(S42) Offseason Task

[Michiganonymous]

Short-Form Tasks (2.5 TPE)

23. Ah, the sim engine, that delightful yet exasperating collection of 0s and 1s that makes the little dots do football. I like the sim engine a lot; I find a unique charm in the "dot football" as opposed to a more realistic, "Madden-style" sim. And overall I think it does a very good job of simulating realistic football games and outcomes. I even bought a new Windows laptop just so that I could play around with the sim (which isn't compatible with my antique Macbook). Never mind that I can never seem to find the time to realize all those sim-testing ideas! All these things being said, there are certainly some frustrating quirks to the sim that I wish could be addressed, specifically, end-game clock management and special teams playcalling. It is an infuriatingly powerless feeling to watch your preferred color of dot lose a close game with timeouts remaining when proper use of those timeouts could've gotten them into position for a game-tying or game-winning field goal. Speaking of field goals, when you have a kicker at peak TPE, with the Power and Accuracy to make kicks of 50+ yards routinely, you will curse the name of Wolverine Studios every time you see your dots punt from inside their opponents' 35-yard line. This seems to happen a lot, and from a football perspective it doesn't make a whole lot of sense, especially not in the first half of games. From the opposing 35 there's only a 10-yard difference between a missed FG and a touchback punt (which punts from that distance almost always are). That's a very small risk to take for the chance at 3 points. In the DSFL, where kickers are much weaker, this punt-first mindset makes a bit more sense, but not in the ISFL. On the other hand, even real-life football coaches struggle with clock management and FG decisions, so maybe we should appreciate this as an added layer of realism! (~320 words)

[Chicken Lips]

16. Hank Mardukas and the Minnesota Grey Ducks had quite the epic season. With valleys and mountains the Ducks traversed it all culminating to a photo finish in Week 14 of the Season 42 DSFL. From initial draft Hank couldn’t wait to hit the field in Minnesota and show the stinky teams in the DSFL North that the ducks are out to win it all. Things started off strong with Minnesota taking a strong stance in the first 4 games of the season. Conquering foes Portland, Kansas City and Dallas, though unfortunately following to the might Josh Patterson and his London Royals in Week 2. Hank was useful in Week 1 but couldn’t hold onto the ball for the life of him in the next few games. In Week 1 Hank had 5 receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown, 1 of his four for the entire season. Suffice to say he felt like he was on top of the world. That high did not last for long. In week two Hank could only hang onto 3 of 7 passes, though he did receive a total of 77 yards with a 65 yard long reception, his longest of the season. Hank continued into week 3 with the same inability to hold onto a pass. Though as he progressed into week 4 and beyond he managed to turn it around and become a key player as Tight End #2 for the Ducks. In Week 13 in a key playoff affecting game against the Norfolk Seawolves Hank stepped up and had a 62 yard long touchdown reception to help bolster the Ducks to a 31-28 victory over Gumbo’s team. Unfortunately it was not in the cards for the ducks as London managed to win their week 14 game securing them the 2nd place spot in the DSFL North Championship Game. Hank is humble though and didn’t let this bring him down. Instead he reflected on how hard the team fought to get to where they did and was proud of his team and his own performance.

13. Josh Patterson a look at the ISFL’s quarterback of the future. Josh started out as a humble corner back from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Finding his college football career at University of North Texas where he was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe award. The DSFL took notice and Josh was drafted 5th overall in the season 41 DSFL draft by the London Royals, though the Royals had a different career path in mind for little Patterson. Upon joining the Royals, Josh announced his intention to undergo rapid training to become the team’s newest quarterback. The Royals must have seen something special in Josh to make them believe the secondary could flip sides of the ball. As it turns out, London probably made the biggest and best decision of the draft. From the get go Josh was performing unlike any rookie before him. The Royals had a stack receiving line with 3 maxed wide receivers giving Josh the perfect set up. Though if you ask me there is something special about this guy and a lot of it came from him. Midway through the season Josh was on pace to break or tie the DSFL rookie touchdown record of 39 touchdowns in the regular season, having 25 touchdowns by week 7. More impressively was that game during week 7 where josh through for 346 yards and a total of 7 touchdowns. Shattering the previous DSFL record of less than 7 touchdowns in a game. Josh became the lynch pin of the Royals’ offense and was the biggest reason they made it to the DSFL North Championship game. Unfortunately for London and Josh they were not able to materialize the win against Kansas City and lost 41-28, only for KCC to go on and lose to Tijuana in the Ultimini. Makes you wonder what would have happened if Josh could have made it to Mumbai and met TIJ on the field. Unfortunately, we don’t know the answer to that one. But I do know that Josh is going to go on and do great things at his new home in SJS, in 3 to 4 more seasons of being quarterback for the Royals.

[TheRake]

20min Podcast on #2

[Jason Kranz]

[url=- PT]SHL Affiliate

[OrbitingDeath]

21 Tv show:



25. Billboard:



31. Award




36. Affiliate claim: SHL

[crash1005]

13. Choose a team or player to write about that isn’t your own. What did they do well in the last season? Have they shown any drastic improvements from previous years? What could they do better?
This season Barry Badman of the Cape Town Crash had a great all around season for a line backer. He was tied for 13th in the league in tackles recording 108 a new career high for the 7 year vet. He also forced 5 fumbles which was the second most in the league this season and a career high in that stat as well he also recovered 4 of the fumbles. The turnovers were a huge part of the Crash success on defense this year where they lead the league in causing turnovers. Badman also recorded 12 sacks which was also huge for a CTC squad that also lead the league in this category with a staggering 76 sacks 10 more then the second place team. The play Barry really shined was his play in the passing game where he defended 12 passes which was second in the league for linebackers and intercepting a pass. The Crash had an historically good season going 13-3 in large part to their smash mouth style of play which is lead by the defense a squad in which Badman is the engine. I am actually very excited to join the linebackers of the Crash with Barry leading the way and guiding the younger guys in the group. He has already been a huge help to me helping with the switch to linebacker helping me build my self into a great linebacker hopefully able to repeat with a rookie season award just like Brand had this year in Cape Town. With everything Barry has already done in his career I was very happy for him to finally break though and win and Ultmis. In the end I am just very happy to be joining this team and this defense in large part to Badman and what he had brought to the Crash.

20. Written Option: Which teammate of yours is the ultimate team player and why? How does this person exhibit selflessness and put the team first? Are they a great locker room presence who encourages others? Do they play an important but unappreciated role on the team which doesn't receive much recognition for awards?
So far in my young ISFL career I think the ultimate teammate has by far been Aeonsjenni. Not only is she the GM of the Buccaneers but she is always the first to respond when I have a question. No matter what it is about she knows something about it from build help to fantasy football to Giants baseball she knows it. She has also been a great leader helping all of our latest draft players come into their own this year and although I'm not in their locker room she seems to already be a big help in her Yeti locker room. In short I am pretty bummed that in the upcoming season we will no longer be teammates but I figure maybe sometime down the line either later in our career or with our next players we can be teammates again. I honestly just can't tell you how great she actually is hopefully you will one day get to be her teammate.

34. New players join our teams every season, so which of those new players made the biggest impact on the field for your team?
This season we had RE#38(Aleris) going our team and from the get go they were on board with everything we were doing in Bondi Beach. They slotted into some huge shoes taking over for Jay at quarterback. But determined the rookie put everything they had into the Buccaneers leading an offense which was completely gutted in the off season to the play offs. Although we did not beat the Luchadores they were always up beat and always had a good word for everyone RE has just been a great teammate this season and really deserved the award attention they received. In a season with other great rookie QBs RE still stood out they were third in yards and fifth in rating just a great season all around and for sure has a great base to build on for next season which should be an interesting one in the DSFL. RE has just been a great player on and off the field and I'm bummed we will no longer be teammates.

[jollyjiggs]

OT Pass

[ItsFrenchie]

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)

A 91’000-seater seems like a pretty decent stadium, right? More so, one that was built in 2016 and is only 7 years old! Surely that would be fine for such a storied franchise like the Baltimore Hawks are! Truth is, after the hard work from local journalists, turns out The Aviary holds true to its name in that it was built of straw and sheer determination. After concluding that the building was to be torn down, 455 million down the drain, wealthy owner and GM @dude_man injected an extra 750 million by liquidating some shares in the bath and body works stock to invest in a new state of the art facility.

The new entertainment complex will offer 130’000 seats for Baltimore fans to enjoy their team, fixed with new augmented reality displays, a 360-degree screen to display entertainment and information about the game, holographic capabilities to display during halftime and to have replays mid-game. On top of all the crazy tech, the best Michelin starred restaurants were hired to create a brand-new menu for the delight of all. There is also beer, a lot of beer! (187 words)

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

The challenge of all big leagues is a mix of profitability, engagement, and retention as well as market development. After the hardships brought on by the COVID-19 years, the ISFL should look at ways to engage an untapped potential in a demographic boom that happened during those years: people had kids, a lot of kids! What better way to have this young group buy into the sport and the league for now until the rest of their lives than to have a LIVE PERFORMANCE OF MISS RACHEL, LIVE ON STAGE FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME!

A staple of every household, she would bring her classics “Banana Phone”, “Wheels on the bus”, “Can you say mama?” and “Looby Loo” to the stage at the pleasure of both dads and young ones! Of course, there would be surprise appearances from beloved cast members Mister Aaron, Herby and more! What better way than this to develop a new fan following! (157 words)

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)

There is no need to go on about it again, we all know that Bourtol’s curling heritage molded him into the peak modern athlete, a marvel for the eyes of all fans alike. That said, Bourtol never really had the guts to take the spotlight, often stuck battling his inner feelings of being torn between two loves: curling and football. In all honesty, defensive tackle and safety were never the plan, and he always wanted to catch the ball, become the greatest wide receiver to play the game. That being said, with his inability to speak up when it mattered, he was always last in line so to speak when it came to position attribution during his younger years. Eventually, talent was apparent, and he associated it with playing the position he was playing and stuck with it. Were it all to be done again, he’d be confident enough to ask for what he wanted!  (155 words)

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 Affiliate

[woelkers]

For any team, certain players and users have gone above and beyond, shaping the legacy of the franchise. Choose any ISFL or DSFL team and create a Mount Rushmore for that team. Who in your mind are the four most noteworthy figures of the team’s history? Why does each one of your included figures deserve that recognition, and how did each of them make their mark?

I am going to take this offseason to do an introspective dive into my beloved New York Silverbacks, the team I helped bring to life. I am setting myself the task of building a Mount Rushmore for this team that does not include myself, despite my role as founder of the franchise, because the team now has seventeen seasons of history, and I was only a part of four of those seasons. That said, those who will feature on this list were all members of the franchise during my time with the team, and are all near and dear to my heart in one way or another.

First and foremost, the most obvious choice for a spot on the Silverback Mount Rushmore is @zaynzk, who has served as General Manager for the New York Silverbacks for fifteen seasons now and has led the team to one hundred and eleven regular season victories and two Ultimus titles, while admittedly also weathering one hundred and twenty-eight loses with the franchise. Zayn has been the face of the franchise through thick and thin in his time on the roster, and has proven time and time again to have been immense value in the third round of his initial draft class, although unfortunately, he remains stinky to this day.

The second face to grace the franchise Mount Rushmore for the New York Silverbacks must be former General Manager @TheRocheLimit, who shared in the glory of both Ultimus title runs for the team and accumulated a lifetime record of eighty-three wins to one hundred and eight losses. Roche was also the first ever draft selection for the New York Silverbacks, as Jack Banks was the number one pick of the expansion draft. The franchise made a firm commitment to reinvigorating the career of the new linebacker from day one, and ultimately the team rode not only Jack Banks, but Roche himself to a great amount of success, as he proved to be an invaluable leader both on the field and in the locker room.

Third among the faces of the New York Silverbacks' Mount Rushmore will be, must be, @MN_Moosey. Moosey joined the New York Silverbacks at the beginning, coming from the San Jose Sabercats having already established his value as one of the premier blocking tight ends in league history, and made his presence felt as not only a steady earner and sturdy player, but as a valuable member of the war room and particularly as a massive boon to recruitment efforts. However, it is Moosey's second stint with the franchise, as the franchise quarterback, that he should most be remembered for; Moosey committed an incredible amount of his time and his energy to giving the Silverbacks a stable centerpiece to build around, and although he had mixed success during the course of that career, it is sufficiently valuable that he undoubtedly has to make an appearance on the franchise Mount Rushmore.

The fourth and final face that I will place on the Mount Rushmore of the New York Silverbacks may come with some controversy, but I believe he may deserve the honor most of all: @iStegosauruz. Steg proved a difficult piece to bring to New York, as the team failed to sufficiently woo him during an eventful free agency period. However, Steg did not forget the efforts of the war room, and eventually found himself with the organization via trade. Steg rapidly rose to prominence with the team, proving invaluable to a war room desperately searching for greater performance through a deeper understanding of the sim engine, and I believe was an integral part of the team not only reaching, but winning two Ultimus titles. While Steg ultimately did not return to the team following the retirement of Colt Mendoza, his legacy as a New York Silverback remains permanently engrained in the franchise trophy case.

[Muford]

26. If Blacksmith Andre was not a professional Football player in the ISFL, for the San Jose Sabercats, he would obviously be back in Firelink Shrine being a dope ass Blacksmith. Blacksmith Andre does like to help weary travelers on their mission to rekindle the fire, or even snuff out the fire for an age of dark, but either which way he is there with you every step of the way, making sure that your gear is upgraded, your flasks are prepared, and imbuing whatever you need done on your weapons as well. You bring Blacksmith Andre the coals that are burning you find around the world, and he is able to make your gear stronger then you ever thought possible. So yes, If Blacksmith Andre was not a professional kickass Offensive Lineman for the San Jose Sabercats, he would obviously be doing what he loves the most, smithing for those who can not smith for themselves.

(156 words) (2.5 TPE)

27. Honestly, I’ve actually thought about this one a lot, and will probably be doing so on my next player, but alas, I decided to go Offensive Lineman again. Instead though, If I couldn’t be an Offensive Lineman, I think I would give a try at Quarterback. I’ve had players on both sides of the ball, OL, LB, DL, CB, RB, WR, and I think Quarterback is the one that I would really like to attempt next. I have always wanted to see my player be the focus of an offense, so to speak, and while you can be as a wide receiver and a running back, nothing screams leading the offense like a quarterback obviously. So I think at least, that I would quite enjoy running it one time as a Quarterback and seeing how I can play my hand there and seeing if I can make that work for my liking, and for whatever team would draft me, would like it as well, I would hope.

(167 words) (2.5 TPE)

16.My most recent journey, with the Bondi Beach Buccaneers, ended in heartbreak, this last season. While we started off horrendously after winning the Ultimini, going 0-5 through the first five weeks, there was a lot of doubt and anguish that we would be able to make it back to the playoffs to try to take another stab at another Ultimini and go back to back, or BBB to BBB as I liked to call it. All felt loss, until Week 6, we went on the road into Tijuana, and were able to squeak out the victory, 31-30, and that changed the course of our season. Through the next four games, (Including the win against Tijuana) Our team came alive, and we rattled off win after win. 37-28 against the Minnesota Grey Ducks in Week 7 at home, 41-6 Spanking of the Norfolk Seawolves in Week 8 which also happened to be at home, and a 48-14 dismantling of the Dallas Birddogs, In Dallas. We were back in it, sitting at a pretty 4-5 record, almost like the first five weeks didn’t happen. We walked into our stadium in week 10, our heads held high, just to lose to Portland, 21-13, and it deflated the high. Here we are, week 11, sitting at 4-6, and hoping we can still contend, and we go into London and beat them up pretty badly, 28-6, and right back on track, as we also go home Week 12 and beat Kansas, 28-20. It took us 12 weeks to finally be a .500 team, and it was so sweet. Week 13 and 14 were heart breaks though, as we lost to Tijuana 27-7 at home, then to Minnesota 37-14 on the road. We had finished our season at 6-8, but thanks to Norfolk finishing 5-9 we were back in the playoffs where we belonged. Sadly our Cinderella story didn’t finish like we wanted to, back to back, and Tijuana beat us 24-9 on their way to their 10 Ultimini, after beating the Coyotes 20-17 in Overtime. It was such a rollercoaster season, but I loved every second in Bondi Beach.

(354 Words) (5 TPE)