eSFL Insider

Gunner Cup 2010

Kavanators-178.1
Ruskies-170

Fantasy Land, Int. -- Dwayne Bowe caught six passes for 153 yards and a touchdown and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw two touchdown passes, defensive back Patrick Chung added 18 points and the Kavanators got their first eSFL trophy by beating the upstart Zima Ruskies in Gunner Cup 2010.

Although the contest was not for the league championship, both teams understood the importance of the event. The winner would receive their league entry fee back, meaning their season was free. In what most everyone with any common sense believs is the toughest Gunner Cup/Bowl layout in the history of layouts, the Kavanators proved that the winner of the Ballistic Bowl could easily be someone else with the removal of one bad week. The Kavanators missed this years playoffs by one mere game but rambled through the Cup tourney like it was his from the start. Many thought one of the losing teams in the eSFL playoffs would drop down into the Cup bracket and eliminate all the has beens who started there, didn't happen. The victory marks the second straight season that arguably the best team in the league wasn't the Ballistic Bowl winner, but the Gunner Cup champs. Last year the Perdew Pulverizers was dealt with tough luck losses each week, being the team that the most points were scored against each week almost every week. His team won the Gunner Cup, easier format no doubt, but he was considered the best team in the league by most before and after. Maybe this league needs to have the Gunner Cup be the actual championship guage?

The Zima Ruskies can't be overlooked in this even, as they made a serious run at one of the greates comebacks in eSFL postseason play. His team fel short by a mere 8 points and what turned out to be one big play from defensive end Jarred Allen. The Ruskies didn't win a prize, but did gain the respect of all the nay sayers when the playoffs began. A good season by the Ruskies, winning nine and losing five, was set back by a first round playoff loss to the Temp's Texas Boys. His team then regrouped and went into the Gunner Cup with high expections, only to fall short. Congratulations to both teams, but it's the Kavanators who get a free entry into next season eSFL season. Look for both of these teams to be serious threats to the Ballistic Bowl again next season. 

'I've been saying for a while that parity in the eSFL is here," Zima coach Jess Kazima said. 'I got texts from everybody across the nation, from Alaska and places all over. ... Today we played for us, and for all the teams that wanted that chance. We came up a little short, but look forward to next season"

Kavanators head coach Ron Kavanaugh stopped his players from dumping a Gatorade bucket on him before time ran out, lecturing them with a smile on his face. When the final seconds ticked off, the Kavs ran about the living room in a frenzy, eventually collecting near the Ruskies band and the corner of lost drunks filled with Gold-clad fans.
And eventually the Kavs doused their coach, too.