After seven months of weekly matchups, of rivalry, fraternity and healthy competition, we have finally arrived at the playoffs. I would love to go on at length about what that really means, but time is slipping away and manpower is short, so instead, a brief look ahead toward the statt of the "real "season! With four teams (expanding to six next year) the Ligue Fédéral des As opted for a round robin format which will allow for all kinds of scenarios because each team, except one, start from the same point. The Tomahawks, having won the Tremblay Trophy, which will be awarded during its unveiling Wednesday night, gets one point for being the champions of the regular season.

Missing players, missed plays, lack of concentration, are just three factors that could swing the balance and allow teams that had rough regular seasons to have a roaring playoffs, or allow regular season titans to trip. I hope the playoff games will be hotly contested with nothing but good and clean games, intense but without the arguments that can ruin the atmosphere.

Let’s bring out the best in one-another in victory as in defeat, and let’s keep the big picture in mind. It’s only a game, after all, even if at times It can excite all kinds of passion and emotion (good and bad) whether it’s snatching victory from the jaws of defeat or falling into the abyss of a heartbreaking loss.

Let the best team win, and let the losers be respected as worthy adversaries who gave it all for the love of the game.

Before the playoffs begin, there’s one more event to bring us together on a different level as a league rather than just our particular teams. We are all part of the LFA, more than a league, really, but also a social rallying point that will gain importance in our lives over time. I hope that you will all be present Wednesday to celebrate our first season and the first presentation of the Tremblay trophy to the regular season champions.

I would like to thank Véronique Legault of brasseurs RJ, Jean Lanouette and Patrick Desjardins of the Notre-Dame hardware store, Jean Dazé from Collins, and Raymond Hughes for their support in creating the trophy, and event.

I would particularly like to thank my two partners in this project, Larry and Nicolas Migneault for their talent, hard work and imagination, along with the participation of trophée Fortin, Olivier Maranda and Eric Drapeaux. Finally a big thanks to Alexi and the gang at L’inspecteur Épingle at 4051 Saint-Hubert where the event will be held this wednesday starting at 5PM..

JFD (AS TRANSLATED BY LES PERREAUX)