(S24) - PT 4 - Trial by Fire

[Gwdjohnson]

SHL CW

[JSS]

SHL PT

[SchoolboyShue]

PBE

[y2bobman]

As a player back in high school, L’Gazzy Burfict was known for his quick feet and great speed – a linebacker helping out on special teams, who’d have thought.  Moving on to college it was much of the same, although he did just stick to playing in his natural position.  He got a reputation as a hard-hitter and with this, combined with his natural speed, it was perhaps a surprise that he was only taken in the 10th round of the recent DSFL draft. 
Burfict perhaps let the pressure get to him a little and forgot what skills had got him there – he worried too much about letting the team down that he was unable to relax, unable to play his natural game.  The turning point for him was a heart to heart with father Dion after the Royals’ narrow loss to the Coyotes.  He went back to basics, trained at what he was built for and brought his speed back to where it should have been from game one.  The result?  Well Burfict registered a team high six tackles, one sack and his first forced fumble of the season in a narrow loss to the Pythons, stats which gained him with his first defensive player of the week Royal Crown from his coach.

Code:

259

[Evok]

http://probaseballexperience.jcink.net/i...t&p=214685

[slate]

Peter Patterson always valued his diligent work ethic, never taking anything for granted and always trying to improve himself. Still, as the Coyotes' first round pick in the DSFL draft, he might have let that honor get to his head a little bit in the leadup to his rookie season. The Coyotes' first game against Myrtle Beach would prove to be a quick reality check to those notions. Patterson took the field and lined up against the Buccaneers' star tight end Ne Mo, who was selected in the 2nd round of the ISFL draft in the prior offseason. While Patterson had lined up against tight ends split out wide on occasion in college, it certainly wasn't his forte, and Mo would prove to be more of a match than anyone Patterson had faced before.

While Myrtle Beach stuck to the ground game in the first quarter, it didn't take long in the second quarter for Patterson to start struggling. 3rd &1 deep in Myrtle Beach territory, 9 yard completion to Ne Mo with Patterson physically overmatched in his attempt to contest the pass. 4 plays later, 2nd & 8, 10 yard completion. Next drive, an 11 yard and a 19 yard completion before giving up a 12 yard touchdown. Patterson would recover a bit in the second half, but the damage had been done, and Myrtle Beach had a 10 point lead they would not relinquish. Ne Mo ended up as the Buccaneers' leading receiver in the game, and Patterson walked away with an appreciation for the physicality he would need to compete at this next level.

Code:

267 words

[toivo]

SHL PT

[r0tzbua]

Guy Fields never had a really rough season in college. Ever since he got recruited as a 4-star recruit by his Illinois home town university he had it pretty good. For his three seasons in Northwestern they never had a losing season or a particularly rough set of games. So in his college career adversity wasn’t known to him, especially in his final season when they won the Pinstripe bowl on the back of a pick-six by Fields.

When he was drafted by Dallas, a perennial playoff contender in the DSFL he originally expected nothing else. Interceptions, Pick Sixes, good coverage. That was what he was used to and what he excels at. The first few games in the league showed that things run differently here. Strength must be built through adversity and not only by winning and raking in big stats. While Fields still puts up great tackle numbers and generally performs well, but is very deprived of flashy plays throughout the last few games. One tackle for loss and two defended passes don’t really show a lot on the score board even though he is top 10 in total tackles up until this point.

These stats tell how the big leagues differ from college a lot, while the basic knowledge is still there, it’s much harder to come away with flashy plays at all times during the season and you have to be able to deal with it and grow through it to come back to your college form.

[Ry_]

PBE PT

[DonnoMania]

SHL PT