2018 CFL Rosters

 

White - Coach Anthony Acho

Dylan Kalabat
Ricky Naimi
Jordan Rabban
Aws Ayar
Fahad Elias
Dani Jajou
Pierre Savaya
Scott Acho
Alvin Zetouna
Joey Foumia
Austin Kalabat - RES
Mike Dado - RES

 

Black - Coach Tarik Kama

Mike Sesi
Nick Hermiz
Derek Rabban
John Paul Namou
George Sharak
Angelo Nannoshi
Derek Jamoua
Piere Bacall
Nathan Loussia

Red - Coach Anthony Toma

Jordan Rassam
Max Sheker
Dominick Kejbou
Niko Jonna
Mario Sandiha
Mike Sulaka
Mark Hajjar
Ray Khami
Mike Akrawi
Brian Hermiz - RES
Kevin Murad - RES

Yellow - Coach Natham Karrumi

Dylan Putrus
Chris Sesi
Derek Babi
Timmy Acho
Anthony Naimi - Bigz
Frank Dabough
Nick Ammori
Ernest Yeldo
Marin Yeldo

Blue - Coach Justin Orow

Stefan Kalabat
Andrew Maroki
Derek Putrus
Christian Yaldo - Cheech
Preston Rabban
Rami Jarbou
Dani Jajo
Leith Sawa
Alex Kanno
Antonio Ishi - RES
Mario Yaldo - RES

Green - Coach Lance Samona

Andrew Shango
Mazen Jaddou
Brandon Nasfo
George Abro
Brandon Shaffou
Kresto Allos
Donovan Jappaya
George David
Karl Dallou
Merron Briko - RES
Taylor Pattah - RES
Timmy Pattah - RES

 

2017 Updated Rosters

Black - Coach Tarik Kama (1-4)
Mike Sesi 
Nick Hermiz [Via Trade]
Derek Rabban [Via Trade]
John Paul Namou [Via Trade]
Christian Yaldo
Marcus Sheker
Claudio Jabreal
Michael Sulaka [Full-time Sub for Joey F.]
Mike Akrawi [Via Trade]
Res 1 Peter Kejbou
Res 2 Ray Khami

Red - Coach Anthony Toma (2-3)
Max Sheker
Jordan Rassam
Dominic Kejbou
Niko Jonna
Timmy Acho
Jordan Rabban [Via Trade]
George Sharrak [Via Trade]
Karl Dallou [Via Trade]
Brian Keniya
Res 1 Kevin Murad
Res 2 Angelo Yousif

Blue - Coach Justin Orow (3-2)
Anthony Yaldo [Via Trade]
Derek Jamoua [Via Trade]
Dillon Kallabat
Derek Putrus
Andrew Marouki
Fadi Gully
Anthony Naimi
Leith Sawa
Frante Dabbagh
Res 1 Paul Kejbou
Res 2 Austin Kallabat

White - Coach Anthony Acho (2-3)
Matt Shango
Stefan Kalabat
Mario Sandiha [Via Trade]
Aws Ayar
Nolan Kejbou
Jon Sesi
Pierre Bacall
Dani Jajou
Scotty Acho
Res 1 Pierre Savaya
Res 2 Anthony Mansour

Green - Coach Lance Samona (4-1)
Andrew Shango
Mazen Jaddou
Brandon Nafso
Preston Rabban
George Abro
Angelo Nannoshi
Mark Hajjar
Rami Jarbo
Ernest Yeldo
Res 1 Donny Jappaya
Res 2 Marino Samona 

Yellow - Coach Natham Karrumi (3-2)
Dylan Putrus
Ricky Rix Naimi
Chris Sesi
Danny Jajo 
Vinny Kejbou
Nick Ammori
Derek Babbi
Kresto Allos
Brandon Shefo
Res 1 Ryan Bacal
Res 2 Dylan Jajo

 

 

 

Until We Meet Again

 

We lost a great one (to retirement) in Tony Attisha this year. He was one of the greats and he will be greatly missed. He won't only be missed by those who had the privileged of playing along side of him or on another team against him, but he will be missed by the new guys that never got a chance to play with him. He has taken numerous young rookies under his wing and showed them how to play the game with class and dignity. He leaves a legacy of greatness behind. I'll have to fact check this but I think he has been to the promise land six or so times and has hoisted the Chy Cup three of them. 

 

 

We miss you out there buddy! 

 

2017 Draft

 

Black - Coach Tarik Kama

 

Sup - Anthony Yaldo

Mike Sesi

Jordan Rabban

Christian Yaldo

Marcus Sheker

Claudio Jabreal

Derek Jamoua

Joey Foumia

Karl Dallou

Res 1 Peter Kejbou

Res 2 Ray Khami

 

Red - Coach Anthony Toma

 

Sup - Max Sheker

Jordan Rassam

Dominic Kejbou

Niko Jonna

Timmy Acho

John Paul Namou

Mario Sandiha

Mike Akrawi

Brian Keniya

Res 1 Kevin Murad

Res 2 Angelo Yousif

 

Blue - Coach Justin Orow

 

Dillon Kallabat

Nick Hermiz

Derek Putrus

Derek Rabban

Andrew Marouki

Fadi Gully

Anthony Naimi

Leith Sawa

Frante Dabbagh

Res 1 Paul Kejbou

Res 2 Austin Kallabat

 

White - Coach Anthony Acho

 

Matt Shango

Stefan Kalabat 

George Sharrak

Aws Ayar

Nolan Kejbou

Jon Sesi

Pierre Bacall

Dani Jajou

Scotty Acho

Res 1 Pierre Savaya

Res 2 Anthony Mansour

 

Green - Coach Lance Samona

 

Andrew Shango

Mazen Jaddou

Brandon Nafso

Preston Rabban

George Abro

Angelo Nannoshi

Mark Hajjar

Rami Jarbo

Ernest Yeldo

Res 1 Donny Jappaya

Res 2 Marino Samona 

 

Yellow - Coach Natham Karrumi

 

Dylan Putrus

Ricky Rix Naimi

Chris Sesi

Danny Jajo 

Vinny Kejbou

Nick Ammori

Derek Babbi

Kresto Allos

Brandon Shefo

Res 1 Ryan Bacal

Res 2 Dylan Jajo

 

 

 

Rookie Combine- July 9 West Bloomfield High 9:00 AM
Week One- July 16 
Labor Day- Off 
October 1- Playoffs 
October 7- Championship Game 

Spread the word!

 

 

2016 YELLOW BACK TO BACK!!!!!

Dylan Putrus- MVP- Solo MVP my boy, you earned it. They don’t call you animal for nothing. You’re a monster on both sides of the ball and kept our team motivated all year. We all knew you were on a mission this year and you didn’t disappoint playing like a savage game in and game out. This one was for you D!!

Chris Sesi- The Game Changer!!! They just don’t get it brother. Having you in the middle of the field changes everything, Chris or Nate pick your poison. You took on every hit and more importantly you’re the most prepared player out there, coaching our team to the championship this year. We don’t win without you and that’s a fact. 

Ricky Naimi- Yellow played the inside game all year but when we needed a big play I always knew who to go to. Coming up big in the playoff game against white with some crucial catches, and held that line against green to take away the screens. More important than all that you called the best timeout of the year for us!!! Way to come through for us all year you’re the man.

Dani Jaju- AKA DJ2, AKA ROY- Way to come out your first year and show everyone your game. Great route runner with excellent hands I knew throwing the ball your way was a sure bet. You kept this team going midway through the season playing Qb like a seasoned vet. Kept us motivated in the chat and really made this team feel like a family. You’re a great addition to the league, I know you’ll be one of the leaders down the line.

Vinny Kedjbou- Back to Back baby!! I don’t draft you every year for nothing my boy. Perfect snaps, sure hands and speed in the middle of the field that no one can touch. You’ve been a big part of Yellows success over the years and its much appreciated. I don’t think the wheel route is low key anymore though. 

Jimmy Kinaia- You’re a beast!!! Tough as nails blocking or rushing you made your presence felt. Sending you up the middle or collapsing the pocket from the outside you did your job and never complained, only responding “whatever the team needs”. You’re a class act and look forward to playing with you again.

Michael Joseph Sulaka- Underrated out here. We put you at linebacker you made plays, put you in the flat you made plays, put you at safety and you made plays. We put you in positions to make plays and you didn’t disappoint. You play hard out there, don’t stop. Also your input in the chat was big, good shit.

Nick Ammori- My Boy!!!! My boy who refused to play until I show you a pic of my draft sheet you loser. It’s such a far drive from Rochester to only play one way, you think your fat ass can play both ways or something?? Well now that you’re a westsider again I know you’ll have no excuse when I draft you in the 12th round again. Way to be ole reliable. Reading the field and always ending up in the right spot. Pulling flags, knocking down balls, and snagging the occasional pick, just another day at the office. “Lets just win Nick”

George Sharrak- Never said a word in the chat, didn’t come to a single team meeting, showed up late for every game if he even showed up at all. What good are you? Actually pretty damn good. Balled out in the playoffs and ship with some big catches for us. Solid hands and knack for getting open, you're just a gamer. You're a guy that like to walk to his own beat, and I can respect that.

Mike Dado and Kyle Karana- Played hard for us all year and didn’t complain for a second. Never questioned an assignment and always asked for more. You guys are Champs.

What a year boys!!! I have to say I had a lot of fun with this group and can’t wait to enjoy it with you guys for the whole year.

Quick stat: 0 punts all year. Has only happened one other time in CFL history with Russ.

Congratulations to Team Green and first year Coach Lance Samona, epic comeback getting to the ship starting out 0-5.

 

______________________________________________________________

 

Under the Lights 2016 CFL CHY CUP Music to my ears.

By Anthony Toma

 

Nate Karrumi's Team Yellow vs Lance Samona's Team Green

The match up none of us predicted week 6 when a sliding tackle that sidelined Nate for 3 games and Green with nothing positive to report at 1-5.

The meeting of the two miracles under the lights.

"The Resurrection" vs "The Birth" (Easter vs Christmas)

 

He Rises

Nate a leader that people follow, A guy you break bread with and a guy that will give you the skirt (not a typo) off his back. He delivered the coveted Chy Cup back in 2008 to his Apostils and said take this all of you and drink from it for this is why we play the game. They drank they ate and the celebrated. Fast forward to 2016 when Judas now has his own team, Judas (AA) sends his men (Ray Khammi) to maim Nate during the first and second place match up. The season was lost. There was no way Yellow could go on without their leader. They tried, they fought and they had flashes with Danny Jajou stepping into the spotlight. In the end Nate size 6.5 shoes were just too big to fill. But........ on the third week he rose again to lead his squad to the playoffs by beating a White led AA team. A real life modern day Miracle!

Born Yeezy

Born to parents "Team" and "White" July 11th 2016. Lil' Yeezy was passed on by all in the draft, not once but twice. Lil' Yeezy played receiver and cornerback for his Team White in his early days. White lost its first game of the season and everyone blamed Lil' Yeezy. He couldn't understand why but he took it anyway. The next week Lil' Yeezy lit it up and White won its first game of the young season. White began to roll and no one wanted to give Lil' Yeezy any of the credit, instead the Three Wise Men (Scotty, Anthony and Sean) got together and decided to make a deal and send Lil' Yeezy to lowly Green. Green was bad, Green was all but mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. Then a series of miracles happened, Coach Lance (The Real Wise Man) made the trade that brought not only Lil' Yeezy to Green but Samson (Peter) and Dalilah (Mazen).  While Daliah was on holiday, Lil' Yeezy and the rest of the Team Green took on Team Red in the clash of the Christmas colors. Lil' Yeezy didn't fare too well but Lil' Yeezy used the Christmas game to shed part of his name (Lil') was not a part of his name anymore. Yeezy was born! Week 6 Yeezy wins! Week 7 Yeezy wins! Week 8 Yeezy wins! Week 9 Yeezy wins! Week 10.... Oh no it's Team Red again????? No PROBLEM.... NO MORE LIL' AND YEEZY WINS!!!!!!! Playoffs vs Blue, You know it.... Yeezy Wins!!!! Another modern day Miracle!

 

So the table is set! Christmas vs Easter

QBs

Nate:

The hard nose all in or nothing player. Clearly Team Yellow's MVP. He can throw on the run as good as any in the history of the game. He makes some trades that leave you scratching your head and then you see the product on the field and you think, what does this guy know that I don't???? We all wish we knew. He has shown over and over that you don't ever count him or his team out. Also to never bet against him.

Timmy (BIG Yeezy):

No one is doubting him now are they???? I was one of the doubters but I've done an involuntary 180. He has forced me to be Belyeezer. I'm not taking anything away from Lance or Timmy here but you can't discount the work Joey Kejbou put into Lil' Yeezy to help him become BIG' YEEZY. Timmy put in the work and he is a beast. He put this team on his back and pulled up to the field under the lights and said "I told you I'd get us here". The clear MVP of Green and probably the league!

Advantage: Yellow (experience)

 

Trenches

Dylan, Chris S and Jimmy K

Dylan has been bothered by his heels all year. I don't see that stopping him from going 100% Saturday night. He is one of the toughest guys to block and I'm not sure Green will have a solution for him. He causes all kinds of problems for every team and he hasn't had a taste of the Cup yet so I'd stay out of his way if I could help it. Chris S. is one of the most underrated everything. He has wheels good hands and smarts that he doesn't really get credit for either. He has been Nate's go to guy for a lot of the second half since acquiring him from Green as part of a three team deal that sent Derek P to White. Jimmy K missed last year's Chy Cup due to injury "Alisas" but none the less he is right back in the mix. He is a very steady rusher.

Timmy P (replacing Travis Abro), Mark H, Preston R and Brandon S

First let's talk about Travis contribution getting Green here, he is a motor that never stops running. I was in complete shock that he played all year only to have to attend a wedding in California the weekend of the Chy Cup, Coincidence?????? Some think Timmy P is going to be the secret weapon the Brandon Nafso was in last year's Chy Cup. Timmy is a solid fill in and has shown he belongs in this league not only on a skill level but dedication. He campaigned to play even though he was going to miss 3 weeks due to his wedding. Good speed and powerful. Mark H, what can you say about him? He is the ultimate teammate and will do whatever it takes to take a shot while on the field and chat you up to antagonize you while he is on the sidelines. He has an impact on and off the field, making him the best 8th man in the league. Preston is a freak in that he is the ultimate utility player. He can run with Centers, Lineman and Slot Receivers. For a Lineman/Linebacker he has probably more INTs than a lot of DBs. He gets crucial sacks and timely INTs. He is a true player. Brandon S is one of those guys that you love to have on your team because he too can do it all and has no problem with doing what he is asked. He is big for his size (lol). Whatever that means???? He can snap, catch and run all in one motion. Great team guy!

 

Advantage: Green (Lots of options and looks available)

 

Center

Danny S

Team guy that loves to block even though he isn't the biggest guy. Of all the centers in the league he is the best blocker that I've faced as a middle linebacker.  He makes huge catch after huge catch. He reminds me of Dennis Sarafa. Doesn't do anything fancy but does everything solid.

Vinnie K

The magician. He can catch and runnnnnnnnnnnn stop start stop runnnnnn zig and zag. He is a great after the catch runner. Solid snaps and is tough to bring down. He has some wheels too. He and Nate have a chemistry.

Advantage: Even

Receivers

Andrew S, Mazen J, Lance S and Peter N

WOW! That is a lot of fire power. Andrew being sidelined and hampered all year doesn't help, he looked good not great last week but I'll take a 75% Shango over 90% of the 100% guys in the league. Mazen and Peter cracking???? Forget about it. You are locked down. Lance got some action at the WO position that while Shango was out. It was probably a blessing in that it gave Lance a chance to transfer some on his football Knowledge to Yeezy in the huddle.

Ricky N, Danny J, George S and I'm going to include Chris S in here too (we all know why)

Ricky is a beast, when he is on he is on. He can bang with the best of them and won't back down from a challenge. Danny J would have probably led the league in TDs if he wasn't asked to play QB for 4 games. He can catch and run. George is steady and when he shows up gets the job done. He can run and jump with the best of them. Chris S?????? WTF?????? Where did he go? Wait...... Where did he come from???? Who had him???? Did he just block two guys and then go out catch the ball and run it 60 yards for a TD? Yep!

Advantage: Green (not for the obvious reason but since Yellow's receivers are going to be covered by Green's DBs)

Linebackers and DBs since most teams use a blend

Nick A, Nate, Mike S, Ricky N

Nick isn't pretty out there but he is a great position guy, great flag puller and the heart of the defense. Nate??? What is there to say about this one armed wonder? He locks people down, period. Ricky is solid in that he can bump and run and just flat out run with the WOs. He has technique and the smarts of a well rounded football player.  Mike Solaka, I had to include his last name for league reasons. He goes after the ball anytime it goes up and he doesn't care who is around, he goes straight to the ball. The shortest route he will travel. He has probably knocked out more guys than anyone in the league. He isn't playing dirty and has no ill will but man s he dangerous. I see him knocking Nate out of the game in the third but we all know Nate will come back for the very next play if he takes even one play off.

Mazen, Lance, Shango, Timmy, Peter and Preston

This band of six could probably beat the other 4 teams without fielding a seventh guy. They are so big, long, strong and fast that it almost isn't even fair????

Not a weakness to exploit and they have another guy in their back pocket that they can have shadow Nate with. Four guys on one team that can cover any team's number one receiver?

Advantage: Green

 

 

These are the two best teams the CFL had to offer this year and it is only fitting that they square off to hoist the Chy Cup off the field this Saturday. Who wins this game?

Well that all depends? If you look at it on paper, Green has already won. The good news for Green is that that isn't the way we decide who gets to take the Cup to the after party and do nasty things to it. We play for it and we allow the best team that day decide.

Will Nate be able to throw the deep ball?

Are Peter and Shango healthy enough to make a contribution?

Is Dylan able to walk, let alone run?

Does Yeezy have one more miracle game in him?

Does Mazen bring his A game?

Who will step up for Green/Yellow?

Can anyone contain Nate and if so what about the dump to Chris?

Either way this has been a miracle season and for one team that miracle is going to live on.

 

Good luck to both teams. May we have a miracle of a game and a fantastic finish to match the season both these teams have had. The CFL is the greatest league in the land and that will never change.

See you all for the kickoff this Saturday at 8 pm the 8th of October at West Bloomfield High School for the game of the year!

 

Line:

Green -6 O/U 46

Prediction: Yellow wins by 2

White

Anthony Acho - Coach

Sean Mattia

Timmy Acho

Peter Namou

Danny Jajou

Brandon Nafso

Jonathan Sesi

Scotty Acho

Cresto Alos

Mark Hajjar

Anthony Mansour - Reserve

 

Yellow

Nate Karrumi - Coach

Dylan Putrus

Ricky Nami

Derek Putrus

Vinny Kejbou

George Sharrak

Jimmy Kinaya

Mike Solaka

Danny Jajo

Kyle Karana - Reserve

 

Blue

 

Justin Orow - Coach

Jordan Rabban - not a misprint

John Paul Namou - JP

Joe Garmo Jr.

Niko Jonna

Anthony Nami

Dylan Kallabat

Pierre Bacal

Derek Jamoua

Ivan Haddad

Joe Namou - Reserve

Austin Kallabat - Reserve

 

Green

 

Lance Samona - Coach

Andrew Shango

Mike Akrawi

Nick Hermiz

Chris Sesi

Brandon Shafou

Danny Shaba

Preston Rabban

Nolan Kejbou

Ray Khammi

Timmy Pattah - Reserve

Marino Samona - Reserve but will never show up anyway

 

Red

 

Anthony Toma - Coach

Jordan Rassam

Stefan Kallabat

Mazen Jaddou

Derrick Rabban

Aws Ayar

George Abro

Nolan Karummi

Travis Abro

Joey Foumia

Nick Kizy - Reserve

 

Black

 

Tarik Kama - Coach

Mike Sesi

Tony Attisha

Matt Shango

Christian Yaldo

Mike Hakim

Fadi Gulli

Angelo Nanoshi

Karl Dallou

Ernest Yeldo

Laith Sawa - Reserve

Travis Savaya - Reserve

 

Yellow wins the 2015 Chy Cup by beating Red 47-40. Great work Nate and the rest of the Yellow Team. 

Team Red

Anthony Acho

Jordan Rassam

Mazen Jaddou

Lance Samona

Peter Namou

Marcus Sheker

Timmy Pattah

Anthony Toma -C

Nick Kizy

Angelo Nanoshi

Mike Dado -Res

Ricky Nami -Res

 

Team Black

Tarik Kama -C

Max Sheker

Derek Rabban

Derek Putrus

Nolan Karummi

Mike Hakim

Christian Yaldo

Emilio Abo

Ernest Yeldo

George Daniel

Murna -Res

Paul Kejbou -Res

 

Team Green

Tony Attisha -C

Sean Mattia

Anthony Yaldo

Jordan Rabban

Dani Jajou

Jason Bakou

Pat Sesi

Laurence Namou

Mark Hajjar

Joe Mattia

Peter Kejbou -Res

Anthony Mansour -Res

 

Team Yellow

Nate Karummi -C

Nick Hermiz

Mike Sesi

Matt Shango

Chris Sesi

Vinny Kejbou

Cresto Alos

Jimmy Kinaya

George Sharak

Mike Solaka

Anthony Mansour -Res

Team Blue Justin Orow -C Dylan Putrus Stefan Kallabat Niko Jonna  George Abro Preston Rabban John Sesi Karl Dallou Ray Jonna Joe Secreto Kyle Mio -Res Marino Samona -Res

 

Team White

Joey Kejbou -C

Andrew Shango

JP Namou

Timmy Acho

Fadi Gulli

Brandon Shafou

Scotty Acho

Shaun Marrogi

Pierre Bacall

John Kattola

Reno Arabo -Res

Pierre  Savaya -Res

In a game dominated by Blue for 58 minutes, White wins 20 - 19. Hats off to the entire blue team for a game well played. Total domination for all but the last 2 minutes and a call that could have gone either way. One single mistake with under 1:30 to play cost Blue back to back titles.

 

It was John Paul Namou (JP) that took advantage of the mistake made by Blue and Andrew Shango that finished it off.

 

Congrats to Team White. 2014 CFL Champs (lots of very high character guys on this White team)

 

 More to come.......

 

 

 

 

 

1 of the Playoffs 

White 20 Green 12

Game 2 

Blue 13 Yellow 12

 

Chy Cup 

 

White vs Blue

 

 

 

AY is the Equalizer.... 

 

 

 

 

 

Draft winners and losers

Red

Red came out of last night's draft with everything they wanted and got an extra Chuck in the process. Anthony Toma figured to get Derek P and Lance with his first 2 picks and even Chris Zeer with his 5th pick but no one predicted Karl Dallou would be available at the 6th spot. Toma and assistant coach Lance Samona were delighted that he fell to them at 6! Red has some depth issues at every position besides QB.

Red B-

 

Black

Tarik seemed to be beat to the punch on every one of his picks. He wanted Derek Rabban an d had to put up a fight before the draft started to get him. He won that fight but it was a fight that could have been concluded in a half a minute if he had just said he wanted Derek R and not Derek P. Either way he came out of the fight a big winner because he probably got the best available talent in the draft with his first pick. His second pick (Peter Namou) is another very high level talent. You could argue that Black ended up with the best top 5 in the league today. Tarik, Jordan R, Pat K, Derek R and Peter N make up a very talent squad for Black. The trouble is he wanted his boy Chuck and out smarted himself taking John Sesi (great player) but he could have had both Karl and John. Either way Black is looking good.

Black B+

 

Green

Green came out of the draft loaded with talent and but no QB? How is that going to work? What is coach Tony Attisha going to do hand the ball to AY and ask him to run it in every play? It seems to me that Green gambled by not picking Karl or Chris Zeer with an earlier pick. Maybe Sean, Tony, Anthony and Jordan know something we don't about the game of football? Maybe you don't need a QB in this day and age? Time will tell.

Grade C+

 

Yellow

Natham dangled his brother Nolan out for all to have, but in the end his brother found his way home. This team is the closest you will get to a band of brothers in this league. Top to bottom Yellow's roster is filled with guys that will give it all they have for their coach Nate. It seems Nate goes for the character guys. No not that kind of character but the kind that will rip your head off and feed it to you. The nice thing about playing a team like Yellow is that Nate and Nolan can fix you up after their plays take shots at you for four 15 minutes quarters every single play.

Grade B

White

Joey Jonna did it again. He pulled the wool over everyone's eyes at the draft and walked out with a powerhouse that on paper would beat the Detroit Lions. He protected Superman Andrew Shango and Mighty Mouse Joe Kejbou and turned around and drafted JP with his very next pick. How in the world is any team going to stop that trio? Ray Dawood is a player that at the center position give Jonna hands down the best receiving core in CFL history. The steal of the draft has to be Aws Ayar in the 5th round. How in the world did Jonna pull that off? Not to mention the addition of Ray Jonna and Brian Najor late in the draft as well.

Grade A+

 

Blue

Cool as you can be Justin called everyone one in the draft garbage. He was creating a smoke screen so that as he did last year assemble a team that will not only contend but would be the favorite going in. Justin made all of 0 trades last season and won the Chy Cup. This year Orow wasted no time in trading the MVP of the Chy Cup Mike Sesi and for Pat Kenia. Before the ink could dry he shipped Pat right back out with Jordan R the regular season MVP in a blockbuster trade with Black for Dylan P and Timmy the thrill Acho. At first glance you think.... Why would he trade the core of a Championship team? But then you look at the team he assembled in the draft and it all makes sense. He grabbed the ever disruptive Tyson Yono with his first pick and then a double dose of Dani with and I and Danny with a Y. Rounding out his roster was Cresto and Steve the Swiss Army Knife Sigmani.

Grade A

2014 Draft

 

Team Red

 

Coach Anthony Toma

 

1.  Anthony Acho
2. Max Sheker/Jordan Rassam
3. Stefan Kallabat
4. Derek Putrus/Fadi Gulli
5. Lance Samona
6. Chris Zeer/Julian
7. Karl Dallou/Steve Sigmani
8. DErek Bahri/Mike Hakim
9. John Katoula 

Reserves

Kevin Shounia

Marino Samona

 

Team Black

Coach Tarik Kama

1. Jordan Rassam/Max Sheker
2. Pat Kenia
3. Derek Rabban
4. Peter Naumo
5. John Sesi/Karl Dallou
6. Fadi Gulli/Derek P
7. Amilio
8. Joey Foumia
9. Ernest Yeldo

 

Team Green

Coach Tony Attisha

1. Sean Mattia
2. Anthony Yaldo
3. Jordan Rabban
4. Niko Jonna
5. Marcus Sheker
6. George Abro
7. Mike Hakim/Derek Bahri/Chris Z
8. Peire Bacal
9. Derek Dickow

Team Yellow

Coach Natham Karrumi

1. Mike Sesi
2. Nick Hermiz
3. Matt Shango
4. Noalan Karrumi
5. Chris Sesi
6. Vinie Kejbou
7. Pat Kashat
8. Jason Bako
9. Pat Sesi

Team White

Coach Joey Jonna

1. Andrew Shango
2. Joey Kejbou
3. JP Namou
4. Ray Dawood
5. Aws Ayar
6. Ray Jonna
7. Brian Najor
8. Ramzy Kizy
9. Mark Hajjar

Team Blue

Coach Justin Orow

1. Mazin Jaddou
2. Dylan Putrus
3. Timmy Acho
4. Tyson Yono
5. Dani Jajou
6. Danny Shaba
7. Cresto Alos
8. Steve Sigmani/John Sesi
9. Scotty Acho

 

We will add the reserves later. I didn't get the full list.

 

 

 

 

 



Team Blue

Standing: Lance Samona, Anthony Toma, Peter Namou, Jordan Rassam, Derek Putrus, Mike Sesi, Steve Sagmani Kneeling: Mazen Jaddou, Justin Orow (Coach), Derek Dickow

 

Team White

Standing: Lawrence Namou, Andrew Shango, Joey Jonna (Coach), Derek Bahri, Bobby Seman, Norman Yono, Jr., Ray Jonna Kneeling: Andrew Boji, Joey Kejbou, Danny Shaba, Jordan Rabban, Brian Najor Not Pictured: Jason Bakou

2013 Draft Order:

 

Team Red

Chris Zeer – Coach

Max Sheker

Stefan Kalabat

Timmy Acho

Tyson Yono

Derek Bahri

Scott Acho

John Sesi

Mark Hajjar

John Kattoula

Julian Jaberaeel – Reserve

Travis Sokana – Reserve

 

Team Black

Tarik Kama – Coach

Dylan Putrus

Anthony Acho

John Paul Namou

Dani Jajou

Sinan Abdal

Danny Shaba

Vinny Kejbou

Brian Najor

Rami Yousif 

Martin Allos – Reserve

Paul Kejbou -Reserve 

Big Marv - Reserve 

 

Team Blue

Justin Orow – Coach

Jordan Rassam

Mike Sesi

Mazen Jaddou

Lance Samona

Peter Namou

Derek Putrus

Anthony Toma

Derek Dickow

Steve Sagmani

Brandon Shafou – Reserve

George Abro – Reserve

Pierre Bacall - Reserve

 

Team White

Joey Jonna – Coach

Andrew Shango

Joey Kejbou

Norman Yono, Jr

Jordan Rabban

Niko Jonna

Fadi Gulli

Marcus Sheker

Bob Seman

Jason Bako

Ray Jonna – Reserve

Lawerence Namou – Reserve

Andrew Boji - Reserve

 

Team Yellow

Natham Karrumi – Coach

Pat Kinaia

Nick Hermiz

Matt Shango

Nolan Karrumi

Dillon Zerky

Brett Sitto

Chris Sesi

Ramzi Kizy, Jr

Cresto Allos

Chris Karrumi – Reserve

 

Team Green

Tony Attisha – Coach

Sean Mattia

Anthony Yaldo

Aws Ayar

Derek Rabban

Karl Dallou

Ray Dawood 

Pat Sesi

Joey Foumia

Bash Taki

Shawn Marogi – Reserve

Kevin Shounia – Reserve

Peter Kejbou - Reserve

Team Blue:

Nolan Karrumi Coach
Norman Yono
Pat Kinaia
Aws Ayar
Brett Sitto
Chris Sesi
Joey Haji
Marcus Sheker
Rami Yousif
Steve Sagmani
Ray Jonna Reserve
Fiaz Francis Reserve

Team Red:

Anthony Toma Coach
Anthony Acho
Max Sheker
Joey Kejbou
Stefan Kalabat
Derek Rabban
Fadi Gulli
Chris Zeer
Pierre Bacall
Bash Taki
Pat Kashat Reserve
Andrew Boji Reserve

Team Yellow:

Natham Karrumi Coach
Tyson Yono
Matt Shango
Ray Dawood
Mike Sesi
Michael Sulaka
Vinny Kejbou
Mark Hajjar
Scott Acho
John Kattoula
Shawn Namou Reserve
Simon Elia Reserve
Big Marv Reserve

Team Green:

Tony Attisha Coach
Justin Orow
Anthony Yaldo
Russ Smith
Lance Samona
Danny Shaba
Brian Najor
Pat Sesi
Derek Dickow
Jr Kizy
Shawn Marogy Reserve
Kevin Shounia Reserve
Joe Mansour Reserve

Team Black:

Tarik Kama Coach
Dylan Putrus
JP Namou
Andrew Shango
Peter Namou
Derek Puturs
Karl Dallou
John Sesi
Joey Foumia
Cresto Allos
Paul Iskander Reserve
Marino Samona Reserve
Anthony Mansoor Reserve

Team White:

Joey Jonna Coach
Timmy Acho
Jordan Rassam
Nick Hermiz
Dani Jajou
Sinan Abdul
Alvin Zaitouna
Marvin Yeldo
Bobby Seman
Ernest Yeldo
Feras Mansour Reserve
Dennis Sarafa Reserve
George Abro Reserve

2011 CFL Championship Game Preview
By Derek Dickow, CFL Commissioner

Another year of excitement, expectations, trades, missing teeth, cracked ribs, bruised egos and football – and it all comes down to this.

Football fans of the community, please join your family and friends for the 2011 Chy Cup Championship Game 8:00pm this Saturday, at West Bloomfield High School.

Team Black, 6-5, coached by Tarik Kama, beat the one seed Team Green and a squad filled with speed and quickness. Their reward is a championship matchup against the defending champs in Team White, 7-4, coached by Joey Jonna.

Black has the tools

In their final game of the regular season, in a must win situation, they were able to beat Team Red on the final play of the game. When asked about the team’s energy and ability in the playoffs, Kama said, “Red woke up a sleeping giant, and everyone is feeding off each other”.

When asked what Kama thought about playing White for the Chy Cup, “these (teams) are the best matchups to ever play in the CFL, two great QB’s and defensive minded teams.”

The veteran Kama has been an explosive and versatile player his entire career. He can break down a defense and score on a quarterback keeper on any given play. He’s got the weapons and skills, but the question of late has been, can he finish?

Arguably the best lineman in the game, CFL All Pro Dylan Putrus, is looking for his first Chy Cup win. He will protect Kama along with a rotation of veteran Bash Taki and Joey Foumia, who will also provide a strong rush. Derek Rabban adds speed and quickness at the center position and can get behind the defense in a hurry.

Kama will throw to the ageless wonder and CFL Legend Karl Dallou. Known by many nicknames to many people, and different kinds of people, he gets the job done year in and year out and has five Chy Cup wins. He is Kama’s go to guy in the clutch and for good reason. “Shuck, I got it shuck."

Kama will also find rookie of the year candidate in Andrew Shango. Shango proved that when he gets to the field on time, he can contribute to his team. But Kama’s primary target on this night will be star John Paul Namou. JP has been the most consistent receiver Kama has in terms of route running, spacing and sure hands. Look for JP to have a great game on both sides of the ball if Black wants to win.

Kama adds reserves Vinny Kejbou and Paul Kejbou to fill in at times for Steve Sagmani and Chris Denha who are both out with season ending injuries.

Defending champs, business as usual

“Battle is a good word to describe our season. We started off hot at 4-0, and three of those wins went right to the wire, (on the) last play and last drive. The second half has been different, but we have played for each other and picked each other up and those values came to the surface yesterday”, said Jonna.

Having won it all last year after a two-year retirement for White, Jonna elected to make minor tweaks to his lineup. He protected his core, including team and arguably league MVP, in Jordan Rassam. Rassam is an All Pro Lineman who is strong and fast enough to warrant the punt return duties as well. Rassam must be accounted for on both sides of the ball is no stranger to the big stage or playing under pressure. CFL Legend and 26-year veteran, Ramzy Kizy, Jr., will also protect Jonna from the line.

Jonna’s primary target is his star wideout Tim Acho. Acho provides length and speed and has been Jonna’s favorite receiver all year. Look for Acho to spread the defense enabling Jonna to find second year star Mike Sesi, another deep threat. Playing the slot receiver and linebacker is Nick Hermiz, who is pound for pound the toughest player in the league. Jonna will find center Danny Shaba on important conversions to keep drives alive.

Defensively, Lance Samona, has been a valuable piece for Team White. His ability to read opposing QB’s has given the White D the extra push they’ve needed all season. Derek Dickow plays at the linebacker position along with Hermiz and will add energy and effort along with veteran Brain Najor. Najor will rush on the opposite side of Rassam and will look to contain the left-handed Kama.

Chy is good for the body

Expect to see a very tough battle between these teams, especially at the line. There is no shortage of speed, strength or experience and that will factor in for the winner of this matchup.

The team that wins will pull flags, limit mistakes and outscore their opponent. Or as Dallou would say, “come on shuck, unbelievable, brashed baba to me, in my opinion, go to sleep.”

Preview Notes

The league started prior to 1981, but this is the 31st Annual Chy Cup game.

You do not want to miss Noor Toma singing the National Anthem at 8:00pm sharp.

The WCFL Championship Game will be played at 6:00pm
Team Blue, Coached by Dani Jajou and Captained by Linda Zetouna vs
Team Black, Coached by Tyson Yono and Captained by Francesca Kesto

Concessions will be available and donated by Papa’s Pizza and Absopure Water.

Donations are graciously accepted at the gate and all proceeds raised from this event will benefit the Team Jen Cancer Foundation.

About Team Jen:

TEAM JEN CANCER FOUNDATION was founded July 2011 by a group of girls that called themselves "sisters through Christ". Their dear friend and sister, Jennifer Yatuoma, was diagnosed with cancer 4 years ago and has been nothing but a positive and great person to all. This foundation is a way to reach out to friends & families who have been affected by such a terrible disease. The word CANCER should never scare anyone; it should ONLY make them stronger. Be the army of support for others. Helping should come from the Heart. We appreciate life so much more when we can make a person smile. A cancer patients’ only wish is to be cured by the grace of God. With that Grace comes angels such as ourselves to make sure they are stress free and mentally strong. Prayers go out to everyone who has lost someone with Cancer or continuing to battle Cancer. There are soldiers who are out there fighting for their lives that need us more than ever! God Bless. Thank you so much for the support and love!

With questions & donations please contact teamjen302@gmail.com

For more information on Team Jen, visit facebook.com/teamjencancerfoundation

For more information on the CFL, visit www.chaldeanfootball.com

2011 DRAFT ORDER

RED - Anthony Toma
Anthony Acho
Russ Smith
Joey Kejbou
Stefan Kalabat
Derek Putrus
Dani Jajou
Bobby Seman
Scotty George
Mike Toma

Reserves

Bash Taki
Remi Yousif
Kevin


BLUE - Nolan Karrumi
Brett Sitto
Pat Kinaya
Norman Yono
Sinan Abdal
Mark Hajjar
Chris Sesi
Ray Lousia
Mark Adamo
John Kattoula

Reserves

Ray Jonna
Anthony Namin
Darron Namou

GREEN - Tony Attisha
Anthony Yaldoo
Justin Orow
Max Sheker
Aws Ayar
Peter Namou
Pat Sesi
Chris Roumayeh
John Sesi
Ernest Yeldo

Reserves

Marcus Sheker
Shaun Marogi
Peter Yatooma

YELLOW - Natham Karrumi
Tyson Yono
Ray Dawood
Mr. Haleeb
Fadi Gulli
Matt Shango
Peter Rabban
Nick Ammori
Scott Acho
Joey Foumia

Reserves

Alvin Zaitouna
Nicky Sarafa
BIG Marv

WHITE - Joey Jonna
Jordan Rassam
Timmy Acho
Nick Hermiz
Lance Samona
Mike Sesi
Danny Shaba
Brian Najor
JR Kizy
Derek Dickow

Reserves

Pierre Bacall
James Semma
Frank Jonna

BLACK - Tarik Kama
Dylan Putrus
Derek Rabban
John Paul Namou
Andrew Shango
Karl Dallou
Marvin Yeldo
Chris Denha
Steve Sagmani
Nelson Brikho

Reserves

Vinny Kejbou
Paul Kejbo
Joey Namou

It happened in the opening drive of the game, after Team White’s drive leading to a Jordan Rassam touchdown, the momentum was all White everything. Joey Jonna, coach of Team White, set the tone early for his team. He got help from the MVP of the game Rassam, on a lineman release, which looked all too familiar for some 300 fans of the 31st Annual Chaldean Football League Chy Cup Championship Game.

Jonna had one specific plan after coming back from a two year medical leave; win. He drafted Rassam, an untraditional yet effective lineman, in the first round, which to my knowledge, has never been done by any other coach in CFL history. The combination worked all season long.

Team Green, led by first year coach Tony Attisha, took their first possession and offered White another scoring opportunity. Quarterback Mike Zeer errantly threw the ball in the direction of his lineman, only to see Rassam pick it off and walk it in unscathed for his second touchdown of the game.

White led 14-0 and didn’t need another point to win on this night. Green did show a few signs of life late in the second quarter, but couldn’t convert as Zeer found White defenders, Timmy Acho and Nick Hermiz with other plans. Zeer was intercepted four times in this game, with a possible fifth had Acho continued the “process” of completing the catch as he went to the ground. Alasas, I thought he caught it.

Key plays were turned in by Green’s Justin Orow, who had an All Star year for Green at every position he played, scoring a touchdown and intercepting a pass from Jonna to keep it close. His interception was especially solid because he went up, caught the ball at its highest point and wrestled it away from Acho as they went to the ground.

Zeer had an off or awful night any way you call it; however, you have to credit White’s defense, especially animated rusher Chris Denha, linebacker Marvin Yeldo and Jonna’s ability to manage the game. It was all white everything from the start.

White finished the game with a score of 20-7 and capped off a great year for the CFL. With over 300 fans coming out to show their support, this was easily the highest attended game in league history. A special thanks to the fans, the volunteers, the girls from the WCFL and the Powder Puff participants for making the night a memorable one.

Game Notes…After the game I interviewed Rassam on the field, he looked at me and said, “I gotta be the MVP shuck,” no doubt in my opinion…Lance Samona was limping on his leg but fought thru the pain to finish out the game…Branden Yono has now won the Cup three years in a row…Nelson Brikho got __________...Rookie of the Year Mike Sesi is a good kid and Ramzy Kizy, Jr continues his streak in CFL infamy has he has yet to miss a game for an injury, a wedding or for being hung over.





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A little history lesson and player profile by Anthony Toma

The Chaldean Football League is a flag football league played by Chaldeans for Chaldeans, not to be confused with FUBU, although… until the recent rule change, used to the FU league.

The CFL is smash mouth flag football at its finest. The Chy Cup is a special trophy, well actually it’s much more than a trophy, it’s THEE STATUS SYMBOL of our community today, and some would argue that it rivals the IROC-Z in the early 80’s.

To understand the significance of having your name engraved on the Chy Cup you have to understand the players. Here is a look at the players that make up the two best teams playing for the honor or 2010 CFL Champions!

First Green

Tony Attisha Coach (Posterizer)

He has willed his teams with big plays at the right time over and over and over, over the years. He might look lazy out there, but don’t fall for it, it’s a set up. Pick 6 if you do.
I can name 50 times Tony Posterized guys on my teams alone.

Justin (Beaber) Orow

Although Justin was traded by coach/gm Tony, he is lucky to have him back. Justin has played QB and has been the MVP of the Green team since day one, doing anything and everything to keep to dream alive.

Sinan Abdal (Survivor)

Not many people know this and I’m not sure I have the right to bring this to light but, I’m going to anyway. Sinan was one of the dogs that survived Michael Vick’s dog fighting ring, he was 49 and O when the raid on the kennel happened. He cried when the FBI and they weren’t tears of joy, he wanted to stay and fight some more. Anyway, all is well because he found the CFL and beat the dog ship out of Vick like Tarik to advance to the big dance. Secretly he fears the FBI may step in before Saturday night and dash his dreams once again.

Anthony (lil a) Yaldo

Broken foot and all, what can you say about the size of this kid’s heart? Best pound for pound player in the world.

Mike Zeer (talks it up, more important, backs it up)

I don’t know where he got the moves or the speed from, but he was lights out in the playoff game. He shook Norm Reed out of his shoes on the TD play at the end of the game, it was an incredible play.

Mark Hajjar (The Master Writer)

Mark can flat out write! That boy good!

Kelsey Bashi (not Lately)

Broke his wrist and hasn’t been back since.

Danny Shaba (Hi 5)

Danny 5 is a solid player and also a survivor in his own right; he survived the trade wind of Tony A. He was one of 3 players that weren’t trade out of 9. Danny can defend with the best of them and is a playmaker at the center position.

Scotty Acho (the forgotten one)

The Acho boy that gets the least air play, he is coming into his own and making enough noise to be noticed, he too might be playing in Iraq next year like his brother.

And now come the Reserves Pat Sesi and Pierre Bacall

Without their two reserves, Green wouldn’t be playing for all the marbles. These guys carried this team all regular season long. These two are going to be a great addition and might be regulars next season and for years to come.

Now comes White

Joey Jonna (Nate killer)

Nate has won the Chy Cup the last two years in a row and would have won it again this year, but the problem is Joey is healthy again. Enough about Nate, let’s talk about Joey. Joey is a leader, a champion, win or lose, week in and week out. He threads the needle and trusts his receivers to go get the ones he throws up for grabs. If you bring your kids out to the game, you want them to watch and be like Joe.

Jordan Rassam (The MUTHA Fin ShOw SToPpeR)

Hide your kids, hide your wife and yo husbands too. “They bleep’in everybody out here!!!!” They don’t call him show stopper for nothing. Expect to see a determined and demon like flash of white Saturday night and if you don’t… watch the tape in slow motion.

Timmy Acho (39 INTS in his career)

Don’t throw the ball near him or you lose the game. Timmy has closed out 10 or more games with an interception in the 3 short years he has been in the league. He is the tallest player on the field and a favorite target of JJ. So look for Timmy to have a game and a half.

Nick Hermiz (Remember me saying, Anthony Yaldo is the toughest pound for pound player in the CFL, well Nick is the toughest player period)

You don’t want to get near the sideline with him coming your way, it will end in disaster. Disaster in the sense that you will either get de-cleated or you lose a leg, both are bad. You won’t have much luck in the middle of the field either.

Lance Samona (the professor)

Lance is the smartest mime in the league. You can’t get him to say much but when he does you better listen. He reminds me of the pink panther, tall lanky and smooth. A defensive specialist, but hasn’t had much luck against Tony A in past years in the big games.

Ramzy Kizy (coach)

Ramzy is a 24 year veteran and still holding his own against bigger stronger faster younger guys in the league today. P90x and Art of Strength product will do his best this week against Green’s rush. “Ah I’ll kill those young boys shuk”

Mike Sesi (Moss’n folks)

Rookie? I don’t think so. 17 years old? I doubt it. ROY and MVP.

Marvin Yeldo (My flag pull’in guy)

He is a hawk and flag hawking madman. Marvin has been to the big dance and knows how to get in a play. Some people end up in a play because it comes to them, Marvin goes and gets it.

Nelson Bricko (Motor)

Non-stop motor on this guy, he will be there until the end and is a silent assassin. You look at the stats at the end of the game and his name is in the big 3rd down play line all day.

Chris Denha (Not a catfish)

I talked to Chris today and he wants to be called a dogfish from now on. Please make a note of it. Some scratched their heads when White traded for Chris and now everyone knows why. Two things you will notice about Chris Saturday night under the lights, one is, he will give Mike Zeer fits and the other, when he pulls a flag he can’t help but to whip it to the ground.

Branden Yono (right shoulder arms!)

You’re welcome.

Reserve Nick Sarafa (Son of a legend)

Great all around didn’t get his fair share of down, but those are the breaks in the CFL. We will see him as a full timer next season.

So now that you have an understanding of what these two teams are made of, you understand why they are the last two teams standing.

These two are well deserving of the privilege to play for the CFL Championship. They split the regular season match up. Green was a different team. Now both need to bring their best games and may the best TEAM win, the best team always wins.

We will see you all this Saturday night under the lights at West Bloomfield High at 8 pm sharp!

White -6 and over/under 30

The after party is at Sylvan Lanes on Orchard Lake Road, follow the champagne odor if you don’t know where it is.

Good luck to both teams

-----------------------------------


Read below for the rest of the game preview
By Commissioner Derek D

Pre Season Trade Machine

Tony Attisha made 47 trades before the week six deadline, and thus far, the first year coach of team Green is looking like a genius. He lost players to injuries, traded away a semi-pro quarterback, let Justin Orow play QB for a few weeks and then pulled the trade of the year in acquiring crafty veteran and klawat master Mike Zeer. Zeer has shown he can handle the pressure in driving the offense down the field, finding targets Orow, Attisha and speedy rookie Anthony Yaldo.

Zeer looks comfortable behind center and the last time Green and White met in week eight, Green won 13-7 in OT. Green has made plays when they needed to, and despite coming in as the fourth seed, they certainly proved their worth beating number one seeded Black in round one.

Joey Jonna, head coach of team White, had retired in 2007. It wasn’t possible to play again. The doctors told him his back was in no condition for golf, forget football. The retirement announcement was sad. We came in the league the same year and had some epic battles I felt bad for my friend, and more, I felt bad for the CFL.

Don’t Call it a Comeback

Jonna has been playing with what appears to be a chip on his shoulder all season. He drafted Jordan Rassam with his first pick to the shock of many throughout the league. He backed that up with Rookie of the Year Mike Sesi, who has caught everything thrown his way. His primary targets have been Timmy Acho and Nick Hermiz, who are both playmakers at their respective positions on the field. Jonna is looking better than the Jonna of old, and his team is feeding off his leadership and drive.

Quarterback Breakdown

Green

It is unmatched for a team in the Chy Cup Championship Game to have rotated at the quarterback position like Green has, but credit Attisha’s direction and Zeer’s experience. Zeer has done a great job managing the game, and will not be hesitating Saturday night. He will find Attisha, Orow, Yaldo and his center Danny Shaba when it counts. I think he is also a few bad plays from a tough battle with White's defense and line of Rassam and Chris Denha. I expect a few miscues, but look for Zeer to play cautious ball, thus limiting mistakes.

White

Jonna will keep it simple as he always has. We know what to expect from his game, but for Green, their job will be to limit his drives and close gaps on the deep ball. I expect to see passes to Acho, Hermiz and Sesi, but also look for Jonna to find Rassam on a lineman release or his center either Branden Yono or Nelson Brikho on crossing routes.

Who Wants Some Chy?

Jonna’s got years of experience playing and coaching in the Chy Cup Championship Game. Also, they have had a regular quarterback all season long, while Green has just recently gotten comfortable with Zeer calling the plays. I give White an advantage just based on that alone. However, all the pressure is also on White. They are a better team on paper, but games are not won on paper, they are won on the battlefield.

The winner of this game will limit penalties, turnovers and pull flags. The game is that simple. The only question will be, who wants it more?

Man that went by fast. We’re half way to the playoffs and there is a lot to talk about-



RED 1-4 (Coach Anthony “yup, he went through with it” Toma)- This squad is a far cry from what Anthony selected on draft day. After being rocked by the sudden departure of Anthony Acho two days before the season started, Red has been a work in progress ever since. Several things have contributed to the poor start including a QB that doesn’t show up sometimes, injuries, and overall inconsistency in the lineups due to roster restructuring. Things were looking up after an impressive win over Green and a favorable trade to land Nolan Karrumi, but high hopes were dashed when Akrawi called from Chicago at 2:00 the morning to inform his coach that he wasn’t showing for week 5 followed by a first half injury to Karrumi. The good news for Red is that they are only one game out of a playoff spot… and we all know anything can happen in the playoffs. The key for Red is going to be the presence (literally the physical presence) of Akrawi. Joey Kejbou has been solid but Red needs production elsewhere to have any chance. Get well Nolan!! GRADE: D-



YELLOW 2-3 (Coach Hatham Karrumi)- It is no secret that Yellow has underachieved this season. The biggest factor has been the overall disinterest of QB Nate Karrumi. There is speculation that he still hasn’t recovered from Tarik taking Nick Ammori in the 4th round. That draft pick seemed to set off a dark period for Nate as he has not forgiven the other coaches for “letting that happen” (lol). Despite his below average (for him) play and terrible attitude, he has been solid as a GM unloading Joey Kejbou (who he secretly hates) for gamebreaker Sean Mattia and superman Ray Dawood. Tyson Yono has been dominant in every game he’s played in, and Peter Namou has been a nice surprise. Yellow’s roster is loaded and will be better when Dawood returns freakishly early from a torn Achilles. And there is still a LONG way till the playoffs. One thing you can count on in this league is that Karrumi will be his usual dominant self when it matters most. GRADE: C



WHITE 4-1 (Coach Joey “has been” Jonna)- Despite being 4-1 heading into the break, nothing has come easy for TEAM White. White has come from behind in the 4th quarter in 3 of their 4 wins. The offense has been inconsistent at times, but the defense has been solid thanks to consistent play of Jordan Rassam, Tim Acho, and Mohawk every single week. On offense, rookie Mike Sesi has made several electrifying catches and scored at least once in every game. White will have a tough time without #1 WR/ CB Tim Acho for the next couple of weeks, but no doubt everyone else will step up, especially Lance Samona who will be filling in at WR. GRADE: B



BLUE 1-4 (Coach Chris “I think everyone on my team hates me” Zeer)- The bad news is that they are 1-4 and neither of the top two draft picks are on the roster anymore. The good news is that they added the face of the CFL- NICK AMMORI!! Nick has the best winning percentage of anyone in the last three years and will be looking to help turn this team around. Nick will also give Blue instant Message Board credibility, as he has come out of left field as the #1 blogger. Dani Jajou and Maz Sheker have been consistent for Blue all year. Nick will likely be handling the middle linebacker void left by Norm Yono. Nick also enjoys basketball. Derek Putrus will be an upgrade on both the offensive and defensive lines. Nick has basically declared the end of his friendship with Nate Karrumi due to Karrumi’s unwillingness to trade for him. Nick thinks Joey Kejbou is a pussy. Nick also thinks Tony sucks and AT is washed up. According to Nate, Chris should give his team to Nick. Nick’s other interests include the Cover 2 Special and pacha around the holidays. Chris has time to turn it around and a fully revamped roster to battle their way back into playoff contention. He’s not going to win GM of the year this season, but he sits only one game out of the playoffs. Stranger things have happened. GRADE: D



GREEN 2-3 (Coach Tony “trade machine” Attisha)- I’m not 100% certain who’s actually on Tony’s team at this point because he could have made five more trades since I started writing this. But there are a few things we know for sure… we know that Tony is having his worst offensive season ever (except the Purple debacle), we know that Green’s D has given up the fewest points of any team thus far, and we know that rookie Anthony Yaldo has been exceptional so far. Mike Zeer is currently the QB and had a very solid first outing. They aren’t going to need much on offense to be competitive cause the defense is so stingy. But they’ll need Tony to step up and make plays if they are going to make any noise. Once he’s no longer able to trade, his team can finally relax and get in a groove. Green is an OT loss to Black and a last second loss to White away from being 4-1, despite setting the single season trade record. GRADE: C (Tony would like to trade his C for a C-, any takers?)



BLACK 5-0 (Coach Tarik “I have the best fans, BY FAR” Kama)- Black has put it all together this year with the league’s best offense, an opportunistic defense, and clutch play all around. Tarik has been lethal on offense and is the league MVP at this point. JP, who was traded then re-acquired (wow, awkward) has been phenomenal on both sides of the ball and Shuck has been shuckin’ solid. Rookie Derek Rabban has been solid on D and contributed on offense when called on. The Animal has been fierce on D and a consistent threat on offense every game. Black has won by a wide margin and won close ones. They have been the class of the league so far and they have an undefeated record to show for it. But it’s a lot easier to get to the top than to stay there… which is why Tarik went out and traded for Norm who will add a whole new element of speed and power to their arsenal. GM of the year for sure. And fan base of the year for sure. The fact that they might run on the field and stab someone if Black loses adds a whole new level of excitement to the game. GRADE: A+



Sunday marks the beginning of the stretch run and everything important happens from here on out. This is where Champs step up and losers move out of the way. We’re halfway through the season and we have six out of six teams in the playoff hunt. Who wants it the most?!?!?

White Comes Back to Beat Yellow, 18-13

Offensive Player of the Game: Joey Jonna, 14-21 for 198 yards 3 TDs, 1 INT
Defensive Player of the Game: Timmy Acho, 4 rec for 103 yards 1 TD, 1 tackle, 3 INTs

Preparing for the early game is tough for any CFL player, but after your friends throw you a bachelor party Saturday night, it’s time to rise and shine. Rise to the occasion and shine is exactly what Timmy Acho did. Acho, who was a big time target for White QB and Coach Joey Jonna didn’t look sluggish on the field considering the amount of alcohol consumed the night before.

Yellow took the lead early in the first half as QB and Coach Natham Karrumi schemed to beat White. Karrumi’s primary targets were Sean Mattia, 3 rec for 109 yards, 1 TD and Chris Roumayeh, 3 rec for 65 yards and 1 TD. Roumayeh, who found his way to the field via jet-ski from a not too distant island, made a dazzling catch and run with a nice cut back making three defenders miss. On a key fourth down play later in the game, Karrumi found Roumayeh in the back of the end zone, but Roumayeh landed out of bounds and White took over on downs.

White was once again led to victory by Jonna who found a way to awaken his team at the half. The entertainingly vocal Jordan Rassam was notably silent throughout the game, and decided to break out of his shell with 3:11 to go in the fourth. Good timing considering White scored on that drive to take the lead and close out the game.

Jonna found contributions from Nick Hermiz, 4 rec for 44 yards and 1 TD and Rookie of the Year candidate, Mike Sesi, 5 rec for 43 yards and 1 TD.

The story in this game was White’s defense led by Acho. He finished the game and thwarted Yellow’s late drive with his third INT, then looked at his soon-to-be wife and smiled. Congrats to Timmy and Sandy!

White 4-1 will play Blue 1-4 next and Yellow 2-3 will play Red 1-4

Game Notes…Hermiz also added 3 tackles to the game…Peter Namou, another Rookie of the Year candidate, had 5 tackles and 1 INT…Mark Adamo registered a sack, his first of the season…Chris Denha does not eat catfish…Fearless JK had 4 tackles…Sesi made his TD catch over Chris Sesi (no relation that I know of, but if their families are from Telkaif, I’m assuming they’re related)…Rassam registered zero in the stat books, a first in his stellar career.



Black Tops Red, Remains Undefeated, 20-12

Offensive Player of the Game: Tarik Kama, 8-14 for 116 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT and 2 rush for 78 yards
Defensive Player of the Game: John Paul Namou, 5 tackles and 2 INTs

If anyone wants to ask how Black QB and Coach Tarik Kama has led this team to perfection thus far all they have to do is watch him play. Kama, who is without question having a League MVP year, continues to dazzle even though he is 38 years old. He prepares his team to follow his lead, gets contributions from his talented core and continues to prove Black is the team to beat.

Red Coach Anthony Toma, also celebrating his wedding day next Saturday, was without QB Mike Akrawi, Brian Najor and lost newly acquired Nolan Karrumi with what appears to be a meniscus issue with his right knee. Toma did his best to keep the game close, but it wasn’t enough to stop Black.

Dylan Putrus, 4 rec for 39 yards and 3.5 sacks, delivered a ‘big man’ hit on Toma that sent him to the ground. After a minute or so in obvious pain, Toma walked off the field as required by league rules. He then called a timeout just to get back into the game and compete. That’s the definition of a CFL veteran who will do just about anything for his team. Rookies – take note and Congratulations to Anthony and Brooke!

Black 5-0 will play Green 2-3 next and Red 1-4 will play Yellow 2-3

Game Notes… Namou had a rough day on the offensive side with some key drops but learned you can still contribute by playing good defense…Joey Foumia added 2 sacks…Thank you to Nick Sarafa for keeping stats on this game.



Green Makes the Right Move at QB to Beat Blue, 14-6

Offensive Player of the Game: Mike Zeer, 11-14 for 120 yards 1 TD, 2 INTs
Defensive Player of the Game: Justin Orow, 3 tackles, 1 INT, Defensive TD

The trade made by Green Coach Tony Attisha to acquire Mike Zeer proved to be the right move on this particular day. Zeer, who has played QB before, did a good job of managing the offense en route to his first victory as a QB this year. More importantly for Zeer of course, is winning bragging rights on his younger brother, Blue QB and Coach, Chris Zeer.

This game was more about Blue’s inability to move the ball and score than it was about Green’s overall play. Credit Green’s rush, they sent three almost every play and Chris couldn’t find his rhythm, held the ball too long and had four passes batted down. Green’s rush features Derek Putrus, Pat Sesi and Rookie of the Year candidate, Anthony Yaldo who added 3 rec for 34 yards 1 TD, 4 tackles and 1 sack.

Chirs will have to find a way to move the ball around, get his linemen involved and stay committed to his game plan if Blue is going to improve. The only highlight for Chris was finding veteran Peter Rabban on a fly route over Attisha for a 15 yard score. He also got a good contribution from gamer Dani Jajou, 4 rec for 73 yards and 1 INT.

Green 2-3 will play Black 5-0 next and Blue 1-4 will play White 4-1

Game Notes…Sesi knocked down three passes for Green…Rookie Vinny Kejbou added 4 tackles for Blue… Orow had a key INT he returned for a 40 yard winning TD…Puturs added a sack in the endzone for Green which gave them a safety…Thank you to Fearless JK for keeping stats on this game.


Next week is the CFL bye week. Plans by some include wedding nuptials, out of town vacations, a Kairos retreat, Cass Lake action, recreational gaming (open with type), a little relaxation, another blockbuster trade and of course, time to heal injuries and bruised egos.

The trade deadline is approaching and trades are still in effect until the start of the early game on September 5th.

Things to consider:

Nader Jiddou has played on three teams in four games, is it possible he’ll move again?

Is Attisha content with Zeer at QB or will he make another move?

Will the real Mike Akrawi ever show up?

Will Black continue their perfection?

Where’s Karl Dallou’s “ “, the story isn’t the same without you shuck.

Rookies, many hands make light work…cones, flags and garbage.

Will Dylan take the redeye back from Vegas?

Will Timmy Acho’s honeymoon plans wreck White’s momentum?

Will Natham Karrumi let Peter Namou play offense over his brother-in-law?

Do Dirty and Trock get their hair cut by the same blind barber? (burbur) LOL

Will Art of Strength ever pay off for Attisha?

Which Sesi will have a better second half: Pat, Mike or Chris?

Where’s Amer?

Where’s the legend Russell Smith? $50 a win and a case of beers, right? $500 would be worth it now.

Does TyTy love coaching the WCFL more than he loves playing the CFL? “Oh ok shuck, I got this one, brashed baba, to me, in my opinion, I’m just sayin, huh, are you for real shuck, what kind of team is that shuck, they’re all hadeed, oh TyTy’s a genius, shuck they’re good, but shuck, brashed baba he’s the smartest."

Is there a better league to be a part of?

BLTNC = Better Late Than Never Coalition

Red Beats Green for First Win, 20-14

Offensive Player of the Game: Mike Akrawi, 17-30 for 208 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
Defensive Player of the Game: Anthony Toma, 3 rec 14 yards 1 TD, 2 tackles and 2 INTs

Red Coach Anthony Toma made sure his players were on time for the start of the early game on Sunday, and QB Mike Akrawi proved ready to win his first CFL game. He marched his team all over Green in a game that also brought the reunion of Toma and Home Depot enthusiast Joey Kejbou back together.

Many were questioning the trade made by Toma, but it proved to work this morning as Kejbou played well with 3 rec for 45 yards, 1 TD, 3 tackles and 1 INT. Looks like the team Red of a few years ago, only difference now is Toma and Kejbou discuss diapers and sippy cups while strategizing.

Key Play:

A questionable decision by Green QB Justin Orow, with 15 seconds left in the first half, to throw the ball downfield to Green Coach Tony Attisha. Kejobu was able to intercept the ball and give his team a great opportunity to score at the end of the half.

The following play, with 3 seconds remaining, Akrawi found Kejbou, who made a great play on the ball in the end zone for a 25 yard score over Orow. It was a tough sequence of events and day for Orow.

Red 1-3 meets Black 4-0 in the primetime slot at 9:30 while Green 1-3 will take on Blue in the late game

Game Notes…Veteran Peter Rabban, following a great performance in which he contributed 6 rec for 95 yards and 1 TD was traded to Blue for Nolan Karrumi on Tuesday…Orow had a pick 6 on Akrawi but also threw 3 INTs on the day…Derek Dickow made his season debut after a finger injury and added 1 tackle…Matt Shango added 2 sacks and no personal fouls…shotout to Mark Adamo and Pierre Bacall for assisting with stats.

Yellow Rolls Over Blue, 26-12

Offensive Player of the Game: Natham Karrumi, 14-16 for 170 yards 4 TDs and 5 rush for 66 yards
Defensive Player of the Game: Tyson Yono, 3 sacks, 1 tackle

Can’t speak too much on this game because I didn’t see it, but from the looks of it a few things are clear for Team Yellow:

Yellow QB and Coach Natham Karrumi had a great game completing 87.5% of his passes
Tyson Yono has a regular season game high 3 sacks
Ernest Yeldo played well, 5 rec for 76 yards and 1 TD
Rookie Peter Namou had 5 tackles and knows how to pull flags
Sinan Abdal caught 2 TDs with 1 knee

Now for Blue:
Rookie Vinny Kejbou had 5 rec for 65 yards
Ray Lousia was on time
Sal Kesto still has great hair (he’s the richest)
After a great game last week, Nolan Karrumi quit on his team Sunday
Max Sheker is fast, 2 rec 62 yards for 1 TD

Yellow 2-2 will play White 3-1 in the early game next week and Blue 1-3 will play Green also 1-3 in the late game.

Game Notes…Zeer traded his older brother Mike Zeer and Kelsey Bashi to Green for Nader Jiddou and Derek Dickow…Also traded as of 4pm on Tuesday was Karrumi for Peter Rabban…Mike Zeer, who has been out with a herniated disk the last couple of weeks, was traded to Green and will start at QB…shotout to Pierre Bacall for assisting with the stats.

Black Stays Perfect, Tops White, 13-6

Offensive Player of the Game: Tarik Kama, 13-19 for 138 yards 2 TDs and 2 INTs
Defensive Player of the Game: Marvin Yeldo, 6 tackles, 1 sack, 2 INTs (in a losing effort)

“We are!” said Black QB and Coach Tarik Kama. “They know who we are and that’s all that needs to be said,” referencing who the best team in the league is after the game.

Kama, who took a lot of flack even by his own players the night of the draft, has really done a great job getting his team to buy into his plans thus far. They play unified and with no pretentions about whom the star is on this team. It is undoubtedly their leader Kama, entering his 10th year, whose intensity is clear and infectious to his players on the field. He also has a very nice headband to keep his ponytail in order.

Their defense is led by rushers Dylan Putrus and rookie Aws Ayar. Pay attention to the ageless wonder Karl “ok Derek f*ck my stats, but we’re 4-0, who cares? Crowns and steaks on Trock, he’s the richest shuck, and say something about my nephew Derek, he shut down everyone our defense was the best, I’m tellin you” Dallou.

Key Play:

Late in the game White QB and Coach Joey Jonna, 9-22 for 80 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 2 rush for 29 yards reversed the clock with “…a run for the ages” shaking and breaking the ankles of Dallou and two other Black defenders before having his flag pulled at the goal line. Jonna found the rookie Mike Sesi on the next play for the score.

But this was Black’s day and they are the lone undefeated team at the top.

Black is 4-0 and plays Red 1-3 in the primetime slot while White, 3-1 faces Yellow for the early game.

Game Notes…Kama registered no rushing yards on the day (don’t know if that was missed or if he really didn’t run?)…Rookies Derek Rabban and Ayar both registered a sack for the game…Marvin Yeldo, a new addition to White, had a terrific game defensively and it was an easy decision to award him Defensive honors even though White lost…”12-0 baby, Dylan take the red eye home perfect season! (Insert bbm beer icon here)” is Dallou’s bbm status…shotout to fearless JK for assisting with the stats.

White Edges Green on an XP, 7-6

Offensive Player of the Game: Timmy Acho, 2 rec for 27 yards, 1 game winning TD, 3 tackles, 1 INT
Defensive Player of the Game: Mike Toma, 4 tackles, 1 INT, 1 XP INT

“I was waiting for the day when I would throw four picks in one game,” said QB Justin Orow, who suffered a tough one point loss at the hands of White today. Green started the game looking good on offense. Orow, who went 12-19 for 157 yards 1 TD, and 4 INTs, looked good early in this defensive battle, but it was his fifth early INT, on an XP picked off by Mike Toma, who ran it back 82 yards, which was the difference maker.

White Coach and QB Joey Jonna, 8-17 for 88 yards 1 TD, 1 INT, did his best to find his receivers early, but his teammates dropped some vital passes causing two quick drives that led to punts. Although Green was able to put some pressure on Jonna from rookie Pat Sesi and veteran Derek Putrus, the White receiving core didn’t look like the same group from last week. Green Coach Tony Attisha, 2 rec 27 yards, 3 tackles, 1 INT had a good game defensively for Green but all Jonna needed was a fourth quarter drive and score to secure the victory.

Key Play:

Mike Toma picked off an Orow pass in the third quarter, and as he began to run it back, he looked to pitch to a teammate. Putrus made a heads up play to get in there and the ball ended up in Attisha’s hands. It was smart play from the two who have a combined 15+ years experience in the CFL.

Green 1-2 faces Red 0-3 as undefeated White plays undefeated Black in the late game next week.

Game Notes:

Even though Orow threw technically five picks, Green was very much in this game…the “Showstopper” recorded a sack but left his vocal cords at home I guess it was too early for any action…Nelson Brikho spells his name B-R-I-K-H-O … Nick Sarafa for CFL Commissioner in 2020…Pat Sesi had a key knockdown on a Jonna pass early on…Both of Green’s loses have been by one point…Where’s Ray Ray?

Black Pushes to 3-0 Does Not Move Game Time, 31-20

Offensive Player of the Game: Tarik Kama, 13-19 for 171 yards, 4 TDs, 8 rush for 65 yards 1 TD
Defensive Player of the Game: The entire Black Defense 10 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 INTs and pressure

Due to my responsibilities with the WCFL, I asked the ageless wonder, Karl Dallou, for a brief synopsis of the middle game. All I said was ‘what happened’ to which he was quick to reply, “Shuck, never in the CFL have we ever changed the times shuck. Ok we might switch the games, but shuck, brashed baba Derek, have we ever changed the times for anyone? Who are you? Ok we understand you have to work, I’m not mad at you shuck, go to work and make your money. If you can’t come, you shouldn’t play shuck. If you’re worried you don’t have seven guys, that’s not my problem shuck. Who are you? Stop blaming me.”

Yellow Coach and QB Natham Karrumi, who went 12-24 for 125 yards, 3 TDs, 4 rush for 65 yards and 2 INTs made a request to the other coaches about a work seminar he had today. He lobbied the coaches to change game start times fifteen minutes early, a request in my 13 years, I have never heard granted. Kama ultimately nixed the request, as he has every right to and prepared his team to take the field at 9:30 sharp. This game was heated from the start as Karrumi was yelling to Kama prior to the start, “I’m gonna f*ckin rip you, put any wager you want,” insisting, “name your price…”

There was also a behind closed doors trade offer made by Karrumi to Kama, which Kama quickly rejected. According to Dylan Putrus and Dallou, “if Yellow loses, Yellow will take Nick Ammori for Ernest Yeldo and if Black loses, Black will take John Kattoula for Nick Ammori.” Dallou quickly added, “brashed baba shuck, what kinda meetha trade is that, is he serious? Oh my God, come on shuck. Brashed baba stay home.” Insert Dallou’s standard ‘huh’ noise here

“On the cloudiest day of CFL history, the sun got in Chris Sesi’s eyes,” explained Putrus who added 4 rec for 40 yards, 1 tackle, 2 sacks and pitched the ball to rookie Derek Rabban who scored on a lateral. Sesi, 3 rec for 20 yards, 1 XP, 2 drops, has great speed, but had issues with drops this season.

Key Play:

In the third quarter Karrumi, known for his scramble ability, was rushing when 10 year veteran Randy Nara stripped the ball, looking like the Nara of old. It was similar to a play that made him famous as an 18 year old. There was some confusion on the play, if it was legal, and leave up to Dallou to call out former commissioner Jonna to correctly overrule the official. You can strip the ball as long as you are not going over a player’s back.

Undefeated Black plays undefeated White for in a battle of unbeatens and Yellow 1-2 will face Blue 1-2

Game Notes…John Paul Namou added 4 rec for 77 yards and 2 TDs, 2 tackles, 1 INT for Black bringing his 3 game total to 5 TDs…Dallou wants to add commentary every week, “I’m tellin you shuck”…Karrumi added 5 tackles on the day…Kama converted a 4th and 18 rushing up the middle for a 1st…shotout to Nick Sarafa for keeping stats on this game.

Blue Wins, Red Falls to 0-3, 19-6

Offensive Player of the Game: Chirs Zeer, 10-15 for 153 yards, 2 TDs
Defensive player of the Game: Nolan Karrumi, 3 tackles, 3 key knockdowns, 1 INT

For anyone that had a question about the start of game two, for whatever reason, Red QB Mike Akrawi thought game three would start at 11:15. Unfortunately for Red Coach Anthony Toma, Akrawi’s late arrival wasn’t enough to get Red their first win of the year. Toma slotted himself, 5-10 for 42 yards and the CFL version of Calvin Johnson, Sean Mattia, 4 rec for 30 yards, 0-1 for INT as QB, but things didn’t go well from the start for Red.

Blue Coach and QB Chris Zeer, 10-15 for 153 yards, 2 TDs played well and managed his team today. He was very efficient finding targets Nolan Karrumi, 4 rec for 72 yards, 3 tackles, 3 knockdowns, 1 INT Dani Jajou, 2 rec for 28 yards 1 TD and speedy Norman Yono, 3 rec for 43 yards, 4 rush for 61 yards, 1 TD and 4 tackles and 1 INT on defense. Zeer called good plays on offense mixing it up and his team played under control giving them their first win of the year.

Karrumi, who hadn’t played to his potential in weeks one and two, stepped up today. He made plays on offense, led his team defensively with some big knockdowns and had lockdown defense on Mattia. He also added some color to the sideline. Karrumi was heard enticing Akrawi to throw the ball his way and he stepped up by knocking down a few of Akrawi’s passes. After knocking down two passes in a row and having one of his flags drop to the ground, Karrumi yelled, “…let me put my flag on so when you throw a pick to me, I’ll run right passed you.”

Key Play:

Zeer handed the ball off to Yono from Blue’s own 20 and Yono found a terrific block from Max Sheker on Chris Roumayeh and he was off to the races. It isn’t often a running play goes for 60 yards in this league, but with Yono’s speed and Blue’s blocking, the play looked simple.

I heard it:

Coach Zeer, “I thought it was a good scrimmage today, but I thought we already scrimmaged Red three weeks ago?”

Zeer added, “Red’s best play is still personal fouls and cussing.”

Blue 1-2 meets Yellow 1-2 and Red 0-3 looks to get their first win against Green 1-2

Game Notes…Toma had a nice leaping INT on Zeer in the first half…Yono, terrific with the ball in the open field, dropped two sure INTs and two passes on offense along with one pitch in the backfield…Marvin Yeldo had 3 tackles for Red…Ray Lousia was on time and had his 3rd league leading INT of the year for Blue…shotout to Pierre Bacall for helping with the stats for this game…

BLACK Attack is Back, 26-14

Offensive Player of the Game: Tarik Kama, 13-17 for 191 yards, 3TDs, 16 yards rush 1 TD, 1 INT
Defensive Player of the Game: Nick Ammori, 8 tackles

The main story in this game was the offensive play of Coach and QB, Tarik Kama who completed 76.4% of his passes today for 3 throwing TDs and really had his way with Blue’s indecisive defensive scheme. Kama was able to find his primary target, John Paul Namou, for 4 rec for 54 yards and 2 TDs. He distributed the ball well today picking his spots and rushing when the defense gave him the opportunity.

Team Blue didn’t look like the same team we saw in week one. Highlights for Blue included the play of Dani Jajou, with 5 rec for 69 yards, who assisted QB Chris Zeer , 15-21 for 177 yards, 1 TD. On a 4th down in the second quarter, Zeer was able to scramble and find speedy lineman, Max Sheker for a 46 yard bomb, but by then Black was in control with a 20-6 score at the half.

A forgettable moment in the fourth quarter for Blue was another 4th down opportunity to score in the red zone. Zeer put the ball in the best place for his receiver and brother, Mike Zeer, but the elder Zeer was unable to make the play.

Kama was able to make his throws behind a line that includes Steve Sagmani, who scored on a 2 yard TD and Dylan Putrus, arguably the best lineman in the league. They were able to stymie the sackless Blue rush of Mark Hajjar and rookie Kelsey Bashi on this day.

Black’s defense was led by 4th rounder, Nick Ammori, who was all over the field today, totaling 8 tackles and proving his place as an elite flag puller of our league.

Black 2-0 will prepare for a battle against Yellow next week and winless Blue is set to play team Red who will also be competing for their first victory of the season.

Game Notes…Karl “in my opinion, brashed baba to me shuck, were you watching the game Derek, what the f*ck shuck” Dallou had 2 catches for 17 yards and scored on an XP…his nephew Derek Rabban added a big play early for Black on a 45 catch…surprisingly, Bash Taki is a good center…Ray Lousia managed to show up his usual 3 minutes into the game and had another INT for Blue, his second of the year, and his response was, “I don’t play offense anyways shuck”—classic. Norm Yono added 5 tackles on defense...After just about every play Tarik has to adjust his pretty handband and fix his hair…where’s Nolan, anyone seen him?

White Power, White Power, White Power, 34-6

Offensive Player of the Game: Joey Jonna, 15-22 for 226 yards, 5 TDs, 1 INT
Defensive Player of the Game: Whites rushers, Chris Denha and Jordan Rabban, totaling 3 sacks, 3 tackles, 6 hurries and great entertainment for the sideline

Joey Jonna was dialed in like he had something to prove today. His first two drives he was 3-3 for 73 yards and two TDs in less than two minutes. Chris Denha, known for his endurance due to excellent lung capacity, complained that their offense was scoring too quickly early on. Jonna took note and after a dominating first half, and opened the second half with a drive that lasted the entire third quarter and four minutes into the fourth. Talk about a coach listening to his players.

Key plays in the game were made by Timmy Acho, 4 rec for 61 yards and 2 TDs and Rookie of the Year candidate, Mike Sesi who caught 2 TDs on 2 rec for 79 yards and 1 INT on defense. His first TD produced a new term in the CFL vernacular. “He Mossed you,” yelled a jubilant Jordan Rassam. ‘Mossed you’ is referring to Randy Moss of the New England Patroits, who has made a career of making great catches over defenders. Thirty-seven year old and sixteen year veteran, Peter Rabban, on that play was ‘Mossed’.

For Red it was a long day. Rookie QB Mike Akrawi, 9-18 for 129 yards 1 TD, 2 INTs, showed it isn’t as easy as he may have thought to transition to the CFL. White’s rush was too much today. He often looked to make throws downfield looking for his primary target Sean Mattia, but only connected for 3 rec for 27 yards.

The only highlight for Red was on a scramble from Akrawi. He found lineman Joey Foumia, who ran down the field 60 yards for a TD, easily the longest play of his career.

I heard it:

When Sesi made the play over Rabban for the TD, Akrwai offered one word, “Wow!”

When asked why do you run your mouth so much from Red, Rassam responded, “…cause I’m the motha f*ckin man.”

Rassam added, “...cause you know they gotta grab me fam,” responding to a defensive holding penalty against Red. Not quite sure who this was said to.

After a long game for Red and some obvious tension between players on the field (never off) Rassam responds to once again, not sure, but classic nonetheless, “I go to law school, my vocab will shit on anyone in this league.” Insert laughing icon here.

In all seriousness, it was a great team win for White who improves to 2-0 ad meets Green next, while Red falls to 0-2.

Fadi Gulli ran the field with Foumia, who ran over Sesi on the long TD…JR Kizy is out 2-4 days with a swollen eye…Anthony Toma had 5 tackles for Red…Shango added another personal foul this week…Nelson Bricko also added an INT on the day…Nader Jaddou added a great block on Nick Hermiz… The new nickname for White’s rush of Denha and Rassam is “Bash Brothers.”

Green Machine Blanks Defending Champs, 20-6

Offensive Player of the Game: Justin Orow, 18-23 for 167 yards, 1 TD, rush TD
Defensive Player of the Game: Tony Attisha, 4 tackles, 1 knockdown, 1 INT

Tony Attisha and Justin Orow celebrated with a couple firsts today. Attisha, 4 rec for 36 yards, 4 tackles and 1 INT won his first game as a coach and Orow completed 78% of his passes to capture his first win as a QB.

After a scoreless first for both teams, Green had an opportunity to score in the second on fourth down but both Attisha and Brian Najor, who were wide open, had a communication breakdown and turned the ball over on downs. Green finished the second quarter 7-0, when Orow found his most effective weapon of the day in center Danny Shaba, 7 rec for 74 yards, 1 TD, who caught the pass with no time left. Shaba was everywhere Orow needed him to be and was vital to Green’s win catching everything thrown his way.

The only highlight for Yellow was the play of rookie Peter Namou, who registered five tackles and had one sack. Bed, Bath and Beyond enthusiast, Joey Kejbou, also had a great game defensively with six tackles, but had a rough day on the offensive side of the ball with 1 rec for 7 yards and three crucial drops.

Orow has good decision making ability. He runs when the defense opens up and makes cautious throws under pressure. With Green up 14-0 in the fourth, Yellow QB Natham Karrumi, 9-18 for 66 yards, 2 INTs marched his team down the field unable to convert. Attisha made a great play to knock the ball out of rookie Marino Samona’s hands. On the ensuing play, Karrumi was intercepted by Attisha who ran it down the field and pitched it backwards to speedy rookie Anthony Yaldo, 3 rec for 22 yards, who ran it in for the score and ended the game 20-6.

Green 1-1 meets White next week and Yellow 1-1 plays Black in the primetime slot at 9:30

Game Notes…Rookie Pierre Bacall registered on the stat sheet with his first catch on an XP…Scotty Acho had a key knockdown in the second half…38 year old Najor is still diving for flags on defense…Mike Zeer owes Attisha dinner for the win…I can’t wait to play, great game Green Machine!!!

SHIMSHA = Yellow
Natham Karrumi Coach
Tyson Yono Coach
Francesca Kesto Captain
Bianca Jiddou
Chelsea Acho
Heather Sinawe
Gina Kalabat
Pheape Matti
Rita Peter
Alina Georges
Amanda Esho
Rachel Madi
Amanda Putrus Reserve
Jessica Rabban Reserve
Vanessa Murad Reserve


RED
Anthony Toma Coach
Joey Foumia Coach
Lauren Yasso Captain
Crystal Meram
Vanessa Zeer
Whitney Jabbori
Jenny Farida
Sarah Farida
Summer Abbo
JOEY KEJBOU
Nicole Nofar
Sylvia Allos
Maram Gulli
Rasha Yousif Reserve
Tamara Nofar Reserve
Vian Murad Reserve


WHITE
Bardy Jaddou Coach
Mazin Jaddou Coach
Raquel Nabaty Captain
Kendall Acho
Nicole Meram
Reina Kalabat
Maria Kesto
Anita Kesto
Nikki Acho
Reem Gulli
Kristina Kased
Leeza Osachi
Jolene Jaddou Reserve
Lauren Nofar Reserve
Jewels Faranso Reserve



BLUE
Dani Jajou Coach
Derek Dickow Coach
Linda Zeitouna Captain
Skye Acho
Avita Qonja
Chanel Shina
Reva Dallo
Jennifer Kassab
Ashley Patros
Christine Marogi
Angela Jajou
Amanda Najor
Noor Toma Reserve
Janelle Rabban Reserve
Chanel Garmo Reserve

So here we go into another decade of CFL Football!!



We have several compelling storylines going into this season… There are two new coaches this year- Tony Attisha and myself- that will join incumbent coaches Anthony Toma (Red), Nate Karrumi (Yellow), Chris Zeer (Blue) and Tarik Kama (Black). Tony has waited patiently for this opportunity and plans to make the most of it. Besides for one inexplicable season on Purple where he couldn’t catch a break, a pass, or an STD from a Vietnamese prostitute, he has been one of the most dominant two way players the league has ever seen. To quote the Great One Russ Smith- “Tony is the best receiver I’ve played with in my CFL career”. That is as high of a compliment as one could get considering the great players who have been on the receiving end of Russ’s TD passes. But as any coach would say, the transition from player to player/ coach is difficult so we’ll see how Tony can adjust. I am back after two years of gut wrenching misery standing on the sidelines due to injury. Of the 15,000 or so doctors in metro Detroit, I was able to find one that would clear me to play after two ruptured discs in my back. Thanks for being shady Doc!



On a sad note, there are several CFL Hall of Famers that we won’t have the pleasure of seeing on Sunday mornings this year- Roy Sitto, Bobby Seman, Dennis Sarafa, and of course Russ Smith have decided to hang up the cleats. This is sad for many reasons, but mostly because these guys were so integral in making the league what it is today. We will not close the door on any of these guys officially yet though, because we will constantly be trying to drag them out of retirement. These guys brought championship resumes, epic toughness, and years of experience to the huddle for the last 20 years and things won’t be the same without them.



On another, more amazing note, JR Kizy will be playing in his 4th decade of the CFL. JR started in the 80’s, coached championship teams in the 90’s, made an odd but smooth transition to Lineman in the 2000’s, and has reinvented himself physically (Art of Strength West Bloomfield- Call Scotty George for more info) for the 10’s. Remarkable.



New season, new drama. Lebranthony Acho kept everyone on pins and needles by waiting until roughly one hour before the draft to officially announce that he would be playing in the league this year. Glad to have you back! Nate Karrumi is looking to do the unthinkable and win three straight Chy Cups. This has never been done before and would certainly place him among the all time great coaches. We have the best QB prospect to come into the league in years with rookie Mike Akrawi and the timing couldn’t be better given Russ’s retirement. Everyone will be anxious to see how he does for Green this year. Derek Dickow was voted as commissioner by the coaches and has done a great job so far. Thanks to a brilliant idea by Tony Attisha and Lance Samona, and some great work by Anthony Toma, AT’s IT guy, and Derek D, the draft was simulcast live at Sylvan Lanes. It was an unbelievable experience with cheers from the large gathering of players when Nate drafted, to disappointment when Chris Zeer drafted. Chris had the line of the night when he looked over his roster after the draft and declared “I think everyone on my team hates me”. Classic. The message boards are buzzing already with the return of CFL/ Message Board great Joey Kejbou to go along with fellow draft board legend Tony Attisha and Nick Ammori. That’s right, Nick Ammori. Nick is smack dab in the center of the CFL universe due to a piercing post (No Disrespect #2) that rips Chris Zeer, discredits previous championship teams, and suggests that Derek D may get assassinated. Wow. On top of that, Nick was drafted in the 4th round by Black which was a surprise to everyone. Safe to say that no one saw that one coming, including Nate Karrumi who lost his defensive coordinator. It’s no secret that Nate’s raw talent and will to win is, and has been the key to Yellow’s success. Surely Yellow can continue to have the worst defense in the league without Nick and the Cover 2 Special, but it will still be added pressure for Nate to call plays on both sides of the ball. We’ll see how that shakes out and if Nick can live up the 4th round expectations on Black. As usual, the excitement is mounting going into week one which kicks off with a huge matchup between Red and Yellow.



RED (Coach Anthony Toma)- No shortage of speed on this team. Red has two elite athletes and home run threats in Anthony Acho and Sean Mattia. Acho will be heading into his second full season as a QB and will be looking to improve on an injury riddled 2009 campaign. Red’s D will be even scarier than usual with AT manning the middle, Derek Putrus leading the rush, and Pete Rabban anchoring the D backfield. Also look out for rookie Matt Shango who is strong, fast, and bat shit crazy. The key for Red this season will be offensive consistency. With their defense being what it is, they’ll only need to score 1 point per week to win. As usual, AT will be looking for that elusive coaching championship and he just may have the talent to put him over the top this year.



YELLOW (Coach Nate Karrumi)- The champs are here…. The champs are here… THE CHAMPS ARE HERE!!! Nate Karrumi will be looking to do what no coach has done before him which is win three straight Chy Cups. Nate will team up with longtime nemesis Joey Kejbou, who’s back in the league after faking injury to get married and have a kid. Yellow is loaded with strength and speed and is the early favorite to win it all. Tyson Yono is back from his Achilles injury and stronger and faster than ever. Tyson ran 50 miles and did 1,500 pushups (approximately) before breakfast yesterday, so I’d say he’s back ready to go. Sinan Abdul and Lance Sito will join Ty on the line. Joey Kejbou will be playing linebacker on defense (yes you read that right), and he’ll be joined by Branden Yono (unless Nate lied to me about that too- we’ll see) who will play hard every week but will be completely miserable until he’s traded to White. The Yellow LB’s weigh a combined 292 lbs giving them the distinction of being the lightest linebacking group since the mid- 80’s when the Najors had Jeff Bogden 6’1” tall and 150 lbs not including the Bike shorts) and Vinny Najor who weighed in at 247 lbs total. Chris Sesi and Ernest Yeldo will be holding down the defensive backfield and Nick Ammori, despite being on Black, will still be calling Yellow’s D. Here’s what we know about Nate Karrumi- he’s not a very good defensive coach, he can’t throw, he’s a bad person despite his public façade, and he’s a fierce competitor who will simply not lose when it comes down to it. Three straight would be an amazing feat and if anyone can do it it’s him.



WHITE (Coach Joey Jonna)- The Showstopper Jordan Rassam is back home on White and looking to wreak havoc on opposing QB’s. Tall, athletic receivers are a QB’s dream and White has plenty in that department with Tim Acho, Lance Samona, Mohawk, and Rookie Mike Sesi. JR Kizy and Chris Denha, who came to White via a trade that has been heavily scrutinized, will join the Showstopper on the line and plan to validate their coach’s decision to make that trade. Joey Jonna (awkward third person reference) will use his blazing speed and unbelievable moves to run all over opposing defenses. LOL. Actually, I purposely gained 15 lbs and lost a step (or 5) so that I could become a pure drop back passer and use all the weapons on my offense. Consistent D will be the key for this squad to make noise down the stretch. TEAM is the word for White this year and anything less than a Chy Cup will be an enormous disappointment.



BLUE (Coach Chris Zeer)- An odd, but very talented, group of guys make up the Blue squad. Chris Zeer, despite an illness typically contracted in third world countries or on Cass Lake, plans to have his squad ready to go. Norm Yono and Dr. Nolan Karrumi provide explosiveness and big play ability on both sides of the ball. Max the Sheker and rookie Kelsi Bashi will hold down the line. And Mike Zeer and Sal Kesto will continue to be Chris’s brother and brother-in-law, respectively. Blue will go as Chris goes, and last year that was to the final play of the Chy Cup game. We’ll see if Blue can recreate the magic that took them deep into the playoffs last year.



GREEN (Coach Tony Attisha)- New coach and rookie QB is typically a disaster in the CFL, but Green will look to buck that trend this year. Tony will have to be his typical dominant two way player and Mike Akrawi will have to apply his college football skills to the CFL platform. Mike can make every throw on the field and had good command of his huddle in limited action at the rookie game, so the future should be very bright. Justin Orow will be joining Tony at receiver and DB, and Fadi Gulli and Brian Najor will give their new QB plenty of time to throw. Speedy rookie Anthony Yaldo has big upside for Green but is still very raw. The key for Green will be consistent QB play- not necessarily great, but consistent. If they get that, they will be competing for the Cup. If not, it will be a long tough year for the rookie coach and his squad.



BLACK (Coach Tarik Kama)- You can say what you want about Tarik’s draft strategy, but you can’t dispute the coach’s ability to bring it every week Shuck. With a new Columbian Drug Lord haircut, veteran QB Tarik Kama looks better than ever Shuck. He was very sharp throwing the ball in the preseason scrimmage, and he’s still one of the fastest players in the league at age 39 Shuck. Dylan Animal Putrus will be abusing opposing linemen on both sides of the ball, and JP Namou will be looking to build on the solid foundation with Tarik from last year. Shuck will be an integral part of both the offense and defense Shuck. What do you want him to do Shuck? It is not known at the moment if 2009 Coach of the Year Shak will be back roaming the sidelines for Black, but his presence will certainly have an effect on the team one way or another. Black’s O will be steady, but the D has question marks. A good D will translate into wins for this team as they will not make many mistakes on offense.



The theme of this year and the next three years is going to be accountability. Despite the talent level being at an all time high, our league has a rep for players being soft and whiny. My challenge to the players this year and going forward will be to cut the crap and play ball. No complaining that things are fair. No bitching to the refs after EVERY SINGLE PLAY. No blaming refs for altering the game. Just play ball. If your team is losing, don’t point fingers and blame others. Figure out a way to help your team win or motivate your teammates. This is the greatest league ever- let’s make it even better!



See you Sunday!!!

Anthony Toma - Team Red
Nader Jaddou
Ray Dawood
Sean Mattia
Derek Putrus
Pete Rabban
Joey Foumia
Matt Shango
Marvin Yeldo
Chris Roumayah
Scott Acho
Towbey Kassa - Reserve

Nate Karrumi - Team Yellow
Joey Kejbou
Tyson Yono
Sinan Abdal
Lance Sitto
Chris Sesi
Ernest Yeldo
Peter Namou
Branden Yono
John Kattoula
Mark Adamo - Reserve

Joey Jonna - Team White
Jordan Rassam
Timmy Acho
Nick Hermiz
Lance Samona
JR Kizy - via trade
Mike Sesi
Mike Toma
Nelson Bricko
Chris Denha - via trade
Nick Sarafa - Reserve

Chris Zeer - Team Blue
Nolan Karrumi
Norman Yono
Max Sheker
Dani Jajou
Mark Hajjar
Kelsey Bashi
Ray Lousia
Mike Zeer
Sal Kesto
Vinny Kejbou - Reserve

Tony Attisha - Team Green
Justin Orow
Mike Akrawi
Brian Najor
Anthony Yaldo
Danny Shaba
Derek Dickow
Fadi Gulli - via trade
Cresto Allos -via trade
John Sesi
Pierre Bacall - Reserve

Tarik Kama - Team Black
Dylan Putrus
John Paul Namou
Karl Dallou
Nick Ammori
Aws Ayar
Derek Rabban
Randy Narra
Steve Sagmani
Bash Taki
Darron Namou - Reserve

As the 2010 commissioner of the Chaldean Football League, I would like to thank everyone who attended the rookie tryouts yesterday. Thirty-three players are competing for roughly eight spots. It has never been easy to find new talent but this year was clearly an exception.

All are welcome to attend the 2010 draft at Sylvan Lanes on Wednesday, July 14th, 9 pm. Address is 2355 Orchard Lake Road in Sylvan Lake. Please forward this to those who should attend.

This is the first year the CFL coaches are drafting with a live broadcast. We will be streaming a video feed of the draft thru the many flat screens in the bar area. So grab a pizza, a brew and a seat and let the debate, speculation and prognostication begin.

Be advised that absolutely NO players will be allowed entrance in the draft room. This policy is non-negotiable and applies to everyone.

Again, with only eight spots to fill many of you may not get drafted. Our league is notorious for being ultra-competitive on the field and even having your name selected is a challenge.

You can visit our website at www.chaldeanfootball.com for draft details. The 2010 teams and rosters will be displayed by Thursday morning, July 15th.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns contact me directly.

Again, thank you for coming out!


Kindly,


Derek J. Dickow






Week 8:15 AM 9:30 AM 10:15 AM
ROOKIE GAME 7/11/2010
DRAFT
1 7/25/2010 1 vs 2 3 vs 4 5 vs 6
2 8/1/2010 4 vs 6 1 vs 3 2 vs 5
3 8/8/2010 5 vs 3 6 vs 2 1 vs 4
4 8/15/2010 1 vs 5 4 vs 2 6 vs 3
5 8/22/2010 2 vs 3 1 vs 6 5 vs 4
BYE WEEK 8/29/2010 NO GAMES NO GAMES NO GAMES
6 9/5/2010 5 vs 6 2 vs 1 3 vs 4
7 9/12/2010 2 vs 5 4 vs 6 1 vs 3
8 9/19/2010 4 vs 1 3 vs 5 6 vs 2
9 9/26/2010 4 vs 2 6 vs 3 1 vs 5
10 10/3/2010 6 vs 1 5 vs 4 2 vs 3


Playoff 10/10/2010 9:00 AM 10:30 AM
2nd vs 3rd 1st vs 4th




Winner of 2nd v 3rd vs Winner of 1st v 4th

Championship 10/16/2010 SATURDAY NIGHT 8:00 PM

1. RED- Anthony Toma
2. YELLOW- Nate Karrumi
3. WHITE- Joey Jonna
4. BLUE- Chris Zeer
5. Green- Tony Attisha
6. BLACK- Tarik Kama

DRAFT NIGHT 2010

All are welcome to attend the 2010 draft at Sylvan Lanes on Wednesday, July 14th, 9 pm. Address is 2355 Orchard Lake Road in Sylvan Lake.

This is the first year the CFL coaches are drafting with a live broadcast. We will be streaming a video feed of the draft thru the many flatscreens in the bar area. So grab a pizza, a brew and a seat and let the debate, speculation and prognostication begin.

Be advised that absolutely NO players will be allowed entrance in the draft room. This policy is non-negotiable and applies to everyone.

See you then.

Derek Dickow
CFL Commissioner 2010

The Chaldean Football League (CFL) is hosting open tryouts to men of the Chaldean community. In order to tryout, you must be Chaldean or married to a Chaldean and at least 18 years old. The league has been around since 1981, and we have the athletes, talent and history to prove this is the number one organized Chaldean sports league out there and certainly the most competitive.

We play every Sunday morning, beginning July 25th with games starting as early as 8:15, then 9:30 and 10:45. Please do not even bother trying out if you cannot commit to our schedule. If you have problems waking up early or have other commitments, we understand--the CFL may not be for you.

For the family, friends or girlfriends of a CFL player it's a chance to come out and show their support; which is always appreciated. For some players, our league means time away from the wife and kids, an opportunity play with sixty of the best athletes in the community and a chance to get their competitive juices moving. For others, our league gives them a chance to show their talents, speed and overall knowledge of the game. Some, consider a team win the single most important thing they can accomplish in any given week, and conversely, a loss can deliver an equally tough shot to an ego. For all of us, though, the chance to hoist that Chy Cup in October is what it's all about.

Rookie tryouts are Sunday, July 11th at 9am sharp at West Bloomfield High School. Bring your cleats, RAIN or SHINE

Season opener July 25th, 8:15am

Visit www.chaldeanfootball.com for further details


Kindly,


Derek J. Dickow

By Natham K


Congrats to team camel on bringing home the championship from San Diego!!!!

We proved we were the better team on every play, I can’t think of a single player or even play in the game that we didn’t go 100%. We dominated those games and everyone at that field, player, parent, cousin, sister, brother, and even the referees knew that team camel is the real deal. The hype and the camaraderie we had as a team all weekend really made this trip enjoyable for me. We did everything together as a team or even as a family went out, strategized, played hard and won together. They really had no chance!!!

Acho great games baby, I think you made every play out there you needed to, especially locking up that #2 from black in the champ game. Most catches for the day for a reason.

Jordan you’ve always been the showstopper but you’ve added so much more to your game lately that has made you so much better. I think you had like 8 sacks, 4 safeties, 3-4 touchdowns, and a partridge in a pear tree. You needed to step it up and you really did.

Fadi great blocking all day brother. That one sweep right where you literally laid out 3 players, 2 fans, and I think a few chairs was sick….sick!!!!! No one touched me all day in that tourney.

Dylan you are an animal for real. You know you are a sick player when a dad has to come out on the field to yell at you to stop knocking all the player down. You might as well open up an IHOP with all those pancakes you lay on the field.

Cris how fast are you really?! Having you in the backfield running, blocking, play action, flaring and running routes your were the most dynamic player we had this weekend. We needed you to mix it up and keep their D guessing all day on what we were going to do.

Tony can you say tippy toes? That catch you had in the endzone on 4th down to put us 3 scores ahead was unreal. You made big play on O and more importantly called the best D possible. No one out there could move the ball on us all day, good shit calling that D.

Mark way to come out on the field and give it 100% every play. You’re the definition of a team player and that goes a long way. You’re a very under-rated player but that’s good for team yellow.

Chewy way to come out there and be the beast rusher that we all know you are. Great pressure on the qb, especially when we sent you up the middle and you had to go through 2 sometimes 3 guys. Defense is all about the Dline pressure and you delivered.

Lance great plays on D out there. You know where you need to be out there and makes all the difference. Big bat down on 4th down in the endzone, they score there and it’s a different ball game.

Danny you played that middle linebacker position like the veteran that you are. Got a very big pick for us that sealed that deal for us.

Tim abbo way to make plays when your number was called. The best thing you did for us was insist on a full practice. With all the rule changes they have out there we wouldn’t have been as successful without you.

Shaun way to have a broken ankle!!!!!! Im glad you still came and were involved, way to say part of the team.

Marv and Dino I appreciate you coming out and supporting the team like you guys did. You guys are officially part of team camel. Marv next time I want a sac out of you or you’re doing ten push ups. SHE… TALKS… TOO MUCH! LMAO

Nate all I have to say about you is C’mon buddy. LMAO I’ve been laughing about that one since it happened.

Doing great things result in more great things…. Thanks to the men that started the CFL 30 years ago to give us what we have today.

For those of you that don’t already know you can go to wilsonsarkisphotography.com/main to view the photos from this weekend. Click on imagequix and type in your email and a password.

BLUE VS. YELLOW… FOR ALL THE CHY



Another Chy Cup Game is upon us, and it involves two loaded teams. Chris Zeer’s Blue team will try to de-throne Nate Karrumi’s Yellow team- last year’s champs- under the lights this Saturday night. It is very common for some of the CFL’s most dominant players to be playing in this game, and this year is no different. The league’s two best players (in my opinion)- Nate Karrumi for Yellow and Tony Atisha for Blue- will be facing off, with Karrumi playing for his 3rd Cup and Atisha his 4th. Both teams are loaded with talent and speed, so expect a lot of offense and big plays.



Blue-



Simply put, Blue goes as their QB Chris Zeer goes. And to this point, Zeer has been phenomenal. His arm and athletic ability are unquestioned, so for Zeer it’s just a matter of decision making and game management. Tony Atisha will be his primary target as usual, with Pete Rabban and Randy Narra being targeted often as well. The big question for Blue is the availability of the “other” white guy Bret Burlingame. Bret was great in limited action last week before succumbing to the pain of an injured calf that has kept him out most of the season. He gives Chris another big, physical target and will cause problems for the Yellow secondary. Blue is solid on the line with the Animal Dylan Putrus and Gabe Zawaidah giving Zeer ample time to throw.



Blue’s ability to get stops on Defense will also be a huge factor in this game. The Animal Dylan Putrus, who has been a menacing force, will be rushing against his brother Derek Putrus which is no easy task. Blue’s ability to get pressure on Karrumi while simultaneously containing him will be critical. Look for Blue to mix up their rush and show Karrumi multiple looks to prevent him from getting comfortable. Marvin Yeldo and Zeer will be manning the middle at LB so speed and coverage won’t be a problem there. The loss of Dennis Sarafa at linebacker is a blow to the Blue D and they will miss his experience and playmaking ability. Bret, Tony, and Pete Rabban will hold down the defensive backfield. Atisha has been playing at safety which limits his “lock down” ability as well as his sniper like flag pulling, but should also make it tougher for Yellow to make a big play. Blue has played great Defense all year despite being shorthanded, so they should be even more dominant with their full squad. Early stops are the key so their offense doesn’t have to play from behind.





Yellow-



Speed, speed, and more speed. The Yellow team has wheels and their offensive production proves that teams have trouble matching up with it. It starts with QB Nate Karrumi who is able to run and throw effectively making him very difficult to defend. Most of Yellow’s big plays come from Karrumi scrambling until he can find someone downfield or him running the ball. Derek Putrus and Mark Hajjar have done a great job giving him time and have been devastating on designed run plays when they pull and go hit someone downfield. Yellow’s receiving core of Stefan Kalabat, Ray Dawood, and Justin Orow are all versatile and capable of a big play at any time. Dawood especially impacts the game in so many ways as a slot receiver because of his blocking ability and his ability to find holes in defenses. And center Branden Yono has made the most of his opportunities scoring on several long pass plays throughout the season. The Yellow offense will definitely take shots downfield, limiting Blue’s ability to press in order to stop the run. Yellow has done a great job of jumping out to early leads, putting tremendous pressure on the other teams to come from behind.



Yellow’s D has also made great use of their team speed. It starts with the big, fast rush combo of Max “the” Sheker and Derek Putrus. When they’re not getting sacks, they’re pounding the other teams blockers play after play. The key for them will be to sack the very elusive Chris Zeer when they get to him. Ray Dawood and Nick Ammori (last year’s Chy Cup MVP and Yellow Defensive Coordinator) will handle the middle, with Dawood blitzing fairly regularly. Nate, Justin Orow, and Chris Sesi will be in the defensive backfield for Yellow. What they lack in size is definitely made up for with speed and leaping ability. Nate Karrumi lined up at cornerback opposite his brother Nolan last week and the strategy worked brilliantly as Nate limited Nolan’s production to almost nothing. It will be interesting to see if Nate lines up opposite Atisha this week with the same goal in mind (to take Atisha out of the game), as that is the matchup we all want to see. Regardless, all the DB’s will have their hands full with the Blue receivers and will pay if they let their guards down even for one play.





This game has the makings of a classic. Yellow is favored due to their regular season performance, but Blue is dangerous now that they’re mostly healthy. Like every other CFL game, this will come down to limiting mistakes and pulling flags. So who wants it more, BLUE OR YELLOW?!?



Can Yellow repeat?

Can Chris Zeer get his first cup as a coach/ QB?

Will the “other” white guy- Bret- play?

What are we going to do without Russ?

Can Nick “Palamalu” Ammori duplicate last season’s championship game dominance?

Who will win Powder Puff- Eastside or Westside?

How cold is it going to be?

How drunk will Bob be before the game starts?

How drunk will Bob be by halftime?

How cool is it that we have a sweet place like Sylvan Lanes for the Championship Party?

How come the message board is so quiet?

How sweet is the CFL rookie class of 2027 going to be? Look out.



See you all Saturday night under the lights!!!







Joseph Jonna

by Joey Jonna

Yesterday was a sad day for all involved with the CFL, with Russ Smith announcing his retirement after 23 spectacular seasons under center. While Russ's statistical accomplishments speak for themselves- all time statistical leader in every QB category- and will likely never be threatened, it is his leadership and passion that will live forever in CFL lore. Russ always made it look easy, inserting any 6 guys into his offense and making them look great.



I'll never forget watching him play in the early 90's with his backwards hat, rocket arm, and scary elusiveness. He was the guy that opposing coaches game planned for, only to realize that he was usually one step ahead of whatever was schemed up to stop him. I remember telling my dad on a few occasions that "you're never going to beat this guy". Russ was never afraid to let players make plays, often throwing into tight spots with the utmost confidence.



About 4 years ago, when his career appeared to be winding down (typical for someone in their 40's) and having been traded every year for three straight years, Russ's true colors shined through. When most would have faded, Russ once again reinvented himself losing 30 pounds in the off season and having one of the greatest seasons in CFL history- leading the Green Machine to a Chy Cup victory- his 7th title.



It was an honor to play with him for Team Camel and against him year after year on Sunday mornings. I honestly won't be convinced that the league can exist without him until after the first week next season.



Russ Smith:

-47 years old

-23 years in the CFL (I think)

-1,000+ touchdown passes

-200 + CFL victories

-7 Chy Cups

-27,000 beers drank

-500 Chaldeans that actually listened to him throughout his career

-59 guys who are going to miss seeing him every Sunday next season.

-THE white guy



Russ Smith- The Legend



Joseph Jonna

Yellow vs. Green



Yellow started this game on fire, jumping out to an 18-0 halftime lead. Nate Karrumi found Justin Orow on two early scores, including a 60 yard bomb. But Green, in typical Green fashion, fought back to make this competitive lead by QB Russ Smith who was playing on one leg. Despite a subpar second half, Yellow did what it needed to do to seal the victory and will play for its 2nd straight Chy Cup next Saturday night.



Blue vs. Black



This game marked the return of the (other) white guy. Bret Burlingame, seeing his first action since week 1, made an immediate impact getting a TD on offense and a pick on D. Chris Zeer had his best game of the season both coaching and at QB, and Pete Rabban made a huge play at a huge time in the game with a long catch and run TD. Black fought hard until the end of this game, and had an opportunity to make it interesting down the stretch. But in the end, the Blue D stood firm behind an intense rush from Dylan Putrus.



Championship Game Preview to follow…




1981- Joseph D Sarafa

MVP:

Championship Memory:



Joseph K Sarafa- C
Haithem Sarafa
Anmar Sarafa
Andy Najor
Tom Najor
Jerry Najor
Amir Dickow
Gary Jonna
Joe Sheena
Mark Dermanulain


1982- Joseph D Sarafa

MVP:

Championship Memory:



Joseph D Sarafa
Haithem Sarafa
Anmar Sarafa
Jerry Najor
Amir Dickow
Gary Jonna
Sabah George
Robert george
J.R. George
John lossia
Jim Larges
Ryan Husaynu



1983- Ron Jonna

MVP:

Championship Memory:



Ron Jonna
John Jonna
Dave Yelda
Pete Najor
Mazin Gindu
John Lousia
Sabah George
Tom Sesi
Steve Nanoshi
Mark Sheena

27-26 this one was really super



1984- Frank Jonna

MVP:

Championship Memory:



Frank Jonna
John Jonna
Gary Jonna
Ronnie Sabag
Johnnie Sabag
Jim Loussia
John Loussia
Eli abdala
Mike Kelmigian
Kevin Atcho


1985- Ron Jona

MVP:

Championship Memory:



Ron Jonna - C
Al Casab
Jerry Najor
Tom Sesi
Terry Farid
Tommy Karikoza
Jim Larges
John Sorisho
Amir Dickow
Mark Dermanulian
Eli Abdala

Perfect 8-0


1986- Joseph Sarafa

MVP:

Championship Memory:



Joseph D Sarafa -C
Haithem Sarafa
Anmar Sarafa
Mark Sarafa
Ken Atchoo
Kevin Atchoo
J.R. George
Bobby George
Paul George
Mike Kizy
Tex McCarthy
Gary Jonna



…and the last shall be first


1987- Bashar Rabban

MVP:

Championship Memory:



Bashar Rabban
Mazin Jendo
Russ Smith
Jimmy Rabban
Akrum Kerker
Kevin Atchoo
Kevin Denha
Garrett Hill
Tom Hannett
Al Jonna
Ryan Hesano
Martin George

The expansion explosion



1988- Andy Najor

MVP:

Championship Memory:



Andy Najor-C
Tom Najor
Najy Jaboro
Jeff Bogden
Gary Jonna
Stephen Najor
Vincent Najor
Alfred Casab
Amir Dickow

Us against the league


1989- Haithem Sarafa

MVP:

Championship Memory:



Haithem K. Sarafa- C
Joeseph D Sarafa
Anmar Sarafa
Maher Sarafa
Mike Sarafa
Mark Sarafa
Ken Atchoo
Paul George
Bobby George
J.R. Kizy
Mark Sheena
Ron Sabbag
Ricki Kalabat
Samir Thomas

Team of the 80's


1990- Bashar Rabban

MVP:

Championship Memory:



Bashar Rabban- c
Russ Smith
Karl Dallou
Kevin Denha
Garret Hall
Mazin Jendo
Mike Y Yasso
Kevin Atchoo
Al Jonna
Phil Mansour
Jimmy Rabban
George Daiza

Sweet Revenge


1991- Haithem Sarafa

MVP:

Championship Memory:



Haithem K Sarafa- C
Anmar Sarafa IR
Naher sarafa
J.R. Kizy
Mike Kizy
Ken Atchoo
Bobby George
Mark Denha
Ronnie Sabag
Kamal Rabban
Mitch Rabban
Roy Sitto
Glen Bedmarsh
Tom Sesi

Experience + youth = Title #5


1992- Ron Jona

MVP:

Championship Memory:



Ron Jonna-c
John Jonna
Pete Jonna
Mark Jonna
Mike Essshaki
Glen Bednarsh
Dennis Sarafa
Dave Morgan
Paul George
Mike George II
Tony Konja

The Mighty Ducks


1993- Mike Yasso

MVP: Tony Jaboro

Championship Memory:



Mike Yasso- C
Tony Jaboro- MVP
Najy Jaboro
Roy Sitto
Mike Esshaki
Bobby Bogden
Ricky Kallabat
Glen Bednarsh
Jeff Bogden

Gang Green


1994- Saber Ammori Captain/ Ron Jona coach

MVP:

Championship Memory:



Roy Sitto
John Kello
Namir Nader
Amer Nafso
Neb Mekani
Saad Kalabat
Nofel Paulus
Mike Esshaki
Julian Jaddau
Ron Jonna- Coach
Saber Ammori Capt



White Heat


1995- Ramzy Kizy Jr

MVP: Dennis Sarafa

Championship Memory:



Ramzy Kizy J.R.-C
Dennis Sarafa-MVP
Anthony Toma
Nofal Paulus
Nemir Nadhir
Nash Zaitouna
Mike Kizy
Chris Kizy
Marc Jonna
Busher Raaban
Mike Zeer
13-6 OT Thriller

The Orange Crush


1996- Kevin Denha

MVP:

Championship Memory:



Kevin Denha-C
Karl Dallou
Russ Smith
Ken Atchoo
Najay Jaboro
Maher Sarafa
Bobby Semaan
Brian Najor
Mike george
Rodney Gappy
Bashar Rabban

Blue thunder


1997- Kevin Denha

MVP:

Championship Memory:



Kevin Denha- C
Karl Dallou
Russ Smith
Namir Nadhir
D.J Sarafa
Mike George II
Rodney Gappy
Chris Kizy
Timmy Abbo

Two for Blue Back to back
Blue thunder II


1998- Mike Esshaki

MVP: Peter Rabban

Championship Memory:



Peter Rabban-MVP
Kamal Rabban
Jason Hesano
Paul George
Jeff Bogden
Bruce Toma
Anthony Toma
Tim Abbo
Mike Zeer
Derick Dickow
Micheal Esshaki-C

Speed Kills


1999- Saber Ammori

MVP: Joey Jonna

Championship Memory:



Joe Jonna-MVP
Tario Kama
Haithem Sarafa
Dave Lucia
Frank Jonna
Martin Manna
Nofal Paulus
Mike George
Joe Kyriakoza
Wassem Souma
Saber Ammori-C

White Shocks the world


2000- Micheal Esshaki

MVP: Jeff Bogden

Championship Memory:



Micheal Esshaki-C
Jeff Bogden-MVP
Tim Abbo
Allen Abbo
Waseem Somo
Peter Rabban
Karl Dallou
Tony Attisha
Salwan Kesto

Golden Surprise


2001- Roy Sitto

MVP:

Championship Memory:



Roy Sitto-C
Ramzy Kizy Jr
Peter Rabban
Tony Attisha
John Hindo
Martin Manna
Mike Palmer
Mike Zeer
Nadir Jiddou
Joe Foumia

Black second half comeback


2002- Bobby Semaan

MVP:

Championship Memory:



Bobby Semaan-C
Russ Smith
Ray Dawood
Timmy Abbo
Vinnie Alexander
Bruce Toma
Chris Zeer
Derek Dickow
Ray Lucia
Chris Denha


2003- Bobby Semaan

MVP:

Championship Memory:



Bobby Semaan-C
Russ Smith
Ray Dawood
Marvin Petrous
Dave Antiwan
Bruce Toma
Chris Zeer
Derek Dickow
Mikey George
10-2

Green Machine Back to back


2004- Joey Jonna

MVP: Joey Kejbou and Anthony Hesano

Championship Memory: The greatest show on turf- included star receivers Joey Kejbou, Anthony Hesano, and Nolan Karrumi- in my opinion the best group of receivers on one team in league history. After losing the first game of the season, TEAM WHITE reeled off 11 straight wins capping it off with a dominating championship game performance against Roy Sitto’s Black team to finish the season 11-1.



Joey Jonna
Joey Kedjbou- MVP
Anthony Hesano-G MVP
Saber Ammori
Dennis Sarafa
Branden Yono
Patrick Hesano
Jon Sesi
Nolan Karrumi
Joey Kyriakoza
Leith Sawa
11-1

White Wall




2005- Joey Jonna

MVP: Jordan Rassan and Dennis Sarafa

Championship Memory: With a 3 point lead late in the 4th Quarter of the Championship, Yellow Coach Karl Dallou decided to take a safety and depend on his defense to stop TEAM WHITE from going the length of the field. With 1:30 left and one timeout, TEAM WHITE’S offense marched down the field and scored the winning TD with 6 seconds left on a great grab by rookie lineman Jordan Rassan. White finished 11-1 for the second consecutive season, despite playing its first 4 games of the year without top player Joey Kejbou. It is also worth noting that Kejbou played two games that season with his jaws wired shut due to a broken jaw.



Joey Jonna- Coach
Joey Kedjbou
Nolan Karrumi
Jordan Rassam-Pl MVP
Dennis Sarafa-MVP
Danny Shaba
Bruce Toma
Dave Antwan
Steve Sagmani
John Katoula
Mark Sheena
11-1

Whites World, Back to Back


2006- Roy Sitto

SEASON MVP: Natham Karrumi

Championship Memory:



ROY SITTO - COACH
RAY DAWOOD
NATHAN KARRUMI-O MVP
DEREK DICKOW-D MVP
FADI GULLI
LANCE SITTO
JOHN KELLO
GABE ZAWEIDEH
JOHN KATOULA
JOHN SESI

BLACK ATTACK


2007- Bobby Semaan

MVP: Tony Attisha

Championship Memory:



Tony Attisha-MVP
Karl Dallou
Norman Yono JR.
Nelson Bricko
Ramy Sulaiman
Bobby Semaan
Russ Smith
Tyson Yono
Chris Denha
Bash Taki

Green Machine


2008- Nate Karrumi

MVP:

Championship Memory:



Nathan Karrumi- Coach
Nick Ammori-D MVP
Anthony Acho- S MVP
Tim Acho- PL MVP
Derek Putrus
Sinan Abdal
Ray Lousia
Branden Yono
Marvin Yeldo
Justin Kasgorgis
Scotty Acho





2009-Yellow vs. Blue Saturday October 17th at West Bloomfield High School- 8:00 PM Under the Lights!!





Thanks.



Joseph Jonna




Playoffs

Game 1

Yellow 24 Green 19

Game 2

Black 7 Blue 19


Blue meets Yellow for the Chy Cup


Stay tuned for Joey Jonna's Preview

October 11th and October 17th … Winners and losers… haves and have nots… Chy Cup Champion and “Others”. This Sunday October 11th marks the start of yet another Chy Cup playoff, and this year is shaping up to be incredible. While Yellow is the clear favorite, Black has come out of nowhere to be an absolute force, Blue is loaded with talent (but decimated by injuries), and Green simply will not be denied and overcame incredible odds to make the playoffs.



Game 1: Yellow vs. Green



Defending champ Yellow will look to keep the train rolling versus a very resilient Green team.



YELLOW: Yellow has weapons at every position, but are most dangerous at the QB position with coach Nate Karrumi leading the charge. Although he can’t throw (kidding, kidding) he has demonstrated that he will do whatever it takes to get the W. Yellow is loaded at receiver and lead by Stefan Kalabat who is still recovering from a basketball injury, Justin Orow, Ray Dawood, Middle Screen Sesi, and center Branden “50 YD PER CATCH AVERAGE” Yono. Karrumi has confidence in all of them and will spread the ball around to whoever is open. Yellow’s line is anchored by Derek Putrus and rookie Max the Sheker. Yellow’s D, led by all-world Nick Ammori, also boasts tons of speed and will be flying around. The Yellow DB’s will have their hands full with Green’s big play receivers, so the rush will be critical. Yellow has had some defensive lapses this season, but they will certainly be focused for this game Sunday.



GREEN: There are three words to describe the Green team – tough, tough, tough. They have overcome injuries- most notably losing two way monster Tyson Yono- as well as many other roadblocks on their way to the playoffs. The offense is lead by none other than Russ Smith, the CFL’s all time leading scorer (approximately 37,000 points ahead of 2nd place Chuck Shuck), who has once again delivered an incredible season under center. Russ and coach Uncle Bobby Semaan will have them organized and ready to roll- assuming Nolan Karrumi arrives before the 2nd quarter and has his football gear with him. Karrumi and Norm Yono make a very explosive receiving core for Russ to throw to, and Bob will also be a factor in the passing game (he always is in the playoffs), especially around the goal line. Nellie Bricko has filled in well at blocker for Tyson, but he will have his hands full with Yellow’s monster rush. At a glance, Green’s DB’s seem beatable, but Ray Loussia, Derek D., and Cousin Chris have held it down well and have not given up many big plays. Nonetheless, they will be tested. Look for athletic rookie reserve Derek Rabban to be a factor in this game. Green will need a near perfect performance to win this one and Bob and Russ are the right guys to orchestrate that. They’ve scratched and clawed their way to this point, and there is nothing more dangerous than a wounded beast. A word of advice to Yellow- punt it out of bounds or Norm will make you pay!!





Game 2: Blue vs. Black



BLUE: Blue coach Chris Zeer is making his first playoff appearance as a coach and he is poised to make some noise. Lead by Zeer, Tony Attisha, and a very hungry (both figuratively and literally) and motivated Dylan Putrus, Blue should be a force. Injuries have plagued Blue, however, losing two key veterans in Dennis Sarafa and Gabe Zawaidah, as well as rookie 1st round pick Bret Burlingame- who has not seen the field since week 1. Always solid Pete Rabban has once again made his presence known on both sides of the ball and he will be a factor on Sunday. Randy Narra will also contribute on both sides of the ball. As usual, the gameplan should be to throw the ball to Tony early and often. When he’s on top of his game there aren’t many that can slow him down. If Bret is able to play, Blue’s D will get a big boost. Otherwise, it will be up to the Blue rush to slow Tarik down. Blue has all the tools, its just a matter of depth and heart at this point since they are basically playing with no subs.



BLACK: We’d all be lying if we said we weren’t surprised where Black is today after an 0-3 start. But here they are, lead by coach Tarik Kama, associate head coach (behind the scenes) Chuck Shuck Dalou, and Offensive/ Defensive/ Special Teams/ Motivating Coach Mike “Shak” Esshaki. The difference that Shak has made to this team is astonishing. They are organized and ready to roll every week. Tarik Kama has had another phenomenal season at QB, and is anxious to prove he can take a team all the way as a coach. JP Namou has made tons of big plays for Black on both offense and defense. Black has won each week with a total team effort. Everyone is on the same page (thanks to their wrist bands) and they will leave their hearts on the field every week. Sinan will impact the game on both sides of the ball, and Ernest “come ‘on back” Yeldo also adds veteran leadership (and quite a few picks from the safety spot). Look for a total team effort from Black. If they stay poised and together like they have for most of the season, they are a very very dangerous squad.





In the Chaldean Football League, you are measured by championships. 40 guys will take the field this weekend with the goal of CFL immortality and the right to hoist the cup. Good luck to all!!



Joseph Jonna

Playoff Schedule Sunday October 10th-



#1 Yellow vs. #4 Green: 9:00 AM



#2 Blue vs. #3 Black: 10:30 AM



Playoff preview coming soon…

Game 1

Red 28 White 32

Game 2

Yellow 13 Black 12

Game 3

Green 0 Blue 20 (Nolan has requested that the last 3 minutes of this game be played out. Him vs the whole Blue team.)

Game 1

Black 22 White 12

Game 2

Red 8 Green 25

Game 3

Blue 21 Yellow 36

Game 1
Yellow 34 White14
Game 2
Red 20 Blue 19
Game 3
Black 35 Green 19

Black 7 Blue 6
Red 6 Yellow 19
Green 32 White 25

Game 1

Red 13 Black 26

Game 2

Blue 21 White 6

Game 3

Yellow 26 Green 27

White-



The White team started very strong, beating Green and losing close games to strong Blue and Yellow teams. But the last two weeks have been pretty rough all around for White. Dropped passes, questionable coaching decisions, untimely trades, and mental mistakes have plagued White over the past two weeks. The rookie wideouts Sean Mattia and Pat Kinaya have been nothing short of spectacular. Mohawk adds versatility and speed on both sides of the ball. Lance Sito has stepped up since Max has been traded, and Fadi is steady in his protection of Coach/ QB Mike Zeer. But in the end, White’s fate will come down to the play of their QB. Whether its Mike or someone else, White has to find a way to get the ball to their playmakers. GRADE: C-



Blue-



Other than a beating at the hands of Yellow, Blue has been consistently good. Lead by the league’s best receiver/ corner Eastside Tony Attisha, the league’s best two way lineman Dylan Putrus, and Coach/ QB Chris Zeer, Blue has been difficult to stop. Remarkably, they’ve gotten to this point without top overall pick Brett Burlingame who’s been out with an injured calf. Strong play from Pete Rabban, Randy Narra, and newly acquired Dennis Sarafa have filled the void left by Brett’s injury. Chris Zeer has all but locked up his first playoff appearance as a coach. As a receiver for the Green Machine, Chris played some of his best ball in the playoffs. If he can duplicate that as a Coach/ QB, Blue should be playing for a championship. He doesn’t have to be great, but he has to be consistent. When all else fails… follow Dylan… or throw it up to Tony- I like their chances either way. GRADE: A



Green-



Green Machine one week, then just plain old Green the next. They have looked so good at times (last week vs. Red) and very bad (this past weekend vs. Blue). Regardless, Russ and Bob will pull out all the stops down the stretch and have them in a position to win games. They’ll start by getting Norm more touches. If he gets 10-12 touches a game, he’s scoring on two of them, period. Green’s D has also been very inconsistent and will need to improve for them to make a run. The potential absence of Nolan Karrumi for a few games down the stretch could really affect Green’s playoff outlook. Stay tuned to that situation. GRADE: C+



Yellow-



What seemed like an unstoppable force (great posts on that by the way) finally slowed down last week against an upstart Black team. No 12-0 this year- breathe easy Ron Jona. That said, the Chy Cup champ will almost certainly pass through Yellow and Coach/ QB Nathan Karrumi. Yellow is loaded on both sides of the ball. The emergence of Stefan Kalabat over the past few weeks gives opposing defenses yet another headache to deal with. Nick Urlacher Ammori leads the league in tackles, interceptions, sacks, defensive touchdowns, forced fumbles, tipped balls, big hits, and least maintained facial hair. Justin Orow and Ray Dawood have been quietly consistent on both sides of the ball, and Yellow’s acquisition of Max Sheker bolstered their rush. Rookie of the year lock Mark Hajjar has told me repeatedly that Dylan, Jordan, and Tyson are his toys. Keep an eye on key injuries to Nate (ankle) and two way lineman Derek Putrus (back) as their health is directly related to Yellow’s success. It will be interesting to see how Yellow responds to the upset loss they suffered last weekend. Also, Nate can’t throw. GRADE: A



Black-



This team, although fully dysfunctional, has gotten better every week. Since Offensive Coordinator Shak Esshaki took over, Black looks organized and fluid on offense. JP Namou and Coach/ QB Tarik Kama have lead the way. Sinan has brought his usual intensity, and Chuck Shuck Dalou still catches plenty of passes despite berating his QB on a regular basis. Black has a full head of steam after back to back impressive wins and now find themselves in a 3-way tie for second place. A win this week over Red would put them in the driver’s seat for a playoff spot. This team went from players demanding trades in the first few weeks to believing they can beat anyone. GRADE: B



Red-



Inconsistency has been the theme for this team. Conventional wisdom told us that this team would be at or near the top of the standing all year round. But too many distractions have derailed that up to this point. Ocho Acho has been good for a rookie and will continue to get better. Tim Acho has made some spectacular plays, but has seen his touches decrease in recent weeks. Coach Anthony Toma brings it 1,000,000 MPH every week, and is having another great year in the middle of Red’s D. Red, like others, will need to be more consistent to make a serious run. Jordan Rassan (formerly, yes formerly the Showstopper) looked solid after serving a game suspension, and Brian Najor has been steady as well (when he’s there). Lance Samona has been a huge playmaker at receiver and rookie Dani Jajou has been very effective in Red’s defensive scheme. It’s safe to say that this team has underachieved to this point and has barely scratched the surface of their potential. The good news is, they’ll have five games to turn it around. GRADE: B-





Looking forward to an action packed second half of the season!!



Joseph Jonna

Game 1

Green 6 Blue 37

Green goes BOOM! Green and Russ looked nothing like the team that; just last week handled Red with ease. Nothing they did worked. Chris Zeer and the Blue army could do no wrong and Blue is back on the winning track, thanks in part to the addition of Dennis Sarafa.

Up next for Blue (4-1) White (1-4) 9:30 am
Up next for Green (2-3) Yellow (4-1) 10:45 am

Game 2

Red 27 White 6

White looked just as bad this week against Red as they did last week against Black, it seems the honeymoon was short lived. Mike Zeer had 3 INTs to match his season total. The wheels came off White’s wagon when I told all the other coaches how to beat him. He should have been a man of his word. Brian Najor and Jordan played at a level unmatched by either this year. Brian picked Zeer off twice. Danny Jajou has played in only 4 games and appears to be leading the league in INTs with 5.

Up next for Red (2-3) Black (2-3) 8:15 am
Up next for White (1-4) Blue (4-1) 9:30 am

Game 3

Black 26 Yellow 25

Tarak did it again! He listened to Shak and things went down to the wire, but they pulled out a victory over a very tough Yellow team. Yellow was without Derek P. Tarak’s Team Black has scored at least 25 points since Shak stepped in as coach. Joey F was in Yellow’s backfield most of the game and causing all kinds of confusion for Nate, while sacking him a handful of times. Tarak is faster than Nate! Nate’s prediction of a perfect season is down the drain.

Up next for Black (2-3) Red (2-3) 8:15 am
Up next for Yellow (4-1) Green (2-3) 10:45 am

Game 1

Black 27 White 0

Tarak and Black finally got their ship together. Tarak figured out he can still run and did so every other down. He completed every pass he attempted; he went 23 for 23 passing and probably ran for 350 yards.

Mike traded away Ray Loussia and had to play shorthanded. The Max for Mohawk trade hurt White’s rush, so Right after the game Mike traded Dennis Sarafa for Chis Denha to try to get some balance on the D line.

Great game plan Shak!

Game 2

Yellow 37 Blue 13

Stephan Kallabat was the difference in this game. Nate finally figured out what a great player Stephan is. He threw to him almost every down and Stephan delivered. I think he ended up with 6 TDs and 4 extra points on 29 catches.

Matching Stephan… Tony had 29 catches but 27 of them were caught out of bounds.

Blue gets Dennis Sarafa for Chris Denha in a trade. This makes Blue a very dangerous team. With the trade Blue gets 85% of the brain power off the White team.

Game 3

Green 31 Red 21

No one was going to beat Russ or Green on this day. Too much Norm and Russ could have beat out Tom Brady for the starting QB job in NE.

Blitz off the left side he dumped right. Blitz up the middle dumps it to lineman. Send one and lock up with blockers, he finds Norm on a slant.

Nothing we did mattered. Yellow would be 3-1 if they played Green Sunday.

Great Game Russ, Tyson, Bob, Norm, Nolan, Nelson, Jonathan (one of my favorite players), Ray and Derek! Half Half on the Chai Cup if you guys win it!

Game 1
Green 28 Black 26

Game 2
Blue 18 Red 12

Game3
Yellow 12 White 8

Week 2

Yellow 26 Red 18

Just too much Nick Ammore for Red! Nick was the difference.
Yellow mvp of the game Nick Ammore (Brian Najor is going to punch him in the face teh next time he picks off a pass by against Red)
Red mvp of the game Anthony Yeldo (shut down Ray Dawood)

White 24 Green 8

Mike Zeer plus 3 Rooks did in Green from start to finish.
White mvp goes to Fadi (Mike had all day and Green rushed 3 most of the game)
Green mvp Norm! (just a freak of nature)

Blue 12 Black 6

Tarik and Chris Zeer played what looked like Hot Potato and Tarik won. Tarik 3 ints Chris 1. The football game went to Blue.
Blue co-mvps Tony and Gabe (Tony is just Tony TDs INTs every game) (Gabe caused all kinds of problem for the Black O)
Black mvp Sinan (all heart)

Week 1

Blue beats White
Yellow over Green
Red out does Black


Note from the Commissioner Joey Jonna

Another CFL season is upon us, as 60 guys will take the field this Sunday August 2nd in the 30th (official) year of this wonderful league. This is the 3rd and final year of player protection before all players are thrown into an open draft next season, which means there will be trades with no regard to future considerations. Two new coaches will be taking the helm this season. Mike Zeer will be the third coach of the White team in as many seasons, with Joey Kejbou stepping down due to a late scheduled surgery on his hand. Typically, this injury would be handled with tape and Motrin, but the potential negative effects that the injury could have on his golf game was not worth the risk (in his opinion). Looking forward to seeing Joey back out there next year. Tarik Kama will be taking over the Black team for Roy Sitto who suffered an ugly shoulder injury at the 1st annual CFL Summer Tournament a few weeks back, and who also skipped a playoff game last season. Both new coaches have years of CFL experience and are looking to make the most of the coaching opportunity. A few guys won’t be returning this year as Bruce Toma, Scotty George, and Al Abbo have hung up their cleats. The league will miss Bruce’s soft hands, Al’s holding on virtually every down, and Scotty’s remarkable intensity.



The biggest story in the league right now is the trade involving QB prospect Anthony OchoAcho as well as Timmy Acho to Red for Stefan Kalabat and Ray. The trade gives Red an athletic QB with huge upside in Anthony and a big target in Timmy. The trade appears to be a benefit for both teams as Ray will play the slot position key to Nate’s running attack as well as the middle on defense and Stefan will fill in as the go-to guy on offense.



The league has welcomed 8 rookies this season and this class appears to be one of the most athletic groups in a long time. Sean Mattia, Pat Kinaya, and Max Sheker went 1, 2, and 3 in the draft despite the availability of some solid veterans. The rookie class also has it’s first players from the CCSL which is very exciting for both leagues. Hopefully the CCSL will continue to feed talent into the CFL with talent for years to come.



WHITE: Mike Zeer takes over this squad coming off a rough season a year ago. Mike took advantage of a strong rookie class by drafting three super rookies with his first three picks. However, White faces the same major issue as last year- the lack of a true QB. As it stands, Mike Zeer will start the season under center, with Sal Kesto as the backup plan. Whoever plays QB will have plenty of time to throw with Fadi Gulli and Max Sheker blocking for them. Sean Mattia and Pat Kinaya will have impacts on both sides of the ball, and Lance Sitto will make the rush very strong.



BLUE: Chris Zeer looks poised to make the playoffs for the first time as coach of Blue with the league’s top WR/ DB Tony Attisha as well as the top two-way lineman Dylan Putrus. Rookie honky Bret Burlingame will be a nice compliment to Tony, especially on defense. Brett is also the first true white guy in the league since Jeff Bogden (and his Bike shorts) retired 9 years ago. Pete Rabban rounds out the receiving core and Gabe Zawaideh and Chris Denha will join Dylan on the O and D lines. Chris has stated on the record that he will step down as coach if he does not make the playoffs with this team. On paper this is a playoff team, but we all know the game isn’t played on paper.



GREEN: Please see last year’s preview. This is essentially the same exact team that lost a heartbreaker in last year’s playoffs, minus Mohawk. And like last year, they will only have Nolan for half the season. He is doing his med school residency in New York, or maybe Chicago… actually he’s not sure. Yet he has convinced coach Bobby Seman that he will be there for at least five regular season games (the minimum required for playoff eligibility) and the playoffs. I guess we’ll see. The fact that he’s willing to skip out on his residency to be at CFL games means two things- 1. He is extremely dedicated to the CFL and wants to keep his status as one of the league’s top players, and 2. I will never, ever go to him for any medical issue of any kind.



BLACK: New coach Tarik Kama steps in to take over a revamped Black team. Assistant coach whatdoyouwantmetodo Shuck Chuck Dalou is a trade master and is usually good for one blockbuster a season. If this team stays intact, Sinan Abdul will anchor both sides of the line, and JP Namou will be T-Rock’s primary target on offense. Black will need a re-emergence of Ernest Yeldo on both sides of the ball to be their best. It would also help of Bash Taki showed up for a few games. Fearless JK and Mike Toma will be steady for Black at any variety of positions, and Steve Sagmani and Joey Foumia will help with blocking and rushing.



RED: Coach Anthony Toma has been in the final game the past two seasons but come up short both times. Red is a completely different team than last year with the addition of the Showstopper Jordan Rassam and the subtraction of QB Tarik. But the QB void was filled quickly with Anthony Acho, who will also be a lock down corner. Red has size and speed on the outside with Tim Acho and Lance Samona. Two CCSL’ers, Dani Jajou and Brandon Shafou, will add youth and speed to AT’s always solid defense.



YELLOW: The Champs have reloaded. Lead by coach and the league’s most electrifying player Natham Karrumi, Yellow appears primed for another run at the Chy Cup. Nate acquired Ray Dawood and Stefan Kalabat via trade to go along with two way lineman Derek Putrus. New additions Nick “Mohawk” Hermiz, Justin Orow, and Chris Sesi give this team a whole new level of speed and quickness. In the unlikely event that this team stays intact, Nate will have an arsenal of weapons at the receiver position that will be able to run, catch, and block very effectively. Rookie Mark Hajjar will help on both sides of the line and Branden Yono will assume his center position from last year.



Can Yellow repeat?

Can AT get over the coaching hump?

How will OchoAcho fare at QB?

Can White win with no QB?

Will Nolan show up for any games?

Can Blue get into the playoffs?

Will the league be as fun without Scotty George?

Can Kejbou still golf?

Can the league handle going from 1.7% white (just Russ) to 3.3% white (Russ and Brett)?

Can Nate Vick finally learn how to throw? (I doubt it)



Everyone is looking forward to some highly competitive games at West Bloomfield High this year. See everyone Sunday!!



Joseph Jonna

White
Mike Zeer-C
Sean
Max
Pat Kin
Fadi
Lance Sitto
Ray Loussia
Lamar
Dennis Sarafa
Sal Kesto
Mike Yeldo-Res
Chris Ammmre-Res

Blue
Chris Zeer-C
Tony
Dylan
Brett
Pete Rabban
Gabe
Marvin Yaldo
Randy Narra
Chris Denha
Brandon Sitto
Scotty Acho-Res
Stephan Sandiha-Res


Green
Bobby Semaan-C
Nolan
Ty Ty
Norm = Ed Reed
Russ
Derek Dickow
Chris cousin
Danny Shaba
Nelson
Jonathan Sesi
Derrick Rabban-Res

Yellow
Nate-C
Anthony Acho
Timmy
Derrick P
Justin Orow
Nick Hermiz
Chris Sesi
Nick Ammore
Mark Hajjar
Brandon Yono
Mark Adomo-Res
Pat Sesi-Res

Black
Tarik-C
Karl D
JP
Sinan
Ernest
Joey F
Steve Siq
Bash T
Mike Toma - sorry Mike
John Kattoula - sorry John
Ray Khami-Res
Andrew Namou-Res

Red
Anthony Toma-C
Ray dawwod
Brian Najor
Jordan
Stephan Kallabat
Lance Samona
Dani Jajou
Brandon Shafou
Roy Sitto
JR Kizy
Anthony Yeldo-Res
Peter Toma-Res

Before you read on, make sure to answer the poll question! (AT)

Chy Cup 2008- RED VS. YELLOW

Ask and you shall receive. We asked for a Red vs. Yellow championship and we got it. Yellow storms into the championship game after thwarting Black in round one. And Red comes into this game after beating Green in one of best, most action packed, emotional game in CFL history. The Red vs Yellow rivalry has been going on for a couple of years now but it all came to a head when Yellow's "strategy" to avoid playing Red in the first round was certainly questionable at the very least. Smack talking ensued between the coaches and a genuine on-the-field hatred was born. Does Red own Yellow like AT says? Has Yellow been saving its best for last like Nate says? Can AT get that elusive coaching title? Can Nate overcome the roller coaster that Yellow has been through this season. We will find out Saturday night at West Bloomfield. I for one can't wait.

Yellow Offense:

Natham Karrumi is the coach and backbone of this squad. When he is on, they are VERY tough to stop. However, it should be noted that this team has won games when he has not played well and that is a tribute to his leadership. He will run 7-10 times but more often than not he'll use his freakish escape ability to buy time and hit one of his many weapons on a deep route. He was dominant (and lucky) in his last Chy Cup game. He has made clutch plays all season. Red will more than likely try to contain him in the pocket and beat them with his arm. But he has thrown the ball well this year so pick your poison. The Yellow receiving core of Anthony Ocho Acho, Tim Acho, Ray Loussia, and Branden Yono has been the best in the league this season. Ocho has been the most consistent and will make all the plays. Tim was spectacular in the first round of the playoffs and has a scary combination of size, speed, and leaping ability. And Ray Loussia and Branden Yono will find holes in the D and find the end zone at least once between them. Yellow's blockers will be a combination of Derek, Sinan, and Justin. All three are solid blockers who are factors in the passing game as well. Derek was a beast in the first round and needs a repeat performance against a very tough Red rush.

Red Offense:

Tarik Kama is the catalyst in the Red offense. They go how he goes. The Red offense has been potent this year but they have the ability to be flat out dominant when Tarik is on. He is at his best when the short stuff is working for him. He spreads the ball around very well making it tough to defend them. And he is explosive running the ball, but his run plays are few and far between. He will take deep shots to Ray and M.V.Pete and connect on at least a couple. And, as usual, Brian Najor will be a primary target from the blocker spot. Ray, AT, M.V.Pete, Mike Toma, and Mike Zeer will all catch passes for Red depending on the situation. Ray is just Ray and he will be a factor like always. AT, Mike Toma, and Zeerco will not make mistakes. But Pete has been spectacular this season and there is no reason to think that Saturday will be any different. Bruce Toma and Scotty George will be protecting Tarik alongside Brian. Yellow's rush will be plenty for them to handle but they've been consistently good all season.

Yellow Defense:

Yellow's D is extremely athletic and opportunistic. But they're going to need more than that to win this game. Their offense has been unstoppable but their D has been vulnerable at times. Defensive Coordinator Nick Ammori overcame league wide criticism with a stellar performance in round 1, but this is the big stage and Red is very balanced. If Yellow can avoid the mental mistakes, they should be able to keep Red in check. Nate, the Achos, and Ray Loussia will patrol the last line of defense. Nick Ammori and Marvin Yeldo will be working the middle and Derek, Sinan, and Hulk will be applying the heat.


Red Defense:

Red's D is their best attribute. AT's ability, although unorthodox at times, just works. He will show Nate multiple looks and he's the best at the in-game adjustments. The defense is anchored by him and Ray down the middle at LB and Safety. M.V.Pete has been lockdown on the corner and Mike Toma is always steady opposite him. Zeerco will help at LB. And Brian Najor and Scotty George have been very tough on opposing QB's. Scotty is unblockable at times and he brings it 110% on every single down.

All in all this should be a classic. There are many story lines to go along with a game that premiers the league's top two teams. This one will come down to who can avoid turning the ball over. Red seems to start every game fast and Yellow is more known for their finishes. Both teams have playmakers and clutch players. Saturday can't come soon enough. See you then!!

RED DEFEATS GREEN 40-34…



Wow. This was quite possibly the best CFL game I’ve ever seen. It was an epic battle that won’t soon be forgotten. Both teams made big play after big play and both teams left it all on the field. Red started quickly in this game by lining up Mike Zeer at QB on the first play who threw a strike to Tarik down the left sideline. Red scored on that drive and the next drive, and followed that up with a safety by Scotty George on Russ, to take an early 15-0 lead. Green started poorly and seemed out of sync, turning the ball over twice in the first half. They were also bickering with each other which almost always leads to a lopsided loss. But just when Green seemed down for the count, the momentum shifted. With 3:00 left in the first half, Bob’s cousin picked off Tarik giving Green a chance to close the gap before halftime. And Russ, as usual, made the most of the opportunity finding Danny Shaba in the right flat for a TD. Green forced Red into a 3 and out and got the ball back with 1:00 left in the half. Again, Russ charged the Green Machine down the field and punched it in again. Green, down 15-12 at that point decided to go for two and converted on an unreal play in which Russ threw off his back foot into the back of the end zone and Norm made an unbelievable catch and somehow managed to keep his foot in bounds. Red lead 15-14 at halftime.

The third quarter was slow and neither team scored, but the 4th MORE than made up for that. Green marched and scored to take their first lead of the ballgame with 6:00 left. Down 20-15, Red came back with a long drive and punched it in with less than 2:00 minutes to take a 22-20 lead. Russ came back on the field with 1:00 left needing to get Green in the endzone and he did it in short order finding a streaking Nolan Karrumi down the sideline for the go ahead score. Despite solid D by M.V.Pete Rabban, Russ’s pass was right on the money and Nolan made a spectacular grab. Green converted the two point conversion to take a 28-22 lead. A demoralized Red team got the ball back with 35 seconds left and 1 timeout. Well they didn’t need the timeout as it only took Tarik two plays to get back to the endzone. Tarik rolled right and found Ray Dawood on a flag rout for the game tying TD. Red missed the extra point and it was on to OT.

Green got the ball first in OT and scored quickly. They opted to go for 2 to put the pressure on Red but couldn’t convert. Red came right back and scored and had another opportunity to win the game with the extra point. But again the Green D held strong and the game went to double OT. Red had the first crack in the 2nd OT and scored quickly but missed the extra point. Green got a 5 yard gain on their first play from the 10. On second down, Russ Smith ran right but Brian Najor ran him down and pulled his flag just before Russ could dive for the pylon. On third down, Mike Zeer jammed Danny Shaba at the line and the passed intended for Danny sailed over his head and into the hands of a diving M.V.Pete Rabban to clinch the game for Red. Despite the offensive fireworks, it was Red’s D that made the winning play.

This game had it all- big hype, big hits, and clutch plays. Both teams should be proud to have been a part of this instant classic. Green finishes the season 5-6 but with a solid core group back for next year. Red advances to the championship game for the 2nd consecutive year.



YELLOW DEFEATS BLACK A LOT TO A LITTLE…



Any speculation that Yellow would show some adverse affects from the week 10 debacle were put promptly to rest. Yellow imposed their will on Black who could not find any answers for Yellow’s fast break offense. Anthony “Ocho” Acho was solid for Yellow but Timmy Acho was the star of the game reeling in 3 1st half TD’s including an acrobatic one-hander for the game’s first score. Yellow’s D was also impressive in preventing Shuck from getting the job done.



So the stage is set for the most anticipated CFL matchup in recent history. Preview to come…

Hello Everyone

Come on out this Sunday October 5th, at 9 am for the Chaldean Football Playoff games! The games are at West Bloomfield High School on the main field. Game 1 is at 9am and game 2 is at 10:15 am. It’s going to be an exciting Day.

Fun for the whole family and best of all it’s FREE
Read below

Playoff preview provided by Joey Jonna

GAME #1: GREEN VS. RED

This game features the two teams that played for the Chy Cup last year in what should be a very intense matchup. Red brings back mostly the same team that was on the brink of a championship last year while Green has a totally new look minus All-Everything Superstar Tony Attisha. Green willed their way into the playoffs with an improbable 2nd half comeback against Blue in the final week of the regular season. And Red claimed the top seed after trying to lay down to Yellow but not succeeding because you just physically can’t try any less than Yellow did.

QB: The QB play on both sides will determine this game. Russ has followed up his brilliant ’07 season with another solid showing in ’08. It still appears that he is not full comfortable with his revamped receiving core, but experience is on his side and he always finds a way. He had ice water in his veins and no doubts in his mind during the 2nd half of the game vs. Blue. Russ will be playing for his 8th Chy Cup this year.
Tarik, who’s coming off a leg injury, makes Red tick. He is a master at using all of his weapons, and he has plenty. If he is on, Red will be very tough to stop. A fast start is key for him. And if he utilizes his dual-threat passing/ running ability, especially in the red zone, look out. It’s unclear whether or not he is healthy enough to do that, but my guess is that he’ll be ready to go.

WR: Speed and experience is a deadly combo, and both teams have that. Green’s group of Nolan, Norm, Derek D, and Bob’s cousin Chris (don’t pitch) are great targets and make plays every game. Nolan and Norm can flat out fly and are home run threats every time they touch the ball. Norm is very comfortable in Russ’s offense and seems to always be open.
Ray, Pete, AT, and Mike Toma will lead the charge for Red. Pete has had another outstanding year. Look for him to get deep at least once or twice and make a spectacular play. Ray, well, is Ray. He will impact this game the most because Green will have to account for him on every play. He will beat you deep, short, and everywhere in between. AT is always solid and will be Tarik’s most reliable target, and Mike Toma will make every play that comes his way.

LINE: Solid lines both ways... Hawk has played well since his move to line, but he is clearly out of place blocking. If Russ can mix him into the passing game similar to how Tarik uses Brian Najor, he could be an unbelievable weapon. And Bob will be a lockdown blocker and Russ’s go to guy in clutch situations. He is also a great red zone option for Green.
Bruce Toma and Brian Najor will give Tarik all kinds of time and are both sure handed receivers. Tarik will use Brian as basically a 4th receiver. Look for them to connect 7-8 times this week as they always seem to be on the same page.

DEFENSE: This game will come down one or two big stops. Green has plenty of firepower on D and has done a great job mixing them up. Norm has held down the middle and applied serious pressure on QB’s when called upon. And Nolan, Danny, and Bob’s cousin Chris have filled the huge void left by the midseason trade.
Red’s D is solid every single year and this year is no different. AT will man the middle and show Russ many many different looks. Ray will play every defensive position throughout the game, Scotty will continue to be dominant rushing, and Pete has been more than capable as the #1 corner. AT’s defenses are good every year but this year he’s got all the tools.


GAME #2: BLACK VS. YELLOW

Quaterback controversies, trade requests, and injuries have followed these two teams around all year. But here both of them are, in the playoffs again and looking to do some damage. There are two things that we can all count on- death and that Roy will be in the playoffs (normally taxes are included in that but I’m pretty sure not all of us are paying taxes). Some way, somehow, Black is always in. They’ve had plenty of ups and downs, including but here they are again. Roy’s ability and willingness to make any changes necessary, including replacing himself at QB, has been the difference for them. Yellow, fresh off of a “strategic” loss to Red, limps into the playoffs thrilled to not have to play Red in the first round. The word from the sidelines is that Nate lost the command of his team by asking them not to try, but only time will tell. Black, meanwhile, has their own motivation from this situation so expect them to come out ready.

QB: Nate has been flat out dominant this season, especially when he can roll out and use his best weapon- his legs. If he is able to break contain then he will punish Black’s D with both his arm and legs. He has lead the league’s most explosive offense and found a way to put up points every single week. He has lots of weapons and one more year of experience, and he plays his best ball when the pressure is on. Well, the pressure is on.
Will Schuck get the job done? “Yeah Schuck, I’ll get the job done”. That sums it up for Black. Since the switch from Roy to Karl, Black has gone 5-1 and stormed back into relevancy. Karl will scramble to buy time, then find open receivers. He is steady and experienced, and has taken his position change in stride. He won’t make many mistakes.

WR: Young and talented would sum up the receivers for both teams. For Yellow, the Anthony Acho will be the go to guy. He is 21 years old in case you guys didn’t know. The status of the toe injury is unknown, but expect him to be on top of game on this big stage. Ray Loussia has been Yellow’s most consistent receiver and he will find some holes in the Black D. Branden Yono has been solid at center and Hulk has been tough in the slot when called upon. Timmy Acho has made some of the best catches of the year but also dropped some easy ones. If he is a factor, this offense will be nearly impossible to stop.
Stephan and JP are very explosive for Black. Stephan will have to make some tough catches in traffic if Black is going to win. And JP has been elusive but has had trouble staying on his feet. Roy is a very underrated center and his height and hands will be utilized more often in the playoffs. Randy is very versatile and will make plays if not accounted for.

LINE: Derek and Sinan are an all-star combo for Yellow. Both are lock down blockers and both have the ability to make big plays in the passing game. But Black has the one and only Showstopper. He has made more big plays for Black this year than anyone and he should be a terror in the playoffs. Joey Foumia will also see some time on the line for Black.

DEFENSE: D has been an issue for both of these teams this year. Yellow, despite putting up huge points on offense, has had trouble stopping people. Defensive Coordinator Nick Ammori has been under scrutiny this season and will almost certainly be relieved of his duties should Yellow go down. Individually they are solid across the board on D, but the key for this week will be the team D and no breakdowns.
Black’s playoff D is usually a different animal come playoff time because of Roy’s presence in the middle. He is a good rusher and bats down a lot of balls. Containing Nate will be the key for this defense. If he is able to run or buy time to pass then the Black DB’s will have a rough afternoon. Black has the guns but needs to assert themselves more and avoid mental mistakes and missed flags.



All in all, it should be a great week. The league has more parody than ever and anything can happen. That said, its hard not to get excited about a potential Red vs. Yellow Chy Cup matchup considering what’s happened the last couple of weeks. But Black and Green will have something to say about that. Can Russ win his 8th and give Bob his 4th Championship in 7 years as a coach? Can AT get over the hump and get that elusive 1st coaching championship? Can Roy, Schuck, and the Showstopper revive Black? And can Nate get his team back after the Week 10 debacle or will his strategy backfire? Sunday morning… 9:00. See you there.

Team Blue
GM C+
Coaching C-
Offense C
Defense C
QB C+
Receivers B+
Blockers B
LBs D
D Line C-
DBs B
Intangibles D
MVP Dylan P

Overall C

Team Yellow
GM B+
Coaching B
Offense A
Defense C
QB A-
Receivers B+
Blockers B
LBs D
D Line B
DBs C-
Intangibles B
MVP Ray L

Overall B+

Team Black
Coaching C
GM B
Offense C
Defense C
QB A
Receivers B+
Blockers B
LBs D
D Line B
DBs C+
Intangibles C-
MVP Karl D

Overall C+

Team Green
Coaching A
GM A
Offense B
Defense C-
QB B+
Receivers C
Blockers C-
LBs A
D Line C-
DBs C+
Intangibles B+
MVP Russ S

Overall B-

Team White
Coaching A
GM D-
Offense C
Defense C
QB C+
Receivers B+
Blockers B
LBs D
D Line C-
DBs B
Intangibles B
MVP Joey K

Overall C+

Team Red
Coaching C+
GM A
Offense C-
Defense B
QB C+
Receivers B+
Blockers B
LBs A
D Line A-
DBs B-
Intangibles B
MVP Pete R

Overall B

Week Five

The week of injuries

Game 1

Black 12 White 6

Joey F *strained calf
Gabe Z *sprained ankle
Randy N *bruised quad
Roy S *lower back

Game 2

Green 29 Blue 28

Tyson Y *torn achilles
Bob S *lung condition
Nick H *groin
Nolan K *crabs

Game 3

Red 25 Yellow 20

Tarak *pulled hamstring
The entire Yellow Team *bruised egos


Week Four

Game 1

Yellow 27 White 26

Game 2

Black 23 Green 18

Game 3

Red 14 Blue 6




Week Three

Red 22 Black 6

Mike Zeer stepped up in the pocket and launched it. TD!

Green 33 White 21

Yellow 26 Blue 6



Week Two

Yellow 33 Green 20

Blue 14 Black 0

Red 21 White 7



Game 1

White vs Blue

6-20 Final

This one was the Dylan show…. Dylan had 2 TDs and gave Chris Zeer all the time he needed to pick apart the White D. Playing without Nolan on both sides of the ball, Blue dominated the entire game. Steve Sigmani scored for Blue, the score for White came on a beautiful pass from new QB Randy Narra to, who else Dennis Sarafa. Chris Zeer showed he can take what you give him this year. Last year he had trouble taking the short dumps when it was there for the taking. Great work on Defense by Hawk, Lance Samona and Chris Sesi.

Game 2

Black vs Yellow

14-20 final

1 2 3 4 5….. da da da da da da da… what is how many INTs Roy threw? Playing without their Coach and QB Yellow came out and put a hurting on Black. Looking at Black’s roster you would think this was going to be a one sided affair. Yellow had other plans as the final scores indicated. Anthony Acho killed it on offense; while Timmy Acho showed why Yellow could have been crowned champs last year if not for Tim being injured. It was a total team effort by Yellow. A couple bright spots on Black, Chuck Shuck Dallou played like and All Pro Shuck. “What do you want me to do Shuck”? “I scored twice and shut down all their receivers, but we lost Shuck.” “I made an impossible one handed grab” “really bro what do you want me to do”?

Game 3

Red vs Green

7-14 final

Same two teams in the Chai Cup… Same result. Green wins! Norm is the Best, Ty is not as fast as AT and Uncle Bob is mean this year. Mike Toma played well in his first game as a CFL starting QB. Pete Rabban is the steal of the draft and one of the top five players in the league. Ray was MIA. Russ is still the best QB in the league. I love Brooke. Brian is on the trading block because he played like sh*t. T-Rock is not happy to play for AT. Mike Zeer threw as many extra point conversations as Russ this year. Scotty wants to know who won. Bash was busy. Tony got locked down. Bruce misses Dave. John Katoula has a plan. Joey Kejbo drafted poorly. Derrick D is terrible, just ask Ty. Norm is the best! Ramy… who cares? Chris Roumayeh is a rookie. Sinan is the best punter in the league (Chris Denha might disagree).


Good luck next week!!!!!!!!!!!!

By Joey Jonna


THE STARS ARE BACK!!!



After a year of injuries, schooling, work obligations, homecomings, and weddings, a few former stars have found their way back into the CFL spotlight. After some brief time off, the league welcomes back “Dr. Daiwanna” (sp?) Nolan Karrumi, “Acrobatic” Ernest Yeldo, “lion hearted” Sinan Abdul, “silky smooth” Ray Loussia, “Have a magical day” Branden Yono, and “Coach” Joey Kejbou. These additions loaded the draft with talent to supplement the phenomenal rookie class of last year. And at first glance the league looks deep with talent and evenly matched. The league is also sporting a new venue this year- West Bloomfield High School- sorry Eastsiders.



BLUE- Chris Zeer’s team has a whole new look this season and is looking to vastly improve the disaster of last season. And looking at his roster, he’s got the talent to do it. The additions of Nolan and Fadi to the Blue nucleus of Hawk and Dylan should give Chris all the firepower he needs. Look for Blue to run the ball often this season behind the best offensive line in the league- Dylan and Fadi blocking with Hawk in the slot. And with Nolan and 2nd year playmaker Lance Samona on the outside, Blue can go vertical when necessary. On the defensive side of the ball, Mohawk will be manning the middle with Dylan leading the rush and Chris Zeer anchoring the defensive backfield. Steve Sagmani and speedy rookie Justin Saroki will also look to help the Blue D. Chris “I’m Nate’s brother-in-law and I run great middle screens” Sesi gives Blue a home run threat with his blazing speed. And Joe K will likely be snapping like he’s done so well for many years.



WHITE- Like Blue, White will also be looking to improve on a poor showing last season. With newlywed new coach Joey Kejbou leading the charge, they will be in a great position to do that. The big question mark for White this year will be the QB position, where league vet but 1st year QB Randy Narra will be lining up under center. All are anxious to see how he will stack up against real competition after a brief but extremely effective showing at the rookie game. The good news for Randy is that he can’t possibly play any worse than White’s QB from last year played. The other good news is he will have a war chest of big guns to throw the ball to. This ultra talented receiving core of Joey Kejbou, Ernest Yeldo, and kind-of rookie Justin Orow should wreak havoc on opposing secondaries. And add the intensity of Lance Sitto along with the experience of Dennis Sarafa and JR Kizy to the mix and White should be strong. If Joey and Ernie can get back to old form, and Randy can get them the ball then White will be tough to stop. On the defensive side of the ball, Lance will be spending lots of time in the opposing team’s backfield. Rookie Mark Adamo will also be applying pressure on D and “I’ll bet you” that Chris Denha has another strong season in the middle. The D-backfield will be anchored by previously (and more than likely still) lockdown CB Kejbou. Athletic rookie Justin Orow will be on the other corner and Ernie will be over the top. Brandon Sitto will also contribute in the D backfield.



BLACK- If there is one thing you can set your watch to in the CFL it’s that Roy Sitto’s team will be in the playoffs. This year appears to be no different considering the fire power that Roy will have at receivers. Underrated JP Namou, who was cursed last year by having a QB that couldn’t get him the ball, will team up with CFL legend Karl Dalou and rising star Stefan Kalabat at receivers. “Go DEEP” will be a familiar theme in the Black huddle this year. And add “Associate Head Coach” to the list of names for the “Showstopper” Jordan Rassan who will undoubtedly impact every game in a variety of ways. Al “that was definitely NOT a hold” Abbo will return to a familiar place on the Black O-line and Joey Foumia will be applying pressure on the D-line. The Black D will again be strong despite the fact that the coach won’t play defense until the playoffs. Look for Gabe to work the middle while Stefan, Jon Sesi, and JP hold it down in the defensive backfield. And versatile Nelson Bricko will make his mark somewhere after he returns from his honeymoon. Black has everything they need to make a serious run at the Chy Cup.

YELLOW- Are the inmates running the asylum? That is the question that Yellow will face this year after flashes of brilliance last year. This loaded team, lead by All-World coach Natham Karrumi, expects to use the valuable experience from last year to blow the doors off this year. This year figures to showcase more of an aerial attack as opposed to last year’s predominantly running offense. Add “comebacker” Ray Loussia to an already super talented receiving core of Acho brothers and Nate will have lots of options. Both Anthony and Tim Acho expect to build on last year’s impressive rookie campaigns. And with linemen like Derek Putrus and Sinan Abdul, Natham will have ALL DAY to throw. DP will also be piling up sacks this season on the defensive side of the ball. The “Hulk” Justin Kasgorgis, Nick Ammori, and Branden Yono will handle the rest of the defensive front. And look for Nate to line back up at corner this year where he, Marvin Yeldo, and some combination of Achos will be tough to beat. Yellow has all the weapons they need and one more year of experience under their belts… look out!



RED- Anthony Toma’s team appears to have upgraded from the team that fell just short in the Chy Cup last year. Red will have familiar faces Ray Dauod, Tarik Kama, Brian Najor, Scotty George, Mike Toma, and Bruce Toma all back from last year. Add Pete Rabban, Mike Zeer, and the “Fearless” John Kattoula to that mix and Red looks like a juggernaut. Red’s offense will likely be similar to last year with Tarik and Ray making play after play and exploiting opposing defenses every way possible. It’s always hard to say who’s going to play where on Red, but one sure thing is that AT will use his personnel effectively. The Red D will be VERY tough like always, torturing opposing teams with a variety of looks and schemes. Look for very strong seasons from Pete Rabban and Scotty George who excel in AT’s system. And look for Brian Najor and Mike Toma to make lots of big plays like they did all of last year. The challenge for AT this year will be dealing with an above average amount of… let’s just say for lack of a better term… strong personalities. The huddles probably won’t be quiet, but no one is better at rallying the troops towards a common goal than AT.



GREEN- The champs. Bobby Seman and the Green Machine are back in full effect to defend their title. The key to that title defense will be the reigning CFL MVP Tony Attisha. Tony absolutely had his way with the league last year posting record numbers and dominating on both sides of the ball. Also back from the Chy Cup team of last year are stars Tyson and Norman Yono, the best QB in CFL history Russ Smith, Bash “wait, what time is the game?” Taki, and Ramy “blah blah blah, blah blah blah, blah blah blah” Sulaimen. Key additions to the squad are Derek Dickow and Danny Shaba. The receiving core of Tony, Derek, and Norm plan to shred defenses like last season. Look for “oily” Derek D to have a huge year in a reunion with Russ. And Russ, coming off a monster year, has the “good problem” of finding ways to get all these weapons the ball. With Bob and Tyson blocking, there will be plenty of time to distribute the ball. On the defensive side, Tyson and Norm will be using their crazy combos of speed and strength… to make offenses miserable. Ramy and either cousin Chris Roumayah or Bash will round out the defensive front. Tony and Diddy will hold it down on the corners. Green is the early favorite to repeat as champs and are loaded again on paper. But like they say, the game ain’t played on paper and the rest of the league will be bringing their “A” game every week and looking to dethrone them.



The theme for this season, other than the return of the stars, is parody. Every team looks great on paper. Except, according to Nate Karrumi, the White team. Nate said, and I quote, “I just don’t think white will be that strong.” I think the White team would disagree with that but Nate is certainly entitled to his opinion.



Some other bulletin board material I’ve heard this preseason…



Joey Kejbou- “I’m so sick of hearing about Tony’s season last year. I can’t wait to play him and lock him up like before.”

Showstopper- “I’m returning punts. That’s it. It’s a done deal. Not open for discussion.”

90% of Yellow team- “Man, I should Q.”

Tony Attisha- “Look at our team. Its gonna be so easy. Just like last year.”

Nolan- “If my residency was in Chicago, I STILL would have been at every game on time.”



And with that said… ITS TIME TO PLAY SOME FOOTBALL, BOYS!!


Blue
Chris Z
Nolan
Hawk
Dylan
Fadi
Chris Sesi
Lance Samona
Steve Sig
Justin Saroki
Joey K
res Sal Kesto


White
Joey Kejbo
Ernest
Justin Orow
Lance Sitto
Randy Nara
Joey F
JR Kiz
Chris Denha
Al Abbo
Brandon Sitto
res Brandon Delli


Black
Roy
Jordan
Stephen
JP
Karl the chuck shuck
Mark Adomo
Jonathan Sesi
Gabe
Nelson B
Dennis S
res Chris Ammorri


Gold
Nate
Tim Acho
Anthony Acho
Derrick P
Sinan
Justin Kas
Ray Loussia
Marvin Y
Nick Ammorri
Brandon Yono
res Scotty Acho


Red
AT
Tarik
Ray D
Brian Najor
Pete R
Scotty G
Mike Toma
Bruce Toma
Mike Zeer
John Katoula
res Pat Kattoo


Green
Bob
Tony
Norm
Tyson
Russ
Derrick D
Danny Shaba
Chris Roumayeh
Bash
Ramy
res Wasim the dream

All,



10 years… 10 great, action packed, unforgettable years. It is with great sorrow that I have to walk away from a league that is part of me, that has a place in my heart, after only 10 years. Walk away from a league started by my cousins, uncles, and father after only 10 short years. At 27 years old, I’m unable to play in a league that sports my grandmother’s teapot on the top of its trophy. 10 years that I wouldn’t trade for my weight in gold (even though the price of gold is going up daily and I’m getting fatter by the second). Nothing can replace the times I spent on the sidelines at Southfield High and Harrison with a hot chocolate watching my dad go to war every single week. To this day I remember his Sunday morning ritual… I’d sit there and watch as he put on his back brace, two pairs of socks, and his jersey. Then he’d grab the bottle of aspirin, hold it to his mouth, and then tip it until at least half the bottle was gone. I remember he’d sit on the stairs of the garage and put his cleats on, and I’d sit there next to him cause that’s what we did on Sunday mornings in the fall. And I remember watching him play every single down like it was his last. He played like nothing could stop him from winning the battle with the guy on the other side of the ball. Sometimes there were late hits, sometimes there were holds, sometimes he played flat out dirty. But that intensity, that fire he played with, made an impression on me that defined what it meant to be part of the CFL.



I remember my first Chaldean Football experience at Oakland Yard with Team Camel. The team was loaded with CFL legends including Russ, JR, Anthony, Karl, Brian, and Bob. I remember asking them after the tournament if they thought I had a chance to make the league. I remember waking up before my first CFL game in the fall of 1998 and showing up to the field only to find out that our QB had not shown up and Johnny Kello looking at me and saying- “its on you kid”. I remember that first snap and totally panicking. I remember my 2nd year playing on Saber Ammori’s White team, which was my first year at QB under the guidance of Haithem Sarafa. I remember hoisting the Chy Cup for the first time after shocking a loaded Red team that had gone undefeated to that point. I remember taking the field with my dad and having great success, only to be forced to take the field without him in the championship due to a suspension he received from defending me. I remember telling him that I didn’t want to play without him and him telling me that I had an obligation and commitment to my team- he was right. I remember driving home from Michigan State every single weekend no matter what and never missing a game. I remember Anthony Toma building an unbelievable team that did nothing but win. And I remember personally blowing a lead through numerous bad decisions and costing Anthony a well-deserved championship. I remember getting the opportunity to coach at the young age of 23. I remember the 2nd championship behind the White Wall and the greatest receiving core maybe in the history of the league- Joey Kejbou, Nolan Karrumi, Dennis Sarafa, and Anthony Hesano. I remember winning 17 straight games twice in three seasons. I remember the 3rd championship with Yellow deciding to take a safety, then White making the most of that with a 93 second game winning drive capped off by a TD catch by Jordan Rassan in the first CFL game under the lights. I remember being on the verge of the CFL’s first undefeated season only to lose a heartbreaking game to a hungry Black team. And I remember this last and final season, where I coached 9 other guys who never gave up despite the adversity we faced.



I will miss waking up every Sunday morning like it was Christmas- so excited to get on the field. I will miss playing along side my mentors in the league- Anthony Toma, Saber Ammori, Haithem Sarafa, Johhny Kello, JR Kizy, Bobby Seman, and Karl Dalou. I will miss talking to Dennis Sarafa EVERY SINGLE DAY about what was going on with our team. I will miss playing alongside Denny. I will miss knowing that I can throw to Denny in every crucial situation and that he will make the play. I will miss Denny telling me that I’ve done well or that I need to do more. I will miss Denny’s guidance. I will miss calling my dad every Sunday after the game and telling how it went. I will miss my best friend Branden Yono, who I mistakenly underestimated, quietly make every play necessary for the team to win. I will miss Team Camel- Tony Attisha looking at the guy across from him , telling that guy that he’s going to beat him, and then beating him. Ernie’s acrobatic catches. Anthony’s flag pulls. Ray doing all the little things. Russ controlling a rowdy group of Arabs like no one I’ve ever seen. Brian being unblockable at times. Bob always blocking the biggest guy and that guy never getting near me. I will miss Florida- the Patron, the fun, the playing the best teams tough but losing to lesser teams, the winning a game with 6 guys (vs. 8 guys), Bob beating the hell out of me for no reason, and Nolan jumping over a pool in a single leap. I will miss playing with Joey Kejbou- the big plays, him looking at me in every crucial situation and demanding the ball, the interceptions, the leadership, the football knowledge, the blocking downfield, and the best teammate that anyone could hope for. I will miss the coaches meetings. I will miss the deadline trades. I will miss Nathan Karrumi who, aside from being the most physically gifted player I’ve ever seen in this league, epitomizes what we want this league to be. I will miss Anthony’s passion and all the little things he does for the league that go unnoticed. I will miss Derek D’s championship game commentary and overall promotion of the league. I will miss Russ’s poise and his resiliency to being traded so often, only to come back last year and prove why no QB will ever compare to him. I will miss Roy’s deep balls and the half season that I got to be on the receiving end of them. I will miss the huddles. I will miss looking at the guys in the huddle and believing they will succeed. I will miss having six guys look at me in the huddle and having full confidence that I will do what it takes to get them into the endzone. I will miss constantly talking about what we can do to grow the league and make it better. I will miss hanging out with 59 friends every single Fall Sunday.



So today I retire from the league that means so much to me. I retire after seeing four doctors and having each and every one of them tell me that my back is shot. I retire having won 3 Chy Cups and having had tremendous success due to being blessed with great teammates. I retire knowing that the league is in great hands. I retire wishing that I could have played 20 more years- wishing that maybe I could have played a few downs with my son like I had the honor of playing with my dad. I want to thank those before me for the opportunity to be a part of such a great league. I want to thank those who played with me and against me. And I want to thank all those who will carry the torch from here. 10 years. 10 wonderful, wonderful years.



Thanks for the memories.


Joey Jonna




The after party will be at Bailey's Pub in Troy,

When you get there just tell them you are with the CFL party.

address is 1965 West Maple Road Troy, Michigan 48084

Call me if you have any questions Anthony 248-561-6100

Oh and wear RED!




Championship Preview

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…Red vs. Green Showdown under the lights.


This is the matchup that everyone wanted to see (except Blue, Black, Yellow, and White). Both teams rolled through the regular season and both were heavy favorites to advance to the championship. Lots of storylines surround this game such as- Can AT get over the hump as a coach? Can Red’s D slow down the Green Machine? Is there enough Patron on this earth to quench the Championship Party’s thirst? But perhaps the most compelling storyline is the 22 year Scotty George saga… yes, it’s true, Scotty has played 22 seasons in the CFL and he has never hoisted the Cup. Is it possible that one of the best athletes in the history of the league has never won it? Well, anyone who saw Red play this year knows that Scotty has been a huge part of Red’s success. He leads the league in sacks and seems to be in the QB’s face every single down. He’ll be motivated, anxious, and looking to take out 22 years of frustration on the Green Machine.


Position Breakdown-

QB: Tarik was a world beater last week. His combination of speed and passing ability makes him impossible to stop when he’s on. The only thing that can stop him is him. And Russ has been the catalyst to the aerial circus that is the Green Machine. He spreads the ball around to his talented playmakers with pinpoint accuracy. And he has 5 Chy Cups under his belt too compared to Tarik’s one (and zero as a QB). EDGE: EVEN

WR: The Green Machine is loaded at receiver. Tony is always in the right place at the right time and that is no accident. He is always making the biggest plays at the most crucial times. Shuck is a model of consistency and he will get open many times. And Norm just runs by people for one or two long TD’s a game. Red is also solid at receiver with “Playoff” Ray and AT leading that charge. And the rookie tandem of Mike Toma and Lance Samona is solid but they don’t see many looks. EDGE: GREEN

LINE: Both teams are awesome up front but that’s where the similarities end. Ty and Bob for Green are extremely physical and they are great at blocking downfield on screens. Red’s line is more like having two extra receivers with Brian and Bruce. Brian will catch 6- 8 balls and probably find the end zone at least once. And Bruce hasn’t dropped a pass since 1996. But Green’s line can and will also catch the rock, especially in the red zone. EDGE: EVEN

DEFENSE: Green boasts the best defensive player in the league in Tony Attisha. He’s everywhere. But Red’s setup on offense (97% of the touches go to interior guys) somewhat neutralizes him. Its doubtful Green will waste him on the outside guys so more than likely he’ll be somewhere in the middle running with “Playoff” Ray. But he is the key. Ty will apply pressure from the rush spot and Norm will patrol the middle. Red is solid all around and AT’s scheme will be sound. Red’s rush is freakish especially when they send “Playoff” Ray to go along with Scotty George and Brian Najor. And AT is the best there is in the middle. There have been concerns about Red’s corners all year but they have done nothing but make plays. Look for Mike Toma to be lined up on Tony’s side and he should definitely see a lot of action. EDGE: RED


COACH: Both teams have full coaching staffs. For Red, AT handles most of it but he’ll look to “Playoff” Ray and Shak in certain situations. Say what you want about Shak, but he’s thorough and has been in the CFL along time. But this is AT’s squad and they will be prepared. It appears that Bob has Tony calling the D and Russ running the offense, with input on both sides from Shuck. Bob handles the personnel, the motivation, and the team morale. By team morale I mean… well you know what I mean. Neither team has faced much adversity this year so the game day coaching will definitely come into play. EDGE: EVEN


Based on above, we’re in for a hell of a game. The loser of this game will have to live with seeing the Cup day in and day out at his house and that will be flat out miserable. Its bad enough when you lose and the opposing coach sends you text messages of him scoring touchdowns and you throwing interceptions, but having to wake up and see it every single day with someone else’s name on it is just brutal. But one thing is for sure- the party will be legendary. So come on out Saturday night to see the CFL at its best!! Two great teams, a great crowd, and a great league!! Chy anyone…?

October 31, 2007- Ahhh, football in November. Plenty of story lines surround this year’s CFL Playoffs- Can AT get his first Chy Cup as a coach? Will the Green Machine rise again? Will the Acho’s be on the field Sunday morning? Will Roy call his team to let them know they have a game Sunday morning? We’ll soon find out…


Game 1: Red vs. Yellow



The big question here is “Will the Acho boys play?”. Coach Karrumi has been able to field a competitive team without his 1st and 3rd Round picks, but there is no doubt that their athleticism and big play ability will be missed against an all around solid Red team. Red has virtually no holes on either side of the ball. If Ray Dawood shows up by gametime and Tarik avoids injury, they will be very tough to beat. Karrumi and Yellow, on the other hand, have played most of the year short handed. But speaking from experience- “Don’t ever count Nathan’s team out!”. Nate, behind his monster line, has had multiple come-from-behind victories this season and has played some of his best ball in crunch time.



QB- This game features the two most athletic QB’s in the league. Tarik is virtually impossible to beat when he’s in a groove but the true test will be if things don’t go his way early. Nathan has consistently put up points with his arm and legs, but this is his first playoff game under center. EDGE: RED



WR’s- This obviously depends on the health of the Acho boys. You know what you’re getting with AT and Ray, and that’s consistency and a home run threat. What has surprised everyone though, is the play of rookies Mike Toma and Lance Samona. If the rookies make plays when given opportunities (Tarik throws to them once or twice a game usually) then Yellow will have their hands full. Yellow’s combo of Achos plus Nick Ammori and Chris Sesi is very athletic and they lit up the scoreboard when they were healthy. But unfortunately for Yellow, their status is unknown. EDGE: RED



LINE- Red’s combo of Bruce Toma and Brian Najor easily makes up the best receiving lineman in the league. Najor is one of, if not THE favorite target of Tarik. But Yellow’s line is just plain physical. There were run plays this year where Yellow ran the ball and Derek Putrus and Fadi Gully hit three guys a piece. EDGE: YELLOW



DEFENSE- Injuries and uncertainty again come into play for Yellow. When healthy, they are scary fast and athletic. But with looming injuries to the Achos, Derek Putrus, and Joey Foumia, Yellow better have a good scheme. Red’s D on the other hand is tough year in and year out. They are always prepared and always seem to be in the right position. Scotty George has been an absolute terror for QB’s this season. And AT and Ray are two of the best flag pullers in the league. EDGE: RED



COACH- Karrumi has overcome huge adversity this year with injuries, player disputes, and 6 rookies on a 10 man roster. But still they were competitive each and every week. That is good coaching. But still, there is no substitute for experience. AT’s team will be prepared and focused. EDGE: RED



Game 2: Green vs. Black




The Green Machine is back! Green steamrolled through the regular season with a full cast of superstars and legends. Tony has dominated both sides of the ball like the league’s best player should. And Chuck, Ty, Norm, and Bob do nothing but make plays. But the story of the year has been the play of 28 year old Russ Smith. Russ has made play after play, read after read, and adjustment after adjustment. Simply put, he has been brilliant. Black, on the other hand, has had their ups and downs. But despite their difficulties, Black is loaded with talent. Both Roy and the Showstopper play their best ball in November, and that makes Black scary. But they can only do so much so it will be up to game breaking rookies Stefan Kalabat and Justin Kasgorgis if an upset is going to happen.


QB- Both Roy and Russ have loads of playoff experience and that will show come Sunday. But Russ has been unstoppable all year long and there is no reason to think that won’t continue. EDGE: GREEN



WR’s- Black has plenty of talent at this position with Derek D, Justin, and Stefan. Derek proved last year that he can shine on the big stage, but the real key for Black will be the big play ability of Kalabat. We’ve all seen flashes of brilliance and plays where it looks like no one can cover him- but we’ve also seen a couple of deep balls go off his fingertips. But the true test will be what happens from here on out. Green is crazy loaded. Shuck is consistent and never drops the ball (even when he shows up to the field plastered). Norm has been getting open and busting off long TD runs after the catch. And Tony has been nothing short of amazing catching everything near him. Edge: GREEN



LINE- There is a reason they call him the Showstopper. He’s a fierce blocker and his hands are glue. And Al Abbo is always solid. But the speed and strength combo of Bob and Tyson is just too much. EDGE: GREEN



DEFENSE- Black has the talent and potential to be the best D in the league. The question is will they be. I expect Jordan and Justin to wreak havoc on their rush. Roy will throw himself in at LB/ Rush and he’ll make plays. And Derek, Stefan, and Sesi is a strong DB combo. If they can put it together, they can slow down the Green machine. Green has been steady on D all season, making all the necessary plays. EDGE: EVEN



COACHING- Bob has probably had three team meetings this week along with numerous game planning sessions. Roy doesn’t even know half of his team’s phone numbers. But Roy is one of the best game day coaches there is. If he gets a fast start, look out. Still, Green has a whole coaching staff with Shuck, Russ, and Tony to go with Bob. EDGE: GREEN




Hopefully there will be two close, hard fought games this weekend. Chy anyone?

Written by
Joey Jonna

All Games scheduled to be played this Sunday the 28th of October have been cancelled.

The playoffs are set

Game 1 at 9:00 am

Yellow vs Red




Game 2 at 10:15 am

Green vs Black

Good Luck to all!

Team	Wins	Losses	Ties	pct.	PF	PA
Green	7	1	0	.875	200	103
Red	6	2	0	.750	151	101
Yellow	5	3	0	.625	172	136
Black	3	5	0	.375	108	151
White	2	6	0	.250	70	153
Blue	1	7	0	.125	104	161

Game 1

Red 7 vs Green 19

No Tarik… No problem… for Green that is, while Tarik was attending his first nephew’s baptism, Green was baptizing Red. This was Red’s first lost since game one of the regular season. Chuck Shuck was held scoreless without the support of his two nephews. Ray Shamoun had as many catches for Blue (DNP) than Norm did for Green. In the end it was Russ and Tony again hooking up to seal the game.

Player of the week for Green Tarik

Game 2

White 6 vs Black 14

No Joey J… No problem… for Black that is, where have I heard that before? Oh right, no Tarik... JR Kizy filled in for the missing Joey J who was on a trip to Dubai, yes the Middle East. Not enough camel jockeys at Groves I guess. I know missing a game probably killed Joey, but it is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Back to the game, I’m not even sure how or who scored in this game.

Player of the week for Black Joey J

Game 3

Yellow 14 vs Blue 7

Yellow won but it cost them dearly as Anthony Acho goes down for the rest of the regular season. Anthony told me at softball Thursday that he doesn’t think he or his brother Timmy will be back for the playoffs either. He wanted me to let Yellow know he will try, but it doesn’t look good for either one of them.

Player of the week for Yellow Mike Zeer

Week 7 results
Game 1
Black vs Yellow
Yellow started out with the ball and drove down the field only getting stopped on the goaline when Ant Acho takes a reverse cuts back and throws a pick to john Katoula. Black started out with the ball deep in the territory and a few plays into their drive Ant Acho makes a one handed INT to make up for the last drive. Yellow starts back with good field position gets down to the goaline, and again gets stopped by a couple incomplete passes and a big sack by Roy on third down to push Yellow back to 20 yards away. Black gets ball back and again throws a deep ball for a pick when Nate tips the ball and Ant Acho is there to clean it up. Yellow finally gets on the board with a couple plays, middle screen to Cris Sesi down to the 10, Nate run to the 2, and then direct snap to derrick to punch it in. Derrick follows up with a catch for the point after. Black starts under 2 mins and gets the ball going on a couple short passes, but then throws another pick deep this time to Nate, who runs it up the left sideline then throwing it 25 yards across the field to Ant acho who takes it another 20 yards. An out here a curl there, Yellow puts in another one before half on a sweep right with Nate running behind big man Fadi Gulli. Ant Acho catches a quick slant for the point after. Just before half Roy sends "The Showstopper" on a fly up the left sideline but cant connect with him just throwing the ball inches to far. Second half Black starts out with the ball and puts together an impressive drive only to get slowed when deep bomb to Stephan causes an offensive pass interference sending Black back needing 2 cones for a first down. Forth down Stephan takes a reverse and throws it down field to Derrick but the pass was broken up. Yellow gets the ball back only having to punt after one first down. Black gets there drive going and ends up first and goal from the 15 only to get stopped on 4th and goal from the 8 on an 6 yard out route to Saber. Yellow buried deep feet away from their end zone narrowly escapes a safety on the first play by Roy, an INT by "The Showstopper" on second down where he dove for the ball catching it but not before it hits the ground. Third down yellow escapes on an underthrown ball to Ant Acho where he nicely adjusted for catch. Yellow drives culminating with again another sweep by Nate behind both big boys Fadi and Derrick. Black has a late drive with a Td but time runs out leaving the final 20-6 Yellow.

You don't want to miss this. Teams grades, Coaches grades, Player grades, We will grade Os and Ds, General Manager grades will be handed out, Rookie of the years updates and much more.

Stay tuned!

Oh and if you want to be a model or actor go to www.onesourcetalent.com

TEAM White- 27
Yellow- 21

White scored on their first two possessions. The first TD was scored by Randy Narra on a phenomenal catch in which he tipped the ball then dove and reeled it in. The 2nd TD came on a 30 yd strike from Jonna to JP Namou who managed to keep his feet in bounds while falling backwards to make the catch. Yellow then responded with a 65 yard TD from Karrumi to brother-in-law Chris Sesi on 3rd and 22 to cut White’s lead in half to 14-7. White got the ball back with 2 minutes left and marched down the field looking to go up two scores before halftime. Three huge 4th down conversions by Randy Narra, Dennis Sarafa, and JP Namou put White in position for a TD pass from Jonna to Namou with 3 seconds left in the 1st half. Steve Sagmani (who made his first start at center) converted the extra point giving White a 21- 7 halftime lead. Yellow came out running in the 2nd half (as they have all year) and scored early to cut the lead to 21-14. Both defenses stood strong for the rest of the 3rd quarter. Midway through the 4th, White put a dagger in Yellow’s heart on a well designed fake QB draw-scramble-avoid the corner blitz-step up- throw to the only guy in the pattern play, when Jonna hit Sarafa in stride for a 35 yard TD to take a 27- 14 lead. Yellow made a surprising QB change on their next drive moving Anthony “Keyshawn” Acho to QB. Acho proceeded to march them down the field for a score and an extra point that cut the lead to 6 points. But White answered again when Jonna found Sarafa on a post for the game clinching 1st down.

Game notes:
- JP Namou outshined fellow star rookie Anthony Acho on both sides of the ball basically making Acho a non-factor.
- Yellow ran the ball at will piling up huge yards on the ground, but struggled with their passing game.
- White responded well after an embarrassing loss to Blue last week.
- Lance Sitto is getting married this weekend. She is lucky to be marrying a guy that is smart, good looking, athletic, and still a virgin at 27. I want to be the first to wish Lance nothing but the best for his first time. So good luck Lance, I think you’re really going to enjoy your fist time.

Joey Jonna

Game 2

Red 19 Blue 12

Red gets to 4-1 but not without a fight. Blue came out with the surprise of the year by putting Mike Zeer at QB. It didn’t look like such a good idea on their first drive, but turned out being a very good move. Although Blue punted on its first drive and Red scored on a bomb from Tarak Kama to Ray Dawood on its first drive, Mike Zeer put together a couple of very impressive scoring drives. The first drive was made up of a lot of dumps and Zeer footwork. Zeer was throwing and running like he was 25 years old again. They capped the drive with TD that went off of Gabe Z’s hands into Anthony Toma’s hand and out in the end zone into Nelson Brecko’s hands. Pete Rabban caught a bomb from Mike Zeer to make it a 1 point game. Mike Toma caught a TD for Red and Tarak Kama ran in the winning TD.
Overall I have to give Mike Zeer an A+ on his QB debut. Chris Zeer was very happy with his brother play as well. Brian Najor dished out what could be taken as a compliment under these circumstances; his exact words were “the dummy played smart”.
Great job to the entire Blue Team for sucking it up short handed and giving a fully manned Red Team all it could handle.

Anthony Toma

Game 3
Green 26 Black 12
Norm Yono ran and Bob watched. After a long night of partying, you would of thought that the Green Machine would of came out sluggish, but it was the opposite, as green stopped black on their first possession and drove down the field for an opening touchdown, It was set up by a long play from Russ Smith to Norman Yono and capped by a 3 yard touchdown to "Animal" Petrous. On the following series Roy was picked off by Chris Denha and he returned it 50 yards for a touchdown. Russ capped the half by hitting Ray Shamoun on a pretty 18 yard corner route to give The Green Machine a 20-0 lead at the half. Black came out to get a score in the second half, but it was quickly answered by a short pass and 70 yard touchdown to Norman Yono. Black added a late touchdown to make the final 26-12

Tony Attisha

For CPA services call Peter Toma 248-552-0055

Game 1
Red 26 Black 6

Black came out looking like the offensive powerhouse that pounced on Team White in week one. Black came out with a 59 yard drive that ended a yard short of pay dirt when Ray Dawood tipped a pass intended for the end zone right to Tarik Kama’s waiting arms. Tarik took the ball to the house for 6. Red’s defense stuffed Black over and over again, blanking them until the reserves came in and allowed Black to score on its last position of the game. Ray Dawood had a TD and Coach Anthony Toma added 2 more for the game. When asked what the final score was, Coach Roy of Team Black responded “Black Sucks”

Game 2
Green 32 Yellow 28

This game was all Tony Attisha in the fourth quarter (3 TDs in the fourth). I’m not exactly sure how the scoring went in this one. Way too much action to keep track of, Nathan TD, Anthony TD, Russ TD, Karl first down, Tony TD, Bob even scored in this one. I thought it was never going to end. There were more lead changes in this game than points scored in Game 3. When asked what the final in this game was coach Bob of Green responded “F*ck P Diddy”

Game 3
Blue 6 White 2

Say Interception…. 10 times as fast as you can, sorry too slow, try again. Not much more to say about this game. White scored when Mike Zeer snapped the ball over Coach Chris Zeer’s head into the end zone. Blue scored on a hook and ladder from Pete Rabban to Nick Hermiz. When ask what the final in this game was Mike Zeer self-proclaimed MVP responded “MVP”

Tied for First at 3-1 are Yellow, Green and Red
Tied for Last at 1-3 are Black, White and Blue
Anthony Toma
Coach Red

TEAM White holds on, Yellow with another 4th quarter comeback, and Red’s D leads to V.



Game 1: White 13, Black 12.



White’s stagnant offense got its first 1st Half points of the year on TD pass from Joey Jonna to JP Namou. Randy Narra made an unbelievable catch on the extra point despite a poorly thrown ball by Jonna to give White an early 7-0 lead. In the second quarter, Jordan Rassan had an electrifying punt return for a TD. That’s right, a lineman took a punt to the house. After the return, the Showstopper humbly referred to himself as “the most dominant f%&ing player in this league”. White opened the scoring in the 2nd half when JP Namou scored again on a long catch and run. Black battled back in the 4th quarter as Roy Sitto lead a long scoring drive that included a couple of key 3rd down conversions. The drive was capped off by a Johnny Kello touchdown. Black decided to go for two and the win with just over two minutes remaining but could not convert. White ran out the clock to ice their first win of the year. JR Kizy, who’d been previously buried on the White defensive depth chart, called a great game on defense holding the high powered Black offense at bay.



Game 2: YelACHO 25, Blue 20.



Karrumi does it again, displaying the same fire and tenacity that he showed in the championship game last year (from which he sends me clips and text messages constantly about how they slapped us around). Both teams played very well and the defeat was crushing for a Blue team that finally had a full squad. Team Acho started the scoring when Anthony Acho wrestled the ball away from Chris Zeer and then proceeded to stare him down. Team Acho struck again in the first quarter when Tim Acho picked off Zeer and took it to the house for another six. But Blue came storming back. Blue’s first score came on a Vince Young-like TD scramble by Chris Zeer in which he evaded the rush then sprinted towards the endzone diving in from the 3. Blue got the ball back and scored again on a strike from Zeer to Pete Rabban who was able to go up for the ball and come down with his feet in bounds. Blue converted the extra point to take a 14-13 lead. The back and forth scoring continued into the 4th quarter as Yellow marched again and Karrumi scrambled until he found a streaking Tim Acho. Yellow missed the EP but took a 19-14 lead with 5 minutes to go. Once again, Blue came back. Chris Zeer made another play with his feet as he avoided the first wave of rushers and found Nick mo-Hermez behind the Yellow defense for a 60 yard TD and a late lead. Blue had momentum at that point and their D forced Yellow 3 and out. Tyson Yono, despite being held on every play and bleeding profusely from his right eye, had a sack that pushed Yellow back deep in their own zone. Yellow punted, but their D stepped up and they got the ball back with under two minutes and no time outs. Karrumi took over from there charging his team down the field with runs and passes and capping it off with a TD scramble as the clock wound down. Yellow is VERY confident after this win and has shown tons of poise for a young team. Blue slips to 0-3 and changes will most likely be made. A couple of other important game notes: Ty has a new chest bumping partner in dominating LB and new addition Nick Hermiz. And Nick Ammori is a STRONG candidate for comeback player of the year.



Game 3: Red 21, Green 14



Red started this game with Sal at QB due to an injury to Tarik. And Green took advantage early when Tony Attisha picked one off and took it 70 yards for the first score of the game. Green struck again early when Russ hit Tony on a middle screen for a TD. That TD was set up by a 25 yard scramble by Russ Smith who lost 30 pounds and 15 years this past off-season. But that would be the last time Green found paydirt as it was all about Red’s D from that point on. Red made a change at QB and brought in rookie Mike Toma at QB. The change paid off immediately as Mike Toma found Anthony Toma who faked a pitch then got a block from Bruce Toma and outran the defense for a TD as Jonathan Toma watched from the sideline and Peter Toma ran laps around the Groves track. Red, for some unknown reason, went for two and got it on a catch and run from Brian Najor. Tarik Kama came into the game at QB for Red at the beginning of the 2nd half and marched them right down the field. Red capped the drive with a PHENOMENAL one handed catch by Mike Toma who is quietly having a HUGE rookie season. Red’s D continued to stifle the Green aerial circus and got the ball back. Red’s final score came on a rollout pass from Tarik to Anthony Toma (who got high-5’s from Bruce and Mike Toma).



After 3 weeks the standings are as follows:



1.Yellow 3-0

2. Red 2-1

3. Green 2-1

4. White 1-2

5. Black 1-2

6. Blue 0-3



Emotions were high this week and everyone played very hard. There were three close games yesterday and guys were willing to kill each other for a win. That is great to see.



-Joey Jonna, TEAM White

One Source Talent


WEEK 2 RECAP:
Green pitches SHUTOUT, Red bounces back and Gold Stifles Black!

Game 1: Green 21, Blue 0

Green was heavy favored in this one vs. a depleted Blue without 4 players. They started out driving down to 10 yd. line when Russ Smith found Tony Atisha on a quick slant. Blue drove down to red zone after great catches from newly acquired Nick "the mohawk" Hermiz but failed to punch it in. After a few completed passes Russ Smith used his nimble feet and side arm delivery to find Karl Dallou from 7 yds. out. Blue drove down once again to the 10 yd. line but did not score. Later on Blue found themselves in scoring positon once again and failed to cash it in. Russ calmly drove down in the 4th quarter to hit Atisha once again on a patented fade route from 30 yds. Tony had a great game all around and Russ looked like his old self giving Green a 2-0 start to the CFL season. Blue should have all its players in week 3 and looks to bounce back with their first win.

Game 2: Red 20, White 13

Red loaded on paper needed this one after a week 1 upset. Red QB Tarik Kama used his legs more this game which translated into 2 first half TD'S to Red coach Anthony Toma. Kama also caught a TD from rookie Mike Toma, when he took an end around and threw a dime to Tarik down the left sideline from 50 yds. Anthony Toma used his veteran ability to get open in the end zone on scoring strikes from 10 and 15 yds. out. Red used its strong rush of Scotty George, Brian Najor and Ray Dawood to slow down White QB Joey Jonna. Jonna looked off balance all game and avoided a second straight shutout by connecting with Randy Narra later in 2nd half. A Great catch from rooke J.P. (50 yds.) set up a scoring TD from Jonna to Narra. Rookie Mike Toma played solid and racked up some fantasy value by throwing a TD and also picking off Jonna. Red moves to 1-1 while White falls 0-2. White heads into week 3 with a must win while Red tries to put all its pieces together for a strong season.

Game 3: Gold 27, Black 6

Black wasted no time to try and get on the scoreboard. Roy missed on 3 consecutive BOMBS which hit black receivers on stride but they failed to come down with the ball. After turning the ball over Nate "cat" Karrumi used his legs and scored on a 40 yd. run to make the score 7-0. Roy tried to answer back and was picked off by rookie Anthony Acho. Nate drove down and rewarded Acho on a 10 yd. TD which made the score 14-0. Roy under heavy rush threw one up and served another INT to older brother and rookie Tim Acho. Gold drove down and Nathen found Nick Ammori from 10 yds. out. Gold converted on extra point with Ant Acho making the score 21-0. Black later drove found themselves in red zone and Roy hit rookie standout Stefan Kallabat from 10 yds. to put Black on the board. On the next play from scrimmage Nate pulled a Mike Vick except he wasnt beating dogs he was beating Black and scored on a 80 yd. TD run to put the game out of reach. Nate also added an INT to give GOLDS Defense 3 in the game. Gold looks solid at 2-0 while Black looks to bounce back.

stay tuned for week 3 as playoff implications are at stake with Blue and White...

Blue coach

Chris Zeer

One Source Talent

Game 1: Red 13 YELLOW 18
Game 2: White 2 GREEN 27
Game 3: BLACK 20 Blue 7


Week 1… was all about the Rookies!


In the first game we had Lance Samona (Red) coming up with his first career interception (should have had 3). Mike Toma (Red) played well above expectations, running catching and hitting like he’s been in the league for 3 or 4 years. Then there was high flying Anthony Acho (Yellow) this guy made some very nice catches and defensive stops, he gets his first career TD in week one very impressive. Mark Adomo (Yellow) filled in very well for 2 year player Fadi Guli and rookie Timmy Acho whose absence was approved by his coach. The last rookie that took part in the first game was Chris Sesi, this guy came in underrated, he surprised everyone on the Red team when he got the ball on a middle screen and jumped from the line of scrimmage for a 15 yard gain.


Game two was more of the same, Scotty Acho (White) played center for team most of the game, a lot of pressure comes with handling the ball on each and every play. Scotty handled it very well. John Paul Namou (White) was all over the field, he was asked to try to stop one of the best receivers in the league in Tony Attisha. John Paul ran step for step with tony most of the game, he even picked off a sure TD with an acrobatic catch in the corner of the end zone. Ramy Sulaiman (Green) anchored Green’s Defense with two interceptions one of which gave Whites it’s only points of the game.


Bang! Bang! Bang! Was the theme for Justin Kasgorgis in game three, he was banging anything that moved. I witnessed him hitting his own players when he thought the play was going to be blown dead, because no one in Blue was in hitting range of him. He has been nicknamed “Wild Animal” not sure if he approves but it seems to fit. A familiar face to everyone that played in the winter league, Brandon Delly (Black) played some solid football and seems to have picked up a step or two. The only bad apple of the whole rookie crop was/is Jeff Bahri (Blue), he was given a special tryout as was Stephan Kallabat (this will be the last time you ever hear these two names mentioned together) and was selected in the first round by Blue, only to dodge phone calls and avoid making a verbal commitment for game two. This may lead to being black listed from the CFL. Back to the good or should I say great rookie crop, Stephan like the previously mentioned guy couldn’t make it to the rookie game so a special work out was set up for him. All the coaches were present and all were blown away at how good he was/is. Stephan is not only a great player but a great kid (thanks to mom and dad George). Lebron who? This kid did everything in the game except throw a TD pass. He ran back a punt for about a forty yard gain, he caught one or two TDs, he broke up everything on the defensive side of the ball and he got Saber to come back and play another year.


Welcome to the league guys, we are glad to have you! If you guys have any questions or comments feel free to post them on the chat board.


Anthony Toma

One Source Talent

The 27th season of the (Chaldean Football League) CFL is upon us and with it comes, CHANGE, two new coaches, 14 high flying rookies, all new teams, and a 44 year old QB? The more things change the more they stay the same. Once again Roy Sitto drafts a powerhouse team. Bob Semaan has one of his employees (this time it’s Tony Attisha) do his dirty work while he soaks up the Arizona sun, and as always someone throws a monkey wrench in everyone’s draft plan by selecting a player waaaaaaaay early. I’m not going to name names but here are his initials CZ. Team Gold, Yellow or Pee led by Nathan Karrumi is loaded big big big big big time. They have more talent and athletic ability than most Team Camel teams we took down to Orlando for Nationals (sadly, I bet they don’t even make the playoffs). Joey Jonna ha what can I say about Joe Joe and Team White? Well he got Dennis Sarafa again and he found the stud JP to replace Joey Kejbo (don’t ask, this one has the P word written all over it), so all in all he probably wins it another 2 out of three years.


This should be a great year and if you want to talk smack the chat boards are officially open. Nolan Karrumi we’ll be expecting you.
Good Luck all and a big warm welcome to all the rookies, keep your heads up (Justin Kasgorgis stay away from me please)

FYI the rosters and schedule have been updated on the site. If you have any questions about anything, post it on the chat board and someone will answer.

Team Red Coach Anthony Toma

One Source Talent

After the final minutes ticked away on the 26th Chy Cup Championship game, Roy Sitto embraced with teammates in a celebratory hug at midfield, and the word “finally” was all Sitto could say.

Sitto’s Black team had finally overcome a powerful White team seeking a perfect season, after losing to them twice in the regular season. And the team Sitto had assembled to compete for the past three seasons finally earned the coveted Chy Cup Championship.

The White team’s reign as Chaldean Football League kings came to an end on Saturday night, November 12, under the lights of the Groves High School football field, where Black defeated White by a score of 20-14. After winning back-to-back titles in 2004 and 2005, Joey Jonna’s team was seeking its third straight Chy Cup Championship after an undefeated regular season.

“Black was the better team,” Jonna said. “They had the right scheme and they executed it very well.”

The adrenalin-charged Black team earned it with an aggressive defensive strategy and a methodical offensive attack. But White stayed resilient and kept things interesting to the final buzzer.

“I never thought we had the game in hand,” Sitto said. “It still went down to the wire. You can never count White out.”

The near-freezing temperature and brisk wind didn’t stop over 100 fans from showing up to support the CFL’s title game, including a huge cheering section for the Black team's All-Everything player Nathan Karrumi.

The versatile Karrumi was nothing more than a blur to the White defense. Karrumi criss-crossed the field from end to end for most of the evening, scoring all three of Black’s TDs, two on the ground and one receiving. Karrumi easily earned Offensive MVP honors with his three scores as well as 80 all-purpose yards and even one pass completion.

“Nathan Karrumi was a force on both sides of the ball and had an MVP season,” Jonna said.

In the end, the Black team defense changed the complexion of the game. They found ways to frustrate a normally potent and efficient White offense. Black’s defensive prowess forced a number of costly mistakes by White, including two key INT's by Defensive MVP Derek Dickow. Black’s persistent pass rush and opportunistic defensive backfield forced three interceptions thrown by Jonna, as well as three pass knockdowns by Sitto.

Black started the game on offense and Sitto threw an INT to Joey Kejbou on the second play of the game, giving White a chance to strike early. But White was unable to move the ball and was forced to punt.

Black’s first score was the result of two Karrumi runs, the first of which he took from sideline to sideline for 34 yards down to the one-yard-line. Karrumi punched it in on the next play on a reverse handoff from Sitto. Showing his diversity, Karrumi then lined up as QB for the extra point and converted it with a pass to CFL veteran John Kello, making the score 7-0.

White’s next drive was shut down quickly with one of the two Dickow INT’s, which ended the first quarter. Black charged back after the turnover and scored again on a 35-yard pass from Sitto to Karrumi. Sitto converted the extra point on foot, making the score 14-0 early in the second quarter.

White struck back with a big pass play from Jonna to Jordan Rassam for 45 yards, moving the ball closer to paydirt. But Jonna’s second INT came at the hands of Jonathan Sesi at Black’s six-yard-line to derail yet another drive.

The first half ended when Jonna found Danny Shaba alone in the endzone on fourth and goal, but it went through his hands and fell incomplete. The half ended with Black leading 14-0.

White opened the second half on offense and the second of Dickow’s INTs cut the drive down after three plays, tipping off a scoreless third quarter.

In the fourth, White finally managed to score when Jonna hit Joey Kejbou from 10 yards out for the TD. The same combo completed the extra point, making the score 14-7 early in the fourth.

But Black was able to stretch the lead with a long scoring drive, spearheaded by 26 rushing yards by Karrumi and an eventual TD dive from one-yard out to make the score 20-7 with just over two minutes remaining.

Jonna engineered a quick scoring drive with a 10-yard TD pass to Dennis Sarafa. Kejbou was on the receiving end of the extra point, making the score 20-14 with under a minute remaining.

Black was able to run out the clock on the ensuing possession to seal the deal on the victory.

“We made too many mistakes to overcome,” Jonna said.

Black’s offensive statistics weren’t pretty but they got the job done. Sitto was 6-14 for 68 yards, with one TD and two INTs. He also added 42 yards rushing. Kello had 18 yards receiving and Fadi Gulli, along with great lead blocking, had two catches for 10 yards.

For White, Jonna finished 16-36 for 224 yards, with two TDs and three INTs. Jonna also added 24 rushing yards. Kejbou caught five balls for 45 yards and a TD, while Rassam added four catches for 81 yards. Sarafa caught a pair of passes for 36 yards and a TD, and Randy Narra posted three grabs for 39 yards. Defensively for White, Jonna and Kejbou each had an INT.

The championship was Sitto’s fifth as a member of the league and his second as team captain. Jonna’s White squad has had an unprecedented three-year run, including a 32-3 record which was driven by two 16-game winning streaks. For the past three seasons his team appeared in the Chy Cup Championship game and also led the league in scoring.

“I’m proud of my team for never giving up,” Jonna said. “And I’m proud of our accomplishments the last three years.”

The CFL continues to gain momentum as one of the elite flag football leagues in the area behind 26 years of tradition and plenty of support from the Chaldean community, including the many onlookers at the title game. With another season in the books, 2007 is shaping up to be an interesting one as it begins with a clean slate for all teams.

Gold 6, Blue 0 (forfeit)
White 40, Green 0
Black 25, Red 12

Heading into the final week of the season, the playoff matchups are already set, with undefeated White, the No. 1 seed, prepared to take on a scrappy Red team, which finished 5-4. The 2 and 3 seeds, Black and Gold, are both 6-3 and will play each other in Week 10, but the game is meaningless.

Green plays Blue in Week 10 for the toilet bowl. Blue looks to capture its first victory of the season, and Green will try to make it two wins for the year.

One Source Talent

White 39, Black 34
This game lived up to the hype! It was an old fashioned CFL shootout.

The first half of the game was the Randy Narra show, as he scored 3 TD’s for White. The first was a 15 yard fade, the second was a poorly thrown slant that Narra extended for then took the final 5 yards into the endzone, and the third was a 10 yard out that he took the distance.

Black’s scores in the first half were Derek D. (who made a diving catch on a ball tipped by Diddy), a 55 yard bomb from Karrumi to Ray, and a 30 yard John Kello TD. Black led 20-19 at halftime.

The second half was more of the same with both teams trading touchdowns. Jonna to Diddy from 8 yards out, Karrumi threw another TD pass, and Jonna to Shaba from 12 yards out with less than two minutes to play.

Black, down 33-27, took over at their own twenty. Black took the ball down the field and Karrumi found a Lance Sitto who made a one-handed diving catch in the back of the endzone with 34 seconds left.

TEAM White took over at their own 20 with 34 seconds left- a familiar situation. Two passes from Jonna to Narra and one from Jonna to Kejbou had White at Black’s 25 yard line. With 18 seconds left, Jonna rolled right and threw back left to a flagging Diddy who caught the ball with both feet in bounds for the White win.


Red 28, Blue 14
After a relatively close first half, Red pulled away in the second half when Russ Smith hit Mike Zeer on a 35-yard TD pass to put the game away in the fourth quarter.

Blue remains winless, while Red improves to 4-2.


Gold 21, Green 14
As told by Derrick Putrus:

Gold only had 5 players show up for their game. Bob let them pick up Chris Denha from the White team. Green took a commanding 14 - 0 lead after we scored on offense and marcus scored off an interception. It was downhill from there. Gold outplayed us, out thought us, and flat out embarassed the hell out of us. They wanted it more and got it.


One Source Talent

Green 20, Blue 7
Prior to this week's games, Green captain Bob Semaan traded franchise player Ernest Yeldo to Anthony Toma's Red team for Norman Yono. Then Green went out and spanked Blue to get their first win. Here's the result of the game, as told by Green lineman Derrick Putrus:

The first touchdown started off in the second quarter as the first quater was scoreless. In the second quarter blue was on offense and I tipped the ball and norman intercepted it, and ran it back giving us first and goal. we then did a middle screen to cresto and scored on 2nd down. Two point conversion scored by Norman.

Halftime:
In the second half blue started off with the ball and started to spread out the field. they marched down and JR Kizy was found in the endzone from Kama. they did convert their 1 pt conversion making the game 7-7. Blue gets the ball and Ray Shamoun catches a 5 yard curl in the middle of the field, while Kama misses a crucial flag, and ray starts to run as JR Kizy is about to pull his flag, and Dylan SHOCKED THE WORLD with the hit he put on Kizzy making the sideline scream. Ray then scored on a 44 yard run. Blue goes on Offense and Norman gets another interception. On a broke play to me i scampered for a 70 yard gain, with Dylan and Norman lead blocking down field. Then we did a lineman release to me and dylan blocked both Justin Orow the rookie and Jr Kizy which let me walk into the endzone untouched.

Stats:
Derek 1 touchdown and 70 yard run (one of those "is he a lineman" runs) and 3 sacks.
Laith Sawa: 2 HUGE sacks in the first quarter
Cresto: 1 touchdown
Norman: 3 INT and 1 touchdown
Dylan: excellent blocking/pancakes, and 3 sacks


White 20, Red 19
Red had completed a trade prior to this game to obtain Ernest Yeldo and gave up Norman Yono. This is the result of the game, as told by White Captain Joey Jonna:

This was a battle for 1st place, and a game surrounded with hype from the first real website smack talk of the season.

White’s offense started slow, with its first two drives ending in interceptions- one tipped and picked by Anthony Toma, and one acrobatic INT by Ernest Yeldo.

Red struck first on a 40 yard bomb from Russ to Pete Rabban. White scored on the last play of the first half on a 4 yard pass from Joey Jonna to Joey Kejbou to tie the score at 7-7. White’s next score was a quick slant from Jonna to Narra. Al Abbo bulled his way into the endzone to get the EP and put White up 14-7.

Red answered on the second TD pass of the day from Russ to Pete. Red missed the EP making the score 14-13 in White’s favor. Red’s D came strong after the TD, forcing White into a crucial third and long. But on 3rd and 20, Kejbou got behind the Red D for a 55 yard gain down to the Red 5 yard line. Jonna found Dennis Sarafa in the endzone two plays later. White missed the EP, making the score 20-13.

Russ marched Red back down the field and scored with 16 seconds left in the game to cut White’s lead to 20-19. In a bold move, Red went for 2 points and the win. Chris Denha, Jordan Rassan, and Saber Ammori put pressure on Russ and Kejbou broke up the pass intended for AT.

Red falls to 3-2 and TEAM White, despite being a bunch of scrubs, goes to 5-0.


Black 28, Gold 0
After a scoreless first half for both teams, Black went on the offensive and broke open when Nate Karrumi spelled Roy Sitto at QB and threw a 40-yard TD pass to Derek Dickow to make the score 7-0.

On the ensuing possession, Gold captain and QB Karl Dallou threw a costly interception to Karrumi, he did his best impersonation of Reggie Bush on the return and took it to the house.

In the fourth quarter, Ray Dawood scored on a screen play and a run play to put the game out of reach.

The result of this game, and Red's loss to White, makes it a 3-way tie for second place with Black, Gold and Red at 3-2.


One Source Talent

Red 9, Black 6
Black began this one with only 6 men on the field, allowing Red to score early on a TD pass from Russ Smith to Pete Rabban, giving them a 7-0.

Sinan Abdul sacked QB Nathan Karrumi in the end zone for a safety, making the score 9-0.

With 1:45 left in the game, Black scored on a bomb from Karrumi to Ray Dawood, making it 9-6.

Black had a final drive opportunity, but Steve Sagmani's interception sealed the deal.

Gold 33, Blue 32 (OT)
This turned into a sea-saw battle between the teams that traded QBs earlier in the season.

Gold started the scoring when Marvin Yeldo caught a 35-yard TD pass from Karl Dallou. Tarik Kama answered with a 3-yard TD run, tying the game at 7.

Tony Attisha caught a 27-yard TD pass from Dallou, and Blue followed it up with a TD to Ray Lousia, making it a 13-13 tie at the half.

Gold opened the second half with a scoring drive in which Dallou hit Attisha on a 15 yard TD pass. Gold also scored on its next drive, when Dallou found Tyson Yono from 25 yards out to make it 25-13.

Blue surged back with two straight scores in the fourth quarter on a Kama TD run and a Ray Lousia 50-yard TD reception to tie the game, sending it into overtime.

In the extra session, Lousia caught a 10-yard TD pass from Kama, and Blue scored the extra point, making the score 32-25.

On Blue''s final possession, Dallou hit Attisha on 4th down to make it a 1-point game. Gold decided to go for the win with a two-point conversion. So on the last play of the game, Dallou found Yeldo in the corner of the endzone for the win.

Gold improves to 3-1, while Blue remains winless.

White 35, Green 7
Team White’s offense stayed hot putting up a 30+ points for the second time this season. Jonna threw 5 TD passes (2 to Joey Kejbou, 1 to Dennis Sarafa, 1 to Randy Narra, 1 to Jordan Rassan). Jordan’s TD was one of his patented “man, is that guy really a lineman?” catch and runs from 55 yards out. White’s D was also on track despite the absence of Defensive Coordinator Saber Ammori. Randy Narra stepped up in his place with numerous flag pulls, a couple of broken up passes, and 60% more hair.

Winless Green struggled most of the day with its lone score coming in the 4th quarter on a pass from Bob to Dylan.



One Source Talent

Black 28, Green 12
Bob's team continued its futility while Black rolled on, winning this game behind the arm of Nathan Karrumi. Karrumi threw three TDs - to Ray Dawood, Fadi Gulli, and Derek Dickow. John Katoula had a pair of big INTs for Black.

Green started the game with a nice scoring march down the field, when Bobby Semaan hit Ernest Yeldo for a 35-yard TD. Green followed that drive up with another score to go up by two TDs. But then the Black onslaught took over, and Green never scored again.

White 25, Blue 20
Brian Najor''s Blue team, with the new look at QB after adding Tarik Kama in a trade last week, looked like it was going to pull out a victory over White. But Joey Jonna and the resilient White team held on for the win to stay undefeated.

White started the scoring in the first quarter when Joey Jonna found Dennis Sarafa from 5 yards out.

Blue took a 7-6 lead after Tarik hit Sal Kesto for a TD and JR Kizy scored on the extra point.

White responded in the second quarter when Jonna threw a TD pass to Danny Shaba from 15 yards out to make it 12-7.

Blue marched back down the field when Ray Lousia made a huge 45-yard acrobatic reception down to the two yard line. Kama scampered in for the score, making it 13-12 Blue.

In the third quarter, the Jonna-Sarafa combo struck again, this time from 42 yards out. With the extra point White took a 19-13 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

A Blue drive resulting in a TD pass from Kama and an extra point gave Blue a 20-19 lead.

After White went three-and-out, on the ensuing possession Kama tossed a deep ball to Ray Lousia, but Danny Shaba was there for the crucial INT.

White marched down the field and capped off the drive with the third Jonna to Sarafa connection of the day to make it 25-20.

White's defense held Blue on two possessions to close out the game.

Blue controlled the game with a series of short passes from Tarik to Najor and Kizy. Blue had a new attitude after a series of trades bringing in, most notably, Tarik and ROY candidate Justin Orow. White’s offense was on point all day, and the D stepped up when it needed to.

Gold 21, Red 14
After making a blockbuster trade which sent his QB Tarik Kama to Blue for Chris Zeer, Zeer led the Gold charge en route to this important victory over Red. Zeer hit Karl Dallou on a 3 yard TD pass in the first quarter, and followed it up with a toss to Tyson Yono to make it 14-0.

Russ Smith led Red on a 1st half-closing drive and scored on a pass to Anthony Toma in the corner of the endzone to make it 14-6 at the half.

Smith marched Red down the field on the first drive of the second half on a TD pass to Pete Rabban, making it a 14-12 game. Sinan Abdul received the two-point conversion to tie the game at 14.

In the fourth quarter Chris Zeer, who injured his right index finger late in the first half, found Dallou in the back of the end zone to give Gold the decisive score.

Tony Attisha picked off three important Russ Smith passes throughout the contest.

Gold and Red are both 2-1.



One Source Talent

Black 26 Blue 6
Red 13 Green 12
White 34 Gold 0



One Source Talent

White 13, Black 6
Black came out strong in this one, forcing White to go three-and-out on their first possession, then marching down the field and scoring on a QB sweep by Nathan “Slash” Karrumi from four yards out. White answered on their next drive on a familiar connection of Joey Jonna to Joey Kejbou from 7 yards out. Later in the second quarter, Jonna found Danny Shaba in the back of the endzone for a 16 yard score. The second half was scoreless, but the White D stopped Black on 12 straight attempts inside the 20 yard line, eight of which were inside the 7 yard line.

Gold 19, Green 6
Green's offense sputtered throughout this contest and had little success moving the ball. Their lone touchdown came on a broken play in which Kresto took a 10-yard pass and ran about 40 yards after the catch for a TD. Gold scored on a TD passes from Tarik Kama to Tony Attisha and Karl Dallou, and Kama rushed for one.

Red 21, Blue 7
Anthony Toma's Red team defense was the deciding factor in this game, as they created turnovers and kept Blue at bay. Russ Smith had three TDs for Red on passes to Norm Yaldo (25 yds), Tim Abbo (15 yds) and Steve Sagmani (45 yds).

Blue had life early in the third quarter when they cut the lead to 14-7 on a 60-yard bomb from JR Kizy to Chris Zeer. But Red answered early in the fourth to put it out of reach.



One Source Talent

The CFL has a long-standing tradition of great football and a laundry list of players who have made a huge impact on the league, making it the outstanding organization that it is today. The CFL is entering its 27th season and with the help of some of the league's past players, here is the first list of CFL Hall of Fame inductions.


1. Joseph D. Sarafa- One of the originators of the CFL and chief organizer. Joe played and coached teams to Chy Cup wins in 1981, 1982, 1986 and 1989. His mother, Margaret, also provided us with the teapot that sits atop the Chy cup trophy.

2. Andy Najor- a tremendous blocking back and rusher, Andy has his name on the 1981 and 1988 Chy Cups and always had his Najor based teams in the hunt for championships.

3. Amir Dickow- Amir played into his 50s and although small in size, played tight cornerback on many of the top receivers in the league. Amir won the Chy Cup in 1981, 1982, 1985 and 1988.

4. Ron Jona- RJ was the epitomy of a CFL player, quarterbacking and captaining his teams to championships in 1983, 1985 and 1992. His 1985 championship team had the only perfect season in CFL history. Ron always made the big play and was considered the best flag grabber in CFL history.

5. Frank Jonna- Frank was one of the originators of the CFL and though only captaining one CFL title in 1984, Frank was a feared blocking back and tenacious rusher, rattling teeth and bones on many competitors (some after the whistle blew). Coming out of retirement in 1999, Frank played one season with his son Joey Jonna and helped the team win another Chy Cup, making his trek the longest between Chy Cup victories.

6. Ken Atchoo- Ken played from the inception of the league into his mid-40's and was known for his versatility and longevity in the league. Ken could play almost any position and filled in where he was needed at any time. Ken was on Chy Cup winners in 1986, 1989 and 1991.

7. Haithem K. Sarafa- In the early years, H quarterbacked and led his teams to 5 Chy Cup titles in 11 years from 1981 thru 1991. He played linebacker on defense and was able to rush and pull many flags. He came up with innovative offenses and defenses to thwart competitors' attacks. He came out of retirement in 1992 and 1999 to help take teams on the verge of playoff extinction to Chy Cup victories. His 7 titles leads all CFL players in Chy Cup victories.

8. Anmar K. Sarafa- H's early championships would not have been possible without having a top receiver like Anmar Sarafa to throw to. Anmar's height and precision patterns made him an easy target as he gained big yardage on key plays year after year. Anmar garnered Chy Cup titles in 1981, 1982, 1989 and 1991 alongside his brother.

9. Al Casab- A wide receiver with moves and speed, Al was considered one of the best receivers and cover backs to have played in the CFL. Al would return interceptions, punts and kicks and could break a game open in an instant. He contributed to Chy Cup championships in 1985 and 1988.




One Source Talent

The 2006 CFL Rookie Combine will be Saturday August 5th at 8:00 AM at Groves High School.

Three spots are open for rookies to fill.

The CFL draft will take place the following week.

The regular season starts Sunday, August 20th.

Full Schedule and Details to come.


ALSO COMING SOON: THE FIRST EVER CFL HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONS


One Source Talent

It was the type of ending White team Captain Joey Jonna had dreamed of only hours before, and the bitter ending that a stunned and battered Gold team could only sit back and painfully watch.

Jonna leapt into the arms of rookie lineman and new hero Jordan Rassam, a moment that will forever be frozen in Chaldean Football League history; the White team gathered around for a team picture, smiles all around, and Jonna uncorked a bottle of champagne and doused his teammates and himself with the chilled bubbly in celebration of his team’s second straight Chaldean Football League Chy Cup Championship.

On November 19, 2005, with the temperature dipping below 40 degrees under the lights at Groves High School field, the 25th CFL title was claimed by the White team by a final score of 14-12. Over 100 spectators, including current CFL players and some of the league’s founding fathers, braved the wintry conditions to witness the first ever CFL game played on a Saturday night.

White’s victory didn’t come without plenty of drama, however, as this contest will truly go down as one of the greatest Chy Cup Championship games in the history of the CFL. The heroics of Jonna and Rassam were the culmination of a textbook game-winning drive by White. With 19 seconds left in the game, and White trailing 12-8, Jonna found Rassam out of the backfield from five yards out for the game-winning touchdown.

“Jordan wanted the ball,” Jonna said. “He called for it in the huddle so I made sure I got it to him.”

Rassam earned game MVP honors thanks to his six receptions for 56 yards and two touchdowns. Rassam, who will likely be named CFL Rookie of the Year, recently completed a college football career at St. Joseph’s College in Indiana. He was in awe of the magnitude of the CFL Chy Cup trophy.

“This feels great,” Rassam said after the game. “I played college ball, but this is really hyped. It’s crazy; it’s a lot of fun.”

The final drive of the game for White started from its own 20-yard-line with less than two minutes left, one in which Jonna was 4-5 for 49 yards, including a big third down grab by John Katoula, who had three catches for 43 yards for the game.

“I had no doubt in my mind that we were gonna go down the field and score,” Jonna said, referring to the last drive. “We overcame a lot of mistakes and pulled it out.”

Jonna delivered league MVP-like numbers for the title game, as he was 21-34 for 255 yards and two TD passes. He also rushed for 31 yards. For Gold, Tarik Kama played a memorable game before getting injured early in the fourth quarter. He was 9-16 for 98 yards and was responsible for both of Gold’s TDs, earning both of them on foot. He rushed for 75 yards as well.

Gold went three-and-out on the game’s opening drive but a surgically precise punt by Kama pinned White down to its own two-yard-line. White was able to march down the field, spurred by a 35-yard completion to Dennis Sarafa, but Gold’s Tony Attisha intercepted a Jonna pass in the end zone to halt the drive.

After another stalled first quarter drive by Gold, White marched down the field and scored on the second play of the second quarter, when Jonna found Rassam on a 30-yard TD strike to make it 6-0.

Gold got on the board late in the second quarter when Kama completed a 60-yard drive with a one-yard TD run. On the drive, Karl Dallou made two of his five catches in the contest (41 yards), and a 27-yard Attisha reception set up the scoring play.

White’s ensuing drive went nowhere and Gold capitalized on the following possession. Kama rushed for 52 of the 60-yards on the drive, including a 16-yard scamper for the score, making it 12-6.

White’s closing first half drive stalled at Gold’s 20-yard line.

In the third quarter, each team punted once, and a Jonna pass was picked off by Dallou late in the third. Gold started the next drive from its own one-yard-line. Attisha, who had three catches for 73 yards, was on the receiving end of a 21-yard third-down completion to keep the drive alive. After a 14-yard run by Kama, he fell to the ground after injuring his knee on the play. Kama left the game and was relieved by Dallou, who immediately hit Attisha on a 25-yard strike for a first down. With Gold driving to the White 5-yard-line, Rassam blitzed on third-down and sacked Dallou for a 10-yard loss. An incomplete pass ended the drive for Gold, which had a chance to seal the victory in the fourth quarter with a touchdown.

White then went on a 9-play drive, but could not convert on fourth down from the 8-yard-line with under two minutes remaining.

Gold was backed up in its own zone, and gained no yards after three plays of attempting to run some clock, but instead of punting it away, Gold took an intentional safety on fourth down to make the score 12-8 and pin White back to its own 20-yard-line. The two points Gold yielded would come back to haunt them.

White’s game-winning drive began with 1:23 remaining and was spearheaded by a Sarafa 14-yard reception. Sarafa finished with five receptions on the day for 94 yards to lead the White team. A 21-yard pass to Joey Kejbou set up the winning pass to Rassam. Kejbou caught six balls for 61 yards for White.

Steve Sagmani had a pair of sacks for the White team, while Saber Ammori for Gold also sacked Jonna twice.

Jonna sums up the season for White with one theme – confidence. “We had all of the confidence in the world all season long,” Jonna said. “We never got down on each other when we made mistakes … we had a team atmosphere all year long.”

The CFL’s 25th season concluded with plenty of excitement and drama, a testament to all involved with the league. The intrigue and anticipation surrounding the final game was unlike any other year for the CFL. Twenty-five years after a bunch of guys wanted to get together on Sunday mornings and play a little football, the founding fathers were able to look on with pleasure at the legacy they helped create.


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