(S23) - PT 4 - The Butterfly Effect

[NylarthePhoenix]

Although Alex Reed's professional career has yet to even begin, there were some a year ago who believed that Alex wouldn't even make it to the pro level. When Alex Reed completed his high school career, he was not the overlooked talent that his father was. Instead, Alex was a five star recruit that every major college put some effort into recruiting. Ultimately, Alex selected the University of Alabama. During his freshman year, he was WR #3 on the depth chart, but this was to be expected, since the two receivers ahead of him were a Junior and a Senior who were extremely talented in their own right. With both of them leaving in the spring, Alex assumed he would be the starting receiver in his sophomore year. Unfortunately, two Top 10 WR recruits joined Alabama that year. On top of this, Alex suffered a season ending injury after just the fifth game of the season. With the two new recruits having excellent seasons, Alex was dropped back to #3 on the depth chart before his junior season. Alex had a decision to make: stay with the Crimson Tide and try to win the #1 spot back, or transfer to another school. Alex chose the latter and transferred to the LSU Tigers where he gained the #1 spot in a WR room that lacked a true #1 option. The rest is history. Alex Reed had the best season any LSU WR has had since OBJ, and helped lead the Tigers to winning the SEC championship over his old team, and the National Championship. Alex Reed is now a highly touted prospect coming into the DSFL this fall. Only time will tell if he lives up to his father's legacy.

[KoltClassic]

The largest turning point of Otis Allen’s career inside of professional football is without a doubt his position switch from defensive tackle to defensive end when he was in his rookie season with the Sabercats. I say inside of professional football intentionally, as the other major turning point of Allen’s professional sports career came during his freshman year of college. As a state champion in both the shot put and discus field events, Otis was a highly-scouted track and field athlete out of high school. He ended up taking a full athletic scholarship to Michigan State University where he was expected to be a star performer even as a freshman due to his outstanding size and strength measurables. Otis enjoyed ( and still enjoys ) being a track and field athlete, but the catalyst of change to make him a collegiate football player was his freshman year roommate who was a cornerback for the football team. They became friends early into their freshman year of college and Allen’s roommate would constantly encourage Allen to consider trying out for the team. Allen would eventually succumb to the peer pressure and take a meeting with the team’s defensive coordinator, and would later walk on to the team as a defensive tackle. This would prove to be a perfect fit as Allen shined in his new sport, and would go on to be the rising star in the league that he is today.

[Moosecop]

PBE PT

[MisObvious]

PBE PT

[White Cornerback]

Written Option: Reflect on one moment in your player’s career (childhood, college, DSFL, or NSFL) where they faced an important turning point - perhaps a season-ending injury, unexpected trade, position switch, or a difficult decision. How did your player’s reaction change the way that their career has unfolded? What ramifications has their choice or circumstance had on their future or on the league?

June 6th, 2019. Or whatever year it was in sim. Lavelle Jr. releases his god tier draft conditions to the leagues media (here). With this Jr changed his entire career arc from the very get go. After a few games with Kansas City in S14 on waivers and an entire season with the awful Norfolk Seawolves in S15, Lavelle entered the S15 offseason full of hope, well not really.

He had prior to that , released his draft conditions which would dictate where he would go and as a result his draft stock dropped. Not that it really mattered at all because as we enter the tail end of S23, It's as clear as day that Lavelle was the strongest prospect out of the S16 Draft in terms of pretty much everything. After him it's definetly Torenson or Laszlo and way way way way down the line somewhere towards the bottom it's Faux.

This turning point changed everything, originally slated to go first overall to the Chicago Butchers, this did not happen. Chicago opted to skip Lavelle over what was first dressed up as concerns that Lavelle being the KR1/PR1 would somehow affect win shares and percentages (which everybody and their mother knew at the time, didn't) when in reality it was because the GM wanted to return kicks, something he couldn't nut up to at the time and instead had to weasle into a different excuse. Lavelle fell to 2nd.

Lavelle fell past 2nd actually, Chicago skipped him again for the afore mentioned bust that was Blake Faux.

Colorado had indicated that they would draft Lavelle if he fell to them at third overall but he was lied to by their GM at the time. They opted to choose Laszlo, a WR who would spent most of his career with them before feeling forced out and being drafted via expansion and then sent to the Yellowknife Wraiths as a OL convert from WR.

Lavelle would then be drafted fourth overall to the Austin Copperheads, in his 5th season he would win his first Ultimus, years before any other player in the top 10 not on the Austin squad. I'd say it all worked out pretty well for Lavelle as even as he enters regression years, he's on pace to still break returning records as well as place top 10 in career pass deflections.

[PersonMann]

PBE

[mithrandir]

I have had an easy road so far in the NSFL. I hit it off immediately with Jay Doctor and was headed for Tijuana from the very beginning. Then, I followed the Tijuana to New Orleans pipeline and was a perfect fit in the Second Line locker room, so I had an easy decision to sign a three year contract and stick around in NOLA. I had a decision to make at the end of last season, though a fairly minor one. As a cornerback, I want to play on the outside matched up against receivers. I had spent my rookie season at strong safety because of our strong cornerback group. I had to decide if I was willing to stay in NOLA and take a less than ideal role (as I still had yet to record my first career interception) or if I would request to play outside or get traded. Another possibility was just to switch positions to safety. In the end, I chose to take one for the team, continue in my role as the team's strong safety, and wait for my chance to be a number one cornerback in a couple seasons. I love playing for New Orleans, so it was an easy choice. I love my teammates, especially my defensive squad, and we have had a great year. I even had a breakout game with an interception (my first) and a forced fumble in one game. Imagine if I had expressed my unhappiness and asked to be traded: I could have found my way onto a bad team that needed a starting cornerback, and I would be unhappy because ultimately, team success and winning coupled with great teammates is more important than my own statistics or ego. Andrew Witten CB will not make the Hall of Fame. He might not ever win an award or even crack 10 career interceptions. Nevertheless, I am right where I belong.

[Sylphreni]

Greedy Sly's career is still in its infancy, but there has been perhaps one big "crossroads" to date for the up and coming superstar.

Prior to his DSFL draft, there had been rumors circulating about Greedy's potential landing spot. Having been a walk on waiver claim for the Tijuana Luchadores, it seemed to many he might be a lock for their 4th overall pick. Greedy himself had, had fantastic discussions with the teams leadership, and thought there was a decent chance the Luchadores would consider him with their first pick. That said, the Dallas Birddogs owned the second overall pick in the DSFL draft, and Greedy had, had fantastic discussions with both GMs of the team. While Greedy thought it might be too big an ask for the team to consider him with such a high pick, he was hopeful that they would. The team atmosphere and environment was fantastic, and Greedy was excited to partake in it.

What Greedy didn't know of course, was that the few conversations he had with London Royals head scout, Exilizer had been exceptionally well received. Behind the scenes, Exilizer had done a fantastic job of convincing then London GMs modern_duke and Deadlyplayer that Sly was the right guy for the team. London went on with to select Sly with the first overall pick, and the rest is history! How might his career had been different had he gone to Dallas or Tijuana? We'll simply never know.


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[WannabeFinn]

Coming into the DSFL draft, Sergio Kitchens was feeling pretty good about himself. He had always lived up to the moment. Ever since he first put on pads, things had gone well for him. He was a superstar running back in high school, winning two state championships. He was a highly recruited prospect, choosing to go to the University of Georgia over a plethora of other athletic powerhouses including: the Ohio State University, the University of Texas, Auburn University, and Clemson University. During his time at Georgia, Kitchens was a feature back and helped the Bulldogs get to the College Football Playoffs three times.

So, of course he was feeling good when draft day came around. He knew that he didn’t have the best combine, but he didn’t really think that it would be problematic. He didn’t have much of an injury history, but the injuries he did have were to his right knee. It didn’t have a noticeable effect on his play, but Sergio would’ve been lying to himself if he said it still felt the same. Despite that, he wasn’t concerned and felt that he was the best back available in the draft class. Then, the draft began... and Sergio came spiraling back down to earth.

[Bauer]

PBE PT