TBA Superbowl VI, 3 years in the making...

Monday Jan 8th 2007 was a very special day for me in terms of electric football. I got to play against my son in our league’s Championship game. Our regular season ended the last weekend in July and our playoffs were played the first two weekends in August. Usually our playoffs are concluded on that second weekend, however our Commissioner had a family emergency and extended the playoffs an extra week. This caused a scheduling snafu, which in turn caused our Superbowl to be put on hiatus because the coach of the NFC Champion Dallas Cowboys would be heading off to college. Since D.C. had come home for Christmas break, the game could finally be played.

The last time I played D.C. (in an actual game) was about 3 and a half years ago in the finals of the ‘03 Minneapolis Tournament. That year was also the last time we played each other in an official league game. It was a regular season game between his Falcons and my Packers and I remember winning the game 17-14 after being down 14-0. Due to the continuous growth of our league and because I moved to the AFC to coach the Cleveland Browns, we haven’t been on each other’s schedule. The last few years in Cleveland haven’t been kind to me during the playoffs. In ’04 I lost in the second round, and in ’05 I got bounced in the first round. The ’06 season has been very good to me. I’ve gotten past all of the tough AFC coaches and put together a good playoff run so I could have the chance to play against D.C. in (what could be) his final league game ever, or (at least) in the foreseeable future.

Big Keith likes to tease me by saying that I’ve gotten bored and have been playing possum the last 2 years, but since the TBA decided to hand out championship belts lately, now I miraculously (wink, wink) find myself once again in the big game. The truth be told… the opportunity of playing against D.C. in THIS particular game, was way more important to me than winning that belt could ever be.

D.C. came up the ranks with a great crop of EFL kids like Eli Hargrave, Trey Briggs, Vaughn Lomax, Boss and Matthew Shropshire, Chris and Corey Dunagan, Gabe Bruno, Courtney Watts and Angelo Lassiter. These kids (and others) all made their marks in this hobby at one time or another. Now we have a fresh batch of teens and preteens who are following in their footsteps. The Chalmer boys, the Stoner boys, Jim Davis’s daughter, Kyle Nutt, Donte Vaughn, and Marky Klingbeil are now the das wunderkinds of our hobby. I mention this because I’m proud of the transition D.C. made from being a talented EFL preteen to a fine young adult who can coach.

I’ve watched D.C. mature as a coach over the last six seasons. Even though most of the adults in the league still call him “the kid”, we all acknowledge that he isn’t a kid anymore. He has grown up physically, and mentally; moreover, his skill level and confidence have grown as well. I like the way he has remained active in this hobby throughout middle school, high school, and now college.

As the younger generation follows his footsteps… D.C. currently follows in the footsteps of the young lions (the 20s and early 30s crowd) in our hobby like Adrian Baxter, Michael Robertson, Raiderman, Dave Campbell, Brian Healy, and a host of others. These gentlemen all follow in the footsteps of all the older guys who have made significant marks in this world we like to call electric football. It’s kind of like EF’s version of the “circle of life”.

Our semifinals featured four men known in the Tidewater area for their nicknames as well as championships. It was OldSchool (SB 1&3 Champ) and the Cleveland Browns versus Takedown (Reigning SB 5 Champ) and the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Championship

And

The Gunslinger (SB 4 Champ) and his Washington Redskins versus The Kid (06 SWB Champ/ 06 Miggle Coach of the Year) and the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship.

Miami held a 21-14 lead over Cleveland midway in the 3rd quarter, but thanks to the running of Greg Pruitt and 2 clutch touchdown passes by quarterback Brian Sipe in the 4th quarter; Cleveland defeats Miami 35-21.

Dallas got off to a quick start scoring on its first 3 possessions. Julius Jones and Ritchie Anderson both rushed for touchdowns spotting Dallas to a 17-0 halftime lead. That’s all Dallas would need as Washington’s # 1 ranked offense could only muster 2 field goals in the 2nd half. Dallas quarterback Quincy Carter tossed a couple of 4th quarter TD passes giving Dallas the victory over Washington 31-6.

to be continued...