Vets Rooks is always over-hyped. It was created over fifteen years ago, not just to lend some gravitas to the final weeks of the Jewball season, but to also act as a State of the Union. The Vets represented where we have been. The Rooks stood for where we are going. It was an opportunity to invite out all our players and create a match that spoke to what we cherish most about Jewball. The respect for those who played before us – the exclusivity of a club we call Jewball Vets. But also to engage our newest members. Rooks are our lifeblood. Without them, Jewball would stagnate, atrophy – and die. 
The fact is though, it was historically a pretty terrible and one-sided game. The trash talk going into the game was always fast and furious, with the Vets talking about needing to change the Rookies’ diapers. The Rookies claiming the Vets were washed up has-beens. And when the game was played, the Rookies were always right. For the first decade of the game, Jordan, Yakir, Joey, Rabin, B-sh, Show, and Marino tried to beat the Rooks…and always failed. We could not keep up with them. Whether it was the Ike, Uri, Klink, Dorothy, BD class. Or the Mighty, O, Socks, PJs, Steveo, Zez class. Or the Snow, Singer, Kut, Tom, Munch class. Rooks were young, quick, and athletic. The Vets had experience and heart….but….who were we kidding? We could not keep up! The games were often a joke. And even if they weren’t, the Vets lost.
Enter the Revolution. And all of sudden, the Vets are loaded – and it is a game – for the first time. Why? Because those talented Rooks who embarrassed us Vets for all those years…are now one of us. And this does not take away anything from the extremely talented Rookie class we have now – but….for the past three years – as you all by now know – the Vets have asserted dominance over the Rooks. 
This is a roundabout way of saying that, although Vets Rooks 2021 wasn’t much of a game – a 4-0 Vets win – it is not the first blowout. It’s just the first blow out in the past few years. And there is an argument to be made that the tables have turned. Those prior exceptional classes have stuck with us (always – I never forget – and I’ll let the emotion overcome me next week when I write the final recap – THANK YOU for sticking with us) – and now the Vets are formidable. They seem like they will be for years to come.
A game that at first looked like it might be a doubleheader of Vets Rooks games turned into one game as the snow fell and stayed on the field – and did NOT become ice – just crunchy – which allowed us to play our first ever Vets Rooks tackle game. 
On paper, there was no reason to think that this game would be anything but an all out brawl. One that would go down to the wire. For the Vets, Gronk – an extremely loyal, if not controversial, Jewballer, since his debut in 2017 – was named Captain in his first game for the Vets. The kid oozes talent and has grown as a player before our eyes. He probably has a thousand tricks left in his bag, which we will be fortunate to witness over his career. He certainly earned his Captain status on the field. His team was, for lack of a better word…stacked. Mighty, Snow Pup Singer, Steveo, BD, Daveo, PJs, Rabin, Kut, Tom, Jordan, Munch, and O. Yikes. You’d think…unbeatable? Maybe so, but the Rooks roster looked like this: Yaron (Jewball MVP 2019), Prime (Jewball MVP 2020), Prager (Jewball MVP 2021….wait…sorry…premature), Beast, Storm, Logan, Salem, Dobs, Sting, E, and Solo. I mean….this is a team brimming with talent and potential. Was certainly an “Any Given Sunday” challenge where either team could wrestle the W from the other.
In a way, this remained true throughout most of the game. Even though the final score says 4-0 which make it seem that the Rookies did not have chance, if the game is broken down – it really could/should have gone either way.
Let’s take a look:
The Rooks started with the ball and with a commitment to the run. Prime was naturally the biggest threat on the field in that regard. An extremely sturdy and destructive ball carrier who can bulldoze through most. With Sting neutralizing Jordan with interference, Prime bullied his way to a first down. But the Snow Pup made sure it was the only one the Vets would gain. Yaron – who once again – and it is near nauseating at this point – was plagued by drops – including one on the opening drive which would have been a sure first down – could only walk off the field wondering if he was destined to have another rough outing. The Rooks took over around midfield.
Gronk took the ball for his fellow Vets with the confidence of a, well, Vet. Although he was by far the youngest Vet, he showed a leadership beyond his years. The first drive was steady. Gronk does not mix it up unless the defense forces him to. Coasting on a steady diet of Mighty and Singer – because why not when such weapons are at your disposal – the Vets’ first possession resulted in a score. But not in the way anyone would have expected. A 15 yard pass to Singer was tipped by the Snow Pup as the defense collided with him at the same time as the ball (foreshadow!) – the ball bounced off his fingertips and landed in the snow. ALMOST! Because Mighty on the spot, dove full extension and reclaimed the ball from incompletion oblivion – pulling it in and landing in the endzone. “I caught it”, he yells. “We know.” And the score is 1-0 Vets.
So, the Vets – it can be argued – got a cheap one. Sure they are up, but it was a fluke one might argue. The Rooks had no reason to despair. However, on the very next drive….after moving the ball soundly for 55 yards, Yaron underthrows a ball and Steveo is there to pick it in the red zone. It would be the first of 3 back breaking picks Yaron would throw on the day. All three when his team was poised to score. But he wasn’t the proximate cause – as we say in the law – of his team’s demise. The defense was somewhat porous. Gronk moved the ball with fluidity all day. Rabin was a huge x factor. Just left open…and making catches for gains. The second Vet score was a beautifully designed bootleg to Singer. Many claim it was Mighty’s call. Or at least Mighty said so after the TD. 2-0 at the half. No reason to think the Rooks wouldn’t get right back in it. But they just didn’t. Why? Because there was blame to go around.
Beast couldn’t haul in a big 1st down catch that might have been a TD if he stayed on his feet. Sting dropped one in the endzone that was reminiscent of an Eddie drop last year that devastated the Rooks’ hopes.  Dobs caught one in the back of the endzone but his feet were on the line. 
With these missed opportunities, it wasn’t just points off the board, but it was a dearth of momentum perpetuating other near misses. Meanwhile, Gronk started to mix in PJs and Tom – each true Vets having hella good seasons. PJs and Tom…proving that you stick with the damn game because maybe your best years are ahead of you! Maybe yours 20s was just you getting started. And look at them now. Popping off big plays and serving up poppers. Gronk snuck in a ball to Tom that Pray had a nice read on, but missed a P6 by a split second. Another momentum changer that vanished in a flash. Tom gets a 1st down. And another on a one handed grab. And then PJs muscling his way to a chill inducing almost score. Eventually Gronk makes it 3-0 finding Mighty leaking out from the 4 yard line. 
By now, there are only 20 minutes left and Yaron is despondent on the sideline. He takes himself out of the game. Pray gets some garbage time reps, but it goes no better. A deep ball loses steam and Singer is there to pick it. Gronk throws an NFL quality pass to Singer in the endzone a play later but Prime attacks and the bang bang play results in dropped ball (arguably the second TD saved by Prime’s safety prowess – a goal line pass to PJs was controversially negated earlier). Gronk would eventually get to the point by finding BD – MY VET! – over the middle on a zipped in pass that BD plucks from the sky. 
So, as this recap shows – it could have gone either way. But, perhaps the difference between a Vet and a Rookie is the elimination of Rookie mistakes. Who knows? Maybe it just was a football game that swung in the favor of an excellent team. 
Our Jewballs are going to two players this week. Each are earning it for special performances on a specific side of the ball. To Steveo, for his defense. Singer plays like an ecstatic puppy. You play like a lion. Ferocious, majestic, proud. You make us all proud as well. You bring so much to our game and really to our lives. Jewball to you my friend. Steveo Island is real. Your pick in the back of the endzone was as poetic and vibrant as your rhymes. An absolute honor to be on the same field as you.
As humble as Steveo is…Gronk is someone I try not to compliment too much. I have no idea what goes on in his head  – if he is modest or arrogant – crazy or sane – soft or hard – but this past Sunday….he stepped the F up. I consider myself lucky to have been on the sideline for many of the offensive sets – to just watch and appreciate a man mastering his abilities. Playing without fear. 
Let me digress for a second. This is a tackle game…so fear is an element. There are people coming after you. Big angry people. Like Solo, and O, Beast, and Munch and Kut….so….because they rarely get the headlines – shout out to these warriors. Munch, for just showing up for us. Your mere presence is powerful. O – you were in rare form. Like I said – it was like the clock was turned back 13 years and we were playing Chabad. Kut – you are our forever role model of a grinder. Now, let me get to Beast and Solo – and I want to commend them….while really putting Gronk on the pedestal. They were all over him. Our line tried to protect him, but….Solo and Beast? C’mon! These guys are machines out there. So they got to the QB. Plenty. But, Gronk really was a wizard out there. Keeping his eyes up – not folding – taking hits – making smart decisions over and over again. I really found a new level of respect for Gronk this past Sunday. Jewball to you as well. 

For those who wanted this game to be more competitive….I guess I apologize. No, I can’t. It was played. It was won by the Vets because they earned it. We can run it back next year. I know we all talk smack going into the game and some of it is true…but it is ALL LOVE. We are Vets. We are Rooks. We are one Jewball. Who wants Week 20!