Team 'I Did It' Defeats Team 'Ants Marching' 10-8

MELVILLE, NY-

On a balmy Friday afternoon at St. Anthony's high school, TBSevs got underway with a bang. Players arrived fast and furiously. Some notable absentees included two Whites, one Herg, one McShane, and one Farrelly. All in all, 14 players showed up to participate. After much mingling, stretching, and the last few moments of Thanksgiving digestion....it was finally time to choose teams.

Rules were clear: two teams, one game. First to ten wins. First down could be achieved at the halfway mark of the field No handoffs, one blitz per set of downs. One quarterback, five receivers, and one bench player for each play. Even the stupidest of players could understand. The honor of team captains went to Frank Giardina (Team Ants Marching) and Vince Young (Team I Did It.) The selected rosters were as follows....

Team Ants Marching

Giardina, F

Dooley, C

Herg, T

Farrelly, B

Regan, T

Canders, D

Vaz, T

Team I Did It

Young, V

Chiarenza, M

Tighe, M

Reilly, R

McShane, D

Silvia, J

Shaz, T

Giardina went with a stupendous blend of speed, height, and throwing ability. Young preferred sure-tackling brutes that would be a load to bring down. Which team would prevail was anybody's guess...all the players knew for sure was that it was time to play.

Team Ants Marching started with the ball by virtue of not getting the first pick. However, Team I Did It ended up getting both the first pick in the draft and the first pick of the game with an early interception. With a narrow field and plenty of traffic flooding the middle, it was an early indication that TBSevs would be unlike the offensive shootouts we've seen in the past.

Team I Did It would take advantage of the short field for an early 1-0 lead. From there the teams traded blows with some consistent offensive play. Each squad did it with a dual-quarterback system. Canders and Regan were huckin' it up for T.A.M, while McShane and Young manned the pocket for T.I.D.I.

Throughout the first half, the defense of T.I.D.I. had just a little more bend and less break than T.A.M, who were woefully susceptible to long bombs early in the game. Chiarenza, Silvia, and Shaz were hauling in long gains, while Dan McShane was slowly turning his brain into mashed potato with slants over the middle and subsequent violent tackles. With T.I.D.I leading early, the momentum appeared to swing swiftly and unexpectedly when an utterly-unguarded Vaz hauled in a long bomb for a touchdown. But, in going along with the TBSevs Code of Honor, T.A.M. revealed that they forgot to sit a player for that play, resulting in the unaccounted for player. It was a day where getting points taken off the board was a monumental setback.

All in all, halftime arrived with a 5-2 score in favor of Team I Did It. Among the players, merriment and meet-and-greet were shelved in favor of team strategizing. Well, at least that was the case for Team Ants Marching. While Captain Giardina had his team addressing their weaknesses and plotting their comeback, Captain Young was sipping on chardonnay and projecting an aura of invincibility.

The second half was a different story. The chuck n' huck offense of T.I.D.I. did not come nearly as easily as T.A.M stiffened on defense. Offensively, Ants Marching also finally realized they had a player 8 inches taller than anyone else on the field, as fades to Herg went off without a hitch. Interceptions and other offensive mistakes were turning Team I Did It's victory parade into a historic chokejob. Fast forward Perhaps out of desperation, perhaps out of savvy, perhaps out of open-mindedness, T.I.D.I. finally settled into an offense of short, consistent gains. The seemingly-out of nowhere comeback had the score at 9-8. With victory all-but at hand earlier in the game, Team I Did It now found themselves entertaining discussions of 'Win by 2?'

Luckily, that question would be moot. After some short gains down the field, Young connected with Tighe on the game-winning touchdown. The few fans in attendance were all let down because they all had a rooting interest in Team Ants Marching. However, they appreciated the quality of football they were given free of charge.

A second 'for-fun' game ensued, which quickly became the Chiarenza show. But more football was enjoyed nonetheless, and delicious Chipotle followed. The captains bid their teams adieu and TBSevs concluded. A great success and fantastic launching point to the 364 days until TBAte.

Some awards for the day...

MVP- Vince Young. Couple of touchdowns throwing/receiving. Also great at the cheerleader role in the style of Adam Morrison in a suit on an NBA bench waving a white towel.

The Ric Flair "Lemme at 'em, My Head Feels Fine!" Award- Dan McShane. Took some serious contact both tackling and being tackled. Who gives a damn if he knew what year it was while doing so?

Catch of the Game- Frank Giardina. A one-handed, left-handed snag on a ball going across the middle. Not only athletically impressive, but the 'boombox-style' grab and run reminded many of the great Marrone Interception of Turket Bowl V.

Washington General Award- Terrence Regan. The streak continues for the man in the green jersey. By no fault of his own, but he just can't shake the losing turkey off his back.

The Vanilla Chai Mouthguard Award- Bobby Farrelly. In desperate need of molding his newly-purchased protection, Farrelly was in a bind. Already exhausted from Wednesday night's ill-fated attempt to run across Long Island, he was a bit frazzled and incredibly late. In a bind, he purchased a cup of hot water from 711, paying in excess of $3. Maybe not the best-molded piece, but in 20 years when medical breakthroughs show we've been doing woeful long-term damage to our brains in the Turkey Bowls, Bob will have the last laugh. Though he will still be $3 poorer.

That's all I have. I don't remember much from the game itself. This can be edited and adjusted though, so shoot me any corrections or glaring things I missed. And hey, have fun out there.

-Tron

TBSevs: Oh Thank Heavs

Gentlemen.

Allow me to be the first to welcome you to the Ben Roethlisberger anniversary of the St. Anthony's Turkey Bowl. If you find that offensive, then simply consider it the Michael Vick anniversary. If you're further offended, feel free to also address it as the 'Ouchie Anniversary' (Cassel/Henne) the 'Rookie Anniversary' (Ponder/Kaepaernick) the 'Billy Anniversary' (Cundiff/Volek) or 'Early Kwanzaa' (Tavaris Jackson)

However you choose to refer to it, Turkey Bowl #7 is fast approaching. The time in between these games sure flies by. Look at all the monumental things that have happened in the past 362 days...

• Christmas 2010
• Dan McShane's participation on Jeopardy!
• The miracle of life in the form of Desmond Thomas Silvia, who proudly shares the same birthday, middle name, and gift of sass as TB participant Conor Reilly
• Summertime
• Hurricane Irene
• Shaz becoming Dan Canders's direct boss (rumored)
• Jose Reyes's last at-bat as a Met
• Joe Paterno firing
• Frank Giardina attending a roller-skating boozefest
• Labor Day 2011
• NY/Boston fun as Jets shock Pats and Celtics sweep Knicks
• Jack and Jill, Bucky Larson, and The Zookeeper
• The comments section on Tighe's Turkey Bowl photo from last year

So yeah....quite a year indeed. But as we look back at the year that was, we look ahead at the big day to come. These things get harder and harder to preview every year, but here are some things to prepare for at noontime Friday...

An Autumn Football Game, or a Summer Day in Aruba?

Alright, maybe not Aruba. But current weather calls for a high of 56 degrees without a cloud in the sky. Granted, that is the forecast for Melville. We all know St. Anthony's has grown itself into its own town, equipped with a field house, chapel, town flasher, movie theater, OTB, tanning salon, and barbershop. Though the town of St. Anthony's is not listed on weather.com, we can only assume Melville will be very close to an accurate gametime forecast. The way things are looking, hoodies and wool caps may indeed be benched for shorts and sunscreen.

The NFL is Changing, Maybe We Should Too...

There's no arguing that passing has become all the rage in the NFL. Preposterously, four NFL quarterbacks already have 3,000 yards before Thanksgiving. And Eli Manning is just 50 yards short of also joining that elite group (see what I did there??) Passing is sexy. I know in the past running plays have been permitted as per the official rules. But let's be honest, people. We're getting old. Not that any more than 2-3 of us had the ability to tackle in the first place...but after seven years, our ability is not getting any better. Running has become a dare-I-say lazy way to pick up massive amounts of yards while most of the offensive team stands around and watches a bunch of broken tackles. If the Mississippi's are counted off and someone runs in for the sack, of course quarterbacks should get unlimited amounts of scrambles. But the handoffs, pitches, wildcat, etc....I say we shelf that stuff for this year and see what happens. The pros in the NFL are adapting, and we shouldn't be stubborn in our ways.

Pour Some 40 on the Curb

Bradley, Timothy, and (presumably) Christopher Roberts have already sent in their regretful RSVP. Facebook only leaves us with a guessing game, as the Pat Regans of the world weigh their options whilst frantically refreshing the results page of the latest 6th-grade track meet somewhere in the midwest. In the three-team format, 15 or 18 would work quite well. 21 won't have anyone crying, either. And of course, worst case scenario is that members of the spectating teams sub in here and there. No harm no foul.

There's your preview for TBSevs. Let's just all say get there at 11:30, because with a group this size with this many characters, we gotta leave at least a half hour for dilly-dallying and lateness. Rest up and drink until you have your fill on Wednesday. Eat until long-after you've had your fill on Thursday. And be prepared to sweat, bleed, and shit it all out come Friday afternoon. This one's for Big Ben (and the other #7's)

Turkey Bowl VI Wrap-Up

Ok folks, better late than never.

Turkey Bowl VI has come to pass. To say the least, the next 364 days are gonna go by real slowly for yours truly. I didn't even feel fit to write a blog summarizing the event. But damn it, the Turkey Bowl VI Champions sacrificed blood, sweat, and turf-burn to get to the top of the mountain. And I'll be damned if I can't transcribe a few words about it. Please forgive/feel free to correct any inaccurate information or lapses in memory. Here goes nothing...

TBVI featured a dreary morning in New York's suffolk county. The sky was charcoal, the weather forecast was foreboding, and Pat Regan injured his hip in a race of dubious purpose. Nevertheless, eighteen participants invaded the St. Anthony's high school turf. A soccer game looked to threaten the festivities, and TBVI players feared they would have to seize the land, beginning-scene-of-Gladiator style. Luckily, the Europeans only required half the field and a peaceful treaty was signed.

Once pregame approached, the sky emitted some light rays of approval. For yet another year, the forecast was contradicted by nature and the Turkey Bowl was played in picture-perfect football conditions. There was a friendly meet-and-greet/stretching session. Before long, the American flag was holstered and teams were chosen. The three rosters in the round-robin format were as follows:

Team Canders:

Canders, D.

Dooley, C.

Chiarenza, M.

McShane, K.

Herg, D.

White, ?

Team McShane

McShane, D.

Silvia, J.

Reilly, R.

Shaz, T.

Vaz, T.

Tighe, M.

Team Regan

Regan, T.

Regan, P.

Farrelly, B.

Reilly, C.

Herg, T.

White, ?

Game One

The first matchup was easy to decide, as the brothers Herg were late-arriving to the game. Team Canders and Team Regan would take the field each down a twin to start the game. In the beginning, the Canders offense carved up the Regan defense to jump out to the early lead. The Regan offense was out of sync and struggled out of the gate to get anything going on offense. Chiarenza and Dooley racked up some serious YAC, as expected, and Canders did it with his legs when he didn't have open targets downfield. The one brightspot in the game for Team Regan was Bob Farrelly, who took advantage of the game being played at his place of employment. Multiple catches, including a fantastic catch-and-run for a touchdown was all team Regan could write home about all game.

Turning Point in the Game

Desperate for a spark in the middle of the game, Regan took a shot deep down the middle to Reilly. Chiarenza with great closing speed to intercept the ball. In the midst of being tackled, laterals the ball to Dooley, who runs the length of the field for the defensive score. On this day, tackling just one of these men on a given play was a tall task. To tackle them both on the same play would prove impossible. The touchdown made it something like 4-1 in favor of Canders. Game, set, match.

FINAL: TEAM CANDERS 5, TEAM REGAN 1

Game Two

As the winning team, Canders made the logical play of sitting out in game two to rest up for game three. Team McShane was a spirited bunch coming off the sideline to make their TBVI debut. Though Regan's team developed some rhythm and chemistry on offense, the defense could never get its feet underneath them. McShane's offense was quite diabolical: Silvia and Reilly running underneath and picking up YAC; while the Vaz-and-Shaz connection created nightmares running over the top. Regan was able to put together some first downs and find its way into the endzone, but McShane's squad seemed content with defensive breakdowns, knowing they would be made-up for on the offensive end. And they were. Not quite the bloodbath of game one, but McShane & co. never took its foot off the pedal.

Turning Point of the Game

A beautiful stop-and-go route by Shaz, and McShane put the deep ball on a dime for the touchdown. Not sure what the score was at the time, but being on the defensive side, I remember it was the real backbreaker. And just like that, Team Regan's day was done.

FINAL: TEAM McSHANE 5, TEAM REGAN 3

Game Three

The third game would serve as the Turkey Bowl VI championship game. It was clear the best two teams made it, and the game didn't disappoint in the least bit. The game took about as long as the first two games combined, as it was complete with defensive stops and spirited play. The Reilly-Herg matchup to the outside was worth the price of admission. Each touchdown was scratched and clawed for, as there were multiple lead changes early. Though McShane's squad fought valiantly, the big-play potential of Team Canders simply never went away. Big first down here, big pass defensed there. The game was up in the air for quite a while, but Chiarenza put the game away on a quarterback run the length of the field.

Turning Point of the Game

Canders hitting Dan Herg on a crossing route for a touchdown. It looked to be a miserable day for Herg on Reilly Island, but once he gave up on the fade route and finally made a move toward the middle of the field, he was able to escape. A big lift for Team Canders, both on the scoreboard and on their psyche.

FINAL: TEAM CANDERS 5, TEAM McSHANE 4

After the final score, many handshakes and pictures were shared. Before the postgame Chipotle banquet, votes were cast for the day's major awards. Here were the results:

Offensive MVP: Mike Chiarenza

It wasn't very hard to deduce. I mean, how many times was he mentioned already in this blog? Sticky hands, swift feet, touchdown goblin. An absolute steal on the backend of the second round for Team Canders.

Defensive MVP: Ryan Reilly

Dan Herg could have very well been Team Canders' best offensive player. Thanks to Reilly, we will never ever know.

Special Teams MVP(s): Kieran McShane and Terrence Regan

Regan had a coffin corner punt go out at the one-inch line. McShane was wonderfully spirited.

Unofficial Turkey Bowl Blog Award Winners:

Most Improved Player: T-Vaz

We all knew the kid was speedy. Getting him the damn ball was the problem in Turkey Bowls past. McShane worked him into the offense in a Brad Smithian variety of ways, and it paid serious dividends.

"His Drops Are Worse Than Mine" Award: The Whites

It was quality vs. quantity of drops in this matchup. Both had their share, but one's drops were immediately overshadowed by the other's. It was quite a fascinating dynamic.

Diabolical Rex-ecutioner Mastermind: Justin Silvia

True quarterback pressure is a true rarity in the Turkey Bowl. It's usually just too easy for the quarterback to escape and roll out. But Silvia unleashed one blitz that nearly resulted in a Canders sack, which was followed by a Shaz blindside rush that indeed brought down Canders. From the sideline, we can only assume it was drawn up by Justin...Shaz, if you did that on your own I am truly sorry.

The Denise from Taco Bell Boner of the Day: Chris Dooley

Make no mistake, Dooley had his usual stellar performance. But it was the mystery fumble that had everyone chatting. It is very hard to describe what exactly happened. Dooley running with nobody between him and the endzone...and then the ball was just gone. We have no video documenting the phenomenon, but it looked something like this. Of course, Dooley's team won the day so we can all look back on this one in good-hearted teasing.

Well, I'm pretty tired. That's the best I can do in terms of a recap...hopefully it was worth the wait. I can say for sure that everyone had a blast and Lucky Turkey Bowl #7 can't come soon enough. Until next year, warriors.

Turkey Bowl VI- Getcha' Yams Ready

Well, well, well.

Well, well.

Well...

It's funny how quickly the years fly by these days, isn't it? It feels like just yesterday when the members of Turkey Bowl V took the field of Turducken-esque battle. Each man left the game with bruises, pride, and a dazzling blue tee-shirt commemorating the event.

But the fifth anniversary of the game has now long been over. We are now less than 72 hours from TBVI and the stakes couldn't be any higher. This is the one time of year where everyone puts their busy schedules to rest in favor of football. Actually, no...pretty much all of us do that every Sunday. Let me revise- This is the one time of year where everyone puts their busy schedules to rest in favor of getting off the couch and PLAYING FOOTBALL.

There are several aspects of the game that cannot and will not be decided until gametime. These include teams, various rules, and whether or not the Canders crotch-tackle will be permitted. So we will have to put a pin in those. But at this moment, here's what we DO know...

• Conor Reilly's 40 time is 6.23.

Measured on Friday, 11/19. However, I will have packed on a lot of protein by gametime in the form of Domino's buffalo chicken sandwiches. So the adjusted 40-time will be floating somewhere between Darrius Heyward-Bey's mark of 4.25 in 2009 and JaMarcus Russell's mark of 9.48 in 2007.

• There will be notable player omissions in 2010

Two bombshells have already been dropped in terms of absentee players. Chris Roberts and Frank Giardina have business to attend to in different parts of the nation, and regrettably must miss the game. Social networking indicates that our dear friend Brad must also miss the game. Besides that, we should have a pretty good slate of 20-25 participants on hand for battle.

• The three-team, round robin system seemed to work out last time

The talent boom and influx of players made the two-team Turkey Bowl a thing of the past. By splitting into three teams, there was a comfortable amount of space in the field, and it also gave a cool atmosphere of playing in front of spectators (the team sitting out.) It also helped in disputed calls if non-partisan players needed to make a ruling. As good as that worked out last year, that may be tough to do this year because...

• All indications are that Turkey Bowl VI is gonna be wet and sloppy

And no, I'm not talking about Snookie being there. As of this second, the Weather Channel predicts a high of 49 degrees with a 70% chance of rain. Now it's the will of God that this game be played hell or shine, so that's no issue at all. But it might get dicey asking a whole team to sit on the sidelines and freeze their asses off while getting saturated. Our hopes for now is that the forecast changes. If not, TBVI may need to branch into four teams--to keep everyone playing and the adrenaline flowing to counteract the conditions.

Three days before gametime, those are the story lines to keep track of. Expect an update tomorrow if I think of any glaring things I forgot about. We're expecting players to arrive at the field starting at 11:30. Leaving time for team selection and rule discussions, we will hopefully get kickoff going shortly after noon.

Sleep well, gentlemen. And load up on all the fixin's. Cause you don't wanna wait until you take that field to find out whether or not you're ready.

Game on. Gobble Gobble.

Turkey Bowl V- Where Amazing Happened

The Drumleg Anniversary of the St. Anthony's Turkey Bowl has come to pass. And what a wonderful day of battle it was. The game was played on the Saint Anthony's turf field rather the slipper moosh of Wolf Hill park. Weather reports predicted a "100% chance of rain" throughout the day, but the pickup football gods did not deem it appropriate. Though the air was heavy and the sky cloudy, the participants would play in conditions as dry as a tablespoon of cinnamon.

There are multiple storylines to attack, so we will get right to it. As you recall from the final pre-game blog, there was the question of roster settings for the game. The blog offered three possible scenerios and, well, none of them were used. But one was kind-of used. The Rockin' Round Robin was utilized, but with three teams of 8 men rather than four teams of 6 apiece. Dan Canders, Terrence Regan, and Dan McShane were given the title of captain, and the rosters shaped out as follows...

Team Canders
Canders, Dooley, T. Farrelly, Giardina, Keegan, Tighe, P. Regan, C. Reilly

Team Regan
Chiarenza, B. Farrelly, Marrone, T. Regan, R. Reilly, Shaz, R. White, (Alternating Member)

Team McShane
Heiman, D. McShane, K. McShane, Napoli, Roberts, Silvia, Tavernese, C. White

Spectators/Official Photographers
The Dooley Family

I'm 98% sure that's how the rosters shook out. I'm sure any mistakes will be pointed out and corrected ASAP. Before the game, it was a general outlook that Team Canders was built on size and power; Team McShane built on speed and elusiveness; and team Regan built on a little bit of both while featuring some gamebreakers.

Game One
The game that broke the Turkey Bowl ice was a matchup of Team Canders against Team McShane. Team McShane started with the ball (confirmation needed) and looked sharp early. There was little flashiness to it, but a steady dose of short/intermediate routes to their speedsters led to consistent offensive gains. Team Canders had trouble chasing them down; and even when they caught up, their tackling was spotty. After falling behind, though, Team Canders issued a quick retort to tie the game at one.

A topsy-turvy affair followed. The teams continually traded blows and traded momentum in a hard-faught game. Team Canders dropped their man coverage scheme in favor of a zone. Seven of the eight players each guarded their designated areas of the field, while Tommy Farrelly preferred to choose his own defensive assignment on a whim from play to play. While more effective than man-to-man, the opposing quarterback was able to adapt to what he saw. Dan McShane was effective with his arm and his feet, as several defensive rushes resulted in big chunks of yardage on quarterback runs.

Team Canders never had the lead in this game (confirmation needed on that) but refused to go quietly. Tim Keegan was worth his draft value in gold, hauling in multiple long touchdowns. Though the Wildcat was rendered ineffective, Chris Dooley made the most out of 'one rush per set of downs' with some long dashes. Responding to these threats were Tim Heiman and Chris Roberts, who were able to get lost in the coverage for some long hauls.

It came down to the final drive. It was 4-4 and the next score would decide the game. Though Dan McShane had a brilliant game using his physical tools, it was a cerebral tactic that led to the final touchdown. The drive started with a moderate pass gain. Afterwards, the entire McShane squad scurried to the line of scrimmage as the quarterback hiked the ball and took off down the sideline. Much of the Team Canders defense was unaware there was a play occurring as McShane dashed up the field. He was finally brought down deep in Canders territory. The next play, McShane saw a blitz and finished what he started the previous play, sprinting to the corner of the endzone. The rest of the team mobbed their quarterback with chants of "MVP, MVP, MVP!" as team Canders looked dumbfounded walking off the field.

Game Two
...But they wouldn't get very far. In this round-robin system, the loser had to stay on the field and play again. After all, if Team McShane won the game then stayed on the field and beat team Regan, they would already be crowned champions before the Canders/Regan game. So an exhausted, downtrodden Canders squad readied themselves for Team Regan (who, in their own right, were rusty and not loosened up from having to sit in the cold and watch the first game.)

Team Regan sprinted out of the gate. Marrone and White, among others, stretched the field on offense, as Regan scrambled several times for good yardage. While the offense was clicking, at was the defense of Team Regan that gave them a comfortable early lead. Shaz came up with an interception, and it became 2-0. Team Canders still carried the burden of the opening loss, and Canders saw it. He gave a rousing 6-second speech in the huddle and the team responded. Keegan caught an enormous 4th down long-ball from Canders, Giardina got the team on the board soon after.

The offenses went into a bit of a dry spell in the middle of the game, as team McShane had to wait a long time for their potential-championship game. The Canders zone defense really started clicking, and Chiarenza and Shaz locked down their sides of the field for Team Regan. Chris Dooley sustained an exploeded ankle on a goal-line run, robbing team Canders of its first round pick for the rest of the game. The defensive zone was exposed by Team Regan, as Dooley's tackling prowess was missed. R. Reilly had a particularly elusive catch and run for a score. In the end, it would be another close game. But Team Canders wouldn't miss their final opportunity. They were able to get down the field and Canders found Giardina (confirmation needed) in the very back of the endzone to seal the game. This made Team Regan 0-1 and Team Canders 1-1 for the day. With a record of 1-0, team McShane had the opportunity to clinch the Turkey Bowl V in the final game.

Game Three
Though it was a long layoff from the field, Team McShane was not worse for wear. McShane's west-coast philosophy created a physical atmosphere early on between the teams. After Team Regan's long game against Canders, it was a tough spot for them on defense. Early on, both teams seemed content with a shootout. McShane ran the mistake-free, consistent offense that worked in game one; Napoli, K. McShane, and Tavernese roamed in the short field and made the most of their catches. The hurry-up, however, was snuffed out early in this game, as Team Regan would have none of the tactic. And on the Regan offense, there was a weapon waiting to be unleashed: Mike Marrone. In a vintage Santana Moss performance, Marone mixed deep bombs with sneaky yards-after-catch ability.

In a tighly-contested game, it was a turnover that swung the momentum. Regan scrambled for a huge gain, but soon every member of Team McShane had him wrapped and were going for blood (aka, the football.) In the only fumble of the day (confirmation needed) who else but McShane would pick up the ball and dash for the defensive touchdown. Team Regan would need a turnover of their own, and boy did they come close (White, Reilly had interceptions within their grasp.)

Though Regan's squad faught valiantly to tie the game, that was as close as it would get. Team McShane refused to take their foot off the throttle, and Dan found White (confirmation needed) for the winning score. A second mob ensued as chants of "MVP" rang louder than ever. Both losing squads concurred with the winning team's chants. Team McShane, behind their MVP-winning quarterback, finished 2-0, while Canders went 1-1 and Regan finished 0-2.

Stories, laughs, and additional re-connecting ensued among the participants, as Dan Canders unveiled the gift of Turkey Bowl V tee-shirts for the participants. The players seperated for their post-game meals and a day of football was complete. All in all, a tremendous Turkey Bowl that was packed with action and (relatively) injury free.

In a player-wide vote, the game's MVP went to Dan McShane. Here are some independent awards from the Turkey Bowl blog...

Balls of Steel Award- Matt Tighe
Given to Tighe for his reckless, high-octane defensive philosophy. Responsible for the 'short' zone areas, he was always responsible to take the first contact when making the tackle. When he wasn't making the tackle on his own, he made sure to hold his ground and wait for defensive help.

Samson Award- Conor White, Ryan White, Frank Giardina (Tie)
All three players' skills are clearly proportional to the size of their mane. Be it the Whites' long locks or Giardina's grizzled face, the new looks provided some big-time results on the field.

Wounded Warrior Award- Chris Dooley
The only major injury on a day, and it occurred because Dooley refused to go down short of the goal line. His ankle exploded in a sheer burst of will and determination, putting the good of the team before his health.

Adorable Tackler Award- Patrick Regan
Nothing but absolute grace in his tackling. Gently patting for the ball with one hand, while easing the ball-carrier to the ground with the other. He makes it look so easy.

Unheralded Tackler Award- Mike Chiarenza, Justin Silvia (Tie)
It may not show up in the official TB box score, but these are always the guys on mop-up duty when it comes to tackling. It may not be their guy that catches the ball, but their motor is running until the receiver goes to the ground. Have the invaluable ability to tackle in open space.

Athletic, Unpolished, Raw, Dual-Threat Award- Bob Farrelly
Mr. Everything for Team Regan. Snaps at receiver, running back, and even quarterback for the versatile Farrelly. He has marched right into the company of Aaron Brooks, Vince Young, David Garrard, and Donovan McNabb. We will see if he ever develops into a student of the game.

Decisions, Decisions

We are within a week of Thanksgiving and, thus, Turkey Bowl V. As the time comes to take the field of gobble battle, a few key decisions must be made. Most of these decisions are silly (touchdown choreography, mouthpieces, etc.) But one that always seems tricky is what to do with the wealth of bodies who attend.

Yes, as the big bowl gains steam year after year, there are also increased participants. There are, give or take, 24 confirmed players for the Drumleg Anniversary of the Turkey Bowl. That's an awful lot for one big game. Along with the picking of teams, this will likely be a hotly-discussed conversation on gameday. Here are some options that may shake up TB 5 a little bit, hopefully for the better...

• OPTION 1: KEEP THINGS AS THEY ARE

Pros:
Ok, this wouldn't shake things up at all. But it's still option number 1. As its title suggests, the Turkey BOWL was built upon a singular game. One game to unite them all. This year, it would mean probably a 12-on-12 matchup. Historically, the game has been played before with 11-on-11 rules. One more probably wouldn't hurt. This option would indeed keep the Turkey BOWL intact. Everybody would witness every play of the day and all would share in the same interactions/conversations/etc.

Cons:
Well let's face it, it's a 12-on-12 football game. Not even the pros do that. The 11-on-11 game was played to very mixed results, as people were forced to play offensive/defensive line and the quarterbacks were forced to throw into a mass of chaotic humanity on every play. Naturally, some players were only involved in 2-3 plays the entire day of playing. It's extremely hard to get everyone involved. It's a risky proposition across the board.

• OPTION 2: A FINAL FOUR SCENARIO

Pros:
At the very least, it's the most intriguing situation. Obviously, there are 4 teams created instead of the standard 2. A group of 24 translates perfectly into teams of six people. One QB and 5 wideouts tend to work beautifully in these events. There would then be a playoff system to determine a champion. Two semi-finals would be played, perhaps the first team to score 5 points would win. The two winners would play in the Championship matchup, a game to 10 points.
This system has its benefits. First off, everyone will be heavily involved. If there's six on a team, each player is going to touch the ball sooner or later. Secondly, there are some stakes involved in the semi-finals. If you lose, you don't have to go home. But you don't have the chance to win the Turkey Bowl, either. The losing teams can go for a consolation game, or can casually hang out and throw the ball around while watching the title game. In this system, the title of champion will only go to six players out of 24. A real honor.

Cons:
There are plenty. First off, it's a bitter pill to swallow for the losers of the semi-finals. This is a once-a-year event that celebrates football. And in this system, half the people will have a game to 5 points as their only meaningful matchup. Though these make the stakes more compelling, it's understandable that people won't want to play a third-place game/not play at all.
Also, not everyone will see every play throughout the day. An unbelievable catch in one game will not be seen by the others. The stories recounting events afterwards will differ. There will not be a definitive MVP for the day. These may be petty 'cons,' but are 'cons' nonetheless.

• OPTION 3: A ROCKIN' ROUND ROBIN

Pros:
Consult the 'pros' section for the Final Four option. For the most part, all of them apply here. Everyone gets involved, plenty of field space with 6-man teams, etc. But unlike the final four scenerio, everyone has the chance to play in meaningful games the entire day. In the round robin, each of the four teams will play each other once. The team with the best record at the end of the day wins. The games would probably need to be to 5 points to keep the day moving. It's a playoff system where losing doesn't mean the end of your day. In the end, teams can play for it all and teams can play spoiler. It would seem the theory of earning the prize and crowning a true champion would especially apply here.

Cons:
This is more of a Turkey Series than a Turkey Bowl. That is to say, there is no clear 'Big Game' established. A team can have a loss but could still be crowned champion at the end. You don't know which game will be the deciding one; it can be the very first game played, for all we know. A team that loses its first two games can lolly-gag through its last game. And that wouldn't be fair to the team(s) that played the lolly-gaggers in the beginning, when they were really trying. It's certainly an option that relies on a pseudo-honor system among the players. The same 'cons' about everyone not seeing every play also applies here.


So those are some points of contention as to how the game(s) will be played. This will likely be the last pre-festivities blog. The rest of the writing will be covering the annual spectacle. Until then...

A Fortnight Before

Friday, November 13th, 2009. Two weeks.

Two weeks before the biggest athletic event the world has never seen. Two weeks before ordinary men... blue collar men... free men... take the field of battle. Not for a paycheck. Not for a chance at the bigtime. Not even to impress the ladies. No, these men step upon a field of soot and patchy grass for no other reason than pride and competition. Friends try to upstage each other on an athletic platform that only comes as often as Christmas. It's been 341 days (I think...it may have been a leap year I don't know) but just 14 more await until the ultimate Bowl of Turkey.

With still two weeks to go, there's not too much to blog about. Come to think of it, there will never be too much to blog about in anticipation of the game. But we will make something out of this blog space. I don't know what, but we will. Let's start with some early storylines for TB '09.

• Welcome Back, Welcome Back, Welcome Back

The initial response to the event invitation was fast and furious. Before you could even say "Wolf Hill Park," double-digit people signed their return contracts for '09. The staples of Turkey Bowls past are all scheduled to attend, including the potential revival of Jeff Marrone. Four groups of brothers are confirmed (Farrelly, McShane, Reilly, White.) There is potential for one more brother tandem, pending whether Patrick Regan thinks he will have fun or not. As per the guest list, Kayla Dooley is the only human without a Y chromosome scheduled to be there. Her effect on the usually-emotionless play of Ryan Reilly will be a storyline to monitor closely.

• Oh Captian, My Captain?

The debate has raged over who should bear the honor and burden of team captains. In past years, some have declined the offer for a variety of reasons (not feeling qualified, hurting feelings, too lazy, etc.) Chris Roberts opened discussions with the suggestion of Dan Canders and Chris Dooley, met with mixed reviews. Past Turkey Bowls have dictated that each team should have a decent thrower, so team captain may go the quarterbacks by default.

• A Diminishing Middle Class

When the Turkey Bowl first started, each participant was a young buck; everyone teenagers. The tagline for TB '09 reads '5 years older, 5 years wiser, 500 collective pounds heavier.' Though a humorous gag, it may be a focal point to the game. As participants get older, the performances by those keeping themselves athletic and those eating Domino's pasta bowls as their main hobby will inevitably grow wider apart. In elite competitions such as the Turkey Bowl, just a half-step can be the difference between making the tackle and hopelessly watching your opponent scamper to the endzone. Fourteen days left. Will you be the tackler, or the watcher?


Those are some things to look for as the Turkey Bowl approaches. Check this blog for breaking storylines and updates surrounding the game. But don't expect too many.