The last couple of weeks have been sad times for the San Jose saber cats.
We started off on an absolute high but have slunk back down to 4th in the division. With a couple of tough weeks sandwiching a game against Honolulu anything fewer than 2 wins will likely see us out on our arse again with Farrell's final year as a fatty spent in vain.
London aren't faring much better, with Mooty Poop-Eaters team languishing a game back from playoffs. We've yet to win 2 in a row but with the DSFL, anything is possible. Let's just hope ya boy can pick up some more cool stats like interceptions, forced fumbles and he'll maybe even a cheeky wee touchdown. Who says no? Probably the rest of the division probably.
Anyway, in the story of the hare and the tortoise, the tortoise wins it all. But let's change the paradigm. San Jose & London are going to finish as cars and squish the hares and tortoises of this league in the final part.
Sadly, Portland's season isn't going the way the Pythons had hoped. Barring a pretty significant winning streak, its looking like we'll finish near the bottom of the pack and be able to pick pretty high in the next draft. Luckily, Portland has build a solid base roster to work from, and with a few additions from the draft, they could be formidable next year.
In no particular order, the Pythons need two things: a run game and defense. Gurley is improving and doing what he can with his touches, but a receiving back is not a bellcow. If the Pythons can pick up another RB in the draft to split carries and get Gurley more usage in the passing game, they'll have a much more balanced offense. Past that, the Python's defense is already punching above their weight class but they need some backup. Pythons can and should add as many high-level defensive players to their roster as they can to even out that side of the ball. Adding a DT, a second LB, and another CB would get that defense firing on all cylinders.
Not in the ISFL, but I'll answer this for my DSFL team, The (Mighty) Minnesota Grey Ducks. We have the highest TPE by a large margin. Unfortunately, the sim doesn't care how much TPE you have. We have fumbled way too many times in way too many key situations. That being said, we've still managed to go 2-1 in the division and 2-2 outside of the division. We sit atop our division, tied with only the Kansas City Coyotes with h2h tiebreaker over them. (Wtf they were 0 and 3 how are they back ). While we will continue to improve as we earn TPE, it is worrying that our CB1, Dixon, has gone IA and will be on the bench for the foreseeable future. This means Dason Dehorn has to slot in at CB1 and personally I am worried about how that will go. Fortunately, we got some beasts in the front 7 to cover my ass. Lyle Robideaux with over 50 tackles, 2 sacks, and a pick, and our boy Dunkler Sowerwine out here with over 20 tackles, 2 TFLs, and 2 Sacks. We need them to keep it up so I don't get burnt like an Irelander at the beach in July.
I believe that my team, the London Royals in the DSFL is faring pretty decently considering the considerable adversity we've faced this season. With a slew of suspended players, some of our efforts have been hampered with the lack of TPE we've been able to apply and earn. However we are not down and defeated, quite the contrary. We have an incredibly strong and stout offense, ranked 1st in Passing & Receiving and 4th in Rushing going into tonight's double header. We are an offensive powerhouse and have been able to showcase that talent in numerous games. The few games that we have lost have been closer than they may appear and with a few adjustments, its plausible to believe we finish out with a winning record. I think it's fairly safe to bet we make the post-season, but will need some help on our defense. Thankfully I am able to provide that boost having served my suspension.
The Birddogs are currently sitting at 3-4 which is obviously not great. However, there is a lot of parity this year and a playoff spot is still easily doable, as long as we finish strong. There have been some real bright spots that signal we're out of our funk and ready to go on a run. For starters we won our last game over London (one of our opponents tonight, and put up 47 points in the process. In the game before that we actually took the undefeated cream of the crop Tijuana to the final play, and were all set to win the game with an Air Bud FG which he unceremoniously shanked. Unbelievable. We lost 24-23.
Another bright spot on this team is the play of the linebackers. Currently, myself (Huge Yakman) and Toller Retriever are tied for the league lead in tackles for loss. Imagine having not one but two guys on the same defense who were on top of the league, thats pretty clutch.
My prediction is this squad will go 5-2, with a win over Tijuana mixed in, in the 2nd half and win out in the playoffs.
At the beginning of the season, most of the league, including the Wraiths locker room, had Yellowknife finishing towards the bottom. After all, we finished dead last in the previous season, and had the number one overall pick in the last draft. So when the Wraiths went 4-1 in the first 5 weeks of games, a lot of people were shocked. Some even called us 'Mickey' which I'm not sure what that means but ok. That said, the Wraiths have struggled since then and are currently 6-5, along with 2 other teams. The Baltimore Hawks are the conference favorite to finish first, but the Wraiths are competing with Sarasota and Cape Town for the second 2 playoff spots. While I'm not confident that we will be in the postseason, its nice to see that our team's hard work is paying off. Right now, we are what you could call scrappy. We aren't impressive, but we won't give up without a fight. This bodes well for the future as we contend over the next few seasons.
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Well, the Fire Salamanders are about as far from an Ultimus as any team in the league. With an aging roster and the 2nd worst record in the league, this season is over and future isn't the brightest. With a new QB who is already in regression and a generally lackluster roster, the Ultimus appearance S42 slowly fades into obscurity. The lowest TPE team in the entire league has a long way to go. But, there is always hope and we are already at (or right above) rock bottom. Tua TurnDaBallOva is at an impressive TPE mark and looks like the future at QB, while Devin Jones and D’Jasper Probincrux IV are already having promising rookie seasons. Like rebuilding any team, you start with the QB (Tua) and then draft well everywhere else you can. So as long as we can succeed in the draft there is always hope and who knows, maybe it only takes a year of two.
The Honolulu Hahalua's season began on a rocky note, with setbacks and disappointments casting doubt on their prospects for success. However, amidst the initial struggles, the team's management remained steadfast in their commitment to turning the tide. Through strategic trades and shrewd roster adjustments, the Hahalua began to show signs of improvement, slowly but surely transforming their fortunes. As the season progressed, the team's resilience and determination became evident, instilling a renewed sense of optimism among players and fans alike. With the recent momentum gained from their strong trades, the Hahalua now find themselves in a position of resurgence, ready to seize the opportunity and prove that their fighting spirit can propel them to victory in the seasons ahead.
Looking ahead two or three seasons, the Honolulu Hahalua stand poised on the brink of greatness. With the momentum gained from their recent strategic trades and roster adjustments, coupled with the continued development of their talented roster, the Hahalua are primed to emerge as a formidable force in the league. As the team coalesces and chemistry solidifies, their potential becomes increasingly apparent. With their sights set on the Ultimus, Honolulu will undoubtedly be a force to be reckoned with. With each season, they inch closer to their ultimate goal, driven by a shared determination to bring home the championship and etch their names into DSFL history as champions. The future is bright for the Honolulu Hahalua, and their journey to Ultimus glory promises to be nothing short of thrilling.