*S11 Offseason Presser

[caltroit_red_flames]

The Yellowknife Wraiths are coming off the field and heading into the locker room after a tough offseason practice. Things were business as usual for most of the practice, but going into the second half the team's offensive coordinator wanted to try something new. Chad Pennington ended up lining up on the offensive side of the ball for a few snaps and oh my. Did he look good at it.

Chad has been playing linebacker since High School when Thad and Chad were asked to switch to defense from wide receiver so the team could dominate on the defensive side of the ball and Brad could dominate the other team on offense. Now word is coming out that Chad may have been asked to switch back to the offensive side of the ball. Having previous experience as a wide receiver he would be a great candidate for it, now the question is does he benefit the team more by playing both sides of the ball or by focusing on defense and possibly becoming one of the best linebackers in the history of the NSFL. The front office is currently considering all option, but aren't willing to say anything else about it at this team. By the right questions reporters my be able to get a straight answer from Chad, we'll just have to wait and see.

[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Begin Presser![/div]

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So...is he?

If so, which WR archetype?

The front office has asked that I not disclose any information on the position that I will be playing for the upcoming season. I can say that the coaches have been working with me on improving the necessary skills it would take for me to play different positions such as ball carrying, defending passes and receiving passes. Bottom line is that we believe I have the skills to be a top linebacker in the league and we are weighing whether or not it makes sense to have me punishing running backs and quarter backs or if I should looked at as someone who can play multiple positions when necessary. The two main points are that at the rate I am going I could possibly become one of the top line backers in the NSFL's history. On the other hand I have shown a level of learning capability that not everyone possesses which makes me a good candidate for filling our hurting position of wide receiver. It is all up to the coaches and front office now.

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Lmao let's all switch to WR and abandon boring defence

The NSFL is an interesting league. At the current rate defense seems to not always have the biggest effect on games compared to offensive players in the quarter back and wide receiver positions. Personally I believe that a team with a great defense can turn that tide, though. The Wraiths have Taylor, Lavelle, myself and several young players who are looking to make their mark on the league. Based on the rate Lavelle is going he may be at the tail end of his career. He should still be good for another 2 or 3 seasons, but that is exactly when the up and coming players are going to become good enough for the big leagues. It is the perfect time for him to sail off into the sunset after a successful career involving Ultimus wins and hopefully some career records. Once that happens I think we will be a defensive unit is truly working as a team. A well oiled machine with some strong line backers and some really good defensive backs keeping the receivers at bay, and I have some really high hopes for our newest defensive tackle @ztevans. So while it may be nice to romanticize playing offense, if I stay at defense I think my team is going be very very well set, to the point that having a bit of a rough offense may not be an issue for us.

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why chad sux?

I have to say, that is a really tough question. Examining yourself honestly is difficult for anyone to do. Coming into the league I had really high hopes for myself after winning several individual trophies in the DSFL. I think my hopes were so high that when I did not meet my expectations after 2 seasons I started to beat myself up mentally. The Ultimus win in my rookie season was incredibly and something I will never forget. But that was a team effort, and on top of that mostly the product of my teammates around me performing well and me just treading water. This offseason I decided to make some adjustments to my game, and I am hoping that they will take me to where I think I should be as a linebacker in this league. I want to be the greatest middle linebacker of all time, and that takes a few things. Talent, longevity, a good football IQ, and a little bit of luck. I would like to think that I have the talent and football IQ down. Being in the middle of the entire play I can see everything that the offense is setting up so I tend to be the guy calling things out for the rest of the defense. Now it comes down to being steady and getting lucky. I am in the gym and on the field every day. I am eating right and often. I hope that soon my hard work translates to what I know I can be on the field. For now, all I can really say to answer your question is that it comes down to execution. I am training myself as hard as I can, trying to make sure I am ready for every play. Now I just have to execute.

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Who is Chad biggest rival?

Chad's biggest rival has to be his brother Brad. The two have hit a bit of a bump in the road in their relationship. Growing up the two were great buddies in their three person twinship involving them and Thad. Since they started getting closing to turning pro from their college season the two of them have gone from drifting apart to nearly being rivals. It started with the draft where Brad tried doing everything he could to be supportive of Chad's psychological issues involving attachment problems with his brothers, then as they moved on to the DSFL and ended up playing their pre DSFL draft season on separate teams Brad started getting fed up with the way Chad was acting and Chad did not take very well to that. They got past their differences for a season until their final game when they lost in the Ultimus where during half time Chad tried to get Brad to come back to the locker and focus on the game while Brad was talking to the cameras and reporters. That was when things really started to go south. There was almost an altercation between them and Thad had to step in. Not a great look to have from your team captain in Chad and your offensive leader in Brad. In the end though it really showed that Thad was the real leader of the Luchadores. Brad and Chad would get drafted to different teams and Thad would stay with the Luchadores and lead them to multiple Ultimini victories while Brad and Chad's rivalries started to flourish in the NSFL. Games between the Wraiths and Saber Cats while not particularly competitive that rookie season were especially heated when the Saber Cats had possession of the ball. Chad was like a mad man out there blitzing hard up the middle like he never had before. Now we look at the past season and this season. Tensions are higher than ever between the two. The team was in a downward spiral and is now in a rebuilding phase, and Brad refuses to train individually or with the team. Who knows what will come in the next couple of seasons, but right now Chad is hoping that the rookies will carry the team to victory sooner than later, because he feels like his prime is going to be wasted by none other than his own brother. That is why Chad's own quarter back is his biggest rival.

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Are you going to make a sig for Fyodorovich?

Oof. I have nearly ten people waiting on sigs from me. Please keep nagging me otherwise I will never get them done.

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When do you think next contention window opens for Yellowknife?

My guess is in two seasons. Right now Summers is developing into the type of running back that could carry a whole offense and by the looks of things we may need him to. We have a few receivers who look promising, but until they show what they can do we are not going to be winning anything. The Wraiths are indeed heading into a rough time in their history, but this is something we expected. I know management is doing everything they can to keep us competitive, but this batch of rookies is going to need time to become real pros, and it is going to take more than one draft to turn things around in Yellowknife. If we can pick up a good receiving free agent and Glenn McPoyal can play at the top of his game then I think in two seasons we are going to have an offense that does not have one superstar but is full of weapons that are all capable of gaining yards for the team. The number of weapons that it looks like we will have is going to be enough to overwhelm a lot of defenses to the point where they do not know if we are going to run the ball, pass it long or defer to McPoyal and it is going to be absolute dynamite. Until then, we have to hope that our defense is able to carry the team and that our rookies can develop quickly.

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Are you ready to take over soon as the best player on the team?

Am I ready mentally? Sure, I have never been one to call myself the best player, but I am doing everything I can to be ready if it ever comes to that. I want to be the best line backer in league history so one of my goals is always to be the best player on my team. Physically, we will see what happens. I do not mean to expose myself, but there are still times where I find myself getting a little tired out at the end of a quarter or getting juked by an especially quick running back. I have been working a lot on my speed this off season and putting extra time into my cardio workouts. That of course means I have not been able to put as much time into lifting weights as I have in the past, but my coaches have been telling me over and over "you can not tackle someone if you can not catch them," so I am hoping the change up in my training regiment translates to better results on the field. In the end I am willing to do whatever it takes to help the Wraiths win, and if that means I have to be the best player on my team, I will do everything I can to carry the defense. I am not afraid of the spotlight, it will not effect me. It will give me an even bigger chance to make an impact on the game. Running backs are going to be scared of our defense when they see me stepping on to the field, I will tell you that much.

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Whats your thoughts on the Yellowknife Wraiths this upcoming season?

Plain and simple, it is going to be a tough season. We lost some key players at important positions like wide receiver, line backer and defensive tackle. Now the rest of us are going to have to pick up the slack that those guys left behind and we are going to see which players are ready for taking bigger roles on the team and which players need a little more seasoning before we can make a real playoff push. I do not think a lot of teams expect us to do very much after losing the players that we did this off season, but that is not going to stop me from putting the work in every single down. We may end this season out of the playoffs, but with the young guys training as hard as I have seen them training this off season, I have faith that we will be back in a playoff position in the very near future. I have faith in our management to get us some key free agents when they become available to push us over the edge into greatness just like they did in season 8. We have a great core group here and if they are willing to do what it takes to win so am I. So do not focus entirely on this next season. We are rebuilding, it is a marathon, not a sprint. I think we have the runners to tip us over the edge.

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Will the wraiths see the post season?

My honest answer? Unless we see some changes on the roster this season, probably not. But with Antonio Summer looking like he will be a key player for us for a long time and some receivers developing nicely, I am not super concerned with making the playoffs this season. Let's get one more season of high draft picks and regroup next off season. When our youngsters Summer, Carrasco, Parker and Dugnott looking very good I think we are going to have a great core group coming to take over for the older guys very soon. New Orleans and Orange County are only getting older, meanwhile we are getting younger and more talented. So I really doubt that we will see the playoffs this coming season, but I do think that down the line Colorado and Baltimore will fall from their pedestals and make way for the Wraiths. And when that does happen I think we will be on top for a long time. You don ot put together a squad like this and stay bottom feeders for long. Eventually the talent is just too much for the rest of the league. Look to the future, not the present.

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Whats better bananas or apples and why?

When it comes to taste, apples by far. There are a ton of varieties and ways you can use them in cooking. But when it comes to the fruit as a whole, I have to go with bananas. They are just a great go to fruit for when you need some energy before a game or a quick snack. I know apples taste better, but as a player that is always looking for healthy sources of energy, I have to go with bananas. If we want to go by taste I think we have to dive deeper past the taste of the fruits themselves and expand to the meals we can make out of them and how can complement other meals. Bananas are rather limited. I think we are mainly looking at banana bread, banana cream pie, and chocolate covered frozen bananas. Meanwhile apples offer you a ton of options. Apple pie, apple crisp, caramel apples, baked potato and apples, apple tart, dutch apple cake, apple kolache, etc. Apples really just dwarf bananas in this aspect. I am probably missing some recipes, but this is based on my opinion.

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What is the most overrated vegetable and why?

Carrots. Easily carrots. They are the go to vegetable for a lot of things like dinner parties and they even show up in a freaking cake. I will tell you right now no matter how you cook a carrot if you eat it on its own without any sauces or other ingredients it is going to be super lackluster. You need something like ranch dressing or the carrot to be a secondary part of the dish for it to be good. Now that brings me to a question that you did not ask but I want to answer anyway. The most underrated vegetable is the brussel sprout. You cook those things well and they are incredible. All it takes is some butter and garlic and they are freaking amazing. Meanwhile you have people throwing them in boiling water for a few minutes and expecting them to taste okay then being dumbfounded when they are gross. It is really a matter of cooking them right. It is easy to do, but because some people do not take the time to do it brussel sprouts have become one of the most underrated vegetables out there.

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How would you rank legumes by personal preference?

1. Sugar snap peas - You can eat these by themselves out of a bag as a healthy snack and they are super cheap. My buddy and I used to do this in high school when we were on a diet together.
2. Green beans - Probably my favorite vegetable in a can. Really easy to just throw in the microwave after making a nice meal and putting next to your perfectly cooked chicken eating without even noticing you spent a half hour on one thing and three minutes on the other.
3. Peanuts - A great little snack to munch on. Personally not my favorite "nut" but cashews and pistachios are nuts, not legumes unfortunately, so these have to suffice.
4. Pinto beans - Probably the best of the bean family.
5. Kidney beans - These make the list solely because of the show Camp Lazlo. Seriously underrated show that will probably be forgotten, but man I liked it. It will never live up to something the Codename: Kids Next Door, but it was a good time waster when nothing else was on.

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What is your favorite Taylor Swift song?

Blank Space. Super catchy, love the music video. The lyrics themselves suck, but that is pop music in general.

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What is your favorite cut of steak?

Tenderloin. Sear that bad boy, make a nice sauce and I will be savoring that thing for the next hour. It is not something you scarf down, you gotta enjoy a cut that nice.

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If you could be any fruit which would it be and why?

My girlfriend says that is a stupid question lmao. Still, to answer it I guess I will base it off of my favorite La Croix flavor, peach pear. I like pear more between the two, I will go with pear. They are like what I wish an apple were when I eat one on its own. Just so juicy, easy to bite into and sweet but not too sweet. Probably my favorite fruit to be honest. I could eat one every day and never grow tired of them.

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Doesn't it suck ass that LBs aren't able to work as viable RBs/FBs in the sim even when their attributes are perfect for it?

I'm surprised to hear that, I didn't know that was true. It's a little frustrating to find that out, but honestly based on what I've heard it doesn't take a whole lot for a running back to be very good in this league so I feel like my talents would be wasted at that position. Let someone who is a little less developed run the ball so I can do my best to make a bigger impact elsewhere. I would like to know why that is though. Maybe because a line backer is much heavier than running backs are these days. It kind of seems like you don't see power running backs these days that break through tackles and drive up the middle into other players. Rather we're seeing incredibly quick running backs that can get a yard or two every play but are really hoping to find a hole and get a ton of yards with their speed.

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Are you worried at leaving the front 7 more vulnerable to rushing attacks if you switch?

That would be the biggest worry. I have been a middle line backer since I broke into the NSFL and believe I have been one of the best in the league at it. That would definitely create some chemistry issues in our defense. The coaches are weighing the options we have available to us though, and if it is found to be more beneficial for me to be a receiver that is a chance we are willing to take. Our back field may require a bit of a bolstering as well and with the line backer we just drafted looking pretty good I know that things may go a little rough this season, but in the future I expect him to be just as good as I have been down the middle. I think another big issue could finding someone to coordinate the front 7. Lavelle has been in charge of the backfield while I have been the one coordinating the line and the line backers. Someone else may have to read up on our play book a little more and hopefully be able to step in and learn to read other teams' plays.

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End of Presser

Ladies and gentlemen thank you all for coming and for your questions. I have just received a message from my manager that I will be playing line backer for the rest of my career in Yellowknife. I am happy with this decision, and I plan on going for the NSFL tackling record.

[kckolbe]

So...is he?

If so, which WR archetype?

[majesiu]

Lmao let's all switch to WR and abandon boring defence

[Daybe]

why chad sux?

[caltroit_red_flames]

@kckolbe
@majesiu
@Daybe

Answered, keep the questions coming ya'll!

[majesiu]

@kckolbe
@majesiu
@Daybe

Answered, keep the questions coming ya'll!

I always forget you do these media/pressers combo and didn't expect an answer to my comment.

Also @Bzerkap stop disclosing information and just tell me which position/archetype combo is the best for two-way player so I can switch too.

Let's give you some more questions too:

Who is Chad biggest rival?

Are you going to make a sig for Fyodorovich?

When do you think next contention window opens for Yellowknife?

Are you ready to take over soon as the best player on the team?

[goilers]

Whats your thoughts on the Yellowknife Wraiths this upcoming season?

Will the wraiths see the post season?

Whats better bananas or apples and why?

[Beaver]

What is the most overrated vegetable and why?

How would you rank legumes by personal preference?

What is your favorite Taylor Swift song?

What is your favorite cut of steak?

If you could be any fruit which would it be and why?

[kckolbe]

Doesn't it suck ass that LBs aren't able to work as viable RBs/FBs in the sim even when their attributes are perfect for it?

Are you worried at leaving the front 7 more vulnerable to rushing attacks if you switch?

[caltroit_red_flames]

@majesiu
@goilers

Finished your questions!