Game 1

As the players took the field there was one question to be answered. “where is everyone?” Traffic, which was the theme of this game. This was a battle of the defenses and there was plenty of coverage across the field. There were no uber open guys and all the plays were fought for. Pringles and his color crew took the ball first against a Singer/Munch defense scheme. Munch leading the line battle with Sam son of Prime and Singer setting the field looking to back the containment and shut down gains with Feit and Steve-o on the outsides and PJs and Ivry taking the middle. Game underway munch and sam bringing pressure putting up the good fight against Walls and Kut keeping the pressure on Pray. Swats and coverage put the ball in Feit’s hands soon after to battle Mighty, Dobs, Goldberg, and Gronk. A defense that does not like to miss flags. Fortunately, Mighty isn’t the only shifty player and Feit and Steve-o were causing misses with help from the excellent blocking up the field (except for that first play). The defenses held on and ball was going back and forth with only yards to show and an injured baller. Beast who knows to be at both games was there to step in and step up. Between the good picks and the Yaron-style off the receiver ones the game was up in the air everyone playing strong. At some point Singer stole one out of the air and brought it back for a score. Kut had a nice play up the sideline for a pylon touchdown*. Goldberg bullied the D as Pray snuck one into him in the endzone. Singer grabbed a well-placed beauty from Feit in tight coverage across the field in the other endzone. Dobs reeled one in on defense at some point because he wanted to touch the ball and keep his rep high for the fiancé. When Pray was not being sacked he was running from munch and Sam. When he had more time the jump ball to Gronk often worked. The Singer/Steve-o screens fight set up usually grabbed some yards if Steve-o didn’t step out avoiding prays wicked reach. The smart quick plays to get firsts avoiding Walls and Kut kept the momentum. Ultimately the defense stopped anyone else from scoring (and when they couldn’t a “respected” call was always there to help) and the game ended up in a tie. Good effort all around.
Top plays and props (no Jewball): Kut scored* beautiful pass from Feit to meet Singer in the endzone. A masterful block and run with Munch and Steve-o up the middle. An awesome run by Feit being shifty, screaming stuff, and following the blocks. Gronk grabbing balls out the air in unreachable territory for the defense (well place pray) Walls laughing at some bad attempts to block him as he pushed though. Excellent coverage and attitude by PJs. Dobs excellent flag pulling amongst Mighty and Gronk. Goldberg manning up this game and playing great. Signer dominating offense and defense. And great pressure on the line keeping pray on the move.

Game 2

As my intention upon arriving was to set up on grass, in the same way our ancestors did, I entered LHS and turned left, as our ancestors did, and parked by the softball field….as ancestors did. It was a really nice mix of old and new. Going through familiar motions from Jewball’s storied past, but setting up the field for the current generation. But also knowing that Klink, Tom, and Rabin would join me on the field I was building. That Mighty was playing next door – still being mighty. Steveo as well. We had done our jobs. We had maintained the tradition but also passed it on. These were thoughts percolating through my head as I serenely walked the field dropping cones, occasionally taking the time to kick a goose turd to the side. Ah, kicking goode turds…how i missed you. I had to set up the field because Yaron was coming straight from work and would not make it before 945. It was 915, and….

“Do you need more cones?!”

My concentration broken. The nostalgia lost. There was Yaron. He made it back early. Within 10 minutes he had reset the entire field.

Made it over to the turf to see the end of a tie game stay tied. Looked like a good game, but did not see any big plays. It went slightly into OT and the soccer guys were buzzing around the field like flies. Shoo!!!

I will begin by rejecting a myth outright. Actually two myths. 1.) Game 2 is a weaker game 2.) Grass is a weaker game. Neither are true. The players who sign up are responsible for the level of quality and satisfaction of the game. You get out what you put in. This is in a way why I like the world of EITHER. The world of Both lead to a sense of an entitlement and laziness. Of collecting stats. Of spreading out the energy output. Now….u get your game….and u best give it everything you got.

Yaron took ball first and drove the field. Rabin kept promoting his team’s need to bend and not break. And they listened by bending the entire length of the field. However, with Beast going stop and go deep to the left deep corner of the endzone, Jordan sniffed it out and picked the ball off with Beast right behind him.

Rabin, whose arm looked MUCH better than his last start, quickly converted the turnover into points. Placed a ball just over the top of the defender down the right sideline to a leaping (or tiptoeing) Pray. With no one behind him, Pray runs it 65 yards to score and put Rabin up 1-0. Now, Yaron was not struggling at all. He was pinpoint accurate and finding his guys open – even in tight windows – throughout the first half, but the drops were inexplicable and contagious. Beast losing control of one. Prime fumbling a ball in the endzone that him in the chest with no one around him. Stephen doing the same thing (but more about his debut later). Rabin was having no problem making hay with his receivers. He even threw to Whiskey once. (At the end of the game Whiskey volunteered to play line in a big spot. Straight face in the huddle: “You’re not not throwing to me anyway.”) When a mismatch between Salem and Klink presented itself, Rabin threw a deep ball that Salem hauled in, sliding at the front of the endzone. 2-0 Rabin and looking promising at the half. But Yaron wasn’t out of the game, because Rabin and crew kept bending. In fact, they were bending and breaking. The only reason the game was not tied was because of the drops. Yaron was using Tom very effectively to move the ball downfield on many TE rollout. Rabin and Colors started missing flag grabs on first attempts which allowed first downs and kept drives alive that should have been bottled up. Yaron started picking on the Tabak with Stephen being the taller receiver and even with Tabak draped on him, the jump balls went to Sting most of the time. Eventually one was caught for a point. 2-1 Rabin. But on the very next play, Rabin and Jordan hooked up (party like its 1999) for a circle route and run – 73 yards to a score! The lead is extended with 40 minutes to go. Yaron, beginning to wake up and his team making plays – including a huge first down snag by Prime – scored again with Stephen cutting to the middle of the endzone. Now 3-2 with about 20 minutes left. Here is where things really started to go off the rails for Rabin. On a 4th and long at Yaron’s 20, Rabin called a bold play. Pitch to Pray – who had thrown a few balls for Colors but nothing worked out – one was picked – then a throw back to Rabin….who was supposed to find Jordan cutting left to right in the endzone. When Jordan got to his spot, Rabin had already received the toss from Pray and Rabin threw a bullet which Jordan caught. TD!!! Amazing execution and a two score lead with about ten minutes left in the game! Wait…wait…..calling it back….The pass from Pray to Rabin was a forward pass…..Rabin’s strike is called off. No score. No two point lead.

Clinging to a one point lead now, the defense needs to make a stop and secure the game. Swarming around Yaron and going for the sack…..Yaron splits the rushers and tried to run for a first down. Before he can make it to the marker, his clears gets stuck in some dirt and he goes down. He goes down softly but he is rolling around and saying Oh no oh no. Its bad, he says. Worse than the last time, he says. He tries to get up. Not happening. He cannot put any pressure on it. Prime, Jordan and a few others are really upset. No, not because they care about Yaron being healthy or even surviving…but because how can we finish the game?? Meanwhile, people with actual souls like Tom, Beast, and Stephen are carrying Yaron off the field. Those who remain on the field and left Yaron for dead are negotiating how to finish the game. Trade Pray….trade Rabin….Regardless, it felt like Rabin’s win was assured. The loss of Yaron could not be made up for. Just as Pray was about to decide if he could take snaps for the opposition…..Yaron is seen jogging. Wait, no prancing! Legit he is hopping around doing Tik Tok dances! What happened??? Apparently, ya see…it was simply the patella so all u gotta do is snap it back in. Those who heard the snap and saw the maneuver claim they will never be the same. Jill was disgusted.

So, Yaron flosses his way back onto the field. But Colors still feels pretty good. Yaron is hurt. They are up 1. With one stop to make. They can taste the W.

On the next play Yaron throws a pick. Whiskey starts the process by making a great diving tip so Stephen can’t get a clean handle on the ball. It floats to Pray who picks it….no…wait….he doesn’t pick it…..He tips it as well! And it gently falls behind him…..into the waiting, opportunistic arms of Beast. Holy Skirtsteaks! Beast is all alone and jets to the endzone. Instead of a game ending pick…..we have a tie game with the clock all but run out. Rabin has little to no mojo left. A desperation hook and ladder elicits a goffer ball.

Game should be over being the time frame, but no one has anywhere to go and two Jewball ties in one week is bad for business. So, we play on. Yaron drives the field, once again with Stephen being the main target. And the new kid with chill demeanor and lengthy arms makes a nice toe tap grab in the back of the endzone to give Yaron the unlikey lead in OT. Rabin gets another crack at it, but the game ends on a Beast pick after a last gasp throw to Legs. A shame and disgrace for Rabin and Colors. A marvel and miracle for Yaron and Dark.

Yaron gets a most well earned Jewball. Combining all our favorite qualities. True grit and masterful skill.

See y’all tomorrow for Turkey Bowl.