Football Returns to Santa Clara
Out on the frozen tundra of Bellomy Field, the finest student athletes line up, bracing for war. They shake off hangovers for 40 minutes of painstaking battle in pursuit of a crown they'll carry with them forever.
This week marked the long anticipated return of intramural flag football.
Last night, a capacity crowd of roughly a dozen flooded the sidelines for the fastest 40 minutes in all of sports (the clock is continuous).
Team "Prime Time," although captain Rob Bevegni isn't sure if that's their real name or not, played like it as they romped to a 30-14 win over "Sucka Free."
"I'll settle for nothing less than a trophy," said Prime Time defensive lineman Jonny Galligan, who recorded five sacks, including a safety, in his team's first five defensive plays. Galligan's performance was clearly one for the ages, and quite possibly record-setting, as he finished with seven sacks on the night.
Prime Time quarterback Phil Johnson, a trash-talking speedster, threw for one touchdown and scampered for two.
"He's a machine, he just breaks peoples' ankles," Bevegni said of Johnson's showing.
On the adjacent field, "Rodney Farva's Fun Bunch," coined after character Rod Farva from the movie "Super Troopers," fell 23-12 to the "Buttpirates."
"We just didn't bring our 'A' game tonight," said freshman quarterback John Cronin.
One reason for the 16-6 halftime deficit may have been the anticipation for the Capri Suns and granola bars provided by center Luke Reese.
"Most people only talk about it," Reese said of the novel move that spawned memories of pee-wee soccer.
For a team whose receivers oftentimes looked disoriented in their route-running, the Fun Bunch toyed with an unorthodox, rugby style formation in the closing minutes. The final drive exploited the Buttpirates' nickel-zone defense en route to a meaningless touchdown.
This was just one evening in the 2003 flag football season. Surely there will be more record-setting performances in the coming weeks. More heroes. More sweat and tears. Possibly even orange wedges. But there can be only one champion.