Leonardo da Crisler's Football Conditioning Manual

The Venetian 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 1550 A.D."

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

Mr. Peabody: "Folks, we are here in Venice at the Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square), site of football in the Venetian League. Mark II, you aren't related to St. Mark, are you?"

Mark II: "Well yes, Mr. Peabody, now that you mention it. St. Mark was the premier football historian of the Roman League's Christian Division and my distant ancestor. But we're not here to talk about him. The star of of the Venetian League was that brilliant offensive coaching genius Leonardo da Crisler."

Sherman: "Don't you mean Leonardo da Vinci, Mark II?"

Mark II: "No, Sherman. Leonardo da Crisler lived in the small town of Crisler on the German - Italian border, north of Vinci. The two Leonardos were actually cousins. They shared a passion for invention, particularly theories of human flight, and corresponded frequently."

Mr. Peabody: "Sherman, it is common knowledge that Leonardo da Crisler was the ancestor of Fritz Crisler, the great Michigan coach."

Mark II: "Indeed, Mr. Peabody, and Leonardo da Crisler became renown throughout Renaissance football as the inventor of the Single Wing formation. He actually borrowed this idea from his cousin. Take a look at these pages from the cousins' diaries:"

Mr. Peabody: "A remarkable similarity, Mark II. With this new formation, I'll bet Leonardo da Crisler's teams didn't face much competition in the Venetian League."

Mark II: "On the contrary, Mr. Peabody. The great explorer Columbus, in between expeditions to the New World, established quite a powerful team. Columbus' teams were known for their great vision of the field. His players were said to have the sight of the legendary white stag, and became known as the Buck-Eyes. They were coached by Coopernicus, the famous Polish astronomer, and his lineage. Their best player was the great wide receiver Gallowayo."

Mr. Peabody: "Weird science, indeed!"

The Buck-Eyes Mascot

Mark II: "Yes, Mr. Peabody, and the Buck-Eyes gave Leonardo's teams some great games. Leonardo was almost always able to prevail, however, using his greatest invention - the DOUBLE WING FORMATION."

Sherman: "The Double Wing formation?"

Mark II: "Yes, Sherman. Leonardo's teams would line up in the standard Single Wing formation. At the last moment a crafty Raven was substituted at wingback. As the play developed, this Raven would fly over the defense and deliver a well placed BIRD DROPPING ON AN OPPONENT'S HELMET:

PPPPPOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPP!!

-------------------------

SSSSSPPPPPLLLLLAAAAATTTTT!!

During the ensuing laugh riot the ball carrier would go virtually untouched for the score."

Sherman: "Clever!"

Overhead View of Bullseye Used by Wingback Raven for Target Practice

Mark II: "Indeed, Sherman. And so Leonardo's teams came to dominate the Venetian league, compiling another 100 titles."

Mr. Peabody: "Where to next, Mark II?"

Mark II: "Shakespearean England, Mr. Peabody."