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(S23) - Ultimus Week - DatSmolBoi - 07-23-2020
5) Write 800 words or more on something that interests you. It could be related to statistics, to a league issue you take seriously, or a niche part of history that doesn’t fit neatly into either of the above categories. This must be directly related to the league, so don’t wax 800 words about your team’s Werewolf server. Be warned that freedom comes with risk, and this category will be judged especially stringently for anyone trying to spew complete nonsense.
Something that interests me. It has nothing to do with statistics or history or anything like that. What interests me is this league in general. Before I joined here I was very bored with having nothing to do with my life especially during quarantine. This is where the NSFL comes in. I look at the Reddit recruitment post and just said to myself, this could actually be fun. I didn't really read the post or anything I just quickly clicked the website linked and got introduced to the forums. The forums were like any kind of forums on websites. I was very confused at first glance looking at the forums wondering "This is it?". I was about to leave before I just decided to go for it and made my character on the "Create a player" page. While I was learning how to make my player I looked at myself and just knew that I was very interested in this. I went on the Discord chats and honestly didn't really talk that much at all. Maybe because im awkward as hell when it comes to meeting new people but who cares, I can just learn myself! (I definitely should had asked for help) So here I am, Confused as fuck as my player sits in the shadows waiting for a team to pick him up. I honestly thought I would be a forgotten IA player that no GM knew about but then Kanako comes at my DMs and signs me for the Portland Pythons. I was stoked. I didn't care which team I would go to (But now that I think of it thank god Kanako chose me) but looked like the Pythons would be my new team to go to. Heres the part where I am very interested in the NSFL now because I get to play in games, get a job, be able to do PTs and trivia, and the one I thought was very special...finally getting some teammates to talk with. By this time I was in playing games I had about 75 TPE and was honestly not getting any from Trivia or PT since I was too fucking lazy to message one guy my trivia answers but I honestly didn't care. All I cared about was being good on the field which I thought I was doing by just standing there and not doing anything at all. At this point, Its draft day. I am very excited which once again, meant I was very interested in the draft and the league itself. Once it started streaming I quickly pulled out my phone and watched the top prospects go in the first, second, and third rounds. I did not know when I was going to get drafted but this is why I just wait and see. Its the ninth round and im pretty tired from waiting all this time to see myself get drafted and since none of my snek friends have gotten drafted recently, I was about to turn off the stream and do something else. Thats when pick 12 in the ninth round came around. Turns out New Orleans would be the team to pick me up. I loved it there in New Orleans. The locker room was very wholesome, the logo was awesome, and I loved the new purple. Although I loved all these new things in my career, I just kept choosing to stay down. I loved Portland and I did not want to leave it even though I know I would probably have to at some point. Now I am very interested in the league. Im doing PTs and trivia weekly now, doing medias at some point in time, and being naturally active in the league. I then noticed, after quarantine is over, am I still going to be active here or am I going to be IA for a while? This thought kind of terrified me since I would be losing what was basically a hangout place for me. I would be losing interest of the league because of my school and work. Guess ill just have to enjoy my moments here while it lasts. We go back to the start of season 22 where I felt literal disappointment every game we played in. We had a new gm named soup who I really didn't remember talking to that much but overall he was a pretty cool dude. Watching the games just felt like watching a normal NFL game. I would get mad as fuck when the sim fucks us over just like when my team fucks themselves over. I was experiencing the same rage as I would while watching my team getting blown out by the god damn packers. I knew I had a huge amount of interest for this league when I was acting the same as when I watch a normal game. The amount of interest I have of this league seems way too much. Its one of the things that don't keep me bored while in quarantine. So like that, I say thank you NSFL. (Or the ISFL but I lived with the NSFL.)
(S23) - Ultimus Week - kingsleigher - 07-23-2020
Tier 2, Task 12
As a rookie prospect in the upcoming DSFL draft, I have found my time so far in this league to be a wholly unique experience. I’m a veteran of table top and text based RPGs both on the internet and on pen and paper with friends locally. Still, this league scratches an itch I didn’t even know I had as I am a massive football fanatic. So far I don’t think any kind of forum “game” or role-playing experience I’ve had in the past really has come close to matching the excitement I feel on game nights when I get to watch teams full of players controlled by people I’ve met and spoken to. It feels like there’s a whole new level of depth and connection to the ISFL that is really unique when compared to similar forum systems.
Several team GMs have reached out to me in a sort of interview process and all have been incredibly helpful and friendly. Most specifically, Jamar Lackson (co-GM of the Minnesota Grey Ducks) has been a great help in welcoming me to the league. We bonded over being fellow Ravens fans (Big Truzz!) and they helped me to fix an issue I was having in creating my player’s wiki page. Being a prospect, I’ve also received invites to join a few DSFL teams’ discord servers, which has been a really fun experience. It’s awesome to see the different atmospheres between each team’s chat and it makes the league feel that much more immersive and exciting when you see all these different users getting really excited about the games.
Building a new character was a lot of fun, as I got to really feel like they were my own creation, unlike some of the limitations included in something like Madden NFL’s created characters. It was great to be able to add my own flavor to the character and create his backstory. I think my favorite part of the league so far has been getting my player set up with his own twitter account and having him interact with team accounts and other players around the league.
I have to admit, the whole setup of the forum can be a bit daunting as a newcomer. It’s a little bit difficult getting off the ground as a new create, though the YouTube video walkthrough was incredibly helpful. I do kind of wish that it maybe went a little bit more in depth with how media writings and point tasks work, but I think if you hang around the league long enough, you’re likely to figure it out eventually either way. Once you do get the hang of the way the forum works, it’s a lot of fun to look through everything there is to see. I had a great time earlier this morning browsing through a few teams’ wiki pages and getting a feel for the history of their franchises. I think the inclusion of a Sim Football Wiki is an excellent idea and really helps make this whole league feel more real and immersive.
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510 wordsTier 2, Task 6
It’s here. Ultimus Week. The greatest two words in all of simulation sports. Eight teams entered the playoffs and now only two remain. The best of the best. It’s the Yellowknife Wraiths vs. The Austin Copperheads. The casual Sim Football fan might be looking at this matchup and thinking the Snakes are out of their depth in this matchup, that a team with a .500 record going into the playoffs could only get to the big game on a fluke. Well I’m here to tell you that is certainly not the case. The Copperheads are for real, and they stand a great chance at handing Yellowknife their fifth Ultimus loss in six years.
So let’s take a look at how Austin got to the big game. Many may remember the Snakes’ first season in the league as less than spectacular, and even that description is generous. After opening with the worst single season in league history though, the Copperheads quickly began to prove themselves as a legitimate team. Two ultimus appearances in only eight seasons is a testament to that fact. It’s part of what makes Austin such an interesting team to follow. From the top down, the team embodies the term of wild card. Some may even say that losing every single game in the franchise’s first season was a strategic move, and that same strategy of doing whatever it takes to be a championship team is exactly what has them back in contention for their second title in four seasons.
It all starts with quarterback Easton Cole. The Copperheads QB came into the postseason touting the third most passing yards (3821) while being second in completion percentage (58.1%) and third in overall passer rating (83.2) amongst qualified quarterbacks. While Cole was largely left out of the MVP conversation, the quarterbacks ahead of him are now all sitting on the couch at home as Cole makes another run for a title and bolsters what should be the resume of a future Hall of Fame player. Cole hasn’t been perfect throughout these playoffs by any means, but he’s made plays when it counts and he’s done more than enough to help his team win games. A couple of touchdown passes early in the second quarter of the championship game in Orange County helped the Snakes stay in the game into the fourth quarter, though he likely isn’t the one being lauded as the hero of that game...
Last but most certainly not least, I would be remiss to not mention the astounding play of the Austin defense in this postseason run. In the ASFC Championship game, the Copperheads played the game of “bend don’t break '' against an offense that ran amuck on teams all throughout the regular season. Their strategy paid off when, just thirty seconds into the fourth quarter, Honda Edmonds picked off a pass from Armstrong in Otters territory and ran it back for a score, putting the Snakes up for good. Cole then marched Austin’s offense down the field where runningback Kichwa Jones was able to punch in a touchdown from the 1 yard line to put the final nail in the coffin.
One thing is for sure come kickoff time for Ultimus Bowl XXIII, the Austin Copperheads are not a team to be taken lightly.
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551 words(S23) - Ultimus Week - Jo3fish5 - 07-23-2020
12. As a season twenty-three rookie, I'm still getting to know how things work and the wonderful community of ~~NSFL~~ ISFLers. There are so many nice people in the community and I've met a whole bunch of great people to share this experience with who just make it better. I'm not going to name anybody because I know that I'll end up leaving people out, but just know that you are awesome. My player, Joseph Petrongolo got off to a slow start in his first season, mostly because he was playing at running back while having the attributes of a tight end. But after that got sorted out, he did a great job in his first season. Over 1000 yards in my first season, 5 touchdowns, and a few award nominations isn't a bad first season. Even though my team, the Portland Pythons, finished with a record of 5-9 and fell short of the playoffs, I had a good time in the locker room and was ready to rebound next season wherever I played. During the offseason, I was drafted to the Arizona Outlaws with the 19th overall pick. I was given a choice of whether I wanted to stay back down in the DSFL with Portland or go up and play in the big leagues. I decided to stay with my snek bois and give an Ultimini title another shot. We entered the season hot and looked like we would be big contenders to make a playoff run. This season, I had some competition at running back and me and Kenyel McZeal were splitting snaps. Both of us ended up at the end of the season having over 1000 yards and 6 touchdowns each. Even though we were supposed to be good, and didn't lose many big pieces, we didn't improve on our record of 5-9 and now we are forced to watch the playoffs instead of play in them for the second time. Now I'm looking to the future and playing with Arizona, hopefully for many seasons to come. I don't want to seem cocky but... AZ is supposed to be pretty good next year. But we can see how that turned out for Portland so I'm gonna knock on wood right now. If there's one thing I could suggest to make the league it would be to bring back the predictions. I miss them ;-;. Last season I would have to be active every other day to keep up with the predictions but now I'm on the site once a week, on Thursday, when I do all my tasks at once. Even now I find myself doing Ultimus week at what I thought was the last minute. (Yes I know it's Thursday but I won't be able to do this stuff tomorrow. Oh also, I lied about just having one suggestion. Gib Counting Bot. It's not a meme it's a way of life!
13. Joseph Petrongolo, one of the running backs from the Portland Pythons, should unquestionably, without a doubt, win the DSFL's Running Back Of The Year award. For a second consecutive season, Petrongolo managed to top 1000 yards, despite being a part of a committee backfield along with Kenyel McZeal and Mai Fukushu. Petrongolo also averaged 4.5 yards per carry, which is the same as another star running back, Zed Keppler, and more than the slightly less good Nick Ayers. Although Joseph didn't have any breakout, long touchdown runs, his longest rush being for just 25 yards, he was a beast in the red zone, scoring 6 times on the ground. Petrongolo's powers weren't only limited to the ground this season though. Joseph Petrongolo also proved that he could get it done through the air this past season, catching the ball a whopping 16 times for more than 150 averaging 9.8 yards per catch. This stat is over 3 yards more per reception than the rush yards leader, the rookie out of Tijuana Mexico C. Theeks. Even though Joseph Petrongolo may not have had the most yardsthis past season, his versatility in both the ground and air game for Portland shows that he is definitely one of the better contenders for the award.
21. There is no doubt in my mind that the Portland Pythons, in the s23 season, were a better team than the Kansas City Coyotes. Lets look at how these two teams did when they faced off against each other, in week 7 and in week 14. In their week 7 matchup, the Pythons simply outplayed the Coyotes, winning the game with a final score of 30-17. In the game, the Portland rookie Quarterback Sam Howitzer had one of his best performances of the season in terms of QB rating, completing 18 out of 25 of his pass attempts for 230 yards and a touchdown, as well as not throwing any interceptions. Additionally, both of Portland's top 2 running backs scored, Joseph Petrongolo in the 1st quarter with a 4 yard rush and Kenyel McZeal a 2 yarder in the 4th. The Pythons also scored a defensive touchdown when Kansas City quarterback Reginald Covington III threw an interception to Thomas Engine in the first quarter. In the second matchup between Kansas City and Portland, although the game was more exciting than the previous one, the Pythons came out on top again, this time only one touchdown separated the two teams. The Pythons jumped out to an early lead thanks to a first quarter touchdown run by Kenyel McZeal, and then furthered their lead when Howitzer connected with Videl-San for 2 yards. The Coyotes made it a close game, tying it up in the 4th quarter, but the Pythons ultimately put it out of reach when Kenyel McZeal found the end zone for the second time. Rookie quarterback Sam Howitzer had another great night, completing 18 passes on 23 attempts for 1 touchdown and zero picks, and had a QB rating of 123.2. The Coyotes clearly struggled against a better team in Portland, even though they made the playoffs while the sneks were watching it from the crowd.
(S23) - Ultimus Week - Richard_Hooklip - 07-23-2020
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 case.
While not on my team, I would argue that Vikian Marmeladov deserves the nod as MVP. The reasoning behind this is quite simple- his statistics this year are completely unrivaled as a safety. Hear me out on this, because you will be completely blown away by these stats, and shocked that they were overlooked by the league.
The first thing we must address is the elephant in the room- Marmeladov finished the season with zero interceptions, zero forced fumbles, zero fumbles recovered, and zero passes defensed. This supposed "flaw" will be addressed after some brief context to this stat- Marmeladov was an amazing shutdown safety, if such a thing can exist, allowing zero yards, and zero catches all year. Marmeladov also allowed zero rushing yards all year. Truly a dominant force on the field.
Thus, it is clear that Marmeladov's lack of these stats is actually the crux of my argument- Marmeladov was so good this season, that no team dared target him. He was an unstoppable force on the field, so much so that the opposing quarterbacks couldn't help but tremble in terror at the sight of him. The ball was thrown only where Marmeladov had no chance of making any play on it, for fear of the worst, and the ball was run only where Marmeladov could not interact with the carrier.
Now, the doubters may say things like "Marmeladov has been retired for years," or "he had zero yards allowed because he was targeted zero times," but this strikes me as the lowly drone of haters who wish to detract from the greatness of Marmeladov. Ultimately, Marmeladov had the most profound impact on the field of any player this season, so profound, that he created his own pocket dimension wherever he stood where the quarterback wouldn't even consider throwing the ball, and which runningbacks would avoid at all costs, even if it meant stepping out of bounds. He created a box on the field that nobody dared pass into.
I hope this argument persuades you of the profound importance of Marmeladov's historic numbers this season, and why he deserves the title of ISFL MVP.
(S23) - Ultimus Week - Ry_ - 07-24-2020
Task 5:
My focus has almost always been on my player, Darrel Williams when it comes to writing tasks revolving around this league. Obviously, seeing as I've cranked out over five thousand words in just two of my articles alone about Darrel's career I could once again crank out some 800 words about how Darrel has done this and he's also done that. But in my opinion, I wanted to take a look at a season that is near and dear to my heart; the S19 DSFL campaign. Darrel would go on to win a bunch of awards and an Ultimini, but one team that interests me from that season is the S19 Norfolk Seawolves. The Seawolves were led by Gimmy Jaroppolo, who led the team to an incredible, amazing, and astonishly impressive 0-14 record. My question that I wanted to explore in this little 800 word writeup was how bad were the Seawolves in S19? And how close were they to pulling it off and actually winning a game? While I could just look at the final box score and say; hey, look! The Seawolves only lost this game by 7! That's the game they came the closest! Writeup over. Instead, I want to look through the play-by-play to determine at what exact moment were the Seawolves closest to winning an actual football game against a real(or other bot team). It realistically should be against the Coyotes, as they were the only other bot team in the league that year. Let's start with Week 1.
Oof. This definitely isn't the game. The Seawolves were already down 35-0 in the end of the second quarter, and the Buccaneers coasted to an impressive 42-6 victory. Norfolk is already 0-1 and they had no chance from the opening kickoff to the final play in this game. Week 2 is a much different story. In a battle with the Coyotes, the Seawolves were able to keep it close and in the fourth quarter, Gimmy held the ball with the Seawolves only down three. First and 10 on their own two yard line however led to a sack, and Gimmy took a safety deep in his own endzone. The Coyotes got the ball back, quickly scored a touchdown, and put the game out of reach for a 32-17 victory over the Seawolves. Week 3 we see Norfolk take their first ever lead of the season, but it was quickly taken back in the second quarter, and the Pythons ran away with the game. However, 7-3 in the first does at least somewhat compete with 20-17 in the fourth on your own two yard line. On to Week 4!
This really does beat into you, hoping that something will change, that Norfolk will put it together. But they really just can't. Don't forget they lost all four of their preseason games too. All eighteen of their professional football contests ended with a loss. Around Christmas 2019, someone posted a meme of a crying Baby Yoda with the caption "Norfolk when it's time to sim". I understood that back when I knew that Norfolk was bad, but I didn't expect this bad. Myrtle Beach went up 17-0 on the Seawolves, but they fought back to make it 17-14 before the Buccaneers pulled away. Another contender for closest time. Week 5 is a similar game, where the better team pulled away in the second half, but the Seawolves were within three at halftime. These games are winnable; if they had good players and not bots running around the field waiting for someone to kick their asses to the curb. Tijuana's next in Week 6.. and yeah, they didn't score more than three points. Next game. The Seawolves travel to Minnesota, and pull within 11 at the end of the game. Not their best performance. Week 8 maybe? Norfolk once again takes a lead! They were up 13-10 in the second quarter. They still can't get more than four points ahead of an opponent... and these leads are always in the first half.. but it's something. Running out of words here, so let's quickly run through the last six games. Week 9, Seawolves go up 3-0, nothing else good happens. Week 10, game is tied at half, but Coyotes score twice in the second half to win. Week 11.. uh.. another battle with Tijuana. Not a contender. Week 12, the best chance they had was at kickoff and down 31-3. Next! Week 13, the Seawolves were down ten but had the ball near midfield with five minutes to go. The drive stalled and the game ended. Week 14, another game against Tijuana. Once again, not a contender.
Okay.. that was rough. Again, it's the life of being a bot team that isn't meant to win. In my opinion, the best chance the Seawolves had to win one single game was Week 2 against the Coyotes. If Gimmy finds his inner John Elway and leads the Seawolves 98 yards down the field and the defense holds against another bot team, the Seawolves find their win. Second place goes to Week 8, I guess? This was sad but interesting all around.
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874 words(S23) - Ultimus Week - DNeon - 07-24-2020
I'm not sure how meta these writing tasks are supposed to be, or how they're judged, so I figured I'd just write one out and see how it is judged.
Tier 1 Task 5:
I wanted to take this loose opportunity to speak on something that is close to me (in a very superficial way mind you), that of the marrying of sports teams to their metro-area markets, and the unique situation that the ISFL (or any simulation league) finds itself in with regards to this. Obviously, real life sports leagues are affected by the geopolitical status of their players and the country they base themselves in, as well as the economic status of the country/city each individual team situates themselves within. Needing a physical field to play on means that players need to be moved to that field to play and if that crosses borders then there's obviously major issues that arise, whether it be visas or pandemics, tax for work completed in a different country, the list goes on even without mentioning the logistics it takes to move the team and staff to and from a field in the first place. This is, IMO, the single greatest strength of a sim league, fittingly emphasised by our league's name change to the ISFL from the NSFL. Without geopolitical or economic factors, sim leagues are free to represent peoples/cities free of any consequences outside of the opportunity cost measured in fan engagement. If realism is important to fans then there are certain restrictions the a league may feel the need to follow; Would that city really be able to hold a team? Would the city want a team? But part of the charm that drew me to the ISFL is the disregard for restrictions.
As it exists at time of writing, the ISFL operates in 3 countries, spanning 2 continents (or is it 3? Does Hawaii count as North America?), with a full 10 hours difference in local times between 2 cities. This alone is a near insurmountable challenge for a real sporting league, look no further than the NFL London franchise debate (which is a challenge even without adding Hawaii to the mix) for evidence of the difficulty that this presents. But the ISFL doesn't need to care, which gives British (or at very least English) fans a point of entry. Tijuana is a completely different barrier for real leagues to overcome, one which I won't go into here as I don't claim to be an expert in the economic factors, but which can be similarly breached by the ISFL at no cost. However, the crowning jewel is Yellowknife. I will never be able to barrack against Yellowknife for no other reason than the absurdity of a professional football team bordering the arctic circle. The NFL is actually unique among US professional sporting leagues for not having Canadian representation, but to go even further a choose the second smallest provincial capital comes so far out of left field that I can't help but feel magnetised to the team. It's this kind of unique circumstance that sim leagues can capitalise on. Depending on the whim of the fans, a team on the moon is can viable expansion, which lets the league be more creative in expansion than any real league can afford to be.
When I say that this is a strength, I refer to this connection. There's a charm to a city you haven't heard of before. US leagues have created a status quo to situate 2 teams in New York City and Los Angeles because the money is there to drive it, such is the power of these factors that some people can choose between representatives while others remain unrepresented. Between the charm of discovery, and the connection that comes from those who aren't among the chosen few, the ISFL is free to expand its web however it sees fit.
I do however need to acknowledge a factor that does detract from the impact this has; the reliance on a connection to American football. The ISFL is obviously not able to expand beyond that which it is simulating, that much is plain as day and a absurd bar to meet in the first place. But this does mean that the detachment from geography can only be exploited for the sake of finding existing fans, rather than as a method of creating fans. This means that the league is always going to be heavily focused on US representatives due to the prospective fans being tied to US cities already via the NFL, even for those who aren't American (as a KC Chiefs fan I'm certainly more likely to go for the Coyotes). That said, despite the aforementioned attachment the league has already done an excellent job of catering to cities that are large, but can be overlooked for sports attention, which I find encouraging to the acknowledgement of this strength for Sim leagues.
As and Australian I'd love an Australian team and in a sim league that can be a realistic prospect which is a rarity in itself. As a person who grew up in a regional centre I've enjoyed a total of 1 professional home town team my whole life. The ISFL has the ability to be that connection for many around the world, who find themselves geographically separated from sports they love, but able to make a connection online, and find a niche way to express their love of the sport in ways that real leagues simply don't allow for.
I hope my rant is worth judging, and appropriately on topic. Thanks for reading.
(S23) - Ultimus Week - Arkz - 07-24-2020
Quote:Prompt: 2) This week will see the S24 Ultimus and Ultimini races begin in earnest. In 800 words or more, recount any of the previous playoff cycles of either league. How did each team arrive at the playoffs? Were there any dark horse or Cinderella teams that went unexpectedly far, or any presumptive favorites that fell flat? How did the title game play out, and which players made their mark on the field? Tell the story of those playoffs as completely as you can. Do not simply recount your own experience in those playoffs or that of a singular team.
This is a story about redemption. This is a story about how one team battled back from embarrassment and disgrace to capture Ultimus glory. How a team battled back and won their first, and to this date only, championship. How a team dominated in the regular season, but came close to losing it all in the final game. This is the story of the 2023-2024 Yellowknife Wraiths.
Founded in 2016 as one of the inaugural teams in the National Simulation Football League, the Wraiths were the first team from outside the United States. Stationed in the far north of the Northwest Territory, Canada, the Wraiths came out of the gate strong before faltering. However, after by 2019 the Wraiths were a perennial contender, winning the conference three out of five years.
They reached their first championship game in the 2019 season, playing in Ultimus Bowl IV against the Orange County Otters. For the Otters, it was also their first championship game, but certainly not their last. Playing in Santa Ana Stadium, the Otters won a close game 23-30. Despite the loss, hopes were high for the wraiths coming into the following year. They would again reach the pinnacle of the league, playing in Ultimus Bowl V, again versus the Otters in Santa Ana Stadium. This time, however, the score told a darker story. The Otters won the game in convincing fashion, with a final score of 26-15. The Otters would go on to play in two more consecutive championships, winning Ultimus Bowl VI against the Philadelphia Liberty before losing Ultimus Bowl VII to the Liberty the following year.
For the Wraiths, the road back to the championship was a long one. The following 2021 season after their second Ultimus Bowl loss to the Otters saw the Wraiths stumble to a 7-6-1 record in a rebuilding year and an early exit in the playoffs. The next year, however, the Wraiths surged to a 13-1 regular season record, before the Philadelphia Liberty shocked them in the conference championship. The final score, 40-31, and another difficult loss for Yellowknife.
About to embark on the eighth season of the league, the Yellowknife Wraiths had built a reputation of strong play up until the final moments. Difficult losses to the Otters and the Liberty had dented their reputation as a team who can win it all. Coming off the stunning loss the year before, many thought that the Wraiths may stumble out of the gate. After going 1-3 in their preseason games, prognosticators had their doubts that the Wraiths could put together another fine season and make a deep run. They were mistaken.
The Wraiths won their first six games in the league, including a road win over the defending champion Philadelphia Liberty. In week seven, they hosted their rival Orange County Otters, and lost in a difficult 38-21 contest. This game was built as a potential preview of the Ultimus Bowl, and the Wraiths found themselves still trailing their rivals. The Wraiths finished the season an impressive 11-3, including a second loss to the Otters and a crushing victory over the Liberty to end the season.
The first opponent for the Wraiths would be the Baltimore Hawks, who finished the season 7-7. The Wraiths won both games against the Hawks that year by a combined score of 61-52, so despite the differences in record the game was no sure thing. The Hawks jumped out to an early lead, moving the ball at will and holding the Wraiths' potent offense in check. At halftime, the score was 21-7 in favor of the Hawks. Early signs suggested that this was to be another early stumble and fall for the Wraiths, another potential upset. But if the Baltimore fans expected the Wraiths to fold, they were sorely mistaken.
The Wraiths quickly brought the lead down to only seven points after a Robby Rainey run with 11:23 left to play in the third quarter. The Hawks would add a field goal, but with another touchdown by the Wraiths at the end of the third, the fourth quarter began with a tie game, 24-24. From then on, it was Yellowknife's game as they finished the game 38-24. The Hawks, worn down and out of gas, were unable to keep up with the high powered Wraith offense, led by quarterback Mat Akselsen and running back Robby Rainey. The Wraiths had managed to do it, they once again reached the championship game. The only remaining question, who would be their opponent.
The ASFC Championship Game was a clash between the New Orleans Second Line and the Orange County Otters. Both teams had a strong regular season, with the Second Line bringing a 9-5 record and the Otters coming in at 10-4. However, given the pedigree of Orange County, many analysts picked Orange County to win. The two teams split the seasons series, with New Orleans winning a 33-10 contest at home, before the Otters took revenge with a 27-26 win in Orange County. The championship game proved a tight contest between the two teams. By halftime, the score was 10-3 in favor of New Orleans, with the sole Orange County points coming from a field goal with four seconds left in the quarter. However, with 2:37 left in the fourth quarter, Erlich Burnsman ran it in for an Otters' touchdown, tying the game at 17. While some expected the Second Line to play for overtime, the team had other ideas. The Second Line drove the ball down the field methodically, scoring a field goal with 10 seconds left in the game by Peg Leg. The Otters were out of chances, and the Second Line secured their first berth in the Ultimus Bowl.
The stage was then set. The young, upstart Second Line team versus the tested but as of yet unsuccessful squad of the Wraiths. In the regular season the Wraiths dominated the Second Line with a combined score of 74-20 in their two wins. The championship game, hosted at the Burial Grounds in Yellowknife, would prove not to be quite so clean.
The game began with a sudden bang. While fans were still taking their seats, D. Evans of the Second Line took the opening kick off 87 yards and deep into Wraith territory. However, in a sign of things to come, New Orleans was unable to do much with the opportunity, opting for a 24 yard field goal. Peg Leg, the hero of the conference championship game, missed the kick and the game remained scoreless. The two teams then traded a series of punts, neither side able to gain ground until Peg Leg of the Second Line drew first blood with a 45 yard field goal with 4:46 to play in the first. Not to be outdone, the Wraiths went on a long drive, with Robby Rainey running it in for a touchdown with six seconds left in the quarter.
After punting on their opening drive of the second quarter, the Wraiths took the ball down the field off multiple long passes by Mat Akelsen before a Robby Rainey run brought the score to 14-3 at 7:36. Sensing the game was getting away from them, the Second Line battled back off a Borkus Maximus III pass to Dustin Evans for a touchdown, their first of the day. Going into halftime, the score was 14-10 in favor of the Wraiths, with some questioning if this would finally be the time that Yellowknife would go all the way.
In a reverse of the opening play of the game, this time the Wraiths benefited from a huge return. Dermot Lavelle returned the kick off 49 yards, deep into Second Line territory. Akelsen would only need three passes before finding Kennedy for 36 yards and the touchdown, making it 21-10 for the Wraiths. The teams would trade punts again, before Maximus III was intercepted by Dermot Lavelle deep in the Second Line part of the field. Unable to punch it in, the Wraiths settled for a 26 yard field goal with 4:47 to play in the third.
The fourth quarter saw the Wraiths control the game and the clock. And although the Second Line would add a field goal at 9:39 to make the score 24-13, they did not have enough time or strength to do more. Mat Akselsen was named as the Offensive Player of the Game, contributing 20/39 with 355 yards and one touchdown, no interceptions. Brian Mills of the Second Line was named Defensive Player of the Game, with 13 tackles and one sack. Other standouts for the Wraiths were wide receivers McPoyal and Kennedy, who combined for 12 receptions and 202 yards. For the Second Line, C. Law caught four balls for 110 yards, but it wasn't enough.
Finally, the Wraiths had met their lofty expectations and hoisted ultimate glory. The team that had so often faltered at the finish line, now was clearly the best team in the league. After numerous heart breaking losses that would have broken other teams, the Wraiths were able to rally back and capture the ultimate prize. The Second Line would go on to reach the new three Ultimus Bowl games, winning Ultimus Bowl IX and XI against the Baltimore Hawks. The Wraiths would not reach the pinnacle again till Ultimus Bowl XVIII, making the title game four years in a row. They would go on to lose those games, including a Ultimus Bowl VIII rematch against the Second Line at Ultimus Bowl XXI. However, the memory and achievement of the 2023 lives on in the hearts and minds of the people of Yellowknife, and the players who participated in the games.
(S23) - Ultimus Week - Jimi64 - 07-24-2020
Tier 2: Task 12
I only joined a few days ago, and I am frankly shocked. I’d seen the advertisements on Reddit before, but I did not expect the amount of activity that went on, from the media to graphics to the recording of league history. I love fantasy football, but the leagues I’ve been in don’t come close to the amount of interaction as this. As a commissioner in one of my fantasy football leagues, these are the types of contributions and interactions I could only dream of from my members. However, getting started was a bit overwhelming. I probably would have not continued if it weren’t for the player template guide, which not only assists you in deciding what type of player you want to be but also teaches how to apply TPE, and video that shows you how to create an update page. It’s really important that these tools exist for new players. In this day and age, it’s rare that so much manual work is needed in order to bookkeep statistics and the like, and although that initially seemed like a chore, I realized it’s not as difficult as it first seemed.
I couldn’t name a specific person that has made my time more fun, because I’ve already interacted with so many people on team discords and they’ve all been extremely helpful and nice. I was surprised how easily I got along with everyone. It’s truly a welcoming community. My biggest fear was that I’d join a discord and it’d be completely dead. I was worried that people mainly just focused on updating their stats and gaining TPE, but there’s a lot of extroverted people in this community.
Since I haven’t been drafted, I can’t answer those latter questions, but I can’t wait to tune into the game and see what my player does, as well as what it’s like to enjoy a game together with my teammates. The thought of being drafted at all is fun, and I don’t really mind where I end up. There’s a long journey ahead of me, and I can’t say I’d mind staying in the DSFL a bit. In my opinion, there’s no rush. Being a part of a community and gradually improving my stats will be fun enough.
One suggestion I’d make is to make it clearer who the rookie mentors are. I’ve seen people say “feel free to reach out to the rookie mentors,” but I didn’t actually know who one was. I figured it out, but I think making that clear would just be a bit more helpful for people just joining.
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(S23) - Ultimus Week - oji3001 - 07-24-2020
Task 6
London Royals – DSFL – North
The London Royals managed to make there way into the playoffs out of a tightly contested group with a 7-7 record. The season looked done and dusted prior to week 9 with the team sporting a 2-6 record and sitting bottom of there group. A 27-10 win in wk 7 may have given the team a boost that they could win matches.
Week 9 they faced off against the Minnesota Grey Ducks who had defeated us in the reverse fixture in week 2, by a 20-14 score line. A slow start in that game for the Royals meant the Grey Ducks could get a lead and held onto it until the final whistle. The Royals did not want the same to happen again in the rematch. Although didn’t get off to a quick start the defence stubbornly held to keep the 1st Quarter to 0-0. A big 2 middle quarters drove the team into a 26-7 lead that was not to be recovered by the Grey Ducks. This result was built upon strong running play from both King and Batista.
Week 10 the team would face up to the Norfolk Seawolves who were top of the South Division. Consistent scoring by the Royals led them to a huge 31-16 victory, the teams first back-to-back wins of the season. And taking them to a 4-6 record. Once again, some solid rushing from Danny King. But the standout was the Royals QB Colby Jack, who threw for nearly 200 yrds off 14 throws, for 2 TDs. This gave a QB Rating of 157.6. Tre’Darius J’Vathon showed great hands to pull in both TD passes for the game.
Weeks 11 and 12, went a similar way where the team was able to keep up a consistent accumaltion of points through solid rushing play and strong defence.
Heading into week 13 the tream had put 4 wins together and were now up to a 6-6 record. Could they put themselves into a qualifying position by getting to a winning record. And close in on the Kansas City Royals who have lost back-to-back games since getting to 7 wins at week 10. 1st Half the Royals were 17-7 down and struggling, Colby Jack, particularly struggled to find his receivers. Whatever the coaches said at HT seemed to do the trick as the Royals came out of the blocks in the 2nd half to score 21 unanswered points and get to a positive winning record. Danny King stood out on Offense for the Royals with 3 TDs and averaging 6.7 yards per carry for 128 yards in total. On defence, Juan Domine racked up an impressive 14 tackles, 1 sack and a pass deflection to ensure his sides victory.
Week 14 the team may have got a bit carried away with there 5 game winning run as they travelled to the Myrtle Beach Buccaneers but were comfortably beat by 26-3. The royals had a 3-0 lead in the 1st quarter but then the Buccaneers took control with 26 unanswered points.
With a 7-7 record the side managed to get into a conference Final against the Kansas City Coyotes.
Who will prevail?
(S23) - Ultimus Week - CDub2 - 07-24-2020
It is tough to decide on a Mount Rushmore for the Chicago Butchers. Yes, I'm aware that they have a short history in this league but there are still some important people in the league hat helped form the team. With the Butchers on the cusp of contention, it seems appropriate to see if we can put a face on this mountain. First off, I'd like to acknowledge that I also have a nomination for a Crazy Horse Monument as well. Someone who contributed, but in the public's eye, may not have the same recognition. I'd like to stick my neck out for Steelsound, the GM that the bullies of the league forced out. It's sad to see that HO continually say how bad bullying is, and then allow a GM to be ousted by continual bullying and negligence from the league. So it seems fitting that Steelsound gets his own monument beside Mount Chicagomore. Steel has his fingerprints all over this team, and while his trades looked bad in hindsight to those on the outside, at the time, they were moves to help the team win and keep us interested. Also, it was Jiggly's swan song and it was our goal to see if we could make the playoffs with Jiggly's corpse rotting away. It didn't work out and now everyone thinks Chicago is so stupid. But there was method to the madness.
This segways nicely into the first nominee for Mount Chicagomore. Jiggly. There are few people that rep Chicago harder. We all know Jiggly. The past, the lore, the Chicago fandom. Very intertwined in the team history. As controversial and sometimes hated as Jiggly is, there's no one like him. Memorable and passionate whenever Chicago is mentioned.
Secondly, I think Oles is the next face up there. The first GM of Chicago, also reps Chicago hard. It's been great to see Oles return as a recreate this season to help bring back Chicago to the glory days of the expansion season. He was part of the team that tried to win with Chicago right out of the gate during expansion. I respect that and I'm sure the league liked having a competitive expansion team.
Thirdly, the other OG GM half, Muford is up on that mountain. Everybody loves Mu. Even with his crazy weird sleep schedule, his every day Muford things, and his constant poor discord typos, he's a great guy and a caring GM. And of course, reps Chicago hard. Seems to be a common thread. Love for the city is a must to get on this mountain. He left a really tight and competitive Colorado team to come back and run the rebuild with Bayley. Another segway
Last face on the mountain is Bayley. While not a Chicago native, there are few users that could turn a team around with pure passion and kindness like Bayley. Hiding behind Taylor Swift's face, Bayley is actually really smart and sly and has connected with most people on this site through just being a good person. He is proof that you don't need to force people into things, you don't need wins, and most certainly you don't need high draft picks. He just understands people well and so far, has built a really solid crew of people that want to be on the team in less that 3 seasons.
It would be nice to have the history and the dynasty lore like Arizona and Er or Orange County and their run of greatness. If would be nice to have the consistent management of YKW. Well Chicago is well on the way to having those things with those that came previously and set the stage for the rebuild that is happening now.
It is also important to acknowledge that there are players that have endured this rebuild, that while they don't have their faces on a mountain, were vital to providing some form of consistency and solidity during tough times. Guys like Sean O' Leary and Franky LaFleur, legends of the game deserve recognition. SeanO'Leary has been putting up 1000 yards seasons since his rookie year. But the disrespect for Chi and O'Leary is real. No WR of the Year wins, only a handful of Pro Bowls. Two seasons ago was the most egregious. He was top 4 in catches, yards, and was on a good Touchdown pace until Franky LaFleur (50 TPE QB) took over. Over LaFleur's starting games, O'Leary averaged 80 yards and half a touchdown a game. There's no way that any of the other WrotY nominees put up those stats with a 50 TPE QB. Just for his dominance, O'Leary should be on Mount Chicagomore if there was a 5th face. But then again, awards voting has always been trash where voters sort stat lists and a circle jerk of not wanting to piss of the big names in the league. They don't really give a crap. But I do, so O'Leary gets a 5th face on the mountain.
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