(S2) - PT #1 - Pre Season Hype

[4D Chess]

For me, C.A. Chess, it's impossible to look past that first game on the schedule. The very first time I get to throw on the pads in a professional football game, the first game back after my leg injury in college that sidelined me throughout so much of the first season. Sure, it's only preseason but as a Rookie there is still butterflies flying throughout my whole stomach -- strange for a meaningless game, right? But the player I'm most excited to line up against is Xavier Newman, Cornerback on the San Jose Sabrecats. I can't say I know the guy personally, just watched his tape from Boston University where he made fools out of the competition. I also know, through his agent, that we're both fans of the Cubs and while that may give us something in common on the field I think we both know that once the whistle blows we've got some things to prove. We have things to prove to the teams who drafted us AND those who didn't draft us, we both were projected to go higher than we did, and now we're going to be going head-to-head for the first (but certainly not last) time as professionals.


(Word count: 202)

[White Cornerback]

[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Zach Slinger1 is an experienced player to say the least. He's undoubtedly the best player in the Baltimore Hawks roster and yet is overlooked by staff over some scrub at the starting quarterback spot. Fans hope in dire times of need, the team turns to this man who is nothing short of a miracle. His Hawks play my Wraith's in pre season for a nail biting experience. Lavelle hopes by some glimmer of luck that he could be lucky enough to even touch a thrown ball by Slinger. With so many teams in this league, it's a shock to all the media that nobody contacted Baltimore about acquiring this HOF calibre gunslinger. Slinger is a fan favourite, and Lavelle is no exception. Lavelle has countless posters of Slinger hanging on his bed room walls, ever since Slinger's Wildcat days back in Arizona. Lavelle was lucky to have seen this man in action, some would describe his talent as that of a magician. He can pull off athletic plays, despite his near 300lb frame. Lavelle if by some grace of god managed to intercept Slinger on any occasion, would be tempted to retire on the spot as such a situation would be nothing short of divine intervention.[/div]
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]BONUS POSTER
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[ElMachoNacho]

All through the lead up of the draft we heard about him. The big mouth. The "rising star". The guy who gave an apology, only to contradict himself and cause problems in the same post. The man who's ruffled feathers and made enemies before even playing a game. Cushing.


That's who I want to face. I'm looking forward to meeting him in the open field and putting is supposed spectacular athleticism to the test. I want to meet him square in the hole, and drop my shoulder into him and show him that talk is no good on the field. The Yellowknife pre season game is circled on my calendar for the very reason that he's with the Wraiths. These diva players that are coddled their whole life and now by their respective teams. I want to show them that talk is cheap and that the crack of a shoulder pad barreling into their chest speaks louder than words. But enough shade being thrown, I'm just hyped I get to hot that field for the first time and be able to show the coaches what I got in a full on live scrimmage type scenario. Not to mention we get to hit other people other than our teammates.


To put it bluntly, I don't like talkers. I'm bout that action....



(204 Words)

[Roshambo]

It’s no secret that there’s some bad blood between the Otters and the Outlaws. We’re not typically ones to fall into the drama bin here in Orange County, but bearing an entire offseason of gloating and taunting from Arizona has brought a few close to bubbling over. The most vocal of the Outlaws has by far been linebacker Harrif Ernston. Ernston rushed the stage near the conclusion of the NSFL Season Awards show to verbally slap the entire league a la Suge Knight at the ‘95 Source Awards. Though no specific comment was directed towards the Otters from the stage, amongst the boo’s from the league and cheers from Outlaws, not-so-pleasant words were exchanged. The atmosphere in Santa Ana throughout training camp has been buzzing as we inch closer to preseason - though they don’t meet until the regular season, Dominic Verns gave brief comments possibly to the Outlaws after practice last week.

“We focus week to week, I'm not going to say we're looking forward to this team or that team. But I will say sometimes to stop someone from jawing you need to pop them in the mouth a bit.”

When asked if he was referring to the verbose and abrasive Ernston, Verns picked up his helmet and smiled before trotting to the locker room.


“We’ll let the scoreboard do the talking for us this year, but I’ll be sure to point it out to him Week 3.”


(239)

[Jogn]

I'm really looking forward to matching up against Big Bot.

It hadn't gotten any media attention, any buzz. It wasn't in a Bowl Game, or a Senior Bowl, or a Postseason Invitational. Then suddenly, the Colorado Yeti realize that there's no rule in the book of football that says a robot can't play and they pick it at #39 overall.

Maybe I'm just defensive because the 5th was where I was picked. I want the guys that come out of there to get a reputation. Not too much of a reputation though, the Wraiths are all in this season.

Fuego Wozy didn't have that good of a season last year - he got in because all of the defensive linemen in the NSFC weren't all that crash hot. I know the media will tell you that's because it was a weaker conference, based on the Ultimus Cup and Pro Bowl, but I think we were doing a good job shutting those guys down. Teagarden was fine, but not super impressive. The Yeti are going to need a good performance out of those 3 if they want to be part of a team that can keep up.

The Yeti are going to need one of their guys to kick inside. I hope it's the Bot. Seems like the only guy on that line with potential.

@loco

[Oles]

Written: Must include 200 words. Who are you most excited to face in the pre season? Is it an old rivalry? A hot shot rookie? Talk about why you are excited to play against them.

I’m looking forward to playing against Josh Bercovici. The controversial QB who recently got the first mega deal of the league, who will play his first game as part of the Legion against the Liberty. This will be the first clash between the two expansion teams, and Bercovici will lead the headlines as everyone will be quick to call him a bust if he does not perform well. I hope to help add to that, I hope to intercept him multiple times in this game, and would like one of those times to be a pick 6. I want to terrorize him, force him to make bad decisions and get in his head. I can’t wait to play against him because in my mind he is overrated. He did not deserve that contract to me and I want to help get the ball rolling on the Bercovici is overrated talks. It will be fun to play against the legion in general, as the 2 expansion teams clash in the first week of the preseason. It will be fun to see how fast their build method collapses as people become inactive and stop playing and gaining TPE and stop getting better. We’ll see how the first preseason game plays out, but I will not be happy about the result if an interception doesn’t come my way.

(225 words)

[Admin]

Man oh man I can't wait to play Alex Hayden again. Last season I had some great outings against him. We faced each other 5 times in the regular season and I had some of my best games. None of these statlines were anything I would complain about
7 catches for 123 yards
6 catches for 124 yards and 1 TD
5 catches for 119 yards and 1 TD
4 catches for 74 yards and 1 TD
4 catches for 95 yards and 1 TD
26 catches for 535 yards and 4 TDs. That was almost half of my total yards and over half of my total TDs for the entire season and they all came against one team.

I wish I had that same success in the playoffs against him though. When we faced the Colorado Yeti in the NSFC Championship Alex Hayden held me to just 3 catches for 62 yards. My worst showing versus him all season. Hayden played great, and was clearly a different player than the one I had played against all season. He got the best of me when it mattered and it has been eating away at me ever since. This pre season matchup between us I plan to get back to my early success against him. I've been working hard looking forward to our matchup and he better be ready to try and stop me.

232 words @Rich

[Vikain]

Out of everyone in the league I want to play against my old teammate and friend Logan Noble. Sure I've picked him off in practice last year but now I have the chance to pick him off in game and I want to see his face when I do it. This is nothing against him or the Yeti personally, just think he's one of the top premier quarterbacks in the league and now I’m given the light to snatch one of his throws. He’s a great guy but I'm ready to give him some trash talk and make him give me the ball by accident. I know what Noble is capable as I saw it first hand last year and I know he’s going to get better but so will I. This is going to be a fun season for both us I think. He’s on a team that just went to the finals and I’m on a brand new team that has high hopes. I’m trying to bring some knowledge from the Yeti but at the same time we want to build our own identity and I think a lot of people around the league are going to be shocked on how sneaky good we will be.

[Player1]

As a Blocking Tight End it's hard to say who my biggest defensive rival will be. I'm expected to do a lot, sometimes I take on the DE to help set the edge on a running play, sometimes I try to stop the OLB from blitzing, and sometimes (of course) I even have to go catch passes. In that sense, I'm a bit of a pain in everyone's ass, but probably not anyone's arch nemesis.

For me, the most exciting prospect this season is going up against the Las Vegas Legion and seeing how their brand new defense has been put together. The biggest challenge on that front is sure to be Tyler Varga. He has the speed to cover routes or rush the passer, and the strength and technique to power his way past you if he wants to. I will need to bring my best to make sure he doesn't stuff our run game or murder Mike Boss in the backfield. You'll never know if you're the best until you go up against the best and succeed, so facing Varga and the rest of the defense around him will show the league that the Otters are the top of the food chain. I have no doubt I can do it, and catch a few passes going his way too.

Word Count: 221

[Jiggly_333]

@Lainncli