Hurricanes and First Impressions

Peeze’s Playbook
Week 2

Many of our FPF community may be too young to remember Hurricane Andrew.  It tore through south Florida with a voracity that few had ever witnessed before.  I lived through a few short years later as my family vacationed in Florida when Hurrican Erin hit.  It was nothing compared to the devastation left behind by Hurricane Andrew but the prospect was still terrifying to a 13 year old Peeze.

As were were forced from our Hotel, we started driving to Atlanta but the turned inland as we listened to the radio (Twitter had not yet been invented) to learn that Atlanta was under a state of warning as tornadoes were forming.  We went to Orlando where my parents drove from crappy motel to crappy motel before we were finally able to find a vacancy after an exhaustive 4 hour search.  There also wasn’t google maps or GPS back then.

The next morning we woke up to the news that the Hurricane had hit inland Florida as well as the coast.  Well, to be honest, my brother and I woke up to the news, my parents had not slept in the slightest.  I looked outside and it looked like a scene from The Walking Dead. Trees, power lines, and the like were fallen and strewn across the concrete horizon.

Miami is now one of the many cities facing the latest series of hurricanes (led by Hurricane Irma of course).  After a world famous airport in St.Maarten has been erased and many homes and business have been destroyed throughout the Carribean, South Florida boarded up for the storm.

When I stayed in that crumby motel years ago, I never thought I would eventually meet a wonderful woman who grew up in Atlanta and had a good deal of Family in Southern Florida.  I guess, a city that treats hurricanes so flippantly as to name their University teams after the natural disaster would minimize their reaction to the storm. Many of her family members reacted like much of South Florida and believed that the storm would pass and it wasn’t a reason to worry despite it being more than twice the size of Hurricane Andrew.

When they lost power and cellular service we worried for days before finding out that everyone is ok.  One of their homes did sustain some damage but, it wasn’t anything too overwhelming.   While I am relieved for my inherited family I wish nothing but the best for those affected by the storm and who have relatives that may have been affected as well.

 

FPF Cup

 

Dramatis Personae

For those not familiar with Latin or who have never held a playbill in their hands, this section is to offer a quick introduction to the people responsible for the media content for this division. I will list them and then craft a series of lies so that the actual content in each paragraph becomes a veritable Where’s Waldo.

 

Peeze: If you’ve played in FPF for some time I may be familiar to you. You may have loved or hated my columns in a variety of divisions. My perspective is somewhat different from traditional sports media because, for the most part, I hate sports media. I try to take the long view on things and I hope to provide an angle that may not have been considered. I also think sports are supposed to be fun so I prefer hearing takes from my half (if not mostly) baked Uber driver who weirdly smells like a magical mix of Funions and old spice than listen to pundits who pretend to have mystical ability to predict the unpredictable. So I tend to write more like an Uber driver than an NFL analyst.

In addition to our weekly columns I will be heading a joint effort where our media members will provide some segments that are of interest to players across both tiers.  These will include our weekly picks, our power rankings a segment providing a spotlight on an impressive team and one that is not living up to expectations and a Daily Fantasy component that will include cap and spread considerations.

Being very secure with my position in the league (as I am one of the most senior members), I do invite criticism (both passionate and constructive, unfounded or well researched). In the end this media product is for you, the players of FPF.

Feel free to find me at the fields and talk to me about what I can improve on, your team, your history and why you make an interesting FPF story. You can also message me on Facebook @ Peeze Della Reeze or criticize me publicly by tweeting me @PeezeFPF. If there is enough hate mail I will likely turn it into a segment in this article. For the moment, I can say being involved with planning the fall season and being involved with this project from the beginning it is exciting to see it come into fruition.

 

Simon Dagenais: On a personal level, Simon Dagenais is a good friend.  I hate him.  Every single time I speak to him, my brain begins to melt and I regret ever having met him.  He speaks in platitudes and clichés and his lack of perspective and inability to admit when he’s wrong drives one to alcoholism.  To be fair, in my case, that’s not a long drive.  In any case, he will be joining me on the podcast and he will likely find new and interesting ways for me to regret our friendship.  I promise you that my frustration with him is not a gimmick.  He will also be covering both tiers and focusing on the higher tiers while I will focus my coverage on the lower tier.

 

Francois Martin: Francois Martin will probably never be as good a quarterback as Simon or I but his inability to read a defense speaks nothing of his ability to understand the league as a media member.  We covered division D together this past spring and while we have a very different approach to coverage and it provides us with a wonderful breadth of coverage.  He will be writing the French language columnist for the inaugural season of the FPF Cup.

 

The Eagle at Master Control: Eagle is one of the most intelligent people I know.  While he tends to be the rational side of the FPF brain that takes a lot of my ideas (as well as the ideas of others) and finds a way to make them all work.  He will be producing our weekly podcasts and try to keep me in line while I push to stretch the boundaries each week.  We aim for tension because as he prefers harmony I enjoy a great dosage of chaos and discord. Eagle will do his best to try and reign me in.

 

Initial Impressions of The Cup’s Second Tier

 

Mean Machine

• Daniel Goloff has been fairly successful in FPF. However, While he has historically hovered around the mid-thirties in touchdowns, he has thrown interceptions in the mid-high teens.  He either needs to score more frequently or slow down the game and protect the ball.  In essence, Goloff need to return to his Winter 2015 form where he threw 41 touchdowns and 6 interceptions.
• Their first game saw them complete passes to 7 different receivers. Teams with this type of versatility are usually matchup nightmares.
• Look for Matthew Gottlieb to shine on both sides on this roster.

 

X-Men

• As we discussed on the podcast, Guatama Swaminadham is healthy and X-Men look to return to being the top dogs in their division. I expect them to move into one of the higher brackets after this preliminary round.
• While Wade Williams will always attract attention, Daniel Farag and David Miron anchor their defense and are two of the most underrated defenders in FPF.
• They didn’t beat the spread against Farmers, however, they also haven’t played since last winter and Farmers have played 2 seasons consecutively prior to entering the FPF cup.

 

Farmers

• I like the Farmers. Benoit Robidoux has improved and will continue to get better at the quarterback position. Their defense needs to evolve a little but have already been better than my initial impression.  The next step is to learn to be aggressive and read the concepts rather than stare down the quarterback.
• Corey Greenway has helped them develop quickly but Simon Viens, and new acquisition Nicholas Lefebvre will soon become household names.
• I’ve said it before, if Jonathan Legault plays a full season (or tournament) for this team, they will be far more dangerous.

 

Los Banditos

• I’m always happy to see Loic Savoiz-Seguin’s name on a roster. He has been a dominant 3 way player in the past, this provides Los Banditos with a multifaceted threat.
• I wonder if Los Banditos got permission to use the name from FPF veteran and former Los Banditos captain David Della Rocca.
• Jeremie Gauthier used to be one of the fastest and most elusive players in FPF. However, we haven’t seen him since Spring 2015.  I can’t wait to see if that’s still the case.

 

No Name

• I’ve played with and against Sean Collins. He was a player who worked hard but was a little rough around the edges.  He’s worked to improve his game and in his first game as a quarterback he led No Name to a 26-0 win.  It wasn’t the pretties but he got it done!
• I’d like to see how this team looks once Jonathan Grizzley returns.
• Robert White Is one of the least appreciated yet, most versatile players in FPF. I like him being the possession target for a newly developing qb.

 

All Hooks

• All Hooks predictably beat up on a Division 6 Bruins Team who struggled last winter and only recorded 3 wins in their previous campaign.
• Charles-Olivier Lavigne continues to impress me as a true dual threat quarterback.
• Some may not realize this but Jeremy White has caught 40 touchdown passes in 27 FPF games.

 

North Shore Finners

• This is a new team that I don’t know a ton about. Please feel free to introduce yourselves or message me to tell me about your team.
• Phillipe Marcotte did throw 2 interceptions in his FPF debut. However, he was averaging 6.8 yards per completion so this team was moving the ball at times.  Once he learns the plays that work best in FPF he may be ready to become a more consistent QB.
• Other than Marcotte, Vincent Martin-Raymond was the only other NSF defender to get his hand on the ball. His PD could have changed the game if he managed to intercept that pass instead.

 

Bruins

• One of the Bruins biggest issues has been play calling. Double outs are a solid concept but can be challenging if you don’t set them up earlier in the game or have an insanely quick release.
• Jerry Waskiw took charge as the team’s leading receiver in the season opener. I expect this trend to continue.
• Joe Terceria was 3/22 and as ugly as that stat is, his 4 interceptions were uglier.

 

Voodoo

• This is an offshoot of FPF veterans Zoo. I’m a big fan of this group of gentlemen.
• Patrick St-Amand seems to be throwing for his team.  I like this choice over Kevin Marcil
• Voodoo without Frank Kaye look to establish their identity.

 

Warriors

• After being initially branded as obnoxious complainers, Warriors are starting to mature as a franchise.
• The addition of AJ Gomes is huge for an already highly vertical offense.
• Michael Solimene comes into this tournament averaging 44 Touchdowns a season.

 

Dawson Caf’s Finest

• I hope that they are better students of the game than their name implies about their quality as actual students.
• Adamo Petrucelli is formerly of Gronky Kong so I have a soft spot for this group as I have since become the quarterback for the team that GK has morphed into. I am biased and unapologetic.
• Their first game ended 13-12 and they fought hard against a team with some FPF experience.

 

Trigger Happy Bunnies

• The team name makes me want to play Exploding Kittens.
• Jonathan Lemieux is a quarterback with limitations but masks them well with good play calling and tremendous athleticism. Not sure if it came off that way but I did mean it as a compliment.
• JD Joly, Patrice Lindor and Chris Canelho make up a very solid receiving corps.

 

Prime Time

• Prime Time’s offense relies on Stephen Harripersaud flooding zones and reading coverage. He is a smart quarterback who doesn’t make a lot of mistakes and they have enough speed to create mismatches when defenses switch to man.
• Josh Levine is one of the more underrated receivers in this tournament. He is a possession receiver with the ability to make plays with the ball in his hands.
• Meissa N’Garane is a menace in the middle of the field. He jumps the short rotes and has the ability to take any interception back for 6.

 

Greendale Human Beings

• Danny Aylward is a smart and efficient passer that typically finishes second in total yardage in division 6/E. (wink face emoji)
• Phil De Kovachich is a great rusher who has the ability to cut off quick routes to the rusher and still provide pressure in the second part of his rush.
• I expect GHB to be a front runner in tier 2.

 

Ducks

• Rumors have it that Steve Sanner has been released from the ducks.
• Ducks quarterback Zachary Frankiel wasn’t awful in his first game. Once they learn which plays work in FPF and how to best use his personnel, I expect that they will be better than people expect. Hopefully, he learns as early as the qualifying round.
• Their next two games come against Greendale Human Beings and Trigger Happy Bunnies. I expect them to go 0-3.

 

Sons of Mitches

• Brad Demers is one of the most resourceful players in FPF. He can play multiple positions and will excel at all of them.
• Armando Trotta career catches: 2
• My biggest issue with SOM is that Patrick Manning is a predictable playmaker with bad habits. He should use this preliminary round to address that before the games “count”

 

Lockdown

• Jokes aside, Eagle calls a good defense and is very reactive to trends and playcalling. Having Bryden Streeter will allow him a lot of flexibility as his range in the flats is devastating to short passing games.
• Pat Riot has a great arm but is prone to making costly mistakes. If he can limit mistakes Lockdown should be a strong team throughout the tournament.
• Maxime Chatauneuf has 53 touchdown catches in 41 FPF career games. If you don’t know the name yet, you will soon

 

Hold My Beer

• This is a solid team that tends to do well in the season before crumbling in the playoffs. Hopefully this playoff format works better for them.
• Michael Khazaka is a dominant receiver who was shut out in the first game. That can’t happen. He caught 2 touchdowns in the second game and Hold My Beer won easily.
• Kyle Mcguigan is the kind of player that is a quite but impactful acquisition.

 

Blacksox

• With three players having attempted passes they’ve changed QB’s as often as some people change socks.
• Bryan Pereira’s 4 interceptions show his struggles and poor game planning. The under dogs need to control the ball to have a chance to win.
• Nico Lanni seems to be their most explosive threat.

 

Tuesday’s Typical Tapioca

We have started the second round of games for the preliminary round of the first ever FPF cup.  Good luck to all hoping to earn a higher ranking or to those tanking to get a lower seed. If the stats from your game are erroneous please feel free to contact me @PeezeFPF on Twitter or by messaging me @ Peeze Della Reeze on Facebook. Also, feel free to reach out to let me know what you think of my article, the podcast or any other specific part of our media team output.

 

For further analysis, tune in to the official FPF Division D podcast “Calling the Audible,” where Simon Dagenais and I discuss Bob Saget’s life if reimagined as a horse,  why Apple hates the number 9, and how 6 toed cats are remarkably resilient. Tune in to www.youtube.com/flagplus on Thursday nights at 7:30 p.m. or download the podcast on iTunes or Podomatic!