Final play of the early game. Here is footage of the catch (ruled incomplete) by Mighty on the final play of the game that would lead to a tie: One shin = two feet!

Per commish:
Here we go for Week 14. Once again, I did my best.  If you didnt get 2 this week and you wanted both – just means you will get both next time (like Vegh and me last week). Also, people may drop. Also you can play deadline just to play

8am
Dark
Prager – QB
Beast
Solo
Vegh
Mighty
Jordan
Rabin

Colors
Yaron – QB
Singer
Munch
Sam
Kut
Zada
Logan

Wait List (Tom, Prime, Goldberg, Ari): If you want to play deadline just get someone to match you. Like Prime would say to Ari: Care to battle?

9:45
Dark
Rabin – QB
Yaron – Also a QB 

Ari
Salem
Prime
Zada
Vegh

Colors
Feit – ROOKIE QB! (Heard he can sling it)
Brody
Goldberg
Tom
Dobs
Jordan 
Eddie

Oh how far we’ve come..

Here is a snippet of Jewball history.. on the brink, during the Dark Ages. An email by the commish:

JEWBALL RETURNS?
12/19/16
So, it took me some time, and I apologize for missing the opportunity to call a game for yesterday, but I think a regrouping is what is needed more than anything else.
Truth is, Daveo had no shot. The list I left him is obsolete. I went through it. I took out the bad email addresses (and probably will still have to do more cleaning up now that I’m in gmail) and I removed the people who asked to be taken off. 
What I am going to do next is the following:
1.) Anyone who does not confirm this email read by Wednesday, I am removing from the list. 
Why? Not to be mean, but it’s a waste. Having 92 people on an email list is irrelevant if 6 people are reading the emails.
2.) On Thursday I am going to send a follow up (and I predict it will be to about 20 people). We will at that point have a list of 20. What we need to do is rebuild the list. With kids. We need players in their 20s and that is the only way to save this game, and, at the very least, when Daveo or someone else does return to take over Jewball, the game has an email list of actual players who are strong and passionate enough to play a 20 game season.
I can’t be the one to end this game. It started before me, and I’m not gonna see it crash on my watch (or close to my watch). If I can play another 2 years and use that time to rebuild the Jewball list, I’ll reture a happy man.
If you are reading this:
1.) Respond saying you read it
2.) If you want to keep this league alive, I need you to put in the time and get me 3-4 names and emails for young people who want to and can play the game (MIRACLE BOWL).
Not sure if we will get a game this Sunday, but let’s see where we are at on Thursday. For sure we should get in a JESUS BOWL and 2017 BOWL.

J
Avi Soep – Sorry man I’m no longer around for games on a pretty permanent basis. Would you mind removing my email? Sorry again.
Ya gotta be frustrating with so many people consistently not responding and not knowing why.
Good luck though, hope you guys get some games in.
Zezzy – I’m still here but a. Need a season to recover.
Mighty – 1) Read
2) Ill try
Box – I read this. let’s be very clear…I responded that I read it. 🙂
I’m still debating if I’m hanging them up, but I do read every email from this group.  We live in Plainview now, so it’s not as easy to come into the 5 towns as it used to.
Plus, a good friend by me was playing a pickup game…38 years old.  He went up for a ball, landed on his foot and tour his MCL, ACL, PCL, meniscus, and cracked his knee cap.  That was in November and he can’t get surgery until January…really messed up.
Steveo – Tough times,  im still here,  just can’t commit to 20 games yet.  
MVP – oh, the MVP reads, and occasionally is in NY on sundays, like the 8th of january 🙂
Rose – Keep me on.
Effie – Hey Jordan
Effie Allman here
I’m going to work on getting a few more people.
Let’s keep this game alive!
Landau – I readededededed it, i’ll see who i can get. 
Rabin – I read it. I’m in 
Let’s start doing a mad social media campaign 
Facebook
Imstafram 
WhatsApp
Should we take out ad in local papers? Serious
O – I never Check this Email Address! Happens to  be I needed something from here today!  My good email is owerth611@gmail.com. With that being said, I would like to stay  on the list because like you, I believe in Miracles! I don’t know if I will ever be able to play but I believe! and since I made the incredible over dramatic statement…. I actually believe, I am available this Sunday, but I want a really good game.
And lastly, I just got wind of  a north woodmere pick up game in  North woodmere Park at 7:30 A.M Sundays.  I wanted to get a feel for the game before I brought you into the picture (I know, if the games sucks its not worth playing)
p.s. Daveo might be able to play this week due to Christmas is very slow catering day
Tom – Keep my old slow tuch in the email and would love to play Sunday  
Rugby – Yossi Emanuel (rugby) read
Singer – I read it. I do not when the bowls are but I would like to get back into football the way I once was so keep me posted on games and bowls.
Kut – Read and agree.
Ar Grinspan – I read it – I just dont know when I will have my sunday mornings free again, but can and will def play one day again.
Press – I am definitely in.
Played last season and very disappointed by this season. I’m in every single week! I can play qb also if needed. Looking for to a rejuvenated jewball league. Daveo did a good job – let’s make it even better.
You can also add
Yoni Markowitz jmarko14@gmail.com
Yoni Unger  yoniunger@yahoo.com
Yakir – I read it and thank you for all your time and effort! 
I am old and out of shape but still enjoy reading these emails.  Makes me feel young at heart.  That doesn’t help the game except for special Sunday’s where I do not work.  For instance this Sunday, yeshiva’s are off for Chanukah.  I will need to check with the big boss about my availability but I would love to join if i am not taking a regulars spot.  I don’t think I will add skill to the game but a body and effort will be there.
Evan – Sorry forgtt to respond.
Ari Horwitz – I just saw this email now. I have been a bit injured and busy the past weeks but wanted to know if there is a planned game this week. Please let me know. Also I have another email ( mlmahorwitz7@gmail ) which I look at more often.

Week 13 was one of those weeks where I wanted to write the recap quickly and turn the page. Actually didn’t fall asleep last night until 5am. A lot on my mind. Some of it about our game. Some of it about the devastating and shocking news we all heard about Kobe Bryant. So, this is the context – for my purposes in this recap – as it relates to the loss of someone like Kobe Bryant. On the one hand, Kobe – maybe more than any other athlete we can think of – was the ultimate fierce competitor. I talked about this a few weeks ago. If you listened to the interviews and biographies yesterday – one theme was constant. Kobe loved the game he played, sure, but that was not what made him special. Special to the point of extraordinary. What made him stand above and beyond everyone else was that he was driven to push himself to his limits in order to win. In order to be great. Yes, he had tremendous physical gifts, but many athletes do. What I talked about a few weeks ago. That mental edge that sets the legends apart – that is what Kobe had. What you also heard yesterday from players and colleagues was that his drive was not just personal. It was not kept for himself to create an advantage that he alone could tap into. His drive was contagious. The quote you kept hearing over and over again was, “Kobe made you want to be better.” There is that aspect of Kobe Bryant that is important to what we do every Sunday. And I was heartened to think about so many guys that do that in our game. I know he is frustrated with me – and I deserve it – my on field demeanor is lacking – and I know I have a reputation for praising him (although he probably feels not enough : ) – but I do think Mighty – at least for me – is the Kobe of our game. The intensity, the desire to win, and the ability to convert that desire into amazing physical fetes is a rare combination – and Mighty has that. More about him later. Though there are others. I think a guy like Munch makes us want to be better. To match up with his preparedness level. To match his cerebral approach. Another guy I tend to disrespect – Zada has that Kobe-esque laser focus. Again, there are others, but in the wake of the death of a true competitor, I have to start by recognizing those who bring that edge every week to Jewball and make us all want to be better players. Thank you.
On the other side of the coin – and in a way it truly is the opposite side – that is the big picture approach, which Beast touched on yesterday. And it is hard to balance the two. In general. It does make for an excellent counterbalance. To appreciate life. To not get to caught up in anything trivial. To not waste time. Abuse or take for granted relationships. For my purposes, here, that just means appreciate Jewball – your brothers here. Not just in the game, but when someone seems to need something. Or have an issue. Don’t judge – support. I call this the counterbalance, because – in a way – seeing the big picture makes our games seem insignificant. Why argue about a call? Why curse a friend out (even though no one is taking it that seriously)? Why be obscene on our chat? Or mean? I’m thankful we actually don’t have much of that. We are able to get past nearly every insult, scuffle, argument, etc. Jewball is a place where you can destroy an opponent one week and be their biggest fan the very next. But, you hear what I’m saying? Kobe the player taught us to have a killer instinct in order to win. Kobe, in his death leaves a message of….is winning really that important? Maybe just being alive, loving the ability to play, appreciating the people you play with – not taking each day/game for granted – that should be enough? Is the lesson that we shouldn’t ever get caught up in the….stats. I don’t know – it is a tough one. The age old sports dilemma. In a league like ours or even the pros. Where is the line between what matters and what really matters. I don’t have answers, just some thoughts that kept me up most of the night. It wasn’t that alone.  Of course having a really unproductive day on the field – plus the yelling/cursing at people – with my first game being of the age 42 was a bummer. With all the above thoughts running through my head, it was the first time I got slightly depressed thinking about what a post-sports life would be like. I’ve been strapping up for Jewball for the past twenty years nearly every Sunday morning from September-March. I can’t imagine any other way.
Luckily, in this 2019-2020 season, I did put on the cleats for Week 13 and got to the field fashionably on time (which is late), but of course people got there later. Jewballers, I’m gonna say this and I will hold you and myself to it. I don’t care if you are a Vet who wants two games. Vet status does not allow you to come late. In fact, your job is to show the Rooks what accountability means. So, for example, if I am locking someone like Dobs out of an 8am game, but he is there ready to play at 8am – and you are rolling in at 8:05….you will not get an 8am game over him in the future. That is an example, but you hear me on it. So, fair warning. You want two games, you MUST be on time for the first one.
Since I’m on a disciplinarian roll, I’ll get to the jersey thing. This should not be difficult. Football works like this. You have a QB. His job is hard. He needs to scan the field, find his receivers and throw them the ball while they are being covered; at the same time guys like Munch, Oren, and Kut are running at them with reckless abandon. In order to make their jobs easier, we give each team a jersey assignment. One team wears Dark – which is like black or dark grey or dark blue or…stop pretending you don’t know what dark is….and the other team is Colors – this means a bright identifiable color – like red, green, yellow, orange, purple, blue…oh yeah, pink. This is not difficult. We do this for the good of your team. To help your QB. To help defenders identify who they should cover and who they should leave alone. Not because I like rainbows. Now, if everyone – especially the QBs – tells me they like the challenge of simply remembering who is on their team and allow everyone to wear whatever they want – God Bless! We can do that. I just don’t see why. It is not hard to follow this deal. I am destroyed for not being like every other league when it comes to feet in or ball in, but when it comes to identifiable jerseys for teams – I feel like I’m on an island. It’s not a big deal – I know. But – it’s also not a big deal to just check your team and throw on a colored t-shirt or a dark t-shirt over whatever thermals, sweatshirt you are wearing. Fine, rant done.
Yaron and Dark come in to this one with a lot to prove. I haven’t been counting, but his losing streak against Prager feels significant. It has been a while since Bron had a vintage start where his tempo and synergy with his team was on point. The kind of prodigiousness that we are accustomed to game in and out last year. He is a talent and his will to win is unparalleled so we all know there is a huge winning streak coming before the end of the season, but it did not come this past Sunday. He lined up with O, PJs, Mighty, Goldberg, Beast, and Zada. On other side (mostly in colors) were Prager, Munch, Steveo, Kut, Tom, Gronk, and Prime. Jordan and Dobs split up to get reps at deadline. Neither were a factor except that Dobs kept hurting his fellow linemen. Just kidding, Dobs also tracked people down on screens. Jordan did nada. Well, this one was a defensive battle of attrition. Either the QBs were off or the defense was lock down, but 3 and outs abounded. Both O and Kut had a bunch of drops for their teams, respectively, but those few incompletions standout because most of the game was just really good, aggressive defense and very effective line play. The QBs were running for their lives all day and the result was many an errant throw and multiple sacks. I personally was an eyewitness to Kut and Munch getting it done. Oren and Beast were equally tenacious stuffing Prager. However, early in the game there was an exchange of scoring. Well, almost right off the bat, Kut catches a ball in the flat – stiff arms Zada, then bounces out the sideline where he stiff arms Yaron – and he keeps going. The only man to beat is Beast, but instead of tracking Kut down, Beast calls the play dead and confuses his team. He is calling flag blocking – pointing and waving off the play. Kut keeps going and makes it to the endzone. PJs was lead blocking for him even though they were on opposite teams. PJs then lifted Kut into the air with one hand, reached into his back pocket and pulled out a 5 foot Jewball Trophy and handed it to him. It was unreal. But, of course the play was called back. And this causes me stress. So, I will say it again for all to see, hear, remember – The only person who can call a flag guard is the person whose hand was blocked by the receiver/runner. You cannot call it on behalf of someone else. Period. Don’t do it. Sorry Kut.
Shortly thereafter, Dark gets confused on a coverage and Prime is wide open behind the safety. Nice soft pass. Touchdown. Colors up 1. At about the halfway mark, Mighty has had enough. Yaron drops back, flips to Zada who shuffles a pass to a reversing Mighty….and let the pinball wizardry begin. Cutting, shifting, clawing and digging for every yard, Mighty gets past the linebackers, secondary and has only Prager to beat. Beautiful, angry stiff arm – Prager loses his grip. Mighty is in. Tie game. Then nothing for a long time. That is until Yaron hits Goldberg on a 4th and goal at the 1. You may have seen the preview of what happens next on our post-game chat sesh. Goldberg does not make it into the endzone, but stretches the ball over the plane. Arguments ensue. Jordan loses cool. Which is fine, per Kobe’s life – or not fine, per Kobe’s death…not sure. However, as we are all calm, cool, and collected at this later hour – we shall clarify our 3rd Jewball rule of the day. This is a two feet in league. Whether you love it or hate. It is the way it has always been – I am not unsure of that. I am not confused. I am not misremembering. We play two feet in. That’s anywhere on the field including the endzone. And, yes, that was adjusted to two feet – and the ball over the goal line. As we said yesterday, you need 3 balls in the endzone to score in Jewball. So, that was a fake controversy. While I am sorry that Kut’s TD got called back, and I feel for a gamer like Goldberg, I am not sorry his non-TD did not count. Of course, because why not have an already disgruntled team become completely disgusted – on the very next play (a turnover on downs) – Prager takes off down the left sideline and some weak flag pulling combined with his wicked speed turns into a 87 yard TD and a 2-1 lead for Colors. As commish, I was hoping for either Yaron to score quickly or Prager to go up to so the controversies of the day could simmer down, but….nah…..why should I be so lucky? Instead, both teams continue to struggle. Prager is about to maybe ice the game with a fade to Gronk, but Beast has to of course make the defensive play of his life and corral in a ball that winds up in a rolling scramble with Gronk on the ground. Was that kind of day. Everything that mattered needed booth review. Add to that, it’s 940 and Game 1 should be over and Game 2 should be starting. Add to that, the Game 2 people are late (hey, Game 2 people – same rule applies – I cannot lock people out of a game in favor of you, if you do not have respect enough for the game to be ready to play at 945). But Solo is there, making calls from the sidelines. Mo is filming. Getting late. Kind of a hurry-up circus. This game could only end one way. With no time on the clock, and following Beast’s splendid pick – which sucked for me….Yaron gets ball one last time. I’m hoping for a 3 and out, which was the case for most of the game. No. He orchestrates his best drive of the day. Culminating with….what else? A 4th and goal from Colors’ 30. How about a sack? An incompletion? A catch clearly short of the endzone? Forget that – how about a clear TD and a tie game! But, no – not for this unique game. We get a dime dropped over the coverage to Mighty at the very back of the endzone. Steveo is neck and neck with him and draped on him. Ball drops in just before the back line. A place where only Mighty could catch it. That is, if he has perfect concentration, hands and ball skills. So….of course he catches it. Steveo says out of bounds. Mighty doesn’t say much, but his eyes are afire. He has been burning all game. The video review (I told ya) shows he has one foot in before falling out of the back of the endzone. Game over. Colors win a contentious one. Jewball goes to Prime for the TD and the defensives prowess, breaking up passes all over the place. Congrats.
Game 2 was mercifully less contentious. Better vibes overall, but no different an outcome for Yaron. Gronk, who struggled last week, found a nice rhythm with his arsenal – mainly Goldberg and Zada and did a really nice job picking apart Yaron and Dark’s defense. With the addition of Solo to the game, Yaron has found that his dream has become a nightmare. Back to back weeks he is being hunted. Don’t worry, Bron – he will be on your team soon ; ) Gronk just kept using the space created by the zone to move the ball. Methodical $#*&. When he needed a longer completion for a first down, Goldberg was extremely reliable. When they got to Dark’s 5, he zipped one in to Zada who did his signature leap and plucked it from the sky with two hands. Yaron was having a hard time finding the same soft spots in the Colors’ zone. Not surprising since a.) Solo was coming after him and b.) Gronk and Zada in the middle are truly expert flag pullers. So while Yaron’s schemes were being sniffed out and blown up, Gronk just kept plugging away and finding his guys for gains. Soon enough, it was Goldberg hauling one in just over Dobs. 2-0 Colors. Although Yaron again went 3 and out and his confidence started to wane, it was Oren who single handedly changed the momentum. A pick! And a 57 yard run! Dark had life. Yaron lit up! Very next play, dumps the ball to Dobs – slants to the middle of the field and scampers into the endzone. 2-1. Dark switches to a man coverage and it does just enough to get the ball back at midfield. Yaron calls Jordan in motion on a wheel and fly. It works. Jordan is behind the coverage along the right sideline. Strike in his chest! Score! Tie ball game. A few minutes later, with all the momentum seeming to have swung in favor of Dark, Yaron lofts a beauty to Vegh over the top and Vegh makes a brilliant catch, but is stopped just a few yards short of the goal line. With only fifteen minutes left, Yaron has a real opportunity to change his fortune. 1st down – zips a ball to a jumping Oren – through his hands, then through Veghs. 2nd down – broken play with a scramble and a roll and a shuffle pass to Jordan – hits Jordan’s chest with a thud and then to the turf. 3rd down – Another broken play – but Yaron sees Jordan in the middle of the endzone and throws a high but catchable ball…Jordan gets a hand on it, but that is all. 4th down is a sack. Gronk takes over with a real chance to win the game. From his 20 and with Oren and Tom collapsing on him, he somehow finds a window and throws a 35 yard bullet to Salem. The coverage was good, but the pass was better. Salem scores to give his team the lead. Yaron gets a final chance to make things interesting, but Tom deflects a ball that kind of ate him up and it drops into Mo’s arms. Pick up the cones. Gronk and co win. Jewball to the Gronk for the great play on both sides of the ball. Pulled a dozen flags and threw completions for positive yards relentlessly. Welcome back.
Who wants WEEK 14?

8am

Dark 

Yaron – QB
Mighty
PJs
Goldberg
O
Beast
Zada

Dobs (DL)

Colors

Prager – QB
Munch
Steveo
Kut
Tom
Gronk
Prime

Jordan (DL)

945

Colors

Gronk – QB
Solo
Mo
Salem
Beast
Zada
Goldberg

Dark

Yaron – QB
Dobs
O
Jordan
Tom
Prime
Vegh

So, let’s say we had a first here and I recap a Week 11 Game 2 after a Week 12. Whe I slip, I slip hard.
And I’m especially hurt by this sequence of events, because my whole shtick about 💦💦💦 goes to waste due to him actually having player this week. Plus, now that he is on the chat, it would he a disgrace to go into how we all that he was Yaron’s imaginary friend/fantasy. You should have seen Yarons face when he couldnt track 💦💦💦 down. It was pure misery. But, meanwhile, you must fight water with 🔥🔥🔥 and our fiery Johny 🌩 was also MIA. So it was 6s for Game 2. And this one was kind of bleak affair. On the one side you had a fresh legged Pringle ready to pop off and on the other side you had Yaron playing Game 2 kinda hurt. The guy is a QB and seems to mash his thumb evey single game and act like he is out for the season, but then play the whole game….no pussyitis there at all. But he was banged up. As was Daveo early on after a collision with Mo. So there goes Color’s number 1 defender and always an offensive threat. Remember, btw, it is sunny and like 60 degrees…..so insane beautiful day for football, but injuries dont care about the weather. When they strike, they strike. Gronk was also not himself physically after the Game 1 QB stint. Hobbled. Rusty. One of those. It was kind of one of those unwinnable games for Colors due to the injuries. HOWEVER, Yaron has no quit in him and he believed – for 90%- of the game, that he would still win. And that’s a beautiful and powerful thing. I know Kut complimented my memory before, but this has been a while. I know Prager and Dark scored first. And second. I’m feeling like it was Prime with the big day. MK and Tom lead blocking and Prime just running it hard. I also recall Mo catching one over Jordan and winning a very close footrace to endzone. Prager ran one in as well. It was kind of joke. Colors was slow and banged up and had no real answers. Yaron had few weapons at his disposal but he was off the mark anyway. Close, but not his sharp self. Sadly, I do not recall the final score, but I know it was one sided. I remember Steveo had a great one handed grab and run. I’m sure Ari had a TD since he and Yaron have a nice thing going. And I’m sure Pringle got himself another Jewball. 😉. Kid is running away with the MVPs. Hey, Yaron…..you better start beating this dude. Who wants WEEK 13?

In typical Prima donna fashion, Silent J and Yabron go on vacation and decide this week’s game shouldn’t count for the regular season. We could prob just add it to the list of poor decisions being made this season, (Jewball recipients, ahem, cough cough) but with the uproar and hoopla from the general public, it was decided that Week 12 will count! That means Stats are in play. Due to people being away and fear of the cold, there would only be 1 game, 8:30-10:15. 

Weather was looking cold, but nice, until Sat night when a nor’easter blew in from the south bringing with it freezing rain, sleet, hail and 6 inches of snow (Not to be confused with MVP) Suddenly, guys started dropping out; stomach ailments, pneumonia, and general pussyitis were the excuses. 

“Game is ON!” Declares Commish from the airport. (Rumor has it that he’s interviewing for the soon-to-be-open Roger Goodell position.) With all the dropouts, we have uneven numbers, but Vegh smells an opportunity to sleep in and offers to sit this one out. (Some may question his dedication, but it takes a lot to give up playing, so we’ll assume he was taking one for the team) 

Sunday morning woke us up with a promise of cold but not freezing weather. As game time gets closer, Rabin is trying his best to get just one more, even manages to get Rabin Jr. out of bed, but alas, it’s too little, too late. Game will be 6’s. Reports from the field inform us that A) field is clear and B) Aside from J and Yaron, no one has a clue how to set up the field. (Pretty sure field was 5 yards longer this week then every other week)(Which explains why we were so winded. Hi Munch!) by the time 8:30 rolls around Everyone is at the field and the sun is starting to shine. As the game progressed, the weather got nicer. By the time the game was over we couldn’t have asked for more perfect football weather. 

In addition to field setup, we need to give a serious amount of credit to Yaron for compiling all the stats every week and to Jordan for remembering all the plays and writing the recap. Seriously, guys, take a moment and reach out to thank them! …………..

I cannot remember every play in sequential order, but I do remember most of the significant plays. 

Favorite play has got to be Tabak/Wilmer/Fez catching a beautiful pass and then running, juking, sashaying, and prancing down the field with an incredible burst of speed. Zada had his usual great defensive game including 2 picks, but I’m pretty sure his pants are still in the middle of the field where Jeremy absolutely broke his ankles. 

Line play was very solid on both sides of the ball. Rabin gets Sacked by Kut 3 times and Steve 2 (maybe 3) times. Rabin clearly remembers Steve getting knocked down at the line by Munch yet still manages to reach out, grab Rabin’s ankle and just brings him down like a rag doll. On the opposite side, Munch does his usual and wreaks havoc and chaos, shutting down the left side and sacking Pringle 3 times. Singer has a great game as well and takes a defensive series on the line and gets a sack of his own. 

Now to the QB’s, Rabin calls a great game, but clasically fails to follow through on his call in the huddle. When he does what he says he’ll do, things go well and with lots of screen, run plays, and creative passing he’s able to get his team to score 3 times. He did throw 3 picks which is pretty decent compared to Yaron, but in this game, it’s just too many turnovers. On the dark side of the ball, Pringle has a solid game throwing for 3 TD’s, rushing 1 and keeping his team going. 

Lots of good ball movement on both sides of the ball, including passes to Tom, (Who had his longest play in the last 4 years) TD passes to Prime, Zada and Singer helped get the colors to 3. 

Pringle used his weapons well and spread the offense to all his receivers, Kut, Steve, Goldberg and TD’s to Dobs and Tabak (2). 

Overall, was a very good game. Final score is 5-3. Colors had a chance to make the game just a touch closer, but on 4^th and short, they failed to connect and Dark happily took over. 

I know many people read the recap just to see their names, to relive their own personal glory (Hell, that’s why I read it.) and to find out who receives, what used to be a coveted “award” fondly known as the Jewball. The decision of who receives the Jewball is not a popular vote, it’s not an electoral vote, it’s not a vote at all. It’s decided by the writer of the recap (Check the bylaws, there is precedent for it.) So, on this occasion, with Commishaway on meetings (Perhaps signing a franchise agreement between Jewball and the NFL) I have the unique opportunity to choose this weeks Jewball recipient. 

.

.

.

The Jewball award for this week goes to Pringle! He’s great as a QB but an even better safety. Pulling down 2 picks, 1 which he takes to the house to give Dark the lead. He also flew from across field to block that pivotal last drive by colors. I don’t think anyone would argue. (except for Beast. Has anyone heard from him?) 

Looking forward to Week 13. Please wait for Jordan to open the sign up.

-Kut

Teams WEEK 12
8:30-10:15
LHS

Colors

Rabin – QB
Prime
Prime plus 1
Zada
Singer
Munch
Tom

Dark

Prager – QB
Steven
Kut
Wilmer
Goldberg
Dobs
Vegh

Wishing Jordan aka commish aka violent J , a happy 42nd bday, going on 25!!! Continue dominating the game, and long live jewball.

On this eve of my 42nd birthday, it is a time for reflection. Where do I begin? Do I begin emailing with Rabin at age 25 – when we thought we were ancient – and Jewball was having an off year as we realized Queens was a Jewball graveyard. And we weren’t sure if the game would survive in a new land. And I think we felt old. I had been playing all of three years! But…y’know…I was smitten. I was committed. He saw that. So, kind of like what Yaron and I have now, Rabin saw me as a co-commissioner. And I remember him saying, let’s just end it. My inclination was the same, but then I said – let’s push it a bit…I wrote him a big pump up email and I concluded with a hope and prayer that we play until we are 30. Ay 25, 30 sounded ridiculously old. Like to think about playing football at 30 was foolish. Cause 30 is super old and out of it and over the hill and just bury them. That’s what we thought. I said it almost as a joke, thinking that we would try to keep playing for a while longer in the 5Ts and retire at 28 or 29 because….30 was beyond playing age, right? Or do I begin when Esses came down at 31 and made me believe there were games even beyond 30. Or do I begin when Viv came down at 41 and – although he seemed pretty darn old – we realized there were games after middle age. Or do I begin with Eddie who is my hero!? Over 50 and ripping it up with his kids! Please, please, God….merit me that! I think though the place to start is this afternoon when my Jewballers demanded a recap of Week 11. Why? Because looking back is what makes us old. The present is what you have to live for! Celebrate the awesomeness of the present! That keeps you young. And, for Jewball, there is no greater birthday, er, present that what we have going today. 
This philosophical intro segues nicely to what I want to discuss as we go into the last stretch of season before us. It’s an old topic for recaps, but worth digging into once a season. I’ve been seeing something over the past two weeks and we need to confront it as a league. That is this: We all have physical limitations. Our bodies can only do certain things. Our strides are based on criteria we cannot change. The size of our hands. Our eye sight. Our reflexes. These are physical attributes that you either are blessed with or not. What has no limitation – other than that which you impose on yourself – is your mental state when you play the game. What I mean is, your desire to compete. Yes, I know we come down for brotherhood and a good time, but….in my opinion….we should always show up ready to go ALL IN mentally. You have carved out this time to play Jewball. Clear your head, come out with fire and an insatiable desire to compete to the best of your ability. I say this only because I feel that in Week 10 and again in Week 11, the teams were equal in talent, but one was just mentally tougher than the other. And that shouldn’t happen. I ask everyone who signs up to come down with as passion and will and commitment to winning and competing as they can harness. You only have so many games in your life. Give each one whatever you got.
Week 11 was the CLIMATE CHANGE BOWL sponsored by Cow Farts. In early January we had record high temps. The game saw 60 degrees and sun. Back in the day when we got a warm weather day in the middle of the winter I was grateful. Now, I’m scared. But let’s go back to sleep on that issue until it’s too late. Good. Done. The amazing weather summoned a who’s who of Jewball talent. Game 1 saw Gronk come back after an elongated hiatus to reunite with his Cronies and take on an old foe, Yaron. Just when we were talking about Prager being locked in to the 8am slot, we booted him to the 945 to see if Yaron and Gronk could rekindle some of that Magical Season magic. And, alas, it was not meant to be. Yaron was stocked with some old school all stars in Mighty, Singer, Tom, and Munch – along with new school gamers Prime/Beast and Sam. Gronk with Cronies assembled, plus Jordan, Kut, and Asa had a really tough task ahead of them. And they were not up to it. Now, I give Gronk a pass because rust is real. I don’t want to hear anything about Gronk not being a QB. You are forgetting the evolution last year. He is legit and I expect him to be a competitive QB in this league. He has all the tools and gifts. All he has to do is want it. And speaking of wanting it, Mighty “Give Me the Damn Ball” Rat and Singer have that mental toughness we spoke about earlier. They care about what happens on every play. They do not want to let their teams down and – more importantly – they don’t want to let themselves down. Because if you aren’t scolding yourself over the course of the week for plays your messed up in Jewball…you are missing out : ) And Yaron is the same. And Munch is the same. So it was not surprising that Yaron jumped out to a 1-0 lead. Then 2-0….Then 3-0. It was a lot Mighty at the beginning. A bomb down the  right sideline dropped in perfectly. A cross with signature spin move. Gronk and Dark were struggling. No other way to say it. Just wasn’t vintage Gronk, combined with a few dropped balls and some embarrassingly weak flag pulling, it was evident rather early that Yaron would win. The only question really was by how much. Well, Singer – not to be out-statted – put up 3 scores late, including a controversial scoop on a low thrown ball that he secured before it hit the ground. Yaron’s crew would score 7. Gronk threw one TD on the day following a sweet over the shoulder pick by Jordan and run back to the 5. The final score was 7-3 as Jordan and Vegh P6ed Yaron late in the day. The Jewball will go to a man who is covetous of the ball and our game in all the best ways. A man whose ass I have kissed since the day I first saw him- and rightly saw. A man who wears pink with pride. Mighty, my brother, Jewball to you. Honorable Mention of course to Singer for the same stat line (or shall I say rat-line) but Mighty scored early to tear Dark’s heart out. You merely stomped on it while it was on the ground. Recap of Game 2 for another time…maybe tomorrow…stay tuned.