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1. 1. NCBB Ssn 21, Game 4

Texas has seen their share of "luck" in games, good and bad, but rarely such an absurdly charmed game such as this one.

In games past, win or lose U. Conn has punished Texas, so much that often some Texas player will "transfer" to the Huskies by the end of the game. But not this one. U. Conn hired Master Chefs, and while Texas learned the meaning of "conservative play", U. Conn. learned to hate (even more than before) lucky elfs as, with 0 RR's to start the first half and 1 in the 2nd (that had to be used T1 on the pickup), Texas failed exactly that 1 roll the whole game.


Texas won the toss and chose to Kick, and a Perfect D helped them avoid the worst of the LoS bash, but still lost their Wrestle/Kicker KO'd to the WW blitz. T2 they declined an early Wrestle "Both Down" result to end the Huskies' Turn 2 early but lost their Wrodge Witch out KO'd as well in the sacrifice move. But that gave the opportunity to apply strong pressure to the ballcarrier, and it was all the Huskies could do to 3+ dodge away and try a Hand Off to an Ag 2 player, which failed despite RR. Texas was able to surf the lone U. Conn. Guard BH'd (no Regen), recover the loose ball and Pass to safety on the Husky goal line (all 2+'s thanks to a last-game Ag 5). 5 turns of elf-stalling saw several Husky players KO'd, but a junior Blodge Blitzer -MA'd (via foul) and a true rookie lino BH'd before the half ends 1-0 Texas.

(1st-half Elf Magic analysis:

1. With no RR's the whole half, Texas found a new personal best for "conservative play" if not luck. None of their 16 Blocks failed, the 3 2+ rolls to recover the loose ball succeeded (altho' the Catch was beyond U. Conn. MA), a half-dozen or so no-skill dodges were made after the ball was safe (altho' some few w/ Dodge failed the first roll, only), and the well-screened T6 Hand Off to their designated scorer succeeded 1st try.)

2nd half, all 3 Huskies woke up (most significantly the Wrodge Ghouls) while the Wrodge Witch Elf slept on, so it was 9 DElfs receiving from 11 Necros, tho' this time the Master Chef left Texas 1 whole RR for the half. It was U. Conn's turn to enjoy the benefits of a Perfect Defense, and a randomly short Kick to one side attracted the Necro attention. Texas sold out on ball protection, instead setting up a cage near midfield (and KO'ing a Zombie), then failed the Pickup in front of 4 unmarked U. Conn players (inc. the FG), forcing the use of their sole RR to save the ball and then (luckily) made the Handoff to finish the cage. U.Conn. GFI'd to get a 1D on the new St 4 Texas Blitzer, found a knockdown, then lost one of two DP's on the field on the Foul (only a Stun), equalizing the numbers at 9:9. Turn 2 Texas BH'd one Zombie and KO'd the other DP, swinging up to the undefended side of the field. U. Conn MNG'd a Wrodger, and tried another foul on the still-prone +St Texas Blitzer (no effect). Texas set up to cage the ball on the 8, but a single failed roll used the Dodge skill that was still needed, and so the ballcarrier ended up behind a ragged screen, just past the LoS. This shift-and-response continued, with U. Conn. RIPing sophomore Tackle/Blodge Blitzer Floyd Raven, but were denied the transfer student by a competent Apo. But this made the players on the field 7:7, and now U. Conn was having trouble containing the DElfs, who still refused to snake a Dodge or fail a Block. Turn 5 Texas had moved the ball within scoring distance, but a "Both Down" vs. the Wrestler Ghoul stopped one corner from arriving in position, leaving the door open for U. Conn!. 2 1D's on the Blodger failed to find a Pow, but Foul #4 KO'd the MB Witch, the only Texas player safe from sideline frenzy, to end Turn 5. But Texas answered nicely by KO'ing the lone Werewolf, breaking the ballcarrier clear to the 2 yard line behind a Guard, and then made their no-skill 2+ dodge to screen the only possible 1D threat. U.Conn. continued to concentrate on the +St Blitzer, but failed despite RR, and T7, with no opposition in scoring range, Texas took the opportunity to dodge him free and handoff for (potentially) his 2nd TD and the skill. U.Conn blitzed thru to mark the non-Dodger with their St 5 SF Flesh Golem (and then knowingly make Foul #5, ahem!), but Texas found the knockdown on the 2d and scored T16, 2-0.


Having demonstrated a disregard for League guidelines on fouling, the T16 LoS was nervous, but a third Perfect Defense (called it!) again saved the worst, and the 6th Foul was aborted due to a failed GFI.

(2nd-half Elf Magic analysis:

1. Turn 1 (9) Texas had to use their one and only RR on the pickup near the LoS, naked if snaked, and then got away with the 2+ handoff into the cage. Texas tried only very few skilled Dodge rolls, and didn't need to try a no-Dodge dodge until the very end of T4 (a successful 3+, 2+ to escape TZ), then again last action of T5 (2+ to perfect the screen), and then not again until the game was over for the T7 handoff. No fails in 19 more Blocks in the drive, making a total of 35.)

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