The Bill Gates Challenge, Part V: Big Trouble In Little Texas...

[Kodos]

Originally posted by DataKing:


Kyle's hurt?!?! How could this happen???

I knew implementing the Kill Drill for offensive linemen was a bad idea. I just knew it!

Glad to see Chuck and the rest of the team has rebounded nicely from the Cowboys loss. Looks like that game served as a bit of a wakeup call after all.

[Kodos]

Originally posted by Raven Hawk:


Chuck U! MVP! Chuck U! MVP! Chuck U! MVP!

[Kodos]

Originally posted by revrew:


Raven, despite your membership in ATFP Racing, I nonetheless welcome you to the Chuck U. Fanclub. Unfortunately, as I'm sure you understand, the folks at the compound are more than a little nervous about anyone with "ATF" associations actually visiting the compound (again). We'll just have to mail you your membership information.

[Kodos]

Week 10

Green Bay (2-6) at Gatesville (7-1)
=============================================

Attendance: 47,700! You see, ya go to playoffs for 6 or so straight seasons, go to consecutive Super Bowls, win the second one, go 7-1 the following season, and **BLAM!!!** you get a little spike in the attendance column... It's as easy as 1-2-... Errr. Little help here...?

The Game:

Darren Cruise, Rusty Pleasant, and Joey Rhoades all sat out for our date with the Packers. Fortunately, these are not the glory years for Green Bay, and it appeared coming in to the game that we would have an easy win on our hands.

A Joel Harden interception early in the game set up Berg's 9-yard keeper that put us on top, 7-0. However, Kelly Keil connected with Rufus Madison for a 75-yard strike shortly thereafter to atone for his earlier mistake, and the game was knotted at 7 all.

Late in the first quarter, Chuck U. caught touchdown number six on the season to cap off a drive in which he caught 4 passes for 60 yards. Way to dominate, Chuck! 14-7, Pirates!

The second quarter passed by without any scoring, and the third quarter started off rather inauspiciously when Antoine Dugans muffed a punt return which was quickly gobbled up by the Packers' special teams unit. Despite starting with a 1st & 10 on our 43, the Packers ended up settling for a 51-yard field goal that made it 14-10.

That would be as close as the Packers would get, as Hidalgo tacked on three field goals in the second half to give us a 23-10 victory over Packers.

Key Performers:

Berg got the MVP by going 18/30 for 276 yards and 1 TD. His 9 carries for 38 yards and a score didn't hurt either.

Second-year RB Herb Matthews had 17 carries for 56 yards and 3 catches for 45 more. Right now, Matthews is in a bit of a funk. It seems like we always get young RBs who do good things during their rookie season, but then slump in their second season. Maybe our pass-happy offense makes them lose interest...

My man Chuck U. did all his work in one drive today, as he ended the day with 4 grabs for 60 yards and a TD.

Ralph Randle continued to shine with a 6-catch, 95-yard performance.

New Injuries:

Dave Sanders bruised his shoulder and will need a couple weeks to recover.

Ty Robbins has turf toe, and will also need a couple weeks.


=============================================
Dallas (7-2) at Detroit (6-3)

Detroit helped Dallas return to their losing ways by defeating the 'boys 23-10. Good job!

We will travel to Richmond to take on the Wranglers in Week 11. Hope to see you there!

[Kodos]

Originally posted by DataKing:


Anybody who beats the Packers is hall of fame in my book. Good job Kodos. Show Bill (and Bibi) what our Pirates are really made of!

[Kodos]

Originally posted by wade moore:


Good job Kodos! I think Mr. Davis and Mr. Gates must be long lost cousins ...

[Kodos]

Week 11

Gatesville (8-1) at Richmond (5-4)
=============================================

The Game:

This game started off a bit rough for us. Multiple turnovers gave way to easy scores for Richmond in the first half, and early in the second half, we found ourselves in a 17-3 hole. An Antoine Dugans fumble on a punt return had led to a Craig Fantozzi touchdown reception in the second quarter, and a Berg interception had set up a Percy Sampson to Sam Washington touchdown early in the third quarter.

With just 11 ticks left on the clock in the third quarter, Broderick Hidalgo hit a 34-yard field goal to trim the Wranglers' advantage to 17-6.

In the fourth, things started to look a little less bleak when Berg connected with Earl Thornton for a 24-yard touchdown with 11 minutes left to make it a 17-13 ballgame. After a quick Richmond 3-and-out, Hidalgo was able to cut their lead to one point with a 46 yarder that sailed true.

The Wranglers, to their credit, did not just roll over in light of our 13-0 run. On their next possession, they just flew down the field, and for the second time of the game, Sampson was able to hook up with Washington for a score, this time from 9 yards out, to move their lead to 24-16.

Not to be outdone, Berg led our offense down the field at a rapid clip, this time getting the ball to Ralph Randle for a 14-yard touchdown that pulled us to within 2 points of Richmond, 24-22. Now it was time for the conversion attempt! Working out of a 3-receiver set, Berg hit the cagey veteran Kyle Diaz in the corner for 2 to tie the game at 24 with 9:23 to go. In a span of just one minute and 44 seconds, we had scored 18 points, and they had scored 7. Wow!

After the flurry of scoring, things quieted down for a while, until Herb Matthews ran one in from 24 yards out with just 1:02 left in the game. With 59 minutes elapsed, we finally had our first lead of the day, 31-24!

The defense took the field looking to contain the Wrangler offense, and that they did. Following a failed fourth down conversion attempt, the ball was ours, and Berg took a knee to seal the victory. 31-24, Pirates! We were now 9-1!

Key Performers:

Herb Matthews had a solid if unspectacular outing, gaining 77 yards and 1 TD on 13 carries.

Berg also played just well enough to win, completing 18 of 34 attempts for 286 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 interception. Berg also had 1 fumble.

Antoine Dugans had 2 fumbles (4 so far this season) on punt returns, which helped Richmond to their early lead. Next week, strong safety Percy Stewart will take over the punt return duties.

Kyle Diaz had 4 catches for 57 yards and 1 fumble recovery.

Earl Thornton had 3 catches for 77 yards and 1 TD.

New Injuries:

All-pro FB Levon Wallace hyper-extended his knee and will be out 3-5 weeks. Tommy Douglas will get the start in his place.

All-pro free safety Dave Sanders aggravated his bruised shoulder and will be inactive for Week 12 when we travel to Philly.


=============================================
Dallas (7-3) had a bye in Week 11.

[Kodos]

Week 12

Gatesville (9-1) at Philly (5-5)
=============================================

The Game:

A 35-yard Buddy Liu touchdown throw to Nobert Poole in the third quarter cut our lead to 17-14, but that was as close as the Eagles (who only gained 17 yards on the ground all day) would get. Final score: 34-21, Pirates. At 10-1, we were now sitting pretty with the best record in the league.

Key Performers:

Matthews had 20 carries for 55 yards and 1 TD. He also had 3 catches for 59 yards. If we are looking to go deep into the playoffs, we are going to need Herb to step it up a notch or two.

Berg went 22/32 passing for 320 yards and 2 scores. He also ran the ball 9 times for 39 yards and 1 TD.

Ralph Randle continues to be our top receiver, as he caught 5 balls for 105 yards and 1 TD today. He seems to be enjoying the double coverage that our second-year flanker Earl Thornton is getting after his breakout rookie season.


=============================================
Minnesota (3-7) at Dallas (7-3)

Coming off of their bye week, the Cowboys drubbed the Vikings, 36-13. Oh well. Could the Cowboys be heading for the playoffs for the first time in years? Don't touch that dial, folks!

[Kodos]

Originally posted by Godzilla Blitz:


How do you spell "repeat"?

I spell it P-I-R-A-T-E-S.

[Kodos]

Originally posted by Kodos:


I spell it R-O-L-A-I-D-S.

Roger Rolaids would be so proud!

[Kodos]

Week 13

Arizona (5-6) at Gatesville (10-1)
=============================================

Attendance: 48,200! Our popularity is just skyrocketing!!!!

The Game:

We welcomed the Cardinals to town looking to continue our 9-game win streak. However, Terry Zink's 2-yard touchdown pass to Ted Pierce put us in a hole early, 7-0. After the remainder of the first quarter went scoreless, Ledyard hit a 46 yarder early in the second quarter to extend the Cardinals' advantage to 10-0.

On our ensuing drive, Chuck U. took matters into his own hands, as he scored on a nifty little 11-yard toss from Berg to make it a 10-7 ballgame. Unfortunately, Arizona struck back quickly with a 57-yard bomb to Ted Pierce that caught our Dave Sanders-less secondary napping. Just like that, we were down by 10 points again.

Ralph Randle provided the fireworks on our next drive, as he pulled in a 35-yarder that put the score at 17-14, Cardinals. A 46-yard Ledyard field goal with 2 seconds left sent us into halftime trailing 20-14.

Things got worse midway through the third quarter, when Ted Pierce scored for a third time with a spectacular 96-yard punt return. Lucky for us, the Cards got greedy and went for the 2, which failed when Bruce Klemm got stuffed at the line. 26-14.

The rest of the third quarter passed with no further scoring, while the fourth started off with another Ledyard field goal, this time from 33 yards away. It was now 29-14, and it was beginning to appear that our win streak would be coming to an end.

Berg and the offense were not ready to throw in the towel just yet. Earl Thornton's 58-yard touchdown grab gave our whole team a huge emotional boost, and with plenty of time left on the clock, we only trailed by 8, 29-21.

After the Cards failed to do anything with their next possession, our offense once again charged down the field. This time, it was Herb Matthews who caught the TD out of the backfield from 2 yards away to draw us within 2 of the Cards. We ran the exact same play on the 2-point conversion, and got the exact same results. The score was now knotted up at 29 all.

Once again, Arizona failed to respond on offense, and once again, they paid for it. Chuck Farley caught his second big TD of the day to cap off our scoring drive, this time rumbling in from 38 yards out! Just before the 2-minute warning, we had taken our first lead, 36-29.

The Arizona offense seemed resigned to their fate as they took the field. Zink tried to go to the well once too often, and our newly-signed backup safety, Dorsett, stepped in front of Ted Pierce to make the game-sealing interception. Broderick Hidalgo hit an insurance field goal as time ran out to make the final score 39-29 in our favor. Whew! What a wild game! When all was said and done in the fourth, we had scored on every possesion: 3 TDs and 1 field goal.

Key Performers:

Berg captured the Game MVP and Offensive Player of the Week awards with his 20 of 31 passing performance that netted us 415 yards and 5 TDs, along with 1 interception.

Matthews had 13 carries for 52 yards, but shined more as a receiver, catching 5 balls for 78 yards and a score.

Ralph Randle continued to impress with a 6 catch/128 yard performance that included 1 score.

Chuck U came up big with 3 receptions for 54 yards and 2 scores.

Earl Thornton had 3 catches for 98 yards and 1 TD.

New Injuries:

The win proved costly to us in terms of injuries. Terrance Read, our starting left tackle, hyperextended his knee and will need 3 to 5 weeks to recuperate.

Starting right cornerback Edgar Justus sustained a dislocated knee, and will hopefully be able to return in the playoffs.

Starting strong safety Percy Stewart dislocated his shoulder and will not return until the playoffs. Basically, our entire starting secondary is out of action, with the exception of our all-pro LCB Joel Harden. Not good, people, not good...

Here is a laundry list of injuries to significant players right now. It's gonna be hard to win if these guys don't heal up pretty soon.

Darren Cruise - RG - Broken hand, 2 weeks. Active, but likely won't play.
Levon Wallace - FB - Hyperextended knee, 2 weeks. Active, but won't play.
Terrance Read - LT - Hyperextended knee, 3-5 weeks. Inactive.
Kyle McAfee - backup T - Dislocated knee, 3-5 weeks. Inactive.
Dave Sanders - FS - Bruised shoulder, 2 weeks. Active, but won't play.
Percy Stewart - SS - Dislocated shoulder, playoffs. Inactive.
Edgar Justus - RCB - Dislocated knee, playoffs. Inactive.

One bright spot is that nose tackle Joey Rhoades will finally be back from his injury for our next game.


=============================================
Dallas (8-3) at New England (2-9)

The Patriots, despite being in the middle of a miserable season, managed to come out on top of the Cowboys, 14-12. Good job, boys!


=============================================
The Playoff Picture:

It'd be great if the Cowboys could sink to number 6, or miss the playoffs entirely!

1. Gatesville     11-1

2. San Francisco  10-2

3. Tampa Bay      10-2

4. Dallas         8-4

5. Detroit        8-4

6. Richmond       7-5

Next week, we'll travel to Washington to take on the 4-8 Redskins.

[Kodos]

Week 14

Gatesville (11-1) at Washington (4-8)
=============================================

The Game:

Ty Robbins was the only bright spot for us in this game. He scored 2 receiving touchdowns on the day. Nobody else did anything. Both Herb Matthews, our starting RB, and Tommy Douglas, our backup RB, went down with injuries early. In the end, Jimmie Berstein's 3 passing TDs were enough to beat us, 27-14.

Key Performers:

Berg completed just 14 of 37 passes for 205 yards, 2 TDs, and 2 interceptions. He also gained 57 yards on 9 carries to lead our team in rushing yardage.

Ty Robbins caught 6 passes for 112 yards and 2 TDs, which turned out to be 2 fewer TDs than we needed.

Key Injuries:

The injuries continued to pile up this week, as our starting center, Jonathan Farmer, tore a thumb ligament and will not recover fully until sometime during the offseason.

Herb Matthews, our leading rusher, suffered a dislocated shoulder, and will miss 3 to 5 weeks.

Tommy Douglas, our backup RB and FB, sustained a pulled groin and will also miss 3 to 5 weeks. Beautiful. Just beautiful.


=============================================
Dallas (8-4) at Arizona (5-7)

Arizona, fresh off of last week's narrow loss to us, managed to hold the Cowboys to just one field goal, and defeated them by the score of 16-3.


=============================================
The Playoff Picture:

Our loss proved to be costly, dropping us from all alone at number 1 to a three-way tie at number 1. After tie-breakers, I believe we would not get the bye week if the playoffs started today. At least Dallas dropped a notch too.

1. San Francisco  11-2

1. Tampa Bay      11-2

1. Gatesville     11-2

4. Detroit        9-4

5. Dallas         8-5

6. Richmond       7-6

[Kodos]

Originally posted by illinifan999:


I finally found enough time to go through this whole thing. Great job with the team. It took me two days to finish.

When it said that you were renaming Waco, to Gatesville I wondered why. Well two days later I finnaly figure it out.

Bill Gates, Gatesville, I got it now. Im a little slow.

[Kodos]

Originally posted by illinifan999:
When it said that you were renaming Waco, to Gatesville I wondered why. Well two days later I finnaly figure it out.

Bill Gates, Gatesville, I got it now. Im a little slow.

So, uhhh, how are you doing in school? Gettin' good grades, are ya? Just kidding! Welcome aboard!

[Kodos]

Somewhere, deep in the Heart of America, shunned former Silicon Pirates QB Dexter McNeil sat in a darkened room and watched game films of the Pirate secondary in action. There were weakness there that could be exploited by the right quarterback. Especially if that quarterback had a big chip on his shoulder...

[Kodos]

Week 15

Gatesville (11-2) at Indianapolis (6-7)
============================================

The Game:

In Week 15 of the 2014 season, we traveled to Indianapolis coming off of a 27-14 loss to the Redskins that had dropped us into a 3-way tie with San Francisco and Tampa Bay atop the NFC at 11-2.

Before the game, I tried to go over to the Colts' sideline and chat with former Pirates Dexter McNeil and Michael Lazetti, but neither one of them acknowledged my presence. So much for no hard feelings, I guess. I don't really blame them though.

We won the toss and elected to receive. Devin Bergeron, who replaced the departed Dexter McNeil at quarterback, trotted onto the field with the offense for the first possession of the game. Right off the bat, Berg's first pass went to Ralph Randle for a quick 19-yard gain. Cedric Wagner, starting in place of injured running backs Herb Matthews and Tommy Douglas, netted us two yards on the next two plays, so Berg went to the air again facing third-and-8, and found Randle again for 14 yards. Next, Berg got the ball to cult favorite Chuck Farley for a 17-yard gain. Just when it seemed like we were moving the ball pretty well, the offense sputtered, and we sent our all-pro kicker Broderick Hidalgo on to attempt a 41-yard field goal. The ball left his foot at a low trajectory and was blocked at the line by defensive end Jared Russell. In an instant, Colts linebacker Tracy Moulton grabbed the ball and scrambled 20 yards down the field before finally being brought to the ground. Crap!

Dexter McNeil took the field looking to extract his pound of flesh from our defense, despite the fact that he was still recovering from a dislocated shoulder. Michael Lazetti, who was dealing with a torn thumb ligament, would not play at all on this day.

Starting from our 38, McNeil completed a 6-yard pass to veteran tight end Marcus Pollard on first down. An offensive holding call on second down moved the Colts back to the 42. After a short run on second, McNeil's 12-yard completion to Marco Fitzgerald on third down was not enough, and on came Wayne Joyner for a 47-yard field goal attempt that sailed true. 3-0, Colts.

On the third play of our next drive, Colts defensive back Patrick Weimer broke in front of Berg's pass and came up with the interception. Starting with great field position once again, and looking to show us just what we let go, McNeil directed a 10-play, 45-yard drive that he capped off with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Marco Fitzgerald. 10-0, Colts! A bad start for the Pirates!

Undaunted, our offense took the field with just 25 seconds to go in the first quarter. Once again, Wagner was ineffective on the ground, but Levon Wallace had a nice 10-yard run on second-and-8 to get us a first down. Berg decided it was time to take to the air following another Wagner run that was stuffed in the backfield. Throwing with great precision, he completed his next four passes in a row, with the final completion going for 34-yards to Ty Robbins for a touchdown! We had pulled to within 10-7 early in the second quarter!

On the fourth play of the Colts' next drive, McNeil re-injured his dislocated shoulder on a handoff to Bill Badillo, and was forced to leave the game. He would not return. Peyton Manning, playing in what would be his final season in the NFL, stepped in at QB. The 17-year veteran was able to guide the offense to one first down, but that was all, and soon the punting unit was brought in.

Our next drive was a quick 3-and-out. This time, Manning led the Colts on a long drive that ended with a 24-yard field goal by Wayne Joyner that sent us into the half trailing 13-7.

Most of the third quarter passed with little in the way of action. Hidalgo missed a 40-yard field goal wide right midway through the quarter, but that was pretty much it for the quarter, until safety Larry McCoy intercepted another Bergeron pass to give the Colts the ball on their 32 with 9 seconds remaining until the fourth. However, the Colts fans' excitement soon died down again when the Colts' drive failed, and we got the ball back.

On the first play of our next drive, Berg threw another pick, this time to Marshall Bruce, who promptly returned it 30-yards for a back-breaking touchdown. On what would be his final play in the NFL, Peyton Manning lobbed a completion to Marcus Pollard in the back corner of the end zone for the 2-point conversion, but left the game with a broken finger, which he had banged on Joey Rhoades helmet in his follow-through from the pass.

Berg took to the field once more looking for a measure of redemption, and promptly hit Ralph Randle down the right sideline for 26 yards on first down. The next play, Berg found Ty Robbins across the middle for another 20 yards. Unfortunately, a sack on the next play killed our momentum, and after 2 incompletions, we settled for a 42-yard Hidalgo field goal with just over 10 minutes left to draw within 21-10.

As fate would have it, the score would get no closer on this day, as the offense was largely ineffective down the stretch, and Berg threw another pick in the end zone from 16 yards out to seal our fate. The networks all ran a shot of McNeil running into the tunnel after the game with a self-satisfied grin on his face...

Key Performers:

Berg, operating the offense without even a semblance of a running game, had one of his worst days as a pro, completing just 17 of his 42 pass attempts for 283 yards, 1 TD, and 4 interceptions.

Cedric Wagner, in for the injured starter Herb Matthews and his backup Tommy Douglas at RB, gained an embarrassing 6 yards on 12 carries.

Ty Robbins tried to do it all for us today, as he caught 10 passes for 170 yards and 1 TD.

Ralph Randle pulled in four passes for 74 yards.

Place kicker Broderick Hidalgo converted on just 1 of 3 field goal attempts.


============================================
Dallas (8-5) at Philadelphia (5-8)

The Cowboys edged the Eagles by the score of 20-19 to advance their record to 9-5 and to stay in the thick of the playoff race.


============================================
The Playoff Picture:

The loss dropped us to third place in the NFC playoff race, behind the 49ers and Bucs, who both won this weekend to improve their records to 12-2. Here is how the NFC would be seeded if they started today. Horrifyingly, the Cowboys can still win the NFC East if we lose our final two games and they win their final two! That simply cannot happen!

1. Tampa Bay     12-2

2. San Francisco 12-2

3. Gatesville    11-3,  6-2 Div.,  8-2 Conf.

4. Dallas         9-5,  6-2 Div.,  8-3 Conf.

5. Detroit        9-5

6. Richmond       7-7

Stay tuned, folks. Things have gone a bit haywire here in Gatesville...

[Kodos]

Week 16

Atlanta (5-9) at Gatesville (11-3)
============================================

Attendance: 48,200.

The Game:

We welcomed the Falcons to Microsoft Stadium hoping to end a two-week skid that had seen us go from the first seed in the NFC with the homefield and a bye to the third seed with no bye. A loss to the lowly Falcons would keep Dallas' chances of winning the NFC East alive, provided they managed to defeat Atlanta's division-mate New Orleans Saints, who were enduring a wretched 3-11 season.

In light of Cedric Wagner's woeful performance of a week ago, we decided to give fourth-stringer Everett Schwarz a crack at the starting RB slot while Matthews and Douglas continued recovering from their injuries. Our confidence in Schwarz was low, as he was a Randall Parra pick, and Parra is known to be a miserable judge of pretty much anyone on the offensive side of the ball, with the possible exception of the QB position (I think he stinks there too, but it just isn't commonly recognized yet).

After a sluggish start by both teams' offenses, Berg stirred things up with an interception in the end zone on our second drive. Sadly, this has become his "thing" as of late, and me and Coach Saxon have yet to figure out just how to cure him of it.

Thankfully, the Falcons were unable to do anything with this gift, and Berg hooked up with Earl Thornton for a 25-yard touchdown later in the quarter to give us a 7-0 lead.

Berg kept plugging away in the second quarter, and eventually a 33-yard touchdown strike to Ralph Randle put us up 14-0.

A Berg interception in the third quarter set up a Pete Cash (who was our second round draft pick way back in 2005, some of you may recall) to Brandon Greer touchdown that tightened things up a bit, 14-7.

Later in the third, we set up an easy field goal attempt from 29-yards out, which Broderick Hidalgo obligingly split the uprights with to once again give us a two-score lead, 17-7.

Early on in the fourth quarter, Berg ran the ball in himself on a busted play from 6-yards out to make it 24-7. That's when Pete Cash, who threw 18 TDs for us back in 2005, decided to come alive. Two more Cash touchdown strikes to WR Brandon Greer, Greer's second and third scores of the day, made things a little too close for comfort, 24-21, with 5 minutes left to go in the game.

Berg and the offense took the field hoping to get a few first downs, eat up some clock, and hopefully punch one into the end zone. They fared pretty well with first two goals, and Broderick Hidalgo's 46-yard field goal with 8 seconds left was enough to preserve a close-call, 27-21 victory over a very feisty Falcons squad. Whew! It was an ugly win, sure, but it was one we needed!

Key Performers:

Everett Schwarz, in his first NFL start, proved to be not as bad as we had feared. He managed to gain 58 yards on 14 carries, which was a Herculean effort when compared to Wagner's 6-yard day last week.

Berg, despite his interception problems, garnered the Game MVP award based on his 19 of 27 passing for 292 yards, 2 TDs, and 2 interceptions. He also gained 53 yards and 1 TD on 10 carries.

Ralph Randle had another fine game as he made 7 catches for 105 yards and 1 TD.

Earl Thornton, not to be outdone by Randle, gained 106 yards and 1 TD on just 6 catches.


============================================
New Orleans (3-11) at Dallas (9-5)

With our victory over the Falcons, we secured the NFC East crown, which may have deflated the Cowboys a little bit, as they dropped this game to the dreadfully bad Saints, 20-16. Such a shame - they're such nice fellas and all...


============================================
The Playoff Picture:

Things tightened up a little bit in our race with San Francisco for a bye week in the NFC, as the 49ers were upset by the 6-8 Panthers, 32-26. Tampa Bay tightened their grip on the top seed with a 21-14 victory over the Raiders. Here's how the field looks with one week left to go in the season:

1. Tampa Bay      13-2

2. San Francisco  12-3

3. Gatesville     12-3

4. Detroit        10-5

5. Dallas          9-6

6. Arizona         8-7

Uh-oh. Looks like the Cowboys' loss dropped them down another notch this week. Such nice boys. Why do bad things happen to such good people...?


============================================
The Road Ahead...

Next week, we will travel to Tampa Bay to take on the NFC-leading Buccaneers. With a win, and a 49ers loss, we would reclaim the the first seed in the NFC. However, the 49ers are traveling to face the 3-12 Browns, so a more realistic goal is just to win the bye week. Our team is literally hobbled with injuries right now, and a bye week could very well mean the difference between another Super Bowl run and an early exit from the playoffs for these Silicon Pirates. Stay tuned, folks. This should be interesting...

[Kodos]

Parra's memos usually find their way to the shredder right off the bat, but this one is of some interest:

From: Randall Parra
To: Bill Gates & Kodos
Subject: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Injury Report:
Eddie Carpenter, C - Probable
Renaldo Apolonio, DE - Out
Brandon Cook, CB - Out
Brady Dillon, RB - Questionable
Irving Thompson, CB - Questionable
Junior Martinez, S - Questionable
Zach Quigley, LB - Probable

Starting Quarterback: Dwight Norris
171 for 265, 1926 yards, 13 TDs, 7 interceptions this season.
Excellent at throwing very long passes.
Loves to run the football.

Starting Running Back: Jon Adams
372 carries for 1914 yards, 18 touchdowns this season. This guy might crack the 2000 yard mark against us!
Excellent overall runner.

Starting Flanker: Donovan Burroughs
54 receptions for 736 yards, 8 touchdowns this season.
Excellent runner after the catch.

Starting Split End: Barry Jamison
13 receptions for 97 yards, 2 touchdowns this season.
Very good third down receiver.

Starting Left Defensive End: Carl Bjornson
21 tackles, 4 assists, 3.5 sacks this season.
Fair defender against the run.

Starting Right Defensive End: Randal Jennings
22 tackles, 5 assists, 6.0 sacks this season.
Fair pass-rusher.

Starting Left Defensive Tackle: Luther Monroe
40 tackles, 15 assists, 5.0 sacks this season.
Very good defender against the run.
Starting Right Defensive Tackle: Will Henson
32 tackles, 12 assists, 3.5 sacks this season.
Good pass-rusher.

Starting Left Linebacker: Gene Crowley
43 tackles, 12 assists, 4.5 sacks this season.
Fair defender against the run.

Starting Middle Linebacker: Oscar Harmon
38 tackles, 14 assists, 0.0 sacks this season.
Fair zone pass defender.

Starting Right Linebacker: Antonio Cooper
10 tackles, 1 assists, 0.0 sacks this season.
No real strengths to speak of.

Starting Weak-Side Cornerback: Danny Carty
13 tackles, 2 assists, 1 interceptions this season.
Very good pass intercepter.

Starting Strong-Side Cornerback: Wesley Castleberry
20 tackles, 1 assists, 1 interceptions this season.
Very good pass intercepter.

Starting Free Safety: Adrian Strong
87 tackles, 24 assists, 6 interceptions this season.
Excellent man-to-man pass defender.

Starting Strong Safety: Leonard Dawson
33 tackles, 12 assists, 1 interceptions this season.
Fair pass intercepter.

Starting Left Defensive End (Passing): Marty Card
12 tackles, 7 assists, 2.0 sacks this season.
Good pass-rusher.

[Kodos]

Injuries 'r' Us...

Here's a look at the injuries we are dealing with right now. The guys with *'s by their name are our regular starters.

*Jonathan Farmer, C - Torn Thumb Ligament, full strength in 3-5 Weeks
*Terrance Read, T - Hyperextended Knee, full strength in 0-2 Weeks
*Edgar Justus, CB - Dislocated Knee, full strength in 2015
*Ty Robbins, WR - Hip Pointer, full strength in 3-5 Weeks
Tommy Douglas, RB - Dislocated Shoulder, full strength in 0-2 Weeks
*Herb Matthews, RB - Pulled Groin, full strength in 3-5 Weeks
*Frankie Farley, DE - Turf Toe, full strength in 0-2 Weeks
*Patrick Sanders, DT - Broken Hand, full strength in 3-5 Weeks
Butch Johnston, LB - Bruised Ribcage, full strength in 0-2 Weeks
*Percy Stewart, S - Dislocated Shoulder, full strength in 3-5 Weeks
Kyle McAfee, T - Dislocated Knee, full strength in 3-5 Weeks
*Bill Carr, P - Concussion, full strength in 0-2 Weeks

[Kodos]

Week 17

Gatesville (12-3) at Tampa Bay (13-2)
=====================================

The Game:

We traveled to Tampa Bay during the final weekend of the regular season with the hope of pulling off an upset and reclaiming the bye for the first round of the playoffs. To do so, we would need to overcome not only the numerous injuries that had taken out many of our starters, but also we would need to contain the Buc's punishing running back, Jon Adams, who was looking to join the highly exclusive 2000-yard club in just his 4th year in the league. Our top RB, Herb Matthews, was unable to go with a pulled groin, so backup RB Tommy Douglas started in his place, despite his not-yet-fully-recovered dislocated shoulder.

Tampa Bay won the coin toss, and, looking to establish their dominance from the outset, elected to receive the ball first. On their opening play, Jon Adams ripped through our defensive line and was finally brought down 16-yards up the field. On the next play, we managed to hold him to 4 yards. Looking at second-and-6, Buc's QB Dwight Norris went to the air on the next two plays, but was unable to connect with his receivers, thus bringing up fourth-and-6 from our 42. In a show of utter disrespect for our defense, the Bucs went for it, but Norris once again couldn't connect with Donovan Burroughs (Dallas WR Gino Burroughs' brother), and the ball was ours in good field position.

After a false start call before we could even get off our first play, Berg immediately went to the air, hitting on his first 5 passes of the day. On the eighth play of the drive, Levon Wallace went around the right end for 14 yards and rumbled through the Buc defense for the touchdown! 7-0, Gatesville!

The Buccaneers got great field position to start their next drive, thanks to Adrian Strong's 38-yard return. Wasting no time, the Norris hit Burroughs for a 12-yard score on the fourth play of their possession to quickly snuff out our brief lead. 7-7.

Our next possession ate up the rest of the first quarter, but yielded no points, and we were forced to punt from the Buc's 40.

With their next possession, Jon Adams went to work, gaining 21 yards on the ground over the course of their next three plays. As they had done on their opening drive, the Bucs went away from the run when it was working, and the drive stalled, just as it had done the first time.

Pinned at our own 6, Berg calmly took the offense down the field using a steady barrage of passes with the occasional run thrown in to keep the defense honest. On second-and-15 from the Tampa Bay 28, Berg went for Farley in the back of the end zone, but the ball found cornerback Scottie Craig instead. Not another pick in the end zone!

Tampa Bay took their time moving down the field, and eventually Ronald Ingoglia kicked a 48-yard field goal when their offense stalled at our 31. 10-7, Bucs.

With just 54 seconds left to go in the half, Berg ran a draw on first down for a short gain. On second down, he went for Kyle Diaz down the right sideline, but cornerback Danny Carty was there to break up the pass. On third-and-10, Berg put one up for grabs deep in the Tampa secondary, and Earl Thornton made a spectacular leaping grab for a 46-yard gain. With a fresh set of downs on the Tampa 14 with 32 seconds left, we tried to fool the Bucs with a run, and Wallace made it 8 yards before Carl Bjornson brought him down. Not wanting to risk a sack, or perhaps another Berg pick in the end zone, Coach Irv Saxon opted to go for the safe 23-yard field goal with 22 seconds left. I guess Irv doesn't totally believe in Berg yet, but I do. I would have let Berg throw a couple of quick passes to the end zone, but Saxon was the one who made the call, and the field goal was good, sending us into halftime tied up at 10 all.

We began the second half with the ball, and the offense was able to move from our 20 to the Tampa 32 with the help of a 19-yard Tommy Douglas run and a 17-yard Randle reception. However, on the next play Berg was sacked and the ball came loose. Fortunately, Rusty Pleasant was alert enough to recover the ball, but the offense had lost its momentun, and we were forced to settle for a 51-yard field goal attempt. Broderick Hidalgo, once one of the league's most reliable kickers, missed the long attempt wide left, and the score remained knotted at 10-10.

On first and second down, we stuffed their workhorse RB Adams for losses, and it was quickly a 3-and-out for the Bucs.

Starting from our 19, Berg quickly found Earl Thornton on a screen, and from there Thornton ducked and dodged his way for a 39-yard gain. Next, Tommy Douglas knocked out runs of 10 and 9 yards to move us to the Tampa 33. Chuck Farley was called upon on our next play, and Chuck crashed his way through the Buc's secondary for a 23-yard gain that stopped just shy of the goal line. On the next play, Farley took one step forward, turned around, and pulled in a laser from Bergeron. Touchdown, Gatesville! We were on top once again, 17-10.

The Buccaneers took over deep in their own territory after the kickoff, and over the next 10 plays worked their way almost to midfield before being forced to punt the ball at the end of the third quarter.

Our next drive started off on a sour note with an offensive holding call. Two plays later, Berg left the game with an injury, and things had suddenly gotten much worse. Backup QB Luke Birk came in and promptly found Chuck Farley for a 15-yard gain across the middle to keep the drive alive. An ineligible receiver downfield call 2 plays later proved to be too much for the offense to overcome, and we punted from our 49.

Tampa Bay took over from their 14 trailing 17-10 with just under 12 minutes left in the game. Norris went to the air with limited success early, so the Bucs shifted gears and started giving the pill to Adams, who punished our defense for 21 yards over the next 5 plays. With the defense looking for the run, the Bucs went to the air once more, and 5 plays later Norris hit Ethan Hevey for a 3-yard touchdown to tie the game once again at 17-17 with 4:42 left.

Thanks to a nice kickoff return by Sean Kaplan, we took over from our 48 yard line. Immediately, Birk hit Thornton deep on a 43-yard bomb to move us deep into Buc territory. From there, Birk hit Ralph Randle on a fade for a 9-yard touchdown! We were leading 24-17, with 3:46 left!

A holding call on the kickoff return once again had the Bucs pinned deep at their own 6. Things were starting to look pretty good! On first down, Tampa backup RB Leroy Borders broke through the heart of our defense for an 11-yard gain before free safety Dave Sanders could drag him down. Jon Adams took it around the left end for 26-yards on the following play to move the ball out to the Buc's 43. Next, Norris dialed up Hevey for 21 yards, and it was starting to look like we had team of matadors on the field. The defense stiffened a bit, and Dave Sanders' sack from Norris's blind side set up third-and-8 from our 34. If we could hold them for one more play, the game would probably be ours. Oblivious to the pressure, Norris took a short drop and fired the ball to Hevey for 8-yards and the first down. No! After the Hevey first down, the defense visibly sagged, and on the next play, Norris hit Burroughs for 20 more yards. Three plays later, they connected again for a 6-yard touchdown to tie the game at 24-24 with 1:02 left.

Ace return man Rodney Dorsett was able to return the kickoff to our 39. We figured we needed about 30 yards to get Hidalgo a good shot at a game-winning field goal, but it was not to be, as Birk fumbled the ball during linebacker Gene Crowley's sack, and Tampa Bay defensive end Marty Card fell on the ball at our 33. Not good!

With 39 seconds left and their full allotment of timeouts, the Buccaneers fed the ball to Adams, who gained 18 yards on first down to move to the Bucs to our 15. Adams got it again on the next play, and this time he leveled 3 or 4 guys en route to the end zone. Adam's touchdown put the Bucs up 31-24 with just 21 seconds left.

Any thought of a last-second miracle disappeared when Birk fumbled again on first down and Tampa Bay DT Luther Monroe recovered it. To quote one of those fabulous boy bands from the turn of the century, it was "Bye-bye bye."

Key Performers:

Tommy Douglas, still not completely recovered from his injury, gutted out a 12-carry, 85-yard performance.

Berg completed 19 of 26 passes for 239 yards, 1 TD, 1 Interception, and 1 fumble. He also ran the ball 4 times for 22 yards.

Luke Birk, playing in relief of the injured Bergeron, completed 4 of 4 passes for 72 yards, 1 TD, but his 2 fumbles were absolute game-killers for us.

Earl Thornton had a mammoth 8-catch, 175-yard performance that all went for naught in the end.

Chuck Farley caught 7 passes for 67 yards and 1 TD.

Ralph Randle caught 6 balls for 57 yards and 1 score.

Al Ingram made 11 tackles and got 2 assists.

Jon Adams joined the 2000-yard rusher club with 24 carries for 130 yards and 1 TD.

Dwight Norris completed 24 of 33 pass attempts for 292 yards, 3 TDs, and 0 picks.



=================================
Dallas (9-6) a Carolina (7-8)

The Cowboys were totally unimpressive in a 28-17 loss to a very average Carolina squad.



=================================
The Playoff Picture:

The 49ers managed to lose to the 3-12 Browns to drop to 12-4. Had we prevailed today, we would have miraculously recaptured the bye week and the home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Instead, we will be playing host to the Rams in the Wild Card round...

1. Tampa Bay      14-2

2. San Francisco  12-4

3. Gatesville     12-4

4. Detroit        10-6

5. Dallas          9-7

6. St. Louis       8-8  

Summing up, if we want to repeat as Super Bowl champions, we will be forced to do it the hard way: On the road...

[Kodos]

2014 Final Standings:

Here is a look at how the divisions stacked up at the conclusion of the 2014 regular season. They had quite a race for the final playoff spot over in the AFC...

   

 NFC East               W   L   T   Pct   PF    PA    Div     Conf  

**Gatesville            12  4   0   .750  452   300   6-2-0   9-3-0     

Dallas                  9   7   0   .563  314   279   6-2-0   8-5-0     

Arizona                 8   8   0   .500  334   333   4-4-0   6-7-0     

Washington              6   10  0   .375  322   371   2-6-0   5-7-0     

Philadelphia            5   11  0   .313  292   332   2-6-0   3-9-0     

   

 NFC Central            W   L   T   Pct   PF    PA    Div     Conf  

Tampa Bay               14  2   0   .875  430   228   8-0-0   10-2-0    

Detroit                 10  6   0   .625  321   287   5-3-0   9-4-0     

Chicago                 8   8   0   .500  336   303   3-5-0   5-7-0     

Green Bay               6   10  0   .375  255   294   2-6-0   4-8-0     

Minnesota               5   11  0   .313  184   349   2-6-0   3-10-0    

   

 NFC West               W   L   T   Pct   PF    PA    Div     Conf  

San Francisco           12  4   0   .750  418   308   8-2-0   11-2-0    

St. Louis               8   8   0   .500  318   288   6-4-0   7-6-0     

Carolina                8   8   0   .500  272   333   4-6-0   6-7-0     

Richmond                7   9   0   .438  272   314   6-4-0   7-6-0     

Atlanta                 6   10  0   .375  309   298   4-6-0   4-9-0     

New Orleans             5   11  0   .313  279   331   2-8-0   4-9-0  

 

 AFC East               W   L   T   Pct   PF    PA    Div     Conf  

New York                11  5   0   .688  349   277   7-3-0   9-4-0     

Des Moines              10  6   0   .625  310   274   6-4-0   9-4-0     

Indianapolis            9   7   0   .563  270   271   6-4-0   7-6-0     

Buffalo                 8   8   0   .500  341   318   5-5-0   7-6-0     

Miami                   6   10  0   .375  260   339   4-6-0   5-8-0     

New England             4   12  0   .250  250   362   2-8-0   2-11-0    

   

 AFC Central            W   L   T   Pct   PF    PA    Div     Conf  

Pittsburgh              13  3   0   .813  422   291   8-2-0   11-2-0    

Cincinnati              11  5   0   .688  338   245   8-2-0   10-3-0    

Jacksonville            10  6   0   .625  273   347   6-4-0   8-5-0     

Baltimore               10  6   0   .625  332   281   4-6-0   7-6-0     

Tennessee               5   11  0   .313  237   332   3-7-0   4-9-0     

Cleveland               4   12  0   .250  307   345   1-9-0   2-11-0    

   

 AFC West               W   L   T   Pct   PF    PA    Div     Conf  

Kansas City             9   7   0   .563  330   316   6-4-0   8-5-0     

San Diego               9   7   0   .563  322   285   6-4-0   6-7-0     

Wichita                 8   8   0   .500  360   308   8-2-0   8-5-0     

Seattle                 7   9   0   .438  263   323   5-5-0   6-7-0     

Denver                  6   10  0   .375  270   323   4-6-0   6-7-0     

Oakland                 3   13  0   .188  212   369   1-9-0   2-11-0 

[Kodos]

Originally posted by DataKing:


Tough break on a tough loss there, Kodos. Sounds like you need to have a little "chat" with your defensive coordinator.

The Berg injury isn't a big one, is it? I hope not. If you do have to go with Birk, I have one word for you. "Stickum" It might make throwing the ball a little tough, but at least he won't cough it up.

Looking forward to the playoffs. You know my man Chuck's gonna step it up come showtime.

[Kodos]

Thanks, DK! Berg is fine and will be available for our Wild Card game vs. St. Louis.

[Kodos]

2014 Playoffs: Wild Card Round

St. Louis (8-8) at Gatesville (12-4)
=============================================

Attendance: 48,200.

The Game:

On a cold, drizzly day in January, we played host to the visiting Rams, who were the sixth and final seed in the NFC. Despite a myriad of injuries on both sides of the ball, we figured to win because Berg, Chuck U, and our receiving corps were all still intact.

We opened up a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on a 7-yard Thornton receiving touchdown and a 16-yard touchdown grab by Tommy Douglas. The second quarter started with yet another Berg interception in the end zone, but all the Rams could get out of it was a field goal. 14-3.

A 96-yard return by Sean Kaplan on the ensuing kickoff immediately crushed any momentum for the Rams. Late in the first half, shortly after Kurt Warner left the game with bruised ribs, a 63-yard Cole Rood run set up a 4-yard touchdown for Rood, but we still went into the break leading 21-10.

Sean Kaplan did it again with the opening kickoff of the second half, as he found a seam and took it all the way for a 93-yard touchdown. Wow! The kid is on today!

Another Berg interception in the fourth quarter set up a 37-yard touchdown pass from Lamont Andersen to Kevin Castillo. However, Lamont Edmond was stuffed on the 2-point try, and the score remained 28-16.

Responding quickly, our offense marched right down the field, and Berg found Wallace for his third passing touchdown of the day to extend our lead to 35-16 midway through the fourth quarter.

Not ready to give up yet, the Rams answered with another Andersen touchdown pass, this one going to Rich Jenkins from 19 yards out. Once again, the 2-point conversion attempt failed, as Cole Rood was dropped by Al Ingram just short of the line. With 6:40 to go, we were leading 35-22.

Berg and the offense put the game away for good with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Ralph Randle with just 1:17 remaining. Final score: Gatesville 42, St. Louis 22.
Next week we will travel to the West Coast to face the 12-4 49ers.

Key Performers:

Berg won the Game MVP and Offensive Player of the Week awards despite the 2 interceptions, as he amassed 395 yards and 4 TDs while completing 30 out of his 40 attempts. He also carried the ball 7 times for 33 yards.

Everett Schwarz made good use of his 11 carries, as he gained 67 yards to finish the day averaging over 6 yards a pop.

Ralph Randle continued his best season with 13 catches for 177 yards and a score.

Chuck Farley caught 6 passes for 94 yards.

Earl Thornton caught 5 balls for 62 yards and 1 TD.

Joel Harden made 7 tackles and 1 interception.

Key Injuries:

Starting left guard Rusty Pleasant sprained his back and will miss the rest of the playoffs. Damn all these injuries!

Starting left end Patrick Sanders broke his hand and will need a couple weeks to recover.

Backup DT Paul Everett broke his foot and will miss the remainder of the season.


=============================================


Here is the lowdown on how the other games in the Wild Card round went. I can tell you right now, none of the games were pretty...

NFC:

The Cowboys embarrassed the Detroit Lions on the road to advance to the Divisional Round, where they will face the 14-2 Buccaneers. Good luck, 'boys!

Dallas   (9-7)   48

Detroit  (10-6)  11

AFC:

Shorty was no doubt turning cartwheels as he watched his beloved Bungles dismantle the visiting Des Moines squad. Kansas City rounded out a Wild Card weekend of blowout victories by defeating the Jags 23-3.

Des Moines  (10-6)  6

Cincinnati  (11-5)  38

 

Jacksonville  (10-6)  3

Kansas City   (9-7)   23

Looks like we'll be seeing you in the Divisional Round! Go Gatesville!

[Kodos]

Originally posted by Godzilla Blitz:


Hey! Gatesville is back! Just caught up with everything! Nice rout of the Rams! Hope your injuries don't kill you too much.

Of course you realize that you are heading straight for a Dallas-Gatesville NFC Championship Game, don't you?

Now that's a game I'm looking forward to!

Outstanding stuff as always!

Go Gatesville!

[Kodos]

Well, the Cowboys will have to get past Jon Adams and the Bucs first, which seems like a pretty tall order. And we are no lock to beat San Fran. It would be pretty cool to meet the Cowboys with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line...unless, of course, we lost. But we're getting ahead of ourselves a bit. We'll just have to see how things play out in the next round...

Notably our two previous Super Bowl opponents are also still alive on the AFC side. There could be some paybacks in order for us (against the Bengals) or for the Jets (against us).

[Kodos]

Originally posted by cthomer5000:


Man, you're going to need some heroic performances this week tp get to the title game...That self-destruction in week 17 was ridiculous, and the week off would have helped heal some injuries.

Oh well, i have faith in Chuck U. i smell a big game coming up, or am i just smelling Kodos' cooking again?

cthomer

[Kodos]

It's probably best is you don't ask just what I'm cookin'!

[Kodos]

Injuries Update:

Here’s the Injury Report going in to San Fran. As you can see, we’re still pretty banged up. The good news is some of these guys are about ready to come back.

* Rusty Pleasant, G - Sprained Back, full strength in 2015
* Jonathan Farmer, C - Torn Thumb Ligament, full strength in 2015
* Edgar Justus, CB - Dislocated Knee, full strength in 2015
* Ty Robbins, WR - Hip Pointer, full strength in 0-2 Weeks
* Tommy Douglas, RB - Dislocated Shoulder, full strength in 0-2 Weeks
* Herb Matthews, RB - Pulled Groin, full strength in 0-2 Weeks
Paul Everett, DT - Broken Foot, full strength in 2015
* Patrick Sanders, DT - Broken Hand, full strength in 0-2 Weeks
* Percy Stewart, S - Dislocated Shoulder, full strength in 0-2 Weeks
Kyle McAfee, T - Dislocated Knee, full strength in 0-2 Weeks

* = Starters

[Kodos]

Originally posted by Raven Hawk:


Stick it to the 49ers! I want to see Chuck U destroy the Cowgirls!

Goooooooooooooooooooooo Gatesville!

[Kodos]

2014 Playoffs: Divisional Round

Gatesville (13-4) at San Francisco (12-4)
============================================

The Game:

In the second round of the 2014 playoffs, we flew to the West Coast to face a San Francisco 49ers team that had edged us for the second seed in the NFC. With our best RBs, Herb Matthews and Tommy Davis, still ailing, we had little choice but to give our inexperienced rookie Everett Schwarz the starting nod at halfback and hope for the best.

We won the coin toss and chose to receive. Right off the bat, right tackle James Pond let linebacker Victor Sandberg by for a 5-yard sack. We managed to get most of it back on our next two runs, but still found ourselves looking at fourth-and-3 from our own 49. Inexplicably, Coach Saxon decided to go for it, but Ralph Randle's short reception came up 1 yard shy of a first down.

Starting with superb field position at their own 49, Daunte Culpepper led the 49er offense to our 28 before consecutive unnecessary roughness and offensive holding calls backed them up to where they had started, and they were forced to punt, having wasted a golden opportunity.

During our next possession, Berg and the offense once again couldn't seem to find their rhythm, and we punted after moving 5 yards in the wrong direction. Disaster struck when Earl Thornton knocked the ball from punt-returner Thurman Mathers' hand, only to have linebacker Rich Shively scoop it up and race 63 yards for a touchdown. Just like that, we found ourselves trailing 7-0.

Looking to strike back, the offense took to the field once more; Berg hit Thornton for 18 yards, Farley for 9 yards, and Randle for 5 yards to move us 32 yards on our first 3 plays. After a couple of decent gains on the ground, including a 7-yard draw run by Berg himself, Berg once again went to the air, and found Ralph Randle again for a 17-yard gain that moved us to the 49er 2 yard line. Left tackle Terrance Read allowed a 5-yard sack on second-and-goal from the 2, but Read sprung Everett Schwarz around the left end for a 7-yard score on third down to even the score at 7-7.

Starting from their own 24, San Francisco embarked on a long drive that ended with a 23-yard Johnny McElroy field goal early in the second quarter. 10-7, 49ers.

Our next drive was highlighted by a 20-yard completion to Ty Robbins, but ultimately the drive ended with yet another Berg interception in the end zone by safety Walter Raney.

San Francisco moved backward from the 20 to their own 8 on the ensuing possession, thanks to a false start and an Allen Whitfield sack of Culpepper for an 8-yard loss.

Going to work from midfield, Berg mixed in some runs with 4 straight completions, the last one going to Ralph Randle for a 7 yard touchdown. For the first time in the game, we owned the lead, 14-10, with just under 5 minutes to go until the half.

The 49ers could only muster 2 yards before calling on their punter once again, and we moved from our 33 to their 4 with some good runs by Levon Wallace and Tommy Douglas. With first-and-goal from the 4, Schwarz ran for 0, -3, and -2 yards to set up a 26-yard Hidalgo field goal on fourth down that gave us a 17-10 lead on the road going into the half. Not too shabby, really, but I couldn't help thinking about how easily it could have been an 11-point lead.

Johnny McElroy missed a 41-yard field goal attempt wide left on the Niners first drive of the second half, and Hidalgo followed suit with his own 42-yard attempt that also sailed wide left. Damned kickers!

San Francisco's next drive was a quick three-and-out, and Sean Kaplan's 17-yard punt return set us up nicely at the 49er's 48. Berg's 36-yard strike to Ralph Randle provided the biggest fireworks of the drive, while Earl Thornton's 8-yard touchdown grab provided the exclamation mark. Gatesville, 24, San Francisco 10!

A 3-yard draw by Culpepper that capped a 74-yard drive illustrated that the 49ers weren't going to give up just yet in the fourth quarter, but Hidalgo's 44-yard field goal on our next possession kept us ahead 27-17 with 8 minutes to go.

A 48-yard completion from Culpepper to Peter Warrick set up Warrick's 10-yard touchdown grab that brought the Niners to within 27-24 with 5:43 left in the game.

Evidently looking to build on their momentum, the 49ers lined up for the onside kick instead of relying on their defense to get them the ball back. McElroy sent a high-bouncing kick our way that reserve linebacker Bryan Groh just dove on. Gatesville's ball on the San Francisco 40!

On first down, Berg scrambled for 5, and Everett Schwarz followed that up with a 12-yard dash right up the gut of the defense behind the blocking of backup guard Rob Stanton. Tommy Douglas punched through the defense for another 7 yards before Rich Shively was able to tackle him. On second-and-3 from the 16, Berg underthrew Ralph Randle to bring up third down, but luckily Berg was able to find Thornton on the next play for 12 yards to move the chains and give us first-and-goal on the 49er four. Once again, Berg tried to get it to Randle, but defensive tackle Randal Tallent made Berg throw before he really wanted to, and the ball fell incomplete. Wary of another pick in the end zone, Coach Saxon called Everett Schwarz's number on second down, and Schwarz rewarded him by dragging several 49ers into the end zone. Touchdown, Gatesville! Leading 34-24 with just 2:33 left on the clock, I was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

The final nail in San Francisco's coffin almost came on first down, when Joey Rhoades bowled over right tackle Jim Stapleton and knocked the ball out of Culpepper's hand, but right guard Burt Booker fell on it for the Niners to keep their drive alive. Still, they were looking at second-and-22 from their own 1 after a false start before their next play. Culpepper tried to make something happen on a busted play, but he only managed a 4-yard gain to bring up third-and-18 from their 5. Each of Culpepper's next two passes were knocked down before reaching their intended target, WR Frank Williamson, and the Niners turned the ball over on downs deep in their own territory.

Given the great field position, it took just two plays for us to score a touchdown, as Berg snuck it in himself for a 6-yard score to put it completely out of reach. 41-24, Pirates!

To their credit, the 49ers still didn't give up. Culpepper launched one deep to a wide-open Peter Warrick, who took it 80 yards for a score after the cornerback fell down. They even managed to recover the ensuing onside kick. It didn't matter in the end. Final score: Gatesville 41, San Francisco 31. All we could do now was to wait and see how the Cowboys fared in Tampa Bay...

Key Performers:

Berg won the Game MVP award by completing 22 of his 33 passes for 269 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 interception. He also gained 40 yards and a TD on 8 carries.

Everett Schwarz didn't gain a lot of yards, but he did get into the end zone twice on 12 carries for 39 yards.

Ralph Randle had a relatively quiet day, with 5 catches for 67 yards and 1 score.

Chuck Farley had 5 grabs for 59 yards.

Earl Thornton pulled in 4 passes for 48 yards and 1 TD.

Joel Harden made 10 tackles and 1 assist.

[Kodos]

Originally posted by Godzilla Blitz:


Yahoo!

Waiting with bated breath for the Dallas result...

[Kodos]

Originally posted by cthomer5000:


Man, that was excellent... im dreaming of Dallas coming to Gatesville next week for the biggest game in the rivalry's history!


cthomer

[Kodos]

Originally posted by SplitPersonality1:


Way to go Pirates!

Never thought I would say this, but I hope the Cowboys win. I would love to see you guys crush Dallas on the way to the Big Game.

[Kodos]

Divisional Round Update:

Three of the four Conference Championship participants have been decided so far, with the final game at the half right now.

AFC:

On the AFC side, the number one seeded Steelers walloped the Bengals, while the Jets won a closer contest at home against the Chiefs.

Cincinnati  (12-5)  3

Pittsburgh  (13-3)  27 

 

Kansas City  (10-7)  14

New York     (11-5)  24

NFC:

In the final game of the weekend, the Buccaneers are leading the Cowboys 17-14 at the half. However, Tampa Bay's kicker has left the game with a broken foot. That's better than a torn ACL, I guess.

[Kodos]

Originally posted by Godzilla Blitz:


The Floaters have captured your avatar in X-COM II, Kodos.

They said to tell us the final score of the Dallas/Tamp game and they will release you. Don't tell us and they will mind control you and have you strangle yourself with all eight tentacles, or testicles, as the guy on Ebay would say.

[Kodos]

Divisional Round Update #2:

This just in from the Skyranger satellite dish: Jon Adams, the Buccaneers' stud RB, has just run for a touchdown and the 2-point conversion to put the Buccaneers up late, 25-21. Repeat: The Bucs have gone ahead late in the fourth quarter... The Cowboys have the ball with just under 2 minutes to go and all three timeouts left...[/End Transmission]

[Kodos]

Originally posted by revrew:


You two are both bastards.

[Kodos]

Update #3

The Bucs have intercepted backup QB Tracy Mazurek's pass in the end zone! It's all over! The Bucs win!...

[Kodos]

Update #4

Wait! Defensive pass interference was called. The Cowboys have it on the 1! Mazurek lines up in the goal line formation...and takes it in himself! There's no time left! The Cowboys win, 28-25!

[Kodos]

Originally posted by Godzilla Blitz:


VFF.



Is there an update #5? Or is it really over? You're killing me.

Is it really going to be the Cowboys vs. the Pirates? That would be so very cool. The ultimate turning point!

[Kodos]

That was indeed the final update. The Cowboys have won, and we have claimed the homefield advantage for the rest of the playoffs! Who'd a thunk it?!

There's gonna be Big Trouble in Little Texas next weekend...

[Kodos]

Originally posted by Godzilla Blitz:


This is going to be a huge game. Huge! A pivotal moment in this dynasty's history. You just knew there would be a time when Dallas would try to come back. Stuffing them back in their hole once again should break their spirit for good. They'll shrivel up and move to Fargo.

But if they win, and get a shot at a Super Bowl, yikes! They could be in Dallas for another 20 years!

Oh my!

Not to put any pressure on you or anything.

Kick their butts.

When's the game?

[Kodos]

GB: Yeah, it's a HUGE game as far as the overall challenge goes. A Super Bowl win for the Cowboys, and I can't see them going anywhere any time soon. It could wipe out years of progress... On the other hand, a second consecutive Bowl win (and third consecutive trip to the Bowl) for us could really help boost our attendance and help bail me out of the financial trouble we are in.

Not sure when I'll be able to post it. I'm dead tired today, and won't really have time to write it up tonight. I may be able to sneak something in tomorrow...but maybe not. I want to make sure I give it the big treatment it deserves, and that takes time (as you know from all your threads). I'd say it'll definitely be done by sometime on Saturday at the latest.

Thanks to all the people who are chiming in again. I was afraid that most folks had lost interest in this thread for a while...

[Kodos]

Originally posted by illinifan999:


Kodos, I hate you. Those updates were cruel. Go Pirates!! I swear if you lose to the Cowgirls.........

[Kodos]

Originally posted by Fonzie:


Fear not, Kodos. I haven't been posting, but I've been absolutely addicted to your dynasties. Keep 'em comin'!

And be sure to mess them 'Boys up something fierce.

[Kodos]

Originally posted by Godzilla Blitz:


Take your time with it. Don't rush for us. The anticipation is half the fun!

Looking forward to The Big Game.

[Kodos]

Originally posted by sterlingice:


Clearly Jerry Jones bought off the refs

SI

[Kodos]

Thanks, guys!

Fonzie: Ayyyyyyy! (<--- sad little "Happy Days" reference.) Glad you are enjoying the show!

Illinifan: We aliens can be known to be pretty cruel. Especially when we steal a page from the cruelest of the cruel: Godzilla Blitz! But believe me, I want to beat those Cowboys more than anyone, with the possible exception of Bill Gates himself.

Sterlingice: I wouldn't put it past Jones. Frogs don't like to touch him because he's too slimy.

GB: I think if we win versus the Cowboys, the Super Bowl may seem anti-climactic afterward. Oh well... I'll still take a win over the 'Boys!

[Kodos]

Originally posted by Raven Hawk:


Sgt. Raven Hawk here from X-Com II. We have secured the perimeter. If Jerry Jones gets near these refs, my team has been instructed to shoot first and ask questions later. Although Patman II is having a little too much fun with the Stun Rod and the Cowboys fans. Raven Hawk out . . .