“All players came to play this match, so I can't blame losing this game to a virus or key niggling out. Quite frankly, it was just bad coaching on my part, and good on his. On another day, the result could've easily been the other way. Spend the entire first half in pouring rain, which made ball control a monster of a pain for both sides. Failed ball pickups, failed dodges/gfi's, failed passes/catches...it was just plain ugly. Eventually, his agi 4 was able to grab and keep the ball long enough to score, without enough time for me to return the favor after I roll double-pow instead of push on my OTS-promotion attempt. Of all the times to roll double-pow, ya know? ;-)

Second half, he's receiving, but a lucky break for me--he fails a gfi, leaving me in position to surround the ball on the opposite side of the pitch from where most of his rats have gathered around his OTS, and eventually punch the ball in for the tying score.

Line up, blitz! Unfortunately, I've set up nearly all my players on the LOS, in a (likely) vain effort to stop his OTS, so I can't move into position to take control of the ball as the kick lands. I can, however, blitz his OTS himself, and though I fail to knock him down, I do knock him back, meaning there'll be no OTS this turn. His RO moves first, skulls, he's down and I'm moving...come to papa, ball! However, yet another failed ball pickup allows him to grab the ball in tz, dodge away, pass upfield and score the go-ahead. *grumble*

I still have 3 turns to make the game a draw, and after the first turn things look good. After turn two, I seem to be in a position of power...until the dreadful realization sinks in that all my players are simply too far away to score, even with a chainpush and two gfi's!!

*slaps self across face*

*pulls out hair*

*screams*

I don't mind so much the coach beating me, especially as he earned at least a draw this game. But to lose ANY chance at a tie game due to not paying attention and making some stupid blocking choices...there's simply no excuse for that, not from somebody as experienced as I. Of course, that infernal blodge/sidestep/shadowing/prehensile tail gutter of his was the main cause of my problems, as he refused to go down nor move in the right direction despite hitting him with more than a dozen dice, including tackle. Pushes galore he should be called, and he cost me the game.

Rematch in the works...once you get your players back active. But hey, you have your OTS Jipper, so what do you care? All you need is two players--one to throw to Jipper, Jipper to score, and you're a happy coach, right? Why am I saying the name JIPPER so often? B/c I'm casting a hex on him to fail a gfi at some crucial moment and cost you the game! Preferably some crucial moment in OUR rematch, but I'll still draw satisfaction from the OTS costing the victory. >;-)”