Inside the Redzone (D4) – Semi-Finals – FlagPlus Football League

The entire season and playoffs come down to this Sunday. It will be a perfect storybook ending if the Warriors win, because they would join some exclusive company. Karim Chaoual vs. Norman Weeks, Patrick Jerome vs. Nicky McGuire, Alexandre Giroux vs. Dean Demetriu, J.F. Marcotte vs. Danny Roy and so forth. It is a battle of two All Star teams; who will come out on top? Does the Warriors’ regular season win give them an advantage? Will the Triple Sixers’ championship experience give them the edge? I will look at these questions and more, but before I can do that, it is that time of the year again, ladies and gentlemen, the STAR-AWARDS©.

STAR-AWARDS© IV

Most of you already know all about STAR-AWARDS© but for those who are wondering about the STAR-AWARDS©, they are supplemental awards that are designed to cover different aspects of FlagPlus Football, which are overlooked by the league.

I will name and define the categories but will leave it up to you to vote for the winners, they will be announced in one week’s time.

Most ridiculous player picture – This award is handed out to the player who has the most strange and/or repulsive picture posted up on the FlagPlus Football website.

Strongest Arm – This award is handed out to a player who has the best canon for an arm.

Best Scorekeeper – This award is handed out to the scorekeeper who best does his job. He is not influenced by players yelling in their ear or asking for extra added yards to their nightly total. He is calm, composed and accurate.

Best Zebra (best referee) – This award is handed out to the referee who best does his job. He is not influenced by players like Rostyn Castleton, yelling in his or her ear. He also makes sure no bias is exercised and the right call is made on every down. He is firm, authoritative and fair. He also brings a coin which is used before the game for the coin-toss.

Most Improved Player – This award is handed out to the player who has shown tremendous improved throughout the season and is making a big impact on his team’s success.

Most Improved Team – This award is handed out to the team who has improved steadily over the season and has made it very tough for their opponents to defeat them.

Best Leader – This award is handed out to a player who leads his team on and off the field. When things are tough, he takes it upon himself to carry the team on his back via action and words. His teammates look to him for inspiration and he never fails to deliver.

Best Entertainer – This award is handed out to the player who will make you jump out of your seats or cleats. He puts on a show on the field and very much so off the field. He is considered the “class clown” of FlagPlus Football. Either way, he keeps us entertained with his antics, something any league needs.

Best General Manager/Coach – This award is handed out to a player who has put together the best team. He uses his persuasive skills to find the best players and motivates his team to make them play at their best. He makes sure everything runs smoothly on and off the field.

Fastest Man – This award is handed out to a player who is just simply a rocket. He will use his jets whether he is in running with or without the ball. They say, “Speed Kills” and this player can do exactly that to his opponents.

Class Act award (Adi Sharma award) – This award is handed out to the player who best represents this league with regards to class. He respects everyone and makes sure that his demeanor is an example for the league to follow. He also brings a superior talent level to the game.

Best Hands – This award is handed out to a player who has hands like glue. In other words, whether the ball thrown at him might be a great one or a “duck”, he will catch it and make a play.

Best Route Runner – This award is handed out to a player who runs his route to perfection. Whether it is 5 yard hook or a post-corner, he knows how to run his pattern and find an opening. Other times, his router running will get others open as well.

Cinderella team – This award is given to the underdog team that excelled far beyond expectations.

Best Dresser (football gear) – This award is handed out to a player who puts on a show, with regards to his apparel. He will wear the best to show that he likes to look good while playing.

Best Trash Talker – This award is handed out to a player who can use his words to get inside of his opponent’s head which in effect puts his team at an advantage.

STARWAR of the year – This award is handed out to a player who is the ultimate football player with athleticism, football smarts and great leadership.

League MVP – This award is handed out to an all around best player who not only pushes himself to play better but also his teammates, possesses leadership and plays at a level that is extremely exciting to watch.

A few extra awards…

Best WEPL personality – This award is handed out to the WEPL member who best does his job. He is calm, cool and collected. He will be serious when needed and make wise cracks to lighten the mood. He is organized and is the glue that holds the show together.

Best Team Name – This award is handed out to a team who has the best name, in terms of creativity.

The Moe Khan award – This award is handed out to Moe Khan.

Best Team Jerseys – This award is handed out to a team who has the best looking jerseys, hands down.

Best Writer – This award is handed out to that person who writes well for FlagPlus Football. His articles are entertaining, informative and keep you on the edge.

***Please give your opinion on who you think should win. The winners will be announced next week.***

What Now?

Flight Of The Concords – They started the season off slowly, but picked up the pace towards the end. Losing to the Warriors is no shame, so FOTC should keep their heads up because this was their final. They reached the highest stage in Division 4. Jonathan Lemieux stepped up his game to another level and it will continue into the Spring season. They re-built their chemistry after the departure of Marvin Renaud and look to further their success in the Spring season. They do have a newcomer, or rather an old friend for the Spring season but who? Find out in just a few weeks!

Gators – Honestly speaking, the Gators went as far as they could and ran into a team who is far superior for them and Division 4. I like their chemistry and feel they should comeback in the Spring season (minus Shawn Haney due to Shockers being in Div A) so they can continue on their great progress. This is the first time they’ve reached the semifinals and like FOTC, were the best in Division 4 in my opinion (Triple Sixers and Warriors don’t belong there).

FINALS

I thought before I could break down the finals, why not have a Q & A session with Mr. Yannick McGuire, captain of the Warriors? He did his best to avoid media all week but being a great journalist, I tracked him down on his way to practice field. I didn’t have a lot of time so I could only get in a few questions:

Nick, how do you feel knowing that Warriors could be one of the few teams in the history of FPF and have a perfect season?

I feel real good knowing that I was able to put a team together that is going be remembered.

Is there any added pressure because you’re the favorites and on the verge of a perfect season?

Not more pressure than we put on ourselves. We have a dedicated group who not really wants this; I put this team together because I wanted a group of guys who want to win.

Any special game plans against the Triple Sixers, someone to look out for? Any last comments?

We don’t change our game plan for anyone; we will be doing our thing because it got us here. There is no need to change anything but instead we make adjustments on the fly. By the way, I saw the press conference and they mentioned how our receivers don’t fight for the ball. I just want to say that we don’t need to fight for the ball because we’re good enough to be open all the time.

And that concluded Nicky McGuire’s brief interview before he entered into the practice facility and security didn’t allow me to go inside. I couldn’t get a hold of any Triple Sixer players, so obviously they are preparing and do not want to make any comments. I guess they probably made all their comments known at the press conference.

Analysis

How can I break this game down? Instead of doing the usual statistical analysis and whatnot, the best way to break this game down is by answering the questions that surround the finals.

Will the season series have an impact on the finals?

Warriors definitely did beat Triple Sixers back in week nine and it wasn’t even close. I don’t think this will have an impact on this Sunday’s game because Triple Sixers realize the regular season game was just that and they’re going to show something different this weekend. Furthermore, Karim Chaoual didn’t start the game and who knows if Triple Sixers were even trying. Regardless, this is a new game and any prior history should be thrown out the window.

Which QB is better?

We’ve had this debate on the WEPL and common consensus points to Norman Weekes. However is Karim Chaoual that far behind? Definitely not. Let’s not forget that Karim Chaoual has already won a championship in Spring 2009 while Norman Weekes hasn’t won the big game yet. If we base the argument on season stats and head-to-head, Norman Weekes comes out on top, however, Karim Chaoual shouldn’t be discounted solely based on championship experience.

What team has the better supporting cast?

I firmly believe both teams have equal talent at the receiver and defensive back positions. Patrick Jerome, Alexandre Giroux, J.F. Marcotte and Jonathan Goyette can go toe-to-toe against Nicky McGuire, Craig O’Brien, Dean Demetriu and Ryan Perry.

I give the edge in rushers to Enrico Tulino of Warriors because he has done a better job against QBs. Plus, Norman Weekes has a fast release so it will be tough for any rusher to get to him. The battle of the snapper goes to J.F. Marcotte because he has really solidified himself in the Triple Sixers offense and is a big threat in the red zone. No offence to Danny Roy, who is a solid snapper but is not as lethal or as great route as J.F. Marcotte.

Which team has more X-Factors and leadership?

Again, both teams have X-Factors, especially if we look at the names on both teams. I believe Triple Sixers have a lot of leadership but it is not at the same level as Warriors. The reason why is because names like Craig O’Brien and Norman Weekes are seasoned veterans who have been in a lot of situations, especially in FlagPlus Football. I think the whole team feeds off of them and their experience is very hard to match.

Should the Warriors a game plan for Patrick Jerome?

I know a lot of Warriors believe that they are fine and dandy, however let me tell you, that the Patrick Jerome they’ll see in the finals is not the same they’ve seen until now. With his experience from a higher division, he’ll be a force to be reckoned with; therefore Warriors should think twice if they believe they’ll just play like they have all season and that will take care of Patrick Jerome.

How should the Triple Sixers approach the finals? Should they use the championship experience from Spring 2009?

Given the fact they lost the first game, in regular season, might be a blessing in disguise for them. It goes without saying that Warriors are the favorites in this game, so Triple Sixers really have nothing to lose. Therefore, the Sixers have to prepare themselves as the underdogs and feed off of that because all the pressure is on the Warriors. Additionally, they really have to go back to their championship from the Spring season and use that experience to their advantage. Having played against them in that game (I was a member of Chaos) I can assure you their defense was very physical and stifling. Therefore the Sixers know how to win the big game.

What can we expect from the finals?

It will be a hard fought game and to quote Danny Roy from the press conference, “it will be a dog fight”. The Triple Sixers will try to test the Warriors defense early and based on that result, the Sixers will adjust their game plan. Warriors will just do their thing as they believe they have been all season and playoff long. In the words of Moe Khan, “36.6% chance that this game will go into overtime.”

What is my prediction?

On the WEPL we have said all season long that Triple Sixers slow starts will eventually come back to haunt them and I believe this will be the case in the finals. They can’t be down to a team like the Warriors and expect to come back. Warriors have virtually zero weaknesses and furthermore they have too much experience, leadership and firepower to blow leads. If the Triple Sixers can keep it close at the half time, they have a chance but their best bet would be to start with the ball and make the Warriors play catch up from the get-go.

Even though the odds are against Triple Sixers, it doesn’t mean they can’t pull it off. Let’s not forget their current record 12-1 is quite impressive in itself. Also they have championship experience from the Spring season, which gives them a bit of an advantage. So even though I do see this game being somewhat close, I like the Warriors to come out firing, never looking back and thus adding the last piece of the puzzle to their perfect season.

Please don’t forget to vote for STAR-AWARDS© and in my final article, I’ll announce the winners. Good luck to the Warriors and Triple Sixers this Sunday, fight hard and leave everything on the field. That’s it for this week’s column. As usual if you have any comments/suggestions, email me at [email protected]. I leave you with the following quote:

“Leadership is based on a spiritual quality; the power to inspire, the power to inspire others to follow.” – Vince Lombardi