Although the elite teams in the PFFL that have been winning multiple championships tend to garner most of the attention from the media, the lifeblood of the league lies in the rookie teams that decide to join and test their skills against top-notch competition. Last Sunday, after a day filled with losses, I caught up with GREEN MACHINE Quarterback Adam Barkefelt to discuss his team’s first season with the PFFL.

“This is our rookie year,” the QB said in response to my question about his the reason behind his team’s 0-7 record to date. “Collectively we’re playing great as a team. We’ve just gotta win a game.”

Like most first-year squads, GREEN MACHINE has had to overcome several growing pains as the players try to acclimate themselves to our unique brand of flag football. Naturally, I asked Barkefelt which one of our rules is the hardest for his team to follow during the course of a game.

Like most first-year squads, GREEN MACHINE has had to overcome several growing pains as the players try to acclimate themselves to our unique brand of flag football. Naturally, I asked Barkefelt which one of our rules is the hardest for his team to follow during the course of a game.

“The five-yard run zone,” he said. “We forget about it. Our guys are in coverage or vice versa I forget about it and get sacked.”

Right now GREEN MACHINE is averaging a very pedestrian 14.4 points per game. One of the reasons why they are not scoring at a high clip is due to Barkefelt’s reluctance to run once a pass rusher crosses the line of scrimmage. Nevertheless, as a mobile passer, the signal-caller appreciates that he is allowed to run when he is in danger.

“I like it because it gives my guys extra time to get open,” Barkefelt replied.

Despite having a collection of athletic players on the roster, GREEN MACHINE acknowledges that they need to add more playmakers to keep pace with the rest of the league. Specifically, Barkefelt spoke about the importance of landing a big receiver before next season.

“We’re all under 5’10,” the QB joked. “A tall guy in the end zone making plays would helpful.”

The silver lining to this losing season is that GREEN MACHINE still has the opportunity to improve their playoff seeding by finishing second in their division behind PUCK U. Time will tell if the newcomers will have what it takes to add some wins to their losses.