Kickoff Weekend Holds Many Surprises

The Commish here again with highlights from the MMBBL's Blood Bowl season kickoff weekend! Let me tell you, sportsfiends, there were some great matches on, and more than a couple of upsets!

Deathdealer Division's four matches saw a great deal of drama. The Plotzburgh Shankers started things off by welcoming the Greenskin Bumlookers to Plotzburgh Adequate Security Prison Yard. No strangers to situations involving dropped soap and handcuffs themselves, the Bumlookers were a big hit with the crowd. Popularity wouldn't win the day, though, as the Shankers held onto a 1-0 lead long enough to claim victory. Match MVP awards went to Hans Kuft of the Shankers and Manny T. Baggins of the Bumlookers. A true spectacle of raw strength was put on by orc blocker Hugh Jass, who was earlier under suspicion of using performance-enhancing drugs. It became evident that he was in fact using performance-enhancing-drug-enhancing drugs, which we discovered were not, in fact, illegal. This revelation came to us from our top doping expert, who performed the test himself and assured us that "Mister Jass did not violate the code of conduct, nor did he punch my teeth down my throat if I know what's good for me."

Perhaps the greatest rivalry of the day was that brewing at the Slag Pit, where the Dark Iron Dreadnaughts hosted their kin, the Smash and Go'nads. The Go'nads threw down a ton of hurt, injuring several of their opponents, but a cartload of inducement money had bought the Dreadnaughts a very competent medical crew, and through perseverance and grit, they outlasted the favoured Go'nads for a 1-0 victory. Match MVPs were Cludge Slamboni of the Go'nads and Angus Angerforge of the Dreadnaughts. Gil T. Azell, the frothy-mouthed slayer from the Go'nads squad, was also given accolades and a very wide berth for his impressive and scrappy wrestling.

It wasn't all low scores and hard hits in the Deathdealer games, as was seen when the Blackwater Bilgerunners visited the Sun Temple Chupacabras, deep in the jungles of Ghetitophme. This high-adrenaline scoring fest was punctuated by periods of brutal heat which forced several skaven to hit the showers early and sent many a lizard scampering under the nearest large rock. Back and forth the touchdowns went, despite the temperature, and in the end the score held at four apiece. A tie, but exciting nonetheless, and the players on each side showed great respect for each other in the aftermath. Perhaps another rivalry is brewing here? MVP awards went to Squeesplat of the Bilgerunners and Gecko Xtopilopicoatl of the Chupacabras, whose surefootedness inspired great performances from his brothers as well. Mondo likewise showed confidence running the ball, and the youngest of the group, Lando, earned praise for being very hard for the opponent to get a handle on. The bad news from this game comes for the Bilgerunners; O'Rattigan, their mound of mousy muscle, suffered a broken neck and will be out for the next match because of it.

Finally, the Blueriver Wardoves, including SPIKE! magazine cover boy Tsih Killwillow, met the Fjord Rangers on the Battlefield of Good Sport for the division's evening match. The Wardoves were heavily favoured, but the Rangers hounded them at every turn with exemplary defense, including a picture-perfect interception by lineman Valter Franzen, which resulted in the second of the Rangers' touchdowns. Try as they might to recover, the high elves got no quarter from the Norse force, and that second touchdown stood up to give the Fjord Rangers a 2-1 victory. Dellin Finchtalon of Blueriver and Edvard Nilsen of the Fjord took home the MVP awards. the play of Wardoves quarterback Bendark Mossfang was notable as well, as despite the interception, he threw calmly and well regardless of coverage. Jonas Mednick was also stellar in his running of the secondary defense, stripping the ball loose from any elf trying to get by on his watch.

On now to Bloodbath Division, where match results were just as exciting and a bit more on the bloody side! Leading off the games was a dangerous duel at Bad Block Pyramid, home of the Bloodsand Blasters. The self-styled "dustiest players in the game" were hosting the Meathooks, whose legendary brutality is matched only by their legendary appetites. The hungrier team proved the winner in this case, with a 2-0 decision playing out in favour of the Meathooks. Included in this mess of a game was a touchdown by the highly unlikely Gort Crudhammer, who we assume fought a mighty battle with personal instinct to eat the ball rather than carry it over the line when he got his pudgy fingers on it. The dismal play of the Blasters leaves many questions about the continued success of this admittedly one-dimensional team. MVP awards went to the Meathooks' Steakums McMeaty and the Blasters' Battering Ramses. Noticable as well was orc quarterback Biggs McStabstab, who has really put some distance on his throwing range since last we saw him play.

The hits didn't stop coming as the Stargazin' Farmboys hosted the Darkmire Carnosaurs out in Dago's Bog, in a filthy (but packed!) Most Likely Swamp Port arena. The Carnosaurs, co-winners of the Chaos Cup, have become a truly intimidating force in the MMBBL, and the Farmboys needed to dig deep and pull up every ounce of talent they possessed to match the challenge. That is precisely what they did, too. In spite of a staggering injury to talented catcher Dan Solitaire, the rest of the Farmboys held on for a 2-2 draw with the Carnosaurs. The lizardman MVP for the match was Wildfang, who was simply uncontainable on the line of scrimmage. Conversely, human lineman "Hobby" Oldfield was very strong on defense, blocking several skink incursions into Farmboy territory.

The hard-luck Lurkers of Azzilizza paid a visit to the Panama Scourge for Bloodbath's third matchup. This was easily the goriest match of the day, and it didn't help that half of the players were in varying degrees of decomposition already. The unstoppable force of the nimble, crafty dark elves was matched against an immovable object of undead defense. When one side broke through the other team's coverage, there were results - but at great cost. New Scourge ghoul Mook II got himself a touchdown, and then a trip to the infirmary that left him with a broken neck. Even worse was the fate of elf blitzer Zanzil Xenophobe, who was gruesomely impaled on the pointy helmet of line skeleton Brack. Zanzil died immediately and, thanks to the nature of his opponents' recruiting practices, promptly got up and went over to the Scourge bench to take his place as probably the best-looking zombie ever. The final score in this game was 1-1, though only the Panama Scourge can truly say they took something extra away from the match. Some ONE, really. MVP awards were presented to the Scourge's Brack, whose unorthodox but effective blocking also resulted in a new recruit, and to Braxis Facemelter of the Lurkers. Skeleton lineman Billy Bonelegs also displayed an uncharacteristic level of nimbleness on the line, and Drixit Heelgrinder of the Lurkers showed excellend ball control.

The final match on the card brought the newly formed Spleen Bay Rat Packers, a Gnoll team from the Southern coast of the Beastlands, down to visit the Ibisi A-Nile-Ators, the MMBBL's only all-female squad. The Packers being an unknown squad, no one was sure what to expect. When the dust settled, new expectations were certainly brewing in the minds of fans, players, and sports writers everywhere, as the team from Spleen Bay routed the A-Nile-Ators 3-0. Outmaneuvering and outrunning their aspect opponents at every turn, the gnolls played a commanding offense led by their game MVP, Klitch Bloodswallow, who not only scored and passed, but through some key blocks as well. In spite of an MVP performance by A-Nile-Ators linewoman Nefver Timid, the Rat Packers rolled on to victory.

That does it for kickoff weekend, sportsfiends! For those keeping track, Klitch Bloodswallow is the top-rated player in the league so far, and after only his first game in the MMBBL! Will we see more from this young upstart? In the meantime, feel free to salivate over next week's Deathdealer divisional matchups!

>>>>>

Smash and Go'nads VS Plotzburgh Shankers
Dark Iron Dreadnaughts VS Greenskin Bumlookers
Fjord Rangers VS Sun Temple Chupacabras
Blueriver Wardoves VS Blackwater Bilgerunners

The League Marches On!

No, the MMBBL is not dead, defunct, deceased, decrepit or anywhere close to Done, it's simply been a bit of a difficult time for most of those involved, as our collective place of employment is planning a move and a restructuring. Still, we did find the time to throw together a great playoff for the Dungeonbowl and an incredibly crazy one-month Chaos Cup tournament.

The Dungeonbowl was won in an incredible double-overtime finish by the Blackwater Bilgerunners over the Bleakwood Breakers. A true marathon match, All that the players could really say when the clock ran out was "wow". Unfortunately, the Breakers' coach had to move on to another town when the dust settled.

The Chaos Cup was quite simply the most confusing season we've experienced to-date. Played in a double-elimination format, the schedule was constantly haunted by attendance snafus ( most of which were less human error and more unfortunate circumstances). In the end, four teams met in a special four-way format, with exciting and absurd results. When all was said and done, the Darkmire Carnosaurs and Drudgetown Deadites settled on a first place tie with seven points each, with the Sun Temple Chupacabras and Smash and Go'nads finishing with a respectable four apiece.

Now it's time for the big one. The Blood Bowl season. Five months now separate sixteen teams from ultimate glory. There are some new squads as well as some old ones, returned from hiatus.

Bloodbath Division looks to live up to its name yet again, with the return of its usual favourites, the Darkmire Carnosaurs and Bloodsand Blasters. The Stargazin Farmboys, Ibisi A-Nile-Ators, and Lurkers of Azzilizza are back to continue carving out their places in league history. The Panama Scourge, a new team coached by Cliff Walker, arrived for the Chaos Cup and had a very good showing for a rookie squad. Ryan Keizer brings a new team to the mix as well - the Spleen Bay Rat Packers, who are a team of gnolls based on the high elf template. Finally, an old favourite has returned. The Meathooks are back and bloodier than ever! Fans the league over will be gripped with a mix of excitement and terror!

Deathdealer Division has had its own share of shuffles. Returning are such highlight reel teams as the Smash and Go'nads, Sun Temple Chupacabras, Blackwater Bilgerunners and Blueriver Wardoves. Likewise returning are the up-and-coming Fjord Rangers and hard-hitting Dark Iron Dreadnaughts. The new crew showing up for this division is Matt Stroud's Plotzburgh Shankers, a human team with decidedly looser morals than his true-hearted Fly-by Knights. Last but not least (unless speaking in terms of clothing), comes the return of a team which has not been seen since our inaugural season - the Greenskin Bumlookers are back from their beach league to leave their oily, toned mark on the MMBBL!

From May to August, sixteen weeks of hard-hitting, high-flying action is coming your way, until September brings the playoffs and the battle for the greatest prize in all the land: The Blood Bowl! Stay tuned, sportsfiends! The Mighty Miramichi Blood Bowl League is back and ready for kickoff!

Dungeonbowl 2009: Location and Brackets Revealed!

It's GO time, sports fiends! The brackets for the 2009 Dungeonbowl are set, as well as the location! This year' championship game will take place on the snow-kissed slopes of the Oberklunk mountains, at Midgard Battlefield. While the Asgard Raiders, proprietors of the arena, are away looting and pillaging, they have graciously welcomed the MMBBL back into their home on the condition that the finals match be worthy of a flaming funeral boat or two. And now, on to the brackets!

In Bloodbath division, the first round bye goes to the Darkmire Carnosaurs, who have been practically unstoppable this season, as well as quite literally undefeated.

The 2nd-ranked Stargazin' Farmboys, not entirely sure of how they got there, will take on the resurgent 7th-place Bleakwood Breakers at Most Likely Swamp Port.

The Bloodsand Blasters control the 3rd seed and will host the 6th-place Ibisi A-Nile-Ators in a heavily anticipated regional battle at Bad Block Pyramid.

The 4th spot is held by the Drudgetown Deadites, who will stare down the returning champions from the Spike! tournament, the 5th-seeded Razor Hill Spinebreakers, in the Pit.

Deathdealer Division's first-round bye goes to the Blackwater Bilgerunners, whom many are expecting to meet the Darkmire Carnosaurs in the finals a few weeks from now.

2nd place is held by a bewildered Grenedale Lesionnaires squad, who hold the league's only spotless casualty record. They'll host the 7th seed, in this case the Fjord Rangers who are shuffled over from Bloodbath's brackets. The game will take place at the Linitis Plastica Centre.

The 3rd-place squad, the Shattered Plains Rampage, nearly beat the aforementioned Bilgerunners, which would have shaken up the brackets significantly. Look for them to bring their best game when they face the mean-spirited dwarves on the 6th-place Dark Iron Dreadnaughts squad at Shattered Plains Arena.

The 4th-and-5th-seed game, featuring a repeat of last week's regular season match, will have the Sun Temple Chupacabras hosting the Lurkers of Azzilizza at the Sun Temple, in an all-jungle slugfest.

We'll have match results as they happen, sports fiends, so stay tuned!

Report: Lurkers and Bilgerunners at the Citadel

This live event has been pre-recorded for your convenience.

Bryag Mudrake here live at the Citadel of Azzilizza for Deathdealer excitement! The Lurkers of Azzilizza are hosting the Blackwater Bilgerunners this week, and the fan turnout is spectacular. Over Twenty-nine thousand fans, and the skaven outnumber the dark elf locals more than two to one! That's great news for the local tourism industry, but not so good for the Lurkers morale. I don't think I've ever seen such a massive difference in team ratings. Rumor has it that well over a million gold was provided to the Lurkers to bolster their chances for this match, and provide a good show to all. The teams are coming out onto the pitch now... and YES, here he is again folks! Once more, the massive Morg 'N' Thorg has been brought in to beat on the Bilgerunners! I think I'm also seeing a couple of shadowy figures trailing inconspicuously behind them. I'm not seeing their names on the roster, so I'm not sure... hang on... I just got a note that those two are in fact the legendary Horkon Heartripper, and his not-so-legendary unnamed apprentice, who will both be playing for the Lurkers. The team will also be featuring a young journeyman trying out his fortune with this squad. We wish him luck, and hope his funeral expenses will be well paid for by the league as well. Joking! Only joking!

The coin is in the air... and the skaven win the toss! Looks like they're electing to receive. Here's the kick and WHOA! Listen to those crowds roar! The skaven cheerleaders have whipped the crowd into an absolute frenzy! I can't even hear who the matron has favored! The rats are running right down the middle of the field, over the prone body of Morg 'N' Thorg! It looks like Stumptail just picked up right where he left off last game. Fivel grabs the ball and sends a perfect pass to Piddlepaw. Dark elf coverage is pressing in, and Melanissa Rampage has knocked Twinkletoes out cold! She can't catch Piddlepaw though, who sprints into the end-zone for the game's first touchdown! The roar of the crowd is deafening here, and continues all the way through the next kick! Matron favors the rats now, and even some of the elves have started joining in with the sing-along.

The kick lands in a far corner, and the dark elves spring down-field. Determined to put their agility to good use, they're sending two squads up the relatively undefended sidelines. I think the skaven have been playing strength-based teams too long, I don't know what they're thinking with this sort of coverage. Drixit Heelgrinder now has the ball, and passes it to Horkon for the handoff. O'Rattigan is charging him down! Looks like he wasn't actually on the front line, and was in perfect position to run down the runners! The blow knocks Horkon off his feet... and O'Rattigan has the ball! What on earth is he planning on doing with that? Wait, he's still moving, running back towards Twinkletoes! I think the two must have been playing "fetch" between games, because he's just given Twinkletoes the ball! The other rats are punching through the coverage... Stumptail just stunned Morg! You don't see that every day. Also I see the medical team dragging Exrit Exitwound off the pitch, looks like Notchear got a solid shot on him. Twinkletoes is running downfield, with Stumptail in hot pursuit. But Drixit is still in reach! He runs down Twinkletoes, and scoops up the ball. He turns to a long pass towards the Inafay Icyhaired, wide open in the skaven half... but Stumptail is in the way! INTERCEPTION!!! Stumptail has the ball, and races it in for another touchdown! Boy, this game is sure full of surprises!

Maybe it's not so surprising that the rain is starting to pick up. Skaven kick again to the Lurkers, and some punching is happening on the front line! Morg 'N' Thorg just knocked Brutus out cold! The Dark Elves are playing this game a little more cautiously; once again the runners are across the pitch, but this time, they're holding off on dealing with the ball. Gurglegasp has waded once again to disturb the Lurkers with his presence, but he's shoved far enough away from the runners to keep him from distracting them. Inafay just put Notchear's lights out in a quick bout of revenge! Drixit picks up the ball, and runs it up to Inafay, not wanting to risk the pass in this pouring rain, I guess. Inafay has the ball, and rushes it in for a touchdown! Great job to the Lurkers... if they keep that up, they stand a good chance at this match.

Looks like the rain is clearing up for this next kick, and a dry ball has been brought out. There isn't an awful lot of time left, but the Bilgerunners are trying this run anyways. The Lurkers kick to the Bilgerunners, and the ball lands deep into the skaven field. The medics are back again; it looks like Squeesplat badly injured Frazz Firestarter! Fivel has the ball, and fires off a flawless long pass to Piddlepaw, who is racing down-field now! Horkon catches him just before the end-zone, and punches him... He's down! That didn't look like a hard kit, but Squeesplat is out cold just before the line as the horn ending the half is blown. I think Horkon must've been carrying... because there's an awful lot of blood and unconsciousness coming from such a glancing punch.

We'll be back after the halftime show by the Lurker cheerleaders.

We're back. Apparently Lurker cheerleaders have put some heart into the crowd. Or... multiple hearts, torn from the ribs of their victims. Such delightful customs here in the jungles. We're starting the second half now, with the Bilgerunners kicking. The Lurkers are off! Looks like they caught the defense flatfooted, because they've stormed the line even before the ball came down. Horkon's apprentice and Drixit are covering the ball, and the witch-elves and their associates are once again tearing down-field. Morg and Stumptail are battling it out again... it looks like Gurglegasp has caught Shrick'kahn off guard, and knocked him out cold! What's Dingleberry doing? He's charging towards Drixit, and he leaps over Horkon's apprentice! He picks up the ball from right between the bewildered expressions of Drixit and the apprentice, he's taken the ball in his third arm, and he's dodging away! This is a beautiful display folks, not many in this league are capable of doing what we just saw. It looks like Horkon's apprentice has some skills of his own... he's right on Dingleberry's heels, and tries to stab him! The knife doesn't penetrate, but now Drixit can get a good smash on him! Dingleberry's out like a light, and Drixit has got the ball. He hurls it to a startled Krrox near center field, but he’s obviously not ready for it. Krrox fumbles the catch, and the blitzers are on him! Jenner's now got the ball, and Twinkletoes has rushed into the end-zone. Jenner passes, and it's complete! Touchdown for the Skaven! The game is now three to one, and I'll be very tough for the Lurkers to make up this point difference.

It looks like the elves have gained the Matron's favor once again, and their coaches have devised some new strategies. It doesn’t look that much different from their old strategy... but it's hard to fault success. More of the lurkers have been assigned to run up-field and cover the ball, making it that much harder for the skaven to poach the pigskin, and giving them less targets in the midfield. That's enough to give Drixit time to grab the ball, and run down it to the waiting guards. He passes to Inafay, who runs it in for a touchdown!

The elves are kicking to the Skaven now, and it'll take some serious play to tie thi... whoa! The Lurkers just blitzed! Horkon Heartripper has thrown caution two the wind, and is stabbing madly with both hands at anyone within reach! The skaven are caged in tightly, and it'll be a struggle to get out of it! Dingleberry has the ball, and is deep in the cage right now. Wait, he just leaped over several others, and passed the ball to Twinkletoes! Twinkletoes is off like a shot! He races in for the end-zone and... HE TRIPS! He's down folks, and he seems to be curled up in pain! Medics are pulling him off-field... and I don't think he'll be coming back this game. Elves and skaven are both trying to get some hold on the ball... Zanzill tries to pick up the ball, but he fumbles it! I hear another scream... looks like Jenner just hurt Shrick'kahn badly! Dingleberry is off and running for the ball, he leaps over Zanzill, and tries to pick up the... fumble! And there's the horn... leaving Dingleberry at the endzone without the ball! Perhaps a bit anticlimactic, but that was edge-of the seat play all the way to the end! A fine display by both teams, it looks like the Dark elves will be a force to be reckoned with once they recover from the injuries inflicted upon them at the start of this season, and get a little more experience in the league.

Match MVPs go to Shrick'kahn Killer of the Lurkers of Azzilizza, and Twinkletoes of the Blackwater Bilgerunners. Also of note this game were the blocking skills of Inafay, Melanissa, and Shrick'kahn, and the strong-arm tactics of Drixit Heelgrinder. Thanks for joining us here in the Jungle! I’ll be taking a little break, as our regular league commissioner will be describing the blood-curdling Farmboy action later this week as they host the Bloodsand Blasters.

Too Much Ugly in Sewer Smashup

Bryag Mudrake here once again for league night in the Deathdealer Division! It's the Blackwater Bilgerunners at the Tidy Bowl hosting the Grenedale Lesionnaires! Attendance was surprisingly light for an official league match, with a mere 20,000 fans in attendance. Perhaps the light attendance was fear amongst the skaven of a recurrence of the infamous Blackwater/Bloodsand match. Perhaps it was fear of a one-sided score-fest by the skilled skaven against the rookie rotters. Or perhaps it was simply too much ugly on the field for any casual fan to stomach. One thing is for sure; sales of Big Moot sandwiches have never been lower in the history of the MMBBL. It's a real shame there weren't more people to see this game, because this one would be an all-star demolition derby! The Lesionnaires have convinced not only Lord Borak the Despoiler to play for their team, but also the mighty Morg 'n' Thorg! The Bilgerunners, perhaps sensing the pummeling to come, hired on a mercenary lineman named Cheesethief to help fill potential holes in the line, and to kick a few players when down.

The Bilgerunners won the coin toss and elected to receive. Worried about the utter darkness in the cistern stadium (the Tidy Bowl equivalent of a sunny day) the rats elected not to field Mausketrap in the opening play. The fears proved groundless as covers were removed and torches lit during the first kick, bringing the playing environment back to tolerable levels. Casual fans might not expect the skaven to take on someone as strong as Morg’n’Thorg, but Bilgerunner fans know better! Blocking started with a mighty bang, as Stumptail knocked Morg 'n' Thorg over, and O'Rattigan pummeled both Zitgore Pusfist and Gomer Bile unconscious. Piddlepaw grabbed the ball, and handed off to Twinkletoes, who buried himself in skaven support just over the line at center field. Pestigors attempted to charge down the slippery Gutter Runner, but failed to get much traction. Twinkletoes slipped past, and rushed in for a quick touchdown, to the cheers and jeers of fans, and the retches of the weaker stomachs in the crowd.

The Skaven set up a traditional deep defense, with their strongest players flanked by their most expendable, and the most valuable in deep coverage. Coverage was not quite deep enough though, and Morg ’N’ Thorg wanted some revenge! Shifting out of the Lesionnaire front line, Morg attempted to run down Stumptail for the bruise to his honor. Fortunately for Stumptail, he refused to be knocked over by the massive ogre, and even managed to push back with a little help from his companions. The ball was picked up by Putesco Prosterno, who attempted to pass it off to one of the advancing pestigors, but wound up firing it behind the skaven line instead. Surrounded by the disturbing presence of the Nurgle Warriors, the skaven worked to shove the horrid monstrosities far enough for Piddlepaw, hiding behind O’Rattigan, to hold his nose and make a grab. Both teams started to pile on the fouls now, with the rent-a-rat Cheesethief knocking out Lord Borak with a well-placed boot to the head, and Putesco thrown out for an attempted foul on Brutus. That call was enough for Piddlepaw to dodge back into coverage, and race up center field for another touchdown!

The following kick to the Lesionnaires was high enough to let Horrendus Atrox to slip under the ball and catch it in his gooey arms. A screechy warcry from midfield drew the crowd’s attention as Stumptail, continuing his rivalry, ran up to Morg 'n' Thorg and attempted to knock him down once again! This time the massive Ogre expected the onslaught, and backhanded Stumptail, who tumbled back in a whimpering heap. He was carted off the field to spend the rest of the game nursing his injuries. That was enough of a disruption for the pestigors to get their passing game together, as Atrox shot a quick pass to Lacrimabilis "Larry" Fatum, who passed off in turn to Mort Gasper. By this time, however, the Bilgerunner defense was enough to prevent the Lesionnaires a touchdown before the end of the half, despite attempts to shove them away!

The second half saw some clever coaching by the skaven assistants give the Bilgerunners a little more organization. Once again, Atrox got the ball on the kickoff, and the Lesionnaires started the beatings. This time however, the Nurgle strength was much more effective, as the skaven were bowled over left, right, and center along the line of scrimmage. With enough defenders down, the ref failed to notice Scab Pickens boot O'Rattigan in the neck, knocking him unconscious for the remainder of the match. Borak followed up with a sickening smash to Piddlepaw, who lay disturbingly still on the pitch. Medics carted him off the field and the team apothecary managed to restart his heart, and get him back on the bench for the next drive. Now a horrible sense of familiarity was returning to long-time Bilgerunner fans... a strong 2-0 opening was giving way to a tremendous beating. Fortunately, several of those longtime fans got a chance to help this time, as three skaven and a pestigor were shoved into a cluster of season ticket-holders, who carried the Bilgerunners safely to their dugout, and knocked Fatum out cold before the refs could recover him. While they were occupied, Oblivio Demum kicked Jenner hard enough to put him out of the game. By the end of the drive, a mere three skaven remained on the field, running for cover as they were chased down by gleeful Nurgle and a grinning Morg, as Atrox trotted the ball in for a touchdown. Oh how the mighty had fallen!

With little time remaining in the first half, the Bilgerunner offense was seriously depleted. With Stumptail, Jenner and O'Rattigan all missing, the rats would have to open the front lines with a single blitzer, and field all the remaining linerats. Spurred on by the scent of blood and the fear of defeat, the crowd stormed the field on the final kick. Towards the starboard side of the field, the Bilgerunners' rat-rush and the Lesionnaire defense were virtually untouched. Towards the port-side lay devastation, as both Nurgle wide-zone defenders, Fivel Mausketrap, and the ball lay motionless. Shocked realization dawned upon the teams, then the Gutter Runners dashed across the field to take advantage of the makeshift opening, while the Lesionnaires lay on the whuppins to get Morg ‘n’ Thorg a shot at the ball. Piddlepaw dashed upfield, leaping over rotters while Dingleberry attempted to pass off the pigskin. His throw was tripped up by his trembling extra arms, and the ball was fumbled! Gurglegasp attempted to guard the ball from Morg 'n' Thorg, a brave but futile gesture as the Ogre dashed him to the ground, and picked up the ball despite the distractions from Gurglegasp's labored breathing. With moments left, it would take serious teamwork to bring down the ogre without the aid of Stumptail or O'Rattigan. Fivel, Gurglegasp and Dingleberry staggered up from where they lay, and rushed over to grab Morg from behind. Dodging away from across the field, Squeesplat sprinted to the limits of his endurance and landed a lucky blow, toppling Morg, and letting the ball fall free! The Lesionnaires moved to cover, and Morg staggered to his feet. Morg then attempted to dodge out of coverage for a last slim chance chance to tie the game but was tripped up by the heartened linerats! Shoving the remaining rotters out of the way, Fivel Mausketrap grabbed the ball, ran to the center line. He hurled an incredible long-bomb pass all the way into the Nurgle endzone where Piddlepaw, having slipped away from mid-field coverage, tippled the ball... and caught it! 3-1 against incredible odds for the Bilgerunners! The fans would have gone wild, if there any left in the stands after the post-invasion purge.

Match MVPs go to Hork Hogan and Notchear, for reasons only the fans could explain. Horrendus Atrox's new blocking abilities were also noted in this game. Thanks again for tuning into the MMBBL Coverage! I'll be back next week with lots more action from the Stargazing Farmboys in Bloodbath division! See you then!

Rumble in the Jungle; Chupacabras Battle Rampage

Kay Offwrong back again with a report for the Deathdealer Division of the MMBBL, where the playoff race is tighter than a halfling's belt at a pancake buffet. The Sun Temple Chupacabras were in town to take on the newcomer Shattered Plains Rampage.

The Rampage had hired on an additional 2 medical personnel to deal with the oncoming saurus onslaught, and had taken the past week to develop some bonus team training. The 30,482 fans in attendance were mostly in favor of the home team and it was evident through the match.

The Chupacabras kicked off first, but the first big play was from neither team. Rampage fans showed their loyalty by pelting the field with rocks, one of which managed to saurus blocker El Mucho Grande in the back of the head. He was taken off the field to recover for the next drive. The Rampage took advantage of their numbers and began positioning themselves for their advance, however hippo blockers aren't as sure footed as one might guess and Bagunda fell over one of the rocks tossed onto the field by the fans. He, too, was carted off the field to rest up for the next drive.

A veritable wrestling match ensued and both teams were jockeying for position along the line of scrimmage. Iguanadon Quixote knocked over Zubeda repeatedly, and Shenzi the rhino blitzer stunned the still pointless Tyrannosaurus Sex. Seeing a break in the line, Gecko Xtopilopicoatl attempted to get some extra mileage out of his little legs, but couldn't make it, and knocked himself out, giving the numbers advantage back to the Rampage.

With saurii barreling down on him, Hafsa calmly maintained his composure in the pocket created by his hippo blockers and tossed a dandy of a pass to Samus. Then lion berserker then made his way up-field and handed off to the lovely lioness Sarabi, who in no time was into the endzone, giving the home town team a lead of 1-0.

With the fans still in a fit of excitement, the Rampage kicked to the speedy (and nearly unstoppable) skink offense. The fans decided to lend their hand again, and yet another flurry of rocks pelted the field, this time hitting El Legarto Terrible, but only stunning the large lizard powerhouse.

With the ball in play, Sue Xtopilopicoatl snatched it up into her arms and handed off to her speedy and very smooth brother Harpo, who was across midfield in the blink of an eye. Iguanadon Quixote, back from his opening drive nap, was leveled by Nala and with that the Rampage defense had pinned the Chupacabra offense dead in its tracks. Back upfield towards the line of scrimmage, El Mucho Grande laid a doozy of a hit on Yo-Kamba, who would stay in the game, and moved forward to assist the nimble skink. With the saurii rumbling down the field, Meepo
Xtopilopicoatl attempted to break away from Shenzi and catch up, but the rhino's coverage was too much for him and he landed on the field, dazed.

Seeing his fallen skink teammate laid out on the field, El Mucho Grande went into a fit of rage and threw a devastating hit on Zubeda, who had to be taken off the field by the medical staff and patched up. After the carnage cleared, it was Samus to the rescue who threw a great hit on Mondo Xtopilopicoatl knocking the ball loose, and behind him the blitz from Shenzi sent Iguanadon Quixote into the stands.

Even amongst all the Rampage defenders, the ever-agile Pablo Xtopilopicoatl still managed to stride between bodies and under legs, and scoop up the ball. Brother Harpo was not as fortunate as Yo-Kamba sent him into the stands, where the crowd roughed up the little fellow. Ojo the line hippo also laid a terrific hit on Tyrannosaurus Sex, who was taken off the field under the power of the medical staff who had to patch him up.

With the loss of so many players and the goal line still so far away, the half ended, and both teams headed to the locker room to regroup. The Rampage had showed some terrific defense, but how much longer could they hold off one of the leagues top offenses?

The second half's kickoff was up in the air and managed to sail back over half, and the Chupacabras started off with great field position, and Pablo Xtopilopicoatl in control of the ball. His hand off to Gecko was good, and the latter skink was on his way over half behind great saurus coverage. Big Poppa Xtopilopicoatl finally made his presence felt as his laid the hammer down on Nala, knocking the lioness out for the drive.

Again the Rampage looked like they had pinned the Chupacabras in along the side line, and Samus laid a hit on Gecko popping the ball loose. Enter Tyrannosaurus Sex, who began a brilliant blocking chain that allowed Gecko to get his hands on the ball once more, and in a flash he was over the line for his second career Touchdown, making the score 1-1.

The next kickoff went as smoothly as a practice drill, and the ball landed close to Rampage thrower Hafsa. The hippo linemen began to push forward and the struggle for positioning began once more. Zubeda managed to catch a pass from Hafsa but the skinks showed some defensive prowess and managed to knock over the hefty hippo. With numbers on their side, Shenzi and Banzai cleared the way for Hafsa, knocking over several saurii. Hafsa was away down the sideline with lots of protection, and Pablo Xtopilopicoatl managed to get in his way, but the blitz from Zubeda was all the Rampage needed. Hafsa hung onto the ball and crossed the goal line just as the whistle sounded to end the game. Final score: 2-1 Rampage.

MVPs of the game were Sue Xtopilopicoatl, who learned a new trick for her next game, and Banzai the rhino blitzer who showed muscle on the line.

That's all from Shattered Plains Arena, join me next week as the Razor Hill Spine Breakers battle the Bleakwood Breakers in a Bloodbath division showdown.

Rampage Roll Over Lurkers

The dark, humid jungles of Ghetitophmi were the venue for some more MMBBL action this past Thursday, when the Lurkers of Azzilizza hosted the Shattered Plains Rampage at the Citadel of Azzilizza. The dark elves were intent on impressing their revered matron in this first league match, while the Rampage were extremely surly from the uncomfortable cross-continental teleportation process. Much to the Lurkers' dismay, thousands of traveling Lurkers fans had swarmed to their home arena, leading to bizarre cases of the home team actually being booed when the got their hands on the ball. The Rampage won the coin toss, and chose to receive first.

Taking advantage of the moderate case of "Port Lag" that was affecting their beastmen opponents, the Lurkers blitzed on the opening play, with witch elf Inafay Yifana'Ii nearly making it to where the ball eventually touched down. Finally, the Rampage started moving, and to great effect, as the front line of hippos and rhinos plowed steadily forward. Charging madly, leonine berserker Yo-Kamba launched himself at Inafay Yifana'Ii, shoving the witch elf out of play. Fortunately, the elf was caught in the arms of several Lurkers fans, and was carried back to her dugout safely. With extra space to move, hyena thrower Hafsa spotted the nimble Sarabi running up the middle of the pitch, and tossed her a bullet patch which she caught expertly.

The elves began a regroup, but the hustle and bustle of Rampage muscle met them at every turn. While Yo-Kamba set about knocking out anything in a Lurkers uniform, Sarabi made a quick cut back to the outside, leaving a handful of elves in her dust. Line elf Frazz Zufra tried to catch her, but collapsed after taking an awkward step, landing sorely on his head. Zufra was dragged off the field quickly and discreetly, but the parade of pain wasn't about to stop yet. Breaking for the goal line, Sarabi crashed into blitzer Jarlox Oxilljar, catching him square in the neck with the ball's four-inch steel spikes. The force of the impact carried Sarabi and the instantly-dead Oxilljar over the line, and the score was 1-0 for the Rampage.

Bruised but not broken, the Lurkers took to the field once more for their first drive. The roar of the crowd was deafening, particularly when Matron Azzilizza herself stood and showed her favour to the dark elf squad. Inspired, runner Drixit Itixdur fielded the ball and passed it expertly to his counterpart Wistixle Keslestwis. The elf team as a whole then shifted to one side of the field to afford some protection to their runner, and all looked good until Keslestwis fell while trying to get away from a hippo blocker. The ball squirted free awkwardly as he tumbled to the ground. Medical staff took a look at him, and following a brief examination, declared Wistixle Keslestwis dead from heart failure. Enraged, Matron Azzilizza ordered her witch doctors to revive the runner and kill him again, much more slowly, as punishment for not being forthcoming about his precarious medical condition prior to joining the team.

As the confusion abated, the first set of hands to find the ball was that of hippo lineman newcomer Zubeda. With nothing standing in his way thanks to the Rampages' two rhinoceros powerhouses, Zubeda hustled his way into the end zone to make it a two to nothing lead for the Shattered Plains club. The half ended a few moments later, as the next kickoff was more of a formality than anything, and time expired before the Lurkers could mount another attempt.

As the second half started, the dark elves, now reeling from not one but two teammate deaths, took the field against a Rampage squad that was fully awake and had a taste for blood. Fielding the high kick was Drixit Itixdur, as the Rampage players surrounded the nimble elves cautiously. Depleted thought they may be, they were still faster and quicker. With the coverage in place, Yo-Kamba the lion made his blitz against the ball-carrier, but the quick-thinking dark elf dumped the pass off to lineman Shrick'kahn Annikshri and the Lurkers' plans were still in effect. It seemed not meant to be, however, as almost immediately thereafter, Annikshri was leveled by a journeyman hippo who'd been hired on to fill a gap in the line. The ball fell free and was picked up by Zubeda, who had scored once earlier. Wanting, it seemed, to get every species in on the action, Zubeda attempted a handoff to rhino Shenzi, but the play was botched and the ball was recovered by witch elf Melanissa Sanilameh, who hurled it as far as possible back in the other direction, with no apparent target but somewhere away from Rampage players.

Watching the backfield was Hafsa the hyena, and he was quick to make a move for the ball, now resting halfway between the Rampage end zone and the line of scrimmage. Those elves who could move into range ran headlong towards Hafsa as he picked it up, hoping to screen any passing attempt and perhaps pull down an interception. Undeterred, Hafsa hurled the ball in a tight spiral to Ojo the line hippo, who made the catch at midfield and charged forward to hand off to Shenzi for a second attempt. This time the handoff was good, and the big rhino rumbled on down to the end zone to put the game fully out of reach at 3-0.

Receiving the final kick of the game, Drixit Itixdur made no mistake on his pass to blitzer Zanzill Illzizan. With no play left that would yield points with such little time left, the Lurkers were content to hang back and lick their wounds...but the Rampage would have none of it. Putting a final stamp on the game, Banzai the rhino charged into line elf Krrox Roxrrk, dealing significant damage and rendering the poor elf useless for the forseeable future. not a very promising start for the hard-luck Lurkers of Azzilizza, but the MMBBL's other elf team showed that given enough time, there's no telling how big a contender can be made out of any squad.

Match MVP awards were presented to the Lurkers' Zanzill Illzizan, and to Rampage berserker Yo-Kamba. Also worthy of note was the blocking power of Banzai the rhino.

And that brings us to the end of the first week of play in Deathdealer Division! Stay tuned though, because we've got a few challenge matches to report on, and Bloodbath's next week gets underway tomorrow!

Strange Misfortunes Haunt Lesionnaires/Chupacabras Game

The newly renovated (but never fumigated) Linitis Plastica Centre was home to Tuesday night's visit from the Sun Temple Chupacabras. They met their hosts, the Grenedale Lesionnaires, for their first league match of the 2009 Dungeonbowl season. With such a highly rated opponent, the Lesionnaires were offered plenty of inducements, including the services of the dynamic ogre-goblin duo of Brick Fa'rth and Grotty. Could they tip the scales in favour of the Nurgle team, or will the combined might of six saurus and a kroxigor spell a scaly end to the undead hopes?

Winning the coin toss, the Chupacabras chose to receive first. A terrible kick from the Nurgles resulted in a near-catch by saurus Tyrannosaurus Sex, but saurus agility being what it is, he bobbled it. The lizardmen began with Pablo Xtopilopicoatl picking up the ball and heading up the sideline. His handoff attempt to fellow skink Meepo was botched, however, and the ball tumbled into a mess of Chupacabras players. Bizarrely enough, Lesionnaires pestigor Oblivio Demum calmly moved in and retrieved it from where it lay, while the tangled lizardmen could only look on in disbelief.

With the ball in the hands of Demum, the Nurgle line began a push forward, led by infector Hurlbarf Pukescream. The lumbering plague man crashed headlong into saurus blocker Blue Demon, hitting with enough force to send the lizardman off under considerable duress - later on it was revealed that he would miss his next game due to a deep bone bruise. With a good-sized gap in the Chupacabras line, Oblivio Demum and hippo rotter Zazuk were able to cut through and begin a march to the end zone. A desperate hit by Pablo Xtopilopicoatl managed to send the ball bouncing from Demum's grasp, but to the woe of the lizardmen, it bounded right into Zazuk's waiting arms! Onward, Zazuk shambled, halted just before the goal line by Pablo, a surprising deke at the last moment fooled the skink, and Zazuk lurched over the line to count the first point in Lesionnaires history, as well as gaining the lead for his team.

The next kickoff by the Lesionnaires was another abysmal attempt. The kick was shallow to the point of barely getting over the line at all, and after ricocheting off the head of Big Poppa Xtopilopicoatl, bounced back over the line anyway. The drive thus started with the ball in the hands of skink Mondo Xtopilopicoatl, who began to tear up the sideline immediately. Before too long, however, a logjam of pestigors rallied to meat him, and progress was halted as the Chupacabras brought more forces to bear and help push little Mondo through. The Nurgle responded by calling in more muscle on their side, and things stayed at a standstill until a charging Putesco Prosterno forcefully took down Tyrannosaurus Sex, putting the saurus out of commission for the rest of the match. Somehow, the skinks managed to get away from the danger zone and put together the beginnings of a passing play. The presences of both Hurlbarf Pukescream and Zitgore Pusfist put an end to that, as Mondo was distracted to the point of throwing up in his mouth just a little. The pass was wide and fell incomplete, and the Nurgle defense began to close in. The lizardmen did manage to retrieve the ball, but the tying point was lost when Meepo Xtopilopicoatl's pass to a streaking brother Pablo was unsuccessful. With that, the whistle for halftime sounded and the teams hustled into their locker rooms to talk strategy.

To start the second half, the Lesionnaires put up a strong presence on the line of scrimmage, relying on the nimble Grotty to handle the business of fielding the kick. What followed was the beginning of a convincing case against the hiring of star players, as Grotty - agile, nimble Grotty - failed to pick up the football. Nerves? greasy palms? who knows? The Nurgle offense controlled the line, however, and eventually Grotty was able to get ahold of the ball and bring it up to the rest of the team. The bizarre plays kept coming as Big Poppa Xtopilopicoatl, far more lizard than anyone can handle, threw a blitz against the diminutive Grotty...and fell down himself!? Seizing the opportunity like a ten dollar bill inside an amusement park wind booth, the Lesionnaires surrounded the downed kroxigor, with rotter Mort Gasper showing up last in order to kick the fallen giant int he throat. The foul was caught by the refs, but the damage was done. Gasper was tossed for the foul, but Big Poppa was hauled off on a barn door tied to a team of oxen.

Things looked very, very good for the Nurgle, but the game began to unravel for them. Grotty's handoff to the singularly disgusting Zitgore Pusfist was botched, and before you could say "leaping lizards", Pablo Xtopilopicoatl had the ball in his clutches. After fending off the attention of the powerful but slow Pusfist, Pablo cruised down the sideline, away from every Lesionnaire save Oblivio Demum, who had just enough leg to get within grabbing distance. It was clear that Pablo would win that footrace, though, and Brick Fa'rth tried to solve the dilemma by pitching Grotty downfield to land on the skink! His aim was close, and in another reality it might have worked as planned, but instead Grotty landed on Oblivio Demum, thereby taking out his own help. Grotty threw the block on Pablo anyway, but the skink rolled with the punches and sidled further towards the end zone. A few moments later, he was over the line and the match was tied!

With the ball once again being kicked to the Lesionnaires, the Chupacabras decided to play for the tie instead of risking the loss. With their three remaining saurus on the line, six skinks lined up on the goal line, banking on a hard go for whoever felt they could cross the line safely. Bizarrely enough, the lizardmen called for the blitz...and stood absolutely still. Was it some sort of confusion tactic? The nervous Grotty, in any case, was quite confused. His nerves seemed to be acting up again, and his first attempt to rein in that ball failed miserably. So too did his second. Meanwhile, Grotty failed to notice that saurus Reptar the Reprehensible had broken through the Nurgle line and was bearing down on the goblin star. Once more, Grotty failed to accomplish anything and the Lesionnaires were out of time. To make matters worse, Reptar showed up, and as Grotty looked up cautiously to see what was causing the ominous shadow, he was brushed aside like a combover on a windy day. With his last great effort, Reptar pushed his body to the limits to grab the ball from where it lay in the end zone...and couldn't pick it up. The whistle blew and the crowd of 28,000-plus was left gawking in a mix of disappointment and sympathetic embarrassment. The final score was the Lesionnaires one, the Chupacabras one, and Dumb Luck at least seven or eight.

MVPs of this match, if you can call them that, were El Legarto Terrible of the Chupacabras, and rotter/lion Rama of the Lesionnaires. Grotty was run out of town by an angry mob, which was also run out of town by the pursuing Brick Fa'rth.

Skaven Steal One at the Slag Pit

Bryag Mudrake here! We've got a great set of highlights from an epic match between the Dark Iron Dreadnaughts and the Blackwater Bilgerunners, coming to you from the Slag Pits of Durr Dammaz! This is the Dark Iron's first regular season match against the highest rated team in the league, a match vaguely reminiscent of the Skavens' first league match against the infamous Dusk Hill Dirt Bursters. Could the dwarves manage to pull off a better victory? With nearly a million gold in inducements, perhaps they have a shot! To help even the odds, the Dreadnaughts were generously supplied with a number of favors from the MMBBL leadership, including the help of Boomer Eziasson, a portable promotion pitcher, and the halfling wunderchef Dobby Flayed. The scent of beer basting and fondue dishes served well to distract the Bilgerunners, and bolster the Dreadnaughts throughout the match.

A respectable amount of disreputable fans filled the stadium: twenty-three thousand all told, with only a meager edge to the skaven crew in this away game. The Bilgerunners won the toss, and elected to receive the opening kick, and that's when things started to get weird. The opening blocks went like clockwork on a quick snap, with Bors Firehammer knocked unconscious by Stumptail. Fivel Mausketrap grabbed the ball and sent it off to Dingleberry without a problem, but Twinkletoes was butterfingered by the scents from the kitchen, and fumbled the handoff. Boomer seemed set to fire off some T-shirts into the crowed, but that portable promotional pitcher turned out to be more of a muscle-mounted mortar, firing explosives into the thick of the rats and blowing Piddlepaw back on his butt. The carnage continued as Crom Deepforge knocked out Stumptail in revenge, opening up the Skaven defense for Rok Emberfist, who snatched up the ball!

O'Rattigan, the Bilgerunner resident Rat Ogre, noticed the break in the line, and started to charge towards Emberfist, only to crash into the Dwarven defenders. It seemed like Rok Emberfist had a clear path to the goal line, when Eziasson lobbed another grenade to decimate the defenders. What he wasn't expecting was an interception by Piddlepaw! Grabbing the incoming explosive, he quickly hurled it towards the dwarven runners, blowing Emberfist off his feet, and knocking the ball free! Fivel was on the ball in an instant, attempting to throw the ball back to the waiting gutter runners, but distracted by the good cooking and loud explosions, fumbled the ball. Once again the Dreadnaughts were quick to capitalize on the Skavens' errors, as Blitzer Valdak Swifthammer nabbed the ball and once again pushed for the end-zone. With Dwarves deeply into skaven territory now, the Gutter runners panicked and teamed up to throw a desperate block, but failed to get any traction. Instead, Valdak lived up to his family name as he swiftly hammered his way through Dingleberry and pushed through to the goal line! One nothing for the Dreadnaughts... and the Skaven are incredibly worried.

As the two teams squared off for a second kick, once again Boomer Eizasson takes to the field, complete with cannon! It looks like either the Dreadnaughts or the MMBBL promoters have come to a little "agreement" with the referees. Once again the Skaven manage to get a jump on the offense at kick-off, leaping past the line of scrimmage to mess up the Dreadnaughts' day. Fivel swings another completion to Twinkletoes, and the Skaven proceed to open a path in the Dwarven line. The dwarves retaliated by having Zordak Stonesmite knock Gimpy out cold as Boomer launched another round of high explosives into the Bilgerunner line. Stumptail, back from his nap, hit Morinn Grudgebearer hard enough to require apothecary attention, giving Twinkletoes a clear run for the end-zone as explosions pitted the field. Rok Emberfist attempted to crash him into the sidelines, but Twinkletoes repelled his attack, knocking the runner over, and striding unopposed into the endzone for the tying point. A final kick to the Dreadnaughts ended the first half with a little combat on the frontline, but little else of interest.

As the second half began, the scent of gunpowder cleared enough to let the scent of dessert sneak onto the field. Dobby Flayed's cooking once again had the Bilgerunners distracted as they kicked off, but some clever coaching helped to reduce the effects. No-one noticed the return of Boomer's bombs however, until Dingleberry was blown off his feet. Ozgar Blackaxe retrieved the ball, and started the forward march as the front line punched into Bilgerunner defenders. Valdak Swifthammer rose up to put Notchear out of the match and into infirmary, followed by Karlax Ironfoe doing the same to Jenner. Both team members should be returning next game. Unfortunately, while the efforts at center-field were proving fruitful to the dwarves, a few rats had reached Ozgar, and were starting to shove him back towards the dwarven end-zone! Desperate to get the ball downfield, Ozgar attempted to dodge out of coverage for a clear pass, but was knocked over by the surrounding linerats! That's all it took for Piddlepaw to snatch up the ball and run it into the dwarven endzone! The score was now 2-1 for the Bilgerunners!

Once again, the Dreadnaughts received, but a high kick allowed Emberfist to get under the ball. With two of the front-line rodents off the field, the dwarves put up a solid blocking game, Karlax Ironfoe and Garn Flintrock knocking out Gimpy and Brutus, further thinning the ranks. Dwarven coverage was thorough down into the end line, leaving naught but the two gutter runners in deep defense to try and block as Emberfist handed off to Ozgar Blackaxe. The hit was good, but the ball bounced into the waiting hands of Valdak Swifthammer! As the defenders knocked the remaining gutter runners out of the way, Valdak pushed hard for the end-zone, and his second touchdown of the day, tying the score again!

With only a little time left on the clock, and no blitzers left in their roster, it would take a perfect play to win this for the Bilgerunners. As the final kick sailed out of bounds and possession awarded to Fivel, the team managed to pull one last quick snap out of their bag of tricks! That maneuver was just enough to surround Ozgar Blackaxe, the only runner capable of reaching Twinkletoes in time as he caught the pass from Fivel and sprinted up-field. Unable to reach the speedy sprinter, the remaining Dark Irons made due with pounding the Bilgerunners in reach until the sound of the horn marking Twinkletoes' touchdown, and the end of the match. With that came the cheering of the skaven crowd, and a veritable stampede as the Dreadnaughts rushed to the mighty banquet in their honor, no rats allowed!

Final score: 3-2 for the Bilgerunners! An impressive display by both teams, and our congratulations to them both for such an explosive match! Match MVPs go to Bors Firehammer for his work defending his fellow teammates, and Brutus for his ability to stand firm in the face of opposition. Other notable achievements include Twinkletoes' refinement of his catching skills, and Valdak Swifthammer's assistance on a field of combat. That’s all from The Slag Pit! We now return you to regular coverage!

Dungeonbowl Ramp-Up part 4: Deathdealer Division

And now that Bloodbath has had its due, it's Deathdealer's turn!



The Blackwater Bilgerunners, despite some rough patches in the playoffs, remain one of the top teams in the history of the MMBBL. Built around blinding speed and great skill, they've managed to pack on a few pounds and become the model of resilience in a league that gets frequent customer points at the local funeral home. Led by the sharp direction of quarterback Fivel Mausketrap, the skaven want nothing less than total victory this season. As blitzer Jenner puts it, "It's time to separate the mice from the men - with the mice on top!"

Coached by: Jon Roth. Arena Rule: It's Coming Down!: When rolling on the weather table, a roll of 10-11 is considered pouring rain.


The Chupacabras are responsible for a lot of good MMBBL press in parts of the world which otherwise would have no clue it even existed. A team composed of high-flying luchadors, masked marvels and caped conquistadors, their electrifying play has enthralled lizard and man alike. The Chupacabras do want to win, for hoisting the Dungeonbowl trophy would be as great to them as donning the championship belt. Still, they remain committed to their humble roots, and remember that they are playing not just for themselves, says saurus El Mucho Grande, but also for "the lizard niños, who everyday watch us and say "I wish to be the great Bludbol player like them, papa! It is for their sake that we strive for the greatness."

Coached by: Sandy Miller. Arena Rule: Ceremonial Prisms: When rolling on the weather table, a result of 3-4 is treated as Very Sunny.


From the wild, wide-open spaces of Gontufar come the Rampage, driven by instinct to play a game with primal implications. Despite the loss of a few players from unpleasant circumstances during Blood Bowl Day, their ferocity is not diminished in the slightest. Competition is second nature to these belligerent beasts, and as berserker Yo-Kamba likes to say, "in the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion kicks your ass!" A weeee, um um away, indeed.

Coached by: Ryan Keizer. Arena Rule: Stampede: During a player's turn, if that player performs a blitz action which results in an opponent taking a casualty, the blitzing player may make a second blitz action this turn. This is not cumulative.

Serving their enigmatic matron, Azzilizza herself, in her jungle citadel, the Lurkers are a combination of her thirst for violence, her desire to prove her people superior to others, and of course, her occasional focus on royal whims and fancies. The lurkers themselves, for their part, are unflinchingly loyal and coolly resolved to prove their prowess on the pitch. Witch Elf Melanissa Sanilameh is quite clear when she says, "Victory is the Matron's will, and the Matron's will is law!" I'd stay out of her way, folks.

Coached by: Chris Mudd. Arena Rule: Matron's Favour: When the result on the kickoff table is either Cheering Fans or Brilliant Coaching, flip a coin, with the receiving team calling it in the air. Whoever wins the coin toss may double his or her die roll result for this kickoff.

With dwarves, it's not all about gold, and mines, and booze. Okay, yes, it is, but with the Dark Iron Dreadnaughts from Durr Dammaz, it's also about grudges. Grudges held so long by so many that they're worn down to dust that's been breathed in by the deep-dwellers for countless generations. Stubborn even by dwarf standards, the Dreadnaughts come from a life of underground warfare - they live in the deep mountains, under surface territory claimed by the orc tribes. Their leaders, in an effort to divert the most troubled, dangerous dwarves to constructive uses of time, formed the Dreadnaughts as a way to show dwarven dominance without bringing the mountain down around their ears. Runner Ozgar Blackaxe sees it a little differently, though. "We win all the time, underground. Blood Bowl, closer as it is to the damnable sun, shows us our enemies' strengths on their own turf...as well as their weaknesses."

Coached by: Jai Gagnon. Arena Rule: Stone Floor: When the ball bounces on the ground, it bounces one additional time.



While nearly all of the county of Murdska was ravaged by plagues of undeath, Grenedale (formerly Greendale) arguably got the worst and weirdest of it. For most beings, undeath is something bad that happens after you die. For the Lesionnaires and their folk, it was something that came in like wisdom teeth. The most disturbing part might be the lack of pain - like lepers, they simply lose all feeling in the walking shells their bodies have become. Actually, the most disturbing part is probably how they carry on as if nothing happened, living, working, playing Blood Bowl...No, wait, the most disturbing part is when their eyeballs randomly explode. Yuck. In the words of rotter Filth Collins, "I can feel it...coming in the air tonight. Oh, lord, and I've been waiting for this moment all my life!" Quite the enthusiasm from someone caked in an inch of refuse!

Coached by: Matt Stroud. Arena Rule: Leaving your Mark: If a player is killed, the team whose player got the casualty point for that kill gains a cumulative +1 to their FAME for the remainder of the match.


And there you have it! Fourteen teams in two divisions making for the biggest, meanest MMBBL lineup to date! Tomorrow the regular season kicks off with Bloodbath Division's first round of hostilities! See you there, sportsfiends!

Dungeonbowl Ramp-Up part 1: Expansion!

Hi there, sportsfiends! This is your commissioner with a special message that's sure to please.

First, however, I'd like to give an official nod to arguably the league's greatest coach since its inception. Curtis Hunt, the mastermind behind the dominant play of the Dusk Hill Dirt Bursters, moved away this past fall, unfortunately for us and his two Spike! tournament teams, the Asgard Raiders and BloodDrunk Berserkers. Everybody back here in the Miramichi wishes him the best, thanks him for his challenging and skillful play every week, and also heave a collective sigh of relief that now, perhaps, someone else will be able to start winning trophies! In honour of his stellar play and great sportsmanship, A new award is going on the list for our upcoming seasons. From now on, the most outstanding rookie player will receive the Ol' Teabagger Memorial Chalice, an award which includes a bonus 50,000 gold for that player's team! The first such award will be presented at the end of the upcoming Dungeonbowl season. Thanks again, Curtis! Feel free to stop by for a game sometime.

Next, I'd like to thank our current coaches, including those who for reasons outside of the league's control, cannot play as much as they'd like to these days. Keith Dury, Jon Roth, Jai Gagnon, Sandy Miller, Ryan Keizer and Chris Mudd have formed a strong backbone for what has become a strong league. Special thanks go to Ryan and Chris, the former for his unflinching confidence in letting the bunch of us piggyback on his credit card to get all these orders done, and the latter for being a remarkable co-founder and having a wealth of knowledge of the rules to keep me from spouting all kinds of inaccuracies.

Now, the reason I'm making such a big deal over the coaches leads up to this announcement - the MMBBL is proud to announce another expansion! This time, we're adding four, count 'em, four new coaches to the stable! Andrew "Dismembery" Embury, Neil "Rabies" Davies, Valérie "Valkyrie" Cormier and James "Jimmy" Richards join the MMBBL with their first teams - Wood Elves, Necromantic, Amazon (pharaohs), and Norse respectively. We're all looking forward to the style, strategy and of course, humour that these four enthusiastic new players will bring to the league.

With these new additions, the current lineup of teams totals a whopping fourteen! The next post you see will have the rundown of the six teams in Deathdealer division, and will be followed by a look at the eight teams calling Bloodbath division their home. keep an eye open for updates all this week, leading up to Blood Bowl Day and the season kickoff!

Wardoves Double Up on Bilgerunners

The third game from Deathdealer Division's week 4 action saw two of the most dynamic, speedy and above-all, high scoring offenses in the MMBBL go head to head. The Bilgerunners brought their craftiest, sneakiest efforts, while the Wardoves, playing for their hometown crowd at the Battlefield of Good Sport, brought their style, their swagger, and their very best smiles.

From the outset, "homefield advantage" was out the window, as the stands became packed with traveling skaven supporters. Undeterred, the elves practiced with their usual grace and vigour - until Valandil Dreadlily mistook Notchear's tail for a jumprope. A brief scuffle ensued, and nearly escalated when O'Rattigan became involved, but the officials were quick enough to intercede and the game started on schedule.

Set to receive, the Wardoves were looking for an easy first score, but weren't about to get it. No sooner than the ball was in play, skaven blitzer Jenner was on top of Bendyrm Cloudrender, throttling the line elf mercilessly. Cloudrender survived, but a severely bruised larynx left him unable to properly communicate with his teammates, and he will miss a game as a result of the injury. Jenner's burst of violence spurred a cascade of confusion along the elf line, however, and after a plunge deep into Wardove territory, the hulking O'Rattigan found himself holding onto the ball. Not about to let something so nasty looking anywhere near their end zone, the elves ganged up on him fiercely and the ball squirted free. With a flick of his wrist, Tish Killwillow sent the ball to fellow catcher Angruil Grimmrose, and the latter ran off like a shot to score the match's first point.

Set to receive now, the Bilgerunners would look to prove that they can be just as fast, just as quick, and just as offensively potent as their opponents. With a gust of wind taking the football for a ride, Fivel Mausketrap nonetheless fielded it well and set his offense in motion. Passing to the devastatingly dodgey Dingleberry, Mausketrap called his other players' numbers to assist the gutter runner in his quest. With several solid blocks from the skaven crew and some fancy footwork from Dingleberry, the Blackwater Bilgerunners quickly tied the score at one.

No sooner than the next kickoff was ready to go, yet another scuffle broke out among the two teams. Apparently Dingleberry had failed to use the hand sanitizers after his touchdown run, and was not very receptive to the criticism from his opponents, to the point where once again, the referees stepped in, winding the clock back to cover precious minutes lost in the altercation. When play resumed and the elves received the ball, they made no mistake in their effort to reestablish the lead as well as in their collective desire to not be touched by the skaven players. Bendark Mossfang, emerging as a favourite for the Silver Elbow this season, passed expertly to Tsih Killwillow, who selflessly handed off to Angruil Grimmrose. Grimmrose danced through the defense and was into the end zone for his second touchdown of the game.

Little time remained in the first half, and the Bilgerunners had little time to make a play before the halftime whistle. Still, with a high kick by the elves, they managed a mass from Mausketrap to Dingleberry. The whistle blew, and any hopes of touchdowns by either team were suspended until play resumed.

The Blueriver Wardoves kicked off to start the second half, but the play was a fakeout from the start - blitzing elves crashed through the skaven line as soon as the ball was over midfield! There's not a whole lot that can be said about this play, but that's only because it worked as designed - to take everyone by complete surprise. While the word "kickoff" was still on reporters' lips, Angruil Grimmrose was over half, through the backfield, and scooping up the football, scoring a touchdown faster than most people can spell the word. Now up 3-1, the Wardoves could play with a decent level of comfort.

Down but not out, the Bilgerunners were faced with adversity, but were looking for the opportunity within. A change in the weather, bringing out a harsh, piercing ray of sunshine, didn't help their plans. While the skaven suffered with the sun in their eyes, the Wardoves had nothing but shade from their end of the field, and exploited this with another defensive rush. Bendark Mossfang advanced with his fellows past midfield, and after the elves essentially took the ball from the skaven offense, passed it to Tsih Killwillow who got his first touchdown of the game. Killwillow may be the bigger name on the billboard, but Angruil Grimmrose proved that he's just as valuable to the team dynamic with his three scores tonight.

With the game getting out of reach, the skaven once again let frustration get the better of them. Reports from the sidelines mention a few snide comments about cutting off tails so they wouldn't be tripping over them. This time, the officials let the players go at it for a little while, hoping that it would get out of their systems and that the game could then continue at last. The skaven did manage to convey their frustration more constructively this time. The ball came to Piddlepaw, who lobbed a pass down to Twinkletoes, and with that the rats made their great push for the end zone. There was biting. There was kicking. There was screaming, hair-pulling and name calling. In the end, as the dust settled, Brutus the skaven blitzer stood in the end zone, ball in hand, missing a tooth or three, but seemingly vindicated. There wasn't enough time left for any real scoring play to ensue, and the elves let the clock run out with a casual passing play from Mossfang to Grimmrose before the whistle. After the most riotous game in MMBBL history, the Blueriver Wardoves emerged victorious by a score of 4-2.

Match MVP honours were presented to Dellin Finchtalon of the Wardoves for his exceptional blocking prowess, and to the many-limbed Dingleberry, who displayed a remarkable vertical leap on his touchdown run. Similarly noticeable was Angruil Grimmrose, who vaulted over defenders like a stunt cyclist jumping manure wagons at an Autumn fair.

That's the news out of Deathdealer Division of week four of the Spike! Magazine tournament, sportsfiends! Look for more action this weekend as the Traumatic takedown and Asgard Raiders play their makeup match, and one or more challenge matches get underway as well!

High Adrenaline and Low Scores

Week 4 MMBBL action continues with the report from Deathbed Arena, where the Smash and Go'nads were visiting the BloodDrunk Berserkers for some intense Deathdealer action! The Berserkers, being an expansion squad, had a decent turnout, but were slightly overshadowed by the presence of Go'nads fans, who've seen a remarkable surge of support since their trip to the Blood Bowl finals last season.

Outnumbered though they may have been, the chaos fans showed their enthusiasm early, as what appeared to be an entire sacrificial goat was hurled from the crowd to land squarely on top of dwarf defender Achilles Punks, who was slower than usual to get up. The ball came into the hands of Face Eater, Berserkers beastman, who was immediately off and running for the other end of the field. Quick to lend a "block" was Max Spleenripper, hired on to do as much damage as possible before the officials removed him from the pitch. Unfortunately for Spleenripper, after laying a slash through Achilles Punks' armour, he was toppled by an enraged Herb Eaverstinks and was too grievously wounded to continue.

The dwarves were beginning to win the blocking game, but already the theme of the drive had shifted, as the much faster beastmen scrambled to take out anyone in Face Eater's way. A trio of them ganged up on Drew Peacock to punch a hole in the wide defense, and Face Eater charged through untouched. With no hope of catching him, the Go'nads' defense continued to grapple with the Berserkers' offensive line until at last, Face Eater ran the football in for the touchdown.

On the ensuing kickoff, the dwarves started to get dirty, with blitzer Moe Lester emphatically kicking a downed beastman in the kidneys. Unfortunately for the Go'nads, Lester was anything but subtle, and the surly fellow was ejected from the match, reportedly leaving the stadium altogether to take in the local pub scene. Meanwhile the more talented of the dwarf players, the dynamic running duo of Dick Gozinia and Adam Meway, were enjoying more conventional successes, making their way steadily downfield. Time was not on their side, though, and the clock ran down before their play could develop into a point on the board. At halftime, the score was 1-0 for the BloodDrunk Berserkers.

After the break, with the Smash and Go'nads receiving, another case of projectile enthusiasm erupted from the stands. In retaliation for the sacrificial goat which landed on Achilles Punks, it seemed that Moe Lester had returned in disguise, and managed to sneak a cow into the upper deck where dozens of dwarf fans were watching. Their combined efforts heaved the bewildered bovine over the guardrail and onto the pitch below, Where it impacted on beastman Gutripper. With the distraction in effect, Adam Meway retrieved the ball and began to gallop downfield. He was pursued and eventually tackled by Warheart, but not before he had a chance to lob the ball to his partner in crime, Dick Gozinia. The bait and switch was played perfectly, and Gozinia tied the game on his trip to the end zone.

The score now tied, the Berserkers still had the advantage and could play the clock - as long as their line held up. Enter Cludge Slamboni and his deathroller to bolster the dwarven defense. As the next drive began, Face eater experienced some difficulty getting the ball into his mitts. Eventually, he reined it in and fired a long, high pass to Killrock the Hated. The dwarves were all over it, though, and the ball was back in beardy hands before long, shifting the advantage once more.

with the shift of fortunes came a shift in tactics as well, as the Smash and Go'nads put a little extra "smash" on their game. While Herb Eaverstinks and Achilles Punks put a waist-high hurting on an assortment of beastmen, Cludge Slamboni turned the Berserkers line into a bloody pavement, marking two significant casualties and any number of stubbed toes. Unfortunately for the dwarves, the clock ran down amid their gleeful pummeling, and the match ended in a 1-1 draw.

Match MVPs were earned by Wrathmore of the BloodDrunk Berserkers, and hard-hitting Holden McGroin of the Smash and Go'nads. Also notable was Achilles Punks' uncanny ability to maneuver himself into all kinds of positive coverage, and Dick Gozinia's ferocious forward blocking, as when he made a cover-worthy stiff-arm on his way to the end zone.

Next on the docket, the Blueriver Wardoves and the Blackwater Bilgerunners, the two most nimble and acrobatic squads in the league, square off in a battle of olfactory extremes!

Skinks Sink Stinkers

This week's action from Deathdealer Division is coming right at you, sportsfiends! First on the slate, the woeful Muenster Valley Stinkers host the surprising Sun Temple Chupacabras at Fort Muenster Cheeseyard. Right from the outset, it was clear who the favourites were. More than two thirds of the spectators on hand were there in support of the Chupacabras, and this despite the questionable implications of anyone but a goblin going anywhere near a goblin-run arena.

The lizardmen won the coin toss and elected to receive first. The Stinkers defense was missing one of its biggest contributors - Windmill Widegut, who was sitting this one out with a moderate concussion sustained against the Smash and Go'nads. In his place, however, stood mercenary troll Gurch Squatlaunch - maybe not the best money can buy, but certainly something that some money can rent. To the Stinkers' delight, he proved to be on the same page as the rest of the team from the get-go, as he set a blitz in motion on the first kickoff. The play seemed to have rattled the lizard offense, as a handoff from Harpo to Mondo Xtopilopicoatl was bobbled and dropped. The Stinkers pressed the brief advantage as Whirly Early unraveled his ball and chain to knock a pair of saurus on their backsides. Gurch further proved his worth by hitting Tyrannosaurus Sex with a double-arm slam that left the rapacious reptile seeing stars as he was hauled off the pitch to the infirmary. Again the skinks worked at their running play, and this time Harpo successfully handed off to his brother Pablo, who cruised down the sideline, escorted by El Mucho Grande. Stinker Fleestone of the goblins attempted to stop the crafty skink, but he proved entirely too slippery, breaking free of coverage and running the ball in for the touchdown.

A lucky break struck for the Stinkers as the Chupacabras kicked to them. The ball sailed out of bounds and the touchback went to Gassy Pinchflick, newcomer and soon-to-be-airborne goblin wheeler. Thudd Thuddler hurled him skyward, but the landing left much to be desired. The lizardmen made a move to recover the football, and though his first try failed, eventually Pablo Xtopilopicoatl scooped it up and made his way up the field. Pablo then handed off to brother Meepo, who mirrored his brother's previous touchdown run with a streak down the sideline. Just like that, the score was 2-0 for the Sun temple Chupacabras.

At this point, the Chupacabras' fans were roaring, but somehow their joy was matched by the angry bellowing of the smaller goblin contingent. It is speculated that though the goblins' voices were relatively quiet, their collective breath was loud enough to split stone and raise the dead. A second bad kick from the lizardmen landed right at midfield, but in such a way that neither skink nor stinker could get a solid hold of it before being tripped up or shoved away. The referees managed to pick something up, however, as Gassy Pinchflick was tossed out for a half-hearted foul on El Legarto Terrible. Finally, Stinker Fleestone managed to get a grip on the football, and immediately thereafter was lobbed downfield by Thudd Thuddler. The throw proved just short of the end zone, and the whistle blew before Fleestone could make a run for it. At halftime, the Chupacabras remained in the lead, two scores to none.

After the break, with the Stinkers receiving once more, you could see in their eyes the sense of desperation. The kick this time was much better, and fielded poorly by Dab Lobsnot. Lobsnot was subsequently pushed aside by his own teammate, Kicky Mudgob, who had little trouble with the ball and was thereafter heaved aloft by the towering Thudd Thuddler. Thuddler's aim was true, and Mudgob's landing immaculate. a quick bob and weave around the bewildered skink safety and the goblins had their first point of the game.

While the goblin touchdown has a great effect on the morale of the hometown fans, it absolutely enraged the Chupacabras' supporters. As the Stinkers kicked off, an errant thighbone was thrown out of the upper deck and pegged Thudd Thuddler squarely in the back of his skull, just below he helmet. The troll fell flat on his face, but the looks on the faces of the lizardmen were not smiles and smirks. With the troll out of the way, they caught a glimpse of Blaggat Horkbag, casually tossing a bomb from hand to hand. They looked to the referee, but he was far too busy counting a handful of money to pay any attention. Horkbag let fly his explosives, and the blast plowed through Mondo Xtopilopicoatl, severely damaging the skink's hip joint. Luckily, the skilled priests of the Sun Temple were able to mend the fallen player. Despite the smoke and blasted turf, the Chupacabras held to their game plan and Meepo Xtopilopicoatl found the ball. Running headlong down the sideline with support from Reptar the Reprehensible and Harpo, Meepo proved untouchable and the two-point lead was restored as he crossed the goal line.

As the game began to slip away from them, the stinkers showed signs of faltering across the field. The Chupacabras were able to read their offense perfectly and reordered themselves to exploit its weaknesses. Gurch Squatlaunch pitched ball carrier Nudgy Bangfart down the field, but the latter landed on his head rather than his feet. As Bangfart was about to get up again, he found himself surrounded by skinks, and a sharp kick to the temple from Sue Xtopilopicoatl put him out with a bad case of the won't-wake-ups. The bad breaks kept coming as El Mucho Grande knocked out Bumgo Butterbomb and Pablo Xtopilopicoatl turned a blitz by Ziddy Blotch into a comatose goblin.With that, Pablo scooped up the football and took off like a shot for the end zone. With nothing but hope left in the playbook, Gurch Squatlaunch threw Kicky Mudgob towards the streaking skink, and miraculously the goblin didn't crash. Hitting the ground running, Mudgob plowed into Pablo and knocked the skink flat. The ball careened into the stands and, in typical goblin fashion, was booted back into play before anyone got any ideas about going in after it. Right on the spot was Gecko, but the run took too much out of him, and he fell, exhausted, before crossing the goal line. With not so much as a gasp left in the lungs of anyone present, time ran out, with the final score sitting at 3-1 for the Sun Temple Chupacabras.

Match MVPs were Blaggat Horkbag of the Stinkers, and Reptar the Reprehensible of the Chupacabras, no doubt for his strong supportive blocking on Meepo Xtopilopicoatl's touchdown run. Notable as well were Meepo himself, who worked his way out of coverage with some incredible footwork, and Sue, who displayed remarkable agility throughout the contest. after the match, the Chupacabras' skinks were noticeably excited, and the reason became clear in a press conference, as the father of the many Xtopilopicoatl brothers, "Big Poppa" Xtopilopicoatl, joined the team in the position of Thunder Lizard. This potent offense is 2 and 0 in its young history, and the addition of a Kroxigor on the front line will make them a powerhouse on both sides of the ball.

Tune in again soon for all the highlights from the Smash and Go'nads' match against the BloodDrunk Berserkers!