Word from the Mouth: No More Rouge! edition
We made it through another wonderful week in the MFL and of course we couldn’t make everyone happy. Still had a few complainers and what do you expect nowadays (ed’s note: old man rant right away!) when everyone is privileged or feels entitled.
It's starting to get colder out, and I've already seen people all bundled up with winter hats, jackets, and gloves and I’m out there with no shirt on sweating my marbles off (ed’s note: what a man!).
Let’s hope that the rain doesn't stick around on Saturday, because who wants to play flag football in the rain and mud if we can't have fumbles?
Everyone wants the dip back in the league, but only a few players can do it properly. I say nuts to the dip and instead add laterals where everyone can do it and not just the gifted players like myself. We will never add laterals because there are too many things that could happen where someone gets hurt. (ed’s note: the whole “you can’t move once someone is running with the ball” thing might also be an issue)
Studs & Duds
We had lots of games last week and lots of players balled out and because of that some of you might think you deserve more balls. It's 1 game, settle down, do it for a few weeks before you start demanding the ball like a diva. Time to see who I'd pay and who I'd cut.
Studs
D1
- Nicolas Boucher 8 catches 124 yards and 2 TDs.
D2
- Damien Balla 4 TDs.
D3
- Kordell Jones 7 catches 123 yards and 3 TDs.
D4
- Alec De Lafontaine-Jovani 5 TD passes and no picks.
D5
- Dave Daoust 4 TD catches on 7 receptions.
Women's
- Lydia Pascal 3 passing TDs and 2 picks on defense.
Duds
D1
- Nicolas Poitevin more drops (4) than catches (3) as well as more missed tackles
(4-5) than tackles made (1).
D2
- Thunder Buddies defense for giving up 59 points with no picks, no sacks.
D3
- Kevin Kousaie for missing a safety and then the QB running 45 yards for the score.
D4
- Thomas Svoiski 20 incomplete passes and 3 picks.
D5
- Matt Bergamin for throwing a pass and making the game a forfeit. (ed’s note: this didn’t happen. It was a scorekeeper error)
Women's
- Deesses du Drapeau as a team. You had 8 picks on defense and only scored 19 points on offense and lost the game.
That's what I'd do with the players above and for the rest of you that are trying to make my list, you'll have to do better than this week or hope that everyone else does worse to have any shot at it.
Predictions
Time to make some teams happy and others annoyed that I didn't pick them again. Here are my winners and like always they are in bold.
D1
Outlaws vs Pack
Ranceurs vs Unit
Honor game vs Iron Wolves
D2
Nice TDs vs Thunder Buddies
Pacemakers vs Witching Hour
Trench Babies vs Average Joe's
Him U vs Bines
Average Joe's vs Rejects
D3
Horde vs Gros Iron Trollers
Ducks vs Drama Club
FAT Players vs Bandits
Phoenix vs Tropic Thunder NA
Spartans vs Horde
Gridiron Lions vs Drama Club
D4
Martin Mystère vs Slicks
Nothing But D vs Blue Badgers
Martin Mystère vs Nomads
Alouettes vs Action Squad
Blue Badgers vs Seminoles
D5
Action Squad vs Hive
Knights vs Big Booties
Top Shooters vs Wong Dynasty
Los Politos vs Bandits
Ledgendaries vs MTL Cessnas
Hive vs FAT Players
Big Booties vs Hugs and Cuddles
Titans vs Sax Farm
514 vs Last Calls
Bandits vs Big Assets
FAT Players vs Jungle Squad
Spartans vs Unnamed Champions
Women's
Tigers vs Mamma Jammas
Louves du Nord vs Rookies
Flag Moi la Peche vs Crazy Bs
Drama Queen vs Leftovers
Those are my winners for this week.
Power Rankings
Let's see who ended up where after last week. I know some teams really choked hard and others showed a little promise, but at the end of the day it's what have you and your team done to impress me and maybe crack my list.
D1
1- Idaho Udapimp
2- Outlaws
3- Iron Wolves
D2
1- Him U
2- Double Dippers
3- Pacemakers
D3
1- Phoenix
2- Ducks
3- Gridiron Lions
D4
1- Alouettes
2- Mustard Tigers
3- Action Squad
D5
1- Titans
2- MTL Cessnas
3- Big Booties
Women's
1- Leftovers
2- Tigres
3- Louves du Nord
Final Thoughts
I know everyone hates the CFL and don't understand some of the rules. Don't worry the rules are changing along with the field dimensions. Now let me explain what those changes are going to be. They are moving the goalpost from the front of the endzone to the back, making the endzones 15 yards instead of 20 and by doing this they essentially eliminated the rouge.
For the folks that don't know what a rouge is, it’s when you kick the ball, and it makes it into the endzone or out of the endzone you are awarded 1 point. I know most have never had to play using the rouge, but I can tell you it makes games a bit more interesting. Last week in 1 of my games we were down 1 point on the 20 and elected to try and kick it through to tie the game, we got it to the endzone and the receiving team kicked it back out which essentially gave us a new set of downs and cost them the game. I know none of you are trying that kick and going for it, but it comes down to strategy and sometimes it's better to play it safe especially when your team was 2-7 at the time.
Last fall my team won the championship on a kick with 2 plays left. Everyone needs to stop over thinking and just make the smart decision (ed’s note: don’t think, just do the smart thing, idiots!). Too many times I see teams going for it on 4th and long inside their own end, down 2 scores with plenty of time left and when they don't get it they essentially go down 3 scores and the game is all but over then.
Be smart, have fun, enjoy, and remember we are playing a game for fun, go have some and try not to kill anyone.