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S17 ULTIMUS WEEK!!! - contacts - 10-03-2019
1. Playoff Review
Well, the match up between the Arizona Outlaws and the Orange County Otters was about as different as it could get from the teams' previous AFSC championship game played a season ago. In that game, the underdog Outlaw team took it to the Ultimus champion favorite Otters and punched them in the mouth. The Outlaws stifled Otters, won the game, and went on to win the Ultimus the following week. The game was seen as a massive upset at the time, perhaps ending the reign of the Otters with thier all-pro QB Childish Gambino retiring.
Fast forward back to this season, and the matchup is the same, however the roles of the two teams was reversed. The Outlaws came into the conference championship game as the clear Ultimus front runners, and the Otters as the upstart underdogs - they had even dealt their top receiver Sunnycursed at the trade deadline. Surely the Outlaws would once again beat up in the Otters?
History repeated itself, as the Otters punched the Outlaws in the mouth. They game quickly tilted towards the under dogs, and the built up a big lead they would not relinquish. They beat the Ultimus favorites handily, and also went on to win the Ultimus themselves the following week. Funny how these things work. Lucky for the Outlaws, their star QB won't retire, but that's a tough consultation for a team with Ultimus aspirations.
3. All About the QB's
The AFSC championship game features a match up between two QBs having very different seasons and at two very different points in their career. The Arizona Outlaw's quarterback Andrew Reese was the leagues highest TPE earner and at the peak of his prime. Andrew Reese also lead league in passing yardage, and captained the Arizona Outlaws to the leagues best record and what would be home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The knock on Reese this season was his penchant for picks, he led in the league in that category and also finished in the bottom half in the league in QB rating. Would the good Reese or the bad Reese show up in the conference championship game?
On the opposite sideline will be the Orange County Otters' rookie quarterback Franklin Armstrong. In the loaded season 15 draft class, most believed that Franklin Armstrong would be drafted at the very top of the draft, possibly to one of the two expansion teams that year. He had a much talked about fall, but ended up landing in a excellent position as the Orange County Otters QB of the future. That future was now the present, and Franklin Armstrong had a rough season by most accounts. He had the leagues worst completion percentage, and finished in the bottom three in almost every other passing category, even with the excellent offensive talent on the Otters. He did toss a very respectable 23 touchdown passes, so that gives the Otters and those fans some hope he can come up big and avenge the teams playoff loss from last year, a game that ended his predecessor's Childish Gambino's career.
7. Next Year
In a tough turned of events, the Arizona Outlaws lost a game they were heavily favored in, and their season comes to a very disappointing end in a season they felt they had an excellent chance to repeat as they only added talent and experience to the squad that hoisted the Ultimus trophy. Making the lost sting even more, was the fact they lost to their bitter rival, the Orange County Otters, and adding insult to injury that Otters team went on to beat the Baltimore Hawks and win the Ultimus themselves. It would make for a long off season for the players on the Outlaws and those faithful fans. However, the future still looks bright and there is no reason to think they won't be able to win back the Ultimus next season.
The Arizona Outlaws have now established themselves as one of the most well run franchise in the DSFL and with two excellent seasons they will have established themselves as a free agent destination. Legendary wide receiver Vinny Valentine came over to win some hardware, and although he didn't lift the Ultimus he did bring home WROTY. With perhaps the most talented QB in the league in Andrew Reese, there is plenty off offensive stats to chase here. The defense is also stout, boasting MVP canidate Raymond Vans, making it an ideal destination for defensive players.
Probably most importantly, The Arizona Outlaws have one of the shrewdest and most diligent GMs in Swagsloth. He has expertley turned a perennial doormat into what looks like the start of a long term juggernaut. Swag is always thinking about the long term future while making bold short term moves, and that forethought will always keep them in the Championship conversation going forward. With a big off-season on the free agent market and the at the draft, the Arizona Outlaws should once again be Ultimus favorites next season.
8. Draft Focus
The Arizona Outlaws have had an excellent run the past two seasons, a run that included a Ultimus Championship. A big part of that success is their excellent season 15 draft, a huge, deep draft class that brought tons of talent into the league. The Outlaws were rebuilding at the perfect time, using their stock piled picks to build a lasting franchise foundation.
The season 18 draft is being considered to be much like the that season 15 draft, a deep and active class that could change the course of a franchise. The Outlaws are no longer the young upstarts, as many of their players are getting long in the tooth or have tailed off in TPE gains, so they have as many holes to fill as any team as they head into the draft. So what position do they have to restock to continue their success?
One position would be running back. The Outlaws have long been a running team, and they have been lead on the front by the veteran Slim Shady, who has had a long and excellent career. However, he has also long been inactive and is getting quite old. I expect the Outlaws to bring in a young back early in the draft. Running backs, much like their NFL counterparts, can be counted to be quick contributers in the pros so it wouldn't be a surprise to see them grab a back that can contribute in a reserve role as he awaits to take over the reigns. Over the last few seasons, the Outlaws have used a running back by committee approach with featuring lower or inactive TPE earners. I think we see them grab a young stud RB they can get on the cheap to lead them back to the Ultimus Championship.
S17 ULTIMUS WEEK!!! - Air Crou - 10-03-2019
3) The Baltimore Hawks visiting the Yellowknife Wraiths in the NSFC Championship Game, Cooter Bigsby versus Corvo Havran. An MVP candidate against Childish Gambino's replacement. Two amazing young quarterbacks. A dream matchup for any football fan. Both having loads of weapons to throw at. Sunnycursed, L'Alto, Maddox, Jimbo and Ahri for Corvo. Canton, Swift, Marshall, Helanen and Parker for Cooter. The stage was set at the Wraiths Stadium. The crowd was loud. But Corvo, along with some bad kicking luck, managed to silence the home crowd. Havran outperformed Bigsby by quite a bit. He threw THREE touchdown passes in a span of 10 minutes, putting Baltimore up by 18, 21-3. Havran finished the game with 21-36 completion rate, 301 yards, 3 touchdowns, no picks and a mindblowing 113.3 passer rating, while Bigsby had 24/44 completions, 355 yards, a single touchdown pass, no interceptions and a 88.7 passer rating, almost staging another massive 4th quarter comeback, but a doink on a 22-yard field goal deprived the "Comeback Kid" and Yellowknife a chance at winning their first playoff game since 8 seasons ago. Honestly, they both played well. Corvo Havran had a better stat line because of the balanced scheme of the Hawks, forcing teams to respect the Hawks' ground game, while the Wraiths are a more pass-oriented team. I am more than excited to see both of them in the future. Hopefully, the Wraiths will finally win a playoff game. Canada's team deserves it.
1) NSFL Wildcard round review
NSFC: Chicago Butchers at Baltimore Hawks
Both teams finished the season with a record of 8 wins and 5 losses. They split their regular season games, with each team getting a blowout win at home. If you thought it would be more of the same, you were right. The Hawks dismantled the Butchers, by a whooping 40-6, showing signs of the team that shut San Jose off in the Ultimus Trophy game a few seasons back. The Hawks' ground game helped them, with the RB duo of Jones and Jimbo punching 4 combined touchdowns, 3 from Jones and 1 from Jimbo. Jones, on top of his 3 TDs, had 100 rushing yards in 21 attempts.
ASFC: San Jose SaberCats at Orange County Otters
The perenial Ultimus contenders, Orange County Otters hosted the SaberCats in the other Wildcard game. The Otters finished the season 2nd in the ASFC with a 7-6 record, while San Jose were 3rd with a 6-7 record. The two teams split their regular season series. The Otters easily dispatched of the Cats, taking a commanding 17-0 lead, with 8 minutes till half time, and never looked back. The OCO quarterback, Armstrong, threw two touchdown passes, going 17-31, for 210 yards, with a 97.2 passer rating.
14) This season's playoffs magic moment was the doink in the NSFC Championship game between the Yellowknife Wraiths and the Baltimore Hawks. The Hawks stormed in, taking a commanding 21-3 lead, with 9 minutes until half time. Everyone thought that the famed Yellowknife defence, comprised of vets like Grithead, Selich and Snuggles, and young promising stars like Kroustis, Leafer, Storm, Uchiha and Nero Alexander, would get smashed, having the world dropped on them. But hell, these guys are tough. Cooter Bigsby also led the offence like a leader, staging a 4th quarter comeback like no other in his young career. But let's take it from the 21-3 point. TD in the ensuing drive for YKW. Big tackle from Kroustis on a 2nd & 15 and a swat from Gritty at the next play, Punt for the Hawks. Another big tackle from Kroustis, one yard shord of the first down, forcing a 43 yard FG in the next Hawks offence. Another FG for the Hawks, TD for the Wraiths. Turnover on downs for the Hawks, TD for the Wraiths. The score at 27-24, with the Hawks on the lead. The Wraiths are with possession. Cooter starts with the ball at his own 20. 38 yard bomb to Parker. Rush from Marshall. Another bomb to Helanen. Cooter is at the BAL 5 yard line. 2nd & 4. Incomplete. 3rd & 4. Incomplete again. The FG crew comes out. Aaand it happened. This playoffs' magic moment. Kicky Bobby's doink from 22 yards out. It's a magic moment just because of how easy it is to see a team's dreams and hopes get crushed because of a crossbar. Everyone on the YKW stadium were stunned. So close yet so far. Another devastating season end for the Wraiths. Who knows? Will the Wraiths be the best team ever assembled to never even win a playoff game? Let's hope not.
15) The Ultimus Most Valuable Player, Otters' QB, Franklin Armstrong did whatever a football player would do after winning the Ultimus. He got WASTED. Allegedly, he doesn't even remember the celebration parade. But let's mention his performance first. 17/27, 285 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, 1 rushing touchdown, no interceptions, 135.9 passer rating. Not bad mate, not bad at all. He really deserved it. One of his teammates claims to have seen Armstrong leave the stadium only wearing some boxers and socks, after the game. He was already tipsy during the trophy presentation, and close to blacking out while he was talking to the media before heading to the locker room for a shower and the celebrations, where he chugged down a whole bottle of champagne, on top of whatever he had consumed after the conclusion of the game. During the parade, he was seen sleeping at the top of the double decker the Otters' owner had rented. Nobody bothered to wake him up. They just let him sleep and enjoy his well deserved rest. A few days later, he was spotted in Florida, near the Disneyland park. He was sober this time around and was fully dressed. Nobody has seen him since. Let's hope he joins the Otters Training Camp, leading them to a repeat Ultimus win.
S17 ULTIMUS WEEK!!! - timeconsumer - 10-03-2019
7) Next year
The Wraiths are gonna win next year. Win it all. Now I know I said that was supposed to happen this season but shit man we got some bad sim luck in the playoffs again and dropped a home game to the Hawks and there ain't shit we can do about it now. But the Wraiths are a well built organization that didn't sacrifice the future for where they are now and have a ton of room to continue to build upon an elite offensive unit with some young defensive studs. While there are some aging players they are the kind that can continue too put up really good performances for another season or even two. The Wraiths are going into the next season as the top team in the league and if they can not get bad sim luck in the playoffs are going to make it all the way to the big game. They don't even need to gain all that much in order to do it either. These guys were the #2 scoring offense and #1 scoring defense this season. While the yards werent the best or the worst the fact is that the Wraiths were the best at finishing their drives and making sure their opponents didnt finish theirs. Next season expect them to be right back on top looking for another big win.
8) Draft Focus
Do we seriously have another giant draft? How do yall keep doing this so often? Yall are kinda crazy man, kinda cfazy. So if I'm looking at the Wraiths and trying to fgiure out what holes I want the team to plug I'm thinking we go straight for defense across the board. I want linebackers and I want linemen. I like the secondary and think it's pretty solid but we really need that front seven to be filled with some mean ass dudes. See as the previous owner of the legendary Angus Winchester I believe that championship teams must have the best pass rush out there. Get yourself some elite DL talent and one or two elite pass rushers and you're looking at a team that is going to be holding the trophy at the end of the season. While it's tough for a team like YKW who isn't really built to give guys time to grow defense and especially front seven guys are the kind that can make a huge impact very early in their career and help lift their team to success even before they get to 400 TPE like you would normally need from some of your offensive players. Go for defense wraiths, go for defense, daddy cooter needs some help.
10) Rivalries
You know what team I want to lose? The Hawks. Do you know why I want them to lose? Because Corvo Havran sucks. Do you know why I think Corvo havran sucks? Because I'm Cooter Bigsby, that's why. And as Cooter Bigsby the greatest not so great QB in the league I need to make sure that people know that Havran is poop and his entire team is poop because we're in the same draft class and I was the better option and yeah. The Hawks suck. Did you see how they lost to the otters? That was awesome. They also beat the Wraiths but we don't want to talk about that one as much because it still hurts. This sim is fucking weird man, I don't know how we still have people playing this game, sometimes it doesn't make any sense why we still are here but here we are. You know what other team sucks? The Butchers. Yeah but it's cool they're blowing it all up this season and starting to tank because they weren't built for the future, so yeah back to fuck the Hawks I guess right? Good times, it's going to be good times when eventually they are bad, one day. Soon I hope.
15) Going to Disneyland!
The Ultimus MVP I would have to go with Franklin Armstrong. For such a young player it's astonishing how well he did in the Ultimus against the Hawks. After throwing 287 yards on only 27 attempts and getting 3 TDs with no picks it was clear why he was able to hoist the trophy at the end of the game. While the entire Otters team was lights out and didn't need him to play hero ball, he sttill was extremely efficient and wasn't afraid to throw downfield as well and was able to score when his team needed him to. On his trip to Disney World Armstrong decided to stay in the Presidential Suite at the Swan Hotel. He made sure to grab a steak dinner at Shula's to celebrate, and what a better option than the winngest coach of all time? Then he hit up the park and do some of his favorite rides like Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, and maybe some other fun mountains too. Is the Star Wars area done yet at Disney? I don't even know. He probably went to Animal kingdom too so he could see some Otters and shit, and hang out with other beasts like himself so he can show them how to beast. I'm getting tired of writing is this done yet?
S17 ULTIMUS WEEK!!! - terriblehippo - 10-03-2019
1) PLAYOFF REVIEW: Give a short write-up of one playoff match.
This season’s Ultimus matchup featured two perennial favorites: Orange County and Baltimore. In this particular clash, two aspects of the game were clearly on display: stopping the run, and the pass-heavy offense. Let’s start with defense. Both teams struggled to convert on third-down opportunities (Orange County converted 3/10 attempts, while Baltimore converted 6/16). Even more telling was each team’s inability to run the ball. Despite the presence of talented running backs like Dorfus Jimbo, Vander Jones, and Apollo Reed, neither team was able to establish a solid running game: Orange County picked up just 122 yards on the ground, while Baltimore only managed to get 66. Orange County did have a slight edge here, however, as one of their rushing yards came from quarterback Franklin Armstrong on a goal-line push that resulted in the game’s first touchdown. Because of these struggles on the ground (or, perhaps, in spite of it), the offense of both teams relied heavily on the pass. Both teams have quarterbacks who are talented passers, and while both players put on a show for the Ultimus spectators, in the end it was Orange County who came out on top. It will be interesting to see how this game affects the league going forward. As I said above, both teams had very strong running backs, and yet neither side was able to use those players effectively. In the end, it was the passing game that determined this season’s Ultimus winner. Will the league continue its shift towards a more pass-heavy game? Will receiving running backs become more common, and will traditional, “grit ‘n grind” running backs become more rare? I suppose only time will tell, but it is very possible that this game will someday mark a turning point in the history of the league.
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299 words3) ALL ABOUT THE QBS: Write about one of the QB matchups in this year’s playoffs. What are you most excited to have seen, who played better, etc.
The Ultimus matchup of Franklin Armstrong and Corvo Havran made for an electric game. Both quarterbacks had a fantastic day, but in the end Havran got outplayed by the younger (by a season) Armstrong. While Havran had an impressive 376 yards and two touchdowns on 25 completions, Armstrong took his game to another level: he threw for 287 yards on just 17 completions, completed three touchdown passes, and ran in another touchdown himself. Looking at the final score, Armstrong was directly responsible for all four touchdowns that Orange County scored in the Ultimus. I remember being floored when I saw the details of Armstrong’s rookie contract, which he signed shortly after being drafted by Orange County: $24 million over three years, including $16 million in his first season. “Yeah, this guy is good,” I remember thinking to myself, “But is he that good?” Well I will be the first to admit that I was wrong: yes, Armstrong is just that good. Orange County have the luxury of having a young franchise quarterback, so I expect them to remain competitive for quite some time. But don’t discredit Havran either: Baltimore certainly has their guy as well. Like I mentioned earlier, both of these guys are fairly young: Havran is Season 14, while Armstrong is Season 15. They’re clearly both going to be around for their respective teams for a long time, so I expect the two of them to have many more fantastic shootouts like this one in the years to come.
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255 words7) NEXT YEAR: If your team has been eliminated, why will the next year, or the year after that, be the year that your team is going to win the Ultimus.
At a glance, the Second Line seem to be struggling badly. They finished with a league-worst record (4-9) and had the second-highest total points allowed (367). It’s definitely a step back from their 6-7 record in season 16, and many people have already written off New Orleans for next season. But upon closer inspection, this team is primed and ready for a championship run. The team is made up of young players--many of the team’s defensive standouts are entering their prime, and the rookies have already begun to make an impact on the field. This ensures that the Second Line will remain competitive for seasons to come. Additionally, due to the foresight of the front office, this team is positioned to have an excellent draft: New Orleans has five picks in the first three rounds of a massive draft class, including the first overall pick. The team’s success in recent drafts will only continue, adding to their young and talented core. But the biggest reason that this team will find success is the hiring of Tijuana GM Jimmy Dugan. Success in the DSFL is hard to come by, but Dugan has proven that he has what it takes to build winning teams and keep them at the top. Now Dugan has an NSFL roster to work with, and a very talented one at that. If he can succeed at bringing his leadership style to the New Orleans front office, there’s no reason to believe that the Second Line won’t be a contender very very soon. So, to sum up my answer: deep and talented roster, fantastic draft positioning, and a brilliant front office and coaching staff. With all that New Orleans has for them right now, it’s only a matter of time before they bring home an Ultimus.
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298 words8) DRAFT FOCUS: What areas of your team has the biggest holes that you are hoping get filled in the upcoming gigantic S18 draft? What round are you hoping it’s filled?
The easy answer to this question is to say that New Orleans needs help on defense. And I can understand that, because that defense should be playing a lot better than it did this past season. But take a quick look at some of the players the Second Line have on defense: defensive linemen Brayden Ennis and Lo Rax, linebackers Quenton Bode and Pro Bowler Johnny Slothface, corners Deon Taylor and Pro Bowler Jordan Andrews, and Pro Bowl safety William H. Harrison. This is an extremely good lineup, and one with a lot of potential to be a top-tier defense in the league. And yet, these players gave up 367 points over the season, second-worst in the league. It just doesn’t seem to make sense. But the more concealed answer to this question, and the correct one, is that New Orleans needs help in the front office. Having a lot of talented players can only help so much: what’s really important is just how those players are used, and making sure that each player is living up to their full potential. Obviously New Orleans’ issues are not a matter of on-field talent, but of game-planning and strategizing. Fortunately, these issues seem to be a thing of the past with the recent hiring of Jimmy Dugan to the New Orleans front office. If there’s anybody who can get the most out of New Orleans’ defense, it’s Mr. Tijuana himself. Of course, someone so skilled at building through the draft will certainly use New Orlean’s great draft position to add onto the already deep roster; whatever holes remain on the Second Line defense will undoubtedly be solved very quickly come draft night, and I expect to see the Second Line of Season 18 become the lockdown defense they have the potential to be.
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301 wordsS17 ULTIMUS WEEK!!! - ScorpXCracker - 10-03-2019
Rivalries
San Antonio is the most overrated team and franchise of all time. Did you know that the Palm Beach Solar Bears have more Ultiminis than the Marshalls? And did you also know that Palm Beach has been a bot team for over half of the time that they have existed in the DSFL. The Marshalls have been a human ran team for the entirety of the DSFl, and they only have 1 Ultimini to show for it. That is pretty sad.
Remember when the Marshalls had the so called best DSFL team of all time, and the when they made the playoffs they lost in the first round to some scrub RB running the ball all over them. They have not been relevant in the DSFL since that season.
For the past couple of seasons the Marshalls have been the perfect example of a mediocre team. They have lived in the dominant Luchadore shadown and have stayed in there, and have shown no type of fight to get ou of this shadow and making an effort to actually compete. They actually had a semi decent squad this year that looked ok in the first half of the season, but then when the playoffs got closer they just kind of shriveled up and died.
Trades
The biggest trade that happened this year in the DSFl was the trade that the Luchadores made with the Pythons during the s18 DSFl draft. This trade consisted of the Luchadores trading their first round pick for a big amount of picks from the same draft and the next years DSFL draft. When you look back on the trade, it was very much lopsided in the favor of the Luchadore because of how many picks they got out of the trade. For reference, this draft was the very big s18 draft that consistented of very many players and a lot of rounds, thus making picks be very valuable, even ones in the later rounds. So giving up a first for 5 picks was easily the best thing that you could do, as you will easily get more actives than you would have with just the first, as five is a bigger number than 1. The luchadores drafted very, very well with their picks that they got from the trade, as they got many studs from it such as Thudd Kastle and Wayne Homyaknow, both who really impacted the Luchas very greatly, especially come playoff time. The Pythons picked Trae Bacon with their ick, who at the time was a very good pick, but sadly he went inactive and that is the point that really makes this trade llok bad for the person that made the trade.
Sit down with a fan
DylanDeluxe interview
That Magic Moment
The Magic Moment in the DSFL playoffs was easily the interception by Junior Lopez that sealed the game for the Luchadores, making the Luchadores champions for the 7th time, the most out of anybody.
When this pick happened, the Luchas were only up by 1 with 5 minutes left on the clock, at around the 40 yard line. The Pythons had the ball and they started off at around the 5 yard line. They were moving the ball down the field really well, and that put a bad feeling into every person who was rooting for the Luchas stomach as it really seemed like they would move the ball in to field goal range and win the game, and make us not win. But then Jay Cue, the DSFl MVP threw the ball right in to Junior Lopez's hands, giving us the ball and allowing us to run out the clock. It was such a relief for all of us, as we knew that the game was won after that. Junior Lopez even called himself cutch the day before the Ultimini and told Cue not to throw his way in his press conference, which made it all the better, and it truly was beatiful as the Luchas won once again, making it such a magic moment for all of us Luchas.
S17 ULTIMUS WEEK!!! - ven_knight - 10-03-2019
4) Head to Head Matchups: Ultimus Hawks WR Maddox vs Otters CB Showbiz
One interesting matchup during the Ultimus was Baltimore wide receivers versus the Otters defensive backs, the spotlight going to WR Maddox and CB Showbiz. In spite of the Sunnycursed trade, Maddox ended the season as Baltimore's number one receiver with 61 receptions, 1232 yards and 10 touchdowns. He then proceeded to have a 100 yard and a touchdown game against Chicago; the next game he was little more quiet in the NFSC championship with just 3 receptions and 61 yards. As for Showbiz, he finished the season with 22 pases defended (4rd most among defensive players, first among cornerbacks) and 4 interceptions. During playoffs, he had 4 passes defended and had an overall good performance against the top wide receivers from the SaberCats (Flash) and the Outlaws (Valentine), containing them for 138 yards and no touchdowns.
When watching what occurred during the Ultimus, Maddox ended up with 5 receptions,108 yards and no touchdown. He had the same amount of yards as his teammate Sunnycursed, with the difference being the latter had a touchdown. Showbiz ended up with 7 tackles and 1 pass deflection. This stats show that Maddox won the matchup against the former Otters QB. Even though Showbiz had his troubles to contain Maddox, he made a great effort during the last quarter of the game to stop any attempts the wide receiver tried to score and he managed to keep Maddox out of the end zone, while the Otters scored and kept the lead to win the game.
8) Draft Focus
With S17 ending in the ASFC championship loss for the Outlaws, the next thing for the team is to look forward to the S18 Draft and what new players may come to help the team make into another Ultimus. Let's look first at the offense; it's no surprise that the number 1 position Arizona should look into strengthen up is running back. Shady has been a great player for the Outlaws the last 4 seasons and he got some help from newcomer Zephyrous and converted CB to RB Jeffery Murphy. Still, adding an active running back is becoming a pressing need with both Shady and Zephyrous getting close to regression, in addition to the departure of Murphy to Chicago; I expect Arizona to take a RB probably in round 4 or later if they can’t get one of T?riki or Ruff.
In the case of the defense, there are 3 positions that would benefit from some young additions starting with D-line, Safety and Linebacker. Last draft the Outlaws selected DT Shane Masters, who will now leave the DSFL and play right away taking the spot left by Woodham (retiring). Still, I can see the Outlaws drafting another player from this position with the great options available; they may use their 1st or 2nd round picks to do so. In the case of safety and linebacker, although there are active staters in both positions, starting to think about the future doesn't hurt and finding the next big players to replace LB Vans and S Barnes would be a bit easier with the upcoming deep class. I think Arizona uses round 4 and later for this kind of players, unless someone valuable to them falls in the first or second round.
16) Unsung Hero
A player that may have gone under the radar in all of the playoffs is Orange County Otters wide receiver Hugh Mongo. In his rookie season he ended up with 57 receptions, 799 yards and 6 touchdowns. He gained a more expanded role, you could say that he took on the job of the number one receiver, with the departure of fellow wide receiver Sunnycursed to Baltimore via trade a few days before the season deadline (who they will go to face in the Ultimus).
At the end of the season and during the playoffs, Mongo gained the trust of his rookie QB by being a reliable target and making the important catches. You could see this in the wild card game against the SaberCats where he ended with 5 receptions, 47 yards and a touchdown on the second quarter. In the ASFC championship game, he only had a catch for 36 yards, though that catch was made during a drive that led up to a touchdown. In the Ultimus, Mongo ended up as second in receiving yards behind tight end Blaze with 99 yards and a 19 yard touchdown in the third quarter to give the lead to the Otters.
With his plays in the last part of the season, Mongo made the statement that although he's rookie, he was ready to take the #1 WR role and surely helped his team to advance into the Ultimus with his great performance on both playoffs games.
19) Kickers are people too!
For the Ultimus winners, the Orange County Otters, kicker Alex Dasistwirklichseinnachname has been a reliable player for both the season and playoffs. From his season stats we can see that he converted 91.7% of his attempts, as well as scoring the second longest field goal of the season with 52 yards (just behind 53 yard FG from Arizona’s Lawes). He was middle of the pack in regards to extra points made with a 95.1% completion (while being 3rd kicker with the most number of attempts).
In the playoffs, he went 10 out of 11 on extra point attempts and converted 3 out of 3 field goals kicked, of which the most impact made was in the wild card game against the SaberCats were he was perfect in the couple of extra points and scored two 26 yard field goals. The one game in which he failed to convert an extra point attempt was the ASFC championship against the Outlaws (went 4 out of 5), though he made a 32 yard field goal. As for the Ultimus, he wasn't asked to kick a field goal because his offense was effective in the red zone by scoring 4 touchdowns throughout the game; what he really contributed to was being perfect in all of his extra points attempts.
S17 ULTIMUS WEEK!!! - Daybe - 10-03-2019
Next Year
Next season will be the year that the Orange County Otters repeat as NSFL Ultimus champions. Now I know they won the championship last year, but I'm going to still write about them because last season I was on the Yellowknife Wraiths, a team that got bounced in the first game they played (at home, mind you). The biggest change I'd say from Yellowknife to Orange County that I'd think would lead to our success next year is the winning culture. Not to throw shade at Yellowknife at all, they've built a great team, but it's hard to beat being the what, six time champions? I mean, Orange County knows how to win and their GM is (in my opinion at least) the best in the entire league. My player, Jaylen Storm, should be able to carve out a significant role on the squad as the #1 CB, moving up from the #2 he played across from Johnny Snuggles last year. The Otters are getting great on offense with pieces like Franklin Armstrong, Apollo Reed, as well as Hugh Mongo all hitting their stride, and the defense remains stout with great coaching and a pedigree for winning to back the squad up.
Kickers are people too!
Can we talk about this little bitch Kicky Bobby for a moment? I mean, the Yellowknife Wraiths were destined for success this year. Following a strong 11 and 3 season last year, the Wraiths still managed to capture the #1 seed in the NSFC an earn a first round bye. Their NSFC division game at home versus the Baltimore Hawks was not going the best for them, but they were still well within the game throughout. The Wraiths didn't play an exceptionally strong game, but the offense never really woke up until the 3rd quarter, where they scored 14 points to the 3 for Baltimore. Kicky Bobby was perfect throughout the game entering the fourth quarter, the youngster hitting a 27 yard field goal earlier, as well as a trio of extra points. And yet, the Wraiths were still down by three points in the fourth quarter, and they desperately wanted to avoid the heartbreak they suffered the year before once again. Cooter Bigsby executed one of his signature drives, marching down the field going 75 yards in 8 plays and setting the Wraiths up for a chip shot field goal, 22 yards out for Kicky Bobby. The rest is NSFL history, with an infamous miss that the Wraiths never were able to recover from.
Unsung hero
The unsung hero of the NSFL playoffs was none other than the rook, Franklin Armstrong. Who would've thought that it would be Armstrong, leading the 7-6 Orange County Otters to three straight wins, the last two being on the road in some of the toughest environments to play? Throughout the playoffs, Mr. Armstrong delivered 6 touchdowns to 0 interceptions along with two rushing touchdowns, going perfect throughout. The first round against San Jose saw Armstrong get off to a hot start. The playoff atmosphere did not faze him one bit as he delivered two early touchdowns. The Otters went up 17-0 at halftime and that was all the points they needed to secure the win against the in-state rivals. The climb would just get more uphill from here, as the Otters faced the defending champions Arizona Outlaws next. Another playoff game, another extremely quick start for the young buck. The Otters' prized rookie outdueled Andrew Allen Reese, the Outlaws quarterback as the Otters won handily by 3 scores, en route to a championship showdown with the Baltimore Hawks. The Otters did not call upon Armstrong's number often, but when they did, he was wildly efficient, going for more than 10 yards per attempt and scoring all four Otters touchdowns in a 28-17 win, crowning them the champions.
Playoff review
The Chicago Butchers vs. Baltimore Hawks game was certainly a confusing one on paper. The final score was 40-6, despite both quarterbacks playing some of their worst football of the year, each throwing below 50% in completions and throwing 3 picks together. I've identified the biggest issue with the Butchers' game as just not coming up big in the right moments. The team was just flat on third down, and when you can't string together drives consistently, you need big plays to back it up. The Butchers had neither and they struggled. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Hawks were similarly bad on third down, but they got lots of big plays. The reason why Corvo Havran was able to get away with completing less than 50% of his passes was because he was averaging around 17 yards per completion, and consistently hooked up with his two dynamos, Errol Maddox and Sunnycursed down the field. The Butchers' gameplan was much too conservative for a team going on the road in Baltimore, and their lack of aggressiveness and not being willing to go after the future conference champs cost them because they dug themselves in a hole and they weren't prepared to get out of it.
S17 ULTIMUS WEEK!!! - run_CMC - 10-04-2019
next year
IT'S OUR TIME! OUR TIME TO WIN THE ULTIMUS, AND MY TIME TO PUMP OUT THIS FUCKIN ULTIMUS WEEK LIKE IT'S A 12 POUND BABY. (THAT'S A LOT RIGHT?) WELL LET ME TELL YOU WHY IT'S THE AUSTIN COPPERHEADS YEAR ANDWHY WE ARE GOING TO WIN THE ULTIMUS WITHOUT A DOUBT. FIRST OF ALL, OUR OFFENSE IS FUCKING STACKED TO THE BRIM: THE COMBINATION OF mAKO mENDONCA AND aSHLEY oWENS IS A KILLER DUAL THREAT. nO DEFENSE CAN STOP THEIR COMBINED VERSATILITY - IT'S UNBEATABLE. tHIS IS EVIDENCED BY oWEN'S GOING 3RD IN THE LEAGUE FOR CATCHES, mENDONCA BEING A BEAST ON THE GROUND WHILE ALSO MAKING A BIG IMPACT IN THE AIR. THEY ARE UNBEATABLE, UNSTOPPABLE, UNDEFENDABLE. aND THEN OF COURSE THERE'S MY MAN eASTON cOLE, WHO IS THE nsfl'S BEST UP AND COMNIG QUARTERBACK AND ALL AROUND STUD. THEN OF COURSE, anoa'i, THE ABSOLUTE bomb of a wide reicevr. He's gonna destroy every cornerback in his path. We're a young solid group and onlygetting better. I look forwar dto our defense also destroying everybody because we are going to be the next big juggernaut in the National SImulatin= Football League and I nkow for a fact you all aren ot prepared. So best of luck. Copperheads are coming and you will need antivenom to preven a painful death.
Ribalry
You know who struggled? The butchers. The Chicago Butchers struggled because they are the worst of the expansion teams. They sold out to make the playoffs, getting old guys in expansion draft and not thinking forward in their draft strategy and this is how it has paid off. With their losing 6-40 in the playoffs against the Baltimore Hawks (the first round of the baltimore hawks mind you). That game saw Rose Jenkins post a sub 55 passer rating, throwing 0 touchdwons and 1 interception, all while their star runningback Sam Torsenson had the highest yards per carry on the team with just 3.8. The defense played well enough, getting 2 interceptions and 2 sacks, but abysmal offensive peformance (as I 've come ot expect from my most hated rivals the Chicago Butchers) was too much. Now why do I want the Butchers to suck and lose do you ask? Well you see good sir or madam, the Butchers were the other expansion team. But their short-sighted tactics meant while they did have immediate success, it is fleeting, but the immediate success gave them recognition while Austin's more long term strategy made us go 0-14 and be the laughing stock of the league when in fact, we are in a much better place moving forwards than them.That's why I hate them.
KICKERS ARE PEOPLE TOO OMG
I'm so excited this prompt was added. AFTER I STOPPED BEING A KICKER OF 11 SEASONS WTF BRUH. ALMOST 2 YEARS I SPENT AS A KICKER AND NOW IT'S ADDED? That said not like I made the playoffs anyways. So the kicker I'd like to discusstoday is ForThe Brand. His playoff performance was.... less than stellar. However that's why I'm talking about him. Because he is a young kicker with such an amazingly bright future. Just because the Wraiths played badly doesn't mean they can shift all the blame onto his missed kick. I grant you, it was really fucking bad in terms of misses. Really very incredibly bad beause it was a miss from the Baltimore 6 yard line. And I grant you, he missed 2 of his 7 extra point attempts in the routing of the Yeti. granted this was an auto-win game but um. Wow 5 of 7 on extra points is really bad. BUT! He is young and full of promise. I'll have you know that in the Yellowknife loss to the Hawks, he missed a kick but he also made one kick and made all 3 of his extra point attempts. The wraiths will regeret trading an active kicker like him to San Jose for an aging Neo Donaldson.
All About the QBs
THis is true you know. It's always allllll about those quarterbacks. You can have a star linebacker, a star wide receiver, a star cornerback, a star tight end, a start runningback, a star offensive guard even, but nobody cares all that much compared to the quarterback, unless the quarterback is just THAT BAD. Wanna know a quarterback who was just that bad these playoffs? That would be ARMSTRONG. Did he got for 6 touchdowns and 0 interceptions over the course of 3 games on his way to an Ultimus victory with the Otters? Yes. Yes he did. HOWEVER. He is a fraud! His own team didn't trust him to throw more than 31 passes in a game, and the other two gmes had even less. His stats were inflated by excellent Run after Catch yardage by his receivers. .... Nah he was actually very good, bravo to him. He's an example of a good quarterback (this postseason anyways) and while I didn't want to highlight his performance, I admit his deserves such highlighting at this time. He consistently found receivers downfield, very importantly didn't turn the ball over, and he even posted ~280 yards in 2 of his three games, and in that last game at least surpassed 200. Again, his usage by the coaches aided his stats a lot, but, a good quarterback performance nonetheless.
S17 ULTIMUS WEEK!!! - goodfortunecoffee - 10-04-2019
1) Playoff Predictions, Reviews:
This year's ultimini, between the Tijuana Luchadores and the Portland Pythons was an instant classic. It started off with a flawless opening drive. 14 plays and 90 yards, the best drive for the entire game in terms of yardage and play count. J.McCann tossed it to 4 different receivers on the drive including a 12 yard pass to the incredibly underrated Bender B. Rodriguez. 7-0 Tijuana
Portland went 4 and out, after a surprisingly bold choice to try to convert the 4th down only for the receiver formally known as Jake Watson to drop the pass. He also dropped the 3rd down attempt. Rough start for him. Starting out their second drive in great field position, Tijuana drove it all the way within the 5, before Portland stifled them and they came away with 3 points instead. 10-0 Tijuana.
Portland followed that with their best drive of the night, 10 plays 89 yards and a 18 yard TD catch by J.Watson. 10-7 Tijuana
The rest of the 1st half saw 4 punts traded between the teams, a costly missed FG by D.Espinosa, a sack by each team, and one Fuzzy Dotson getting stuffed by Trae Bacon on a 3rd and short run. Dangit. Halftime 10-7 Tijuana
The Pythons came out motivated in the 3rd quarter with an 8 play 64 yard drive capped off with a 4 yard catch by D.Strike. This drive also saw 3 penalties called on the Lucha D-Line. Yet again D.Espinosa missed a kick which would cost Portland later. 13-10 Portland
After a quick 4 runs and punt by Tijuana, the Pythons went 61 yards in 6 plays, including a 36 yard snag by Saba Donut. This time Diego managed to make a field goal, and Portland would extend their lead. 16-10 Portland.
Right after the Luchadores responded with a 12 play 83 yard drive that included Jordan McCann going 4/4 for 38 yards, yours truly getting 2 catches for 25 yards, and Chase Osborn finishing it off with 6 yard jaunt to the end zone. 17-16 Tijuana
The 4th quarter saw 2 punts apiece exchanged and the play of the night. A Junior Lopez interception, the only turnover for the entire game, on what would be the pythons final drive, sealing the victory and the S17 Ultimini for the Tijuana Luchadores!
Final 17-16 Tijuana
12) Sit-down with a star
Today I had an interview with future hall-of-famer WR Xavier Flash of the San Jose Sabercats. The Sabercats had played the eventually champion Orange County Otters in the wildcard round and lost.
Q. Was it emotional playing your final playoff game of your career?
A. Well I hope it wasn’t my last one. I still have one season left and in San Jose we still expect to compete for a playoff spot.
Q. Oh whoops! Great start to the interview! Why have you decided to hang it up after S18?
A. I just didn’t want to hang around for the sake of hanging around. Regression was taking a toll and I figured that I only had one more season of productive play. I didn’t want to be remembered for hanging on too long and not producing anything.
Q. Since you are heading into your final year, how do you think you'll remember your playing days?
A. I’ll remember my teammates the most. Made a lot of friends on San Jose and playing with them and winning the championship together is something that I’ll remember forever.
Q. What did you like the most about your playing days in Tijuana?
A. The winning. I spent two seasons in Tijuana and we won back to back ultiminis. Also I ran rough shed on teams in the DSFL so all my memories of Tijuana are extremely positive.