredibles vs Favre Dollar Footlongs – My girlfriend should be happy with this prediction, as I think that The Incredibles will be too much to handle.

 

Formerly Teamless vs. Pap N’ Co – N/A

 

Daron Basmadjian Fan Club vs. Mustangs du Gridiron – The Mustangs will face their first real challenge against a team that has more than 5 players. Look at the Daron Basmadjian Fan Club for the win.

 

Rude Bwoys vs. Silent Assassins – John Papadimitriou is going to need to use some of his experience with PXS to get out of this rut. The Rude Bwoys will be looking to use this game to keep learning from their old mistakes and avoid inconsistencies.

 

Hall of Famers vs. Like Our TDs – Despite their new acquisitions, it’s going to be hard for Like our TDs to stay relevant. The Hall of Famers are on a runaway freight train.

 

Mongoose vs. Monstars – With Alex Gaudet hurt, and the stout defense of the men in purple, I’m giving this one to the Monstars

 

Broccasion vs. Le Zoo – Le Zoo have made some important pickups, but so have Broccasion. Look for the ruthless Broccasion defense to keep the boys in green at bay.

 

Jewish Cucumbers vs. French Toast Mafia FFC – Ryan Lelinowski (Lel G III) and Evan Berall are going to need to make a choice as to who’s going to proceed. Even with their offensive inconsistencies, French Toast Mafia FFC would be my choice for this one.

 

Eagles vs. Ninja Turtles – We’ve got a brand-new team facing off against arguably the most experienced team in the entire division. Look at the Eagles for this one.

 

The Commission vs. X-Men – Even in the past with a full squad, the X-Men have had trouble up against The Commission. Look for The Commission to take this one with their beefed-up roster.

 

Flight of the Conchords vs. Real Deal – I’m thinking that the learning curve is slowly coming to an end for Mathieu Thuot. On a whim, I’m picking Real Deal for the upset.

 

Prestige World Wide vs. Pump & Ditch – It’s not without saying that a first-time quarterback will have trouble against a seasoned defense. Expect this one to be no different. Prestige World Wide.

 

 

Random Thoughts

 

–        Back by popular demand. When one person emails me, and that one person asks for it back, that’s 100% of the popular vote.

–        There’s a team in Division D who are named Broncos. There’s a team in Division D who have jerseys with the name Broncos on them. They are not the same team. This amuses me.

–        I think that the scores of the Division A/B crossover games are a nice indicator that the gap between A and B isn’t as tough as imagined. Maybe we’ll see some B/C crossover games in the near future?

–        You don’t submit a roster, you don’t get stats. Fair warning.  

–        Whoever came up with the French Toast Mafia jersey logo gets a tip of the hat from me.

–        Serious time: I’d like to wish Andrew D’Anna a speedy recovery. There’s nothing more heartbreaking than watching your team from the sidelines.

 

 

Well, that’s it for me. As usual, fan mail or requests can be sent to [email protected]

Hate mail, on the other hand, can be sent to [email protected]

I know that that’s where I send mine.