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*Recognizing the S16 Outlaws - SwagSloth - 08-13-2019
It’s been an incredible few seasons since I’ve taken over as the GM of the Arizona Outlaws at the end of S13. The team was badly in need of a fresh start and so I committed to a hard rebuild, trading away the team’s older players and making the decision to build around our younger core. We would go on to nail the S15 Draft and, as you probably know, win this season’s Ultimus. A lot of people have reached out to congratulate me and, while it is definitely appreciated, I tell everyone the same thing: The credit goes to the players. I put in a lot of time and effort into planning, but without these guys stepping up at the level they have, we would never made it this far. The secret to good GMing is surrounding yourself with good people and I’ve been very blessed in that department.
And so, I want to give credit where it’s due. This is a shout-out to everyone on the team who’s been active or is at least part of the locker room (even if you can’t update regularly).
THE OFFENSE
Jammerson Irving – TE (@contacts)
Roles Played: FB, TE, Slot, WR
Regular Season Stats: 66 catches for 681 yards, 3 Receiving TDs, 20 Pancakes
Best Game: 9 catches for 77 yards, 1 Receiving TD, 2 Pancakes (week 11)
The absolute steal of the S15 Draft for us. How this man was there at #41 blows my mind. He’s easily a first-round talent. As a balanced TE, Jammerson covers a lot of roles for the team and he’s happy to do so. He doesn’t demand big stats; he just wants to see the team thrive. Absolute definition of a team player. He’s also very knowledgeable about the league and is eager to rally his teammates in the locker room. Jammerson didn’t have a lot of breakout games this season, but his season stats have been very solid for someone splitting his time between blocking at TE and lining up at other positions. Alongside RB Jeffery Murphy, he helped fill the void that was left without a 2nd starting WR, but when he wasn’t running down the field, he was catching shorts passes and making crucial blocks to help our RBs covert to first downs. This level of flexibility allows us to follow a variety of approaches on offense and was definitely a major factor in our success this season.
Brock Landers – WR (@gucci)
Roles Played: WR
Regular Season Stats: 64 catches for 1004 yards, 6 Receiving TDs
Best Game: 7 catches for 101 yards, 1 Receiving TD (week 13)
Gucci is our co-GM, but even before he stepped into that role, I could tell he was a natural leader that wanted to see the people around him do well. He was reportedly an asset to the Norfolk locker room and he’s definitely been one here as well. Landers is on his way to being one of the top WRs in the league and has held to the competition despite being thrust into a WR1 role before he was expecting it to happen. But rather than cave under pressure, he stood tall and put together an impressive season. He also kept defenders focused on the long-range attack, allowing all of our RBs to continue to pick up solid gains all season long. I look forward to seeing him continue to develop as a player, but for now, it’s hard not to be impressed with what he’s accomplished after only two seasons in the league.
Steven Moore – TE (@maxcrazy)
Roles Played: TE
Regular Season Stats: 39 catches for 364 yards, 3 Receiving TDs, 36 Pancakes
Best Game: 6 catches for 73 yards, 2 Receiving TDs, 2 Pancakes (week 3)
Maxcrazy spends the majority of his time in other leagues, but he still makes it a point to pop in the locker room and try to keep up with his teammates even when he can’t play a major role on the field. Also, as evidenced by his week 3 game, he can still put up big numbers when called upon to do so. He’s helped carry the torch and keep the offense afloat during the rebuild and he remains a key contributor to the team despite the in-flux of young talent. Like Irving, he’s also happy playing multiple roles, which is a great trait in a Tight End.
Jeffery Murphy – RB (@WALDO)
Roles Played: RB, WR
Regular Season Stats: 137 Rushes for 582 Yards (4.2 YPC), 4 Rushing TDs, 52 catches for 639 yards, 4 Receiving TDs
Best Game: 8 catches for 120 yards, 3 Receiving TDs (Ultimus)
The Ultimus MVP. Jeffery Murphy was given a big opportunity after switching from CB to RB at the start of this season and he took to his new role with ease, assisting the team as both a rusher and an outside receiver. He possesses the ability to make big plays out of nowhere and has proven to be someone that opposing defenses can’t overlook. As a locker room member, he’s constantly active and keeps the discussions flowing behind the scenes. This is a player that knows what he can accomplish and isn’t afraid to go out and do it. I’m proud to see him thriving at his new position and to be able to call him one of our own.
Slim Shady – RB (@J.G.10)
Roles Played: RB, Slot, Kick Returner, Punt Returner
Regular Season Stats: 213 Rushes for 932 Yards (4.4 YPC), 5 Rushing TDs, 38 catches for 363 yards, 3 Receiving TDs
Best Game: 16 Rushes for 65 Yards (4.1 YPC), 9 catches for 106 yards, 0 Receiving TD (week 10)
The man. The myth. The legend. It wasn’t that long ago that Slim Shady was the man that our offense was built around, racking up crazy amounts of yards in S13 and S14. Fantasy owners were disappointed to see his usage decrease, but that’s what happens when your receiving core becomes viable again and your team transition to a more balanced offense. Despite that balance, though, Slim continues to succeed in his old role when called upon to pick up yards and he’s even found embrace the passing attack by taking reps in the slot, allowing him to remain effective when fellow RBs Jeffery Murphy and Seer Zephyrous are given chances to carry. JG has been inactive as of late, but he built a great player that can continue to be a strong asset in the offense for several seasons to come. We haven’t seen him in a while, but we appreciate the work that he’s put into this player and he remains the foundation of our offense.
Seer Zephyrous – RB(@7hawk77)
Roles Played: FB, RB
Regular Season Stats: 34 Rushes for 164 yards (4.8 YPC), 1 Rushing TD, 15 catches for 100 yards, 1 Receiving TD, 10 Pancakes
Best Game: 18 Rushes for 95 yards (5.3 YPC), 2 Rushing TDs, 2 catches for 11 yards (ASFC Championship)
We picked up Seer in a trade at the start of the season and he’s been a true triple-threat, assisting the team successfully as a rusher, pass catcher, and run blocker. FB-friendly builds are uncommon, but Seer’s stats make him the optimal choice for the starting FB role and his attributes well-rounded enough that he can be a useful contributor to any area of the offense, making him a very unique player. He’s beginning regression soon and likely to become more of a dedicated blocker over the next few seasons, but he stepped up for us big time during the playoffs and I’m grateful to him for helping us seal away those postseason victories.
THE DEFENSE
Bucky Barnes – S (@Moosecop)
Roles Played: CB, FS, Kick Returner, Punt Returner
Regular Season Stats: 74 Tackles, 5 Sacks, 14 PDs, 2 Interceptions
Best Game: 6 Tackles, 3 Sacks, 1 PD (week 3)
The prodigal son has come home. Bucky was one of the players that we moved early into the rebuild, but as the pieces came together for a competitive season, Bucky and I spoke about rejoining and it seemed that the timing was right for both sides. Fortunately, it worked out as Bucky can now proudly call himself an NSFL Champion. And he truly deserves it. From the start of my time with the Outlaws in S11, Bucky was a locker room leader and made it a point to be friendly and helpful to everyone. Safety can be a fickle role at times and I don’t think Bucky had the type of season that he deserved, but I’m confident that he was the glue that held our defense together and allowed us to hold our ground. He also stepped in at CB a few times, happily switching between CB and FS depending on the situation.
Lucas Knight – CB (@ven_knight)
Roles Played: CB
Regular Season Stats: 55 Tackles, 1 FR, 11 PDs
Best Game: 13 Tackles, 2 PDs, 1 Interception (ASFC Championship)
Much like with Barnes, the season stats don’t reflect the level of commitment that Knight put in this season, but he’s been especially impressive when you consider how many top WRs were held in check this season. The true impact of a CB isn’t always reflected in the box score, but this man is a big part of the reason we’re one of the teams with the fewest points allowed by opposing offenses. Ven_knight is very active in our locker room and is constantly improving due to his high activity level. The future seems bright for this man and we feel fortunate to include him in our Secondary. And, of course, we’ll be forever grateful for him tackling Vander Jones in the final moments of the Ultimus and preventing the Liberty from making a last second Touchdown. Jeffery Murphy is the MVP of the Ultimus, but Lucas Knight belongs right there next to him on the stage, lifting the trophy over their heads together.
Leighton Lee – LB (@youngcricket)
Roles Played: MLB
Regular Season Stats: 88 Tackles, 1 TFL, 4 PDs
Best Game: 6 Tackles, 1 TFL, 2 PDs (week 11)
Lee was an absolute beast in S15 and much controversy erupted when he was overlooked for DRotY despite having better stats than the winner voted by the committee. Despite this setback, Lee set his sights on the season ahead and he now holds an even more coveted title: NSFL Champion. Focusing solely on the MLB role, Lee was determined to keep receivers and rushers at bay while fellow LB Raymond Vans chased after the QB. But good LBs compliment one another and it’s hard to doubt that Lee’s instincts allowed Vans and the rest of the defenders surrounding him to find success. Youngcricket carries himself with passion and enthusiasm and has been an absolute pleasure to have in our locker room. This season has been a busy one for him, but he remains one of our most reliable players and I’m overjoyed to have him back with us. Lee is a highly versatile LB and is capable of filling a number of roles for the team. We’re proud to welcome him back in S17 and expect that his talents will shine through as he continues to be one of the league’s most talented LBs.
Martavis Mack – S (@`Allplanet`)
Roles Played: NB, SS
Regular Season Stats: 72 Tackles, 3 Sacks, 1 FF, 8 PDs, 5 Interceptions
Best Game: 7 Tackles, 1 Sack, 3 PDs, 3 Interceptions (week 13)
The infamous Martavis Mack whose name will forever be tied to that fateful trade in the S15 Draft, in which the Outlaws traded away an S16 1st-Round Pick for a relatively unknown player drafted at the end of the fourth round. This trade illustrated just how incredibly deep the S15 class was in comparison to a typical draft, but the cost was still high and many questioned the logic behind it. Arizona had its eye on an S16-S17 contention window and was looking for a head start. After staying engaged last season, Mack ultimately went inactive this season, though we hope to see him return. Regardless, his stats speak for themselves as he’s been a strong part of our defense and thrived in the SS role despite the gap in activity. His week 13 game is one that any DB would be proud to lay claim to and we hope that it will be one of many huge games to come over the course of his career. He’s a player with a high ceiling and, if he can find ways to become more consistent, he could have an extraordinary career ahead of him.
Lamont McKinnie – S (@SouljaBoy2007)
Roles Played: NB, SS
Regular Season Stats: 105 Tackles, 2 TFL, 2 Sacks, 3 FF, 1 FR, 4 PDs, 1 Interception
Best Game: 11 Tackles, 1 TFL, 1 FF, 2 PDs, 1 Interception (ASFC Championship)
Based off those stats, it’s clear that McKinnie is a jack of all trades, picking up practically every type of defensive stat there is. After starting off at SS, he transitioned to NB over the course of the season and has really exceled in that role, allowing him to put his incredible talents to use all over the field. Soulja himself is a fantastic part of our locker room and not only participates but provides phenomenal feedback and has a great eye for talent. He joined our war room as a last-minute addition and immediately proved that he belonged there. The name Lamont McKinnie will be one to watch for many seasons to come.
Ricardo Morris – DT (@Roly)
Roles Played: DT
Regular Season Stats: 40 Tackles, 3 TFL, 10 Sacks, 1 FF
Best Game: 4 Tackles, 1 TFL, 2 Sacks (week 3)
Defensive Linemen don’t tend to get a lot of love, but despite his youth, Morris has found ways to stay involved, consistently averaging 1 TFL or Sack per game. He lacks the explosive potential of a LB or S, but like any good lineman, he plays his role well and always brings value to the team. Arizona made a big trade to move up from the #11 to the #7 pick in the S15 Draft and we feel that Roly was well worth the price we paid for him. In addition to being one of only a few active DL in the league, he brings a positive vibe to our locker room and is eager to see his teammates do well, which is exactly the attitude you want from our Defensive Line.
Hike Mughes – CB (@jaskins811)
Roles Played: CB, NB, Kick Returner
Regular Season Stats: 71 Tackles, 2 Sacks, 12 PDs
Best Game: 5 Tackles, 4 PDs (week 4)
Jaskins is mostly inactive these days due to being busy with outside projects, but he built a fantastic player that has continued to benefit the team well into the middle of his career. He’s one of the fastest players in the league, which makes him a threat at any position he’s called upon to play. Despite not being able to update any more, Jaskins still keeps a close eye on the locker room and was quick to congratulate his teammates on the night of the Ultimus victory. Based on those season stats, it’s clear he played a critical part of our success and deserves as much congratulation as the rest of the team.
Marc Spector – DE (@RedCydranth)
Roles Played: DE
Regular Season Stats: 41 Tackles, 10 TFL, 5 Sacks
Best Game: 4 Tackles, 1 TFL, 1 Sack, 1 FF/FR (ASFC Championship)
The trade for Marc Spector seemed to be a win going in, but it nearly backfired due to bad timing. On the heels of the Expansion Draft, Spector had just been drafted from OCO to CHI and was then traded to ARI. He ended up popping up in the OCO locker room, unaware of the Expansion and surprised to discover that he was no longer part of the team he felt loyal to. Once the initial shock wore off, though, I had an excellent conversation with Red and he agreed to stick around since we had gone to the trouble of trading for him. As a DE, he still has a long career ahead of him and he hopes to become an Otter again one day, a promise that I made to him and intend to carry through on when the timing is right, but for now, he’s helping fill a key role in our D-Line while we search for his eventual successor. Props to Red on being a stand-up guy and building a fantastic player. Even if he’s an Otter at heart, I’m happy that we were able to see him win a championship while he was here.
Raymond Vans – LB (@karl)
Roles Played: SLB
Regular Season Stats: 98 Tackles, 3 TFL, 19 Sacks, 2 FF, 3 FR, 13 PDs, 1 Interception, 1 Defensive TD, 1 Blocked Punt
Best Game: 8 Tackles, 1 TFL, 4 Sacks, 1 FF/FR, 1 Defensive TD, 1 Blocked Punt (week 2)
This has been Raymond Vans’ breakout season. Vans has always been a great guy and a solid LB, but it wasn’t until this season that he finally became recognized as a genuine superstar. He’s had an unbelievable series of games that warranted discussion as an MVP beginning early into the season. After having the pleasure of spending several seasons in a locker room with Karl, I’m glad to see him finding this type of success and believe it is absolutely deserved. He also remains an active earner with a few seasons left before regression, so while this season was indeed an amazing one, it may not even be his best one by the time all is said and done.
Avery Woodham – DE (@Wally)
Roles Played: DE, DT
Regular Season Stats: 29 Tackles, 1 TFL, 1 Sack
Best Game: 2 Tackles, 1 Sack (week 6)
I know Wally through several other leagues and was eager to bring him over to the Outlaws. He is mostly inactive here due to having larger roles in other leagues, including the racing league SCOR, which he runs. However, he has a solid build at a needed position and has been a very underrated asset to the team. He also participates in the locker room and has been great to have around.
2966 Words
Ready for Grading
*Recognizing the S16 Outlaws - karl - 08-13-2019
*Recognizing the S16 Outlaws - youngcricket - 08-13-2019
thank u coach lets win again
*Recognizing the S16 Outlaws - SouljaBoy2007 - 08-13-2019
<3
*Recognizing the S16 Outlaws - Moosecop - 08-13-2019
*Recognizing the S16 Outlaws - ven_knight - 08-13-2019
Can't believe I'm part of this great team, cheers to everyone for the championship
*Recognizing the S16 Outlaws - White Cornerback - 08-13-2019
@SwagSloth has built a dominant force in the NSFL, props to you man!
*Recognizing the S16 Outlaws - SwagSloth - 08-13-2019
(08-13-2019, 09:15 PM)White Cornerback Wrote:@SwagSloth has built a dominant force in the NSFL, props to you man!Thanks, man. I feel honored to call these guys my teammates.