Inside the Red Zone (D1) – Week 1

Welcome to Inside The Redzone, the only column that takes you inside FlagPlus Football’s elite division. There are many great things to look forward to in the Winter 2011 season, and I will make sure you experience them by providing endzone-to-endzone coverage. Let’s start with how refreshing it is to see new faces and teams in the highest level of FPF, it shows there are many who like to challenge themselves rather than take the easy road to the hardware. Will the Express defend their championship? Will the Expos repeat as finalists? Will Demons have a better result than in 2009? These questions, among many more, will be answered during the course of the season. However I will start by examining the expansion of Division 1.

Is eight better than six?

This is not a trick mathematical question, so put away your calculators. In the 2010 Winter season, FPF’s elite division of football was well balanced and competitive because there were only six teams and all could compete. I mean, after all, the Hurricanes didn’t even make playoffs and Express went on to the win the championship.

There are eight teams this season, and I foresee the level of competition to be as strong as Winter 2010. My reason is quite simple. One of the biggest reasons six teams worked out well last season was because all six were strong, without any weak teams doubling as “punching bags” for the strong. In evaluating the eight teams, I don’t see any that can be labeled as doormats (such as Express or Wolverines from 2009). That doesn’t mean that every team is at the same level, there are those who are stronger than the rest, as always, but such was the case last season as well, and the underdog came out on top.

It can be said that a team is as strong as their quarterback. So looking down the list, there is Kevin Wyeth, Jean-Daniel Chevalier, Carmine Pollice, Patrick Chenard, Chad Byers, Ryan Kastner, Andy Peterkin and Frederic Dupuis, in no particular order. Each passer can definitely play in Division 1 and each team has a strong supporting cast.

Another measure of parity is the clarity of the playoff picture. Last season, we saw it literally come down to the last week for Express and Hurricanes, and only a couple of weeks before for Rainmakers and Expos. Therefore I expect that a team or two may jump ahead of the rest early on, but for the rest, clinching a playoff spot will be done much later in the season, and quite possibly all the way in week 10.

So if there are any of you who do not believe in this season’s newbies, you’ll be proven wrong very soon. Especially as Redhawks and Old Skool start to get comfortable. Either way, let’s keep it clean, have fun and enjoy the best football FPF has to offer.

What have we learned after a week of football?

The defending champion, Express, might be in for a long season if SCC doesn’t return (He may sit out the season as a safety pre-caution for his CFL aspirations). The finalists, Expos, have revamped with their roster and bulked up, recruiting many of the outdoor ‘Maroons’, to bolster their roster. Montreal’s Finest has the same core as always, but have added depth to their roster to strengthen an already dominant squad. The Rainmakers’ long overdue addition of Tim Kraemer and CLR Forces pick-up of former D1 all-star J-M Laplante seem to have paid some dividends in week 1. Both teams have always been teams reliant on chemistry and execution, so major overhaul’s are not ideal.

Now, the newcomers. In a manner of speaking; Demons have returned and look stronger than the Winter 2009 edition, especially on defense, adding some FPF veterans like the Raymond brothers, in addition to other players, who are all accustomed to playing together, both indoors and out. Old Skool has lots of familiar faces (but seem to have some trouble spelling?), half of their team is comprised of former Hurricanes. The biggest question mark around this team surrounds Andy Peterkin, who is/has been a dominant outdoor touch and tackle football quarterback, and his ability to adapt to the indoor game. Last, but certainly not least, Redhawks whose mix is from Wolfpack (Ben Fredette and Mikhail Davidson) and Winter 2010 Division 3 Ducks. Similar to Old Skool, the spotlight will be on the extra-mobile Jean-Daniel Chevalier, and his ability to compete week in and week out at the elite level. Keep in mind that many of the D1 rushers are geared towards limiting big-armed, pocket passers, and may have trouble slowing down a scrambling QB.

Who is the clear favorite to win it all?

Many will label the Demons and Montreal’s Finest as the clear cut finalists, including my esteemed colleague on WEPL, Donald Shepherd. Though I do see the logic in that statement, didn’t we label Montreal’s Finest as the obvious champions halfway during last season? I believe they didn’t even make the finals.

Therefore, the question becomes a bit tricky. I believe Expos, with the addition of Patrick Jerome, Phil Leduc and a slew of Maroons, are right beside the Demons and Montreal’s Finest in the contenders row. With or without the return of SCC, Express has too much experience to fold back so quickly after last season’s run.

Rainmakers and CLR Forces have always been competitive, so on any given night, there is no doubt that they can pull it off (similar to Express last season). And once the Redhawks and Old Skool start to gel, they too, will make some noise, given the obvious talent levels on both squads.

So it becomes quite hard to pick finalists, let alone a champion, this early on.

What can you expect from my column in upcoming weeks?

Besides excellent writing, you can expect in depth coverage of every team along with brief interviews from players on many topics that also include recaps of games. Similar to Winter 2010, I will have the Amazing Race (top performers in Division 1 at different positions, including the ‘Heisman’). Last, the ever popular and prestigious STAR-AWARDS© will make its return at the end of the season.

So I wish all teams the best of luck for the upcoming season. Let’s make this the best one yet. As I leave, I will leave you with the following quote, “Champions aren’t made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them — a desire, a dream, a vision.” – Mohammad Ali