Fumblerooskie: The Fantasy Football Franchise Game

The freezing wind howled as snow danced over the mountain stadium. Hanzo looked up at the scoreboard, took a swig of cola and felt a surge of adrenaline. At least the cola was ice cold because he felt on fire! The game was tied at 21-21, and there were only 10 seconds left in the fourth quarter. His team, the Brookline Brawlaz, had the ball at the 20-yard line of their division rival, the Cleaveland Claws. It was the last play of the game, and Hanzo knew he had to make it count. Going into overtime, forget about it.

He huddled with his teammates. The Brawlaz were a mix of goblins and orcs, mainly grizzled veterans with a few standout rookies. They had been playing hard all season, overcoming injuries, penalties, and even sabotage. They had earned their spot in this post season, and they were not going to let the Claws, a team of zombies and a few werewolves knock them out of the playoffs.

Hanzo called the play: Fumblerooskie. It was a risky move, but he had practiced it many times with his running back, a speedy goblin named Okie-Oda. The idea was to make it look like Okie had snapped the ball to Hanzo, but actually drop it on the ground. Then Hanzo would pretend to hand it off to his fullback, a bullish orc named Rex, while Okie-Oda would pick up the ball and run to the end zone.

Hanzo hoped the Cleaveland defense would be fooled by the deception, and that Okie would be fast enough to avoid the tackles. He gave his teammates a winking nod, and broke the huddle. He lined up behind Okie, and shouted the signal.

"Hut 33! Hut 84! Hike!"

Okie-Oda positioned as the center snapped the ball, but instead of hiking it to Hanzo, he let it fall to the turf. Hanzo acted as if he had the ball, and turned to Rex. He faked a hand-off, and watched as Rex burst to the right, drawing the attention of most of the Cleaveland players. Hanzo then followed Rex, pretending to block for him but only for a split second. The defense bit the bait.  Next Hanzo moved backwards and faked having the ball to set up a pass. With most of the Claws attention on Rex the few players that didn't bite rushed towards Hanzo with hopes of a big sack sending the game into overtime. Fooled again it was another fake.

Meanwhile, Okie scooped up the ball, and sprinted to the left. He was small, but agile, and easily dodged the last flat footed opponent who barely noticed him. Running past the line of scrimmage and heading for the end zone, one last obstacle for the tricky running back to fool. A murderous werewolf closing in, Okie could smell the bloody breath of the beast as he slid under the clawed grasp. Whoosh! Okie-Oda reached the goal line, and dove into the air. He crossed the plane, and landed on the frozen ground with the ball in his hands.

Touchdown!

The crowd erupted in cheers, and the Brawlaz bench stormed the field. Hanzo ran to Okie, and lifted him up jubilantly. They had done it! They had won the game, 27 to 21, and advanced to the next round of the playoffs.

Hanzo celebrated with his teammates, and thanked them for their valiant efforts. He was proud of the Brawlaz, and honestly of himself. He had led his team to victory, and proved that he was one of the best quarterbacks in the Monster Football League. Quick pro tip, good sportsmanship is important whether winning or losing, there is always something to be learned.

"Here we go! Brawlaz, here we go! Brookline is going to the Monster Bowl," the fans began to chant, prematurely; considering the team still had to win another game before the Championship Final.

As Hanzo walked off the field, he was approached by Myron Noll, the legendary reporter and his camera crew. Myron had his microphone in one hand and a cold cola in the other. Noll grinned while tossing the cola at Hanzo, then asked for an interview.

"Hanzo, you just pulled off one of the most amazing trick plays in MFL history. How do you feel?"

Hanzo smiled, and looked into the camera.

"I feel thankful, Myron. It was a real team effort, and I'm just glad we were victorious. We worked extremely hard for this, and with enough practice and determination we earned it."

"What was going through your mind when you called the Fumblerooskie?"

Hanzo shrugged, and said, "I just wanted to surprise them, and give us a chance to score. I knew Okie-Oda could do it, and he did. He's an exceptional player, possibly the fastest in the League."

"You're a extraordinary player too, Hanzo. You've had an incredible season, and you've shown that you can compete with anyone in the league. What's your goal for the rest of the playoffs?"

Hanzo looked at the camera again, and said with confidence, "My goal is to win the Monster Bowl, Myron. That's what we're here for, and that's what we're going to do. And I have a message for our next opponent, whoever they are. We're ready for you, and we're not afraid. Especially of old Drakfang."

Drakfang is the star quarterback of the Liberty Tunnel Tacticians, the reigning champions of the MFL. He was a fierce competitor, and a ruthless leader. He had a reputation for being arrogant, and for taunting his rivals. He had also been Hanzo's nemesis since they were rookies, and had always tried to outdo him.

Hanzo wanted to face him in the Monster Bowl, and settle their score once and for all. He wanted to show him who was the better quarterback, and ultimately the better monster.

Myron Noll was stunned by Hanzo's bold statement, and so was the audience. They gasped, and then cheered, as they sensed the drama and the excitement that awaited them in the next Monster Bowl.

Hanzo laughed boldly, and dropped the mic. He walked away, with his teammates by his side. He was ready for the next challenge, too focused to be sidetracked by fame. At least for now... shoulders down, chest out, chin up!