This was such a weird unpredictable season for my Gold Stars. I think it’s definitely time to move on from the Woodard era players and look to build around a new younger core. I’m Picking Ottawa and Montreal to win and meet for the title.

1954 Semi-Finals

Buffalo Blue Wings VS. Ottawa Royals - Buffalo Civic Stadium - September 26, 1954 - 6 PM ET - CBC/CBS
1ST Q:
QB Jean Matieau had a huge weight on his back. Entering his third playoff game after another strong season, he knew he had to win or it was more disappointment. Matieau would start pretty strong with a couple of first downs before Buffalo stopped them. They would continue this for a bit as the teams went back and forth. Buffalo would be the one to break the silence as QB Angelo Medina, hunting for his second cup, would lead the Blue Wings down to the redzone before finding WR Travis Gallagher for the touchdown. Matieau would look to answer back but DL Sean Bowen would get into his head. The pressure from Bowen made things tough early on for Matieau and eventually, Bowen would get a hand on the ball and knock it loose. Buffalo would recover the fumble and would add to their total with a K Donald Brewer field goal. Buffalo would take the 10-0 lead into the second.
2ND Q:
Matieau’s mistake was getting in his head, but he would gather himself on the sidelines. With the help of veteran WR Eugene Burns, Matieau found some confidence and would get the Royals rolling. Midway through the 2nd, they would break into the endzone with Matieau finding Burns for the major. Buffalo was having lots of success on offense and Medina would come back with yet another strong drive. After he scrambled for 18 yards, RB Arthur Conner would punch it in to make it 17-7 with less than 2 minutes to go in the half. Ottawa would step on the field and Matieau would get the team back down the field within the remaining time. WR Allen Atkins would score the touchdown with 7 seconds left to make it 17-14.
3RD Q:
Buffalo would look to extend their lead early in the second half. RB Arthur Conner was the leader on a long opening drive. He would rush for 52 yards on the drive setting up another K Donald Brewer field goal. Ottawa would keep their momentum going and would get the field goal back shortly after to make the score 20-17. Buffalo would still control most of the play and the field position battle, but Ottawa’s defense would come up with a big play to turn the tide. Medina would be pressured by DL Olaf Viktorsson. Viktorsson would reach Medina and interfere with his throw. The ball would sail right into the middle of the field where LB Mickaël Beaumont would catch it and give Ottawa the ball. Matieau would take the momentum and turn it into a touchdown eventually finding WR Allen Atkins for his second touchdown of the game. 
4TH Q:
Buffalo was behind for the first time in the game, but they remained calm. It would take a few attempts but Medina would eventually get the offense into scoring range. With that, the QB would scramble out of the pocket before finding WR Joseph Barry down at the 5-yard line. The catch would set up RB Arthur Conner’s second of the game and retake the lead for the Blue Wings. The pressure flipped back onto the Royals who were at risk of blowing another playoff game. Matieau would get the team going on a couple of drives but always stalled out around midfield. With about 3 minutes to go in the game, the Royals would get stuck at midfield again. Matieau would throw back-to-back incomplete passes setting up a 3rd and 10. Of course with limited time, the Royals would go for it. Matieau would drop back and pressure would come soaring in from the edge via DL Sean Bowen. Matieau stayed calm and stepped up and would find WR Willard Brooks for a 12-yard gain to give them a new set of downs. From there the Royals didn’t look back and at the 23-yard line, Matieau would hit Atkins up the sideline after he beat his man and he would run it in for the go-ahead touchdown. The game wasn’t over as the Blue Wings would keep fighting. Medina would face a similar situation as Matieau but on a shorter 3rd and 4. In this case, Medina would drop back before quickly stepping up to run. LB Mickaël Beaumont predicted it and would stop Medina before the first down marker resulting in a turnover and the Royals going to the McCallister Cup for the first time. 

Boston Independents VS. Montreal Rouge - Richardson Stadium - September 26, 1954 - 6 PM ET - CBS
1ST Q: 
QB Larry Larson stepped onto the field at Richardson Stadium for one final time as a player. The QB has brought a lot to the city, including 5 straight McCallister Cups (dating back to the three years before the NAAF) and many other trophies over his career and he wanted to get just one more. The Rouge on the other hand would be ready to change that story. Early in the game, the Rouge defense would completely stifle any Boston attempts. They would capitalize and score a touchdown with RB Élisée Marchal to take the early 0-7 lead. Boston would attempt a comeback drive but once again could not move the ball. The Rouge controlled the field for the opening quarter and would hold their 0-7 lead.
2ND Q:
Boston would start to gain some traction on the Rouge early in the second, but momentum would massively change with the Rouge defense making a statement. DL Napoléon Chevalier would break the Boston line and would lay a big hit on Larson. Larson had thrown the ball and Chevalier would get a penalty for the late hit. Larson would be down for a moment and the Boston players were not happy with the Rouge which led to some pushing and shoving between players. Things were getting heated, but behind the chaos, Larson would get up and stay in the game. Once everything died down and the game got back underway and Larson would let his play do the talking. He would lead the Independents down the rest of the way for a WR Ethan Walters touchdown to tie the game at 7. The remainder of the quarter had an edge to it, the players were hitting a bit harder and the trash talk between the sides got more frequent. A perfect atmosphere for a playoff game. Neither team would score leaving it at 7-7.
3RD Q:
The trend continued throughout the game with both sides increasing their intensity. Boston however, would start to pull away. Larson would continue to get the Independents moving and with some help from RB Joel Bonner would score another touchdown. Montreal’s next drive would end early after QB Andrew Glover would throw an interception to DB Lester Murphy. Setting up a Boston field goal to make it 17-7. In just minutes, the Rouge were way behind and the offense was having some trouble moving the ball. Boston was managing to keep Marchal contained and were taking control of the game. Montreal’s counter was to try and knock Boston back off their feet and got more aggressive with their defense. 
4TH Q:
Montreal’s strategy would work early on as they would get a fumble recovery with LB Rusty McVee hitting WR Ellis Lindholm in the open field. Montreal would take over and Marchal would punch in his second of the game to pull Montreal back within 3. They would keep up their defensive pressure and continue to layout hits whenever they had a chance. Boston was not a fan of the play and it would cause some more heated "discussions". Montreal would even get several more hits on Larson, hoping to shake him off his game, but Larson would keep getting back up. He would eventually lead Boston on another strong drive to score their third touchdown of the game. His final TD pass in Boston would go to WR Samuel Floyd who would give Boston the 10-point lead. Montreal was defeated after that blow and would fail to get anything else. Boston was going back to the McCallister Cup for the 5th time in the 6 years of the NAAF. 

Players of the Week 

OFF: WR Allen Atkins OTT - 3 Receiving Touchdowns, 156 Receiving Yards

DEF: LB Mickaël Beaumont - OTT - 1 Interception, 11 Tackles 

Injury Report
DL Stephan Kendall OTT - Day-to-Day 

36th McCallister Cup Preview
Boston Independents VS. Ottawa Royals - Lansdowne Park - October 3, 1954 - CBS/CBC
Previous Meetings: W6 BOS 24-14 OTT
Boston will make its 5th appearance in the McCallister Cup since the NAAF began and it will be their star QB Larry Larson’s final game. The Royals will enter their first McCallister Cup on home-field with their up and coming star QB Jean Matieau. The Royals got a huge monkey off their back with a win and they will enter the field with home-field advantage. Boston on the other hand will have the experience that Ottawa may lack going in. The Royals will have to get the offense moving and stay with or ahead of the Independents. Boston will just have to play a clean game, keep control of the play, and keep the crowd out of the game. The two teams played in the first NAAF game and now they meet for Larson’s final game, it should be as good a game as ever. 

Who wins it all? 

Wow, we really blew the season didn't we, oh well, there's next year I suppose. 
I'll root for Boston in this one, can't let my Ontarian rivals win, I'm already kinda shocked they upset Buffalo to begin with.

Well, there's always next year

Can we relocate the Hawks again? Or better yet, fold the team altogether? Because after that 0-10 flop of a season, and the fact they've never made the playoffs once throughout their entire history in the NAAF, might as well stick a fork in this team. They're done!

Last edited by joho42x (6/22/2020 9:06 am)