Robbed:
The Saber Cats were by far the most robbed team in the NSFL for season four. By stroke of luck, three different teams in the ASFC ended up with the best records in the league, yet per league rules only two teams from each division ascend into the playoffs. This means by record, and record is the best method we have for divining which teams are the most talented, the first, second, fourth, and fifth best teams went into the playoffs. Who was left out? The Saber Cats of San Jose. The Saber Cats also had the distinction of achieving a record which tied with the eventual winner, the Otters of the Orange County, California.
While simulations constantly showed the Orange County Otters as the higher percentage winner, the teams split the series, each one winning one game apiece. One interesting fact is the Saber Cats and the Otters actually played in the last week of the regular season, week fourteen. The Saber Cats won the game, twenty six to seventeen. The Saber Cats were of course at home, and during these teams week nine tilt the Otters thoroughly dominated the game, winning thirty nine to seven. A even head office would hope the league gains more parity for the future.
words:211
Playoff Review: The Glacies Trophy
The Glacies trophy game started off slowly, with each team taking long drives which resulted in punts or turnovers up and down the field before the liberty broke the game open with a twenty four yard touchdown reception by Paul DiMirio. The Wraiths responded with a long drive ending with a field goal, before the Liberty walked down the field in two plays for another touchdown, making the result somewhat surprising at fourteen to three Liberty. Each team traded punts before the Liberty scored a field goal to make it seventeen to three on a twelve play drive, where they recovered from a first and twenty five start and scored three different first downs. Seven punts bounced field position in the third quarter, a sack feast occurred.
In the fourth quarter, the true miracle happened in the fourth quarter for the Wraiths. Down by fourteen, they finished off their thirteen play drive for a touchdown, notably without any penalties, turnovers (obviously) or in completions. Two plays later Dermot gave them an interception, which the Wraiths turned into an easy field goal. The Liberty drive stalled out after a sack and penalty, resulting in a Liberty field goal. Akselsen and Carl Rove were each sacked to kill their own drive, and the game went into overtime. A long Wraiths drive finished off the Wraiths game for a trip to the Ultimus.
words:230
Championship game recap:
The Ultimus game for the fourth season of the league started fairly slowly, but with two different big plays which netted the wraiths an average of thirty four yards, and formed the first drive of the game and jumped the wraiths up to a seven to zero lead over the Otters of Orange County. Each team traded punts, before the Otters recovered from a first play sack to march down the field eighty four yards for a touchdown to tie the game. J D Boom for the Otters scored a sack, fumble, and recovery to give the otters an easy field goal, before the Otters finally secured their second touchdown off an easy drive of fifty yards. Seventeen to seven, Otters. The Wraiths kept their second quarter drive alive for a field goal. Each team traded punts for field position to finish off the half.
In the second half, Boss threw an interception, allowing the wraiths to net another field goal, before driving down the field in four plays with no incompletion for an otters touchdown. Following a Wraiths punt, the Otters put up a twelve play field goal drive which chewed up four minutes of the clock, followed by a quick Wraiths touchdown from Bubba Nuck was all the excitement this game could hold. The only scoring of the fourth quarter was a wraiths field goal, but they still came up short by a touchdown.
words:236
Unsung Hero
The Unsung Hero for this year's Ultimus game is fairly difficult to see on the stats sheet, but was a huge momentum turn for the eventual Ultimus Trophy Champions, JD Boom. Boom is a defensive end for the Otters, and while he only logged four total tackles in the game, he was fifth highest on the entire otters team. After the Otters tied the game up at seven following a first drive Wraiths touchdown, the Wraiths were driving the ball before Boom decided to make himself known on the field. While the sack would have been damaging for the Wraiths, pushing them back to a third and eighteen on their own eleven yard line, the fumble by Akselsen really sealed the game for the Otters. Thankfully for the Wraiths, their own defense rose to the challenge, deflecting two of Boss's throws to defend the touchdown, while the Otters had to settle for a short twenty eight yard field goal. This turnover was the only one for the Otters defense all season, and directly resulted in the Otters getting points on the scoreboard. While Angus Winchester looks much more of a star in the statistics guidebook, without JD Booms crucial sack fumble recovery, the Otters wouldn't have won this game. This was all the more memorable because of Boom's impending retirement, directly after the game.
words:224
The Saber Cats were by far the most robbed team in the NSFL for season four. By stroke of luck, three different teams in the ASFC ended up with the best records in the league, yet per league rules only two teams from each division ascend into the playoffs. This means by record, and record is the best method we have for divining which teams are the most talented, the first, second, fourth, and fifth best teams went into the playoffs. Who was left out? The Saber Cats of San Jose. The Saber Cats also had the distinction of achieving a record which tied with the eventual winner, the Otters of the Orange County, California.
While simulations constantly showed the Orange County Otters as the higher percentage winner, the teams split the series, each one winning one game apiece. One interesting fact is the Saber Cats and the Otters actually played in the last week of the regular season, week fourteen. The Saber Cats won the game, twenty six to seventeen. The Saber Cats were of course at home, and during these teams week nine tilt the Otters thoroughly dominated the game, winning thirty nine to seven. A even head office would hope the league gains more parity for the future.
words:211
Playoff Review: The Glacies Trophy
The Glacies trophy game started off slowly, with each team taking long drives which resulted in punts or turnovers up and down the field before the liberty broke the game open with a twenty four yard touchdown reception by Paul DiMirio. The Wraiths responded with a long drive ending with a field goal, before the Liberty walked down the field in two plays for another touchdown, making the result somewhat surprising at fourteen to three Liberty. Each team traded punts before the Liberty scored a field goal to make it seventeen to three on a twelve play drive, where they recovered from a first and twenty five start and scored three different first downs. Seven punts bounced field position in the third quarter, a sack feast occurred.
In the fourth quarter, the true miracle happened in the fourth quarter for the Wraiths. Down by fourteen, they finished off their thirteen play drive for a touchdown, notably without any penalties, turnovers (obviously) or in completions. Two plays later Dermot gave them an interception, which the Wraiths turned into an easy field goal. The Liberty drive stalled out after a sack and penalty, resulting in a Liberty field goal. Akselsen and Carl Rove were each sacked to kill their own drive, and the game went into overtime. A long Wraiths drive finished off the Wraiths game for a trip to the Ultimus.
words:230
Championship game recap:
The Ultimus game for the fourth season of the league started fairly slowly, but with two different big plays which netted the wraiths an average of thirty four yards, and formed the first drive of the game and jumped the wraiths up to a seven to zero lead over the Otters of Orange County. Each team traded punts, before the Otters recovered from a first play sack to march down the field eighty four yards for a touchdown to tie the game. J D Boom for the Otters scored a sack, fumble, and recovery to give the otters an easy field goal, before the Otters finally secured their second touchdown off an easy drive of fifty yards. Seventeen to seven, Otters. The Wraiths kept their second quarter drive alive for a field goal. Each team traded punts for field position to finish off the half.
In the second half, Boss threw an interception, allowing the wraiths to net another field goal, before driving down the field in four plays with no incompletion for an otters touchdown. Following a Wraiths punt, the Otters put up a twelve play field goal drive which chewed up four minutes of the clock, followed by a quick Wraiths touchdown from Bubba Nuck was all the excitement this game could hold. The only scoring of the fourth quarter was a wraiths field goal, but they still came up short by a touchdown.
words:236
Unsung Hero
The Unsung Hero for this year's Ultimus game is fairly difficult to see on the stats sheet, but was a huge momentum turn for the eventual Ultimus Trophy Champions, JD Boom. Boom is a defensive end for the Otters, and while he only logged four total tackles in the game, he was fifth highest on the entire otters team. After the Otters tied the game up at seven following a first drive Wraiths touchdown, the Wraiths were driving the ball before Boom decided to make himself known on the field. While the sack would have been damaging for the Wraiths, pushing them back to a third and eighteen on their own eleven yard line, the fumble by Akselsen really sealed the game for the Otters. Thankfully for the Wraiths, their own defense rose to the challenge, deflecting two of Boss's throws to defend the touchdown, while the Otters had to settle for a short twenty eight yard field goal. This turnover was the only one for the Otters defense all season, and directly resulted in the Otters getting points on the scoreboard. While Angus Winchester looks much more of a star in the statistics guidebook, without JD Booms crucial sack fumble recovery, the Otters wouldn't have won this game. This was all the more memorable because of Boom's impending retirement, directly after the game.
words:224
[img src=\"http://i.imgur.com/lVbzvTH.png\" height=\"200px\" width=\"400px\" /]