The Bill Gates Challenge, Part III: A New Hope

[Kodos]

Week 3
Gatesville (1-1) at Tampa Bay (0-2)
=============================================

Game Summary

We decided to move Al Ingram back to his old spot at WILB this week, while having Meadows start at SOLB. Ingram has made just 4 tackles in 2 games, which is down a bit from the year he made 130 tackles. Hopefully, a return to his old stomping grounds will do him some good.

On their opening drive, the Bucs missed a field goal, and we answered by driving down the field and scoring on a 22-yard Berg to Randle touchdown pass. However, Eric Zeier was soon able to hook up with Barry Jamison for a score, and the game was knotted up at 7 after the first quarter.

In the second quarter, all we managed to score was one field goal, but that was more than the Bucs' offense could muster, and we had ourselves a 10-7 halftime lead.

With five minutes elapsed in the third quarter, Zeier hooked up with Marc Cash for a 34-yard touchdown pass, and we found ourselves trailing 14-10. Following the Bucs touchdown, fifteen minutes passed without a score, until Broderick Hidalgo hit a field goal from 34 yards out to make it a 14-13 ballgame. Two minutes later, Zeier hit Jamison again, and we were down 21-13. Despite our best efforts, we could not get a score, and we ended up losing our second consecutive game to start the 2012 campaign with a 1-2 record, which was definitely NOT the beginning we envisioned for our team this season.

Key Performers

Lazetti's slump continued for the third game in a row, as he carried the ball 12 times for a not-so-grand total of 31 yards.

Berg went 20/34 for 235 yards, 1 TD, and 1 interception, and after the game, some folks in the media began asking us if we regretted having traded McNeil.

Ingram fared a little better this game, recording 5 tackles and 2 assists from the MLB position.

New Injuries

In news that our secondary didn't need, starting RCB Edgar Justus sprained his knee, but he should be healed in 2 weeks.

Flanker Earl Thornton has turf toe, but should also recover in 2 weeks.


=============================================
Dallas (0-2) at Arizona (2-0)

Dallas dropped their third straight game, as Arizona prevailed by a score of 21-7.

[Kodos]

Week 4
Gatesville (1-2) at Dallas (0-3)
=============================================

Inactives:

Earl Thorton sat this one out, with Ty Robbins getting the start at flanker, and Kyle Diaz making the active roster for the first time in 2012.

Game Summary

Bill and I came into this game against the Cowboys knowing that it could be just the thing we needed to get this team kick-started -- or it could send us deeper into a tailspin if we should lose somehow to the hated Cowboys.

We started off the scoring with a 23-yard Hidalgo field goal, and followed it up with a 7-yard Lazetti touchdown reception from Berg to lead 10-0 after the first quarter. The second quarter saw three field goals made, one for them, then two for us, giving us a 16-3 advantage at the break.

The Cowboys pulled to within a touchdown when Roosevelt Murray hit Gino Burroughs for a 12-yard score. After a Rinehart fumble on the ensuing kick return, Murray connected with Burroughs again, and suddenly, we were down 17-16, and the doubts started to creep in.

In the fourth quarter, Billy Joe Shannon gave us a badly needed boost when he returned an interception 39 yards for a score with just under 7 minutes left. We tried to push the advantage to 7 with a 2-point conversion, but Lazetti fell short of the goal line, and we left were clinging to a 22-17 lead.

The Cowboys did nothing on their next possession, and when Berg tossed a touchdown pass to Chuck Farley from one yard out, Pirate fans everywhere breathed a collective sigh of relief. From there on out, the defense was able to hold the Cowboys in check, and we came out of Dallas with a much-needed 29-17 victory.

Key Performers

Michael Lazetti gained just 67 yards on 21 carries. Coach Gibson and I don't know what is wrong with him, but he had better snap out of it soon, or he will be riding the bench in the near future.

Berg had a decent outing, going 20/37 for 250 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 interception.

Chuck Farley had a solid outing, catching 5 passes for 77 yards and 1 TD.

Billy Joe Shannon won the Game MVP award based on his crucial interception return for a touchdown, which he supplemented with 5 tackles and 1 assist.

For the Cowboys, Roosevelt Murray ended the day with 21/39 completions, 232 yards, 2 TDs, and 3 wonderful interceptions.

Gino Burroughs had 5 catches for 55 yards and 2 scores -- What a jerk. Happily, the jerks lost in this case! Can you say "Oh and four, Gino? I knew you could!"

[Kodos]

Originally posted by Godzilla Blitz:


Yes! Another year of Gatesville to look forward to! Go Pirates!

[Kodos]

Week 5
Gatesville (2-2) at Arizona (3-1)
=============================================

Injury Status:

The good news coming into this game was that Earl Thornton and Allen Whitfield both were able to come back from their respective injuries. As a result of Whitfield's return, Al Ingram was returned to his spot at SOLB.

Game Summary

Week 5 found us traveling into Arizona to face the returning Super Bowl champion Cardinals, a team which admittedly has had our number in recent seasons. Clearly, if Bill and I intend to take this franchise to the next level, we must figure out a way to beat these guys...

The game started out well enough, with Arizona punting on their first drive. Starting from our own 33 after the punt, Berg methodically drove the offense down the field, and capped off our first drive of the day with a 4-yard toss to Chuck Farley to give us an early advantage, 7-0, midway through the first quarter.

Following Farley's score, Arizona went three-and-out, and we got the ball back on our 24 yardline this time. Once again, Berg maneuvered us down the field with confidence, eating up the rest of the first quarter in the process.

On the last play of a 12-play drive, Berg connected with Farley once again, this time from one yard out to give us a 14-0 lead on the road against our toughest division rivals. Back in Gatesville, the fans were getting excited, but Bill and I knew this game still had a long way to go.

With their third possession of the day, the Cardinals offense began to show some signs of life. When Henry broke off a 65-yard touchdown run on the fourth play of the drive, we knew we were in for a battle, but for now, we held on to a 14-7 lead.

If Berg was worried by the Cardinals' score, he sure didn't show it on our next offensive series, as he marched the Silicon Pirates right down the field once again. This time, All-Pro fullback Levon Wallace did the honors, running the ball in from 11 yards out to give us our third touchdown in as many drives. With 9 minutes left in the half, we had gained a 21-7 lead.

After our score, neither team could manage much on offense, and the half ended with the score still at 21-7.

The scoring drought ended with our first possession of the second half, as we manufactured an 80-yard drive that ate up half of the third quarter and ended with a 41-yard strike to Rickey McGregor that put us up by three touchdowns, 28-7. The thought of turning the tables on our NFC East foes seemed more likely with every moment that passed now.

The Cardinals refused to roll over and die though. Despite our holding their offense to another punt, Arizona got the score they needed when Marsh intercepted an errant Berg pass and ran it back 51 yards to our 8. On the very next play, Marshall Brady hit former Pirate Ricardo Dillon, and our lead was suddenly down to 28-14.

Early in the fourth quarter, Berg was picked off again, this time throwing an interception to Kennison, who promptly returned the ball for a touchdown, and our once-comfortable lead was now down to just 28-21, with all of the momentum on the Cardinals' side.

We got the ball back on our 41, and this time we took advantage of the good field position. Our offense moved the ball steadily down the field, with Berg eventually capping a 7 play/59 yard drive with a 15 yard touchdown pass to Lazetti that once again pushed our lead to 14 points with 6:16 left in the game.

True to form, the Cards didn't quit. Starting from their own 31, Arizona made their way down the field, and Brady hit Henry for a 5-yard score to make it a 35-28 contest with 3:10 left to go.

We sent our offense out onto the field with just one objective: Run out the clock! In this, they failed miserably, going three-and-out while eating up a measly 36 seconds. Inside, I was groaning, but I crossed my tentacles and continued to hope for the best.

After the punt, Arizona had possession on their own 23 with 2:34 left to go in the game, barring overtime (which we definitely did not want to deal with). The Cardinals had moved the ball to our 44 yardline when Marshall Brady heaved a 35-yard pass that found its way into free safety Dave Sanders' hands with 1:43 left on the clock. With a huge reprieve granted, our offense went back onto the field and ran out the clock like they should have the first time, and we came out of Arizona with a crucial win for our franchise! Whew! That was too close, folks!

Next week we will play host to the NFC East-leading Redskins, who now stand at 4-1.

Key Performers

Third-year QB Devin Bergeron garnered the Game MVP award based on a 25/38, 341 yard, 4 TD, 2 interception performance.

With the exception of the crucial late touchdown reception, Michael Lazetti had another quiet day, gaining just 38 yards on 15 carries and making 4 catches for 72 yards and the one touchdown.

Chuck Farley had 5 catches for 39 yards and 2 TDs.

Dave Sanders made 6 tackles, 2 assists, and most importantly, 2 huge interceptions.

Former Silicon Pirate Ricardo Dillon had 4 catches for 76 yards and a TD for the Cardinals. He may have gotten some measure of revenge on us for trading him, but we carried the day nonetheless.


=============================================
Dallas (0-4) at Washington (3-1)

This game put the point on the exclamation mark for the weekend, as Washington drubbed Dallas to the tune of 38-17. The Cowboys are now 0-5! I know it's early, but does anyone else get the feeling that the Cowboys might just be able to run the table this year?

[Kodos]

Week 6
Washington (4-1) at Gatesville (3-2)
=============================================

Attendance: 44,000

Game Summary

We welcomed the Redskins into town in week 6 knowing that we could finish the day in first place in the NFC East with a win.

Washington struck first, with Ryan Longwell kicking a 37 yarder to put the Skins up 3-0 a minute and a half into the game.

Berg and Co. answered midway through the quarter with a 76-yard touchdown reception by tight end Chuck Farley. However, Washington quickly regained the lead when Kenyon Chaffin broke loose for a 57-yard TD that quieted down the home crowd.

With a few minutes left in the second quarter, Hidalgo hit from 51 yards out, and the game was tied at 10 all going into the half.

In the third quarter, Berg connected with Farley again, this time for an 8-yard score. A Hidalgo field goal later in the quarter gave us a 10-point lead, 20-10.

With 6 minutes left in the game, Washington made things interesting with an 8-yard Ben Berry to Carlos Teal touchdown. As had happened against Arizona in week 5, our offense failed to run out the clock, and the Redskins had the ball on their own 20 with 3:30 left to play. Fortunately, our defense forced them to go three-and-out, and we were able to run out the clock from there. Final score: Gatesville 20, Washington 17. Though tied with the Redskins in wins and losses at 4-2, our head-to-head victory put us in first place in the NFC East. Arizona lost again this weekend, so our historical nemeses will have to play a bit of catchup now, as they are a game behind us at 3-3.

Key Performers

Berg had a good day, completing 20 of 37 passes for 344 yards, 2 TDs, and no interceptions.

Lazetti's struggles continued, as he only picked up 37 yards on 9 carries, along with a single catch for 11 yards. We may have to try someone else at the running back spot soon.

Tight end Chuck Farley earned the Game MVP honors with 7 catches for 148 yards and 2 scores.

Thornton had 5 catches for 104 yards.


=============================================
Jacksonville (1-4) at Dallas (0-5)

This week, Jacksonville looked to pose a serious threat to the Cowboys' march towards 0-16. The game did prove to be a nail-biter, but in the end, the Cowboys were able to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, losing 9-7.

How 'bout dem Cowboys?!?

[Kodos]

Week 7
Minnesota (0-5) at Gatesville (4-2)
=============================================

Attendance: 40,300

Game Summary

In a game that looked to be a laugher for us, the Vikings managed to get the last laugh, as Ethan Dunlap's 4 field goals (24, 36, 40 & 51 yds) proved to be too much for our totally ineffective offense to match. Final score: Minnesota 12, Gatesville 10. Championship teams don't lose games that they shouldn't lose, so this one has me and Bill pretty upset. In all, our ground game totalled just 56 yards (with a stellar 2.8 ypc), and our passing offense mustered a subpar 181 yards. This will not do, folks!

Not-So-Key Performers

Lazetti carried the ball 15 times for 58 yards.

Berg completed less than half of his passes, going 16/33 for 181 yards, 1 TD, and 1 interception.


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Dallas (0-6) at Pittsburgh (5-2)

Though it didn't ease our pain very much, the Steelers did crush the inept Cowboys' squad 45-23.

[Kodos]

Week 8
=============================================
Bye. A whole week to stew about the loss to Minnestota. Just what this team needed.


=============================================
Dallas (0-7) at Philly (2-5)

With a 20-13 loss, the Cowboys are now halfway to perfection. Could Bill and I be popping open the "another-losing-season-for-Dallas" champagne open after week 9? Stay tuned...

[Kodos]

Week 9
Gatesville (4-3) at Washington (5-3)
=============================================

Game Summary

As a result of our bye in week 8, we went into Washington trailing the Redskins by half a game for the division lead. In a couple of lineup changes, DT Eric Cash came back from shoulder tendinitis, and Gabe Sims got the start over the ever-struggling Michael Lazetti.

Despite our offense being generally unimpressive during this game, Berg ended the day with 3 touchdown passes, which was good enough for a 21-3 win over the Skins. We now are in sole possession of first place in the East.

Key Performers

Berg captured the Game MVP award by completing 21 of 33 pass attempts for 218 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 interception.

Gabe Sims, starting in place of Lazetti, carried the ball 9 times for a pathetic 2 yards. Looks like the starting job will be Lazetti's again in week 10 versus the 4-4 Tennessee Titans.

New Injuries

Second-year split end Ralph Randle has a sprained neck and will miss 3-5 weeks.


=============================================
Detroit (2-6) at Dallas (0-8)

Well, the Cowboy's schedule proved to be too weak for even them to go winless, as they beat the woeful Lions squad 20-14 to delay Me and Bill's cork-popping for another week.

[Kodos]

2012 Midseason Report

With half the season now in the books, here's how the NFC East stacks up. As you can see, we are in pretty good shape to win the East with our record within the division being a perfect 5-0.

              OVR,  DIV

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

Gatesville    5-3,  5-0

Washington    5-4,  3-3

Arizona       4-4,  2-3

Philadelphia  3-6,  2-2

Dallas        1-8,  0-4

Power Ratings:

Arizona     50

Gatesville  39

Dallas      13

Attendance Report

Gatesville  39,100  66.0%

Dallas      50,600  71.4%

Team Leaders

Gatesville:

 

Devin Bergeron:     160/268, 2079 yards, 17 TDs*, 8 Interceptions

Michael Lazetti:    108 carries, 334 yards, 1 TD

Chuck Farley:       27 catches, 354 yards, 5 TDs

Dave Sanders:       4 interceptions, 46 tackles

Al Ingram:          37 tackles

Joey Rhoades:       5.5 sacks

Dallas

Roosevelt Murrary:  166/311, 1923 yards, 6 TDs, 9 interceptions

Craig Lynch:        95 carries, 350 yards, 2 TDs

Gino Burroughs:     39 catches, 524 yards, 2 TDs

Dale Corbett:       36 catches, 516 yards, 1 TD

Greg Drayson:       49 tackles

Donnell Rasmussen:  7.5 sacks



*Leads league

[Kodos]

Originally posted by revrew:


Is Chuck U. Farley 7 ft tall or what? All those TD's from your TE. And long ones too. Got a 1st team All-Pro there, Kodos.

[Kodos]

Thanks, revrew! We like him!

[Kodos]

Week 10
Tennessee (4-4) at Gatesville (5-3)
=============================================

Attendance: 42,700

Key Injuries Status Report:

Starting left corner Joel Harden returned to the lineup from the bruised sternum that he suffered back in week 2 against Chicago. Ralph Randle was inactivated for this game.

Game Summary:

Late in the first quarter, Tennessee QB Kendrick Craig hit Oliver Foley for a 55-yard TD that put us down 7-0, but we answered early in the second quarter with a drive that ended with a 2-yard rushing score by fullback Levon Wallace. Then, with about three minutes left in the quarter, Berg and Lazetti hooked up for a 14-yard TD to put us ahead, 14-7.

Six minutes into the third quarter, Craig struck again with another long passing TD, this time finding Winston Hanrahan for a 52-yarder that made it 14 all.

Following the Titans' touchdown, nobody scored for a long time, until Berg tossed an 11-yard TD to Levon Wallace with just over five minutes left in the game. From there, Tennessee moved the ball to our 36, but a key sack by Allen Whitfield forced them to punt, and from there we killed the clock and went on to win 21-14.

Key Performers:

Lazetti had a better, if not stellar, game this time out, running 16 times for 80 yards.

Berg went 18 of 36 for 218 yards, 2 TDs, and no picks.

New Injuries:

Starting right guard Darren Cruise came away with a deep thigh bruise, and will miss 3-5 weeks.


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


Dallas (1-8) avoided adding another loss to their record by scheduling a bye week. Pretty sneaky, sis!

[Kodos]

Week 11
Gatesville (6-3) at Carolina (5-4)
=============================================

Key Injuries Status Report:

Darren Cruise and Ralph Randle were both inactive for this game. Starting right tackle James Pond returned this week from his pre-season back injury, a scant 11 weeks into the season!

Game Summary:

Reserve corner Tyrell Rinehart opened the game with a 97-yard kickoff return for a TD. Seventy-two seconds later, the sadly but appropriately named defensive end, Les Money, returned a fumble 35 yards for a score, and we had a 14-0 lead less than a minute-and-a-half into the game, which would prove to be all the points we would need to beat Carolina. Joel Harden's 76-yard interception return for a touchdown late in the half was spectacular but unnecessary, as it merely extended our already large lead to 35-3 going into the half.

Final score: Gatesville 48, Carolina 9.

Key Performers:

Lazetti had 9 carries for 33 yards, and 4 catches for 29 yards and a score. Yep. Definitely shopping for running backs this offseason...

Berg was 17/28 for 209 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 interception.

New Injuries:

I'm sure that superfans Revrew and DataKing were alarmed to see tight end Chuck U. Farley go down with a pulled groin, cuz that's gotta hurt! Chuck should be back in 3 to 5 weeks.


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

Right now, we are tied with Green Bay, Chicago, and San Francisco for the NFC lead, with all of us sporting 7-3 records.


=============================================
Cleveland (4-5) at Dallas (1-8)

Dallas picked up their second consecutive win against the Browns, 34-10. Nice effort, Browns...**Kodos crosses Carmen Policy off of his Christmas card list...**

[Kodos]

Week 12
Cleveland (4-6) at Gatesville (7-3)
=============================================

Attendance: 45,000. Whoa! BIG crowd today! By our standards, at least...

Key Injuries Status Report:

While they could have played, we opted to rest Farley, Randle, and Pond for our showdown with the Browns.

Game Summary:

In retaliation for their loss to the Cowboys the previous week, we absolutely pummeled the Browns. Turnovers (2 interceptions, 3 fumbles) were a big factor in our 42-0 halftime lead. Anger was another big factor. Nobody loses to the Cowboys without having to answer to us!

Final score: Gatesville 60, Cleveland 13.

Key Performers:

Berg went 17/22 for 233 yards, 5 TDs, and 0 interceptions thrown. Needless to say, he received the Game MVP award.

Lazetti was the Anti-MVP, rushing 4 times for minus 9 yards! What is wrong with this guy?!?

Gabe Sims carried the ball 19 times for 91 yards and a score.

Thornton caught 8 passes for 125 yards and 2 scores.

Strong safety Billy Joe Shannon had 2 picks, 1 tackle, and an assist.


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

I'm proud to report that Gatesville is currently the first seed in the NFC with an 8-3 record. Green Bay, Chicago, and San Francisco are all 7-4 now.


=============================================
Arizona (5-5) at Dallas (2-8)

Arizona ended the Cowboys' little win streak by handing them a 24-12 defeat. You know, I usually don't care for those Caridnals, but this week: Bottoms up, pardners! -- Time to drink us some of that fancy champagne!

[Kodos]

Week 13
Gatesville (8-3) at Cincinnati (6-5)
=============================================

Key Injuries Status Report:

Split end Ralph Randle and right tackle James Pond returned to the starting lineup for our showdown with the team of the nineties, the Cincinnati Bungles.

Game Summary:

When Bengal return man Jenkins fumbled the opening kickoff, I thought to myself, "easy win, comin' right up." That was before fellow Bengal Gilbert Austin scooped the ball up and proceeded to run it 73 yards for a score.

On our opening possession, Berg got sacked, then threw an interception on our third play. The Bengals capitalized when Berger kicked a 44 yarder to put them on top by the score of 10-0.

With two minutes left in the first, Berg capped a 13-play/75-yard drive with a 7-yard toss to Lazetti, and the lead was down to 10-7. A minute later, Al Ingram forced a Money fumble, and rookie DT Eric Cash recovered the ball on our 37. When the ensuing drive stalled, we sent in Hidalgo for a 36-yard field goal to tie the game at 10 all, early in the second quarter.

Unfortunately, another Bergeron miscue (this time a fumble) set up another Bengal field goal by Berger, and we were down once again, 13-10.

After a scoreless third quarter, a drive that started on our 22 ended with another Hidalgo field goal, this time from 50 yards away. Once again, the game was knotted up, 13-13.

With 3:25 left in the game, Cincinnati took the ball from their own 17 and drove all the way down the field. Malcolm Bennett's run from 8 yards out with 15 seconds left in the game ended our hopes of victory, and we fell to the worst team of the nineties, 20-13.

Key Performers:

If we had somebody else (anybody else) who was decent, or at least uninjured, we wouldn't have played Lazetti. As it is, he had 18 carries for 31 yards, along with 2 catches for 15 yards and a TD.

Berg was 19 of 33 for 211 yards, 1 TD and 1 interception, which he made up for with a fumble.


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

We are once again in a tie with Green Bay (8-4), having squandered our lead in the NFC. Arizona, Chicago, Carolina, and San Francisco are all one game back at 7-5. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't mind having a little more of a lead over these guys--Especially Arizona, who happens to be coming to Gatesville next week. We need to knock those guys down hard enough that they won't be able to get back up...


=============================================
Dallas (2-9) at Chicago (7-4)

What is it with the Cowboys and their damn late-season turnarounds? They've now won 3 out of their last 4 games, after dropping their first 8 games in a row. This time, they beat the Bears, 22-17. At least it gives Cowboy fans the world around false hope for next season...

All-in-all, I have to say, Kodos doesn't like this; Kodos is starting to get upset...

[Kodos]

Originally posted by revrew:

Man! Chuck "E-cheese" Farley goes down with a groin pull? Too much partying at the Gold Club. Come on, Kodos! You've got to be a parent to these young stars or they'll mess up their whole career!

[Kodos]

I know, I know. All you can do is try to bring 'em up right as best you can, but one day, you have to shove them out of the nest with your foot and hope for the best...

[Kodos]

Originally posted by DataKing:


I must admit, it was a sad day when I saw my favorite Silicon Pirate, Chuck U. Farley, hobbling off the field like that. Sometimes having Direct Ticket is a curse rather than a blessing.

[Kodos]

Yep. And it was made even worse when he started screeching like a little girl! Have some dignity, man!

[Kodos]

Week 14
Arizona (7-5) at Gatesville (8-4)
=============================================

Attendance: 46,900

Game Summary:

In week 14, Arizona came to town in need of a win if they still harbored any hope of winning the NFC East for a third straight year. However, even a victory over us would not have guaranteed the defending Super Bowl champions another division crown, as we were the owners of a perfect 5-0 record within the East. If they were going to beat us in the NFC East race, they would have to beat us outright, as the tie-breaker was in our favor.

We came into this game with a bit of a chip on our shoulders, as the Cardinals had made a bit of a habit out of beating us in recent years. Finally, here was our chance to give a little bit back to them, and by God, we were gonna take it.

The heretofore disappointing RB Michael Lazetti looked to make amends with two touchdown runs in the opening quarter. Our early success continued into the second quarter, when Berg threw one touchdown pass to Earl Thornton and another to Levon Wallace. All told after two quarters, we were up 28-0 on our archrivals.

Cardinal QB Marshall Brady came out in the third quarter with a touchdown pass to Kevin Castillo, but it was too little, too late, and we went on to win 35-7, effectively securing the NFC East Title and a playoff berth.

Key Performers:

Berg won the Game MVP award based on 21 of 31 passing for 271 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 pick. Berg also rushed 9 times for 51 yards.

Lazetti ran 11 times for 47 yards and 2 scores before injuring his shoulder.

Joel Harden had 2 picks, 1 tackle, and 3 assists.

New Injuries:

While the score of the game was quite favorable to us, the cost in injuries was quite high. After a hot start, Lazetti dislocated his shoulder and will miss 3 to 5 weeks. Second-stringer Gabe Sims then went in for Lazetti, and proceeded to quickly break his thumb, costing him 3 to 5 weeks, and forcing the already injured Cedric Horton to enter the game. Can your guess what happened next? You got it. Horton aggravated his slow-healing torn thumb ligament, and will miss the rest of the season, leaving us with exactly zero healthy running backs. Nada. Diddly. Squat. Of course, we have no cap room at all, so we are forced to do the truly desperate now: we are changing backup FB Shaun Pieri to RB. As you might guess, his new ratings aren't exactly stellar. This is great news with Green Bay and everyone else in the NFC playoff race nipping at our butts. Why not just slap a big, juicy T-bone on our ass with a sign that says "Beef: It's What's For Dinner!"?


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

We are still tied with Green Bay at 9-4. Chicago is one game back at 8-5, while 5 teams are now bunched at 7-5.


=============================================
Dallas (3-9) at Green Bay (8-4)

Though we actually wouldn't have minded a Dallas win here, the Packers won by a score of 17-10 to stay tied with us atop the NFC. Dallas is finally in double-digits for losses at 3-10.

[Kodos]

Week 15
Gatesville (9-4) at Philadelphia (4-9)
=============================================

Game Summary:

With our entire depth-chart of running backs out with injury, freshly converted RB Shaun Pieri was given the start, but our game plan included a lot of FB Levon Wallace carrying the ball.

After a slow opening, Berg was able to connect with Rickey McGregor for a 55-yard TD pass with three minutes left in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Berg connected with backup TE Leslie Wozniczka for another TD, and then Dave Sanders returned an interception to put the score at 21-0.

Later in the second, a Berg fumble was returned by the Cardinals' Alvin Burkes for a 64-yard score that made it 21-7. A 53-yard field goal by Talley made it a 21-10 ballgame at the half.

In the third quarter, a 58-yard Diaz reception set up a 2-yard touchdown pass to Earl Thornton that extended our lead to 28-10. Soon though, the turnover bug bit us again, as Levon Wallace coughed up the ball and set up the Eagles' second touchdown of the day, a 1-yard plunge by Johnson. After the 2-point conversion failed, we lead 28-16.

A Hidalgo field goal and another Thornton touchdown reception finished out the scoring, and we won 38-16.

Key Performers:

Dave Sanders earned the Game MVP award with 4 tackles, 2 assists, and 2 interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. I'd say he earned his paycheck today!

Levon Wallace had 9 carries for 85 yards, while converted FB Shaun Pieri gained a surprisingly respectable 43 yards on 13 carries.

Berg went 23/47 for 349 yards, 4 TDs, and no interceptions.

Rickey McGregor had 5 catches for 112 yards and 1 TD.

Earl Thorton caught 6 balls for 74 yards and 2 TDs.

New Injuries:

Starting center Jonathan Farmer and split end Ralph Randle both have turf toe and will both miss a couple weeks.

Rickey McGregor has a hyper-extended elbow and will also miss a couple weeks.


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

After Green Bay lost to Des Moines (6-7), we found ourselves all alone atop the NFC. And if we can beat Dallas in week 17, we will have run the table in the NFC East this year.

1. Gatesville  10-4

2. Green Bay    9-5 

3. Carolina     8-6

4. Chicago      9-5

5. San Fran.    8-6

=============================================
Washington (7-6) at Dallas (3-10)

Well, the Cowboys won this one, 16-12, but I guess it just goes to show: You can't lose 'em all!

[Kodos]

Week 16
Gatesville (10-4) at Baltimore (7-7)
=============================================

Inactive List:

Randle, McGregor, and Farmer all sat this game out.

Game Summary:

This game started off bad when Berg went down with a sprained ankle less than 2 minutes into the game. Our second-round pick out of Arizona State this year, Morris Ellison, came in as Berg's replacement.

Baltimore scored first when Jay Farrell hit Andrew Cochran for an 11 yarder. Ellison and the offense responded with a touchdown pass to Earl Thornton that tied the game at 7.

In the second quarter, we managed to go ahead with a 35-yard Hidalgo field goal. The lead was short-lived though, as Buddy Whitfield scored on a 3-yard run to put them back on top, 14-10.

In the third quarter, Ellison made his first major mistake, and the ball was taken 75 yards the other way by Patrick Cote to make it 21-10 Ravens as time ran out in the quarter.

In the fourth quarter, nobody scored, and we lost 21-10.

Key Performers:

Morris Ellison went 27/46 for 280 yards, 1 TD, and 2 picks.

Thorton had 9 catches for 115 yards and a score.

New Injuries:

Devin Bergeron suffered a sprained-ankle and will miss a couple weeks. If we can get a bye, he should be back for our first playoff game.


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

The loss dropped us back down into a tie for first with Green Bay at 10-5. San Francisco is in third at 9-6, while Chicago and Arizona are fourth and fifth at 9-6, and Carolina is in sixth at 8-7.


=============================================
Philadelphia (4-10) at Dallas (4-10)

Dallas won the battle for sole possession of 5th place in the NFC East by losing to the Eagles by the score of 29-24.

Them thar Cowboys will be payin' us a visit in week 17. We are really looking forward to showin' them our Southern hospitality and helping them put the finishing touches on a sterling season in Big D!

We'll see y'all there, folks!

[Kodos]

Week 17
Dallas (4-11) at Gatesville (10-5)
=============================================

Attendance: 45,000

Inactive Players

Despite the fact that it was the hated Cowboys who were coming to town, we opted to rest some of our more important players this week in preparation for the playoffs. Earl Thornton, Joey Rhoades, Allen Whitfield, Joel Harden, and Devin Bergeron were all inactive for this game, and most of our other starters were sitting right there on the bench beside them for our game against Big-D. Bill and I suspected that Dallas was crappy enough to be beatable even with most of our key starters on the bench. We'll see if were were right soon enough...

Game Summary

Four minutes into the first quarter, Broderick Hidalgo hit a 48 yarder and we were up 3-0. When backup QB Morris Ellison hit Ralph Randle for a 17-yard score, our lead grew to 10-0. However, late in the first quarter, Dallas was able to strike back when Shawn Treadway picked off an Ellison misfire and took it 31 yards the other way for a score.

After the Dallas score made it 10-7, neither offense could get much going, until Ellison was finally able to hook up with backup TE Leslie Wozniczka for a 15-yard touchdown to make it a 17-7 lead.

Five minutes into the third quarter, the Cowboys offense finally scored when Roosevelt Murray connected with Dale Corbett for a 5-yard score that whittled our lead down to 17-14.

Once again, both offenses became ineffective, until Ellison found Woznickza for their second TD of the day early in the fourth quarter. Murray and Co. answered with a 34-yard strike to Gino Burroughs to make it a 24-21 ballgame with just under six minutes left in regulation.

At this point, as often happened this season, our offense failed to run out the clock, and the Cowboys got the ball back and were able to drive down the field and hit an easy 18-yarder with 4 seconds left to tie the game at 24 and send the game into overtime.

Early in the extra quarter, Hidalgo lined up for a 53 yarder to win the game, but sadly the kick fell short. With 4:28 left in overtime, Hidalgo was given a second chance from 42 yards out, and this time the kick split the uprights to give us a 27-24 overtime victory over the 'Boys that sent them into the offseason in style!!!!

Key Performers

Split end Ralph Randle, who returned for the Dallas game from his turf toe injury, caught the Game MVP award with 15 catches for 153 yards and a TD.

Tight end Leslie Wozniczka had 6 catches of his own for 82 yards and 2 TDs.

Fullback Levon Wallace carried the ball 6 times for 58 yards.

Morris Ellison, starting in place of the injured Devin Bergeron, had a mixed performance, as he hit on 31 of 54 passes for 322 yards and 3 TDs, as well as 4 interceptions. A great performance, if you throw away the 4 picks. Bill and I are both glad that our man Berg will be back in time for the playoffs.

Backup safety Heath Bryant, who replaced Dave Sanders at free safety this game, grabbed 2 interceptions, made 2 tackles, and recorded 1 assist.


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

The win over the Cowboys, combined with a Green Bay loss, gave us the home field advantage throughout the NFC Playoffs, folks!!! Now, anyone who wants to go to the Bowl will have to come through us!!!!

Here's how the NFC Playoff field looks:

1. Gatesville     11-5

2. Green Bay      10-6

3. San Francisco   9-7

4. Washington     10-6

5. Arizona         9-7

6. Chicago         9-7 

=============================================
Dallas Cowboys note:

This season, the Cowboys have proven themselves to be worthy of being called number one... in next year's draft! At 4-12, they have secured the worst record in the NFL in 2012! Three cheers for Jerry!!! Hip-hip-hooray! Hip-hip-hooray! HIP-HIP-HOORAY!!!!

ONWARD, GATESVILLE!!!!!!

[Kodos]

Originally posted by Alf:


Good job Kodos !

[Kodos]

Originally posted by revrew:


Gutsy call, benching a bunch with home-field advantage on the line. Dallas almost made you pay.

But, hey, wait a minute. Wasn't there a house rule about playing all starters when lining up against Dallas?

[Kodos]

Revrew, it wasn't so much a house rule as a rule of thumb. But in this case, we thought that having a completely healthy set of starters for the playoffs was more important than even another win against Dallas. Mostly, we just felt that Dallas was bad enough that our backups could beat them, and, as luck would have it, they were, if only just barely. Still, everything turned out well, and we came out of it smelling like roses. Admittedly, it was a risky proposition for us. In a worst case scenario, we might have lost the bye week if San Francisco had won and we had lost, but I think our better conference record would have still given us the bye.

In the end, we just counted on Dallas' crapulence, and they didn't let us down.

[Kodos]

At The Post-Game Conference Following the Cowboys' Loss To Gatesville...

Jerry Jones: Hi guys. Boy! Tough way to finish a season, wasn't it? **crowd laughs politely**
Yes, Jim, do you have a question?

Jim Gray: Yes, Jerry, thanks. My first question is, how do you respond to critics who point out that you have not had a winning season now for nine years running, and that it appears that your organization has no prospects of fielding a winning team for the foreseeable future?

Jerry Jones: First of all, let me say that I am confident that these Cowboys will be able to turn things around next season...

Jim Gray: But Jerry, your Cowboys haven't been over .500 for almost a decade. That's almost as pathetic as the Bengals of the nineties! What can you tell us to make us believe that you will now be able to turn this team around after nine years of complete futility?

Jerry Jones: Well, now, I'll admit that we've had some tough years here, but I believe that we are just a key player or two away from being a competitive team again. If you'll notice, those Bengals you just mentioned are in the playoffs this year. They've turned things around, and so will we...

Jim Gray: But Jerry, you haven't had a winning season in 10 years! Why should we believe that 2013 will be any different for you? Judging by your declining ticket sales, the fans certainly don't think that you will be able turn it around.

Jerry Jones: Yes, I understand that. But I am confident that we will be able to turn things around here in short order. We've bottomed out, but let me assure you that the wonderful fans of the Cowboys will come flocking back when they see that their Cowboys are headed straight back to the top where they belong!

How about we let someone else ask a question, okay Jim? Yes, Mike?

Mike Wallace: Yes, Jerry, you mention that the fans will be back, but I ask you: What fans are you referring to? It's a well-documented fact that your attendance has been dropping for years, while your close neighbor Gatesville has shown dramatic improvement in attendance year after year. It appears to me that your "fans" are dropping the silver and blue like a bad habit and picking up the red and gray of Gatesville!

Jerry Jones: Now Mike, you know and I know that this is a cyclical business, and that right now Dallas is in a bit of a trough. But we'll be comin' back in 2013, and you can take that to the bank!

Mike Wallace: Oh come on! This "trough" that you are speaking of is the size of the Grand Canyon! You've gone nine years without a winning season! All the while Gatesville, by all accounts an up-and-coming team, has been steadily improving and going to the playoffs on a regular basis. Shouldn't Cowboy fans everywhere be hitting the panic button, or worse yet, the eject button? Why should they stay with a team that so obviously is incapable of winning when a bonafide contender sits a mere 89 miles down the road in the fine city of Gatesville?

Jerry Jones: Now that's a load of crap, Mike! The Cowboys are America's Team, and our loyal fans worldwide know better than to root for a team that is owned by that ego-maniacal crackpot Bill Gates! They are a second-class organization that has never even been to the Super Bowl, much less won one!

Mike Wallace: But Jerrrry! The last of those Super Bowl wins you speak of came way back in 1995! That's seventeen years ago! Since then, Cowboy fans around the world have had to endure some of the worst football teams in league history. How much longer can you field inferior teams and expect to keep any fans? And those Silicon Pirates that you speak of so harshly have won your division two out of the last four years, while all the time dominating you in head-to-head games?

Jerry Jones: Now you listen here! This is a good team, and we will have a winning season next year. If we can bring in somebody on par with a Quincy Carter or a Ryan Leaf, this team will start to win a lot of games in short order!

Mike Wallace: Okay, let me get this straight. I just want to be sure I am hearing you correctly: Are you saying that this team, which just lost to Gatesville's backups, is going to have a winning season next year? Are you guarantying a winning season in 2013?

Jerry Jones: Yes, Mike. The Cowboys will have a winning record in 2013. And we will sweep those bastards over there in Gatesville! I GUARANTEE IT. Oh, and another thing: Those damn Pirates will lose in the Divisional round this year, just like they always do! No more questions! **Jones storms out of the room**

Mike Wallace: JERRY, DON'T YOU THINK IT'S TIME YOU SOLD THE TEAM?!?

[Kodos]

2012 Wild Card Playoff Round

NFC Results:

Chicago (9-7) at San Francisco (9-7)

The Bears upended the 49ers 19-0, earning themselves a trip to Gatesville to face us in round two of the playoffs. It should be noted that the Bears beat us in Gatesville back in week 2, by the score of 22-7. Looks like we will have our work cut out for us if we are to break our three-year streak of losing in the Divisional Round.

Arizona (9-7) at Washington (9-7)

The returning champions' bid for a Super Bowl repeat ended with a 24-10 loss to the Redskins. Washington will travel to Green Bay to face the Packers in the Divisional Round.

AFC Results:

New York (9-7) at Buffalo (10-6)

The Bills won this game with ease, 33-3, and will advance to face Cincinnati in the AFC Divisional Round.

Pittsburgh (10-6) at San Diego (11-5)

Pittsburgh proved to be no match for the Chargers, who won convincingly, 31-6. San Diego will head over to Denver to face the Broncos at Mile High.

[Kodos]

2012 Divisional Round
Chicago (11-7) at Gatesville (11-5)
=============================================

Attendance: The good news was that 46,900 people attended this game, which was a new record here at Microsoft Stadium. The bad new was that this still fell well short of a sellout, which would have required that 12,300 more people had shown up.

Key Injuries Status Report:

The good news coming into this game was that, after the first-round bye, most of our key players were now healthy. The only injured players (Chuck Farley - pulled groin; Lionel Von Oelhoffen - turf toe; Gabe Sims - broken finger) were all listed as probable for the game. I don't claim to be an expert or anything, but I'm pretty sure having a healthy team really helps your chances in the playoffs.

Game Summary:

As I mentioned before, the Bears beat us at home back in week 2, by the score of 22-7. If we hoped to end our three-year streak of losing in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, it was clear that we would need a much better performance in our rematch with the Bears.

With our opening drive of the day, Berg and the offense marched right down the field, and we grabbed ourselves an early lead after Berg found Chuck Farley for a 4-yard score with just under five minutes having passed in the first quarter. Five minutes later, Berg and Farley hooked up for another score, and we found ourselves leading 14-0.

In the second quarter, our offense bogged down a bit, but came to life again with a 5-yard scoring pass from Berg to Ralph Randle with just under five minutes left in the second quarter. To cap off a great first half, Michael Lazetti ran one in from 3 yards out to make it a 28-0 affair with 39 seconds to go until the break.

Early in the third quarter, Berg completed his fourth touchdown pass of the day when Randle pulled in a 33 yarder that made it 35-0 in our favor.

With the game all but decided in the fourth, Hidalgo hit a 33-yard field goal, and Lazetti ran for his second touchdown of the day late in the quarter to give us a 45-0 victory over the Bears! I'd say that just about makes up for our loss to the Bears back in week 2! For the first time in our short history, your Gatesville Silicon Pirates are heading to the NFC Championship game!!!

Key Performers:

It was many player's turn to shine today, as our offense had three different players who scored two times each, Berg threw 4 touchdowns, and the defense held the Bears to 71 yards rushing, 95 yards passing, and only 9 first downs en route to shutting them out! Great game, guys! Great game!

Berg won the Game MVP based on his having completed 18 of 23 attempts for 263 yards, with a very un-McNeil-like 4 touchdown, zero interception playoff performance. I told ya, this kid is good!

Lazetti had his best game of the season with 13 carries for 88 yards and 2 TDs, which he supplemented with 3 catches for 48 yards.

Ralph Randle made 5 grabs for 69 yards and 2 scores.

Tight end Chuck Farley had 4 catches for 46 yards and 2 scores.


=============================================
Other Playoff Results:

NFC:

Washington (10-7) at Green Bay (10-6)

Green Bay downed the Redskins by the score of 23-8, and will be coming to Gatesville with the NFC Championship on the line.

AFC:

San Diego (12-5) at Denver (11-5)

The Chargers upset the Broncos at Mile High with a 28-14 victory.

Buffalo (11-6) at Cincinnati (11-5)

The Bengals advanced to host the AFC Championship game by defeating the Bills 24-16.

[Kodos]

Originally posted by revrew:


Game ball to the man, Chuck U. Farley! Two scores to set the tone for the romp. The Pirates were on cruise control after the "Quiet Assassin"--Chuck. Ulysses. Farley!-- took all the wind out of the Bears' sails.

You can't stop him. You just can't stop him. Far-ley! Far-ley! Far-ley!

Quickly becoming a fan favorite...

[Kodos]

If you wanna stop Chuck Ulysses Farley, you better pull his groin, cuz that's the only thing that's gonna stop him!

[Kodos]

Originally posted by CK#12:

Thank God (or should that be Mr. Gates), Kodos is back.

I check every day to see if have been any updates.

[Kodos]

Thanks, CK! I should be able to post the results of our rumble with the Packers tonight.

[Kodos]

Originally posted by Vince:

Go Pirates! Hell of a run so far...I'll be there rooting like hell at the Packer game

[Kodos]

Originally posted by revrew:


Farley, the former 4th rounder out of Syracuse (yes, I did go look it up) is, what? 6'5 260? I'm not even gonna try pulling his groin.

By the way, here's what Kodos said after that draft year:

"TE Chuck Farley improved a bit, but generally there were no real breakouts"

Ever the master of understatement, Kodos was hinting of the new and glorious future to come...

[Kodos]

Thanks Vince -- We will try not to disappoint you!

Revrew - more times than not, Farley just ends up pulling it himself. The man has no self-control off of the field! But we don't care, so long as he keeps pulling in those touchdowns.

It's pretty awe inspiring when the whole crowd starts chanting "CHUCK...U...FARLEY!" while doing the wave. The opposing teams must hate it!

[Kodos]

Originally posted by revrew:


Hey, Kodos, how 'bout a little biographical info on everybody's (okay, just my) favorite superstar? I'm curious to know more.

[Kodos]

You mean Chuck's stats 'n' stuff, or are you wanting to hear about his sordid personal life?

[Kodos]

Originally posted by DataKing:


I'm all for hearing about the sordid personal life (although the gruesome details of his groin pulls can probably be left out).

Now if you could only find someone in the draft named Juck U. Ferry-Jones, but that's probably asking too much.

[Kodos]

Yep. What Chuck does on his own time is Chuck's business, I s'pose. As for Juck U., I'll keep my eyes peeled...

Maybe there's a J.J. Rottinhel out there somewhere...

[Kodos]

2012 NFC Championship
Green Bay (11-6) at Gatesville (12-5)
=============================================

Attendance: 46,900

Game Summary

We came into our game with Green Bay with pretty much every important player healthy, a luxury any time, but especially during the postseason. Having clobbered the Bears the previous week, we were riding high, but still weary of a good Packers squad. All in all, it seemed like the universe was aligning perfectly for a Gatesville Super Bowl Championship run. However, the scrappy Packers seemed unlikely to just roll over and accept their fate without a fight...

We won the toss and elected to receive. Our opening drive lasted 6 plays and ended in a punt. Green Bay responded with a longer 11-play drive that also ended in a punt.

With 4 minutes left in the first quarter, we started our second drive of the day from our own 10. Following a 1-yard loss by Levon Wallace on first down, Berg dropped back and hit a streaking Earl Thornton for a 91-yard score, and we were up, 7-0!

Green Bay's second drive, like its first, ended with a punt, this time pinning us on our own 3 yard line. With our backs to our own endzone, we manufactured a 15-play, 97-yard drive that ended with a 12 yard touchdown reception by cult hero Chuck Farley, and it was 14-0 after fifteen minutes of play.

Following another Green Bay punt, Lazetti finished an 8-play, 65-yard drive with a 20-yard touchdown run to give us our third consecutive touchdown drive of the day, and we were rolling, 21-0! Unfortunately, our offense got off track after that, and we went into the half with a still-vulnerable 21-0 lead.

The third quarter began much like the first quarter for Green Bay, as they went backward 6 yards and then punted. Taking advantage of good field position, we marched 48 yards, and this time Berg ran it in himself from 3 yards out to extend our lead to 28-0, and the players on our sideline started to whisper "Super Bowl."

Despite their total lack of success on offense thus far, the Pack did not Pack it in just yet. Following our touchdown, Lawrence Grey completed passes of 23 and 38 yards to set up a 14-yard touchdown reception by Martin Goffee to pull the game closer, 28-7. While a Packer comeback seemed unlikely, nobody was ruling them out quite yet.

Berg and the offense took the field looking to finish off the Packers, and on the fifth play of the drive, Gabe Sims broke loose for a backbreaking 61-yard touchdown that put the game out of reach at 35-7. Things only grew worse for the Packers on our third drive of the half, when Berg hit Randle for 4-yard score, and for the second time on the day, we had scored touchdowns on three consecutive possessions.

After Randle's score, Green Bay's spirit seemed broken. Lawrence Grey threw for 2 more scores in the fourth, but both touchdown passes went to Silicon Pirates, with the first going 19 yards the wrong way to the appropriately named Ellis "Frozen Tundra" Lambeau, and with the second going to All-Pro cornerback Joel Harden, whose return went for 63 yards. At the end of the day, we had won 56-7, and had earned a berth to our first ever Super Bowl!!!!

Key Performers

Berg had another great day in the playoffs, going 21 of 34 for 372 yards, 3 TDs, and no interceptions.

Lazetti gained only 20 yards on 10 carries, with all of the yardage coming on his 20-yard TD run.

Backup RB Gabe Sims carried the ball 10 times for 84 yards and a TD.

Earl Thornton set a playoff record for receiving yardage with 188 yards on 7 catches, with 1 TD.

Stud TE Chuck U. Farley had a quiet game, with his only reception of the day being the 12-yard TD in the second quarter.

Joel Harden earned the Game MVP award with his 5 tackles, 1 assist, and the 63-yard interception return for a touchdown. Personally, I would have given the MVP to Thornton or Berg, but who cares really, 'cuz we're going to the Super Bowl!

New Injuries

The win didn't come without cost, as Al Ingram and Walter Ritter both suffered hyperextended knees. Ingram is listed as doubtful for next week, Ritter as questionable.


=============================================
AFC Championship
San Diego (13-5) at Cincinnati (12-5)

The Bengals proved to be way too much for the Cinderella Chargers, as they won going away, 38-10. In truth, we were rooting for San Diego, as a Charger victory would have meant that we would be the hosts of the 2012 Super Bowl. As it is, we will be traveling to Cincy to face the Bengals for the 2012 NFL championship. Some of you will recall that the Bengals beat us 20-13 in Cincinnati back in week 13. It's hard to beat a good team twice in one season, isn't it? That's what we're counting on...

Off to mail some Super Bowl tickets to Jerry Jones. See ya at the Super Bowl, folks!

[Kodos]

Originally posted by revrew:


What I was looking for on Chuck was a simple breakdown of his bio info like you might find in a media guide. As the president of his fan club, I'd like to know his height, weight, birthday, career highlights/records. Y'know, stuff like that.

No surprise on his perfomance in the conf. championship game. Like was said of another future hall-of-famer, "All he does is catch touchdowns."

BTW, the AI is stupid about player of the game stuff. If a def. player scores on the winning team, he gets the award. You could probably pass for 6 tuddies, but if a second string safety ran an INT back, whoop-de-doo, he's player of the game.

[Kodos]

Originally posted by Alf:


Let's hope the Cowboys finally move out of Texas as everybody understands that Texas team is Gatesville Silicon Pirates !

[Kodos]

Revrew, it was especially funny that he got the MVP award for a run back interception when the score was already 49-7!

Maybe I should add a little player spotlight thing each season. I'll see if I can pull some strings and make that happen. Maybe people could vote for a player to spotlight each season? Would people like that?

Alf, or anyone else who might know the answer - Dallas had some renovations done to Texas stadium a few years ago. Does that mean they can't move for 15 years, just as I cannot move or build a new stadium until Microsoft Stadium is 15 years old (in 2022!)? I'm guessing the Cowboys can't move until somewhere around 2023.

[Kodos]

A sign hung outside the door of Kodos' office at Microsoft Stadium:

GONE BOWLIN'!

[Kodos]

Originally posted by stkelly52:


I know that I have moved my team as soon as five years after renovating a stadium, so no you don't have to wait 15 years. There may be some waiting time, But I don't know how much.

[Kodos]

Well, that's good news! Thanks stkelly!

[Kodos]

Bengals Scouting Report:

The good news going into to Cincy was that their offense, especially at the WR position, seemed to be a bit banged up.

From: Cory Wells
To: Kodos
Subject: Cincinnati Bungles

Advance Scouting Report of the Cincinnati Bungles.

Injury Report:
Peter Warrick, WR - Doubtful
Rex Eppright, LB - Probable
Bennie Ogden, C - Doubtful
Jerald Jennings, WR - Doubtful
Lance Fontenot, WR - Out
Myron Jenkins, CB - Questionable

Starting Quarterback: Ralph Money
291 for 486, 3308 yards, 16 TDs, 20 interceptions this season.
Very good at throwing very long passes.
Loves to run the football.

Starting Running Back: Luke Garcia
199 carries for 767 yards, 5 touchdowns this season.
Very good overall runner.

Starting Flanker: Ross Lynn
50 receptions for 688 yards, 5 touchdowns this season.
Good runner after the catch.

Starting Split End: Rod Curtis
43 receptions for 457 yards, 4 touchdowns this season.
Good third down receiver.

Good overall run blocking, anchored by LG Jessie Murry
Good overall pass blocking, anchored by LG Jessie Murry

Likes to use the I formation and the Strong formation in running situations.
Likes to use the Single-Back formation and the I formation in passing situationsx
.

Tendencies on offense:
First and Ten: Run more than average
Second and Long: Run more than average
Second and Short: Run more than average
Third and Short: Normal

Tends to run outside left tackle far more than most teams.

Tends to throw screen passes more than most teams.

Defensive Overview:

Starting Left Defensive End: Rod Lowell
31 tackles, 9 assists, 5.0 sacks this season.
Fair defender against the run.

Starting Right Defensive End: Teddy Alameda
20 tackles, 9 assists, 8.5 sacks this season.
Fair pass-rusher.

Starting Left Defensive Tackle: Britt Rackers (note: son of failed Bengals kicker Neil Rackers)
48 tackles, 16 assists, 10.5 sacks this season.
Excellent pass-rusher.

Starting Right Defensive Tackle: Vinny Durham
51 tackles, 17 assists, 5.5 sacks this season.
Very good defender against the run.

Starting Weak-Side Linebacker: Troy Rincon
33 tackles, 15 assists, 1.0 sacks this season.
Good man-to-man pass defender.

Starting Middle Linebacker: Mo Reeves
35 tackles, 12 assists, 2.0 sacks this season.
Excellent man-to-man pass defender.

Starting Strong-Side Linebacker: Rex Eppright
60 tackles, 22 assists, 4.5 sacks this season.
Good pass-rusher.

Starting Top Cornerback: Daryl Mandel
38 tackles, 7 assists, 0 interceptions this season.
Very good pass intercepter.

Starting Second Cornerback: Rufus Weinstein
27 tackles, 5 assists, 0 interceptions this season.
Fair pass intercepter.

Starting Free Safety: Reuben Hanson (note: Long-lost 4th member of the musical group Hanson)
91 tackles, 28 assists, 4 interceptions this season.
Very good man-to-man pass defender.

Starting Strong Safety: Gilbert Austin
80 tackles, 25 assists, 3 interceptions this season.
Very good pass intercepter.

Tendencies on Defense:
Exclusively uses a 4-3 front.
Tends to use bump and run pass coverage more than most teams.
Tends to blitz more than most teams.

[Kodos]

Originally posted by Vince:

Pi-rates, Pi-rates, Pi-rates! Hooooooorah, Gatesville!

[Kodos]

2012 Super Bowl
Gatesville (13-5) at Cincinnati (13-5)
=============================================

Attendance: Sadly, the 2012 Super Bowl failed to sell out, despite the fact that the game was being played in one of the only stadiums in the league that rivals Microsoft Stadium in smallness. Only 57,600 people saw fit to attend the game that is historically the most-watched event in American sports. Apparently the other 2,800 seats were bought for the likes of Jimmy Hoffa, Elvis, JFK, Salman Rushdie, Yeti, the Loch Ness monster, Bat Boy of Weekly World News fame, and various other celebrities known to show their faces only very rarely, and almost exclusively to folks from rural Kentucky and backwater West Virginia regions. Ultimately, none of these esteemed invitees opted to attend, evidently choosing instead to continue lying low and presumably watch the game at home. I'm sure league commissioner C. Montgomery Burns was pitching a fit when he saw all of those empty seats.

Celebrities of FOF Central fame spotted at the game included: Alf, Bruce, Carligula, ChanMan, CK#12, DataKing, General Mike, Godzilla Blitz, Hammer755, Hokie Lurker, huve, jerk3616, JonInMiddleGA, Leatherhead, Lost Generation, Marmel, Nomad, OSUMAN123, revrew, robbgmaier, Shorty3281, SplitPersonality1, squashpot, stkelly52, SuburbanPimp, Vegas Vic, Vince, & wade moore, though others were probably overlooked.

Jerry Jones was notably absent.

Key Injuries Status Report:

Al Ingram had a hyperextended knee coming into this game, but decided to play anyhow, operating under the theory that you never know if your first Super Bowl is going to be your last Super Bowl, so play if at all physically possible. Defensive end Walter Ritter was inactivate with a hyperextended knee.

Game Summary:

On a warm but stormy winter day, we took the field to try and avenge our earlier loss to the Bengals back in week 13, and, in the process, become the newest NFL Champions. Riding a playoff run where we had outscored our opponents 101-7, we came in full of confidence and hope. The fact that their receiving corps was pretty banged up looked to work in our favor, but we knew that the Bengals were going to play us tough. Thus far in the playoffs, the home team had won 8 out of 10 games, so we knew we had our work cut out for us if we were to come away with our first Super Bowl victory.

Cincinnati won the toss and elected to receive. Starting on their own 20, Ralph Money led the Bengals on a 10-play drive that stalled on our 9 yard line. Place kicker Rodney Berger lined up for a chip-shot 26-yard field goal, but inexplicably, the ball sailed wide right, and we had dodged a bullet early on in the game.

Starting on our own 20, Berg completed his first two pass attempts to Ralph Randle and Earl Thornton to move us to the Bengal 49. However, an offensive holding call gave us a 1st and 20 on our 41. After a 1-yard Lazetti run, Berg completed passes of 16 and 15 yards to move us to the Bengals' 27. Unfortunately, following a sack, the drive stalled, and Hidalgo's kick fell short on a 46-yard field goal attempt.

On their second drive of the day, we were able to stuff two consecutive Bengal runs for losses, and they were forced to punt.

In the second quarter, Berg overcame a holding penalty and a sack with a 26-yard completion to Rickey McGregor, but the drive soon stalled, and we were forced to punt it back to Cincinnati.

On the third play of their third drive, backup running back Ron Thomason broke away with a 62-yard run to score and give the Bengals a 7-0 lead.

Following the Bengals' score, we drove from our own 13 to their 44, but an intentional grounding call killed the drive, and once again, we had to punt.

Things started to look up when Heath Bryant picked off Money's first pass on Cincy's ensuing drive. However, another sack and a false start quickly killed any momentum we had gained.

With just over 4 minutes remaining in the first half, the Bengals started their fifth drive of the day from their own 11, thanks to a good punt by Harris Everett. After a short run on first down, Money threw his second interception in as many pass attempts, and Joel Harden returned the ball to the Bengals' 5 yard line.

On first down, Lazetti ran for -3 yards, but on second and goal from the 8, Berg went to the air and found Rickey McGregor for a much-needed touchdown! Unbelievably, Broderick Hidalgo, the NFL single-season-field-goal-record-holding kicker, missed the extra point, and we still trailed, 7-6.

Following the kickoff, Cincinnati ran the ball three times and then punted it to us with 42 seconds left to go until the break.

A horrible 24-yard punt gave us possession on the Bengals' 44 with 31 seconds left. After throwing incompletions on first and second down, Berg launched one to Ralph Randle on third down for a 44-yard touchdown. On the two-point conversion attempt, Berg's pass fell imcomplete, and it remained a 12-7 ballgame.

Following a halftime show that featured the eternally youthful Mick Jagger & the Rolling Stones jamming with Madonna, we took the field nursing a 5-point lead.

From our own 23, Lazetti opened the second half with a 23-yard scamper that took us to the 46. Levon Wallace followed with a 10-yard run of his own that took us into Bengal territory. However, our early success proved to be short-lived, as two false starts, which sandwiched an incompletion and an injury to RG Darren Cruise, were followed with a 3-yard loss by Lazetti. Facing third and 23, Berg was only able to find Randle for a 6-yard gain, and once again, punter Harris Everett took the field.

Looking to regain the lead, the Bengals took over from their own 15, and promptly put together a 10-play, 78-yard drive that ended with a 34-yard field goal by Rodney Berger that cut our advantage to a very uncomfortable 12-10.

We started off our next drive right with an offensive holding penalty. Though we did manage to move the ball downfield a bit, 28 yards was not enough to even try a field goal attempt, so we gave the ball back to the Bengals after a 48-yard punt.

If the Bengals were bothered by having to start their drive from the 3 yard line, they didn't show it, as they drove 89 yards in 17 plays and kicked another field goal that put them up 13-12 early in the fourth quarter.

Starting from our 30, Berg scrambled for 4 yards on first down, but then threw two incompletions that went in the general direction of Rickey McGregor and the noticably quiet Chuck Farley. Three and out. Just what we needed.

In a play that will surely be prominent in Super Bowl lore for years to come, Bengal fullback Arnold coughed up the ball on first down after being hit by Pirate safety Heath Bryant, and running back Luke Garcia scooped it up off the grass and proceeded to run the ball 66 yards for a touchdown... Flabbergasted, we lined up for the point after, and looked up to a scoreboard that now read Cincinnati 20, Gatesville 12, with only six minutes left to go in the game.

Berg and the offense took the field starting at our 30 following a 21-yard kickoff return by Tyrell Rinehart. After Berg's pass was blocked at the line, Lazetti came through with a 13-yard gain that gave us a first down. Unfortunately, Berg failed to find a target the next three plays, and we were forced to punt the ball away and count on our defense to get it back for us with 4:45 left in regulation.

The defense came through for us with the help of a Joey Rhoades/Les Money sack, and we got the ball back on our 25 with 2:14 left on the clock and all 3 of our timeouts.

Berg took the field knowing that he had to find a way to take us downfield 75 yards to give us a chance to send it to overtime with a 2-point conversion. The only player I ever recall seeing with such an intense a look on his face was Berg's role-model, the all-time great Dan Marino.

On first down, Berg's pass intended for Earl Thornton fell incomplete, and a false start on second down backed us up to our 20. However, a defensive holding call on the next play gave us a first down on 25 as we hit the two-minute warning.

With a fresh set of downs, Berg tried to hit Rickey McGregor, but once again, the ball fell to the ground. On second down, Robbie Duncan, who was filling in for injured right guard Darren Cruise, allowed a 4-yard sack of Bergeron, and we had quickly found ourselves looking at 3rd and 14 with 1:28 remaining. On what would be his final pass of the 2012 season, Berg dropped back and threw one into the waiting hands of Sherman Tanner, and, just like that, our hopes of winning the Super Bowl vanished.

Our defense took the field to try and get the ball back, but a 21-yard pass completion to Ross Lynn ensured that the Bengals would be able run out the clock and become the 2012 NFL Champions, by virtue of a 20-12 victory.

Key Performers:

Berg did not have his finest day, completing 18 of 37 passes for 245 yards, 2 touchdowns, and the 1 fateful interception.

Lazetti finished his season of mediocrity with 8 carries for 33 yards and no touchdowns, while catching 4 balls for 39 yards and no touchdowns. To boot, Lazetti managed a fumble, which right tackle Terrance Read recovered for us.

The venerable Chuck U. Farley was a total non-factor on this day, catching just 1 pass for 7 yards.

Ralph Randle had a good performance, catching 6 passes for 95 yards and a touchdown.

Rickey McGregor caught 4 passes for 56 yards and a touchdown.

Earl Thornton, our stud rookie flanker who broke the NFL Playoff receiving yardage record just two short weeks ago, caught only 2 passes for 40 yards. No touchdowns.

Broderick Hidalgo went 0 for 1 on field goals, and even more pathetically, he went 0 for 1 on P.A.T.'s. The ghost of Scott Norwood must have been with us today.

Joel Harden did what he could to save us by making 8 tackles, 5 assists, and 1 interception that gave us the ball on Cincinnati's 5 yard line.

Safety Heath Bryant also performed well, making 7 tackles and 3 assists, while forcing 1 fumble, and catching 1 interception.

Al Ingram had a gutsy performance on a hyperextended knee, recording 5 tackles on the day.

Les Money had 4 tackles and 1.5 sacks.


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Super Bowl MVP Award:

Sherman Tanner won himself the 2012 Super Bowl MVP award when he picked off Berg's final pass. He also had 6 tackles and 2 assists on the day, but the interception was the only play that really mattered in the end.


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2012 Epilogue:

Following the game and the Lombardi trophy ceremony, I ran into Berg sitting alone in the otherwise empty locker room.

Both of us just stood there for a minute, not knowing what to say, until Berg broke the silence. "I let us down, Kodos. The guys trusted me to find a way to win it, and I couldn't..."

I looked him in the eye for a moment, trying to find the words that could help take away the pain that a great competitor feels after he has suffered a terrible loss, but I found that there were no such words, so I told him this: "You lost today, kid. That doesn't mean you have to like it."

As I turned to leave him to deal with the pain in his own private way, he told me, "Next season, I'll take this team back to the Super Bowl. And next season, we're gonna win it."

"I know," I told him. "I know."