The Title Quest Was a Treasure Hunt

The South American League

Mr. Peabody: "Welcome again to another episode of Mr. Peabody and Sherman, with our very special guest - Mark II. Sherman, set the WAY BACK MACHINE to the year 1810 A.D."

Way Back Machine: "WWWWHHHHIIIIZZZZ, WWWWHHHHIIIIRRRRLLLL, ZZZZAAAAPPPP, ZZZZOOOOIIIINNNNKKKK!!"

Mr. Peabody: "Folks, we are here high in the Andes Mountains, at Machu Picchu ('Old Peak') in Peru, site of the ancient Incan civilization."

Mark II: "Thanks, Mr. Peabody. Play in the South American league was documented in journals compiled by Marco Lucas, ancestor of George Lucas, the famous action filmmaker. Marco's journals inspired some of the filmmaker's best known works."

Sherman: "Interesting, Mark II. Please go on."

Mark II: "Glad to Sherman. It seems that the Incas, while a fascinating and almost mystical people, did not themselves have a football league. However, the great Incan rulers (each referred to as 'Inca', by the way) were rumored to have possessed mystical charms which could be used to influence sporting events. So play in the South American League centered around the pursuit of a legendary magic charm which would protect its possessor from football evil and lead him to championship glory."

Mr. Peabody: "What did this mysterious charm look like, and where was it located, Mark II?"

Mark II: "Well, Mr. Peabody, there were a number of legendary amulets, stones and charms, but nobody really knew for sure which one possessed the power of football glory. This uncertainty made for quite an interesting range of play, as teams from all across the continent set out in search of one true football charm."

Sherman: "Mark II, tell us about Michigan's team."

Mark II: "Sherman, Michigan's fortunes rested upon the great adventurer Dhani-Fofhani Jones or Michigan Jones, as he came to be known, the ancestor of inside linebacker Dhani Jones of Michigan's title winning 1997 team. And his story is a fascinating one. He originally departed from Michigan territory on a recruiting mission for Wayne Greisky of the Arctic League. The lure of the mystical football charm proved irresistible to him, however, and he landed at the mouth of the Amazon in Brazil to try his hand in the South American League. He immediately set out to find a legendary lost ark which was rumored to contain the football glory charm. After months of traversing the dense Amazon jungle, defeating many football foes along the way, I might add, he stumbled upon the ark. He opened the ark ... and found ... the Bobble of Bo Inca, as depicted in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK."

Sherman: "Wow, Mark II, was this the true football charm?"

Mark II: "Well, Michigan Jones certainly thought so, and with jewel in hand he confidently met the Butterflies (changed after much derision to the War Eagles), a team from French Guiana led by 'Papillon' Pap Dye, so named for an auburn colored butterfly tattoo on his chest. However, the Bobble of Bo Inca proved to be a false charm, and released the dread Blizzard of Blown Opportunities upon the Michigan players. The War Eagles won convincingly, commencing a downward spiral for Michigan Jones and his team. The season ended rather ignominiously in a loss to an overrated Cougars team from the Andes Mountains of Bolivia coached by Eduardo La Velle."

The Bobble of Bo Inca Unleashed a Dread Blizzard

Mr. Peabody: "What a disappointment, Mark II."

Mark II: "Indeed, Mr. Peabody. But Michigan Jones, undeterred, continued westward along the Amazon in search of the mythical Medallion of Moeller Inca. Legend had it that the medallion was located in a remote temple in the Amazon rain forest. After a dangerous and exhausting journey Michigan Jones reached the legendary temple. He quickly gained interior access, disposing of the Owls, a team of temple guards, and before long the medallion was found."

Sherman: "Surely this was the true football charm, Mark II!"

Mark II: "And so thought Michigan Jones, Sherman. But the Medallion of Moeller Inca unleashed the powerful Mist of Mediocrity upon his team. Michigan tied its opponents three times that season, and finished out of championship contention, as depicted in MICHIGAN JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF GLOOM (changed to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom for the movie due to copyright problems)."

The Medallion of Moeller Inca Produced a Powerful Mediocrity

Mr. Peabody: "Yet another disappointment, Mark II."

Mark II: "Indeed, Mr. Peabody. But the crestfallen Michigan Jones trudged westward still in hopes of finding the mystical Charm of Carr Inca, as depicted in MICHIGAN JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE. Through the deepest Amazon jungle he slogged, then through the Peruvian highlands where he at long last reached Machu Piccu. And in the ruined Incan city at the top of the mountain the Charm of Carr Inca was found."

Sherman: "Mark II, I'm almost afraid to ask, but was the Charm of Carr Inca the true football charm?"

Mark II: "Sherman, by this time Michigan Jones was constrained in his optimism. Michigan met a team of Quechua Indians led by Chief Illi Ni Wek in the championship game. And before the game, with more than a little trepidation, he unveiled the newly found jewel before his team."

Mr. Peabody: "And ... "

Mark II: "And lo, the Charm of Carr Inca, producing a very shrill whine, unleased the magical Cloud of Confusion.The cloud enveloped not his players, however, but instead the referees. And what powerful magic it was! All manner of Michigan rules violations went unnoticed. Phantom penalties against the opposition abounded. And Michigan was awarded possession of the ball after every fumble no matter which team recovered."

The Elusive Charm of Carr Inca

Sherman: "Who could stop Michigan with this great magic, Mark II?"

Mark II: "No one, Sherman. And with the Charm of Carr Inca victory over Chief Illi Ni Wek's team was but a foregone conclusion. And Michigan went on to confuse, obfuscate and fool its way to 10 titles in the South American League."

Mr. Peabody: "Didn't the use of magic take a little luster off these titles, Mark II?"

Mark II: "Not at all, Mr. Peabody. 'When in Rome ...'"