Season Begins

Finals weekend has arrived, and it’s time to find out who will be crowned champions in their respective divisions. But before I get to my analysis of the 3 remaining games, here’s a quick recap of what I saw during Sunday’s action. I think the talk of the Nixon’s Renegades being a legitimate contender came to an unexpected crashing halt, via the Buckeyes’ Hail Mary pass on the last play to Garrett Taylor. But it is obvious that all the hype the Renegades received was equivalent to way too much makeup on their faces. They looked pretty, but once the makeup came off, they were ordinary.

As for the Hot Boyz, Kishon Thompson said it all, disappointment! Furthermore, Mike Harrington, and Karim Binette played their hearts out, but I must say, there was one Hot Boyz player who was more inclined with the females in the stands than the game, in fact, the ball went right through his hands on a Shane Paquette touchdown.

Finally, the Flying Weasels proved they can compete with the best of them, but they need to learn how to catch the ball. Steadier hands would have them playing PTC Stomp in the Finals instead of playing Madden at home.

The Fastest 4 Minutes of Reading

Division A

Kings-Rainmakers: Many felt that the third installment of the rivalry between the Kings and Hot Boyz would determine the eventual DA champions. To use a college football example, back in the ’06 season, many pundits felt that there should have been a rematch between Ohio State and Michigan, even though the Buckeyes defeated the Wolverines earlier in the season. The same excuse is being used for this rivalry with the Kings being the Buckeyes, and the Hot Boyz being the Wolverines. But this time around, it was proven that the Kings are the better team, and now they face their Florida Gators in the Rainmakers. I think that the Rainmakers have a chance. As I stated on the WEPL, the Rainmakers are a dangerous third place team, even if their 5-5 record does not say so. But they proved their worthiness by defeating the Shockers, then the Monarchs in a gritty Conference Finals matchup that went well past my bedtime. This Sunday, the key factor for the Rainmakers is stopping the Kings offense. If they can get 1 or 2 turnovers, then they have a chance. Their vaunted offense (Rainmakers) has proven many times to be a tough matchup due to the chemistry, athleticism, and overall smarts that they possess. This game has the makings of being a re-creation of the 2006 BCS Finals when Florida romped over the Ohio State, but it all depends on how the Rainmakers defense plays against a well-oiled Kings offense.

Division B

Buckeyes-G-Men: I am sure FPF has hired the CIA, Secret Service, CSIS, The Air Force, GARDA, and a couple of bouncers from the old Teezers Gentlemen’s Club to make sure this game goes off without a hitch. The question remains, can the Buckeyes field a team? With the loss of Garrett Taylor to St. Leonard football this weekend, who on the Buckeyes will step up their game? Anthony Thompson, who is becoming a legitimate threat in DB can. But who on the roster will be able to bring the Ferrari-like speed of Garrett? On the other side, Paul Kamel has kept his G-Men focused at the task at hand. Even with the suspension of Farris Kamel, this team did not slow down, defeating the Thundering Herd in the first round of the playoffs, followed by a win over a gritty Filet Mignon team in his return last weekend. The question remains, can Kamel become more of a pocket passer? I think he has gotten somewhat lucky to be able to use his God-given athletic ability to use his incredible speed to get the first down. But, there have been a few occasions where he has had the open man but has not been able to find his G-Men teammates. But in this matchup, it is speed versus speed. I certainly hope Goodyear tires has enough rubber for the players’ cleats because there will be a lot of burnt up shoe soles.

Division C

Terminators-PTC Stomp: Both teams have something to prove here. PTC Stomp wants to prove that they are more than a one-man team in the form of Scott Mironowicz. They do have some D1 talent in Darren Costello who has been a part of some great Hurricanes teams. But the fact of the matter is that everyone knows the offense revolves around Mironowicz. The Terminators definitely have the athletes to keep up with Mironowicz, but they must force him to beat them with his arm. The only question that I have for the Terminators, are they focused enough to win the title? In the first half against the Flying Weasels, they looked lethargic as they were beaten physically and mentally. In the second half it was a different story, as they stormed back to take the lead and kept it with some strong defense. The question is who will step up their game?

Percentages%

2.9%, that Mike Roy will play in D1 during next year’s Winter season. This percentage might have been higher, but it did not help that he did not come through on his statement at the end of the game to beat the Rainmakers.

3%, that my colleague, Ross Castleton, who is in the United Kingdom, will be able to see all 3 games on Sky Sports 18.

7%, that Rochdi Benabdelkader will drop a ball in the open field.

13.1%, that we will see a blowout win in one of the 3 finals.

20%, that Nathan Taylor and Paul Kamel will combine for over 100 yards rushing this Sunday.

25%, that the Terminators offense will not be shutout in the first half like they were against the Flying Weasels.

29%, that any of the 3 games will go into overtime.

Finally, don’t forget the Road Show is coming to a Catalogna Soccerplexe near you, as the WEPL boys will be on hand to provide our analysis on all 3 finals, plus interviews with the winning teams and MVPs. I sure hope to see you guys this Sunday.