06-25-2018, 01:42 AM
(This post was last modified: 06-25-2018, 02:26 PM by RedCydranth.)
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.
(237 words)
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.
(404 words)
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.
(205 words)
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.
(216 words)
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.
(237 words)
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.
(404 words)
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.
(205 words)
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.
(216 words)
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