Unfortunately, the season did not end the way that we wanted for my squad, the New Orleans Second Line. After three straight seasons of wild card losses we regressed this season to 7-9, good for tied for fifth in the competitive ASFC. Our team was poor on both sides of the ball, placing near the bottom of the league in both points for and points against. We especially struggled with our pass rush this season, placing last in the league with only 38 sacks. We will look to rebound next year with growth by young players like defensive ends Azarius Ranger and Medicinal Toblerone, Defensive tackles Magnus Rikiya and Lebong Simwell, and linebacker Busch Light to bolster our front seven to go along with the fierce secondary. We also hope to see an improved passing attack as quarterback Ben Slothlisberger continues to improve and develop chemistry with his group of young wide receivers. New Orleans will hopefully be able to continue to improve on offense and add talented defenders through the draft and free agency to help them get back to being a perennial contender and playoff team. As long as aging stars Marcella Toriki, Mason Blaylock, Forrest Gump, David Rector, Quentin Bode, and Austin McCormick can avoid regressing too badly, I predict that the Second Line will win ten games next season.
Entering the season, expectations around the league weren't exactly high for the Baltimore Hawks. However, that didn't mean that there wasn't plenty of optimism within the locker room. The Hawks managed to surprise many people around the league, as their record didn't dip below .500 at any point in the season, and they were in the playoff race right up until the final game of the season. The Hawks were largely carried to that point based on the strength of their team - their passing offense. Their quarterback, Chika Fujiwara, was just entering her prime this season, and it showed on the field as Chika was among the league leaders in passing yards and passing touchdowns. Arguably the biggest contributor to Chika's success however, is the Hawks impressive trio of wide receivers. The trio of Doug Howlett, Joshua Campbell, and Korbin Brown terrorized defenses all season long, and helped keep the Hawks in the playoff hunt all season long. Doug Howlett especially was a difference maker for Baltimore, as he essentially rewrote the record book for rookie wide receivers. In addition, tight end James Lewandowski had the best season of his young career, and added yet another weapon for Chika to throw to. Unfortunately for the Hawks, their impressive passing offense wasn't enough to get them into the playoffs, as the missed out to Chicago, due to tiebreaker. Had the Hawks been able to add a little more production in the run game, or had they been able to slow down opposing quarterbacks just a little bit more, it is probable that their season would have ended differently. Instead, they find themselves on the outside looking in, and trying to figure out how to improve for next season.
Well now that the season is over and not just wrapping up, everyone can see that Berlin will not be making the playoffs this season. Since about halfway through the season, it was pretty obvious the season was a bust, and they wouldn’t be the destined expansion team that wins the Ultimus in their first season. I don’t think many people expected much, if anything, except for the few players on the team who picked them to finish fourth in the league, some even having them sneak into the playoffs. That might’ve just been wild hopes, and if they were those hopes got crushed absolutely. The bright side is that Berlin now has the first overall pick in the season 26 draft. On top of this, There are the second youngest team in the ISFL, with an average season of 22.9. Looking into the future, Berlin is looking to have a strong draft in the offseason, and they get to choose whoever they want to help build their young team. Other than getting fresh new rookies into their locker room, Berlin really just has to wait and develop, and if not next season, two seasons from now Berlin will be one of the front runners to win the championship game for more than one season.
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So, here's the scenario: The Baltimore Hawks just needed to beat Sarasota in a home game, and Chicago needed to lose their game @ Yellowknife. Now, these are some really damn good odds to get into the playoffs. Like, how could one not get in with these odds? Well, as the sim would have it, we lost our home game, and Chicago beat Yellowknife. Both things that could have went wrong, went wrong. It was a really sad way to end such a hopeful season, but at the same time I can't help but feel very satisfied with how it all went. For all but two games, I was the sim tester for the Hawks, and I can't even begin to explain how great it feels to have helped put together winning strategies for the team. Though, with this, I feel I am to blame for what went wrong against Sarasota. I wanted Chika to throw it down their throats and hopefully have our defense come through. Chika threw it alright, but we allowed 44 points total. And then in the position to bring it back, it seems Chika's endurance gave out and all we could do was throw picks. I knew it was a possibility, but you gotta go all out for a shot at the playoffs, right? So, while it feels bad, I don't totally regret it.
But where does that bring us now? Well, the Hawks are moving into the offseason with an absolutely stunning roster that can only get better. We have all the offensive pieces we need besides an offensive line, which I will begin to fill the need of with Felix Archstone, and then after that it's just really stacking the defense and any other hole we have. With Mai improving too, I am hoping we can run a more balance attack next season to pace Chika out, and then we will hopefully be basically as good as the Yeti are. The Baltimore Hawks is the team to watch for in S26, as they might truly have one of the greatest rosters moving forward if we can do justice in the draft and free agency. We're all excited for the potential. So, while we didn't make it this season, we're almost there, and most certainty will be there if we play our cards right. (389 words)
So the Hahalua, for the second straight year, faced a win-and-in situation in Week 16 to break through into the postseason; for the second straight year, we fell short and ended up on the outside looking in. It’s not all bad in Hawaii. The Honolulu Hahalua are a team on the rise, with young stars across the entire board. Luke Skywalker is a quarterback about to hit his prime years, and there are weapons across the rest of the offense and defense who all, with the exception of WR Jed Podolak, are still in their pre-regression years. However, the largest current need on the Hahalua would be receiving weapons. Venus Powers may be a kicking extraordinaire, but even the GOAT has her limits, and Skywalker needs more weapons if he’s going to get into shootouts with Arizona and Orange County. Another need is sim luck. A bit ironic considering the S24 campaign, but Honolulu found themselves repeatedly on the short end of the stick this past season, losing many games they were well favored to win. Honestly, the future is bright, and although they fell short this year, I’d be shocked if the Hahalua don’t make the playoffs next year. The team’s window is just now opening.
Transgender lesbian, S15 veteran, media extraordinaire, and the sim's punching bag. Fascists and bigots are welcome to fuck off.
— — — — — — For Your Reading Consideration: Before the Butchers | The Jungle The Giving Tree | Volume II | Volume III A Winter of Discontent | Volume II The Rockiest Road | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | Finale Two Essays on Unfree Agency: On Agents | On Contracts Eclipse of the Honey Moon | Volume II Gemini Media Awards: S39 | S40 | S41 | S42 | S43 | S44 | S45 | S46 | S47 All Winners — — — |
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