Between the hype of Opening Day and the grandeur of our first League Game, Week 2 had the feel of what we call in sports a trap game. One where the players aren’t quite ready and overlook the opponent. One where only the team with the proper mental preparedness would win. It actually (THIS) came off accordingly. It was sort of a dull and dreary day. As opposed to week one which was played in warmth and sunshine with guests, and fans, and dogs, Week 2 was cloudy and rainy with not one attractive person on the sidelines (no, drug dealer Daveo does not count). Could be the only aspect of Week 2 this season that stood out – and the hope is that it reverberates for many seasons to come – is that it was the debut of our Rookie class getting into some real game action. And not just action, but Pollack was under center in the early game. Stepping up into a role that presented itself when Rabin and Yaron could not participate. What we saw of Pollack in Week 1 was that he is a gamer. Everyone seems to know him already. He is related to Mighty, he went to school with Beast, he dated Pop’s daughter, he works for Sam, and he learns with Klink. It’s odd he is only showing up now, but so be it. He QBed in his Israel year – I believe with Pray on his team (no joke), but had a season ending injury. He was trying a comeback for Jewball. God bless! How did it go? Not great. He moved well. That was good to see. He looked like a leader in the huddle. That is actually one of the most important (IS) attributes. The problems were – and no need to be specific – his team was not moving downfield. The first pass of his Jewball career was promising. A slant to Might that picked up a chunk of yards. But the drive stalled, as did all the others that followed. There was a pick to his co-Rook, Burt. He had opportunities. Feit, who looked really good, quick, and bouncy, wasn’t perfect. He threw a bad pick to Tabak in the redzone, but he otherwise was running and gunning, as Clyde might say. It was a one sided game for the first 45 minutes. Feit ran one in and pumped 2 in (Singer and Zada). Things did change in the 2nd half as Pray, who waited patiently (a little too patiently maybe) on the sideline for such an occasion, entered the game. Needless to say, last year’s MVP is a game changer – and he did just that. I am sure not to make Pollack look bad, but after taking the ball to start his first set, he throws one of the greatest passes Jewball has ever known – a 55 yard nuclear warhead to Munch streaking down the sideline for an incredible hook up and a TD. Pray claimed it was the farthest pass he ever threw. A few sets later, Pray took off down the sideline and evaded the crowd to score again. Although Feit was unable to put up another point, he was able to run out the clock. A win and a Jewball for Feit. The much maligned leader of FCFT may have refused to take a test before the game, but he certainly passed one by looking really sharp in his first game of the season. Look out, FCFT haters.
Game 2 was interesting in that (NOT) it was backwards. Pray had just come off looking unstoppable in half a game of football, about to take on Gronk, who had looked shaky in the first half a week earlier. I would have bet on Pray to be on fire and dominate. But you gotta play the game. And though the game sputtered for a while at the outset, it was clear that Pray was going to have trouble. Solo (and eventually Beast) had him on his heels the whole game. Pray is used to running, either sideways or forward for big yards, but in this game, he was always running backwards. On plays where he needed 5 yards, he wound up 15 yards back before being able to properly scan the field. And it was happening play after play. This is the impact of Solo (and Beast). Meanwhile, Gronk had figured his shit out. All of it. Back with OG cronies Vegh and Goldberg, Gronk was doing some home cooking. BOOM! POW! ZAP! Moving the ball effortlessly and in his comfort zone. Vegh and Goldberg picking up yards all over the place. Goldberg amassing a really nice stat line in the process with 2 scores, 1 pick, and a sack. And while stats are nice, a win is nice, since we only give Jewballs to winners. But, Gronk won you will tell me. So, give the Jewball to Goldberg for his monster game. Alas, there was no winner in this one. Somehow, someway – and I don’t understand it despite being in the game  – Gronk did not win this game. They were (A) up  2-0 and 3-1 (Dobs added a score from Gronk), but they did not win. Instead, this one ends in another tie. Pray scrambled his way to tie. His defense did just enough. In game, it felt as though Gronk and co. were unstoppable, but apparently…they were stopped just enough. Salem and Kut got enough pressure. Legs tracked down enough flags. Prime made a man’s play taking the screen and running mercenary style down the sideline for 63 yards to put his team on the board. Jordan, after dropping a brilliant pass on an out and up which may have proved a score, managed (CULT) to make a sliding grab and 4th down to preserve a drive that wound up with a Jack Ross TD. Finally, Pray did his thing and ran one in to knot the game at 3. And there it ended. Without fanfare or satisfaction on this grey and forgettable Week 2. LEAGUE WEEK NEXT!