8)
Here is my case for Ernest Lover, the Defensive End for the London Royals, to be named as Defensive Rookie of the Year come awards night.
At the time of writing, Lover / user @Mojojojo is sitting third in TPE for S26 rookies with 261. I know it’s not all about TPE, but that certainly helps ensure that your player is able to make an impact out onto the field. Now look; Lover has been a force to be reckoned with since that start of pre season. In those four games then, he managed 13 tackles, four tackles for a loss and three sacks. This was lover setting a precedent for how his season was going to go. From the off he hits hard – when you’re sacked by Lover, you stay down.
He went to Dallas in game one and hit seven tackles, following this up with his first sack (and solitary forced fumble for the season) in the Royals’ home victory against eventual Ultimini winners Tijuana. Moving on to week three and we see another sack, plus six tackles in a tight loss to Norfolk. But it was week four where Lover really laid down his first claim for this award – six tackles and two sacks in a home loss to Myrtle Beach. Their QB Daytona had a tremendous season, but perhaps this was perhaps the one blip – imagine he was aching after that one. Week five saw another sack, week six saw a season-equalling nine tackles.
Moving forward, week seven saw six tackles, two for loss, helping the Royals defeat those pesky Pythons in Portland. In the home victory against Dallas a week later Lover equalled the nine tackles seen in week six (10 is just greedy, right). And the same story a week later, another nine tackles, three for loss, in a comfortable win in Tijuana (they got revenge in the end though...). Lover only managed a couple of tackles, one for loss and a sack in the win against Norfolk in week 10, and a lowly one tackle in week 11. A sign of Lover coming un stuck? Not a chance. Week 12 and he’s back in the game, five tackles, one for loss, and one sack. The final two games of the regular season brought nine tackles, two for loss and a sack.
So where does that leave us now. Well in the regular season Lover amassed 75 tackles (1st for DE), 11 of which for loss, eight sacks (joint 1st for DE, 6th OA) and a forced fumble. In my opinion, regardless of my London links, those numbers make him the stand out rookie DE and my shout for the illusive Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
15)
This is a topic I’ve written about a little in the past, and something @Crunk and I have discussed in our Podcasts. But that was then, all based on that debut season in the DSFL. Since then I can honestly say that the experience has been taken up a notch. Now you could say that this has been helped by the fact that I’ve spent two seasons as a member of the London Royals – and we’ve reached the Ultimini twice in that time. So do you need to be on a winning team to have a good experience? Not at all. I’m certain all teams offer a good experience, but perhaps the Royals just take that up a notch.
The London Locker Room is a hive of activity, regardless of the time of day. Now I’m a busy guy so i’ll admit that I’m only able to make limited contributions. But honestly, the folks in there are great. Everyone has got each other’s back, anyone can start a chat about anything and they’ll be some good debate or advice available. And yeah, everyone has a lot of fun too, always a positive.
Have I met anyone who has enhanced this? I’d be lying if I said I could single out a few as there really are so many and it would be unfair of me (and a test for my terrible memory, which would ultimately fail me) if I did so. But the Royals GMs (old and new), the vets in my first season, the rookies in this season, what a great bunch. A lot of these people are going to go on and do (or will continue to do) a lot of great things in this game.
Now signing up at the same time as @Crunk I’m inevitably going to compare my players progression with his. But now that he’s co-GM of Arizona too I need to be careful…! I’ve got a real focus on player development – not just maxing out on TPE each week, anyone can do that, but aiming for the most efficient player build to not only help the team, but bring some good numbers home too. This focus led to me switching player archetypes (from run stopper to speed rusher) midway through my rookie season. I’m feeling lot more comfortable now. So new users, have a think about that with your players, keep that in mind as an option and discuss it in your Locker Rooms.
I’ve experienced two drafts with Burfict – both amazing experiences, very exciting. I certainly went under the radar in DSFL draft, and perhaps a little in the ISFL draft too. But I’m delighted that I landed in Arizona, not just for the @Crunk link-up, but the team seems to fit my style (or at least I think it will when I’m called up). Did I think I’d be taken a little sooner in the ISFL draft based on Burfict’s numbers? Perhaps. But other users probably offer more in terms for discord activity and sim data testing/analysis and at that stage I simply didn’t have the time and made sure I was honest when speaking with scouts about that.
So there it is, can’t wait for the journey to continue – London or Arizona, L’Gazzy will be ready.
Here is my case for Ernest Lover, the Defensive End for the London Royals, to be named as Defensive Rookie of the Year come awards night.
At the time of writing, Lover / user @Mojojojo is sitting third in TPE for S26 rookies with 261. I know it’s not all about TPE, but that certainly helps ensure that your player is able to make an impact out onto the field. Now look; Lover has been a force to be reckoned with since that start of pre season. In those four games then, he managed 13 tackles, four tackles for a loss and three sacks. This was lover setting a precedent for how his season was going to go. From the off he hits hard – when you’re sacked by Lover, you stay down.
He went to Dallas in game one and hit seven tackles, following this up with his first sack (and solitary forced fumble for the season) in the Royals’ home victory against eventual Ultimini winners Tijuana. Moving on to week three and we see another sack, plus six tackles in a tight loss to Norfolk. But it was week four where Lover really laid down his first claim for this award – six tackles and two sacks in a home loss to Myrtle Beach. Their QB Daytona had a tremendous season, but perhaps this was perhaps the one blip – imagine he was aching after that one. Week five saw another sack, week six saw a season-equalling nine tackles.
Moving forward, week seven saw six tackles, two for loss, helping the Royals defeat those pesky Pythons in Portland. In the home victory against Dallas a week later Lover equalled the nine tackles seen in week six (10 is just greedy, right). And the same story a week later, another nine tackles, three for loss, in a comfortable win in Tijuana (they got revenge in the end though...). Lover only managed a couple of tackles, one for loss and a sack in the win against Norfolk in week 10, and a lowly one tackle in week 11. A sign of Lover coming un stuck? Not a chance. Week 12 and he’s back in the game, five tackles, one for loss, and one sack. The final two games of the regular season brought nine tackles, two for loss and a sack.
So where does that leave us now. Well in the regular season Lover amassed 75 tackles (1st for DE), 11 of which for loss, eight sacks (joint 1st for DE, 6th OA) and a forced fumble. In my opinion, regardless of my London links, those numbers make him the stand out rookie DE and my shout for the illusive Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
15)
This is a topic I’ve written about a little in the past, and something @Crunk and I have discussed in our Podcasts. But that was then, all based on that debut season in the DSFL. Since then I can honestly say that the experience has been taken up a notch. Now you could say that this has been helped by the fact that I’ve spent two seasons as a member of the London Royals – and we’ve reached the Ultimini twice in that time. So do you need to be on a winning team to have a good experience? Not at all. I’m certain all teams offer a good experience, but perhaps the Royals just take that up a notch.
The London Locker Room is a hive of activity, regardless of the time of day. Now I’m a busy guy so i’ll admit that I’m only able to make limited contributions. But honestly, the folks in there are great. Everyone has got each other’s back, anyone can start a chat about anything and they’ll be some good debate or advice available. And yeah, everyone has a lot of fun too, always a positive.
Have I met anyone who has enhanced this? I’d be lying if I said I could single out a few as there really are so many and it would be unfair of me (and a test for my terrible memory, which would ultimately fail me) if I did so. But the Royals GMs (old and new), the vets in my first season, the rookies in this season, what a great bunch. A lot of these people are going to go on and do (or will continue to do) a lot of great things in this game.
Now signing up at the same time as @Crunk I’m inevitably going to compare my players progression with his. But now that he’s co-GM of Arizona too I need to be careful…! I’ve got a real focus on player development – not just maxing out on TPE each week, anyone can do that, but aiming for the most efficient player build to not only help the team, but bring some good numbers home too. This focus led to me switching player archetypes (from run stopper to speed rusher) midway through my rookie season. I’m feeling lot more comfortable now. So new users, have a think about that with your players, keep that in mind as an option and discuss it in your Locker Rooms.
I’ve experienced two drafts with Burfict – both amazing experiences, very exciting. I certainly went under the radar in DSFL draft, and perhaps a little in the ISFL draft too. But I’m delighted that I landed in Arizona, not just for the @Crunk link-up, but the team seems to fit my style (or at least I think it will when I’m called up). Did I think I’d be taken a little sooner in the ISFL draft based on Burfict’s numbers? Perhaps. But other users probably offer more in terms for discord activity and sim data testing/analysis and at that stage I simply didn’t have the time and made sure I was honest when speaking with scouts about that.
So there it is, can’t wait for the journey to continue – London or Arizona, L’Gazzy will be ready.