(S22) - Ultimus Week

[Mongoose87]

Task 8

Perhaps there have been worse starts to a career than Sigismund Sternenstaub's, but I would imagine they are few and far between. Things kicked off decently - Ziggy collaborated on a popular editorial about the direction of the NSFL, to much critical acclaim. When he declared himself for waiver eligibility, the Minnesota Grey Ducks reached out and showed great interest in bringing Ziggy in for their final playoff push. The team and Ziggy seemed to be on the same page. Things were looking good.

He waited patiently, through the 48 hour waiver period, eager to hear the news of where he would be playing. He expected to hear from the Grey Ducks, since they were the only team to reach out to him, but knew there was a strong possibility another team could snag him.

The waiver deadline came and went. No one reached out to Ziggy. It was late at night, though, so he was willing to concede it was reasonable that he might have to wait until the next day.

So, he was patient. Morning came. Then it was afternoon. Silence.
Curious about what was going on, he reached out to the Grey Ducks. They informed him he'd been picked up by another team with higher priority, on a claim put in at the eleventh hour. Since he hadn't heard from them, the Grey Ducks put Ziggy in contact with his new team - the Myrtle Beach Buccaneers.

Ziggy was a little disappointed not to join the Grey Ducks, but he was excited to get on the field for his new team. He moved his equipment into his new locker room, and got to work cramming the new playbook. If he was going to be an immediate contributor, he'd need to catch up, and fast.

Game day arrived quickly. Ziggy checked the updated depth chart. He did a double take and checked again - he wasn't starting. Hell, he wasn't even dressing. What was going on?!

Ziggy worked patiently through more practices, until the time arrived for the next game. The updated depth chart was put out - and Ziggy was, once again, not on it. He was fuming! Why had he even been picked up?

The regular season concluded, and Ziggy hadn't seen the field at all. Myrtle Beach was on the outside looking in, for the playoffs. He hadn't played a single down. The team he had almost joined, the Grey Ducks, was now in the top seed for their conference. Ziggy cleared out his locker without a word to anyone.

Task 14

Sigismund Sternenstaub has to be considered a top tier prospect for the upcoming DSFL entry draft. Let's start with the physical assets he possesses. First, the man in strong as an ox. You'd be hard pressed to find another prospect that can power clean as much weight as this kid, and I think that will show up on the field in a big way. Remarkably, he balances out that impressive strength with very respectable speed. You're not likely to see any other defensive tackles outrun him, I expect him to be in the top three 40 times at his position. On top of that, Sternenstaub has a remarkable motor. You find a lot of guys coming into the DSFL can do it in bursts, but need to sub out frequently. Not this kid. He goes all day.

Worth mentioning is this kid's pedigree: his maternal grandfather is NOLA start safety William H Harrison. Not only does he have the genetic advantage this provides, but rumor has it that Harrison is bankrolling all of Sternenstaub's training.

Now, on the negatives. The biggest one is smarts, or lack thereof. I mean, this kid just doesn't have much in the way of football sense at all. He needs to be in a role where he has one job. His lateral mobility also leaves something to be desired.

[C9Van]

Tier 2: Short Form Tasks (400+ words)
Choose up to TWO for 5 TPE each.

5) Awards season is a big part of the offseason festivities. Take the stand, in 400 words or more, for one or more players that are not your own, and argue why they should receive awards glory. They can be your teammates or anyone in the league. How did their stats and on the field contribution contribute to their case this year?

The person I will choose to talk about is my team mate CLG Rampage's Running Back: Hanyadi, M.

The guy is a monster. He has 100 speed like pretty much all good movement based players should and he is nowhere near his prime season and on course for an insane amount of yards in his career that can rival the all time greats at his point in his career.

Now sure he does have one of the best Offensive Linemen's of all time in Laszlo Forty-Two (Cool guy btw) helping him block and remove a potential play stopping silly defensive linemen but overall he is just one of the very best for even his TPE level. The fact he is able to compete at this level to the point that he is beating every other running back in yards for the regular season and has 7 touch downs overall which is a healthy amount but nowhere near his prime shows not only how important good OLine is but how talented he is. Teams just cannot stop him from running right past them. He even finished with the highest average yards this season.

It basically just shows you how much the offensive side of Yellowknife have been deadly overall in the running game. I love me some Gump but to my knowledge he still has more TPE than him so for him to not be as dominating with two human OLine players who are future stars proves how good Hanyadi really has been so far in his career and especially this season.

On the other side I would also say that our Quarter Back C. Bigsby is in with a good shout of winning the QB award. Sure, only third in yards overall but we did have the deadliest running back unlike the other teams and to the point where he had some of the least ints going but also produced the most touchdowns with them and has the best rating overall out of the top 3. Meaning sure he lost yards but they do not mean much if they are not getting as many points overall as our QB has been producing.

I believe he did this deeper into regression as well so it is way more impressive than the rest I would say. Especially since the Easton Cole is now in his prime before regression eats him up with my player at the same time.

So yeah, Yellowknife getting that QB, RB and OL of the year awards cause it is well earned.

[425 words]

7) Selflessness is one thing, but ultimately everyone wants to hear their own player’s name mentioned among the greats. Take some time, in 400 words or more, and discuss how your player’s (or past player’s) career is going so far. Are you matching any expectations you set out for yourself? Do you see yourself on a potentially award winning or Hall of Fame career trajectory? If your player is just starting out, what goals and visions do you have for yourself?

This is very mixed for me if I am honest because I have never heard promising things about who pick HoF and I get the feeling they will look at my WR career and instantly just decline it purely cause I was on 1 of the worst teams in NSFL history for 5 seasons and playing as WR2 position for 4 of those seasons and was never focused when I was WR1 in a non-meta build that is red zone threat not speed build. Which I feel getting 600+ yards every time on a poor QB based team is fairly impressive from the WR2 position and 1000+ yards in my only main position. I feel I could have won or at least gotten nominated if I did not sacrifice so much of my player for them.

But excluding getting abandoned by them when they became a contender I would like to believe my OL position switch has gone very well. Whilst I do not want to say I have this seasons award wrapped up I would say tis fair to put me as a favourite for it and probably another appearance in the pro bowl. I believe that is a decent start for my OL career and I can continue to show what OL can look like when you are basically a max stat earner and really make a huge difference for your RB and QB. Both of which have done excellent overall with the season as well. They are both great players but I think having an OL in front of them blocking every sack possible massively helps them as well.

I believe I can compete for OLOTY for a fair few seasons but going forward the competition truly will be tough as teams realise just how important this position truly is and will be going forward. I hope I can be someone players look at and want to become when they get to the prime of the careers and have fun cause this season has been a blast collecting pancakes. I would never go back to WR and it being the main position that I can help grow hopefully helps my chances with HoF.

I would love to make it but I am hoping my wasted seasons do not come to bite me in the ass and I can prove that Lazzy is one of the biggest improved players since moving and can really be dominant in this position for quite a bit of time.

Hopefully anyway cause my draft class doesn't have much going for it in terms of elite players.

[435 words]

[YoungTB]

Create an argument for your own player, or for someone else on your team, as to why they should be nominated for awards. Lay out their stats or compare them to other contenders. Make a convincing argument. Written option available for 200 words or more.

While Cassius Brown hasn't exactly done much since entering the league as a waiver pick up in the middle of the season by the Dallas Bird Dogs, he should still be recognized as an incredible player among the league of the DSFL. I say this for multiple reasons, but the main reason is because he's so good at everything he does. He might not have done much on the football field, but in the locker room he was a real force... at ping pong. He would chef anybody up in ping pong and has truly set himself apart from the rest of the players in terms of his ping pong skills. He's so skilled at ping pong that he could beat anyone. Not only that, but he's also a master at locker room pranks. He'd load up other players cars with shipping peanuts and popcorn so that it would take years for them to fully clean the interior of their nice expensive cars. He's also glitter bombed plenty of his team mates so that they'd have to clean that up from their floors which is a bitch to clean. Overall, he's set himself a part not because of his play on the field but because of his play overall in the locker room.

(213 words)

Make a scouting report for any of the NSFL or DSFL draftees. Show their stats, abilities, TPE, highlights, or dead relatives. I’m joking about that last one, please don’t put dead relatives on the scouting report. Written option available for 200 words or more.

Cassius Brown has really set himself a part from his peers due to his excellent play in high school and uh decent play on the field. But of course, for his level, it was pretty good since he was a waiver pick up for the Dallas Bird Dogs in the beginning of the season, meaning he got limited play time. But he did well. So here's what I think sets Cassius Brown apart from his peers first and foremost; he's the son of NSFL Hall of Famer Marquise Brown. He's got the genetics of a true winner and Cassius Brown will look to continue his father's legacy. Also, Marquise Brown will be active in coaching the young buck and helping out his rookie teammates, he will be involved with the team in many facets. Secondly, Cassius Brown has done a lot in terms of development. He's been working incredibly hard on making sure he develops in a timely manner by focusing on his speed in training cap, as well as making sure that he can be agile and catch the balls his quarterback throws to him, whoever that may be. Overall, Cassius Brown should definitely be in contention for first overall when it comes to the DSFL draft in season 24.

(211 words)

Make a comparison between your own team and a playoff team, if your team failed to make the postseason, showing why your squad was better. Written option available for 200 words or more.

The Dallas Bird Dogs didn't get much luck throughout this season for multiple reasons. Mainly because Cassius Brown wasn't doing much in terms of offensive production for his team. It's pretty sad to see since he was hailed as such a talented young prospect. However, the Dallas Bird Dogs have a particularly bright future ahead of them, that is, if they draft Cassius Brown in the S23 DSFL draft. He's next up. Anyways, I feel the Bird Dogs should have made it into the playoffs over the Luchadores for multiple reasons. Namely, the Luchadores are the big suck and have always been the big suck. Who is seriously a fan of the Tijuana Luchadores? Luchadores have always been a thorn in my side ever since dating back to the San Antonio Marshals days where they ruined my dreams of winning an ultimini. I think it's pretty shameful of them to always keep beating me and I hope they get beat in the playoffs because frankly they suck! Meanwhile the Bird dogs actually have fans. Seriously. I'm a fan, and that counts for like a million extra fans! So therefore, the Dallas Bird Dogs are the team to beat because they're the best and they always have fun unlike those damn luchadores!

(211 words)

Present your argument for the playoffs MVP. Show their stats and impact on the games that they played. Written option available for 200 words or more.

In my opinion, if Cassius Brown was playing in these playoffs, he'd be the playoffs MVP. He's simply a force to be reckoned with on and off the field, as he will often get into fights with players that cross his path. But in my opinion, the real man to be the playoffs MVP would definitely be PhastBawl. He's an excellent kicker. I saw him kick it multiple times for the London Royals and both times that ball went soaring. He's truly a superb kicker, and we see it time and time again. In the big leagues, I see PhastBawl being a hall of fame level kicker. If he keeps on kicking the ball like that we are gonna have a hall of famer on our hands for real, and I'm sure that London will be very proud to say that they helped develop an all-time great kicker like PhastBawl in their facilities, on their field, and with their coaches. He made plenty of field goals in the Royals' playoff run to set him aside from other players, especially other kickers. I see him as the playoffs MVP and I'd definitely give him the trophy. In fact, we should just rename the Ultimini to the PhastBawlini, because of his extraordinary impact for that London Royals squad.

(216 words)

[hotdog]

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You may use a PBE, SHL, and GOMHL PT as credit for a maximum of 1 TIER 3 TASK here.

SHL PT - 2.5

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Make a scouting report for any of the NSFL or DSFL draftees. Show their stats, abilities, TPE, highlights, or dead relatives. I’m joking about that last one, please don’t put dead relatives on the scouting report. Written option available for 200 words or more.

Scouting Report for S23 NSFL Draftee-to-be DB Jadakiss: Alright the first dead relative I'd list would have to be the maternal grandfather, deceased as of 2015, very meaningful. oh nvm. Ok on the field Jadakiss plays like a bullet, a special combination of speed and strength (it's not that special because that seems to be the meta lol) who shows lots of potential. Jadakiss seems to be an absolutely gifted athlete in terms of those raw skills of strength and speed, though he still has a ways to go in a few other areas of the game. His tackling was pretty consistent from start to finish in his rookie DSFL season, but he showed noticeable improvement in his pass defense towards the end of the season, capped off by a massively important interception return for a touchdown in the final game of the regular season against the Myrtle Beach Buccaneers. Other highlights include an interception against Kansas City, 2 fumble recoveries, and 2 forced fumbles. With those 2 picks in the season, Jadakiss clearly still needs to improve both his ball-catching ability and ability to read the play before it happens, but with the raw athleticism he possesses those skills should be coming along in due time if he continues to improve his game like he has throughout this season.

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It’s down to the final four in both leagues. Choose one playoff team that is not your own from either league and recount how they got here in 400 words or more. What challenges and hurdles did they face in the regular season? Did they cruise into home field advantage or have to fight off contenders for the wild card? Are they led by MVP players on offense, or is a stifling defense the engine to their success? Don’t be afraid to go deep.

At this point, it's down to just one! With the Yeti having defeated the Sailfish in the wild card round, the Wraiths in the conference championship game, and the Otters in the ultimus, they stand alone as the victors in season 22 of the NSFL - their first ultimus title in their third time appearing in the game. I've got a couple of friends on the Yeti roster so I'll discuss their path to glory this season. I recall from season predictions (this stands out to me because i was new to the league and didn't know which teams were good lol) that they were considered one of the top 2 in their conference, alongside Yellowknife. Most teams had those two in the top two spots in predictions. The yeti kicked off the season with a major bang, taking down those conference rival Wraiths in week 1 by a score of 34-12, an absolute statement win to open the season. The hot streak continued, as Colorado would beat Philadelphia, Sarasota, Chicago, and Baltimore en route to an impressive 5-0 start. But then came a rough patch - 4 losses in a row, to Arizona, Orange County, Honolulu, and Yellowknife in a week 1 rematch. They managed to stay above .500 by beating Philadelphia, losing to Sarasota, and finishing out the regular season with two (easy) wins against Baltimore and Chicago. They headed into the playoffs 2nd in the conference at 8-4, as that rough patch in the middle knocked them down a peg from where the dominant (regular season) Wraiths sat. On offense, they appeared to sponsor a balanced attack, with solid play from QB McDummy and RB Owens, though neither appeared at the top of the leaderboards for their respective positions. In fact, the team overall ranked about 4th or 5th in most of the relevant passing and rushing categories. Receiving was balanced as well, with WR Bishop and RB Owens catching an equal share. The team did thrive on defense, ranking near the top in fumbles forced and leading the league in interceptions and defensive touchdowns. Berry had an amazing season at LB, ranking high on the team in tackles, sacks, and pass deflections in his do it all role. Lastly, i would be remiss to not mention good ol' silver banana, a reliable enough kicker who was 30/30 in XPs - one of only 4 kickers in the league to not miss an extra point attempt. Congratulations to the Yeti for getting over that hump and finally taking home the title!



2.5 + 2.5 + 5 = 10!

[Drizzy]

7. This is an interesting question and one that I've thought about a little bit of late outside of the scope of this PT. I feel in some ways, Jamie Nkiah's career so far probably hasn't gone quite as well as I would have liked it to. I had ambitions that he would be an impact player from the day he got to the league, and would be the kind of player who you would see selected to the Pro Bowl for almost every season in the league he played. Well, 3 seasons after he was drafted into the NSFL and with 2 seasons under his belt, his level of play has been "good" but not anywhere near the type of elite level I was hoping for. I've received Pro Bowl votes in both seasons, which honestly I'm not sure were totally deserved given the quality of play I was going up against, but obviously they didn't lead to anything and so I find myself sat on the outside looking in. I was hoping the trade to Sarasota last season would lead to a big jump forward in my stats, but it didn't really so I'm finding myself in basically the same position that I was before when it comes to on field play. When it comes to awards, I haven't been in the right galaxy to win anything like Defensive Back of the Year or Safety of the Year yet, but hopefully that's something I can get at least a little closer to achieving as the TPE continues to grow. My build has every useful attribute capped now so I'm hoping that the results should soon start flowing in.

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408 words

I started Jamie's career with Hall of Fame ambitions. I then went inactive and disappeared but since coming back I've been determined to get him back on track for a shot at the hall. I think if this is still going to be the case this next season really is make or break. If I don't at least make the Pro Bowl this season, then it's going to be basically impossible for me to do enough in my pre regression seasons to get him a chance at making it in. If I don't get Pro Bowl this season, then maybe some thought will go toward playing a shorter career length and resetting back to the drawing board sooner in order to hit Hall of Fame with another player soon.

10. This is sad because I’m obviously going to be nowhere near getting any sort of award this year, but if you sat down and really forgot everything your common sense and logic told you, you might be convinced that Jamie Nkiah is deserving of winning something this offseason. Jamie didn’t exactly lead the league in anything this season, and frankly was a fair way off the statistical leaders and gave a worse performance than he did last season by almost all accounts. However, there were some parts of his season that weren’t actually a total failure. Jamie was one of only a very small number of defensive backs to record a pick six this season. Defensive touchdowns are very rare in the NSFL and so managing to notch one of these certainly ranks him somewhere near the top of the pile. He also managed to get two interceptions, two sacks and a fumble reception. So if there was particular weight put on his pick six and all round play in terms of intercepting and getting sacks, then you know what, Jamie might just be in the running for an award. It’d be unlikely that he’d ever get over the line and actually win but he may just have come closer than you think.

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213 words

AFFILIATE PT - SHL (username is dankoa)

[HENDRIX 2.0]

5) Awards season is a big part of the offseason festivities. Take the stand, in 400 words or more, for one or more players that are not your own, and argue why they should receive awards glory. They can be your teammates or anyone in the league. How did their stats and on the field contribution contribute to their case this year?

I’m going to go through and argue which of my teammates in Yellowknife deserve awards glory. Starting with QB of the Year I think it would be an easy decision giving it to Cooter Bibsby. He is 3rd in passing yardage, 1st in touchdown passes, 2nd in QB rating, and he really took care of the ball by only having 8 interceptions (fewest in the league had 7). Being QB of the Year almost always puts you in the conversation for MVP and OPOY too, so he should be a candidate for those awards as well. Mathias Hanyadi should definitely be RB of the Year. He led the league in rushing yardage and was tied for 3rd in rushing touchdowns. His efficiency was tremendous as well at 4.8 yards per carry, 2nd best out of all RBs. Our other RB Acura Skyline would be a great choice for Offensive Rookie of the Year. He led the NSFL in rushing touchdowns with 9, and his 911 rushing yards ranked 2nd among rookies. He also added 358 yards and 1 touchdown in the receiving game. The old veteran Nate Swift should be awarded WR of the Year. His 67 receptions put him 5th in the league, 1,065 yards put him 2nd, and 11 receiving touchdowns were tied for 1st. On the defensive side of the ball Giannis Kroustis should be the favorite for defensive tackle of the year. He led the entire NSFL in sacks with 13. He also had the most tackles among all defensive tackles with 54. He proved his versatility against the pass and the run. Mervin Leonard should be in the conversation for CB of the Year. He was tied for the league lead with 5 interceptions, his 17 pass deflections ranked 4th amongst corners, and he had one defensive touchdown, a rare occurrence for any defensive player. Dougie Smalls has a great argument for Kicker of the Year. He made the most extra points in the league, tied for the longest made field goal at 56 yards, and was a fabulous 96.4% (27/28) on field goals, the highest in the league among players with over 20 attempts. Laszlo Forty-Two should be the consensus Offensive Lineman of the Year. He accumulated 85 pancakes this season, that’s 19 more than 2nd place. He also didn’t allow a sack. You could also factor in the overall team rushing success Yellowknife had this season, Forty-Two definitely played a big role in that. (415 words)


7) Selflessness is one thing, but ultimately everyone wants to hear their own player’s name mentioned among the greats. Take some time, in 400 words or more, and discuss how your player’s (or past player’s) career is going so far. Are you matching any expectations you set out for yourself? Do you see yourself on a potentially award winning or Hall of Fame career trajectory? If your player is just starting out, what goals and visions do you have for yourself?

When I returned to the site after my extended absence I noticed my retired player ended his career with 99 sacks, which pissed me off. So I created a player with the goal of breaking that mark by getting 100+, but even now as a sophomore I’ll have to readjust career statistical goals. My player’s backstory was one of a sack artist in high school and college. In the DSFL I was put at the middle linebacker position, high sack totals just aren’t possible there. I grew up in the old days of the NSFL, defensive strategies were different and positions were not as balanced as they are now. Things definitely changed, but I think it’s more fair now. As a rookie I played out of position at strong safety and had a surprisingly good year. As a sophomore I earned the starting middle linebacker position where I will stay for the foreseeable future. So my goal of a 100 sack career is pretty much shot, but a 1,000 tackle career is definitely doable as I plan to play 13 seasons unless my player really stinks up the field. Another potential negative is individual awards such as Defensive Player of the Year and/or LB of the Year. To have a realistic chance at either it’s best to be at the strong side linebacker spot as they get way more sacks which the voting committee loves as well as pass deflections. My career goals have transformed into to get close to the career of recent HOF inductee LB Austin Roenick. He won two Ultimuses, made 9 pro bowls, and had over 1,200 tackles. He didn’t have high sack numbers or win a DPOY/LBotY either but was still an unanimous HOF inductee, that’s the type of career I want to have. Maybe at some point in my prime though I’ll play some strong side LB aka sack side LB. There’s no offense that’s going to be able to block me with my 90 speed / 90 agility. My sophomore season playing middle linebacker went quite well though, I’m not expecting a pro bowl selection but 110 tackles is quite good. We had a strong team this season so our defense wasn’t on the field the entire game like Chicago, Baltimore, or Arizona. As my career progresses I should be in good shape if I can keep repeating my s22 performance or exceed it. Maybe in my prime I’ll get to play the superior LB position and gun for LB of the Year and DPOY awards. (426 words)

[yonggarius]

7) Selflessness is one thing, but ultimately everyone wants to hear their own player’s name mentioned among the greats. Take some time, in 400 words or more, and discuss how your player’s (or past player’s) career is going so far. Are you matching any expectations you set out for yourself? Do you see yourself on a potentially award winning or Hall of Fame career trajectory? If your player is just starting out, what goals and visions do you have for yourself?

William Lim is currently playing the second season in the pros, which is his rookie season in the NSFL. After having a good rookie season in the DSFL with 595 yards and a touchdown with DSFL pro bowl honors, William was immediately called up to the Colorado Yeti after being drafted by them with the 32nd overall pick in the S22 NSFL draft. He was projected to conpete for the WR3 spot and significant amount of playing time from day 1. And William did snag the WR3 spot over inactive Jake Dropson, and had seen significant amount of playing time in the field, despite the lion's share of the targets going to James Bishop and Red Arrow, the team's WR1 and WR2 respectively. William still managed to accumulate 310 yards and a touchdown with only 21 catches. That was almost 2 more yards per catches than his record of his sole DSFL season. William caught many deep passes thrown his way, with the longest catch he had in the season, a 43 yarder against the Sailfish, being his sole touchdown catch. And his season isn't over yet, with the Yeti advancing to the ultimus despite being clear underdog.
William Lim's future is looking very bright for now. He's very young, and improving himself very well. William will be ready to take on a larger role in the Yeti offense on a moment's notice. He is expected to take on WR2 role for the Yeti next season with James Bishop regressing further next season, and he got potential to be far better than that. I can see him competing for awards in a few season's time.
As for my plan as a user regarding player William Lim, I want to make him the best that I can. I told the scouts in NSFL scouting process that I want to exceed 1000 TPE with my player. That goal still stands, and I think I will easily exceed that benchmark as William is already over 400 TPE. And I got several new goals, too. First, I want to make a fantasy favorite wide receiver. I want my player to be widely recognized as one of the most productive receivers in the league by many people. And I also want to make the NSFL pro bowl at some point, as that selection will serve as a testament that my player is among the top 10 wide receivers that season. And I also want to say that I was selected to the pro bowl in both the DSFL and the NSFL, too. (427)

8) This task is exclusive to non-recreate rookies of the S22 class and later. In 400 words or more, how has your experience been in the league? Who have you met that has made your time here more fun, friendly, and exciting? Have you been satisfied with your player’s early start? What was it like being drafted for the first time? Do you have any comments or suggestions for the entire league that you think should be implemented?

It's been three real life months since I joined NSFL, and a kit of things happened during that period. As a rookie and a complete newbie to the concept of simulation sports league, I made a lot of rookie mistakes. I remember bagel having to correct me three different times before approving my player. That must have been quite annoying, as I kind of know now that I am in his shoes. Also I required a lot of help in going through basic stuffs. In that regards, I would like to thank the Birddogs GMs of that time, gucci and kyle, for helping me out immensely in my confusing rookie days. They basically shaped me in to the user that I am today, as it was them that encouraged me to join discord chats and be more active in the forums. And because of those helping hands I started to enjoy this league very much, more so than I ever thought that I would enjoy it. I made many friends in the league, and started to conduct some researches and write some real articles. And then came the DSFL draft. I knew that I won't be selected very high, because of me being a rookie and not being a high profile player or user. So I was quite happy when the Birddogs selected me with the 46th overall pick, especially I enjoyed the time at their locker room very much. I panned out both as a player and a user with the Birddogs, writing many analysis articles while being active and max earning. And I continued to have a great time in the Birddogs locker room with all the teammates. Those were one of my greatest joys in the bleak time at the height of this virus outbreak, and had me participating more enthusiastically in league events, and joining the Birddogs war room to help scout upcoming classes. By the time of NSFL draft, I became one of the top WR prospects, and increased my draft stock by a fair margin by being drafed to the Colorado Yeti with the 32nd overall pick in the third round. I was so happy when infinite said they thought that I was the best wide receiver in the draft at the draft stream. And now, I am being privileged to do more than a normal member could, as I was selected as the new rookie mentor on top of my old war room job. I think it's time to return the help and welcome I got from previous users in form of help and hospitality to new users. All in all, I am really enjoying the experience in the NSFL. (447)

[cho1325]

6) Unfortunately the Yellowknife Wraiths were knocked out in the conference championship. Even with home field advantage our team lost by 1. It is a salty feeling and a crappy way to end the season but our team continues to look forward towards next year. The offense of the Yellowknife wraiths did not play to its usual capacity as we only scored 16, but our defense didn’t exactly do as hot as well. Currently the Yellowknife Wraiths have a pretty decently balanced team on both offense and defense but hands down the defense is the strength of this team. The Wraiths started 4 Rookies this year 3 being on the defensive side of the ball and 1 being on the offense. The team lacks Tight ends and offensive lineman so I hope we look to address those needs on the offensive side of the ball. We could also use some new rookie receivers or free agent receivers as one of our star receivers Swift is in regression and the other receiver seems to be inactive. Also considering that our team is a heavy run team I believe gaining an additional lineman or tight end to help with blocking will help immensely we could also use a quarterback in development soon as Bigsby is in regression. The wraiths defense led the league in tackles and sacks. Of course the defense of this team is not perfect either. We are currently missing a defensive tackle and our star defensive tackle is currently in regression. We also have a need for defensive backs as one is currently in regression so getting a new cornerback in development is vital. If we are not being picky getting a linebacker in development would be nice too. The wraiths defense is young and old but will more than likely get younger with next year’s draft as we look to continue to get key pieces that we are currently lacking and try to develop younger players to eventually replace the players who are in regression and retire sometime in the future. As the seasons go on it is apparent our offense will be lacking and I hope the GM’s know this and decide to patch up this weakness sometime soon. It is not necessary immediately but definitely by at least two seasons do we need new quarterbacks, receivers, and tight ends. Soon this team will become a rebuild team when our quarterback does eventually retire. The team will already look different if the players in regression do retire as we have 7 players in regression which means 7 players that we have to replace as time goes on. Rebuilding is never a easy step but with the right foundation you can have a dynasty if done right.

8) As a Season 22 rookie the NSFL has been an interesting league. This is my first simulated league of any sorts and I have to admit when I started I feel like there was a little bit of a learning curve. I won’t say that the learning curve is difficult but it’s just a lot of information at the same time. Now apparently I hear there are rookie mentors and I believe that is a great step in the right direction to help out the newbies to want to stay. I think why some newer players don’t stick around is just due to the overall amount of information and rules to ingest and may be overwhelming. I for one personally had a lot of trouble doing my wiki page as I am terrible and coding and it took quite some time for eventually find someone who could help me out. I also like to shout out both Gucci and Kyle for drafting me with the new expansion team and giving my player a shot despite being a complete newbie. These two GM’s were very helpful and insightful in helping create a player, allocating TPE, and finding various information or helping out with any questions any of us may have had. Being drafted in this league was pretty fun, it feels like a real draft where you are just on edge waiting for your name to be called and when it finally does it’s such a fun experience to see where you get drafted and to what team as you feel some camaraderie right away at last I did. So far I am satisfied with the league so far and having fun with the new people in different locker rooms. It’s an interesting experience overall and due to partaking in this simulation league I have looked elsewhere for other simulation leagues with different various sports. Also another shout out to the wraiths locker room who are a bunch of good guys who also help out as much as they can and to shadyshoelace and flyeaglesfly for talking the risk to draft my player. It has been a solid season and our team was able to go 11-1 and are the regular season leader. Unfortunately during the playoffs we got shut out by one point and it truly is a heart breaking way to lose, which goes to show how much I have to come to care about this league because it is quite a fun experience.

[Yeenoghu]

8) This task is exclusive to non-recreate rookies of the S22 class and later. In 400 words or more, how has your experience been in the league? Who have you met that has made your time here more fun, friendly, and exciting? Have you been satisfied with your player’s early start? What was it like being drafted for the first time? Do you have any comments or suggestions for the entire league that you think should be implemented?

I am an S24 player that has not gone through the draft process yet, so these are the earliest of impressions, but I have managed to squeeze in some game time for the Kansas City Coyotes at the end of the regular season. A crucial part of the experience so far has been having an established player that recruited me (ddrector) as well as two other players I know IRL (Piggboye and slothman07). Being able to ask questions and read each others' ideas and contributions has kept me engaged, and I probably wouldn't have joined the forum if I didn't already know some other players who were going through the same experience.

As far as players that I don't know outside of the forum, I was pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome I received upon being signed by the Coyotes at the end of the regular season. The team Discord channel is very friendly, and it is filled with knowledgeable players who are open to answering questions. I'm pretty sure I committed a penalty on my very first play in the DSFL, but otherwise I found it very exciting to see my name appear in the sim when my player made a tackle or broke up a pass. Even though I had just joined the league and my player still had the base stats, I still felt like I was making a difference in helping the Coyotes get closer to a win. Aside from checking the sim itself, my favorite part of the game has been making player updates. For reasons I cannot explain, it is rewarding to see my player make even the smallest of improvements. To this end, I think the league does a good job of implementing one-time rewards geared specifically towards rookies to introduce them to the process of accumulating TPE. I'm not looking forward to the inevitable slowdown of TPE growth in the following weeks, but this is an expected result of no longer having rookie tasks to complete. Fortunately there are Ultimus tasks (and future tasks specific to the offseason) that are well-themed to complete!

One area where I feel that the site could improve is by having an official list of repeatable tasks that players can do to earn money and TPE on a weekly basis. The team Discord channel does a good job of notifying players when new TPE tasks are available, but it would be nice to have some sort of checklist on the site that shows all of the available options for earning TPE/cash. But maybe this already does exist, and I just don't know about it yet!

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14) Make a scouting report for any of the NSFL or DSFL draftees. Show their stats, abilities, TPE, highlights, or dead relatives. I’m joking about that last one, please don’t put dead relatives on the scouting report. Written option available for 200 words or more.

Al Centauri - S24 DSFL Draftee

Hailing from the relatively-unknown Savannah College of Art and Design (members of the NAIA’s Sun Conference), Centauri is a player that has largely gone unnoticed by scouts who have confined their searches to the world’s most common football factories. However, this is a player who has all of the tools necessary to become a star in this league. At 310 pounds, Centauri projects as a potential nose tackle of a singular nature who can use his hefty size to pull opposing lineman into his orbit to clog rushing lanes. For reasons unknown, Centauri’s camp has been slow to respond to requests for pro tape, and his agent has only recently been broadcasting highlights from his freshman season (just over four years ago). Though potential GMs will undoubtedly have concerns about the nebulous nature of the prospect’s availability, the highlights that have been received thus far are indicative of nothing less than stellar play. In the NAIA, Centauri was simply a giant that dwarfed his competition, and opposing ball carriers that found themselves within Centauri’s event horizon were regularly unable to escape, gaining little to no yards. Though there is no known video evidence of Centauri’s pro day at this time, verified reports from team officials have confirmed that the player has been working on his explosiveness, improving his shuttle times from 1.54e+24 to 1.51e+24 parsecs during the offseason.

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17) Present your argument for the playoffs MVP. Show their stats and impact on the games that they played. Written option available for 200 words or more.

After the wildcard round of games in the DSFL playoffs, my frontrunner for playoffs MVP is Royals TE Donatello Arrabiata. Aside from his impressive statline (8 receptions / 103 yards / 1 touchdown), it's important to highlight the high-leverage points in the game where Arrabiata made his biggest plays. Viewers of the Royals' win over the Grey Ducks will recall that Arrabiata caught the game-tying touchdown with only 31 seconds to spare, but he also showed up massively in overtime as well. On his team's second possession, Arrabiata caught a 23-yard pass from Colby Jack to move the Royals into field goal range, where they would clench their berth in the Ultimini on a 29-yard kick just four plays later. Aside from his prolific day receiving the ball, Arrabiata also contributed in the run game with a couple of pancakes, and he wasn't penalized at all during the game.

On the other side of the wildcard bracket the Luchadores were quite stingy in the passing game, (only allowing 125 passing yards), but the Seawolves' leading receiver was starting TE Reynaud Haugland. If the Royals stand a chance in the Ultimini, I think we'll need to see another strong showing from the tight end position, which could cement Arrabiata's chances as DSFL playoff MVP.

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[Ortecam]

7) Selflessness is one thing, but ultimately everyone wants to hear their own player’s name mentioned among the greats. Take some time, in 400 words or more, and discuss how your player’s (or past player’s) career is going so far. Are you matching any expectations you set out for yourself? Do you see yourself on a potentially award winning or Hall of Fame career trajectory? If your player is just starting out, what goals and visions do you have for yourself?

Samuel L Sackson is a S(22) 9th round pick, expectations from others might of been low coming from that draft position but his expectations were high. A raw athlete with not much refinement to his game coming out of college, he was over looked and fairly so mainly due to only having speed to his game.

Sackson quickly established himself as the outside linebacker for the Grey Ducks where the much more touted and polished linebacker, Lawrence the Bus led the way for the team as the inside linebacker.

Forming a formidable duo at the second level Lawrence was a tackling machine whilst still showing great ability to get after the quarterback. This freed Sackson up to come off the edge and he quickly lived up to his name being a disruptive force off the edge and finishing with 7 sacks for his rookie season. Showing more than just pass rush ability Sackson also tallied over 100 tackles and flashed big play ability with 2 interceptions, one returned for a game winning touchdown to go along with 2 forced fumbles and one recovery.

Sadly the Ducks missed the playoffs but to his great joy he was drafted by the Ultimus winning, New Orleans Second Line. Sent down for a second season with the Ducks, Sackson was determined to improve and win the Ultimini with with Grey Ducks. Sackson's goals for season 2 were for the team to make the playoffs and to be a key piece on defence, however his team asked.

For Sackson’s second season, Lawrence was deservedly called up after being a third round draft pick in a loaded class and Sackson’s new partner in crime was Dax Kennedy. Like Lawrence, Kennedy is an absolute force in the middle of the field in both the run game and also leading the DSFL in sacks.

The talent on the Grey Ducks defence was immense during season 23, they allowed the least points per game and had 4 players in the top ten for sacks. Sackson had a reduced role in the run game and spent more time in space covering tight ends whilst still getting after the Quarterback. Finishing the season with another top ten year in sacks with 7, Sackson showed off his raw athleticism by finishing second in the DSFL in pass breakups, impressive from the line backer position whilst again finishing the season with another 2 interceptions.

Season 23 with the Ducks ended in a overtime loss in the conference championship game where Sackson ended with 7 tackles and 1 sack.

As a 9th round draft pick, Sackson was a key piece on a loaded Grey Ducks defence. His plans for the off season are to hit the gym and fill out his frame by maxing out his strength. So far Sackson has lived up to his own expectations but still has a long way to go. His goals are to contribute to either the Ducks for another season or the Second Line if called up.

(11) Create an argument for your own player, or for someone else on your team, as to why they should be nominated for awards. Lay out their stats or compare them to other contenders. Make a convincing argument. Written option available for 200 words or more.

Sackson had quite a unique season at linebacker, known more for his ability to get after the play caller when he entered the league he showed his ability to defend against the pass in more than one way in his second season. Finishing top ten in sacks with 7, he also finished second in the DSFL in pass break ups with 16 whilst also adding 2 interceptions.

For perspective on the uniqueness of Sackson’s season there was only one other player who finished with at least 5 sacks, 10 passes defended and at least one interception, Kackpoo of Portland who had 6 sacks 2 picks and 10 passes defended against.

There were more impressive defensive seasons undoubtedly, Sackson’s teammate, Dax Kennedy was an absolute force in the run game and his pass rush ability unparalleled with 12 sacks and the Grey Ducks centerfielder, Buck Thornton, a true unicorn with 8 sacks and 6 passes defended was a real game changer. Sackson deserves to at least be mentioned due to the unmatched volume of stats he put up across multiple categories.

In a league where passing is king, being able to disrupt the quarterback in multiple ways is both an asset and rare to find as demonstrated. This is why Sackson should be in the running for DSFL defensive player of the year.