![[DEV] ISFL Forums](http://dev.sim-football.com/forums/images/emerald/logo.png "[DEV] ISFL Forums"){kind=logo}
+- [DEV] ISFL Forums (http://dev.sim-football.com/forums)
+-- Forum: Player Development (http://dev.sim-football.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=8)
+--- Forum: Point Tasks (http://dev.sim-football.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=92)
+---- Forum: Archived Point Tasks (http://dev.sim-football.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=53)
+---- Thread: (S20) - Ultimus Week (/showthread.php?tid=19015)
(S20) - Ultimus Week - SwagSloth - 02-27-2020
2) League Milestone
Written: This year is the 20th playoff season of the NSFL. In your opinion, what was the most thrilling playoff game of these past years? Give a review of that game and why you consider it to be great.
Graphics: Create a graphic depicting the major stats and performances of your chosen game.
The most thrilling playoff game to me was one with a lot of personal significance. It was the S16 Ultimus in which the Arizona Outlaws defeated the Philadelphia Liberty to win the team’s fourth Ultimus… and their first Ultimus since the controversial first 3 seasons that saw them win the trophy under unfortunate circumstances. This was my first full season as GM and I was extremely proud of the squad we had developed by that point, coming off an extraordinary S15 draft that practically resulted in a total rebuild.
Arizona started off strong, racking up 3 touchdowns in almost 20 minutes. Philly would respond with a touchdown and two field goals and Arizona hit a field goal of their own to end the first half 24-13. Philly rallied, bringing the score to 27-23 by the end of the third quarter. Philly then scored a TD to take the lead in the 4th Quarter and Arizona answered by a Touchdown of their own, the third receiving TD by MVP Jeffery Murphy that game. With only 90 seconds left, the Arizona defense had to step up and hold the Liberty back, but Vander Jones caught a 42-yard pass that looked like it was destined for the end zone. However, CB Lucas Knight came through, tackling him only a few yards from the goal line with 0 seconds on the clock, officially ending the game and securing the victory for his team.
238 Words
* * * * * * *
6) Expansion
Written: There have been a lot of new players entering the league recently. If you were in charge of a new expansion team for the NSFL or DSFL, how would you go about it?
Graphics: Create a design for your new team.
As a former GM of a non-expansion team, I think taking on an expansion team would be a fun prospect. In addition to creating your own branding, you would get to put together the building blocks of a team that could be around for a long time. In the most recent NSFL expansion draft, we saw two approaches as the Austin Copperheads targeted a youth strategy while the Chicago Butchers focused on picking up experienced players through the expansion draft and using drafted rookies to supplement their veterans through a “win now” strategy. History has been more kind to the Copperheads as a whole, but win now strategies are always risky and ultimately judged merely on whether or not they were successful. One different coin flip or sim calculation and we could have been calling the original Butchers GMs geniuses, but even though it takes more patience, long-term team-building is the more consistent strategy.
Were I to run or advise an expansion team, I’d encourage them to go for youth, particularly a promising young QB and 1-2 WRs or other receivers (TEs, Receiving Backs, etc.) . My experience as a young QB was that having a great receiver can help out drastically and pairing together a QB with a WR of similar age and dedication is a recipe for offensive success. I’d also invest in young defenders, especially on the D-Line and Linebackers to establish a strong front seven. Ideally, I’d also seek out some veteran FAs to help out at RB and DBs. The offense would lean on the rushing attack the first few seasons (hopefully with a strong O-Line) while the DBs would try to help create takeaways and take some of the pressure off of the rest of our defense. It takes time to get there and the following 1-2 drafts would be focused on filling holes and replacing the previously mentioned veterans with younger rookies if regression is a threat (which it probably would be); however, nailing that first draft would go a long way toward success.
344 Words
* * * * * * *
8) Scouting Report
Written: Write a scouting report for one of the incoming draftees in either the NSFL or DSFL.
Graphics: Create a graphic showing their stats or attributes.
Alright, now for the fun part: My player! Let’s flex on Baby Yoda for a minute. Of course, we’ve all read the awesome media I’ve produced (which as everyone is clearly reading each and every one of these Ultimus responses, right?). So, you know his story. He’s short and green. He comes from a small third world country named after a planet in Star Wars. And he’s pretty much your favorite DSFL prospect. Or at least he should be. But in addition to being cute, he’s actually surprisingly good at football. Currently boasting 90 speed, 70 strength, agility, hands, and endurance, he’s practically ready for the big league. He could use some higher hands and endurance and that 90 speed cap will hurt him as a pure running back, but Yoda is a versatile weapon that can benefit almost any team, whether they deploy him as a receiver, blocker, or part of a RBBC. He was one of the top rushers in the DSFL last season, coming in 2nd overall and holding claim to the most rushing yards by any rookie. He didn’t have double-digit touchdowns like Cardrissian or fellow Grey Duck RB Brehio, but Yoda has drastically increased his strength in the offseason, helping prepare him for more rushing attempts in the red zone. Yoda also has a reputation as a team player and will be an asset to whatever team picks him up through the draft.
238 Words
* * * * * * *
9) Brotherly Love
Written: We always talk about what teams and players are our rivals. This season, give me what team or player you have a soft spot for.
It’s probably no surprise that I’d love the opportunity to return to the Arizona Outlaws. I absolutely loved being their GM and only stepped down out of the blue due to carrying too heavy of an IRL workload. But whether they re-draft me or not, I’ll remain fond of them. The team is full of great people that I will dearly miss. Saba, Opera, Moose, Soulja, Ven, Shane, & Roly were all great teammates that I will miss dearly. And both Unicorn and Drizzy have shown me that they have the passion and wisdom to lead the team forward. I’m truly excited for their future and will be rooting for them from afar if it comes to that. Of course, I’ll also be pulling for my new team if I end up somewhere elsewhere else, but it was a bittersweet exit as I left behind the team that meant so much to me in order to ensure that they ended up in the right hands.
The Outlaws took a dive last season, mostly thanks to the consequences of a few “win now” moves on behalf of yours truly. But they also hit some big steals in the recent drafts and I think they are on the right path. I can’t put over that war room enough. They simply needed the right person in a leadership role and fortunately I had the sense to realize that was no longer me. I loved my run, but 7 seasons is a great run on top and I think passing the torch is good for the overall health of the team. In addition to the absolute steal of the draft Drizzy (the co-GM that was drafted #30 last draft), the team also picked up a great DT in evryday, retained former co-GM Moosecop as a LB (and on-going advisor) , and hit big time after soryantyler somehow fell to #21. They also did well in the S18 Draft, taking star QB Jay Cue to replace my former player Andrew Reese as well as Ruff Ruff, who despite going inactive recently, hit the 500 TPE mark and looks to be en-route to becoming the next Slim Shady. And, while he wasn’t technically drafted, the team did trade for Toasty’s WR, meaning they have 3 star earners at WR in Saba, Toasty, and Soryan. That’s one hell of a trio!
394 Words
(S20) - Ultimus Week - moonlight - 02-27-2020
1. Playoff Review
Ultimus Bowl 20 also referred to as Ultimus Bowl XX was an extra special moment for the NSFL. It of course marks the 20th anniversary of the first Ultimus Bowl held 20 years ago. Since then the league has undergone many changes, dynasties and legends. The NSFL held promotional segments and features around the league to commemorate this 20th season. Going into the playoffs it marked one of the most even playoff fields in NSFL history. No team truly dominated as the ASFC featured three 7-6 teams and 4 league wide. The Wraiths won their division with a 9-4 record while the Copperheads won theirs for the first time in franchise history with an 8-5 record. The Otters, three time defending champions barely scraped into the playoffs having to go on the road to the wildcard Secondline. The Secondline pulled off the upset as the Otters failed to capitalize on their bid for a record breaking four straight Ultimus’s. Over in the ASFC, the Yeti won their playoff game setting up a matchup with the Wraiths. The Secondline would be on the road against the Copperheads. Both home teams and conference winners went on to the Ultimus. The Wraiths were hoping to make it third times the charm as the had reached their 3 straight Ultimus bowl appearance. The Copperheads ended up winning in dominating fasion as they were crowned champions for the very first time.
Code:
236 words2. League Milestone
It’s been 20 playoff series for the Ultimus Bowl. 20 years of NSFL football. Frankin Armstrong was interviewed for the NSFL Network series “20 greatest games in NSFL history”. This was specifically for Ultimus Bowl XIX held just a year ago. The Otters were vying for the right to be the 2nd team in NSFL history to (2nd time in franchise history) to win 3 straight Ultimus Bowls. This game was also titled “Otters vs Wraiths III” as both teams had faced off in 2 prior Ultimus Bowl matchups, the latest held just last season.
“What were your thoughts heading into the game?”
I was eager to prove ourselves again, going up against the best team in the NSFL, on the road in the Ultimus Bowl. We did it twice in a row, and we were confident we could make it three.
“The initial stages of the game were slow and tight with great defence on both sides of the ball. Did you expect that going into the game?”
Yes we actually did. Our last Ultimus appearance against the very same team was a 16-10 ball game. We expected a similar type of game. Of course that flipped on his head for the second half.
“The second half was a back and forth affair. How tense was it on the sideline having to tell your team that you had to score again and again?”
Well it was a great battle with Bigsby on the other side of the field. It was a question of either trying to maintain our slim lead and try to slow the game down or air it out and go for the kill. At the end of the day, we went for something in the middle and it backfired. It got tense as it does in every close game in the 4th. The last drive to take back the lead went by so fast cause it was literally that fast. It took us, what? 4 plays to drive down the field for a touchdown? That was incredible.
And there you have it folks. The number 1 game in NSFL history, Ultimus Bowl XIX.
Code:
357 words3. Revenge
The Orange County Otters had a rough season as they ended their season at 7-6. They lost pivotal games that would have possible made them division champs. Unfortunately, they lost almost all of them. None more devastating than the two excruciating losses against the upstart Austin Copperheads that cost them the division. The first matchup occurred in week 5 as the Otters travelled to Texas to face off in a crucial game. The final score was 37-27. Armstrong had a pedestrian game after the offence blew 14-7 and eventually 24-14 leads. The Otters left Austin grimacing as the Copperheads took a vice grip on the right to the first seed in the ASFC. The next matchup occurred in week 11 as the Otters had rallied off 5 straight victories after the tough loss in Austin. As the Copperheads snaked their way into California, the Otters were at the height of their confidence, as they expected to take control of the division and their right to host a home playoff game. That confidence showed as they jumped out to a 21-0 score in the first quarter and eventually had a 27-7 lead going into the 4th quarter. Unbelievably, Austin stun the Otters with a 28 point 4th quarter. This eventually led to the Otters losing the conference and their confidence as they lost 4 straight games to close out the season in NOLA. Austin will be a motivation factor for revenge next season as the Otters look to take back their crown.
Code:
251 words4. Rivalry
Franklin Armstrong has always been well aware of his status compared to his peers. But there have been two players in particular that he has compared himself to from day one and those players are Cooter Bigsby and Corvo Havran. Bigsby and Havran were drafted in the season 14 draft while Armstrong was drafted in the 15th. Despite this, they’ve faced off in a plethora of games dating back to their DSFL days and have even met up in the biggest stage of the game. Armstrong led teams have come out on top every single time. Armstrong and his S14 Pythons squad faced up with defending Ultimini Champions the Luchadores led by Corvo Havran. Armstrong led the team to victory. Armstrong and Havran would face off in a championship game yet again, this time in the Season 17 NSFL Utlimus Bowl during Armstrong’s rookie season. Armstrong won another championship capping off an incredible playoff run with an Utlimus Player of the Game. He would then face off against his other rival Bigsby in consecutive Utlimus Bowl games in Season 18 and Season 19. Armstrong would yet again. Break the hearts of his fellow rivals, taking home to more championships to Orange County as his playoff dominance continues. Armstrong has the goal of making sure Havran and Bigsby never win Ultimus championships. And I’m sure Havran and Bigsby are sick of seeing Armstrong led teams win.
Code:
235 words(S20) - Ultimus Week - BigUnitBabs - 02-27-2020
PBE PT
(S20) - Ultimus Week - Kyle - 02-27-2020
13. furfurfurson
(S20) - Ultimus Week - Oles - 02-27-2020
6) Expansion
Written: There have been a lot of new players entering the league recently. If you were in charge of a new expansion team for the NSFL or DSFL, how would you go about it?
As someone who has gone through this before, my plan always varies depending on how old my player is and how old my Co-GMs player is. Right now, since I’ve just recreated, I’d go for another young player and try to build a young team. With the sheer depth of the S22 class, I’d try to get as many players from that draft as possible, even if it means trading back a potentially top pick in the draft. Gathering up a good amount of 2nd, 3rd, 4th round picks would be crucial, get a team built and while you might not have the 1st round talent, there’s enough good prospects in this draft that you don’t need to rely on first round talent in order to make a successful team. Having that first round talent is nice but having a good number of reliable earners and building your team with a solid foundation will lead to a lot of success. The other option is going all in, getting top of the line, NSFL ready talent and pushing for a championship early, but I only think that’s viable if you’re an older player, nearing your peak before regressing. I wouldn’t suggest doing that because you might end up in a tedious rebuild afterwards, unless you’re ready to make a strong push for a title and willing to rebuild or you have people you can trust to rebuild if you step down. (240 words)
8) Scouting Report
Written: Write a scouting report for one of the incoming draftees in either the NSFL or DSFL.
I could easily give a scouting report on why Tyler Oles JR can and will be the best CB in the S22 draft class, but that’d be boring. Instead, I want to talk about someone he’s going to get to know very well. I want to talk about a QB who will surely throw a few interceptions to Oles JR if they don’t go to the same team. That person is Colby Jack, the Mobile QB out of Oregon. First things first, for a mobile dude he doesn’t seem very mobile, he seems slow, he seems like he’s just an off brand Tim Tebow. Even Tebow got a lucky throw and made an impact in the NFL playoffs, Colby Jack will just see his throws get picked off by everyone else, and Oles JR will be the greatest beneficiary of the pick parade that Colby Jack will throw. Colby Jack could easily turn into a great QB one day however, he has a lot of promise and has shown some flashes of greatness in his time, but whether he turns out to be a flash in the pan or an MVP is still very much to be seen. He just better hope Oles JR is on his team, or else he’ll see number 21 grabbing his passes as if he was the receiver Jack was throwing to. In all seriousness,@flyeaglesfly29 is a great dude and should be a fantatstic QB for the Wraiths, he’ll definitely be a building block of a dynasty in the making when the Wraiths are rebuilding to get younger and focus around him. (268 words)
9) Brotherly Love
Written: We always talk about what teams and players are our rivals. This season, give me what team or player you have a soft spot for.
While it might not be this season, in the upcoming season I have a softspot for Gucci and his Dallas Birddogs. I absolutely love dogs, and the logo for his dog is just outstanding, honestly, it’s one of the better animal logos I’ve seen. The Birddogs (and the Royals) are coming in in an extremely tough spot of being an expansion team without an expansion draft. They must rely solely on S22 NSFL players and onward, unless they make a trade for older players. In the DSFL especially, when many teams rely on those older inactives to build a good foundation, it’s going to be extremely tough for them to be competitive in the first few weeks of the season. After they get their foundation up to the same point as the rest of the DSFL teams, they may have a chance, but those other teams will also see their S22 players grow as well. Really they’ll need to have a good draft and pick up a good inactive or two if they want to have a fighting chance this season, but it will be tough for them to do it with how it looks right now. It starts with taking a good QB and I don’t think you can go wrong with either of the Jacks, although Monterey Jack may be better because of his archetype. It takes a bit for a mobile QB to be good, gunslinger can be viable early however. (244 words)
10) Reform
Written: If you were in charge of managing the league, what changes would you make to make it better run?
First and foremost, I would punish that fucker if I could make a change in the league. Seriously though I think one of the biggest things right now has to do with forum management. With a huge influx of new members, it’s imperative that we have a forum that runs well and fits our needs, and at this point I don’t think Jcink is a viable forum hosting service anymore. Jcink has served us well over the past few years, but as we grow and expand it will be time to make the move much like the SHL did a while ago. At some point the capabilities of Jcink will not be good enough, and we’ll need new services, like how SHL has a player builder in their site that does everything for you, you just put the info in as needed and use your early TPE, it calculates how much you’ve used for you and shows you how much you have left. General quality of life improvements would be great but currently can’t be done, things like cleaning up forum areas and clearing clutter. Moving to a new site would allow us to make changes as needed, incorporate the wiki with more than just a redirect, and allow us to do new things that was never possible on Jcink. I just don’t know how to get started on something like that and don’t have the expertise to even be of any help in the matter. (246 words)
(S20) - Ultimus Week - Dewalt27 - 02-27-2020
Rivalry 4.
Besides ourselves and the Sim I would say the Baltimore Hawks biggest Rival is the Yellowknife Wraiths. While the recent emergence of the Yeti as an Ultimus contender has made things more difficult for a long time it seemed certain the NSFL conference championship was going to be either Haws or Wraiths. There has been many times in recent history where these two powerhouses have played to win the conference and also the opportunity to go to the Ultimus and it always seems to me that they seem to have our number. While we seem to sneak out a huge win here and there its very frustrating going up to Yellowknife in frigid temperatures and having to play the Wraiths at home in the playoffs. I’m looking forward to the next few seasons as the Wraiths team seems to be aging and slowing down a bit. It may be an excellent time for the Hawks to make a push and take over as the powerhouse team. These next 2 drafts will be key for our team to fill all the immediate needs and start to put us over the top and start to establish ourselves as the more dominate team in this rivalry and the conference.
Expansion 6.
If I were head GM of one of the expansion teams it would be pretty exciting. This class is huge so it should provide a great building block for your team. Number one priority would be getting a QB who you’re confident will be active. QB’s take such a long time to get called up you should likely have them for at least 3 seasons which gives you a solid base. During the draft I would consider trading down at every opportunity available that makes sense. Technically every position on your roster is a position of need. I would find the round you think the cut of is for active players and trade down accepting later picks and future picks that fall before that round and are worth the value. When it comes time to actually make the picks for first priority is locker room guys. If the players will be there for a while and you struggle you want people who will be positive and not make it a bad environment, If you determined who the good locker room players are you draft them by best player available, unless there is plenty of depth at the position that you may be able to get a similar player later in the draft. If all goes as planned you’re competing for the Ultimini in 3 seasons.
9.Brotherhood
While I feel an intense rivalry with the Yellowknife Wraiths, I am starting to root more of the current Ultimius champion the Austin Copperheads. Its tough to say why i find the copperheads so likeable. It could be the elite talent on offense such as Rod Tidwell (my choice for MVP) and Easton Cole “Bay Bay” But overall i think its they way the team conducts themself and how they were able to go from expansion team to league champion in just a few short seasons without selling most of their future draft picks or doing anything that would be insanely costly to the team long term. The copperheads are not only the current Ultimini champion but because of the excellent patience and team building done by the GM’s they are going to be in a position to repeat or dominate their conference of even the entire league for plenty of years to come. This should be a concerning situation for the rest of the league. However I will be rooting for them to continue their success in the league and would like to see them win more Championships as long as it and it doesnt cost my Hawks a championship.
7. Next year
Of course the Baltimore Hawks will win the Ultimus title next year, Why? Because like every other year till the end of time the Baltimore hawks are stacked across the board. We lose a few pieces due to free agency and retirement but its nothing that we can live without. We will still have the best secondary in the entire NSFL with a respectable front 7. On offense we added a Speed RB who can break the entire game wide open and will be returning one of the greatest QBs to ever play the game. He may be older but the dude can still sling it and Maddox is almost guarenteed 1000 yards and a huge season as a returner. The rest of the WR is weaker than usual but as we seen in the last offeseason the Hawks are actually a considered desination for upcomming free agents which hasnt been the trend in previous years. However, You can be almost guarenteed that Baltimore GM’s are going to kill it in the war room come draft day. This roster is litered with sleepers on cheap contracts that open endless opens for great gms like Huskies and Duilio to make a championship team out of.
(S20) - Ultimus Week - Qball100 - 02-27-2020
12: Interview with Rapid Eagle
1: what was it like being in the Ultimini playoff atmosphere?
A: Being in the Ultimini playoffs was so exciting. Being a rookie and going on the kind of run we did winning 10 in a row before the championship game was truly special. Everything is different in the playoffs.
2: were you satisfied with your performance during the playoffs?
A: Personally I'm not satisfied with how I played in the playoffs. Only getting 3 tackles and no sacks was dissapointing. And as a team I know we can do better than what we did in tbe championship game. We had too many penalties and couldn't stop the Ducks because of them.
3: how does the team feel after your playoff run?
A: It's bitter sweet for me. I'm bitter we lost the way we did in the Ultimini game. When you have five times as many penalties as the other team it's hard to win games. But at the same time I'm proud of what we did too get to the game in tbe first place. We had a historically good DSFL defense last season and I don't want one game to take away from that accomplishment.
4: what is your goal as a player for next season?
A: Next season if I'm sent back down to the DSFL is to run the table again. We have the pieces to get right back to that championship game but win it this time. And if I'm called up to the NSFL next season I'll do whatever I can to help my new team reach that Ultimus trophy. The goal is always to have fun first, but nothing is more fun than winning it all.
8: scouting report for Ed Ball
You probably aren't too familiar with this guy, he's not high on people's mocks, but this special player could be the steal of the draft. Ed Ball has some unique skills I haven't seen in a typical safety. Originating from England where he grew up watching NSFL Europe. He soon moved to the United States to achieve his goal of being the best European player in the NSFL. His playmaking ability at the safety position has been nothing but explosive. He was a one time defensive player of the year in the Big Ten conference with his time at IU. In that year he recorded 72 tackles, 7 INTs, and 5 Forced Fumbles. He has the potential to be a top playmaker in this league and just needs to find the perfect chance to show off his talent.
Strengths: Very good speed and agility. His athleticism should be a key factor in his time in the NSFL. His unique ways of forcing stops and creating turnovers made him a walking highlight reel at IU.
Weaknesses: He tends to get beat in coverage while trying to make a play. He also needs to build up more strength to match up with the top receivers in the league.
20: Ad
Ed Ball has always had an urge to help the needy as he grew up in a poor family. He promised himself if he made it to the big leagues he would help lead a charity organization to help the homeless population. With the NSFL draft approaching, Ed decides to buy space for an Ad during the Ultimus championship. He partners up with the UHO (United Homeless Organization) to help provide food, water, and shelter to people living on the streets during the cold winter nights. The goal of the Ad was to help persuade others to help the poor and homeless as well. Ed asks for volunteers to participate in a walkathon coming up soon to help fund meal plans and new clothing for the needy. He receives additional help from a few college teammates who help to provide materials for the homeless civilians living near the IU campus. Ed hopes the Ad receives national praise while it is played during halftime of the championship game. The Ad provides a hotline for viewers to make donations towards the UHO if they choose to help out as well. Ed's dream of making a difference in the homeless community seems to finally come true. He's both a special player and a special human being.
9: brotherly love
Ed is typically a fierce and competitive person on the field, but there is one person in the league he has a huge amount of respect for. Rapid Eagle of the Myrtle Beach Buccaneers has been a close friend of his for a while now. They spent time together in the same conference in college football. Ed went to IU and rapid went to Illinois. At first Ed saw rapid as a natural threat and wanted to prove he was the better defensive player. After the constant games played against each other, Ed saw something else in Rapid Eagle. He saw someone who had extreme dedication to the game while also having a soft spot to help others. A friendship soon begun to form between the two. Ed and rapid spent any free time they had on video chats watching film together and studying other rivals in their conference. They both saw each other as a teammate with good chemistry and good leadership skills. Rapid was drafted into the league one year early and now Ed is hoping to make it as well. Whether it's with the Buccaneers or another team, Ed wants to prove his worth and fill that competitive edge with Rapid.
(S20) - Ultimus Week - Baron1898 - 02-27-2020
1) Playoff Predictions, Reviews
Have you ever heard the tragedy of the Yellowknife Wraiths? I thought not. It’s not a story the Austin Copperheads would tell you; it’s an NSFC legend.
The Yellowknife Wraiths were a playoff team, so powerful and so wise that they could handily defeat the Colorado Yeti 40-24 in the NSFC Championship game. Cooter Bigsby had such a knowledge of the passing game that he could throw for 3 scores and 2 picks and still get a 100.8 passer rating. The Comeback King style of quarterbacking is a pathway to many abilities the Yeti considered to be unnatural. After hanging 40 points on the Yeti, the only thing the Wraiths were worried about was losing the Ultimus to the Austin Copperheads, which eventually, of course, they did by an embarrassing margin of 37-20. Unfortunately, Bigsby forgot how to be a good quarterback in this game and threw only 1 touchdown to 2 interceptions with a 55.7 passer rating, then the defense couldn’t hold on against the prolific Copperheads offense enough to stop Alfredo Crisco from kicking the Wraiths around like a deflated soccer ball. Ironic. He could stop others in the NSFC from winning the Ultimus, but couldn’t win it himself.
2) League Milestone
To me, the most thrilling playoff matchup of all time is coincidentally the only playoff matchup I have ever come out of victorious, and that is the S18 NSFC Championship Game between the Yellowknife Wraiths and the Baltimore Hawks. The Wraiths emerged victorious from the quagmire, 29-14, in a drubbing that sent the Hawks home in bitter defeat and the Wraiths onward to an appearance in the Ultimus Game. In my unbiased opinion, this was the greatest game ever played. Cooter Bigsby had about as pedestrian a game as a quarterback can have, with 1 touchdown, 1 interception, 21 completions on 42 attempts for a perfect 50% completion rate, and 262 yards. So who picked up the slack for the Wraiths? Why, none other than retiring superstar Morgan Marshall, who in his second to last game ever put up 22 rushing yards on 13 attempts and a touchdown, as well as 44 receiving yards on 5 catches and another touchdown. Ok, so maybe it wasn’t the greatest performance ever, but they did their jobs - and more importantly, the Wraiths defense played their hearts out, with four team interceptions of Corvo Havran (one of which became a touchdown) keeping the Baltimore offense largely off the scoreboard.
4) Rivalry
The years may flutter on by, and the Marshals don’t even exist anymore, but I’ll never answer any team but Tijuana as my deepest and most passionate rival. These cheap Mexican wrestlers stole away my first real shot at gaining any form of success whatsoever, running Forrest Gump into the ground to whallop my beloved San Antonio Marshals at home in the S14 DSFL Playoffs. I blame them completely for the entirety of my awful postseason luck dating back to that game. Coming off a historic and invigorating 13-1 campaign, the Marshals were slated to play in the Ultimini against the Portland Pythons if only they could beat the Tijuana Luchadores, a feat they had managed to accomplish four times already that season. But even with home field advantage, my San Antonio Marshals were caught unprepared by those darn Luchadores. The shock and disappointment I felt in that moment would stick with me forever, the first (and not the last) time I realized that I was never ever going to win a title no matter how successful my regular season was. It was humiliating and it was devastating, and although Tijuana didn’t end up winning that year’s Ultimini, the amount of success they’ve had in the years since has kept this rivalry alive and well.
10) Reform
If I was suddenly in charge of running the league, I’d quit immediately.
If I wasn’t allowed to back out of this arrangement, the number one priority I would have would be to reform the awards selection process. We recently instituted an awards committee to nominate proper candidates for each award, and that’s great, except for the fact that they didn’t exactly do a bang up job this time around. Putting aside the fact that Venus Powers didn’t even get nominated for Punter of the Year despite being measurably better in literally every statistic than two of the three real nominees, the awards selection committee needs to focus on the actual purpose of awards - to reward hard work and dedication. What exactly is the point of handing out awards to inactive players who haven’t been online in months and will likely never know that they even got said award? I also think that there exists currently a decently sized bias against players on teams who didn’t make the playoffs, whose individual performances are oftentimes better than the actual nominees but didn’t get included because they play on a franchise like Philadelphia or Chicago. Also, weren’t we supposed to get that name change done a season or two ago? I’d get that done for sure, maybe.
(S20) - Ultimus Week - DynamicDoug - 02-27-2020
8. Scouting Report.
Name: Douglas Quail
Position: OT
College: Notre Dame
DSFL: Myrtle Beach (1 Season)
Age: 23
Handedness: Right
Jersey Number: 69
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 340 lbs
Birthplace: Dundee, Scotland
Athletic notes:
- Played and excelled at youth American football in the UK as both an OT and DT before committing to Notre Dame as an OT.
- Had a solid collegiate career with the Fighting Irish before being drafted by Myrtle Beach.
- Had an exceptional first season in the DSFL with Myrtle beach, 56 pancakes and 0 sacks allowed, playing every snap on offence the entire year.
- Technical skills could use some work, but raw strength and physicality means he should be great after some refinement.
- Is a massive human being, like, 6'6" 340? Goddamn.
Personality notes:
- Seems to have developed a deep seated love for Carolina barbeque, teams in cities known for their food should consider the possibility that he will not be able to control his weight (we saw this in the NFL with Eddie Lacy and cheese curds).
- Appears to be a positive influence in the locker room.
- May or may not be in a relationship with fellow OT D Green, potential locker room issue.
- Is known to pound a stubby on the sideline everytime his team scores. Teams with prolific offences should consider the possibility of inebriation on the field, although due to Quails massive size, we estimate that it would take in excess of 10 touchdowns in a 5 minute window for it to register at all on his BAC.
All in all, we forsee Quail being the first OL drafted into the NSFL this year, and we have heard rumours heavily linking him to NOLA, Austin and Baltimore.
9. Brotherly love.
While few expected Myrtle beach to have the great season that they did, it was aided by a pretty exceptional rookie class and a solid run game.
Rookie tackles Douglas Quail and Dylan Green were a key part of their success, combining for 101 pancakes and 0 sacks allowed on the season. While there have been many conversations over time regarding who is the better offensive lineman, mostly based on whether you value raw strength (Quail) or technical ability (Green) more, one thing is undeniable. These two players comeraderie both on and off the field has helped to elevate the Buccs entire offence, which led to a decent playoff run and an ultimus appearance, unfortunately falling short of winning it all.
Rumours out of Myrtle Beach are that Quail and Green are inseparable, working out together, studying film together, taking turns getting bull rushed by Rapid Eagle together and most importantly for linemen, eating together.
It truly is a case of brotherly love here in the beach, and as we look over to see Quail and Green shoulder to shoulder watching the sunset, one thing is key to remember.
What happens in the locker room, stays in the locker room.
12. Interview a star, Aurora Coryalis, MB
How did it feel to help lead Myrtle Beach to their first playoff victory?
It was an incredibly fulfilling experience. It felt so great to get the win for all of the guys after such a wonderful season where everyone worked so hard. It might not have ended the way we wanted but this team will still go down in my book as one of the greatest of all time and is indicative of the future in store for Myrtle Beach!
How do you prepare yourself before a big game like that?
Well there is so much prepartion that needs to be done, obviously starting with physical preparation, diet and film study. The biggest thing in my book is getting mentally ready though. Studying film is very important and a great thing to do to be ready but actually having the mindset of a winner is the moat important thing. If you don't have a champion's attitude, if you don't go in thinking you're going to win then you might as well not show up.
Looking back on Myrtle Beachs overall playoff performance, what do you think you would do differently if you got a Mulligan?
Ouch. I think this goes back to a couple of things we were just talking about. Mentally preparing in multiple ways is something I would absolutely have done differently. This actually goes to film study though. Testing more strategies and doing more film prep could have definitely tipped the scales in our favor and I would gladly take the chance for a redo.
What are you looking forward to this offseason and how do you plan on staying in shape?
This offseason I am very much looking forward to meeting and greeting new the players on both of my teams! As far as staying shape goes I enjoy a lot of swimming and hiking as well as some light weight lifting!
13. Get interviewed by a fan. Aurora Coryalis, MB
How did it feel to help lead Myrtle Beach to their first playoff victory?
The whole experience has been great, I've been a bit of a presence protecting the edge and guys behind me this season, and it was great for that to transfer into the playoffs where it really counts on an individual level.
How do you prepare yourself before a big game like that?
Just treat it like any other. Business as usual. I think its key in this business not to get in your own head, all you need to focus on is doing your job, snap by snap, quarter by quarter, game by game.
How does it feel to be the best offensive lineman in the league and to be recognized for it?
It's a great feeling, but I wouldnt be in the position to receive this award without being able to trust the rest of the team to execute, knowing each and every one of them will complete their assignments every play lets me dominate out on the edge and focus on neutralising some of the best DEs in the DSFL.
What are you looking forward to this offseason and how do you plan on staying in shape?
Maintenance and recovery are both key for me every off-season. I take a few months only doing some minimal exercise to maintain where I'm at, and giving my body a chance to heal before getting back into the real heavy lifting and cardio. It's great to get the chance to head home to Scotland and spend time with family and friends for a few weeks, that famous Carolina barbecue means I don't stay away for too long though!
(S20) - Ultimus Week - fcruz - 02-27-2020
6) Expansion
The answer to this question depends on what would be my role in this expansion. First I'll talk about the challenges that I'd face as Commissioner of the NSFL. I'd accommodate the huge influx of new talent and I'd make sure that the product maintains the quality that our fans not only deserve but have grown accustomed to.
I'd make a no-nonsense statistical analysis of the new players and the positions they've chosen to see how may teams could be reliably filled. Considering how people drop off something new, I'd start by implementing new temporary DSFL teams. After a few week, I'd merge the ones with less players (similar to the Steagles during the 1940s). Then I'd take the numbers from the remaining players and decide how many new NSFL teams are possible to launch. To support the expansion teams, I'd give them extra draft picks but I'd also let players on already established teams to change to one of the expansion teams (in the same position they've played for at least three seasons without chance of changing position). I'd give supplemental draft picks on their previous teams depending on the value of the player.
The second part of my answer is how I'd approach an expansion team as a GM. I'd again do a statistical analysis to find which positions have more value and start building on those. I'd take into account the supply and demand on the position. Everyone knows that QB is an extremely important position but also how many real life players are willing to invest a lot of time in progressing their QBs? I think it might be best to build a strong supporting cast and then throw the dice on a new QB.
7) Next Year
I'm a new player on the league, there it is quite obvious that my team did not win the title this year. I believe that any team can win the title the upcoming season because the new influx of talent will elevate overall quality of the league. In particular, it will strengthen the weak spots of all rosters. However, I strongly believe that whoever drafts me will be the team to win the league because I plan to build the best offensive lineman to anchor the line and start dominating the trenches. Since the offensive line is one of the positions with least players then having non-AI players that properly boost their characters should have a marked effect on the league. I believe that whoever drafts me will think the same way and I will not be only the only offensive line rookie on the team. This could mean that one side of our offensive line will be more powerful than the average of the league and should pose a significant advantage over AI offensive lines. If you have two or three strong non-AI offensive linemen you could just run the ball on one side until the defense is tired or you could significantly reduce the pressure brought from the pass rush. I hope I'm right and that the GMs from the teams that didn't draft do not read this!
10) Reform
I would work towards making a website to track the league outside of the forums. Something like a faux NFL.com-type website where you could see headlines and stats. I think that having a website of this type could make the league explode in popularity. Imagine something like the extra stuff you'd see from the old ESPN NFL 2k5 game where you'd see buzz about the league. We already have media people but implementing all of their work into a website would be even great. It could even have fake ads from NSFL sponsors like Nykee, ADYDAZ or other stuff like that. Overall, making the league more engaging for non-players. Of course, this would mean an immense amount of work and effort but it would be a collaborative effort. For income to support the website hosting we could organize a small scale sale of real-life gear for the league or maybe just ask for donations. Just 1 or 2 USD per player per year could support the league website. We could have the NSFL Commish send emails like Jimmy Wales from Wikipedia or like the current Bernie Sanders meme. Alternatively, a more customized wiki that fits the look of the league would be amazing.
Also I'd update the broken links in the forum guides. I'd update sticky posts because it might seem like it is outdated information. I'd make the wiki show the real life dates of events.
19) OL Apprecitation
I would like to take this opportunity to speak about my fellow offensive lineman Edmond Beaver-Dantes. He has been such an inspiration for me because, just like me, he comes from a foreign country. A country with a different culture than the one in the United States of America. However, no matter where you are from, what is your culture or which was the situation of your upbringing, life and the universe have an interesting way of paying off for hard work. And there is no harder work that being an offensive lineman. You have to deal with the totally-not-roided-up angry-at-their-dad overfed babies that are defensive lineman for at least 70 times per week. And for what? So that the skinny guy afraid of being touched or the guys that do not like getting hit get on the magazine covers or, more importantly, get the stats. Edmond Beaver-Dantes could have chosen to be something else in this life and he certainly has the physical gifts and the work ethic to have been successful at almost any other position but he chose to lift heavy, push hard and carry his team to victory. Those two reasons are why he is such an inspiration to me, even though he is only a few years older than me, and why I hope that I get to meet him sometime in the field. Be it as teammates or as rivals.