Week 4 Recap heading into the Bye week

I gotta say, it’s been a rough week.

Just like all of the memes on Facebook or whatever social media you’re on, I couldn’t help but notice that I am not the only one who thinks that January felt like it went on forever. And then some.

While you guys are getting the article a day early, it’s been tough to fit everything into my schedule this week. This is largely due to the fact that I am going to Cuba on Friday, so please don’t feel bad for me. I actually did not take into account the FPF schedule when I booked the trip, but it’s nice to see that I happen to be on a bye at the same time. The stars aligned for me on that one. That being said, it’s never fun to wrap everything up at work, make arrangements for my year old husky/Australian shepherd and simultaneously help my girlfriend prepare for our trip as well. Throw in work and other commitments and sleep becomes less of a priority. By the way, if you’re not sure what an Australian Shepherds look like, do yourself a favour and google that. He’s a little psycho, but he’s an adorable psycho.

I am not sure what most of you do on your nights off, but my go to pass time is video games. I actually have two TVs set up in my basement to be able to watch hockey most nights while I play. That room is my sanctuary. It is the best part about moving into my new house and upgrading from a condo. I finally have my own space – the man cave as most of us know it. Anyways, back on topic. This is the first year where I decided to give NHL Ultimate Team on NHL 18 a try and I can honestly say that I am hooked. I dedicate at least an hour of my day to keeping my team up to date, completing any challenges for that day and playing online in competitive seasons. I will keep the lingo limited to what I just mentioned so as not to lose anybody, but I am sure that I am not the only one who plays some sort of ultimate team. Either Madden, NHL or the widely popular FIFA.

If you play HUT on ps4, feel free to add me. PSN – cwalz30

Just like fantasy sports but better, it takes real life NHL players performances and gives players who perform well upgrades in game. If Crosby gets player of the month, then he will get a new card in game that is better than the last Crosby card released and so on. It brings video game addicts into the real world and gets casual hockey fans interested in video games all at once. I’m a huge fantasy sports player, run my own Keeper Hockey League pool that has been going on for 5 years now and this game has helped rejuvenate my love for the game.

I have played football and hockey my whole life, and while beer league hockey leagues tend to be extremely expensive and late at night, FPF gives us a good balance of these two so I have been playing much more football then hockey. My confession? It’s twofold. I miss playing hockey and it sucks to get old! Both when it comes to candles on your cake and due to all of the additional responsibilities that come with that.

Regardless of my busy schedule, I was able to catch a few games and play in my own. In Division 5A it seems like nothing will be changing anytime soon in that the same unbeaten teams stayed undefeated while everybody else is chasing them. For the first time in a while, I think this will have a huge impact on making the playoffs and you will see less .500 teams make the dance than in previous years. Sometimes even teams with a losing record will get a chance at a title.

In Division 5B, things seem to be far more unpredictable. Teams that got blown out last week and edging out wins the next and teams that fought hard in a close battle one week are completely falling apart the week after. Part of me wants to blame this on teams not having their full roster each night, especially after talking to a lot of you. Either way, it’s always good to see a changing of the guard. Nobody wants a league like the NFL where the Patriots continue to wipe the floor with everybody. Yes, my bad, I didn’t want to bring them up either.

My favorite part of the mystery each and every week? Watching and meeting guys like Hennessy Oraye, who is probably the nicest person I have ever spoken to, continue to ball out and lead his team in TDs this week in his first year in FPF. Or as you will see later, talking to a guy like Stephen Harripersaud who gave QB a shot last year and in the FPF cup. He did well, but there were growing pains. However now, all of a sudden, he looks like he’s mastered the art of flag football and has thrown 20 TDs to 2 Interceptions and is leading an undefeated team. I especially appreciate his mindset that while we are all here to compete, ultimately we have a life the next day.

Anyways, there are tons of amazing stories going on right in front of us and while I definitely cannot capture them all, it’s probably worth giving it a shot.

 

Week 4 – Recaps

Division 5A

Warriors’ fall short

I really don’t mean to dwell on it, but after the infamous Warriors game last year and then the court of public opinion that erupted on facebook shortly after, it’ll be hard for them to rid of the perception of the edgy, chippy and sometimes over the top team. I’ve played them personally and from my own experience, they’re all great guys, however I often either hear about games where things get heated or witness them myself.

This game was not even as close to as drastic as above, but it was still a tough, gritty game where the both teams played as though they just got their feelings hurt. The defence was tough on boys sides, each only giving up 120 yards in the air. The difference in this one was Matthew Petrone’s ability to move around the pocket and pick up gains on the ground.

It’s great to see Stefano Solimene playing – he was not there when I first recapped the Warriors and he dominated as one would expect. The Warriors actually led at half time, but for some reason, their offense stalled in the second half and Bobby’s Boys were able to mount a comeback and shut out the Warriors.

Both teams sit at 1-3 and I would argue that this is uncharacteristic for both groups. The world has a funny way of balancing things out in the end. The Warriors are about to face the toughest part of their schedule, and Bobby’s Boys’ schedule looks even tougher, especially ending with 10 Guys, One Cup and Greendale Human Beings. I don’t see either team competing in the playoffs even with the talent and experience on both sides.

 

The boys come out on top in these parts.

Turnovers are often the name of the game in FPF. If you can limit the turnovers and convert on your extra points, you’re a hard team to beat. The turning point in this game was exactly that, a costly interception by Darick of the Rednecks. It came right after a controversial rusher interference penalty that had the rednecks beside themselves after a big gain was called back. Once things finally settled down, Darick Forgues tried to recoup some of those yards on a quick out, but it was read beautifully by Felix Menard who ran it back for a score. Felix almost got a call this week, and it probably would’ve happened had he scored on offense as well, but either way, he balled on defence.

All in all, the game was close in the first half, but once the Dope Boys went up by more than a score, Rednecks couldn’t claw their way back. Eric Lalonde of the Dope Boys completed a few more passes and made 1 less turnover to help give them the victory. The extra interception and lack of spreading the ball around was the nail in the coffin for the Rednecks in this game.

Both teams now have 1 win and it will be difficult to move up in the standings in a very crowded pool of teams. Dope Boys have a lot of talent but have had a hard time putting it together consistently, but if they can figure things out, they may upset a few teams. Rednecks have had trouble in close games and I expect them to be 2-2 after this weekend’s game against the Buffalo Wild Wings. Rednecks have a slightly easier schedule the rest of the way and for this reason I give them the edge long term, even though they may not have come out on top against the Dope Boys.

 

Division 5B

Takeover continues to roll over Ducks.

This game happened right after my own game so I decided to stick around to watch and was treated with a really entertaining game. Both teams came out with two different game plans and it showed. On the first drive, Takeover were dominating on defence until a pass interference was called and the Ducks capitalized. Brandon Feiden threw to his snapper Jordan Katz who also got the extra point. On the ensuing drive, Ian Einheiber enjoyed a smooth, methodical drive by alternating slants and hooks to William Power and Gabriel Aubin who turned quick 5 yard passes into 10 and 15 yard catch and runs. Power brought them to the 2 yard line on a slant, and then caught an out for the touchdown and also added the extra point to make the game 7-7.

Ducks had a hard time on the next drive and then punted. Einheiber wasted no time and threw a 40 yard TD to Vincent Benjamin to give Takeover the lead. Feiden answered right back with a 40 yard touchdown to Aaron Blauer of his own. The turning point came on the next drive when Will Power caught a post over the middle to give Takeover the lead yet again, and they never looked back.

Ultimately, the game came down to Takeover being able to move the ball as they pleased and not making any mistakes, whereas the Ducks often took shots down field and gave the ball up 3 times on interceptions and other times on 4th down. The Ducks have not started strong and are in tough against the Punishers next week. Takeover continues to roll and remains undefeated.

 

Retired All Stars look to be the ones in Tip Top Shape

Tip Top Shape started off the game strong. For one of the first times of the season, they scored first and everything was under control on both sides of the ball. This was a Belichick moment for the Retired All Stars who ended up making the appropriate adjustments at half time to come out on top. In the first half, Tip Top Shape played a lot of zone with 2 men covering deep, so the All Stars started sending 3 deep to get the safeties guessing. Not shying away from adjustments of their own, Tip Top Shape was able to keep the chess game going. David de Andrade had a big interception in this one, but really there were plenty to go around as McRodly Jean Marie threw a total of 4 interceptions. How Retired All Stars managed to win? I’m not sure either.

I’m lying. They won because they continued to take chance after chance, playing good defence and converting on extra points. A bright spot for Tip Top Shape was a fellow staffer by the name of Alexi Dubois. I had the pleasure of coaching him in FPF junior and he has a ton of athleticism and more importantly, heart. He leaves it all on the field. He was their leading receiver in this one, largely due to a missed coverage by the All Stars. It ultimately led to a TD without an extra point and I am sure that they would like to have a few back.

As well as de Andrade played in this one, he needs to convert when it counts to get the W. I don’t know the logistics, but I think that a smaller roster would help to create better chemistry which is huge for the one and done plays. At 0-4, I don’t have a lot of hope for Tip Top Shape, but they do have the guys to upset a few top teams. Retired All Stars, on the other hand, will be disappointed if they are not competing for a championship at the end of the season. They have the talent to do it, but need to limit the mistakes.

 

Power Rankings

Division 5A

1. Finessers (4-0) – You have to kill the king to be the king.
2. Greendale Human Beings (4-0) – They continue to roll but they have Hot Boys Hotline breathing down their necks. It’s hard to have teams move up or down the standings when everybody keeps winning.
3. Hot Boys Hotline (4-0) – Great to see them catch up to the pack in terms of games played. They dominated one and beat a good team last Monday. They should not be over looked.
4. Grand Lionel (4-0) – Turns out they made it look easy against Weasels and Falcons. Preachers should give them more competition next week.
5. Smokin Axolotls (4-0) – Another team who got in two quick games and excelled in both. It’s anybody’s game at this point.
6. Longhorns (4-0) – Jon Moodie had his best game of the season and they are showing that experience trumps youth any day.
7. Preachers (4-0) – They had trouble containing Patrick St. Armand but then again, so do most teams. They’re an intriguing team.
8. Hurricane SZN (3-0-1) – Every week I believe more and more that their tie was just an anamoly. They’ve been on fire.

 

Division 5B

1. Falcons (4-0) – Another week, another win. They make it look easy.
2. Wrecking Crew (4-0) – Can Stephen Harripersaud keep up the unreal pace? I think he can and has the pieces around him to do some damage in the playoffs.
3. Affreux (4-0) – They keep winning but I worry about how close all of their games are.
4. Takeover (3-0-1) – Their D hasn’t been dominant, but their offense doesn’t often make mistakes and they look so methodical every drive. Einheiber has ice in his veins.
5. Punishers (3-1) – Remember how I kept them off the list last week? Well I think they saw that. I won’t make that mistake twice.
6. Sterdam (3-1) – Gotta show these guys some respect. They play well together and they’re a group of athletic guys. Hopefully their inexperience as a group doesn’t lead to many bumps in the road.
7. TDs and Beer (3-1) – An intriguing team. Would have love to see them dominate a little more over an inexperienced squad, but they have no major holes.
8. Super Saiyans (2-2) – My wild card team. This team goes as far as Jordan Allard takes them. Their D has been lights out.

 

“You ball, You get the call”

I was called out this week for not paying enough attention to the defensive side of the ball. I’ll take the feedback in stride and put blame on the fact that I’ve always been much more offensive minded. It’s funny to hear that it’s made its way into my articles either way. If I have snubbed anybody on an outstanding defensive performance, that’s on me! As a special treat, I added an extra guy to my call list who excelled on both sides of the ball, but he had a pick 6 and an offensive TD to help seal the game for his team. Please see below for more info. I especially like his take on defensive guys who do not necessarily light up the stat sheet. I completely agree that in most cases, a team’s best player on defence won’t make the sheet much because the other team actively tries to stay away.

In complete transparency, I also start to write my article and reach out to guys on Monday and Tuesday, so I often miss stuff from the Wednesday night games. Again, it’s some good feedback for me going forward.

Also, I’d like to give a special shout out to Dynell Pierre who had 6 catches, 130 yards, 3 TDs, 2 tackles, 2 INTs. It’s the second week that I reach out to him and I officially feel like I am stalking an ex-girlfriend who won’t answer me or accept my friend requests. If any of his teammates are reading this, feel free to let him know I’m a real person.

 

Division 5A

Longhorns – Jon Moodie – 23/29, 299 yards, 7 TDs

Does the reputation of being one of the more “experienced” teams in the league ever get brought up or is it ever used for motivation?

Most of our team is as you say “more experienced” than the majority of our opponents.  I think our opponents sometimes get a false sense of “security’ when they first see us and that can be to our advantage at times.  

You guys have been around for a while, what’s the story behind the longhorns?

We originally started as the Cowboys almost a decade ago and somewhere along the line we decided to switch to the Longhorns.  Not sure why… Someone must have been a fan of the College Longhorns.  The majority of the team has been playing on the KTFL for years and we got a group together for flag.  A few have come and gone, but the core of our team has been loyal since the beginning.   This year, we have a couple of young “newbies”  to get some speed on the team!! 

Are you surprised by the 4-0 start or do you expect to go 10-0?

We started off the season with a bang and are hoping to hold on to our winning streak (that is, if Dave Allen doesn’t throw…) With so many teams now in the league, some years are just luck of the draw and your odds are better.  Who knows what the end result will be, but one thing is for sure, we are a bunch of “old”  friends having a great “old” time.

 

Ghosts – Zach Zwirn – 7 catches, 115 yards, 2 TDs, 3 tackles

I couldn’t help but notice that you often play on 3 or more teams each season. How do you manage all of that football?

Well it was definitely a little easier a few years ago and I’m a little sore after certain games but it’s still worth it. Never played any organized football growing up but got introduced to flag a few years back and have been pretty addicted ever since. Started on one team and began seeing progress which just got me more and more hooked. After a couple seasons, you meet a ton of people and go from 1 team to 3 teams out of nowhere because you just like to ball and don’t get a lot of chances to play organized sports, especially in a well run league like FPF.

You’ve easily been Gabriel’s go to target this season. Tell me about that relationship.

Well Gabe is kind of the guy who “fathered” me into FPF. Actually met him on my first FPF team through a friend and he’s the one who started asking me to play on different teams/divisions which kind of sparked my FPF “career”. Great guy off the field and one of the smartest players I’ve ever played with so we gelled instantly and started building a really good rapport over the years. We both think similarly, understand the FPF game and most importantly trust each other, so when you pair all that up with like 5-6 seasons of playing with each other and a good friendship on top of that you’re bound to make some plays for one another.

What was the biggest difference this week compared to last week against a top ranked Finessers?

Hate to use this term but honestly, swag (or lack there of). I felt like we lost the game against Finessers before it even started. We were just super flat and dejected throughout the game which was really disappointing because there obviously a top tier team and we should of been mentally ready to play, which we simply weren’t. Luckily, they’re the real deal so we’ll hopefully get a chance to meet them again. This week was a complete 180, we had that swag. Everyone showed up, had that confidence and was mentally ready to go. We know we’re a better team than how we’d been playing to start the season and knew it was time to get everything back on track. We felt great coming in and we’re all on the same page so from then on it was just instituting our game plan and executing.

 

Greendale Human Beings – Alex Joltopuf – 8 catches, 94 yards, 4 TDs, 2 tackles, 1 PD

You guys have been dominating all season, what’s your secret?

I don’t think there is much of a secret. We have a good set of receivers and a system that has proven itself in the past. We adjust on game day and the QB leadership helps a ton in those situations.

Will Brandon and Danny be jealous that somebody else on the squad made the list instead of either one of them?

They might be jealous! But in all honesty, I am here because Brandon attracts enough attention to free me up. His freakish start to the season is why I’m mentioned!

Which WR duo in the NFL would you compare yourself and Brandon to?

Ouu, that’s a tough one. I am a big philly fan so I can’t shy away from saying that Brandon has an Alshon Jeffery ability to hit slants but also take it up field if he needs to. I would compare myself to Zach Ertz in that im typically referred to as a safety net for Danny. They aren’t household names but if you forget about them, you’ll pay the price.

 

Hurricane SZN – Jarryd Taylor – 14/22, 221 yards, 6 TDs, 2 tackles

Second time on the article. Anybody you’d like to thank?

Our front office Andel Thomas Gordan, and my snapper Kevin, also Kevin Wyeth for sending me some plays lol.

Do you have any pre game routine that you could share with us?

Pretty much just roll out, and bump tracks on Andel’s speaker

If you were in the NFL, which team/situation would you want to play in and why?

The Saints for sure, been my team since I was a little kid, and NFC championship against the 49ers because when Alex Smith threw a td to Vernon Davis to beat us in the Wild Card a few years back, I was sad and hated the niners ever since

 

10 Guys, One Cup – Daniel Lazzarra – 3 catches, 22 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1 PD, 1 TD(Defensive)

You called me out this week so I did some digging. 3 players on winning teams scored a pick 6, but you had the best offensive numbers to go along with it. Would you say making the article is starting to creep into the minds of players during games?

Yes, in the eyes of those players who are active with the media and keep up with every article, it definitely feels good to be mentioned after having a good performance. Puts us on the map considering we have the best defence and get no recognition for it.

What would you like to say on behalf of all those guys who don’t necessarily show up big on the stat sheet but who can dominate games in other ways?

On behalf of those who carry a major impact on their teams but don’t show up big on the stat sheet, keep grinding. Flashy numbers don’t win championships but more-so its the impact that role players have that create a team that can compete for a championship. For example; you might have one player who is dominant on the defensive side of the ball but doesn’t get picked on all game so doesn’t have the great stat line. He’ll finish with 1 pd or 1 tackle. What you might not know is the fact that the one tackle or PD that they had might have been on a 4th down to seal a win! So to those who are getting down on themselves for not getting the call from a great writer like yourself, keep your head up. The only place where big Time plays don’t have value are on the stat sheet.

 

Division 5B

Wrecking Crew – Stephen Harripersaud – 20/25, 245 yards, 6 TDs

You guys sit at 4-0 and have beaten some good competition so far. What’s contributed to the success?

The chemistry with the team clicked right away. Usually takes half a season to be on the same page on routes, cuts and timing.

What’s the biggest difference for you this year? Sitting at a 20-2 Ratio, that’s much better than last season.

Being able to play a season allowed me to get better adjusted to the league. Id say I’ve been fortunate a couple of times when the ball could’ve been picked off. I’ve also been fortunate to play with great teammates!

It’s only your second FPF season if you don’t include the FPF cup, what should the league know about Stephen Harripersaud?

I like to compete just like everyone else but within reason. We all got to back to work or School on Monday.

 

Punishers – Adamo Iadeluca – 20/28, 194 yards, 6 TDs, 1 INT

Do you think Anthony will be jealous that somebody else on the Punishers is getting the Call?

Lol, no i doubt it we are all big team guys. Junior Spera might be looking for love on your next article

After a rocky start, what did you do personally to turn things around?

Getting the rust off is the main reason, first game is always coin toss because I don’t get to play in the other leagues because I’m coaching all summer and fall. Luckily I’ve been playing with the same guys since the age of 10 so we are pretty familiar with one another

Which NFL team would you compare the Punishers with and why?

We are getting better every week so we’d love to say New England but the problem is we have as much athletic ability and their Head Coach and not the players

 

Mogadishu Pirates – Alex Lutfy – 4 catches, 110 yards, 2 TDs, 5 tackles

I’ve been wondering all season, where does the name come from?

Not really sure. Someone came up with it last season.

You averaged almost 30 yards per catch last game, who do you model your game after?

Yea well my QB (Joe Kano) and i decided that i should make the change from wide receiver to slot receiver this season and it seems to really be paying off. Also need to give credit to Joe, he always finds a way to get the ball in the right place at the right time. To be honest I never played or followed football so I’m not quite sure who I would model my game after. One guy worth mentioning is Alex Mashaal, my teammate from PB N JELLY, he’s a beast.

What’s the biggest difference for you guys between a win and a loss? What has to happen for a win and what usually contributes to your losses?

I think that when our full roster is at the game and we communicate well we always give ourselves a chance to win. For both our losses we were missing some regulars. Other than that we’re all good friends and have played together in the past so we have good chemistry and work well as a team. No egos or selfishness, if it comes down to big play call we’ll make it as a team.