SLINGERLANDS, NY (AP) -- The 10th seeded Pirates pulled off the first upset of the CDMSFBL tournament with a thrilling 19-18 come-from-behind victory over the Americans at New Scotland Stadium Tuesday night.
Pirates quarterback Ted Poleto launched a 60-yard strike to wideout Tom Maney, who deked out corners Vince Koster and Brad Buchanon and raced to paydirt to pull the Pirates to within a point with just seconds on the clock. Coach Jim Dalton rolled the dice and elected to go for the two-point conversion. With guards Fred Pidgeon and John Reel pulling on the play, scatback Wayne Newcomb rolled right and scampered untouched into the endzone to seal the victory. Center Don Wixon, who fell to his knees after the snap and tripped up nose guard Jim Wing on the play, was credited with the key block.
''That was a %$#ckin gutsy call by Dalton,'' credited Pirate Pete Westfall, whose post-game interview was mostly bleeped out by the network media. ''I think there are some soiled panties on the Americans sidelines after that loss.''
The Americans rolled to three early touchdowns and an 18-0 lead on the strength of their running game behind the powerful offensive line of Nick Kanellis, Jim Kisselburgh, Dave Hartman, Greg Smith and Mike Labarge, better known throughout the league as the ''1,200 pounds of granite.'' QB Rich Garbarino was running the option to perfection with backs Mike Aiello and Dave DeMaria chewing up big yardage plays against the confused Pirates defense. However, the three missed extra point kicks by Jeff Madden --who was traded pre-game to the Americans -- would prove to be costly. ''I wouldn't have missed those if we were playing ''Madden NFL,'' said the dejected kicker, who was immediately traded back to the Pirates following the game.
The Pirates, shutout in the first half, finally got on the board when Jim Ansel tackled Americans punter Rob Rugen in the endzone for a two-point safety, after a high snap on a fourth down deep in their own territory sailed over his head.
John ''The Toe'' Reel, one of the few remaining ''Lou Groza style'' straight-on kickers, booted field goals of 16 and 27 yards after long scoring drives were thwarted by the Americans defense. His 54-yarder with three minutes to play, following a Harold Jenkins interception, pulled the Pirates to within a touchdown, 18-11, to set the stage for the Poleto-Maney heroics and a bizarre finish.
''It was a tough loss to swallow,'' admitted ageless Americans player/coach Brad Buchan. ''That was clearly a trip by Wixon on the play that led to the winning two-point conversion,'' he contended. ''But,'' he added, quoting 13th American president Millard Fillmore, ''an honorable defeat is better than a dishonorable victory.''
To which Westfall retorted, ''Dogsnot.''
Editor's note: Admittedly, a few liberties were taken in reporting this game, and some of the facts may have been lost in the translation. As it turns out Buchan's protest was upheld by the league and it was decided that the game should be decided by re-playing the ending with America's true national pastime. Thus, the suspended game will resume tomorrow night with the Americans holding an 18-11 lead in the sixth inning.
-- Edited by adtimbrown on Tuesday 30th of July 2019 08:26:31 PM
Hell, I'm protesting. I am the only player they took a urine sample from. Damn, I take so many drugs to get through a game, and none are of the PED variety, that it is patently unfair and certainly unsportsmen like to ask me for a sample before I have even had one beer after the game. I am just very pleased to know that Skipper Dalton had the foresight during spring training to collect urine samples from all of us. Test that baby!
Tim I tip my cap to you for your excellence on the field and the bulletin board.
