The War Room (D3) – Semi Finals

Winning an FPF championship is a special accomplishment, it is a testament to a high level of athleticism and dedication. I was fortunate enough to win my first FPF championship last spring, and it is something I will always cherish. For it isn’t just about getting a trophy and having your picture on the FPF website, it’s about all the moments where you went to war with your friends and prevailed. For all the times the field went silent as a QB released a football and the entire sideline went quiet as they waited with patience for the culmination of the play. Lining up next to your teammates, play after play and giving it all you got. The split second where you make your cut and avoid getting caught, the euphoria of scoring the late go ahead touchdown and the moment of elation when you realize you’ve won. That’s playoff football. That’s why you play the game.

For the VPC and D-Boys, they have imposed their will and emerged as conference champions. They need no introduction, no background story, the hype sells itself. I could list countless adjectives to describe VPC’s leader Robbie Robinson, but I won’t. He is the flagship player for a talented group of individuals. Promoted from Div 4, they have become the hottest team in division three. They slayed the ever so powerful Ducks (notice I didn’t say Mighty), who were favored to run away with the championship this season. They might not be technically sound or the fastest individuals, but they manage to matriculate the ball downfield in an impressive and methodical fashion. Their defense is opportunistic, forcing uncharacteristic turnovers by the ever efficient Quacks. VPC has proven it can sneak up on teams, and punch them in the mouth. But this time, D-Boys are well aware of the carnage VPC are capable of, and they will attempt to smother this hot streak.

The D-Boys are the juggernauts of the division. A typical Gino Di Fazio molded team, his signature is all over this squad. The formula is simple, gather as much free agent and floating upper division talent you can, sign an outstanding two way player (Kellman, Testa, Champagne) and play solid defense. It’s a smart plan that somehow has resulted in two finals appearances and strange enough no championships. Perhaps complacent, perhaps lack of being tested early on in the season, perhaps just nerves, but these teams have not demonstrated their true potential or talent in any of the finals. Many questions linger as to what stops them from taking the next step in terms of winning the big one. Perhaps Gino suffers from Notre Dame-itis, the ability to make big bowl games and come out flat. Who really knows? All I know is that, the D-Boys have all the tools to win, they have the depth, the skill, the speed, the talent and the chemistry. The QB is as experienced as they come, their rusher is top notch and their X-factor is a perennial top 5 Div 1/A player. Having said this, I still have no comfort in picking them to win.

My prediction for the finals is ultimately a guess. Do I bet on the streaking, red hot VPC? Or the the tried, tested and true, machine called D-Boys? Will Gino Di Fazio finally hoist that Div 3 cup he has coveted for so many seasons since his last win? Or will the gorrilla on his back force him back to the drawing board? Can VPC actually pull off this Cinderalla Div 4 to Div 3 championship story? If I knew all the answers, I wouldn’t be working for FPF. But here are things I will be looking for on Sunday night:

– D-Boys rusher Matt Kirouac vs Robbie Robinson’s speed: Can the D-Boys effectively keep Robbie in the pocket? My guess is Mr. Kirouac can and will slow down his roll outs, but won’t manage to completely neutralize him.

– Can Gino avoid getting tunnel vision to his top flight receivers? D-Boys have great quality in receiver depth and a few huge names that resonate through their roster. However, it will be the unknown players who will need to emerge as primary targets in order to maximize the value of their offensive production.

– Who will make “THE PLAY”? All signs point to either Marc Champagne or anyone named “Lanni” on the D-Boys or Louis Richard /Mike Boyer for VPC. Most of these finals come down to two or three huge swing plays which change the outcome of the game. If you need reminding of this, please refer to the last winter finals.

Final Prediction: Ladies and Gentlemen (and I use that term loosely), I have a sneaking suspicious that the D-Boys will finally achieve their long awaited goal of being champions. The game will be very tight, but I think the timing is right for their squad. No matter what the result, I suggest stopping by for the finals and watch two excellent teams play ball. Final Score: D-Boys 32- VPC 27.

Castleton’s Random Thoughts of the Week:

– Ruff Ryders: Very surprised they didn’t beat the Wolfpack, as I seriously thought they would dispose of them with ease. I hope they return for the Spring season in Division A as they have all the tools to challenge for supremacy.

– Big TDs: Not much to say about your loss, because I think we all knew it was coming. Good season nonetheless, and something to build on come Spring.

– Click Clack: Another good season, only to end in the conference championship game. Take solace in the fact you got beat by a very talent Texas squad.

– Ducks: What happened???

– Moe Khan: Keep fishing for drama rumors. Throwing stuff at a wall hoping it sticks is not called journalism, it’s called rumor mongering.

– Div 4: What an exciting and unpredictable season in division 4? Who would have thought of this final? What parity!

– Road Show: This week is the “Finals Road Show”, where FPF’s finest cover all the glorious finals’ action for your pleasure. Come by the field and check it all out live. Perhaps you could help fill in (a la Rick Cummins ‘08)

Quote of the Week:

“ I just wanted to give props to the Express. Jay from the Canes and I were talking about how when no one wanted to stay up in D1, The Express did. They took their beatings and kept slugging away and now have a chance to win it all. Great job guys!”

· Rick Nincheri, future Hall of Famer FPF QB, on the recent success of Express