Word from the Mouth: Fluffball! edition

Word from the Mouth: Fluffball! edition

Welcome back, glad to see you survived the "cold" on Saturday! I know it wasn’t really that cold, but when you’re a former fluffball turned skinny (ed’s note: debatable), the cold feels harsher. The only person almost as smart as me in this league when it comes to prep has to be the Jazzman, with his tent and tarps—he had that setup as cozy as could be. I had planned to try some sideline reporting, catching big plays, getting player reactions, and maybe even grabbing a quick quote. But instead of that, I used my second time slot off to head home and grab my massive heater, which the few devoted fans really enjoyed.

The rest of the season will be played at Leber, where there are painted lines to make it easier for players to know yardage. Unfortunately, most of those lines are already faded, which could lead to players coming up short on fourth downs. I've played enough football with folks who have way more experience to know this will probably happen at least once or twice. If you joined me on Sunday at my KTFL game, you'd have seen it happen 2 or 3 times to the player I was covering. It’s that time of the year when we separate the big dogs from the pups.

Recaps

D1
No games were played in this division since only three teams made the playoffs.

D2
Bines vs Nice TDs (18-25)
The game was tied at 12 at halftime, with neither team really taking control. Both teams made mistakes that cost points in the first half. Guillaume connected with Andrew for a 29-yard TD a few plays into the second half, putting the pressure on JF to keep up. Bines couldn’t gain a first down and turned it over on downs, which Nice TDs used to go up by two scores. But when Guillaume’s pass was picked off by Thomas, it kept the game within reach. JF managed a few good plays but ultimately turned it over again. Guillaume then helped his team score and stretched the lead back to two scores. Down two with under 10 minutes left, JF took Bines on a 9-play, 45-yard scoring drive capped by a 2-yard TD to Julien. With four minutes left, all Nice TDs had to do was run out the clock—but Guillaume goofed on a fourth-and-1 play, leading to a punt after a penalty. With 1:04 left, Bines had time and timeouts. But after some first downs, Guillaume jumped one of JF's passes to seal the game.

D3
I missed these games while getting my heater—maybe I’ll get to see them next week!

D4
F.A.T. Players vs Slot Machines (50-39)
Vincent Martel was a beast, grabbing 3 TDs on 4 catches for 106 yards, plus he made 6 tackles and batted away a few passes. Leon and Sean’s chemistry is like a cheat code: Sean isn’t super fast, doesn’t run perfect routes, and his hands can be shaky, but every time Leon needed a play, Sean was there, catching the ball with two or three defenders draped over him. The Slot Machines defense, usually full of hustle, was a half-step short this game. Gio is a solid QB, but he missed a few throws, and his players had some drops. It’s tough to play catch-up the whole game, and that led to risky throws he didn’t want to make. After dominating D5 last season, this will be a learning season for Slot Machines, and I expect them back stronger.

D5
28-3 vs Phoenix (25-13)
Phoenix made it easy for 28-3 with all the mistakes. Nico had short fields most of the day, throwing 3 TDs without even getting 100 passing yards. Cody Dupont racked up 3 sacks, and his pressure led to one of the three picks Kevin threw. 28-3 played solid defense, keeping everything in front, with Mass snagging 10 tackles and a pick-six he stole right out of the receiver's hands. Near the end of the first half, Phoenix tied it up at 13, but after advancing near midfield, Scott intercepted to stop their drive. Nico couldn’t get far with the ball, and after a sack by Pierre-Luc, he had to punt. On the very next play, Mass got his pick-six. Phoenix later advanced to the red zone, but Kevin's four incomplete passes ended in another turnover. With time running out, Nico found William wide open for a TD on fourth-and-goal, sealing the win for 28-3.

Women’s
Ladies, no games this week, but you're back in action soon!


Studs & Duds

It’s playoffs time, so finding studs is easy, but picking the duds was harder because anyone who lost could be on the list. You might have had a great game up until the last play, and bam—you’re on my duds list. Think of that knucklehead on the Bears two weeks ago, or this week’s dingus who dropped the ball before the goal line—anything can get you on here.

Studs
D2 - Richard Perez, my man! If all he’d done was get that pick-1 that made the difference, he’d be on the list. But with three more picks? Just let the guy in!
D3 - Jonathan Evans, going 21-of-28 for 262 yards, 6 TDs, 3 1-point converts, and just 1 pick. No runs or defensive stats, and when that happens, his team wins more than they lose. That streak is still alive!
D4 - Vincent Martel: 4 catches for 106 yards, 3 TDs, and 6 tackles on defense—an all-around star.
D5 - Julien Shabazz: 3 catches, 3 TDs, 69 yards, and a defensive pick—stellar stats!

Duds
D2 - Jason Edwards: 1 catch, 13 yards, and 1 tackle. It’s the playoffs—I expected more!
D3 - Nigel Thomas: 4 catches for 80 yards and just 2 TDs. All season, this guy has been putting up 3 TDs and 100-plus yards. Playoffs hit, and these are the numbers?
D4 - Thomas Svoiski: 3 picks and more run attempts (11) than completions (12). You’re a QB, not an RB—throw the ball!
D5 - Ilias Tihani: 2 catches for 10 yards and only 1 tackle.

That’s who made my list—hold your head high or drop it low. Either way, it doesn’t bother me!

Predictions and Power Rankings Week 11

Predictions and Power Rankings Week 11

Predictions


Time to see who I’m backing for Round 2 of the playoffs. My picks are in bold.

D2
Rejects vs Thunder Buddies
Bines vs Nice TDs
Double Dippers vs Average Joes

D3
Drama Club vs Top Shooters
Iron Wolves vs Tropic Thunder

D4
Hawks vs Action Squad
F.A.T. Players vs Slot Machines

D5
Big Booties vs Slicks
Titans vs Jungle Squad
Spartans vs Les Last Calls
28-3 vs Phoenix NA

Usually, I’d share last week’s results, but Jon took the easy way out and messed up my picks. With fewer games this week, I’m confident I’ve got at least 75% right, so don’t be the party pooper who messes it up.

 

Final Thoughts


And now, the sad part—the end of the article. Time to wait until Saturday to hear what I think, see what I do, or maybe even find out what I’m wearing. I can tell you I won’t be kicking over any garbage cans because, unfortunately, they’re bolted down, and I don’t have tree trunks for legs to bust them off. Trying something new at football this week since I have most of the day off—maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t. I might even see if Willie’s up for it.

Remember, it’s playoff time, but we’re here to have fun. Don’t go trying to take someone’s head off—Monday still comes for all of us. That’s all, folks! See you Saturday.

Word from the Mouth: Ain't Kickin' No Trash Cans! edition

Word from the Mouth: Ain't Kickin' No Trash Cans! edition

Man, am I ever late with this week’s article! I was busy on Monday with training at another location, then spent two hours at the SAAQ on Tuesday. What a circus the government can be. I tried to get my abstract online, set up an account, did all the verification steps—only to be told they’ll mail me a confirmation number so I can access the account I just set up. Now that is some grade-A nonsense.

This week we’re kicking off the run to the finals, and except for D1, most teams will need to win three games to be crowned champs. All the games are at Leber this week, so no need to run from park to park. And as of now, the weather looks nice for Saturday, but who knows how that could change!

 

Recap

 

D1: Pocket Rockets vs KOLB (46-39)
Neither team had much on the line here. KOLB’s win would only tie with A-Team (who won the head-to-head), and Pocket Rockets just wanted to get a win on the board. Jermi made KOLB miss his flags at least once on his 9 catches and 118 yards, also scoring 2 TDs. The real star, though, was Ali, who scored 4 TDs on 8 catches and picked off 2 passes. He’s been open all season, but this game showed he should’ve been more involved. In the second half, Jon and KOLB struggled with the wind, giving Pocket Rockets a chance to pick off passes. Happy to see Pocket Rockets get their first win, but they needed this energy all season to be a real threat.

 

D2: Average Joes vs Rejects (26-20)
Eric Namts is Dobbs’ go-to for big plays, but Gio is the one he trusts for those tough catches. This week, the defense stepped up, with Lambert getting two picks off Avery and even scoring on one. Joes made the switch from Jason to Avery at QB, but was it the right call? We’ll see as the season wraps up. Devin and Jason did most of the work for Joes, totaling 16 out of 24 catches and 129 of 172 yards, scoring all 3 TDs. For playoffs, if they want to win, they need either those numbers to go way up, or someone else has to step up—or else Joes might be one and done.

 

D3: Ducks vs Drama Club (48-20)
Drama Club wasn’t exactly hyped for this game. Simon let Alex play QB just so they’d have 7 players and 1 person could rest on offense. Dave Lepine went 21 of 30 for 200+ yards and 6 TDs with no picks. Antoine was a beast, with 5 catches for 107 yards, 3 TDs, and a pick that he ran in. Both teams were content with how it ended, and no one got hurt, which is what matters since they’re both already in the playoffs.

 

D4: Mustard Tigers vs Slot Machines (16-31)
Eric picked Brian off 4 times. Brian tried to tackle once, but on another pick, Eric took off, thinking Brian would dodge, and guess what? Brian didn’t budge. Mustard Tigers are too old for this matchup; they just can’t keep up. Old man Jon promised to make a play on both sides of the ball, and he did—scoring two 1-point conversions and securing a big first down. But his defense game... well, age catches up. Eric was everywhere, getting 4 picks on defense and scoring 2 TDs on offense with 68 yards on 8 catches.

 

D5: Phoenix vs Big Booties (18-24)
Big Booties slipped away with this one. They know it, and I know it. Some calls went their way, and others didn’t get called at all. Jorge was smart, feeding the ball to Arthur (their sub) and Kayla. Phoenix played softer defense due to the way flags were being tossed around, which limited their aggression. Chrissy has been wearing the big dog’s nameplate all season and stepped up this game with 3 sacks and a TD. Big Booties played their best game of the season here, no question. If Phoenix wants any shot at the title, they need to wake up and play like they did earlier in the season.

 

Women’s
Sorry, ladies! I missed all your games this week. Hoping to catch a playoff game next week.

 

Studs & Duds


It’s the last week of the season, and some players saved their best for last, while others just phoned it in. Here’s who made it where:

Studs


D1

· Ali: 4 TDs and 2 picks

D2

· Edouard Guimas: 7 catches, 59 yards, and 3 TDs

D3

· Emilie Carrier: 3 catches, 81 yards, 2 TDs, 1 tackle, and 1 pick

D4

· Vincent Martel: 6 catches, 107 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 convert; 2 tackles and a pick

D5

· Julien Shabazz: Double-double with 2 TDs and 2 picks

Women’s

· Branda Léonard: 292 yards, 7 TDs, 5 2-point converts, 7 runs for 22 yards, and 1 TD in 2 games

 

Duds


D1

· Jonathan Plourde: 4 picks thrown

D2

· Jean-Francois Rolland-Leclerc: 4 picks

D3

· Blitzing Bastards for not showing up and forfeiting the last game—not cool

D4

· Brian Mustard: 4 picks

D5

· Ryan Wong: 5 picks

Women’s

Kayla Gauthier: 5 picks

Predictions and Power Rankings Week 10

Predictions and Power Rankings Week 10

**Predictions**

 

With only one week left to play, picking games this week will be a bit more difficult, as many teams are still fighting for their playoff lives. If last week is any indication of how this week will go, I went 16-10, or 61.5%. Let’s see who I have winning this week, and as always, my picks are in bold.

 

**D1**

 

**A-Team vs Iron Wolves**  

**Pocket Rockets vs KOLB**

 

**D2**

 

**Average Joes vs Rejects**  

**RawSauce vs Tigres**  

**Villains vs Respect**  

**

 

Bines vs Average Joes**  

**Tigres vs Double Dippers**

 

**D3**

 

**Tropic Thunder vs Blitzing Bastards**  

**Top Shooters vs Iron Wolves**  

**Ducks vs Drama Club**  

**Turf Ninjas vs CIA**  

**Top Shooters vs Blitzing Bastards**  

**Sour Puss vs Tropic Thunder**

 

**D4**

 

**F.A.T. Players vs Binettes**  

**Blue Badgers vs Witching Hour**  

**Action Squad vs Hawks**  

**Mustard Tigers vs Slot Machines**  

**Blue Badgers vs Mustard Tigers**

 

**D5**

 

**Jungle Squad vs Wong Dynasty**  

**Slicks vs Bear Hood**  

**PickSixers vs 28-3**  

**Titans vs 514**  

**Spartans vs Budget Cats**  

**Big Booties vs Phoenix NA**

 

**Women’s**

 

**Déesses du Drapeau vs Steeleuses**  

**Dirty Chia Latte vs Crazy B’s**  

**Majestic Divas vs Tigres**  

**Dirty Chia Latte vs Steeleuses**

 

Those are my picks for the final week of the season.

 

**Power Rankings**

 

With one week left to play and several important games still to be played, let’s jump into it and see who I have ranked where.

 

**D1**  

#1 - Outlaws  

#2 - Iron Wolves  

#3 - A-Team  

 

**D2**  

#1 - Respect  

#2 - Thunder Buddies  

#3 - Nice TDs  

 

**D3**  

#1 - CIA  

#2 - Ducks  

#3 - Iron Wolves  

 

**D4**  

#1 - Witching Hour  

#2 - Blue Badgers  

#3 - Slot Machines  

 

**D5**  

#1 - Slicks  

#2 - Phoenix  

#3 - Les Last Calls  

 

**Women’s**  

#1 - Steeleuses  

#2 - Tigres  

#3 - Déesses du Drapeau  

 

Those are my rankings after 10 weeks of games.

 

**Final Thoughts**

 

I was hoping to keep this week’s article under 2000 words, and I think I succeeded. I just don’t want to make Jon’s job as editor too easy. I mean, he already has Terry and me doing most of the work, and I forgot to mention that Willie runs the league but takes no liability; that’s all Jon. This is the last week of the season, and starting this week, no smoking inside the fenced area, or you will be suspended for the remainder of the day and the following week you are playing. With under 100 words left, I’ll let you go, but remember that we are playing a game, and it’s supposed to be fun, so go out, have some fun, get some exercise, and don’t kill anyone. See you all Saturday.

Word from the Mouth: Corrected by ChatGPT! edition

Word from the Mouth: Corrected by ChatGPT! edition

Let me start by apologizing to everyone who had to witness my Antonio Brown moment on Saturday. I know I shouldn't have acted the way I did. The funny thing was, while I was losing my composure, Andrew was laughing and telling me to stay calm and focus on the game. At that point, it was too late, but I’ll act accordingly next time. You might be wondering what happened to make me lose it. I’ll just say I’m sick of getting hit over and over without a call just two feet in front of the ref. I’m not talking about soft contact; I mean when you can’t bend your arm, the rusher is on the floor holding his head, and the other team claims you hit him. This is BS, and we, as refs, need to do a better job of this. As players, we also need to tone it down a bit and take it easy. Someone thinks I’m going to have a heart attack at an early age (Ed’s note: too late!). I mean, that might happen, but it’s not from yelling and screaming; it’s from eating garbage for years.

 

**Recap**

 

**D1**

 

**A-Team vs KOLB (37-32)**

 

Dave started the game great, leading A-Team on three TD drives to open the game before Simon picked him off on back-to-back drives. At halftime, the score was 19-all, and it looked like the game would be decided by converts. With 5:45 left in the second half, Jonathan connected with sub Justin for a one-point convert, giving KOLB a 26-25 lead. In the past, this is where A-Team would start to bicker. After a bad snap on first down, not a word was said; the very next play, Andrew caught a 45-yard TD, regaining the lead. With five minutes left, Dilan calling the D, A-Team was in a great spot. We all thought that until Justin ran free on a post route for a 20-yard TD. After boring the defense with a few short passes, Dave hit Jeremy over the top in the end zone for another 20-yard TD. Up by five, A-Team went for two but failed, leaving it at five. With only a few plays left, Jon needed to get the ball downfield quickly, but after back-to-back drops from his receiver, he went to Simon twice for 23 yards. This left one play, a pass to the front goal line, where Jeremy batted it out of bounds, ending the game and preserving the win.

 

**Pocket Rockets vs Iron Wolves (12-35)**

 

I won’t say much about this game since Willie was in it, and I’m sure he’ll mention something on the podcast. The Pocket Rockets are one star player away from being a team that can compete in D1. Without Alexis, they aren’t the same team and lack a deep threat. How do you hold Manu, Josh, and Meis to six catches and 34 yards and still lose? I forgot to mention they had two TDs as well.

 

**D2**

 

**Phoenix vs Bines (12-25)**

 

Going into the game, Phoenix knew they were all but out of the playoffs, so they just wanted to finish the season and maybe ruin Bines' playoff hopes along the way. In the first half, neither team could score, no matter how close they got to the end zone. In the second half, Bines came out with a 12-play scoring drive to go up by six. This is when I tried to do more than I was capable of by attempting deep throws, leading to turnovers and the game getting out of reach.

 

**Nice TDs vs Rejects (34-20)**

 

It’s disappointing when a sub comes in and takes over a game, and that’s exactly what happened here with Francois. He only made four catches, but it totaled 63 yards, two TDs, and three one-point converts. He also made four tackles on defense and batted away at least two or three balls. Francois has been in the league, and most of us know who he is, so getting him at a 75 rating is a steal and allows Andrew to run free with only one defender around him. Dobbs put up good numbers except for three picks, but he was off this game. He had a few players open that he either missed or the ball was dropped. These two teams will play again, and when they do, take Rejects.

 

**D3**

 

**Drama Club vs Iron Wolves (26-28)**

 

With Iron Wolves missing Jon, Josh, Carlos, and JP, Drama Club should have had an easy win, especially since Alex was playing QB. The one player who wasn’t happy about that was Greg, who had to chase him down. Alex ran 10 times for 48 yards, but he also bought time and made a few easy throws on the run. JF went off for two TDs on three catches while racking up 63 yards. Simon kept it short most of the day, spreading the ball between Nico and Ben. Drama Club scored before halftime to go up 14-6 and were starting with the ball. If they could score and control the tempo, the game could have been wrapped up quickly, but they turned it over on downs after four plays. This allowed Iron Wolves to start their comeback, scoring on all three of their second-half possessions. After Ben scored his second TD of the game, Drama Club needed to go for two to tie it up. The play wasn’t good, and they couldn’t give up a first down, or the game would be over. With two passes to Ian for a total of 16 yards, they gained the first down, and the game was over.

 

**D4**

 

Missed out on this division; maybe I’ll catch a game this week before the season ends.

 

**D5**

 

**Phoenix vs Spartans (18-31)**

 

JF knew most of the plays I was going to run, which allowed his defense to be aggressive and jump routes. The Spartans needed this game to keep their playoff hopes alive. JF capitalized on short fields, limiting his chances of making bad throws. I didn’t play my best game; I never looked off, I was hurt and couldn’t throw deep, and I was even out of position once or twice on defense. The Spartans played a well-rounded game, and everyone on Phoenix played well except me, which was the difference in this game.

 

**Women’s**

 

Missed out on this division; maybe I’ll catch a game this week before the season ends.

 

That’s all I have for you this week. I know you need more, so look for Terry and Willie on Wednesday, and they will fill you in.

 

**Studs & Duds**

 

There is only one week of games left to play, and so far, it’s been a great season with many players stepping up their game, though a few players seem to have taken the season off. Now, let’s see who did what this week and where I placed them.

 

**Studs**

 

**D1**  

- Jonathan Lyristis: 8 catches, 87 yards, 2 TDs, 5 tackles (3 sacks), and a pick on defense. In game 2, he made 11 more catches for 80 yards and another 2 TDs with 2 more sacks.

 

**D2**  

- Yvan Desjardins: 3 TDs on 5 catches for 39 yards total, plus he had a pick on defense.

 

**D3**  

- David Carlos: 3 TDs and 1 one-point convert on 6 catches for 37 yards.

 

**D4**  

- Simon Torres: 10 catches, 155 yards, 5 TDs, 3 tackles, and a pick on defense.

 

**D5**  

- Benjamin Ohayon: 7 catches, 54 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 one-point convert.

 

**Women’s**  

- Charlotte St-Pierre: 10 catches, 65 yards, and 3 TDs. In her second game, she made 4 catches for 57 yards, 1 TD, and 1 sack on defense.

 

**Duds**

 

**D1**  

- Meïs Ngarane: After a few weeks off, I expected to see you go off, but 1 catch for 7 yards is not a great comeback.

 

**D2**  

- David Brisson: Threw 4 picks.

 

**D3**  

- Marvin: For being sick in the car. I heard he was hungover from sipping 1 light beer over the course of 4 hours.

 

**D4**  

- Mustard Tigers: For having a 12-player roster and forfeiting the game because you didn’t have enough players.

 

**D5**  

- Kevin Kousaie: For getting kicked from the game for losing my composure.

 

**Women’s**  

- Sarah-Jade Gagné: 7 picks thrown.

 

There you have my list of players who showed up and balled out, along with the few who choked it all away.

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