Flag Football Has Its Rewards Auto Mechanic, 42, Stays In Game He Loves As A Defensive Lineman For C-League Champions

Fall weekends are a time most football fans can be found lounging in front of the nearest television.

For some aficionados, however, it isn’t enough to sit indoors watching game after game on the tube.

So every Sunday, at least for a couple of hours, a small group of dedicated individuals drag themselves out into the sunlight and compete against one another at one of the game’s simplest and most popular forms - flag football.

Mike Bellanca has played flag football in the Spokane Parks and Recreation league for the past 8 years, and the 42-year-old auto mechanic says the league allows fans to live out some of what they spend so much time watching on TV.

“Even at a lower level like this, it’s still fun,” Bellanca said. “I just like playing football. I don’t care if it’s flag or tackle - I’ll play. It makes you feel good.”

Bellanca was a defensive lineman for C-League champion Swinging Doors this year. The Doors defeated NAPA Auto Parts 19-0 last Sunday to finish their season undefeated with a 9-0 record.

He wears the No. 78 in honor of his favorite NFL player, Buffalo Bills defensive lineman Bruce Smith, but Bellanca would be the first to admit no one would have a problem confusing the two.

Standing at 5-foot-4 and weighing 155 pounds, Bellanca would be an obvious mismatch against the behemoths in the college and pro ranks.

In flag football, however, Bellanca is able to utilize his speed and make an impact similar to Smith’s.

“I like playing defensive line,” Bellanca said. “Nobody seems to recognize it that much, but it’s fun because you get to pressure the quarterback and make the plays happen.”

Bellanca started playing flag football after moving to Spokane from New York in 1981. Prior to that, he hadn’t played football since his days as a high school linebacker.

With the open-hand blocking and contact allowed by league rules, Bellanca said flag football compares favorably with the game of his youth.

“It’s a lot more physical than people think,” Bellanca said. “When you mention flag, they think, ‘Oh, it’s terrible.’ But it’s not.”

Bellanca said the game requires “lots of running,” teamwork, and several other concepts that could be compared to tackle football.

“Sometimes you can learn things watching games on TV,” Bellanca said. “You can watch how they line up and pick a gap or something you didn’t see. Or maybe something you can do to make a move to get around the lineman.”

When it comes game time, though, Bellanca said he and his teammates relied more on their instincts than anything else. Swinging Doors employed a basic, “bend but don’t break,” defense and didn’t have any set plays.

Bellanca said most Swinging Doors members had played together in the past, but the team’s biggest advantage came from its sheer numbers. While most teams had 10-12 players on their roster, Swinging Doors had 21 showing up to play.

Bellanca said Swinging Doors drew 15-20 people regularly and had a bulldog as an unofficial mascot.

“Fans have a lot to do with it,” Bellanca said. “A lot of guys bring their families, and when people come to watch it makes you feel good.”

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: FLAG FINALS A League: Maxwell House 20, Stadium Pizza Predators 14 B League: Alsin Speed/Finnerty’s 19, Fast Eddie’s/ N Lights 0 C League: Swinging Doors 19, NAPA Auto 0 D League: Mavericks II 20, Dream Team 0