(S41) Offseason Task

[Nathan]

Task 3: ISFL Predictions
I think we'll see Arizona's dominance in the league finally end as Wendell Sailor is deep into regression.  He's now at 700 roughly, and while the team is both made to insulate that issue through great running backs and 5 1000 TPE defensive players, I think it will be something that is too much to overcome.  My prediction furthermore is that Austin will win the ASFC and get the bye through a great defense and having max TPE players at QB, WR1, WR2, EDGE, and CB.  I still think Arizona will make the playoffs, and will likely have home field advantage in a Wild Card game due to what I said earlier in their roster being able to hide Wendell's regression.  That defense was so dominant in Season 40 with only allowing 15.6 points per game and the least yards per game.  To put it another way; if Arizona only scored 20 points each game, they would have still gone 13-2-1 and hold the top record in the league by a gigantic margin.  What's more interesting is how the rest of the ASFC shakes out.  I think the easy answer for who ends last is New York again due to a rookie quarterback who's currently below 700 TPE to start the season.  Unlike Arizona, their defense is not up to snuff to hide this deficiency.  While New York does have a good secondary with 1K TPE players in Dax, Bonzi, and Regina, a remainder of the defense are either too young or not earning.  Their defensive line for example has a Season 40 player at 410 TPE as the highest earning player.  The rest include a Season 41 rookie, an inactive Season 32 player, and a Season 36 player who has been mostly inactive save for two activity checks between December and April.  Honolulu has interesting pieces but their defense outside of two players are Season 39 and later.  Even with a top flight offense with Nova, Perez, and Br00ker, that holds them back too much.  The last two are New Orleans and Orange County.  TPE wise it would be a slam dunk for New Orleans but it seems that the sim hates New Orleans too much for that to happen.  Orange County on paid for the services for Adrian St. Christmas for the next two seasons who should be a better passer than Shinomiya (who is still here apparently), but that defense is still too raw excluding some pieces in the secondary.

The NSFC is interesting as well.  Yellowknife is the logical choice to win the Conference but I don't think it's a foregone conclusion (it wasn't even that last season as they won via tiebreaker.)  Their elite defense from the past three seasons is well into regression, and has the chance to be supplanted as even last season their pass defense was league average.  The offense is at it's peak with two max earning Season 35 running backs and a 1K TPE QB throwing to Calvin Spiff and only him.  I think Cape Town will be the other expected playoff team with a high earning defense, a 1K TPE QB, and the reigning MVP in Jarvis.  The only reservation I'd have would be their receiver core with two decent 800 TPE guys but a 400 TPE at WR3.  It's decent but the other playoff teams have much better pass catchers.  The 3rd place spot is a mess with Chicago likely falling off a cliff since Adrian leaving, and a defense that is a mix of young guys, regressing guys, and inactive players, maybe a player like Quendyn who is max earning thrown in.  I would like to say my team Berlin but based on the last four seasons where our best defense was Season 37 with a bunch of rookies and sophomore was our best performing defense and has regressed each season since despite increasing TPE.  Now we have 6 players over 900 TPE, 3 of us over 1K, along with an active running back for once.  The receiving core regressed due to Zayne's regression and Perez being gone however.  I think Baltimore is too young to compete (if the sim cooperates) and will be at their peak in the next season or two.  Colorado finally has a good defensive line with 2 1Ks, along with another pair of 1Ks in the secondary, but the rest looks too

[Mojojojo]

#13. Choose a team or player to write about that isn’t your own. What did you do well in the last season? Have they shown any drastic improvement from previous years? What could they do better? (336 words)

What is the most underappreciated and often overlooked position in football? The fullback. What player dominates the fullback position in the ISFL? Leandre Diarra of the Orange County Otters. At this point, Diarra is a seasoned veteran, having played in the ISFL since season 36. He started his career with a blocking focus, honing his skills protecting his quarterback and running back committee during design plays. This past season (S40), these efforts paid off and Leandre set two league records for most pancakes in one season (85) and most pancakes in one game (14) for a non-OL player – all without giving up a single sack in the entire season.

S40 marked another major turning point in Diarra’s career as he took on a more significant role in both the running and passing games. Compared to the previous season (S39), Diarra had more than twice as many carries and nearly twice as many rushing yards, and significantly more passes caught and receiving yards. While he wasn’t quite as efficient on a play-by-play basis, the sheer increase in volume of his contributions made a huge impact for the Otters on the field. To put some numbers to this blossoming, Diarra put up 4 combined touchdowns (3 rushing and 1 receiving; the most in a season in his career); 74 rushing attempts for 293 yards (compared to only 36 attempts and 198 yards in S39), and 50 caught passes for 359 receiving yards (compared to 37 caught passes for 282 receiving yards, with 10 drops yikes!).

As an outsider, we can only speculate as to the reason for Diarra’s marked improvement. Looking at the roster for the Otters gives little guidance as the team surrounding Diarra didn’t see too many changes on the offensive side of the ball. We will have to assume that the new-found momentum comes from positive changes in Diarra’s life outside of football, maybe even the imminent arrival of his first born son to be welcomed any day by Leandre and his partner Tia.


#19. Your team has announced that they will be laying ground on a new stadium next season. What additions would you like to see included in it? (152 words)

The New York Silverbacks are a relatively new franchise, so you may ask yourself: why the heck do they need a new stadium already? Well, they finally decided to be a true New York City team rather than all those phony sports teams that actually play in New Jersey. Pursuing the dream of a big city stadium, the plans for the new stadium have to make use of a limited amount of space. This is why the Silverbacks are pioneering the multi-story vending machine concept for their stadium concessions. These vending machines allow people to order tasty pre-packaged snacks from a computer interface and then a claw-like arm travels well above their heads to grab the product from its stocked position and deliver it to the pickup window. As a team of apes, the Silverbacks vending machine will, of course, include single bananas and bunch of bananas as a featured snack item.


#26. If your player wasn’t a professional in the ISFL/DSFL, what would they be doing instead? (155 words)

When Lionel was a junior in high school, his father was diagnosed with advanced kidney disease and placed on the transplant list. While Lionel volunteered for a transplant, he was not a match and he had to watch his father’s health deteriorate for over a year before a suitable match was found. As a professional football player, Lionel has an important platform for spreading awareness about kidney disease. If he weren’t a player in the ISFL/DSFL, he would probably be pursuing his fundraising campaigning full time, working in communications for a health-related not-for-profit. His lifetime goal would be to raise enough money for a kidney and renal disease research and treatment wing to be added to the hospital in Michigan that helped save his dad. Since physical activity and sports has been such a big part of his life, he would be organizing kid- and family-friendly fundraising events full of sports contests and outdoor fun.

[Punk42AE]

PBE Affiliation
+2.5 TPE

19. Your team has announced that they will be laying ground on a new stadium next season. What additions would you like to see included in it. (Written Task)

This coming week the New Orleans Second Line will be announcing their brand new stadium with all of their changes, but we can do an early release on one of the new additions.  One of the biggest things that will be able to be seen from outside the stadium is the giant slide that goes around the whole park.  Basically think of it as a mix between the slide at Brewers Stadium, and a Disney ride.  It's going to take almost two and a half minutes to traverse the whole thing, and will basically be an Alpine Slide.  There will dips and twists and turns all through the stadium and inside different places that you normally wouldn't be able to see if you were just a normal fan.  The biggest part will come right near the end when it takes you through both of the anterooms of the Locker Rooms.  If you have the perfect time you might be able to see your favorite ISFL star coming out of the team's Locker Room!

Code:

173 Words

+2.5 TPE

21. Written Option: If your player had a show starring them, what would the plot be?

JR Frankenstero already has an upcoming TV show to talk about that will be premiering halfway through next season.  As we all know with the magic of television that things are being worked on months in advance, so it's currently taping right now during the offseason.  It's a small take on 'Deadliest Catch', but with small boats where groups go out on fishing tours in the Atlantic to try and hook that "big one".  For all of the ISFL fans, each episode is going to have a different team out hitting the ocean to try and catch a sturgeon or great white and for one special team that couldn't do anything right, a small school of blue gills... but we won't ruin which team did that good.  'Frankenstero's Catch' will be on the Discovery Channel at 9pm on Wednesday nights, as of right now the plan is for 14 different episodes so each team in the league will be represented.  Don't forget to check the listings for when your favorite team is on!

Code:

173 Words

+2.5 TPE

26. if your player wasn't a professional in the ISFL/DSFL, what would they be doing instead?

If JR Frankenstero wasn't a ISFL player, or any of the other sports that he currently plays, he would be one of those Lumberjack people who travels around for the shows.  He'd bust out his chainsaw and go at giant hunks of wood if it was in the summer months, or do the same thing in full flannels in the winter time on ice blocks.  When you think about someone with a big beard like him, it doesn't take a long time to picture full figured flannels.  So it's just natural that things like that would be his backup in life if he wasn't lining up on the field each week.  In the end this is already what type of stuff he does in the offseason when it isn't league time.  But what is just a small time of fun, would really blossom if he could be doing this 24-7 through out the whole year.  Just travelling around, him and his chain saw.

Code:

163 Words

+2.5 TPE

[Quisvilius]

1. The Season 40 Ultimus and Ultimini have officially come to an end. Congratulations to the the Bondi Beach Buccaneers and Arizona Outlaws for each winning their respective championships. How did each of the finalists in either the Ultimus or Ultimini arrive at the playoffs? Were there any teams that surprised or disappointed during the playoffs? Did the outcome of either championship game surprise you at all?

Season 40 was my inaugural season in the league. With no expectations, I was drafted by a team that didn't have time to even scout me, so I never bothered to look into them, their draft picks, or even where the team was located. That team was the Bondi Beach Buccaneers, and I was drafted in the ninth round. As you might imagine, getting up to speed is quite the whirlwind, you are dumped in to a team you know no one in, you don't understand your role, and apparently you're playing in Australia now. 

Bondi Beach in season 40 was a team that had high turnover. There was multiple players from Bondi Beach taken in the first round of the ISFL draft. I could tell you that they were all called up, but by the time I understood the call up system, it was already the offseason. The core of the team was our new defense, which was filled with rookies. 

As you might imagine for a team with large portion of rookies, we had a rocky start. The Bucs started the season with two consecutive losses, which may not seem like a big deal to you, but it sowed discomfort in our young core. Thanks to our steadfast leader Thor, and rookie mentor but also a rookie Jenni, cooler heads prevailed as the veterans shepherded our young team to midseason. At around this time, our GM went off the deep end into mad scientist mode.

During the season, crazy man and DSFL GMOTY snub (I'm not biased!) Thor decided that we needed some tweaks in our play calling to better represent our bad boy attitude - and to a lesser extent, our roster. What does a bad boy call? Blitzes and pass plays of course. This boom or bust strategy lent itself to a high degree of risk. However, Thor knew (or at least, I'd like to think he knew) he had a mitigation strategy. On offense, we had multiple speedsters, each wide receiver could potentially go the distance on every reception, and we had one of the most promising young running backs in the league - and he can catch too! On defense, I wasn't much help in the speed department, but I could cover underneath, and anyone can blitz. Our defensive line was aggressive but not irresponsible, no QB was safe and no runner was comfortable. If any one QB was so lucky to get a pass off, they had to go through our turnover monsters in our secondary - Baldwin (2FF, 2 INT), Crover (5 INT),  Morris (4 INT), and of course Marie (1FF, 6 INT). 

 In week 13, we faced our rivals, the smelly Luchadors. We destroyed them. A masterclass in Thor Football TM, we won 43-17. A score like that must represent a few lucky pass plays you would think, but it was actually one of the worst QB performances we put up all season. Smokin Jay had less than 40% completion of 36 attempts, and threw an interception. It was a signature defensive showcase, we had three interceptions, with two pick-sixes. It was this game when I was certain that our team could make it. The Bucs would go into the postseason winning three of their last four - the only loss being a game where they surrendered only 17 points.

Both postseason games were not the comfortable Thor Football TM that we love to see, they were low scoring by our standards. Our first game against the Seawolves - a team that we struggled against - we only had 27 points. Luckily our defensive backbone complimented a serendipitously strong running game and the game was never out of our control. The Ultimini was a different story, and we found ourselves uncharacteristically down 21-3 at halftime. It was a very sloppy game, we threw three picks, they missed three field goals, and neither team's QB had over 50% completion. Fortunately, data tends to normalize itself over time, and Thor Football TM came back in the second half, and long chunk completions created just enough momentum that we were able to take the lead early in the fourth. So how did we close the game? Well our defense got a stop of course, it's what we do. My only interception of the entire season, in fact. There may be some people in the league who look up what happened last season and are shocked by the Ultimini result, but I think I can say for everyone in that locker room that we weren't surprised, but grateful to be there.

[Matlestud]

8. This task is exclusive to non-recreate rookies of the S40 class and later. In 300 words or more, how has your experience been in the league? Who have you met that has made your time here more fun, friendly, and exciting? Have you been satisfied with your player’s early start? What was it like being drafted for the first time? Do you have any comments or suggestions for the entire league that you think should be implemented?


Okay, I have to be honest, this league is amazing. I love how well-organized everything is, from the draft to the Alumni/Ultimus trophy that I see in some people's profiles when they post. I love that you can work on a player and create a whole legacy for them. I've been lucky, and I feel like everything was very positive in my first season. My player, even though he didn't have much "TPE" at first, was still able to outperform others and get many sacks, tackles, and especially TFLs. For a little while, Leo Stud was actually leading the league! As a competitive person, this got me hooked and made me want to participate even more in the forums and Discord.

When it comes to the draft, it was perfect. I mean, I didn't know this kind of league existed, and here I am, looking at a stream and about to be drafted for real? Shit, that was exciting. Then I get welcomed into the Discord like I'm the new hope of the franchise? I mean, the game was on from day one.

One thing that really stood out to me about this league is the sense of community. Everyone is so supportive and welcoming, from the more experienced players to the newcomers like me. I've made some great connections with other players and it's been awesome to see how we all help each other improve. I will always love talking shit in Discord, I've watched the final championship game and was stressed like I was watching the NFL. Jesus.

The league also provides a lot of resources, like guides and tutorials, to help players navigate the game and maximize their potential. Overall, I feel like I've not only had a blast playing in this league, but I've also learned a lot and made some connections along the way. Shout out to Pugwalrus that took a chance on me.




12. Write about your team’s biggest rivalry and what makes it so fierce. Is the competition founded in statistics and the team’s recent performance, or is it a rivalry that developed over time during the team’s history that would exist regardless of statistics?


Alright, this was my first season, so let me get this clear: we got our ass kicked in the second half of the game. This hurts. So now you're asking Leo Stud who the biggest team rivalry is? Damn, I'm thinking about the Buccaneers right away, no question. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with cold sweat and a dizzy mind, thinking about how the whole crowd was energized as if a whole army of 300-pound men was running towards the stadium at high speed, the loud chants, and the smell of sweat, and the feeling of my throat burning after getting burned. Then I realize I'm in my bed and I was sleeping. I get up, walk to the bathroom, and fill a glass of water. My eyes are oversensitive from the light, and I'm thirsty. I take a quick look at my reflection, but it's still blurry. Then I wash my face and look back at myself in the mirror, as if I'm watching someone else. Then I say it: "I'm from RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW.. Mofos." That's all it takes for me to put my mind at ease and focus on S42, where the present and future are.

Now, to answer if this is from a long-term rivalry or whatever it is, it started right then, when we got stomped on during the S41 championship. As I sit here and reflect on my first season, I'm reminded of a quote from the one and only Kenny Powers, a true legend in the game. He once said, "I play real sports. Not trying to be the best at exercising." And let me tell you, that quote speaks volumes. This league ain't just about getting in shape and exercising, it's about the thrill of competition, the rush of adrenaline when you make a game-winning play, and the brotherhood that comes with being part of a team. That's why I'm committed to putting in the hard work and dedication it takes to be successful in this league. So mark my words, I'm already looking forward to next season, and I'm gonna do whatever it takes to help my team bring home that damn championship trophy. Because that's what real athletes do. They win championships.

[High Stick King]

24. You’re in charge of entertainment for the Ultimus or Ultimini half-time show. What would you do? (Written Task)

OK, I think I've been in charge of this in the past but I've been asked again so I guess I did a pretty good job last time. This time I need to make it even bigger. So be prepared to have your socks blown off. This halftime show will have a gladiator match and a full blown battle scene. The two sides will be wearing the uniforms of each team and bets can be made on who will prevail and who will die. Wagers can also be made on whether or not a limb is lost or an eye is gouged out and many other types of injuries. And a special surprise will be ferocious animals brought in like lions, rhinos, and bears. There will also be a shark tank although I couldn't get any lasers for the sharks despite how hard I tried. Don't forget to bet. Part of the proceeds will go to accounting fees for charities.

[ 160 words ] +2.5 TPE

27. Imagine your current position was not available to be picked when you created your player. What other position would you have picked, and why? (Written Task)

I was heavily scouted as a wide receiver because my speed was always considered my biggest asset. Although playing cornerback or safety was also an option, I also excelled at shiftiness which gave me a larger advantage on the offensive side of the ball and avoiding tackles. However there were many occasions that I played at the corner back and safety positions and did quite well but if I am being honest with myself, I struggled with the movement on the line and shifting assignments. So I prefer the offensive side of the ball although there is something to be said about being able to take your aggressions out on an opponent with a massive hit. That was one of the bigger attractions to the defensive side of the ball. Honestly though, I would be satisfied playing any position as long as I got to be a part of the team. It was always my dream and to be able to live it is amazing.

[ 165 words ] +2.5 TPE

32. Your player has decided to start a podcast since it's what all the cool celebrities are doing these days. What would the name of your player's podcast be and what would they talk about/do on the podcast? (Written Task)

Podcasts are so overdone but Matthew Mara doesn't care. He boldly wears clothing years out of date and isn't know to use the correct slang for anything so being blatantly oversaturated isn't something that is on Mara's radar. If there is one thing that Matthew Mara likes is alliteration so it came to nobody's surprise when he announced the name to be Matthew Mara's Minutes. The goal was to discuss football but also share in the wonders of the world. Unfortunately Mara tends to bite off a bit more than he can chew and he wasn't really prepared to "host" the podcast and found himself stuttering and bumbling his way through the majority of the discussions. Often forgetting to properly introduce his guests or remember what questions to ask. It's safe to say that it isn't going to be a giant success and Mara should probably just stick to football. But you can probably expect him to put out a rap album next.

[ 163 words ] +2.5 TPE

36. Affiliate PT from either SHL/SSL/PBE. The Weeks must match with the timeframe of this Offseason Task. And you may only use a max of 1.

SHL Affiliation

+2.5 TPE

[Komobro]

11. Write a short biography or story about your player. This could include background about how they came to the ISFL and how they’ve done so far, a story about their role in an exciting game, or anything else related to their experience in the league.

My name is Honey Humphries and I am not your average bear. I was adopted and raised by humans in Alaska. When I was a cub, I wandered into a campsite and was found by a kind couple who decided to take me in. They named me Honey because of my golden fur and sweet personality. They treated me like their own child and taught me everything they knew.

I grew up in a small town where everyone knew me and accepted me as one of them. I was able to go to school with humans due to my natural charm and high levels of charisma. I also had very high intelligence for a bear because of all the salmon my parents would feed me. I learned how to read, write, speak and even use a computer. I also developed a passion for football, which I played with my human friends. I was a natural athlete and a leader on the field.

However, not everything was easy for me. I faced some adversity along the way from people who did not understand me or were afraid of me. I had to deal with bullying, discrimination and prejudice from some of my classmates, teachers and strangers. I also had to overcome some physical challenges, such as fitting into clothes, using utensils and adjusting to different climates. I never let these obstacles stop me from pursuing my goals and dreams.

*growls* Unfortunately, I did not get any major college offers after graduating from high school. Most colleges were not willing to take a chance on me or did not have the facilities to accommodate me. I had to settle for a D3 school at Austin College in Texas, where I continued to play football and study hard. I was determined to prove myself and make my parents proud. The Texas heat was almost un-bear-able but I persevered.

I entered the prospect bowl after my parents encouraged me to try and follow my dreams of playing professional football. They believed in me and supported me all the way. I must have played well enough to warrant a DSFL draft pick by the Tijuana Luchadores. I'm ecstatic and grateful for this opportunity although I hope it won't be too hot. I am ready to show the world what I can do as a bear and as a player. *growls*




26. if your player wasn't a professional in the ISFL/DSFL, what would they be doing instead?

Honey Humphries loves football, but he also has other interests and aspirations. If he was not in the DSFL, he would probably be pursuing a life as a salmon farmer with the goal of owning a salmon farm someday. He has always been fascinated by salmon and their life cycle. He enjoys fishing and eating salmon, but he also respects and cares for them. He majored in business with a minor in philosophy at Austin College, hoping to learn the skills and knowledge to run a successful and ethical salmon farm. (He is more thoughtful and gentle than he looks.) 

Without football, he would like to live close to home in Alaska because he feels accepted there. He misses his parents and his friends from his hometown. He also misses the natural beauty and the wildlife of Alaska. Also, the salmon doesn't hit the same in Texas. He feels a strong connection to his roots and his culture. He wants to give back to his community and contribute to its development because of how they accepted him. 



32. Your player has decided to start a podcast since it's what all the cool celebrities are doing these days. What would the name of your player's podcast be and what would they talk about/do on the podcast?

If my player, Honey Humphries, started a podcast it would be called “Bear Necessities”, where he shares his unique perspective and insights on life. He would have weekly guests on his show, ranging from other athletes, celebrities, experts, friends and family. He would primarily give life advice and discuss philosophy with his guests and his listeners.

He would also have a weekly segment called “Bear Time” where he would tell a story about a unique challenge he faced because he is a bear and how he overcame it. For example, he could describe how hard it was to brush his teeth without thumbs and how he overcame that.

Finally, he would also take time weekly to go over the football season and his performance and progress. Things like his stats and going over games as well as talking about any big juicy news from around the league. I think Honey would try and keep football separate from the podcast but it might prove to be too difficult.

[KenitohMenara]

Task 6 - Write 600 words or more on something about anything in the league that interests you. It could be related to statistics, a league issue that you take seriously, or a niche part of history that doesn’t fit neatly into either of the above categories. This must be directly related to the league, so don’t wax 600 words about your team’s participation on a Werewolf server or something.

To me, one of the best things about sim leagues like this is the media potential. I am sure we can all agree that the storylines are one of the biggest reasons we all follow sports. The instant stories and all time classics it tells us are better than anything we can get from movies or books or games. I would like share with you all a personal example from this league. About my players first season with the Minnesota Grey Ducks:

It had been a rough road for Minnesota. The last 3 seasons had not resulted in trips to the postseason and more often than not straddling the .500 record line. For a franchise that once was the cream of the crop in the DSFL, winning back to back Ultimini titles, they desperately wanted to make it back to the grand stage.

They entered into the draft needing offensive help, looking for a true number one receiver. There were a lot of good options out there, Squidward Tentacles, Jason Waterfalls and Vincent Sharpei Jr (who the Grey Ducks ended up drafting in the second round). But as the combine went on, the Grey Ducks eyes quickly turned their attention to an… unlikely candidate.

Mason Malone, the Quarterback out of USC.

Now an inquiring mind might wonder why their attention would be in his direction. Malone was a great quarterback at USC for sure and he would go high in this draft but Minnesota would not be one of those teams. They already had Kazimir Oles Jr on the roster and he was likely their QB for the upcoming season so why look at Malone?

He had just posted a 4.53 second 40 yard dash.

That turned the heads of every single coach and GM in the room. That was the fastest time not just for a Quarterback but also was exceptionally even for the skill positions. Not to mention the fact that this was coming from a Quarterback that was not seen as a mobile threat or a scrambler, but a set foot on the ground field general passer. As the combine went on, Malone just continued to impress the Minnesota brass. He was quick from side to side, he was agile, he was strong and from what they heard from his coaches, he was a fine leader in the locker room. After Minnesota interviewed him, Russ Cayhill told the other Minnesota front office members:

“He’s the one”

***

As for Mason himself, he felt the combine had gone exceptionally well. He had earned the attention of several teams and there was a general sense in the combine that he would go high. His performances at USC, his general attitude and combine results had turned heads and his whole home town of McCall, Idaho was anxiously holding its breath, wondering where their favourite son would go. While everyone was sure he would go high, there was one question that everyone was wondering:

“Would Malone still play Quarterback?”


A lot of teams had asked him about his positional flexibility and if he had ever had experience in playing other positions. While Mason had never played any other position but QB, he had trained often with the skill positions players, running backs and wide receivers. The only thing was that Mason had never played those positions in an official game, either in high school or college. But his training with them, day after day in both McCall and at USC had increased his physical attributes exponentially so theoretically speaking, he could play one of the skill positions. That being said, doing so would be a massive gamble for any team to take on, a decision that may cause many teams to flinch away from drafting Malone at all. Then as draft day approached and the world watched on with interest, one team decided that Malone’s attributes and sky high potential was enough to take the risk. The Commissioner walked to the podium and announced the pick:

“With the 4th overall pick in the Season 29 DSFL Entry Draft, The Minnesota Grey Ducks Select… Mason Malone, Quarterback, USC.”

The entire town of McCall celebrated as if they had just won the Superbowl. Mason himself could only sit there as the tears started flowing. He had done it. He had made it to the DSFL. He was inching closer and closer to his dream of making it to the ISFL. After a weekend of partying with his hometown and his family, Mason packed up his bags and headed for Minneapolis for training camp. It was there where he would get the answer to his burning question.

Based on his combine results and raw attributes, they wanted to convert Mason to Wide Receiver. Mason had said if a team can redirect his training to the role he would more than likely accept the position change and throughout camp, the Grey Ducks brass would begin his retraining into his new skill role. This wouldn’t be easy and any slips up in this training camp could result in him getting cut and being only remembered as a draft bust. As he had done many times before, he put his nose to the grindstone and began working again. With the help of his new coaches, the raw athleticism of Malone began to shine and he started to develop a good rapport with his new QB, Kazimir Oles Jr, who had first thought of himself as a mentor to the young QB as he was heading off to the ISFL soon but now was working with the young athlete to turn him into a deadly wide receiver. Malone’s hard work and determination to succeed did not go unnoticed by the higher ups of Minnesota or the media as reports began to flood in of how impressive his camp had been and how he would make for a great 2nd wide receiver for the team and how with him on the team, Minnesota could potentially look to once again make the playoffs for the first time in 3 seasons. That’s when the announcement dropped.

The coaches of Minnesota had decided that not only would Mason be joining their receiver core but he would also be the number 1 receiver. A huge task for any player but this was near impossible task for a QB convert to wide receiver. The media was abuzz with questions and predictions that this was another sign of Minnesota tanking for another miracle talent in the next draft, that is until the head coach of the team, Gregory Ragg, stepped up and let his thoughts be known:

“We are putting Malone at WR1 because we believe in his talents and we believe in the skills he has shown us at this camp. You can laugh at us and mock us all you please, but this decision was not made in haste or made by mistake. We will rally around Mason Malone and we will play good football.”

This not only stunned the media in question but also Mason who was watching from afar. This team believed in him. For the first time in his life a team actually believed he could be the star player right off the bat. The Minnesota Grey Duck brass had no idea how much that meant to the young talent and once he heard it he made a silent vow, that he would do everything in his power to make sure that Minnesota never once regretted making that decision.


Stuff like this you can't find elsewhere and that's what makes this league and indeed sim leagues in general so much fun for me

[Jumbo]

18. Self Sales Pitch
So Draft is long passed. And everyone S41 player is on a team. I think I ended up on a perfect team in New York Silverbacks. I had a great convo in scouting with Rep. But if I had to do my sales pitch about myself again. This is what I have to offer the team. I am currently max earning TPE, and I am currently the #1 TPE leader for our class. My plan is to do this and keep it up. I want to stay at the top of the list. I also have a pretty good sized bank account because of graphics work that I have done. This will allow me to keep up with training weekly and seasonal for many seasons to come. And finally I plan on joining a team's war room. I have been a GM in SHL and WSBL. So I can help teams with anything in that regards. I will do more with testing in the sim once I get it down. But I offer alot and I know I will be a valuable asset to New York. 
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22. Scouting Report
For a scouting report I am going to go with #1 overall pick by New York Silverbacks, Dub Redd by Wizard_literal. Coming out of Barry Sanders University, Redd plays very athletic at the Defensive Tackle position. Standing at 6' 3" and weighing at 315 lbs, Redd ran a 4.46 40 yard dash. Which is just insane at that weight. Redd also scored a 65.2 at the combine at the DT position, which was among the leaders. Redd is a player that can anchor down any defensive line. He will force opposing offenses to key on him leaving other players unblocked. Even with the extra attention, Redd possesses the skills to quickly shed blockers and still get to the Quarterback or top a run right at the hole. Redd still has growing to do at the position. A couple weakness are his strength which is not where it should be. He also needs to learn the DT position a little more, where to position himself. But overall Dub Redd is a clear impact player and ready to make the jump to the big leagues. An easy top 3 pick.
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 27. Different Position
So I actually had 2 positions picked out when I created. I chose the defensively side as I like the feeling of stopping the other team from scoring. I chose the Linebacker position as it is a focal point for all defenses. These are the Quarterbacks of the defense. So obviously if Linebacker was not available, I would have chose Quarterback. Actually Quarterback was my first choice but in the end decided to go the other way. But I think Quarterback would have been real fun. The teams entire offense basically goes through you. The QB is the one with the main spotlight on them, so I know it comes with a lot of responsibility and criticism. But I know the pains of up and down seasons. You have to go through them all. Quarterback also has a few different archetypes. So really you could be the main weapon or you could be an added weapon to create the top offense. Quarterback would have been a good time I think. 
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29. Branding
So I enjoy several team brandings. First I really like some teams color schemes. I really like Sarasota, Orange County, and Honolulu colors. I think they are a great combo and look really good. For team names I really like Butchers, Crash, Copperheads. All these have a good team feel to them and they provide a little bit of "viciousness" to them. But my top 3 teams are Baltimore Hawks, New York Silverbacks, and Yellowknife Wraiths. I think these 3 have overall the best branding. Good colors (I guess I like black), names, and location. First Baltimore is the closest to me IRL. So I always tend to lean towards those teams a bit. They could have do a more specific Hawk but overall a great job. New York honestly grew on me. After being on the team and being able to see the jerseys and other work. I think it looks great. And of course Yellowknife. Pretty sure Yellowknife just won a poll done by Icebear on leagues best branding. So what more needs to be said. 
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[MrGoat1246]

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