(S7) - PT 1 - Biggest Busts

[JuOSu]

Conall O'Sullivan is a running back for the New Orleans Second Line. Somehow, my sister ended up on the same team as me yet again. It keeps happening. Anyway, she was much hyped as a running back option out of college/the DSFL and especially was good at catching balls out of the backfield and being a threat like that. However, inactivity once again struck with her and she ended up being a major bust. One of the best DSFL running backs at the time, Conall ended up a NSFL bust, with only 104 yards rushing last season and even worse, the strength of catching the ball was almost completely unused with only 4 catches for 10 yards. Beyond that she scored zero touchdowns. With inactivity sadly also follows a lack of getting better and so her career seems all but useless and over. A wasted opportunity to shine, akin to Marcus Dupree, a star in college and the DSFL but never shined in the pros. While not a first round draft pick, even being taken 14th overall as she was, her player has been mightily disappointing and could have been a much bigger asset in this league. There were still a few better options on the board at the time sadly.

[PDXBaller]

One of the busts from most recent seasons was the amazing John Wachter. He was a part of the S4 DSFL Portland Pythons team and helped lead the team to a historic 11-3 record which would stand as the best team record in the DSFL. John had a historic season himself earning an exhausting list of awards becoming the DSFL MVP, Most Outstanding Player, Offensive Player of the Year, Offensive Rookie of the Year, Best WR, WR Triple Crown, and setting the single season record for most receptions at 95. John was an absolute beast in the DSFL and was selected 3rd overall by the Baltimore Hawks in the following season. However, the bright lights and pressure from enormous expectations got into his head and he wasn’t able to live up to the hype from his DSFL days. John would stagnate in the NSFL and wasn’t able to become the great wide receiver everyone was hoping to see. In time, his training and passion for the game withered away much to the sorrow of his former DSFL GM Rashaad Brooks. Hopefully John can come back to make an impact on the game as there’s still time for him to be a great receiver for the Hawks.

206 words

[SwagSloth]

If we want to talk about busts, then we need to talk about Francois Lameroux. Back in S3, he was a second round pick with a lot of promise. Of course, seeing 2nd round picks not pan out could be a reasonable expectation these days, S3 was a multi-round draft with several good prospects, putting Lameroux on par with a first-rounder today. He came in at the OL position, which was later moved into a bot position, but we've seen several OL move on to become stars of the league, like Mat Akselsen, Avon Blocksdale, and Argus Winchester. Even recently, Ryan Sierra. Had he stayed true to his potential, Lameroux would have surely gone on to become a star. Unfortunately, like a candle, his passion burned out quickly and he found himself forced to go inactive. Outside of the team locker room, his interactions in the league were toxic and antagonistic. Whether it was a bit of fun gone wrong or an attempt to make the league an outlet for his personal issues, Lameroux quickly became one of the most hated players of the league. Regardless of the cause, he recognized his own toxicity and, rather than contain it, opted to walk away entirely, citing that the league brought something out of him that he didn't like. Unfortunately, this left a promising player move from potential all-star to permanent DSFL status once the OL changes took effect. Talk about a bust.

241 Words

[White Cornerback]

Shawn Ariel was picked up by the Las Vegas Legion with the the #8 overall pick in the S4 NSFL Draft. At the time it seemed like a no brainer, Ariel although had recently went inactive, this man did tear up the DSFL for an entire season and falling to the Las Vegas Legion who at the time owned 5 of the 8 1st round picks for that draft seemed like it was meant to be.

Ariel however claimed to be ready for a comeback several times and each time it led to an extended period of inactivity untill he ultimately claimed he would retire, but never actually did. His NSFL corpse is still going strong, either on the depths of an NSFL teams depth chart or languishing in NSFL free agency.

A possible pro bowl, hall of famer's career washed away before it even began. He will only be a DSFL one hit wonder, no more, no less. This was Shawn Ariel's career, a career while spanning longer than Ezekiel Elliot's, remains just as embarrasing.

Shawn Ariel could've been a NSFL legend if it wasn't for the fact that his career took the same path as Johnny Manziel's in the NSFL. A career practically finished before it even begun, it leaves us all with questions of what he could've been, what he could've accomplished and who he could've been.

[Durden]

One of the biggest busts in recent history has to be Jack Durden.

It's not really because of WHAT he did, it's somewhat because of what he didn't do. He was around but didn't bother to train. He could be considered a bust because he was selected SO late at pick 78, but he didn't get the playing time that he thought he would, and was discouraged because of it.

However, he was the better back. Not stat wise, but definitely on the board. In season 1, he had more rush yards than the "main" running back but wasn't much better of a catcher out of the backfield. This was all without doing much training at all. Prices were too high and it was a waste of time.

Durden did better than his opponent but yes, he IS a bust. Why? Because he could have been SO MUCH BETTER.

Again, the USER is going to blame this on a lack of reason to update. The money per word count, the high training costs, getting no TPE for DOING PTs, playing second fiddle on Arizona... and I still think it update scale is a little harsh.

Despite his sub-par statistics in seasons 3, 4 and 5, he won three Ultimus Trophies, and his career is what it is. But he's still just a scrub.

222

[Titan127]

I haven't been on here very long, but I would say Damien West, WR for the Yellowknife Wraiths, my NSFL team, actually. The fifth overall pick of the NSFL's first draft started with a bang, posting seventy five catches for just over a thousand yards. Even if he only hauled in four touchdowns, that was fine, he was one of the top five receivers in the league at the time, production wise.

That's when the decline started.

West went on to haul in fifty nine passes for under eight hundred yards and just three touchdowns this time around, in season two, a drastic drop off in production for such a highly touted prospect. After all, he was still a young player, only in his second season. The next year, his third, however, was starting to grate on the nerves of those around him, as his production dropped off yet again, now with forty eight catches, an eleven ball drop off, for six hundred forty five yards and again three scores.

First, it was a sixteen reception, one hundred thirty yard, one touchdown drop off, and now it was an eleven catch, one hundred thirty five yard slip. He was a productive receiver as a complementary threat, but he wasn't the explosive beast that he'd been in the past, now on a different squad.

48 catches, 605 yards, and again three touchdowns. Another fall in production in year four. he had a resurgence the next year, with yet another team, nonetheless, with a 52 catch, 575 yard, 7 touchdown season. The numbers weren't great, but the touchdowns were a career high, and the receptions were the third best of his six year career.

Just as it seemed he was ready to fulfill his potential, West hit rock bottom with a three catch, seventeen yard season in eight games.

The fifth overall pick in NSFL history, and this is what he came to.

[37thchamber]

In the infancy of any sports league -- particularly one competing with a far more storied, and reputable league in the same sport -- it is reasonable to expect draft busts. The first round of the first draft of the National Simulation Football League saw six selections. Of those six, half flamed out spectacularly. Extending this count to the first two rounds, only five of twelve picks can reasonably be said to have "worked out"; often not for the team selecting the player.

Many selections were just examples of college standouts not being able to make that transition to the professional game. For example, Alexander Selich, known for his phenomenal work rate in college, ironically proved to be a player of questionable motivation for the Sabercats. Elsewhere, Gabriel Tenzini's football IQ and safe hands were thought to be a near risk-free choice for the Hawks in the second round, but the pressures of the professional game got to him and he could not produce beyond his first season. The list goes on.

The very first pick of the 2016 NSFL Draft, however, may well be the biggest bust of them all. J.J. Reigns, a player famed in the league for his extensive knowledge of the game, and aptitude for coaching -- he once, perhaps justifiably, made the now famous claim that he had "forgotten more about [this game] than [you] will ever know" -- was selected first overall by the Orange County Otters. While Reigns ended his debut season joint second in the league for sacks, it would be difficult to characterise him as being worth that pick. Looking at his on-field production, he was perhaps not so much of a reach. However, that is only one component of what presumably drew the Otters to the big defensive tackle, and in other areas he was found to be severely lacking. It did not take long for Reigns to let his standards slip, most likely due to the distraction of his agent launching a competing football league. He would never quite fulfil the potential he showed, and ultimately would be written off as an error in judgment.

Perhaps most amazingly, it could have been so much worse. Had the league been of a higher quality in the early days, and the Otters not drafted future locker room leader Angus Winchester with the 25th pick, the impact of Reigns' "bustitude" would likely have been multiplied significantly.

[124715]

Busts? Shaka and JJ Reigns are synonymous with "bust" in this league. However, other busts also had wide-reaching impact. The #4 OA pick in S1, for instance. LB Alexander Selich, a sim league veteran known for his high activity in other leagues, was selected highly by the SaberCats. He didn't make it through S1. His player was mediocre in S2 and he slowly got less and less playing time. Another bust that comes to mind is the #2 OA pick in S2 - DE Blaster Blade. Blade, also a sim league veteran, was a solid earner with high TPE totals. He was selected 2 OA in a bit of a head scratcher. He was never anything special on the field. Another bust, although in a different sense, was taken the pick after Blade. OL Tim Pest, who played one horrific season with the Outlaws on waviers, was selected again by Arizona in the draft. Following a few stellar seasons, he was found to be a multi and instantly deleted. Another bust, although it is less severe, was the selection of inactive S Jorge Masdival with the S2 #20 overall pick. Since I was still on the board, this pick made me mad. Now, I have far more TPE than Masdival and I'm still active.

--214

[Bwestfield]

Biggest bust of all time in the NSFL. I mean some may say this is low hanging fruit but look at Shaka - JJ Reigns. First overall pick of the NSFL inaugural draft. The person picked first should define your franchise. JJ Reigns came in for a season, maybe two and drifted into obscurity. He took over the reigns (pun intended) of the Otters when grapehead stepped down teaching timeconsumer a lot of what he knows about the simulator. But after that he just disappeared. He should not only still be in the league but he should be one of the best players even if only at his position. He started off with such promise but ended up giving nothing in return. How could you tell the GM of a team that you were worthy of being the first overall pick ever and then not give the results. Players come and players go, but one thing is for certain. If you were drafted in the first round or even second round of of the inaugural draft you have high expectations. At least Garden is still making a good career despite being inactive. Kudos goes out to all of those players drafted late in the first draft who are still active and giving their teams a great player.

[Ramero]

One of the biggest busts to ever grace the halls of the National Simulation Football League is the player who was selected first overall in the league's first ever draft way back in Season One. J.J Reigns, otherwise known by the public under his player name of "Shaka", was surrounded by hype and anticipation heading into the coveted first season of the NSFL, touted by many athletes and scouts alike as one of the greatest defensive players of all time. To the dismay of many though, Reigns fell off the map part way through S1 and became an irrelevant roster filler for years to come.

Reigns now sits on the roster of the Colorado Yeti as an interim player, filling a position that the Yeti have struggled with. While Reigns has yet to retire, the public figures that with him falling into the end of his career and facing off against regression in the short term, Reigns will no longer be a viable long term option for Colorado, a team that prides themselves on being fresh faced and prepared for the future. It's sad to see legends of the community such as Shaka lose interest and vanish, but with new leagues come growing pains.