I was drafted with the 69th overall pick in the S21 DSFL draft. Leading up to the draft, I knew I was just one of many high earning players eager to find their new homes. However, I thought that I had done well in my rookie surveys and questionnaires and as a result expected to have somewhat of an edge over some of the other rookies. I knew that going 69th overall was a possibility, and leading up to the draft I had figured out that the Coyotes owned that spot. But as a prospect, I spent a lot of my time in the Birddogs chat, and was hoping to be drafted by them. I did end up being drafted to the Coyotes at the 69th position, and while I was at first disappointed that I wasn't going to become a Birddog, I soon got to know many of my great teammates who have become some of my best friends within the league. I think I was positively affected by the fact that I was drafted 69th. Mainly because with a lower draft position I was given lower expectations to succeed. At the same time though I was even more motivated to succeed since I knew that many people may have determined me to be a bust based on that draft position.
It is hard to think back all the way to the begging of The Big Salamis long and storied career, but I think if there was one word to describe how Tony felt, it was surprise. Surprise he was drafted as high as he did. Surprise he went to the Yeti who just spent a high draft pick on future hall of famer Mo Berry in the same draft. Surprise that the Yeti drafted him at all due to lack of pre draft commutation. He was excited to build something in Colorado, one of the leagues historic laughing stocks. He could see that they were building the team the right way so that was something he was excited about.
Besides the league circumstances Tony was also so excited to finally get the money to open a small chain of cured meats in Colorado. He long thought the region had a lack of good Italian options so it was a perfect way to invest his first contract. At low and behold, 10 years later, The Big Salami is the number one deli chain in the midwest. Tony's legacy is far reaching and if it wasn't for draft day none of this would have been possible. One word to sum it up : Surprise.
My draft day experience was mere weeks ago and I have to say it was a bit exhausting. I tuned in right from the start and thought I could end up going anywhere. Before the draft I had six of the DSFL teams reach out to me and interview me. I had just played a two-game stint with the London Royals and was fortunate enough to get some game experience before getting to find out my permanent team for my time in the DSFL. I honestly thought the last place I would end up would be the London Royals especially after watching them pass on my three or four times during the draft. So, there I sat, watching one player after another go before me. Thirty eight is the number of draftees that went before me and I can confidently say only a few of those should have gone before me and not because they are a better talent but because they created at a better time than I did. Anyways, with all that aside, finally I heard my name at pick 39 and what do you know, it would be the London Royals. While it was a little underwhelming, going back to a team I already got to experience, at least it was a comfortable fit. The Royals made efforts to strengthen their defense, like most teams team during this draft, but eventually selected me and now I get to start at the position. All things considered it was a good place for me to land and while the draft was exhausting, waiting so long to get picked, in the end I went somewhere that made sense and is good for my development in my journey to the NSFL.
S25 Sarasota: 26 rec, 437 yds, 16.8 ypc, 4 TD
S26 Sarasota: 45 rec, 724 yds, 16.1 ypc, 7 TD
S27 Sarasota: 81 rec, 1,122 yds, 13.9 ypc, 8 TD **Ultimus Champs** S28 Sarasota: 84 rec, 1,182 yds, 14.1 ypc, 3 TD
S29 Sarasota: 105 rec, 1,470 yds, 14.0 ypc, 14 TD **PRO BOWL**
S30 Sarasota: 80 rec, 1,174 yds, 14.7 ypc, 9 TD **Ultimus Champs**
The draft is often the best part of many leagues and NSFL is not the exception in this case. My draft year was season 17 and it feels so far away in retrospect but in reality was approximately 10 months ago as my player begins the short walk through regression after this season. My favorite aspect of the draft process was being able to be interviewed by the various teams in the league and to be able to experience their own locker rooms and how different people in the league are connected. In all honesty i thought that my player could have easily went first overall but ended up falling down to the fifth selection by the Sabercats, who i have spent my entire career with thus far. The other side of the draft process is equally as fun because you are able to reach out to large numbers of upcoming prospects who all have had unique experiences and have various things to offer to a team much like our current kicker Matthew McDairmid who also helps out with sim testing. If i had to decide a way to make the entire draft process a better experience for both the league and individuals it would include things such as making the draft a truly live experience and have picks being chosen on the spot, allowing for draftees to commentate and interviewed throughout the draft in an effort to break away for the stagnant "he's a good guy" comments from Bex and others, and lastly to possibly introduce a lottery system in the draft to incentivize putting the best team forward instead of signing a QB such as Frankie Lafleur.
The draft was a day of excitement and anticipation. The S22 class of Biblical enormity, with hundreds of users after a massive influx of new folks the past offseason, would be one for the history books, and Thomas Passmann was a part of it. It was nerve wracking waiting for my fate to be announced, and after pleasant conversations with many teams, I had been open to going anywhere, although I hadn’t been expecting to reunite with Yellowknife. Projections had Passmann in the 40-50 range, and it played out exactly as all the media reports predicted. Going to Arizona at my pre-draft ranking was a result I was pleased with, and looking back, I can say it was a great place to wind up. They’ve given me ample opportunity to grow and move up the lineup, and I wouldn’t have wanted to play for any other team. While I had been keen on a reunion with the team my previous player had spent 10 seasons on, the Yellowknife Wraiths, it has been refreshing and enjoyable to go somewhere new and to mesh with the Arizona squad. Having a new experience has proven invaluable to me for maintain my motivation and continuing to work hard and train for the big games.
06-27-2020, 10:11 PM
(This post was last modified: 06-27-2020, 10:28 PM by White Cornerback.)
Written Option: There’s no time like the draft, both for the exciting build up beforehand and for the gamut of emotions afterwards. Reflect back on a previous DSFL or NSFL draft of your choice. In 200 words or more, go through your own experience that day. Were you expecting to go high, or to any particular team? Did you end up shocked by your draft position, good or bad? Tell us how that draft has impacted your player. If you haven’t been drafted, reflect instead on your college choices.
The S16 NSFL Draft was interesting for me for a number of reasons. For one, it was my second ever time entering a NSFL Draft. I retired Lavelle Sr. in S13 and took a break from the league until S14 when I created Jr and he would enter the S16 Draft after some games in the DSFL for Kansas City and a season with the at the time awful Norfolk SeaWolves. I would go into the NSFL Draft with Iamslm as my agent as well as my draft conditions being clear as day for everybody to see. With this out there there was still 20 or so mongboys who were wrong about nearly every single judgement they passed in that thread except for the guy who said that I need jesus. In S16 The Chicago Butchers held 1OA & 2OA. Nola held the fourth pick and the Yeti held the third. Chicago said they would not draft me because I wanted kick and punt return records which at the time were being occupied by the GM of the team, yes the GM put his own players stats over the ability for the team to succeed. If this didn't tip you off about just how long that GM tandem would last I don't know what will. So Chicago drafted Torenson (fantastic pick even if at the low tpe spot needed that is RB) and Blake Faux who was an awful bust for 2OA. NOLA then had their GM threaten to draft me and sit me on the bench if I didn't sign a team friendly deal which would 1) actively hurt retention if that was the case 2) it couldn't be the case because the rulebook prohibits it and 3) he/she/it was a yer who backtracked so quickly when we talked about just leaking this to the public. So NOLA traded the pick to Austin and Austin drafted me 4th overall. In S16 they drafted me fourth overall. By S20 we had won the Ultimus. By S23 I became the all time leader in TPE in NSFL history. In short, Chicago made one of their very first ever mistakes in the S16 NSFL Draft.
My draft throwback doesn’t take us very far back at all. Let’s just take a look at the most recent DSFL Draft. This was an ordeal that I had to sit through for several rounds. I’m not surprised that I was taken later on, it helps motivate me. What did sort of surprise me is that a god damn punter got taken before I did. That was the moment I realized that I was going to go scorched Earth on both the DSFL and NSFL, in due time. I’ve lit up the field on every single level of football I’ve ever played, and there was at least one team stupid enough to take a fragile kicker instead of me. I’m not sure if there could have been anything more insulting to me on Draft day. I understand not being the first QB off of the board, but I will never accept the idea that kickers are football players like the rest of us. I have football in my blood. Not sure if you genius GM’s knew this or not, but my dad was the best fucking quarterback this league has ever seen. What, do you think that his talent isn’t going to be passed down to me? Don’t be ridiculous.
[210 words] WR- JAMAL SLICK JR.
"THE NEW ERA"
MR 8X ULTIMUS CHAMPION
QB Mike Boss - HOF TE Johnny Blaze - HOF QB Mike Boss Jr WR Johnny Blaze Jr |
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