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Turkey Bowl XIV
392 years have passed since the first Thanksgiving celebration, where Pilgrims and Native Americans, two peoples separated by culture, ethnicity and beliefs, met to observe their willingness to work together for a common goal: To live and prosper. Not much has changed since that day. November 25, 2013, Thanksgiving, saw two groups, Parkers and Termites, meet, much like the Pilgrims and Native Americans, to commemorate a shared objective: Play football, have fun, and drink the beers. Their meeting, that of the Parkers and Termites, symbolized the fourteenth of its kind, Turkey Bowl XIV. Turkey Bowl XIV began much like its predecessor. Two captains, Mike “Cool?” Trill (Parkers) and Tim “I Don’t Bet But I Bet” Dougherty, chugged beers to decide the draft order. It was quite a match-up, the 2013 Hater of the Year in Trill vs. the 2013 Most Improved Hater, Dougherty. Trill would upend Dougherty, quite easily, in the chug-off, and choose to select second in the draft. The pregame picks went as most would have expected. WRs/DBs Kevin Rayer and Paul Middleton were off the board first, followed by perennial lineman Keith Cottom. TFL rookie Rob Orio was sandwiched between the Marcelli brothers, Mark coming off the board at the four-spot and Matt the sixth. WR/DB Chris Crooks followed the elder Marcelli, while Tom Orio, Rich Dinofia, Sean Kelly, and Joe Simcox caboosed. For the most part, the teams seemed evenly matched. The Parkers had, however, monopolized the lineman position by picking Cottom, Simcox, and Rob Orio, as all three were proven lineman or at least suitable fill-ins. On the other hand, the Termites’ draft did produce quite a formidable stable of WRs and DBs with the firm Marcelli, Marcelli, and Rayer. In any case, it was time to hit the field. As in any Turkey Bowl, the game started off slow and sloppy. Participants battled the below freezing temperatures and wind, trying valiantly to gain the upper hand. It would be the Termites who struck first. QB Timmy Dougherty would find Kevin Rayer to open up the scoring. Dougherty, the league leader in touchdowns thrown, carved up the Parkers’ secondary on his way to the end zone. After a defensive stand on the Parkers’ ensuing possession, the Termites looked to take an early two score lead. The only thing standing in their way was one Paul Middleton. Middleton made his presence felt all over the field this past Thanksgiving, but it was in the Termites second and third offensive drives that he sealed his fate as the eventual Turkey Bowl XIV MVP. Middleton intercepted Dougherty twice, with both returns ending in scores. It was Middleton’s defensive prowess that allowed the Parkers’ to take an early lead in the game and remain competitive and even with the Termites in the first half. Down 2-1 after Middleton’s defensive heroics, the Termites needed to notch things up. In an unexpected move, Tim Dougherty looked to possession receiver Sean “Chill” Kelly to do so. Dougherty hit "Chill" with a bullet midway through the first half to bring the teams even at 2. The Parkers, nevertheless, would not go away. Parker QB Mike Trill would throw his first touchdown pass of the day to Middleton, placing the Termites, again, in an early deficit. Reluctant to accept heading into the half down and without the momentum, Dougherty would lead the Termites into Parker territory and hit Kevin Rayer for his second touchdown of the game. By the end of the first half, with the scored tied at 3-3, the two sides were gridlocked in what looked to be a game for the ages, but looks can be deceiving. The second half would open in similar fashion to the first, with a Termite score. Mark Marcelli, not Rayer or Kelly, would be the recipient of a Dougherty touchdown pass. The big MO (momentum, not to be confused with Maureen McQuaid) was again the wind pushing the Termites’ sails. Unfortunately, like McQuaid, the momentum liked to change partners frequently. It was all Parkers for the rest of the contest. Parker QB Mike Trill would go on a tear in the second half, stringing together a four-touchdown run, hitting a different receiver for each score. In sequence, Parker WR Chris Crooks would tie the game at 4, and Rob Orio, Rich Dinofia, and Joe Simcox would solidify a Parker victory. Unable to recover from the Trill onslaught, the Termites would fall in Turkey Bowl XIV, 7-4. Rightfully so, Paul Middleton would collect his second MVP trophy and the Dickey / “Township” Trophy would return to Hancock Ave. and the Trill residence. Parker QB Mike Trill, in victory, also ate away at the gap separating him and Dougherty in career touchdown passes. Dougherty, with 56, still holds the lead, but Trill, with 53, is in striking distance of evening the tally or taking the record all together. Additionally, with two TDs, Kevin Rayer remains firmly in control of the career touchdowns scored category. Rayer brought his total to 24 TDs, six touchdowns ahead of Paul Middleton’s second place count. What did/does Termites mean to the Parkers? Simply and bluntly stated: Victory. No need to call Terminix or the Orkin Man; next time you’re faced with a termite infestation, just call on the Parkers. |
Countdown to Turkey Bowl XXVII
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2013
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2011
2010
2009
2008
• TB IX: It Only Takes One Or Two • Turkey Bowl IX News And Notes • 9 & 9 for Turkey Bowl IX • 5 Questions That Need Answers • The Day TFL Football Will Go To Hell • TB IX Draft Diary • Carmen-IZERS vs Bad Loads: Mock D... • 2008 Draft Preview • Captain Carmens vs. Captain Kia • The TFL. . . Look How Far We've Come • BNK Spells Bad Newz for the Sand ... 2007
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