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(S4) - Ultimus Week - bovovovo - 12-04-2017
New Talent
Over the offseason, the Yellowknife Wraiths made a big boy trade. A real man’s man of a trade. Among other things, they shipped their starting QB Orosz out to the San Jose Sabercats in return for Clee Hardrool. This move paved the way for the new Wraiths QB to leave his mark: Mat Akselsen. Akselsen has been dynamite, adding a new element to the Wraith’s offense which allowed them to upset a few teams as their offense seemed to perform above it’s talent level.
But the bigger impact has been Clee Hardrool. Since coming to the Wraiths, Hardrool has cemented himself as a premier player in the NSFL and was the #1 Safety in the league in S4. Hardrool is posed to make a huge impact in the upcoming playoff game against the Philadelphia Liberty, where he is posed to be a key factor in limiting the Liberty passing attack and acting as a ball hawk. The other beneficiary of the trade, Akselsen, will lead the Wraith’s surprising electric offense to what they hope will be the franchise’s first Ultimus appearance following their first playoff victory. This was a trade that caused a huge splash in the NSFL, and surprised many, but the new Wraiths weapons have certainly made a tremendous impact.
(212 words)
Playoff Predictions
Liberty @ Wraiths
I believe the Wraiths will pull away with the win here. The Liberty have defeated the Wraiths twice this season, once in Yellowknife, but the Wraiths have a chip on their shoulder and a lot to prove. It will be interesting to see if the Liberty can stop the Wraiths electric offense and if Rove can lead the Liberty to victory. I don’t think they will. Should be a fun one though.
Otters @ Outlaws
This one is going to be a shootout. I’m going to go with the upset here and predict that the Otters walk away with the win, being the first team in NSFL history to beat the Outlaws in the playoffs. Boss has been on fire this season, and I think he and the Otters offense can take advantage of the Outlaws (relatively) weaker CBs. Should be an exciting game either way.
Wraiths @ Otters
The Otters are a scary team at home, as offenses throughout the season struggled to keep up with the Otter’s passing attack. I’m going to predict the Otters win this one, as the Wraiths offense may struggle on the road and may not be able to keep up offensively.
(203 words)
Root for the Underdog
I think that the Orange County Otters have a chance at upsetting the Arizona Outlaws in Arizona for the ASFC championship. The Otters utilize a very effective and electric passing attack, which may be able to take advantage of the Arizona Outlaw’s (relatively) weaker CBs. While the Outlaws have never lost in the playoffs before, I think the Otters are posed to finally pull off the upset. Both of these offenses utilize a heavy passing offense, and I believe the game will come down to whichever team makes the least mistakes. Boss’ efficiency this season has been outstanding, and he has two top targets in Phelps and Westfield. The Outlaws will have a hard time covering this dynamic and explosive duo. On the other hand, the Otters defense is very blitz-heavy, and will look to getting after Bronko before he can get the ball off. Of course, the Outlaws utilize almost the exact same strategy. Both of these teams are built to be high-risk and high-reward, but are talented enough to ensure that the reward happens much more often than the risk. This time, I think the Otters may take the win and make it to the Ultimus.
(202 words)
Playoff Series MVP
The MVP of the Yellowknife Wraiths victory of the Philadelphia Liberty was none other than wide receiver Bailey Cook. Cook has taken over as the primary wide receiver in Yellowknife since Garden left, and he has excelled in the role. This playoff game was no different. Cook went ham on the very talented Philadelphia secondary, racking up 104 receiving yards on five catches with one touchdown. The Wraiths passing attack was otherwise somewhat pedestrian, as the Wraiths averaged only 6.4 yards per passing attempt and no other Wraiths receiver had over 50 yards receiving. But Cook was the one bright spot on the Wraith’s passing offense, averaging a fantastic 20.8 yards per catch and accounting for almost half of all Wraiths receiving yards in the game. Cook rounded out his performance by being great (as usual) on special teams, where he broke off a 38 yard kick return to set the Wraiths up in great field position, which led to their first touchdown.
Additionally, Cook accomplished all this while lined up as a nickel corner on defense against the great Fox North, where he did a good job holding North in check when he lined up in slot, and he even recorded a tackle against the Liberty running back O’Connell. Bailey Cook was most certainly the Wraith’s MVP of that game.
@RainDelay
(221 words)
(S4) - Ultimus Week - jaskins811 - 12-04-2017
Playoff Predictions:
This year in the playoffs, we have two great matchups, first, in the NSFC, we have the Yellowknife Wraiths facing up against the Philadelphia Liberty. This is sure to be a great game, as anyone could take this one. The Liberty beat the Wraiths twice during the regular season, yet the Wraiths still ended the season with a better record and will be hosting this matchup. With it being a home game, it truly is anyone's game to take. I predict the Wraiths will come out on top, winning by 5 points, but it truly could come out anyway.
In the ASFC, it is a more familiar matchup, with the Orange County Otters taking on the Arizona Outlaws. This seemingly annual matchup in the playoffs is no surprise, as the Outlaws will be hosting once again. I think most people are predicting an Outlaws victory here, but there still is potential for an upset. The Otters were a very good team this year, and anything could happen as playoff football can be weird. Personally, I think the Outlaws will win by over 10 points, but you never know what could happen.
This will be yet another exciting year for games in the playoffs, but I am expecting a Wraiths @ Outlaws championship game this year.
Championship Game Recap:
What a great Ultimus game we had this past weekend! We saw two brand new faces in the big game, as both the Yellowknife Wraiths and the Orange County Otters had never made it to the big dance before. The game started out with a quick score by the Wraiths, putting them up early, 7-0. Unfortunately, they were soon countered by the Otters and by the end of the first quarter they were down 17-7. These 17 consecutive points by the Otters are what would ultimately kill the Wraiths down the stretch. In the second quarter, the Wraiths did slightly better than before, by nailing a 46 yard field goal, and only allowing the Otters to kick a field goal themselves. Going into the Locker room, the Wraiths were down by 10 and needed things to start falling their way for them to win their first championship. At the start of the new half, the Wraiths were able to kick another field goal, putting them within one score of the Otters and giving their fans a small glimmer of hope. Unfortunately, this was followed by 10 consecutive points by the Otters to put the Otters up 30-13. Down by 17, things were not looking so hot for the Wraiths with 20 minutes left in the game. There were able to tack on another 10 points to finish the game, making the final score 30-23, but this game was out of reach for awhile for the Wraiths.
Robbed:
The San Jose Saber Cats were absolutely robbed out of a playoff spot this season. The team had finally made the turn around it needed and was actually competitive. This was quite a shock to many as many did not expect the Saber Cats to be this good so soon. However, even though they finished with the third best record in the league, they did not get a playoff bid. Instead, they had to sit on the couch during the playoffs and watch as teams like the Philadelphia Liberty got to humiliate themselves in the playoffs. San Jose was completely robbed and it was unfair that they did not get to participate this season. The San Jose Saber Cats had a 9-5 record and did not make the playoffs. The Yellowknife Wraiths had an 8-6 record and were the 1 seed for the NSFC, and the Philadelphia Liberty were 7-7 and were the number 2 seed for the NSFC. This goes to show how strong the ASFC is, and how unfair the current playoff system is in the NSFL. I am sure that next season the Saber Cats will be on a vengeance tour, and make sure that they make an appearance in the playoffs, because the feeling of sitting at home watching your peers play in the postseason is absolutely terrible.
![[Image: b9Wi9nC.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/b9Wi9nC.jpg)
(S4) - Ultimus Week - TheMemeMaestro - 12-04-2017
Interview a Player: I sat down with Star Yellowknife Cornerback Dermott Lavelle.
How are you getting prepared for the NSFC championship game?
DL: Really I'm going through all my usual routines. Consistency is key in the big leagues, whether you're playing in the ultimus or the preseason. If you don't got your head on a swivel then you're going to have a tough time. Obviously resting is a major part of it too because you don't want to overexert yourself and risk injury in the build up to the big game.
Do you feel like you want to be with the Wraiths for your entire career?
DL: I mean it's the dream of any professional athlete really, I'm extremely happy to be in Yellowknife and for the foreseeable future I can't see myself playing in any other jersey.
You are one of the league's top Cornerbacks, however that doesn't necessarily show in the statbook. Do you feel like you make an impact beyond any quantifiable measure?
DL: Funny you should mention it, I actually had my greatest season in terms of stats this year of my career (5INT 20PD , 2 TD)'s. I feel that yards allowed is a greater measurement for cornerbacks and I used to LOVE ready a series about it on NSFL.com. When your job is literally to stop others catching the ball, shouldn't you be measured by your capacity to carry out that role? Deion Sanders did used to say you don't pay me to tackle.
How does being a Cornerback compare to being a Returner?
DL: Well , I've had the pleasure of playing in both positions so I feel qualified to answer this. Being a cornerback is really how much you fit into a team role where being a kick returner/punt returner is more of an individual role. Generally when I make plays it's because of a huge cut that I DO, or a shimmy that I make. Sure my team is picking up blocks downfield but the heavy work is really on my shoulders. Being a corner is so much more, how the coach draws up your coverage rather than if I can make a play.
Robbed: Write about why a team that failed to make the playoffs should have over somebody else. Can be completed at any point
It is well known that the ASFC is generally better than the NSFC. It has the three best teams in the league, and has won the Ultimus every year since the conception of the NSFL. This fact is further exemplified by the fact that the San Jose SaberCats were unable to make the playoffs, despite having a better record than not one, but BOTH of the NSFC playoff teams. The Philadelphia Liberty had a 7-7 record and was the 2nd seed. However, the SaberCats did not only have a better record than the 2nd NSFC seed, but also the 1st seed in the NSFC, the Yellowknife Wraiths. The Wraiths had a 8-6 record. That means that the 3rd best team in the league by record did not make the playoffs. There is no other valid answer to this prompt besides the San Jose SaberCats. If the Cats were in the NSFC, they would be in the Ultimus instead of watching the playoffs from the outside looking in. This shows that the Cats were robbed of the chance to compete in the NSFL playoffs and maybe even, due to the any given Sunday way of football, win the Ultimus championship game.
Playoff Series MVP: Choose an MVP for one of the playoff series and write about why you chose them. Must be completed after the playoff series you write about
The Most Valuable Player of the ASFC Championship Game must be Mike Boss. Although he didn't throw a single touchdown, he still had a tremendous game that allowed his team to be in the proper position to win the game, taking them to the Ultimus. Mike Boss threw for 469 yards with 32 completions on 51 attempts for a 62.7% completion percentage. The main argument you could make against Boss being the Most Valuable Player of this game is that he did not throw any touchdowns, thus not directly contributing to the win in this game. However, one can massively impact a game without throwing a touchdown. What Boss did was get his team into the right field position to make things happen. The amount of yards that he had is enough to make up for the fact that he did not throw a touchdown. As you can see, there is a very strong argument to be made for Mike Boss as MVP of the ASFC. Even without directly impacting the game with a touchdown, he made the biggest impact on this game. The MVP of the actual league also deserves to be the MVP of the ASFC Championship Game.
Unsung Hero:Who was the unsung hero of the playoffs, convince us. (Can be completed after the Ultimus game)
The Unsung Hero of the Season 4 NSFL Playoffs is Orange County Otters Running Back Leroy Jenkins. Looking at the box score of the ASFC championship game, you may notice that Mike Boss had a tremendous performance in terms of yards. However, there was only one Offensive touchdown for the Orange County Otters, and that was in the 4th quarter. Down by one point, with time winding down, the Otters needed a score. One would assume that they allow their MVP Quarterback Mike Boss, who had been playing tremendously, throw it to one of their many amazing Wide Receivers, such as Robert Phelps or Bradley Westfield. Well you know who else was probably thinking that? The Arizona Outlaws. This allowed Boss to step back in the pocket, and then hand it off to the soon to be retired Jenkins. Jenkins took it in for a score, giving the Otters a 5 point lead that they would hold for the rest of the game. Without this, the Outlaws would have headed to the Ultimus, and we may have seen the dreaded 4-peat. Instead, Jenkins was able to get the touchdown, get a ring, and ride off into the sunset with a championship.
(S4) - Ultimus Week - AsylumParty - 12-05-2017
Playoff Series MVP: Choose an MVP for one of the playoff series and write about why you chose them. Must be completed after the playoff series you write about
King Bronko was an absolute warrior in the Conference game between the Arizona Outlaws and the Orange County Otters tonight. First of all, rest in piece, my hearts out to his family because he got killed tonight sacked at least five time before the game was invalidated and replayed due to players being I'll prepared across both teams.
Despite this crippling onslaught suffered at the hands of the Orange County front seven, he managed several huge plays to his wide receivers Josh Garden and Dustin Evans, even including C. A. Chess in on the party. Unfortunately it was not enough to win the night, but I just have to believe he was the most valuable player out there tonight.
In fact, he has made significant progress since his season 2 QB debut when he was stuck throwing to the (at the time) rookie Evans, and locker room nightmare, Mayran Jackson. Dustin was dropping half the balls tossed his way, while Jackson the diva complained about everything that didn't go his way. It made chemistry hard to facilitate without a doubt. When there's a lack of chemistry, there's a lack of progress. It truly is a wonder they won the Ultimus season 2 despite having such a constant negative presence on their team bringing everyone down.
That Magic Moment: Pick one moment from a playoff game and describe what made it so amazing to watch. (Must be completed after the game you write about)
We interviewed Dustin Evans after the game to gather his thoughts on how it went overall and we were pleasantly surprised at how available he made himself. When asked about what was going through his mind at half time, up by a point, having put up 106 yards on 2 catches and having one of the longest receptions in nsfl history. While it crossed his mind, it didn't linger long. He was far too tired to think clearly, especially with head coach Cowher shouting at him to pay attention to 2nd half scripting.
Preparation, Evans said, was always very methodical and calculated. They weren't just selecting out of a hat, it was like a game of chess. Basing your next moves off of the opponents preview moves and using them to imagine how they might react to your own plays. Even further so, you had to imagine how they would plan for you. Knowing how deep to go was difficult, but coach Cowher was very good at it. Unfortunately the famed defense couldn't hold up all game giving up a fourth quarter touchdown which would be the nail in the coffin as the Arizona Outlaws attempted to formulate a game saving drive only to be shut down by the Otters newly stout defense.
Root for the Underdog: Pick an away team in an upcoming game and try to convince yourself (and us) why they can win. (Must be completed before the playoff series you write about)
I'd say that the Wraiths would have to be the underdogs in the upcoming championship game. It would in fact be their first ever opportunity to compete for one. While that is also true of the Orange County Otters, they have consistently been much, much closer. They have nearly defeated the Outlaws numerous times before.
Why, though, is it possible that the Wraiths will be coming out the victors in this contest? First of all, we saw, tonight, the first ever road win in the National Simulation Football League. Why not Wednesday, again? And remind me, what happened the last time that these two teams met. Well, the Orange County Otters fell 20-17 under the crushing weight of the Otters surprisingly stout defense and just potent enough passing attack. Bailey Cook isn't unstoppable, but it sure seems that way sometimes and he should have a field day against the Otters porous secondary.
Furthermore, who is in the wraiths backfield? Oh, of course, Bubba NUCK. For the first two seasons he was widely considered the number one running back, falling behind a couple others in past years, but still very scary and tough to stop. At the very least, this Otters team will need to respect the run unable to drop extra help into coverage. Unless that is, they don't mind Bubba tearing them up underneath.
Matchup Nightmares: Pick an offensive and defensive player who will be going up against each other and why it will be a nightmare for one of them. (Must be completed before the playoff series you write about)
While it's very very possible that the Orange County Otters take home the Ultimus trophy this year, I see a very rough game ahead for one man in particular. Bailey Cook will be lining up against someone. Who? I'm not sure. If it's Dominic Verns, rest in piece. If it's Marc Spector, have fun exploring that all game. They seem to be the best that Orange County has to offer when it comes to stopping the pass and if only they could shore up that awful pass defense, they'd be perhaps the scariest defense since season 2 Arizona Outlaws!
Let's say for arguments sake that it's Verns that pulls the short straw though. After accumulating nearly 1300 yards this season, I'd say it'll be a fair challenge for any defense wanting to stop Bailey Cook, but especially for Verns who was beaten for a touchdown the last time these two faced off. Even if, though, Verns manages to hold Bailey Cook to just a few catches, they're expending their best option and the wraiths can and will absolutely exploit that. I do not expect cook to be stoppable this game though. Whether the wraiths win or not, I expect the Orange County Otters to be taking a long hard look at their secondary this coming season.
(S4) - Ultimus Week - ADwyer87 - 12-05-2017
(12-03-2017, 11:10 PM)Kendrick Wrote:and their General Manager is pretty much the second coming of Honey Boo Boo.come now, I know im not exactly in beach body form but I'm not THAT overweight
(S4) - Ultimus Week - Raven - 12-05-2017
Quote:Robbed: Write about why a team that failed to make the playoffs should have over somebody else. Can be completed at any point
Robbed, ab so fuckin lutely robbed from playoff football. That's all I can say about the Hawks of Baltimore, the lads in white and black. One might argue that their slump in the second half of the season was their own fault, but on the other side, ya gotta look at the robbery of things. The Hawks placed first in the NSFC two years in a row and won both of their NSFC playoff matchups. So to see them suddenly drop the 3rd like this is downright shocking and this all comes down to one game in particular. The game the playoffs were robbed away from the Hawks.
Week 10 at the Colorado Yetis. What should have been a mandatory win ended up being the Hawks shooting themselfs in the foot. This game gave the Yeti's their only win of the season. However you might also want to blame the Hawks for the week 14 lose to the Philadelphia Liberty. This was the game that should have been won. The hawks up 7-6 in standing and the Liberty down 6-7. They just had to win this match up. However Liberty won and with them both being 7-7, the liberty also won the tiebreaker. This was not the Hawks year to compete it seems. Hopefully they can bounce back again next season.
Quote:Hate the player or the game: Tell us which team made the playoffs and shouldn't have, or which team didn't and should have? (Can be completed at any point)
While the Hawks got robbed of playoff contention on one side of the conference. The other conference also saw a tiebreaker. The Orange County Otters and the San Jose Sabercats both saw their season end with a 9 - 5 record. However due to the tiebreaker rules the Otters were saved and they could go and enjoy their 4th trip to the conference finals.
I`m honestly not even sure who you have to suck off to win the tiebreakers in this league, but it seems the Otters do know. The Cats and Otters both had the same home record, away record, conf and div record. Actually you know what, I think I just found what gives you the tiebreaker. The Otters scored way more points and had way less points against.
However I still believe the Saberkitties were robbed of playoff contention. They have a great year and it's always fun to see some other teams in the playoffs from time to time. I think the Kitties are on a good path towards placing for the playoffs though. I could see them making it next year, probably beating out the otters that year. However the Otters are still a killer team, who even beat the Outlaws in their own arena this playoff series. I believe the acfc will be one tight ass division next year.
Quote:Root for the Underdog: Pick an away team in an upcoming game and try to convince yourself (and us) why they can win. (Must be completed before the playoff series you write about
Right so after the Otters win against the Outlaws, I bet a majority of the league agrees the Otters will probably win it all. As the Outlaws were the team to beat this season. They had a 12-2 record, home advantage throught out the playoffs.
Now the Otters have beat them and will enjoy home field advantage in the match up against the Wraiths. The Wraiths beat the Liberty in an extremely tight playoff game that was tied 10-10 until early in the fourth quarter of the game. The Wraiths also had to make a come back multiple times. They tied the game back up after Harris scored a field goal early in the first quarter, with a field goal of their own in the second. The liberty then recorded a touchdown in the third, which the Wraiths quickly answered with a touch down of their own.
Now you might say hey that game wasn't too impressive from the Wraiths side was it now? They had home advantage and had they trailed several times and yes you would be right to say that.
But you know what. The Yellowknife Wraiths have those ice cold nerves, they don't know fear. They have good rushing and solid receivers. Also yellow is a way better colour than orange truely.
Quote:That Magic Moment: Pick one moment from a playoff game and describe what made it so amazing to watch. (Must be completed after the game you write about)
Right so I were to ask you. "Hey did you see that super duper awesome amazing moment during the Orange County Otters vs Arizona Outlaws game?". You would probably say something along the lines of. "Yeah fuck yeah I did bud".
So you know I`m talking about the amazing 2 yard run made by Leroy Jenkins to elevate the Otters score about that of the Outlaws. From a 16-17 trail to a 22-17 lead. Let me tell you why this moment was so fucking amazing to watch right. So the mad man Boss throws a pass to O' Sullivan who run for 8 yards. So now they are only 2 freakin yards away from the end zone. That shit is absolutely hype! They do the scrum and the scrum man says the typical scrum guy things like "45, 23. 45, 23.. HIKE!" and throws the ball to Boss. Then the absolute legend Boss doesn't throw the ball right. He just hold it out and Leeeeeeeeeeroy Fuckin Jenkins comes running from beside him right and grabs the ball.
I swear the following 2 yards felt like a slowmotion dream sequence. We see plays from the Outlaws trying to block and tackle Jenkins. We see Otter plays protecting Jenkins the best they can. Jenkins is lifting his legs and moving them down in a running like motion. The ball tucked securely under his arm. One arm swinging around. 1.5 yards... No ones going to stop this man! 1 yard to go. HE'S GOING TO DO IT. 0.5 yards OH NO AN OUTLAW PLAYER HAS BROKEN LOSE AND IS GOING FOR THE TACKLE. 0.1 yards to go.. OOH HE CAN'T GET GOOD CONNECTION. *touchdown* LEROY JENKINS HAS SCORED A TOUCHDOWN FOR THE OTTERS FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY AREA. HOLY MACKREL. Good job Jenkins!
(S4) - Ultimus Week - The_Hero - 12-05-2017
Playoff predictions
Coming up first in the Dsfl playoffs is the Norfolk Sea Wolves versus the Portland Pythons. This match up will be a great game with Portlands number 1 offense I expect to see a lot of yards from the rookie wide receiver John Wacther. In the end I'm going to have to give this game to Portland, with the Pythons excellent record combined with home field advantage. Norfolk will still put up a good fight but I predict the game to end 24-17 Pythons by the end of it. Next up we look to the east as the Tijuana Luchadores go up against the San Antonio Marshals. This will be the event of the night for sure. Tijuana started the season 0-5 looking to be dead last in the league went on a seven game win streak! San Antonio unfortunately had a bit of a lack luster season. Boosting the number 1 defense their quarter back Draxel has proven to be a liability with the most interceptions out of every quarterback in the league. This game is going to be tough for both teams as San Antonio has struggled against Tijuana however the Marshals were able to get home field advantage for the playoffs. In the end I think it will be a very tight game with San Antonio squeaking out the win 7-6 over the Tijuana Luchadores.
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Root for the underdogs
In this write up I'll be trying to convince myself that the Norfolk Sea Wolves can beat the Portland Pythons in the playoffs. It's no secret that Portland Pythons has the number 1 offense and a huge contributing factor to that offense is the passing game. Portland has over three thousand yards in the passing game! It will be absolutely vital for the Norfolk Sea Wolves to do their best to shut down this passing game. If any team has a shot at doing just that I believe (Or choose to believe) that team is Norfolk. The Sea Wolves currently lead the league in pass deflections and are currently second in interceptions right behind Tijuana by only one less interception. Obviously Norfolk has a strong pass defense but the question is is it good enough to stop the best passing offense in the league? I think this game will come down to the general managers and their choice of strategy for these games. I think if Norfolk's General manager chooses the right strategy to counter Portland's choice they will have a real shot at beating the Pythons. I'm not sure if I've truly convinced me (Or you dear reader.) That Norfolk has a real chance but no matter what happens I believe it will be an entertaining game!
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Unsung hero
The unsung hero of the Dsfl playoffs is someone you most likely wouldn't expect. Often referred to (Mostly by me) as "More of a liability than an assest." Despite his team losing in the championship this individual preformed exceptionally well and as a person who has been hardest on him I figured I would throw some recognition his way. That play is the San Antonio Marshals quarterback, V. Draxel. Draxel has been known for his extremely high rate of interceptions and incompletes. In fact most of his interceptions have been at crucial moments in games leading to loses for his team. However the playoff game against the Tijuana Luchedores was different. Draxel honed in his abilities and didn't throw a single interception! San Antonio did have one interception but that was actually thrown by the back up quarterback Rasheed and therefore I won't count that against Draxel. However it wasn't just a lack of interceptions that I will give him credit for though. Draxel threw nineteen completions out of twenty eight attempts! For over two hundred yards! For these stats I choose V. Draxel as the unsung hero of the playoffs despite the lose against the Portland Pythons in the championship.
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Playoff series MVP
I will be writing about the playoff game of The Portland Pythons versus the Norfolk Sea Wolves. I had a tough time deciding between Carlito Crush the Pythons tight end or John Wachter their wide receiver. First let's look at the stats, Carlito Crush had seven receptions for a total of fifty seven yards. He rocked a very very respectable 8.1 yards per reception. Carlito was also able to score one touchdown. Now flipping over to John Wachter, he had only four receptions three less than Crush. However he got ninety yards! Wacther was able to get more than twenty two yards per reception! He however scored no touchdowns but Portland has run Carlito Crush as their red zone threat all year so I won't hold that against Wachter. Picking a most valuable player between these two outstanding players was tough. Carlito had more presence on the field with three extra catches but every time Wachter touched the ball he gained twenty yards or so every time. At the end of the day if I had two most valuable player awards to give out I would give both of these guys one. However having only one I will have to give it to John Wachter. Carlito Crush was very close however because Wachter was able to gain so many yards with only four catches I think Wachter deserves that reward.
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(S4) - Ultimus Week - Bzerkap - 12-05-2017
Written Points
Playoff Series MVP: Choose an MVP for one of the playoff series and write about why you chose them. Must be completed after the playoff series you write about
When the Wraiths took on the Liberty at home it was the first time the Wraiths had hosted a playoff game and the third time they made the playoffs. It was the second time the Liberty had made the playoffs. Neither team had advanced past the first round before, so league history was going to be made. I believe the MVP should be awarded to the player that had the biggest impact on the outcome of the game for the winning team.
With that being stated I have two MVPs for the Glacies Championship, Eric Kennedy and Bubba Nuck. A quick run down of their statistics gives us 40 rushes for 144 yards with a long of 12 yards, and 6 catches for 38 yards with a long of 16 yards. The Wraiths came into this game going up against two powerhouse cornerbacks in Kevin Cushing and Tyler Oles, so ball control and field position would be the two keys to a Wraiths victory. Kennedy and Nuck allowed for that exact game plan to take place and it worked really well. Neither broke off a massive run but plodded along, churning clock and slowly gaining yards. This allowed Akselsen to throw a short touchdown pass to Askins close to the endzone. It was also on display at the end of the game when the Wraiths recovered a Kieran O'Connell fumble in the 4th quarter, and Nuck and Kennedy both rushed for two first downs and milking three and a half minutes off the clock to help close out the game.
Root for the Underdog: Pick an away team in an upcoming game and try to convince yourself (and us) why they can win. (Must be completed before the playoff series you write about)
I think it's pretty obvious that the Wraiths can beat the Otters in the Ultimus. I mean, they've already done it once.
The Otters do have an insane advantage though with two extremely talented WRs in Bradley Westfield and Robert Phelps. Not to mention they are thrown to by reigning, and likely two-time, league MVP Mike Boss. Nobody throws it more than the Otters and nobody throws it more effectively. It will be a huge challenge for the Wraiths cornerbacks to contain them and limit their success, but then they have rookie sensation Stephen O'Sullivan at TE to pick up the first downs. Their running backs are decent, but utilized effectively on the goal line. Their defense is actually very strong with several dynamic players, Winchester, Bavitz, Spector, Clegane, etc. They can make a huge difference to an offense's attack.
So how would the Wraiths beat them? Limiting the field of play, keeping the ball in front of them and not allowing huge plays are a start. With the super-mobile Mat Akselsen at QB the Wraiths give up the fewest sacks per game by far and are in the bottom half of the league with interceptions thrown. They have also only had eight fumbles forced with only four lost against them, which seems fairly high. None of those fumbles were forced against the Otters. So a ball control, plodding offense seems a safe bet to shorten the game, minimize mistakes and lower the score, giving the Wraiths a good chance to win.
How can the defense help? Well the defense hasn't been the best at 4th in the league in points given up, however they are best in the league in yardage. Indicating that they probably shut down most offense other than a few big plays that get away from them for scores. A soft shell zone limiting the big strike ability of Boss should help here. Also, all-star safety Clee Hardrool has been roaming the backfield and taking back picks to the house at a league best rate. Boss has been known to throw picks in his time, so this could be a source of points if the offense is unable to score a lot.
That is how the Wraiths can beat the Otters. That plus praying to the sim gods.
Sit-down with a star:Interview a player from a team that is not your own that is in the playoffs. You must ask them four questions and at least three must relate to the league in some way. YOU MUST POST THE QUESTIONS AND THEIR ANSWERS FOR CREDIT. (Can be completed at any point)
Interview with Arbin Asipi (@DeathOnReddit)
How does it feel to be knocked out of the playoffs for the first time in your career?
How does it feel to actually win a playoff game for the first time in your career? it fucking sucks thats what it feels like. though im sure the rest of you losers know what it feels like, losing every year. To be honest I still wake up every day expecting to get ready for the ultimus game. it was very quiet in the locker room after the game. It sucks to be on the receiving end of a playoff loss. Theres not much else I can say besides it sucks. Now i know what you bums feel like after the season.
Was Asipi’s performance in the Solis up to your standards?
My performance is never up to my standards. My best ever game? I look at it like I played shitty. If I played up to my standards I would never have won 3 ultimus championships, in a row might I remind you. its probably why the rest of you kept losing to be honest. You probably thought you were good enough, and never strived to push yourselves like the outlaws did. The day I play up to my standards is the last day I will play in the NSFL. And let me tell you, if I retire you know why.
After this first defeat will you still stay an outlaw forever?
Will I stay an outlaws forever? What kind of question is that? Of course I will stay an outlaw forever. I thought that when I signed that minimum contract after season two it would show that I will never leave. At least on my own accord. But I dont think the gm will ever trade me, he must know how loyal I am to the team. And that loyalty is paid back to me with the respect he has shown me and the championships we have won.
Arizona is rumored to be retooling for a later run at the Ultimus. Do you believe you will be traded away or are you in their plans?
I believe I will stay in their plans. My teamwork and skill is invaluable, and they won't be able to find it anywhere else.
Sit-down with a fan:Answer questions for an interview from a player that is not your own. You must answer at least four questions and at least three must relate to the league in some way. Link to the interviewers PT to receive credit. NOTE: THEY MUST POST THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FOR YOU TO GET CREDIT. (Can be completed at any point)
DeathOnReddit interviewed me
(S4) - Ultimus Week - ExemplaryChad - 12-05-2017
Sit-down with a fan: Answer questions for an interview from a player that is not your own. You must answer at least four questions and at least three must relate to the league in some way. Link to the interviewers PT to receive credit. NOTE: THEY MUST POST THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FOR YOU TO GET CREDIT.
My Q&A
@7hawk77 Dan Miller
1. How do you feel about the way the playoff picture came about, with you guys narrowly missing the postseason?
I feel alright about it. It would have been great to make the playoffs, but honestly I don't think we we're positioned to make an ultimus run this year. This is the first year we've had a positive record so that feels great. On the other hand, being tied to get knocked out kinda stings. Bittersweet really.
2. Last year was a pretty record-setting year for you. How did this season compare?
I'd say pretty well. Last year Offensive lines we're complete garbage. They figured out a better way to get a lot of OL talent so things have been a bit more challenging this year. As far as stat records, I have the most sacks (16) for any defensive lineman. I was 2 away from having the overall record in the league. Beating Jayce Tuck in sacks felt great. However he's still an amazing player. He had 16 tackles for loss this year and I only had 1. If running backs weren't so scared to run on the inside against my team, it would be a different story. *Dan laughs*
3. How do you think the role of DT had evolved over your time in the league?
At first it was a race to the ball carrier. Now you actually have to shake off blockers and are much less likely to make big plays. There is definitely more going on in the trenches than when the league first started. Some of that doesn't even result in stats.
4. I know you play a lot of WoW. What draws you into the game? What race and class do you play?
(This is in character; I indicated I played the game when I wrote a PT about doing a celebrity commercial for the game.)
I was drawn to the game because my older brother played and showed it to me. I first rolled a troll priest to heal his orc warrior. Since then I've mostly played trolls, but I dabble in mage, druid, priest and rogue.
Word count: 355
Hate the player or the game: Tell us which team made the playoffs and shouldn't have, or which team didn't and should have?
It’s a shame that the Sabercats couldn’t sneak into the playoffs. According to the rules, they were kept out, fair and square. I don’t blame any weird rule stipulations on their missing out. It was 100 percent down to their own play. And yet, it would have been so cool to watch their cinderella story.
This is a team that has never made the playoffs before. They’ve never even had a winning record until this year. But now, after some bold moves in free agency and a couple of draftees coming into their own, they had a real shot at making a run for the Ultimus. They were really only a few points scored from edging out the Otters for a spot.
This season, Orosz played lights out, as we’ve come to expect from him. And the defense has been anchored by some strong line play out of Calkewlated Chambers III, who vastly improved from last season, and especially Dan Miller. He kept up with his frenzied pace from last year and amassed the most sacks in the league, even beating out GOAT Jayce Tuck. The Sabercats weren’t cheated out of a playoff spot any more than any other team who didn’t make it, but it would have been nice to see them get a shot.
Word count: 216
Root for the Underdog: Pick an away team in an upcoming game and try to convince yourself (and us) why they can win.
In the Wraiths vs. Otters matchup, anything -- almost literally anything -- could happen. In a world where the Outlaws don’t even make the Ultimus final, nothing can be sure about the football world. Up is down; left is right; black is white. Nothing makes sense anymore.
So why couldn’t the Wraiths, whom no one expected to even make the playoffs this year, defeat the Otters, the perennial second-place team in the league? I mean, it’s a fantastic feat that the Otters pulled to knock off the three-time reigning champion Outlaws, but that certainly doesn’t make them unbeatable. In fact, their defense leaves a lot to be desired, and the Wraiths could be just poised to take advantage of that weakness. Akselson has stopped being a turnover machine like he was early in the season. Overall, the Wraiths have just been playing good football. Of course, Mike Boss is still Mike Boss, and he’s capable of throwing a hundred touchdowns in a game. But will that be enough to overcome what the Wraiths are going to throw at them? It’s honestly anyone’s guess.
We’ve all spent so much time wondering who was going to finally challenge Arizona that we’ve forgotten to consider other matchups. Does anyone even know how these two teams compared in their head-to-head matchup this year? Without looking in the Index? I’ll bet you don’t. Neither do I. So really, all I’m saying is, in this topsy-turvy world of unexpected results, who knows anything?
Word count: 245
Unsung Hero: Who was the unsung hero of the playoffs, convince us.
I’d like to give credit this year to a whole unit of unsung heroes: the new offensive line bots. Years prior, but particularly last year, offensive lines were just getting destroyed by the likes of Jayce Tuck and his ilk. Sack numbers were off the charts, and run averages were embarrassingly low. While we haven’t seen the running games throughout the league make huge gains, there are certainly gains that have been made.
Passing games, on the other hand, have gone through the roof. From sack totals in the thirties for individual players down to single digits: that makes quarterbacks feel a hell of a lot more comfortable taking shots down the field. Word is that the bots are only going to get better next year, though they will also be more expensive. Not only will this make 500+ TPE players have to work a little harder to get those gaudy numbers; it will also allow for more diversity of strategy along the line. Teams will start getting one or two top tier bots instead of a line made up of essentially the same player. Where will they put them? And where will the defensive linemen be moved in order to take full advantage of their skillsets?
Word count: 207
(S4) - Ultimus Week - PDXBaller - 12-05-2017
1) Robbed: Write about why a team that failed to make the playoffs should have over somebody else.
If San Jose were in the NSFC conference, they would be the top team in that division and it’s a shame that they failed to make the playoffs given their respectable 9-5 record. Having tied for second in the ASFC and losing the tie breaker of points for and points against to Orange County, the San Jose Sabercats are still a formidable organization and the team should be posed to take over the ASFC next season. Simply put, the two conference format does not favor the league given the low number of teams that are in the conferences and the fact that every team plays every other team twice a season. They should have made the playoffs this year with a top 3 offense and defense in the league having only lost at home twice times (once to Arizona and once to Baltimore) and stood their ground with the Orange County Otters splitting games against them on the road and at home. It is heartbreaking to see a team with an elite quarterback in Chris Orosz and one of the best defensive players in Dan Miller, Vincent Sharpei, and Jabrill Lee just sit at home watching the ASFC championship game.
2) Sit-down with a star:
Interview with @ErMurazor
You went from ending the season 3 regular season with 32 sacks to 7 in season 4. What factors do you think contributed in your drastic decline in stats on defense?
Man, I was just so good that league has to implement some new rules to keep me down. Obviously the league says that the changes were made for player safety and things like that but in reality I think that the head office knows that the fans like to see quarter backs make big throws and score touch downs. Defensive players were preventing that from happening and costing the league money. I think they made a business decision.
What are you looking forward to next season?
I’m looking most forward to the off season! This will be the longest vacation I’ve had during my professional career and I look forward to taking some time to relax and let my body heal. I hope to get some traveling in and meeting some beautiful ladies along the way.
What's the outlook for the Arizona Outlaws?
The Arizona Outlaws are still one of the best teams in the league. Obviously we have some young talent on the defensive side of the ball but I think those guys are just going to get better. We’ve got two of the youngest corners in the league but they’re the first guys in and last ones out. The Outlaws have also gone through a GM chance and I think it is going to reinvigorate the organization to keep up their strive for excellence.
Where do you see yourself in a few seasons? Still a member of the Outlaws? On another team or retirement?
It is hard to see where I will be in a few seasons but I don’t think it’ll be the retirement home. I didn’t get where I was today without a love for the game. I plan to play in this league as long as I can find a spot on a roster that gets me some playing time.
3) Sit-down with a fan: Answered questions for ErMurazor
4) Championship Game Recap
In a surprising turn of events, the Orange County Otters unseated the Arizona Outlaws for the first time in the ASFC playoffs. They wrote their ticket back home to Orange County in impressive fashion by defeating the Outlaws 27-9 and this was the first time the Arizona Outlaws did not make the Ultimus game since the league’s inception. The Otters would end up beating the upstart Yellowknife Wraiths to clinch their first Ultimus victory with a score of 30-23. The best play of the game was in the third quarter with the score being 20-13 Otters. Yellowknife had just scored an impressive 37 yard field goal and put the game within one score. Mike Boss and the Otters crew scored one of the fastest touchdown drives in NSFL history. He threw a 17 yard pass to Robert Phelps, a 10 yard pass to Julian O’Sullivan, and another 7 yard pass to O’Sullivan. At the Yellowknife 22, Mike Boss threw a beautiful 22 yard pass to Phelps to score the touchdown and put the Otters back up 27-13 in a matter of minutes. The Otters offense has proven to be the best in the past few seasons and their strength was on full display in this game winning drive. From that point on, Yellowknife scored a touchdown, but ran out of steam in the fourth quarter as the Otters defense held up their end to shut down the game.