General Info
Where we play
Every Sunday at 10:15 AM, from September through the Super Bowl on the Cambridge Commons, two blocks north of Harvard Square, Cambridge, Mass. There is also a secondary location if the Commons is iced over - however it moves from season to season.
If you'd like to play, please contact Shaun, The Commissioner, via the contact form
Game times
There will be two approximately 45 minute halves, starting close to 10:15 AM. The clock runs without stoppages (the exception being field goal attempts).
At the end of one and half hours of play the team that is losing always gets the final possession. If tied at the end of regulation, the team with the ball when time expired gets to finish their possession. "Regular season" games, can end in a tie. "Playoff" games (usually January through the Super Bowl) will go into sudden-death overtime.
OFL Philosophy
"Semper amicus, semper fortis"
(Always friendly, always brave)
The official goal -- the mission -- of the OFL is to have as much fun as one can have on a freezing December Sunday morning in New England. Most of us believe that playing football is really fun.
We welcome all comers and we play in all weather (except lightning storms) most every Sunday, up through the Super Bowl in late January or early February.
The competitive aspects of the game in the OFL (occasionally pronounced "AW-FUL" but also sometimes "OFFAL", as in "Guts") take a backseat to safety, fairness and fun. Especially fun.
The rules are designed to create as level a playing field and as fair a situation as possible, especially considering the diversity of sizes, ages, strengths and experience of players.
That said, the following rules are basically just guidelines. If someone makes a great catch but they were half-a-foot out of bounds, we count it as a catch. Valiant play wins over rules in this league.
I would much rather that all disputes be settled by consensus. However, since football can be a very physical game it's necessary that players respect the ultimate authority of the Commissioner or whomever is "refereeing" the game. Basically in the end, what the ref says goes. If you think it was a touchdown and the ref thinks not, it's not. Period. Otherwise things can get ugly which is just plain not fun. And fun is the whole damn point.
The Commish.
Who Can Play
The Short Answer:
Any adult.
The Caveats:
- Be prepared for a real football game, with a couple of bumps and bruises and a lot of sweating. If you're looking for a low-key flag football game or touch football as you might have played after Thanksgiving with the family, OFL might not be for you.
- I ask that you commit to showing up on time and, (injuries notwithstanding), playing until the game ends (cuz it sorta sucks when teams become uneven before the end of the game).
- Please contact me first. There have been times where too many folks want to play. It's rare, but it happens. Since I give preference to veteran players, you might show up and stand around in -10 degree cold for nothing.
To contact the Commish, please use the contact form
OFL History
In 1993, unhappy with the other choices in professional football, a small renegade group of players organized a new league, originally called "MCZFL" (Museum of Comparative Zoology Football League--so named because the field was in front of said museum in Cambridge.) The budding league initially used a small spongy green ball and the rules changed from game to game. Most games were played during the day, during the week. In January of 1994 the first MCZ Super Bowl was played, to little fanfare.
During the 1994 season the league expanded to include Friday late afternoon games on a field on Francis Ave. in Cambridge, although Super Bowl II was played at the original Oxford St. location. Super Bowl II was the first to have the now traditional tailgating postgame party. During the '94 season the league experimented in different balls, using at first a small vinyl ball and then a leather ball; smaller sized than the current regulation ball.
The league flourished through the next couple of seasons at the Oxford St. location, finally adapting the standard size ball, codifying the rules, while developing some of the traditions that make the league unique. The first MVP awards were given out and the game recap tradition was begun. Super Bowl IV was a stunning success, with the first ever halftime parade and an end zone celebration dance contest.
By 1997 it was clear that the league had outgrown its surroundings on Oxford St. The fifth season opened with much fanfare to a new location, Conway Park in Somerville, and a new name, OFL (or "Our Football League" - sometimes pronounced "Awful", but other times pronounced "Offal", like "Guts"). The '97 season was extremely successful, culminating in the largest Super Bowl yet. All previous attendance records were shattered.
The 1998 season, the league's sixth, began with controversy as the city of Somerville refused to pay for a new stadium and the league moved back to Cambridge where it has flourished since.
OFL Hall of Fame
This hallowed Ring of Honor includes the following players who added greatness to the league with their enthusiasm and dedication. Although they are welcome back at any time, they have since either moved away or retired due to injury.
The Big Tree On Oxford Street (inducted in 2002): First star defensive player of the then MCZFL. More batted balls than any other player (or other inanimate object) in league history.
Leslie Thomas (inducted in 1996): First star quarterback of the then MCZFL.
Mac "Crazy Legs" Stanfield (inducted 1997): revolutionized the game with cunning offensive strategy.
Stephanie Bowers (inducted in 1998): revolutionized the art of whining about Ronnie and later Rick. However, she single-handedly won games as both quarterback and receiver.
Victoria Van Cleef (inducted in 1998): revolutionized the art of holding and counting to "five Mississippi" incredibly fast. Second on the all time sack list at the time of her retirement.
Mike Dyer (inducted in 1998): revolutionized the art of trying to get away from Victoria and the use of ridiculously skimpy outfits on freezing January mornings. Was first on the all-time touchdown list at the time of his retirement.
Peter Niemeyer (inducted in 1999): A dedicated player who was able to fill in at a number of roles: receiver, quarterback, and pass rusher. He mastered the no look pass and was one of three players who survived the utterly insane conditions of the "Hurricane Of Death Game" of 1997.
Jeff Bellerose (inducted in 2000): Absolutely dominated all receiving categories for two seasons, smashed all receiving records, forcing major changes in the OFL rule book. One of the most feared offensive players in the history of professional football, despite being an unusually nice fellow.
Al Janik "The Chicago Kid" (inducted in 2002): While he did not log as much playing time as some others in this Ring of Honor, he was certainly one of the most entertaining players in the history of the league (and there's something to be said for entertainment.) "The Kid" gave us probably the most hilarious, (and heads-up) play in the history of football -- an outrunning/outskating/outfoxing of his opponent on a large patch of ice in a late December thriller. While he also gave us perhaps the stupidest injury in all of sports (a career ending hamstring tear while trying to advance an incomplete pass -- as a sub from the sidelines), he otherwise played doggedly and with grace, wits, and ultimately with as much football "soul" as anyone this Commissioner has ever seen play the game.
Ronnie Broadfoot (inducted in 2006): Ronnie became the first ever player to be inducted while still technically active. Ronnie and the Commissioner remain the sole surviving original players from year one. A multi-award player over the years, Ronnie has stoically survived the most horrendous of weather and playing conditions, including the Hurricane of Death game. Following in the glorious tradition of Texas-bred football players he's played with passion and skill and loyalty to the league, and remains true Black and Gold throughout - filling whatever role his team needs him to and doing it well to boot.
Dan Morgan (inducted in 2010): Dan was often the primary defender facing Jeff Bellerose, and the two dog-fighted for a number of seasons and provided some absolutely classic battles. Dan was certainly one of the more gifted athletes of his day and played with heart and soul and cheer, and was often the first guy to throw himself into a mud puddle.
Awards (Since 1995)
- Superbowl XVI MVP: Luke McInnis (I think..)
Player of the Year 2009/2010: Jesse Lacika - Superbowl XVI MVP: Brandon James (I think..)
Player of the Year 2008/2009: Jeff Mullin - Superbowl XV MVP: Prabal Chakrabarti
Player of the Year 2007/2008: Bryan Devereaux - Superbowl XIV MVP: Joe Schroeder
Player of the Year 2006/2007: Randy Lee - Superbowl XIII MVP: Jesse Richardson
Player of the Year 2005/2006: Bryan Devereaux - Superbowl XII MVP: Rick Roth
Player of the Year 2004/2005: Kevin Nangle - Superbowl XI MVP: Adam Kahn
Player of the Year 2003/2004: Kevin Wong - Superbowl X MVP: Ronnie Broadfoot
Player of the Year 2002/2003: Richard Raihill - Superbowl IX MVP: Adam Baldinger
Player of the Year 2001/2002: Bryan Devereaux - Superbowl VIII MVP: Bryan Devereaux
Player of the Year 2000/2001: Conor Nagle - Superbowl VII MVP: Adam Baldinger
Player of the Year 1999/2000: Jeff Bellerose - Superbowl VI MVP: John Mattias
Player of the Year 1998/99: Richard Raihill - Superbowl V MVP: John Eichman
Player of the Year 1997/98: Brian Carman - Superbowl IV MVP: Dan Belich
Player of the Year 1996/97: Ronnie Broadfoot - Superbowl III MVP: Leslie Thomas
Player of the Year 1995/96: Leslie Thomas
Teams
Teams can have up to nine players on the field at a time, unless it's insanely cold, in which case more may be allowed to prevent being frozen on the sidelines. Substitutions, should there be more than nine players on a team, can be taken during any dead ball situation, as per usual.
Teams are divided at random using the handy OFL Randomizer.
The Field
The Field
The dimensions of the field normally are 75 paces by 40 paces, but this can change depending on the number of players.
Each end zone is ten paces deep. The field has four first down lines marked by cones.
The field
Uniforms and Equipment
Players need to wear black or gold to distinguish what team they're on. I bring a big bag of black and gold scrimmage vests each week, plus we periodically get official OFL jerseys made up for regulars that want 'em.
I highly recommend cleats. (NOTE: Baseball cleats with metal spikes are not allowed. Everything else is cool.)