The Totem Pole

[Guest]

Heartbreaking championship game loss for us to end our 2029 season vs Boston. We went up 23-7 with 2 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, but gave up a 99 yard KO return on the ensuing kickoff, the beginning of 21 unanswered points from Boston. With 12 minutes left in the 4th, Boston scored on a 51 yard TD pass to McEntyre making it 23-21.

Dakota drove down to the Boston 39 with 4 minutes left, but were sacked on 3rd and 10. Our punter kicked a touchback, and Boston drove 80 yards for a TD mostly via a 20 yard run by Frain and a 40 yard toss to McIntyre. They scored the go ahead TD to make it 28-23 with 1:03 remaining on the clock.

Dakota took over at their own 39 and drove down to the Boston 10 yard line before the clock ran out and Dakota turned into a pumpkin again, ending on this:

3-10-BOS15 (4Q: 00:12) Ted Pleasant scrambled for 9 yards. Tackled by CB J.J. Browning.

Great season from this team, but a disappointing ending. Too bad we lost because a "Beematch" of the 2022 bowl would've been awesome. We even resigned Ricardo Dudgeon just to make Boone nervous!

[Matt]

Technically you drove to the 15 then he ran all the way to the 6 as the clock ticked to :00! Oh so close. In my mind I envision him cutting back then being tripped up by Browning and stumbling down with only green ahead of him.

Heck of a season though. Congrats!

[Sharkn20]

Oh like one superbowl called Titans vs Rams... Oh so close man

Awespme season anyway!!

[Guest]

Technically you drove to the 15 then he ran all the way to the 6 as the clock ticked to :00! Oh so close. In my mind I envision him cutting back then being tripped up by Browning and stumbling down with only green ahead of him.

Heck of a season though. Congrats!

haha yeah I had visions of Kevin Dyson. I wrote the part about "the ten" just by memory and then added the actual play later, hence the inaccuracy.

This one's gonna haunt me for a while!

[Guest]

Oh like one superbowl called Titans vs Rams... Oh so close man

Awespme season anyway!!

HAHA I literally just mentioned Dyson in my reply to Matt!

Trivia: Who was the guy who tackled Dyson? (NO PEEKING! CHALLENGE YOURSELF! :) )

[Matt]

The short LB for the Rams...Mike Jones. And it was just for a chance to go into OT. Still a heart breaker.

[Guest]

The short LB for the Rams...Mike Jones. And it was just for a chance to go into OT. Still a heart breaker.

That is true, it would've only tied it, but that's one of the most memorable plays I've ever seen. That and the Music City Miracle. (Wow, 2x Tennessee Titans!)

Other than that: Tyree's catch against the Patriots. Jumbo Elliot's TD catch in that ridiculous Jets comeback against the Dolphins.

Amazing Ronald Curry catch that for some reason always stuck with me, but maybe it's just me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scdFDF7XDPw

More recently: Flacco's Denver beating pass in the playoffs last year. AFC Championship the year before with Lee Evans' drop.

Lesser known one: Jerricho Cotchery's huge catch and run TD vs the Patriots where he gets upended but keeps himself up with his hand.



Sorry, this is the only "vid" I have of it!

[Sharkn20]

Too much Against Pats reference... Right?? I can feel a little rage here...

[Matt]

Some of my biggest memories...

- Alvin Harpers catch against SF in the '92 NFC Championship game.
- Tyree's catch was the day I went out with my future wife for our first date...I watched it about 10 minutes before I met her in a restaurant.
- Tebow's OT TD throw against the Steelers
- Hester's PR TD against Arizona (was watching it in a bar in Phoenix).
- Emmitt breaking about 8 tackles vs Atlanta

Harper is my #1 by far. I've had to suffer the past 20 years with my 'Boys but those 3 SBs in 4 years when I was in HS were amazing. That catch sent them to the first and was just pure awesomeness.

Sadly NFL Films removed it from YouTube.

[Guest]

Too much Against Pats reference... Right?? I can feel a little rage here...

I remember famous gunslinger Plaxico Burress's big catch against the Patriots in the super bowl really well too, but I didn't include it because it wasn't an amazing play. I only remember that one because I hate the Patriots.

The same with Tom Brady getting drilled by a Giants DT in the same game. haha

Oh, and I was in person at that game where that guy on the Patriots set the record for longest KO return against the Jets, I think. I forget who returned it though.

[Guest]

Some of my biggest memories...

- Alvin Harpers catch against SF in the '92 NFC Championship game.
- Tyree's catch was the day I went out with my future wife for our first date...I watched it about 10 minutes before I met her in a restaurant.
- Tebow's OT TD throw against the Steelers
- Hester's PR TD against Arizona (was watching it in a bar in Pheonix).
- Emmitt breaking about 8 takles vs Atlanta

Harper is my #1 by far. I've had to suffer the past 20 years with my 'Boys but those 3 SBs in 4 years when I was in HS were amazing. That catch sent them to the first and was just pure awesomeness.

Sadly NFL Films removed it from YouTube.

Emmitt!!! That one Herschel Walker run with one shoe was pretty good too. They really turned it around under Jimmy Johnson. I remember how terrible they were when I was a kid before he came. Oh man, that reminds me, that MARSHAWN LYNCH run in the playoffs against the Saints. That was AMAZING.

[Matt]

Boom found it. 896 F Flat!

http://www.nfl.com/videos/dallas-cow...rvin-s-thunder

Love it. How 'bout them Cowboys!

[Guest]

Boom found it. 896 F Flat!

http://www.nfl.com/videos/dallas-cow...rvin-s-thunder

Love it. How 'bout them Cowboys!

haha that's some great Michael Irvin commentary.

[Guest]

DAKOTA 2029 SEASON IN REVIEW

NO LONGER LOW ON THE TOTEM POLE

We returned to the championship game where we suffered a heartbreaking loss after a furious comeback by Boston. That was disappointing, but what wasn't disappointing was the team's performance this year. Finally we have a solid successor to Parrish who won't throw games away for us at QB - Ted Pleasant.

QB - We are stronger at this position than we've ever been since 2023. Ted Pleasant wasn't a world beater by any means, but he played well enough for us to win. Walt Johnson has shown flashes and will remain entrenched as the #2 QB this season, but 3rd round pick Brian Douglas is the future. It'll take him a while to get there, but Pleasant should hold down the fort just fine until then. Nicky Stevens will probably continue to stick as a holder/4th QB.

RB - Duckworth disappointed me a little this season. I expected a much bigger season from him but he was fairly pedestrian until a huge performance in week 16 where he notched over 200 yards. He's still the best player on the offense, though. Marco Middleton, acquired from Boston, performed adequately as a #2 back and may reprise his role. 3rd stringer C.J. Shannon will probably not return.

WR - The enigmatic Malcolm Rowland, our prize 5th overall receiver, has been an amazing return man on punts and KOs, returning 2 kickoffs for TDs and one punt for a TD in his first two seasons. After suffering an injury early this season he disappointed as a receiver, though, being overshadowed by Artie Lovejoy who worked his way out of the doghouse after an awful season the previous year. Louie Heinlein is an excellent slot receiver, and Ken Calciano contributed more than I expected. Teddy Barnikow will return as WR #5 and is now the sole remaining member of the 2022 Dakota championship team. Irving Mendheim, a huge whiff in the 2nd round in last year's stacked draft will remain with the team for a 2nd year min contract. He was cut last year and resigned during the season.

TE - Burt Shepherd has been great as a TE although his touches are limited by all the other decent receivers on the team. We picked up Marty Devine on the cheap last year via trade, so we're ridiculously deep at TE. 3rd stringer Bernie Broady made the team last year as an undrafted free agent and doesn't get on the field much except as a long snapper, but he's a creeper so he's staying.

OL - They got the job done. Burton isn't the monster he was before two broken legs in his first season with the team, but he's still good. Red Flagged Wendell Hayes did well and wasn't arrested, so I guess that's good. Dale Shields isn't really adequate as a backup but we didn't have any other good options. S. Norton, a slow developing undrafted free agent, will hopefully take the next step soon. I'm hoping he gets his rating high enough to start someday. Jeremy Register, our center, is a monster and he should spend as long a career with the Totems as his predecessor, J.T. Sandage, did. At G Dustin Chorak returns, but the other G position is unsettled, with only rotational backup J. Dotson available. Ricky Banks, acquired from Portland last year performed well but unfortunately retired. He likely would've started again.

P/K - Our kicker, Selmon, continues to miss a ridiculous amount of field goals considering his rating, but with that talent he's not going anywhere. "Fauxhammer" Marcum has been our first solid punter in Dakota and he's probably here until he retires.

DL - Every year this is the strength of the team, and this year was no different. A.J. Hassett somewhat quietly remains one of the better pass rushers in the league at DE, and Wes Pimentel and Jeffrey Gaylor get the job done. Kyle Ackerman has continued to perform well when forced into action by injuries and still gets plenty of snaps regardless.

LB - This was probably the last season for Franchise Montgomery, because he's getting old and that franchise number is starting to get pretty high. Last season was his 5th straight franchising. Angry, trade-demanding Lorenzo "Turd" Ferguson will finally become a starter next season, and hopefully he'll be as solid as Montgomery has been the past 6 or so seasons. Cole Motz has been excellent at SLB, and Amos Irwin and Darrin Holmes should be an excellent duo at WLB in our 3-4 for years to come. Backup Duane Alamar might see more time on the field this season with Montgomery gone, as he is a versatile creeper.

CB - Hutchins and Troglia continue to be an excellent starting duo, but after that, things get a little dodgy. Jumbo Raffray has inexplicably underperformed for two straight years after an excellent first season, which I have trouble understanding because he has great coverage bars. Eugene Farnell, a late round pick, has performed adequately. However, both of these guys have low endurance so I need to carry a fifth CB who can take the extra snaps when I suffer an injury. So far I've gotten by with Raffray and Farnell for a few weeks at a time when Troglia or Hutchins was hurt, but I don't know if I'd like to get by with them for 16 games if I suffer a major injury to this group.

S - Lamar "Geraldo" Rivera continues to start at SS despite his zero endurance, and he performs slightly worse than I expect him to. I think that although he is not getting (Tired) showing up on his playing card, that perhaps I am playing him a little too much and some form of tiredness is keeping him down. He rotates with Jorge May who overperforms every year. At FS, Maiher has really grown into a solid starter. W. Altuna, an undrafted free agent who was cut in his first season, resigned with us in his second season and will probably hang around as a developmental project.

In 2030 our goal is nothing less than a bowl win, and anything else will be a disappointment.

[Aston]

Hey, apparently that 100 roster rating was due solely to our DT not being tagged yet