16. (5 TPE)
Sarasota completed a dramatic journey through S44. 13 of our 16 games were decided by 8 points or less, including 3 overtime games. The season started on a low note, as we lost our first 3 games by a combined 12 points. But we rebounded with 3- and 2-point victories, which inspired me to create a media series tracking close games for all teams across the entire season. Later on, we won 7 of our last 9 games, many in similarly dramatic fashion, to qualify for the playoffs. Two of our games were even decided by defensive safeties! Upsetting the Cape Town Crash and barely surviving against Colorado in the final weeks were definitely highlights of my first ISFL season. Unfortunately it ended in a loss to the Baltimore Hawks, which would have to be considered another low point. But it was a wild ride while it lasted.
My expectation are high for next season, both for the team and for myself. I hope that the team can become more consistent: we have a habit of either building up huge leads and then taking our foot off the gas, or falling behind early and then rushing to catch up before running out of time. I know "sim's gonna sim" but hopefully we can work on that next year. My player had an okay season statistically - it can be hard to tell with safeties - but I'm hopeful that with another offseason of training and year of earning he will be even better in S45. I don't know if another playoff trip is in the works, as the NSFC is a real logjam at the moment with a lot of pretty good teams behind Cape Town and Baltimore. But we beat both last year, so I believe we can do it again and get back to the postseason.
28. (2.5 TPE)
I like the XFL's alternative kickoffs, where most players line up 5 yards away from each other. Kickoffs have become afterthoughts at the highest level of football, and it would be nice to see them matter again. Also, it's great for player safety. I would replace onside kicks with a 4th and 15 play from the "kicking teams" 25-yard line. I would also make all penalties that result in loss of down (offense) or automatic first down (defense) reviewable, to prevent judgement calls from affecting the game, and defensive penalties on onside kicks would result in a re-try, not a conversion. On field goals, I would add 1 point for each upright or crossbar the ball hits, provided it goes in. So a kick that ricochets off the upright and in would be worth 4 points, a double-doink would be 5, etc. Finally, I would remove the illegal man downfield rule as long as linemen don't make contact more than 5 yards from the line of scrimmage; let the big men run free!
32. (2.5 TPE)
Jamie Orion is a man of few words, but in keeping with his celestial name I could see him having a podcast called "Seeing Stars" in which he invites his fellow players on to talk about all things astronomical. They would be invited to share their favorite constellations and he would tell them everything he knows about the history of the constellation, its mythology, and the first people to "discover" it. Of course there would be some dipping into astrological signs as well, and he would invite his listeners to guess whether or not the guest matched the profile of that sign. Talking about space is also a great segue into other Big Questions people have, such as: are we alone in the universe? What is the meaning of life? What do you most want to be remembered for? The podcast would close with the guest offering their best conjecture on one of these big questions, and how they are working to achieve their goals in the world.
Sarasota completed a dramatic journey through S44. 13 of our 16 games were decided by 8 points or less, including 3 overtime games. The season started on a low note, as we lost our first 3 games by a combined 12 points. But we rebounded with 3- and 2-point victories, which inspired me to create a media series tracking close games for all teams across the entire season. Later on, we won 7 of our last 9 games, many in similarly dramatic fashion, to qualify for the playoffs. Two of our games were even decided by defensive safeties! Upsetting the Cape Town Crash and barely surviving against Colorado in the final weeks were definitely highlights of my first ISFL season. Unfortunately it ended in a loss to the Baltimore Hawks, which would have to be considered another low point. But it was a wild ride while it lasted.
My expectation are high for next season, both for the team and for myself. I hope that the team can become more consistent: we have a habit of either building up huge leads and then taking our foot off the gas, or falling behind early and then rushing to catch up before running out of time. I know "sim's gonna sim" but hopefully we can work on that next year. My player had an okay season statistically - it can be hard to tell with safeties - but I'm hopeful that with another offseason of training and year of earning he will be even better in S45. I don't know if another playoff trip is in the works, as the NSFC is a real logjam at the moment with a lot of pretty good teams behind Cape Town and Baltimore. But we beat both last year, so I believe we can do it again and get back to the postseason.
28. (2.5 TPE)
I like the XFL's alternative kickoffs, where most players line up 5 yards away from each other. Kickoffs have become afterthoughts at the highest level of football, and it would be nice to see them matter again. Also, it's great for player safety. I would replace onside kicks with a 4th and 15 play from the "kicking teams" 25-yard line. I would also make all penalties that result in loss of down (offense) or automatic first down (defense) reviewable, to prevent judgement calls from affecting the game, and defensive penalties on onside kicks would result in a re-try, not a conversion. On field goals, I would add 1 point for each upright or crossbar the ball hits, provided it goes in. So a kick that ricochets off the upright and in would be worth 4 points, a double-doink would be 5, etc. Finally, I would remove the illegal man downfield rule as long as linemen don't make contact more than 5 yards from the line of scrimmage; let the big men run free!
32. (2.5 TPE)
Jamie Orion is a man of few words, but in keeping with his celestial name I could see him having a podcast called "Seeing Stars" in which he invites his fellow players on to talk about all things astronomical. They would be invited to share their favorite constellations and he would tell them everything he knows about the history of the constellation, its mythology, and the first people to "discover" it. Of course there would be some dipping into astrological signs as well, and he would invite his listeners to guess whether or not the guest matched the profile of that sign. Talking about space is also a great segue into other Big Questions people have, such as: are we alone in the universe? What is the meaning of life? What do you most want to be remembered for? The podcast would close with the guest offering their best conjecture on one of these big questions, and how they are working to achieve their goals in the world.