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+---- Thread: (S8) - Ultimus Week (/showthread.php?tid=9231)
(S8) - Ultimus Week - Oles - 06-24-2018
Welcome to Ultimus Week! This is a special point task that will close on Sunday July 1st at 11:59PM PST . It is broken down into eight written and eight graphic point tasks of which you will choose FOUR to complete. Each point task completed is worth 2.5 TPE and you can earn a maximum of 10 TPE from this event.
NOTE: Each written point task has a 200 word count.
NOTE x2: You can complete four point tasks in any combination of written and/or graphics.
NOTE x3: Please keep all submissions you make to ONE post.
NOTE x4: Graphical submissions must be more than text added to an image. Text thrown on a single image will no receive credit unless it shows significant statistical content or creativity.
There will be some limitations as to when certain tasks can be completed. Here are each of the tasks listed below, and with special notes if any limitations apply.
Written Points
Robbed: Write about why a team that failed to make the playoffs should have over somebody else. Can be completed at any point
New Talent: Write about which S8 trade will or did have the biggest impact in the playoffs. Can be written at any time depending on if you choose to write about who already has or who will do good
Playoff Predictions: Give a short write up on each of the playoff matches (including the championship game). Must be completed before the simulation of the Conference Finals
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
Playoff Review: Write a short review of the playoffs and each of the matchups. Must be completed after the Championship Game
Championship Game Recap: Do a recap of the best play from the championship game. Must be completed after the Championship Game
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
Graphic Points
Robbed: Make a graphical stat comparison of a team who failed to qualify for playoffs but why they should have over another team. Can be completed at any point
Future Talent: Make a sig for a S8 player who you feel will or did make a large impact for their team in the playoffs. Can be written at any time depending on if you choose to write about who already has or who will do good
Playoff Matchups: Make a graphic displaying the matchups in the first round of the playoffs. Can be completed at any point
Conference Final MVP Sig: Make a sig for a player of your choice who you felt was the MVP of a Conference Final matchup. Must be completed after the Conference Finals
Playoff Recap Infographic: Make a graphic displaying the results of the playoffs. Must be completed after the Championship Game
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 )
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)
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)
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 off season 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)
(S8) - Ultimus Week - Oles - 06-24-2018
Robbed: Write about why a team that failed to make the playoffs should have over somebody else. Can be completed at any point
The Liberty were robbed of the playoffs, not by the sim, not by bad luck, no they were robbed because of rebuilding. The team saw 2 GMs step out right before the trade deadline and saw a questionable trade force the team into rebuilding. While it isn’t fair to really complain about it when the team itself did this, and not the usual complaining about bad luck like the Hawks teams that have been seen previously, it’s interesting to see where the team might have ended up had they not been forced into rebuilding by the previous regime. They were 5-2 before the trades started pouring in, they would go on to lose a game in Arizona, which was winnable with the team they had before trading, and blew a lead at home against the Otters which might not have happened had they kept most of their players. The team went 2-5 over the last 7 games, and saw the Hawks beat them not over record or conference, but over points for, which saw them take the lead late in the season. The Liberty would have won at least 1 more game than they did, with games in Arizona, at home against Orange County, and a game in Colorado, they had 3 winnable games if the roster wasn’t overhauled before the season ended and would probably have been in the playoffs had it not been for the rebuild being forced. (240 words)
Playoff Review: Write a short review of the playoffs and each of the matchups. Must be completed after the Championship Game
The first game we go to is the ASFC Championship game between the Orange County Otters and the New Orleans Second Line. In their first ever playoff appearance, as either the Second Line or Legion, the Second Line had to go into Orange County and slay the beast. Many were considering last year a fluke, the Otters just hit some bad luck but would surely be Ultimus champions again, they were as strong as ever and they are the most dominant team ever seemingly. New Orleans was able to grab a lead earlier, going into the half up 10-3. The Otters would tie the game up at 10-10, but after a Charlie Law touchdown the Second Line were back up 17-10. With a little over 2 minutes left in the game, the Otters tied it back up 17-17. The Second Line drove down the field, the Otters couldn’t stop them, and as time expired Peg Leg was able to hit a 46-yard field goal and win the game, the team had slain the beast, and for the second time the Otters are upset with home field advantage. The next game saw the Hawks going up to Yellowknife, the Wraiths were looking to not choke away home field advantage like they had done the previous season, and the Hawks were actually in the playoffs despite struggling mightily at times. The Hawks took an early lead, and it looked like the Wraiths were going to see home field advantage slip through their hands again, at one point down 21-0. Late in the first half they started the comeback, off a touchdown that put it to 21-7. They would go on to score another touchdown early in the 2nd half, only down 21-14. The Hawks only scored one more time after this, a field goal put them up 24-14. The Wraiths would go on to score 24 unanswered points and would not see home field advantage slip away like it had a season prior. The final game of the season saw New Orleans travel up to Yellowknife, looking to do what the Liberty had done a season prior and win on the road twice and win the Ultimus, which would have seen both expansion teams win a championship. It was a close start, as the first half ended 14-10 in the Wraiths favor, they had the lead early, but we’ve seen them drop leads before. However, unlike in the past, the team did not choke, they did not blow the lead, they just kept scoring. They would go on to score 24 points in the Ultimus, while the Second Line wouldn’t score another touchdown after their 2nd TD of the game. The Second Line couldn’t make magic happen, and the Wraiths were able to bring home the title with a 24-13 win in the Ultimus game. (473 words)
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)
Robby Rainey is the MVP of the Ultimus in my opinion. While he may not have had a bunch of yards, he contributed when it mattered most. He was a force in the red zone and was able to get 2 rushing touchdowns to help cement the game for the Wraiths and get them their first title. Rainey was able to help the team and get them the lead early. They could rely on Rainey to punch it in and make key plays, and that was exactly what happened in the Ultimus. Rainey was a reliable player all season for the Wraiths and could be considered one of the best running backs, with a case as the top running back, and he showed up in the Ultimus game and was able to really tear it up on the big stage. Rainey had to fight with Akselsen a lot over carries, considering the high mobility of the Wraiths QB, but he didn’t have to fight him this time around for carries and was able to make every carry count for the team and the title. Rainey truly showed up for the playoffs and was able to make sure his team got the title they’ve been searching for, after seasons of choking and coming close but not close enough they finally got their title. (222 words)
Unsung Hero:Who was the unsung hero of the playoffs, convince us. (Can be completed after the Ultimus game)
The rookie for the Wraiths to me is the unsung hero of the playoffs, Chad Pennington was a beast for the team in the playoffs. He was the team’s leader in tackles for the Ultimus and was 2nd in tackles in the NSFC Championship game. Pennington amassed 16 tackles and 2 sacks in the playoffs, silently making sure the opposing team wasn’t getting passed him as the 2nd line of defense if the defensive line couldn’t make the tackle, or as the first line of defense against running backs and tight ends. He was able to take out the opposing QB twice in the playoffs, which is a huge momentum boost and could lead to key drives ending in a much different way, sacks are drive killers, and when your linebacker can grab a few it really puts the pressure on the enemy team. Chad quickly made a name for himself as best Pennington in the league, with him showing up in both playoffs games and getting hardware that Thad and Brad don’t have yet. Chad looks like he’ll be a force in the league at linebacker, already showing flashes of greatness in the playoffs for the Wraiths to bring home the Ultimus. (203 words)
(S8) - Ultimus Week - dropbear - 06-24-2018
Robbed
Season 8 was the season of Colorado Yeti’s Cinderella story gone begging. The team had just suffered through back-to-back winless seasons, and had won a measly six games from their past five seasons. That’s right, their record from Season 3 through Season 7 was an incredibky underwhelming 6 – 70 – 0, good for a win percentage of .0857. But the struggling franchise was able to put all of that behind them in Season 8 and go on to win five games through the first ten weeks of the season. They were even in play for a playoff spot. The Yellownknife Wraiths had all but secured the division, but the second seed was open to all of the remaining three teams in the NSFC. The Baltimore Hawks were faultering, though, and the Philadelphia Liberty were trady away pieces of their championship-winnng team and starting their rebuild mid season. So, suddenly, and unexpectedly, the Yeti had a real shot making the playoffs after six seasons without doing so.
But, as fate would have it, they wouldn’t. Instead, the Hawks, who were on the bottom of the division with two games remaining in the season, would leapfrog both the Yeti and the Liberty, whose positions relative to one another would not change, meaning the Wraiths and Hawks would represent the NSFC in the playoffs, leaving Yeti players and fans saying, “it should have been us”.
Playoff Predictions
Wraiths vs Hawks
I imagine the unconvincing manner in which the Baltimore Hawks secured the second seed in the NSFC is leading many to assume this game is over before the players have taken the field. While part of me is inclined to agree, I get the sense these teams are more evenly matched than they might appear at first. Both have high-powered offenses, but both seem equally up to the challenge to defend such an attack. To me, the difference is in the running backs, which tips the scales in the Hawks favour. Baltimore wins in a grind, 9 – 7.
Otters vs Second Line
The long-reigning ASFC champion and back-to-back-to-back Ultimus-winning Orange County Otters seem poised to defend their conference title, as the league title is no longer theirs. They have the home field advantage over the up-and-coming New Orleans Second Line. However, the influence of the Otters home turf faltered this season, and saw them lose games in Orange County to the Yeti and the Hawks. While I believe the once-daunting prospect of playing the Otters at home is becoming less so, the Second Line were not able to overcome the challenge in Week 13, and nor do I think they’ll do it in the playoffs. A tight one blows out near the end, and Otters progress with a 31 - 16 victory.
Ultimus: Otters vs Hawks
While some might argue that the Wraiths were the harder team for the Hakws to overcome, they were not the only team. The gruelling battle that was the conference championship took what strength the Hawks had and they crumble once again on the biggest stage. Otters in a blowout, 35 – 6.
New Talent
Near the midway point of Season 8, a trade occurred that may yet have important implications in the playoffs. The San Jose Sabercats had begun trading away assets last season, but continued to do so into Season 8. When word got out that the Sabercats were looking to move long-servicing cornerback Benson Bayley, opposition teams were quickly circling the boat. There was a private bidding war going on, one which the New Orleans Second Line would eventually win.
So it was that they acquired a key piece for their defense as their team began its upswing. Former starting cornerback Terrell Brister had become unengaged at practice, and didn't seem willing to take the next step along with his team. It seemed he was simply looking to collect a paycheck, something that wouldn't stand now that New Orleans were looking to compete. He was a casualty of the trade, and now finds himself in San Jose.
Bayley, on the other, is now a focal point of the Second Line defense, and will be relied upon heavily to help stop the Orange County Otters' high-powered passing attack if his side is any chance at progressing beyond the conference championship and onto the Ultimus.
Matchup Nightmares
While you would usually focus on a 1-vs-1 matchup in this sort of review, I’m going to up the ante: the nightmare matchup in the ASFC Conference Championship is the receiving corps of the Orange County Otters vs the secondary of the New Orleans Second Line.
Despite the addition of veteran cornerback and elite defensive playmaker Benson Bayley, which was detailed in an earlier article, the Second Line still appear to have the odds stacked against them in regard to stopping the Otters high-powered passing offense. The Otters boast a receiving group comprised of all-time great Bradley Westfieldl; breakout superstars Carlito Crush, acquired from the Colorado Yeti and a recent convert from tight end, and Tegan Atwell, former cornerback turned wide receiver and now breakout player of the year candidate; and Robert Phelps, a player who despite spending his career in Westfield’s shadow, has nonetheless put up some impressive receiving numbers during his time in the NSFL.
They will face a New Orleans secondary headlined by cornerback Benson Bayley and safety Blackford Oakes, rounded out by young cornerback and former Otter Vladimir Fyodorovich, and rookie safety William H. Harrison. The Otters have their nose in front in terms of raw talent, but their group also have the edge in experience. And when it comes to playoff football, that can be more important than any other factor.
(S8) - Ultimus Week - OBESE - 06-24-2018
Sit-down with a star - Kevin Fitzpatrick from San Antonio Marshalls!
1. Did you had a feeling that Marshalls are going to be the conference winners? If so at what point in the season you were sure about it!?
Definitely. It was being said a lot that this was our year. I was worried I would be a bust at first overall, but I had the best defense in the league backing me up. I would say Week 3 was when I knew the conference was ours. We’d beaten Tijuana on the road in preseason, then come back in the season and done it again.
2. Your biggest rivalry the whole season has been with T.T Showbiz. Do you think that your game statistic comparison will also show in the playoffs?
Well, the biggest things the statistics showed were that we were really close in production, and that Kansas City’s defense gave me a lot more problems than San Antonio’s defense gave him. I think strategy plays into that a bit, but KC is a legitimately tough match for me with their two strong DTs and a solid defensive back.
3. In one of the experts articles about S9 NSFL Draft your teammate Bucky Barnes is predicted to go #1 OA. Do you agree!?
I think Barnes is a solid choice for both the first pick and for San Jose. We are talking about a great defensive player, good locker room presence, and the SaberCats need help at defensive back and linebacker, both of which he would be able to play. He’s definitely bailed me out plenty of times, and I am sure Pennington will be wanting to make sure he doesn’t spend his career playing against him.
4. Marshalls slight change in management at the beginning of the season, has it affected the team in any way?
I definitely think there were some growing pains. Ramero did a solid job, but there was a lot he didn’t know about how the DSFL worked, and I think it hurt him a lot in the first half of the season. It probably hurt my player more than anyone else, though I think Catcherman could have shattered some records as well.
Matchup Nightmares
![[Image: CW1.jpg]](https://s15.postimg.cc/3ullqamtn/CW1.jpg)
That Magic Moment:
This topic is going to be extra hard for me to talk about but in my eyes it just sadly also happens to be that magic moment of the game that lead me and my team to be taken down and eliminated from the competition for that cup. It happened in the first round game of DSFL championship in the game of Kansas City Coyotes versus Tijuana Luchadores. At the beginning everything was going on as it should, by that I mean Kansas City Coyotes were leading and winning with quite big margin, 17:3 at one point. That was actually the last thing I remember from the game, besides the last kick. I am not sure, did I passed out because of all that stress in the end or my memory is just refusing to remember all the mistakes we did that day but I remember well, how we lost, it was an incredible moment - a 50 yard kick that was successful! And from the winning team we became the loosing team that was kicked out of the championship race same as that 50 yard ball!
Sit-down with a fan
Interview in this post!
(S8) - Ultimus Week - GoonerBear - 06-24-2018
Root for the Underdog
The New Orleans Second Line can beat the Orange County Otters to reach the Ultimus.
We start just looking at their last game against each other. A one-point escape by the Otters at home. With this upcoming game, the Second Line don't have to have long memories to carry that chip around. They have the QB play to compete, too. Borkus Maximus III completed passes at a 2/3 rate all game long, much more efficient than his counterpart, Mike Boss, who completed one pass above .500.
Third-down conversions were going the way of the Big Easy, too. The Second Line went 11/20 for a 55% conversion rate. The Otters? 5/15, 33.3%. If that's how it's gonna be come conference final time, I don't think the Otters are going to repeat the breaks they got in that Week 13 match-up.
When looking at the bigger picture headed in, New Orleans only had that one loss out of their last 8 games. Orange County had two in the same stretch, though the second one is very concerning since they lost to an Arizona Outlaws outfit out of the running.
With a 78-yard gap in yards allowed in that game, I'd look for N.O. to tell O.C. "no" and get the edge to advance to the Ultimus.
(214)
That Magic Moment
For the Yellowknife Wraiths, it must have looked like a bad rerun or a sequel worse than the nightmarish original. Down 21-0 in the second quarter to a 7-7 Baltimore Hawks squad and looking like they were freefalling to another upset loss. In that same second quarter, however, was the moment that sparked Yellowknife to life. Dermot Lavelle's 31-yard pass to Mat Akselsen for a breakaway touchdown was something else to watch.
It was the moment everyone could feel the tides turn back in favor of the favorites, that maybe there was still some stability in this thing after all and the Wraiths had regained that feeling of their identity. That sense of who they are and how they got to host a semifinal. That touchdown was the moment the floodgates opened for the Wraiths. Though the Hawks put up a field goal to try to hold on another possession, the comeback was on and the Hawks' counteroffensive would never come to pass.
It was like watching a different game, and it was still just as sweet for Yellowknife to win, to come from behind and to exorcise some lingering ghosts of their past to advance to the Ultimus against the New Orleans Second Line. Bring something to fend off the bayou voodoo.
(213)
Playoff Series MVP
In the Yellowknife vs Baltimore matchup, I give my MVP of the game award to Marcus Kane, strong safety, Yellowknife. In the aforementioned comeback for this game, though the Wraiths' defense struggled early in allowing three touchdowns in the first half, Kane led the way for the defense to hold the line, recording 12 tackles, 3 tackles for loss and a sack. Kane was all over and almost anywhere he was needed. To borrow one of my favorite sayings from Gregg Easterbrook, "Defense starts rallies. Offense stops them."
On a night where Yellowknife QB Mat Akselsen struggled to complete passes inside the pocket, he needed all the time he could get to make their big plays count. The Wraiths' defense seemed renewed once they had stopped Baltimore and the offense notched their first touchdown with 59 seconds left in the first half. With a two-score game much more manageable and a halftime break to reset, refresh and recalibrate plans, Kane led the defense with his wide presence, courage to charge into the backfield when called upon and success in disrupting the Hawks' drives, starting the Wraiths' rally to come from 21 points down and finish with a win by 14.
(200)
Ultimini MVP
There were plenty of players who featured well in the DSFL's championship game. The contest was quite a back-and-forth with major plays from both sides turning the tides and culminating in Tijuana's last-second victory. My MVP of this game is, in some ways, an obvious choice, though until the end, I wouldn't have pegged him as such. Kicker/punter Kyle Corbett of the Tijuana Luchadores, a rookie free agent taken up in the middle of the season, ended up making the difference at the very end with a 50-yard field goal to snatch the Ultimini at the last second 21-20.
Earlier on, however, Corbett had missed his first extra point after Tijuana finally got on the board. That left an 11-point gap where the Luchadores would later have to go for two to move within three points, fail the try, then go for two again later on after a touchdown pulled them to a 20-18 margin late in the game. They failed that attempt, as well. But with Tijuana's defense still containing Showbiz, Harp, Valentine and Strike outside of field goal range long enough, the offense got it together to put on the final drive of the game, heading into two-minute warning mode.
With 10 seconds left and on the 33, they had their options cut out for them. If they ran a play, they risked running out of time with no timeouts. They could have tried a 50-yard field goal, though they would be calling on their rookie who missed the XP earlier. Coach went with the kicker to try to end the game on the spot, and Corbett didn't even look like he remembered his earlier miss. Big players make big plays in big moments, and Corbett made his name and his team champions. He is this game's MVP because his team put the last task in his hands and he delivered.
(313)
(S8) - Ultimus Week - infinitempg - 06-24-2018
PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS:
ASFC Championship:
17 - 24 
I'm spying an upset here in the ASFC Championship, as the Otters fail to make it out of Orange County for the first time in as long as I can remember. The Second Line have a good mix of old vets that they have traded for as well as young rooks looking to make a name for themselves, while the Otters are a team that are old and only getting older. Borkus and Smallwood allow New Orleans to be two dimensional, and while the Otters have been seen as an untouchable team at home, we all need to remember they lost to the Yeti there this season too.
NSFC Championship:
35 - 10 
While I see the upset in the ASFC, I think the Wraiths hold their own over the more mediocre Hawks. Yellowknife have had the top seed locked up for a few weeks now, while the Hawks barely scraped into the playoffs over the tanking Liberty and the resurgent Yeti. They have plenty of talent, but I think the Wraiths are just too strong right now. Add in to that home field advantage deep in the Northwest Territories (though I guess that hasn't helped them before) and we're looking at a massacre waiting to happen.
Ultimus:
23- 6 This is finally the year where the Wraiths take their place at the top of the NSFL, after many many years of choking in the playoffs. The Second Line, unfortunately for them, are just not good enough to overcome the Wraith's home field advantage and the Wraith players' experience, and the Ultimus newcomers fall hard.
Now that these predictions are written out, I fully expect an
- Ultimus (edit: I AM A GODDAMN GENIUS)THAT MAGIC MOMENT:
The magic moment for me, as a kicker, was watching former teammate Peg Leg knock through the game winner for the New Orleans Second Line at the end of the ASFC Championship Game. With two and a half minutes to go, Borkus and crew drove the team 37 yards down field to get barely within Peg Leg's range. From 46 yards out, Peg Leg smashed the ball between the uprights and led his Second Line teammates to the promised land, the Ultimus game.
But this was more than just a game winning kick - this was redemption, it was proof that he belonged. Peg Leg's career has been one of ups and downs, the most recent down being replaced by some plucky kicker from Rutgers, and shipped away from Colorado for scraps. He was given up on, and really was only seen as a stop-gap kicker that could hold the team up while they looked for someone better. And while Peg Leg was never the most accurate or consistent kicker and punter on the Second Line, he proved his value this season. Peg Leg only missed 4 kicks all year, a career best, and it was all culminated by his clincher in Orange County to pull off one of the biggest upsets in recent history.
THE HIGHEST QUALITY PLAYOFF RECAP:
![[Image: ZtCgUHO.png]](https://i.imgur.com/ZtCgUHO.png)
UNSUNG HERO:
![[Image: vphnQ9e.png]](https://i.imgur.com/vphnQ9e.png)
(S8) - Ultimus Week - Daybe - 06-24-2018
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)
The moment that got the attention across the globe was the last quarter of the ASFC championship between the Orange County Otters and the New Orleans Second Line. NOLA started the quarter with a 7 point lead, but OCO was starting to come back. Following a NOLA punt for a touchback, the Otters had 80 yards to go. They delivered, and Mike Boss played like Tom Brady. They marched down the field in 8 plays, with a big 39 yard reception from Carlito Crush highlighting it all. At that point, many thought the game would go into overtime, where both teams would have a renewed shot to win. However, quoth the Borkus Maximus III, "I think not!". They started off with somewhat decent field position at the 34 yard line. Two quick plays and a conversion. Timeout. A checkdown. Timeout. A 7 yard run from Bubba Nuck, S1 MVP. Timeout. They had the ball at Orange County's 38, after a 4 yard Nuck run. In the shotgun set. Maximus dropped back, handed it to Nuck. Nuck broke one tackle. He juked another. He fell forward for a 9 yard run. This set up a 46 yard field goal for Peg Leg, and he delivered. That was 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)
NOLA are a trendy pick to win the Ultimus, despite being underdogs. While they do not have home field advantage, it has been done before (See: PHI S7, NOLA S8). It's not gonna be easy for NOLA, but they faced the best offense in the NSFC last week and held them to 17 points, shutting down Mike Boss. However, YKW is a completely different team. They're going to have to stop the run very well, and make sure to not give them any freebies. On offense, it's all about the explosive plays. This team has a lot of elite playmakers, such as Darren Smallwood, Charlie Law, Dustin Evans, and Paul DiMirio. They just need to utilize them correctly. Looking back, from the championship game many of their touchdowns were only made possible by big plays earlier in the drive. That's what they need to do here. Also, NOLA has a distinct history of choking when comes playoffs. Sure, many of their players are weathered veterans, but you can't say all of it has been positive experiences for a team that has failed to win it all in all their shots. NOLA is young and energetic, YKW is older but more experienced. Who'll win? Find out next on Dragon Ball Z.
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 @bovovovo
1. How does it feel to make such a big win on the road in a huge game against a team like OCO?
2. What do you think was the tide turning moment in the game?
3. Who deserves the MVP?
4. How are you going to continue your success against Yellowknife?
1. It was awesome. We always knew we had a very good chance at winning this game, even though we were away. I think just the fact that it was against the Otters was a huge thing since they are such a prestigious franchise and an extremely well-coached team. Even in their down years they're one of the top dogs in the league. But it was really really awesome.
2. Honestly probably when Boss drove on us near the end of the game and tied the game up. That was a tide turning moment in a bad way for us. But we were able to rally together as a team and get ourselves back in position to win, which Peg Leg secured for us. Borkus did a fantastic job leading the drive down the field to put us in position.
3. It was a very defensive battle and if Otters would have won I would say Clegane. Dude had 3 sacks, he was unstoppable. For us it'd probably have to be either Smallwood, who had a smaller role than he's used to because we lined him up as a receiver a lot but he played extremely well nonetheless, or Peg Leg who hit that clutch 40+ yarder to win the game.
4. Memes and prayers pretty much
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)
I interviewed @caltroit_red_flames
1. You're one win away. What is it like coming to an already contending team and making a difference?
2. How do you plan on stopping the mighty NOLA offense?
3. What are going to be the keys to success?
4. What did you learn from the NSFC championship?
It feels pretty nice. I don't really care about my stats so it's cool that I can already be a part of a good team and have a chance at win the Ultimus.
lol if you think NOLA has good offense you have to open your eyes. The only thing they're good at is getting shut down by our defense.
Dermot Lavelle has to play as well as he's paid for once, and our equipment manager has to deflate our footballs to just the right PSI for us to have an advantage.
That we're the best team in the NSFC.
(S8) - Ultimus Week - Leafs4ever - 06-25-2018
New Talent:
One trade that caught my eye this season was the trade between the Philadelphia Liberty and the New Orleans Second Line. Deciding to go into a rebuild, the Liberty shipped out star TE Paul DiMirio and DT Godfrey King to New Orleans for up and coming DT Omar Wrong and WR Stormblessed.
With the Second Line enjoying a good season, they saw an opening to compete with the Otters so they decided to make this big move and close the gap. Paul DiMirio brings veteran leadership and a high skill set to the field. His presence on the field will open up more opportunities for his teammates, but also gives New Orleans another huge weapon in the pass game. Godfrey King solidifies their depth on defense, making them a strong match up against any offense, notably Orange County. It's been a while since New Orleans could taste post season success. The Otters have controlled their conference for so long it was time for the Second Line to strike and finally battle the Otters for NSFL supremacy. Only time will tell if this move can push New Orleans over Orange County this season, but the fact that they are in this position to make the push now suggests that it may not be Orange County's conference for much longer.
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Playoff Predictions:
Baltimore Hawks vs. Yellowknife Wraiths: Just by looking at their records in the regular season, you'd think the Wraiths are a runaway to win this game against the Hawks. However, in the 2 games these two played against each other this season, the Wraiths won both only by a combined margin of 9 points. The Hawks have played Yellowknife tough all season. Having said that, the Wraiths are built to win right now and they are ready to fulfill that destiny. Baltimore hangs in there, but Yellowknife wins, sending them to the Championship Game. Wraiths win 26-12
New Orleans Second Line vs. Orange County Otters: This match-up pits two evenly matched teams in the conference final. In the regular season, they split the 2 games, one a blow out win for New Orleans and the other a nail biter for Orange County. New Orleans pushed their chips all in this season making a bold move to bring in Paul DiMirio and Godfrey King. They are ready to knock the Otters off their pedestal that they've held for what seems like forever. However, the Otters hold court once again as they aren't quite ready to give up their throne. The Otters win at home to set up a match-up against the Wraiths in the Championship Game. Otters win 30-26
Orange County Otters vs. Yellowknife Wraiths: Everything comes down to this. The Championship Game comes down to the powerhouse Otters against the new power in the NSFC Yellowknife Wraiths. In what is going to be a hell of a game, I have the Otters continuing their dominance of the NSFL and winning the Ultimus Trophy. Orange County is still king, but this may be the last time as there are other suitors who are more than ready to finally knock them off. However, this season still belongs to the Orange County Otters. Otters win 26-20
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Root for the Underdog:
The two road teams in this season's playoffs are the Baltimore Hawks and the New Orleans Second Line. Both have tough match-ups, but I can see New Orleans winning their game and it not being a huge shock. That's why I'm here to try and convince you that the Baltimore Hawks have a chance to beat the Wraiths in Yellowknife.
First off, in the regular season Baltimore played the Wraiths very well. In the first match-up they only lost by 4 points and the second was only by 5 points. They hung in well with the regular season champions. Most of that can be attributed to their 3 headed monster on offense. QB Avon Blocksdale, RB Owen Taylor, and WR Trey Willie have been stars for the Hawks all season. They have given opposing defenses a fit and helped propel the Hawks into the playoffs. If there's one weakness with this Wraiths team, it's rush defense. They are only ranked 6th in the league for rush defense and if there's one RB who can exploit that weakness, it's Owen Taylor. Taylor led the Hawks to the league's 4th best rush offense, averaging over 90 yards per game. The biggest thing a road team can do is slow the game down, kill the clock, and take the fans out of the game. With a strong rush offense, Baltimore can control the clock with time killing runs and can tire out the defense of Yellowknife.
Yellowknife is as strong of a team as there is in the NSFL, but if Baltimore wants a shot at the upset victory, they'll need to use their star RB to take a shot at the only perceived weakness Yellowknife has, their rush defense.
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Sit-down with a star:
An exclusive 1-on-1 interview with Orange County Otters WR Carlito Crush:
1. You had a fantastic regular season with 1205 yards and 4 TDs. What do you have to do to continue your play in the playoffs, when defenses get much more ruthless?
CC: Just have to keep doing what I'm doing. Our offense is really clicking. I'm confident I can perform against any defense. And even if they shut me down, there's still Westy, Phelps, and Atwell to try and stop. Good luck.
2. New Orleans really made a strong push this season to challenge the Otters in the ASFC. What is it about the Second Line that might worry you in playoffs?
CC: Well, it's that most of the team, and the franchise, hasn't "been here" before. The playoffs always get your heart going a bit faster, but when it's your first dance, you get to an even higher level. I just did it myself this last playoffs. I was jacked much more than most of the Otters who had been there. Imagining most of a team that way? Yikes.
3. The Otters have been tremendously successful for so long, what keeps your team motivated season to season?
CC: It's the entire culture in OC. Winning is the goal, season after season. We don't consciously keep ourselves motivated, we just know what our goal is and go about doing our best to achieve it.
4. What was the team's reaction to the trade that brought Paul DiMirio and Godfrey King to the New Orleans Second Line?
CC: It saddened us, because Philadelphia is starting a rebuild but didn't get nearly enough in return. It's always a shame to see teams sell themselves short.
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(S8) - Ultimus Week - RedCydranth - 06-25-2018
New Talent
New Orleans has had a great rebuild. The team formerly known as Las Vegas Legion, and formerly laughing stocks, have become quite a contender this season, and were one drive in week 13 away from being divisional champions for the first time in franchise history. They've amassed a great deal of new talent to get there. One big name that could be the tipping point to take them to the Ultimus game, and eventually hoist the Ultimus Trophy, is the man they acquired before the trade deadline, the monster TE named Paul DiMirio. For his entire career, DiMirio was a behemoth for the Liberty. Not just the top scoring TE in their franchise history, but the top scoring receiver altogether. Most catches and receiving yards. So, when news broke that the Liberty had dealt away their biggest offensive weapon to the Second Line, it cause quite a stir across the NSFL. Sure, DiMirio is getting older, but he's still a primary threat on any offense. He's the Westfield of TEs. No matter how old he is, he's gonna be a damage dealer. Next week against the Otters, he's going to be a match up nightmare. He commands respect. King, Broxton or Spector all will have a hard time covering this nightmare. He might be the piece of the puzzle that finally lifts New Orleans over the Otters in the place they thrived the most recently. The Playoffs.
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Playoff Prediction
New Orleans goes into Otter County to face the Orange Machine. OC has performed very well there in the playoffs, in the past and they look to continue this trend at least one more year. New Orleans, though, had a great game just 2 weeks ago. They might have walked out with a debilitating loss that cost them their shot at playing this game in their home stadium, but they only lost by one point in a 2 minute drill drive that put the ball in veteran Bradley Westfield's hands for the game winning TD. New Orleans can adapt their playbook from what they learned that game and potentially steal the road win. But I don't think that is going to happen. I think this might be the final year that Orange County streaks into the Ultimus. Boss is still Boss. Westfield, Phelps, Crush, Atwell and Yates are such a potent offensive group, the Second Line needs, well... a second line of defense to take on all these threats effectively. OCO - 28 NOLA - 24
Yellowknife has been a dominant team all season. All 3 of their losses have come against non-divisional foes. Another point of interest is that when they've won, they've won big. Their closest margins of victory were 4 and 5, both against the Hawks who they are hosting this week in the playoffs. So, if any team in their division has a shot to steal one away, it would be Baltimore. However the Hawks are at home, where they only suffered one loss, to the Otters. Yellowknife is not going to let Baltimore come in and sneak the win away from them. Even with new additions Rove and Melamedov, Baltimore lacks the potency to take down the kingpin. YKW - 42 BAL 23
The Ultimus comes down to Orange County and Yellowknife, again. Historically, this matchup has resulted in the Otters favor. Twice already his season, it's resulted in the Otters favor. But this time it will be different. Orange County could very well go 3 for 3 against the Wraiths this season, but something tells me homefield will mean more in this game than it did during week 7. Finally, after years of trying and failing, and having to deal with Liberty and Hawks clawing at them, only to fall to Arizona and the Otters, the wraiths can finally feel the thrill of hoisting that trophy. YKW - 33 OCO -28.
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Root For the Underdog
New Orleans is the underdog of the upcoming ASFC Championship game. There's plenty of reasons to think they can pull off this upset. Firstly, points scored. The 2 teams faced off twice this regular season, splitting the series 1-1. When at home, the Second Line dominated the Otters 33-10, a 13 point differential. However when in the Otters home field, they only lost by 1. The Otters are also weakened by an older overall team. Mike Boss, Angus Winchester, Robert Phelps and Bradley Westfield are all old as dirt and the Second Line is full of fresher, younger players. There's also the thirst factor. Most of the players on the Otters squad have been to the big dance before. This is not the case for the vast majority of the second Line team. They have more to play for. Ambition is a key factor for this New Orleans team. All season they've played like a team with a destiny. They've shown a resilience and a tenacity that a championship team shows. The may not have the best record, or the best stats, but they sure have the heart. They have the drive. But do they have the Otters number? We'll see soon enough.
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Robbed
The Philadelphia Liberty were robbed of a playoff spot. I could sit here and make arguments that the Hawks weren't good enough, but that's obvious. the reason the Liberty were robbed of their rightful spot was because of the utter collapse by their GM. The Liberty GM, adam2552, made a series of moves, essentially blowing up the franchise and eliminating their team from contention single handedly, for what looks like no good reason other than his own self interest. Loyalty to his fan base and his players were thrown out the window. Micah Hendrix, Paul DiMirio, Eli Kamaka, Damien Kroetch, Cliff Rove and Vikian Melamadov all were sent packing to other teams. Some of those deals were deemed highly questionable by the media. Had they not dropped half of their star power to other teams, there's no doubt they would have finished with a better record and ahead of the Hawks. No discredit to Baltimore, they earned every single one of their wins, but if you're being realistic, the Liberty's collapse allowed them to get into the playoffs by virtue of points scored. I have to feel bad, because the Liberty fans and their remaining players were robbed. they could have had another run at the Ultimus, but instead, they sold their season for draft picks.
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(S8) - Ultimus Week - YoungTB - 06-25-2018
DSFL Playoff Predictions: This year, the DSFL playoffs are shaping up to be quite the show. Starting Monday, we’ll see the Kansas City Coyotes take on the Portland Pythons in the Northern Conference Finals, and in the Southern Conference Finals, we’ll see the San Antonio Marshals going up against the Tijuana Luchadors. Starting with the NCF, I think this is going to be a great game. We’ll see a great Kansas City defense try and stop an elite Portland run game. Overall though, I see this matchup going to Kansas City. If they can stop the run like they have many times this year, then I could see this one becoming a blowout. The Coyotes main strategy should be to shut down Lagerfield and force Cole McCoy and Portland’s passing game to beat you. In the South, I expect this game to be a hard fought battle between two great teams. However, I think San Antonio’s defense edges Tijuana’s offense and I could also see this becoming a blowout in San Antonio’s favor. What Tijuana needs to do is play lights out defense and stop San Antonio’s “dual threat” offense with a lethal run game and pass game. If they’re able to do that, then this could be a very close game. In the Ultimini, we see Kansas City take on the Marshals in an epic bout to cap up an equally epic S8. I honestly expect this to be a defensive low scoring game. We’ll be seeing two of the DSFL’s best defenses go head to head. However, I think that San Antonio’s “No-Fly Zone” consisting of Barnes and Ludvig will be able to edge out Kansas City’s wicked front seven and bring the Ultimini home to SA.
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Robbed: The DSFL playoffs have been set in stone and will start tonight at 8 PM EST. The four teams in the running for the coveted Ultimini trophy will be the San Antonio Marshals, the Tijuana Luchadores, the Kansas City Coyotes, and the Portland Pythons. The two teams that didn’t make it to the playoffs were the Norfolk SeaWolves and the Palm Beach Solar Bears. These teams just didn’t make the cut and weren’t able to muscle through to the main event. However, I believe that the Norfolk SeaWolves got ROBBED. The SeaWolves are a very underrated team and I believe they aren’t as bad as their record makes them out to be. Led by star running back Julian Washington who I believe was a very underrated player this year, their offense is a pretty well oiled machine. Washington was able to rush 1349 rushing yards and rack up 10 rushing touchdowns in the midst of 12 games. I’d argue this as a better season performance than other star running back Elijah Lagerfield from the Portland Pythons. Speaking of Portland, I believe their offense edges out Norfolk’s, but only by a little. Their passing game is way better, though I’d give the running game to the triple threat backfield in Norfolk. When it comes to defenses, Norfolk’s is a bit pitiful, with a rather deplorable set of guys in the secondary. Overall, I do believe Norfolk is the better team though, and I think that they should have made the playoffs over the Portland Pythons.
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Root For The Underdog: Now, given where my loyalties lie, I won’t necessarily be “rooting” for this underdog. However, I think there is a decent chance that they could give San Antonio a run for their money. I’m of course talking about the Tijuana Luchadores. Tijuana is a pretty good team this year and boasts a talented offense lead by highly touted prospect Xavier Flash. Their run game isn’t flashy, but they get the job done. Tijuana runs a running back by committee, with Adams leading the pack of Spinelli and Bot. Not only is their offense great, but their defense is argue is even better. Young Spaghetti and Thad Young lead this formidable group of players and they’ll be looking to make a splash in the playoffs. I believe this team will give San Antonio a run for their money. If their offense can click and outmuscle the San Antonio No-Fly Zone, I see this being a very close game. They’ll also need to shut down San Antonio’s offense. Also, they’ll need to put pressure on FitzMagic and make sure to shut down the air attack. Overall, Tijuana needs to play lights out and want it more than San Antonio does if they want any chance of reaching that Ultimini trophy. I wouldn’t count out Tijuana fully here however, as they are the underdog against the Ultimini favorites. Again, I see this game coming down to the wire in a hell of a battle between two talented teams.
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A Sit Down With Baltimore Hawks CB Antoine Delacour: For this segment, we sat down with Baltimore Hawks Cornerback Antoine Delacour. Delacour is entering his fourth postseason appearance with this Baltimore squad, and while they're still underdogs, this team has the heart and motivation of true Ultimus winners. We spoke with Delacour about his future in the NSFL, the draft, and most importantly, the playoffs and the matchups ahead.
TB: "Antoine, thanks for sitting down with us."
AD: "Glad to be here."
TB: "So Antoine, I'm sure you're excited about the playoffs, so I'll ask you this; what are your expectations for this Baltimore squad going into the postseason?"
AD: "It's hard to say. It's gonna be tough for us, I think we're the clear outsiders in any scenario. So first off we have to get past Yellowknife. Both games against the Wraiths this season were close, so I expect it's gonna be close again. On the balance of things, they probably have a slightly better pass rush, which usually translates to better offensive production... so us guys on defense need to limit them as much as we can. I think if we can get past them, though, there's no reason we can't win the Ultimus. If you can hold the best offense in the league, you can hold anyone, surely."
TB: "Good answer. I think this will be a fun match-up to watch, specifically for you guys on the defensive side. Are there any teams that pose a significant threat to Baltimore in the playoffs?"
AD: "It's gotta be the Wraiths. You can't just pick one guy either, because they can hurt you in so many ways. It mostly centres on Akselsen though. f you shut down all of the pass options for Akselsen, he'll run on you. If you close his running lanes, he'll find a seam and thread a pass. If you can deal with their offense, they'll get you on defense. A win over the Wraiths, in Yellowknife... I think that would give us all a massive confidence boost that might put us over in the Ultimus, no matter who gets there."
TB: "Good to know. Yellowknife is looking like the Ultimus favorite this year and I think it'd be great to see an underdog Cinderella story happen with you guys. Now on your future in the NSFL. Obviously regression will be hitting you pretty soon after such a long and amazing career in the league. Realistically, how many more seasons do you see yourself playing at peak level?"
AD: "This is something I've thought about for a while. Realistically? I have maybe two or three more years after this one. Beyond that, I'm riding pine or I'm a liability. And I don't want to be in that position. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned about it all. It's another big step, and I'm worried about what state the franchise will be in when I have to call it a day, but I also have faith in the management, and the guys I'll be leaving behind. If I was to just follow my heart, I'd stay until they have to carry me off the field in a body bag, to be honest. These guys, my brothers, we go to war every week. As long as they'll have me, I'll be there."
TB: "That's a great attitude to have for someone who's been as dominant as you pretty much since the birth of the league. Last question, looking at the draft, are there any prospects in particular that you're excited to see get drafted, maybe in Hawks colors?"
AD: "Prospects wise, I'll be honest, I haven't really paid close attention lately. Not as much as in the past, due to various other projects I'm working on, preparing for retirement, you know? But I've been really impressed with Bucky Barnes. I'd love to have him on board before I hang up my cleats. Other than him, Oskar Ludvig is looking like a solid guy to have in the secondary. But it's not all about defensive backs, either. There are a lot of really great kids coming through, and picking up one of the two potential long-term franchise QBs currently in the DSFL would be great too, Avon's great but he can't go forever. We have a lot of holes to fill in this team over the coming years, so there are options out there. I'm sure whoever front office brings in will be great, they're careful guys, always doing their due diligence... and they've yet to get it wrong, in my opinion."
TB: "Good to know. My guys down in the San Antonio No-Fly Zone, Bucky and the Demon, will be forces in the NSFL that's for sure. It was great speaking with you, Antoine. Good luck in the playoffs!"
AD: "Thank you, and you too!"
(802 words, written with @37thchamber)