Madison Tecmo VII Championship

Francis "Mort" Buennagle takes the Cowboys against Jim "Air" Bontempo's Phoenix Cardinals in the Championship of the 7th Annual Madison Tecmo Tournament.

This includes post game interviews with the finalists.

Actual Championship footage: http://www.tecmomadison.com/

Tecmo VII Hoss Whisperer Madison, WI Tournament

Ok. I have had a week to recuperate. I guess I will post my story for my weekend in Madison. I went out with my wife. We flew out of Indy on Thursday morning. One of my wife’s best friends lives in downtown Madison. On the first day we drove around downtown and also went to the Cave of the Mounds. Never been in a cave like that before. It was a trip. Thursday night we got some real Wisconsin food at a place called Old Fashioned. Cheese and Bratwurst. Good stuff. On Friday we went to the National Mustard Museum (yes there is such a place). Played some practice Tecmo with some guys on Friday night. Good times.

Saturday morning I walked to the tournament sporting my Wayne Haddix jersey, and watched some games, as I was in the afternoon session. When my pool play started I was nervous. Knowing I was fully capable of making the tournament, I had my doubts thinking back to Chicago in October.

My first game was against John D. from Madison. I was really nervous and played one of my worst games in this one. He picked a DAL/K.C. matchup. I went with Okoye and used my juice to win. On one play I juiced and popped nearly the entire defense for about 60 yards. The play of the game was late in the third quarter when he decided to punt the ball away from his own 20 on 4th and 1. I took advantage and closed him out on defense to win the game 14-7. Nightmare ran for 180 yards.

With the pressure off my back I felt at ease in the next two games. My second game was against Cody H. from Cedar Falls, Iowa. I picked a MIN/DET match up. He went with the Vikings. I came out throwing with Peete as he was picking runs the whole time. I slowly incorporated Barry. Defense played solid. I was up 3-21 early in the fourth quarter and went for it on 4th and 1 from the 1. The picked play resulted in a long MIN drive and FG. Final score was 6-21.

Being 2-0 in pool play I was really loose and was starting to feel confident. Next game I picked a CIN/S.D. matchup. I was playing Kevin H. from Madison. He picked the Bengals. I threw with B.J. and B.J. wasn’t B.J. I slowly incorporated Butts. Butts had some crazy jukes and long runs. Defense was stout really only getting beat on one ridiculous pass play threw the hands of a jumping Byrd and diving Eddie Brown. Final score was 31-14.

Brett P. and me

So I go 3-0 in pool play and I was placed as a 5 seed in the 64-man bracket. The opening round game was against Brett P. from Lake Mills, WI. I picked a S.D./DEN matchup. He took the Chargers and this time B.J. was B.J. He threw 2 picks early. Pickle came in and threw 2 of his own. Bronco’s defense was all over the place as I picked pass 95% of the time knowing this guy was a passer after the first quarter. I juiced with B. Hump and got out of bounds nearly every time. I was patient with Elway running when nothing was fo sho. Final score was 37-14.

In the round of 32 I played John B. (qb_browns). Dude put me out with a 50 yarder in Cincy back in July in a SEA/CLE matchup. Every game with him is solid. Plus he is one of the coolest people at the tournament. I go DET/S.D. matchup and he takes the Lions. I wasn’t going to give B.J. a chance to eff this up. Butts goes for 269 on 15 carries. Quinn Early got the only longer completion of the game. I might have had 3 completions the whole game. Barry ran 8 for 87 yards. I thought he would have been used more. Game was back and forth the entire time. If I remember correctly there were no picks? Final score was 21-14 Chargers.

In the sweet 16, I played Seth B. from St. Louis, MO. After the game I later found out that this was Tecmo Virtuoso. I have played him some online (http://www.sois.com/tpc/matchup.php?player=tecmopsycho&opponent=TecmoVirtuoso).
He picked a RAI/HOU matchup. I was so successful running the ball all day long, all I could think about was Bo, Bo, Bo. I even made the comment, “I’ll give you the better team.” What an idiot. I lost this game before the opening kickoff. I also forgot that WR in the RB2 spot could run the ball (Drew Hill). So banking on fumbles wasn’t going to happen. He scored at the end of the first on a called run/wide open receivers pass. I drive to his 25 or 30 and opt to not kick the FG. Mistake #2. Called play stuffed me without points. My second possession on second play from scrimmage, Shredder gets JJ picked at my own 40. He drives and gets another score going up 14-0. On my next drive I go to his 40, but fumble with Fernandez. Thankfully I recover and take it to the house with a lineman. On his first possession of the second half he sucked my defender in with a threatening Moon making dump off after dump off pass when I covered deep. He then went deep when I came to cover short. He goes up 21-7. Next possession, Shredder is benched for Beuerlein and he gets JJ picked by Johnson. I force a punt on his next drive and take a BAD Bo down the field for another score making it 21-14. I can’t remember how I got the ball back, but I did have the ball with a chance to tie. The entire second half and especially on this drive he called my play. Without exaggeration he picked me at least once every series and it seemed like 2-3 every series. For that alone he deserved to win the game. Didn’t help that Bo was in BAD the entire second half either. Seemed like he was a 44 MS back, and that sucks when you are using RAI and getting your pass plays picked. Going for it on 4th and like 7 I turned the ball over with a minute and change left. I was disgusted and can’t remember if he scored a garbage TD at the end (he probably did). Odell was right. I deserve to be hassled. I disagree with the overall showing. I was happy with what I did and how far I made it. On a side note, Indiana went 13-3 (9-0 in pool play) in the tournament.

regulator088, ones11fahzu, and tecmopsycho (Indiana)

I stayed and watched the rest of the tournament. Great games. Bgboud and Mort played a heart stopper. Mort and Skunker had a good one as well. Seth B. did go to the final four against Mort. I just would like to play him again with the reverse matchup just to see the outcome. I have video of the crowd and finals competitors. When I get a free moment I will upload. Fun time in Madison. I will be back in 2012.

me, qb_browns, and Rod Woodson