There was a short window during the summer of 2021 when travel to Israel was possible for vaccinated tourists. Probably lasted 3 weeks before another shut down. Just so happened that my nephew’s Bar Mitzvah took place during that window. It was the Covid family reunion we had been waiting for. I spoke at that time about all the family celebrations that were missed in the interim – where we couldn’t be together – or had to severely minimize – but it was this bar mitzvah boy who merited to finally bring us all together. It couldn’t be planned or coordinated. It’s just fate saying…I see you.
Well, Week 17 was the Jewball gods looking down on us and saying to one Jewballer in particular: I see you. I see what you’ve done for this group. I appreciate your commitment and sacrifices. Once upon a time, when Munch was a skinny high school kid in a big floppy knit hat, his big brother Meir brought him down to fill out a game. We played that game at Bay Park. I remember the big floppy hat. I remember the glass on the field. I actually vividly remember running to chase down someone and Munch was side by side with me trying to block – he wasn’t bigger than me then – and I looked into these wild eyes. I didn’t know if I’d ever see Munch again. He reappeared with Meir after each of them finished their Israel years. Meir was not a small guy, but his brother was then a truck. And he played with us but  also a bit with Snow and Singer so it was hard to say whether he would be loyal to us or just using us as tackling dummies. But Munch stuck. Like I said…or tried to say at the draft party……we always had credibility in Jewball because we had Munch (and Zez and Mighty) standing with us. We don’t exist without the loyalty of those A caliber players who saw something in us and made us their home. On occasion, they went off to make their fortunes and conquer in the Leagues, but they always came home. Their stamp of approval deemed us worthy. We held our heads up. And….most importantly….we had every right to expect good players to join us. They did. Many of them. And last Sunday….40 excellent players – from all generations – joined Munch on the field. No one was zocheh to that. Ever. Except Munch.
Munch, I can’t think of a single true Jewballer who left our game and left for good. So I know u will be back. Wishing you health, success, and much mazal in finding the kind of family down in Florida that u found with us. You won’t, but good luck.
From one legend to another….
If it wasn’t for Munch, this recap would have to be all about Spira. In Game 1, Jordan, Rabin, and Spira (all having worn the Commissioner hat) stepped onto the field together to play in a regular season Jewball game. The first time the 3 were on a team together for a regular season game since 2003. In what other game do things like that happen? I’ll tell you. None. Not a one. That’s a Jewball exclusive.
Along with Munch in his final home game, the ancient veterans were joined by the treasure of the Dark Ages, Kut, HOF QB, Yaron, and MVP candidate, Storm. On the other side was Feit – always competitive and looking to get some Ws against the top tier of QBs. His team was complimented with the superstar rookie tandem of Zinn and Oppen, along with veterans PJs and Sam, and rounded out with playmakers Zada and Waldo.
First possession of the game Yaron goes deep to Jordan and although Jordan beats his man to the spot, he gets a hand on the ball and no more. It’s a catch a good receiver makes. Not a middling one. Opportunity wasted. But it did not factor much in the game. Yaron was on (at least in Game 1) and Feit struggled to put up points. Zinn was a little banged up from the prior week and he just wasn’t his dominant self. And he needed to be the way the teams were constructed. You know who was his dominant self? Spira. The old man whose references make Bert’s seem contemporary showed that great hands have no expiration date. He got the party started with a one handed pick from the safety position that lead to a one handed TD by Jordan. 1-0 Yaron. Feit’s timing with his receivers was a bit off and it resulted in fruitless possessions. But this was a game where it just felt like Yaron’s crew just wanted it a bit more – Munch had to go out with a W. No play showed that desire more than the Storm pick in a coverage battle with Zinn. Feit threw a routine comebacker to Zinn that Zinn catches 97% of the time and takes off. But Storm is an exceptional player having an exceptional season. He races to the spot and wrestles the ball from Zinn. There was also Kut making nice catches from the TE spot and turning on that meat board speed down the sideline. By the time Spira made a catch for the aged, sorry, ages – again with one hand – for 40 yards, it became clear that Munch would have his signature send off win. Oppen – becoming quite the offensive weapon – scored the lone TD for Feit and Storm tacked one on ton extend his TD Leader lead over Zinn. Yaron gets the W and Jewball to Spira for the electric day. Hope to see you out there a lot more next year.
After the game Jordan and Feit got into a little heated debate over whether Klecko deserves to be in the NFL Hall of Fame. He was right it turns out. Across the field, Mighty had replaced Justin which required a team swap. Of course Dax ended up with Dachs in the trade. In what was probably the best game of the day, Pray edged Dachs on the final play of the game. But of course since Mighty was involved, there had to be some controversy. With the score tied and Mighty having already put up 2 points for his team, Mighty darts over the middle and one of the best LB’s in Jewball history, Solo, tracks him the whole way, but is a step behind. Contact was made before the ball was caught, but the question remained whether contact was made after the ball was caught. Mighty makes the grab and falls forward. Dachs’ squad assumes down by contact, but Mighty assumes down by contact prior to the reception. He gets up and scurries his way into the end zone. Game over. Mighty had a great game with 3TDs and a pick….and if the final was 3-2 or 4-3, Jewball would be his….but Pray threw 6 TDs, scoring with 4 different receivers. That’s a Jewball for the comeback kid.
Yaron did not fare as well in his Game 2. Pray fared about the same and whipped Yaron 6-1, picking up his second Jewball of a massively successful day. Logan went down early, stacking the odds against Yaron, but rumor has it the drops plagues him once again and Sting stepping in for Logan was too little too late. I heard Rook had a pick the blew everyone’s mind. But the storyline is the full return of Pray (although on Tuesday night he said he paid a price with his leg not being full healed).
In the last game of the day, Rabin once again took on Perla and this time he really really really thought he could get the win. And he came close. Was a pretty pedestrian game for the first hour and fifteen minutes. Dobs was hurt. Zinn was hurt. Rabin took advantage of the offensive weapons he was comfortable with. Jordan and Rabin have had chemistry forever and there is a lot of trust there. Rabin scored with Jordan beating a hobbled Dobs right away. And shortly after that Zinn got over the top of Storm and it was quick 2-0. Looked like it was going to be a route. But Perla actualizes the Rabin mantra. He bends and doesn’t break. And it helps to have a relentless TD Leader on your team. Storm caught fire and tied things up very quickly, helped out by 2 picks by Dobs. All of a sudden a laugher became a game. Solo got serious at LB and starting sniffing everything out. Rabin’s offense went to sleep. And Perla kept being his methodical self – chipping away. And just like that – quicker than he reaches for the lube in the exam room – Rabin was down 3-2. Finding Jordan on the next possession over the middle and with a 58 yard run that ended with a Solo track and kill – Rabin punched it again with Jordan (he tried Oren first, but Oren was saving his skills for Tuesday night). With the score tied 3-3 and Rabin hoping to have a chance in OT, Perla was permitted to orchestrate one last drive in regulation. And the White Good Symphony was at perfect pitch. No big yard plays, but just first down after first down….and a game winner to Justin in the back left corner in the end zone. Perla wins. Rabin still looking for answers. Although it was a pure team win for Perla’s squad….it felt like everyone was rallying around Beast and Solo. Very hard to give out a Jewball for this one. In the end, I guess it’s Storm. Two TDs and he kept Zinn in check.