The Sarwar Report (D1) – Second Bye-Week

 

For the first time since 2006, we will have two NEW TEAMS in the Division 1 finals (2007-2009 saw Montreal’s Finest vs. Hurricanes), which means Division 1 will have a new champion. All the media attention, press conferences, practices, game films are now coming to an end and this Sunday, it will be time for one of the finalists to shine, but who will have all the glory? Will it be the Express, who are coming one of the biggest upsets in FPF History? (a second one in their team history) Or will it be the surging Expos, whose last loss came in January? Is Patrick Chénard ready to complete the Cinderella season or will Chad Byers finally take the next step and win a championship as a quarterback? All these questions and more will be answered but before that, it is that time of the year again. That’s right ladies and gentlemen, allow me to present to you STAR-AWARDS©.

 

STAR-AWARDS© IV

Most of you already know all about STAR-AWARDS© but for those who are wondering, 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 next week.

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 does his job best. He is not influenced by players like Rostyn Castleton yelling in his 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.

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 the “Sean Avery” of Division 1. He keeps us entertained with his antics, something every league requires.

 

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.

Adriano Tassone award (Class Act) – 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.

Best General Manager – 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.

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.

The Hulk award – This award is handed out to a player who is “jacked”. He simply is a beast and has accomplished it without an illegal substance.

 

Most Improved Team – This award is handed out to the team who has shown the most improvement from beginning of the season until the end. It can also be given to a team who has improved the most since Winter 2009 Division 1 season.

 

Most Improved Player – This award is handed to the player who has show the most improvement from beginning of the season until the end. It can also be given to a player who has improved the most since last Winter 2009 Division 1 season.

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 host 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.

 

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.***

 

 

FINALS

 

The number two seed Expos will take on the number four seed Express, HOWEVER, don’t be fooled, because the way I see it, Express are the favorites going into the finals. That’s right I said it. I think it is time we put the Express with the likes of Montreal’s Finest and Hurricanes. In their second season in Division 1, they improved their roster and took out the top dog. If we talk to someone on the street, listen to RDS or even read the Facebook walls, Express are being recognized as a great story in FlagPlus Football. They deserve a lot of credit for their hard work and success.

 

Regardless of being the so-called underdogs, Expos are also playing some great football right now. They started the season off at 0-4, won their fifth game and haven’t lost since that point. Their chemistry is strong and their defense is starting to put it together which is scary. They didn’t have their full roster every game in the season but still managed to have a player win defensive player of the year. They might be a team destined for greatness and continue their winning streak which started beginning of February 2010.

 

So if the Express are going in as the favorites, what will it take for them to win the biggest honor in FlagPlus Football? I’ll break the finals down in the following way:

 

Patrick Chénard vs. Chad Byers

 

Everyone will be inclined to say that Chad is a better QB, just like we said Kevin Wyeth was a better QB two weeks ago; and that is the accurate thing to say. However, Patrick Chénard is not far behind. He won the two player of the year (based on his defensivee and passing stats) and he was the starting QB for ALL-STARWAR SQUAD. He might not be pretty (not in the physical sense but his game play), he might not be smooth and he probably doesn’t throw the best spiral, but he does one thing really well, and it’s win. Furthermore, this season we’ve seen Patrick stay in the pocket more and rely on his passing game which is a credit to his patience and vision. So there is a no clear cut advantage that Chad Byers has over Patrick Chénard. At this point, they are both good at what they do and will achieve results.

 

Can anyone stop SCC?

 

So far no one has been able to stop SCC and I don’t think that is going to change this weekend. He tore up the Montreal’s Finest for 119 receiving yards and 3 TDs. Furthermore, Rochdi Benabdelkader mentioned at the press conference that if you put too much attention on SCC, you are leaving other players wide open. Case in point, Gabriel Cote was open on the play to win the game versus MF, because everyone bit on SCC. I will say that Rochdi’s defensive mastermind will have a plan. In this season’s Game Of The Week, Express lost to the Expos because the’spos played a patient defensive game. Will the Expos exhibit the same strategy this Sunday? Only time will tell.

 

Are the Expos ready for a physical battle?

 

We have to keep two things in mind. One, the Expos are a very talented team but they don’t have the physical element that we see in Express or Montreal’s Finest. Second, some key players on the team (Chad Byers and Teddy Frenette) are in Hamilton for an outdoor tournament and will be leaving to come back on Sunday. So fatigue will play a massive role for the Expos. Therefore, with these two factors combined, Expos might not be ready for an all out battle.

 

**FLASHBACK** Here is a tidbit for FlagPlus followers; the 2008 Division 2 finals featured the Express and Red Army. Express won by a landslide because Red Army’s QB Matt Connell was away on vacation at a resort. Now even though Chad Byers will be present, the Expos might have a slight disadvantage due to fatigue and we might not see two teams at their full potential.

 

Which team’s supporting cast will step up? Who has more X-Factors?

 

It is fair to say that both teams have a good supporting cast. Express have Mahtieu Thuot, Nicholas Arsenault-Hum, Gabriel Cote and Jean Francois Marquis. Expos have Paul Lapierre, Alain Rousseau, Teddy Frenette and Pierre Ianniciello. So both teams have a lot of players who can cause damage. As for X-Factors, I have to give the slight edge to Express because they are more physical and will sacrifice their bodies for the ball.

 

Which team’s defense will come up big?

 

This is a tough question however watching them both play I can honestly say the Express defense is a bit stronger than the Expos’. Most notably there is Patrick Chenard, who won two way player of the year and Bruno Collette, who was considered for defensive player of the year. Throw in Mathieu Thuot and Nicholas Arsenault-Hum, you have a strong defensive system that is tough to beat. Oh yeah, you can’t forget Andrija Zecevic who is about 6’6’’ tall and is the best rusher in Division 1. I see the Express creating one or two turnovers in this game.

 

That’s not to say that Expos have no defense. P-O Brunet won the defensive player of the year and anytime you have Teddy Frenette on the field, it is that much tougher for an opponent to score. Throw in Rochdi Benabdelkader, who can devise the perfect scheme, and you have a pretty solid defense, but again going back to the fatigue and physical factor, Express has the edge.

 

What is my prediction?

 

Express will come out firing as they did against Montreal’s Finest in which they scored on the first drive of the game and set the tone early. Their defense will be tough to penetrate and as the game goes on, Expos’ fatigue will play a factor. Look for Express to pull ahead at midway through the second half and never look back. I think the Expos had a great first season together, but their two and a half month streak without a loss will come to an end this Sunday.

 

—–

 

Please don’t forget to vote for STAR-AWARDS© and in my final article next week, I’ll announce the winners. Good luck to the Expos and Express this Sunday; may the best team win. 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