Cheerleader, err competitor Debby Bell, with PDT GM and eventual champ Harry Flawd.

The tournament was a resounding success with a record 30 participants, up 50% from the previous high of 20 vying for the Super Bowl Trophy. It was a wonderful mix of new, enthusiastic players, and gridiron veterans matching wits and dice rolls on the frozen tundra.

The AFC Heat played early Wednesday afternoon, saw rookie David Buchbinder coach his 1980 San Diego Chargers, led by a potent passing attack, into the Championship game against John Elllmann's Colts, who used the pointspread system quite well in defeating his first two opponents. But the Chargers were too much for the Colts, and prevailed 30-12, to advance to the Super Bowl.

In the NFC Heat, we saw a record 26 players trying to meet the Chargers in the big game. Led by a potent rushing attack, defending champ Harry Flawd's Detroit Lions moved through the pack and into the conference championship game, but not before withstanding two tough early games against John Ellsworth's Chiefs (24-20), and Bob Jamelli's Steelers (20-14). That left father vs. son in one semifinal, where dad prevailed (only by a missed FG from the Lions' 12 yd line, is that Bill Place in the window???), to meet Bill O'Neal's New Orleans Saints, who also effectively used the pointspread system to his advantage in his three victories. The Lion's used an exclusive rushing attack to defeat New Orleans, 49-28, to set the matchup for the title game.

In the Super Bowl, it was pass vs. run, new vs. veteran. Detroit took five points from the spread to lead until the Chargers took the opening kickoff and marched right down the field, scored, and led 7-5. It remained that way until the 2nd quarter, when the Chargers missed on a 4th down try, and the Lions pulled a big 76 yard TD run by Billy Sims followed by a 3rd & 1 bomb for a 45 yard TD pass and took a 19-7 lead into the locker room. In the third quarter, the Chargers pulled to within 19-14, but again the Lion rushing attack took over and scored to make it 26-14, and that was the final. It was a series of missed opportunities for San Diego. Detroit fumbled four times but recovered three, and the Chargers missed two FGs and twice were stopped on 4th down tries. Dan Fouts also overthrew a wide-open receiver in the end zone early in the 4th quarter. When all the smoke cleared, Harry had secured his 4th Paydirt title in five years, and the increased interest in the tournament has us all excited about next year already.