D-Up! Week 3 Recap

Every year there are teams who stumble out of the gate and fall behind the pack early on in the season. This is usually the case for new teams in the league. Luckily there’s an upside to this; it gives you the opportunity to hide in the shadows of being an underdog for the rest of the season. Reducing the pressure is maybe what some of these teams needed? All I know is if Express, Terror Squad and BC et Les McGonagals don’t quickly find the bug and kill it, there might soon be too much lag to recover.

              A lot of teams are on a mission to prove me wrong. I had a decent start to the year with my picks, but last week was rough for me. Funny thing is, I love to be proven wrong when it comes to flag football. The league needs me to be wrong. Predictability is unattractive in every state. I live for a mind-blowing upset that keeps you on the edge of your seat for a full hour. I will also be happier with you proving me wrong and having success rather than you proving me right and laying eggs week in and week out. So basically after ten weeks I’d be happier making breakfast for two, rather then having a Gino Di Fazio roster over for brunch.

 

Headlines Div1:

• Terror Squad is off to their worst start since spring 2011 when they started off 1-4. It’s not looking very good for a team who usually thrives off team chemistry. Some of the boys in orange seemed to be looking for the exit sign early in this game against D-Boys. It’s hard not to get frustrated when you need to pull a rabbit out of a hat just to convert first downs. Tam Vilaydeth has 5TDs and 7 Interception as a quarterback after 3 weeks, which is never going to give your team a chance for success. On the other hand, D-Boys are 2-1 heading into the Super Bowl bye week with three favorable match-ups on deck. D-Boys are looking extremely good. They currently have the second best defense in division 1. A well-warranted statistic, dividend of their aggressive but organized style defense.
• Carmine Pollice wants to put the murmurs to sleep. Pollice threw for 216 yards and 6 touchdowns, 3 of which went to my key addition from last week: Robby Robinson. I believe Carmine is at the top of the list of players who want to prove me wrong. Simon Charbonneau-Campeau, fresh off a Grey Cup win, has finally turned it up a notch here in flag. Patrick Chenard will need the lean heavily on Campeau if they are going to turn this season around. This was a huge win for Demons who finally got some bounces to go their way. Is the sand storm going to settle down for Demons and allow them to prove me wrong? Express will get a chance at revenge week 9 but I wouldn’t look that far down the road just yet. They are now 0-3 and have Montreal’s Finest coming into town, looking to remain undefeated on the season.
• Rochdi Benadelkader’s first crack at his former team- Montreal’s Finest, was unsuccessful to say the least. Maybe he was confused as to who is on his team and who isn’t anymore. Keep in mind Rochdi played over 7 seasons with the dominant force he was now up against. Kishon Thomspon is on pace for one of his best winter seasons ever. After two games as a receiver, Kishon has already tallied more of the same amount of yards and touchdowns as his previous two winter seasons’ totals. It’s obvious to anyone who is watching that he belongs on the field as a two-way player, and not only as a defensive captain. The fact that he has stepped down and allowed his role as a receiver to diminish in the past couple of seasons says a lot about his character and his willingness to put the team’s success before his own individual glory. I will from this point forward add an individual award in my weekly article. I will call it “The Kish” and it will go to the most outstanding two-way player of the week. On another note, Montreal’s Finest currently sits on top of division 1 with the best D, as well as the number one O. This is no foreign situation for Montreal’s Finest; they’ve been sitting in the driver’s seat of division one since the Ice Age.
• Rainmakers prove me wrong and remain undefeated! A crucial victory over a conference rival in Flag Moi L’Sac will solidify their foundation for further success. Three players combined for five sacs against Alex Nadeau-Piuze who    has taken a record amount of sacs this season. The most Alex has ever been sacked in a full season is 16; he currently sits at 13 after 3 games. Although Alex is no stranger to adversity, you can’t continuously put yourself in trouble by giving up sacks. Last week I spoke about the inevitability of Michael Chitayat’s come out party. Michael finished the game with 8 receptions for 55 yards and 2 touchdowns but most importantly he also had 2 sacks on defense. Rainmakers have the bye week to figure out what they need to do to remain undefeated against D-Boys.

 

Headlines Div2:

 

-Francis Lapointe instantly impacted the stats sheet for Wolfpack who needed all the help they could get going up against ONS. Unfortunately, 42 points was not enough on a night where ONS seemed to have all the luck go their way. Although Kevin Wyeth needs no luck to make a salad out of your defense, it was the ONS defense that needed the luck. A bad bounce for Pascal Murray found the ball being tipped up into the sky and landing in Tony Lalla’s hands. While both quarterbacks threw for 7 TDs, once again it was a run for 6 by Kevin that turned the tide. Obviously my only worry here is ONS defense. Lapointe had 6 receptions for 145 yards and 3 touch downs, 3 of which were forty bombs. You can’t get comfortable knowing Kevin will put up points at will. One day he won’t, and he’ll need the defense to pick up the slack.

-Finally Served with Ice breaks the ice. Jordan Panetta’s arrival to the field was as usual. He jogged into the dome as the coin was being flipped and still threw for 330 yards and 5 TDs; who even needs to warm up their shoulders now a days? I would definitely have to! If you find yourself wondering, who’s this freak catching jump ball after jump ball? His name is Tony Desmond. Like a glitch in madden, Jordan has found a way to throw TDs at will by pressing RT+X… X being Tony Desmond out at wide receiver. Inside at slot, you have a very underrated talent in Karl Lavallée. Karl is a product of the University of Montreal; he displayed his talent this weekend with one of the nicest catches this year. The mix of speed, athleticism and size on offense makes SWI extremely hard to match up. Hall Of Famer Frank Lebeau found himself between a rock and a hard place late in the game needing to score to tie the game. Unable to make a connection, Gladiateurs now sits second last in conference B. Will the aging roster prove to finally become a problem for the Glads? I think you can never count these guys out.

-Nothing could go right Saturday evening for Chernobyl Circus. On a night where TMT decided to finally play as a team, it seemed like Chernobyl couldn’t catch a break. Malu Bukasa looked to be in full control of his abilities and lead his team like a true quarterback should. The yards and points Bukasa couldn’t get through the air he got on the ground with his feet; his two rushing touchdowns were a true game changer. Nothing is more deceiving as a defender then holding down perfect coverage and being beat on the ground because your rusher couldn’t contain. Alexande Gatier is no Pat Chenard at rush and Bukasa noticed. It was my first time seeing the HB option being used by TMT, and I hope it was the last time.

-Zan Symonds is currently on pace to throw 20 interceptions and only averages 132.33 yards per game. That puts him second last on a list of 13 quarterbacks who have thrown in three games this season. At the bottom of the list is Joel Joule from BC et Les McGonagals. All that being said, The Commission fell to 1-2 with a loss against Flag Football Fantasy. It would be kind of me to say it was an off night for Benny Goodfriend who finished the night with a second-rate stat line. Thankfully Benny doesn’t need to be perfect, for his defense will always have his back. Allow me to quote my week one article, “Nate Taylor, Garrett Taylor, Kris Robertson and Adam Bailey is what you have to line up against… These four names could arguably be found on any defensive back depth chart in the CFL”. Nathan Taylor, Adam Bailey and Garrett Taylor combined for 5 pass defended and Kris threw in his two cents with 2 interceptions. They also account for the seven tackles made in the game. I hope Benny paid for the first round of beers after the game this defense played. The Commission have talented receivers who can help out Zan, but there’s obviously a deficiency in the offensive playbook that needs to be addressed quickly.

-I’ve been tough on Leon Holder in the past but I’m about to get tougher. One thing that bothered me about Leon’s game is his lack of effort after he throws an interception. It’s one thing to make a bad read; it’s another not to assume responsibility for it and give up 6 points. If I were to throw 4 interceptions, I would probably physically tackle the fourth and impulsively start flipping benches. Instead, Leon stood and watched as Rich Humes avoided a tackle and made his way to the end zone. I understand it can be discouraging, but you’re the leader, you have to at least pretend to care because I guarantee you I’m not the only one who noticed. Worst thing is I thought this was one of Leon’s better games; he honestly couldn’t catch a brake. Clockwork is showing their good stuff. They look to have one of the best team chemistries in division 2. Marco Masciotra connected with seven different receivers for 230 yards and 5 touchdowns, his favorite target being Matt Kirouac who caught 8 for 89 yards and 3 touchdowns. Alex Apostolakis made a beautiful one hand catch for the first pick six of the game against Leon Holder. Clockwork has a large task at hand next week taking on the undefeated Legends.

-BC et Les McGonagals is the only team sitting at 0-3. Joel Joule is off to an awful season as the leader of this offense and it’s really translating into his teams’ success. On the other hand, the Wolverines finally show their teeth. I have never seen a stats sheet with as many pass defended as the one for this game. Wolverines collectively had 10 PD, notably Tony Tabet and Raffi Bastajian had 3 each. Theo Bekelis added another interception to his stats and currently leads the league with 3 interceptions. Hopefully this is just the start to more success for Tony Tabet and the Wolverines. We’ll find out next week when they take on Cherbobyl Circus who’s fresh off a rattling upset. As for BC et Les McGonagals the road ahead will get bumpy, starting next week with Flag Fantasy Football.

-Cold Fusion is one of my favorite teams to pick against because I have not yet been right about them. Even with the absence of Godfrey Abu and Nigel Thomas, Justin Lavallée found a way to lead his troops to yet another win. They currently sit at the top of conference A and are one of two undefeated teams in division 2. If Justin continues to show poise in the pocket and pick up yards with his feet when needed, I might just become a believer. Nicola Centomo threw for a career low of 56 total yards. The only good news right now for Les Monsieur Chat is their schedule; soft and average is one way to put it. Cold Fusion shows no sign of slowing down…they could be the team I never saw coming!

-Legends very quietly continue their journey to an undefeated season with a win over Shakalooinz. Corey Pecker has only thrown a single interception in three games. The defense is playing extremely well behind one of my favorite rushers in the league Jeremy Cola. Jeremy played a key role late in the second half with a sack for a safety and a timely pass deflection on third down. I hope I don’t have to reiterate how important I feel a great rush is for a defense. Having Jeremy Cola go about his business as a top rusher in this league will make a huge difference for the Legends. Shakalooinz has a good-looking team; they need to close out games if they want to have a chance in making the playoffs this season.    

 

My Top Freaks in Div 1:

QB-Kevin Wyeth: 30/34 for 232 yards and 7Tds… It was inevitable, the freak himself has entered the room.

WR-Simon Charbonneau-Campeau: 7RECs for 95 yards and 2TDs… Simon is better known as SCC, but now you can call him Mr. Freakish.

DB-Jonathan Grizzley: 5 TKLs 1 INT and 1 PD…Welcome to the group of freak Grizzley

R-Tim Kramer: 2 Sacks and a tackle… Getting sacs in the top division is no easy tasks. Never thought Kramer’s first visit here would be as a Rusher!

The KISH Award: (A new award that will go to the most outstanding two-way player each week)

This week the award goes to, um, Kishon Thompson

6 RECs for 60 yards and 3 TDs aswell as 1 TKL 2 INTs and a PD.

 

My Top Freaks in Div2:

QB-Jordan Panetta: 20/28 for 330 yards and 5TDs… 330 yards is Freakish!

WR-Francis Lapointe: 6 RECs for 145 yards and 3 TDs.. Francis was shredding the defense at will. Freakish game to say the least… Mr.Lapointe you are a FREAAAAKKK!

DB-Karim Binette: 2 INTs and 2 TKLs. Not a huge performance but a very good one.. Mini Freak status for now.

R-Matt Kirouac:2 Sackss and 2 PDs… The man can do it all. Just a freak on the field

 

My Picks Div1:

Demons (+2) VS Terror Squad

Express (+7) VS Montreals Finest

Flag Moi L’Sac (-2) VS DK

Rainmakers (-3) VS D-Boys

Last week I went 2 in 4 making me 5 for 8 on the season… that puts me at 63%

 

My Picks Div2:

Wolfpack (+2.5) VS Cold Fusion

Wolverines (+3.5) VS Chernobyl Circus

TMT (+1.5) VS Les Monsieur Chats

Flag Football Fantasy (-5.5) VS BC et Les McGonagal

#Noregard (+3) VS Served With Ice

Legends (-1.5) VS Clockwork

Usual Suspect (+8.5) VS ONS

The Commission (-1.5) VS CLR Forces

Shakalooinz (+2.5) VS Gladiateurs

Last week I was 5or 6 in 9 for a season total of 12 or 13 in 18… that puts me at***

 

My Game Of The Week:

Clockwork 2-1 VS Legends 3-0

Finally a truly attractive match up between two really good-looking division 2 teams. It’s unlike me to talk about a game that I will be part taking in but I feel this is going to be quite an epic match up.

Key match up:

Clockwork speed VS Legends defensive backs

It’s not secret that there’s a ton of speed to match up against. Between Jamal Gittens and Theo Ojeaha you will find Rich Humes, Matt Kirouac and Mathew Petrone. All of these receivers are athletic and play a key part in a very balanced offence. Quarterback Marco Masciotra can go to anyone of these receivers no matter the situation in the game. They will line up against Ryan Lelinowski, Dave Chitayat, Bryan Fuchs, Vince Nardone and Robbie Pecker. This defense has the moving pieces needed to switch into any match-up needed. They have size, speed and defensive IQ, which will make for a very interesting game. They matchup well against each other on both sides of the ball; the difference will most likely be which quarterback makes the least amount of mistakes.

Matt Kirouac VS Jeremy Cola

I don’t feel like going on about how important a great rusher is to a flag defense. In this game you have two of the best going up against each other. It’s not necessarily about how many times each individual will show up on the stats shit, it’s about how constant their rush will be. Maintaining a speed rush for a full game is not easy, let alone for guys who play both ways. I think it will be unfavorable if the rush slows down. Give either one of these quarterbacks time in the pocket and they will find the end zone.

Marco Masciotra VS Corey Pecker

Marco Masciotra is a top quality quarterback in division 1. He’s poised, confident, smart and athletic. He can carve up a defense like it’s nobody’s business. On top of all that, he was able to surround himself with an amazing cast to receivers and fit in division 2. Marco’s worst enemy is himself. As much as he can be on top of the world with confidence, a couple bad plays or bad reads can push him to the other side. Will Legends’ defense be able to knock him off his game? Corey Pecker is fresh off a championship. In three games, he has forced one ball and it turned into his only interception on the season. Needless to say, he is extremely patient and calculated. He is deceiving and can make you pay with his legs if you give him the opportunity. As much love as I have given to the Clockwork receiving core, the guys surrounding Corey are no chumps. Corey has surrounded himself with three former CIS players, a brother bond and a massive center with golden hands. Ultimately, it’ll come down to who wants it the most. Everyone is going to have to participate and play their role. Who can make faster reads? Who will make the better reads? Who will make the fewest mistakes? Whoever wins two of the three questions I have just listed will win this game.

My Pick: Irrelevant but I’m a confident guy, so you can guess.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. Once again good luck to everyone! Don’t forget to check out the podcast by G.M Kolethras and I Thursday night around 10:15! Follow me @VinceNardone for very little action on twitter or stop me at the field to chat. Till next time… Get better, make adjustments, learn and move forward.