A tribute to Edward Brandon Greenblat
The first victor of the Mark Hale Jr. Video Game Challenge has been decided, and as per Eddie’s request, here is the SportsCentury recap of the Madden game that rocked the cosmos.
Football, a game of men. And on a cold February afternoon, two men met to test their mettle in what would be a game to be remembered for all time.
From the North Campus Division: Eddie “Blat Blat Call yo boyz” Greenblat
From the South Campus Division: Mark “Halestorm” Hale Jr.
After selecting teams and uniforms, it was time for a true clash of the titans. Mark and his Minnesota Vikings traveled to Pittsburgh to face Eddie and his formidable Steelers team. The tension was palpable and the fans were ready for a spectacle.
And with a kick it began. Eddie’s aggressive offensive playcalling showed itself early, as Big Ben Roethlisberger marched effortlessly down the field, putting an early seven on the board. The fans were decidedly on Eddie’s side and it appeared as though the twelfth man would dominate the game. This was likely the case, until Chester Taylor stepped up and silenced the crowd in one fell swoop. After, catching a lofty kick by Jeff Reed, Taylor broke free and delivered an 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown into the gaping jaws of the stunned Steelers faithful.
The action was fast-paced and a score-fest seemed imminent. For minutes, touchdowns and extra points were exchanged with the frequency of Las Vegas wedding vows. Adrian Peterson ran like a man on fire, posting a touchdown alongside Chester Taylor, who returned yet another kick for seven. The Vikings defense made an appearance as well, picking off two of Roethlisberger’s passes. These turnovers were just speed bumps to the former Super Bowl quarterback, who posted over 200 yards in the air alone. The game seemed as though it simply would devolve into a battle of who could score last. That is, until a fourth quarter for the ages rocked Three Rivers Stadium.
With the score tied at 21, Roethlisberger and the rest of Greenblat’s battle-weary Steelers fought their way into the endzone on the back of Heath Miller, who’d become a favorite target of Roethlisberger’s laser arm and surgical accuracy, to boost their score to 28. Hale readied his men for another offensive series. Chester Taylor sat poised on the 20-yard line, ready for a hat trick of special teams touchdowns. This hope was short-lived, as a squib kick from Reed settled the ball on the Vikings’ own 40 yard line. This, however, was not the high-flying Minnesota team that went blow-for-blow earlier in the game. They were a fatigued team. A team slowly falling victim to exhaustion and injury, but this was no matter to Mark, who swore he’d see victory this day.
After a series of short runs by Peterson, the Vikings moved twenty yards closer to history. The red zone stood in sight, and with the game on the line Mark put his faith and the game in the hands of an NFL legend. Favre stepped up to the line, ready to taste greatness. The ball snapped and he fell back in to the pocket, which was quickly diminishing, and Favre took aim and released. The bullet never met its target, however, as Troy Polamalu scooped the duck and delivered the ball back into Pittsburgh possession. The Steelers then embarked on a clock-devouring march into the endzone and through the uprights, boosting the final score to 35-21. As the last few seconds ticked away, a victor was decided, and Eddie stood proud. Hoisted high by the likes of Heath Miller, Troy Polamalu, and Ohio State Alumnus Santonio Holmes, Eddie basked in the golden sunlight of victory on a day the likes of which fathers will tell their sons for decades.
So here’s to you: Edward Brandon Greenblat. You’ve known the sweet taste of victory and you ARE football.
-MHJR
