19.) Team Culture:
Tijuana has the best LR in the league, and honestly it’s not very close. They offer a great combination of send-downs and rookies, with plenty of active players. It’s a very tight-knit group, with all members supporting each other despite occasionally jokingly ribbing teammates for mistakes made on the field. A few running jokes have sprung up from this, namely Reggie Gilbert, Hex’s speed, Sloth’s tripping, and Dr. Jay Doctor MD. While generally a fun environment, the Luchadores LR can get intense on gameday, with a strong hatred for Norfolk and occasional outbursts at missed chip shot field goals or big plays given up (mostly coming from the player at fault). A great example of the overall camaraderie came recently when elite linebackers Ugarth the Dissector and George Fisher offered to donate to charities in order to motivate the creation of 1.5x bonus media articles. The presence of a Vestuario locker room limited to current Luchadores has also gone a long way in making players more comfortable, in case they want to discuss NSFL destinations or opposing teams privately. Tijuana’s excellent duo of GMs, a few veteran send downs, and an active core of rookies has created what will be a great locker room for years to come.
18.) Awards Season:
This season the Luchadores had an extremely balanced team, splitting carries in a three-way platoon and running a pass-heavy 2-QB system. Although a sound strategy, it made stat-padding much harder for most players. Despite this competition, safety Magnus Valdyr still has a strong shot at winning Performance of the Year. A relative unknown outside of Tijuana, Valdyr stepped in the spotlight when he was needed most. Playing a crucial divisional game on the road against Myrtle Beach, Valydr made the most of his opportunity by returning two interceptions for touchdowns in a 28-16 win. WIthout at least one pick six the Luchadores would have lost, not to mention the momentum-altering impact of the sudden change of possession. Magnus also managed to make three tackles and defend two passes, but his real value came through the takeaways as he became just the 4th player in DSFL history to record two pick sixes in a single game. Other players have put up gaudy stats running the ball or big numbers on defense, but Valydr deserves the award for a historical performance that changed the result of the game. He checks all three boxes when it comes to Performance of the Year: Statistical significance, historical significance, and impact on the game, a feat no other candidate can claim.
4.) OL Appreciation:
As an OL watching the playoffs, it was exciting to watch NOLA and Myrtle Beach win their respective championships. Both teams had multiple user OL, and the advantage it gave was clear, especially in Myrtle Beach’s victories over Norfolk and Kansas City. S21 OL Douglas Quail dominated all season, putting himself firmly into the conversation for OLotY with Byron Dolls of the Portland Pythons. He finished the year with 59 pancakes (2nd best in the league) and allowed only one sack, paving the way for the league’s best rushing offense with almost 3,000 yards on the ground. He continuously showed up when the spotlight was brightest, recording five pancakes and blocking for a 200 yard team rushing effort in a crucial road game against the divisional rival Seawolves. Later in the year, in a three score victory over the Grey Ducks he racked up seven pancakes for yet another 200+ yard ground game, nearly cementing their spot as a #1 seed. In the playoffs the Buccaneers faced off against the Seawolves yet again, with Quail putting up similar stats once again. Myrtle Beach steamrolled Norfolk 18-0 as Quail pancaked four defenders in a 215 yard rushing performance, and kept this momentum heading into the Ultimini against Kansas City. Quail stayed consistent and had 5 pancakes in Myrtle Beach’s 200+ yard rushing game. Though I’ve focused on pancakes and rushing yards, it’s important to note that he was only called for one penalty and didn’t give up a sack in the four games analyzed, further demonstrating his impact on the Buccaneers playoff push.
17.) Sponsorships:
![[Image: lRbaCFu.jpg?1]](https://i.imgur.com/lRbaCFu.jpg?1)
Tijuana has the best LR in the league, and honestly it’s not very close. They offer a great combination of send-downs and rookies, with plenty of active players. It’s a very tight-knit group, with all members supporting each other despite occasionally jokingly ribbing teammates for mistakes made on the field. A few running jokes have sprung up from this, namely Reggie Gilbert, Hex’s speed, Sloth’s tripping, and Dr. Jay Doctor MD. While generally a fun environment, the Luchadores LR can get intense on gameday, with a strong hatred for Norfolk and occasional outbursts at missed chip shot field goals or big plays given up (mostly coming from the player at fault). A great example of the overall camaraderie came recently when elite linebackers Ugarth the Dissector and George Fisher offered to donate to charities in order to motivate the creation of 1.5x bonus media articles. The presence of a Vestuario locker room limited to current Luchadores has also gone a long way in making players more comfortable, in case they want to discuss NSFL destinations or opposing teams privately. Tijuana’s excellent duo of GMs, a few veteran send downs, and an active core of rookies has created what will be a great locker room for years to come.
18.) Awards Season:
This season the Luchadores had an extremely balanced team, splitting carries in a three-way platoon and running a pass-heavy 2-QB system. Although a sound strategy, it made stat-padding much harder for most players. Despite this competition, safety Magnus Valdyr still has a strong shot at winning Performance of the Year. A relative unknown outside of Tijuana, Valdyr stepped in the spotlight when he was needed most. Playing a crucial divisional game on the road against Myrtle Beach, Valydr made the most of his opportunity by returning two interceptions for touchdowns in a 28-16 win. WIthout at least one pick six the Luchadores would have lost, not to mention the momentum-altering impact of the sudden change of possession. Magnus also managed to make three tackles and defend two passes, but his real value came through the takeaways as he became just the 4th player in DSFL history to record two pick sixes in a single game. Other players have put up gaudy stats running the ball or big numbers on defense, but Valydr deserves the award for a historical performance that changed the result of the game. He checks all three boxes when it comes to Performance of the Year: Statistical significance, historical significance, and impact on the game, a feat no other candidate can claim.
4.) OL Appreciation:
As an OL watching the playoffs, it was exciting to watch NOLA and Myrtle Beach win their respective championships. Both teams had multiple user OL, and the advantage it gave was clear, especially in Myrtle Beach’s victories over Norfolk and Kansas City. S21 OL Douglas Quail dominated all season, putting himself firmly into the conversation for OLotY with Byron Dolls of the Portland Pythons. He finished the year with 59 pancakes (2nd best in the league) and allowed only one sack, paving the way for the league’s best rushing offense with almost 3,000 yards on the ground. He continuously showed up when the spotlight was brightest, recording five pancakes and blocking for a 200 yard team rushing effort in a crucial road game against the divisional rival Seawolves. Later in the year, in a three score victory over the Grey Ducks he racked up seven pancakes for yet another 200+ yard ground game, nearly cementing their spot as a #1 seed. In the playoffs the Buccaneers faced off against the Seawolves yet again, with Quail putting up similar stats once again. Myrtle Beach steamrolled Norfolk 18-0 as Quail pancaked four defenders in a 215 yard rushing performance, and kept this momentum heading into the Ultimini against Kansas City. Quail stayed consistent and had 5 pancakes in Myrtle Beach’s 200+ yard rushing game. Though I’ve focused on pancakes and rushing yards, it’s important to note that he was only called for one penalty and didn’t give up a sack in the four games analyzed, further demonstrating his impact on the Buccaneers playoff push.
17.) Sponsorships:
