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Beating the Spread ...
The
2004 tournament showcased 38 coaches vying for the coveted trophy.
In the AFC heat, after some nail biters, a missed 21 yard
FG, and two Jacksonville teams squaring off against each other,
we had a perfect 32 team field dwindle to four - a pair of New
England teams, Baltimore, and Jacksonville. Devin Flawd took
his NE team against John Sheehan's Jaguars and came away with
a hard fought 13-9 victory, while Harry Flawd's Ravens picked
off Pete Putnams' Patriots six times en route to a 35-7 win.
In the AFC title game, the Ravens clawed to a 34-22 win and the
first berth in this year's Super Bowl was filled by the defending
champion.
In the NFC heat, another 22 coaches (including 18 returneees)
were narrowed down to four with Devin's Lions, last year's Super
Bowl runner up, Jeff Finkledey's Packers, Dan Dolan Jr.'s Cardinals,
and Bill O'Neals' Bears. Devin used timely runs and turnovers
to defeat Jeff 41-27, and the classic ending of the tourney came
in the other semi-final. O'Neals' Bears were clinging to a 12-6
lead with 20 seconds left and the Cardinals on the 11 yard line.
Dan threw the medium pass and got his needed yards for a TD,
but Bill still got to throw his dice. ...the defense was positioned
correctly, the roll needed to be a 1-2-3 or 4 and the Bears move
on.. Alas, Bill tosses the dreaded "5" and Dan takes
home a 13-12 win. In the wee hours of the morning Sunday, Devin
took his Lions to the title game once again with a 32-22 victory.
The Super Bowl was a father-son repeat affair. With his son
already holding three plaques and threatening a grand slam, dad
could just not allow the fourth to happen. It took all his special
plays and bag of tricks, plus Jamal Lewis ripping through the
defense for 203 yards,. But the outcome was still in doubt with
4:00 minutes remaining and Baltimore clinging to a 16-11 lead.
The Lions forced a Raven fumble on the Raven 21, but the Ravens
recovered and chewed up some clock, kicked a FG, and took home
a 19-11 win and dad's sixth WBC wood. Household bragging rights
are safe for another year, but its getting harder and harder.
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