Im-MERE-culate Reception
October 7, 2010 at 3:22 pm Leave a comment
Oct. 3, 2010. Remember that date. It could be an historic one for the Pocket Rockets. It ranks right up there with Dec. 23, 1972.
The similarities are uncanny. On that frigid December day at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, the Steelers gave up a late touchdown to the Oakland Raiders in the AFC Playoffs… setting the stage for one of the most storied and important plays in the history of the NFL. The Immaculate Reception.
Last Sunday, at McKinney Playground in Brighton, the Pocket Rockets took the ball at their own 20… trailing by 7 to Dizzy Llamas Orange with 5 seconds remaining in the game… and, realistically, their season, having started 0-2-1. After a quick slant to Brian for 6 yards, Vegas called a timeout and drew up the final play in the huddle. PMac would streak the left side. Brian and Uncle Ron would line up to the quarterback’s right and meet PMac in the endzone. Mere and Stepha were, really, just afterthoughts. Vegas took a 5-step drop and took three strides to his left, waited for the rush and lofted a wobbly bomb some 40-yards downfield. There was a collision… and a tip… and a ball falling toward the ground… and, finally, a waiting pair of hands to snatch The Rock for a TOUCHDOWN! Mere, somehow, found herself unchecked in the chaos and gathered the ball (this after dropping the one-point conversion just minutes earlier that would have given the PRs the lead).
Another timeout to call the game’s final play… a 2-point conversion for the win. Diamond left. Brian solo right. If they went zone, we had an overload to the left. If they went man, Brian would have single coverage and the entire right side of the field to get open. Man defense. Brian outcut… bobble… catch… conversion. PRs WIN! I’m casting an early vote for the Im-MERE-culate Reception for ‘Offensive Play of the Year’ (to be awarded, as always, at the postseason team banquet).
The coda to the Immaculate Reception is that the Steelers lost to the Dolphins the next week in the AFC championship game… but it set the stage for 4 Super Bowls (now 6 if you’re counting). And don’t look now, but if the playoffs started today… guess who’d be the No. 4 seed?
| Mean Machine | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| The U | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| Cougar’s Pride | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| Pocket Rockets | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Dizzy Llamas Orange | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Hey That’s Not My Flag | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
This week the PRs tackle The U at 5 p.m. at Smith Field.
Some fun stuff…
Pens. Flyers. Tonight at the brand new Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, 7:08 p.m. Hockey is back, baby!
And Conan is almost back…
Entry filed under: On the field, Outdoor. Tags: .
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