(S6) - Ultimus Week

[MVick]

Playoff Series MVP: Choose an MVP for one of the playoff series and write about why you chose them. Must be completed after the playoff series you write about

For the SFC conference final that saw the Tijuana Luchadores visit the San Antonio Marshals, Mike Vick of San Antonio gets my vote. Getting most of the snaps for the Marshals, Vick went 16-for-24 while throwing for 152 yards and two touchdowns. His two touchdown passes to Football Catcherman and Jake Gore helped the Marshals to race out to a 14-0 lead, and he was also directly involved on the next scoring plays, as he got sacked for a safety and threw a pick-six less than four minutes later. While he may not have been as efficient as Ryan Applehort, who went 9-for-11 while throwing for 77 yards and two touchdowns, Vick was a threat outside the pocket as he rushed for a game-high 8.7 yards per carry (52 yards on six carries) and had the longest run of the game with a 14-yard rush late in the third quarter to pick up a first down. While Applehort also added two touchdowns in the second half, the fact that Tijuana only scored 11 points on the day meant that Vick's second touchdown was the game-winning score. For that, Mike Vick gets my vote for the MVP in the SFC conference final.



Playoff Series MVP: Choose an MVP for one of the playoff series and write about why you chose them. Must be completed after the playoff series you write about

For the Ultimini, which saw the San Antonio Marshals come back from a 10-point deficit to defeat the Kansas City Coyotes 23-13, Mike Vick also gets my vote as the most valuable player in this "series". Relied upon by San Antonio even more in this game than in the conference finals, the second-year quarterback stepped up in the clutch and did enough to lead his team to victory. After Jimmy Darkapple's third field goal of the day narrowed the deficit to four points, the Marshals' defense got the ball back three minutes later as they stopped the Coyotes from putting any more points on the board. After Nyquist and Bush combined for 12 yards, Vick had a massive 35-yard rush on the last play of the third quarter that absolutely shifted all the momentum in this game. His mobility and agility paid off in a big way as the Marshals would get into the red zone on the second play of the fourth quarter after Vick found Gore for a 13-yard gain. The drive would then be finished by Mike Vick himself, as he leaped over the offensive and defensive lines Ndamukong Suh-style from the 1-yard line to put his team up 16-13, a lead they would never relinquish.



Championship Game Recap: Do a recap of the best play from the championship game. Must be completed after the Championship Game

The play of the Ultimini was when Willy Nyquist broke away for a 80-yard touchdown run. After Vick's aforementioned rushing touchdown to put the Marshals up by three, the San Antonio defense forced a three-and-out from Kansas City to get the ball back with just over ten minutes left in regulation. They spent the next three-and-a-half minutes marching the ball down the field, and after a third-down drop at the Coyotes' 28-yard line, Darkapple came out onto the field to make it a six-point game. However, the field goal was no good and they turned the ball over to Kansas City with just over seven minutes left in the quarter. After Strike found Hans for a 11-yard gain and first down, the Marshals' defense stepped up to shut down the Coyotes and force a punt with six minutes left in the game; Kansas City's Mueller punted it into the endzone for a touchback. With 5:58 left in the quarter, San Antonio came out in a shotgun formation, three wide, and Nyquist in the backfield. Vick motioned Gore across the formation and took the snap, handing it off to Nyquist. He took a step right, but then used misdirection to go back to the far left, where he then juked past the cornerback before running 80 yards with not a defender in sight to give San Antonio a 10-point lead.



Going to Disneyland!: Who was the Ultimus MVP? Give us a rundown of their celebratory trip to Disneyland. (Can be completed after the Ultimus game)

Mike Vick was the Ultimini MVP and he celebrated his day with the cup by going to Disneyland. Growing up in California, he went to Disneyland every summer as a kid. He also had many memorable moments there in high school and university as it was a popular choice of his to take girls out on a date. After the San Antonio Marshals won the cup, and it was decided May 24th would be Vick's day with the cup, he made plans to hold a private party at Disneyland. As it was a Thursday during the off-peak season, this was made possible thanks to the generosity of Disneyland and California Adventures. Vick invited his friends, relatives, and families, and even some of this teammates, coaching staff, and training staff headed out West for the private party. It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience for both Vick and all the people that was a part of this special atmosphere in this special venue. As the fireworks blew up over the Anaheim skies at eleven o'clock, alcohol was flowing freely and Armin van Buuren and Martin Garrix were playing music for the crowd next to one of the pools in the California Adventures theme park.



*Note: I do not mean any disrespect to my teammates, it is just that is much easier to write about myself lol*

[dropbear]

Robbed: Write about why a team that failed to make the playoffs should have over somebody else. Can be completed at any point

The Tijuana Luchadores and the Palm Beach Solar Bears. Two teams from the DSFL's SFC South division who finished the season with equal records at 5 wins and 9 losses. One team made the playoffs while the other missed out. One team conceded more points than any other in the competition, while the other conceded the second-least. One team suffered the biggest losing margin of the season, while the other was the reigning Ultimini Champion.

That's right, the Tijuana Luchadores, the team that made the DSFL playoffs over the Palm Beach Solar Bears, did so despite having a swiss cheese defence that conceded more points than any other team in the competition. The fact that they were able to claw their way into a playoff spot is a testament to their hit-and-miss offence, led by the controversial quarterback Sam Penner, being able to hit at the just the right time and just often enough to turn an abysmal record into a playoff berth. Penner, who was penalised by the Head Office shortly into the season, appeared to be spurred on by his alleged indiscretions and had one of the better touchdowns to intercept ratios in the competition. His performance was just barely enough to drag the corpse of the Luchadores into the playoffs, where they were promptly eliminated. Despite finishing the season with an equal record, the fact that the Solar Bears were reigning champs was reason enough for them to be more deserving of the playoff spot.

Championship Game Recap: Do a recap of the best play from the championship game. Must be completed after the Championship Game

The season six Ultimini championship game was contested by the San Antonio Marshals and the Kansas City Coyotes. The Marshals made it through the qualifying round relatively unscathed, winning at home against the Luchadores the week prior by a comfortable margin of 20. The Coyotes, on the other hand, had travelled to Portland to face the reigning runner-ups in the Portland Pythons, consistently one of the DSFL's strongest teams. Though they of course won, a late fight back from the Pythons almost saw the Coyotes miss their chance at an Ultimini berth, and may even be what cost them the championship a week later.

The Coyotes held a 17 - 3 lead at the half, before being outscored 14 - 7 in the second half. This inability to maintain or build upon a lead carried over into the championship game, where Kansas City went into the half up 13 - 6 before being outscored 17 - 0 in the second half. Their consistent ability to get out to an early lead is apparently only matched by their consistent inability to score points in the second half. If the Coyotes were able to keep their foot on the pedal in the Ultimini and keep feeding key playmakers the ball, perhaps they would have completed their fairy story turnaround of worst record in the league to Ultimini in one seaon. Alas, it wasn't to be.


That Magic Moment: Pick one moment from a playoff game and describe what made it so amazing to watch.

Kansas City, a team that only a season prior had finished with the worst record in the league, were fighting for their chance at a spot in the championship game. They had been the most dominant team in the DSFL midway through the season, but dropped off toward the tail end, meaning that they would have to travel to Portland to face the dominant Pythons if they were to make it the biggest stage.

The team's offense was spearheaded by star quarterback Mark Strike and star receiver Howard Miller. Strike was a threat in the air and on the ground, and consistently accounted for a large portion of the team's yards and points. Howard, on the other hand, while almost setting reception and yards records for the season, had a startling inability to find his way into the endzone.

Snap to the third quarter of the conference championship. After going into the half up 17 - 3, the Coyotes have conceded a touchdown, cutting their lead to 7, and the Pythons seem to have all the momentum. Known for late comebacks, the Pythons look as though they are going to snatch victory from the claws of defeat and get a chance at redeeming themselves in the championship after coming up short the season prior.

But then, Strike completes a pass to Miller, and the receiver who could barely find the end zone in the regular season runs for 40 yards to score a touchdown and help send the Coyotes to their first Ultimini.

Unsung Hero: Who was the unsung hero of the playoffs, convince us.

How would you feel about a defensive player who, through two playoff games, only recorded 2 tackles? Well, San Antonio Marshals cornerback Rafael Reyes did exactly that, and he may have been the most clutch player on the championship-winning team's defense.

During the Marshals' Ultimini run, their defense as a whole gave up only one passing touchdown: the 40-yard reception for star receiver Howard Miller. Outside of that single play, their pass defense was clutch. Perhaps none more so than Rafael Reyes. Despite only recording two tackles during the entire playoffs, Reyes managed to break up three passes and get an interception. He literally swatted down more balls than the number of passing touchdowns his whole team's defense conceded - and intercepted as many balls!

What makes Reyes play so important, though, is that in the championship game it was a momentum changer. After a blocked punt, the Coyotes got the ball back deep in Marshals' territory and quickly converted, getting the game's first touchdown. The Coyotes showed throughout the playoffs that they tended to get out to big early leads. That made their next possession crucial for both sides. It started well for Kansas City with a short run followed up by a 10-yard pass to Miller for a first down, then another 4 yards to wide receiver W. Stephen. They looked to be rolling, but as Strike tried to fire a pass to tight end Stone Hans, Reyes jumped in front for the pick.

Though the Marshals didn't score off that change in possession, it did rattle Strike somewhat. His touchdown pass to Miller was the result of the receiver's catch-and-run, not his own deep pass. And this was proven when Strike tried to make a play late in the game, but was intercepted again.

You might not have heard his name outside of a few big plays, but the Marshals wouldn't have won the Ultimini if not for Reyes.

[Saliva^]

Robbed:

Although me being a Wraith player, it's hard to not talking about the Baltimore Hawks team. Last time, I metioned about their psychological problems when they failed to make the playoffs despite of having a good record throughout the season. The history repeated itself in this season: Yellowknife hadn't a spectacular season and Baltimore had a good 7-5 record. One more win, and they're in. But once again they couldn't get it done. They had a couple of close losses which hurt their chances: 21-24 vs Zona (despite having 21-14 lead in last quarter), 26-28 against SJ and the most hurtfull loss which came in the 13th week came against the Liberty, 28-29. They had a 28-23 lead, but the defence couldn't hold Kroetch and DiMirio. And once again, their morale was too weak and they lost in more devastating fashion to the Wraiths team, 28-41.

This team can fight for the championship, but without a strong morale they will continue to blow chance after chance by having a good offense, but consistently losing close games which will hurt their chances once again. The psycho problem is what Baltimore needs to fix in order to compete for the championship. It won't be easy in a three-way fight in the north conference, but they already proved they have a good team.


Playoff Review:

First of all, we had a NSFC finals between Philadelphia Liberty and Yellowknife Wraiths teams. Liberty has never played in finals while the Wraiths were playing in two last finals. Some people though Yellowknife would make a surprise after they could throw Baltimore out of contention, but it all was over when Philly had a 24-0 lead during the third quarter. Unfortunately for the Wraiths, they never had a good enough offense to fight properly in this match and at the end, the Liberty could save this lead and advance into the finals. 31-21 Liberty.
Meanwhile in the ASFC finals we had a two-time champs Otters playing against the Sabercats team. SJ made it into the post-season for the first time in their history. Both teams had a 11-3 record so people were waiting for the fight. And they got it. San Jose was trailing all the time, but didn't give up. OCO had a 10-0 and 20-9 leads, but San Jose managed to cut them. At the end, they had a 29-29 tie game, but in last minutes of this match SJ defence couldn't hold Yates and Madlad scored the game winning field goal. 32-29 Otters.
I have 200 words already, but I'll mention that Otters could make a three-peat by beating Philly 23-17.


Championship Game Recap:

So we had a Orange County Otters against Philadelphia Liberty finals. Philly made it into the finals for the first time, OCO was gunning for the back-to-back-to-back. I'm sure fans weren't disappointed by this matchup because this was all but a blowout. Philly started this game with the right foot by scoring a FG, but then Westfield catches a 49 yard pass and makes it 7-3. In the second Q, DiMirio put his team back to lead, but then our fav MVP came into the play. Madlad could score two FG's and OCO finished the first half with a 13-10 lead. Third quarter was very quiet (no points), but fans saw a drama in the fourth quarter. First of all, Phelps could make it 20-10 and may thought the Otters are winning it again, but right after that Harris with a ridiculous 102 yard return would put his team back within 3 points. In the next run, Madlad makes it a 6 point game, but after couple of three and outs Philly had the last offense. After a 31 yard pass from Oles many of them thought that the Liberty will make an upset. They only had 1 yard before the fourth down, but somehow Oles couldn't find Garden and OCO could take a fluke win. 23-17.


Playoff Series MVP:

You can say what you want, but I won't change my opinion from last season. The Otters may taken a fluke win, but even that wouldn't even happened without the one and only kicker MVP named Bradley T. Madlad. Let's look at the ASFC finals. 29-29 game against the Sabercats team. His team has the last offense, but they couldn't finish properly and Bradley has to make a FG kick which could determine his team's future. 34 yards isn't not that far, but his miss sends this game in OT and perhaps the Otters would've lose this matchup. But Madlad didn't miss and Orange County's dream about three-pear still lives.
Let's take a look about finals now. Ok, the Otters were very lucky, but would we had these talks if not an excpetional play by the future kicker HoF? Absolutely not. Madlad once again went 100% in field goals. His precise play gave his team 9 points. Take this away? 17-14 and Philly wins this match. I think there are not much comments left.
So yes, 6/6 FG's combined in two games would hand Orange County another cup. This team was lucky to win this match, but they're even more lucky to have this kicker like Bradley T. Madlad. MVP for sure.

[ADwyer87]

Sit-down with a star:Interview a player from a team that is not your own that is in the playoffs. You must ask them four questions and at least three must relate to the league in some way. YOU MUST POST THE QUESTIONS AND THEIR ANSWERS FOR CREDIT. (Can be completed at any point)

with Darren Smallwood @tlk742

1. How did it feel to make the playoffs for the first time?
I mean, weirdly bittersweet. On one hand when we first did at the victory against the Outlaws, it was crazy and the locker room was easily overjoyed. The problem was we blew an overtime lead and redzone interception that would have likely also secured home team advantage in the last game of the regular season, so it was very much disheartening too.
2. Did your team do anything special to prepare for the ASFC championship?
No, in fact I am 95% sure I forgot to update that week too. Really quality stuff from me, I’m kind of very much coasting as my life is getting in the way of my sim life. You know, wedding and whatnot.
3. Do you think you guys can make the Ultimus next year?
Yes. Without a doubt, the team is good, no one is a free agent so we don’t have to risk losing anyone either, so the roster is going to be very similar, we just need a bit more luck a bit more consistent updating and we’re going to be great.
4. Do you vape, bro?
I’m a choir singer, so no, got to keep my voice in check.

Robbed: Write about why a team that failed to make the playoffs should have over somebody else. Can be completed at any point

This is a very easy one to write about this year. Plain and simple, the Arizona Outlaws should have made the playoffs over the Yellowknife Wraiths.

I don't really need stats to make this argument, the proof is just in the record. The Outlaws had a 8-6 record, the Wraiths had a 7-6-1 record. In case you are wondering, this means the Outlaws had a better record and should have made it in. Why didn't they? Because of conferences.

Well, conferences are important, the Wraiths probably just had to play their conference more and it was harder. Well, you'd be wrong on two notes there. First of all, the NSFC, where the Wraiths are, is and always has been the worse conference. Every Ultimus champion has come from the ASFC, and this season the NSFC champion Philadelphia Liberty would not have even had a good enough record to make the playoffs in the ASFC. On top of that, each team plays everyone two times, so conferences doesn't even factor into it. So in short, Outlaws had the 4th best record in the league, Wraiths had the 5th, yet the Wraiths got to go to the playoffs and the Outlaws didnt. Sad times.

Unsung Hero:Who was the unsung hero of the playoffs, convince us. (Can be completed after the Ultimus game)

Erlich Burnsman was the unsung hero of the playoffs or the Otters this playoffs for sure, and here's why. But first, I want to clarify that Burnsman is not the hero of the playoffs, I would say Bradley Madlad is. But Madlad's accomplishments are very well known and very much talked about, which doesn't qualify as unsung.

First, we have to start at game one against the San Jose Sabercats. This game is really what determines his spot as the hero of the playoffs. Mike Boss, who is easily the lifeblood of the Otters offense, was having a bad game. A 40% completion percentage and just one touchdown was his end stat line, not good at all for a QB of his caliber, and he was outclassed by his counterpart. Burnsman had to pick up the slack, so he did just that. In 29 carries he had 99 yards and a touchdown. He also had a 7 yard catch. Thats a heavy workload, and 106 all purpose yards is nothing to scoff at.

Then we go to the Ultimus game. Burnsman had 67 rushing yards on 19 attempts, and added 38 receiving yards on 4 catches. Not a spectacular showing but still a solid one, with 105 all purpose yards. That brings his totals in the playoffs to 211 all purpose yards on 53 touches. Thats just 26 yards below #1 wide receiver Bradley Westfield, yet no one is giving Burnsman the recognition. Spread the word, guys!

That Magic Moment: Pick one moment from a playoff game and describe what made it so amazing to watch. (Must be completed after the game you write about)

Everyone knows that magic moment. The ultimus game winning touchdown. Or, at least, thats what it could have been, if Garden didn't suck.

1:27 left in the fourth quarter, with one yard left to paydirt. The team had just called a timeout, and they went to he huddle where their coach was waiting to give the orders to Oles. Garden took this time to go grab some popcorn with extra butter, his new favorite game time snack. This was only his favorite snack in Philly since it is DiMirio's favorite as well

The coach got everyone together and told them the play: A quick post to the outside. "WHAT???" everyone thought. Hadn't coach watched the Seahawks NFL super bowl gaffe. Why not punch it up the middle with Kroetch? Either way, they had their battle plans, and they would go with them.

Oles hiked the ball, faked the handoff, and rifled a pass to Garden. Garden grabbed it, but the butter on his gloves caused the ball to slip out when he tried to grab it. The ball fell to the ground incomplete and it was a turnover on downs!!!! Philly fans were in shock, and began to burn down their own city, which to be fair they would have done regardless, even if they weren't in the Ultimus. OCO fans all around jumped for joy as the second straight threepeat was all but confirmed! It was a moment of much emotion, both good and bad

[TrueTexican]

Playoff Review: Write a short review of the playoffs and each of the matchups. Must be completed after the Championship Game

Kansas City Coyotes def. Portland Pythons in NFC Playoffs
Well we had some good momentum comin' into this game, but the stars weren't aligned that night in Portland. Boy was I frustrated and after throwin' those 2 interceptions I couldn't bounce back. I went back to my early season self and just couldn't shake it off. We lost to the better team that day and I don't think our defense could have stopped Strike or Miller if we tried.

San Antonio Marshals def. Tijuana Luchadores in SFC Playoffs
I'm glad to see the Marshals make it to the playoffs this season and they had a good showin' against the Luchadores at home. This was an easy win for them and I think Applehort is more NSFL ready than me at this point. Ya'll saw how well he did!

San Antonio Marshals def. Kansas City Coyotes in Ultimini
I gotta admit I was rootin' for the Marshals in this one. Maybe it's my Texan blood or seeing the Marshal mascot ride across the field, but something in me took pride in seeing them on the field even though I wished it was me facin' them for the first time. Marshals showed off some of that grade A all american defense and beat the Coyotes easily at home. Hats off to ya @Roly and @run_CMC


Sit-down with a star:Interview a player from a team that is not your own that is in the playoffs. You must ask them four questions and at least three must relate to the league in some way. YOU MUST POST THE QUESTIONS AND THEIR ANSWERS FOR CREDIT. (Can be completed at any point)

I interviewed Mr. Elvin Enchant

Questions
1) What was it like playing in the NSFL for your rookie year?
2) Did you think you'd win the Ultimus trophy as a rookie?
3) What makes the Otters such a dominant team in the NSFL?
4) What are you lookin' forward to next season?

Answers
1) I love it, it's so much fun. I've missed a little bit due to a tight schedule, but what I've been doing I'm glad I've done it. My teammates, coaches, and everyone is just so nice and it's a great community.
2) Yes and no, I think. For a long time, I was pretty sure I would get picked at #2 by the Yeti, and I was ready to be part of a re-build. I thought it would be a slow burn. But then they drafted someone else, and I fell to the Otters at 8. When that happened, I figured I had a really good chance at first of all, a great rookie season with all the talent surrounding me, but secondly, the trophy. Turned out that both happened.
3) They are a well built, well kept organization. The players are consistently good, high-quality starters, who are well managed. It's really hard to beat us, there's really no secret about it.
4) I've seen what our team is capable of at this point. Three championships in a row. I'm ready to see who our next rival is. Someone who can challenge us. I'm excited to see how the other teams stack up this year in their attempts to take us off the throne.

Unsung Hero:Who was the unsung hero of the playoffs, convince us. (Can be completed after the Ultimus game)
Well I had a chance to watch the Ultimus game the day before the Ultimini was played and I gotta say it was mighty impressive to see that level of competition. It got me all riled up for next season! I think the unsung hero of the playoffs was Clifford Rove of the Philadelphia Liberty. It ain't easy switchin' positions in the league and to go from a starting quarterback to cornerback is big Texas sized change to say the least. I do believe, deep down, Mr. Rove had to swallow a lot of pride to make that switch and let Tyler Oles take over the reins of the team after being 'the man' in Philadelphia since season 3. Rove got himself 4 pass deflections, 1 interception, and a pick six to seal the deal against the Wraiths and 2 pass deflections and another interception against the Otters which isn't an easy thing to do. He played with a lot of heart and I think he's got what it takes to be an elite cornerback next season since he still needs time to settle into his new role on defense. Rove is my pick for unsung hero at the end of this season!

Championship Game Recap: Do a recap of the best play from the championship game. Must be completed after the Championship Game
The best play of the Ultimini championship was seeing one of the fastest men in the DSFL run for 80 yards! The score was 16-13 with San Antonio finally takin' the lead after an early fourth quarter touchdown by Mike Vick. Around the 4 minute mark, there seemed to be somethin' in the air that felt heavy like the fog in the early mornin'. I was watchin' it all from my apartment in Portland and it was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen. After a touchback punt by Kansas City, San Antonio passed the ball off to Willy Nyquist and he ran for 80 yards! 80 gosh darn yards! That man was duckin' and divin' between defenders and after it was all said and done he left them in the dust for a touchdown. Honestly that felt good to see and I was glad the Marshals were able to seal the deal with that run because the Coyotes couldn't do nothin' on offense after that play. It must have rattled them good! Nyquist finished with an offensive player of the game award from what I saw on the screen with 155 yards on 15 carries. Mighty impressive for a Marshal! Proud to say that as a Texan!

[DeathOnReddit]

Robbed: Write about why a team that failed to make the playoffs should have over somebody else. Can be completed at any point

A team that failed to make playoffs that should have made playoffs over somebody else has to be the team I GM, the Arizona Outlaws. We finished the season with a record of 8-6. This means that in the ASFC, the best conference in the NSFL for the 6th straight season, we missed playoffs by placing third. But if we were in the NSFC, we would have been in 2nd and have made playoffs. Now obviously many of you will argue that switching conferences would have changed a lot of things and the butterfly effect could have meant we would have lost more games. But we dont know, maybe we win more games and would have been first in the conference. There's no way to tell what could have happened, so it is much easier to say what did happen. And we did finish with the 4th best record in the entire league, meaning we should have made playoffs. I'm sure next season we will make playoffs, but it does suck missing playoffs for the first time in our entire team history. At the end of the day though, people should look back and say we were robbed of a playoff spot.

Unsung Hero:Who was the unsung hero of the playoffs, convince us. (Can be completed after the Ultimus game)

The unsung hero of the playoff for me was a kicker actually. Madlad of the Orange County Otters was a huge unsung hero. Going 4 of 4 in the entire playoff with Field Goals, as well as kicking the game winning Field Goal in the ASFC Championship game against the San Jose Sabercats means he was super important for the Otters. He was super clutch and you could argue that with any other kicker in the league, even the consensus #1 kicker in Turk Turkleton that they may have not even made it past the Sabercats. And thats not even including how well he played as a punter. He punted 11 times in the ASFC Championship game and 7 times in the ultimus game against the Philadelphia Liberty. Each game he had a 40+ yards avg. Thats incredible, and he was a huge reason why the Otters were able to threepeat and match the amount of ultimus' that the Arizona Outlaws have. As long as the Otters have madlad, there's a really good chance they never have to worry about that position for a while. And thats really a big understatement, because the difference between madlad and a kicker like peg leg could be the difference between threepeat, and choking in the ASFC championship game.

Hate the player or the game: Tell us which team made the playoffs and shouldn't have, or which team didn't and should have? (Can be completed at any point)


The Yellowknife Wraiths should not have made the NSFL playoffs. They were extremely to not have the Arizona Outlaws in their conference, because if the Arizona Outlaws and the Baltimore Hawks were to switch conferences, the Wraiths would not have made the playoffs. While the ASFC championship game would have remained the same, the NSFC Championship game would have had the Arizona Outlaws travel to Philadelphia to take on the Philadelphia Liberty. This is because the Wraiths had a worse record than the Outlaws. If the League used a system similar to the PBE league, but with 4 teams instead of three it would have been the Outlaws in the playoffs for the sixth straight year. The Wraiths should count their lucky stars they do not have to worry about the big three (Sabercats, Outlaws, and Otters) in their conference. Instead all they have to worry about are the Liberty and Hawks. Two teams who have been known to choke in their chase to playoffs. The Wraiths might have even missed playoffs, had the Hawks not choked at the end of the season and lost to the wraiths in a winner goes to playoffs game. Might not be the same story next season however.

Sit-down with a star:Interview a player from a team that is not your own that is in the playoffs. You must ask them four questions and at least three must relate to the league in some way. YOU MUST POST THE QUESTIONS AND THEIR ANSWERS FOR CREDIT. (Can be completed at any point)


@AzhekAhriman

1. What was is it like GMing the Kansas City Coyotes after the weird relocation shit they had going on last season?
2. How did it feel to make playoffs in your first season as GM?
3. Would you have done anything different in the Ultimini game now that you can look back on it?
4. Is cereal a soup? Is a hot dog a sandwich? Explain.

1. GMing KCC was an interesting experience given how last season played out. I actually think that being on that squad and dealing with all of that crazy relocation stuff helped a ton for my first season. When you have been in a state of insanity like that and then only have to take a team from last in the league to the Ultimini it actually seems pretty stable in comparison. I also got to meet a bunch of great people that 1st season that helped a ton in dealing with things that don't really come up untill you are behind the GM's Chair.

2. It was really great. I knew that there was talent on this team and I knew that we had the personnel in the front office to make a run happen. It was such a thrill to see that vision be realized throughout the season. Beating POR on the road to get to the title game was probably the most worry and excitement I've had so far in the NSFL and I'm excited to be back in the title next year.
3. I truly believe we had pretty close to the optimal strategy for that game. The one place that I can see some benefits coming would be running 4-3 on 2nd and long instead of Nickel. We tested very well for that game before and after SA changed strats, so we just had a bad roll that night. Might have been something in the breakfast I guess....

4. Get out of here with this culinary heresy. None of the things you have mentioned count as soups or sandwiches and I'm almost offended by the thought of it.

[caltroit_red_flames]

Playoff Review
Luchadores vs Marshals:
If we're being honest, it seemed like a forgone conclusions who would make it to the finals of the playoffs coming out of the SFC. Tijuana was pretty obviously a team that was second to the Marshals in their conference, and this held true in their series. The Marshals had a whopping 25 first downs compared to the Luchadores' mere 7, and the Marshals had control of the ball nearly twice as much as the Lachadores did (38:28 to 21:32). With incredible plays from Jandle on defense (getting 3 sacks and 4 tackles), and great QBing from Vick on offense (completing 16 of 24 attempted passes), the Marshals carried themselves to the finals.

Coyotes vs Pythons:
The Coyotes and Pythons are two very well matched teams and it seemed like this was anyone's game the entire way through. The Coyotes got out to an early 2 touchdown lead in less than 6 minutes into the first quarter, and that would end up being the difference maker. With the Coyotes pulling the upset win, you have to wonder how this happened. They had less total yards gained. It turned to be their defense that would make the big difference, led by LeFevre who had a total of 10 tackles and 2 sacks, and 3 interceptions from Maslin, Miles and Smith.

Marshals vs Coyotes:
With the Marshals asserting their dominance over the SFC and the Coyotes pulling the upset in the NFC, the championship game would be a doozy. Would the trophy belong to the more well round NFC conference and the Coyotes? Or the top heavy SFC and the Marshals? In the end the Coyotes defense just was not enough to hold back the Marshal's incredible offense. The passing numbers look pretty similar, with each team having a great number of catching offensive weapons, but Nyquist carried the Marshals, running for an astounding 155 yards and 1 touchdown. It's not wonder that he won the offensive player of the game in this one.

Playoff Series MVP
The playoffs MVP for the finals in the DSFL was without a doubt Willy Nyquist. Although he was only able to run for 1 touchdown, this single touchdown was one the dagger in the coffin that put the championship game out of reach from the Coyotes. With the game still close at 16-13 in the fourth quarter, Nyquist put the team on his back, running for an incredible 80 yard touchdown. With the game 23-13 and only 4 minutes left to play, the Marshals could smell victory awaiting. In addition ot his amazing touchdown run, Nyquist ran for a total of 155 yards in that game, with an average of 10 yards per carry. A runner that consistent is bound to have a huge impact on the game, especially when you can depend on him to get what equates to another first down with each carry you give him.. His running lead the San Antonio Marshals into the red zone time and time again, allowing his kicker Jimmy Darkapple to get 3 field goals for his team and quarterback Mike Vick to get a rushing touchdown. They got on the scoresheet, but without a doubt Willy Nyquist was the driving force behind this Marshals championship winning offense, and without him the team would not have been able to become the champions they are.

Championship Game Recap
The DSFL Championship game was truly one to remember. It was a back and forth affair for the first two quarters, until finally the Marshals took control of the game and fans and players of Kansas City had the championship taken from them by force in front of their own eyes. Robby Rainey ran the ball 1 yard for the first touchdown of the game, giving the Coyotes a 7 point lead (Beat Meoff kicking for the PAT). The Marshals would answer back nearly 10 minutes later with a field goal by Jimmy Darkapple from 35 yards out. With the score 3-7 in favor of the Coyotes heading into the second quarter, the Coyotes came at the Marshals again in full force, scoring another touchdown less than three minutes into the quarter (Beat Meoff missing the PAT). With the game 3-13, the Marshals were on their heels once again, and Jimmy Darkapple would get another chance to put them on the board from 19 yards out. With the game now 6-13, the Marshals would take complete control from then on. In the third quarter Darkapple would score another field goal from 37 yards out to make the game 9-13. Finally in the fourth quarter Mike Vick ran for a 1 yard touchdown (Jimmy Darkapple kicking the PAT) to make the game 16-13 for the San Antonio Marshals. 7 minutes later the Marshals would put the game entirely out of reach. Willy Nyquist ran for an incredible 80 yard touchdown and once again Jimmy Darkapple would kick for the PAT. Darkapple ended the game with 11 points from kicking, Willy Nyquist ended the game with 155 running yards, and the Marshals won themselves the DSFL Championship.

Unsung Hero
The unsung hero of the playoffs has to be kicker Jimmy Darkapple of the San Antonio Marshals. Willy Nyquist deserves all of the glory he got for being the offensive player of the game in the DSFL Championship, but when 11 of the Marshal's 23 points in that game were from their kicker alone, he deserves to given honorable mention for that award. In the first quarter Darkapple would have his first test with 3:27 left to go. Down by 7 already, he would kick his first field goal of the game at 35 yards to breathe some life into their offense. In the second quarter, down by 10 points, Darkapple was given an easier task of kicking just a 19 yard field goal, and the score was now 6 to 13. Again, in the third quarter, the offense was not able to get the touchdown and it was up to Darkapple to put the game within reach for their next drive. Darkapple would kick his longest field goal of the game from 37 yards away, to make the game 9 to 13 in favor of the Coyotes. With that, Jimmy Darkapple had done his job kicking field goals for the rest of the game. It was up to the rest of the offense now, and they delivered. With his team finally scoring two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, Darkapple added another 2 points to his game total with two kicking PATs. This was truly a kicking performance to remember.

[JKortesi81]

Playoff Series MVP: The first round matchup between the Orange County Otters and the San Jose Sabercats arguably pit the NSFL’s two best teams together right away. And what we got was a hell of a game, ending up 32-29 in favor of the Otters. I find it hard to give the MVP to a player on the losing side of things, though I was very tempted to acknowledge Shane Weston’s 4 for 111 yard, 2 TD day as MVP worthy. However, I’m going to go slightly off the board and select a player from the winning team. With the Otters’ offense not being its usual self, I’m going to award the MVP to a player on the defensive side of things. Ian Bavitz, Orange County Linebacker, was a complete terror to the Sabercats. Bavitz was all over the field, collecting ten tackles of his own. He also spent a lot of time in the San Jose backfield as well, as he picked up 3 huge sacks in the Otters’ win. But no play was bigger than his fourth quarter safety of San Jose QB Chris Orosz, that would give the Otters a 29-22 lead. That safety meant that SJ’s late touchdown only tied the game, giving the Otters enough time score the game winning field goal and head to the Ultimus. (222)

Playoff Review: The first round matchup between San Jose and Orange County was one for the ages. The league’s two best teams faced off with a berth in the Ultimus on the line and it did not disappoint. The teams went back and forth with each other before an Orange County field goal with 34 seconds left gave the defending champs a 32-29 victory. In the other conference, the Yellowknife Wraiths snuck into the playoffs to face off against the Philadelphia Liberty. The Liberty found themselves more than up to the task, smacking the Wraiths around for most of the game and building a 24-0 lead late into the third quarter. With Philadelphia playing prevent, Yellowknife eventually put some points on the board, before finally losing 31-21 in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score showed. Finally, in the Ultimus, Orange County went head to head with Philadelphia. Philadelphia would take the early lead, but the teams would keep going back and forth through halftime, with the Otters up 13-10. The Otters would eventually score to make it 20-10, but then Josh Garden would return the ensuing kickoff 102 yards to bring the Liberty within 3. Sadly, that was all the Liberty could muster, and Orange County added another field goal to take home the Ultimus yet again, 23-17. (223)

Ultimus MVP: The first player that comes to mind when thinking of the Ultimus MVP is Mike Boss. The Orange County QB threw for 460 yards and also tossed two touchdowns against a very game Liberty defense. However, Boss also threw two bad interceptions that kept Philadelphia hanging around more than they should’ve. Josh Garden also had a stand out performance as the Liberty star ended up with 7 catches for 103 yards, and he also had the 102 yard kickoff return for a TD. But I’m going to choose to give my MVP to Orange County Otter WR/RB Jordan Yates. Yates was electric on the field for the Otters. He caught 9 passes for a game high 156 yards. While he wouldn’t score a touchdown, Yates did have an 48 yard catch and run before getting tackled. The Philadelphia Defense had lots of trouble keeping up with him as Yates juked and jived his was into the Liberty secondary again and again. A few of his plays ended up gaining the Otters some key first downs, and extended some drives that they would eventually score on. His ability all over the field was the difference in this year’s Ultimus game, and big reason why Philadelphia went home empty handed. (210)

Unsung Hero: The one thing that has been very consistent in Orange County’s Ultimus wins has been the amazing work by Brad Madlad. Madlad does both kicking and punting duties for the Otters and his play this season is yet again why the Otters are world champions. In the first matchup against San Jose, Madlad almost single handedly had to win the game. Madlad would be responsible for 12 of the team’s 32 points, as he kicked three extra points, and added three field goals, including the game winning 34 yarder that sent the Otters to the Ultimus. But that’s not all! Madlad also had 11 punts, where he averaged 42.9 yards per kick, including a 56 yard bomb that would help the Otters win the field postion game as well. In the Ultimus, we had more great play from Madlad. He would score 11 of the teams’ 23 points in the game, with 3 field goals and 2 extra points. Madlad kicked a 55 yarder just before the half to give the Otters the lead going into the break, and he also tacked on a 22 yarder near the end of the game to force the Liberty to go for a touchdown instead of a game tying field goal. He also had 7 punts, including a 54 yarder. Brad Madlad, the consistent unsung hero of the Otters’ dynasty. (229)

[tlk742]

Interview a fan - @ADwyer87
1. It’s the first time the Outlaws missed the playoffs, after surprising everyone last year, what was the atmosphere in the locker-room? It was still upbeat honestly. Everyone was saying we would be trash, and we still were in it till Week 13 and ended with a winning record. We were better than the NSFC Wraiths, and they made the playoffs, so there's still hope.
2. Anyone would argue that King Bronko was a top 3 QB until this year, what do you think happened? Just a rough start to the season. Everyone has rough patches. If you look from week 7 on, I had 18 TDs, 3 INTs, and had 5/8 games over 300 yards. This is with one of the lower TPE wide receiver cores, too. I'm still neck and neck with Boss in career stats for the most part, which is impressive considering he has a year more of experience than me, So i'm still fine. Expect a bounce back season next, i'm on a hot streak!
3. What’s the goal for the next season? I'm hoping we can make the playoffs again
4. Do you vape, bro? Nah bro, straight kush for me only

Unsung Hero
Chris Orosz is unsung as a hero for the Sabercats. Putting up crazy numbers in the season, and even in his first San Jose playoff game, the man who had a haircut you could set a watch to and my mentor when I started played out of his mind. Putting up 3 touchdowns, throwing 0 picks and slinging the rock, Orosz outperformed Mike Boss, the passing hero, on passer rating by nearly 30 points. To me that speaks volume, the team played on the road and out of their mind, if anyone deserves credit for playing so well that the roster couldn’t stop him in the air and lost on a field goal, it is testament to how well Orosz did in that game. Orosz only threw for 24 fewer yards than Boss as well. He played lights out. Unfortunetly, the problem that killed Orosz was the play calling, as the team struggled in third down efficiency which likely cost the San Jose Sabercats key drives for their first playoff game ever. That said, when he hurled the rock, Boss completed fewer passes than Orosz, and if the playcalling had worked in his favor, Chris Orosz, formerly of the Yellowknife Wraiths, would be taking the Sabercats to the Ultimus game.

Interview a Star – Mike Boss @JBLAZE_THE_BOSS (go crabs)
1. What is like it being the QB everyone aspires to be? Its funny thinking that I am the QB everyone aspires to be. My career didn't get off to the best of starts, but I stayed the course and with the support of some teammates I was able to establish myself as the QB. I still strive to get better each year. There's always something I can improve on. I expect to be perfect every time I go out there. There are a lot of good QB's out there, some with a lot more talent than me.
2. Will the Otters Dynasty end? If so, what will cause that to happen? This run with the Otters has been one of the most interesting times in my life. I hope it doesn't end, but nothing good lasts forever. We won't know its the end until it's all over. We're just going to go out there and do our jobs to try and put our team in a position to win. We have a lot of guys on the team that know what their job is, and that is important. I think time will cause the team to fade out eventually. As much as I'd like to, I can't play forever.
3. What do you think is going to be the biggest challenge to 4peat? The biggest challenge to the 4-Peat is understanding that the season is a clean slate for everyone. It's awesome that we've won the Ultimus 3 times in a row now, but it won't do much for us once the new season starts. We need to dedicate ourselves to executing the gameplans put in place for us and realizing that each season is a different battle. If everyone does their job then we should be in the conversation when the season ends.
4. When you do recreate, what do you see yourself as? When I recreate I plan to stay as a QB. The other positions don't interest me as much and I think it would be cool to have a legacy of top QB's in the leagues history once it's all said and done. I'm setting the bar high with Boss, but I think my next QB could end up even better if there is the right situation. It was a perfect storm with the receivers and backs I've had in Orange County but I think I will be able to create another decent QB.

Hate the player or the Game.

I feel bad for the Arizona Outlaws. The ASFC third place team is just so much better than the NSFC second seed. Two years now, the team that places third, in this case not the Cats but the Outlaws, has seen their chances ruined by divisions. This may seem weird, but the divisions make no sense. In the NSFL, every team plays each other twice. In the NFL, there’s all these different matchups that don’t happen and as a result, the playoffs become a lot less about record alone but also strength of schedule and what have you. But back to the Outlaws, they rallied in the second half of the season and still did not get the results they needed to make it to the playoffs simply by being in the more competitive division. To put into perspective how good their season was, Mackworthy was third in Rushing Yards, while putting up a respectable 4.2 YPC. Meanwhile, Bronko threw for just shy of four thousand yards. The team ended with 8 wins, something neither the Hawks nor Wraiths had. It’s perhaps telling that the NSFC has never won an Ultimus as we head into our seventh season. It is because the competition in the NSFC is just not as good depthwise as the ASFC is. ASFC domination is hurting a stronger playoff run now. Give us the Yeti.

[run_CMC]

That Magic Moment (414 words)

The Ultimus. While some playoff games may be forgotten, every championship is written into the record books forever. And that means that the Philadelphia Liberty’s final drive, and final play, of the season 6 Ultimus will forever live in infamy.

The Liberty had gotten the ball back at their own 28 with 4:56 to go in the fourth quarter, down by 6. They needed a touchdown and extra point to win it. 2 consecutive passes to Garden got them quickly across midfield to the 48. After a few runs, a huge pass to North got the Liberty down to the 5 yard line. First and goal. Then, a perplexing call: quarterback Tyler Oles, with timeouts to spare, spiked the ball. Second and goal. A pass over the middle to legendary tight end Dimirio is batted away. Third and goal. Three receivers to the left side. The ball is snapped, and Oles passes it to Josh Garden behind the line on the wide receiver screen! Garden moves quickly - he fakes out a cornerback who got past his blockers and moves for the sideline; he dives towards the pylon! ...he doesn’t make it. He’s marked out at the half yard line. 4th and goal. One last chance to score.... that spike is really hurting now. The silence in the stadium is deafening. Liberty and Otters fans alike watch in stunned anticipation. The Philadelphia offense lines up one more time. The ball is snapped - it’s a blitz! Single man coverage on the two receivers! North is covered well but Garden pulls a devastating fake towards the outside and cuts in on the slant. He’s got several steps on the cornerback in coverage and Oles throws his way! The pigskin hits Garden’s hands and it!.......it passes through. The ball tumbles unceremoniously to the back of the endzone, where it comes to a stop. The stadium erupts with cheers as the Otters earn their third consecutive ring. Garden stands in the endzone, shoulders slumped, oblivious to the celebrating Otters players. Slowly, he turns and looks at Tyler Oles. His face shows no sadness, no anger. Only confusion. Disbelief.

Josh Garden is an elite wide receiver. That cannot be denied. But the magnitude of his drop will live with him, and Philly fans everywhere, for years to come. To come so far as the Ultimus is an unbelievable achievement. For it to end so trivially is equally unbelievable. Unforgettable. And for fans of the Orange County Otters: magical.

Playoff Review (263 words)

The DSFL post season was full of exciting games. Let’s talk about them! The first matchup was the Southern Football Conference championship: the Tijuana Luchadores at the San Antonio Marshals. The Luchadore defense really stepped up, scoring a safety and pick 6 in the second quarter! However, this would end up amounting to 8 of their 11 total points (they later got a field goal, and had missed the extra point after the interception return). The Marshals quarterbacks would combine for 229 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Meanwhile, the team racked up an impressive 211 yards on the ground (but no rushing touchdowns).
Over in the Northern Football Conference championship, the 8-6 Kansas City Coyotes upset the reigning NFC champs, the 10-4 Portland Pythons, winning 24-17. Although runningback Borro Gore’s team didn’t win, his performance should be noted: 97 yards on the ground and 105 yards through the air makes a huge 202 yards from scrimmage.
And then there was the Ultimini... San Antonio at Kansas City. Both offenses centered around mobile quarterbacks and the spread. The game was intense from the beginning. On the Marshals first drive, their punt was blocked and left the Coyotes with great field position that aided them to a touchdown. At the half, it was 13-6, Coyotes up. However, the Marshals were able to score 17 points in the second half (14 of which were in the 4th quarterback), while holding Kansas City to none. The victory was sealed with Willy Nyquist’s 80 yard touchdown sprint. The San Antonio Marshals are your Season 6 DSFL champions!

Playoff Series MVP (212 words)


The ASFC Conference championship was a very tight game, which is why this player’s statline and contributions to his team are even more significant than they appear on paper: Otters free safety Ian Bavitz racked up ten tackles, three sacks and a safety in the fourth quarter that put Orange County up by seven points. His tackles came in key situations: as most safeties often do, he was preventing big plays from going on the way for touchdowns on a day when the Otters elite defense was a bit shakier and more porous than normal. For example, he had tackles on San Jose runningback Darren Smallwood that kept long first down runs to just 8 or 9 yards (instead of much longer) multiple times in the game (mostly in the second quarter, for whatever reason). Furthermore, even if his stats don’t show exemplary pass defense, it’s because his pass defense was so good during the first quarter that Orosz’s volume to whoever Bavitz was covering decreased significantly. Long story short, Bavitz played spectacularly. His performance wasn’t always notable in the regular season, but in this game against the Sabercats, it was both notable, and crucial to their victory, and required for them to reach the Ultimus, where they’d go on to threepeat.

Unsung Hero (276 words)


You should already know I’m about to write about a kicker. Which kicker you ask? The one... the only... the GOATly.... Brian “Steal-yo-girl” Madlad. The thing about Madlad is that his punting kind of sucks. The other thing about Madlad is that his kicking is downright sensual. When other kickers kick extra points, you in the back of your mind know “they might fuckin miss it”. But with Brian Madlad you don’t even consider this possibility. AFC Championship game: Iyah Blewitt made 3 field goals and 2 extra points, but missed his first extra point attempt in the game, leaving the Cats at 9-10 instead of all tied up. Brian Madlad? He’s successful on all six of his kicks that night. Season 6 Ultimus: Stephen Harris is good on a 46 yarder early in the first quarter and his 2 extra point attempts, but isn’t given the chance to try several opportunities that’d be from 50 plus. Brian Madlad? He fuckin drains a 55 yarder. Right down the center, several yards to spare. If he missed that kick, they’d end up being up by just 3 at the end of the game, and Harris would’ve had a 20 yarder to head to overtime. But instead, that kick ended up giving Josh “The Bust” Garden a chance to drop it in the endzone. Brian Madlad is not just underrated, but possibly the most underrated player in the playoffs this past season. And that’s even if you think he was the league’s best kicker. That’s still not properly representative of his greatness. Brian Madlad. The MVP of the S6 playoffs - and possibly the regular season too.