After watching a few close games, it is clear that some rolls are more important than others. Specifically, I have watched a quite a few games were luck was relatively even, but one coach got a critical kickoff event which proved decisive. There are two specifically that seem to have an much greater influence of the match result. However, we should examine the entire kickoff event table to be thorough. We will go in order of most to least likely.

1. Changing Weather (6/36): roll on the weather table. This usually removes weather effects and causes the kickoff to scatter one space, but one sixth of the time will apply a penalty to both teams. This is a small advantage for the team less penalized by the new weather result.
   
2. Cheering Fans (5/36): roll 1d6 + FAME + Cheerleaders with the winner getting a reroll. If rolls are tied, both teams get a reroll. A random but roughly equal event that gives a small advantage to one team.
   
3. Brilliant coaching (5/36): same as cheering fans except + Assistants instead of Cheerleaders.
   
4. High Kick (4/36): Offense chooses a player to place under the ball. This is a small advantage for the offensive team.
   
5. Quick Snap (4/36): offense may move each player one square. This is at least a small advantage for the offense, but if the defending team's setup does not account for the event the advantage can be huge. Setup recommendations for defenses will implicitly take this event into account.
   
6. Perfect Defense (3/36): defense may setup into any new legal defense. This is significant advantage for the defense in some matchups. After getting wrecked by this event, I have started changing my own offensive setups to better account for it.
   
7. Blitz! (3/36): The defense gets a free turn (except players in tackle zones). Faster teams generally get most advantage, and it makes the kick skill much better. This event is usually the best possible event for the defense, and has turned the most games in my sample of observed games.
   
8. Riot (2/36): Both teams either gain or lose a turn. Most importantly, at the end of a half, both teams gain a turn. This is the other event that can give a huge advantage. For teams without a dedicated one-turner (most teams), the extra turn significantly increases the odds of a touchdown for the offense.
   
9. Throw a Rock (2/36): roll 1d6 + FAME with the loser making an injury roll on a random player (both if tied). This one rarely alters the outcome of the game, but sometimes the best player just dies. This event either doesn't matter or feels bad.
   
10. Get the Ref (1/36): both teams get a bribe. Good event symmetrical although one coach may get more use out of the bribe. Why is this event so rare?
    
11. Pitch Invasion (1/36): roll 1d6 + FAME for each opposing player, if 6+ stunned. Usually this event is similar for both coaches or a small advantage for the higher FAME coach. This event can be lopsided but rarely decides the game.
    

Several of the above events are either small or roughly symmetrical: weather, rerolls, high kick, rock, and bribes. Quick Snap and Perfect Defense might be almost as important if it weren't easy to negate with correct setups. Pitch invasion can theoretically be decisive but almost never is. The critical kickoff events are Blitz and Riot. They have a much larger effect than any of the others. While there are plenty of close games decided by a single roll, these two events seem to be the most likely culprits. Mitigating the results of a Riot that goes against you is difficult, and a Blitz is still rough even when properly prepared.

Anybody have tips for dealing a Blitz?

Sal-utations