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Rookie
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A Moment of Reflection
November 2006.
It was in my first year away at college (after a year at Community), at the University of Toledo. Between work, class's, my girlfriend and trips home on the weekends I hardly new anybody on campus, and nobody not on my floor.
With that said, a school-wide Madden tourney peaked my interest, especially when it contained the words "free" and "prizes".
There was a downside, mainly, that I didn't play Madden....I played NCAA, and I hadn't touched Madden in a year and a half. I had no idea what team I was going to play as (certainly not the Lions). Making matters even worse, I play COACH MODE!. I hadn't controlled a player since I traded in NCAA '06 the previous November, and even that was mostly coach mode.
None the less I was determined to play, even if was mostly ego induced. I showed up at the tourney after a quick night of practice still rusty. The only thing it showed me was that 1) I can't really pass and 2)I can run very well.
With that in mind, I picked the Broncos, mainly I felt I could run a zone blocking scheme with Tatum Bell as that required more football knowledge than stick skills. 1 cut and up, just read the DL and find the hole before the snap.
My first match was tough. My opponent picked the Bengals and had 3 or 4 friends with him annoying me (not on purpose, I just hate noise when I'm concentrating). He was chatty, I don't talk when I play against another person. I felt over-matched for the first quarter and half, but he stalled in the redzone. I ran a kickoff back and stayed in it and we went into the half with me down only a field goal. The 2nd half went my way, I finally hit a few pass's, and with him out of the 8 man front I was able to run everywhere. Ron Dayne subbed in and picked up some short-yardage first downs and I eventually went up 10 with a couple of minutes left.
Opponent #2 was obnoxious at first. Very loud, was chatting with players from different games and yelled about everything he did. I wanted to beat him for the sole purpose of I didn't think I could handle his yelling if I lost. Not in a rude way mind you, he was just a loud person. Luckily, he wasn't the brightest cookie. He only ran about 4 offensive play, and 3 went to Tiki. He wasn't very good at passing, and threw several picks. His defensive strategy was just awful. He picked up I like to I-form zone run, and against the Giants I was bouncing it a lot. His solution was taking the DE to the strong side and overshifting him just before the snap. This gave me a gaping hole either right off tackle or I could just cut early and get inside him playing contain. He shutup in the 2nd half and was giving me compliments to other players as they watched out game (the last of the round). He quit with a few minutes left with me up 28-7.
The defending champ pulled an upset of the game-day favorite (some Vick cheeser) so it was me against him for the 150 dollar best buy card (2nd place gets a 75 dollar one).
He knew what he was doing. He used Seattle and had a very nice passing attack. I shut down his run early (thank you LB speed ratings), but he was able to hit slants and in routes consistently. Defensively he was good against the run, but not great. Both of us were grinding down the clock every drive. Most ended successfully, but they all took time.
A key pick on a slant pattern (a pattern I can't throw for the life of me, 4 picks in the 3 games off that play, 3 WR quick slant) put me down by 7 at the half. He took the opening kickoff back in the 2nd to go up 14.
But I stayed true to my plan. The zone started to work, his manual LB skills were good, but he mad a few over-pursuits and I made some big cutbacks for nice chunks. I finally settled into a passing rhythm. The 3 WR curl pattern and the TE running an in and Tatum in the flat was working. I scored right away and then a pick gave me good field position and I tied it up heading into the 4th quarter.
I gave up a FG quickly (long pass and then 3 straight no gains), but I 3&outed. A big defensive stand gave me the ball at my own 30.
The march began. 4 yards tatum, 4 yards tatum, 2 yards Ron Dayne. 2 yards tatum, pass for 7, 1 yard dayne. Two decent pass's and a few nice off-tackles by Tatum on the zone moved me closer.
I kept marching. I converted 5 3rd downs and ate the last 3 minutes off the clock. Slowly I drove, Id either win it with a TD, tie with a FG and send into OT, but my defense wasn't going back on the field.
I continued to run, less effectively, but I drove down to the 10. The crowd was finally quiet as I ran it twice for 4 yards. 3rd and goal from the 6 with just 15 seconds left. He can't stop the clock and I have 2 Time Outs left.
I form, 3 WR, Curls.
He's pressing me on the outside and he's 46 in the middle. I drop back and don't hesitate, I throw to "X", me left WR and I give him the jump ball.
It hung up forever, the WR jumped...
Intercepted.
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06-27-2007, 11:04 PM
