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+---- Thread: *Inaugural Colorado Yeti Ring of Honor Inductee (/showthread.php?tid=11173)
*Inaugural Colorado Yeti Ring of Honor Inductee - dropbear - 11-30-2018
As a founding member of the National Simulation Football League, the Colorado Yeti (briefly known as the Denver Grizzlies) recently completed their eleventh season. To say that the team's history has been tumultuous would be an understatement; however, despite their struggles and controversies, the team has consistently fielded some of football's best players. Today, a select few of those who have donned the Yeti colours will be enshrined as part of the organisation's Ring of Honor.
Inductee #1: Boss Tweed (@PigSnout)
Running back Boss Tweed was selected with the 99th pick of a total 138 in the inaugural NSFL draft. Despite not having a rushing attempt since the final regular season game of Season 6, Tweed remains in 5th place in career rushing yards at the conclusion of Season 11. To say he was a steal for the Yeti would not even begin to encapsulate the value the team got from what might otherwise have been labelled a throwaway pick. But beyond his excellent performances on the field, Tweed was also a fundamental part of the first era of Yeti locker rooms. It's no surprise that soon after the bellcow running back was traded to the Yellowknife Wraiths, where he made a successful transition to linebacker, the Yeti team as it once was would begin to crumble. Now, looking ahead to Season 12, the Colorado team would be unrecognisable to Tweed, with only four players remaining from the Season 6 roster. But those currently involved with the franchise nonetheless acknowledge, respect, and are eternally grateful for the history the hall-of-fame caliber running back had with their team.
Performances by Season
Season 1
Tweed was unable to stand out in a league-wide context, due to the fact that the Yeti employed a rare offensive system in which three running backs received nearly equal carries on the season. Kieran O'Connell (167), Boss Tweed (147), and Luke Tiernan (107) combined to form the Yeti's rushing attack in the league's first season. The rushing totals were relatively similar, with O'Connell, Tweed, and Tiernan accumulating 599 (3.6 YPC), 547 (3.7 YPC), and 391 (3.7 YPC) yards respectively. However, O'Connell's 6 rushing touchdowns and Tiernan's 3 were each greater than the lone rushing touchdown Tweed managed to score.
Perhaps most notable about Tweed's first season in the league and his first season with the Yeti was their trip to the championship game - a trip that remains their sole attempt at winning what is now referred to as the Ultimus. The Yeti finished atop their conference, sharing an 8 - 6 record with the Baltimore Hawks but sitting above them due to the tiebreaker. The Yeti would beat the Hawks 13 - 6 to win the conference championship, but surprisingly, Tweed shared the load on the day alone with Tiernan, as O'Connell did not get a single touch of the football. Tweed's 73 yards from 17 carries (4.3 YPC) were superior to Tiernan's 59 yards from 18 carries (3.3 YPC), and his consistent efforts helped see the Yeti through the tight affair and into the championship game.
Unfortunately, the Yeti would fall to the Arizona Outlaws in the final game of the season by a score of 29 - 6, losing what remains their only championship game to date. Despite having some strong carries early, Tweed was only called upon 7 times in the game (compared with Tiernan's 11), as the team played catch-up from the beginning and relied heavily - and without success - on the passing game.
Despite what might be viewed as an average season, Tweed's rookie season far exceeded any expectations that could have reasonably been heaped on a 99th overall pick. As a result, in Season 2, he became the team's feature back.
Season 2
Tweed's second season in the league saw him benefit from a much less crowded backfield. He stood alone with 285 carries on the season as the team's primary back, with former starter (used loosely here) Kieran O'Connell being reduced to just 52 carries in his own sophomore year. Tweed ran for 1054 yards, maintaining his previous season's yards per carry average of 3.7, and scoring a team-high 6 rushing touchdowns. By this point in his career, Tweed was emerging as a legitimate star. Embattled quarterback Logan Noble threw 20 interceptions to his 18 touchdowns on the season, and it was becoming apparent the team would need to lean more heavily on their unheralded running back. And in the league's third season, they did just that.
Season 3
With controversial quarterback Logan Noble suspended from the league, the Yeti drafted and started infamous former quarterback Nicholas Pierno. In his rookie season, Pierno threw an eye-watering 35 interceptions, and just 8 touchdowns. Remarkably, the team was still able to win 3 games that season, with little doubt that it was only possible due to the tireless efforts of Tweed.
In his third season with the Yeti, Tweed carried the ball a league-high 400 times, and accumulated a league-best 1375 yards (3.4 YPC). While that average might seem low by modern standards, at the time it was the equal second-best average for starting running backs (i.e. >100 carries). Despite Tweed leading the league in carries and in rushing yards, he only managed to find the endzone 4 times as a rusher, and once as a receiver. Nonetheless, it was becoming increasingly apparent that Tweed was the only saving grace on a struggling team, and that his services would be ever more important as the seasons went by.
Season 4
Trusting that young quarterback Nicholas Pierno would see a leap in his sophomore season, the Yeti reduced Tweed's workload. At season's end his carries total had dropped by 96 from the previous season. His average, however, remained fairly consistent at 3.3 YPC (equal fourth among running backs with more than 100 carries) which was good for 1018 total yards on the season. Tweed was again able to find the endzone on 4 occasions as a runner, which was significant given his drop in carries.
While the reduced reliance on the running game might appear to indicate an increasing in passing efficiency, that wasn't necessarily the case. Despite throwing 10 less interceptions than in his rookie season, Pierno still threw a damning 25 picks in Season 4. More concerning, however, was that his touchdown total dropped from 8 to 7. Overall, the Yeti offense regressed, and the team stumbled to a 1 - 13 record.
Season 5
Surprisingly, or perhaps unsurprisingly, Nicholas Pierno (4 touchdowns and 19 interceptions) continued to disappoint Yeti fans, players, and coaches alike, and Season 5 saw a renewed dependence on Tweed for the team to accomplish anything offensively. As the relevance of the running back position in the league appeared to diminish, Tweed saw a league-high 335 carries, and was the only running back that season to eclipse 1000 rushing yards, totaling 1098 (3.3 YPC). In an interesting twist, he again scored just 4 rushing touchdowns on the season. His efforts helped the Yeti improve upon their previous season’s win total with a nonetheless disastrous record of 2 – 12. While things were still not good for the Yeti, it looked as though they may be able to claw their way slowly back up out of the NSFC dweller.
Season 6
Unfortunately, that proved not to be the case for Tweed and the Yeti. Even with Pierno showing a marked performance, throwing 10 touchdown passes and only 13 interceptions, the team nonetheless suffered the league's first ever winless season in what would prove to be Tweed's last with the struggling franchise, and his last ever as a running back.
The running back position had a resurgence around the league, as five different players exceeded 1000 rushing yards in Season 6. Tweed was fourth among them for total yards with 1059 from 261 carries (4.1 YPC), and again only 4 rushing touchdowns - his third season straight with that total.
Summary
Tweed was the model of consistency in his intertwined career as a Yeti and a running back, so much so that he holds firm in 5th for career rushing yards total despite not having played the position from Season 7 - Season 10, after which he retired. His unwavering determination and dedication to his team in the face of endless adversity is a testament to his character, and he is truly deserving of his place as the first ever inductee into the Colorado Yeti's Ring of Honour.
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1411 words - ready for grading*Inaugural Colorado Yeti Ring of Honor Inductee - kckolbe - 11-30-2018
Tweed is a deserving member, but shouldn't Saint be the first inductee? Dude was a beast and was with the team longer.
*Inaugural Colorado Yeti Ring of Honor Inductee - dropbear - 11-30-2018
(12-01-2018, 12:24 AM)kckolbe Wrote:Tweed is a deserving member, but shouldn't Saint be the first inductee? Dude was a beast and was with the team longer.
Saint is on the same ballot. I have his entrance speech written up, but having played 10 seasons means there's a bit more for me to break down, and I didn't want an enormous single media post.
An argument can be made both ways regarding who should be 'first'. Both were cornerstones of the franchise, though obviously Saint was for nearly twice as long. Tbh, the main reason Tweed is first is because jparks hasn't been around since September, whereas pigsnout is still here and extremely active.
I want to stress that they are both going in on this round, though, so really it's more 1A and 1B. Saint's post will come in the next few days
*Inaugural Colorado Yeti Ring of Honor Inductee - PigSnout - 11-30-2018
Thanks for the write up! I wish we could have gotten a championship with one of those early Yeti teams, but otherwise Tweed had a pretty good run in Colorado. I'm happy to see him remembered as a member of the Yeti's Ring of Honor!
*Inaugural Colorado Yeti Ring of Honor Inductee - iamslm22 - 11-30-2018
To me Tweed is a sure fire Hall of Famer and a legend. A great first Ring of Honor inductee.
*Inaugural Colorado Yeti Ring of Honor Inductee - manicmav36 - 11-30-2018
Awesome write up. To the Hall for this one!
*Inaugural Colorado Yeti Ring of Honor Inductee - AdamS - 12-01-2018
Still #5 all time in rushing yards. Goddamn.