“NWFL Season IV Rd 3.

Despite perfect weather, the vampire team was struck by a mysterious illness just prior to game time and both Count Asmodai and Devoros couldn't suit up. This brought the team numbers to 11-11. They didn't stay there long though as a Vermin blitz by Savak on T1 killed the Suckers back up DP Warm & Salty. The coach agonized over sending in the apo and decided with all that claw, rsc, mb etc. out on the field he better not!

The suckers responded quickly when ball-carrier Gutter Mara stopped 2 squares away from the edge behind a 'cage'. The Suckers sliced the cage open and Gobolov promptly surfed his furry butt. The ball got tossed back in mid-field and the thralls quickly surrounded it. Unfortunately for Gobolov, his frenzy had left him standing on the sidelines and the Sewer team surfed him in turn. The crowd was obviously jazzed about the early blood as both players suffered injuries!

Despite three tackle zones on the ball Sonn had no problem picking it up dodging out, dodging thru the Sucker defense and tossing the ball long range to Mora for an early score.

The suckers looked to equalize and had lots of time to do it...but the teams play was...lacking. Already down players, Countings first move was to snack on Berlusconi, koing him. The rats immediately pressured the back field and begin pounding on the thralls. The Suckers gamely tried to recover but the rat defense was swarming, players were being carted off at a brutal pace, and when Counting got fouled for a ko things looked grim indeed. Half ended with the rats up 2-0, and with Counting still out with a KO...

Second half began with a torrential downpour, the rats forming a perfect defense, and the Suckers fielding just seven thralls down by 2 TDs. Once again the rats pressured the ball and popped it loose. Coach Ironcollar had the following to say about the second half:

"You know, everyone thinks the Sangrial Suckers is all about the vampires. Sigmar knows Counting's turned into a damn prima donna and refused to get on the field once we started losing. Most the fans were headed to the exits and it looked like the Suckers were gonna suffer only their second back to back loss in three seasons.

But nope. Those Thralls, I'm really really proud of those guys. They are the true workhorses of this team. They got angry, they got dirty, and they got it done. Up and down the lineup the team finally started laying out some hits and working together. Those rats didn't know what hit em. It was a slow grind moving the ball all the way up field, but Chump and Token played a brilliant two-man game and the other thralls supported them all the way. We still looked to lose after we got our score, but we still didn't give up. This team never says die!

Counting finally showed some grit and got back out there and promptly led the team in a Blitz. Those last 5 rats could pretty much just cower as the Suckers rushed them. And of course Counting insisted on getting his TD in. Even he almost dropped the ball though!

Anyway, pulling out a tie in conditions like this when things looked so grim at the start of the second...well, I'm proud of these guys, real proud."

A reporter offered as a follow-up question:

"Speaking of Chump and Token, the word is there's a party being planned, can you tell us what's up with that?"

Coach Ironcollar shook his head in perplexed amazement, "Chump and Token are the last two of the founding thralls on the Sucker team, and neither one of them HAS EVER MISSED A GAME, not once, in FOURTY games. Their dedication to the team and to winning is a real inspiration to all the thralls, and Sucker management decided to honor their tenacity and commitment".

"What of your decision not to send in the apo for Warm & Salty Coach? Any regrets?

"Yeah, that was a tough call, and one I made for the good of the team. In hindsight it was obviously the wrong call and perhaps the apo could've patched him up. I take full responsiblity for that decision. We'll all miss Warm & Salty, no mistake. All right, no more questions."”