Tag: northeast minneapolis touch football

This was the Play Of the Day (POD) for our Saturday pickup touch football games on August 25, 2007:

It was third down and his team was at midfield, facing a stingy defense. Under pressure, his quarterback tossed it up with a prayer into double coverage.

With one defender in front of him and one over the top, Adam leaped into the air between them and found four hands on the ball; one each belonging to the defenders and two were Adam’s own. But Adam clamped on and despite the ball being batted by two defenders, by the time his feet touched the ground he had sole possession of the ball.

The deep defender’s momentum carried him upfield, away from Adam who was now alone to turn upfield and race to the end zone for the score.

This was the Play Of the Day (POD) for our Thursday pickup touch football games on August 23, 2007:

Ak‘s team was on offense at the start of the play, near midfield. But a defender jumped a route, snagged the ball for a pick, and went streaking down the field for an apparent touchdown.

But he didn’t know he had Ak breathing down his neck. As he was about to cross the goal line, at the one, Ak had caught up to him and stripped the ball away. The victim, the ball, and Ak all tumbled into the end zone and at the end of the play, it was Ak who rose with the ball in his hand, saving a touchdown and returning possession to his team.

This was the Play Of the Day (POD) for our Saturday pickup touch football games on August 18, 2007:

Last Saturday was an absolutely glooooorrrrrrrious rain-soaked, mud-caked affair that reminded us all just how much fun playing in the slop can be.

After many years’ absence, the return of mudball, predictably, brought all too many dropped passes, errant throws, and slip-sliding receivers. That’s partly why the Play Of the Day stands out. On any other day, it would simply be a no-sweat routine catch for John, but not last Saturday.

John ran a fly route down the right sideline and his quarterback lofted the ball high and long for him to run under. Only problem was, he wasn’t really looking and only saw the ball as it dropped into his hands. But he secured the ball with ease and had both toes in with merely an inch to spare before he ran out of sideline.

For a graceful play on an otherwise clumsy day, John gets Play Of The Day.

This was the Play Of the Day (POD) for our Thursday pickup touch football games on August 16, 2007:

Max gets the Play Of The Day from last Thursday for an unbelievable catch. It was fourth and long with his team about 15 yards short of a first down. Max ran just beyond the midfield and turned around as the ball was thrown.

The ball was a bullet to him but it was very low and somehow, miraculously, he caught the ball with his ankles! Trapped between his ankles, he reached down to ensure that the ball did not hit the ground. Max gave his team new life with an astounding catch and for that he earns the Play Of The Day.

This was the Play Of the Day (POD) for our Saturday pickup touch football games on August 13, 2007:

On a play in which he and his teammate were doing crossing routes, Tyler looked to be the guy who was going to draw the coverage. But the ball was thrown as both Tyler and his teammate crossed in the middle of the field and it glanced his teammate, bounced off a defender between them, and then found its way to Tyler but way behind him.

With his momentum carrying him away from the ball, Tyler reached back with his right arm and corralled the ball and brought it into his arms as he turned upfield. He weaved through some additional traffic till he got in the clear, then dashed to the end zone for the score and the Play Of the Day.

This was the Play Of the Day (POD) for our Thursday pickup touch football games on August 9, 2007:

The ball was picked off and the defender, avoiding defenders and skillfully using some great blocks,  swiftly criss crossed the field, twice, in his quest for the end zone. But finally, cornered and about to be tagged, he no-look pitched the ball behind his back, over a crowd of three people to Faison, who had to jump for the ball to return possession to his team.

When the play looked dead, Faison kept his head in the game and made a great play on the ball to end a wild change of possessions.

This was the Play Of the Day (POD) for our Saturday pickup touch football games on August 4, 2007:

Three receivers were lined up on the left and one receiver was lined up on the far right. The three receivers on the left did five yard stop routes and the receiver on the right did an eight yard stop route. Seeing the congestion, one of the receivers on the left cut across on a drag route.

But Sam was playing middle linebacker and like a puma on the prowl, he sniffed out something in the breeze. Reading the play perfectly, he pounced as soon as the ball left the quarterback’s hand, cut in front of the receiver coming across the field, snagged the ball out of the air, and trotted in for an easy score.

This was the Play Of the Day (POD) for our Thursday pickup touch football games on August 2, 2007:

It was a case where the receiver knew exactly what his quarterback was thinking. On the first play from scrimmage Marcus, lined up near the far right sideline, took off like a flash at the snap. After waiting a few seconds Andre tossed a long spiral downfield. Marcus tracked the ball perfectly over his shoulder and arms stretched out, took the ball in softly without breaking stride for a one play touchdown drive.

The play was over before you knew it but it was a thing of beauty to behold. And for that, Marcus gets Play of the Day.

This was the Play Of the Day (POD) for our Saturday pickup touch football games on July 21, 2007:

Rob Wilson gets Play Of the Day for going up and coming down with a pass that was fought over by two other players. The defender on the play was perfectly positioned to break up the play and got his hand on the ball to knock it away. But Wilson and his teammate KT went up for the ball at the same time as the defender, with both clamping onto the ball, as well. As they came down, it was KT and Wilson who had the ball and both were still fighting for it, not realizing that they were teammates. After a moment of struggle, KT realized who Rob was and let go of the ball so Wilson could take it to the house.

Special mention has to go to Delicious for his body of work on Saturday. Not only did he catch numerous balls by finding the open spot in the zone, he threw a handful of crucial blocks to spring teammates for scores or long gains and he picked off a few balls as well, scoring on one of them.

This was the Play of the Day for our Thursday evening pickup touch football games on July 19, 2007:

Maurice got Play of the Day last Thursday for putting himself in a position to make a great play. On forth and long, his quarterback heaved the ball long and high and the defender looked to have an easy pick but he mis-timed his leap and instead of coming down with the ball, tipped it instead.

Seeing he had no play on the ball, Maurice positioned himself close enough to catch the defender had he intercepted the ball but far enough away to make a play for the tip, which he did, easily, and turned to dash to the end zone for a score with the defender never having a chance to catch him.