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.