Tier 1: What If…

Growing up I loved comics books. The artwork, dialogue, the action, the imagination, it all pulled me in. X-Men, Spider-Man, Punisher, and my personal favorite Batman, I was always reading comics. I am in my forties, so I grew up in a time where kids played outside everyday after school. Street hockey in the alley, and football, basketball, and baseball at the park. When it rained too hard outside, I stayed inside and read comics. An underrated comic was Marvel’s What If? Series. If you are too young to remember, it was based on made-up scenarios involving Marvel characters. The one I remember the most was what if Kraven the Hunter had killed Spider-Man. I remember going to the magazine shop at Alexis-Nihon as a kid after saving my allowance money for two weeks, buying that comic, and just being amazed as I read each page.

With that in mind, I wanted to try something a little different this week and play the What If game with FPF. I am not expecting the Black Panther or Wolverine to jump out, but there are always questions that get asked, and others that don’t over the course of a season. Here are some come to mind.

What if Dan Lazzara doesn’t tear his bicep?

Do the 450 Ballers finish undefeated? Let’s be serious, they’ll probably say yes on that one. Looking at the bigger picture, do they finish in first place? Would they be the favourites to go all the way? With both Jeanslee Alexis and Jarryd Taylor taking turns at Quarterback the offense has become more explosive.

While the duo lacks the top division Quarterback playoff experience that Lazzara has, Alexis does have several championships from playing the position in Co-ed, and Taylor, who has reached the top of the mountain while playing Receiver, has 192 career touchdown passes as a QB. More importantly, the dynamic duo never appears to lack confidence, and they have both looked more than comfortable operating behind the Snapper.

What if Chad Byers came back in the summer season instead of the Fall Cup?

Rust appears to not be an issue for the veteran gunslinger, as after not having played in FPF for a decade, the 44-year-old has returned and looked phenomenal while tossing his name into the competition for Quarterback of the year. With 28 touchdown passes in six games, he will all but certainly pass the 35 TD plateau. Dare I even say 40? If Byers had played this summer, would 60 be a possibility?

What would happen if Never Overtime had an elite Quarterback?

With all respect to Ryan Kharouf, who has battled hard at the game’s hardest position to play, he nearly pulled a Jameis Winston, by throwing for 21 touchdown passes and 20 interceptions. I know it’s 30 for 30, but with only eight games, no one is throwing 30 INTs.

Currently sitting at (0-7), this team has a chance to close-out their regular season with a victory as they take on the Maroons 2.0 this coming Saturday night in Brossard.

This team has weapons on both sides of the ball in Rhami Aboud, Mack Dessources, Olivier Sabourin, and Francesco Spanti. Inserting someone like Jeff Rosenblatt, or even Ignacio Valdes Manzanedo (Iggy), chances are the turnovers that have plagued this squad would be cut in half. The result would be that Never Overtime would not still be looking for their first win.

What if Kevin Wyeth does injure his throwing arm?

The G.O.A.T of FPF gutted out an injury to lead his team to a Division A championship this summer, but he told me less than 20 minutes after his game was over that he was sitting out the FPF Cup in an attempt to rest and rehab the injury.

What if Wyeth, doesn’t get hurt? What kind of domino effect would it have? First off, the All-Stars would have a team in Tier 1. That means that Wyeth’s partner in crime, and the best Receiver in the entire league in Pat Jérome suits up with him, instead of just being a sub.

Secondly, Matt Kirouac stays with his QB, and doesn’t join KGP, leaving a sizeable hole in their offense. Julien Paiement, who also like Kirouac is a Hall-of-Famer, and is more than capable of playing the position, but no one brings the same veteran savvy, knowledge, and clutch big game experience that Kirouac brings to the field.

Most important of all, Blessed, the Cap Friendly Braves, and Royaume Luminaire are probably fighting for second place.

Speaking of the Cap Friendly Braves…

What if Georges Gariépy played this season?

In only five games this past Spring Season, the eventual Hall-of-Fame Receiver (how is he not there already) recorded five touchdowns. He is a redzone monster, who with Pat Jérome, Anthony Brisebois, James Tyrell, and AJ Gomes (you can debate who tops that list) has the best hands in FPF.

Without Gariépy, the Cap Friendly Braves still finished first in Tier 1, and have the third highest scoring offense, but with him, do they go undefeated? Does their division-leading 95 +/- skyrocket past 100? I think the answer to both questions are yes. 

What if Nicholas Groppini played on another team?

No matter who they have lining up at Quarterback, the 450 Ballers have a lethal offense led by AJ Gomes, Khalil Kerr, Jarryd Taylor, Alexandre Poulin-Rioux, and Jourdain Alexis. Only three teams have scored more points than the 260 they have put up, and the team still has one more game to play, while trio has already wrapped up their regular season. Did you notice who I left off that list of names?

The uber-talented Receiver has become the forgotten man in the 450 Ballers offense, as he only has one catch for a touchdown on five targets, in four games played. I did a double-take when I saw those numbers. I then thought back to the two games I score kept that he played in, and I remembered the five-time All-Star catching his lone TD against Royaume Luminaire, but that was it.

If you haven’t seen Groppini play, he has all the intangibles, hands, speed, strength, and leaping ability. This past spring in Division A with the Allstars, he is put up 12 touchdowns. He also recorded 20 trips to the endzone with Repeat Offenders in Div. C, and two with Poseidon’s Kiss in Div. B. That is 34 TDs combined. Perhaps it is the change in Quarterback on his current squad, but one touchdown and only five targets is perplexing to say the least.

Imagine Groppini on Terror Squad or Mangoose. His usual level of production would be enough to get either team at least the three points needed to qualify for the double-elimination round of the playoffs. Adding the talented Receiver to the Maroons 2.0 would push their already vaunted offense to even further. How many wins do you think Never Overtime gets with him in the lineup?

This leads me to my final and most important What If…

What if we had trades in FPF?

The NFL trade deadline came and went last Tuesday. We saw six trades in total. I am excited my 9ers added Chase Young for 45 cents on the dollar. Thank-you Washington, and my main man Martin Mayhew!  

In FPF, when teams are made from Division 6 all the way to Tier 1, they first start with friends. Then, other pieces are added from playing against other teams, scouting, or from players recommending other players. Finally, people get picked up from the Facebook/free agent page.

Professional leagues like the NFL and CFL operate somewhat the same way, as relationships play a big role in adding and subtracting players both through trades and free agency.

Getting back to FPF, every year we see electrifying players on teams they have no business being on in lower divisions. Sometimes those players are new to the league, or in some cases, they just want to play with their friends.

This coming Winter Season has two new big on-field changes, with three female players having to be on the field in Co-Ed, and a 15-point differential to eliminate the final five plays, instead of 18. Obviously, a lot of work would have to set up in terms of agreement by the players first and foremost, along with team schedules and the player cap, but sometimes players just need a change of scenery, or a team just needs to press reset. Trades are a good way to make both happen.     

How different would #NR look with Tam Vilaydeth or Nicolas Schaefer at Quarterback? The team is loaded at Receiver top options in Kenny Baye, Travis Moses, Jordan McLaren, and Jaylan Grandison, but 20 interceptions, and a lack of success in the redzone with only eight conversions, are hurting is team that is (1-2-1) in one-possession games.

The team’s current Quarterbacks in Ryan Kastner, and even Theo Ojeaha, who has subbed in twice at the position for the team have more than proven themselves, as they are in the FPF Hall of Fame, but the former has struggled in his first season playing outside of the 35 + Division since 2020, and this offense is leaving points and victories on the field at an alarming pace.

Picks

Royaume Luminaire vs Blessed – Blessed (My pick for Game of the Week)

Maroons 2.0 vs Run It Once – Maroons 2.0

Mangoose vs 450 Ballers – Mangoose (Upset Special)

Never Overtime vs Maroons 2.0 – Maroons 2.0

Last Week: (2-1)

Regular Season: (23-9-2)

Upset Special: (7-4)

 That is it for this week. Good luck to everyone in their games.

If you liked the article, hated it, or simply felt like I left something out, please feel free to contact me at [email protected], or on the FPF Facebook page.