Rasta Haze here, and while we are in this Covid-19 virus lockdown for a bit longer I thought I’d go through some of the old newsletters and see what was written in our leagues 20 years. Not much has changed from 2002 to now. After reading this article is there an apathy within the league towards tournaments? Open Run and the new created Fault Line Rumble?
Desert Apathy was written by the one and only Scoopy T. NewsWorthy…beat writer for the Philadelphia Daily News. Here is his interview with then head coach of the Eagles..Eagle Al Clegg about the upcoming Dual in the Desert tournament.
The annual EFL classic “Dual in the Desert” is set to be played soon, but some of the main components will not be there, mainly? TEAMS!!!!!!! This reporter being the Curious Cat that I am, decided to delve deep into this growing phenomenon pledging the LAEFL, called “Desert Apathy”….. First I went into my own back yard and had a question and answer sit down with Coach Eagle Al ….
Scoopy: Why aren’t the Eagles going to participate in the tournament? Eagle AL: Well it seems to me that having a tournament in the middle of a season just doesn’t make since, I know this type of contest generates money, but as the old Domino players use to say, “All Money Ain’t Good Money”….You see Scoopy, I like a Small league with Big values, not a Big league with small minds, but that’s another subject: But back to this tournament Crap!! that kind of thing (tournament) is for second rate pansy’s who don’t know their a@#$ from a mud hole, hell this ain’t College Basketball for goodness sake!!
Scoopy: I see you aren’t a big proponent of Tournaments period. Eagle AL: Yah Think? Scoopy: Coach do you think Mike Turner (coach of the high flying circus Denver Broncos) has a hidden agenda by staging his tournament during the season? Eagle AL: Look Scoopy I love Mike Turner hell I’ve known old Mike longer then any coach in this league except for Peatros, but I’ll tell you one thing about Mike, his head is as hard as my….err…as penitentiary steel, and he is as stubborn as a mule, matter of fact he kind of reminds me of that Mule in Sherak..ha,ha,ha..
Scoopy: That was a Donkey….. Eagle AL: Potaaaaaatos, Potatos, man you know what I meant….Anyway my point was that Mike is Stubborn and for some reason he is stuck on some antiquated, ancient, relic, Neanderthal, Cro-Magnon, cave man crap ass rule called “RULES 2000”.
Scoopy: Rules 2000? We had to debate on the pros and cons of Rules 200 in my sports journalism class at Yale….I remember my Professor saying that those rules were the RUN AND SHOOT of league rules, our main argument was that it looked good on paper but in the long run it had to many flaws to maintain substance. Eagle AL: Exactly my point to the 10th power squared….You know, I don’t get old Mike sometimes, Mike’s got a great squad, he wins plenty of games, hell he was in the SHOW last year albeit he got stomped, but hey, none of the other coaches were there; My point is why do’s he have to insist and persist on playing those flag football rules when our league wouldn’t dare stoop it such low’s.
Scoopy: Well since it’s so easy to pass in that style of play and Mike’s teams do a lot of passing, do you think that has something to do with it? Eagle AL: Of course Scoopy, but like I said the Broncos made it to the SHOW the last two years so why would that be an issue? I don’t get it…..
Scoopy: Coach I also heard that he is really putting this tournament on for Coaches in other leagues all over the country and that this is what the other coaches want…. Eagle AL: That’s a bunch of Fat Bull Nuts; If that’s the case why isn’t there an invasion on Las Vegas during tournament week, heck I’ve been there and it is so quite at the hotel that you can hear a mouse piss on cotton…Nobody shows up….Besides I’ve talked to league officials in San Antonio, and in Dallas and they said that at least half of their teams would take the trip to Vegas if RULES 2000 were eighty sixes….Half of their league!!!!!! those guys have more teams then our league and they say half would come. Everyone wants a big huge turnout; well change the rules and THEY WILL COME……..
Scoopy: Have you told this to Mike? Eagle AL: Have you been listening to me? Jesus man your head is as hard as Mike’s!! Scoopy: Sorry, I forgot… Eagle AL: Just kidding with yah kid…..But seriously maybe you can get into his brain, and make some since of this.
Scoopy: Coach thanks for your time I know you have to get to practice…. Eagle AL: Any time Scoopy, just don’t start asking stupid question…….
From the desk of Scoopy T. NewsWorthy
Side note to this piece this week marks 16th anniversary of the last “Dual in the Desert” game. It was won by our very own Earl (RevE) McMillan over Al Clegg 21-20 bringing to a close the first tournament on the west side of the US. The Open Run would bring a few folks west but has mainly been a LAEFL event. The next time the EFL community would venture west wouldn’t be until 2018 when Marcello Trioli started up his Fault Line rumble tourney. Reporting for the BUZZ the unofficial newsletter of the LAEFL I’m Rasta Haze and this has been a trip down memory lane according to me.
LAEFL 