119

69
No Losers Here
TAMPA BAY, FLORIDA--But they didn't even finish with a winning record.

Actually, they finished Week Sixteen with a record of 8-7-1, and more importantly, a playoff record of 3-0. They've won six of their last seven games, but none was bigger--or by a larger margin--than Sunday's Bucco Bruce Bowl.

On the field of the Big Sombrero, Athens beat West Coast at their own game. The Mennonites have beaten their last five opponents by an average of 72 points, but lost by 50 when it mattered most.

Brad Johnson, a former Mennonite, lead the Woodchucks with a Bucco Bruce Bowl record 57 points on nearly 500 yards passing. "You can't pass for that much yardage without guys there to catch the ball," Johnson said, giving credit to his teammates.

Perhaps the Woodchucks found inspiration when they looked in the first row behind their bench. There sat recent retiree John Elway, who's led the Woodchucks to the past two playoffs, but was unable to win in the post-season. Elway was inducted to the BFL Hall of Fame during halftime along with former Mayberry Fifes running back Barry Sanders and Sin City Grifters/Texas Sexists defensive end Reggie White. The touching ceremony was nearly ruined when a bunch of clowns charged the field to perform a circus act.
Athenian Woodchucks
Pts
Brad Johnson
57
Errict Rhett
12
Adrian Murrell
1
Marcus Robinson
12
Antonio Freeman
9
Moose Muhammad
7
Ricky Dudley
12
Brett Conway
9
St. Louis Rams
31
West Coast Mennonites
Pts
Steve Beurlein
26
Skip Hicks
11
Jonathan Linton
5
Cris Carter
20
Jimmy Smith
10
Darnay Scott
10
Tony Gonzalez
14
Adam Vinatieri
4
Indianapolis Colts
0
Johnson Named MVP
Brad Johnson's name will always be associated with the West Coast Mennonites. First as their prodigy, and now as their tormentor.

In the first BFL draft, Brad Johnson was the Mennonites' first pick. The announcement brought a round of snickers and guffaws from the other general managers who figured Johnson to be a third round pick at best.

Despite brilliant play when he was healthy, Johnson's time in a West Coast uniform was plagued with injuries. Last year, he wound up with the Woodchucks after a mid-season trade. He returned this year, but was considered nothing more than a back up. First to franchise designated quarterback Bubby Brister, then to Randall Cunningham who was brought in as part of a blockbuster trade just before the season began.

Early on, though, he outshone the other quarterbacks on the roster to such a degree, the team took a vote and named him the starter for the remainder of the season. For the past few weeks, critics pointed to his diminished stats and questioned whether he could lead a team to a title.

No one is asking questions any more.