Week One Newsletter

The Palace of Swords, coming off a 6-9 season that saw Coach Pedersen's team drop its final three games of the year, rebounded to start the 2000 season with a 25-15 victory over the NFC Norris. The Swords didn't impress anyone with its play as only Curtis Martin (14) and Olindo Mare (11) scored among the Sword starters. But it was enough to lay claim to the victory as the Norris could do no more than Mike Vanderjagt's 9 points, Steve Beuerlein's 4 points and 2 points by Ed McCaffrey. The Swords survived despite a dismal performance by QB Steve McNair and no production from its starting wideouts of Moss, Engram and Hilliard. With a 1-0 record and an early tie for the lead in the Dewey division, the Swords travel to a Week 2 matchup against the hard luck King of Dogs, a last second loser in Week 1. The Norris, meanwhile, will try rebounding against the Bearded Clams, 1-0.

Who do these newcomers thnk they are? 1998 saw the Retreads come in and immediately win a Howe Division title, the first of two straight and the prelude to a league championship in 1999. Last season, it was the Bearded Clams who made their entry into OFFL and snuck out with a Dewey Division crown. This year, All World joined the league and in Week 1 they began their franchise history in fine fashion, albeit punk slapping a couple of women to do it, with a resounding 40-13 victory. When asked to respond during the postgame interview, Coach Dourisseau responded, "It's all good." All World production was balanced as both starting RBs tallied touchdowns and the wideouts accounted for another 22 points. Az-Zahir Hakim returned a punt 86 yards for a TD and tacked on an 80 touchdown catch. He had over 100 yards receiving, for good measure. QB Rich Gannon added a touchdown pass for All World. PMS, in its 6th league season, lost its opening game also for the 6th straight season. It's high scoring starter was the defense with a punt return for a TD. QB Peyton Manning threw one TD pass and K Martin Gramatica added 3 points. PMS will try to even its record next week against 0-1 Grandmaster G while All World, 1-0, faces 1-0 Montezuma's Revenge.

Montezuma's Revenge, coming off a disappointing 1999 season, embarked upon what it hopes will be a year of absolution on the OFFL's initial Sunday of the 2000 season, a convincing 41-16 victory over last year's Cheatem Division kings the Greenback Iguanas. The Iguanas were in the game as late as the kickoff before it got away from them. Mike Alstott scored the Revenge's 1st TD of the season with a short run. After Stephen Davis made the score 12-0, the rout was on. The game came at a cost to the Revenge, though, when Joey Galloway suffered a knee injury very late in the game. Galloway caught his 1st and only TD of the 2000 season earlier in the game. The Iguanas starting QB Jon Kitna was benched for ineffectiveness. Outside of the kicking game, the sum of the Iguana points came from starting wideouts Marvin Harrison and Jimmy Smith. Curtis Enis took a back seat to backup James Allen and Emmitt found himself trailing so quickly that he was never a factor in this game. At 0-1, the Iguanas next meet the 0-1 Natural Mystics. Montezuma's Revenge will play 1-0 All World in Week 2.

The Strange Highways were gunning for the Bearded Clams in 2000, having suffered a 43-21 loss in Week 3 of the 1999 season. This game was much closer but the outcome was the same, a Clams victory, this time to open the season at 1-0. Coach Widtfeldt said late in the week leading up to the game that the matchups weren't very favorable for his team. He proved prophetic in his assessment. Duce Staley was the lone starter who contributed much, scoring 9 points on over 200 yards rushing and a TD. Rob Johnson was bottled up all night, unable to find Eric Moulds free in the secondary, and was knocked out late. The Clams didn't taste all that much better. Cade McNown (14) and Mike Hollis (10) were the two man wrecking crew that supplied the production the Clams needed to win another typical ugly, low scoring game. But win they did and they're now off in Week 2 to meet the NFC Norris in a rematch of Dewey Division teams from 1999. The teams split the two games, with the Norris winning 39-32 in Week 1 and the Clams taking the rematch in Week 15 34-32. The Clams have won 4 straight games, dating back to last regular season. The Highways's offense, continuing to misfire as it did througout most of the 1999 season, will try to get its directions straight against the 1-0 Retreads, another team Coach Widtfeldt wanted this season.

In a game that was not as close as the score would indicate, the Retreads picked up right where they left off in defense of their 1999 OFFL championship with a strong opening week 48-30 victory over the revamped Grandmaster G. Daunte Culpepper led the way for the Retreads with 3 rushing TDs, bogarting Robert Smith and the Vikings' wideouts. Balanced scoring from Mack, Mathis, Walls, and Hanson along with a defensive shutout gave Coach Detwiler all the points he needed. Grandmaster G made the game respectable late as QB Kurt Warner had a huge Monday night game with 3 TD passes and over 400 yards passing. Marcus Robinson caught a TD pass for G but the lack of a strong running game ultimately did Coach Will's team in. They will try to pick up the pieces in Week 2 against 0-1 PMS. The Retreads, who last lost in Week 12 of the 1999 season, will begin preparations for their always entertaining matchup against the 01- Strange Highways.

Just when things looked the bleakest, the Denver Broncos defense rose to the occasion and delivered a miracle play to the Natural Mystics in the league opener between the Mystics and the King of Dogs, salvaging a 38-38 tie. The Dogs entered Monday night with a 26-18 lead. K Jason Elam's 12 points Monday night appeared to be just enough to hold off the late charge of Mystics' RB Marshall Faulk who scored twice and had an even 100 yards receiving. Then, trailing 38-32, Terrell Buckley stepped in front of a pass and returned it 32 yards for the tying score with 6:35 left in the game. The Dogs were led by Edgerrin James' 14 points which offset Faulk's performance. Terrell Owens and Brad Johnson each scored 6 points for the Dogs. K Gary Anderson had 12 points for the Mystics while Brett Favre threw one TD pass and Robert Smith added 100 yards on the ground. The 0-0-1 Mystics will play the 0-1 Greenback Iguanas next week while the tough luck Doggies (0-0-1) will try rebounding against the 1-0 Palace of Swords.

League Records:

• The Retreads scored 48 points giving them a three game total of 154 points dating back to the 1999 season. That's the 8th highest 3 game total in league history.