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...