Monk

And the DFL is back on the air. We are, in fact, into the 4th qtr with 11 minutes and 30 seconds left in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Buffalo Bills, with Pittsburgh leading 13 to 3. But before we continue with this game, it is perhaps incumbent on us to say a little something about the close of the Chiefs-Cowboys game.

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Here we are on a gorgeous Friday afternoon for some DFL football at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, where the Argive Conference kicks off its first came between the Dallas Cowboys and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Tom Brookshier: "It should be a good-scoring game. In Dallas, we have both a strong throwing game and a strong running game. They are the whole threat. And the Chiefs are no slouchers. Alex Smith is a solid QB, and in Hunt they have a star running back."

The Chiefs win the coin flip and will receive the kick-off.

It's caught at the six and run back to the 24, where Smith and company will start things off 1st and ten.

TB: "Look for Hunt. No doubt they would like to get him started early. A big game from his greatly boosts their game."

And it is a sweep to Hunt. He has to battle for a 2 yd gain. 2nd and 8.

Showing some faith in Hunt, they go back to the run. This time he picks up four. That still leaves them with a third and 4.

TB: "The Chiefs are establishing their running game. But with that tough Dallas 'D', it will be a tough game, Howard."

Smith drops back to pass. It's caught at the 46, and run up to the Dallas 41 for a 29 yard gain. 1st and ten.

TB: "As we said, Kansas is no slouch at the passing game. And, of course, when you show some strength in your running game, it opens up your passing game."

The go back to Hunt, running it up the middle. He gets a couple of yards out of it. 2nd and ten.

It's a sweep to Hunt. He gets only 2. 3rd and 6. at the Dallas 37.

TB: "They are just about at field goal position. But I don't doubt they are still thinking TD."

Smith drops back. A flare out to the side - it's picked off! He tackled right away.

TB: "That's a heartbreaker if you are Kansas guy. They were marching down the field so effectively, and now to have all that effort neutralized."

Indeed, indeed. Staubach and company will take over on their 37. 1st and ten, with 11 minutes and 30 seconds left in the first quarter.

Dallas starts off with a handoff to Dorsett. Brought down at the line of scrimmage. 2nd and 10.

Staubach drops back to pass. He's sacked! for a five yard loss.

TB: "Not a good beginning for the Boys, stalling out at the outset on both their passing and running games. They are even going backwards!"

Not a propitious beginning at all. And now it's 3rd and 15 on their 32.

Staubach goes into shotgun formation. It's caught at the Kansas City 49, and run up to the 38 yard line for a 30 yard gain, where the Cowboys will have it 1st and ten.

TB: "Talk about going from rags to riches. That's one of the things you have to respect about the Cowboys. They can turn things around in a hurry."

Staubach steps back to pass. It's a blitz, and Roger the dodger rolls out and tosses it down the sideline and out of bounds. 2nd and ten.

Staubach will take it from the shotgun. Another quick flare out is intercepted, and run to the KC 47, where Alex and company will get another shot to put the first score on the table. With 9 minutes left in the 1st qtr.

TB: "This game is turning a little wild, isn't it? It's a streetfight is what it is."

Handoff to Hunt. 2 yd gain. 2nd and 8.

Smith drops back. This time he is sacked. For a ten yard loss. 3rd and 18 at their 39.

TB: "It's just tough to get far against these defenses. We were expecting some offense fireworks this afternoon, but no one has been able to light the fuse yet."

Smith is drops back, wanting to make up for lost time. He finds Kelce at the Dallas 48, and he is run down at the 43, and he just gets the first down.

TB: "Kansas City showing some heart here. But there is still a lot of Dallas real estate to get across."

They hand it to Hunt, up the middle, stopped at the line of scrimmage. 2nd and ten.

Smith drops back. He goes for Kelce running a quick slant, but incomplete. 3rd and ten.

TB: "You figure Smith has to go back to the air, but you have to be nervous: this is where the interceptions seem to happen today."

Smith does drop back. He finds Kelce at the 30! but a hard hit from behind knocks the ball out of his hands. That's a tough one. It would have been good for a first down. And now it's 4th and ten.

TB: "And they are out of field goal range as well. And, yes, here comes the kicking team."

Dustin Colquitt no doubt will try to pin the Cowboys back against the end zone. Ah, he kicks it into the end zone, where it's caught and downed. But, wait, there's a penalty on the play. ... Against Dallas. So, they will have it first and ten on their own ten.

TB: "That is pinned pretty close to the end zone."

[...]

And we're back. Happy to resume coverage of the opening of the Argive Conference between the Cowboys and the Chiefs. We are in the 2nd quarter with 13 minutes and 30 seconds left in the first half. Cowboys have drawn first blood and lead 7-0.

The Chiefs now have it first and ten on their own 43 on a drive that began back at their sixteen yard line.

TB: "And the Cowboys scored in a dramatic fashion. With their drive apparently died out, they went for it on 4th and 2. Staubach threw it for a 29 yard gain. And the boys ended up taking it all the way. Smith now needs to ignite his own offense. And he is well on his way to doing it here."

Handoff to Hunt. He gets nowhere. 2nd and 10.

TB: "They still can't spark him on. He is a key part of their offensive engine. Without him firing on all cylinders, it's going to be a long afternoon for Kansas City."

Smith drops back. He goes for Kelce 12 yards down, but nothing doing with the Dallas D. But there's a penalty on the play. And it's against Dallas.

TB: "That's one way to put some life in your drive."

1st and ten on the Dallas 47.

Handoff to Hunt, and this time he breaks through for a nice little run.

TB: "You know he can explode at any time. That's what makes the Chiefs dangerous."

It's a ten yard gain. 1st and ten at the 37.

Sweep to Hunt. He turns the corner, picks up four. 2nd and 6.

Smith looking to pass, has a receiver near the twenty, but can't quite make the grab. 3rd and 6. He finds Kelce at the 24, who picks up six more. 1st and ten at the 18.

TB: "In the red zone. I think this is the first time the Chiefs have made it this far. They can tie it up and get on track."

Back to Hunt up the middle. He's stripped of the ball - fumble! Randy White picks it up and makes it to the 37 yard line.

TB: "It's a good thing he's not a runner. He might have taken that all the way. The 'Manster' - half man, half monster. He caused some terror there. And the Chiefs what can you say? When they get something going, the turnover monster seems to stomp them."

With 10 minutes left to play in the first half. Staubach and company will have 1st and ten on their 37 - and a touchdown lead.

Staubach drops back to pass - a flare out to the side. And he's picked off! Kansas City gets the ball back on the Dallas 37, first and ten.

TB: "If there's one thing that can save you from your screw-ups, it's the other team's screw-ups. The Chiefs get another chance to climb that hill, looking for their first score."

Handoff to Hunt. I don't believe it! A fumble! This is becoming a comedy of errors. Dallas will have it on their 40 yard line, first and ten. What do you make of that?

TB: "Heh, I do not know. The gods of football must be smiling down."

Dorsett gets the handoff. He only makes it back to the line of scrimmage. 2nd and ten.

A sweep around. Only a 2 yd gain. 3rd and 8.

Staubach takes it from the shotgun. He finds Drew Pearson at the other 40, and he is down at the Kansas City 39. 1st and ten.

Staubach goes back to the well for another pass. Going deep, close to the 15 - and it's caught, and Golden Richards grabs two more, down at the Kansas City 13. 1st and ten.

TB: "Another flash of what we were expecting to see today. It's looks like the Cowboys, at least, are starting to run on all cylinders. Of course, we'll has to see if they can avoid any turnovers, heh."

And it looks like we are going to have to cease broadcasting, as our Dreamland connection seems to be going out.

TB: "And just when things are looking particularly interesting."

Isn't that the way it always is!

[...]

Here we are with 8 minutes left in the first half, Jets leading the Dolphins 17 to 3, with the Dolphins knocking on the door with a 1st and ten on the NY 29.

And it's a hand-off to Czonka, but this time he is dropped at the line of scrimmage. 2nd and 10.

Griese drops back to pass. He has a receiver midfield, caught at the 14. He's at the 5, and it's a touchdown! Dolphins score their first TD of the game. Griese seems to have finally gotten on track, and our first game, inaugurating the DFL, the Dreamland Football League, looks like it is going to be a contest.

The point-after is good, and the score is Jets 17, Dolphins 10, with 7 minutes left to play in the first half.

Kicking off, it's caught at the 4, and he is stopped just short of the ten. And Nathan and company will start with a first and ten at the 9. I think this is the first time they have had their back against their own end zone.

Namath keeps it natural, handing off to Snell, who only makes it back to the line of scrimmage. 2nd and ten.

Namath drops back to pass. It's a little bomb caught at the 37, tackled at the 41, for a gain of 32 yards. 1st and ten and on the move.

A draw-play to Snell. He pushes his way to a four-yard gain. 2nd and six at their own 45, with five minutes left in the half.

Another run up the middle, another 4 yard gain. 3rd and two on the 49. It's decision time for NY and Namath.

They go with another run. And it's a fumble! Recovered by the Dolphins. Tackled at the NY 42.

And Miami with have it first & 10 on the NY 42, with 4 minutes left in the half, down by 7. A good chance to tie it up.

They hand it off to Czonka, who takes it for a 4 yard gain. 2nd and 6 at the 38.

Griese goes back to pass. Caught at the 16. And it's another fumble! But Miami recovers it.

And the Dolphins will have it first and ten at the NY 16 yard line, with 3 minutes left in the first half.

Griese drops back to pass. He tosses it off to the side, and it's caught at the ten! And he runs it in for a touchdown! We're just one extra point away from a tied game.

And it's good: Jet's 17, Dolphins 17. Our first game is looking like a doozy. However, we still have two and a half minutes left to play in the first half. It's more than enough time for Namath to blow things up.

The kick-off: It's caught at the nine, and he makes it to the 26, where Namath and company will take it 1st and ten.

And that is the two-minute warning.

They start conservatively, with a hand-off, and Snell just makes it back to the line of scrimmage. 2nd and ten.

Namath steps back to throw. It's caught at the 41, and he's down at the 50. 1st and ten with one minute left to play in the half. Let's see if they can make it to field position.

Namath back to pass. Caught at the NY 34. At the 25, the 20, the 15, brought down at the 14!

With three seconds left on the clock, coach Ewbank has a decision to make: go for the TD, or go for what should be an easy field goal? Namath and Ewbank conferring.

And the field goal team comes out. And it's good!

At the end of the first half, the Jets lead 24 to 17. The first game of the Dreamland Football League has become a bit of a shooting match.

~ ~ ~

I was a little concerned that I was just racing through the calculations and not fully enjoying my Dreamland Football League. I was right to think that slowing down, by taking time to write out the action and the attendant thoughts, would enhance the experience.

After all, when I first starting thinking about a fantasy league, back when I was considering baseball rather than football, I thought of it in terms of a writing exercise.

Nevertheless, I first need this league as a ready diversion. I don't want to have to rely on having a computer on hand. So, I might just drop in time to time to 'broadcast' a part of a game, in order to spice it up for me, but I am perfectly content to play it quick and dirty with a memo pad to keep track of the calculations. For instance, it's getting late and I want to shut down the laptop, but I am going to begin the second half.

However, I am thinking that I might make a point of recording the championship games, as well as possibly keep statistics for them.