On the first play of the 2nd overtime period Couch fired a bomb to Andre Davis who streaked downfield for an incredible 72-yard gain all the way to the Steeler 4-yard line! Now the Browns had a chip shot field goal to win the game. But, like his son, Mark refused to kick. A handoff was given to Mark Edwards who followed some perfect blocking by the line and scooted easily across the goal line for the winning score! Cleveland was now the new Champion of the Houston Electric Football League! Final score: Cleveland-21, Pittsburgh-13 in double overtime. Congratulations to both coaches for the most exciting electric football game I have ever witnessed! And, a big congratulations to the new World Champion Cleveland Browns and Coach Mark Klingbeil who completed an undefeated season in the HEFL.
Just when you thought a coin toss was a routine part of a game, there was nothing more tense than this flip of the quarter dollar! Cleveland won the toss and Mark boldly chose to receive! In light of how his kick return team had been this game as well as the passing game under pressure, this was a bold gesture indeed! But suddenly, Sanders was the return man and he gave a demonstration on how to do things right by scooting the ball out to the 29 and giving the Browns their best field position of the day on kick returns. This time the Browns would go for the ball control game just like the Steelers did in the first quarter. Couch ran a keeper on the first down play but it only picked up 3 yards. He tried again and was stopped at the line for no gain. The third time was definitely no charm as Hope blasted through the porous Cleveland line to give the Browns no hope and they lost eight. The Browns faced a fourth down at their own 24 and they were going for it! Once again, Couch did not come through in the clutch and threw an incompletion to hand the ball over to Pittsburgh, already in field goal range! All Marky had to do to win the Super Bowl was to boot a field goal and it was all over. Instead, the Steelers chose to pass! Maddox threw into coverage and Kenard Lang intercepted for Cleveland! The Browns had dodged a bullet!
This time Coach Mark Klingbeil was determined to drive downfield and score the winning points. Couch attempted to throw again, and it just did not work. A record number of incompletions by Mark Klingbeil was being set in this game. On the last play of the Overtime period Couch finally connected as he hit Andre Davis for a nine-yard gain. The Super Bowl was now going into double overtime!
After 3 quarters of play the Browns were still protecting a 14-0 shutout. The Steelers absolutely had to score on this drive to get back into the game or else Lady Chubbola would start serenading! Pittsburgh was at the Cleveland 6-yard line now with a 3rd and goal. Things were getting tense, for everyone except the cool-headed and supremely confident Steeler's coach! Marky suddenly recalled the bulldozer-strength of his offensive line and decided to return to the running game. The Bus got the ball and sure enough, the Steeler line plowed the Browns like a field in planting season and Bettis buzzed in for a crucial Steeler TD!
Now, we had a game on our hands, fans! Browns-14, Steelers-6.
What the Browns intended to do now was to get a decent kick return and start chowing down on some tasting-like-chicken clock! But that plan was thwarted right away as the Steelers bolted downfield and nailed Quncy Morgan at the Cleveland nine-yard line! The Browns were in the worst-possible situation they could imagine now at a critical time in the ball game. Young Marky was jazzed off the charts as he grabbed his defensive unit from the sidelines of the new monster board. Right away, Mark decided he would "settle his son down a bit" by resorting to the dangerous passing attack. Couch dropped back and had 3 receivers wide open, any of which was sure to reel off enough real estate to get Donald Trump's attention! But did he hit any of them? Of course not! "Hey, you'd think I was in at quarterback!" Hardaway erupted. He has a notorious reputation in the HEFL of missing wide-open clutch passes in competition, certainly a factor in the Packers' single victory this season! LOL!
The motivational comment didn't help on the next play either, as Mark K missed another tandem of open receivers, bringing up a third down with the Browns backsides against the wall! Finally Couch connected but Dennis Northcutt was stopped after just two yards by Zeroue who suddenly stepped up in the clutch to show off his defensive skills! This was just what the Steelers ordered! Marky was fired up as the Browns faced a fourth down and the worst of field position. Couch was feeling the pressure as Coach Klingbeil huddled the team up and told the Browns they were going for it and they were going to make it and show themselves to be the champions they are! Couch ran back onto the field and then missed the side of a barn! Steelers' ball one more time inside the red zone!
Maddox set up to make the quick strike to put the Steelers in the end zone. But no! A Brown named Brown, as in Courtney, blasted through the offensive line and laid Maddox out for a killer 7-yard loss! The impact of this play was devastating as there was just one more play left in regulation time for the Steelers to score. They still had two timeout plays but they could still pick up a first down by getting to the one-yard line. The pressure was maximizing! At least the Cleveland defense appeared to be motivated by Coach Klingbeil's speech. On the last play of regulation, Maddox was hurried and the ball fell incomplete. The first of their two timeout plays was called by Pittsburgh. Again the Browns blitzed and while Maddox dumped it off to Randle El to avoid the sack, the Browns defense nailed the receiver four more yards behind the line of scrimmage! The Steelers were reelers! Cleveland had now shoved them back to the 22-yard line and out of the red zone! Timout-Pittsburgh. Their last. Not only was it fourth down, it was the very last play of the game and the Steelers had to score! Maddox was rushed again and almost sacked. He got the ball off to Randle El, but the Steeler receiver was only at his own 20 and there were four Cleveland defenders surrounding him, all less than five yards away and all with a perfect angle to cut him off! One Brown was even closer than that and it appeared there would be a sure tackle once the switch was turned back on. But wait! Inexplicablly, the closest Borwn tipped forward into a base wheelie and stopped in his tracks! Randle El took off like a rocket and blew past the 3 Brown defenders like they were frozen in time. Toucbdown Steelers! Touchdown Steelers! Marky had pulled off the impossible play and the Terrible Towel was flapping wildly! The Steelers had tied the game on the very last play! Unbelievable! I've never seen anything like it! What a play! Steelers-14, Browns-14.
But wait! Calm down everybody! Yes, the Browns did in fact have their own two timeout plays left! This game was not in overtime yet. Rather than waste a play on the kickoff, Coach Mark Klingbeil intentionally took a touchback and gave the Browns the ball on their 20. A very wise move in light of the fact that their last two KO returns were 8 and 9 yards respectively, albeit I don't see very much respect in that at all! LOL! I think Couch was imitating Bret Favre under pressure as his first pass fell incomplete. Then on the last play of the game for sure, Couch proved the first incompletion was not a fluke and did it again, tossing felt to metal to end regulation time. The HEFL's first Super Bowl was going to Overtime!
This was the break the Steelers needed to get back into the game. A first down inside the Cleveland red zone! Coach Mark Klingbeil insisted he had no regrets on this decision after the game as he says he knew a mere 40-yard punt into the hands of one of the Steeler return men could be just as deadly. He stood by the decision. Pittsburgh decided to go for the jugular right away and Maddox connected with Randle El for a scary 12-yard gain down to the Cleveland 4! Maddox dropped back to throw again but this time it fell incomplete. It was second and goalon the last play of the third quarter. Maddox hit Randle El again but this time the Browns read the play and smacked Randle El for a two yard loss after the catch.
Let this be a lesson...This was a beautifully developed offensive play by Cleveland, one of several throughout the game. The base wheelie you see above is all-too-common an occurance when placing a 67 ProLine Big Man on any of the regular Miggle or Tudor bases. The guard figure is top heavy and only a ProLine base will prevent this problem. It was a base wheelie at a critial time in this game that allowed the Steelers a critical score that sent the game into overtime. The Browns prevailed anyway, but this was a costly equipment mistake that could have cost them the Championship! Know your equipment fans! Keep the ProLine figures with the ProLine bases as a general rule, or at least with the guard figures because of how they are balanced.
Cleveland would get the kick to begin the second half, certainly not good news for the Steelers at this point. But in a very bizarre case of history reversign itself, the Browns' Quincy Morgan only returned the ball out to the 8-yard line--the exact same kickoff return the Steelers had to open the game! What are the odds of that happening? The Browns were in a jam already. With the deadly passing attack the Browns possessed everyone present thought Cleveland would take to the air to get out of this hole.
The Browns anticipated pass on this play as they seemed to be reading the Steelers pretty well at this point. Sure enough, the Steelers dropped back to pass. But as Maddox released the ball Griffin had the angle and stepped in front of the ball, picked it off and blitzed 32 yards into the end zone for a stunning Cleveland touchdown! Suddenly, it was Browns-14, Steelers-0. This game now had the markings (no pun intended!) of a blowout! The Browns scored on just two plays on offense, and now the defense had put points on the board. Young Marky's Steelers were in serious trouble. Yet, the kid was unphased again!
Once again, Jerome Bettis was the return man for the Steelers. He did better than his last return scampering out to the 33 to give Pittsburgh some good field position. With just one play left in the half, the Steelers needed to score to get back into the ballgame and prevent a blowout. Pittsburgh still had its timeouts so they could add a couple more plays into the drive before halftime. Marky's nerves of steel were showing again as he went right back to his passing game, despite that disastrous interception return by the Browns. Maddox hit Bettis out of the backfield for four quick yards and the Steelers called the first of their two timeout plays. Maddox hit the Bus again but this time he was dropped after only a 3-yard pickup. The Steelers were at their 40, needing 60 yards for a score and this next play would be their last shot. Maddox went back, and that is all he did. Cleveland's Kevin Bently sacked Maddox for an eleven-yard loss to end the first half of HEFL Super Bowl I. It was Cleveland-14, Pittsburgh-0.
The Browns now had a first and ten at the Steeler 48. Couch went back to pass on Cleveland's first play from scrimmage attempting to put the hurt on the Steelers quickly. But the only hurt put on was done by the Steel curtain as Pittsburgh's Larry Foote grabbed Couch's foot and pulled him to the metal turf for a five-yard sack! The crowd went wild as the Steel Curtain blasted the Browns back into their own territory! But just as quickly the Browns bombed the Steelers into silence as Couch zapped Sanders for a beautiful 53-yard touchdown strike to put Cleveland on the scoreboard with just two plays! Everyone was stunned and wowed at the same time. Cleveland-7, Pittsburgh-0.
The Steelers certainly showed some ball control, hogging up the entire first quarter in possesion time, but the Browns proved quickly that it is the quality of the play that would make the difference in this championship battle. This time the Steelers let the Bus be the return man instead of Zeroue. The Z had only made an eight-yard return on his opening kickoff debut. The Bus did much better returning the kick out to the 22 before being stopped by Chaun Thompson. However, Zeroue did get the ball on the next play and he plowed ahead for a hard four yards. Dwyane "I still shoulda neva tossed dat hemet in da Chiefs game" Rudd made the stop for the Browns. Oh what a painful memory, even if you are not a Browns fan! Sorry, Mark, just had to toss that jabber in there! You know, if I were you, I wouldn't let Rudd play electric football. LOL! Pittsburgh now had a 2nd down and 6 from their 26-yard line.
It was tackle figure Charlie Batch who was set for the big return for Pittsburgh. But, as huge as this monster board was, Mark Klingbeil's lightning-fast coverage team blitzed downfield and smacked the surprised Steeler return man after he gained just 8 paltry yards! Spectacular kick coverage to start the Steelers off in a "super jam" to begin the Super Bowl! A staple Steeler play is a handoff to Amos Zeroue behind the bulldozer blocking line. But, that did not fly either as these Browns came to dominate! The "Z" only gained a pair as Cleveland apparantly ordered some deluxe "Stuffed Steeler sammiches" from the EF menu! LOL! Well, when the Z gets stuffed, it's time to get on The Bus! Nothing doing there either as Cleveland's defense mad-dogged Jerome Bettis for a one-yard loss. With no success at all in the Steeler running game, a big shock indeed, Tommy Maddox had to pass on third down and nine from their own nine-yard line. HEFL Commissioner Glenn Hardaway, playing a dual role as game photographer and referee was completely jaws agape at this comprehensive shutdown of the powerful Steeler offensive juggernaut, as was equally-stunned Coach Jeff Henry, who stuck around to observe at least the first quarter of this historical event. Ironically, Marky seemed to be the only one not shaken up by the dismal performance of his team to open the game. In fact, he appeared to be excited about the passing game. Marky loves to use the TTQB, and right away he showed how quickly he learned from his father Mark. "Hey, it's a lean pass!" Hardaway shouted as he recognized this unique technique that Marky was using. The TTQB was "leaned" parallel to the board to fire a low-angle pass directly to the targeted receiver--an excellent method to thread the needle when heavy defensive traffic is present. Maddox smacked Bettis on a short bullet that picked up just a pair setting up 4th and 7 from the Pittsburgh 11. Surely a punt was coming--after all this was the Super Bowl and one did not want to hand the ball over to the Browns inside the red zone right from the get go. That was the reasoning of logic. Bold Marky would have none of it! With supreme confidence and a sizeable pair of Steel "you-know-what's" Marky opted to go for it! Maddox popped batch who sprang for 31 yards and a shocking Steeler first down! There were enough wide open jaws in the house you'd think the Vienna Boys choir was peforming a silent opera!
(Humble, TX) Mark and Marky Klingbeil have given a whole new meaning to the phrase "bring it home". When all the smoke cleared from Houston's first EFL tournament, the only teams left standing were the ones coached by the Klingbeil father-son duo! And, they got to play right in the comfort of their own home! "I just wished we had sold tickets to this one!" Commissioner Glenn Hardaway exclaimed. As if the game itself were not exciting enough, the Klingbeil's added icing to the cake (something daughter Megan Klingbeil can do too!) by taking the game into not one, but two overtime periods!
Marky won the coin toss so he got to choose which playing field to use. Mark had wanted to go with the traditional Miggle Super Bowl field for this historic occasion, however, young Marky recalled beating his dad before in a brief scrimmage game on the new monster board custom made by Bill Porche, featuring six motors!
Wonderful color is shown here revealing the painting and decaling expertise of Mark Klingbeil who detailed both teams!
Super Bowl I was played on a new monster board made by future HEFL Coach Bill Porche. You can see the Steelers lined up on the sidelines. There is room to hold 60 players on this board!
Super Super Bowl I (continued)...
Super Super Bowl I (continued)....
Cleveland was doinkin' some killer passes all
game long with embarrasingly-open receivers!
Vol. 2 No. 5
Sunday, March 28, 2004
Glenn Hardaway
Editor
Your Official Source for all Houston Electric Football League news & information!
TM
Browns Touchdown--#44, no not Leroy Kelly,
scores the winning points in double overtime
behind a solid wall of blockers!
Super Bowl I (continued) 1st Half
Now the Steelers were in business near midfield at their own 42, a very impressive reversal of fortune! To mix things up a bit, Marky had the Steelers go back to the running game--or at least that was the idea. The Browns defense anticipated the changeup and the Bus was dropped for a loss again, one yard behind the line as Cleveland's big Gerrard Warren "hulked up" on his plastic behind! Marky appeared to be easily discouraged in his running game for some reason, although it was the Steelers' strong suit. Returning to the passing game, Marky missed his man and followed that with another incompletion. It was now 4th and 11at the Pittsburgh 41-yardline. Bettis was open on the play and Maddox hit him, but in a clutch tackle, Brown defender Holmes stopped the Bus 4 yards short of the first down! Cleveland would take over on downs inside Steeler territory!
2nd Quarter
2nd Quarter
Super Super Bowl I (continued)...
Browns receivers were getting open like this all game long. Believe it or not, Mark Klingbeil
missed this pass! More than once, Mark missed embarrassingly-open receivers like this during the game!
Cleveland's killer KO coverage is shown here. Mark adjusts his Brown defenders. Cleveland was the only team allowed adjustments on this play so Marky's hand in the pic is a mystery! LOL!
3rd Quarter
3rd Quarter
You are not going to slip much past Marky, as he is one very sharp electric football whiz kid! He pays attention to everything! Foghorn Leghorn would be out of work with this kid! LOL! The league would
have enjoyed more support from its membership, but hat's off to coaches Jeff Henry and Glenn Hardaway who stayed for the big game. While Henry had to bail early on, Hardaway stayed so long the Klingbeil's were wondering if they had a new family member! Marky turned out to be twice as lucky for this championship match as he got to choose the board and the ball as he lined his Steelers up to receive.
Super Super Bowl I (continued)...
But, fooling everyone, the Browns went to the running game and gave the ball to James Jackson. He only gained four yards as Kasey Hampton put the clampton on him! Jackson got it again. Hampton hammered him again, this time for only a yard. Third and long, a sure passing situation, yet nothing was sure with this Browns team! Jackson ran again and picked up 4, making it a fourth down and one yard to go. With just a yard to get the first, the Browns opted to go for it. Mark was confident his grinding Brown front line would get the job done and make for another set of downs.But the Steel Curtain stepped up to the challenge and Joey Porter stopped Jackson cold for no gain! The Steelers took over on downs at the 16!
The Tudor Times Sports Staff Interviewed both coaches in the locker room after this spectacular Super Bowl.
The Tudor Times:Overall, what was your assessment of the game with your son Marky?
Coach Mark Klingbeil: It was TOO close! I was sure I had the game when it was 14-0 at halftime and I was receiving the kickoff, so I guess I played far too conservatively, except the two times I got a little over-confident and went for it on fourth down.
The Tudor Times: What was the key, if there was only one, to the Browns ultimate victory in this game?
Coach Mark Klingbeil: In overtime I went for it on fourth down in my own territory and didn't make it. I was fortunate the Steelers had failed on a field goal attempt in the playoff game against coach Hardaway's Packers, so Marky had little confidence in his special teams. Instead, he went for a pass, it was intercepted, and I swore that would be the last pass I missed, and it was!
The Tudor Times:Do you regret tweaking Marky's bases so darn good now?
Coach Mark Klingbeil: LOL! Absolutely not! I can win if my team is just on par with my opposition. Marky, being a new coach, needed to have a dominant team, one that could overcome the mistakes he was sure to make. I tell you what though, when he uses all the defensive players and doesn't bring in offensive guys, his defense is incredible!
The Tudor Times:Was there any point where you were doubting, sweating, wondering if Marky was going to win this thing for real?
Coach Mark Klingbeil: Even on the last play I thought I had it. He had to connect on a difficult play, which he did. Then, his ProLine bases had to outrun some very fast defenders who had good angles, and he did. Plus, in overtime, when I went for it and didn't make it, I was almost sure I had lost.
The Tudor Times:What are your thoughts about the first game played on your new Cleveland Browns monster board?
Coach Mark Klingbeil: It was a good running board, and I think it made for a closer game. To be honest, my team was set for a Miggle field, and they didn't adjust as well as Marky's did.
The Tudor Times: This makes your third Super Bowl title now, right? (Could be wrong on the count). Was this your closest game of all of them?
Coach Mark Klingbeil: Actually, this is my first league championship. I had always played well in leagues, seldomly losing in the Akron league and going 8-1 in the DFW league until something came around to knock me out of the competition. So, I really enjoyed this one, especially the opportunity to play Marky, that was the thrill of a lifetime!!!
The Tudor Times: What were your players' comments in the lockerroom celebration after this big win?
Coach Mark Klingbeil: For some reason, they were noticeably quiet. Perhaps engaged in some introspection.
Certainly an impressive showing for the Steelers in this historic game, although the outcome was not an easy one to take. The Tudor Times caught up with the youngest coach in the HEFL, Marky Klingbeil for his thoughts on the game.
The Tudor Times: What made you decided to choose the monster board instead of the regular Miggle Super Bowl board for this big game?
Coach Marky Klingbeil: Because you could turn it up really fast and it looked very cool!
The Tudor Times: What would you have done different if you could do this one over again?
Coach Marky Klingbeil: Try not to miss any passes, and try to run more.
The Tudor Times: You have a lot of confidence in your passing game even though you have a super great running game. What made you go for the passes more?
Coach Marky Klingbeil: Because I thought if I ran, I was going to get tackled and wouldn't make as much yardage as passing.
The Tudor Times: You have won some championships too, just like your dad. Was this your closest championship ever?
Coach Marky Klingbeil: Yes. The Spark bowl was really close and I came within three yards of winning, but this game I almost won...I was so close!
The Tudor Times: What was your favorite play of the whole game?
Coach Marky Klingbeil: The last pass for the touchdown, that made me feel really good!
The Tudor Times: What were your players saying after this one was over?
Coach Marky Klingbeil: Good job!
The Tudor Times: What are your plans for next year when the HEFL has even more teams in it?
Coach Marky Klingbeil: I want to try to run a little more, pass better, and win the Super Bowl.
This time Coach Mark Klingbeil was determined to drive downfield and score the winning points. Couch attempted to throw again, and it just did not work. A record number of incompletions by Mark Klingbeil was being set in this game. On the last play of the Overtime period Couch finally connected as he hit Andre Davis for a nine-yard gain. The Super Bowl was now going into double overtime!
