Ultimus Week - S10

[caltroit_red_flames]

SHL PT
PBE PT

Robbed: Write about why a team that failed to make the playoffs should have over somebody else. Can be completed at any point
For the second season in a row the Yellowknife Wraiths did not make the playoffs by a single game. This was the Wraith's final season before their eventual rebuild would need to take place with the retirements of players like their all star line backer Boss Tweed. All of their eggs were in this basket and someone they didn't make the playoffs this season. The Wraiths should have made the playoffs over the Colorado Yeti, and it was a total fluke that the Yeti made it this season. A huge reason for this is the Wraiths' defense, they had one of the best defenses in the entire NSFL. In fact the Wraiths had the second most tackles in the entire NSFL this season. On top of that, the Wraiths have one of the biggest game changers in the entire NSFL, Dermot Lavelle, who had the second most passes defended among corner backs this season. He alone could negate an entire opposing team's passing game. This season also saw Thad and Brad Pennington make their debuts with the Yellowknife Wraiths and the league expected to see them go on a tear. The only reason the Wraiths didn't make the playoffs this season was because they had a bad start to the season and it came by to bite them in the butt at the end when it mattered. Losing to Arizona and San Jose throughout the season should not have happened in a million years and those two off nights are the reason they didn't make it when they should have.

Going to Disneyland!:Who was the Ultimus MVP? Give us a rundown of their celebratory trip to Disneyland. (Can be completed after the Ultimus game)
The MVP of the Ultimus was Turk Turkleton. Lots of players on the team matter, but when it's crunch time and you're in the last 30 seconds of the game down by 2 you need your punter/kicker to be good under pressure. In this season's Ultimus, every kick was like the last 30 seconds for Turkelton. For some reason the Baltimore Hawks couldn't get a touchdown once they got to the red zone, and sometimes couldn't even get to the red zone. But Turkelton put the team his back (or his leg) and scored more than half of his team's points! Now he's off to Disneyland where he's going to have the time of his life. The park decided to give in a one day free pass to allow him to bring alcohol into the park and oh boy did he take advantage of it. The entire park turned into one huge rager and he spent what had to have been thousands of dollars to give out free booze to everyone in the park. Sure a lot of it was the cheap stuff, but he didn't care. It was worth the money to get to ride roller coasters drunk off his butt and party with Mickey Mouse.Turkelton's prized leg even did a keg stand.

[Leafs4ever]

Robbed:

The team that I believe should of made the playoffs, but didn't, was the Yellowknife Wraiths. The reason, however, is not because Colorado was unworthy, unlike last season. This time it was entirely Yellowknife's fault.

The Wraiths finished the season with a 8-6 record, one game behind Colorado for the last playoff spot in the NSFC. The reason why I think they should have made the playoffs is because of 2 blunders on their schedule. In the ASFC, the San Jose SaberCats and the Arizona Outlaws struggled all season. They both finished with 4-10 records, continuing along on their rebuilding phase. These were two very winnable games for a team that was competing for a playoff spot all season. In week 2, the Wraiths laid an egg, losing to Arizona 35-21. A game they should have won puts them in a tie with Colorado for the final spot. Now, in week 11, they faced an upstart San Jose team that wasn't playing for much. Yellowknife came out and laid another egg, giving up 42 points to a San Jose team that struggled to score all season. Winning that game puts Yellowknife at 10-4, placing them 1 game ahead of the Yeti and firmly into the playoffs.

Blame looking past an opponent, or just not being ready, those 2 games cost the Wraiths a playoff spot that they should of had over the Yeti. Instead, they are on the outside looking in for back-to-back seasons.

(244 words)

Playoff Series MVP:

The NSFC conference finals was a shootout and easily the most exciting game between the two conference final games. The Hawks and Yeti put on a show, going back and forth and trading blows. In the end, the favoured Baltimore Hawks prevailed, winning 37-28. The hands-down MVP of this spectacular game was Hawks quarterback Avon Blocksdale.

With the two teams trading scores, Blocksdale used his arm and his legs to keep the Hawks offense going strong. In the first quarter, Blocksdale showed off his elusiveness, scampering into the end zone on a 9 yard run. In the second quarter, Blocksdale found his favourite target, Owen Taylor, for the 11 yard touchdown pass. At this point, the Hawks were up 14-7. They entered the second half up 17-14, when Colorado took their first lead. Late in the third quarter, Avon came to life, finding Trey Willie for another passing touchdown. With one quarter left, Blocksdale ran time killing drives, with two resuling in field goals. He kept his offense on the field on route to the victory. In the end, Avon finished the game completing 31 of 52 passes for 340 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. He also added 32 yards rushing and 1 rushing touchdown.

Avon Blocksdale was all over the field, dominating the Yeti's defense and leading his team all the way to the Ultimus Championship game.

(229 words)

Root for the Underdog:

This season's Ultimus Championship game will be the New Orleans Second Line against the Baltimore Hawks. The Hawks come into the game with home field advantage, thanks to a dominating regular season that saw them finish with a 13-1 record. The Second Line were no slouches themselves, finishing at 11-3, but still enter the game as the road underdogs.

Although the Hawks have been the class of the NSFL and are at home in the biggest game of the year, the Second Line are talented enough to go into Baltimore and crash the party. One of the reasons why I can see New Orleans stealing a win in because of their potent passing offense. The Second Line finished first in the entire NSFL in points per game (36.1), yards per game (466.4), and passing yards per game (359.0). Their air attack is led by quarterback Borkus Maximus III, who has had an MVP like season. On the road or not, Maximus is a threat that couldn't be neutralized all season long. Not only has Maximus been outstanding, he also has an elite class of wide receivers there to help him. Crush, Law, and LeClair have been tremendous, giving Borkus so many options on the field. The Hawks are a fantastic team, but with this arsenal in the passing game, New Orleans always has a chance.

Baltimore is the best team in the league and they are perfect at home so far this season. If New Orleans wants to be that first loss and take home the Ultimus Trophy, they'll need their passing game to continue their dominance and for Borkus Maximus III to have one more MVP quality game.

(279 words)

Sit-down with a star:

A 1-on-1 interview with TE Verso L'Alto

1. The Hawks had a fantastic season, finishing 13-1. Did you and your teammates expect such dominance this season?

VL: To be honest, I think we did. Although, I don't know about the other guys on the team, but for me I was taking it one game at a time and not living in the past. So in all honestly, it didn't seem like an record setting season because we've always just been focusing on playing the next team up. But long story short, we've known for a couple of seasons that this would be our year.

2. Your only loss came against the team you're facing in the Ultimus Championship. What have you learned from that game that will help you this time against New Orleans?

VL: Not to take anything for granted, of course. But we hung with them for most of the game, they just pulled out in front in the last quarter. I know that I didn't have my best game, and neither did Blocksdale or Taylor. So, it may have been a little bit of an outlier for us. The good news is that we have NOLA at home this time. We've never lost to them in Baltimore before, so we're not about to start now.

3. Personally, how did you feel about your performance this season?

VL: It was an up and down season. I felt like I was on the cusp of breaking out there at the beginning and I was super happy to see my YPC jump by about 3 yards. I think that was from all the extra time in the gym. But bringing Carter Bush to the team, while helping the team overall, I think hurt my production. I ended the regular season with only 1 touchdown. That's the fewest for me ever in the NSFL.

4. How are you preparing going into the Championship game? What's the one thing you're focusing on the most?

VL: I'm just going to focus on doing what I've done all season. Preparing to be the best that I can be and to help the team any way that I can. If that means that I'm back in a blocking role more than out catching passes, then so be it. But I can't really say much more than that right now. But NOLA should expect us to be at the top of our game.

(407 words)

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This is for @nunccoepi. He asked me these questions and I answered.

1. The Sabercats had a difficult season with a 4-10 record. Still, it's better than some people were predicting. How do feel about your team's performance this year and did you meet or exceed your expectations as a team?

I actually felt really good about our performance this season. Record aside, we showed some promise and development in our young players. We hung in there with our conference, minus New Orleans, and took a big step towards ending the rebuild. There's still holes to fill, but we're getting better every day.

2. Your biggest win came as a blowout against the Yellowknife Wraiths. Was this the most meaningful game to you? What does it mean for San Jose's ability to compete at a high level?

That win against Yellowknife was the most meaningful. Our quarterback, Mat Akselen, was traded from the Wraiths to us so we wanted to go out there and play our hearts out for him. We didn't do that in our first meeting against Yellowknife so we weren't going to let that happen again. Our defense played their best game and Akselen put on a show. It was a great day for everyone.

3. How do you feel that you personally played this season? Did you set the tone that you wanted to in your rookie season?

I thought my rookie season was pretty good. I finished 6th in the league in receiving yards, which was great. I got a lot of targets from Akselsen, which I appreciated. The only thing is I wish I got into the end zone more, but that's something that's going to come with time. I'm encouraged by my development.

4. What are you and your team looking to build on next season?

We're just looking to take the next logical step in our development. We have a very young team so there's tons of room for growth. If everyone continues on the current path and gets better every day, we're going to become a very good team. We'll see what happens with the other teams around us next season, but I hope that we are making the playoff race a fun one to watch next season.

[MrStennett]

1. PBE PT

2. PLAYOFF SERIES MVP

I'm going to write about the NSFC Semifinal and why Avon Blocksdale was the obvious choice for MVP of the game. In a high scoring affair, 38-27, Blocksdale was the difference for Baltimore that allowed them to move on to the championship game. Completing 59% of his passes, Blocksdale often found his receivers for first downs, as he averaged eleven yards per completion. Baltimore went to the pass early and often, as Blocksdale threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns, throwing no interceptions. He also ran for a touchdown in the first quarter, putting together a great three score game for the all-pro quarterback. His accuracy and overall moxie as a field general helped his team convert ten of seventeen third downs and kept Baltimore in control of the clock, posting almost thirty-seven minutes of possession for the game. After his first quarter score, he completed a pass to Owen Taylor in the second quarter that put Baltimore up 14-7, and then put his team ahead again in the third quarter when he hit Trey Willie with a sixteen yard strike. After that second touchdown pass, Baltimore would never again relinquish the lead. The cherry on top of the sundae for this argument is that he was named the offensive player of the game for his excellent performance. Just give the man that MVP already!

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225 words

3. ROBBED

It is obviously a popular opinion, but the Yellowknife Wraiths should have made the playoffs for sure this season. Being only one win behind the playoff bound Colorado Yetis and one win ahead of the Orange County Otters who also made the playoffs, Yellowknife managed to knock itself out of contention. An early season loss to the 4-10 Arizona Outlaws in week two, and a week eleven loss to the 4-10 San Jose SaberCats were games that Yellowknife and its standout defense should have easily won in any other season. Boasting a defense anchored by all-pro players such as linebackers Boss Tweed and Chad Pennington and possibly the league's best cornerback in Dermot Lavelle, it is unthinkable that a team such as San Jose would put forty points up on Yellowknife.

It's not as if the offense isn't without its weapons either. Quarterback Brad Pennington was the league's fourth pest passer based on passer rating and threw the fourth most touchdowns in the league with twenty-four. With all these offensive and defensive weapons the Wraiths would have beat out Colorado for a playoff bid in ninety out of one hundred seasons. Let's just chalk this one up to really bad luck for Yellowknife, and with the most unfortunate timing. The window may have just closed on their Ultimus chances.

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218 words

4. PLAYOFF REVIEW

NSFC SEMIFINAL - Colorado vs Baltimore 28-37

This was a fairly close game throughout, with the lead changing or game being tied up nine times. It wasn't until a fourth quarter interception returned for a touchdown put Baltimore ahead by a nice thirteen point margin. Baltimore had a plus two turnover differential that really helped them take the lead and then keep it. A great game by quarterback Ryan Applehort in his last appearance as a Yeti wasn't enough to keep Avon Blocksdale from leading Baltimore to the Ultimus championship game.

ASFC SEMIFINAL - Orange County vs New Orleans 3-10

This game mad the NFSC semifinal look like a real scoring bonanza. New Orleans' top notch defense was on display in this one, limiting the Otters to only a field goal for the entire game. Although there were no turnovers in the game, the Second Line recorded five sacks on the Otters rookie quarterback Gus T.T. Showbiz. The stifling defensive pressure kept Orange County pined back and allowed Second Line quarterback Borkus Maximus III to find hall of fame hopeful halfback Darren Smallwood for the games lone touchdown. This would set up the showdown between Baltimore and New Orleans for the Ultimus championship.

CHAMPIONSHIP - Baltimore vs New Orleans 29-23

Unfortunately for New Orleans, their defense would not be enough to save them from Baltimore's high powered offense. It seemed as though the Second Line would have this game easily in hand, as they leaped out to a 17-6 lead. Four field goals in a row by Baltimore kicker Turk Turkleton put the Hawks ahead by two points however. Turkleton may have been Baltimore's MVP, nailing five field goals and two extra points. It truly was the Hawks season this year as they won the Ultimus trophy for NSFL Season 10!

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308 words

[nunccoepi]

Sit down with a star: (questions from Leafs4ever)
1. The Hawks had a fantastic season, finishing 13-1. Did you and your teammates expect such dominance this season?
To be honest, I think we did. Although, I don't know about the other guys on the team, but for me I was taking it one game at a time and not living in the past. So in all honestly, it didn't seem like an record setting season because we've always just been focusing on playing the next team up. But long story short, we've known for a couple of seasons that this would be our year.

2. Your only loss came against the team you're facing in the Ultimus Championship. What have you learned from that game that will help you this time against New Orleans?
Not to take anything for granted, of course. But we hung with them for most of the game, they just pulled out in front in the last quarter. I know that I didn't have my best game, and neither did Blocksdale or Taylor. So, it may have been a little bit of an outlier for us. The good news is that we have NOLA at home this time. We've never lost to them in Baltimore before, so we're not about to start now.

3. Personally, how did you feel about your performance this season?
It was an up and down season. I felt like I was on the cusp of breaking out there at the beginning and I was super happy to see my YPC jump by about 3 yards. I think that was from all the extra time in the gym. But bringing Carter Bush to the team, while helping the team overall, I think hurt my production. I ended the regular season with only 1 touchdown. That's the fewest for me ever in the NSFL.

4. How are you preparing going into the Championship game? What's the one thing you're focusing on the most?
I'm just going to focus on doing what I've done all season. Preparing to be the best that I can be and to help the team any way that I can. If that means that I'm back in a blocking role more than out catching passes, then so be it. But I can't really say much more than that right now. But NOLA should expect us to be at the top of our game.

Sit down with a fan: Interviewed Leafs4ever

Unsung hero:

@maxcrazy

Playoff Review:

vs.
Of course this match up came as a shocker to nearly everyone, especially when one looks at the season's results in a narrative context. The bot teams were suck as usual, but then, out of nowhere they suddenly decided to be good. Everyone (except lucha) fell in the span of two weeks in which the bot teams went undefeated. unfortunately, this left KC on the outside looking in when it came time for the playoffs. The sting of their recent loss to the seawolves must have left the Pythons more than a little nervous for this game, especially when Norfolk went up 18-13 with only 4 and a half minutes left in the game. Fortunately for the Portland team, Joliet L. Christ led the team down the field without a single incomplete pass and scoring with less than 20 seconds left in the game.

vs
This was the first of two tie-breaking matchups in this season's playoffs (spoiler alert) as these two teams were neck and neck all season. They were 2-2 over the course of the regular season with the last two games decided in overtime. Despite its high billing, this game had a completely different result. The Marshals, one of the most pass-happy teams in the league, didn't seem to be able to get anything going. They wouldn't score until a field goal mid-way through the 4th quarter, but this was too late as the Luchadores had already done their damage with 4 TDs and 2 FGs.

vs.
This one could be described as the tie breaker Ultimini as, over the course of the last 3 seasons, the Luchadores and the Pythons had already squared off twice for the league championship, each walking away with one win (the Pythons in S7, the Luchadores in S9). Portland started off hot, driving down the length field on the first possession of the game, again not affording a single incomplete pass, and topping it off with a touchdown. The Luchadores responded with a touchdown of their own, albiet a little less gracefully. The game was shaping up to be a high scoring one...until the Pythons seemed to stall out. After another touchdown or two, the Luchadores began to play serious ball control offense, limiting the Pythons to less than half of the time of possession than they had. Despite a 30 point differential, the game never seemed to be quite out of hand for the Portland team until the final couple of minutes. The experienced Luchadores just got the job done.

[mckee29]

Robbed
I don't think there is any question that the Kansas City Coyotes managed to be the team that got shafted the most this season as they managed to fall behind the Norfolk Seawolves right at the end of season and into the third position in the NFC, failing to qualify for the playoffs in the last two weeks of the season. Kansas City hosts a roster of players that is incredible and talented, including a number of players who will be extremely valuable to their success in the future. Players like Andrew Reese, John Canton, and Yulic Nagasawa were offensive firepower for the Coyotes all season long, and will continue to help the team in the future as they will likely all be staying down for another season in the DSFL ranks. On the defensive side of the ball, two rookies made huge impacts. These players are Alex Selich (LB) and Lenox Garnett (FS) both of whom are bound to be insanely talented NSFL players in the long run. Garnett will likely find his way into the pro circuit this coming season, while it's expected that Selich will spend another season down with the Coyotes in an attempt to lead them to glory.

Playoff Predictions
So while I am technically completing this after the conference finals have been simmed, I will give me opinion on what the outcome would have been if I had imagined it. It is pretty close to the actual outcome but not spot on. So in the SFC I had the Tijuana Luchadores pinned to overtake the San Antonio Marshals in the first round, knocking out my irl friends and in game competition of Luke Boechler and Ryan Cobalt, both of whom were super excited at a shot for the championship. On the NFC side, I don't think there is any question that Portland has had the strongest roster all season long, and so it will be a complete roll over for the Pythons as they overtake the Norfolk Seawolves and send them home in tears. In terms of the Ultimini finals, I really feel like it could go either way. There's a good chance that the Pythons are able to take the victory over the Luchadores as they did during the regular season, but under the same regard this is an incredibly strong roster being put forward by Tijuana this season, and it will be hard to compete against. My money is on Portland.

Series MVP
I think that there was arguably two MVP's of the first round of the playoffs, and both of them came during the Luchadores vs. Marshals game where the Luchadores offense wracked up 34 points and held the Marshals to only 3 in a huge blowout victory that was quite unexpected considering the immense strength of both teams. There was a player on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball for TIJ that contributed and made them a strong threat, and these players are Luchadores linebacker Tana Keita, and Luchadores wide receiver Thaliji Halvorsen. Halvorsen is an awesome threat at receiver and has been racking up gains all season long, but in this offensive shooting gallery last night he was able to jam in a touchdown and take home 107 yards on 8 receptions for an outstanding night. He really was crucial to the Luchadores success, and without him I think they would have been hard pressed to find the success they did. In terms of Keita, the linebacker had an outstanding night, posting 7 tackles against the Marshals and adding a forced fumble (as well as recovering it). His ability to change the tide of the game was outstanding.

Root for the Underdog
While I don't think there is any really obvious underdog in this upcoming Ultimus game, I think that there is a team that is slightly less inclined to win. While I am a Portland Python, I can also recognize the makings of a great roster when I see one, and I know that the Tijuana Luchadores have all the making of a championship team (which is obvious from their two previous championships). I also think that Portland has the same makings, but maybe to a slightly lesser degree. The Pythons went through a short retooling this season, adding a massive crop of players that are ready to contribute at an elite level. The Pythons are led by their rushing game which is highlighted by star rookie backs Antonio Summer and Slim Shady who will find holes in the Luchadores defense with ease. Their passing is no where near weak with legendary quarterback Joliet Christ taking the field again this season, and having a supporting cast in Johnson Cox III with receiving options like Felix Hasslehoff, Josh Parker, and Sunnycursed. Don't forget that laden defense with names like Mark Spector, K.J Becker, Kwame Mbanefo, and Dan Schneider. Portland could throw it all in and take it home this season for sure.

[RedCydranth]

Robbed:

Yellowknife Wraiths are really the only team you can logically say got robbed of a shot at the playoffs. The disparity between the Otters and the Outlaws or Sabercats is too great to make any case for how they could have been robbed of a playoff spot. Even with as bad as the Otters played the second half of the season. The Yeti have put a lot of effort so to really say that the Yeti didn't deserve their spot is a discredit to their efforts. The only argument I have for why the Wraiths should make the playoffs over the Yeti is that I felt the Wraiths overachieved while the Yeti underperformed, and it would have been nice for the effort the Wraiths made in the off season, in acquiring Tegan Atwell. The whole playoff picture could have been vastly different had the Wraiths beat the Yeti during week 13. They came close to winning that game but still fell short. It was a perfect analogy to their season. They did well, just not well enough. Then other argument that can be made in the Wraiths favor is that their final record of 8-6 is better than playoff bound Orange County's 7-7. And they beat Orange County in both of their matches, but because they're in the more competitive division, they get to sit while the Otters play another week.

(233)

New Talent

There were 2 big trades that were made in anticipation of putting their team definitively above the rest this season. The Liberty sent Carter Bush to the Hawks so that they would be clearly better than the New Orleans Second Line, so they responded in kind, by making a blockbuster deal for Carlito Crush, an even bigger name to bolster their already powerful ranks. Both teams now boast some of the highest profile names at Receiver and Tight End. Trey Willie, Buddha Browning, Carter Bush and Verso L'Alto would easily be the best receiving core in the NSFL if it weren't for Charlie Law, Carlito Crush, Alexadre LeClair and Paul DiMirio. It's incredible that these teams can boast such a phenomenal talent to supply weapons for their star quarterbacks. The trades of Carter Bush and Carlito Crush no doubt have huge ramifications on the Ultimus Game. If one team had not done their respective trade, the other would be the clear favorite but with these trades, the balance of power is still fairly balanced between these two powerhouse teams. If I had to say one team made the bigger move than the other, I think it was the Second Line getting Crush. Not only is he the better talent than Bush, He was a significant upgrade over their prior 3rd WR, Josh Garden. Given how much better Maximus is over Blocksdale, I think that move gives new Orleans a bigger boost than Bush going to Baltimore gave them.

(248)

Sit Down with a Fan

BWestfield HERE

1.) With all the ups and downs with the Otters season did you go into the first round of the playoffs thinking you could beat the Second Line?
We knew there was a slim outside shot at it, but without our top threat, Carlito Crush, it was pretty much guaranteed we'd fail. I think that game was so close because they underperfomed and we overperformed. Our defense certainly stepped up, and their offense seemed like it was thinking about the Ultimus and forgot they had to play a game to get there. But in the end we couldn't get enough points on the board.

2.) It may be too early to tell but do you see your team making all the right moves this offseason to reclaim your spot on the top of the ASFC?
I do. I think we're going to go back to our dominant ways that we are known for. One of our issues this season was a weak offensive line which made Gus run around in the pocket a lot more than he'd have liked. We're definitely going to be upgrading the offensive line this season as to avoid so much wear and tear on our young gun. Adams looked really good running the ball all season. I think his contributions have gone terribly overlooked. Our defense is getting stronger as Broxton, Grithead and Brown are only get better. I like the direction e're headed for sure.

3.) Do you think you retired too early?
Not at all. I would say I went out just at the right time. I know it might look like I had the best season ever in my career before I walked off and hung my cleats, but that was because I putt it all out there. Every last drop. I have nothing left. I went 200% just to get those numbers. If I tried a comeback I think I'd be pretty useless. The only thing I feel bad about is leaving them the same year King left. Kind leaves a big hole to fill. When I announced, I thought he was going to stick around another season. But I think we have enough depth in our defense to make up for it.

4.) Will your clone be as good or better than you?
That's the experiment, isn't it? He is me, so logically he should be at least just as good, right? Of course there's a lot of factors that fall into play, like strength of opponent and whatnot. I think early on it's going to look like he's not measuring up, simply because early on in my career, there were no receivers in this league that are the same level as guys like Miller, Law or Willie's level. I kinda grew along side them, whereas Clone is going to have to grow up facing top flight guys like them. All in all, I hope he has a better career than I, but if it doesn't happen, then I hope he has a fun time anyhow.

(506)

Playoff Series MVP

It takes a team to win a game, or so they say. But this year's Ultimus was determined by the actions of one individual. Turk Turkleton. His magic leg was the reason that the Hawks were able to secure their first ever Ultimus trophy over the New Orleans Second Line the other night. Of the Hawks 29 points, he was responsible for 17 of them. Having a guy who can reliably give you points from pretty much anywhere inside the 40 is nothing short of gold. Turkleton has made a career booting some of the most amazing field goals and finally his leg is going to be immortalized because of this game. He has dedicated his life to the art of smashing a ball with his foot and sending it through the uprights, splitting them down the middle. Often overlooked because of his position, the kicker is usually an integral part of a team, however in Turk's case, he pretty much was the team. When the Second Line's solid red zone defense stifled Avon Blocksdale and company from crossing the goal line, Mister Reliable and his magic appendage walked onto the field and put 3 more points on the board. Drive after drive. Hitting 5 field goals and 2 extra points over the course of the championship game, in my mind, locks him as the most valuable player. Without his precision accuracy and indomitable leg strength, the Hawks would have missed out on yet another opportunity to hold the Ultimus Trophy in their hands. If there is one man you can accredit this entire Championship to, it is none other than Turk Turkleton. Legend.

(274)

[ztevans]

That Magic Moment: Pick one moment from a playoff game and describe what made it so amazing to watch. (Must be completed after the game you write about)

The North Conference title for the Developmental Simulation Football League came down to a meeting between the Norfolk Seawolves and the Portland Pythons. The Seawolves have been a surprisingly strong team throughout the season, unexpectedly making the playoffs over the Kansas City Coyotes. However, they were on the verge of the improbable, carrying an 18-13 lead in the fourth quarter. Just 4:34 away from a trip to the Ultimini, Norfolk needed a defensive stop to take the conference title. Then, Joliet L. Christ showed up.

The fourth overall pick by the San Jose Sabercats in the Season 10 NSFL Draft, Christ put the Pythons on his back on a game-winning, eight-play, 87-yard drive. Christ went five-for-five passing on the drive, including the decisive six-yard touchdown pass to Taylor Peterson. Better yet, Christ perfectly managed the clock, leaving the Seawolves just 19 seconds to respond. Norfolk was unable to do so, as Damien Arnold picked off Buzz Swaggerty on the final play of the game.

Not only will this moment likely be the most memorable we see in either the NSFL or DSFL playoffs, it will be etched into the DSFL history books as one of the most clutch drives in a high-pressure situation. On that day, Joliet Christ saved Portland.

Playoff Review: Write a short review of the playoffs and each of the matchups. Must be completed after the Championship Game

The “chalk” prevailed in the NSFL conference championships, allowing the two best teams in the league during the regular season to meet for Ultimus Bowl X. The NSFC Championship game was a shootout between the Baltimore Hawks and the Colorado Yeti, meeting for the second straight season in that contest. Much like last season, Baltimore prevailed in an offensive shootout, taking a 37-28 victory. Avon Blocksdale led the way for the Hawks, passing for two touchdowns and rushing for another in the contest.

In the ASFC Championship, the Orange County Otters made their annual appearance in the playoffs, facing the New Orleans Second Line for the third straight season. Orange County and New Orleans experienced a much more defensive struggle, with the Second Line taking a 10-3 win. The Otters led 3-0 at halftime, but New Orleans tallied a Peg Leg field goal and a Borkus Maximus touchdown pass to Darren Smallwood in the second half for the win.

Finally, the Ultimus Bowl saw Baltimore and New Orleans go head-to-head. New Orleans led at halftime, 17-16, as the first half proved to be an offensive showcase. The defenses stepped up in the second half, and so did Baltimore as a team. With a Blocksdale touchdown to Trey Willie and a pair of field goals, Baltimore claimed a 29-23 triumph for their first Ultimus Bowl title.


Championship Game Recap: Do a recap of the best play from the championship game. Must be completed after the Championship Game

Whether or not it was the “best” play is up for discussion. If we base solely on outcome, then it might have actually been the worst play of Ultimus Bowl X. But with the game and a chance at history on the line, sometimes you have to think outside the box. Sometimes you have to take a chance instead of being conservative. That is exactly what the New Orleans Second Line did on what was inarguably the most pivotal play of the Season 10 championship game.

New Orleans trailed 29-23 late in the game after forcing a Baltimore punt with 4:56 remaining. A 21-yard rush by Borkus Maximus III nearly ended in disaster, but the Second Line quarterback’s fumble was recovered by New Orleans. Now in Baltimore territory, the Second Line hoped to move downfield towards the endzone. However, their momentum faltered leading to a 4th and 11.

Rather than looking for a passing route beyond the sticks, New Orleans hoped to catch the Hawks sleeping with a handoff to Darren Smallwood. Veteran Clifford Rove sniffed out the play and tackled Smallwood after a gain of six yards, forcing the turnover on downs.

Should New Orleans have opted to pass the ball instead? Or was this a great play call met by better defense? That will long be the debate of the title game to end the NSFL’s tenth season.


SHL PT for one task

[speculadora]

Robbed: Write about why a team that failed to make the playoffs should have over somebody else. Can be completed at any point

This is going to hurt to say, but the Yellowknife Wraiths really deserved to be in the playoffs ahead of Orange County. From my perspective with the Otters, we did what we knew we needed to to make the playoffs and not much more as we knew this wasn't really our window to contend, particularly when we lost a star wideout in Tegan Atwell to Yellowknife. The Wraiths, meanwhile, really committed to trying to pull of an improbable run to the Ultimus this season. In the face of retirements of Boss Tweed and Eric Kennedy, two players the Wraiths could have flipped as rentals for future picks, the team kept things together with the hope of making a playoff run. The effort really was admirable, and there's little argument to be made that they weren't one of the four best teams in the NSFL this season, finishing with a +54 point differential. Orange County, on the other hand, basically assured themselves of a continuation of their playoff streak before punting on this season by trading another star wide out in Carlito Crush. The Otters were markedly worse after that move, winning just two games and putting up some putrid offensive performances, also losing to the Wraiths twice. Ultimately Yellowknife were held out because of the structure of the league rather than their own play.

New Talent: Write about which S10 trade will or did have the biggest impact in the playoffs. Can be written at any time depending on if you choose to write about who already has or who will do well

Man this is a tough one. Carter Bush and Carlito Crush are the obvious candidates, but picking one will be difficult as they are closely matched. Bush got off to a better start in the first round of the playoffs while Crush was largely held in check against his former team. However, I'm going to address this from the perspective of which player makes a larger impact and I believe that that is Crush without question. I do not mean to discredit Bush, but rather to say that the Hawks roster and their receiving corps in particular was already so flush with talent and had a defined number one in place. When Crush went to New Orleans, however, he seemed to take over primary receiver duties from Charlie Law and that's why I believe Crush is a bigger difference maker for his team. This was evident in the matchup between the teams in Week 14 where Crush ripped of long gains en route to 4 catches for 120 yards while Bush was held in check with a 2 reception, 34 yard receiving line. Although the Hawks won the game, they won by just 3 points and it was clear that Carlito Crush helped put the Second Line on an even playing field with what appears to be the league's best team.

Conference Final MVP Sig: Make a sig for a player of your choice who you felt was the MVP of a Conference Final matchup. Must be completed after the Conference Finals




Future Talent: Make a sig for a S10 player who you feel will or did make a large impact for their team in the playoffs. Can be written at any time depending on if you choose to write about who already has or who will do well

[SwagSloth]

Robbed: Write about why a team that failed to make the playoffs should have over somebody else. Can be completed at any point

If any team was robbed, it has to be the Yellowknife Wraiths. They were simply the right team at the wrong time. Despite having an 8-6 record, they were pushed out by the 9-5 Colorado Yeti. On top of that, the Orange County Otters made it in at 7-7 due to being in a weaker division. Of course, the NSFL play-offs have always worked this way and the Otters are not the first team to benefit from a weak division, but you still have to feel for the Wraiths.

What makes this even more heartbreaking is the fact that the Wraiths are losing many key players this year and could arguably be in line for a true rebuild over the next season or two. The two lost top Wide Receivers Tegan Atwell and Eric Kennedy as Atwell moved to the Otters in free agency and Kennedy finally hung up his boots after 9 seasons. Hall of famer Boss Tweed is also retiring, leaving a huge hole at the LB position. The team has some gems and could still have a bright future, but the combination of a few great rising stars and some incredible veterans looked great on paper. However, it seems that one last run at a Championship was not in the cards for Kennedy or Tweed.

218 Words

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Playoff Series MVP: Choose an MVP for one of the playoff series and write about why you chose them. Must be completed after the playoff series you write about

One man that deserves some real credit for his team’s success this season is Hawks RB Owen Taylor, who dominated during the season with 1713 rushing yards and 23 rushing TDs. And he continued to shine in the NSFC Championship Conference, putting together 130 rushing yards on 26 attempts. Thanks to his effort, the Hawks were able to ground and pound their way to a 37-28 victory that left the Yeti heartbroken. But Taylor wasn’t just dangerous on the ground. He also contributed 7 receptions, the most of any player on his team. Those receptions helped gain the team 46 yards and a receiving TD. Just as he did in the regular season, totaling 51 catches for 409 yards and adding 4 receiving TDs to his already impression work in the end zone this season. That accounts for almost 2 TDs a game!

Indeed, Taylor will likely continue to be a force to be reckoned with when the Hawks take the field in Baltimore to battle for the Ultimus, the greatest prize in the NSFL. Taylor has undoubtedly been the Hawks’ most dangerous weapon and he truly seems determined to lead them to victory this season.

201 Words

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That Magic Moment: Pick one moment from a playoff game and describe what made it so amazing to watch. (Must be completed after the game you write about)

The New Orleans Second Line’s victory over the Orange County Otters was a defensive battle, not the type of game typically heralded as an exciting contest. But for fans of defensive match-ups, the efforts of both teams have to be commended. Orange County was once the NSFL’s top defensive squad and they showed everyone why tonight as they put together 7 pass deflections and held Borkus Maximus III to an almost 50% completion percentage. They were unable to secure any takeaways, but Maximus held the highest Quarterback Rating of any QB during the regular season; he doesn’t give away the ball easily. Still, Orange County made the best of the situation and gave him as good of a fight as any team could be expected to do.

That said, New Orleans’ offense was the one that shined and they were able to secure victory with the only Touchdown of the game. Early into the third quarter, on 2nd & Goal, Maximus was able to get the ball to Darren Smallwood for the score that would send them to the Championship. The New Orleans defense was still left with the task of keeping the Otters out of the red zone and they were ultimately successful, but that fateful trip to Baltimore all comes back to that the one Touchdown that defined the game.

229 Words

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Root for the Underdog: Pick an away team in an upcoming game and try to convince yourself (and us) why they can win. (Must be completed before the playoff series you write about)

Even though they’re coming into this match-up as the underdog, it’s hard to write off the juggernaut that is the New Orleans Second Line. Indeed, this is a match-up of titans, two teams that have taken the league by siege, each boasting a record of 11+ wins. Dominance doesn’t even begin to describe what these two teams have done.

To be fair, Baltimore’s epic 13-1 is noteworthy in and of itself. Their only loss came against New Orleans in an away game. Of course, this game won’t be in New Orleans as Baltimore has won the right to battle for the championship on their own turf, but even there, the Second Line came within 3 points of upsetting the top team in the league. This time, with everything on the line, both teams are bound to leave everything out on the field and New Orleans will be pulling out all the stops it can to take down the would-be champions. The Second Line are one win away from successfully defending their S10 championship title and bringing the trophy back to the Big Easy. It will take a lot of heart and some excellent game planning, but with two teams this tough, it’s hard to count either of them out before game day.

224 Words

[dub]

New Talent: Write about which S9 trade will or did have the biggest impact in the playoffs. Can be written at any time depending on if you choose to write about who already has or who will do good

In all the trades in the NSFL, only one has the opportunity to define an Ultimus, and has already wrought terrible vengeance on a former team in the playoffs. Carlito Crush is not just the best WR on 2nd Line, but the fastest and toughest. The Second Line will need to pierce the Hawks' defense, the best scoring defense in the league and the third best passing defense overall. Carlito Crush had the longest reception for the Second Line in the conference championship, 25 yards, against a stingy Orange County Otters defense that was the second best pass defense in the league. It's ironic since the Otters traded high on Carlito Crush, and then Second Line knocked them out of the playoffs, a playoff run that the Otters knowingly went into without much hope of success. The Orange County Otters offense really struggled without their deep threat, and Carlito Crush is expected to match up against another 100 Speed player in cornerback Gregory Fletcher and that will be a defining matchup for the Ultimus. One side note- it's actually quite difficult to search transactions by team or trades overall. The lack of centralized well-organized overall metadata of the league makes it difficult to answer questions like this. Perhaps instead of incentivizing the story narration of the league we should use the wiki or other pages for an actual transaction log.

Playoff Review: Write a short review of the playoffs and each of the matchups. Must be completed after the Championship Game

It was a marvelous weekend for Simulation League Football in the NSFL as the Yeti of Colorado and the Otters of Orange County brought the heavy favorites within minutes of staggering upset defeat the likes of which would have been historic meltdowns at the hands of underdog upstarts. The Yeti and their stout defense led by Heroku Ishigawa's 17 tackles gave the defending NSFC Champs all they could handle, holding pace with the Hawks offense, taking a 21-17 lead in the third quarter, and eventually forcing the Hawks to score 13 points in the 4th quarter to assure a nine point victory.

Meanwhile, down in Louisiana, the New Orleans Second Line were held scoreless in the first half by the vexing Otters defense, led by plucky rookie Grithead and his nine tackles. NOLA finally broke through the Orange County blockade after halftime with a pass to Darren Smallwood for a 7-3 lead, and then secured a field goal in the 4th quarter. The Otters' offense, with an emerging rookie supertriplets in QB Shobiz, RB Adams and WR Zephryous, could not get much going against the Second Line defense, though to Showbiz's credit, he did not throw an interception against the league's best pass defense.