The Wrath of Khan (Div A) – Week 12

What did I learn from last weekend’s final four? An ill-fated decision cost the Kingz a chance to win a game. Did the Shockers make the right call? An early look at the DA finals.

Aftermath

As for the Kingz-Goodfellas matchup, it was a great game from the start until midway through the second half.

For those who were not there, the referees unfortunately lost track of downs, and as a result, the Kingz had one less down to work with. Due to the error, the Kingz were not able to appeal the down because the play had occurred.

As a result, a lot Kingz members were frustrated and disappointed by the outcome, but here are a few examples of what has happened in the last few months.

In any sport, human error will always be prevalent. For example, the Frank Lamaprd goal that was disallowed in the Germany-England World Cup game! Even though it clearly went in, the referee disallowed the goal. As a result, many pundits are trying to force soccer’s governing body, FIFA to adapt to new times by instituting some form of instant replay.

Earlier this season, in Major League Baseball, umpire, Jim Joyce made errant call on the potential last out in the Tigers-Indians game, which resulted in Tigers pitcher, Armando Gallarraga, losing his perfect game bid. This affected Joyce greatly. Now, even baseball purists are barking up the tree of commissioner Bud Selig to have some sort of instant replay implemented.

Now, I am not saying that FPF should have instant replay, because it simply not economically feasible. But the hand has been somewhat forced to come up with ideas, solutions, and suggestions on how to improve communication from the referees to the players.

It might have been a lack of communication between all parties involved in the game. The sad part though, is that this frozen moment altered the entire complexity of the football game. Who knows what would have happened had the correct downs been tracked?

Credit must be given to the Kingz for being as classy as they were. They could have pulled an incident similar to the ’72 Olympic Games in Munich, when the USA basketball team was robbed of a gold medal against the old USSR due to time clock error. To date, the Americans have never accepted their silver medals and they currently sit in a Swiss vault, waiting to be given to the second-place finishers.

The only solace the Kingz can take from this situation, is that they can say it was a great season from start to finish.  But for them to end their run on this sour note will surely leave a bitter taste in their mouths for a while. 

If you think the Kingz feel bad, I am sure the referees involved in the game are not happy either. This might be a blessing in disguise for the FPF, players, and referees to get together and formulate a new plan.

The Intensity

Even after all the whoopla that was going on in the post-game discussion of the Kingz-Goodfellas tilt. The following matchup of the Shockers-Mercenaries had quite the bite.

For starters, these two teams do not like each other on the football field. It was clearly on display before the first play ever took place as the chirping was very loud from both teams.

The intensity brought by both teams was spectacular. We were treated to great plays, whether it was the relentless pass rush by Gary Bloomfield. A game changing interception by Carmine Pollice, or some incredible catches by Andre Knights, Akked Moore, and Matt Norzil.

The two plays I questioned for both squads, during the game were the play calls following the Pollice interception (Mercenaries), and last play extra point decision (Shockers).

The interception by Pollice late in the second half could have sealed the deal for the Mercenaries. Instead, on the ensuing drive, Adi Sharma scored quickly to make it a one touchdown lead. Some Shocker fans in the stands said; game, set, and match. If the Mercenaries had been smarter, they would have maximized the plays and left very little chance for the Shockers to score.

However, it wasn’t the case to be, as the Shockers had a few plays to work with, and Akked Moore made a clutch touchdown grab. The only question that remained was if they made the right decision to go for the one point convert (which they were successful on) or have the guts to go for a two-pointer?

The only reason why I bring this decision up, is that as great a game Kishon Thompson played, the odds of winning the game in extra time would have been difficult. Especially when going up against Pollice.

I am not saying this cost Shockers, but in the overtime session, it seemed they just ran out of race track to win this game. Maybe going for the two-point convert could have proven to be a genius move, but we’ll never know the answer.

Two last minute plays could have set the course of this game in a different direction. But in the end the Mercenaries were victorious.  

What Happens?

For the Kingz, I don’t see why they will not play in D2 next winter. Granted, Frank Lebeau’s status is still up in the air. But from past conversations with Starwar, he said his QB will most likely not be playing due to other commitments.

The nucleus is still in-tact with this squad. The rapport between the players is excellent. They have formed an FPF true life story of starting their team from scratch to becoming a contender in any division they have been apart of.

But for now, there will be a bitter taste in their mouths due to the way they lost in the semifinals. This will be a learning lesson for these guys to come back stronger, better, and hungrier to win an FPF championship next season.

As for the Shockers, they will have a long offseason of overhauling their roster. Granted, some of the core pieces will still be in place with Bloomfield, Castleton, Knights, and Mike McNair (unless he is having surgery).  But they will need to search, and acquire parts that will fit in well within the Shocker philosophies.

The last two calendar years have been a learning experience for this football team. In ’09, they went from being on the verge of kicking down the D2 championship door to this season where they had revolving door at quarterback.

Another issue for this team heading into the offseason is addressing their depth. Trying to find players that are talented, but having them accept their roles gracefully as well!  

Far too many times, players on this roster were playing out position. I am sure Castleton and his war chest of goodies will entice potential free agents to join the Shocker Empire.  

Early Synopsis

Well to sum up the upcoming DA finals, it might lack the intensity that the defeated Shockers, or Kingz would have brought if they faced one of the two current finalists.

Yes, both Goodfellas and Mercenaries are very talented teams. There are some intriguing storylines to look at in next week’s article.

The first angle is the taskmaster (Pollice) taking on his young pupil (Goodfriend). Many are predicting this will be the game where the master is slay down, and will lose his throne to the next leader in line.

Secondly, I would not say there is any serious hatred amongst the two groups. But on the football field, there is some distaste on who has the better team. If their lone matchup from the regular season will be any indication of what to expect in two weeks time, it will be a scrappy affair.

All the players know each other very well, but I am sure there will be a few wrinkles thrown in there to throw off any counter moves presented by the opposition.

As for next week, it is the annual press conference in which we have the two combatants in-studio to discuss the August 15th battle. Hopefully both squads will send representatives that will not be shy with the camera and microphone on.