Move over Bartman, Babcock is here

Yes, that happened.

Whenever you’re having a bad day, just remember that you are not Casey Babcock.  I don’t know anything about this poor kid, but just imagine if he’s a senior and this gaff costs Otter Valley a trip to the playoffs.  But I don’t put the entire blame on him, sure he made a mistake, but a lot of crazy things happened in the final quarter to allow Casey to be put in that situation.

Following the terrible turnover by the Cougars as they tried to run out the clock with 14-7 lead, why did Otter Valley go for two to take the lead after scoring a quick touchdown?  I thought maybe they had no field goal kicker, but they kick a 20-yd field goal later in the highlight so there was no excuse.  Instead, Otter Valley’s coach made his first mistake by attempting to go for two and failing, leaving the score at 14-13.  Following a three and out by the Cougars, the “Lee Corso wannabe” local sportscaster compares Otter Valley’s quarterback to Tom Brady after throwing a wobbly 15-yd out leading to the aforementioned field goal……16-14 Otters with only 16 seconds remaining.

Following the kickoff, the Otters elect to rush four guys instead of playing a prevent defense (mistake #2 for coach) allowing Tom Lacey of the Cougars to make a spectacular catch on a 35-yd pass in the middle of the field.  How those corners did not have safety help in that situation is beyond me.  Regardless, Lacey’s Steve Largent impersonation set up a game winning 46-yd field goal for the Cougars with 1 second remaining……a play that Casey Babcock would remember for the rest of his life.

Mistake # 3 for the Otter’s coach comes by placing Babcock and his buddy in the endzone for the field goal attempt.  They have absolutely no reason to be there, the Otters have a two point lead, all they need to do is not jump off-sides, and maybe attempt to block the kick, and then watch the 46-yd attempt fall to the ground short of the field goal post and win the game.  Were they trying to return a missed field goal attempt 100 yards for a touchdown a la Ed Reed and Antonio Cromartie?  Unfortunately, Casey, who was probably not given proper instructions to knock the ball down, decided to catch the missed field goal and ultimately ruin his life.

As I stated before, it wasn’t all Casey’s fault.  If it weren’t for the fumble, the botched 2-pt conversion try, the Tom Brady led drive, Lacey’s catch, and horrible coaching, it would have been just another game for Casey Babcock’s Otters and he would not have become a You-tube sensation.