FAC-10 News

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Championship)

2009-12-24T22:53:00.009-05:00

Philip Rivers put the QB controversy in Athol to rest with 308 yards and 3 TDs versus Twin City Tech. Busch takes on the top-seeded Alckys in the FAC-10 championship game, and you'll never guess who picked A&M to take home the title (hint: it's me).

Goal Line Stand (Championship)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

It was a Cinderella story that just had to come to an end eventually. Bud Heavy defied all fantasy logic, taking the 10th ranked offense in the league to the 6th seed of the playoffs. They took down the top-ranked offense and hottest team in the conference despite -2.5 points from their quarterback. Then they pushed the #2 seed to the brink with a well-balanced 91 point effort, but fell just short of their second championship in school history.

On the other side of the bracket, the most dominant team over the past three seasons laid a big fat egg in their semi-final matchup. Twin City Tech has been very inconsistent lately, and had to come from behind in the first round just to get that far. For the team that averaged 84.36 PPG this season, the 66 they scored in a loss to Athol was simply pathetic.

And because of this, we are left with two teams. Since the conference's inception in 2005, the top two seeds have never faced each other in the championship. Twice the 2nd seed has reached the finals, winning in both 2005 and 2006. The 1st seed has made it just once, losing to the 6th seed last season. Busch and Athol A&M have both had fantastic seasons, but who has the edge head-to-head? Let's break it down:

Defense
Individual players are a dime a dozen, and often the bane of an owner's existence. Do you go with a linebacker, who is the safe play to get guaranteed tackles? Or do you use a cornerback or lineman, who is the riskier play but will give you bigger points with interceptions or sacks, respectively. IDP aside, this position comes down to opponent. I'm a big advocate of playing matchups when it comes to defense, and neither looks good. One faces Pittsburgh, coming off a huge offensive game, and the other battles Denver, who's offense is the most conservative in the league (impossible to force turnovers).
Advantage: Push

Kicker
The only things tougher to predict than IDP are kickers. Not only that but 99% of them are a dime a dozen, easily interchangeable and easily forgotten. Luckily for these two teams, they each have a kicker who puts up solid numbers. One gets a ton of chances from far away, the other simply never misses. The game won't be won or lost here, but both teams will be able to sleep at night knowing they have the 1% of kickers that actually are worth keeping.
Slight Advantage: Busch

Tight End
Remember the good 'ol days when Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez were MUST HAVE guys? Now the tight end position has been reduced to grabbing solid mid-teir players that cost nothing. Fred Davis and Kellen Winslow are tops in this category, putting up respectable numbers each and every week, while also throwing out that random game of grandeur now and again (see: Fred Davis Week 14). If Winslow ever finds the end zone again, it'll be a close battle. Otherwise, look for Sherm Lewis to continue calling Davis's number.
Advantage: Busch

Wide Receivers
With a subtle nod to Twin City and Gillespie State, these are two of the best receiving corps in the league. All seven receivers in this game are in the top 25, three of which are in the top 10. It's no surprise two of the three are on the Lattes, who traded away a plethora of youth to get Larry Fitzgerald earlier in the season. He and Brandon Marshall have been a formidable duo, and the main reason Busch is 8-2 in their last 10 games.
Advantage: Busch

Running Backs
The Busch backfield has been the best in the conference this season (cut to a shot of the Dublin head coach saying, "WHAT?! No way, we're.... ahh, screw it."), but studly DeAngelo Williams going down has killed the one position they could always rely on. Adrian Peterson will still be Adrian Peterson, but Tim Hightower has been horrific lately, especially with Beanie Wells stealing his carries. On the other side, Cedric Benson will have the best numbers of all four backs in this game, playing against a horrible opponent, which just leaves Matt "First Rounder" Forte. Nobody expects much from the Fantasy Goat of 2009, but if he can manage any respectable numbers they will look great combined with Benson's.
Advantage: Athol

Quarterback
The problem with the FAC-10 is that you are only allowed to start one quarterback... at least, thats what these teams would have said 5 weeks ago. Nowadays, Matt Schaub and Philip Rivers have distanced themselves from their backups, and have proven they can lead their teams with big numbers each and every week. Both have put up big yardage this year, both can throw touchdowns at any time, and both have been smart with the ball to prevent interceptions. This will come down to opponents, and with Rivers facing a weak secondary, look for his points to easily hit double-digits.
Advantage: Athol

Samuel Adams Falcon Bowl
(6) Bud Heavy over (4) Twin City Tech

Labatt Blue Hula Bowl
(1) Athol A&M over (2) Busch

Last Week: 2-1
Playoffs: 2-3
Reg. Season: 43-35

Final Regular Season Power Rankings
1. Arizona-Kickery ( - )
2. Twin City Tech ( - )
3. Mexico ( - )
4. Athol A&M ( - )
5. Golden ( - )
6. Weymouth ( - )
7. Busch ( - )
8. Bud Heavy ( - )
9. Gillespie State ( - )
10. Dublin ( - )
11. Stardust ( - )
12. Rakeville ( - )

League Notes
- After their victory over Kickery in the Beer Bowl, Gillespie State players agreed to forget all about it and go on with their lives.

- Golden held their annual Powder Puff game on Wednesday. RB Jerome Harrison, wearing a wig and fake breasts, rushed for 286 yards and 3 touchdowns. It was, sadly, the highlight of the Gryphons' 2009 season.

- Bud Heavy WR Louis Murphy was named FAC-10 player of the week by his mom.

2009-12-22T15:04:00.002-05:00

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Semi-Finals)

2009-12-17T12:16:00.016-05:00

Wes Welker and the Gillespie State offense could barely stand to watch as their late-game lead was destroyed by the hands (or feet) of Frank Gore and Twin City Tech. Did the Black Diamonds' sixth-ranked offense even deserve a chance at a championship in the first place? Golden says "No."

Goal Line Stand (Semi-Finals)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

Editor's Note: We apologize for an error in last week's column. We accidentally referred to Stardust RB Julius Jones as a Tight End, and how he was angry at the outcome of the Crazy Horses' season. In actuality, nobody cares how their players feel.

"The FBCS isn't perfect," said former FAC-10 Commissioner Terrell Davis. "But it's the fairest system we can have to give everyone a chance."

The comments were made in response to Golden Athletic Director Michael Comtois's anger that his Gryphons finished third in the conference in points yet failed to make the playoffs. Comtois, who's team won the title last year, called the FBCS "...a joke" and "...a ridiculous way to decide who is the best team in the league." He went on to compare it to the FAC-10's sister league, and their method of ultimately deciding a champion:

"The BCS is great. It doesn't allow teams who stack their schedule with cake games a shot at the title just because they're 10-0, 11-0. Why should six or eight teams get a shot at finishing in the top two? It [the BCS] puts the two BEST teams in the national championship. That's how it SHOULD be done."

However, the NCAA is a much different system than the FAC-10. Instead of 100+ schools competing for the title, we have 12. Instead of allowing schools to decide their own schedule, each team plays every other one in the conference at least once. Instead of recruiting and letter-signing, we have drafts that allow the worst teams from the previous season to get better.

The proof is in the plaque: 11 different teams have made the 6-team playoffs in the past 5 years, including 3 different conference winners (4, since none of the past champions are still in the post-season). We've also had 4 difference regular season champions, proving that parity is alive in the FAC-10.

In defense to Comtois's comments, however, he never actually promoted parity. He simply stated that the best teams should be given a chance to finish on top. But how do you determine the best? Is it Twin City Tech and Arizona-Kickery, who beat up on teams each and every week and finished 1-2 in the conference in points? Is it Athol A&M and Busch, who finished 4-5 in scoring yet earned the first-round byes by reaching 9 wins? Or is it Bud Heavy, who finished TENTH in total offense but won when it mattered, got blown out by better teams but beat the ones they were supposed to, and is headed to their fourth conference semi-final in five years after scoring 80 points even though their quarterback only managed NEGATIVE THREE?

"Fuck Kevin," said Comtois.

Semi-Final Matchups
(1) Busch over (6) Bud Heavy
(2) Athol A&M over (4) Twin City Tech

Miller High Life Beer Bowl
(3) Arizona-Kickery over (5) Gillespie State

Last Week: 0-2
Playoffs: 0-2
Reg. Season: 43-35

League Notes
- WR Steve Smith called Golden "the worst school to be at right now" in regards to missing the playoffs with the third-ranked offense in the conference. When reminded he played for Stardust earlier this season, he immediately apologized for his mistake.

- Rakeville Athletic Director Mike "The Miz" was removed from the AD of the Year ballot when FAC-10 officials decided that a team that bad can't possibly have anyone in charge of it.

- In a related story, Rakeville is targeting future-Rookie QB Tim Tebow as the #1 pick in next year's draft. The Grays plan of signing as many terrible pro quarterbacks as they can is finally coming to fruition.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Quarter-Finals)

2009-12-10T15:02:00.015-05:00

Bud Heavy University jumped on the shoulders of QB Kurt Warner, took down #1 seeded Busch, and stunned the FAC-10 by sneaking into the playoffs. Warner and The King start their quest for a title this week against Arizona-Kickery and the top ranked offense in the league.

Goal Line Stand (Quarter-Finals)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

In 2008, Athol A&M set a precedent for FAC-10 bitterness by finishing second in total points, yet eleventh in the standings. Last week, we (I) thought we (I) knew for a fact which six teams were going to be in the playoffs this year, and it just so happened to be the six highest-scoring teams in the conference.

Then Bud Heavy, led by 2007 FBCS title winner Kurt Warner, ruined everything by beating top-seeded Busch, while defending champion Golden fell to the hands of tenth-ranked Weymouth. The entire ordeal was a mess, but the ultimate result is the tenth-highest scoring offense in the league with the sixth spot in the playoffs, and a certain Gridiron Gazette columnist with egg on his face (cut to a picture of me trying to make omelets).

We'll have plenty of time to analyze the contending teams next week, but first let's see where it went wrong with Golden and the other five schools with their seasons over:

#12 Rakeville
Rakeville ruined their season in Week 4 after their win over fellow bottom-feeder Stardust. The victory almost cost them the #1 pick, as they tried their hardest to lose each and every week. A couple other early-season games almost ruined everything as well, including Week 1 vs. Gillespie State (2 point loss) and Week 3 vs. Az-Kickery (8 points), but they got things together in the second half; The Rockets lost their final 8 games by an average of 39.02 points.

#11 Stardust
In contradiction to Rakeville's "2010" attitude from the get-go, Stardust went out of the gates fast and got their sole win of the season in Week 1 vs. Weymouth. Week 2 is where everything went completely wrong: The backfield of LenDale White and "Fast" Willie Parker were nowhere near the studs from last year, and QB Eli Manning was the only offensive player to crack double-digit points. The 24-point beatdown at the hands of Athol A&M was a foreshadow. The result was 12 straight losses and the #2 pick in next year's draft.

#10 Weymouth
Sometimes a team cannot be held responsible, whether its due to injuries, lack of action, or just your run-of-the-mill bad game. One thing that can never be excused, however, is poor roster management. Weymouth was guilty of this throughout the season, most notably in Week 10 against top-ranked Busch. The Islanders had some great matchups (Aaron Rogers vs. Dallas, Ray Rice vs. Cleveland), yet for some inexplicable reason they decided to play WITHOUT a WR and Defensive Player. Rather than finding replacements, Weymouth chose to keep some relatively terrible players on their bench, and it cost them a victory. The 93-87 loss eliminated them from playoff contention.

#9 Dublin
In 2008, DUBA just found ways to lose games. 3 amazing running backs and just 2 spots to play them in, and the coaching staff always managed to pick the wrong guy to bench. 2009 was a new year, with new rules to prevent this from happening again, yet it was the same old story in Dublin: Find ways to lose. In their Week 8 game against defending-champion Golden, RB Chris Johnson and QB Tony Romo each put up at least 20 points, but nobody else on the team was in double-digits. The Oktoberfests took a 79-63 lead into Monday night, but ultimately lost 80-79 while RB Ryan Moats sat on their bench with 25 unused points.

#8 Mexico
It was supposed to be the Wildcats' coming-out party: just coming off a big game with their two newest offensive weapons (WR Sidney Rice, TE Visanthe Shiancoe), facing a team who just put up 58 points... all the signs were there. Unfortunately, so was the Great Show on Fantasy Turf: Arizona-Kickery. In Week 11, Drew Brees and Co. avenged their Week 2 loss, and even 94 points couldn't get Mexico a much-needed win versus AZK.

#7 Golden
The Gryphons' downfall ended in Week 13, but it began in Week 9 in Mexico. The Wildcats had lost two straight, while Golden was riding the high of a comeback win against Dublin. RB Michael Turner came to play, putting up 21 points, but the rest of the team was nowhere to be found. They were tops in the league in points at the time, yet the Gryphons offense struggled and fell to Mexico, 69-68.

Quarter-Final Matchups
(3) Arizona-Kickery over (6) Bud Heavy
(5) Gillespie State over (4) Twin City Tech

Last Week: 2-4
Season: 43-35

Final Regular Season Power Rankings
1. Arizona-Kickery ( - )
2. Twin City Tech (+2)
3. Mexico (+1)
4. Athol A&M (+2)
5. Golden (-3)
6. Weymouth (+2)
7. Busch (-4)
8. Bud Heavy (+2)
9. Gillespie State (-2)
10. Dublin (-1)
11. Stardust (+1)
12. Rakeville (-1)

League Notes
- Rakeville and Stardust finished the regular season with the worst winning percentage in FAC-10 history. Crazy Horses' TE Julius Jones was furious at the outcome of their season, while the entire Gray's coaching staff danced for two straight days knowing they have the top pick in next year's draft.

- Following their loss to Weymouth, Golden players retreated to the locker room to watch the Busch/Bud Heavy game. Before they could catch a glimpse of the matchup, Islanders WR Robert Meachem ran in and ripped the remote right out of Peyton Manning's hands.

- Teams finishing below 9th place Dublin should still be proud knowing they can spell better than the Oktoberfests' front office.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 13)

2009-12-03T13:15:00.016-05:00

Tom Brady spent most of the 4th quarter on the sidelines as 8th ranked Dublin had its way with the Twin City defense. Even with the loss the Red Raiders are still a lock for the playoffs, but they'll need their quarterback playing like his old self with lowly Stardust coming to town.

Goal Line Stand (Week 13)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

Editor's Note: With the 6 playoff teams unofficially selected, we decided to give Pannalist the week off. However, he still wanted to send out his picks and power rankings. GLS will be back next week for the post-season analysis.

Week 13 Matchups
(1) Busch over (7) Bud Heavy
(2) Gillespie State over (5) Arizona-Kickery
(8) Dublin over (3) Athol A&M
(4) Golden over (10) Weymouth
(6) Twin City Tech over (11) Stardust
(9) Mexico over (12) Rakeville

Last Week: 4-2
Season: 41-31

Week 13 Power Rankings
1. Arizona-Kickery (+4)
2. Golden (+2)
3. Busch (-2)
4. Mexico (+3)
5. Twin City Tech (-3)
6. Athol A&M (-3)
7. Gillespie State (+2)
8. Weymouth ( - )
9. Dublin (+1)
10. Bud Heavy (-4)
11. Rakeville (+1)
12. Stardust (-1)

League Notes
- Rakeville jumped out of the bottom spot in the Power Rankings for the first time since Week 5. Apparently the team is no longer "Wacko for Flacco" but is instead "Hung for Young."

- For the second straight week, Arizona-Kickery recorded the highest point total in the conference. Unfortunately, nobody told Patrick Crayton.

- For the second straight week, Mexico recorded the second-highest point total in the conference. Unfortunately, nobody told the FBCS Selection Committee.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 12)

2009-11-26T01:39:00.022-05:00

DeAngelo Williams and the Busch University running game have come up huge this season. Even without a TD the backfield solidified a victory in Week 11 and clinched a playoff birth for the Lattes, and for that they are thankful.

Goal Line Stand (Week 12)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

There has been a lot of disappointment for some teams this season. A 10-game losing streak, two franchise running backs out for the season, forgetting when the trade deadline is; Sometimes, things just don't go right.

And so, on this Thanksgiving Day, we should try to find the silver lining in an otherwise cloudy year. Sure you're 1-10, but your team has loads of potential AND the #1 pick next year. So what if you have 3 running backs and only one of them actually knows how to run, your guy has a great shot at Player of the Year honors. Find the good amongst the bad, eat some turkey... and pray you don't have to face Busch in the playoffs.

Rakeville is thankful for...
2010. The U-Rake offense is young and loaded with potential, especially with a receiving corps of Michael Crabtree, Calvin Johnson, and Jeremy Maclin. If the Grays find a back to compliment Kevin Smith, this team will be sniffing a playoff spot in 2011. In 2010, anything more than 1 win will be nice.

Stardust is thankful for...
excess roster space. If it weren't for a lost season and a gigantic bench, S.U.C.H. wouldn't be able to keep QB Michael Vick on their roster. What they plan for the 29-year old felon is beyond me (with Stardust's roster, he is not worth a keeper spot), but the steady paycheck looks good in mailbox of Vick's halfway house each week.

Weymouth is thankful for...
a chance. Their 2008 rookie campaign was nothing to brag about, yet the Islanders still managed 4 wins. The 4 wins they already have this year (most notably Week 6 vs. Golden) is a testament to their hard work and dedication to success. While Weymouth has struggled, the rest of the conference has seen they truly have a plan, and its finally coming to fruition.

Mexico is thankful for...
2005 and 2007. Remember those years, when Mexico was good? 2 championships in 3 years, a running game that could not be stopped, and receivers that caught every ball. Those receivers (Torry Holt, TJ Houshmandzadeh) don't have the speed to get open anymore, and those backs (LaDanian Tomlinson, Willie Parker) are now shells of their former selves. Thankfully, whoever wins the championship this year will be able to see Mexico's name on the FAC-10 plaque.

Dublin is thankful for...
Chris Johnson. In a season when the running back trio in Dublin was supposed to conquer the conference, Johnson has been the only one showing up. Brian Westbrook is concussed, Brandon Jacobs is splitting carries, and Glen Coffee gave his job back. DUBA lives and dies in the shoes of Chris Johnson, and lucky for them, those shoes haven't stopped moving all season.

Arizona-Kickery is thankful for...
revenge. In Week 2 they lost a tough one to Mexico by 2 points, and with just 3 weeks left in the season Kickery needed to come up big in their Week 11 rematch. Greg Jennings, Vernon Davis, and Joseph Addai all found the end zone, and Drew Brees threw 3 scores of his own. In the end, the Kickers won a barn burner, 97-94, and gave a huge boost to their playoff chances.

Golden is thankful for...
their next 2 games. Not only do the Gryphons have the most points scored in the league (the #1 playoff tiebreaker), but their remaining opposing clubs are a combined 5-17. Which Weymouth club shows up in the season finale remains to be seen, but with the Golden offense clicking on all cylinders, they have all-but locked up a postseason berth.

Bud Heavy is thankful for...
injuries. Not to their own players, but those that The King's players have replaced. When Brian Westbrook went down with a concussion, RB LeSean McCoy slid into the starting role seamlessly. The season-ending injury to Ronnie Brown killed Golden, but for Bud Heavy it was just more opportunity for RB Ricky Williams. These two backups are now the focal point of the team's offense, and thankfully they're taking advantage of the opportunity.

Gillespie State is thankful for...
Maurice Jones-Drew. Over the last 4 weeks, MJD is averaging 14.57 PPG. On the season he's averaging 13.62, which is tops in the conference among non-QBs. The Black Diamonds are 7-4, and nobody on the team has contributed more to that than Jones-Drew.

Twin City Tech is thankful for...
regular season football. The Red Raiders have had the best offense in the league over the past two seasons, winning two regular season titles, yet have faltered in the playoffs. Tech finally has a roster that won't be taking weeks off in December, so this just might be the year they don't get bumped early... and that would truly be something to be thankful for.

Athol A&M is thankful for...
their Week 11 matchup. Not only did A&M bench QB Brett Favre (22-25, 213 yards, 4 TD), but only one of their starters actually broke 10 points against lowly Stardust. Luckily, S.U.C.H. is terrible and the Alchys won their 8th game, 57-50.

Busch is thankful for...
Stardust University. The Crazy Horses still got a good deal out of their Wide Receiver swap on October 27th, but when you're 5-2 and can add a top-3 receiver to your roster, you're in pretty good shape. The Larry Fitzgerald-Brandon Marshall tandum have rattled off 4 wins in a row, as well as a clinched playoff spot.

Week 12 Matchups
(4) Gillespie State over (1) Busch
(2) Athol A&M over (10) Weymouth
(3) Twin City Tech over (8) Dublin
(9) Mexico over (5) Bud Heavy
(6) Golden over (11) Stardust
(7) Arizona-Kickery over (12) Rakeville

Last Week: 3-3
Season: 37-29

Week 12 Power Rankings
1. Busch ( - )
2. Twin City Tech (+2)
3. Athol A&M ( - )
4. Golden (-2)
5. Arizona-Kickery (+2)
6. Bud Heavy (+2)
7. Mexico (-2)
8. Weymouth (+2)
9. Gillespie State (-3)
10. Dublin (-1)
11. Stardust ( - )
12. Rakeville ( - )

League Notes
- After going 6-7 last season and 1-10 thus far in 2009, Stardust A.D. Adam Howe may be out of the job soon. Apparently, Vegas actually DOESN'T like it when the house loses.

- Weymouth eliminated themselves from contention for the 2010 top draft pick with a win over DUBA last week. This was a relief for potential #1 pick Sam Bradford, who doesn't own a boat.

- Bud Heavy signed QB Mark Sanchez on Monday, and he's already thrown 2 interceptions.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 11)

2009-10-23T12:59:00.041-04:00

It was a nail biter, but Stephen Gostkowski kicked Athol A&M to a .18 point victory. Did the Alchys destroy Bud Heavy's chance at a playoff berth, or can The King run the table and still have a shot at the championship?

Goal Line Stand (Week 11)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

It was the shot heard 'round the world. Week 6, 1-4 Weymouth traveled to Golden to battle the 4-1 Gryphons, and everyone THOUGHT they knew what was going to happen. Imagine my colleagues' amusement when my GLS column came out and they read "(11) Weymouth over (1) Golden" in my matchups. As the final whistle blew on Monday night and the Islanders walked off the field victorious, I stood up off my couch, turned off my TV, and self-proclaimed the season over.

While on my 5 week hiatus, I continued to send in my weekly picks, but was too busy sunbathing and drinking Mai Tais to write anything more than "(Insert Team Name) over Rakeville." But now I'm back, and ready to contribute to the half-dozen fans of this publication. 9 teams are still in the hunt for the playoffs, and with just 3 weeks left things are finally starting to make sense...

Sure Things
1. Busch (8-2) - RAK, GS, BHU
What's better than having two top 10 running backs? Also having two top 10 receivers AND a top 5 quarterback. Busch can (will) clinch a playoff berth this week vs. 1-9 Rakeville, then go after the regular season title after finishing 2nd a year ago. The offense is clicking on all cylinders and they're in perfect position for their 2nd FAC-10 championship appearance in 3 years.
Final Record: 11-2

2. Athol A&M (7-3) - SUCH, WEY, DUBA
If A&M's Dave Grubb doesn't win A.D. Of The Year it'll be a travesty. The Alchy's finished 5-8 in 2008, but scoring wasn't their problem. The team finished 2nd in points scored but 11th in the standings, pushing Grubb to light a fire under the team's proverbial asses. The result was a team-first attitude in Athol, and with 3 weeks left the Alchys are 2nd in the FBCS polls and 4th in scoring. Their next two games will get them into the playoffs, while their season finale in Dublin will demonstrate how they will perform once they get there.
Final Record: 10-3

3. Golden (6-4) - TCT, SUCH, WEY
Golden started the season riding the emotion of their 2008 championship but have recently come back down to earth, going 2-3 over their last 5. Luckily for the Gryphons, their offense has been the best in the FAC-10 this year, so any tiebreakers will most-likely go to the defending champs. Having your final two games against teams who are a combined 4-16 doesn't hurt either.
Final Record: 9-4

4. Gillespie State (7-3) - BHU, BU, AZK
How this team survived the first half of the season with David Garrard at QB is beyond me, and yet they managed to build a 7-2 record with him under center. The Black Diamonds have a truly well-rounded team: A top TE in Antonio Gates, two solid RB in Maurice Jones-Drew and Thomas Jones, and an amazing sleeper WR in Miles Austin. If new QB Carson Palmer continues his good season, they'll be a surprise force in the postseason.
Final Record: 9-4

5. Twin City Tech (6-4) - GU, DUBA, SUCH
The Red Raider's Week 11 matchup vs. Golden will be their only test for the rest of the season, reiterating the fact that this offense is very, very good. Their quarterback is 3rd in the league in scoring, and 6 of their 7 starting offense for Week 11 has over 50 points this season (TE Tony Gonzalez has 49.5). Their record would have been better if they had produced backups for their stars' bye weeks, but A.D. Matt Austin insists on carrying 3 defenses. Lucky for the Red Raiders, there are no more byes for the rest of the season.
Final Record: 8-5

On The Bubble
6. Mexico (5-5) - AZK, BHU, RAK
5 teams have the playoffs locked up, and the only thing left to figure out are the seedings... oh yeah, and that pesky 6th spot. In 2007 it was the 5th seeded Wildcats who took home the FAC-10 championship, and in 2008 Golden won the title as the 6th seed. Just getting in is the key, and then it's placed in the hands of the football Gods. Mexico has a relatively weak schedule for the rest of the season, but they'll need some help. If it comes down to a tiebreaker for the second straight season, they'll be on the outside looking in once again: The Wildcats are 10th in the conference in points scored.
Final Record: 8-5

7. Dublin (5-5) - WEY, TCT, AAM
This was supposed to be Dublin's year! After a frustrating 2008 of micromanaging their running backs, the league added a Flex spot this season and everything was set for a dominant year. Unfortunately, nobody told the rest of the team, and their record has suffered. Brandon Jacobs is a shell of his former self, and the receivers have been above-average at best. Chris Johnson has been the lone star of the offense, but that isn't enough to carry the failed expectations of the rest of the roster.
Final Record: 6-7

Need Some Help
8. Bud Heavy (6-4) - GS, UM, BU
When your offense can only crack 80 points twice in a season, a 6-4 record is phenomenal. Unfortunately for The King, their remaining schedule is harder than a teenage boy at a Miley Cyrus concert. Over the past 5 weeks their scheduled opponents are 15-5 while Bud Heavy is 3-3, beating only lowly Stardust, Weymouth, and Rakeville. A team can only ride the 38-year old arm of QB Kurt Warner for so long, and that arm is about to fall off.
Final Record: 6-7

9. Arizona-Kickery (5-5) - UM, RAK, GS
Kickery has had quite the roller coaster season, scoring as many as 113 points (Week 1 vs. Bud Heavy) and as little as 58 (last week vs. Stardust). They have been unable to capitalize in certain situations, most notably Week 2 vs. Mexico in which they lost a tough one by 2 points. QB Drew Brees is 4th in the conference in total points, and is poised for a solid finish to the season, but the Kickers will need their entire roster to come through to get them into the postseason.
Final Record: 6-7

Preparing For Next Season
10. Weymouth (3-7) - DUBA, AAM, GU
On paper, Weymouth has done a fantastic job at making its 2008 expansion project a success, but it has yet to formulate into wins. They've placed their faith in QB Aaron Rogers, and rightfully so since the rest of the roster has yet to live up to their potential. Ray Rice, Beanie Wells, and Anthony Gonzalez are all going to need to step up their game next season, and WHEN they do, the Islanders will be sniffing the playoffs.
Final Record: 3-10

11. Stardust (1-9) - AAM, GU, TCT
The Crazy Horses have arguably the toughest remaining schedule... which would be terrible if they had any chance at making the playoffs. Even if they weren't mathematically eliminated, this team is just awful, and has already begun the rebuilding process by trading away a couple studs (Larry Fitzgerald, Sidney Rice) for much-needed depth. Their receiving corps is retooled, they still have a top-5 TE, and their A.D. is always looking to deal... they'll be just fine, in 2010.
Final Record: 1-12

12. Rakeville (1-9) - BU, AZK, UM
Their season was over in Week 6, when the team decided to play without a kicker or defense. Their future was boosted in Week 7 when they decided to finally cut ties with long-time quarterback flop JaMarcus Russell. Grays A.D. Mike "The Miz" clearly had next season in his sights all year, much to the chagrin of his fellow league mates. The passing game will be great in a year or two, and the running game (when healthy) is coming around. They have an opportunity to pull off an upset in Week 13 vs. Mexico, but that's their ONLY chance at redemption in 2009.
Final Record: 1-12

Week 11 Matchups
(1) Busch over (12) Rakeville
(2) Athol A&M over (11) Stardust
(3) Gillespie State over (6) Bud Heavy
(5) Twin City Tech over (4) Golden
(9) Mexico over (7) Arizona-Kickery
(8) Dublin over (10) Weymouth

Week 6: 5-1
Week 7: 4-2
Week 8: 2-4
Week 9: 2-4
Week 10: 6-0
Season: 34-26

Week 11 Power Rankings
1. Busch
2. Golden
3. Athol A&M
4. Twin City Tech
5. Mexico
6. Gillespie State
7. Arizona-Kickery
8. Bud Heavy
9. Dublin
10. Weymouth
11. Stardust
12. Rakeville

League Notes
- TE Visanthe Shiancoe fled the struggling Stardust to Mexico last week. Apparently, that fence isn't very high.

- Jon Beason was taken by surprise last week when Rakeville K Nick Folk lined up for a 38-yard field goal in the first quarter. "I had no idea they even had a kicker," said the Twin City Tech LB. "I try to ignore terrible players."

- RB Larry Johnson signed with Athol A&M this week, proving once again that A.D. Dave Grubb loves gay-bashers.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 6)

2009-10-15T11:54:00.010-04:00

Ronnie Brown was flying high this weekend as his new team, the Golden Gryphons, destroyed his old team, Arizona-Kickery. Will this deal end up working out for both teams, or did the Kickers give up their do-anything back for nothing?

Goal Line Stand (Week 6)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

Mid-season deals have become a bit of a taboo in the FAC-10. Teams are so bent on sticking to the players they made commitments to, and often demand too much for those that are contributing to their team. In 2007, only 5 deals were made during the regular season, and last year that number dropped down to 3.

With the deadline over a month away, and only 3 trades (2 since the season began), there's still plenty of time for some action to occur. Unfortunately, with all the one-sided trades that have resulted, the market has been more stagnant than a fat teenage girl during a One Tree Hill marathon.

Let's see why these deals haven't worked out yet:

AUGUST 24: Bud Heavy receives QB Kurt Warner from Twin City Tech for RB Reggie Bush
One can argue that this is a simple "Age for Potential" trade, but which side is which? 38 year old Kurt Warner has missed 2 games over the last 2+ years while putting up all-pro numbers. 24 year old Reggie Bush has missed 10 games, barely produced (1133 rushing yards, 7 TDs over the past 3 seasons), and has been stuck in a deep backfield with plenty of other reliable rushers (Deuce McAllister, Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell, etc.). The key to this deal may be that Warner was expendable, but how many places did the Red Raiders shop him before landing at Bud Heavy? Even an old QB like him has the potential to put up huge numbers, especially in that offense, but Bush's upside is slowly decreasing with every injury-ridden season.
Advantage: Bud Heavy

SEPTEMBER 3: Arizona-Kickery receives RB Joseph Addai and a 1st Round DP (WR Ted Ginn Jr) from Twin City Tech for RB Frank Gore
Nobody can predict injuries (unless you're a Donovan McNabb owner), but people should have seen Frank Gore's ankle pain from a mile away. The aforementioned ankle has been carrying his team for 2 years now, so it was only a matter of time before it buckled under the pressure. People also cannot predict players losing their jobs... wait, yes they can. The hype surrounding Donald Brown has forced Addai into a 3 quarter afterthought, with Brown playing the role of 4th quarter Mariano Rivera. One bright spot in this deal has been the draft pick, which turned into speedster Ted Ginn Jr. Ginn got his first TD of the year last weekend in a losing effort, but his ceiling is very high. If Gore had more than 39 carries this year, it'd be a swing in the other direction. Unfortunately, you can't score points from the sideline in street clothes.
Advantage: Arizona-Kickery

SEPTEMBER 30: Arizona-Kickery receives WR Santonio Holmes from Golden for RB Ronnie Brown
The theme of the previous two trades has been production versus upside. In this deal, there really is no debate between the two: Both have upside, one has produced, one hasn't. Santonio Holmes has been a yardage hog all season, yet refuses to get himself into the end zone. This argument has been had many times this season, but regardless of how you stand, it's touchdowns that get you victories. Ronnie Brown knows this, rushing for 6 scores this year, 4 since being traded to Golden. Holmes's 67 yards per game looks great in the Kickery scorebook every Tuesday, but not so much in the standings.
Advantage: Golden

Week 6 Matchups
(11) Weymouth over (1) Golden
(2) Athol A&M over (8) Dublin
(4) Busch over (3) Bud Heavy
(6) Gillespie State over (5) Arizona-Kickery
(7) Twin City Tech over (10) Stardust
(9) Mexico over (12) Rakeville

Last Week: 2-4
Season: 15-15

Week 6 Power Rankings
1. Golden (+1)
2. Athol A&M (-1)
3. Busch (+1)
4. Gillespie State (+2)
5. Bud Heavy (+2)
6. Dublin (-1)
7. Arizona-Kickery (-4)
8. Twin City Tech (+1)
9. Weymouth (-1)
10. Mexico ( - )
11. Stardust (+1)
12. Rakeville (-1)

League Notes
- In their Week 5 matchup, Weymouth decided to play without a Tight End, Kicker, and Defensive Player. Unfortunately, they remembered to start a quarterback.

- There is plenty of backlash of the possible sale of Stardust University to a group headed by Conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh. Apparently it's OK for players to go to casinos and strip clubs until 4AM, but not to be owned by a Republican.

- The top performer from Week 5 was Athol A&M Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. The week's lowest performer was anyone in Rakeville's lineup.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 5)

2009-10-08T15:03:00.014-04:00

Mexico is 1-2 since QB Donovan McNabb went down with a knee injury, most recently a 63-point shelling at the hands of Athol A&M. Will the return of McNabb lift the Wildcats' offense to former glory, or should they start thinking about 2010?

Goal Line Stand (Week 5)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

Four weeks into the season and things are still undetermined in the standings. Weymouth is 0-4 but their offense is thriving. Mexico is 2-2 with the least amount of points scored in the conference. And Athol A&M is off to a 4-0 start, similar to their 2007 campaign in which they started 6-0 en route to a 3rd place finish.

This early in the season, with the standings being such a mess, only arrogance and pride would allow someone to decide can still be a contender for a championship or is simply pretending to be.

Luckily, I have both of those things.

CONTENDERS

#9 Twin City - The top offense over the past 2 seasons has failed to score over 60 in each of the past two weeks, and now find themselves 1-3. Where has the once dominant offense gone, you ask? Nowhere. The Red Raiders still has 3 top-10 receivers in Johnson, Moss, and White; A dominant running back in Gore (when healthy); And a proven quarterback in Brady (who's been getting better each week). This team has plenty of time to make up ground, and make defenses cry.

#7 Dublin - Week 4 was the first week DUBA did not get 10 points out of at least one of their running backs, and they still managed to put up 62 points against Bud Heavy. The Oktoberfests probably won't reach the 11-2 mark I said they would in my preseason rankings, but they won't need to. This team will go as far as their backfield takes them, and it looks like that'll be just far enough to get into the postseason.

#5 Busch - Welcome back, passing game. Two quarterbacks in the top 6 sounds like a problem to most, but in Busch they're considering it a blessing. The WRs DeSean Jackson and Brandon Marshall are finally living up to their hype, while Braylon Edwards is in position to put up the numbers he did 2 seasons ago. Oh yeah, and they have that Peterson guy in the backfield. The Latte's will be just fine, and will still challenge for the regular season title.

PRETENDERS

#8 Mexico - Some may say, "Well of course they have no shot, they have the lowest point total in the conference." But if you look at their previous 3 weeks (74, 72.5, 71), they're the same Wildcats they've always been. Consistency has been the way Mexico wins games, but if their opponents keep putting up big numbers on them (Athol scored 91 on them last week) they'll have no shot at the postseason.

#6 Gillespie State - In last week's column I ripped Gillespie State QB David Garrard, and of course he made me look stupid by putting up 24 points on Weymouth. He and RB Maurice Jones-Drew are the only ones putting up numbers in this offense, so how long can they ride on their shoulders? Week 7 will be their real test, when both of them have Byes, but don't expect much from the rest of the Black Diamonds.

#4 Bud Heavy - The King completely revamped their offense this week, grabbing 5 replacement players off waivers to fill out their roster. If your team can make that many changes in a single week, they'd better have some top talent surrounding them. Even with the ageless wonder Kurt Warner leading them, Bud Heavy's chances to stay atop the standings don't look so good.

Week 5 Matchups
(8) Mexico over (9) Twin City Tech
(6) Gillespie State over (1) Athol A&M
(11) Rakeville over (12) Weymouth
(10) Stardust over (4) Bud Heavy
(7) Dublin over (5) Busch
(2) Golden over (3) Arizona-Kickery

Last Week: 4-2
Season: 13-11

Week 5 Power Rankings
1. Athol A&M ( - )
2. Golden ( - )
3. Arizona-Kickery (+3)
4. Busch (-1)
5. Dublin (-1)
6. Gillespie State (+3)
7. Bud Heavy (+1)
8. Weymouth (+2)
9. Twin City Tech (-2)
10. Mexico (-5)
11. Rakeville (+1)
12. Stardust (-1)

League Notes
- The City of Weymouth was a finalist in last week's bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Unfortunately, the only celebrity they could send to the IOC Session was Slappy the Human Paddle.

- WR Michael Crabtree finally agreed to a contract with Rakeville. Although he won't be playing until October 25th, fellow Grays players want to make sure he still feels like part of the team. His first job will be to carry Nick Folk's jock strap.

- Mexico scored just 28 points last weekend, which is actually more than the number of fans that managed to get over the parking lot fence to see the game.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 4)

2009-10-01T16:51:00.012-04:00

The Alchys are undefeated and it's been nothing but smiles in Athol, especially from it's star quarterback. Can A&M ride the arm of Philip Rivers into the postseason and beyond?

Goal Line Stand (Week 4)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

Yo Athol, I'm really happy for you, I'm gonna let you finish, but Aaron Rogers had one of the best games of all time... one of the best games of all time...

Alexander Alejandro Marquez of the Quebec Freeze Press pointed out to me one brutal flaw with the FAC-10: Quarterbacks. Each of the 12 teams in the conference has a franchise player under center, but which of them still has room for improvement? While 24 year old future hall of famer Matt Ryan sits on Arizona's bench, let's take a look at who could use them in the starting lineup this weekend:

6. Stardust - Ben Roethlisberger / Eli Manning
SUCH went a very curious route at quarterback, grabbing 2 very capable and safe passers. These two game managers are great for teams who don't need to rely too much on the quarterback position to get them points. Unfortunately, the Crazy Horses are not such a team: a weak running game and an underachieving receiving corps.

5. Busch - Jay Cutler / Matt Schaub
Remember when Jay Cutler was a household name and Matt Shaub was a relative unknown? Things have changed dramatically this season, with Cutler having nobody to pass to and Shaub having no running support. The length of Busch's success relies on the feet of Adrian Peterson, but having a viable option at quarterback is something every team needs.

4. Dublin - Tony Romo / Chad Henne
The Oktoberfests are averaging 67 PPG, 95% of which have come from their star-studded backfield. Romo has been good thus far this season, but he is perennially a start-of-season scorer. What happens when playoff time rolls around and Tony Jekyll turns into Hyde Romo? Will DUBA tolerate another fantastic regular season only to choke in the postseason again?

3. Mexico - Donovan McNabb / Mark Sanchez
When your star QB has spent more time off the field than on it, you know there's a problem. Luckily, the Wildcats took out an insurance plan in this year's draft by grabbing Sanchez. Like the duo in Stardust, Sanchez manages a game well, making very few mistakes and throwing the ball for 6 every now and then.

2. Bud Heavy - Kurt Warner / Jason Campbell
The ageless wonder is a guaranteed hall-of-famer, but how much does he have left in the tank? Jason Campbell is hardly a long term solution, so what is The King to do? Finish up the season with Warner at the helm, then worry about it in the offseason.

1. Gillespie State - David Garrard / Shaun Hill
If QB rushing yards were worth more, David Garrard would being a top fantasy quarterback. Unfortunately we don't live in such a world, so finding a future solution would be in their best option. The Black Diamonds had plenty of young options in the draft but passed. There are also plenty on the waiver wire, but State's phone is broken and can't call any of them up.

Week 4 Matchups
(1) Athol A&M over (6) Mexico
(4) Golden over (2) Busch
(3) Arizona-Kickery over (8) Twin City Tech
(7) Dublin over (5) Bud Heavy
(12) Rakeville over (9) Stardust
(11) Weymouth over (10) Gillespie State

Week 2: 4-2
Last Week: 3-3
Season: 9-9

Week 4 Power Rankings
1. Athol A&M (+2)
2. Golden (-1)
3. Busch (+3)
4. Dublin (+5)
5. Mexico (-1)
6. Arizona-Kickery (-4)
7. Twin City Tech (-2)
8. Bud Heavy ( - )
9. Gillespie State (-2)
10. Weymouth (+2)
11. Stardust (-1)
12. Rakeville (-1)

League Notes
- DUBA replaced backup QB Brady Quinn with Chad Henne this week. The team is also not allowing starter Tony Romo out of his room except for games.

- When Ronnie Brown arrived in his new home of Golden after being traded there this week, the running back suggested integrating the Wildcat into the team's offense. A.D. Mike Comtois immediately went out and bought 3 pumas from South Africa.

- This weekend's Stardust/Rakeville game, which was supposed to be at Claffey Coliseum, will instead be played at a neutral site. The Mayor of Rakeville didn't expect the city to still have a team by Week 4 and rented out the stadium for a Neil Diamond concert.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 2)

2009-09-19T00:43:00.011-04:00

All Drew Brees did last weekend was raise his hands in the air... six times. Kickery's offense looked stellar, but can it keep up the pace over the entire season?

Goal Line Stand (Week 2)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. In 2008, I never looked back on the prior week's picks or stats. This season, I thought I'd start things off by analyzing early situations and trends.

Best Offense: Arizona-Kickery
Surprise surprise, the Kickers racked up the most points in the conference during week one. QB Drew Brees had a lot to do with it, but got big numbers out of WRs Greg Jennings and Patrick Crayton. Don't expect much from that offense (aside from the guy throwing all those touchdowns) from here on out, but for one week they were tops in the FAC-10.

Biggest Disappointment: Willie Parker, Stardust
If SUCH had lost this matchup to last-ranked Weymouth, it would have been even more devastating, but this was still a washup. RB Willie Parker had solidified his spot in the starting role, earned the confidence of his coach, and prepared him self for a long, injury-riddled season. Unfortunately, nobody told him that, and he rushed for 19 yards on just 13 carries.

Top Rookie: Mark Sanchez, Mexico
While Donovan McNabb was running for TDs and bruising ribs, backup Mark Sanchez had 272 and a score. With McNabb doubtful for this weekend's matchup with Arizona-Kickery, Sanchez gets the starting gig and will hope for a repeat performance.

Upset Central: Athol A&M over Twin City Tech
Nobody expected TCT QB Tom Brady to return to 2007 form right away, yet there he was looking like old with 378 yards and 2 TDs. It was the rest of the Red Raider offense that failed to come through, with just 1 other player (RB Frank Gore) scoring over 10 points. It was actually the A&M defense that pushed them over the edge, recording 5 sacks, 5 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries and a TD.

Give Up Award: Rakeville Offense
WRs Bernard Berrian and Jeremy Maclin caught 0 passes combined in week 1, the backfield had 42 rushing yards combined, and they still have JaMarcus Russell on the roster. This team needs a shakeup, especially if their team refuses to even catch any balls.

Week 2 Matchups
(1) Arizona-Kickery over (4) Mexico
(2) Athol A&M over (6) Stardust
(5) Gillespie State over (11) Bud Heavy
(9) Dublin over (12) Weymouth
(8) Busch over (10) Rakeville
(7) Twin City Tech over (3) Golden

Last Week: 2-4
Season: 2-4

Week 2 Power Rankings
1. Golden ( - )
2. Arizona-Kickery (+6)
3. Athol A&M (+6)
4. Mexico (+2)
5. Twin City Tech (-3)
6. Busch (-1)
7. Gillespie State ( - )
8. Bud Heavy (-5)
9. Dublin (-5)
10. Stardust (+1)
11. Rakeville (-1)
12. Weymouth ( - )

League Notes
- Rakeville rookie WR Michael Crabtree still goes unsigned, and experts predict he will sit out the entire season. Apparently Crabtree doesn't take Honey Buns as compensation.

- Stardust signed 37 year old Isaac Bruce this week, proving once again that old people love gambling.

- The FAC-10 has set its trade deadline to November 20th, which means Athol A&M still has about 2 months to send away their stud receivers for 2nd round picks.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 1)

2009-09-11T13:48:00.009-04:00

Darren McFadden and Weymouth both had a rough first season in the FAC-10. Can the youngest backfield in the league lift their team out of the FBCS cellar and into the playoffs, or are the Islanders destined for another miserable season?

Goal Line Stand (Week 1)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

Six teams finished the 2008 FBCS regular season with a record of 6-7. Two of those teams made the playoffs. One won the championship.

In a league where Twin City Tech consistently puts up 80 PPG, it's been the Goldens (6-7 in 2008) and Mexicos (6-5 in 2007) winning the title. Of course, to win a championship you have to first get INTO the playoffs, but who will those teams be in 2009?

Segue...

6. Stardust University (6-7) - While the new Flex position will help other teams, it should hurt the Crazy Horses the most. SUCH has no 3rd running back to help LenDale White and Willie Parker, and Jerricho Cotchery is hardly a stud #3 receiver. They'll need a big year from "superstar" Eli Manning if they want to sneak into the playoffs, otherwise they'll be done early for the third straight year since winning it all in 2006.

5. Athol A&M (7-6) - The Alchys are one running back away from elite status, but until that happens they are the best bubble team in the league. With 2 young receivers to compliment their 3 star ones, this team is a threat every week, and will be the most prepared come playoff time.

4. University of Mexico (8-5)- The Wildcats missed the playoffs for the first time in school history last season, and they battled for it until the very end of the season. Mexico missed the postseason on a tiebreaker by 3 points, but with healthy receivers and a backfield ready to break out, UM will be back in the postseason.

3. Busch University (10-3) - You can only ride one player for so long, and Busch is going to do that with RB Adrian Peterson as long as possible. If Brandon Marshall gets his act together, the passing game will be a nice compliment as well, but it's the running game that will push BU into the playoffs, and possible their 2nd championship game in 3 years.

2. Twin City Tech (10-3)- Kurt Warner was fantastic filling in last season, but QB Tom Brady is back and ready to lead the top offense in the FAC-10. The receivers are 3 of the top 5 or 6 in the league, and the running backs take care of business. The biggest test will be Week 8 when Brady, Randy Moss, and Clinton Portis get their scheduled week off and a dangerous Athol A&M team comes to town.

1. Dublin University of Brewery Arts (11-2) - The 3-man backfield of the Oktoberfests hit snags every week, as head coach Brad Bodell continuously chose the wrong guy to bench. This season, the league instilled a Flex position, giving Bodell a free pass and allowing DUBA to put up huge numbers on the ground. If QB Tony Romo can find SOMEONE to pass to, this team will end Twin City's reign of terror and grab the #1 seed.

Week 1 Matchups
(6) Dublin over (1) Golden
(2) Twin City Tech over (11) Athol A&M
(5) Arizona-Kickery over (3) Bud Heavy
(4) Busch over (7) Mexico
(8) Gillespie State over (10) Rakeville
(12) Weymouth over (9) Stardust

2008 Final Power Rankings (2008 Record)
1. Golden (6-7)
2. Twin City Tech (9-4)
3. Bud Heavy (8-5)
4. Dublin (8-5)
5. Busch (8-5)
6. Mexico (6-7)
7. Gillespie State (6-7)
8. Arizona-Kickery (6-7)
9. Athol A&M (5-8)
10. Rakeville (6-7)
11. Stardust (6-7)
12. Weymouth (4-9)

League Notes
- #1 overall pick Beanie Wells told the Lakeview Times that he is uncertain if Weymouth is the right fit for him. "I don't even own a canoe," said the Ohio native.

- An unidentified Golden front office member was using the restroom at the team's practice facility and left his 2008 championship ring on the sink. When he returned shortly after to retrieve it, it was gone and in its place were taco crumbs.

- Nick Folk is still the worst kicker in the conference.

The Chaser

2009-09-06T22:48:00.011-04:00

A look at last year's Draft, plus news and notes from around the league

2008 Entry Draft:

WEY - Laurence Maroney - Complete bust, big things were expected, but ended up with 93 yards after 3 games and a shoulder injury ended his season

AZK - Laveraneus Coles - Pulled the silent treatment when they brought Farve in and jetted his good buddy Chad, but he had a decent season. Fewest catches in 8 years (minus an injury plagued 07-08), did tie career high for TDs with 7 (20th in FP amongst wideouts)

AAM - Matt Forte - Exploded onto the scene as a rookie, easily becoming one of the best player taken in the draft. Finished as the 4th best RB is FPs, was a dual threat on the ground and in the air

RU - Kevin Smith - Finished his season as a solid option as a RB2 option, finishing just under 1000 yards on the ground and 8 TDs (2st in FP among backs)

UM - Thomas Jones - While not much was expected from Jones with the arrival of Farve and his "Im gonna air it out so someone can go get it, I dont care which team" style, he quietly produced a spectacular season with over 1500 combined yards and 15 TDs (3rd in FP among backs)

DUBA - Julius Jones - Had a mediocre year, ended up splitting carries, and not getting any of the goal line work. Finished with just 750 combined yards and 2 TDs

BHU - Vincent Jackson - Jackson finally had that breakout season people have been waiting for the last 3 years. Finished with almost 1100 rec yards and 7 TDs, and its not unreal to expect an increase (12th in FP among wideouts)

BHU - Reggie Brown - Another major bust, he appeared in only 10 games, pitching in a measly 18 catches for 252 yards and a score

GS - Roddy White - By far the best wideout in the draft, period. He finished just shy of 1400 yards with 7 scores and a rookie QB. If these two can grow together, he will be on the same level as the elite WRs (8th is FPs among wideouts)

TCT - Ted Ginn Jr - A purely upside pick who didnt quite work out. He joined a team with two feature backs and a QB not known for slinging it around, yet still managed 750 all purpose yards, and 2 TDs in the air and 2 on the ground

BU - De'Angelo Williams - Another monster out of the first round, he had the best season statistically of any back in football. Many thought his numbers would diminish with the drafting of Stewart, but even with him pitching in 800 yards and 10 TDs, Williams was the man, with 1650 combined yards, and 20 combined scores (he was the only back to finish with over 200 FP)

SU - Eli Manning - A boring, safe pick, Eli was expected to be a solid contributor. He was, finishing 12th in FPs, however the two players above him were Pennington and Thigpen, while thee two below were Farve and Garrard. All could have been had much later in the draft or as free agents, so for a first rounder, a complete waste

Later Round steals:

R3P10 - Felix Jones - While not considered a steal for the past season since he managed only 6 games due to injuries, when he got the ball he knew what to do with it. On 30 rushes, he was averaging 8.9 a carry with 2 scores. He is expected to share the load this season and should be a very viable RB2 option

R4P3 - Matt Ryan - With Romo in town, DUBA took Matt Ryan as Jessica Simpson insurance. After a slow start to the season and being arrested for being to sober to be driving, he was cut. He finished the season with Kickery, and after throwing only 2 TDs and 2 picks in his first 4 games, he became one of the more dangerous QBs, compiling 14 TDs and 9 picks in his next 12

R4P7 - Philip Rivers - While much had always been expected of Rivers, he didnt live up to the hype his first 2 years as a full time starter after two years under Brees. Well in the 08-09 season, he realized that potential, becoming the 2nd best QB with and eye popping 34 TDs and only 11 INTs (he had 21-15 the year before)

R7P2 - Owen Daniels - He put in a very productive year, especially for a 7th round pick. He finished in the top ten for TEs, and only improved as the season went on. He is only expected to get better

R7P4 - Chris Johnson - This is by far the best value pick in the draft, getting one of the top 5 players of the entire draft in the 7th round. While splitting carries with White, he still amasses 1200 plus yards on the ground, as well as 260 in the air. He managed 10 TDs, even though all goal line carries went to White (15 TDs, almost 1/2 the yards)

R7P11 - DeSean Jackson - While he made some silly mistakes in his rookie campaign, he showed promise that he could be a very strong wideout option. He was light on TDs (2 receiving, 1 rushing), but still amassed 1000 total yards, even in the doghouse at times. He should show major improvement this season after an already quality rookie campaign out of the 7th round

*people in Mexico keep claiming that they win the title every other year, and are guaranteeing victory this year solely based on that assumption. When it was purposed that the team might struggle since they will be relying heavily on an aging star who many feel is on the decline (LT) and an aging QB (McNabb), who played 16 games for the first time since 2003 last year, the Wildcat fans began to riot. When the police were brought into disperse the rioting mob, they were pelted with empty bottles of tequila. One older gentleman, fully nude, was running right at the police barricade, throwing Dos Equis bottles screaming "Im the most interesting man in the world, mother f@ckers!"

*Many local pundits think the defending champs Golden didnt appear to do much to help defend their title. The only picks that have any upside are James Davis and Hakeem Nicks. Palmer is great Manning insurance, but losing Peyton can be detrimental no matter who your back up is, unless he is named Brady or Brees. However, many people in this area are still bitter over the first round loss in the playoffs last year. Going into the monday night game, DUBA had a strong lead with Golden only having Bryant left to play. He proceeded to have a career game, and his only game that season with 2 TDs and only game with over 138 yards; he finished with 200. Many refer to him in these parts as Antonio "F@cking" Bryant

*The first round was delayed nearly 6 minutes between the 3rd and the 4th pick since the Stardust AD could not be found. While the Commish would not comment on his where abouts when he made the pick for SUCH, judging by the pick (Cotchery, in the first, really?), which seemed rushed, rumors started swirling. It was circulating that Howe was in court over allegations that he had attempted to get every single cheerleader pregnant to start his own cult. When first reached, the AD's office declined to comment, further breeding speculation. After a day of more rumors, SUCH released a statement stating that "While we wont deny that Mr. Howe was predisposed in court, we assure the campus and public that it is by no means school related." We are just going to have to wait to see how this plays out.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Championship Edition)

2008-12-16T13:40:00.003-05:00

Peyton Manning, once again, found a way to win and keep the Golden University Cinderella season alive. Will he have enough left in the tank to take down the heavily favored, regular season champions, Twin City Tech?

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Championship Edition)
By Joe Heisman, EhSPN

Here we are, finally, and once again without Cam, how could he be so foolish to miss the two most important weeks of the football season. Anyways, Joe Heisman here to give you all of your necessary information for the most anticipated game of the year, the Conference Championship game presented by Pabst Blue Ribbon.

This year we have a true David vs. Goliath match-up after top seeded Twin City Tech dismantled (4) Bud Heavy University, and (6) Golden University embarrassed (2) Busch University on their home turf to advance.

Will we finally see a regular season champion show why the earned the best record in the league, or will we have another upset from Golden University, who can’t seem to lose behind leader Peyton Manning. Let’s break down the position-by-position match-ups and see if we can come to a conclusion.

Quarterback
2 Veteran leaders. 2 Quarterbacks whom each have a Conference Championship with different schools. Both teams have a great foundation here with their leaders under center. Peyton Manning (GU) is averaging 18ppg in the playoffs, while Kurt Warner (TCT) is averaging just under 10ppg. If Warner wants to lead his team to the trophy, he is going to need to bring a little more output to the table. For now, I’ll stay with the hot hand.
Advantage: Golden, by a slight margin

Running Back
In his first year as a starter, Michael Turner (GU) has torn up the opposing defense to the tune of 1,421 yards and a league leading 15 TDs on the ground. You don’t get better than that in the FAC-10 this year. With Stephen Jackson (GU) running by Turner’s side the Golden backfield will look to shred through the Twin City Tech defense this weekend.

However, the Raiders have no slouches in their backfield. Clinton Portis (TCT) has run for 1,337 yards (3rd best in the conference) and 7 TDs, while Dominic Rhodes (TCT) has done a nice job coming into replace injured Joseph Addai, finding pay dirt 8 times (6 rushing, 2 receving) for himself.

With Turner and Jackson averaging just under 100ypg and a TD a piece, its tough to pick against them.
Advantage: Golden

Wide Receiver
If the Golden is going to be able to win this game, this is whom they need to stop. Twin City Tech boasts 3 of the conferences best WRs, with their three headed monster of Randy Moss (TCT), Roddy White (TCT), and Andre Johnson (TCT). Together they have accumulated 3,626 yards to go with 22 TDs on the year, including 12ppg in the playoffs. It is impossible to find that production in any other receiving core within the FAC-10.

Golden counters with Reggie Wayne (GU), Antonio Bryant (GU) and Santonio Holmes (GU). The core of receivers has been able to amass totals of 2,733 yards through the air with 15 TDs on the season. However, Bryant has been the best receiver of the playoffs by far turning in 308 yards and 3 TDs in two games, while making the best catch of the season to propel Golden past DUBA in the 1st round. If Golden has any chance, they will need another Superman type effort from Antonio.
Advantage: Twin City Tech, its not even close

Tight End
Again, showing that Twin City Tech is superior in their Air Attack to Golden, Tony Gonzalez (TCT) has been head and shoulders above everyone else in the TE category this year. The 32 year old has kept true to his Hall-of-Fame form, leading the conference with 941 yards receiving and 8 TD grabs. Tony Scheffler (GU) has come nowhere close to that gathering just 514 yards through the air with 2 TDs.
Advantage: Twin City Tech, again, its not even close

Kicker
In what could be a deciding factor for the Championship game, each team features one of the top 2 kickers in the league. Rob Bironis (GU) is averaging 9.82ppg, while Stephen Gotskowski (TCT) is averaging 9.67ppg. That is as close as it gets in the position match-ups for these squads, it’ll come down to who gets the most chances this weekend.
Advantage: Push

Defense
Patrick Willis (TCT) has been a model of consistency for the Raiders all season, coming into the league 2nd in solo tackles and 3rd in total defensive points. But on the other side, the Gryphons have the best big play defender in the league with Ed Reed (GU). If Reed can come up with the big plays he has all season Golden has a chance.
Advantage: Twin City Tech, slightly

We have two teams with differencing philosophies, and it will be interesting to see what happens with the two bang heads. Golden keeps the ball on the ground and Twin City Tech airs it out. On paper, Twin City Tech appears to be the favorite and the bookies in Vegas seem to agree making them a 7pt early favorite. If Golden can keep the ball out of the hands of Warner and the TCT receivers though, anything can happen.

That is just something that is too tough to do with all those weapons.

Let the league know who you think is going to win by voting in this poll and commenting below.

Pabst Blue Ribbon Llama Bowl (Finals)
(1) Twin City Tech 100, (6) Golden University 76

Keystone Light Ghetto Bowl (Consolation)
(2) Busch University 90, (4) Bud Heavy University 74

League Notes
-Andre Johnson was recently referred to as Superman by Twin City's hometown publication. When Andre was questions by reporters about it, he said, "Isn't Superman white? I see myself as more as the Nighthawk."
-Wilmington, MA natives and Athletic Directors for Bud Heavy University and Busch University, Kevin Neville and Dave Celli were seen together, consoling each other after their loses on Monday night. They each had no comment on the event, however, they were sure to announce it was strictly heterosexual consoling.
-DUBA Oktoberfests top official, Brad Bodell, has reportedly not stopped drinking since last weeks last second loss to Golden. In an effort to keep the record going and to pay him for his teams effort, the President of Golden University has sent Mr. Bodell enough of a supply of Coors Light to last until next seasons training camp.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Conference Semi-Finals Edition)

2008-12-09T23:32:00.007-05:00

Antonio Bryant hauls his second TD of the night, with what many FAC-10 journalists might say is the play of the year, to sink the DUBA Oktoberfests in the largest playoff comeback in conference history. Can Bryant and the Gryphons take this momentum and turn it into their first conference championship in team history?

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Conference Semi-Finals Edition)
By Joe Heisman, EHSPN

What a week for my buddy Cam to take an early vacation! Some speculate he needed it after his beloved Wildcats couldn’t sneak into the playoffs on the final day of conference play, but with a start like 3-7, who would even think they had a chance?

Anyway, while Cam is away at play, what a helluva week we had in the FAC-10. Two nail biters that went down to the final minutes. Golden University went into the 4th quarter down 20 points without a prayer, the team thinking about their 4th consecutive first round lost, then transfer WR Antonio Bryant thought he’d make a Bobby Boucher like appearance and lead his team to the promise land of the semi-finals. Who knew with 2 minutes and 47 seconds left in the game he would be hauling in his 2nd TD pass to go along with 200 receiving yards in the quarter to propel the Gryphons to the absurd upset win.

Meanwhile, Bud Heavy was quite nervous going into the 4th quarter of their game with Az.-Kickery, holding onto a slim 10-point lead and the Kickery defense coming out on fire. 300 rushing yards and 4 TDs later though, AD Kevin Neville texted his good friend from Golden and AD of school, “We are going to run our way to the finals, see you there!” Az.-Kickery head coach later revealed in the press conference after the loss that he made a mistake using the Tampa 2 scheme and should’ve used the 3-4 against Bud Heavy. He finished with, “That is just how this season has gone.”

On to the Final Four:

(1) Twin City Tech vs. (4) Bud Heavy University

After clinching the regular season title and a first round bye for the 2nd year in a row, #1 seed Twin City Tech will be looking to fire on all cylinders after the week break against #5 Bud Heavy University. However, last season hailed starters QB Tom Brady and WR Randy Moss carried Tech all season long, yet delivered the stinker of a lifetime in their playoff match-up, allowing the University of Mexico to make its way to its 2nd conference title in three years.

Earlier this year, Tech and Bud Heavy gave the FAC-10 its closest finish ever with Twin City winning 87.02-87.01. This time around I believe Head Coach Kevin Neville will be smart enough to place a defensive scheme in to practice this week and upset the heavily favored Raiders, once again keeping the #1 seed from reaching the championship in the FAC-10.

(2) Busch University vs. (6) Golden University

Golden University has moved on in the last two weeks by the skin of their teeth each time, just sneaking into the playoffs while every 6-6 team lost, by the slimmest of margins (2.63 pts). Then pulling off a miraculous 20-point comeback on the tough to stop, run-heavy team of DUBA. QB Peyton Manning is doing just enough with the offense to squeak out wins, and who is to say that he will not keep the steak going, riding the momentum of last week into the lackadaisical eyes of Busch University, coming off the bye week. I’m not going to be the one to pick against them. They’ve already beat Busch in Week 8 this year. I’m looking for a repeat of that game, very close with Peyton Manning pulling it out in the end.

However, D’angelo Williams tore up the Golden D for 108 yards and a TD and Adrian Peterson was on the bench. So anything can happen in a game of this magnitude, we’ll see who can shed the semi-final nerves the quickest.

Arizona-Kickery will travel to DUBA to participate in this year’s Samuel Adams Falcon Bowl. I expect these teams to put up the biggest point totals of the week, while the coaches sit back and hand the reigns off to the QBs in what we in this business call the “Who gives a shit, let’s pad our stats” game.

Semi-Finals
(4) Bud Heavy University 81, (1) Twin City Tech 79
(6) Golden University 84, (2) Busch University 72

Samuel Adams Falcon Bowl
(3) DUBA Oktoberfests 90, (5) University of Arizona-Kickery 80

League Notes
-The recently suspended WR Matt Jones signed with the S.U.C.H. this week. Apparently the purest form of cocaine is found in Vegas.

-Busch University dropped TE Vernon Davis after the BYE week. AD Dave Celli said, “Being the best blocking tight end does not score us any damn points.” Jeremy Shockey will be in for most of the snaps this week.

-After catching wind of the Busch University roster move, Golden AD Mike Comtois plans on suiting up DB Ed Reed this week for the semi-final matchup. Ed was begging for the roster move, saying, “[Jeremy] Shockey is a bitch, he can’t block me, he can’t burn me, can he even catch anymore?”

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 13)

2008-11-25T14:19:00.025-05:00

With 11 teams battling for 6 playoff spots, his team down 23 and on the verge of elimination, Drew Brees lifted the Kickers onto his shoulders and engineered one of the best comeback victories of the year. The 29 year old kept Arizona-Kickery's hopes alive, but will it enough to get them into the postseason?

Goal Line Stand (Week 13)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

"Every game matters." It's quite the cliche, and brutally obvious. When Kickers' QB Drew Brees exploded for 30 points to lead their come-from-behind victory over Golden, it created such a logjam in the standings that we have never seen before. 2 teams (Twin City Tech, Bud Heavy) clinched playoff spots with victories in Week 12, the longest its ever taken for the first playoff spot to be claimed.

Which leaves 4 remaining spots, and 9 teams mathematically eligible to take them. Last week we took a look at playoff possibilities, but one week has cleared up the picture quite a bit. Taking matchups and point totals into account, who has the worst chance at getting into the FBCS Postseason:

Stardust
The Crazy Horses are in the midst of a 5-game losing streak, all of which followed a 93-58 shellacking of Gillespie State back in Week 7. Eli Manning took over for Ben Roethlisberger under Center, and has put up big numbers, but the rest of the team has refused to play for him. The receiving core has had just one 10-point game under Manning (Steve Smith, Week 8), and the running game has completely disappeared.
Matchup - Golden is beatable, just not by the Stardust.

Rakeville
The Grays have managed a 6-6 record and a shot at the playoffs even with their inability to score points. The roster is highlighted by RB Marshawn Lynch and WR Calvin Johnson, who have produced about 75% of the team's offense this season and should continue to do so for years to come. Unfortunately, it takes more than 2 to tango in this conference. With points as the first tiebreaker, even a win this weekend won't help them into the playoffs.
Matchup: Even in defeat, Mexico has looked good the past few weeks (97 points in a loss to Athol in Week 10).

Gillespie State
The Black Diamonds have done nothing to help themselves, falling like a rock from playoff contention with 3 losses in their last 4 games (their only win against bottom-of-the-standings Weymouth). They have gotten nothing out of the Quarterback position, failing to score 10 points since Week 8. Lee Evans leaving town has created a resurgence in the receiving game, but they'll need the numbers from Jake Delhomme if they want any chance at this thing.
Matchup: Busch is looking for blood, and the #2 seed, so don't expect them to roll over for the struggling Black Diamonds.

Which leaves 6 teams with the best shot at the final 4 playoff spots:

Athol A&M
A&M has scored 71.32 PPG this season, 2nd in the conference... Unfortunately, they've also given up 75.47, which puts them 12th. The Law of Common Sense states that if the other team scores more points than you, you lose, so even having a stranglehold on the playoff tiebreaker won't help the Alcky's as they welcome the top rated offense to finish off the season.
Matchup: If Athol can pull off the upset, they're in. However, Twin City Tech has scored 91.59 over their last 3 games, so they'll have to put up their biggest numbers of the season to do so.

Mexico
Three weeks ago, we would never have imagined Mexico with ANY kind of shot at the playoffs, yet here we are. 2 big wins against playoff contenders has the defending champions in prime position to sneak into the 6th seed, but it might be a little too late. The Wildcats need a lot of help: A victory, at least 3 of the 6-6 teams to lose, and enough points to overtake the tiebreaker. With that said, Mexico should be the final team left out of the playoffs this year.
Matchup: The 3-ring circus known as Rakeville should be entertaining for Mexico, and will make this playoff picture very interesting.

Golden
The media tore Golden to shreds when they sent away superstar wideout Andre Johnson for first-year starter Michael Turner, but the 26 year old has held down his end each and every week. Unfortunately, even a 29 point explosion last week couldn't give the Gryphons a victory, but it did help their point total. GU has the 4th best offense in the conference.
Matchup: With the struggling Stardust coming to town, Golden should lock up the final playoff spot.

Dublin
The Oktoberfests' offense has been atrocious over the past 4 weeks (48.42 PPG), yet a 6-game win streak in the middle of the season has them in a great spot to make the playoffs. Their points were supposed to come from their running backs, but its been the receivers who have been carrying them to... well, losses. They'll need that strong ground attack if they want any chance to continue their season.
Matchup: "Win And You're In" looks a lot better when you're facing a team with nothing to play for. Bud Heavy is just who DUBA wants to see right now.

Arizona-Kickery
The Kickers offense has been hit-or-miss all season. One week they'll be on top of the world (98 vs. Gillespie State in Week 6), and the next they'll look like a Pop Warner team (37 vs. Rakeville in Week 7). Their big victory against Golden last week doesn't bode well for the "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow" theme of this offense, but with the 3rd highest point total in the conference, a tiebreaker is all but theirs.
Matchup: It's always nice to see an expansion team on your schedule for the season finale, but not when that team is coming off a 92 point outburst. However, don't expect lightning to strike twice for the Islanders of Weymouth.

Busch
Even with their worst point total in 5 weeks (59 vs. Dublin) the Lattes still managed to win. Fate is on their side, as well as well as one of the best running games in the league. Everything starts and finishes with Adrian Peterson on this team; As he goes, they go. A big game from the 2nd year back will get them in, and possibly with a BYE.
Matchup: Gillespie State has been a mess as of late (60 PPG in their last 7) which should be easy pickings for the defending runner ups.

Week 13 Matchups
(1) Twin City Tech over (9) Athol A&M
(4) Dublin over (2) Bud Heavy
(3) Busch over (7) Gillespie State
(5) Arizona-Kickery over (12) Weymouth
(6) Golden over (11) Stardust
(10) Mexico over (7) Rakeville

Power Rankings
1. Twin City Tech ( - )
2. Bud Heavy (+1)
3. Busch (-1)
4. Arizona-Kickery (+6)
5. Mexico (+3)
6. Golden (-2)
7. Athol A&M (-1)
8. Rakeville (-1)
9. Dublin (-4)
10. Weymouth (+2)
11. Gillespie State (-2)
12. Stardust (-1)

League Notes
- Since acquiring RB Julius Jones after a 93 point outburst in Week 7, the S.U.C.H. offense has been able to crack 53 points just once. Apparently Jones doesn't like gambling, and the rest of the locker room is not happy about it.

- The best defense in the league thus far has been Bud Heavy, who's averaging 57.99 points against this season. The worst defense? Any team that is playing Twin City Tech.

- 7th Round draft pick Chris Johnson -- chosen after failed rushers Kenny Watson, Rudi Johnson, and Ahmad Bradshaw -- has been a top-20 running back all season for Dublin, proving that bitterness truly is the greatest motivator in the world.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 12)

2008-11-18T14:04:00.015-05:00

One year removed from their 2nd FBCS title, the University of Mexico is in position to miss the playoffs for the first time in school history. Can the addition of WR Lee Evans sneak the Wildcats into the postseason, or is it too late for the defending champs?

Goal Line Stand (Week 12)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

How did we get ourselves into this mess? 11 teams, with just 2 weeks remaining in the season, have a shot at the postseason. Unlike it's NCAA counterpart, the FBCS takes pride in its "Everyone Has A Chance" setup, with 6 teams fighting it out in a bracket-style playoff. And instead of letting those 6 teams be determined by strength of schedule or margin of victory, the conference bases it solely on record (fortunately for the FAC-10, everybody plays each other at least once, rather than allowing schools to choose their own schedule).

Each and every game matters in a 13 week season, and nobody knows that more than the Mexico Wildcats. If it weren't for a .27 defeat to Gillespie State in Week 1 (every time those two teams meet, it's a dogfight), a 2.17 loss to Arizona-Kickery in Week 8 (Drew Brees exploded for 339 and 3 TD for UAK), or a 3.09 nailbiter to Twin City Tech (Mexico had the 2nd highest point output in the conference)... well, Mexico would be in 1st place rather than 11th.

The season, however, is far from over for Mexico and everyone else. After this week, the playoff picture should be a little clearer, but not by much. Here's a look at how everyone should finish the 2008 season:

Sure Things
1. Twin City Tech (vs. SU, AAM)
Without QB Tom Brady, the FAC-10 exposed the Red Raiders for what they are: A 1-trick pony... or did it? The acquisitions of QB Kurt Warner and WR Andre Johnson pushed TCT back into the #1 offense spot, as well as #1 in the FBCS.

2. Dublin (vs. BU, BHU)
DUBA's 6-game win streak came to an end last week in Mexico, but that hasn't changed the minds of Oktoberfest fans that their team should be #1. The Dublin running game is best in the conference, but unfortunately they have 3 guys for 2 spots. If the coaching staff can pick the correct 2 each week (so far, they have failed to do so) they're a lock for a playoff BYE.

3. Busch (vs. DUBA, GS)
Besides Twin City, nobody is playing better football right now than the Lattes. Three 80-point games in a row have them right where they left off 2007 when they rode the #6 seed all the way to the Conference Championship. This year's path to the PBR Llama Bowl should be a bit easier, with a top-4 seed waiting for them.

On The Bubble
4. Bud Heavy (vs. AAM, DUBA)
It's amazing to think that if it weren't for a 0.01 loss, Bud Heavy would be in sole possession of the #1 rank in the FBCS. Unfortunately, that game did happen, but it hasn't crushed anyone's spirits. If The King can steal a win in Ireland, they'll be a lock for the playoffs, but they'll need plenty of help from their run defense.

5. Golden (vs. AZK, SU)
Golden has been the quietest 6-5 team in the conference, one that nobody saw coming. They sold their soul to get QB Peyton Manning last season (giving up studs Larry Fitzgerald and LenDale White) and he's been anything but spectacular. The running game has been horrendous (prior to the acquisition of Michael Turner) with Larry Johnson and Steven Jackson battling injuries and poor play. And yet, here we talking about the Gryphons possibly getting the #3 seed? Simply amazing.

6. Gillespie State (vs. UM, BU)
Their loss last week to U-RAKE definitely put the Black Diamonds in a hole they might not crawl out of. Their final 2 games are against two of the hottest teams in the conference right now: Mexico (79.5 PPG in their last 3 games) whom they barely beat in Week 1, and Busch (84.3 PPG in their last 3) who hasn't allowed a 70 point game since Week 7. Their bubble is thin, and ready to pop if they don't get the production they expect from newly-acquired RB Thomas Jones.

7. Athol A&M (vs. BHU, TCT)
When the season schedule was released back in August, Athol AD Dave Grubb nearly vomited... 2 games against Twin City Tech, including the season finale? And sure the team hoped they'd have a playoff spot locked up long before then, but they don't, which means their game against Bud Heavy is a MUST, MUST, MUST MUST win before they host the Red Raiders next week.

Need Some Help
8. Mexico (vs. GS, RU)
3 losses by a combined 5.5 points is what may ultimately keep Mexico out of the playoffs for the first time in school history. Those wins, including one in which the Wildcats had the 2nd highest point output for the week, would have propelled them to #1 in the FBCS. The offense is finally clicking, but it may be too late for the defending champs. They'll need to win out, and get a lot of help, for them to be able to sneak into the postseason.

9. Rakeville (vs. WEY, UM)
In 2007, Athol sat atop the FBCS for over 6 weeks with one of the worst offenses in the league. This year, the Grays are following the same pattern of stellar defense and safe offense. #7 U-RAKE is 6-5, yet boasts the 11th ranked offense in the conference. A win against the Islanders is a must win, while their final game vs. the Wildcats could be quite a massacre.

10. Arizona-Kickery (vs. GU, WEY)
Az-Kickery fans were ecstatic with the way their team started the season. After a 3-8 last place 2007, the Kickers started things off 5-3 behind one of the best offenses in the conference. Now, after 3 straight losses and failing to score 57 points, Arizona is looking at another failed season. Their only consolation is a season finale at home against the expansion Islanders, but even that game isn't a sure thing.

Preparing For Next Season
11. Stardust (vs. TCT, GU)
Nobody is playing worse football than the S.U.C.H. right now. Since their Week 7 blowout of Gillespie State, the Crazy Horses have failed to break 53 points (42.6 PPG over their last 4 games). With Twin City and Golden coming to town, the boys from Vegas should start planning for 2009 (and a top-3 draft pick).

12. Weymouth (vs. RU, AZK)
The Islanders began 2008 with a plan; a plan that didn't involve 2008. They managed a few wins here and there, but management knew that with the depth and strength already present in the FAC-10, an expansion team would need time to become a contender. Their remaining schedule is light, and they might be able to pull off a couple upsets, but don't expect much from Weymouth other than the #1 pick in next year's draft.

Week 12 Matchups
(1) Twin City Tech over (10) Stardust
(8) Athol A&M over (2) Bud Heavy
(5) Busch over (3) Dublin
(4) Golden over (9) Arizona-Kickery
(11) Mexico over (6) Gillespie State
(12) Weymouth over (7) Rakeville

Power Rankings
1. Twin City Tech (+3)
2. Busch (+6)
3. Bud Heavy (-1)
4. Golden (-1)
5. Dublin (-4)
6. Athol A&M (-1)
7. Rakeville (+4)
8. Mexico (+1)
9. Gillespie State (+3)
10. Arizona-Kickery (-4)
11. Stardust (-4)
12. Weymouth (-2)

League Notes
- WR Lee Evans transferred from Gillespie State to Mexico, just in time for the two teams' matchup this weekend in Guadalajara. He still hasn't decided if he'll live on campus or not, mainly due to his inability to speak Spanish.

- With just 2 weeks left in the regular season, 11 teams still have a chance to make the FBCS Postseason. "I'm lovin' it," said FBCS President Jason Sehorn with a mouthful of Southwest Style Crispy Chicken Sandwich.

- Weymouth and Rakeville will play this week in the Nobody Cares Bowl. The winner gets to telephone their mother and let them know how the game ended, since nobody will be coming to the stadium to watch.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 10)

2008-11-08T15:53:00.012-05:00

Chad Johnson and the rest of the Athol A&M receiver core were all smiles last week, putting up 10 points each in an 81-64 shellacking of Rakeville. The Alckys will have quite the challenge this weekend against a Mexico defense that hasn't allowed 80 points all season.

Goal Line Stand (Week 10)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

A complete package is what separates a poor team from a good one. Sure, having a star helps, but you win as a group, not individuals. This concept is most obvious by the fact that in the past three years, the roster containing the FAC-10 Player of the Year has never been the roster that wins the title... hell, those teams haven't even made the championship game.

In 2005, RB Shaun Alexander rushed for 1880 yards and 27 touchdowns for Gillespie State, yet the Black Diamonds were ousted in the semi-finals by Doug Flutie #1 Pick (now Bud Heavy University). In '06, RB LaDainian Tomlinson had 1800 and 28 TDs, only to finish 3rd behind 2 expansion teams. And just last year, QB Tom Brady had the single-best season of any passer in history with 4800 yards, 50 TDs and just 8 interceptions... and, according to the script, the Red Raiders were knocked out of the semi-finals.

Building the perfect well-rounded roster is tricky, but the best way to do it is building position by position. Find where your team is hurting, work on that spot, and move on. It sounds simple, but in a league filled with thick-skinned Athletic Directors hesitant to make moves, it's nearly impossible to go about it this way. Let's look at who has the best (and worst) situations at each locale:

Quarterback
Best - Twin City Tech (Kurt Warner, Brett Favre, Tom Brady)
Who would have thought that the Red Raiders would lose the 2007 Player of the Year and still have the best quarterback situation in the conference. Tech pounced on Warner as soon as Brady went down, and this past week added depth with Brett Favre. The duo combines for 76 years of smart passing.
Worst - Rakeville (JaMarcus Russell)
Back in the 2007 Expansion Draft, the Grays picked Matt Leinart and hoped for the best. Unfortunately, the Cali Kid hasn't panned out, and neither has Rakeville's current project. Russell has struggled since joining the team last year, and curiously, the team has no intention of a change. "We stick with our guys, and JaMarcus is our guy," said Head Coach Drew Bledsoe.

Running Back
Best - Dublin (Brian Westbrook, Chris Johnson, Brandon Jacobs)
Most teams would love 3 top-10 backs... but not DUBA. The coaching staff struggles each and every week to decide which two guys to put in, and often times regrets the decision (Jacobs had 117 yards and a TD on the bench last week). If a top running back goes down in the FAC-10 somewhere, look for Dublin to be the first one on the phone to them.
Worst - Weymouth (Lawrence Maroney, Darren McFadden, Leon Washington, Jonathan Stewart)
The Islanders have a ton of young talent in the backfield, none of which has come to fruition yet. Maroney is out for the year, McFadden and Stewart are battling injuries, and Washington is simply a backup in a starter's role. With a little patience, these guys MIGHT be stars someday... just not today.

Wide Receiver
Best - Twin City Tech (Andre Johnson, Plaxico Burress, Randy Moss, Roddy White)
When Randy Moss is your 4th WR, you know you have a good roster. The trades for Johnson, as well as the early season pickup of White, were ingenious moves by the Red Raiders. However, in a league of parity, this star receiver core is barely the best, with teams like Busch, Gillespie State, and even Athol A&M close behind.
Worst - Mexico (TJ Houshmandzadeh, Marques Colston, Torry Holt, Donnie Avery)
Once the elite force of the FAC-10, this receiving core has become the laughingstock of the conference. Age has become a factor, but that's no excuse for how far this group has fallen. Houshmandzadeh has been the only contributor, and he has just 570 receiving yards (13th in the conference), while nobody else has more than 375.

Tight End
Best - Gillespie State (Antonio Gates)
All Gates does is score touchdowns. In a conference thin at this position, it's a relief for the Black Diamonds to have someone they can count on week in and week out. Only Jason Witten (SU) and Tony Gonzalez (TCT) are comparable, but even they can't keep up with the former Kent State basketball star.
Worst - Mexico (Vernon Davis)
The Wildcats had high hopes for former TE Heath Miller, but a sprained left ankle put an end to that real quick. The team traded Jason Witten away in the offseason for Ryan Grant, which has yet to pay dividends for Mexico.

Kicker
Best - Athol A&M (David Akers)
In a season where kickers have been more valuable than wide receivers, David Akers has been at the top of the class. Often overlooked in most conferences, the FAC-10 takes pride in homegrown kickers almost as much as quarterbacks (almost). Akers's left foot is 83% this season, even though he has yet to be tested from 50+.
Worst - Rakeville (Nick Folk)
Speaking of homegrown, Folk has held the job since the Grays joined the conference. Unfortunately, Rakeville Head Coach Drew Bledsoe enjoys scoring just a bit too much, and has often gone for the end zone on 4th down inside the 40 yard line. With just 11 attempts, Folk has yet to be given a chance, though he does have 27 extra points (most in the conference).

Defense, Team
Best - Busch (Tennessee)
Busch's defense has been excellent as of late, with just 103 points against (1st in the league), 13 interceptions (tied 1st), and 22 sacks (5th). It's a position that demands consistency, and Busch has gotten 10 points/game out of them.
Worst - Dublin (San Diego)
After riding Dallas throughout the beginning of the season, DUBA is on its 3rd defense in 3 weeks. The strategy yet to pay off (the Oktoberfests got just 1 point out of their defensive spot-start last week), but this week looks to be more fruitful. Still, with nobody's job safe on the defensive side of the ball in Dublin, there have been plenty of grumblings throughout the locker room.

Defensive, Player
Best - Twin City Tech (Patrick Willis)
The top defensive player in 2007 is back at it again, anchoring MLB for the Red Raiders and doing a fine job of it. Willis has 57 tackles, tops in the conference, not to mention 1 sack and 1 interception which he returned for a touchdown. The rest of the defense is a bit weak, which explains why Willis is on the ball on every play.
Worst - Mexico (Ray Lewis)
Mexico cut its longtime defensive star London Fletcher in Week 8 for Lewis, yet the return has been short of spectacular. Since an injury held him to 6 games in 2005, Lewis has been much slower. With most D men averaging over 3 points/game and Lewis barely getting 2, look for the Wildcats to make a move here soon.

Week 10 Matchups
(1) Dublin over (8) Rakeville
(2) Twin City Tech over (6) Golden
(3) Arizona-Kickery over (4) Bud Heavy
(10) Busch over (5) Stardust
(12) Weymouth over (7) Gillespie State
(11) Mexico over (9) Athol A&M

Power Rankings
1. Dublin (+2)
2. Bud Heavy (+2)
3. Golden (+4)
4. Twin City Tech (-3)
5. Athol A&M (+1)
6. Arizona-Kickery (-1)
7. Stardust (-6)
8. Busch (+2)
9. Mexico (+2)
10. Weymouth (+2)
11. Rakeville (-2)
12. Gillespie State (-4)

League Notes
- Due to an electrical problem on campus, Arizona-Kickery has been relocated at a temporary facility across town. Unfortunately, the Kickers' field won't be ready in time for this weekend's game against Bud Heavy, and instead will ominously be played over at Norwood Field in Tempe.

- Weymouth believes in giving everyone a chance, having instilled a "defense by committee" all season. According to insiders, whichever defensive unit can swim across the school's parking lot the fastest gets to play that weekend.

- Golden cut K Nate Kaeding this week, supporting the fact that players who look 12 years old do not belong in the FAC-10.

Twin City Register: All-Conference Races Heating Up

2008-11-07T10:36:00.007-05:00

With only 4 weeks of FAC-10 regular season action left to go, teams are having a tough time separating from the field. That's not the case with the stars on the field, though. The competition for All-Conference spots is in full swing, with a many deserving stars shining on the field. Let's take a look at our All-Conference projections through Week 9:

K- David Akers, Athol A&M - Leading the conference with 83.50 Fantasy Points (FP), Akers has been ultra-consistent for A&M. He doesn't bring the distance that he once had, but he makes the most of his many opportunities. Honorable Mention - Rob Bironas, Golden University

TE- Antonio Gates, Gillespie State - Gunning for his 3rd All-Conference selection in 4 years, Gates is putting up less-than-stellar numbers for him. With the rest of the conference's Tight Ends struggling to get in the end zone, Gates' 5 touchdowns leads all tight ends. Honorable Mention - Owen Daniels, Rakeville University

WR- Anquan Boldin, Athol A&M - Even after nearing being decapitated (left) 3 weeks ago, the former Florida State QB has put up some ridiculous numbers. Leading all WR with 8 TD's, and over 74 FP, Boldin is on track for his first All-Conference selection.

WR- Andre Johnson, Twin City Tech - After a really slow start, Johnson was shipped from Golden to TCT for Santonio Holmes and Michael 'the burner' Turner. Since that trade, Johnson has been gashing defenses and now leads the conference in recieving yards with 834 (70 more than 2nd, Greg Jennings).

WR- Santana Moss, Bud Heavy University - What? You thought the other Moss (Randy) would have made the list in the preseason, but Santana has really stepped up his game. He's 3rd in the conference in FP, and has a punt return TD to his credit as well. The diminuitive wideout has helped keep BHU right in the thick of the FAC-10 race.

WR Honorable Mentions - Larry Fitzgerald (Stardust U), Calvin Johnson (Rakeville), Roddy White (Twin City Tech)

RB- Clinton Portis, Twin City Tech - Once a player who was shopped during the draft and even the first few weeks of the season, Portis has torn up FAC-10 defenses. He has over 100 more yards than the #2 RB, and has single-handedly kept TCT in the FAC-10 race after Brady went down and given Joe Addai's ineffectiveness. He also gives some pretty entertaining press conferences (see right).

RB- Marion Barber III, Bud Heavy University - Quietly having a top 10 season according to Y!. Barber has been impressive not just powering over people, but in the pass game, with 264 yards receiving and 2 rec TDs. He just barely beats out several RBs, so this race is still wide open (excuse the pun).

RB Honorable Mentions - Frank Gore (U of AZ-Kickery), Chris Johnson (DUBA), Lendale White (Stardust U)

QB- Philip Rivers, Athol A&M - Many votes have gone out to Brees (U of AZ-K) and Warner (TCT), but if you look at it, you can't deny that Rivers is having the best statistical year. With over 2000 yards, 19 TD's and 6 INT's, he has put Athol in a position to win on most Sundays. Athol just can't seem to come together as a unit, with a 4-5 record despite the conference's 3rd best offense.

QB Honorable Mentions - Drew Brees (U of AZ-Kickery), Kurt Warner (Twin City Tech), Aaron Rodgers (Weymouth)

Rookie of the Year (Tie) - Chris Johnson (DUBA), Matt Forte (Athol A&M)

Duds of the Year - Laurence Maroney (Weymouth), Tom Brady (TCT)

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 9)

2008-11-01T11:52:00.007-04:00

Dallas Clark had a career game, but came up 1 yard shy of putting Bud Heavy in sole possession of first place. Now, it's a 7-team logjam atop the FBCS standings.

Goal Line Stand (Week 9)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

It was the greatest game in FAC-10 history. Twin City Tech had an 11 point lead going into the 4th quarter, but it all vanished as Bud Heavy TE Dallas Clark remembered how to play football. 7 catches, 94 yards, and 2 touchdowns later, we had the makings of a fantastic finish.

The final drive for Bud Heavy began at their own 10, as TCT kicker Stephen Gostkowski boomed a kickoff that made his mother proud. The Red Raider special teams swarmed KR Mark Clayton, who did nothing the entire game. Jason Campbell (who hasn't thrown an interception for Bud Heavy all season) went to work, firing strike after strike to Clark as they moved down the field. A game-winning score seemed inevitable.

With 12 seconds left, on their own 37, Campbell hit Clark over the middle. The Red Raider defense was playing the sidelines, leaving a giant gap in the middle of the field. Instead of trying to get out of bounds, Clark's eye glimmered with a chance to score the game-winning touchdown. All 252 pounds of him rumbled towards the end zone as the game clock expired.

Out of nowhere (ala Mike Jones for the Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV), Tech's Patrick Willis ran in from behind, wrapped Clark up by the legs, and kept the Tight End from reaching the end zone.... one yard short.

The game will go down as the greatest in FAC-10 history, but even more amazing is how much of a mess it created in the FBCS. Seven teams now have the best record in football at 5-3, while last place Weymouth is just 4 games back with just 5 weeks left. In comparison, here's how the 2007 FBCS stood after eight games:

1. Gillespie State	7-1	556.08
2. Twin City Tech	6-2	768.59
3. Athol A&M	6-2	446.62
4. Busch	5-3	640.59
5. Mexico	4-4	632.73
6. Golden	4-4	552.97
7. Stardust	4-4	490.54
8. Rakeville	4-4	461.51
9. Dublin	3-5	548.87
10. Bud Heavy	3-5	400.17
11. Az-Kickery	1-7	420.17

So we are left with 12 teams still alive for what is shaping up to be the greatest FAC-10 finish in conference history. And if this past week's Bud Heavy/Twin City Tech game was any foreshadow, this thing just might come down to one yard.

Week 9 Matchups
(1) Twin City Tech over (12) Weymouth
(2) Arizona-Kickery over (10) Busch
(11) Mexico over (3) Stardust
(4) Dublin over (6) Gillespie State
(8) Golden over (5) Bud Heavy
(7) Rakeville over (9) Athol A&M

Power Rankings
2. Twin City Tech (+1)
3. Dublin (+1)
4. Bud Heavy (+1)
5. Arizona-Kickery (+1)
1. Stardust (-4)
7. Golden (+1)
9. Rakeville (+2)
8. Gillespie State ( - )
6. Athol A&M (-3)
10. Busch ( - )
11. Mexico ( - )
12. Weymouth ( - )

League Notes
- The Tech/Bud Heavy game was one of the greatest games ever, but barely anybody saw it. Fans protested the game due to an incident the previous week in which Matty J Stadium refused to serve alcohol after the first quarter.

- Even though Bud Heavy played without a defense, which ultimately cost them a win last week, Stardust has opted to follow the same strategy this week against Mexico. "The stupid Wildcats can't score anyway, whats the big deal?" grumbled some middle-aged tourist in a casino.

- Nick Folk is still the worst kicker in the conference.

The Chaser

2008-10-30T20:50:00.005-04:00

Welcome children, my name is Jameson McStout. I have spent the better part of my 27 years learning the fine arts of a skill that is very important to my profession of journalism and my people... drinking. I introduce myself in this piece to the football fans, whose season is in full swing, but I will also be covering basketball and any other sport that I'm forced to report on. I am being employed by The Chaser, the smoothest paper in town, especially after you have read one of our rough, hard to swallow friends.

Now my editors told me, write your pieces sober, that's what a true professional would do... But you know what? A shot of whiskey and a pint of guinness is a great way to get the creative juices flowing. I say, what do they know?? They are editors for a reason, uncreative, and no one likes anyone sober. So I say to hell with them.

If you have been following DUBA, you know that comparing the team now to the one that started the season is like comparing a sleeveen to true blue Dub, worthy of a beatin'. The offensive leaders, Romo and Westbrook, have both spent time hurt due to various injuries. Westbrook broke a couple ribs while trying to do a well documented one-handed keg stand, while the facts around Tony's injury are far vaguer. While the team's official stance is it was hurt in practice, there have been whispers it was due to an incident at a strip club. Regardless, Romo is still down, for what looks to be another 2 weeks, while Westbrook returned to once again carry the team.

Two of the season's original starters, carry over Todd Heap and frosh Josh Morgan have long been gone. Heap seemed to have a mental breakdown, suddenly thinking he was a Dback and would try and knock down any pass thrown at him. The final straw was when, on the snap, he tackled Romo and started gnawing at his leg. No one really knows where he is now. Josh was just too green, wasn't ready for the big lights. While gone, the team has kept an eye on him as he works it out at community college.

However, two fellow newbies, Chris Johnson and Morgan's ex high school teammate Eddie Royal, have been impressive. Eddie has fit nicely into the number 3 WR slot, while Johnson has given hold over Jacobs a run at backing up Westbrook. His emergence has given the team 3 top 20 running backs.

As for week 8, seeing that the upcoming opponent was Weymouth, a team that just moved up from Division 2 and struggling against the tougher competition, about half the team decided to play hooky for the game. Three kids had to be brought in off the street, K Elam, TE Martin, and QB Schaub. While Elam and Martin understandably struggled, backup QB Orton's decision not to show has caused a little QB controversy while Romo is down since Schaub excelled. When Orton was reached for comment, he stated that Schaub was "shite who couldn't handle his liqueur like me." When told that has nothing to do with football, he paused briefly, smashed a glass and hung up the phone.

With seven teams currently tied for first and only six spots available in the playoffs, this is panning out to be a very interesting stretch run. So I suggest all do as I have done and always will do- find your favorite barstool, grab a pint, and enjoy yourself.

-Jameson McStout
-The Chaser

Insider Blog

2008-10-29T08:58:00.006-04:00

Think TCT is a lock heading into Weymouth this weekend? Think again. Since the school joined the FAC-10 in 2006, Raider Nation has only posted a 2-4 record against expansion teams, including an embarassing loss to Anheuser-Busch University last year in week 10. The win by ABU was the difference in making the playoffs (eventually losing in the Keg Bowl to U-Mexico) and being on the outside looking in.

So before you lock in TCT (-28.5) this week, remember that even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Bud Heavy Forgets Defense; Loses by .01

2008-10-28T14:55:00.009-04:00

In quite the Week 8 thriller, Twin City Tech and Bud Heavy dueled to the finish on Monday Night Football. With Bud Heavy starting Dallas Clark and TCT starting Dominic Rhodes, TCT GM Matt Austin felt pretty comfortable with his 12 point lead going into action.

And then, all hell broke loose. With 3:33 left in the 1st, Clark caught a TD pass, shrinking the lead to less than 6. After Clark made a tackle off of an interception, gaining 0.5 points, Rhodes stretched out TCT's lead by 1 point in the second quarter on the heels of 29 total yards. Just when TCT thought it was pulling away early in the 3rd frame with 31 yards from Rhodes, Clark caught a 19 yard TD pass, scoring 6.95 points.

With Bud Heavy hanging on for dear life, TCT found some magic in the form of Dominic Rhodes. 10 yard gain, 3 yard gain, solo tackle = 1.15 pts. At that point, the Raiders felt they had sealed the deal. Bud Heavy staged a late comeback, as Clark caught a 6 yard pass and an 11 yard pass, netting 0.85 points. This put Bud Heavy on top by 0.29 points, and the top rated offense of TCT looked crushed on the sidelines. But alas, with less than 2 minutes left, Dominic Rhodes bailed out the Raiders with 2 gains totalling 6 yards and .3 points! Final Score 87.02 - 87.01, TCT pulled out a dramatic victory.

With 7 teams now tied at 5-3, the Raiders control their own destiny to win their 2nd consecutive regular season title. Journeyman Kurt Warner leads his top rated offense into Weymouth this week. The early line from Vegas is TCT (-28).

5-3 BHU hosts Golden this week, looking to avenge last years embarassing defeat at the hands of the Gryphons. Good thing Green Bay's Defense doesn't have another bye week, GM Kevin Neville might "forget" to get another defense again.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 8)

2008-10-22T01:22:00.015-04:00

In 3 games with Golden, Andre Johnson had 15 catches for 179 yards and 0 touchdowns. In 3 games with Twin City Tech, he has 30 catches, 450 yards, and 2 scores. Was the gun-slinging Red Raider offense the boost Johnson needed to revive his season, or was the 27 year old receiver dogging it on purpose just to force a trade out of Colorado?

Goal Line Stand (Week 8)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

To all of my faithful readers, I'd like to apologize for my absence over the past few weeks. For those who did not know, my wife and I were blessed with a little bundle of joy on September 28th. I was in Weymouth for the Islanders/Crazy Horses game when I got the news. Luckily, Stardust had the game wrapped up in the first quarter, so I rushed to the hospital and arrived just in time to welcome 6 pound, 8 ounce Poo Pannalist into the world.

My wife has kept me plenty busy while she watches episodes of "Yes, Dear" all day. Between changing the little one's diapers and downing shots of Jager to ease the pain, I haven't had much time to watch football. My bookie has been very angry with me.

Needless to say, when I returned to work my email Inbox was completely full. I've read almost all, responded to most, and laughed at a few. Since I've only slept a combined 20 hours over the past month, I'm not feeling all that creative, so here are a few of the good ones:

"Did Andre Johnson really demand a trade, and when it wasn't granted made himself such a cancer that the Gryphons had no choice but to send him out of town?"
-Manuel Onelcida
-Los Angelas, CA

Listen, Manny, lots of players demand trades in sports, whether its for money, or disagreements with management/staff, or just to go to a contender. Most of these players don't let that carry over onto the field, but from an outsider looking in, this is exactly what Johnson did. The guy is one of the 5 best receivers in the game, and he was dropping passes, not running out routes, and barely blocking DBs on running plays. This trade worked out well for both teams (Golden is 2-1 since the deal, Tech is 3-0) so even if this is all true, everyone has moved on from the situation.

"Does Twin City have the best offense in the conference?"
-Skip Tikkle
-Fitchburg, MA

The acquisition of Johnson was great, but this roster was already the most explosive in the FAC-10. When Plaxico Burress isn't off driving around one of his 14 kids, and Kurt Warner isn't hiding at a bingo hall somewhere, the Red Raiders can throw down 100 points without even trying. And yes they miss their starting quarterback, but when your second-string guy puts up 250 and 2 TDs a game, you can sleep well knowing that nobody can keep up with your offense.

"Will Mexico be the second straight FAC-10 champion to miss the playoffs the following year? Please say yes."
-Cat Sarbad
-Golden, CO

The 2007 Crazy Horses had a complete hangover after their title in '06. They only broke 70 points 3 times, and when the playoffs slowly fell out of sight they traded away top talent (Peyton Manning) for some quality youth (LenDale White, Larry Fitzgerald). Time will tell if Mexico decides to pack it in and build for the future, but knowing the coaching staff over there, it's far from likely. The Wildcats have finished in the top 3 every year since the FAC-10's inception, so not only is a title at stake for this team, but tradition as well. Expect this team to bounce back and sneak into the postseason.

"Now that baseball season is over, there's nothing to do in Weymouth... should I even bother going to an Islanders game? Will this team ever win again?"
-Ian Watski
-Weymouth

I hate to break it to you Ian, but your team is terrible. It's not all their fault, coming into a conference with 11 already-stable programs and slim pickings to draft from. The Athletic Department over there at Wey U did a fantastic job building for the future with guys like Aaron Rogers, Darren McFadden, and Jonathan Stewart, but this team is at LEAST a year away from making any noise in the FAC-10. Your best bet at catching a win this year would be in Week 12 when Rakeville comes to town... tickets should still be available for that one.

"Which injured player is going to bounce back and lead their team to victory?"
-Mike Affurts
-Youngstown, KS

I actually was planning to write an entire article on this (as a follow-up to my Week 3 story) but I'll give a quick rundown here. There are 3 guys that have been limited or no-shows so far that will not only perform, but should bump/keep their teams in the playoff hunt: Brian Westbrook (DUBA) hasn't really been missed during his team's current 3 game winning streak, but should be back to his old self as soon as this weekend. Reggie Brown (BHU) would be a huge boost to a receiving core that has struggled all season. And Marques Colston (UM) is on another team desperate for receiver help and, now that his thumb is better, should be back to his old touchdown-catching ways.

Week 8 Matchups
(1) Stardust over (7) Rakeville
(3) Twin City Tech over (2) Bud Heavy
(11) Mexico over (4) Arizona-Kickery
(12) Weymouth over (5) Dublin
(6) Gillespie State over (8) Athol A&M
(9) Golden over (10) Busch

Note: Since there hasn't been any power rankings for over five weeks, the change in parentheses is in relation to Week 8 of 2007. This should give you some insight into the upside-down season it's been this year compared to last.

Power Rankings
1. Stardust (+6)
2. Twin City Tech ( - )
3. Dublin (+6)
4. Bud Heavy (+6)
5. Arizona-Kickery (+6)
6. Athol A&M (-1)
7. Golden (-1)
8. Gillespie State (-7)
9. Rakeville (-1)
10. Busch (-7)
11. Mexico (-7)
12. Weymouth (N/A)

League Notes
- The recent trade between Busch and Bud Heavy is coming under heavy fire, and not just from other teams. Bud Heavy WR Mark Clayton, afraid that the deal will cost him his job, was seen yelling at a little boy with a tape recorder in the street last week screaming, "The beer is mine, and Dwayne can't have any!"

- 40 year old Brad Johnson made a spot-start for Mexico last week. When reporters attempted to interview him after the game, they found him fake-sleeping in a chair, in full pads, in front of his locker. Teammates later found out he wasn't faking, he's just really old.

- They Gray's win over the Kickers is under investigation due to some questionable home scoring. Apparently, this isn't the first time Rakeville school president David Claffey has been caught tampering with scores.

Breaking News: Done Deal - A. Johnson for Turner, Holmes

2008-10-03T09:34:00.015-04:00

A tentative agreement was struck between two teams needing to shake things up. Golden University Gryphons and Twin City Tech Raiders have agreed to a three player deal, in which Michael 'The Burner' Turner and Santonio Holmes head to Golden in exchange for Andre Johnson. Wideout Antonio Bryant becomes a cap casualty and has been cut from GU.

Twin City Tech's lack of receiving production (we're talking to you, Randy Moss) led 2007 FAC-10 AD of the Year, Matt Austin, to look to other conference teams and make Turner expendable. With Joseph Addai, Clinton Portis, and the emerging Felix Jones already in the backfield, Austin put a feeler out to Golden regarding a swap revolved around Andre Johnson. Johnson, while having struggled to get out of the gates in '08, has favorable matchup starting next week including Miami, Detroit, and the just-plain-awful Cincy Bengals. TCT hopes these matchups will get Johnson back on track, and the playmaker will score big points in the playoffs with an especially favorable matchup vs. Oakland. That's IF they get there...

Golden U, looking to add depth to their team top-to-bottom, will add two very talented young players in Turner and Holmes. Turner, currently ranked the #1 player in Yahoo! fantasy, has dominated weaker defenses, but has struggled on grass and against higher levels of competition. Holmes, who showed flashes of brilliance last year, brings another big play threat to the Gryphon Offense. His production is directly tied to Big Ben Roethlisberger, who Golden AD Mike Comtois has not been a big fan of.

Losing Johnson does make Comtois weary, saying "I know Johnson will stab me in the back". TCT fans hope so. GU fans are now asking themselves, "who will start at RB, with Steven Jackson and Larry Johnson already on the roster?". Speculation around the conference is that one of these two are now on the trading block as well.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 3)

2008-09-16T21:56:00.010-04:00

Twin City Tech is 0-2, QB and 2007 FAC-10 Player of the Year Tom Brady is out for the season, attendance was the lowest in school history last week... how long do the Red Raiders wait before packing it in and begin building for 2009?

Goal Line Stand (Week 3)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

Inactivity is always a problem for teams whether its due to injury, suspension, or just plain craziness. However, rarely have there been so many big names down this early in the season. After a week hiatus, we take a look at some of the missing pieces around the conference:

Twin City Tech - Tom Brady, QB
The most devastating blow of the season came at the hands of the Stardust University defense, who took down TCT's Brady and ended his 2008 season. However, past champions have proven that it doesn't take a big name QB to create a contender, most notably Mexico last season. Not only are the Red Raiders copying the gameplan, they are coping the roster: The team signed 37 year old Kurt Warner this week, who won the FBCS title last season with the Wildcats. Tech currently sits in 10th in the FBCS standings, but there's plenty of season still to go.

University of Mexico - Marques Colston, WR
Speaking of the 'cats, the receiving core that they rode throughout last year's playoffs is banged up and underperforming. The stud trio of Torry Holt, TJ Houshmandzadeh, and Colston have a combined 181 yards and 1 touchdown. Colston's hitchhiker thumb is in a cast for another 3 weeks, and with nobody of relevance to replace him, the Wildcats have been scouring the wire for a replacement.

Bud Heavy University - Reggie Brown, WR
Not only has Reggie Brown been hurt all of this season, the coaching staff haven't even realized it. In both games, Brown has been marched out onto the field in full pads, but because of a pulled hamstring he has lined up for each snap and simply stood there. Teams have been so observant of the injury that they haven't even lined up a DB on the young WR. Eventually, the Bud Heavy staff will pick up on their mistake, but in the meantime they've been playing shorthanded each and every week.

Stardust University - Steve Smith, WR / Jason Witten, TE
The Crazy Horses have not missed WR Steve Smith at all over the first 2 weeks, who was suspended because of a preseason altercation with practice squad QB Jay Kirk. Smith apologized to Kirk, but was still forced to sit while his team went 2-0 en route to the #1 FBCS ranking. Meanwhile, TE Jason Witten suffered a separated shoulder in Week 2 against Golden. The newest SUCH player shouldn't miss any time, but playing through the injury may lead to a lessened role in the Stardust offense.

Golden University - Peyton Manning, QB
The star Gryphon has been on the field all of the regular season, but has obviously been hampered by offseason knee surgery. The 32 year old has 568 yards with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, which is hardly Manningesque. Golden has no backup QB on the roster (RB Larry Johnson is their emergency option) so they need him to step it up and carry the offensive load.

Athol A&M - Willis McGahee, RB
McGahee's sore knee has kept him out of the first 2 games of the season, but A&M still managed 105 points against Twin City Tech last week. The Alckys already have 2 solid RBs in Matt Forte and Jamal Lewis, but getting McGahee back will give the team options, or possibly a trade chip.

Week 3 Matchups
(1) Stardust over (7) Arizona-Kickery
(4) Gillespie State over (2) Bud Heavy
(3) Rakeville over (12) Busch
(5) Athol A&M over (9) Golden
(10) Twin City Tech over (6) Dublin
(11) Mexico over (8) Weymouth

Power Rankings
1. Athol A&M (+4)
2. Stardust (+5)
3. Rakeville (+8)
4. Gillespie State (+2)
5. Bud Heavy (+4)
6. Dublin (+2)
7. Golden (-4)
8. Arizona-Kickery (+2)
9. Mexico (-8)
10. Weymouth (+2)
11. Twin City Tech (-9)
12. Busch (-8)

League Notes
- Arizona-Kickery QB Vince Young reportedly told a team therapist that he's unhappy with the team and has contemplated suicide. Apparently he's really sick of Chris Berman.

- After making it all the way to the FBCS Championship last season, Busch University is 0-2 with a conference-low 91 total points. Students are outraged at the team's poor performance, as well as their new sissy nickname.

- Nick Folk is still the worst kicker in the conference.

Rakeville Times: The Name Game

2008-09-16T07:32:00.003-04:00

Calvin Johnson struts into the endzone for his second touchdown during a big win against defending champs University of Mexico. The Sophomore has solidified himself as an elite receiver in the conference in the first two games of the season.

The Name Game
By Hernandez Firstname, Rakeville Times

It was a game with many titles for the URake Grays. A breakout game for young superstar Calvin Johnson, a shocking upset to the thousands that stood silently at Wildcat Stadium, and a statement game from Rakeville to the rest of the FAC-10. After beating the defending conference champions 68-46, the only thing we know for sure is that Urake is not a fluke.

“I’m not saying we’re going to win the conference championships, but you can’t help but be impressed at the way our young men played today,” said Head Coach Drew Bledsoe. “I’m not sure anybody was looking at our team despite our win last week. Now, you can’t help but notice the talent we’ve assembled here.”

Rakeville took an early lead with a touchdown run by Sophomore Marshawn Lynch. A pair of long scoring receptions by Johns and two field goals by Nick Folk helped stretch the lead while the defense put the Mexico University offense to bed.

“Now that we are winning, the key is to maintain consistency,” said Bledsoe. “It does us no good if a guy runs off three touchdowns in a game, then can’t find the endzone for the next two. It is something JaMarcus Russell needs to learn, and something all our rookies need to learn.”

The Grays next matchup is against Busch University, one of the few teams they were able to beat last season.

Reno Weekly Rag: Notes From The SUCH

2008-09-12T18:24:00.005-04:00

The Crazy Horses put up the highest score of any team in the FAC-10 in week 1, and they did it without star wide out Steve Smith. With Smith out for a second straight week, can the Willie Parker and company keep up their good fortune against a strong Golden team? Fans are toasting to the new captain, hoping that he can lead them to their second FAC-10 Championship in three years.

Notes From The SUCH
By Conor Intabedd; Reno Weekly Rag

Stardust University went through a tough season in 2007. They became the first Las Vegas based team, in any sport, to not make their respective playoffs. Even after a last ditch effort, allowing QB Peyton Manning, TE Jason Witten and RB Willie Parker to tranfer to other schools in order to bring in recruits QB Ben Roethlisberger, WR Larry Fitzgerald, and WR Steve Smith, the Horses could not defend their 2006 championship, finishing 8th in the regular season, the lowest seeding ever recorded by a Las Vegas franchise in any sport.

----

Captain Status

The SUCH, in an effort to remedy their misfortune from the 2007 season, decided to make things right. They convinced RB Willie Parker to transfer back to Stardust University after he just won another FAC-10 Championship with the University of Mexico, and promised him to make him the team captain if he could perform in Week 1. And perform he did, posting up 3 TD's against Twin City, and leading the SUCH to a Week 1 dominating victory.

"Bo knew Willie had it in him. He's a champion. He was with us in 2006, and after he left Bo last season he went and got himself another ring with Mexico. He knows how to win and that why Bo got him back," commented Asst. AD Bo Jackson.

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QB Issue

When the SUCH drafted Eli Manning in the first round of the 2008 FAC-10 draft, many fans were stunned. Most had assumed when the team traded away QB Peyton Manning, who had led them to a championship in 2006, that the team had faith in QB Ben Roethlisberger to get the job done. When Eli got the start in week 1 over Ben it sure did start some rumblings in Stardust Nation.

"Eli was just too good a player to pass up at that stage of the draft. Ben had a great season last year, but so did Eli. We'll be using them based on the match up we get each week. We like to utilize players' strengths, at any position," school president/Athletic Director Adam Howe told reporters after the draft.

With Roethlisberger at less than 100% going into week 2, Manning is poised to start for the second straight week. He will face off against Golden University this weekend.

Sources close to Roethlisberger have said that the QB would not be too happy if he were named the every day back up to Manning, and may look to facilitate a transfer to another school if the situation were to arise.

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AD Rumor

It has been reported by inside sources, that current Stardust University president, and acting Athletic Director, may pass on the duties of Athletic Director to current Assistant Athletic Director Bo Jackson. Adam Howe, on top of being the school's president, is also the owner of the Las Vegas Doggs (EHCC) and the Las Vegas Lizards (EHBA).

"I pride myself on being so involved in all of my endeavors, but it takes a toll. I think that was proven last season. We'll see how things go moving into 2008. Nothing is set in stone at this point," Howe told reporters after the Week 1 victory, "Bo has always been highly involved in the recruiting process and all on field activities anyway, so it wouldn't be a huge move for us. Bo knows what he's doing."

FAC-10 Quick Fact

2008-09-09T14:41:00.000-04:00

The last two meetings between GS and UM have been decided by less than one point (.47)

Is this the best rivalry in the FAC-10?

Rakeville Times: A new era begins

2008-09-09T01:29:00.003-04:00

URake Sophomore JaMarcus Russell breaks a tackle during a late game drive, leading to a Grays touchdown and victory. In his first FAC-10 start, Russell supplied 180 yards and two touchdowns in the Rakeville win.

A new era begins
By Hernandez Firstname, Rakeville Times

A late game pass to Jerricho Cotchery sealed the deal, but Sophomore JaMarcus Russell led a revamped Rakeville University squad to their first win of the season over Weymouth.

“Russell looked good out there,” said Head Coach Drew Bledsoe in the postgame news conference. “He controlled the offense and didn’t make any mistakes to hurt the team early. Then, when we needed him to step up, JaM took us down the field for two big touchdown passes.”

Early in the game the Grays relied on their running game, with Sophomore Marshawn Lynch and Freshman Kevin Smith crossing the goal line on successive drives. Fellow sophomore Calvin Johnson was Russell’s main target on the day, making seven catches for 107 yards.

“They made it easy for me to make big plays,” said Russell. “The backs would hit them hard short, then Calvin would find a seam downfield and I’d just toss it to him. It’s like the Islanders were still in High School.”

Weymouth proved to be a good warmup as they head down to the University of Mexico next week to face the defending champion Wildcats.

Rakeville Times: Marino headlines URake's new look

2008-09-07T06:20:00.003-04:00

Marshawn Lynch takes a handoff from JaMarcus Russell during Grays training camp Wednesday. What are URake's chances this season now that assistant AD Dan Marino is on duty?

Marino headlines URake's new look
By Aviator McShadeless, Rakeville Times

It was a long summer for URake Athletic Director Mike Mizanin and Head Coach Drew Bledsoe. Between recruiting blue-chip freshmen Kevin Smith and Rashard Mendenhall, hiring a new Assistant Athletic Director Dan Marino and retooling the Grays coaching staff, Rakeville University’s brain trust has been busy.

The summer started with a slew of arrivals for Bledsoe’s undermanned coaching staff. After running the team practically by himself last year, he brought in fellow quarterback Scott Zolak to serve as offensive coordinator. The pair worked together to in the NFL and became fast friends and strategic brethren. Bledsoe also hired former Rakeville Rauks stars Isiah Sedberry and Stephan Hamm to head the defense and special teams respectively.

“With Zolak, I have a guy who understands me,” said Bledsoe. “He knows how I think, and what I want from this offense. He’s also a hell of a lot smarter than me, so he knows when things aren’t working he better find a way to fix it. With Sedberry, you have instant respect. This kids know who he is and all he’s accomplished. He brings an intensity that the players really respond to. It also helps that he’s still the biggest guy on the field.”

While Bledsoe was putting big names on the field, Mizanin was doing the same in the front office. In a shocking move, “The Miz” tagged Dan Marino to fill a recently vacated slot in the department. The former Senior Vice President of Football Operations for the Miami Dolphins, Marino was looking to get back into team management and away from the NFL.

“I was looking for a place where I could impact an organization rather than just be a figurehead,” said Marino. “This team and this school has a bright future. It was a place where they respected my experience and professional assessment, and where my celebrity could be used for more than money.”

Bledsoe, with Marino as a new weapon in his arsenal, hit the recruiting trail hard. With the top freshman in the national already signed, he put all his effort into signing Florida native Kevin Smith. The young running back committed to URake in early August, with fellow freshman Mendenhall signing a letter of intent a week later. While both will likely battle for playing time with sophomore Marshawn Lynch, neither seemed turned away by the excessive talent looming at the position.

“No other school can offer the opportunity that Rakeville University offers,” said Smith during training camp. “Here, I have a chance to be a legend. Many programs rely on transfers to get them to the national championship. Coach Bledsoe made it clear that this is our team. Our chance to be great. Rashard and I were drawn to that. Yeah, everyone wants to start. But when you have a school and a team that you trust and love, I’ll happily sit a few games if it means winning the conference.”

That goal may still be years away though. URake enters the season with more questions than answers. Who will be the team’s starting Quarterback? Last year’s starter Matt Leinart lost the job midseason. Yet, despite the lack of available arms, then-Freshman JaMarcus Russell didn’t take a snap. Now both are back with no indication of who is Bledsoe’s favorite.

Also plaguing the Grays is the receiving corps. Deion Branch, named captain last year, was stripped of the title this season after the flanker arrived to camp out-of-shape in the wake of knee surgery. The team’s other two returning receivers, Bernard Berrian and Jerichco Cotchery, were openly upset when Sophomore Calvin Johnson was given the title by Zolak. Now officials may be contemplating a transfer that will send the duo to another school in the conference.

And the biggest question of all, will Bledsoe push his team to win? There’s no denying that URake is still a few years away from being a perennial contender in the FAC-10. Many fans considered last year’s 4-7 performance a success. The Grays should improve this season with the players brought in and the returning underclassmen. Still, it ultimately comes down to Bledsoe and his vision. Will he hold back Mendenhall or Smith like he did Russell last year? Will he turn to walk-ons as soon as he did last season?

There is certainly an air of excitement in Rakeville. New staff and a revamped roster gives the Gray a fighting shot in the hotly contested conference.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 1)

2008-09-04T03:59:00.005-04:00

Everyone expected Darren McFadden to go to the expansion Islanders, but what kind of impact will the rookie running back have in Weymouth?

Goal Line Stand (Week 1)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

Darren McFadden was the most sought-after player this off-season, yet only 1 team really had a shot at him: the Weymouth Islanders, the sole expansion club amongst a plethora of established rosters in the FAC-10. The only way that Weymouth could capitalize on McFadden's skills was to surround itself with young talent.

And Athletic Director Nick Bruce did just that.

The Islanders capitalized on an abundance of youthful running backs, nabbing 21 year old Jonathan Stewart before any other team had a chance at him. Also added to the Weymouth 8-man off-season roster was WR Anthony Gonzalez, projected to reel in just over 80 receptions in 2008.

However, no receiver or running back core is valuable without a quarterback to lead it all. The Islanders nabbed young Aaron Rogers for the future, but also drafted wily veteran Brett Favre to lead them this year. Much has been speculated amongst Weymouth insiders, but most believe that the Favre-Rogers relationship is one of respect and understanding.

"I have no problem keeping this guy's seat warm for a while," said Favre. "As long as the little bastard doesn't touch my stuff."

SU @ TCT
New name, same dominating roster. Twin City Tech has some of the best players in the league, and will make sure they're in championship form in Week 1 against the 2007 FBCS champ Crazy Horses. TCT dominated the regular season in 2007, but fell short in the playoffs (stud QB Tom Brady and WR Randy Moss were nearly non-existent in the Semi-Final matchup with U-Mex).

The Red Raiders' offense is just too good, and should set a tone in the opening week against a weak SUCH defense.

BHU @ AAM
Athol spent most of the 2007 season with the #1 ranking in the FBCS, only to falter late in the season and ultimately lose in the first round of the playoffs. The new and improved Alchys are built for the future, trading up to draft RB Matt Forte with the #3 overall pick only to have him sit on the bench as the team's #3 back.

The future is bright in Athol, but the present is a bit gloomy. The King should roll along in this Week 1 rivalry match.

DUBA @ BU
Like Twin City Tech, Busch University hopes that a change in name will result in a change of standing. After a FBCS Championship appearance in their first season in the conference, the Lattes' future looks just as bright. Their core roster is returning, and should prove a force in the FAC-10 for years.

Likewise, Dublin has quite the long-term roster. Unfortunately, DUBA's short-term solution involves forcing the ball down RB Brian Westbrook's throat, and as everyone knows, one man cannot carry an entire team. The new and improved Busch U. in a blowout.

WEY @ RAK
The QB situation in Rakeville is very exciting, with two gunslingers on the roster that cannot complete a pass if their life depended on it. JaMarcus Russell spent his rookie campaign as a benchwarmer to whatever quarterback Head Coach Drew Bledsoe fancied at the time. This year, Russell should get most of the snaps, but long-term project Matt Leinart will play the part of Clipboard Holder.

With expansion Weymouth looking to 2009 and beyond, don't expect much of a battle between these two rosters. If Rakeville and Weymouth don't get the two least points scored this week, it'll be a huge surprise.

GS @ UM
When the Mexico Wildcats are presented their 2007 FAC-10 rings, it'll be in front of 62,000 screaming fans, as well as a Gillespie State team that has slowly turned into its rival. The Black Diamonds have finished 3rd in 2 of the last 3 seasons, and its most in thanks to A.D. Brian Gillespie. Gillespie has built one of the best rosters in the league.... just not in the post-season.

Mexico has a huge target on their backs. The 2-time FBCS champions are poised to be knocked off their pedestal, with an aging receiving core and a revolving Quarterback door that is never safe. The Wildcats have yet to keep their end-of-the-season staring QB on their off-season roster, which puts added pressure on this year's slinger, Donovan McNabb. Regardless, Mexico will defend their title in Week 1's biggest blowout.

GU @ UAK
Arizona-Kickery had an atrocious season in 2007, and it's an amazement that the team stuck around for a third year. After finishing 2nd in 2006, A.D. Pat Renaud had high hopes for the Kickers, but the team was knocked out of the playoff race very early and decided to pack up shop before anyone remembered they were still in the league.

For this reason, as well as Golden's strong draft (according to EhSPN.com, the Gryphons had the most productive draft of all 12 teams), Kickery has quite the difficult start to their rebound season. RBs Stephen Jackson and Larry Johnson should put up a combined 300 yards, regardless of who is under center.

Power Rankings
1. Mexico ( - )
2. Twin City Tech ( - )
3. Golden ( - )
4. Busch ( - )
5. Athol A&M ( - )
6. Gillespie State ( - )
7. Stardust ( - )
8. Dublin ( - )
9. Bud Heady ( - )
10. Arizona-Kickery ( - )
11. Rakeville ( - )
12. Weymouth ( - )

League Notes
- Aaron Rogers was thrilled to see that his team's Week 1 matchup with Rakeville was on the road, rather than the water-dominated locale of Weymouth. "I've been so busy with training camp," said the Islander QB, "I haven't had time to buy a boat."

- In response to their Keg Bowl loss to Mexico, Anheuser-Busch University decided to shorten their school's official name. According to school officials, student fans are more excited to talk just about Busch.

- Lawrence Maroney had quite the successful off-season, winning on EhBC's "Dancing With Random Fantasy Athletes." Arizona-Kickery A.D. Pat Renaud cut the young RB when he found out about the show, stating that "knickers and Brittany Spears music have nothing to do with winning football games."

"If you're not first...you're last"

2008-09-02T21:46:00.006-04:00

Welcome folks to the 2008 season preview of the Busch University Latte's. The Latte's are geared up and ready to go after an offseason filled with turmoil and disappointment. Most people would consider a trip to the Conference Championship Keg Bowl a successful freshman season for the previously named Anheuser-Busch University. Not so much if you are one of the richest men in the entire world, former owner August A. Busch.

AB University came out firing during their rookie season, starting off with an impressive 6-2 record. However, AB managed to sneak into the playoffs and make it all the way to the promised land, only to disappoint every Budweiser fan in America.

Seconds after the championship was lost, AB University took a sharp left turn onto the long bumpy road that was its offseason. Auggie Busch immediately threw his 24 oz. can of Budweiser Chelada, causing fans around the spilled beer to immediately vomit at the thought of actually having a sip of what can only be described as "the worst idea Budweiser has ever came up with." Auggie screamed "I WANT PERFECTION. THIS IS HORSESHIT. IF YOU'RE NOT FIRST...YOU'RE LAST!" Two weeks later, President of the school and ex-Patriot great Ty Law opened a letter from August A. Busch & Co. revoking all funding of the program and even taking his company's name off of the school itself. GM Dave Celli did the only thing he knew how to do, visit the most famous fanclub that every college student should be a part of...The Busch Light Fan Club. The fan club jumped all over the chance to fund a collegiate football team, with the funds coming from every recycled Busch Light bottle and can in America (and we all know that can amount to A LOT of money). The fan club determined the new nickname of the school to be the Busch University Latte's, sticking it to the former owner.

As for the 2008 season, the Latte's look to be in great shape as many of their young stars are back for their sophomore season. The team has a young core of receivers led by new Captain Braylon Edwards. Dwayne Bowe looks to have a great season (if Brodie "I'm not sure I was cut out for the NFL" Croyle can get him the ball) and Brandon Marshall will look to repeat his impressive rookie season, assuming he stays out of jail. Rookie sensation Adrian Peterson looks to have another great season being the only RB on BU that can actually gain more than 3 yards a carry. And just like an old arcade game being plugged into the wall for the first time in three years, Pacman Jones looks to chomp his way into the starting D and replace the famous former captain Mike Vrabel, that was so ashamed of losing and even more so about having a team named after one of the cheapest beers around left the team for greener pastures...or so he thinks. If Derek Anderson can take some advil and get on the field, or former starter Jay Cutler can get over his cookie addiction...this team might just see two championship games in two years.

Athol A&M 2008 Preview: Alcky's Ready For A Fight?

2008-08-25T00:05:00.004-04:00

With the students congregating back onto the beautiful campus of Athol A&M, the excitement for another FAC-10 season has this small Quabbin town buzzing. With two-a-days a distant memory, and final roster cuts due in less than a week, the preparation for the Alcky’s has reached its final stretch. Before we know it the boys in black and red will be lining up to knock the enemies heads off, just for wearing the wrong school colors. As pre-season winds down though, Athol finds themselves with more questions than answers. Exactly who will be on the field come September 4th? A slew of in-fighting and injuries has clouded camp all summer long.

Coming off a roller coaster type season that saw Athol A&M jump out to a league-best 6-0 start, only to have their character tested as they would drop their next three contests, the team made the decision to switch starting QB’s and rode the ageless Brett Favre to two consecutive wins to finish up the regular season. Finishing the season at 8-3, coming off a last place finish in 2007, would normally be thought of as a very successful season. Unfortunately, early success was this teams downfall. From 6-0 to losing their hold on the FBCS poll, the Alcky’s found themselves getting blown out by Golden U. in the lowly Miller High Life Beer Bowl; from there come the locker room crumble and finger pointing.

"Me and Carson, I mean, we're fighting and bickering a lot and he's pissing me off," Chad Johnson said following a practice at BeerFridge Field last week. "But other than that, you know, it's cool. Carson and I are going to fight. I'm just telling you now. We're going to frustrate each other, and I'm going to hit him in his knee - the bad one…” This has got to be a nightmare for Alcky’s fans, and a disaster for the teams coaching staff. It was found today that Palmer showed up at the team headquarters sporting a broken nose. As of now no details have been given on where it came from, but it’s clear that it did not come on the playing field. With Favre transferring to Weymouth this season, Athol is looking for Palmer to lead the way. With Palmer and Ocho Cinco donning the Captain jerseys for this team, things could get even uglier than a Twin City Homecoming Queen for this team. Don’t be surprised if Johnson is hung out to dry on a few balls over the middle this season. In addition to Johnson’s bitching, Anquan Boldin has threatened a walkout if Athol’s Athletic Director isn’t able to manipulate a grade from Boldin’s “Cartoons of the 90’s” class from last semester.

On top of Johnson’s yapping (and possible right hook), he’s also banged up, this one actually coming on the field of play. As of right now, the Alcky’s locker room looks more like an infirmary then a college Field House. On top of Johnson’s bum shoulder and Palmer’s broken nose, there is grave concern for Willis McGahee’s reconstructed left knee, Jamal Lewis’s hamstring (and the cocaine deals he continues to set up for the local River Rat participants). Even non-athlete Jason Hanson is questionable for the season opener after a towel-snap gone bad has left him with a damaged ‘upper thigh area’. As if it couldn’t get worse, the calling card of the 07-08 Alcky’s is suspect going into the year. Defensive Captain Michael Strahan ran out of eligibility as has moved on to greener pastures, and now Osi Umenyiora is out for the year. That is 22 of the teams 53 sacks from last year; leaving a lot to be accounted for.

Some people believe turmoil builds character. I’d truly like to believe that, but with this team I feel as though this much turmoil could end up with failure, expulsions, jail, or maybe even murder. The Alcky’s have set themselves up to be a ticking time bomb every single Sunday, and if nothing else, should provide for must-see TV, and great ratings. With a difficult schedule and more drama than a Twin City Tech whorehou… err sorority house; my final prediction is for the Alcky’s to finish this season at 6-7. Truly a disgrace for what was an up and coming program.

Preseason QB controversy brewing in Weymouth?

2008-08-24T15:56:00.004-04:00

On some days, fantasy sports parallels reality.

Today is one of those days.

FAC-10 expansion school, Weymouth, headed by newcomer Nick Bruce has put his team at the front of conference discussions after the draft. With Aaron Rodgers slated as the opening day starter, The Islanders made waves with their last pick of the draft. That pick - Brett Favre. Obviously, these two couldn't produce on the same team in reality for the Pack attack, but now we have the two battling for playing time out in Weymouth.

With the running back position pretty stable with Darren McFadden (and his 11 illegitimate children), Laurence Maroney and rookie Jonathan Stewart. One way or another, these guys will find a spot in the rotation.

The WR position is a bit of a question mark, with some young unproven talent flanking outside (on a side note: I can't help but applaud the great pickup in Anthony Gonzalez. He could turn out to be outstanding with all those weapons in Indy).

The rest of the roster is made up young guys who should produce with time. That's what makes the Brett Favre pickup such a mystery. Most of the schools are under the assumption that this is "Mr. Rodgers' Neighborhood", but now we're questioning if Brett isn't a quick fix - hired gun... What we do know is that Aaron is definitely looking over his shoulder.

Primetime's prediction: Weymouth finishes 4-9, playing the matchups with Rodgers and Favre. The QB controversy divides the locker room, and one of McFadden's kids has an exclusive interview with EHSPN demanding a trade on behalf of his 'pops'.

(he better not run the 4.33 from his child support payments)

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Championship Week)

2007-12-18T15:32:00.000-05:00

RB Aaron Stecker was signed specifically for their semi-final matchup with Fitchburg Tech, and the 32 year old came through in Mexico's 92-65 win over the Red Raiders. Can the Wildcats' running game continue their dominance and get them their 2nd championship in 3 years?

Goal Line Stand (Championship Week)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

Welcome to the most wonderful time of the year: The trees are lit, the snow is falling, and the two best teams in the FAC-10 are playing for the conference championship... or not.

Mexico versus Anheuser-Busch is the greatest example of the beauty of what the FBCS has become: a perfectly flawed method in determining the best team in the conference. What other league would give the 5th and 6th best teams a chance at the championship? As I said last week, the FBCS is not an exact science, but its a lot more fun.

Unfortunately, I also said last week that we'd be seeing Fitchburg Tech and Gillespie State playing. Instead, Red Raider QB Tom Brady decided not to show up against Mexico, as did the entire Gillespie State offense against Anheuser-Busch. That led to one of the most unpredictable conference championships in FAC-10 history:

Quarterback
36 years old against 24? You may think it's one sided, but if there's one 36 year old you want under center, its Kurt Warner (UM). Warner is averaging 16 PPG in the post-season, and has no intention of slowing down. Derek Anderson (AB) started the season on fire, but has slowed down in the playoffs averaging just 7.5 PPG. Anderson really needs to step up and prove he, and his team, are not a fluke, but Warner is just too hot right now.
Advantage: Mexico

Running Back
It takes two to make up the backfield, but both teams are cursed with one star and one scrub. LaDanian Tomlinson (UM) is a perrenial pro bowler, and can be expected to throw down 100 yards and a touchdown every week. Like Anderson, Adrian Peterson (AB) was one of the top backs in the league most of the season, but an injury has made him drop greatly in points the past few weeks. Backups Willie Parker (UM) and Ron Dayne (AB) are hit or miss each week. If it were a one-back league, Mexico would win, but Dayne's touchdown potential boosts AB's chances quite a bit.
Advantage: Push

Wide Receiver
Anheuser-Busch has the 3rd best receiver in the conference in Braylon Edwards. Again, like most of his team, he's tailed off in the past few weeks but is due for a breakout game. Unfortunately for them, Mexico has three of the top ten receivers, and all are putting up pro bowl numbers each and every week. Joey Galloway (AB) and Brandon Marshall (AB) have 6 touchdowns each, not enough to keep up with The Greatest Show On Mexican Dirt.
Advantage: Mexico

Tight End
AB Tight End Jeremy Shockey went down for the season in their semi-final game against Gillespie State. Whether it was out of spite, or they really thought he was the best guy available, the team signed Tony Scheffler (AB). Scheffler spent 2 weeks in the Mexico starting lineup, scoring a combined 2.5 points. The weak output led to the Wildcats' trading for superstar Jason Witten (UM), who has been unstoppable in the playoffs. 17 points in 2 playoff games has been a nice boost at a traditionally low-scoring position.
Advantage: Mexico

Kicker
Mexico has had a kicker-by-committee for the past 4 weeks, dropping long-time foot Adam Vinatieri. This week, it's veteran Ryan Longwell (UM), who should nail plenty of extra points for the high-scoring Wildcats. Jason Hanson (AB) is anything but automatic, but loves the long ones more than anybody else in the league. He's 9-11 from beyond 40 yards, and 3-4 past 50.
Advantage: Anheuser-Busch

Defense
London-Fletcher (UM) has been the most consistent defensive player in the league; 2nd in points, 2nd in solo tackles, yet failing to make the pro bowl. Mike Vrabel (AB) IS a pro bowler, mainly because of his explosiveness and versatility, not to mention his ability to score offensive touchdowns when they get down on the goal line. The chance to get 6, no matter how slim it may be, really helps AB.
Advantage: Anheuser-Busch

Therefore, Mexico has already won the championship, and we can put their name on the plaque today, right? Wrong. The lower seed is 4-4 in these playoffs, outscoring their "better" opponents by an average of 26 points. So whatever predictions you plan on making, throw them out the window, and enjoy the championship game of one of the craziest FAC-10 post-seasons ever.

Heineken Keg Bowl (Finals)
(5) Mexico 98, (6) Anheuser-Busch 73

Labatt Blue Hula Bowl (Consolation)
(1) Fitchburg Tech 110, (2) Gillespie State 64

League Notes
- Former Wildcat TE Tony Scheffler was signed by Anheuser-Busch for the championship game this weekend. Scheffler, thinking he'd been signed by his old team, showed up to the wrong practice on Wednesday, wearing his old Mexico uniform.

- For the first time in 3 years, Golden won their post-season bowl game, beating Athol 90-60 in the Miller High Life Beer Bowl. Fans from Coors-loyal Golden stormed the field, but immediately returned to the stands when they were given free Miller High Lifes.

- Gillespie State has quite the quarterback controversy for their Labatt Blue Hula Bowl matchup with Fitchburg Tech. Battling for the starting spot are 37 year old Jeff Garcia, 35 year old Jon Kitna, and 35 year old Rakeville Head Coach Drew Bledsoe.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Semi-Finals)

2007-12-12T14:50:00.000-05:00

Reggie Wayne watches from sideline as Mexico's offense runs out the clock late in the 4th quarter. Wayne and the rest of Golden's offense put up a solid 88 points, but their defense could not contain the Wildcats. The Gryphons still earned a spot in the Miller High Life Beer Bowl, but will players have any motivation against Athol A&M?

Goal Line Stand (Semi-Finals)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

The FBCS is not an exact science, but it gives every worthy team a chance at the championship. Sometimes, the best team doesn't always win, but if that were the case, games would be played on paper, rather than on the field.

In the first round, Golden and Athol ran into two underdogs that refused to lose. Golden had to deal with Mexico, who hadn't scored under 70 points since Week 3. The Gryphons ability to score points ended up being their downfall, however, as Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne destroyed the defense early. By the 3rd quarter, both players hit the bench, and Mexico took advantage. Mexico's LaDanian Tomlinson and Chester Taylor ran up and down the field, and by the time Manning returned, it was too late. The Wildcats had bought their ticket to the next round.

The Athol A&M and Anheuser-Busch game was the exact opposite. As have been all of the Alckys' games this season, a low-scoring, defensive struggle was the theme. AB's Derek Anderson had tunnel vision for Brandon Marshall, while Athol's Jamal Lewis plugged away on the ground. In the end, the Alckys' offense just couldn't keep up, and now find themselves in a consolation bowl game that nobody wants to be part of.

So we're left with four teams: Two have had plenty of time to think about these matchups, and two just came off hard-fought wins and are ready for more. Gillespie State has had the most interesting lineups all year, the most surprising this week as they chose a backfield of Selvin Young and Travis Henry. "It's bullshit," said former starter Maurice Jones-Drew. "One guy has been caught using steroids, the other is 12 years old." Clearly, there's Tension in the Black Diamonds' locker room.

Meanwhile, everything is cheerful in Anheuser-Busch. Their defense held A&M to 45 points, and look to do the same this weekend. RB Adrian Peterson is healthy, and the wide receiver core is finally putting up playoff-worthy numbers. Don't expect much defense from either team, however, as both squads can score at will.

On the other side of the bracket, Mexico has been itching for another shot at #1 Fitchburg Tech. Back in Week 6, the Wildcats' passing game was outstanding, with QB Ben Roethlisberger all 3 receivers scoring at least 10 points, including a 20 point explosion from Marques Colston. Unfortunately, their running game was ineffective, and the Red Raiders won 97-87.

This time around, things could be different. The forecast in Fitchburg is 25 degrees, snow, 30mph winds, and 5-10 inches of snow. The Red Raiders' unstoppable passing game just might be put on the sidelines, but with Joseph Addai and Clinton Portis in the backfield, they'll be just fine. Mexico counters with RBs LaDanian Tomlinson and Aaron Stecker, so don't expect the weather to stop these two teams from putting up huge point totals.

Golden is in Athol for the Miller High Life Beer Bowl, but don't expect either team to show up mentally. Both teams were hot and both teams were upset by lower seeds, but nobody said fantasy football was fair.

And yes its true, the FBCS is not an exact science... but it's a lot more fun.

Semi-Finals
(1) Fitchburg Tech 105, (5) Mexico 96
(2) Gillespie State 92, (6) Anheuser-Busch 84

Miller High Life Beer Bowl
(4) Golden 82, (3) Athol A&M 78

League Notes
- Jon Kitna's refusal to participate in practice during Gillespie State's off week may have cost him his job. Instead, 37 year old Jeff Garcia will start under center, proving that one old quarterback is just as good as the next.

- Fitchburg Tech scrimmaged local Mount Wachusett Community College during their bye week. Fans stormed the field and celebrated after the unprecedented 144 point output, until they were told the game did not count.

- Golden University and Athol A&M players were given 10 tickets each for the Miller High Life Beer Bowl. The seats have only been fetching $2 a piece on eBay.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Playoffs)

2007-12-04T23:37:00.000-05:00

Facing a possible 6th seed, RB Willis McGahee helped the Alckys overcome an 11-point deficit on Monday night and keep them in 3rd place. Can McGahee help continue his team's recent success throughout the playoffs, and bring a national championship to Athol?

Goal Line Stand (Playoffs)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

How can a team average 63 points per game and still finish 3rd in an offense-heavy conference like the FAC-10? The answer may surprise you.

Athol A&M entered the 2007 season with minimal expectations, having gone 6-6 the previous year. QB Carson Palmer was underachieving, WR Randy Moss wouldn't shut up, and RB Willis McGahee couldn't stay healthy. The future did not look too bright for the Alckys, and Athletic Director Dave Grubb had had enough.

Moss was traded for a 2nd round pick to Fitchburg, in hopes of cleaning up the locker room. The coaching staff sat down with Palmer the day before training camp, telling him what they expected of their leader and their captain. McGahee showed up in preseason in the best shape of his life. All the pieces were coming together.

An opening day matchup at home against expansion Rakeville proved easier than expected, but was still a struggle. In fact, every week turned out to be a dogfight, with 4 of their first 5 wins coming by 7 points or fewer. 6-0 was a great start, but that was followed by 3 straight losses. Analysts were calling the Alckys' record a product of the schedule.

But champions aren't the best team throughout the year, they're the best team at the end of the season. Athol is the team to beat, getting wins against two fellow playoff teams in the final two weeks of the season. Can the Alckys take home the title, or will one of the other bowl contenders step up their game when it matters most...

...Anheuser-Busch was the hottest team from week 4-8, but all that came crashing to a halt when RB Adrian Peterson went down with a knee injury. 3 losses to finish the season ruined AB's dream season, but their high powered offense earned them the 6th seed. Even with a healthy Peterson, don't expect much from the struggling AB.

...Mexico has the most consistent offense in the league, scoring at least 70 points in 9 out of 11 games. However, their lack of explosion has hurt them in certain situations, such as their 120-92 loss to AB in Week 4. The Wildcats have only broken 90 twice (the other a 96-48 beatdown of Athol A&M in Week 7). Mexico lets the other team beat itself, rather than doing it on their own, and that's not how you win a championship.

...Golden has relied on their defense to carry them through most of the season. Having only broken 70 points in 4 games this year, they'll need to step up their scoring if they hope to make any sort of noise. Injuries have hurt them the most, with running backs Larry Johnson and Steven Jackson missing most of the season, and now WR Roy Williams inactive for the rest of the year. Newly-acquired Peyton Manning might be able to carry this team, but without a balanced offense, it'll be tough for the Gryphons to keep up with the rest of the post-season teams.

...Gillespie State is struggling at the wrong time. They started the season 8-1, spending a brief moment in the #1 spot, but have lost their last two by a combined 9 points. State has too many wide receivers for only a few starting spots, and no real quarterback to throw to them. Neither Jeff Garcia nor Jon Kitna are conference champion quarterbacks, even if they have the best tight end in the league to pass to. If their final game of the season against Athol A&M (Lost 64-62) is any indication, don't expect much from the Black Diamonds.

...Fitchburg Tech has been the most inconsistent team in the league, despite going 9-2 and finishing with the highest-scoring offense by 150 points. The Red Raiders put up 124 points on Dublin in Week 2, then followed it up with 63 in a loss to Golden. Their other loss came after scoring 104 against Kickery, only to lose to Anheuser-Busch due to a meager 47 points. They averaged 63 points in the final two weeks of the season, both wins, but that is not going to win them a championship. Someone is going to sneak up on this juggernaut, and they won't see it coming until they're on their way home for the off-season.

So don't be surprised when that 63 PPG squad finds a way to win every game during the playoffs, and Athol A&M's name is engraved on the conference championship plaque. The answer to why that low-scoring team will bounce everybody else out of the playoffs is quite simple...

Destiny.

Round 1
(3) Athol A&M 70, (6) Anheuser-Busch 68
(5) Mexico 88, (4) Golden 62

Final Regular Season Power Rankings
1. Fitchburg Tech (+1)
2. Athol A&M (+1)
3. Golden (+2)
4. Dublin (+2)
5. Mexico (-3)
6. Gillespie State (-2)
7. Arizona-Kickery ( - )
8. Stardust (+2)
9. Anheuser-Busch (-1)
10. Bud Heavy (+1)
11. Rakeville (-1)

League Notes
- QB JaMarcus Russell's FAC-10 debut for Rakeville started off well, but ended quite abruptly. The rookie was 4-7 for 56 yards against Fitchburg Tech, but was pulled in the 2nd quarter after asking for opposing QB Tom Brady's autograph.

- Dublin did all it could to make the playoffs, but a Golden University win ended the Octoberfests' Cinderella season. Head Coach Brad Bodell was unavailable for comment, drowning his sorrows in a glass of Guinness.

- Gillespie State players, after a tough loss to Athol A&M, will still practice during their first round bye. QB Jon Kitna has refused to attend the mandatory practices saying, "This is NOT a 10-win team."

Rakeville Times: Gray days for URake

2007-11-30T22:58:00.000-05:00

Marshawn Lynch has only thrown one pass this season, but it went for a touchdown. Bledsoe never had him throw again. If he had, would Rakeville be in the playoffs?

Gray Days for URake
By Aviator McShadeless, Rakeville Times

Last week’s loss to last place Arizona not only bounced Rakeville University from the bowl picture, but it also ended the Grays consecutive sellout streak at the Claffey Coliseum.

“I think the novelty has worn off,” said fan Tom Medios. “Students and alumni were just excited to have a national level football team here, but it became pretty clear that they were well out of the bowl hunt. A game against the last place team wasn’t much of a draw.”

URake can rely on injuries as an excuse, but even with their full compliment of players, it is unlikely the Grays would be a top-ranked team.

“We can’t stop offenses, we can’t run the ball. We can’t win games until we are a total team,” said Drew Bledsoe after the week 10 beating. When ask later about the players he will rely on next season, the head coach droned mournfully, “I don’t know who will be back next season. I can’t tell you who is going to start. I’m just looking to next week, then a whole bunch of fishing trips soon after.”

While fishing seems to be on the agenda, URake’s scouting department has been going full steam over the season, looking for recruits for next season. Athletic Director Mike Mizanin has funneled a lot of money into recruitment, not just for football, but for all of URake teams. The gridiron Grays look to benefit the most though.

“We think we’ll be able to sign a top five recruit this offseason,” said Mizanin.

Here in 2007, that is all they have to look forward to.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 11)

2007-11-27T14:09:00.000-05:00

With the rain pouring down and the field a complete disaster, Golden's Jeff Reed nailed a 24-yard game winning field goal against Stardust University. The kick eliminated three teams from playoff contention, including the defending champion Crazy Horses, in a finish that is sure to go down as the greatest in FAC-10 history.

Goal Line Stand (Week 11)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

"Clutch" is a difficult label to be celebrated. If a quarterback goes 29-30 for 450 yards and 4 touchdowns but throws an interception in overtime, he's given the blame. However, if another goes 5-30 and his only touchdown caps a game-winning drive with 20 seconds left, he's considered a hero?

It's not exactly fair, but neither is being forced to play on a poorly kept field with 2 weeks remaining in the season and your playoff life on the line. That is what Golden University was given in their Week 10 matchup against Stardust. Las Vegas had gotten rain the entire week, and the field was far from perfect. A win by Stardust would put both teams at 5-5 going into the final week, with just 1 playoff spot available.

Golden, trailing by 2.93 points, marched down the field with 3:45 left in the 4th quarter. Gryphons kicker Jeff Reed had already missed an easy field goal earlier in the game, so the offense took no chances as they got as close as they could. Reed's "clutch" kick not only destroyed Stardust's chances at the playoffs this year, but Bud Heavy and Rakeville's as well.

And so we are left with 7 teams for 6 post-season spots. Barring a 200-point output by Athol, Fitchburg Tech and Gillespie State have locked up the 2 byes. Let's take a look at the rest of the seedings:

(3) Athol A&M
The Alckys hung on by a thread down the stretch, loosing 3 in a row after starting the season 6-0 but winning last week against Anheuser-Busch. The victory clinched a playoff spot for themselves, but they still have a lot of work to do. Their final game is against Gillespie State, and the Black Diamonds would like nothing more than to enter the playoffs with a win. 187 points over the past two games has Athol thinking upset, keeping them in 3rd. A loss could drop them all the way to 6th place.
Predicted finish: 7-4, 6th seed

(4) University of Mexico
The bye week came at a perfect time for the Wildcats, as it allowed the four teams above them to beat the hell out of each other. Although they have not officially clinched a playoff spot yet, their offense is the 2nd best in the conference, which is an excellent tiebreaker for Mexico to have at this point. A win combined with an Athol loss will give them the #3 seed. They face DUBA, who struggled against Bud Heavy (11th rated offense in the league) last week.
Predicted finish: 7-4, 3rd seed

(5) Anheuser-Busch University
It's difficult for a single player to carry a team, but that's exactly what RB Adrian Peterson has been doing all season for AB. A knee injury has held the rookie out the past two weeks, and two losses proves their need for a solid running game. Peterson is back this week against Stardust, who is still recovering from their last-second defeat at the foot of Jeff Reed and Golden U. Momentum is in short supply for both teams, but look for Peterson to step up his game and come through in the clutch.
Predicted finish: 7-4, 4th seed

(6) Golden University
If momentum is anywhere, its in Colorado this week. Even luckier for the Gryphons is that Bud Heavy is in town for the final week of the season. The King has been unable to score points, failing to reach 50 for the past five weeks. Golden has won 4 out of 5 to give themselves this chance, and there's no way they're going to let it slip away at the hands of the worst offense in the league.
Predicted finish: 7-4, 5th seed

(7) Dublin University of Brewery Arts
Unlike Fitchburg Tech in Week 6, DUBA coaches made the decision to bench WR Hines Ward on Monday night with their game already won. Unfortunately, it may come back to haunt them as the tiebreaker to get into the playoffs is total points, and Dublin is far from safe in that department. If the Octoberfests can steal a win in Mexico, they'll need a loss from Golden to have any realistic chance at the post-season. If Golden loses and still manages to outscore DUBA by 8 points, it'll be a cold winter in Dublin.
Predicted finish: 5-6, 7th place

Week 10 Matchups
(1) Fitchburg State over (9) Rakeville
(2) Gillespie State over (3) Athol A&M
(4) Mexico over (7) Dublin
(5) Anheuser-Busch over (8) Stardust
(6) Golden over (10) Bud Heavy
(11) Arizona-Kickery over Bye

Power Rankings
1. Fitchburg Tech (+1)
2. Mexico (+1)
3. Athol A&M (+4)
4. Gillespie State (-3)
5. Golden ( - )
6. Dublin (-2)
7. Arizona-Kickery (+3)
8. Anheuser-Busch (-2)
9. Rakeville (-1)
10. Stardust (-1)
11. Bud Heavy ( - )

League Notes
- After dropping out of Rakeville University over a month ago, QB Matt Leinart was accepted to Arizona-Kickery this week. AZK became his top choice for 2008 after a solid promotion of the school's dance program.

- The quarterback controversy in Athol has students split right down the middle. Carson Palmer supporters have started a "CP = TD" campaign, while Brett Favre fans have been riding around campus in wheelchairs.

- Golden's victory over Stardust eliminated youth-minded Rakeville from the playoffs. When asked to comment, Head Coach Drew Bledsoe said, "Whew, that was a close one."

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 10)

2007-11-21T02:56:00.000-05:00

Gillespie State has plenty to be thankful for, nothing more special than superstar WR Terrell Owens. Two years ago, the team tried to trade him out of town, but nobody was biting. Now, comfortably sitting atop the FBCS, the Black Diamonds couldn't imagine life without #81.

Goal Line Stand (Week 10)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

It's November, a time to give thanks for all that we have in our lives. For the 11 teams of the FAC-10, there is plenty to be thankful for:

- Arizona-Kickery hasn't had the best of times this season, but they should be very thankful that their lack of success will be rewarded when the 2008 draft comes around. Plenty of options should be available to them at the top of the draft board, including a freshman class full of quality running backs.

- Sure, everybody loves a win, but nobody is more thankful for one than Bud Heavy University. After 4 straight losses, The King was finally given a bye week, which ensured them a chance at making the playoffs. Sure, it's not the BEST chance, but its that glimmer of hope that will keep Bud Heavy competitive for the next two weeks.

- It's quite possible that a team's chemistry can be destroyed having a new passer each week, but Rakeville has barely survived with their quarterback-by-committee. The Grays are truly thankful for a rule in the FAC-10 that allows them to sign and release players whenever they wish, which has been beneficial with future star QB Matt Leinart out for the year. Rakeville will be even more thankful if their quarterback (whoever it is this week) can sneak them into the playoffs.

- Who loves legalized gambling more than sports stars? Thanks to their comfortable home in Las Vegas, Stardust University has been a favorite of big-time free agents and trade chips. Marvin Harrison, LenDale White, Ben Roethlisberger, and most recently Ricky Williams have all chosen the SUCH over other destinations. Being the league's favorite city is something to truly be thankful for.

- There hasn't been much for the Dublin University of Brewery Arts to be thankful for this season, as they sit in 7th place at 4-5. However, thanks to the golden arm of QB Tony Romo, they've scored over 80 points in their last four games, going 3-1 and building the 5th ranked offense in the league. If Romo and company can continue their recent hot streak, they should sneak into the postseason and use their momentum at a run for the championship.

- In the first two years of the FAC-10's existence, there were never any in-season trades. This year, with a whopping 3 trades prior to the deadline, it was no surprise when Golden took advantage and upgraded at 2 important positions. The Gryphons snagged QB Peyton Manning and WR Roy Williams, while sacrificing very little. Golden is more than thankful for a league in which teams are not afraid of change, and ones that give him a top-3 quarterback and a top-20 wide receiver.

- Nothing looks better to a team fighting for playoff position than watching the four teams above them all playing each other while they sit comfortably in a bye week. Mexico is more than thankful for Week 10, which guarantees them at least 4th place by Tuesday. If the Wildcats can take care of Dublin to finish off the season, they just might be thankful for a 1st round playoff bye as well.

- It may not be as obvious, but Athol A&M is truly thankful for the easiest schedule in the league from Week 1 through 6. For the first time in three years, the Alckys were playing with confidence, and their record reflected their effort. Since then, they've gone 0-3, but the fast start has winning on their minds, and should help them into the playoffs.

- How can you not be thankful for the top rookie of the year candidate? Anheuser-Busch has been riding the coat tails of RB Adrian Peterson all season. Even with the 22 year old sitting out with a knee injury, AB can still give thanks for the position their top draft pick has put them in.

- Fitchburg Tech is thankful for its players, in which all 7 of its skill players fall within the top 50 rated in the league. Everyone knows what QB Tom Brady (1st) and WR Randy Moss (2nd) have done, but its the supporting cast of RBs Joseph Addai (9) and Clinton Portis (21), WRs Plaxico Burress (35) and Santonio Holmes (38), and TE Tony Gonzalez (42) that have solidified Tech as the best offense in the league.

- For the first time in years, there is major parity within the league. Ten out of Eleven teams have 4 wins or more, and all ten have a shot at the playoffs with just 2 weeks left in the season. Gillespie State is thankful for the parity, for while everyone else is beating each other up, the Black Diamonds just keep winning. With a win this weekend against #2 Fitchburg Tech, they can clinch their 2nd regular season title in 3 years.

Week 10 Matchups
(1) Gillespie State over (2) Fitchburg Tech
(4) Athol A&M over (3) Anheuser-Busch
(6) Golden over (8) Stardust
(10) Bud Heavy over (7) Dublin
(11) Arizona-Kickery over (9) Rakeville
(5) Mexico over Bye

Power Rankings
1. Gillespie State ( - )
2. Fitchburg Tech (+1)
3. Mexico (+1)
4. Dublin (+1)
5. Golden (+2)
6. Anheuser-Busch (-4)
7. Athol A&M (+1)
8. Rakeville (-2)
9. Stardust ( - )
10. Arizona-Kickery ( - )
11. Bud Heavy ( - )

League Notes
- Stardust University signed free agent RB Ricky Williams this week. Williams had offers from Athol and Golden, but chose Las Vegas because it's easier to get drugs there.

- Thanks to a 3 team trade deadline deal, Peyton and Eli Manning will both be playing for the Golden Gryphons. Parents Archie and Olivia are relieved they will no longer need to make excuses about skipping Eli's games.

- Arizona-Kickery's loss this past weekend mathematically eliminated them from the playoffs. WR Marvin Harrison, who was traded to Stardust prior to the game, hasn't stopped smiling.

Rakeville Times: Intramural Intrigue

2007-11-18T12:02:00.000-05:00

JaMarcus Russell shows teammates a trick he learned during practice. When will Bledsoe give the promising quarterback a chance to start?

Intramural Intrigue
By Aviator McShadelss

Drew Bledsoe has had many surprises in Rakeville University’s inaugural season. An injury to their starting running back Cadillac Williams opened a slot for breakout freshman Marshawn Lynch. Touted Sophomore passer Matt Leinart broke his collarbone early in the season, and since then URake has gone through six replacement while stud freshman JaMarcus Russell sits on the end of the Grays bench.

Now, with only three games left in the season, URake’s chance at a bowl game is fading fast.

“Every team has had injuries,” said Bledsoe. “We can’t make excuses for our poor play. I’m not looking to win a National Championship this year, but I am looking at these players and making sure they develop.”

Some critics argue that the best way to develop a player is to play him, and Russell has yet to take a snap for the Grays.

“JaMarcus isn’t ready to play yet,” he said of the red-shirted quarterback. “He has a lot of physical tools, but hasn’t shown he has the mental ability to perform at the college level. I’m not saying we won’t play this season, but I don’t envision a situation where he will excel over the intramural quarterbacks we have been pulling from the student body.”

Bledsoe’s hatred for Russell has not gone unnoticed. While teammates won’t speak out, there are quiet murmurings that the head coach is biased against JaMarcus.

“Bledsoe has been really screwy all year regarding his quarterbacks,” said Rex Mashson, an analyst with WRAK. “He kept bringing in backups mid-game when Leinart was starting, and has only played crappy walk-on passers since the injury. How can you tell me Sage Rosenfels, a chemistry major, is a better quarterback than Russell, a basket weaving major?”

David Garrard starts for the Grays this week in a matchup against the University of Mexico. Both teams are 4-4.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 9)

2007-11-16T11:47:00.000-05:00

Adrian Peterson has turned expansion Anheuser-Busch into a serious championship contender. However, an injured knee will keep the 21 year old out this week against Golden. Can AB be competitive without their record-setting rookie?

Goal Line Stand (Week 9)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

With just three weeks remaining in the regular season, all 11 teams still have a chance at making the playoffs. And once the playoffs start, like the annoying motto goes, "Anything can happen."

In order to make sure your team isn't on the outside looking in, there are 5 important aspects to follow when molding your championship contender:

1. Running Back
Backs are the easiest position to predict success. Even the best in the league won't rush for 1000 yards if their offensive line is terrible, but for the most part a quality running back holds his fate in his own hands. QBs are only good if the receiver catches the ball, and the receiver can only be good if their quarterback gets the ball to them. Ironically, kickers are only good if their offense is bad enough not to get the ball in the end zone. Having solid running backs throughout the season is much more important than getting a lucky 200 yard performance in any given week.
Best Advantage: Fitchburg Tech, Bud Heavy

2. Quarterback
In order to be successful, you must have a successful player under center. 10 of the top 15 quarterbacks are currently on playoff teams. There is of course that rare occasion where the rest of the team is bad enough and the QB cannot carry them (like Tony Romo in Dublin) but, as been example this season, your passer's ability parallels your team's wins.
Best Advantage: Fitchburg Tech, Anheuser-Busch

3. Defense
The unsung heroes of a team is definitely their defense. The difference between holding an opponent to 3 points or 7 points can mean the game for your team, as demonstrated in the Week 8 matchup between Gillespie State and Mexico. The dominance of Seattle's DEF gave Gillespie State 17 points in a comeback that gave them a win by 0.67. A game can come down to just 1 sack, and having a solid, productive defense to compliment your offense is extremely valuable. Unfortunately, defenses can sometimes be hit or miss, like in the case of Chicago and Baltimore this year, but getting the right one can be great for you.
Best Advantage: Dublin, Golden

4. Trade Bait
The best part about this piece of playoff hopefulness is that you don't even have to be in the playoff hunt to be successful with it. Teams building for next year can be some of the most important players in the trading game. Are you in last place, holding onto that 32 year old running back who is having a fantastic season? Send him to a contender for a back on injured reserve and a draft pick. Is your 40 year old quarterback shredding apart defenses? Go and get that 21 year old receiver who's 1 offseason away from becoming productive. The most important key to being a shark at the trade deadline is addressing other people's needs and not getting into useless negotiations. Why try and trade your veteran QB to Fitchburg Tech or Stardust University?
Best Advantage: Athol A&M (QB), Bud Heavy (RB), Mexico (WR)

5. Schedule
The single most important ingredient for success in a playoff run is your schedule. Nothing boosts your confidence more than seeing the 1-10 Shmucks on your remaining schedule. In the FAC-10, teams are lucky enough to get a bye week once a season, and 3 teams still have yet to face them. Mexico, Bud Heavy, and Arizona-Kickery won the late-season-bye-week lottery, which should give all three teams huge confidence going into the playoffs. Mexico also gets to face (8) Rakeville and (9) Dublin, but if Kickery's recent victory is any indication, its that the teams at the bottom of the standings are fully ready to play spoiler.
Best Advantage: Mexico, Golden, Dublin

Week 9 Matchups
(1) Gillespie State over (11) Arizona-Kickery
(2) Fitchburg Tech over (4) Athol A&M
(3) Anheuser-Busch over (6) Golden
(5) Mexico over (8) Rakeville
(9) Dublin over (7) Stardust
(10) Bud Heavy over Bye

Power Rankings
1. Gillespie State ( - )
2. Anheuser-Busch (+1)
3. Fitchburg Tech (-1)
4. Mexico ( - )
5. Dublin (+4)
6. Rakeville (+2)
7. Golden (-1)
8. Athol A&M (-3)
9. Stardust (-2)
10. Arizona-Kickery (+1)
11. Bud Heavy (-1)

League Notes
- David Garrard will be the 5th quarterback to start for the Rakeville Grays this season. Quarterback Coach Greg Anderson had no comment on his players' recent string of injuries.

- The celebration that followed Arizona-Kickery's first victory of the season was intense. Four players still remain unaccounted for, and Greg Jennings's hand will never smell the same.

- Anheuser-Busch RB Adrian Peterson did not travel with the team to Golden this week. Apparently, the temptation of beer would have been too much for the recovering alcoholic.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 8)

2007-11-10T01:07:00.000-05:00

Excited Mexico University fans stormed the field after their big win over #1 Athol A&M last week. Athol's schedule doesn't get any easier the rest of the way, and the once 6-0 Alckys are now actually in danger of missing the playoffs.

Goal Line Stand (Week 8)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

Last Friday, I sat down at my desk, ready to write my Week 7 GLS article when I realized... I had nothing to write about. Sure, Fitchburg Tech and Mexico could have been the game of the year (no offense to Golden/Gillespie State), and Arizona-Kickery scoring over 80 points was the most disappointing defeat thus far (no offense to Mexico's 92 point loss in Week 4), but it really became a story-less situation for me.

So instead of writing a watered-down article to appease my editor, I called in a sick day. Yes, a person who works from home and has an entire week to write one article decided to call in sick.

Luckily, two weeks of e-mails fill my inbox, so I decided to share some of my replies with you:

"Can Athol rebound from their loss to Mexico, or is it all down hill from here?"
-Faith Phull
-Gardner, MA

What Athol did for the first six weeks of the season cannot be overlooked. Sure, their competition was a bit weak (combined 13-23) but the defense held each opponent under 60 points. Unfortunately for the Alckys, their remaining schedule includes (1) Fitchburg Tech, (2) Gillespie State, and (4) Anheuser-Busch. With the winless Arizona Kickers finally scoring points, Athol has a good chance of finishing the season 0-4, which may just keep them out of the playoffs.

"Which 3-4 team has the best chance of making the playoffs?"
-Chris Jenkins
-Reno, NV

Stardust, Rakeville, and Bud Heavy are all underachieving this season, and it looks like none of them will make the playoffs. Bud Heavy's schedule is the easiest, with an interesting matchup in the final week of the season against (6) Golden University. However, with their inability to score points (11th ranked offense in the league), they could blow a perfect opportunity. Rakeville has to deal with Mexico and Fitchburg Tech, so they'll need some luck. Stardust has the best chance, with a solid offense and a bye week this week, but in all honesty I do not see any of these teams getting into the postseason.

"Can ANYTHING save Bud Heavy's miserable offense?"
-Kent Skor
-Tacoma, WA

There really is nothing to help this team save an act of God... or maybe, their Athletic Director. The trade deadline is still 6 days away, and The King is overstocked with above-average running backs. Their receiving core is in shambles, so maybe they could make a RB-WR swap with someone. Golden, Mexico, Fitchburg Tech, and even Athol have some extra receivers that could help salvage Bud Heavy's season and push them into the playoffs.

"Who's taking home the regular season title?"
-Mike Haddy
-Lake Falls, CO

As I said before, Athol's (6-1) remaining games are just too tough for them to compete for the conference. Gillespie State (6-1) has to deal with Fitchburg Tech and Mexico, as well as a revived Kickery team. Fitchburg Tech (6-1), in addition to Gillespie State, has Anheuser-Busch this week missing their top 2 scoring options... so who takes the conference when its all said and done? That's right, it's the expansion Anheuser-Busch (5-2) who could easily finish the season 4-0, as long as their QB Derek Anderson keeps up his Cinderella season. After Fitchburg, they have Stardust, Athol, and Golden. Barring any miraculous upsets, AB should end up our 3rd regular season champion in 3 years.

"Even though he only scored 3.5 points last week, Arizona-Kickery's decision NOT to start Donnie Edwards at defense was ridiculous... are the Kickers tanking the rest of the season for the #1 draft pick?"
-Skip Tikkle
-Fitchburg, MA

With 11 teams currently in the league, and a 12th expected to join in 2008, there really isn't any chance the Kickers will get the number ONE pick... though the way they're going, they will end up with #2, and it's really a shame. The Arizona coaching staff clearly decided not to show up to last week's matchup with Fitchburg Tech, completely destroying any credibility this team has in the FAC-10. With an obvious tanking strategy in place, don't be surprised if some teams call for their resignation from the conference at the end of the season.

"#1 vs. #2 offense... what do you think is the over/under for this week's Anheuser-Busch and Fitchburg Tech matchup?"
-Max Keller
-Beerville, ME

Since their 120-92 whooping of Mexico in Week 4, AB has been slowly working their way to the 2nd ranked offense in the league. Sure, they're 150 points behind #1 Fitchburg, but this team is putting up unbelievable numbers. Meanwhile, Fitchburg is all business each and every week, averaging 110 points in 6 of 7 games (they scored just 63 against Golden in Week 3). With Randy Moss and Tom Brady sitting out this week's game, however, don't expect anything over 70 points from the Red Raiders. Over/Under for this game should be about 170.

Week 8 Matchups
(4) Anheuser-Busch over (1) Fitchburg Tech
(5) Mexico over (2) Gillespie State
(11) Arizona-Kickery over (3) Athol A&M
(6) Golden over (10) Dublin
(8) Rakeville over (9) Bud Heavy
(7) Stardust over Bye

Power Rankings
1. Gillespie State (+1)
2. Fitchburg Tech (+1)
3. Anheuser-Busch (+2)
4. Mexico ( - )
5. Athol A&M (-5)
6. Golden (+1)
7. Stardust (+1)
8. Rakeville (-2)
9. Dublin (+1)
10. Bud Heavy (-1)
11. Arizona-Kickery ( - )

League Notes
- When Mexico defeated Athol A&M last week, fans stormed the field and tore down the goalposts. Much to the disappointment of the students, the uprights came right down as they had been simply hammered into the hot desert sand.

- Golden, Mexico, and Arizona-Kickery finally updated their trade blocks. Golden and Mexico listed Tight End as a desired position, while Arizona listed, "Anyone who can get us a fucking win."

- Fitchburg Tech's Tom Brady and Randy Moss are listed as inactive for this week's matchup against Anheuser-Busch. Brady will be working at a soup kitchen in downtown Los Angeles, while Moss plans on TP'ing Daunte Culpepper's house.

Athol Daily News Cover

2007-10-30T15:28:00.000-04:00

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 6)

2007-10-25T18:59:00.000-04:00

Bud Heavy is having a quiet season, but is still winning thanks to RB Edgerrin James. With one of the easiest schedules the rest of the way, The Edge just may surprise some teams and carry The King deep into the playoffs.

Goal Line Stand (Week 6)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

Five games down, and after this weekend, five games to go. That means its time for our Mid-Season awards. Let's take a look at how the FAC-10's teams and players have fared thus far:

Best Offense
At 518 points, 142 ahead of second place, it's no question that the best offense thus far has been Fitchburg Tech. They have the #1 and #2 ranked players in football (Tom Brady, Randy Moss), a superb backfield (Joseph Addai, Clinton Portis), and a hall of fame tight end (Tony Gonzalez). At this pace, the Red Raiders should easily break Gillespie State's 2005 record for points in a season (1179), in which 13 games were played. The schedule in 2007 only consists of 11.

Best Defense
There are a few teams that have had blowout performances on the defensive side of the ball, but nobody has been more consistent than Athol A&M. The Alchys have yet to allow anyone to score more than 60 points against them, on their way to a 5-0 start.

Most Surprising Team
In 2006, the FAC-10 Championships matched up two expansion teams, yet nobody expected any of this year's new blood to perform well. To prove everyone wrong, Anheuser-Busch has kept up in the playoff race. Solidifying the 3rd best offense in the league, the boys of beer exploded in Week 4 for 120 points against Mexico. If they keep this up, we just might have back-to-back expansion champions.

Most Disappointing Team
This award is a little obvious, but it just has to be said. Arizona-Kickery lost a tough championship game in 2006, and spent the offseason building around their solid skill players (Drew Brees, Frank Gore, Marvin Harrison). Unfortunately, early season injuries combined with poor play has them 0-5, with no end to their losing ways in sight.

Best Game
Coming into their Week 5 matchup, Golden had not scored more than 70 points in a single game, while Gillespie State had only broken 60 once. The score was 82.69-82.12 as Monday night approached, with both teams looking for a boost in the FBCS standings. Maurice Jones-Drew came through for the Black Diamonds, giving them a 93-89 win, and kept them near the top of the standings (and power rankings).

Biggest Upset
After suffering two tough losses at the hands of Bud Heavy and Rakeville, 1-2 Anheuser-Busch entered their Week 4 matchup with Mexico very down on themselves. Meanwhile, the Wildcats had held Bud Heavy the week before to just 29 points, the lowest output of any team this season. With QBs Ben Roethlisberger and Marc Bulger inactive for the game, Mexico signed 81 year old Kurt Warner, only to have him get injured in the first quarter. Mexico still scored 92 points, but AB was unstoppable, putting up an amazing 120 points and boosting their confidence (and record) entering a bye week.

Most Valuable Player To His Team
There's no question that the Brady/Moss combo has been the best thing in football, but the 5-0 Alchys would be nowhere without their QB Carson Palmer. While the rest of the offense has been struggling (no offense to Chad Johnson), Palmer has held things together and kept Athol A&M undefeated and at the top of the FBCS for the first time in school history. If the Alchys want to stay there, they'll need #9 to continue his stellar season.

Team Most Likely to Break Out In The Second Half
Bud Heavy has games against Athol A&M and Gillespie State next, but then has a 4 week stretch which includes Rakeville, Golden, and Dublin. It's the best schedule to finish the season in the FAC-10, and it just might be the push The King needs for a run at the championship.

Team Most Likely to Slump In The Second Half
Mexico's bye doesn't fall until Week 10, which could be a blessing in disguise as their schedule consists of Fitchburg Tech (4-1), Athol A&M (5-0), and Gillespie State (4-1) over the next 3 weeks. The Wildcats need at LEAST one win against this trio or their hopes at a 2nd straight regular season title will be completely destroyed.

Week 6 Matchups
(1) Athol over (6) Bud Heavy
(2) Fitchburg Tech over (4) Mexico
(8) Stardust over (3) Gillespie State
(5) Anheuser-Busch over (11) Arizona-Kickery
(9) Golden over (7) Rakeville
(10) Dublin over Bye (we hope)

Power Rankings
1. Athol A&M ( - )
2. Gillespie State ( - )
3. Fitchburg Tech ( - )
4. Mexico ( - )
5. Anheuser-Busch (+3)
6. Rakeville (+3)
7. Golden ( - )
8. Stardust (-3)
9. Bud Heavy (-3)
10. Dublin ( - )
11. Arizona-Kickery ( - )

League Notes
- Regardless of the fires spreading across Southern California, this weekend's Fitchburg Tech/Mexico game will still be played in Tijuana. To increase safety, fans will only be allowed into the game with fire-retardant sombreros.

- When Rex Grossman heard that Bud Heavy had signed QB Brian Griese, he called former coach and long-time friend Kevin Neville to complain. Coach Neville has yet to return his calls.

- Athol A&M's 87 point output last week was easily their highest-scoring game all season. Sources report that the team has switched to a Light Beer in their water coolers during practices.

Gridiron Gazette: Power Rankings (Week 5)

2007-10-16T12:23:00.000-04:00

On the shoulders of QB Carson Palmer, Athol A&M has found themselves #1 in the FBCS for two straight weeks. As the only remaining undefeated team in the conference, the Alchy's have quite the bullseye on their backs, especially this week against the defending champs.

Power Rankings (Week 5)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

Hello from sunny Bermuda!

OK, so it's been raining ever since I arrived, but nonetheless I was thrilled that my editor actually gave me my first week off in 8 years. (Editor's Note: He finally re-read his contract. Damn.)

Even though I'm hundreds of miles away, I decided to still put up this week's power rankings. Hopefully, the summaries that follow will help you understand the utterly-chaotic logic I use to decide them.

Check back next week for our mid-season awards. Until then, enjoy!

1. Athol A&M, 4-0 (+2)
As the only remaining undefeated team in the FAC-10, there's no question as to who should be #1. But their opponents have a combined 5-7 record, so how long can it last? The Alchy's can prove they belong at the top in their next 3 matchups against Stardust (#5), Bud Heavy (#6), and Mexico (#4).

2. Gillespie State, 3-1 ( - )
Three straight 50-point games is not the resume of a #2, yet since a rough opening week, they've knocked off 3 straight wins. They finally achieved their potential last week with 78 points against DUBA, and the conference's best running game should continue to put up huge numbers for the rest of the season.

3. Fitchburg Tech, 3-1 (+1)
The league's best offense (404 points, 103 ahead of 2nd) can only carry you as far as they allow, and in Week 3 the entire team took a vacation. Only scoring 63 points when you've scored at least 100 ever other game can really hurt you, and it shows that this team can lose at any given chance.

4. Mexico, 2-2 (-3)
How can a team score 92 points and fall 3 spots in the rankings? Simple: they lost. Anheuser-Busch picked a great week to come alive, beating the Wildcats 120-92 and removing them from the top spot. U-Mex has the tools to stay competitive, and one unlucky matchup will not deter this team in the slightest.

5. Stardust, 2-2 ( - )
The defending champs also had a tough matchup last week, putting up 80 points but running into a dominant Fitchburg Tech. This team, like Mexico, will not be affected by a tough loss, and with the return of Peyton Manning this week, they'll be just fine.

6. Bud Heavy, 3-1 (+1)
#4 in the FBCS is much more important than #6 in these rankings, yet there is a reason for it. In Week 3, BHU put up just 29 points on Mexico, the lowest point total by any team this season. The King should worry a bit that, with no significant injuries, they have the 10th rated offense in the FAC-10. With games against Fitchburg Tech, Athol, and Gillespie State coming up, their FBCS ranking should be parallel to their ranking here.

7. Golden, 2-2 (-1)
The Gryphons have been one disappointment after another, and nothing was more heartbreaking than last week's game. After a stunning upset of top-ranked Fitchburg Tech in Week 4, they fell to a low-scoring Athol team in Week 5. If RB Steven Jackson and WR Andre Johnson can get healthy quick, this team will be making a serious playoff push... or at the very least, play spoiler down the stretch.

8. Anheuser-Busch, 2-2 (+3)
How does a team that scores 120 points sit at #8? Simple: they're inconsistent. In their 2 wins, AB averages 102 points. In their 2 losses, 47.5. With a team that features 2 true freshmen and 3 sophomores, the fluctuation of their offensive production is no surprise. RB Adrian Peterson is slowly making this "his" team, and if the rest of the players accept it, they'll slowly creep up the standings.

9. Rakeville, 2-2 (-1)
It's tough having a bye week and dropping in the rankings, but that's what happens when the guy below you puts up 120 points. Rakeville really isn't too worried about this season, as they have already stressed their dedication to getting youngsters like WR Calvin Johnson and QB JaMarcus Russell ready for 2008. The recent pickup of 75 year old Priest Holmes may be a bit deceiving, but he should be a great mentor to freshman RB Brandon Jackson.

10. Dublin, 1-3 ( - )
Consistency can sometimes be a bad thing, as in DUBA's case. They've been consistently bad, scoring 52 points per game over their recent 3-game losing streak. If they want any kind of respectable record this season, they'll need to do it now. Dublin has the worst schedule at the end of the year, which includes Stardust, Bud Heavy, and Mexico.

11. Arizona-Kickery, 0-4 (-2)
If Dublin has been consistently bad, Kickery has been downright abysmal. 44 points per game has been hands-down the worst in the conference, and the performance of franchise players Drew Brees, Marvin Harrison, and Frank Gore has explained it. With no players in the league's top-50 in points, there is no silver lining for the Kickers' 2007 season. Their only consolation is a Week 10 bye before finishing up the season against Dublin, which hopefully will give them some momentum going into 2008.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 4)

2007-10-11T22:29:00.001-04:00

Marc Bulger was supposed to be the final piece of Mexico’s championship puzzle. Instead, his stat line this season includes 0 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, and 2 broken ribs. Can Mexico survive the injury bug that seems to be sweeping the conference?

Goal Line Stand (Week 4)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

There are many different ways to deal with injuries, some more effective than others. Some teams prefer to make trades, sacrificing productivity in one area to replace lost numbers in another. Some teams enjoy browsing the waiver wire, signing free agents for the few weeks they are needed as replacements.

And some, like the Golden Gryphons, simply fight through it without making too many changes to their core players. When Eli Manning wasn’t ready for their season opener, backup Jake Delhomme simply walked onto the field and threw for 109 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Likewise, Steven Jackson has been absent from the offense for the past two weeks, but A.D. Michael Comtois didn’t panic and brought in fillers Warrick Dunn and Michael Pittman.

Mexico took a similar approach to their situation when transfer Marc Bulger had a horrible opening weekend, then broke 2 ribs. Backup Ben Roethlisberger is no superstar, but has the experience and intelligence to run the Wildcats offense. This week, with Roethlisberger inactive, Mexico signed veteran Kurt Warner. The 35-year old is not expected to be on the roster next week.

Sometimes, doing nothing can be a big mistake, as has been the case in Arizona. RB Laurence Maroney has been hurt the past 2 weeks, yet the team has placed him on their active roster anyway. The result has been 0 points from a very productive position, not to mention a 0-3 record and the last rated offense in the conference.

Injuries are a common, if unfortunate, part of football but should not be taken lightly. If your team has the depth (like Golden and Mexico) to fight through it, take pride in the fact that your coach prepared for the worst. In the case of Arizona, just close your eyes, pray, and be happy that your coach remembered to send a quarterback onto the field.

FT @ SU
Fitchburg Tech’s title hopes took a huge blow last week, and the Red Raiders really need a rebound game. An offense that scored 115 PPG over the first 2 could only manage 64 against the injury-plagued Gryphons. If they want to regain the #1 spot in the power rankings, they’ll need to perform well against Stardust.

Speaking of the defending champions, their offense is finally starting to click. An 83 point outburst last week has them with the 3rd most points in the conference, and should have no problem against Fitchburg. Look for the S.U.C.H. to top the standings by next week.

UAK @ BHU
There’s nothing like the worst-rated offense in the conference facing off against a team that could only manage 29 points last week, and yet here we are. The Kickers have been tormented by injuries and poor play all season, and with WR Marvin Harrison and RB Frank Gore inactive this weekend, things are not looking any better.

And how a team can score just 29 points against a below-average Mexico defense is mind-boggling. It seems like ages ago that Bud Heavy dominated Stardust University, and yet it was just 3 weeks ago. This week should be Arizona-Kickery’s best shot at a win before they start a 3 game road trip against Mexico, Anheuser-Busch, and Fitchburg Tech.

AB @ UM
As was the case with BHU, it seems like ages ago that Anheuser-Busch dominated the preseason #1 Gillespie State, yet it too was just 3 weeks ago. Since then, AB has scored 45 PPG while going 0-2 against weak Bud Heavy and Rakeville squads. Is there any chance this young team can turn things around?

If so, this week isn’t the time. Mexico’s defense was outstanding last week, while backup QB Ben Roethlisberger has been just good enough while transfer Marc Bulger has been injured. The running game has been mediocre, and their receivers are hit or miss, but the new #1 in the power rankings has enough talent to grab another win this weekend.

AAM @ GU
As the remaining undefeated team in the conference, Athol sits atop the polls. How long that will last, however, will depend on their ability to improve their offense. The Alchys won with just 54 points last week, and have the 8th ranked offense, so they’ll need to do quite better than that against Golden.

The Gryphons pulled off the upset of the year last week by taking down #1 Fitchburg Tech, and even with all their injuries, they find ways to win. Steven Jackson is still hurt, and Larry Johnson is still no good, but Eli Manning has kept the team alive. Some day, the running game will remember who they are and they will start dominating. Until then, expect Athol to pull out a nail-biter in Colorado.

GS @ DUBA
After Arizona, Gillespie State is the disappointing team of the year. It’s impossible to count how many times the word “underachieving” has been said about this team, yet people keep yelling it out. Things didn’t help when RB Travis Henry transferred in, and immediately was suspended for substance abuse.

On the other side, Dublin has been performing just as expected: below-average offense, hanging around the middle of the standings, and a few surprising young skill guys (Brian Westbrook, Kevin Curtis). While the Black Diamonds continue their struggles, DUBA will catch another win at home.

Power Rankings
1. Mexico (+1)
2. Gillespie State (+2)
3. Athol A&M (+2)
4. Fitchburg Tech (-3)
5. Stardust (+1)
6. Golden (+1)
7. Bud Heavy (-4)
8. Rakeville (+3)
9. Arizona-Kickery (-1)
10. Dublin ( - )
11. Anheuser-Busch (-2)

League Notes
- Gillespie State’s latest attempt at salvaging the 2007 season was to release K Jeff Wilkins and sign Lawrence Tynes. Players are skeptical that the change will help their chances, and have been spending a lot of time at Travis Henry’s house.

- Now that it's October, Dublin fans are ecstatic to know that their team’s nickname finally makes sense.

- After earning their first win of the season last week, Rakeville A.D. Mike "The Miz" took the entire team to Las Vegas to celebrate. No word yet as to how many players returned home afterwards.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 3)

2007-10-05T11:42:00.000-04:00

When a team invests time, effort, and a high draft pick in a quarterback, they'll give them every chance in the world to become a star. Lucky for Golden, Eli Manning has been relatively successful over the past 2 1/2 years, but if they want to win a championship, they'll need him to step up his game in a big way.

Goal Line Stand (Week 3)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

It’s a simple formula: Successful Quarterback = FAC-10 Championship.

OK, so it's not an exact science, but history has proven that the man under center has the most influence on a team’s success. In 2005, Tom Brady led the Mexico Wildcats to the first conference title. In 2006, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees helped create an all-expansion championship matchup. Sure, running backs are statistically the best players in the league, but the difference between the #1 QB and #10 is so great that you just may find yourself without a leader.

Take Gillespie State, for example. In 2005, a stellar Jake Delhomme led the Black Diamonds to a 10-3 record (the next team went 7-6) and a 3rd place finish in the playoffs. 3400 yards and 26 touchdowns were top-10 numbers, and the team thrived. Then in 2006, Delhomme threw for only 2800 yards and 17 touchdowns for a 7th place Gillespie State team.

After winning the '05 championship behind the golden arm of Tom Brady, Mexico decided to spend last year in a quarterback-by-committee system. Kurt Warner, Jon Kitna, and Ben Roethlisberger all spent time on the roster before the Wildcats settled with Jeff Garcia for the playoffs. 475 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in 2 playoff games just wasn’t enough to lift the team to a repeat championship, even with the top-2 running backs in the league.

You might notice a contradiction to the rule, however, in Dublin this year. On the shoulders of top-rated QB Tony Romo, the Octoberfests have only been able to muster a 1-1 record and the 6th highest scoring offense in the conference. However, with under-achieving receivers and a top-5 running back in Brian Westbrook, this team should be able to turn things around and finish the season strong.

That is, if their quarterback can continue being successful.

UAK @ SU
Nobody enjoys a championship rematch more than the players. However, the boys from Arizona are not looking forward to this matchup. Kickery is in desperate need of a bye week, but won't see one until Week 13. If Drew Brees can get his act together and Frank Gore returns to 2006 form, they might enjoy a week off before the... playoffs?

Stardust is just as bored with this meeting as Kickery is. A.D. Walter Sobchak called the game "...a lot less exciting than it should." With no silver lining in sight for this one, expect the Crazy Horses to run all over the Kickers.

BHU @ UM
For those who remember, Bud Heavy was actually quite successful in 2005. They finished the season 6-7, but had a Cinderella run in the playoffs only to have their butts handed to them in the finals by Mexico. Their postseason paths crossed again in 2006, when the Wildcats once again defeated The King in the 3rd place Beer Bowl. Needless to say, there’s a little bitterness in Bud country.

Both teams have good quarterbacks, above-average receivers, and a mediocre defense. The x-factor in this game is the backfield, where nobody knows which LaDanian Tomlinson will show up for the Wildcats. If it’s Week 1 LT, they're in trouble. If it’s week 2 LT, they'll win easily. Fortunately for Bud Heavy, we expect the former.

GU @ FT
When your 3rd string running back could start on most teams, you are pretty much set for the season. Fitchburg Tech has done a great job building a solid championship roster from top to bottom, and it's going to be tough for anyone to keep up with them. With 231 points in the first two weeks, while the next team has just 149, they can be confident every week.

They can be especially confident this Sunday as they face the struggling Gryphons. LJ looked like his old self last week, but still failed to find the end zone, while Steven Jackson is listed as doubtful for the matchup. Newcomer Reggie Wayne should ease the pain, but not enough to get a win over the hot Red Raiders.

AB @ RAK
There's nothing uglier than seeing two expansion teams go out on the field and make complete fools of themselves, especially when Matt Leinart is involved. Honestly, has there been a bigger disappointment than that kid from California? URake drafted them in hopes he would lead their team for years, then he gets benched mid-way through both of the Grays' first two games. If this kid doesn’t start performing, there are going to be some angry people in Rakeville.

On the bright side, QB Donovan McNabb and RB Adrian Peterson were given the week off by Anheuser-Busch A.D. Dave Celli. Why he is doing this, nobody knows (ok, some of us know) but it gives Rakeville a glimmer of hope, and most likely a win in Week 3.

DUBA @ AAM
During their bye week, Athol A&M head coach Dave Grubb tried to get his team as relaxed as possible by taking them out for a weekend of fun. Unfortunately, during a motorcycle race at Kellen Winslow's house, 5 players were hurt. Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson, Rudi Johnson, Ronald Curry, and LaMont Jordan will all be on the sidelines for this week’s matchup.

Dublin should still fear Brett Favre and Jamal Lewis, two Alchy backups who’ve been having excellent seasons. Regardless, Tony Romo and company should put up big numbers in his team’s attempt to break away from the expansion disaster at the bottom of the power rankings.

Power Rankings
1. Fitchburg Tech ( - )
2. Mexico ( - )
3. Bud Heavy (+2)
4. Gillespie State (-1)
5. Athol A&M (-1)
6. Stardust (+1)
7. Golden (+1)
8. Arizona-Kickery (-2)
9. Anheuser-Busch ( - )
10. Dublin ( - )
11. Rakeville ( - )

League Notes
- Dublin Head Coach Brad Bodell spoke to the student body before their Week 2 matchup. Students were outraged when they discovered that Bodell didn't have an Irish accent.

- University of Mexico fans were excited to hear about some planned changes at their stadium for the rest of the season. All concession signs will now be displayed in English and not just Spanish.

- Longtime Gillespie State WR Steve Smith was traded to Stardust this week. Coaches decided to get rid of Smith when he began putting an "A" in the middle of his name.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 2)

2007-09-29T02:19:00.000-04:00

Red Raiders QB Tom Brady looked much better on the practice field yesterday than he did on the golf course during Fitchburg Tech's downtime last week. Expect Brady to kick off the season strong as they head overseas for their matchup with Dublin.

Goal Line Stand (Week 2)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

New blood leads to new occurrences, and league officials hope it becomes a trend.

This week marked the first time in FAC-10 history that there has been an in-season trade. Bud Heavy University, looking to give a mediocre backfield a boost, acquired RB Reggie Bush, while sending QB Vince Young to Arizona-Kickery.

“We love Drew, and he’ll always have a place on this team,” said AK athletic director Pat Renaud. “But we need a winner. Even if it is one who throws like a girl.”

The two teams also exchanged tight ends: Ben Watson is heading to Arizona, while Alge Crumpler will be drinking Budweisers for the rest of the season.

GS @ RAK
Gillespie State witnessed a complete meltdown last week, and the athletic department took action. We’re not sure how smart it is to change head coaches in week 2, but if anyone is up for the challenge its Frank Wycheck. However, even Big Frank can’t help this team if their running game only scores 6 points again.

Meanwhile, U-Rake had a chance for an upset last week against a struggling Athol offense, but couldn’t seal the deal. RB Marshawn Lynch should have another big game, but if QB Matt Leinart can’t play the entire game again, they’ll be 0-2 by Tuesday. If he does, Gillespie State will have another new head coach next week.

SU @ UM
The S.U.C.H. did not look like the defending champions against Bud Heavy, but should step up their game against the Wildcats. After going 0-2 against them in 2006, players have been ready for revenge. At a press conference earlier this week, K Neil Rackers called the Mexico defense “weak like little girls.”

In response, Wildcats WR Roy Williams called Rackers a “jerk.” Such trash talk should cause some tension on the field. The Crazy Horses should rebound and win a barn burner south of the border.

UAK @ GU
The mediocre Dublin University defense held Arizona-Kickery to just 30 points last week, leading to a drastic change on offense. Newcomers Vince Young and Ben Watson are both solid players, but one may wonder if the team acted a little too quickly. 1 loss in an 11 week season is nothing to freak out over, and this one may come back to bite them in the behind.

A meeting with Golden might just be what the Kickers need to boost their confidence. RB Steven Jackson is out this week, and don’t expect much from backup Warrick Dunn. If the underachieving receiving core can break 30 points combined, the Gryphons will make this interesting… but not THAT interesting. On the bright side, someone will be 1-1 on Tuesday.

AB @ BHU
This matchup is like a big brother and little brother playing 1-on-1 in the driveway. Big brother (Bud Heavy) spots little brother 8 points (QB Donovan McNabb) and hopes that his huge size advantage (RB Marion Barber/Reggie Bush) will ensure it will be an entertaining game, but still give himself a win.

But then, little brother hits two miracle shots in a row (RB Adrian Peterson, TE Jeremy Shockey) and it’s suddenly 10-8. If Anheuser-Busch can find one more lucky shot in them (WR Braylon Edwards maybe?) then this expansion team will solidify themselves as a true championship contender.

FT @ DUBA
Fitchburg Tech had a great off-week, scrimmaging against Leominster Junior College and flexing their muscles to a crowd of 210. Tom Brady was unstoppable, Joseph Addai was untouchable, and Randy Moss’s hands seemed like glue. By the end of the game, it was 107-0.

Other than RB Brian Westbrook, the Octoberfests have no real threats on offense. If TE Todd Heap can run some solid routes, QB Tony Romo just might make this game respectable. Then again, GLS #1 Gillespie State lost to #11 Anheuser-Busch last week, so anything is possible.

Power Rankings
1. Fitchburg Tech (+4)
2. Mexico (+1)
3. Gillespie State (-2)
4. Athol A&M ( - )
5. Bud Heavy (+3)
6. Arizona-Kickery (-4)
7. Stardust (-1)
8. Golden (-1)
9. Anheuser-Busch (+2)
10. Dublin (-1)
11. Rakeville (-1)

League Notes
- In honor of the first annual “Bud Cup” between Bud Heavy and Anheuser-Busch, the winning team will receive a week’s supply of Bud, Bud Light, and Bud Select. The losing team will be forced to carry the kegs to the busses.

- In addition to changing their head coach, Gillespie State also decided to change their airline. Apparently, team officials didn’t have much faith in Air Rakeville.

- After being traded to Bud Heavy University, Reggie Bush quickly cleaned out his locker and headed home. Bush said that he will most likely not arrive in time for this week’s matchup, however, because he has no idea where the school is located.

Macoupin County News - Leader: Week One Review

2007-09-25T22:06:00.000-04:00

Has anyone seen the Black Diamond’s offense? With so many returning starters and a new quarterback the boys were looking to return to championship form. After a slow pre-season and a week one loss to expansion Anheuser-Busch University, things are getting a little crazy on the campus of Gillespie State. It’s insanity in Illinois!

Gillespie State athletic director Brian Gillespie has seen enough. After the Black Diamonds stumbled through the preseason and a week one blowout, The AD has installed former head of player development Frank Wycheck as head coach.

"Our core group of guys has been here since the beginning. Frank's been one of those guys too. I wanted a leader who our guys know and respect." Said Gillespie. Wycheck has been around this group of players since the beginning. It was his decision to make the trade that landed Captain Shaun Alexander to the team in the inaugural FAC-10 draft. He also pulled the plug this off-season on the trade that would have put Marc Bulger under center.

As the Diamonds look to get back on track next week against Rakeville, the new coach has no easy task ahead of him. There are serious question marks in his lineup. The team has had no productive number two running back. The only production out of the backfield has come from Captain Alexander, who now has a broken left wrist. "Yeah, it’s busted but he will play. Our staff will wrap the wrist and he can play through the pain” said Wycheck. The coach would not name his starting running backs for next week. It looks like both will be a game day decision.

Wycheck will see a familiar face in the Rockets backfield though. Cadillac Williams was lost in the Fac-10 expansion draft. Now with so many running back problems the new coach is probably wishing he had held onto the young runner.

The Black Diamonds are just looking ahead to next week. The team only has one loss and there is no need to panic yet. The game should be a classic as both teams struggled through week one and are looking to turn their season around. Kickoff is at 1:00.

Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 1)

2007-09-20T03:37:00.000-04:00

Nobody took the 2006 Falcon Bowl loss harder than QB Drew Brees. The Kickers' incoming Freshman class, including WR Antwaan Randle El and DL Julius Peppers, should give the quarterback something to boost his spirits. A Week 1 matchup against the expansion Octoberfests doesn't hurt either.

Goal Line Stand (Week 1)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette

"I'm not surprised," said Athol A&M running back Willis McGahee. "They're a bunch of cheats. They always have been, and they always will be."

This was just a sample of the kind of uproar surrounding the alleged “stealing” of running back LaMont Jordan. Sources say that Golden University Athletic Director Michael Comtois sent a letter to Jordan saying he’d been drafted by the Gryphons, when in fact the 28-year old veteran had been recruited by Athol. Comtois told reporters that it was a "misinterpretation of the rules" and has complied with Conference officials in rectifying this situation.

The turmoil in Colorado could cause some distraction as the Gryphons host the University of Mexico in Week 1. Wildcats fans in town for the game have already been seen walking around with slanderous signs such as "Don’t Run From The Truth" and "Check The Roster", but Comtois hasn't fazed.

"They're from Mexico, what do they know?"

BHU @ SU
Peyton Manning threw for 600 yards and 4 TDs in two preseason games for the Crazy Horses, and while preseason should not be taken so strongly, it doesn't hurt to have a little confidence. Stardust will be given their championship plaques prior to the game, as A.D. Walter Sobchak loves to put on a show.

On the other side, The King should be a little nervous with Edgerrin James and Duece McAllister in their backfield. While the duo can put up decent numbers, they’re no match for the Baltimore defense. Stardust should handle Bud Heavy quite easily this week.

DUBA @ UAK
The Octoberfests took the traditional expansion route, loading their roster with young talent such as RB DeAngelo Williams and WRs Vincent Jackson and Anthony Gonzalez. Don't expect much from the Freshmen, though 8th-Year Senior Hines Ward should put up some good numbers.

The Kickers went out and recruited some youth of their own, but still have a solid core of proven skill. Sophomore RB Reggie Bush will see limited playing time behind Frank Gore and Lawrence Maroney, giving Kickery the best backfield in the league. That power running game will help start the Kickers' season right.

RAK @ AAM
Athol's title hopes have never been higher, and anything less than a 2007 title will be a disappointment. Their 6 starting skill positions are filled by returning students, and transfer TE Kellen Winslow will be a favorite target for Carson Palmer.

The expansion Grays had the top recruiting class in the conference, and will give them plenty of experience right away with 3 true freshman getting starts in Week 1. Calvin Johnson, Marshawn Lynch, and Nick Folk all had excellent preseasons, and if they can continue that into this matchup, they MIGHT not get completely destroyed by the Alchy's.

UM @ GU
Jordangate isn't the only storyline in Colorado this week, as these two teams made a blockbuster trade just before the entry draft. RB Larry Johnson is living in the Rockies now, while QB Marc Bulger will be taking the helm of the Wildcat offense. Adding Bulger to an offense that still has two '06 All-Conference players helps a lot.

Golden believes this is their year. After finishing in the bottom two of the league for the past 2 years, the Gryphons finally have a solid roster good enough to make a playoff push. If they pay attention and make the right moves, this could be an upset of the 2006 regular season champs.

AB @ GS
If Dublin is planning to compete in 2009, Anheuser-Busch University is eyeing 2015. Most of these guys were in diapers when Brett Favre took his first snap. However, ABU did do a good job recruiting some of the best young prospects available, and if QB Jay Cutler can keep his cool, they’ll surprise a few teams.

But probably not this week, as they face a strong Black Diamonds squad that started their preseason camp 2 weeks earlier than the rest of the league. Whether this may come back to haunt them, only time will tell, but this team is playing so well together they don’t even need a playbook, just eye contact.

Power Rankings
1. Gillespie State ( - )
2. Arizona-Kickery ( - )
3. Mexico ( - )
4. Athol A&M ( - )
5. Fitchburg Tech ( - )
6. Stardust ( - )
7. Golden ( - )
8. Bud Heavy ( - )
9. Dublin ( - )
10. Rakeville ( - )
11. Anheuser-Busch ( - )

League Notes
- Golden fans showing up early to this Sunday’s game will be quite disappointed. The first 25,000 people will receive LaMont Jordan bobbleheads. In order to rectify the situation, the next 25,000 people will receive $200.

- To gain an unnecessary advantage, Athol fans snuck into the Rakeville practice facility and filled the fridge with beers. WR Brandon Jackson was the first to see them, and was benched for Week 1 for drinking them all without sharing.

- When Commissioner Jason Sehorn was asked which expansion team would make the most noise this season he responded, "Probably the team that yells the loudest."

Rakeville Times: Freshmen Folk, Johnson top Gray's preseason

2007-09-18T23:33:00.000-04:00

Nick Folk has been excellent through the pre-season, despite the flamboyant pose. Can his foot drive Rakeville to a Week 1 victory in Athol?

Freshmen Folk, Johnson top Gray's preseason
By Aviator McShadeless

The 2007 Rakeville University team comes together, and freshmen Nick Folk and Calvin Johnson have but leading the charge this preseason.

Folk, the team's place kicker, has hit on all four of his field goal attempts and has 10 PATs. After two games, he ranks second in the national behind Golden's Jeff Reed.Johnson's soft hands have also been a topic of conversation. In Rakeville's two preseason games, Johnson has eight receptions and two touchdowns.

Rakeville split their two preseason games, beating Arizona - Kickery and losing to Fitchburg Tech.

"Our offense isn't clicking yet," said Coach Drew Bledsoe. "It's the first year with all these guys together. Lienart showed a lot of pose against Fitch Tech, but we still struggled to score. I think you'll see a lot of good plays from us this year, but we'll have trouble putting up sustained drives and ultimately scoring a lot of points."

Bledsoe was confident that the team was developing, and disregaded assertions that URake should be competing for a national championship.

"If we had a senior or two, I'd consider it, but this team is young. Talk to be about championships if we are in the race near the end of the year."

URake announced Freshman Gaines Adams was sent down the the freshman team, and walk on A.J. Hawk would be the starter against Athol this week.

Rakeville Times: Camps heating up... with rage

2007-08-28T01:36:00.000-04:00

Deion Branch kicked off camp Tuesday with a torrent of obscenities after finding out there would be no other players at camp that morning. He is not the only one getting hot under the collar either.

Camps heating up... with rage!
by Aviator McShadeless, Rakeville Times

Grays Reciever Dieon Branch lashed out at the coaching staff Tuesday, angered by the short-staffed two-a-days freshmen were being put through while Conference officials delay the date URake can continue recruiting.

“Everyone is a bit frustrated,” said Coach Drew Bledsoe. “We are working these new guys and the walk-ons pretty hard. The longer it takes for the bulk of our transfers to get into camp, the less time we have to prepare for the regular season. That’s why we must make sure the ones in camp are ready to play at a high level.”

Several players on offense and most of the defense has already arrived in Rakeville to begin camp, but FAC-10 Commissioner Jason Sehorn has pushed back the date of the draft, leaving URake and other conference schools severely undermanned. After a week, tempers have begun to flare across the league.

“Bo knows bullshit,” said Dean Bo Jackson from division rival Stardust University. “Sehorn is inconsiderate to the needs of our programs.” To which Seahorn replied when told of the comments, “If he said that to my face, I would drop him.”

Despite the anger being spewed, Bledsoe remained positive about the Grays outlook.

“We have so much to look forward to this season. We already have players that other teams desire, and I’m fortunate enough to help them develop into fine young men and excellent football players.”

Fans are excited too. Rakeville University confirmed they will play in the Claffey Coliseum this season, and that season tickets are on sale. The first batch of student tickets are already sold out, and lower bowl tickets are going fast.

Rakeville Times: Only ‘blue chips’ for the Grays

2007-08-22T00:19:00.000-04:00

Transfer Matt Leinart holds his new Grays jersey during a press conference to announce URake's blockbuster signings. Leinart is expected to head an offense featuring stud freshmen Johnson, Lynch and Meachem among other transfers.

Only ‘blue chips’ for the Grays
By Aviator McShadeless, Rakeville Times

If the last week has been an indicator, then the Rakeville University Grays have a bright future in Division I football. A few days after being accepted to the FAC-10, Head Coach Drew Bledsoe announced the signing of fourth blue-chip recuits

“We are pleased to announce that Calvin Johnson, Marshawn Lynch, Matt Leinart and Vernon Davis have all accepted scholarship offers to play and learn at Rakeville University,” said Bledsoe during a press conference Tuesday.

He also hinted that top high-schooler Robert Meachem and possible transfer Carnell “Cadillac” Williams are both expected to sign letters of intent.

“When we envisioned transforming URake into a major sports school we thought it would take years to establish a program,” said Atheltic Director Mike Mizanin, “but Coach Bledsoe has found a way to bring in some of the top young talent in the country. In less than a week, we have a foundation to build one of the best franchises in conference history.”

Sophomore transfer Matt Leinart was so excited about coming to URake, the quarterback arrived earlier yesterday morning to attend freshman orientation, and stayed for the press conference.

“Know that I’ll get to throw to guys like Calvin (Johnson) and Meachem makes me excited,” he said while holding up his new maroon and gray jersey. “We have an opportunity to lead this school to greatness. At most schools we would be second or third options, but here we get to develop together. In a few years, it will be tough to stop this offense.”

The Grays are also rumored to be pursuing transfer receiver Deion Branch. Sources close to the school said the Grays were also heavily pursuing Adrian Peterson and Cedric Benson. Both have committed elsewhere.

FBCS Reacts to New Blood

2007-08-19T02:41:00.000-04:00

As the FAC-10 gets ready for the 2007 season, so does the Fantasy Bowl Championship Series. With three new schools added to the conference schedule, it'll be difficult to earn a spot in the illustrious Heineken Keg Bowl.

John Chamberlain / EHssociated Press

Three new schools will be competing in the FAC-10 Fantasy Football League in 2007, and nobody is more excited than the guys in charge of the Fantasy Bowl Championship Series (FBCS).

"With new teams comes new opportunities," says FBCS Vice-President and former FAC-10 Commissioner Terrell Davis. "When the sponsors see how quickly this conference is growing, they are more than happy to open their wallets."

And that is exactly what they have done. Barely 12 hours after the announcement of the 3 new schools, alcohol vendors Heineken and Labatt were in contact with the league. Labatt will be sponsoring the 3rd place Hula Bowl, while Heineken will be sponsoring the Keg Bowl, FAC-10's championship game this year.

"Heineken was the first to approach us on the matter," Davis said. "Barely 2 hours after [FAC-10 Commissioner Jason] Sehorn announced the new teams."

With the entire league looking on - hoping that they will make some kind of rookie mistake - Orlando Claffey (Rakeville University), Brad Bodell (Dublin University of Brewery Arts), and David Celli (TBD) will be adding players to their roster Sunday night at 10:00PM during the FAC-10 Expansion Draft.

Bo Knows The S.U.C.H.

2007-08-04T12:51:00.000-04:00

What more can a FAC-10 Champion do to improve the team? Most would assume not much, but THE Stardust University Crazy Horses have made a few adjustments, not so much on the field, but off the field, and in the kitchen?

By: Max Powers/Reno Weekly Rag

After entering the 2006 season as one of three expansion teams, Athletic Director Adam Howe didn't know what to expect from not only his recruits but from the league his school was invited to join. He had heard good things from the inaugural season, and was eager to join in on the action, as he felt like there would be more opportunity for his school's sports program to promote themselves and future recruits by being in a prime league. He never expected to to surprise everyone, including himself, by winning the FAC-10 Championship by knocking out fellow expansion school You're With Me Leather U.

"We were dumbfounded and excited at the same time. We knew we had a chance once the regular season and defending champs [University of Mexico] were knocked out in the semi-finals," commented Howe, "We knew anything was possible after that happened."

The school held a press conference last week to announce two major changes for this coming season. First off, the announced a new addition to the school's faculty, Mr. Bo Jackson. He was announced as the Assistant Athletic Director/Residential Director/Marketing Director/President of the Debate Team/Dining Hall Chef/Music Director of KTSU/Biology Department Chair/Librarian/Head Groundskeeper/School Veterinarian/Dean of Student Affairs/Chief of Campus Security. The title was given to Mr. Jackson so that he could make decisions and changes around the school without having to appease different department heads throughout the school.

"It was a big hire for us. I'm glad to have Bo working under me. He knows a lot of things and I just he'll know just what to do in every situation he is put in here at Stardust," remarked A.D. Adam Howe.

The second part of the press conference was organized and present by Director of Marketing Bo Jackson himself. It was announced that the school will be marketing itself as "THE S.U.C.H." (THE Stardust University Crazy Horses) in the coming season.

"After winning the FAC-10 championship, we're expecting a lot of sales of school memorabilia this coming school year. Shirts, hats, pennants, coffee mugs, socks, fold out chairs, suitcases, and futons are all expected to sell out in the first week. We're going to have to produce a lot of new merchandise and it will be much more cost efficient for us to use less letters on these items than last year. We've decided to go with the anagram The S.U.C.H. for this main reason, and we hope the name sticks in the minds of the fans for this season and many season to come," commented Jackson at the press conference held last week.

Good-Bye Leather, Hello Az.-Kickery!

2007-08-01T09:39:00.000-04:00

An anonymous donor (left) rescued the struggling finances of You're With Me, Leather University. However, he requested the university move and change their name, for reasons unknown. Welcome to the University of Az.-Kickery!

To: You're With Me Leather University Board of Trustees

From: Athletic Director Pat Renaud

Re: Campus Moving/College Name Change

Trustees: It is with a heavy heart and unending pride and excitement
that I make the following announcement. As many of you already know,
last year we fell well short of our fundraising goal that would have
allowed us to continue paying off the land we owned in Deadspin, Ill.
Because of this, at the end of the season, there was some question as
to whether or not we'd be able to continue fielding an accredited
university, much less our National Championship Runner-Up football
squad. It was a troubling time in our college's short but prestigious
history, and I'd like to think we've learned many lessons from it.

That said, I am pleased to announce that a benefactor who has chosen
to remain nameless has rescued our University. With the help of
donations from this benefactor and the University of Arizona college
system, we were able to come up with the requisite donation amount to
procure a great deal of land and also state-of-the-art football and
academic facilities for the 2007 school year. However, in accordance
with both our benefactor's and the University of Arizona's wishes,
our campus will be moving to Kickery, Arizona, where we will become
the newest part of the University of Arizona college system and
continue our allegiance to the Fac-10 football program.

While it has been a long, strange road to continue our college's
tradition of excellence, we're all very excited to begin this new
step in the University's journey to the elite of the Fac-10. Students
have already begun enrolling in classes for the fall semester,
transfers are already on campus and enjoying the dry heat of the
desert in which we reside, and, most importantly, purchasing season
tickets for an exciting fall of University of Arizona at Kickery
football action! We're all looking forward to a strong academic and
football season! Kick 'em Kickers!

With Regards,

Pat Renaud
University of Az.-Kickery Athletic Director

Wildcats Win Inaugural FBCS Championship

2005-12-27T10:24:00.000-05:00

Unlike its NCAA counterpart, the FBCS (Fantasy Bowl Championship Series) proved that it truly is the best way to determine a champion. In the FAC-10 Football Conference's inaugural season, running back Larry Johnson and the University of Mexico ran away with the title.

By Michael Upshaw, San Diego Chronicle

There is no "I" in team... unless you say it in Spanish, in which case, there is an "I" in equipo.

With the third overall pick in the 2005 FAC-10 draft, the University of Mexico selected running back Shaun Alexander. But when Alexander found out he’d be playing south of the border, he was irate.

"As soon as the pick was announced, I got a call from Shaun," said Wildcats head coach Keith Kantor. "I was a little confused why he refused to play in Mexico, mainly because he was yelling so loudly."

While Alexander prepared for a holdout, UM was busy trying to make the best out of a bad situation. They quickly found an acceptable home for the sulking tailback, sending him to Gillespie State. In return, the Wildcats received running back Willis McGahee and a late-round draft pick (which was eventually used on DL Julius Peppers).

Alexander had an excellent season, rushing for 1880 yards and 27 touchdowns, was named FAC-10 Player of the Year, and helped Gillespie State to a regular season title. Meanwhile, UM finished second in the conference and eventually found themselves in the FAC-10 Championships against the most unlikely of opponents, Doug Flutie #1 Pick.

It was all Wildcats in the inaugural Fantasy Bowl Championship Series (FBCS) game, led by undrafted free agents Larry Johnson and Santana Moss. Johnson had 131 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns, while Moss had 160 yards receiving and 3 scores. Wide Receivers Torry Holt and Larry Fitzgerald combined for another 256 yards and 2 touchdowns.

On the other side, DF tried to keep up but the Wildcats defense was just too much for them. UM held quarterback Matt Hasselbeck to just 168 yards passing, while running back Tiki Barber had just 80 yards on the ground.

Mexico dominated the Keystone Light Ghetto Bowl from start to finish, winning by a convincing 57 points.

"What can we say, they were the better team out there," said DF head coach Kevin Neville. "We were the Cinderella story throughout the playoffs, but all stories have to come to an end eventually."

Shaun Alexander refused to dwell on his missed opportunity at being part of a conference championship. "I was never on that team, and never will be," he said.

The Wildcats had no players named to the FAC-10 All-Conference Team, yet still managed to average 100.17 points per game during the playoffs, best in the conference.

Don’t drink the water? Sounds like a conspiracy to me.