World Footy News

This writeup captures all four games played on the day.

I.  Game One:  Women's Development Squad

The opening game of the 2012 Parallel Cup was the Women's Development Squads match between the Freedom and the Northern Lights under a mostly sunny skies and a game time temperature of 75 (Farenheit).  As the teams gathered on the field, a crowd of almost 150 and the unprecedented coverage via the Internet welcomed the players.

The opening quarter was a chess match of sorts as most of the quarter was spent between the center of the ground and full forward of the Northern Lights.  However, the first breakaway was on the Freedom side of the field as they scored first with 5:15 left in the quarter as Christina Licata from the New York Magpies took the first goal.  Canada came back with a goal and a behind in the final 4 minutes in the quarter to lead 1.1 (7) to 1.0 (6) as the marks favored Canada 6-5.

The second quarter was another battle as the scoring was at a premium to say the minimum as no goals were scored during the second quarter as majority of the quarter was spent in the middle of the field.  Only three behinds, all by Canada, were the only scores for the quarter.  At the quarter, the marks were 10-9 for Canada and the score was Canada leading 1.4 (10) to 1.0 (6).

The third quarter, the Freedom exploded out of the gate with a goal by Amy Valentine as she scored with 14:25 to go in the quarter only to have Canada take that back just 7 minutes later to extend the lead back to 5.  The Freedom responded with Terri Tupper scoring with 5:25 left to bring the game to a near stalemate.  The Freedom was outmarked 9-5 in the 3rd but won the quarter 2.0 (12) to 1.1 (7) to lead 3.0 (18) to 2.5 (17).

The last quarter was a dogfight to the end with Canada and USA not budging at all until 12:30 left in the quarter when Canada scored a goal and finished with a behind at 6:00 to go.  USA had several chances to tied it but the Northern Lights backline was determined to stop it.  The final marks for the quarter was 5-4 and won the mark total 24-19.  Final score:  Northern Lights 3.6 (24) to Freedon 3.0 (18).

Scores by quarter:

Quarter One:  USA 1.0 (6) Canada 1.1 (7)

Quarter Two:  USA 1.0 (6) Canada 1.4 (10)

Quarter Three:  USA 3.0 (18) Canada 2.5 (17)

Quarter Four:  USA 3.0 (18) Canada 3.6 (24)

Wayne Kraska Award for the Freedom:  Denver's Twianna "Great Wall Of" Clark:  11 marks

II.  Game Two:  Men's Development Squads Game

The second game was the Development Squads Men's Game started a few minutes after the completion of Game One under partly cloudy skies and 81 degrees.  Unlike the first game with the women, the Revolution, under the Development Squad coach Dan Sarbacker, came out in full force to blow the Northwind out of the water with a barrage in the first 10 minutes  with 2 goals (Dahlquist @ 13:18 and McClure @ 10:50) and 5 behinds to begin the scoring.  It would have been a shutout for the quarter hadn't the Northwind made a behind with 6 minutes left.  One more goal by the Revolution (James @ 2:40 left) concluded the quarter.  The marks was decisively for the Revolution as they won 12-4 to lead 3.5 (23) to 0.1 (1).

The second quarter was more of the same as only score for the Northwind was a rush just 50 seconds into the quarter before the Revolution continued the onslaght with 3 more goals in the quarter (Rotschafer (1st) @ 9:09 left, Norris @ 2:45 left, Livy with just 6 seconds left) along with 3 beinds in the remaining part of the quarter.  Once again, the marks was major one-sided as the Revolution out marks 14-4 to lead after 2 by a 24-8 lead.  As for the score at half, it was 6.8 (44) to 0.2 (2) as the Revolution dominated.

The third quarter was more of a defensive struggle as the Northwind finally got back in action as their first goal @ 13:22 to go brought the deficit at that time to 38 @ 6.10 (46) to 1.2 (8).  Their 2nd goal of the quarter @ 5:00 left brought them closer before the equalizer for that by the Revolution (:45 left by S. Furlong) to end the scoring.  The marks was even on the quarter at 8 each to keep the lead for the Revolution by a 32-16 lead.  As for the score, it was 2.1 (13) for the Northwind to 1.5 (11) for the Revolution for the quarter, but the Revolution still lead 7.13 (55) to 2.3 (15).

The final quarter turned out to be a stalemate as the increasing heat made the scoring at a premium as one goal each by the Northwind (@ 15:35 left) and by the Revolution (8:20 left by Rotschafter (2nd)) was the only major scores of the quarter.  As for the marks, the Revolution once again dominated 15-11 to win that battle 47-27.  The quarter score was 1.2 (8) to 1.1 (7) in favor of the Northwind, but in the end...it was domination by the Revolution.  Final score:  Revolution 8.14 (62) to 3.5 (23).

Scores by Quarter:

First:  USA 3.5 (23) Canada 0.1 (1)

Second:  USA 6.8 (44) Canada 0.2 (2)

Third:  USA 7.13 (55) Canada 2.3 (15)

Final:  USA 8.14 (62) Canada 3.5 (23)

Revolution and Game MVP:  Andrew Rotschafer of the Minnesota Freeze

III.  Game Three:  Freedom vs. Northern Lights Main

Game Three began about 25 minutes behind the time frame (2:25 pm ET) as the ladies took to the field.  By the time of game three, the skies have gone to partly cloudy and now approaching 90 degrees.  As the opening quarter began, the Freedom came out swinging for the goals as they dominated in the opening 4 minutes as they took 2 behinds and a goal by Jessica Estrada @ 15:45 left to go up 8 before the Northern Lights got a behind @ 12:40 to go.  The remainder of the quarter was a battle royal in the front of the Freedom's full forward position.  By the end of the first quarter, the Freedom lead in the marks 8-3, but couldn't capitalize in the scoring, going 1.5 (11) to 0.1 (1).

Quarter Two was more of the same as neither team had a decisive advantage in the quarter as the battle was in the center of the field as the only goal of the quarter came from Lindsay Kastanek with 7:45 left to go in the quarter.  The marks battle was won by the Northern Lights 10-8 to shrink the lead to 16-13, but the Freedom won the battle 1.0 (6) to 0.5 (5) to lead at the halftime break by a 2.5 (17) to 0.6 (6) margin.

Quarter Three saw the first injury of the day as Courtney Church of the Arizona Lady Hawks had a knee injury just 2 and a half minutes into the quarter after a massive mark with 4 players which galvanized the Freedom as they score the first goal of the quarter from Judith Stein to extend the lead to 19 @ 15:10 to go.  What transpired next was a full onslaught by the Northern Lights as the Freedom was shutout from that point out as they scored the next 20 points with 3 goals (@11:16, 7:15 and 4:19 to go) and 2 behinds, including a buzzer beater to end the scoring.  For the quarter, the Northern Lights won the mark battle by a 15-7 battle to take the lead 28-22.  The scoring went 3.2 (20) to 1.2 (8) for the Northern Lights for them to lead for the first time at 3.8 (26) to 3.7 (25), which got the attention of everyone watching online as the visits to the two sites spiked during the 3rd quarter.

Quarter Four was one for the books as the war raged in the center until the Freedom responded with 3 goals in 3 minutes (@ 12:15 by Marie LaVictorie, @ 10:15 and @ 9:10 by Lindsay Kastanek, her 2nd and 3rd of the game) to get the lead back to the Freedom by 17.  But, the Northern Lights was going down without a fight as  they scored 2 goals in the next 8 minutes to get within 5 with 95 seconds left in the game.  In the end...the clock beat the Northern Lights as the Freedom won their first game against the Northern Lights since their first clashes in the 2007 49th Parallel Cup.  For the quarter, the Northern Lights won the mark battle 6-5 to win that aspect 34-27, but the Freedom won the quarter scoring battle 3.0 (18) to 2.0 (12) to win the game 6.7 (43) to 5.8 (38).

Scoring by quarter:

1st:  USA 1.5 (11) Canada 0.1 (1)

2nd:  USA 2.5 (17) Canada 0.6 (6)

3rd:  USA 3.7 (25) Canada 3.8 (26)

Final:  USA 6.7 (43)  Canada 5.8 (38)

MVP of the Game:  Jessie Hazen for the Freedom

Kathyrn Hogg Freedom Spirit Award:  Team Captain Judith Stein

IV.  Game Four:  Men's:  Revolution vs. Northwind

The final game began @ 4:30 pm (30 minutes behind) as the skies continue to cooperate and the game time temperature hit 92, but the heat index had hit 100.  The opening quarter saw the same battle royal like the first three games had started with only 2 goals in the quarter (Revolution @ 7:01 left by Mat Kiefer and the Northwind with :35 left).  It was a battle for marks as well as the Revolution won the opening quarter 11-7.  For the scoring, it was the Revolution winning 1.4 (10) to 1.0 (6).

The second quarter was more of the same as neither team couldn't get much of an advantage.  The opening score was done by the Northwind just 3 minutes in, but not another score was done for nearly 9 minutes until 8:55 left in the quarter by Eric "Sleepy" Floyd to return the lead back to 4 for the Revolution.  The Revolution extend the lead to 2 full goals after a goal by Bobby Spears with 5:30 left in the quarter only to have the Northwind score as the halftime siren sounded.  The marks was tight with the Revolution holding a 7-6 lead in the quarter to extend the lead 18-13 and they won the scoring as well going 2.3 (15) to 2.0 (12) to lead @ halftime 3.7 (25) to 3.0 (18).

The third quarter was the most intense quarter as the temperature hit 96 with a heat index of 103 and it showed as the battle was in the full forward of the Northwind as they shutout the Freedom for quarter as they score the only goal just 50 seconds into the quarter and a behind at 11:45 to go to tie the game at 25.  The marks was at a premium, but the Revolution won the battle 9-7 to lead 27-20.  As for the scoring, it was decisively Northwind as the Revolution didn't capitalize, winning 1.1 (7) to 0 to tie the game at 3.7 (25) to 4.1 (25).

The final quarter started out blazing as Brian Dragus for the Revolution got the breakaway started and got to Kevin Stanley to get the lead once again just 60 seconds into the quarter.  The Northwind countered just 3.5 minutes later to get the scores level once again until the Revolution brought the hammer in the final 16 minutes, scoring at will with 3 goals (@ 11:25 to go by Bobby Spears, his 2nd, @ 4:35 by Brian Dragus and the clincher with :15 left by Andrew Rotschafer) to finish the scoring going away.  For the marks, it was decisively Revolution, winning 15-6 in the final quarter to win 42-26 and the scoring showed, winning 4.5 (29) to 1.0 (6) to win the game 7.12 (54) to 5.1 (31).

Scoring by Quarter:

1st:  USA 1.4 (10) Canada 1.0 (6)

2nd:  USA 3.7 (25) Canada 3.0 (18)

3rd:  USA 3.7 (25) Canada 4.1 (25)

Final:  USA 7.12 (54) Canada 5.1 (31)

Game MVP:  Chet Ridenour from the Columbus Jackaroos

V.  Epilogue - Some encouraging online viewing stats

After the game, Lee W. Mowen, Brian Reiss and the team from Ohio Sports Radio Network (OSRN) got the first reports and we were shocked.  How shocked?  Our first reports had both of the 8 hour set exceeded the goal that I was in tears.  I immediately got Noor Jehangir from the Revolution and Amy Valentine from the Freedom to get the teams together as the Northwind and Northern Lights teams had already left the field.  The preliminary goal was for 75,000 views between the platforms.  That was surpassed by the end of the 3rd quarter of the 3rd game as I told the teams the first report was 130,000!  Needless to say, the teams were stunned and surprised me with a ice bath over the head on the monumental feat (Boy, that was cold!)

As I got the final stats for the game, I was even more stunned.  The final numbers as of Friday, 11 August:

Game One:  Justin.tv (Video) and OSRN (Radio):  18,250

Game Two:  29,000

Game Three:  61,525 views total, including 36,900 views in the third quarter alone

Game Four:  49,680

Total for the day: 

Radio:  OSRN:  47,500 (All-Time One Day Record:  63 Countries)

Video:  Justin:  110,955 (All-Time One Day Record for Producer Non-Gaming Channel:  67 Countries)

GRAND TOTAL:  158,455 views in 8 hours with the peak during the 3rd quarter of the Freedom vs. Northwind!

The Justin.tv video over the weekend produced 9 shows with a total of nearly 125,000 views between them all, including a record 5,100 views of USAFL Weekly on Friday night.

To the Northwind, Northern Lights, Freedom and Revolution teams:  I thank you all from the bottom of my heart as this was a major undertaking and considering that the video was only from my computer to have the Aussie Rules fans from 35 US states, every providence in Canada and Australia and 67 countries with at least 20 of the 26 time zones having someone online during the games was nothing more than absolute stunned.