(S7) - Ultimus Week

[Oles]

Welcome to Ultimus Week! This is a special point task that will close on Sunday May 20th 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 S7 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 S7 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)

[Oles]

Robbed: Write about why a team that failed to make the playoffs should have over somebody else. Can be completed at any point
The Hawks got screwed over by the conference system. There is no reason they should have missed the playoff system considering that the ASFC had a team make it at 5-9, but because they were in the much tougher NSFC where you needed double digit wins to make the playoffs this season they got really unlucky. In what was a very tougher division this season, along with a massive decline in the ASFC, the Hawks found themselves in a situation that has perfectly encapsulated the Hawks history. Unlucky events followed by just being on the wrong side of everything, unlike the Wraiths who seemingly choke in big time games, and the Liberty who had struggled to reach their full potential, Hawks just constantly found themselves to be in an unlucky situation that always added up perfectly to other teams just finding their way through to the playoffs. The Hawks really seem to constantly be on the wrong side of everything, constantly just missing the playoffs due to last week losing or missing the playoffs due to the NSFC being a bit to strong and the team finding themselves on the wrong side of success. It truly does suck for the Hawks, they’ve always been a promising team but just constantly find themselves on the outside looking in. (217 words)
Championship Game Recap: Do a recap of the best play from the championship game. Must be completed after the Championship Game
The best play of the Liberty’s win has to be the first play of the game. Unlike in the past the Otters started off behind before they really ever had a chance to get started, as Josh Garden was able to return the kick for a TD and start the game off in favor of the Liberty. Because of this, the Liberty were able to go into their first possession with confidence, while the defense was able to have the edge for the Otters first possession. The kickoff was a game changer, and when the game is just starting, it was a massive tone setter that allowed for the game to be dictated by the away team, and not the dominant Otters we’ve come to know. The Liberty were able to use this to their advantage, using the kickoff as a springboard, with momentum on their side and a great defensive stand on the Otters first offensive drive, the Liberty really were able to dominate in a place that has always seen the Otters be the dominant team. The kickoff TD was truly the best play of the game, and truly allowed the Liberty to take charge and control the game. (201 words)

[majesiu]

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



Future Talent: Make a sig for a S7 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




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)



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

[Leafer]

1st the worst, 2nd the waste, 3rd the best

[ItsJustBarry]

Robbed: The team that was robbed the most this season would have to be the New Orleans Second Line. They were less than 3 minutes away from a playoff berth before trash kicker Dean Jackson hit a short field goal to put the Arizona Outlaws up by a single point. For a team that has had to overcome so much during its short life in the league, it’s a good sign when this team is a mere point away from a playoff berth. To be honest, any 2nd seed in the ASFC was going to be a sub .400 trash team so we may as well let the team that has struggled the most get their few minutes in the spotlight. Instead, they lose their week 14 matchup, and not only get robbed of the playoffs, but also end up dead last in their conference again. On the plus side, the New Orleans Second Line does have a brighter future with the majority of their players being younger than the league average. This should prevent them from being robbed in the future as we head in to S8. If S8 is not their season, then S9 should be no issue for them to overtake the conference. (205)

New Talent: What is the trade that will have the biggest impact in the playoffs? It would have to be the trade that sent defensive line juggernaut Arbin Asipi Jr to the Yellowknife Wraiths for Egor Medved and a meager 3rd round pick. I mean, what can be said about Arbin Asipi Jr. that he hasn’t already said about himself? This man is the self proclaimed best player in the National Simulation Football League and I don’t think anyone is willing to dispute that. This is the man that is tied for 84th place in tackles, 18th place in tackles for loss, did not force a fumble or recover a fumble forced by a team mate, and tied for 68th place in sacks leaguewide. With this kind of production, the Yellowknife Wraiths should be able to coast through the playoffs and secure the first ultimus trophy for the NSFC. Although we all know it’s not team first when speaking of Arbin Asipi Jr. Many would speculate he is in pursuit of another championship in any manner he thinks he can acquire one and his thoughts are that the Wraiths give him the best shot at adding some new hardware to old tarnished trophy case. (202)

Playoff Predictions: The predictions this season are maybe the easiest of any season thus far. I will start with the ASFC matchup between the Arizona Outlaws vs. the Orange County Otters. These 2 teams have now met in the playoffs an amazing 6 times with Arizona holding a slight edge in those meetings boasting a 3-2 record. Unfortunately, this isn’t the Outlaw team everyone remembers from the early days of the seasons. No, not only have many veteran players been trashed, literally, even some of their staple difference makers have moved on to greener (colder) pastures. While OC won both meeting in the regular season, they average margin on victory was only 10. My predictions is not only will the Otters secure another Ultimus appearance, but they will do it in dominating fashion winning by at least 18 points. For the NSFC, this is another easy pick as we see the Philadelphia Liberty head to the frozen tundra of Yellowknife for another quick departure from the playoff picture. If the week 14 matchup was any indication of how this game will go, we are in for an abysmal showcase. The former self-proclaimed winningest team gets sent home on the losing end of a 35-17 game. (203)

Matchup Nightmares: The biggest matchup nightmare would have to be defensive end Arbin Asipi Jr. vs. the robotic offensive line of the Philadelphia Liberty. If the Liberty want to have any shot of keeping the defensive line beast off of their quarterback this game, double teams and triple teams will obviously be likely. It shouldn’t even be fair to let this monster Asipi Jr. of the field with such weak mortals and poorly designed bots. With his moderate work ethic, minimal attention to detail, and overall lack of discipline, he is every locker rooms worst nightmare. But come game time, you’ll be happy he’s on your side. He racked up 23 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, and a single sack he added to his stat sheet way back in week 1 while securing a slim victory of the New Orleans Second Line. But all that is regular season which is in the rear view mirror now. Records are reset to 0-0 and Asipi Jr. plays his best when the games matter most. One thing is for sure, he will do anything to secure his team a championship. And when his team isn’t the clear favorite, fret not. He will orchestrate an opportunity to join the front runner team as he is back-packed through the playoffs. (213)

[Bwestfield]

That magic moment:

There many magic moments in this year playoffs. But the one that stands out to me is the 103 yard return from Josh Garden in the opening drive of the Ultimus game which really sets itself apart from the others.The Otters never expected the man who gave them last year’s championship would come back and take it away. From that very moment the Otters just could never recover. Josh cut across the field, looking for the end zone, little did he know he would be finding a play that would define his career. Josh was chasing a championship ever since he left the Yellowknife Wraiths. He finally found it in Philadelphia. He finally found it after all these years. Over the next few years time will not be kind to him as he is starting to hit an age that is not kind to wide receivers. He can either push through it and show that he is better than those before him or he will suffer the same fate. Eventually time catches up with us all. Not like Josh in the last Ultimus game where he dropped the game winning touchdown in the final seconds of the game. This Ultimus game changed. Good for him.


Robbed:

The San Jose Sabercats I believe are the better team to make the playoffs over the ailing Arizona Outlaws. Do not get me wrong here. They are both looking to the future and not necessarily the present. They had a better defensive unit over Arizona Outlaws and had some successes on the offensive side of the ball. The sabercats decided that the season was over and to sell off all their assets looking to build a brighter future. I hope that it comes to fruition. If the Baltimore Hawks were located in the ASFC they would’ve easily made the playoffs. Aside from the Otters the ASFC are in rebuild mode. New Orleans Second Line could easily be a team that contends and pushes the Otters off the top of the mountain next. While the Philadelphia Liberty seem to have the NSFC wrapped up they playoff spot seems to be up for contention. The Yellowknife Wraiths season was unprecedented and will likely not be repeated next season. A good team for sure but I really think the Baltimore Hawks have an upper hand. The Hawks have several pieces in place to to make a championship run. I think they are one or two pieces away from hoisting the trophy.

Championship Game Recap:

This game was Liberty from start to finish. They came in with a gameplan and they sure did execute it. They started with the opening kick for a touchdown. Josh Garden, the man who dropped the pass last year which caused the Liberty from getting their first championship caught the ball from the kickoff and took it to the house. The man who sunk their hopes and dreams exploded and was reborn and gave the Philadelphia Liberty the opening lead which they would never give back. Good field position helped the Liberty all night long as they seemed to have shown the Otters the way to play the game. The Otters tried their hardest to overcome the deficit. They even came within 2 points. Mike Boss connected to several different targets all night looking for that magical play to put them ahead. He just never found it. Tyler Oles had a great day for the most part. He threw a pair of interceptions but really had a great day besides those two demerits. 3 touchdowns to 3 different targets, 200+ yards thrown. He made a mess of the Orange County secondary. Now it’s up to the Liberty to continue their success. They won on the road in both playoff games, it will be great to see it continue next year.

[JuOSu]

Robbed:

The New Orleans Second Line had a huge chance to make the playoffs but in the end failed to do so. It was so close! Just look at these games they lost that were tight:

Week 1: 38-35, lost in overtime after heroically tying the game late.
Week 4: 23-21, after the opponent had TWO punt returns for a touchdown, clearly the better team though.
Week 9: 23-21, lost to a field goal with 23 seconds left
Week 11: 23-20, lost to the three-peating champion Otters who scored a field goal with under 2 minutes to go

And then finally, the last week. Win and you are in. The team dominated again and had the lead but in the end, again a late field goal that put the other team ahead and New Orleans would lose. Even if two of those don't happen, New Orleans are in. If none of them happen, New Orleans would have had a winning record. It is insane what could have been and even one tiny field goal in the last game could have put them in the playoffs.

Still, the Second Line had a great surprising season and should be a contender for the playoffs next season!

Interview with a star:

Thanks to @timeconsumer

1) The Otters have a chance to win their fourth title in a row and make history. Is the expectation in the team that this will happen?

The Otters always expect to win. We know that the NSFC is stronger than ever this season and we stand a strong possibility of playing the game in Yellowknife, so there are no guarantees. But we always play to win, and accept nothing less

2) Who do you think has the best chance to beat the Otters?

I'd have to give it to Yellowknife. Assuming they make it to the Ultimus it's going to be on their turf. Their frozen, wasteland of a homefield. Combine that with their really dynamic offense led by Akselsen and a very strong defensive front with elite guys like Lavelle on the backend means Otters will have to play some flawless football.

3) What are your own personal goals for these playoffs?

My personal goal would be to bring home the win. Whatever it takes to do that. Of course I'd love to get a couple of high impact plays, drop the QBs three times a game, force a fumble, or intercept a pass over the middle. But if we get a win and I do my part just by keeping the play in front of me and making clean tackles, that's good enough for me.

4) Who will be the impact player on the Otters team?

That's a really tough call, we have so many elite guys. I'm going to go with our FS Bavitz who is having the season of his career right now. I don't know how he manages to get that many picks and sacks all at the same time. He's just an elite playmaker in all aspects of the game and if anyone can turn the tide I expect he's going to be the one to do it with some of his signature impact plays.

Playoff Series MVP:

In the shocking upset of the Philadelphia Liberty over the Yellowknife Wraiths, Paul Di Mirio was the star player for the Liberty. The star tight end showed his incredible strength and power in this game, starting off the scoring with a 21 yard touchdown grab in the first quarter to give the Liberty a lead that they would never give away again. More importantly, in the fourth quarter, with the Wraiths inching closer and closer to turn the game around, Di Mirio put the game out of reach, with an 18 yard touchdown catch that put the Liberty up by nine points with around ten minutes to go. Even though it was not the final blow yet, Di Mirio shined the entire game, leading all receivers with 8 catches and 115 yards and had both Liberty receiving touchdowns. A true playoff upset hero! What impresses me most is that the Liberty had a lot of different weapons to go to, with star Wide Receivers like Josh Garden and Fox North on the team, but Di Mirio stood out, even though he is a tight end. All three of them could have been the hero today, but only one managed to make it happen with sheer will power. Paul Di Mirio!

That Magic Moment:

The Yellowknife Wraiths were huge favorites going into the game with the Liberty. Having been dominant all season long, most expected the Wraiths to win the Championship due to home-field advantage and being a great team, but all game long they struggled. The Liberty had the lead all game, but it felt like several times the Wraiths were getting ready to take the lead away and win the game. Several times It felt like the game might turn and the Liberty managed to add another score to change that. None was bigger than the last one. With the Wraiths only behind by 2 points in the last quarter, it felt like if they got the ball back, they would get a field goal and go on to the final game. But, Liberty got yards after yards and eventually managed to punch it in with 56 seconds to go on a 2 yard run from Damien Kroetch, putting the game away and sealing the upset victory for the Liberty, with a heroic effort and in that moment all hell broke loose. All the fans and players knew the game was over. They had really done it. They were going to the Ultimus game! Congratulations!

[Raven]

Written: 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)

Tyler Oles gets to go to fucking Disneyland, wooptie fucking doo. So he gets to fly all the way from Cali to Flori and goes to the most magical place on earth and you`ll never guess who he gets to fucking meet when he got there. All his favorite charachters from all his favorite disney movies, charchters like, the little mermaid, Donald Duck, Goofy, Princess Jasmine, Buzz Lightyears, Thumper from the bambi movies, Huey, Dewey, but not louie, because his actor had the flu and stayed at home sick and they couldnt find someone to replace the actor, Captain Hook, Mad Hatter, Queen of Hearts, Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Toulouse Mister Smee, Dopey, Doc, Sleepy, Sneezy, Bashful, Happy, Grumpy, Evil Queen, Gus Gus, Fairy Godmother, Pinocchio from the 1940 film named Pinocchio, Honest John and also Gideon, Queen Elinor, Flynn Rider, Baloo, Simba, Robin Hood, Sherrif of Nottingham, Pongo, Winnie the Pooh, Kanga & Roo, Li Shang, Belle and the Beast, Timothy Q Mouse, Esmeralda, Lilo and Stitch and even Zazu from the Lion King movies. It was truely a wonderful day for Tyler Oles and his whole family who he had brought along with him on this magical journey. Tyler Oles sure hopes he can become MVP next year again so he can go again.

[Beaver]

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


Playoff Matchups: Make a graphic displaying the matchups in the first round of the playoffs. Can be completed at any point


Playoff Recap Infographic: Make a graphic displaying the results of the playoffs. 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 )

[infinitempg]

OLD FACES, NEW PLACES


PLAYOFF MATCHUPS



MAGIC MOMENT


DISNEY
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that's totally josh garden there returning the kick for a TD at the beginning btw