08-06-2019, 12:50 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-07-2019, 03:52 PM by Fordhammer.)
My introductory, feel free to skip!
Hi guys, IsaStarcrossed here! I used to do a lot writing in my spare time, but got out of it about 10 years ago. I stumbled upon this community and saw the presentation for media and the potential to mix an old hobby of mine with a new hobby of mine, watching sports. This will be my first media submission and I hope it pans out!
The Interview:
Interviewer: "Well, hello viewers. Welcome to the show and boy do we have a treat for you today. We're getting to sit down with Bjørn Ironside, a young rookie looking into going into the NSFL season 18 draft. We brought him in today hoping to learn a bit about him and perhaps even get some insight on his view of the upcoming Ultimus finals! Can you introduce yourselves to the people, Bjørn?"
Bjørn: "Uh, yeah. Sorry, this is my first interview like this. I'm a little nervous. I'm Bjørn Ironside, a Defensive Tackle out of the University of Michigan. Its really a privilege to be on the show today."
Interviewer: "That's great, Bjørn. So lets kick this off. What makes you think you're capable of being drafted this year in the NSFL?"
Bjørn: "I come from a family where anything less than giving 100 percent all the time was frowned upon. You know my dad was a professional rugby player in Europe. Coming up he always told me that failure happens and failure is a part of life, but as long as you give 100 percent no matter what you can always get up and try again. I've lived my life by that motto. Every practice, every game, every down I put everything I have into it. I don't care if there is someone bigger, I don't care if there is someone better, I'm going to give 100 percent and keep getting back up. Its what got me through college, its what made me a started my sophomore year, its why I was an all American my senior year. I never give up and that's what teams can expect from me.
Interviewer: "I love that mentality, Bjørn. I'm sure teams will too. Looking towards the draft, is there any team you're hoping to be selected by in particular?"
Bjørn:"This is a great league. I'd be honored and humbled to play for any of these teams. I'd prefer to go somewhere that I can make an immediate impact, you know? I want to make a different for someone. I love to win, I love helping my team to win and I'd love to be put in a position to make that happen. So if anyone has a hole, I hope I'm the one able to fill it for them."
Interviewer: "Great stuff. What kind of player do you envision yourself as?"
Bjørn: "I'm a team player, man. I'm whatever kind of player my coaches need me to be. I'm not the type of guy to chase stats. I don't care how many tackles I have, I don't care if I hit the quarterback. I'm the type of guy who chases wins. Whatever it takes to do that, that is who I am. I will listen to the coaches and do what they need me to when they need me to do it. If they want me to stuff the middle, I'm there for it. If they want me to crush the interior and try to get into the backfield, I'll make it happen. If they just want me to attract the double team so one of my teammates can feast instead, I hope they're hungry. I'm just here to win and that is what it should be all about."
Interviewer: "You seem to be a very raw player with some potential to fill a few holes in a defensive line. What would you say is your weakest point? What do you need to work on the most?"
Bjørn: "Honestly my conditioning. You know how it is. Been out of college for a few months now, football no where in sight. You get out of the swing of things, get a little out of shape. I'm the kind of guy who wants to be on the field every single down. I want every opportunity to make an impact. Getting my endurance up is key for that and that's something I really want to focus on in the near future. Make sure I can be out there as much as possible, you know?"
Interviewer: "I know what you mean, Bjørn! We could all spend a little extra time in the weight room during our time off I think! Now we know a little about you, lets move on to the NSFL itself. You know that we have the Ultimus finals coming up between the Philadelphia Liberty and the Arizona Outlaws. What do you think about these two teams?"
Bjørn: "Oh, man! Now we're talking. What a Cinderella story we have on our hands here, right? Its been an exciting spectacle. It is always fun cheering for an underdog, but how rare is it that we get to have two underdogs make the finals? If you had asked at the beginning of the playoffs, either one of these teams making the finals was unlikely. Now we have them both playing against each other! Its mind blowing and the kind of mental fortitude these guys have shown to push through the gauntlet has been nothing less than astonishing. You almost don't even want to make predictions here because both teams have beaten the odds and proven everyone that picked against them wrong. I can't wait to see what the game has to offer!"
Interviewer: "Now that we're talking about the game, what is your opinion on the quarterbacks that these teams are fielding? Falconi for the Liberty and Reese for the Outlaws."
Bjørn: "Both of them are great, top tier quarterbacks. They have to be for their teams to get this far. I have a lot of respect for Reese and his ability to allow his running game to do the work for him. He's patient and lets the game come to him through the play action. He could try to go for more throw volume and pad his stats, but that's not what the Outlaws are about and he's embraced that style. He can make the throws when he's needed, but luckily he's not needed to make that many this year. Falconi though? She has been absolutely dominant. Her offense was built for high level quarterback play and she's taken to it like a fish to water. Two of the best wide receivers in the league and a top shelf tight end to boot. She is fully capable of using those star players to their maximum potential and she absolutely shreds defenses down the field. Her arm strength has been on show all year, especially in these playoffs. Falconi has really shown what she's capable of and hasn't folded under the pressure of being the key part of that offense. Reese has his running game to lean on, but the Liberty's offense has been all Falconi this season and she's a huge reason why they are in the championship game."
Interviewer: "That is some real insight! You mentioned the running game for the Outlaws. You see that as a strength for them?"
Bjørn: "Absolutely! Shady is a star, but they have a sneaky amount of depth. Especially among their fullbacks. Did you see that monster game Zephyrous put up against the Otters? That was absolutely incredible. 95 yards and two trips to the end zone against a team with one of the better defensive lines in the NSFL. It was an inspiring game and completely unexpected. He was a huge reason why they pulled that game off and showed why this running game is so deadly. The Outlaws have but together a monstrous offensive line that is great at making holes in a defense and I feel like that is what this team is all about. Ground and pound, gritty and fighting for every inch. It feels very old school, but it works for them and its gotten them this far. I feel like if they want to win the championship, it'll be the on the backs of this running game."
Interviewer: "Now on the other side of the ball, you mentioned the weapons Falconi has to work with. Who is your favorite?"
Bjørn: "If we're talking about weapons, we have to bring up von Matt. That guy is an elite pass catcher. He may be the best we have in the league. I've been watching him all season and it is one highlight after another. He has crazy speed and makes huge chunk plays that embarrasses defensive backs. I don't know many guys that can cover him, so he's a match-up nightmare. I expect him to have a pretty good game in the finals. You can't overlook Brannigan and Varga either though. Both of these guys have the opportunity to have a big game on any give game day. They're big targets and make it hard to double von Matt. If you don't pay these guys attention, they can really go off and it makes this air game that much more dangerous."
Interviewer: "It seems like these teams really like to attack you with different styles, so let's talk about the defense a bit. Who do you think has the upper hand in the finals?"
Bjørn: "Oh, man. That is a really loaded question. Both of these defenses have stars. They wouldn't be here today if they didn't. It is hard to even begin, so I'm going to talk about what I like about the Outlaws first. I'm a huge fan of their secondary. They have a few holes on their back end, but with players like McKinnie and Knight back there, they're pretty solid. They don't give up a lot of big plays and they have a good bit of depth. They can trade in fresh players without massive downgrades and that can be huge late in games. Then you look at the middle of that defense. You have Lee and Vans as a pretty good duo at linebacker. They are both fast and hit hard. They make the middle of that defense hard to find holes in, which is great because that is an area that I thing Arizona will want to expose. Now let's talk about my favorite part of the defense. I'm a defensive tackle myself, so you know I can get excited about this. They have some beef on that line. Marchand, Spector, Morris. Those guys make a huge wall to push through. They're strong, they're fast, and they know how to tackle. With these guys up front, I don't think Arizona's running attack will have an impact at all this week. More than that, I think Falconi will be having to get rid of the ball much faster than she'd like. These guys come off the line quick and it'll take a heroic effort by the offensive line to keep Falconi on her feet. I love these guys and I think they make up one of the best defensive lines we've seen in the playoffs. That brings me to Arizona now. They have a few things to get excited about as well. Their secondary is incredible. They have stars and depth to spare back there. There aren't any true weaknesses and I think they'll give Reese issues if he's forced to pass very much. D'Attoria, Garnett, Bohne, and Verden make up a solid no fly zone that will give the play makers of Philadelphia trouble all day long. Then on the defensive line they have a pair of play making edge rushers in Smyles and Kalilmoku. These guys make a strong one-two punch and have different styles to get to the quarterback. They can be disruptive in the backfield, but there is a good chance the run game of Philadelphia slows them down. Speaking of the run game, that brings me to the middle of this defense. The defensive tackles, the linebackers. I look at that group and I see nothing but holes. They have a lone bright spot with Hardshaft, but he'd have to have an incredibly dominant game to stop the rushing game of Philadelphia. When I look at these two teams, Arizona's middle of the field defense may be the single biggest hole I see."
Interviewer: "I knew you were a defensive guy and that you'd have strong opinions here. By the sounds of it, you seem to be giving Philadelphia's defense the edge. Is that what you think decides the game? Do you have any predictions for our audience?"
Bjørn:"I absolutely think that it may decide the game. Arizona's weakness on defense lines up with where Philadelphia is strongest on offense. Don't get me wrong. I think what Falconi and that Arizona offense has done, especially in the post season, is incredible. I love their weapons, I love the quarterback. I think they have the opportunity to make some big plays. I just think Philadelphia's defense matches up a little be better against them. Philadelphia has a pass rush, they have a decent secondary, and Arizona has no running game to really speak of. They'll be forced to be one dimensional and I think Philadelphia has enough intelligent players to abuse that approach. On the other side of the ball, I see the strong offensive line of Philadelphia who is going to open gaping holes on the interior of Arizona's defense. I think Shady and company are going to have all sorts of lanes to run in and I can see a big day across the board. With no one at the line to stop them, it'll be up to the second level to catch these guys once they've broken free and that is where things get dangerous. I can see this running attack make some big plays and then open up the play action for Reese a bit. I think it'll give Philadelphia the chance to control the clock and at the end of the day, that will limit how many opportunities Falconi has to show off that arm of hers. You want some predictions? Bold ones even? I think Philadelphia rushes for over 250 yards collectively. I think they have a single rusher over 150 yards. I believe Reese will have his lowest yardage total of the playoffs because he simply won't have to risk throwing at Arizona's secondary very often."
Interviewer: "This has been great, Bjørn. I believe you're saying you think Philadelphia wins this game?"
Bjørn: "I do. I think Philadelphia wins a relatively close one. 35-31 is my prediction. I think Arizona's offense is too explosive to ignore completely. Its rare to see them below 30 points and I don't think that changes here. That said I think that rushing attack of Philadelphia wins the day and puts on a clinic to outscore Arizona. Obviously nothing is set in stone. If someone unexpected can step up and slow the bleeding in this offensive line and force Reese to throw, I think this game can go the other way. Reese is a great quarterback, but I think Arizona's secondary is more than capable of shutting down his receiving weapons. Turn this game into a shootout, put the pressure on Reese and suddenly I think Arizona has a solid chance here."
Interviewer: "Thank you for coming today, Bjørn! I look forward to seeing you develop in the future and wish you all the best in the draft. I hope that we can get you in a again in the future and maybe talk about what your experiences are settling into your first NSFL team. Until next time, good day and good night!"
Hi guys, IsaStarcrossed here! I used to do a lot writing in my spare time, but got out of it about 10 years ago. I stumbled upon this community and saw the presentation for media and the potential to mix an old hobby of mine with a new hobby of mine, watching sports. This will be my first media submission and I hope it pans out!
The Interview:
Interviewer: "Well, hello viewers. Welcome to the show and boy do we have a treat for you today. We're getting to sit down with Bjørn Ironside, a young rookie looking into going into the NSFL season 18 draft. We brought him in today hoping to learn a bit about him and perhaps even get some insight on his view of the upcoming Ultimus finals! Can you introduce yourselves to the people, Bjørn?"
Bjørn: "Uh, yeah. Sorry, this is my first interview like this. I'm a little nervous. I'm Bjørn Ironside, a Defensive Tackle out of the University of Michigan. Its really a privilege to be on the show today."
Interviewer: "That's great, Bjørn. So lets kick this off. What makes you think you're capable of being drafted this year in the NSFL?"
Bjørn: "I come from a family where anything less than giving 100 percent all the time was frowned upon. You know my dad was a professional rugby player in Europe. Coming up he always told me that failure happens and failure is a part of life, but as long as you give 100 percent no matter what you can always get up and try again. I've lived my life by that motto. Every practice, every game, every down I put everything I have into it. I don't care if there is someone bigger, I don't care if there is someone better, I'm going to give 100 percent and keep getting back up. Its what got me through college, its what made me a started my sophomore year, its why I was an all American my senior year. I never give up and that's what teams can expect from me.
Interviewer: "I love that mentality, Bjørn. I'm sure teams will too. Looking towards the draft, is there any team you're hoping to be selected by in particular?"
Bjørn:"This is a great league. I'd be honored and humbled to play for any of these teams. I'd prefer to go somewhere that I can make an immediate impact, you know? I want to make a different for someone. I love to win, I love helping my team to win and I'd love to be put in a position to make that happen. So if anyone has a hole, I hope I'm the one able to fill it for them."
Interviewer: "Great stuff. What kind of player do you envision yourself as?"
Bjørn: "I'm a team player, man. I'm whatever kind of player my coaches need me to be. I'm not the type of guy to chase stats. I don't care how many tackles I have, I don't care if I hit the quarterback. I'm the type of guy who chases wins. Whatever it takes to do that, that is who I am. I will listen to the coaches and do what they need me to when they need me to do it. If they want me to stuff the middle, I'm there for it. If they want me to crush the interior and try to get into the backfield, I'll make it happen. If they just want me to attract the double team so one of my teammates can feast instead, I hope they're hungry. I'm just here to win and that is what it should be all about."
Interviewer: "You seem to be a very raw player with some potential to fill a few holes in a defensive line. What would you say is your weakest point? What do you need to work on the most?"
Bjørn: "Honestly my conditioning. You know how it is. Been out of college for a few months now, football no where in sight. You get out of the swing of things, get a little out of shape. I'm the kind of guy who wants to be on the field every single down. I want every opportunity to make an impact. Getting my endurance up is key for that and that's something I really want to focus on in the near future. Make sure I can be out there as much as possible, you know?"
Interviewer: "I know what you mean, Bjørn! We could all spend a little extra time in the weight room during our time off I think! Now we know a little about you, lets move on to the NSFL itself. You know that we have the Ultimus finals coming up between the Philadelphia Liberty and the Arizona Outlaws. What do you think about these two teams?"
Bjørn: "Oh, man! Now we're talking. What a Cinderella story we have on our hands here, right? Its been an exciting spectacle. It is always fun cheering for an underdog, but how rare is it that we get to have two underdogs make the finals? If you had asked at the beginning of the playoffs, either one of these teams making the finals was unlikely. Now we have them both playing against each other! Its mind blowing and the kind of mental fortitude these guys have shown to push through the gauntlet has been nothing less than astonishing. You almost don't even want to make predictions here because both teams have beaten the odds and proven everyone that picked against them wrong. I can't wait to see what the game has to offer!"
Interviewer: "Now that we're talking about the game, what is your opinion on the quarterbacks that these teams are fielding? Falconi for the Liberty and Reese for the Outlaws."
Bjørn: "Both of them are great, top tier quarterbacks. They have to be for their teams to get this far. I have a lot of respect for Reese and his ability to allow his running game to do the work for him. He's patient and lets the game come to him through the play action. He could try to go for more throw volume and pad his stats, but that's not what the Outlaws are about and he's embraced that style. He can make the throws when he's needed, but luckily he's not needed to make that many this year. Falconi though? She has been absolutely dominant. Her offense was built for high level quarterback play and she's taken to it like a fish to water. Two of the best wide receivers in the league and a top shelf tight end to boot. She is fully capable of using those star players to their maximum potential and she absolutely shreds defenses down the field. Her arm strength has been on show all year, especially in these playoffs. Falconi has really shown what she's capable of and hasn't folded under the pressure of being the key part of that offense. Reese has his running game to lean on, but the Liberty's offense has been all Falconi this season and she's a huge reason why they are in the championship game."
Interviewer: "That is some real insight! You mentioned the running game for the Outlaws. You see that as a strength for them?"
Bjørn: "Absolutely! Shady is a star, but they have a sneaky amount of depth. Especially among their fullbacks. Did you see that monster game Zephyrous put up against the Otters? That was absolutely incredible. 95 yards and two trips to the end zone against a team with one of the better defensive lines in the NSFL. It was an inspiring game and completely unexpected. He was a huge reason why they pulled that game off and showed why this running game is so deadly. The Outlaws have but together a monstrous offensive line that is great at making holes in a defense and I feel like that is what this team is all about. Ground and pound, gritty and fighting for every inch. It feels very old school, but it works for them and its gotten them this far. I feel like if they want to win the championship, it'll be the on the backs of this running game."
Interviewer: "Now on the other side of the ball, you mentioned the weapons Falconi has to work with. Who is your favorite?"
Bjørn: "If we're talking about weapons, we have to bring up von Matt. That guy is an elite pass catcher. He may be the best we have in the league. I've been watching him all season and it is one highlight after another. He has crazy speed and makes huge chunk plays that embarrasses defensive backs. I don't know many guys that can cover him, so he's a match-up nightmare. I expect him to have a pretty good game in the finals. You can't overlook Brannigan and Varga either though. Both of these guys have the opportunity to have a big game on any give game day. They're big targets and make it hard to double von Matt. If you don't pay these guys attention, they can really go off and it makes this air game that much more dangerous."
Interviewer: "It seems like these teams really like to attack you with different styles, so let's talk about the defense a bit. Who do you think has the upper hand in the finals?"
Bjørn: "Oh, man. That is a really loaded question. Both of these defenses have stars. They wouldn't be here today if they didn't. It is hard to even begin, so I'm going to talk about what I like about the Outlaws first. I'm a huge fan of their secondary. They have a few holes on their back end, but with players like McKinnie and Knight back there, they're pretty solid. They don't give up a lot of big plays and they have a good bit of depth. They can trade in fresh players without massive downgrades and that can be huge late in games. Then you look at the middle of that defense. You have Lee and Vans as a pretty good duo at linebacker. They are both fast and hit hard. They make the middle of that defense hard to find holes in, which is great because that is an area that I thing Arizona will want to expose. Now let's talk about my favorite part of the defense. I'm a defensive tackle myself, so you know I can get excited about this. They have some beef on that line. Marchand, Spector, Morris. Those guys make a huge wall to push through. They're strong, they're fast, and they know how to tackle. With these guys up front, I don't think Arizona's running attack will have an impact at all this week. More than that, I think Falconi will be having to get rid of the ball much faster than she'd like. These guys come off the line quick and it'll take a heroic effort by the offensive line to keep Falconi on her feet. I love these guys and I think they make up one of the best defensive lines we've seen in the playoffs. That brings me to Arizona now. They have a few things to get excited about as well. Their secondary is incredible. They have stars and depth to spare back there. There aren't any true weaknesses and I think they'll give Reese issues if he's forced to pass very much. D'Attoria, Garnett, Bohne, and Verden make up a solid no fly zone that will give the play makers of Philadelphia trouble all day long. Then on the defensive line they have a pair of play making edge rushers in Smyles and Kalilmoku. These guys make a strong one-two punch and have different styles to get to the quarterback. They can be disruptive in the backfield, but there is a good chance the run game of Philadelphia slows them down. Speaking of the run game, that brings me to the middle of this defense. The defensive tackles, the linebackers. I look at that group and I see nothing but holes. They have a lone bright spot with Hardshaft, but he'd have to have an incredibly dominant game to stop the rushing game of Philadelphia. When I look at these two teams, Arizona's middle of the field defense may be the single biggest hole I see."
Interviewer: "I knew you were a defensive guy and that you'd have strong opinions here. By the sounds of it, you seem to be giving Philadelphia's defense the edge. Is that what you think decides the game? Do you have any predictions for our audience?"
Bjørn:"I absolutely think that it may decide the game. Arizona's weakness on defense lines up with where Philadelphia is strongest on offense. Don't get me wrong. I think what Falconi and that Arizona offense has done, especially in the post season, is incredible. I love their weapons, I love the quarterback. I think they have the opportunity to make some big plays. I just think Philadelphia's defense matches up a little be better against them. Philadelphia has a pass rush, they have a decent secondary, and Arizona has no running game to really speak of. They'll be forced to be one dimensional and I think Philadelphia has enough intelligent players to abuse that approach. On the other side of the ball, I see the strong offensive line of Philadelphia who is going to open gaping holes on the interior of Arizona's defense. I think Shady and company are going to have all sorts of lanes to run in and I can see a big day across the board. With no one at the line to stop them, it'll be up to the second level to catch these guys once they've broken free and that is where things get dangerous. I can see this running attack make some big plays and then open up the play action for Reese a bit. I think it'll give Philadelphia the chance to control the clock and at the end of the day, that will limit how many opportunities Falconi has to show off that arm of hers. You want some predictions? Bold ones even? I think Philadelphia rushes for over 250 yards collectively. I think they have a single rusher over 150 yards. I believe Reese will have his lowest yardage total of the playoffs because he simply won't have to risk throwing at Arizona's secondary very often."
Interviewer: "This has been great, Bjørn. I believe you're saying you think Philadelphia wins this game?"
Bjørn: "I do. I think Philadelphia wins a relatively close one. 35-31 is my prediction. I think Arizona's offense is too explosive to ignore completely. Its rare to see them below 30 points and I don't think that changes here. That said I think that rushing attack of Philadelphia wins the day and puts on a clinic to outscore Arizona. Obviously nothing is set in stone. If someone unexpected can step up and slow the bleeding in this offensive line and force Reese to throw, I think this game can go the other way. Reese is a great quarterback, but I think Arizona's secondary is more than capable of shutting down his receiving weapons. Turn this game into a shootout, put the pressure on Reese and suddenly I think Arizona has a solid chance here."
Interviewer: "Thank you for coming today, Bjørn! I look forward to seeing you develop in the future and wish you all the best in the draft. I hope that we can get you in a again in the future and maybe talk about what your experiences are settling into your first NSFL team. Until next time, good day and good night!"
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