But how can I not “tease” the final recap of the season after a Week 17 that saw what we saw on that field? And not just on the field, but in the days leading up to the game and in the hour or so that followed?
In the days leading up to the game, despite reports of Ice Bowls and some “Outs” due to tackle, Singer rounded up some hearty souls – Singer was out of his mind – the chat version of a seizure for a few minutes there – and it was glorious! But the man with the most stickers willed us a game. Again, never underestimate those powerful Jewball vibes. That Jewball transcendence. Did you see it? Did you see the sunshine on Thursday and Friday? Melting that snow – just enough…then more than enough. Did you see the weather reports of rain and freezing temps overnight on Saturday? And where did they go? I don’t know. All I know is – there was no rain. There was nothing. There was Jewball transcendence.
When I did not think there would be a game, I threw out the idea of a meet up by the field for some kind of pre-Super Bowl drinks and wings. Now, we all know the BBQ mythology with Jewball. We say we will do something – like a BBQ – we never do it. That’s the joke. It’s also the reality. But, reality is out the window amid the Dream Season. What is real? What is a dream? As I watched Kut and PJs and Daveo roll vehicle onto a football field! Taking out tables! And BBQs! And bags of wings they prepared for our bothers! And Logan – vaccinated and raring to go with his match light coals! And Steveo with his tent, z’l. And then O and Legs with beers! And E just to bring LOVE! With the snow falling in pristine waves bestowing the atmosphere with a gleaming coat like an alien landscape. Well….my brothers….I have to ask you – in all seriousness – is this a dream or is this reality?? As I sit there in my chair watching an absolutely terrific football game – full of passion, and skill and intensity – a competiveness, a drive, athleticism and spirit – and Yaron is in the game! Last seen writhing on the floor and out for the season, right? And he is competing and smiling and back where he belongs. And BD is there – my warrior contemporary from the Golden Age who has emerged from a long slumber and joined our ranks once again. And O – my blood and my blood – has agreed to flip the wings that Daveo and Kut made and brought on the grill that Kut brought – cooking on the coals that Logan brought – under the tent that Steveo brought – so that I can watch the end of the game – and out of the white wilderness trudges Legs, squinting and beaming with his mustard ski cap askew – and he hands me a beer. I ask if he has a bottle opener and he replies it is a twist off – alas it is…And we watch our brothers play down to the wire. So, again….I ask you – Is that the stuff of a collective dream or has that been our lived-in reality?
The day itself started appropriately enough with Beast showing up at 8am for a 9am game and wondering where everyone was. The good news was, he was able to check the field and confirm that it was playable for our tackle game. Singer had composed the teams the night before and it looked to be an all-out brawl. Yaron returning to lead his squad of BD, Tom, Kut, MK, Logan, and Beast. He would face off against his young protégé who many are calling the season MVP, Pray, calling signals for Prime, Daveo, Singer, Steveo, PJs, and Storm.
I’ve said it before – I’ll say it again now – there is nothing like the primal thrill of the tackle game. And since we only play it in the snow (and it always seems to be snowing during the game) – it is has an added charge of the cold, and wet, and majesty…combined with the rush of the violence and physicality…and – let us not forget – fun. In other words, the players were really amped up for this one. But none more than Singer. He really was like a giant Siberian husky let out of the house for the first snowfall of the season. He was just elated. His glee and energy were off the charts.
Yaron took ball first and relied heavily on his bruiser Tom, who becomes the ultimate weapon in snow games. It’s like he grows a foot and his reach is everywhere. He is nearly impossible to tackle one on one. Although I missed it, the drive ended with a Logan passing TD. I also missed Pray’s first drive, but I did catch the end of it – a roll out strike to Singer in the back of the endzone. An NFL quality play in my estimation. If there was one guarantee on Sunday, it was – the prettier the play, the less likely I had my camera at the ready.
The nice thing about the field conditions on Sunday in terms of playing the game was that, there was just enough snow to justify tackle, but certainly not enough snow to really limit the routes. Guys were moving at good speeds. You could cut and everything. So while a tackle game always allows for exciting runs and screens, the deep game was still available.
I’m going to ask for PJs to fill in some of the gaps here (or at least round up the Top Plays), but I know that Yaron bounced back with a TD to Tom, which was followed up by a game tying score on a 30 yard jump ball to Singer. Singer then put his stamp on the game by picking Yaron from his 5 on a stupefyingly cool leap from the middle line-backer position where Singer jumped the route and while closing in on the QB, snagged the ball out of the air and in a fluid motion tumbled into the endzone. The crowd lost their minds. Yaron was down 3-2 and Singer was off to a phenomenal start.
At this point I was told to start getting the tailgate ready. Off I went. That’s when O showed up and helped me figure out the apparatus that Kut brought, because….y’know….simply bbqing like a pedestrian is beneath him. Don’t worry, I got the last laugh by leaving a burning coal on his table and putting a hole in it.
So what happened while I was prepping? Well, I know Daveo scored for Pray. And Beast for Yaron. I believe Daveo’s score gave Pray a 1 TD lead with 5 minutes left on the clock. But, the ball had popped! Someone else can explain that. It had something to do with Tom. Steveo quickly replaced the ball and Yaron drove the field to keep the game going – and he did score! How?? I don’t know! I was manning the Q. I do know that everyone wanted to keep playing, regardless of the perfectly cooked wings waiting for them. Pray was given a “last-licks” drive to win the game in regulation. And he did so. This I saw. Some runs by Pray and finally a swing out to Prime with Singer lead blocking. A score to win it for MVPray and what I was told was an absolutely epic game. Plus no injuries! Those who played get the memories. The rest of us get to be jealous. It sure looked like a special experience to be out there.
Jewball is to Singer – who owned this dream within a dream from start to finish. From the initial chat-insistence that the game will be played, to the 3 scores – to the lead blocking that sealed the W. He was also flying around making tackles like a fiend. He displayed every single quality that we want a Jewballer to emulate. The positive energy plus the superior talent on the field. Singer, one of the most wholly-earned Jewballs we have ever given out. It comes with our appreciation for you efforts this past week.
And what of the tailgate? Did it come off well? Enough food? How was it? How were PJ’s poppers? How were the wings (and shout to B-sh for releasing his secret recipe for our benefit)? How was it seeing BD finally making eggs? I mean….again…and again….and again….this season has blurred the lines between what is real and what isn’t. Our unity under that tent in the snow just confirmed it. The smell of smoke stuck to my jacket once again confirmed it. Jewballers, we are living a dream. May it continue. Who wants Week 18?