*The Next Great One: Courting Johnny Blaze Jr

[JBLAZE_THE_BOSS]

The Next Great One: Courting Johnny Blaze Jr

Introduction

Johnny Blaze Jr comes from the first family of football. His uncle Mike Boss Sr is widely regarded as the greatest QB to ever throw the pigskin. He won 3 Ultimus Championships with the Orange County Otters. Boss Sr was a unanimous choice for ISFL Hall of Fame, laying the foundation for an expectation of greatness within his circle.
Boss Sr’s brother and Johnny Blaze Jr’s father, Johnny Blaze Sr, had someone to measure his own game against. Johnny was a massive target for his QB, putting up incredible statistics and winning 3 Ultimus Championships of his own. Johnny Blaze Sr is one of 5 Hall of Fame TE’s in the league’s storied history.

Blaze Jr’s cousin, Mike Boss Jr, is a potential Hall of Fame talent as well. A product of the Sarasota Sailfish, Boss Jr put up iconic-level statistics on the field and was a beloved member of the community off the field. He won 2 Ultimus Championships and is awaiting the phone call enshrining him in immortality along with the rest of his family with great anticipation.
What does this have to do with Johnny Blaze Jr? It shows the football pedigree that he comes from and it gives us some background on what to expect from him in his career. Johnny’s family has been a pillar of this league, winning 8 of the 37 total title games in league history. While the success of his relatives doesn’t guarantee Johnny will be a lock Hall of Famer, he knows what one looks like and what it takes to become one.

With such an impressive history behind him, it would make sense that each team in the ISFL would want to get him on their team. What team couldn’t use another legitimate WR threat at an early stage of their career? Some draft experts believe Blaze Jr could be good enough to be called up before the end of his first season post-draft. There are some situations where he could arguably start on opening day. Blaze Jr is a playmaker, having well over 1,000 yards as well as 8 TD in the DSFL last season.
However, not every team in the league had interest in Johnny’s services. Using several sources with firsthand information on the process, let’s look at what the scouting process was like for Johnny Blaze Jr. What teams reached out to him? Did Johnny have any hopes that certain teams would take him? How would he fit in situations on and off the field? What do these teams have to offer him? Let’s see what teams had the courage to pursue greatness.

Colorado Yeti

Colorado, one of the finest landscapes of the United States, was the first team that reached out to Johnny for his services. The land of Red Rocks, green grass, and Rocky Mountains fit everything that Johnny was looking for off the field. A vibrant community, the great cities of Coloardo has world class entertainment and dining options. These off-field amenities are great, but what does the product look like on the field? The Yeti were coming off a disappointing 5-11 season where their top WR barely broke the 1,000 yard barrier and a defense that couldn’t stop a nosebleed. As expected, the Yeti ultimately went with Aidan Hutchinson Jr, a hotshot DE and big-time OL prospect Remi Musgrave-Smythe with picks 2 and 16. By the time they were on the clock again at pick 30, Johnny was off the table. Reports indicate that while Blaze Jr was open to the idea of playing in Colorado, there were minimal expectations that this would come to fruition. While Colorado was the first team to contact Blaze Jr, it might’ve been mostly because the team was well out of playoff contention and not so much that they were interested in making him their top selection. The team was reportedly fully transparent during the scouting interviews letting Blaze Jr know of their intentions to target defense unless the draft were to fall in a different direction. The Yeti made the right decision for their team, their needs on the interior line on both sides of the ball is more important than a WR. The best way to build a winner is from the inside out, and Colorado impressively looks to be going down this path. Blaze Jr will miss out on the jaw-dropping visual of the Rocky Mountains on a regular basis, but this was not going to be the best fit on the field.

Yellowknife Wraiths

The second team to contact Johnny Blaze Jr in the draft scouting portal takes us to the great north. The Yellowknife Wraiths contacted Blaze Jr’s representatives with preliminary interest in the receiver’s services. Off the field, Yellowknife didn’t have much of what Blaze Jr was looking for. Reports indicate that while he adores poutine and the National Anthem, Blaze Jr had no interest in taking up permanent residence in Canada. Being so far away from his family, in a different country entirely, was something that concerned Johnny. As we established in the introduction, Johnny has a tight-knit family and they’re all still very close with each other ultimately taking up residence in central Massachusetts. They all live in the same neighborhood, hang out constantly, and are involved in their community. Being so far from his loved ones was something that supposedly concerned him greatly. What added onto this concern is how welcomed Johnny felt during his interview process with the Wraiths. Reports show that Blaze Jr had interviews that spanned multiple days and were pleasant in nature. Things were never formally wrapped up or much of a vision shared about the mutual future between Yellowknife and Blaze Jr, but communication was favorable.

How would Blaze fit on the field with Yellowknife? The Wraiths are one of the more storied franchises in league history. The fact they would reach out to Blaze Jr to show any interest is, in itself, a huge compliment to the young receiver. While the team had a couple of down seasons, they seem to be on the upswing. While Johnny felt it would be a great fit on the field and perhaps in the locker room, the Wraiths went in a different direction. With their first pick, 15th overall, they selected QB Gore Done Ram Say, from Tijuana. With their 2nd pick, #26 overall, the team decided to go to the defensive side of the ball and chose DE Teddy Rhinoback from Portland. The team decided to go with the balanced approach, something that makes sense considering their many years of success on the field. The Wraiths offense last year supported two, almost three, 1,000 yard receivers. They clearly had other needs aside from WR. The only questionable choice here is that rumors were swirling that Blaze Jr would’ve considered a move to QB. The selection of Ram Say at QB instead of Blaze Jr could be one that Yellowknife looks back on with regret. By all indications, Blaze Jr enjoyed his experience with Yellowknife, but make no mistake – he will remember being passed over in favor of Ram Say.

Austin Copperheads

They say that things come in three’s. Well, the third team to contact Johnny Blaze Jr for a pre-draft interview was the Austin Copperheads. One of the newer franchises in the ISFL, Blaze Jr reportedly was a bit surprised to hear from Arizona. Let’s first take a look at Arizona’s on the field product. They finished 2-14, but some thought they could’ve done much better. The team didn’t win a single game on the road all season, but their offense was somewhat impressive. They led the league in yards per game and the most passing yards. Their receiving corps had 3 players with over 1,200 yards with them accounting for a combined 20 TDs. The need for WR in Austin, to be blunt, is minimal. The team definitely did not need any help at the WR position, but there was the possibility of Blaze Jr considering a move to RB. Reportedly, there were not any deep, substantial talks between the two parties. Sure, Austin reached out with preliminary interest, but talks never evolved to the step of any discussions of position changes or plans for the future. The Copperheads have a much bigger need on the defensive side of the ball, so it makes sense that they wouldn’t invest much energy into interviewing Blaze Jr.

However, when the time to draft arrived, things took a shocking turn in Austin. The team that gave up a staggering 517 points to opposing clubs last season with the 1st overall pick took LB Tank McGibbons, a surprise in itself. Many experts suggested that Hutchinson Jr or Caleb Hayden would’ve been the better selection here. The shock for Blaze Jr and his camp, though, came at pick 12. The Copperheads went with WR Jeff Newman from London. Jeff Newman is going to be one of those names on a list someday when they’re reviewing players taken before Hall of Famers that teams should regret. With a chance to atone for their mistake at pick 25 in the 2nd round, again the Copperheads triple down with their disrespect to Blaze Jr and selected DT Carly Rae Jensen. The Copperheads obviously should’ve loaded up on defense in this draft, so the fact that Blaze Jr was not selected to this team should be a breath of fresh air for the Blaze Jr camp. Any team that would even consider Jeff Newman over Johnny Blaze Jr as a WR is one that Johnny and his crew want no part of. Reports indicate that Blaze Jr was happy to hear that he wasn’t taken by Austin, as he enjoys winning football games and that doesn’t happen there.

New York Silverbacks

The 4th team to contact the Blaze Jr representatives was the New York Silverbacks. New York, another fairly new team in the ISFL, was one that really attracted Johnny. The idea that he could live and play somewhat close to where his family resides in MA, was a huge factor in Johnny’s interest in the team. While living in one of the biggest cities on the planet wasn’t something that Johnny was super excited about, he was excited about the prospects of playing on one of the world’s biggest stages. Not to mention the world-class entertainment, dining, and housing options, Blaze Jr had no trouble envisioning himself adapting to and embracing the big city life. The scouts for New York engaged in genuinely conversational interviews with Blaze Jr and his team, which made Johnny feel even better about the idea of playing in New York.

On the field, the Silverbacks are top-heavy at WR. Between Oath and McHollywood, they have two stud WRs to put up numbers and drive the team towards the top of the standings. The good will that was built up during the interview process was quickly burned away once the draft was underway. With the 17th overall pick in the draft, New York was in a position to make Johnny Blaze Jr the newest member of their franchise. Well within the range that most experts thought the receiver would be taken, reports are that Johnny was anxiously waiting a phone call with a New York area code. When the news came across the broadcast that the Silverbacks instead chose TE Siegmeyer Ofcatarina from London, Blaze Jr for the first time all night, became visibly upset. Ofcatarina will join Jeff Newman on the list of players that shockingly were taken ahead of Blaze Jr. Will the Silverbacks look back in a year’s time with regret over their decision? Absolutely.

Baltimore Hawks

The 5th team to reach out to Blaze Jr was the Baltimore Hawks. There were serious murmurs before the draft that Blaze Jr was almost a lock to end up in Baltimore. The off-field positives of being close to the Northeast was his main concern, but feeling like he would be welcomed into the organization was a close second. Blaze Jr and Baltimore had multiple meetings and interviews, they all went well according to my sources. Blaze Jr felt such a strong connection to Baltimore that he instructed his team to start looking for real estate options in the Baltimore area. There was genuine interest on the side of Blaze Jr, and there was an idea that the interest was reciprocated on Baltimore’s side.

The Hawks are a team that could desperately use some help in the receiver room. The current occupants haven’t come close to putting up the numbers needed to make an impact in this league. Baltimore wallowed in mediocrity all year last season, so adding someone like Blaze Jr to the pipeline would make sense. With the 11th overall pick, Baltimore went with DE Sledge Hammer. Understandable as the Hawks defense gave up the 2nd most total points in their conference. The head scratcher would come with pick #13. Baltimore, in a perfect spot to pick Blaze Jr, instead went with WR Shane Turbull from Dallas. Turbull, who is truly nothing special, is going to join the other mediocre offensive options that were taken ahead of Blaze Jr that football historians will laugh at in the future. Turnbull barely found the endzone or gained any yards in the minor leagues last season, it doesn’t project well for him in the big leagues. Again at pick 18 Baltimore had a chance to make up for their error, but they went with defensive help taking CB Casino Robin. Finally, their 21st overall pick of LB Bridge Burner was an appropriate selection, as it completely burned the bridge they built with Blaze Jr bypassing the future all-world talent.

Arizona Outlaws

While some may be shocked that 6 teams reached out to Johnny Blaze Jr, Arizona wasn’t, as they expressed significant interest in the WR. While there was some historical animosity between Blaze Jr’s family and the Arizona organization, my sources can confirm that Johnny was willing to put all of that aside and seriously consider the Outlaws as his future home. Off the field, Arizona has great weather and is within driving distance to much more fun cities like Vegas or LA. The Outlaws, as we all know now, went on to win this season’s Ultimus Championship. The team has now started their comeback special of being one of the ISFL’s most dangerous franchises. The WR group of Staggs and Stinkwater presented quite the possible road block for Blaze Jr to make an immediate impact.

The pre-draft interview process with Blaze Jr wasn’t the most in-depth nor was it the most average experience for the young receiver. Arizona presented themselves as a legitimate option for being his future home, but not to the extent that he was picturing where he would live or what teammates to reach out to as a welcome. At pick 14, Arizona did what many successful teams do, and prioritized the offensive line. They selected OL Fortified Fridge from London, a pick that should help the Outlaws offense continue to flourish. It’s reasonable to believe that the Outlaws had Blaze Jr high on their draft board as with their 28th pick they selected KCC teammate Sherwin Blue Jr, one pick after Johnny was off the board in the 2nd round. Blaze Jr reportedly holds no hard feelings towards Arizona, but the same probably cannot be said for his cousin and uncle.

Orange County Otters

Lucky number 7 on our list is the Orange County Otters. The franchise that famously selected Mike Boss Sr along with about 6 other QB options and ultimately won 3 championships with him and then 3 more championships with Johnny’s father. The Otters and the Blaze/Boss family will forever be connected. While there were some off-field issues with Mike Boss Jr, there were reports that Blaze Jr would be more open to following his uncle and father’s footsteps by suiting up for the Otters. The off-field match is perfect, there isn’t much better of a home field than there is in Orange County. Almost zero bad weather days all season, Orange County is the type of place where players will be drafted and want to stay and build a family.

Regarding the pre-draft interview process, sources tell me that they went remarkably well despite what some may have projected. While talks did taper off a bit in the middle, there were considerable conversations between both parties about the goals of the player and needs of the team. There was reportedly an understanding that on the field, Orange County had little need for a WR. There were some discussions about Blaze Jr instead playing RB, something the prospect was completely open to and willing to do.

The Otters are well removed from their once dominant days, and the reason why was on full display for this year’s draft. With the 5th overall pick, the Otters invested in OL Walrus Jones from Minnesota, arguably the best lineman prospect in the entire draft and by all accounts a great pick. The problem came when Orange County was on the clock for pick #9. Another addition to the taken before Blaze Jr list, Teenie Hodges has the honor of joining another group of head-scratchers. It looks like the Otters didn’t learn their lesson before from passing up on someone from the Blaze/Boss family and have all-but destroyed any good will remaining between the parties when they selected the laughable Teenie Hodges instead of Johnny Blaze Jr.

San Jose Sabercats

The 8th team to join Blaze Jr for a pre-draft interview was the San Jose Sabercats. Similar to Orange County, San Jose has an off-field advantage that few teams can match. The incredible location of San Jose helps take away from the rough on-field product that was on display last year when the team went 6-10. The lack of receiving options was not why the Sabercats only won 6 games last season. It makes sense that their draft scouting for Blaze Jr was most likely just for a “covering all the bases” type of situation, their air offense was perhaps the most balanced in the entire league.
With their offense taken care of, San Jose focused their efforts on the defensive side of the ball. With the 4th overall pick they went with LB Zavier Perkins from Bondi Beach. At number 7, they went with LB Cruella De Ville from London. This LB duo should be the anchor to San Jose’s defense for years to come and could be looked back on as a real home run type of pick. Teams dream to have the LB position set in stone, and the Sabercats might have that for a generation with these two. San Jose didn’t disrespect Blaze Jr by taking another WR or TE ahead of him, so he still views them favorably, according to sources. The Sabercats should have a bright future now with their defensive core on the up and up, last season having a rookie QB put up great numbers with a tremendous surrounding cast.

Berlin Fire Salamanders

Team number 9 on the Johnny Blaze Jr tour was the Berlin Fire Salamanders. Though the team has a silly name, they’re a legitimate franchise. Immediately there were off-field concerns for Blaze Jr when it came to the Fire Salamanders. Being located nearly halfway across the world was almost a non-starter for Johnny in discussions. There aren’t many negative things to say about the team as constructed on paper, but the travel and distance from loved ones concerned Johnny. Blaze Jr did have some interest in seeing the historical sites in Europe, it wasn’t enough to make him want to move there.

On the field, Berlin finished the season on a 3 game winning streak despite the poor play from their QB position. The Fire Salamanders had 4 players who could be thrown the ball and make a play, so their need for a playmaking WR of Johnny Blaze Jr’s elite caliber was not as high as maybe some of the other teams that put their hat into the ring. It would make sense for Berlin to focus on defense and perhaps someone who can get the ball down field as a QB for their team to improve.

Things started out as expected when Berlin selected Goat Tannk with the 6th overall pick. When they were up again for pick number 20, they went with one of the best secondary players in the draft, Diggs Sideline-Touchdown. The jaw-dropping shocker of a selection came at pick #23. With Johnny Blaze Jr still on the board, and no need for a WR, the Fire Salamanders made the boneheaded decision of selecting WR Really Creative-Name who is assuredly going to be a Really Big-Bust. While it’s clear that Berlin couldn’t handle an alpha #1 WR like Blaze Jr, they definitely had room for a second or third option like Creative-Name. This player is going to spend most of his time going up against backups in blowouts and will probably be delegated to special teams for several years. Any team that would select Really Creative-Name over Johnny Blaze Jr doesn’t deserve to have elite players, and it shows in Berlin.

Honolulu Hahalua

Finally hitting double digits on our team tour, the 10th team is the Honolulu Hahalua. Honolulu is probably the only franchise that can say they have a better location than Orange County, but that only is if you can stomach the constant plane rides back to the mainland. The idea of living in Hawaii is something that intrigued Johnny, but it wasn’t something that got him elated like some players might feel. Honolulu on the field had an average product last season. They were right in the middle of the pack when it came to points scored and points allowed, so they certainly need the best players available to help make them maintain their status as a legitimate contender in this league.

During the pre-draft interview process, while Honolulu was a bit late to the party, the conversations were significant. The two sides got into detail about motivations, how Blaze Jr might be utilized in the system, and even some interesting mind exercises.

With limited draft capital, the Blaze Jr team didn’t have high expectations of being taken by Honolulu. They had the 3rd overall selection and wisely went with LB Caleb Hayden from Kansas City. The team will be able to utilize Hayden’s next-level raw skill combined with his intelligence and should have themselves a defensive cornerstone for years to come. Honolulu remains on the good graces of Blaze Jr and his representatives as they didn’t disrespect him by taking a far less talented offensive option.

Sarasota Sailfish

As fate would have it, the 11th and final team to reach out to Johnny Blaze Jr was none other than the Sarasota Sailfish. The history between the Blaze & Boss family and the Sailfish is something that cannot be understated. Sarasota took a chance on Johnny’s father in the expansion draft, bringing him in to put the finishing touches on a Hall of Fame career. The location of Sarasota is one familiar with his family, is a place they frequently go together on trips and for football camps. The connection between Blaze and Sarasota is the strongest of any ISFL franchise. The off-field match was off the charts. The on-field match was perhaps even stronger. Sarasota is coming off a 12-4 season and has displayed how strong of an offensive squad they could have for many years ahead. Blaze Jr should slide right into the system and become a threat within the next couple of seasons. Blaze Jr being taken by the Sailfish was a dream come true for the youngster. After seeing his father and uncle have so much success with the franchise, the opportunity to be the next great Sailfish in a line of great Sailfish is something that means a lot to Blaze Jr. Reports indicate that Johnny is working hard to convince his entire family to make the move down to Sarasota and make it the new headquarters of the family operation.

Conclusion

There were a significant number of teams that reached out to Johnny Blaze Jr with the intention of adding him to their team. Some of them made the right choices for their team right now, perhaps going with a defensive stud or offensive line instead of a receiver. There are other teams that reinforced their disrespect and disregard for Blaze and his entire family and will be remembered appropriately. The teams that didn’t even take the time to reach out to Blaze Jr will be placed in a different tier entirely. The teams that should never consider contacting Johnny Blaze Jr or his family ever, for anything, in any capacity are as follows:

- New Orleans Second Line
- Chicago Butchers
- Philadelphia Liberty

Not only did Johnny Blaze Jr have no interest anyway in playing for your pathetic franchises, but he and his descendants will also share the same sentiments until the end of time. The level of disrespect shown to the Blaze Jr team by New Orleans, Chicago, and Philadelphia is so egregious, it’s not permitted to be put into print in this capacity. While these three teams are really nothing special on the field, they have some fluke big wins previously, but nothing that makes anyone consider these teams as the pillars of the ISFL. In fact, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see at least one of these teams relocated somewhere better where players will actually want to go. The best part for Blaze Jr is that two of these teams are now in his division. Expect that any time Johnny goes up against Chicago or Philadelphia, there will be an extra level of motivation. There is no excuse for a franchise to completely overlook one of the best draft prospects in recent years. We wish the best of luck to the fanbases of these miserable teams that lack any type of championship direction.

As far as Johnny goes personally, it seems like this draft couldn’t have possibly worked out any better for him. Sarasota is a franchise that’s worked out well for his loved ones before and will present him with opportunities to make an impact and a change on the field. The fans of the Sailfish are the best in the league, they’ve welcomed Blaze Jr and his fellow draft picks with open arms. There’s an online petition going now to elect Johnny’s father and uncle into the Sailfish Hall of Fame. It’s no secret that Blaze Jr has aspirations of becoming a Hall of Famer himself someday, and to do it with the same team that his family is so familiar with, is an honor. Blaze Jr joins Julius McMiller as the two top picks of the Sailfish this season, and both are in a position to help the big club sooner rather than later. Sarasota should be one of the best teams in the league for the next several seasons, and Johnny Blaze Jr plans to be a major player during this time. Selected 27th overall, Johnny Blaze Jr is on a mission similar to his father, uncle, and cousin: Prove 13 other teams wrong for passing up on his talent and shove it down their throats with Ultimus Championships and a Hall of Fame jacket.

[.HoshinoIchika]

[Swanty]

I see

[negs]

[Pat]

Oh man, Philadelphia is in for it now.

[lordcoolcats]

This media is 

[dude_man]

K

[DREAMSLOTH]

Have you considered that Johnny Blaze Jr might be stinky?

Real talk though we did our best to scout everyone. Figured you would be a consensus first rounder. Best of luck wherever you go from here.

[Frostbite]

[Cincyfan96]

With Johnny Blaze Jr still on the board, and no need for a WR, the Fire Salamanders made the boneheaded decision of selecting WR Really Creative-Name who is assuredly going to be a Really Big-Bust.

Putting this up on the bulletin board...