These are dark times. We have canceled games for many reasons over the years. Ice, rain, snow, and –more often than not – a glaring lack of interest in playing. We have never canceled for a pandemic. And that is a possibility for Week 20 of this otherwise sparkling season. Though I am still unsure about our next game, I am damn sure about our last one.
The 2020 version of our annual Vets Rooks royal rumble was unique and memorable in so many ways. Yes, we have recaps of many of them from years past and they all stand out in one way or another, but last Sunday had so much to offer that it just feels like it floats to the top. Let’s start with the players. Talent comes and goes in our league. Talent is also relative. What we maybe once would have deemed a star Jewballer, would be role player now. No, I’m not talking about PJs. He was always destined for the bench. Just kidding! You started this (also, knocking Goldberg out is the highlight of the Teaser vid). I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again now – the Golden Age was a ton of fun, but we weren’t very good at football. We were pretty good. Marino had an arm, but otherwise we were just messing around. And it was beautiful. The Renaissance introduced guys like Snow, Mighty, Singer, and some guys who played in competitive games and it was like…WOW….so that’s football too. Huh? And their introduction to our game helped us all evolve. Some people liked the change to a better game – some people saw it as a corruption. I always felt that the key to survival was good football. So far, the formula is working. Which brings me to The Revolution. Which is the present. And Vets Rooks in the Revolution is – though still Vets Rooks and still Jewball – when broken down – just a highly competitive game featuring a ton of talent. I remember the Vets Rooks game when it was The Golden Age crew (Yoni, Joey, Rabin, Doggy, Klink, Ike, BD, Jordan, etc.) against the Renaissance guys (Zez, Mighty, Socks, Elisha, PJs, etc.) I mean…..we got destroyed. It was hardly a game. It was like Ford v. Ferrari, but without the fairytale ending. Was a massacre. For so many years, though I hyped Vets Rooks like The Greatest Showman, and though Rabin and B-sh and BD and most of all Evan always sincerely though we could win, I knew we couldn’t. We were slow. We were delusional. We were a bunch a linemen and Tight Ends trying to play zone coverage against kids. But, I look at last Sunday – where a mix of Silver Age, Renaissance and Dark Age players took on the current batch of Rooks….and what strikes you is, to use an NFL term, the parity. The evolution is noted. The evidence that better football has crept into the DNA of our game is witnessed by the miracle that is the Vets beating the Rooks two years in a row. Once upon a time the Silver Age beat the Golden Age, and that was because the Silver Age were semi-athletic and in their late 20s and the Golden Age were a bunch of stoners in beanies and cargo pants. But since that time – which was around 2006 – the Vets have lost and lost and lost. Last year, in a fierce battle that went down to the wire, the Vets won. It took the game of his life by Steveo, Munch to become an offensive and defensive juggernaut, and finally for Zez to bring his team all the way back of the brink in his patented Zez never-say-die fashion. Then Zez moved to Israel. So, this year, with the Rooks only getting better, Rabin – the Vet of all Vets – was asked to step in at QB and pull of the first repeat in Vets Rooks history. 
Besides a virus taking over our feeds and the devastating news that Yaron had to opt out, the week leading up to Vets Rooks could not have gone better. Steveo got us a cameraman. The weather was going to be sensational. The Vets and Rooks were coming out of the woodwork looking to observe our most sacred of holidays. The Vets looked #stacked and the Rooks looked #stacked. It would be a contest that would elicit some trash talk, but none of that would matter come Sunday morning. Like all things Jewball – the matter at hand would be settled on the field over the course of 3 hours – the longest single game in Jewball history. 

Vets took ball first and the air quickly flew out of the balloon. With a line of Munch and Kut, and receiving corps of Mighty, Singer, Steveo, and Jordan, Rabin looked a bit unsure of himself and the Vets did not advance. That is not to say that the Rooks defense was anything but formidable. Vegh, Logan, Gronk, Beast, Zada, Goldberg, Storm, Prime, Eddie, Sam….these guys can play – they are tough, aggressive, hungry – they pull flags – they have the winning mentality. But you notice one name missing. A game changing name. Solo. Or as Yaron calls him, Steven. Or when Yaron thinks of him             . Solo, the biggest, quickest lineman Jewball has ever seen – someone who could alter the outcome of any game he plays – did not show up. The game went on, but the Rooks of 2020 can always wonder what might have been. As if the stakes were not high enough, Mighty begins the game by reminding everyone that Vets Rooks is no ordinary affair. On that initial fruitless drive, after a fruitless carry and smothering by the Rooks, Mighty turns and takes a swing at Vegh – maybe even connecting. Gronk, enters the fray and knocks Mighty over sending the spry Veteran tumbling backwards. Order is restored and apologies are offered and accepted, but damn….the heat is on. 
For the next half hour both teams exhibited their defensive prowess and neither QB really made a great showing. Rabin was Rabin, but not throwing picks which was really helpful. Gronk was a tad off and his receivers dropped a few early ones making matters worse. Close to the end of the first hour, the Vets struck. It took another Mighty altercation to get the Vets jumpstarted. On a Mighty QB option fifteen yards from the 1st down marker, Mighty takes off down the sideline – evades a few defenders using Singer blocks – and then right at the marker, he gets clotheslined by Logan. Logan ‘s real name is Ari (I think). He earned the nickname Logan – much like Mighty – after a game, maybe two. That is a rare occurrence. It was clear from the beginning. He plays with reckless abandon and with the viciousness of the Wolverine. And that is how he went at Mighty in that moment. It’s legitimately dangerous. Yes, part of us loves to watch it. But also – we can’t have it. We all need to go home in one piece. Mighty was hurt and hobbled, but he walked it off. Every time he touched the ball for the rest of the game, he kicked it into gear, but he was not the same. In between plays he was limping. Following the near brawl, Rabin launches one to the middle of the field – where Singer makes his money – and Singer hauls one in to get the Vets within 18 yards of the endzone. In what is assuredly the oldest and most prolific QB/WR combination in Jewball history, Rabin swings one out to Jordan on the wing with Singer blocking. In almost the exact same location Jordan and Singer won the game a week earlier, Jordan flies down the sideline, but this time does not flip the ball back to Singer. He keeps it and bounces into the endzone. Vets up 1-0!
The Vets were able to celebrate for a short while, but the injuries started piling up. Mighty needed a break, then Singer needed a breather. Munch was exhausted as well. That trio was crucial to the Vets’ chances and it was disheartening to see them heading to the sidelines. But, it seemed they would power through and give their Vet brothers whatever they had. Still, with their absence, the Rooks would take advantage. Gronk started the crony fueled drive with a 20 yard strike to a crossing Vegh, followed up with a screen to Prime, and then another 20 yard dash. The big man punched in with Goldberg on the slant and just like that the score was tied. Based on the ease with which the Rooks scored, doubt crept into minds of every Vet, though none spoke of it. Their confidence was still very high. But they knew they needed to answer back and quickly. Even the slightest lead by the Rooks would fuel them and demoralize the Vets. Rabin decided it was a good time to put together his best drive of the game. It starts with 30 yard strike to PJs at midfield, which pumped up the crowd. A play later it is Singer on a wheel route and a perfectly placed ball on the right hash to get the Vets in the redzone.  The entirely successful drive is capped by a screen to Mighty with some exquisite blocking by Singer and Steveo sending Rooks flying and dash to the endzone – Mighty scores, Vets take a slim lead of 2-1. And things would only get better for the Vets. With relentless line pursuit from Munch and Kut, Gronk was having an impossible time making plays stick. Every other snap seemed to result in a sack or a forced throw. And finally, one was forced just a bit too much and Singer was there to P6 it and give the Vets what felt like a nice cushion going into halftime. At the half Vets 3-Rooks 1.
Going into the second half, the Vet injuries were piling up. Besides the hobbled Mighty, Singer, and Munch, PJs tweaked something during the epic drive that he started started and even Rabin needed a set on the sidelines. They had a 2 TD lead, but could they hold on? Things did not start off well. On the first drive of the half, Rabin called Jordan’s number on an out and up, but Logan played off from go and did not bite on the fake. Instead he backed up and picked one at the Rookie 15 yard line. Although the Rookie drive stalled, the pick by Logan was a foreshadow of dangers to come. Rabin showed himself a warrior by guiding his team through the second half, but the sharpness that was on display in the first half was gone. He would be asked to manage the game not make critical mistakes. But one came. From the Vets 20, Rabin floats a dangerous pass and Logan is there to intercept and run it right up the gut to bring the Rooks back from the edge. It was the only score of the 3rd quarter, but it was a momentum changer. Going into the final quarter the Vets held on to a slim 3-2 lead.
By the 4th Quarter, Jewballers had been battling for over 2 hours. While exhaustion had not set in and the energy level was high with so much on the line, focus was waning and it lead to a flurry of late scores. It started with perhaps a tactical error by Gronk. With a half hour left and some pressure to make the late run he is famous for, Gronk and the Rooks went for it on a 4th and 7 and did not make it. The turnover gave the Vets a short field and Rabin got exactly what he needed. A simple out to MK and a missed flag by Storm yielded a surprisingly simple TD. After every score on the day being really hard fought, it was amazing to score with some ease. The cushion was back, but it felt like a gift. The fact that MK scored it turned out to be quite apropos, as the Veteran who likes to pass himself off as a Rook would become a lockdown force on defense down the stretch and – even with limited playing time – put himself in the running for Jewball. With two minutes left, Vets 4- Rooks 2.
Gronk was not out of tricks. With the big O showing up in his suit and adding to the already strong Rooks line play, the Rooks needed to change their game plan. They simply were unable to establish a real passing game. They began using the underneath stuff effectively. Dumping balls to Eddie and Beast when the defense was playing back got things going. Now, having to cheat in, the deep stuff returned. One such ball was a sure touchdown, but Tom got in the way just enough to cause Eddie to drop the rock. Another was an sideline gem to Prime that was over Jordan and hugged the line before Singer could get over. Prime reached out beyond the sideline and dragged his feet and hauled it in. Unbelievable Prime Time catch. It surely made his mentor Sam proud. It also lead to a Vegh score with 10 minutes left. Vets were hanging on, but by a thread. Vets 4-Rooks 3. 
The ensuing Vet drives showed that Rabin did not have much left in the tank. It was evident that the defense would need to make the 4 scores stand and keep the Rooks off the board for the remaining few minutes of the game. And that’s when a beautiful thing happened. Gronk had the ball at the Vets 10 and his winning streak was on everyone’s mind. I mean, this guy does not seem to lose and he loves the late comeback. The Vets were engaged but weary. Only MK, Kut, and Steveo seemed to be at full power on defense. That left a lot of holes. Gronk starts of the drive as he is apt to do with a cross to Goldberg. A nice cut, a money pass, and a catch. Goldberg picks up a promising 10 yards on first down, but he won’t get anymore, because MK is draped all over him. But, wait….was that a catch or is the ball still moving? It is! MK is all over Goldberg and making sure his arms can’t secure the ball! Goldberg bobbles it once. He bobbles it twice. It is about to fall back into his hands – and here comes Mighty from the opposite side swiping the ball out of the air!!!! One cut! A cut back! A spin move into the endzone!!! Just when the Vets needed it most, a P6! Vets with a two TD lead with only minutes left!!! Vets 5-Rooks 3.
Of course the game was not over. The Vets had almost nothing left, but were feeling good about their chances. Perhaps playing a little loose, it was Eddie – the oldest Rookie of all time – showing the Vets that the game isn’t over until the final buzzer. Pops proceeds to take the ball at the Vet 15, juke Jordan with a move from 1985, and race 63 yards downfield to set the Rooks up for a score. A score that he very shortly punches in! Yikes! It’s final possessions time and Rooks are trailing by a score. The Vets can win it with a TD. The Rooks can tie the score and keep the damn thing going. They get the stop. 
Then they march to midfield. 50 more yards and we would go into an overtime that would certainly favor the Rooks. But Munch, Kut, and MK made sure that overtime would not happen. A sack and a batted ball by MK on a 4th and long puts a nail in this one. Vets win! Vets win! Two in a row! Next year they go for the 3peat! Yaron and Gronk’s last Rookie season – should be interesting!
Vets celebrate on the field to cheers of DOH-MA! DOH-MA! DOH-MA! Two days later, the world shuts down. Rabin must know some powerful people.
So, who gets the MVP of this one? Not easy at all. The candidates are: Rabin – the QB. He made a few huge plays that were not basic. If he had relied on screens, sweeps, and handoffs alone, the Vets would not have won. It was that second scoring drive that was so needed when the game was 1-1…and it was all on precision long throws. Singer – He did everything. And he did it like a lion. He scored, he set up scores, he made big yard plays. He brings energy and heart to every moment of every game. Munch – I should give it to him. I really should (which tells you it is not going there). If this was classic MVP, he would probably get it, because although I can’t see what is going on line all game – he was all over Gronk. He gave him not time to think or throw. Munch is our voice of reason. He is our muscle. He is our enforcer. I only wish Solo came down, so Munch would have had the challenge he deserved on a such a huge day. MK – As mentioned before. The late flurry of STATS! A score, forcing a pick, tons of flag grabs, and that final batted ball. He felt like he was everywhere at the end of that game, bailing out the Vets when they needed it most. Which brings us to the man I am giving it to: Mighty – the man who came out swinging from the start. Although stat-wise the game was pedestrian for him, 2 TDs and a pick, but he took two hits early and a few late. He could hardly move. The only that seemed to keep him going was his hunger for the ball. Between plays he was barely holding it together. Once the ball was snapped, he was on fire. And if Rabin gave him the damn ball, it was like being shot with a mixture of cortisone and caffeine. All the Vets showed grit, but I think Mighty showed the most. He got rammed by Gronk, decapitated by the Wolverine, and body slammed by Storm, but he kept on popping up and fighting. He has more fight in him than any Jewballer I have ever seen. In a class of many worthy candidates, he gets the 2020 Vets Rooks Jewball. 
See y’all whenever this virus lets up. Week 20 will be played and we will meet again on the field of battle. Stay safe, Jewballers.