It’s weird sitting here after the last regular game of the Jewball season has been played. No signups to post. No teams to send out. The randomizer has been put away for the year. Yes, we still have league playoffs and a chip but as we all know that is separate from Jewball. Our 20 week (this year 21) season came to an end with three games and perhaps the craziest and most beautiful thing we’ve ever done.

In game 1a it was Blop v. Gorilaz. Blop flying high after clinching a playoff spot in their defeat of the Stogies the previous week and gorillaz looking to win and lock up the 1 seed.  Admittedly, I saw almost none of the game…..although the good news is there wasn’t much of a game to speak of. Everytime I looked over it was Lego zipping a pass to another wide open wr or mighty scampering down the sideline for a big gain. Gorillaz opened the scoring first after mighty took a short pass to the house to make it 6-0. Blop moved the ball well during the first half but just could not punch it into the endzone. Next drive for Gorillaz it was Lego to Goldberg to make it 14-0. Blop drove again but a drive ending int to lego on a wobbly pass gave Gorillaz the ball right back. Gorillaz scored one more time to mighty on a bullet throw from lego to make it 21-0. Zinn took over for blop at qb and had a solid drive and a crazy catch by prime up the sideline but a redzone stall kept the score at 21-0. Gorillaz would keep the shutout intact. Jewball to mighty for the 2 scores and just making play after play in this one. All gorillaz needed now was a Semi Pro loss and the 1 seed would be theirs.

In game 1b it was GM v SP. The last time these teams saw each other it was Week 1 of leagues and it was a game winner from Avenger to Berk to win it on the last play of the game. This time the game would come down just as much to the wire. Green Machine took the ball first and had a new toy to replace Iceman for this one. He’s a kid a lot of us know from Tuesday nights and arguably one of the best players we’ve played with. Levy stepped in and Avenger went right to him. The first time, a great bat down by storm, but the second time it was a post corner run to perfection and it was Levy off to the races on a 75 yard TD to open the scoring. Extra point to levy as well and a quick 7-0 lead for GM. SP took the ball but went 3 and out and avenger and GM went back to work. After a few more avenger to levy throws, the SP defense caught on and a deep ball intended for levy was picked by pray and SP was back in business. Three plays later it was pray up the sideline following blocks by an all nighter solo for 6. extra point no good and it’s 7-6 GM. The next drive for GM started with more of the same, mixed in with a few avenger runs. It was 4th and 1 from the 49. Everyone on the planet knew where the ball was going… to levy. Except Avenger pumps and tosses a soft touch pass over to Fish (who was somehow also filling in for iceman) and takes it to the house for a 13-6 lead. SP would not go down without a fight and took the ball looking to answer right back. However, a pass intended for solo got stalked down by Bert (filling in for oppen) and picked by avenger. GM now had a chance to take complete control of the game. Thankfully for SP, GM turned it over on downs and they had the ball right back. No harm no foul. SP started to drive and three plays in it was a wild run around backyard football moment with stats leaking over the top for a pray to stats touchdown to cut the lead to 13-12. The lack of extra points for SP keeps them away from tying it up. GM would answer right back with a 8 play drive capped off by a leaping TD by fish to make it 19-12. SP did nothing with their next drive and the game was now on the line. A GM score would end it. A stop would give SP one more chance to try and win it. On third and long, Avenger throws a deep ball intended for levy into double coverage and the ball gets batted around before falling into prays hands and returned for 25 yards to give SP one more chance. Some say avenger was sacked before the ball was thrown yet others say the ball was off. No one really knows and it was determined it was too late to fight it out. One thing for sure is that we always go by the teammates. If someone on the same team determines that the other team is correct, that’s it. No need to argue it out.  SP would take the ball with a chance to win it. On first and 24 from the 49 pray launched one to portal who catches it in stride and looked like he would score right away to end the game…. except fish came flying in from nowhere to track down portal at the 2. SP would need to punch it in. Two plays later it was Solo with a beautiful hands catch to make it 19-18. Kut and Co now had a choice, go for two and win it or 1 and play for the tie. The Dan Cambpell in Kut won and SP would try for two to win the game. Pray dropped back and a well timed third rush by daveo right up the middle forced a quick throw. It was one on one with Avenger and Portal. Rookie on Rookie. Roy on Roy. But Avenger wanted this one badly and he jumped right in front of portal to knock it down and end the game. Jewball to Avenger for the 3 tds thrown and the game saving play at the end. (Fish probably could have gotten it also but no jewballs to a guy who’s not yet in jewball).

Both these teams and Blop v. Gorrilaz will see each other again when the playoffs and chip happen 4/19 IYH.