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+---- Thread: (S24) - Ultimus Week (/showthread.php?tid=25652)
(S24) - Ultimus Week - Baron1898 - 09-14-2020
Hello and welcome to Ultimus Week for the ISFL Season 24! You will have ten days to complete the Ultimus Week point task, so the deadline will be September 24th, 2020 at 11:59PM EDT.
This is the third year of the new Ultimus Week rules. Please review the following carefully.
Rules:
1) You can earn up to a maximum of 10 TPE through any combination of the available tasks.
2) There are three tiers of point tasks available for completion. The first tier is a written assignment for 10 TPE, the second is a written assignment for 5 TPE each, and the third is a written/graphics assignment for 2.5 TPE each. You can pick and choose tasks from any tier for a maximum of 10 TPE. Tier 3 tasks can be either written or graphics unless otherwise noted.
3) Each option from the first tier has a word count requirement of 800, each option from the second tier has a word count requirement of 400, and each written option from the third tier has a word count requirement of 200. Word counts will be graded using WordCounter. Shooting for 400/800 even is a dicey prospect, and can lead to partial or no credit given.
4) Graphics must be more than text on an image - it is Ultimus week, show Ultimus effort. It is up to the grader’s discretion to give credit, so don’t give us a reason to deny you TPE.
5) We are keeping the podcast option for Tier 1 and 2 written tasks ONLY. Since the word count requirement is double that of previous seasons, a podcast must include 20 minutes of discussion for Tier 1 and 10 minutes of discussion for Tier 2 about the selected topic. If you make a podcast with someone else, it must be 20/10 minutes apiece.
6) As it is too hard and complicated to time the podcast for media money and task credit, a podcast done for Ultimus Week cannot earn media credit. Record another podcast if you want the money. As with regular PT tasks, written/graphics responses cannot also be used for media credit, or the TPE will be voided.
7) You may use a PBE, SHL, and GOMHL PT as credit for a maximum of 1 TIER 3 TASK here.
8) Affiliate PT must be from this week, 9/14 to 9/20, to get credit.
9) Affiliate PT must be the actual task, but not a link for welfare credit.
10) As always, these tasks can be written about either the ISFL or the DSFL.
11) With longer word tasks comes a higher risk of fluffing up your submission in order to meet a longer requirement. Keep in mind that these tasks will be graded closely. Take this opportunity to truly get creative, not try to skate on with minimal effort.
Tier 1: Long Form Tasks (800+ words)
Choose ONE for 10 TPE.
1) The league has a rich and fascinating history, and our perspectives on it differ from person to person. In 800 words or more, describe any significant non-playoffs moment in ISFL or DSFL history, whether you were around for it or not. Describe the context, the significant members, and the events. What exactly made this event so famous (or infamous) and why does it deserve to be remembered?
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.
3) For any team, certain players and users have gone above and beyond, shaping the legacy of the franchise. Choose any ISFL or DSFL team and create a Mount Rushmore for that team. Who in your mind are the four most noteworthy figures of the team’s history? Why does each one of your included figures deserve that recognition, and how did each of them make their mark?
4) The offseason is a critical reflection point for the league, during which the directions of entire franchises can shift dramatically. Choose any offseason up to and including the S23 Draft, and focus on a singular team. What strategies did this particular team employ to land the players they desired? What were the team needs during the offseason, and what was the overarching plan for the future? Did they lose or land any free agents that impacted roster holes? How have the players that they drafted contributed to the team?
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.
Tier 2: Short Form Tasks (400+ words)
Choose up to TWO for 5 TPE each.
6) The playoffs have finally arrived. Choose one playoff team that is not your own from either league and recount how they got here in 400 words or more. What challenges and hurdles did they face in the regular season? Did they cruise into home field advantage, have to fight off contenders for the wild card, or sneak in on obtuse indexing rules? Are they led by MVP players on offense, or is a stifling defense the engine to their success? Don’t be afraid to go deep.
7) Awards season is a big part of the offseason festivities. Take the stand, in 400 words or more, for one or more players that are not your own, and argue why they should receive awards glory. They can be your teammates or anyone in the league. How did their stats and on the field contribution contribute to their case this year?
8) It’s always important to look forward to the future. Examine your team, and in 400 words or more, talk about how they can improve themselves to get a stab at trophy contention next year. Are you loaded with draft capital for the next draft? Do you have plenty of cap space to sign free agents? Go through the roster and note the different strengths and weaknesses, and how you think those will change over the next few seasons. How should your team adapt?
9) Pick any position, and determine who in your view is the greatest player to ever suit up at that position. Why do you view them as the GOAT? What achievements, records, accolades, or statistics do they hold? How do they stack up against the other legends in their position, and why does your chosen candidate come out on top?
10) History is not always kind to the losers. Tell the story of a team who you view as an all-time great but who did not win the title game. Why was that team so dominant? What were the major focal points of their offense and defense, and who were the star players? What makes them so special? What was the reason that they ultimately fell short of immortal greatness?
11) Give a thorough examination of a league scandal from any point in time. What made this particular drama so noteworthy? Who were the major participants involved, and what was the offense? What kind of impact did this scandal create on the league, and have any permanent changes come about as a result?
12) It’s once again expansion season in the ISFL. Reflect on the additions of the New York Silverbacks and Berlin Fire Salamanders and discuss how these teams will affect the league. How do you see scheduling or playoff seeding potentially changing? How will these teams change the power balances in their respective conferences? How do you think each team should go about building their roster, whether it’s through the expansion draft, regular draft, or many seasons down the line?
13) This task is exclusive to non-recreate rookies of the S24 class and later. In 400 words or more, how has your experience been in the league? Who have you met that has made your time here more fun, friendly, and exciting? Have you been satisfied with your player’s early start? What was it like being drafted for the first time? Do you have any comments or suggestions for the entire league that you think should be implemented?
Tier 3: Written/Graphics Tasks
Choose up to FOUR for 2.5 TPE each.
14) 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.
15) Create a championship banner for your team, including relevant players and iconography. Graphics only.
16) Choose your favorite non-playoffs game of this season, whether your own team or another. Explain what was so special and why the winner ultimately came out victorious, including key players and moments.
17) Lay out the steps you think your team should take over the offseason to improve. This must be more than just a list over an image. Graphics only.
18) Choose any award from the past 23 offseasons that you think should’ve gone to a different contender. Why was your chosen candidate’s season superior to the actual winner?
19) Create a billboard, magazine cover, unique trading card, or video game cover depicting a superstar of the league. Graphics only.
20) Make a scouting report for any of the ISFL or DSFL draftees. Show their stats, abilities, TPE, highlights, or attempted armed robbery. Whatever rookies get up to these days.
21) Show your player hoisting the championship trophy. Graphics only.
22) Make a comparison between your own team and a playoff team, if your team failed to make the postseason, showing why your squad was better.
23) Imagine that the league’s Pro Bowl included a skills competition similar to the NFL. What sorts of games could you see being implemented? Which players do you think would perform the best in ultimate frisbee, dodgeball, or other games? Which conference would come out on top?
24) Present your argument for the playoffs MVP. Show their stats and impact on the games that they played.
25) The league is prone to change. Reflect on a past change in either the ISFL or DSFL that significantly impacted something - be it a rules change, an expansion or contraction, or even a complete rebranding. What were the effects of this change, and how has it shaken the status quo?
26) Select any player who was drafted in the back half of a DSFL or ISFL draft. Show how that player has outperformed their draft position, or how they will soon do so. You cannot write about your own player.
27) Some positions are still under appreciated. Talk about the offensive linemen and/or special teamers on your squad. Show how they have contributed to the team, both on and off the field, and why they deserve recognition.
Remember to have fun with this, and if you have any suggestions for future prompts, feel free to give them to the PT team! PM me with any questions about how this will be graded or what I am looking for with these questions.
RE: (S24) - Ultimus Week - Leafs4ever - 09-14-2020
PBE PT Affiliate
Task 14:
I'm here to make sure my teammate Sam Torensen gets recognized for his play this season. He should absolutely be nominated for Running Back of the Year and I argue that he should win the thing.
On the season, Torensen finished second in rushing yards with 1161 and fourth in touchdowns with 8. Both of those totals were behind league leader Tatsu Nakamura, but Nakamura was on a better Orange Country team and had 13 more carries. As for the team in front of him, the offensive line for the Otters pancaked rushers 34 more times than the Liberty did which opened up more holes for Tatsu. Those might not seem that significant, but the biggest advantage Tatsu Nakamura had over Torensen was better quarterback play. Franklin Armstrong was one of the best quarterbacks in the league this season and was absolutely a player opposing defenses had to focus on. With the game plan centred around Armstrong, the focus was on the passing game to make sure Armstrong didn't over take the game. That opened up Nakamura with the rushing game. For Torensen, he had one of the worst quarterbacks playing for him so teams didn't even need to key on the passing game. They put their focus on stopping the run and he still put up those numbers. Torensen is my running back of the year.
(227 yards)
Task 25:
I think one of the biggest events that changed the landscape of the league was expansion. With the addition of the Sarasota Sailfish and Honolulu Hahalua, the ISFL changed, and arguably for the better.
What expansion brought, other than fresh match-ups and more opportunities for players, was more parity to a league that desperately needed it. Every year it was the same teams making the playoffs and dominating the regular season. It was getting tired seeing the Wraiths, Yeti, and Otters storm the standings. With expansion, it seems to have spread out the talent pool across more teams and has created a much more competitive environment. Yes, those three teams I mentioned are still great, but there are more teams there that are competitive with them and it's not a foregone conclusion anymore that they win every match-up they have in the playoffs. Is it perfect? Of course not, but we can see the changes more and more every season. Just look at this season in the ASFC, four teams finished with 9-7 records and the other two finished at 8-8 and 7-9. You literally can't get any closer than that. And how exciting is that for the fans? There's something to watch for every week now, especially in the playoffs where anyone can win.
Expansion was a welcome event in the ISFL as it brought some much need parity.
(230 words)
Task 27:
I want to talk about some players on my team that have had some rough seasons since I've been here, but have worked their hardest to get better every day. This season, my offensive line showed out and put up a fantastic season blocking for me.
It's been a long development for my line, with some young players trying to get better. There were some tough nights for me, I'm not going to lie, but this season all that work paid off. This season, they gave up the third least amount of sacks with 16, which is a massive improvement over past seasons. They gave me so much time to make my reads and give our receivers enough time to get open, which is everything you can ask for from your line. I think their biggest accomplishment, though, is what they helped Sam Torensen do. With that line blocking for him, Torensen finished second in rushing yards and fourth in rushing touchdowns. They helped make him a huge threat for opposing defenses and I know he was appreciative of their efforts this year.
While I didn't have my best season, my line did their best to at least give me the chance to. Next season, they're only going to get better and I couldn't be more proud to play behind these 5 guys.
(223 words)
RE: (S24) - Ultimus Week - NicholasTheGreat - 09-14-2020
PBE Affiliate
PBE Championship Affiliate [1 Tier 3 Task]
Player Billboard
![[Image: unknown.png]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/552873396451672073/755107478311796752/unknown.png)
Task 12 - Expansion
The addition of any teams will have a dramatic impact on the league, as more players will get the opportunity to play and more users will have the opportunity to manage a team or assist in the development of that team.
The depth of the league and the way the expansion draft is set up will allow the expansion squads to be competitive from their first game in existence. They will be competitive straight away or be able to plan for future success in subsequent seasons, the draft will allow for that.
The schedule will be interesting, as 14 teams makes it difficult to make a balanced 16 game schedule. You want to make sure each time plays twice in the conference which makes 12 games but you can’t fit games against 7 teams in the other conference into the remaining 4 games. It’ll be an interesting format for the scheduling. There may have to be a rotational system for out of conference games in a similar manner to the NFL.
The other thing which could be looked at is the expansion of the play-offs to 8 teams from 6. Leading to semi-finals and finals in each conference before the Ultimus between each conference winner. The additions will be a 1st vs 4th game in each conference. Playoff expansion will be on the cards but whether it is this expansion or the likely next one, that is the key question.
There are many forms for the expansions teams to build their teams, the expansion draft provides an opportunity for the expansions squads to pick up some ISFL ready talent to bolster their roster in ther early seasons. The next stage is picking up rookies in the upcoming rookie draft which is full of about 150 plus players where there are lots of potential options for teams. Expansion teams should also be looking at free agency and trades to bolster their roster with people they want to add to their team. The composition of the roster is crucial as future potential members of the team, would want to ensure the roster is quality enough to entice free agents and players wanting a trade.
Developing an expansion team requires a wide variety of changes to the league regarding schedule adjustments, playoff formats and growth of people in management positions and war room positions. The various ways to develop an expansion team including the expansion draft, rookie draft as well as trades and free agency. The expansion managers will need to plot their course correctly so they can end up in a great position like the Sarasota Sailfish are.
RE: (S24) - Ultimus Week - bjkman - 09-14-2020
12: Expansion is upon us once again in the International Simulation Football League, and it is back to the drawing board for many teams that worked so hard to get to where they are today. With only 3 years since the last necessary expansion (and I do believe this one may be just as necessary). The Honolulu Hahalua and Sarasota Sailfish have worked hard to get to where they are today, and I fear that with the addition of the New York Silverbacks and Berlin Fire Salamanders it might push them back down to how good they were the first season or worse. There simply were not enough protection spots for expansion teams, and now the ISFL is back into a player shakeup due to another expansion. As a player who could not be protected, I will feel cheated out of a future Ultimus being so close this season making the playoffs and all on an expansion team. It was a great season going 12-4 but I do not see that happening again with the upcoming purge of players that is bound to happen for some teams.
Expansion can be a fickle thing but overall with the league growing so much and us getting a larger fanbase and so many new players it a must for us to expand, to give everyone enough playing time to want to continue their careers in the ISFL. I believe that not enough playtime, and overloaded teams are one thing that needs to be addressed to keep a player base, and this is one of the positives of expanding the league. Thinking about the future playoffs, I do not think that it should change from its current 3 Team per division. With 7 teams on each division, it does not make sense that more than half would make the playoffs. We need to keep that the same for sure, drafts will continue to be worst to best (outliers include expansion teams/trades, etc.) No doubt that the expansion draft will be the best bet to gain an edge for the expansion teams, being able to select from great current players without worrying about the draft upsides and downsides will be great as long as the unprotected players cooperate with their new teams. Right now I have no idea who will come out on top the next season after expansion but it will be an exciting watch no matter what ends up happening. I wish New York and Berlin all the luck in the world. Welcome to the ISFL!
Code:
422 WORDS14:
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15:
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RE: (S24) - Ultimus Week - LancedJack - 09-14-2020
Task 13 - 451 Words
To this point in the league I would describe my start as a sort of reverse bell curve. Being drafted by the defending Ultimini champions was a blessing in and of itself and to win our opening games felt even better. From there we went from strength to strength looking largely unbeatable. We'd rock up, win the game, leave. It was the order of things and whilst I wasn't putting up MVP numbers I was still capable and competent which is about all you can really hope for for a first season player. Then the decimation hit. Overnight we went from 5-0 to 5-1. Well, okay, fine that's not the worst thing that can happen. It's still almost unbeaten. Then 5-2. Before we knew it it was 5-4 and it was a pretty rock bottom moment. Now I know, I know, 5-4 is not rock bottom. Some teams won't even see 5 wins and would bite your hand off for that. But when you're unbeaten and on the road to a second Ultimini in as many years it can feel somewhat deflating to suddenly be facing the prospect of that being snatched away from you. We've managed to corral these losses, a further slip up against the Royals being our only issue thus far. But the trajectory leading upward again is a great place to be coming into the Ultimini. Outside of that being drafted and the locker room experience as well as the in game experience of watching my disk fly around at speed has been great fun. It's given rise to a number of ludicrous memes in the Norfolk Locker Room and it's been great to build that camaraderie as the season has gone on. It's really a part that isn't that advertised, how you'll gel with the people in your LR and how that'll spur you on to do the tasks, to get stuff done in order to build your player so you can all grow that sense of accomplishment. My only real criticism I could levy at the moment is having in season development tied to a glorified guessing game. Whilst you can somewhat predict it people don't say things like "That's just the sim being the sim" for no reason. It's pretty random at times and you can extrapolate some of the TPE differences in players based on their time in the league with their guessing performances. It's a fairly galling moment to have a bad day on the guessing and receive 0, 1 and 1 TPE for a given week and watch someone else go 3-3-3. Whilst it'll average out eventually you'd hope that's still a difference of seven for the same effort in theory.
Task 7 - 445 Words
Outside of myself, being the certified stud that I am, it's hard to pin down just one player that I would suggest is deserving of league recognition. Everyone from the previous draft class has really held themselves to a high standard throughout the season and a lot have performed some impressive feats in season. Whilst it's always challenging to pin down those individuals and give reasons as to how they've performed the way they have I feel comfortable with my selections.
First overall I'd have to give an award to Lionel Rumper, the hard hitting Safety coming out of Wake Forest. Playing for the rather maligned Dallas Birddogs this year Rumper managed to keep his stat line respectable with 50 tackles to his name. Add to that the two sacks he got as he flew through the line, scything it to pieces like a bullet at high velocity. He even added a safety to his tally as well, his will being imposed on the offence throughout his season with Dallas. His interceptions speak for themselves. A man you don't want to throw the ball near and definitely don't want to get near whilst carrying it. A bonafide Safety prospect for the next level.
Second overall would have to be my man Sheed Thebaw. The Wisconsin Badger came to the DSFL and aligned himself alongisde the Dallas Birddogs with Rumper and the DT has overcome his fair share of double and triple teams playing arguably the least sexy position in football. He currently sits with thirty seven tackles, two TFL's and two sacks. For a man who's constantly dealing with having to make his presence felt whilst impeded by the best O-Line currently in the DSFL in the hardest division in the DSFL I'd say that's pretty good going.
Finally on the list for awards consideration we have the highest TPE earner that I know of and thats Raylan Crowder. With all the education of a common house brick the Defensive End from Shelbyville Kentucky has managed to amass quite the portfolio of training in his time also with the Dallas Birddogs. Unfortunately that training hasn't quite manifested into the stats you would expect just yet, but his time will come. The unfortunate nature of being the most noticeable player on a defense means you garner extra attention. With 43 tackles, TEN TFL and three sacks it's safe to say that Crowder is a man that's got a bright future ahead of him.
All of these men deserve consideration for not only the stats they've amassed whilst playing on an almost eleven rookie defense, but doing it whilst in the most difficult division in the DSFL.
RE: (S24) - Ultimus Week - KC15 - 09-14-2020
PBE Affiliate PT - Tier 3 - 2.5 TPE
14) 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. (2.5 TPE)
I would like to make a case for my player, Jed Podolak to be nominated for a position excellency award at his position of WR. Obviously key to this case is that I am arguing that he be considered for a nomination rather than an outright win. That would be a stretch.
Podolak racked up 1,164 yards receiving in S24. He caught a total of 76 passes for an average yards per catch of 15.3. Considering the number of yards receiving, his 4 TDs is a bit of an anomaly, but you cannot control the strats of your team, nor who the QB chooses to target in the endzone.
Podolak’s 1,164 yards were good for 11th in the league. His number of catches was 9th and his 15.3 yards per catch average clocked him in at 20th.
None of these by themselves would qualify Podolak for a nomination as one of the top 3-5 WRs in the league, but what has to be considered is the team that Jed Podolak plays for – the recent expansion Honolulu Hahaluahs.
Skywalker is a great young QB with unlimited potential for future success, but he is just that – very young. His 694 TPE certainly ranks him as one of the less seasoned QBs and his league low 3007 passing yards on the season is both a result of this and the team strats and overall performance.
Given all this and the fact that Podolak was responsible for over 1/3 of his team’s total yards receiving it feels like Podolak deserves at least a nod as one of the league’s best WRs. An honorable mention if nothing else.
Code:
273 words22) Make a comparison between your own team and a playoff team, if your team failed to make the postseason, showing why your squad was better. 2.5 TPE
This one feels like taking candy from a baby it is such a lay up. That the Honolulu Hahaluahs at 8-8 are not in the playoffs while the 6-10 Yellowknife Wraiths are is a travesty and a reason to think about changing how we determine who the non-division winning playoff teams are.
Two full wins less and in arguably an easier division. Sure, Colorado and Sarasota are powerhouse teams, but the Wraiths are blessed with two teams with only 3 wins apiece: Baltimore and Philadelphia. It’s almost like getting a bye that week and yet Yellowknife comes up with 2 less wins. Honolulu’s least successful division mate is Austin at 7-9, but every other team posted a better record than the Hahaluahs proving how tough the competition was. The Wraiths have two teams with 3 wins. The Hahaluahs have one team with more than twice the wins of either Baltimore or Philadelphia.
Actually, the lower competition in the NSFC goes beyond even these two bottom teams. There are actually only 2 teams in the whole division with a .500 or better record. In the ASFC, all but one team can boast such a record and the one who falls below .500 only does so by 1 win.
Better competition, more wins, but the Wraiths are playing playoff football and the Hahaluahs are sitting at home watching on TV.
Code:
228 words25) The league is prone to change. Reflect on a past change in either the ISFL or DSFL that significantly impacted something - be it a rules change, an expansion or contraction, or even a complete rebranding. What were the effects of this change, and how has it shaken the status quo? 2.5 TPE
I am going to go with the S22 expansion which saw the Honolulu Hahaluahs and Sarasota Sailfish come into the league.
I think expansion always shakes up the status quo. Players are shifted from one team to another in the expansion draft – notably some really good talent from the better teams in the league go elsewhere giving everyone a better chance to compete. This shakeup can also affect the interest level of players across the league.
How? Players with smaller roles on super competitive teams get a chance to be the star of their team even if that is short-lived in some cases. Users that had grown a little complacent get energized by a new start in a new city or a chance to build from the ground up. Users are put together with other users they did not know before and these new friendships deepen their interest in the league overall.
But this expansion is somewhat special due to the quality of the expansion GMs and the group of players they assembled. In only 3 short seasons, both went from just starting out and struggling a little to a .500 record in a tough division (Honolulu) and a super strong 12-4 record and playoff appearance (Sarasota). That will make the rest of the league sit up and take notice.
Code:
220 wordsRE: (S24) - Ultimus Week - ztarwarz - 09-14-2020
7: To be perfectly honest, for a team that, halfway through last week, looked to miss the playoffs entirely, the Portland Pythons should clean up very nicely on the awards. Let's start with the one I feel is most up in the air. Korbin Brown is either the best or second best player to pick for the Wide Receiver of the Year award. He leads the league in touchdowns and has a tidy 850 yards with one week to go. He will have stiff competition in Howlett and Thorbjornsson, but I would not be surprised to see him hold that award by the end of the day.
Everyone else I'm going to talk about should be considered the obvious choice for their award, starting with our punter, Blago Kokot. Proud holder of the tied longest punt, tied for most punts inside the 20, and the 2nd most yards per punt in the league. By a pretty significant distance too, not counting the young guy who came up late who only has 20 punts and is still a half yard behind. The other person close to him, Melvin Murder Moose, should lose out due to having only 4 punts inside the 20 all year. If Kokot doesn't win it will be clear bias.
Pseudo QB, our kicker, has missed one kick all year, the lowest amount, and also has by far the highest level of difficulty from his kicks, minus maybe the Ducks kicker who is definitely not in contention for this award. 10 kicks taken from 30-39 is the most and he's made all 10. 9 kicks made from 40-49 is tied for the most, although the Ducks kicker does have more attempts. And no one other than Pseudo QB has hit from 50 yards all year. This might be the most clear award I'll talk about, Pseudo QB should definitely win.
If Korbin Brown doesn't win Wide Receiver of the year, he should be able to comfort himself with his Kick Returner of the Year trophy. As one of the only ones with a kick return for a touchdown, he separates himself from the rest with almost 2 yards per return more than everyone else. I can't remember if there is a kick and punt return award or just the two combined, but if there's just one combined, then he could miss out as his punt returns, while not bad, weren't anything amazing.
However, the crown jewel of the award season, the MVP award, should only be slightly more in doubt than the kicker of the year award. Sam Howitzer has the second best completion percentage, with a wide gap between him and third, and has the best passer rating, spurred on by what is easily the best TD/INT ratio in the league. Looking at the ISFL, it's actually the best TD/INT ration of the entire Simulation. 20 TDs to 4 picks is really all that I need to write to say Sam Howitzer deserves the MVP, but it should also be mentioned that his team's running game was the worst in the league, and his receivers outside of Korbin Brown were nonexistent for the vast majority of the year. (530 words)
13: Well, I'm a season 25 rookie, and now that I have one season under my belt, I gotta say that I'm excited about the league. Looking at dots move across the screen has never been so exciting, outside of watching Marble Racing. There has been one fly in the ointment for me, however: Performance. I am the 3rd highest earner of TPE in the entire RB class, and was actually tied for 2nd if I didn't mislink 4 TPE worth of things I've now fixed. I was a consistent high earner, predicted well outside of the first couple of weeks when I wasn't watching games due to being Away from Internet, and yet I was a consistently mediocre to bad running back all year. I'm the only guy who is the leading rusher on a team with a sub 4 ypc, and a number of people have 5 yards or more per carry. It was slightly annoying when my backup running back on my team would outproduce me with 75 less TPE than me. It was more than slightly annoying when one of the best running backs in the entire DSFL had 50 less TPE than me. However, I could handle it when we still won. We were in the playoff spots for the vast majority of the year, and so I was always comfortable with the idea that we would get better. Things came to a head between two Thursdays ago and last Tuesday. Against the Ducks, I rushed for 3.1 yards per carry, and was outperformed by my backup. And we lost to the DUCKS. Against the Coyotes, now with a completed build that should have me run faster...I rush for 2.8 yards per carry as my backup goes for over 6 yards per carry. And we lose again. I finally have a good game, rushing for over 5 yards per carry against the Buccaneers, but we STILL lose.
I'm pretty sure the major problem was my build being extremely poor, as well as, apparently according to our GM, people trying to lock up the Pythons' run game and letting the pass game go off. But it didn't make me feel better during that one week. I was able to take similar games in stride, especially because when I was having games like that they were away and thus were actually yards better than they looked. But no, besides the Ducks game, those were at home. And the big thing was that we had just lost 3 games that we should have easily won. Things only started looking up again when we won a game we should have lost at Tijuana, but I was back under 4 yards per carry and it's still aggravating. Team success has helped a lot, however, and watching the dots is always fun especially when I get to meme at other people's expense. So, hopefully when I start performing a bit better, next season will only go better for me. (497 words)
RE: (S24) - Ultimus Week - deadlunatic - 09-14-2020
12) It’s once again expansion season in the ISFL. Reflect on the additions of the New York Silverbacks and Berlin Fire Salamanders and discuss how these teams will affect the league. How do you see scheduling or playoff seeding potentially changing? How will these teams change the power balances in their respective conferences? How do you think each team should go about building their roster, whether it’s through the expansion draft, regular draft, or many seasons down the line?
Anytime you add new teams to an established group, it will change the power balance in some way. While I do believe scheduling will be effected, I do not think it will be a drastic change. There could potentially by some playoff seeding that might bump a team that would have made it out of contention, but that could happen every year. Look at the ASFC for this season, four teams with the same record of nine and seven, one team at eight and eight and the last team at seven and nine. Is adding one team to that really going to make a difference on who makes it? Nope. The potential for close seasons in record is always going to be there.
The power balance is going to shift with every season. Maybe not a big shift, but as players leave teams to sign else where, or are traded or retire, you have teams changing every season. This year the change will be even greater with each established team losing two of their players. Depending on draft strategy for the two new teams, this could go a couple of ways. Team could end up losing two of their top up and coming earners or two established veterans either at the top of their careers or on the down hill side. For me, losing two strong earning newer players would hurt a lot more than an older veteran you would be looking to replace sooner rather than later anyways. It is much harder to redevelop new players into being top earners than to keep a proven top tier earner interested.
Draft strategies for the two new teams could go a few ways. The New York Silverbacks I will address first. I believe they will focus heavily on the most important positions to help them compete within two seasons. Going for quality earners primarily from seasons twenty one through twenty five. They will be looking for proven high end earners in the defensive backs, defensive line and will most likely try to snag an offensive lineman or two. I think the expansion draft they will try and grab some defensive players mostly, as there appears to be quite a few good earners on that side that are unprotected. I know there are a couple of line backers, defensive linemen and some defensive backs up. I think in the regular draft they will try to grab an offensive lineman, running back and wide receivers to shore up that side of the ball. In the end I think they will get a team full of young guys looking to contribute right away and have them primed to compete with in the two season window for an outside playoff spot, vying for a championship with in five seasons.
On to the Berlin Fire Salamanders. I think they will take a slightly different approach in the expansion draft and go for the best available player each time, regardless of where they are in their career. It will end up a mix of wily veterans and higher TPE youngsters, forming a ready to compete team right from the get go. They already have two great wide receivers due to their GMs, so they might draft some young guys in the draft and have one or two stay down a season or three to develop. They are in the win now mode. They are primed to make some trades as well to get players who can jump on the team and win now. Good luck with that. They might sacrifice a few years later on in order to try and compete earlier.
13) This task is exclusive to non-recreate rookies of the S24 class and later. In 400 words or more, how has your experience been in the league? Who have you met that has made your time here more fun, friendly, and exciting? Have you been satisfied with your player’s early start? What was it like being drafted for the first time? Do you have any comments or suggestions for the entire league that you think should be implemented?
I saw the reddit post in /nfl and decided to give it a try as I love football. This is my first sim of any kind, so definitely a little overwhelmed at the start. There is a lot of information to take in and try to figure out. Luckily everyone is super helpful and a special thanks to dewalt for having to deal with my player update page early on, it was terrible. That being said, I love the feel overall, everyone I have had any real interactions with is helpful and seems more than happy to help out.
All of the guys in the Tijuana Luchadores locker room rock. It is a pretty chill place where everyone seems to actually like other and get along really well. We got a great group of season twenty five rookies. In no particular order we got Kotasa(rookie caption), Guitarmaster116(another rookie captain), mithrandir(GM), 209tacos(eventual 1OA), tonzy(he's all right), dewalt(we randomly like to ping him), Pau(s26), Laszlo FortyTwo(s26), Pat(baller), Swankypants(baller), tylar, Tomhanks(when he wants to argue with someone), atevate xxaoptain, SDCore, corpspegrveujde and many more. This is currently my favorite locker room and the one I am most active in, but I'm sure once I get drafted to a ISFL locker room I will spend lots of time there. But I will always come back to my Luchadores LR and hang with my boys.
My favorite early experience was the prospect bowl. Actually getting to watch my guy go out there and ball was great. He led all receivers during the prospect bowl in receptions and yards, so I may have gone into the DSFL season with slightly higher than should have been expectations. I was quickly humbled being the third receiver on a team with two amazing running backs and two amazing wide outs ahead of me. But as a rookie on an offense with so many weapons I am happy with my players actual performance. He is currently seventh in yards out of all rookie receivers and tied for second highest yards per catch average. So in theory with more volume I could easily challenge those other rookie receivers ahead of me on the list. He has even caught three touchdowns putting him tied for third among rookies. Nothing ground breaking or amazing, but a good rookie campaign showing lots of potential for next season balling out.
The draft was quite an experience as well, now had I known that it had already happened before the prospect bowl, it would have changed my expectations a lot. I also didn't realize how it worked before it happened so I did not know how much of that is based on Locker Room interactions and activity as a whole. Looking back, I can see why I was drafted so low in the DSFL season twenty five draft. But, I am happy with how it went, and I think for such a late pick I have proven myself above all other round ten draftees so far.
Overall, I think some way to maybe make it slightly less intimidating to newbies who don't have a friend getting them to join who will help them would be my main and only real suggestion. I like the system overall, except for when the sim hates me and my team, then I don't like. But that comes with the territory of any RNG based sim or game for that matter.
RE: (S24) - Ultimus Week - Jangorhino - 09-14-2020
option 15
![[Image: S24_UW_PT4.png]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/572974647860002837/755173342364827668/S24_UW_PT4.png)
option 14
![[Image: S24_UW_PT3.png]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/721401145557385289/755157824291602530/S24_UW_PT3.png)
option 21
![[Image: hoisting.png]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/721401145557385289/755144479547064451/hoisting.png)
option 19
![[Image: S24_UW_PT.png]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/721401145557385289/755158618428670012/S24_UW_PT.png)
RE: (S24) - Ultimus Week - ThunderTitan82 - 09-14-2020
Ill be writing in tier 1 for 10 TPE. Using tier 1 prompt #3
The season 15 playoffs stand out to me for one big reason, and that is the absolute blowout that was the Ultimus that year. All of the teams were pretty deserving of their respective playoff spots.
The Baltimore Hawks were the #1 seed at 12-2. Their opponent in the NSFC was the Philadelphia Liberty, who, at 8-6 just barely edged out the 7-7 Yellowknife Wraiths. The top dog of the ASFC was the San Jose Sabercats who were 11-3 and the defending champs, having beaten the Liberty in the Ultimus the year before. Their opponent in the ASFC was the Orange County Otters, who were sitting at 8-6.
The first game in the season 15 playoffs was the Baltimore Hawks vs. The Philadelphia Liberty. This game was one-sided as the Liberty failed to secure an upset. The Liberty run game was held to a mediocre 3.8 yards a carry and though they had arpund 150 yards on the day, they couldnt break for many chunk carries. The Liberty air attack failed to do much with Falconi finishing 11/20 and 128 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT. Their defense failed to hold down the Hawks offense, with only 2 saxks on the day, and the one good play they made was an interception. The Hawks offense couldnt be stopped. Gambino went 15/28 197 yards and 3 TDs to 1 INT. The ground game was terrorizing the Liberty defense, with a 4.6, and 6.0 yards per carry for both running backs, the standout back though was Brown who ran for 96 yards and 2 TDs on 16 carries. Defensively the Hawks did well, with similar stats. Noteable defensive plays were 2 sacks, and an INT, with 3 tackles for loss. Overall the Liberty just couldnt keep up with the Hawks in any aspect. The Hawks were the better team all around. Final score 34-13 Baltimore.
Over in the ASFC the Otters were looking to dethrone San Jose. Although OCO came out with a 10-0 lead, the Sabercats quickly turned it around to wind up winning 37-17. Orange Counties Prolific air attack was on display with Showbiz finishing 18-30 and 283 yards, but he failed to hit paydirt, throwing an INT instead. The Otter ground game saw Apollo Reed scamper for 85 yards and 2 TDs on 17 carries. Though it wasnt enough. Defensively the otters failed to do much to slow down the Sabercats. They did have 5 TFL but it wasnt enough. On the Sabercat side of the ball, Joliet Christ was 23/33, 298 yards and a touchdown, Shredding the Otter secondary. The ground game was lackluster with Orosz at 55 yards on 19 carries, altgough both RBs scored TDs, along with QB christ who rushed for a TD also. The SJS defense recorded 4 sacks, 4 PDs, an INT and a Fumble recovery. They dominated nearly every facet of the game. They did struggle slightly with the OCO air attack but won the game, 37-17.
The Ultimus was finally here. The Baltimore Hawks taking on the Confident defending champion San Jose Sabercats. To say this was a one sided affair is an understatement. The Sabercats passing struggled as Christ was only able to complete 12/33 passes for 131 yards. None of the running backs ran for more than 40 yards either. They just couldnt move the ball. The defense played better, though the final score says otherwise. With 5 TFL, 4 sacks, 9 PDs and a FR, the defense played its heart out but they were bloodied by the Hawks offense. The Hawks played a perfect game in almost every way. Gambino threw for 421 yards and 5 TDs, brown ran for 116, and the defense held the Sabercats to ZERO points. 4 sacks, 2 Fumble Recoveries, and a safety. These guys were all over the sabercats in what I believe is the most one sided Ultimus game ever played. Final score Baltimore 49 - San Jose 0.
This season stood out for me because the two top teams made it to the Ultimus, winning their first round games pretty dominantly, and the Sabercats were the defending champs. I didnt expect them to lie down and take it like they did. Its almost like the Hawks went out and punched the sabercats in the face immediately and without warning, leaving them dazed and confused, unable to defend or attack. Not necessarily an upset, but I expected SJS to at least show up. The 2-12 Second Line could have played better in this one. This loss may have been the nail in the coffin for San Jose who havent back to an Ultimus since, while the Hawks lost to the Otters 2 years later, they havent made an appearence since that game in S17.