Inside the Redzone (D4) – Week 6

 

I want to start by congratulating the Briscoe High Hawks for winning the Castleton challenge which means they donated the most amount of money for Haiti. The amount donated was over 100$ which is very admirable and you get two solid THUMBS UP! They will be on Breaking The Huddle in a couple of weeks and will have a chance to tape one of their upcoming games which will then be put on the website. Good job boys!

 

Having said that, we are now at the midway point of the season and that means it is time to start really making it happen on the field. For those teams who are fighting for a playoff spot, you must get it going real fast, otherwise you will be in a deep hole from which you can’t get out. This is the best time of the FlagPlus Football season because after having played five games, an accurate analysis of every team can be made. We have three 5-0 teams, however, after the all is said and done, it is quite possible we will only have one, which means the Dirty Birds perfect record from last year isn’t fully safe. Also for those teams who are looking to add new players, make sure you know that they won’t be qualified for playoffs (a player needs six games and there are only five remaining) so your best bet is to devise a game plan based on the current players on the roster. Nonetheless, there are many teams who are still eligible for playoffs so there isn’t a need to panic just yet!

 

Headlines

 

Time Bombs: Pretenders or Contenders?

 

They are 5-0 which ties them with Triple Sixers and Warriors yet they have half the firepower. So should they be given the contender’s status and be compared with the likes of Warriors and Triple Sixers? That is a tough question to answer because there isn’t a black or white response. I can tell you this much, in a one game playoff series anything is possible. One thing I like about Time Bombs is their ability to play smart but more important, their ability to win tight football games and make clutch plays. Fortunate for us, they play Warriors in week 10 (9th game) so we’ll get a chance to see what they’re made of, but until then, I am jumping on the bandwagon!

 

You got Giew’d?

 

Remember last week I was high on Served With Ice? Well it appears a new team has taken them over. Ladies and Gentlemen, allow to present to you: GIEW. I’ll be honest, I googled “Giew” and found some very interesting results. So maybe I’ll give the team a chance to email me and explain the name a bit better. They are only 2-3 however they are only 1 game behind the division leading Guerillaz. Can they make some noise in a low skilled South division? Their last two games are against division rivals so that might have an impact but for the time being, I’m keeping a close eye on this team.

 

More parity in Conference B: North or South?

 

It appears there is more parity in the South because 1 win separates fifth place from first place. However that doesn’t mean that this is the division of death. It is only division, compared to the other three, in which the leader has allowed more than 100 points in 5 games. Similarly, the last place team has the worst point differential. So although there might not be many contenders in conference B South, at least there is hope and a chance for almost every team to win the division.

 

J-E-T-S?

 

What has happened to the JETS? They have lost two in a row and even though they are still .500, they are now 5th in the Conference A South division. I really hope they get it going because their remaining five games are not going to be walks in the park. They play Marauders, Triple Sixers, Guerillaz, Snookers and Gators whose combined record currently is 18-7. I would suggest a closed door meeting so adjustments can be made and they can return to the same level they were at the beginning of the season.

 

Triple Sixers vs. Warriors

 

For all the talk that has surrounded these two squads, the epic battle between these two teams inches closer. In three weeks, they will get it on at Lachine at 23h00 EST. I am excited to see this match because it is preview of a potential finale of Division 4. Not to mention the star names on both sides. I’ll hype this match up (if it even needs that) in the upcoming weeks but for now, let’s just hope both of these teams won’t get upset till then because 7-0 vs. 7-0 makes for a great match up.

 

Three STARwars of the week

 

3. Jeff Chabot (Gators) 4 catches, 59 yards, 1 TD; 4 tackles, 2 INTs.

 

2. Cody Hemsley (Cowboys) 2 catches, 40 yards, 2 TDs; 3 INTs, 2 “pick sixes”.

 

1. Edward Shoshan (BOOM! Goes The Dynamite) 18-30, 217 yards, 8 TDs.

 

Sarwar Standings (power rankings)

These take into effect overall record, x-factors, skills, clutchness and the STAR-warness. They are all contenders in my opinion. I’ll update this list on a weekly basis.

 

T-1. Triple Sixers (5-0): 235 points for in 5 games, best in division 4.

 

T-1. Warriors (5-0): 68 points allowed in 5 games, best in division 4.

 

3. Time Bombs (5-0): Another week, another victory. At this rate they might even be ahead of the Warriors in a few weeks (if they are 8-0 and Warriors lose to Triple Sixers).

 

4. Gators (4-1): Dominating the Conference A South division, especially by annihilating the only other team who could have given them trouble.

 

5. Snookers (4-1): Just experienced a bad loss and things might get from bad to worse because of a few key injuries. However I believe in the character of this team and their ability to keep it going strong.

 

6. Balls Deep (3-2): Their two losses have come to 5-0 teams so they’re still a strong team however not an elite team. You know what they say: To be the best, you have to beat the best.

 

7. BOOM! Goes The Dynamite (3-2): Two losses have come at the hands of Snookers and Gators (combined 8-2) therefore they have a few things to work on because they can be considered a top notch team.

 

8. Guerillaz (3-2): A nice blend of veterans and youngsters, led by one GDF. They should be better than their record, but because they’re not, I’ll put them in the bottom of the rankings.

 

9. Flight Of The Concords (2-3): A lot has been said about this teams character and how they would respond to losing Marvin Renaud. In my true opinion he was a key component of this team which is why they’re 2-3 however I think with Arsenault, Guillmain, Chernyak, they can bounce back.

 

10. Venom (3-2): I am not fully sold on this team but do believe they can be the underdog/upset special team. Some of these guys were part of For Teh Lulz team in Spring 2009 which gives them some experience. In upcoming weeks, they have a couple of tough opponents which will give me a better idea about them.

 

On the bubble: Giew (2-3), Marauders (2-3)

 

Rehan’s Role Players (RRP)

 

This week’s RRP is Vince Mancini from the Cowboys. This team might be a fun first-compete second type of squad but you better believe Vince Mancini brings his A game every weekend. He is leading the Cowboys in receptions with 20 and yards with 277 and second in TDs with 3. On the defensive side of the ball he has 14 tackles, 2 INTs and 1 PD. He is not the most athletic player in D4, but uses his mind to outsmart opponents; in other words, he is a veteran of the game of football.

 

In the Spring 2009 season he had 30 receptions for 356 yards and 7 TDs. Therefore he is on pace to surpass those results in Winter 2010. More than being a solid player, he is a great teammate who encourages everyone around him and is always the hardest on himself. He will even take himself out of the game if he feels another player can do better in certain situations. He would be an asset to any team. Therefore Vince Mancini, you ARE a RRP!

 

What’s On Tap

 

Warriors (5-0) vs. Gators (4-1)

 

Gators have already played one perennial powerhouse this season, Triple Sixers in week 2, and lost by only 4 points. Now granted that some people will place Warriors ahead of Triple Sixers, it can be said that Gators will lose by more. Those people would be right. Warriors are as strong as it gets in Division 4.

 

I know Gators love a challenge and they’ll get nothing short of that this weekend however this game belongs to the Warriors. I will go on the line and favor the Warriors by 10.5 points. The only chance Gators have to win is if every player has an outstanding game, especially Kevin Marlowe who has to be ready for a challenge since Warriors have only allowed only 68 points in 5 games. I still think it will be an interesting game to watch and who knows, maybe Gators will prove us all wrong.

 

That’s it for this week’s column. As usual if you have any comments/suggestions, email me at [email protected]. Good luck on your match ups this week and I leave you with the following quote:

 

“Nobody in football should be called a genius. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein.” – Joe Theismann: