1. The Season 48 Ultimus and Ultimini have officially come to an end. Congratulations to the the Portland Pythons and New Orleans Second Line for each winning their respective championships. How did each of the finalists in either the Ultimus or Ultimini arrive at the playoffs? Were there any teams that surprised or disappointed during the playoffs? Did the outcome of either championship game surprise you at all?
Congratulations to both the Portland Pythons and New Orleans Second Line for winning their respective trophies. It is sad to have to write one of these when the great Arizona Outlaws are not winning, but it is what I must do. As said in each previous off season task that I have done, I congratulate the Portland Pythons on their great success, but as I have more knowledge on the International Simulation Football League, I will thus concentrate on how the New Orleans Second Line ended up winning the Ultimus.
After coming off their first Ultimus win in a long time (and it was a long time coming) the New Orleans Second Line looked to build on it and see what they could do as defending champions. Pre-season was a lot of fun for them as they dismantled their opponents and went 4-0, with the only close call coming in the last game when they beat the Osaka Kaiju 34-30. After that they looked to the start of the season with one of their tougher games against an old rival in the Arizona Outlaws and having to go Arizona to start the season is never easy, although the Outlaws usually do come out of the gates pretty slow at times. Heading into the fourth quarter it was not looking good, with the Second Line trailing 31-20 and the Outlaws hitting a field goal with just 2 minutes gone in the fourth quarter. Then Octavio Speedings decided to show off some magic by making two touchdown drives in the final 10 minutes to bring it to 34-34 with under 2 minutes to go. After trading punts, Arizona got the ball with 37 seconds to go. After to big pass plays, rookie Wynn Jenkins hits a 63 yard field goal to seal the win and leave a bitter taste of defeat in the Second Line locker room.
After that defeat, the Second Line decided that they would not let it linger too long and welcomed home the San Jose Sabercats, another tough rival in the American Simulation Football Conference. This ended on a happier note with a 27-25 win. There was a small blip with a loss to the Sarasota Sailfish in Sarasota, but after that the Second Line decided to reel off 4 straight victories to put them at 5-2 after seven games. For the rest of the season they would only fall twice more, with Osaka Kaiju surprising them in a 35-31 defeat at home in week 8, while the San Jose Sabercats would enact some revenge on their home turf in a nailbiting 27-21 win over the Second Line. Finishing off the regular season, the New Orleans Second Line would secure the top spot in the American Simulation Football Conference with a closely fought 27-22 win over the Baltimore Hawks in the final week, to propel them to a 12-4 record, just one game in front of the San Jose Sabercats.
They had earned their bye and could rest up while they saw the Arizona Outlaws and the San Jose Sabercats battle it out for honors who would play them. With a 28-24 win, the Outlaws booked a meeting with the Second Line in the Conference Championship game. In the end that was a one sided contest, with the Second Line running away in a 36-17 rout of the Outlaws and looking ahead to their second Ultimus trip in as many season. This would be a rematch of the last week of the season, with opponents coming from Baltimore. With under 5 minutes left in the third quarter, it was not looking good, as the Second Line were starting down a 20-10 looming defeat, but that is where they picked themselves up. Will Nuck rushed in for a touchdown to cut the lead to 3. Then Jack Sloth hit a 41 yard field goal with 9:51 to go in the game to tie it up. After an interception by McDummy, the Second Line took advantage of it by scoring on their next drive and ate up nearly 5 minutes of the clock. After that the Hawks could not muster any points and after McDummy was sacked with 26 seconds left, the Second Line could celebrate their back to back titles!
Congratulations to both the Portland Pythons and New Orleans Second Line for winning their respective trophies. It is sad to have to write one of these when the great Arizona Outlaws are not winning, but it is what I must do. As said in each previous off season task that I have done, I congratulate the Portland Pythons on their great success, but as I have more knowledge on the International Simulation Football League, I will thus concentrate on how the New Orleans Second Line ended up winning the Ultimus.
After coming off their first Ultimus win in a long time (and it was a long time coming) the New Orleans Second Line looked to build on it and see what they could do as defending champions. Pre-season was a lot of fun for them as they dismantled their opponents and went 4-0, with the only close call coming in the last game when they beat the Osaka Kaiju 34-30. After that they looked to the start of the season with one of their tougher games against an old rival in the Arizona Outlaws and having to go Arizona to start the season is never easy, although the Outlaws usually do come out of the gates pretty slow at times. Heading into the fourth quarter it was not looking good, with the Second Line trailing 31-20 and the Outlaws hitting a field goal with just 2 minutes gone in the fourth quarter. Then Octavio Speedings decided to show off some magic by making two touchdown drives in the final 10 minutes to bring it to 34-34 with under 2 minutes to go. After trading punts, Arizona got the ball with 37 seconds to go. After to big pass plays, rookie Wynn Jenkins hits a 63 yard field goal to seal the win and leave a bitter taste of defeat in the Second Line locker room.
After that defeat, the Second Line decided that they would not let it linger too long and welcomed home the San Jose Sabercats, another tough rival in the American Simulation Football Conference. This ended on a happier note with a 27-25 win. There was a small blip with a loss to the Sarasota Sailfish in Sarasota, but after that the Second Line decided to reel off 4 straight victories to put them at 5-2 after seven games. For the rest of the season they would only fall twice more, with Osaka Kaiju surprising them in a 35-31 defeat at home in week 8, while the San Jose Sabercats would enact some revenge on their home turf in a nailbiting 27-21 win over the Second Line. Finishing off the regular season, the New Orleans Second Line would secure the top spot in the American Simulation Football Conference with a closely fought 27-22 win over the Baltimore Hawks in the final week, to propel them to a 12-4 record, just one game in front of the San Jose Sabercats.
They had earned their bye and could rest up while they saw the Arizona Outlaws and the San Jose Sabercats battle it out for honors who would play them. With a 28-24 win, the Outlaws booked a meeting with the Second Line in the Conference Championship game. In the end that was a one sided contest, with the Second Line running away in a 36-17 rout of the Outlaws and looking ahead to their second Ultimus trip in as many season. This would be a rematch of the last week of the season, with opponents coming from Baltimore. With under 5 minutes left in the third quarter, it was not looking good, as the Second Line were starting down a 20-10 looming defeat, but that is where they picked themselves up. Will Nuck rushed in for a touchdown to cut the lead to 3. Then Jack Sloth hit a 41 yard field goal with 9:51 to go in the game to tie it up. After an interception by McDummy, the Second Line took advantage of it by scoring on their next drive and ate up nearly 5 minutes of the clock. After that the Hawks could not muster any points and after McDummy was sacked with 26 seconds left, the Second Line could celebrate their back to back titles!