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+---- Thread: (S12) - Ultimus Week (/showthread.php?tid=11569)
(S12) - Ultimus Week - AW13 - 01-14-2019
Hello and Welcome to Ultimus Week in the NSFL! I am sorry for the delay on getting this out now as my internet went down last night! You will have ten days to complete the Ultimus Week point task so the deadline will be January 24th, 2019 11:59PM PST.
We will be doing things a little differently this season, but that just means there are a few different tasks and more ways to potentially earn some TPE this year!
CHOOSE 4 TASKS, EACH WILL BE REWARDED 2.5 TPE FOR COMPLETION FOR A MAXIMUM OF 10 TPE
KEEP IN MIND:
1) Written tasks must be at least 200 words (No exceptions).
2) You can do any option for any task, they can be a mix, but please only do each task once.
3) Only submit one post in this thread.
4) Graphics must be more than text on an image, it is Ultimus week, show Ultimus effort.
5) This year will see the addition of podcast options, please stay on topic for the task, make sure to include 5 minutes of talk on the task you are working with.
6) You may use a PBE PT for credit for a task here, you may use this as credit for PBE PT also.
7) Same applies to SHL, SHL PT for one task here, use this for PT credit in SHL also.
8) GOMHL will have the same applied for media there and Ultimus can be used for media points there.
9) IMPORTANT: ONLY 2 AFFILIATED PTs WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR CREDIT. PBE/SHL, PBE/GOMHL, SHL,GOMHL, but not PBE/SHL/GOMHL.
10) These tasks can be written about the NSFL or DSFL playoffs.
1) IT IS OUR TIME THIS (NEXT) YEAR - Can be completed anytime
Written: Write 200 words on your team and either why they should be looked at as Ultimus champions this season, or if your team has been eliminated, next year, or the year after for those non-believers.
Graphics: Create a statistical summary of what improvements your team has made from the previous year or why your team was better than their record.
Podcast: Talk for 5 minutes about the improvements that your team needs to make for the next season, whether it is continuing success or building up.
2) SPOTLIGHT ON THE YOUTH - Can be completed anytime
Written: Write 200 words on one of the players in this year's Ultimus Week that are Season 10 or newer and spotlight on how they can affect this year's Ultimus. (Or have affected)
Graphics: Create a graphic of a Season 10 or newer player with a statistical breakdown on their season.
Podcast: Talk for 5 minutes on a Season 10 or newer player and highlight how they will affect this year's ultimus playoffs (Or have affected)
3) PRE-GAME or...POST-GAME - Can be completed before or after based on choice.
Written: Write a 200-word preview or review on one of the Conference Championship Games or Ultimus Games.
Graphics: Create a graphic featuring strengths or weaknesses of two teams facing off or if post-game, create a detailed box score featuring stand-out performances, team leaders, etc.
Podcast: Talk for 5 minutes and do a preview or review on one of the Conference Championship Games or Ultimus Games.
4) QUARTERBACK MATCHUP - Can be completed anytime
Written: Write 200 words on one of the QB matchups in this year's playoffs. What are you most excited to see (Or excited to have seen), who will play better (Or who played better), etc.
Graphic: Create a graphic on a QB matchup, (Pictures with side-by-side statistics).
Podcast: Talk for 5 minutes on one of the QB matchups in this year's playoffs. What are you most excited to see (Or excited to have seen), who will play better (Or who played better), etc.
5) ENEMIES HAPPEN - Can be completed anytime.
Written: Not everyone loves each other, write 200 words on an opposing player or player in this year's Ultimus playoffs about how they will struggle, why do you want them to lose? (Don't be too mean).
Graphic: Create a graphic of a player showing maybe they are overrated, or a statistical prediction of what they will do in the game.
Podcast: Call that player out, talk for 5 minutes about that player and why they will struggle or about how they were the reason their team lost. (Not the user...the player)
THE FOLLOWING TASKS WILL BE CARRYOVERS FROM PREVIOUS ULTIMUS WEEK, FOR ALL WRITTEN TASKS, YOU MAY INCLUDE A PODCAST OPTION OF 5 MINUTES.
WRITTEN/PODCAST OPTIONS:
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)
Going to Disneyland!:Who was the Ultimus MVP? Give us a rundown of their celebratory trip to Disneyland. (Can be completed after the Ultimus game)
Unsung Hero:Who was the unsung hero of the playoffs, convince us. (Can be completed after the Ultimus game)
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)
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)
GRAPHICS OPTIONS:
Championship Banner: Make a banner featuring the champions of the league (can be NSFL or DSFL) in the same style as the current banner featured at the top of the NSFL site. This can feature the team celebrating their trophy, or just a few key players that helped the team win the league. Must be completed after the Championship Game
That Magic Moment: Show one of the most exciting points in a game. (Must be completed after the game you write about )
Going to Disneyland!:Pick an MVP of the Ultimus game and create a billboard showing their trip to Disneyland. (Can be completed after the Ultimus game)
Unsung Hero:Create a billboard for the unsung hero of the playoffs. (Can be completed after the Ultimus game)
Old Faces, New Places:Create a graphic for a player who changed teams during free agency this past offseason and made the playoffs. Show how they've changed on their new team or what kind of impact they made for their new team. (Can be completed at any time)
As always have fun with it and please let me know if you like the new additional tasks this season. With the timing, I tried to make everything available pre or post-game for convenience.
(S12) - Ultimus Week - AW13 - 01-14-2019
first?
1. PBE PT
2. SHL PT
(S12) - Ultimus Week - AsylumParty - 01-14-2019
1) IT IS OUR TIME THIS (NEXT) YEAR - Can be completed anytime
Written: Write 200 words on your team and either why they should be looked at as Ultimus champions this season, or if your team has been eliminated, next year, or the year after for those non-believers.
Come S13 I think it's safe to bet on the Luchadores. And no, I'm not insisting so solely because of the sheer consistency they've shown regarding the matter (6 straight). Rather, new GMs Payton and Ben, both Tijuana alumni, are no little leaguers when it comes to leadership and success. Both are also NOLA alumni during their rising stage from the Las Vegas disaster - not just into playoff contenders but into Ultimus winners. They both know what it takes to succeed in this league and that eye for talent will be crucial when it comes time for their revenge game against the Marshalls next year (who probably shouldn't have won this year in the first place).
Top cornerback in the DSFL, Spencer Castle, will be leaving following the upcoming NSFL draft which will no doubt hurt, but I think with Corvo Havran behind the wheel now, rather than professional sabotager Andreas Metaxis, they're poised to return for yet another Ultimini championship.
On top of everything, I think with two new GMs coming in, regardless of who they are, it compels a team to put in that much more effort when it comes to testing, updating, spending points intelligently, and so forth. I for one know that if I had to follow up two legendary GMs I would be working double time.
3) PRE-GAME or...POST-GAME - Can be completed before or after based on choice.
The SFC conference game hosted by the Tijuana Luchadores was an absolute let down. Not because I'm biased (I definitely am), but because the potential of this Tijuana Luchadores' defense was just entirely absent. Not necessarily in the realm of pass defense. In fact, only allowing a total of 13 points isn't that bad overall, but San Antonio's running game had no problems carving out holes for Tyler Swift to eat yards one run after another. With a quarterback like Andreas Metaxas who needs as many opportunities as possible to score, you absolutely cannot count on points when you can't get the Marshall's off the field.
Speaking of getting their offense off the field, you know what that means right? Their defense had all day to rest up on the benches to perform against one of the least effective offenses in the league. I'll take that all day if I'm the Marshalls. And it really was reflected by the scoreboard - the final score being 13-7, in favor of, in my opinion, the worse team. But I suppose that's what it's all about isn't it? Showing up week in week out and playing consistent football. Perhaps if you can't count on even your league best defense to do that you shouldn't be in the playoffs.
5) ENEMIES HAPPEN - Can be completed anytime.
Written: Not everyone loves each other, write 200 words on an opposing player or player in this year's Ultimus playoffs about how they will struggle, why do you want them to lose? (Don't be too mean).
There's been talk, as there always has been, and there always will be, about the draft long before the time arrives. Most coaches and agents like to tell their players not to pay attention, but really, curiosity kills the cat nine times out of ten. In Spencer Castle's case, he's a proud guy and sometimes it gets to him, especially so when the media gets ahold of a story that lights a fire underneath that gasoline. Specifically, in this case, I'm referring to the widespread notion that cornerback Johny Snuggles not be a Baltimore lock in the second round, he could very well propel himself to the top of the first round. That's a money spot for Castle, and he knows what he wants to spend that first overall pick bonus on.
Not to get too far off topic, after spending a bit of time with him off the field I've come to learn that he's hoping to see Snuggles fall down the draft board after (hopefully) under-performing in the Ultimini game.
Now to get realistic, do I feel like this could happen? Absolutely it could, any given sunday, right, but the likelihood isn't there for me. Snuggles has been an above average defensive back all year long, very consistent, and heading into the Ultimini he's got a great offense at his back to let him rest up as they extend drives. Not to mention the great coaching staff and GMs at his back, I just don't see a quarterback like Wozy who has been incredibly average this year embarrassing a corner like Snuggles out of his 1st overall slot, should the Wraiths decide that's their man.
WRITTEN/PODCAST OPTIONS:
Unsung Hero:Who was the unsung hero of the playoffs, convince us. (Can be completed after the Ultimus game)
While he wasn't and still isn't necessarily unsung, I feel this guy is getting far less credit than he deserves. Possibly even from me. Earlier I blamed the Tijuana defense, specifically their interior line, for not stepping up to the plate in the conference finals vs Tyler Swift, self proclaimed number one fan of Taylor Swift. I think anyone that watched that game knows exactly what I'm talking about, but for those living under a rock, let us review the box score.
First thing I notice is that Metaxas, the not so great quarterback of the Luchadores, played...not too bad. At least, not as bad as he has the potential to perform. He finished with a qb rating of 90 and 1 td to no interceptions. Opposing quarterback Wozy, however, was handily shutdown by the Lucha's stout passing defense. He threw for no touchdowns and an interception, ending the day with a 48.8 qb rating. Where San Antonio REALLY shined was their running game, as I mentioned. Not just Bayley either, but he was their leading rusher for the day with 125 yards coming on 23 attempts for a stellar 5.3 yards per carry. Boija, the backup, actually had a slightly higher ypc at 5.5, however a lower total at only 119 yards. No matter how you look at it though, two things happened: one, the Lucha run D snoozed their alarm clocks, two, the Marshall's RBBC showed up in full force that day. I have full confidence Bayley propelled them to a victory and to the Ultimini.
(S12) - Ultimus Week - Bwestfield - 01-14-2019
IT IS OUR TIME THIS (NEXT) YEAR - Can be completed anytime
The Colorado Yeti on paper definitely took a step back this season. Whether or not they made the playoffs all came down to one game which they were unable to take advantage of. The Philadelphia Liberty were able to do what they needed in order to edge out the Yeti for the NSFC playoff spot. The Yeti had a strong finish to the S12 season but they started so bad that they were unable to come out the hole they dug. However looking deeper into the team they have a lot of elements they need to make a championship team. They have a great young core of draftees from the last few years and some wiley veterans as well. They truly only need a few pieces on defense and even less so on offense. Look at the Colorado Yeti to start putting the right parts together in the offseason to get this team where they need to be. McCormick, Miller, Bishop, Cansino leading the offense and Ishigawa, Montgomery, and McBrain charging the defense. Places of concern for the Yeti are the Defense line and Cornerbacks positions. The rest of the team seems to be doing quite well and they are still young. So be on the look-out for Colorado in S13.
PRE-GAME or...POST-GAME - Can be completed before or after based on choice.
As a Post game report I could talk about either the Hawks vs Liberty or Otters vs Sabercats. The decision is simple. Baltimore Hawks vs Philadelphia Liberty. What a game. Overtime and very few mistakes. These are two teams seriously giving it everything they have just to get in to the Ultimus game. The Hawks played mostly mistake free only having 2 penalties and no turnovers. Baltimore really did deserve to win this game and luckily for them they did. The game went into overtime and it was great. Baltimore was leading all game until the final 8 minutes which we saw Liberty march down the field to tie it up. The defenses showed up after that. No one scored and that’s when overtime came in. The Liberty despite losing were the best team to go against the Hawks. They edged out the Yeti throughout the season and made a great game of the playoffs. The offenses for both teams were running on all cylinders and the defenses tried really hard to make things happen. It was the turnover that Falconi threw that really could’ve sealed the fate here. Without that the Liberty may have squeaked out a win in regulation. Congrats to the Hawks on your NSFC Championship and good luck in the Ultimus!
SPOTLIGHT ON THE YOUTH - Can be completed anytime
This year the Baltimore Hawks drafted Errol Maddox 2nd overall. The Hawks already have an amazing wide receiver in Vinny Valentine but saw all that raw talent and intangibles that Errol can provide a team. Errol didn’t have the biggest impact on the field this year but that won’t stop him from having a breakout in the playoffs and the Ultimus Championship game. Yulic Nagasawa saw a majority of snaps and made the most of it but I do not hesitate saying that Errol truly is the future of this franchise. Errol gives the team a 4th great receiver in what will go against possibly the best secondary in the NSFL. Baltimore needs all the weapons it can muster if it wants to keep putting points up on the board against a highly competitive Otters team. Errol will give them the mismatch that they need to find the endzone. In the playoff game against the Philadelphia Liberty Errol saw some struggles as he would as a rookie. I expect to see some flashes of greatness in the Ultimus game. If you look at the playoff game you’ll see he may have only caught one ball but it was for 27 yards. I believe the problem was more on the coaching staff not trying to get him the ball more often than Errol actually having problems catching.
UNSUNG HERO - Can be completed after the Ultimus game
There is a name that everyone knows that never gets the credit he deserves. Always there, always working. Does whatever he can for the team despite his age. Without him they would not be in the Ultimus and maybe not even in the playoffs. That’s right, I’m talking about the greatest kicker of all time Turk Turkleton. In the playoff game he was perfect hitting all extra points and and a lone 42 year field goal. His punting should also not be overshadowed as he was able boot the ball for 319 yards and a long of 59. Pinning the opponent back after you struggle on offense helps your defense keep the opposing team out of the end zone and can be a real benefit. Kulture Fulture attempted a 47 yard field goal and missed earlier in the game which is when Turkleton went out there and showed the kid how it was done. Thanks to 3 Baltimore timeouts they were able to get close enough to get Turkleton the setup he needed. Without that Fulture miss and that Turkleton hit, we would be singing a much different tune of an upset in Baltimore. So congratulations on a long and amazing career Turk, now we wait and see if you pull off the Hall of Fame or get snubbed like so many before you!
(S12) - Ultimus Week - caltroit_red_flames - 01-14-2019
SHL PT
PBE PT
SPOTLIGHT ON THE YOUTH
The youth movement in general on San Jose has been incredible this season. After trading for Chad and Thad Pennington, the young players have taken the reigns and propped the rest of the team up to being the 2nd best regular season team in the NSFL. The S10 draft was a huge one for the secondary that gave us D'Pez Poopsie and Xander Troyski, but it also gave the offense an identity in Joliet Christ (QB) and Kazimir Oles (WR), as well as Chris Orosz (FB). Joliet Christ has the potential to be an all star quarterback these playoffs. He has the arm to throw bombs down the field to Oles, and Oles has hands to catch the ball every time and the speed to get those big yard TDs. Right after that draft we got Jared Canton in the S11 draft who has made an argument for being the top running back in the NSFL this regular season, and if he can bring that speed and tenacity into the playoffs he'll get a huge number of touchdowns and an Ultimus trophy. Finally in S12 the team got Freezer Riposte who in his rookie NSFL season has already been the best defensive lineman on the Sabercats. With his amazing development I have no doubt that he's going to have more than one key sack for the Sabercats this postseason.
QUARTERBACK MATCHUP
In my personal opinion I'd say that the ASFC finals between the San Jose Sabercats and the Orange County Otters is going to be the best game of the entire post season since they were the top two teams in the regular season. For that reason I'm really excited for the matchup between Joliet L. Christ and Gus T.T. Showbiz. Both are young up and coming quarerbacks with the ability to throw absolute bombs down the field to their receivers. On one side you have Showbiz with Tegan Atwell and Carlito Crush, and at this point I think they're the better tandem. But Atwell and Crush are both in the 2nd half of their careers at this point. Meanwhile Xavier Flash and Kazimir Oles are both youngsters like Joliet Christ so I think it's going to be really cool to see the old boys go against the young guns in this one. Looking at the regular season the two QBs had really similar completion numbers (Christ with 55.9 and Showbiz with 56.2), but if you look at attempts Christ only had 248 while Showbiz had 358. It seems this is not only a battle of a young team vs an older team, but also a battle of style between the quarterbacks. Does the rushing offense prevail? Or will Crush and Atwell walk all over San Jose's secondary with the passes that Showbiz throws all game? We'll find out in the ASFC finals!
(S12) - Ultimus Week - infinitempg - 01-14-2019
Omg it’s different this year
![[Image: fTUm3JA.png]](https://i.imgur.com/fTUm3JA.png)
![[Image: HW89dHC.png]](https://i.imgur.com/HW89dHC.png)
![[Image: xijyhTF.png]](https://i.imgur.com/xijyhTF.png)
![[Image: WNV7UIV.png]](https://i.imgur.com/WNV7UIV.png)
(S12) - Ultimus Week - ErMurazor - 01-14-2019
1) IT IS OUR TIME THIS (NEXT) YEAR
I am going to do a bit of both for this one. The San Jose Sabercats are definitely contenders for this year’s Ultimus and it might be the best shot they have ever had. But I would be lying if I did not admit that they were underdogs. Though of course we were already a group of underdogs to achieve as much as we did this season, so not too much will change. The biggest thing that I believe this team has going for it is that the roster is young and complete. Just about every position on the roster is stacked with an active player that is at least earning some TPE throughout the course of the season. Going into the season the biggest knock was that a stout defense would remain a liability because of a young defensive line but the team has shown just how little TPE is needed to be effective at that position. Furthermore, there was a lot of talk over the season that the wide receivers were not good enough to threaten other teams or that the quarterback just did not have what it takes to win. All of these narratives have been dismissed at this point in the season and the Sabercats have a real shot to win this thing if just a few things break their way. As for next season, just keep grinding and strategizing each week and this team could be Ultimus favorites.
SHL
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). I interviewed @`Fire-Bred`.
1. The Otters have made the playoffs over and over and over, has it gotten old winning?
What kinda of question is that of course it isnt old I grew up a winner. Cheered for winners. And now I have my uncle gming my former DSFL team, the Pythons, and they are a winning team. In my career my winnings out number my losses almost 2:1. But what has gotten old is getting knocked out of the playoffs early though
2. With so much success, is it easy to take the playoffs for granted, or do you keep preparing as the roster always has?
No I dont not take the playoffs for granted. I still help the otters out test simming if they need me to. We always test to get the most optimal lineup. Always will. Never will stop.
3. What player on the Otters has been most critical to the team's success during your time there?
I think the team as a whole has been critical but there's one player who has been with the team from the start and that is winchester. It is gonna be interesting to see how the locker room adjusts to losing him. But we do have plenty of guys ready to step up and fill that hole that is being left.
4. What player on the San Jose Sabercats is the team most concerning with going into the conference championships?
The most concerning player on the San Jose Sabers Cats. If I am going to be honest I have to day it is their Playcaller Joilet Christ. If he shows up and plays to a decent level he is gonna give the Fanta Curtain a run for their money. But if he shows up and shits the bed in his first playoff game the Otters will end up being victorious. It is gonna be a good game either way
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)
Fire-bred asked me questions and I answered them. See his post here: http://nsfl.jcink.net/index.php?showtopic=...ndpost&p=169867
That Magic Moment: Pick one moment from a playoff game and describe what made it so amazing to watch.
Nick Foles drops back, he sees Alshon and throws a bullet. It his Alshon in the hand....it goes through them! Lattimore picks it off! Oh wait, wrong playoffs.....
(S12) - Ultimus Week - Toasty - 01-14-2019
(01-14-2019, 01:17 PM)AndrewWarren13 Wrote:With the timing, I tried to make everything available pre or post-game for convenience.Thank you! I am very grateful for that
Sit down with a Star: I sat down with @ErMurazor
1. This is the Saber Cats first year being victorious. Who or whom played the biggest key this year? There are a lot of people that have been critical to our success this year, with so many young players stepping up. However, one of our veteran line backers Ben Horne has been critical to the team with his off the field coaching and film study.
2. What do you guys plans for the future to stay on top of the league as one of the top teams in the league? I think for the Sabercats to keep their recent success up they just need to keep earning. They are sort of "draft poor" in the coming draft but going forward they will need to see what players will be aging first and start snagging their replacements while also keep any eye on younger guys that may fall off.
3. This is the first playoff game for a portion of your Locker Room. How is everyone going into this game? Nervous? Excited? or some other emotions? I think most of the team feels like we are currently playing with house money. We are extremely young and making the playoffs at all feels like quite the accomplishment with a bunch of players that are not even near their primes.
4. What are you doing mentally to prepare for this game? Personally, I am just doing my regular thing. I do not get too caught up in these moments or specific games. Instead, I just live my life and do my trainings, anything else will not really matter anyways.
5. Does a straw have one hole or two? A straw only has one hole.
Sit Down with a Fan: I sat down with Er. You can find his post here: http://nsfl.jcink.net/index.php?showtopic=...ndpost&p=169864
That Magic Moment: The game is on the line Coyotes are on top of the Pythons, 16 to 21, the coyotes just punted the ball to the Pythons with 3 minutes left. They know that they have the game if they can manage to shave a few minute off the clock and get themselves a touchdown. They open up with a hand off to their star rookie running back Corey Trevor. He gets 2 yards. 39 more yards and they are dancing into the Ultimini. The next play their rookie Quarterback Caleb McCoy drops back and finds their rookie wide receiver Kaine for 9 yards and the touchdown. 30 more yards to go. Next play McCoy finds their waiver pick up wide reiciever Jones for 14 yards and the first down. 16 yards to go. They are gonna go it they are gonna go to the Ultimini. Caleb drops back dodges a sack and full back Stakowski. Next play the ball is dropped by Kaine in the endzone with 56 seconds left. The next play Caleb drops back Kaine is open for the first down, Kaine catches the ball. Looks up field notices theres a hole in the defense runs to the endzone. Ou tof no where Pierce of the opposing team is on Kaine's ass, so he dives for the endzone reaching out and THE BALL IS OUT IT IS PICKUP BY THE DEFENSE. DID KAINE GET THE BALL PAST THE GOALINE? Lets go to the replay. NOOOOOOO, he fumbled at the one yard line what a way to go out.
Championship Banner:
![[Image: iWmPOtU.png]](https://i.imgur.com/iWmPOtU.png)
(S12) - Ultimus Week - Mavfatha - 01-14-2019
1. It is our time this year
The Sabercats have had a memorable season already in finishing with a 10-4 record only a game back of the Otters in The conference. Their two matchups with the Otters this season have been quite close in what ended up being a split series. Not only that, but the team is among the fastest growing and improving in the league, which should mean we're even stronger now and really coming into our own at the most important part of the year. We have a solid offense with a lot of players just entering their prime - including Christ at QB, Canton at RB, Flash at WR, and Brannigan at TE - plus an insanely deep back 7 of the defense and some young and improving players on the defensive line. I expect another close game against the Otters in round 1, and then we'd either face the Hawks that we had another split season series with in two one-possesion games, or the liberty that we handled pretty easily both times. Obviously there's no guarantee of winning it all or advancing but I think we have as much of a shot as anyone, and we're particularly well set up for next season as well when you consider just how many players are actively improving and haven't even hit regression yet.
2. Spotlight on the youth
Not to toot my own horn but I'm totally going to toot my own horn and talk about my own player, rookie DT Freezer Riposte who was mistakenly or possibly accidentally taken first overall in the draft. Riposte has actually been pretty effective at getting to the QB as a DT, finished third in the league in sacks among players at the position and first among rookies at the position. Also, in our first matchup against the Otters that resulted in victory, Freezer managed to bring down Showbiz for one of those five sacks on the season. If he is able to use his speed and strength combo to do the same in the first round of the playoffs, it could be a tough day for the Otters QB as his pocket breaks down repeatedly and he becomes scared to take a hit. That's when the rest of the defense has a chance to make a big play like a turnover or even just locking down the opposing receivers and backs, with Freezer and the other linemen providing pressure and eating up blockers for breakfast. Often Freezer makes his biggest impact in ways that can't be found on the box score, and you could see that happening here while he also keeps himself out of committing penalties.
4. QB Matchup
I am actually really intrigued by the QB matchup of the Ultimini. Luke Boechler and the Coyotes will face off against Zenyou Wozy and the Marshals. It's pretty clear that both of these guys are pocket passers first and foremost, as neither had more than 40 yards rushing this season. They actually had pretty similar statlines during the season too. Wozy finished with another 350 yards and 6 TD's on about 20 more attempts, but he also chunked 15 balls to the wrong team compared to Boechler's 6. They completed an identical percentage of passes overall and had a quite similar QB rating. Additionally, they are both backed up by a strong run game - the Coyotes have the league's leading rusher in Danielsson who was quite efficient, not to mention the 7 yards per carry man himself in Davenport, while Wozy is complemented by the Swift/Boija tag-team that were consistently strong all season. I think this matchup will largely come down to whether Wozy can manage to use his big play ability to the team's advantage while not making all of the mistakes of the regular season. With those running backs as long as the QB's aren't turning the ball over it should be a close game.
Interview with a fan (@PSanchez55:
What will be the key to the Coyotes winning their first ever Ultimini?
I think a big part of that will be achieving a nice balance between the run and pass. For most of the season we relied on our running backs to churn out yardage, really only focusing on the pass in very long distance situations. I hope to surprise the Marshals with more of a passing attack since they've been strong at stopping the run.
What are your thoughts on how the conference championship game ended, with Kaine fumbling at the 1 yard line?
While the game wouldn't have been immediately over even with a Pythons touchdown, clearly that was a huge play for us. True Pierce has a history of skipping practices but still coming through for the team with the game on the line, as he certainly did here. It was a well-played game by Portland for sure.
What were some of the highlights of the regular season?
I was really proud of our rookies for coming in and immediately making an impact on the field. Davenport dominated in his limited carries with 7 yards per carry, Alex Frost was a strong field goal kicker, J.N. Nova supplemented our strong receiving core, and Johnny Snuggles was a lock-down corner. Just seeing everyone do well and having a strong record was awesome.
Finally, how did Riposte's rookie campaign go?
While we ultimately came up short it was a fun season for Riposte and the Sabercats. Nobody expected much out of us but we finished with the second best record in the NSFL thanks to a strong, well-rounded team. Riposte himself had probably the best season statwise of any of the rookie DT's and made great strides by training as well.
(S12) - Ultimus Week - Leafs4ever - 01-14-2019
1) IT IS OUR TIME THIS (NEXT) YEAR
After finishing 1-13 last season, I don't think anyone expected us, the San Jose SaberCats, to finish where we did this season. An off-season of growth and improvement really paid off as we had a great season, finishing 10-4, good for second best record in the league. The only problem with this, is that the team who finished first in the league is also in the same conference as us. That's right, the two best teams in the NSFL face off in the ASFC Conference Championship. The Orange County Otters are a great team and many are probably picking them to win the whole thing, but let me tell you why the SaberCats have a shot to win, not just this game, but the Ultimus Trophy.
First of all, the biggest reason we have a chance in these playoffs is because of our defense. We gave up the lowest points per game in the league, second lowest in total yards and passing yards, and third lowest rush yards per game. Our defense hardly bent and never broke. In the two games against the Otters this season, we 1-1, winning by 6 at home, and losing by 3 on the road. We match up well with the Otters. Their strength is in the secondary and luckily for us we have a two headed monster at wide receiver with Oles and Flash. I think we can negate that strength and attack them at others positions. Once we get past the Otters, we'll be the best team left and whoever comes out of the NSFC will have to match up to our defense and I don't think the Hawks or Liberty can.
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2) SPOTLIGHT ON THE YOUTH
The San Jose SaberCats are filled with young stars. In fact, you can say the team was led by their young guns since they outnumbered the "veterans" of the team. It's hard to pick just one player to spotlight in a group that contains WR Kazimir Oles, RB Jerrod Canton, QB Joliet L. Christ, CB D'Pez Poopsie, K Neo Donaldson, and so many others. I've never been one to shy away from a challenge so I've decided to aim the spotlight at the rising star at running back, Jerrod Canton.
In just his second season in the NSFL, Canton was running all over the league. He finished second in rushing yards with 1352 yards, finishing just 203 yards behind first place in 89 less carries! He also added 10 rushing touchdowns, good for third in the league. His rushing, combined with Chris Orosz, made the SaberCats rush offense the best in the ASFC and third in the NSFL. Where his spotlight comes into play is in the ASFC Conference Championship game against the Orange County Otters. The Otters are a stacked team and boast a stout defense. If there's one weakness in the Otters defense, it's a small one, but it's their rush defense. While it was still good, they did finish fourth in rush defense. There's an opening there to attack and if Canton has shown anything this season, it's that he can exploit holes in defenses. If the SaberCats want to go into Orange County and upset the Otters, they'll need Canton to exploit the Otters defense, help control the clock, and pound the rock into the end zone. I think he's up for the challenge, even if it's just his second season in the NSFL.
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3) PRE-GAME or...POST-GAME
In the NSFC Championship game, it's a familiar face against an upstart team looking to knock a perennial contender off it's perch. It's the Baltimore Hawks against the Philadelphia Liberty. The Liberty haven't been to this point since Season 7, while the Hawks have been here for 5 straight seasons. Will the grizzled team take down the inexperienced team? Let's look at the numbers.
Let's start with the Baltimore Hawks. With the best record in the NSFC, they get to host the Liberty in the Conference Championship. This is a big get for them, as they finished 5-2 at home. While their 8-6 record doesn't indicate dominance, the Hawks put up some great numbers this season. They were easily the best offense in the league, putting up 454 points, most in the league. They average the most points per game and yards per game. They had the best pass offense and second best rush offense in the conference. They dominated when they had the ball in their hands. This is their biggest advantage over the Liberty, especially since they gave up over 27 points per game. Expect the Hawks to put up points.
The Liberty's biggest weapon is Marquise Brown. He led the Liberty to the best rush offense in the league. Their other weapon happens to be their defense, which put up really good numbers except for the amount of points they give up. That tells me one thing, the Liberty turn the ball over way too much. That's been their achilles heel this season and they need to clean that up if they want a chance to upset the Hawks. If Falconi can avoid the turnovers and keep the ball in Brown's hands, they might just walk out of the Baltimore with the win.
I, however, don't expect that to happen. The Hawks are too strong on offense and I think they'll force the Liberty into bad turnovers and good field position. I see the Hawks beating the Liberty and making their way to the Ultimus Championship.
Hawks win 42-14.
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4) QUARTERBACK MATCHUP
In the ASFC Championship Game, we have a battle of two young quarterbacks. Orange County's Gus T.T Showbiz against San Jose's Joliet L. Christ. While Showbiz has won the battle of most middle initials, he also carries an extra year of experience. Will that be enough to win this battle on the field? Let's look.
With Showbiz, the Otters have relied on him to really drive their offense. Their rushing offense hasn't been as strong as their passing game so they've given Showbiz a lot more opportunity to take over games than Christ has in San Jose. Showbiz has led the Otters offense to first in points per game and yards per game in the ASFC, and second overall league wide. Oppositely, Christ has been eased into the offense in just his second year. San Jose's passing offense has been league average, with their rushing attack really leading the way. Christ hasn't been given leash that Showbiz had, attempting 193 less throws this season. However, even with that large gap in attempts, their numbers are quite close.
Showbiz has a better completion percentage at 56.2, but Christ is right there with 55.9, so that's basically a wash. Showbiz threw only 4 more touchdown passes than Christ, and that with 193 more chances to do so. Conversely though, Showbiz and Christ threw the same amount of interceptions with 13, which favours Showbiz heavily. Looking at those numbers, it's not hard to imagine what numbers Christ could of put up with more of a chance to show what he has. Outside of interceptions, Christ held his own against the highly regarded Showbiz, making this match up very interesting.
To me, this is a fascinating match up. It's clear that both teams rely on their quarterbacks very differently. Showbiz is counted on to do more for his offense, while Christ is more of a manager this early in his career. How will the added workload affect Gus? Will the strong running game take some pressure away from Joliet and help him relax? I can't wait to see how this plays out.
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