(S13) - Ultimus Week

[majesiu]

PBE PT

1) IT IS OUR TIME THIS (NEXT) YEAR - Can be completed anytime
New Orleans Second Line is yet another contender that felt the regression wrath and is losing two more pieces that secured them 4 straight ASFC titles - Paul DiMirio and Jullian O'Sullivan. The once young core is now entering regression, slowly but surely one by one. First Borkus Maximums last season, now Wide Receiver Vladimir Fyodorovich, next season William Harrison and that's it from the start of that core, NOLA has some nice young pieces but you feel like they need to move those older players for assets to weather the storm of Otters and Sabercats and start competing for not next year, not in S15, but from S16 onwards once players like Schneider, Keita, Danielson, Kuusela start entering their prime. You have to set your mind on reality and while the 6-8 record was good enough for 5th place in association it also means the team doesn't have a shot at potential Borkus replacement and their next QB will need one more year or growth. Fyodorovich may or may not be part of their plans as he should still be a serviceable player, albeit in a progressively limited role until his career completely fades away in S19. Looking forward to what offseason brings and especially how the team prepares for really stacked S15 draft in few months.

3) PRE-GAME or...POST-GAME - Can be completed before or after based on choice.
On Monday night we witnessed the rematch of last season finals when the team that has played in every playoff so far in Orange Country Otters faced the team that qualified for the only third time but was seen as a favorite in the matchup with home field advantage - the San Jose Sabercats. In the regular season Otters got up to 9-5-0 record and San Jose had the best record in the league with 12-2-0. They split the season series winning each matchup at home. San Jose had the best offense and defense in terms of points scored with +10 differential, but it clearly wasn't enough as they lost in a dramatic fourth-quarter pressure situation. They were able to take a lead 21 to 20 with just 15 seconds in the quarter but four minutes later Ricky Adams scored on a 4-yard run and with two-point conversion Sabercats needed touchdown once again. San Jose offense stalled and they were unable to score for the rest of the game and remain the only team in the league history without postseason appearance and Yeti have an opportunity to make them only team without a title on Wednesday night. Joliet Christ had his usual night, but it was running game not being as effective that put the nail in the coffin. Otters defense and complete lack of turnovers did the rest.

4) QUARTERBACK MATCHUP - Can be completed anytime
We were able to witness the matchup for ages with Adriana Falconi facing of against Mycicle McCormick in the National Simulation Football Conference finals when Philadelphia Liberty tackled on Colorado Yeti. Let me ask you first what spread would you expect if I told you that liberty had 20 first downs, 403 total yards (248 in air), while Colorado had 23 first downs, 440 total yards, including 230 in the air. 27 to 50 score certainly doesn't come to mind, but it was the reality when Falconi threw 5 picks, that was picked by Tilman, Oakes, Hornbacher and twice by Montgomery. She was able to pass twice in the clutch to von Matt and Hardwich that resulted in a touchdown, but one of those was in the fourth when all was said and done. McCormick meanwhile even though he threw picks finished with 93.3 rating and delivered 4 finishing passes - twice to Howard Miller and once to each of Verso L'Alto and Mark Grau. It's certainly a nice game for kicker switched to quarterback as Mycicle is most likely eyeing the end of his career and it would really nice for him to top it off with Ultimus Bowl. Falconi meanwhile still has plenty of time and valuable playoff experience will bring fruits in the future.