NEW MILFORD - For the first time in four years, the Southern New Milford Football Concern's post-Christmas game returned to it's rightful date: Boxing Day. And on a day famous for gift returns, the one thing the SNMFC couldn't exchange was the weather conditions.

In a game played on a sheet of ice at Hill and Plain field, Kevin Dolan, Ben Darling and Jamie Hall defeated Chris Rooney, Pat Rooney and Tim Herring (in his SNMFC debut) 70-63. Brian Durand played automatic offense.

Dolan made the surpise start at Quarterback, and may have been the Theismann award winner had the players stuck around long enough to vote. But the freezing rain and slick field cut the game short and forced the players to rush home so they could dry their skirts off.

The victors got off to a slow start which they did not overcome until late. Rooney, Rooney and Herring scored first to take a 7-0 lead. Then, on their first possession, Dolan overthrew Hall on a deep fly and missed Darling on a few passes. Darling thought the throws were bad and Dolan insisted that they were merely drops, promting a McNabb-T.O. feud that threatened to fracture the team. However, after turning the ball over on downs during, they scored on every other posession.

Darling had the only interception of the game, shortly after halftime, which proved to be the difference-maker. Other than that, each time turned the ball over on downs once.

For the losing-squad, Tim Herring was impressive in his SNMFC-debut, completing several plays despite the foot-numbing conditions. The Brothers Rooney suffered their first defeat when paired together on the same team, leading Pat to claim, "We probably would have won if we had Katie on our team instead of Chris."

The SNMFC is on hiatus until the christening of Baby Durand, and the subsequent Baptismal Bowl, to be held in Summer 2006.

December 26, 2005

For the first time, two Rooneys on the same team yielded a losing result.

In order to restore the Rooney name, Chris and Mickey Rooney will be teamed up in a whiskey-drinking competition.