Task 5
You want to talk about "sim gonna sim", also known as bad luck? Well, let me talk you about the greatest team to basically win almost nothing in the league's history. I am talking about none other than the Buffalo Bills of the ISFL, the S18-S23 Yellowknife Wraiths. Before the Yellowknife team that would steamroll the league in the late 20s and early 30s, there was that perennial bridesmaid. Arguably the best five season run of any team in the league to not win anything, despite only losing a handful of regular season games TOTAL. But let's take it from the beginning, and season 18. 11-2 in the regular season, easy dismantling of the Hawks in the Championship Game, averaging 30 points of offence per game, only to lose to the Otters in the Ultimus, despite being a 70% favorite, with all the unlucky plays against the Wraiths. A fumble at the 12 yard line that was recovered by the defence, to name one unlucky play. Season 19 and the Wraiths end the regular season at 9-4, enough for first. Blowout of the Hawks in the Championship game, and the rematch with the Otters was set. Again, 70% in favor of Yellowknife. The score is 13-10, late in the third, Wraiths ball near their endzone, fumble recovered by the defence, followed by a quick TD as the clock struck triple zeroes in the quarter, and it's 20-10 Otters out of nowhere. Same game, late in the fourth, the score is 27-23 Wraiths. Otters have the ball at the halfline. Then Armstrong gets two 25 yard completions in three attempts, resulting in the game winning touchdown. These two were Armstrong's two longest completions of the game. Season 20, Wraiths win the division with 9-4 and easily beat the Yeti in the Championship game. Their opponent in the Ultimus is the Copperheads this time. Testing was in the high 60s for the Wraiths, yet the sim decided it should put out a blowout in favor of the Copperheads. Season 21 was basically the flipside for the Wraiths, making a miraculous run to the Ultimus, having everyone thinking that this is the season that the sim pays it all back. Alas! As easily as hope was given to the Wraiths, it was snatched back with the same pain and suffering. Two road wins in the playoffs against the Yeti and the Hawks, but the Second Line were a tough nut to crack. The Wraiths were the underdogs in all three games, and it would feel like it was the underdog's turn again. Then the sim happened. It decided that the favorites should win this time around. It felt like DDSPF was having it out for the Wraiths, as shown in Season 22. The Wraiths again terrorized the league, finishing with an 11-2 record and droping 30-pieces on everyone. They were the favorites, right? Yes, but no... The Yeti beat them by one point in the Championship Game, and to rub salt to the wound, Colorado beat Yellowknife's boogeyman, Orange County by one in the Ultimus. Season 23 was the season Yellowknife finally won the Ultimus, but looking back, the sim was still indebted to the Wraiths.
There is one more string of bad luck against a single team I would like to add to this. Let's talk about the Berlin Fire Salamanders in Season 26. They finished the season 7-9, but they were closer to the playoffs than their record tells us. They started the season with five straight losses. You would think they are a bad team. But you would be wrong. Based on the testing, the odds of the Sallies starting 0-5 were less than 1%. Talk about bad luck!
You want to talk about "sim gonna sim", also known as bad luck? Well, let me talk you about the greatest team to basically win almost nothing in the league's history. I am talking about none other than the Buffalo Bills of the ISFL, the S18-S23 Yellowknife Wraiths. Before the Yellowknife team that would steamroll the league in the late 20s and early 30s, there was that perennial bridesmaid. Arguably the best five season run of any team in the league to not win anything, despite only losing a handful of regular season games TOTAL. But let's take it from the beginning, and season 18. 11-2 in the regular season, easy dismantling of the Hawks in the Championship Game, averaging 30 points of offence per game, only to lose to the Otters in the Ultimus, despite being a 70% favorite, with all the unlucky plays against the Wraiths. A fumble at the 12 yard line that was recovered by the defence, to name one unlucky play. Season 19 and the Wraiths end the regular season at 9-4, enough for first. Blowout of the Hawks in the Championship game, and the rematch with the Otters was set. Again, 70% in favor of Yellowknife. The score is 13-10, late in the third, Wraiths ball near their endzone, fumble recovered by the defence, followed by a quick TD as the clock struck triple zeroes in the quarter, and it's 20-10 Otters out of nowhere. Same game, late in the fourth, the score is 27-23 Wraiths. Otters have the ball at the halfline. Then Armstrong gets two 25 yard completions in three attempts, resulting in the game winning touchdown. These two were Armstrong's two longest completions of the game. Season 20, Wraiths win the division with 9-4 and easily beat the Yeti in the Championship game. Their opponent in the Ultimus is the Copperheads this time. Testing was in the high 60s for the Wraiths, yet the sim decided it should put out a blowout in favor of the Copperheads. Season 21 was basically the flipside for the Wraiths, making a miraculous run to the Ultimus, having everyone thinking that this is the season that the sim pays it all back. Alas! As easily as hope was given to the Wraiths, it was snatched back with the same pain and suffering. Two road wins in the playoffs against the Yeti and the Hawks, but the Second Line were a tough nut to crack. The Wraiths were the underdogs in all three games, and it would feel like it was the underdog's turn again. Then the sim happened. It decided that the favorites should win this time around. It felt like DDSPF was having it out for the Wraiths, as shown in Season 22. The Wraiths again terrorized the league, finishing with an 11-2 record and droping 30-pieces on everyone. They were the favorites, right? Yes, but no... The Yeti beat them by one point in the Championship Game, and to rub salt to the wound, Colorado beat Yellowknife's boogeyman, Orange County by one in the Ultimus. Season 23 was the season Yellowknife finally won the Ultimus, but looking back, the sim was still indebted to the Wraiths.
There is one more string of bad luck against a single team I would like to add to this. Let's talk about the Berlin Fire Salamanders in Season 26. They finished the season 7-9, but they were closer to the playoffs than their record tells us. They started the season with five straight losses. You would think they are a bad team. But you would be wrong. Based on the testing, the odds of the Sallies starting 0-5 were less than 1%. Talk about bad luck!