"If you're not gonna complete your fucking routes, then you might as well get off the field!"
That's what can be overheard in the background as I sit down to speak with Colorado Yeti wide receivers coach, Cameron Kattetch, known affectionately by players and staff as 'Catch'.
It would be easy to assume that this was coming from one of Catch's support staff or a veteran wide receiver, and that it was aimed at one of two rookie receivers drafted by Colorado just days ago: James Bishop (@Bwestfield) and Rylant Wright (@RainDelay).
In truth, it was coming from the former, James Bishop, and was directed at two veteran receivers brought into Colorado via trade this offseason: John Watcher (Arizona) and ShaDarrien LaMelllana (San Antonio/Arizona). Watcher is nearing the end of his career, and perhaps thought he could earn his contract payout riding the bench as a fourth-stringer or lower, without putting in much effort. LaMelllana was a bright prospect in the DSFL, but relied heavily on his raw talent and never put the work in that's required of a true NSFL pro. That was evidenced by his failure to be called up by Arizona, despite them being thin at receiver. He perhaps thought this was his chance to see the big time, without actually seeing any time.
Both were sorely mistaken.
I delayed the start of my interview with Catch to observe the receiver group in action. Bishop was conferring with the Yeti's WR1, team captain Howard Miller. Both were poring over thick playbooks, bouncing ideas off one another and providing feedback to the rest of the receiving group. But that's not to say Bishop was shirking his responsibility as a pass-catcher.
When doors were opened to the Yeti training facilities for members of the media first thing this morning, Bishop was among a group of offensive players already on the field and training. Hard. The others were fellow rookie Rylant Wright, sophomore running back Devo Cansino (@DonnoMania), former kicker turned starting quarterback Micycle McCormick (@infinitempg), and the aforementioned Howard Miller.
Catch gave me some insight into how things have changed since Season 11, with the Yeti losing long-time starters Dwayne Aaron (@Supersquare04) and Brian Wheat (@Wheaties) to retirement, but bringing in a mix of young and veteran talent to counteract that.
"Losing guys like Dwayne and Brian, that's tough. Dwayne had what I consider to be the best season of his career last year, and filling that sort of void isn't possible overnight. And Wheat was Mr Dependable: just a non-stop worker who could be counted on in games to execute the one-percenters. While we've still got a guy who can cover that role in Fox (North), it's still gonna hurt us.
Howard is a phenomenal talent, but the fact of the matter is that he can't do it alone. I spoke with Bob (Bobert Stevenson) and Scott (Scott Michaels) leading up to the draft, and basically just said, you know, 'You guys - we gotta get some more receivers!' And thankfully, they were on board with that".
Despite having the worst defense in the league in Season 11, the Yeti GM pairing of Bobert Stevenson and Scott Michaels (who were named GMs of the Year) opted to used their 5th overall pick to draft James Bishop. Later, they would use one of their three consecutive second-round picks to draft another receiver, Rylant Wright, who was picked at 15th overall.
With so many holes of defense, you may be wondering why the Yeti opted to draft two wide receivers from four picks within the first two rounds. I spoke with Scott Michaels on the reasoning behind the decision.
"Bishop falling to us at 5 was nothing short of a miracle. I don't subscribe to either of the major schools of thought in drafting - BPA (best player available) or drafting for need. I balance the two when the time comes and make an informed decision based on the intended future and trajectory of our team.
With that said, again - when we were on the clock and Bishop was still on the board, that was a no-brainer. He was equal parts the best player available and a need for our team, so we were very happy to get him where we did".
It may be that the Colorado GMs are looking to emulate their unexpected success last year, which came on the back of a high-powered offense. The team that conceded the most points in Season 11 offset that fact by scoring the second-most points themselves, only being outdone by eventual Ultimus winners, New Orleans.
With Miller at the peak of his career and only improving, McCormick with a season under his belt playing under centre and a whole offseason to build upon his success as a quarterback, and perhaps the deepest wide receiver corps in the league, the Yeti are clearly not expecting to cut down on their pass attempts in Season 12.
While many people around the league seem to be discounting the acquisition of a number of new wide receivers this offseason, I can say that I'm excited to see what the Yeti can achieve with six pass-catchers on their roster, not including their two tight ends and two running backs. This will ensure that there's always a fresh body ready to catch passes from McCormick, who may very well be the best quarterback in the league this season. Add arguably the best offensive line in the league to the mix, and you can see why I'm excited about this passing attack.
Based on observations during previous seasons and in training camp, we've assigned numerical values to the Yeti crop of receivers based on key attributes required to be successful at the position:
Overall Ability / Speed / Hands / Intelligence
1. Howard Miller: 1097 / 100 / 90 / 80
2. James Bishop: 333 / 93 / 80 / 40
3. ShaDarrien LaMelllana: 259 / 90 / 80 / 40
4. John Watcher: 232 / 85 / 80 / 59
5. Fox North: 164 / 88 / 70 / 50
6. Rylant Wright: 146 / 79 / 76 / 48
If that rotation of receivers isn't enough to cause headaches for the opposition, McCormick can also call upon either of the Yeti running backs, Devo Cansino and LaMarcus Strike, or tight ends Mark Grau and Alvin Chipmunk:
1. Mark Grau: 423 / 85 / 70 / 50
2. Devo Cansino: 226 / 90 / 40 / 30
3. LaMarcus Strike: 169 / 86 / 65 / 35
4. Alvin Chipmunk: 201 / 77 / 72 /55
Time will tell if this level of depth on the offensive side of the ball will translate into the same sort of high-powered offense we saw from the Yeti last season.
If it does, though, other teams should be worried. The Yeti GMs drafted a number of great young players on the defensive side of the ball as well, while also grabbing some players through free agency to help solidify what was a porous defense. The likes of Beau Montgomery (@Dangles13) and Logan Lejune (@PSanchez55) will add some much-needed help when the Yeti offense steps off the field, while players such as Omar Wrong and Odell Marret acquired through free agency will help build some level of depth on defense.
In reality, the Yeti defense should only improve based on these moves, and if this is the case, and the investment in the receiving corps pays off like I predict it will, this is a team that should actually improve upon their results last season, and may even challenge for the Ultimus.
That's what can be overheard in the background as I sit down to speak with Colorado Yeti wide receivers coach, Cameron Kattetch, known affectionately by players and staff as 'Catch'.
It would be easy to assume that this was coming from one of Catch's support staff or a veteran wide receiver, and that it was aimed at one of two rookie receivers drafted by Colorado just days ago: James Bishop (@Bwestfield) and Rylant Wright (@RainDelay).
In truth, it was coming from the former, James Bishop, and was directed at two veteran receivers brought into Colorado via trade this offseason: John Watcher (Arizona) and ShaDarrien LaMelllana (San Antonio/Arizona). Watcher is nearing the end of his career, and perhaps thought he could earn his contract payout riding the bench as a fourth-stringer or lower, without putting in much effort. LaMelllana was a bright prospect in the DSFL, but relied heavily on his raw talent and never put the work in that's required of a true NSFL pro. That was evidenced by his failure to be called up by Arizona, despite them being thin at receiver. He perhaps thought this was his chance to see the big time, without actually seeing any time.
Both were sorely mistaken.
I delayed the start of my interview with Catch to observe the receiver group in action. Bishop was conferring with the Yeti's WR1, team captain Howard Miller. Both were poring over thick playbooks, bouncing ideas off one another and providing feedback to the rest of the receiving group. But that's not to say Bishop was shirking his responsibility as a pass-catcher.
When doors were opened to the Yeti training facilities for members of the media first thing this morning, Bishop was among a group of offensive players already on the field and training. Hard. The others were fellow rookie Rylant Wright, sophomore running back Devo Cansino (@DonnoMania), former kicker turned starting quarterback Micycle McCormick (@infinitempg), and the aforementioned Howard Miller.
Catch gave me some insight into how things have changed since Season 11, with the Yeti losing long-time starters Dwayne Aaron (@Supersquare04) and Brian Wheat (@Wheaties) to retirement, but bringing in a mix of young and veteran talent to counteract that.
"Losing guys like Dwayne and Brian, that's tough. Dwayne had what I consider to be the best season of his career last year, and filling that sort of void isn't possible overnight. And Wheat was Mr Dependable: just a non-stop worker who could be counted on in games to execute the one-percenters. While we've still got a guy who can cover that role in Fox (North), it's still gonna hurt us.
Howard is a phenomenal talent, but the fact of the matter is that he can't do it alone. I spoke with Bob (Bobert Stevenson) and Scott (Scott Michaels) leading up to the draft, and basically just said, you know, 'You guys - we gotta get some more receivers!' And thankfully, they were on board with that".
Despite having the worst defense in the league in Season 11, the Yeti GM pairing of Bobert Stevenson and Scott Michaels (who were named GMs of the Year) opted to used their 5th overall pick to draft James Bishop. Later, they would use one of their three consecutive second-round picks to draft another receiver, Rylant Wright, who was picked at 15th overall.
With so many holes of defense, you may be wondering why the Yeti opted to draft two wide receivers from four picks within the first two rounds. I spoke with Scott Michaels on the reasoning behind the decision.
"Bishop falling to us at 5 was nothing short of a miracle. I don't subscribe to either of the major schools of thought in drafting - BPA (best player available) or drafting for need. I balance the two when the time comes and make an informed decision based on the intended future and trajectory of our team.
With that said, again - when we were on the clock and Bishop was still on the board, that was a no-brainer. He was equal parts the best player available and a need for our team, so we were very happy to get him where we did".
It may be that the Colorado GMs are looking to emulate their unexpected success last year, which came on the back of a high-powered offense. The team that conceded the most points in Season 11 offset that fact by scoring the second-most points themselves, only being outdone by eventual Ultimus winners, New Orleans.
With Miller at the peak of his career and only improving, McCormick with a season under his belt playing under centre and a whole offseason to build upon his success as a quarterback, and perhaps the deepest wide receiver corps in the league, the Yeti are clearly not expecting to cut down on their pass attempts in Season 12.
While many people around the league seem to be discounting the acquisition of a number of new wide receivers this offseason, I can say that I'm excited to see what the Yeti can achieve with six pass-catchers on their roster, not including their two tight ends and two running backs. This will ensure that there's always a fresh body ready to catch passes from McCormick, who may very well be the best quarterback in the league this season. Add arguably the best offensive line in the league to the mix, and you can see why I'm excited about this passing attack.
Based on observations during previous seasons and in training camp, we've assigned numerical values to the Yeti crop of receivers based on key attributes required to be successful at the position:
Overall Ability / Speed / Hands / Intelligence
1. Howard Miller: 1097 / 100 / 90 / 80
2. James Bishop: 333 / 93 / 80 / 40
3. ShaDarrien LaMelllana: 259 / 90 / 80 / 40
4. John Watcher: 232 / 85 / 80 / 59
5. Fox North: 164 / 88 / 70 / 50
6. Rylant Wright: 146 / 79 / 76 / 48
If that rotation of receivers isn't enough to cause headaches for the opposition, McCormick can also call upon either of the Yeti running backs, Devo Cansino and LaMarcus Strike, or tight ends Mark Grau and Alvin Chipmunk:
1. Mark Grau: 423 / 85 / 70 / 50
2. Devo Cansino: 226 / 90 / 40 / 30
3. LaMarcus Strike: 169 / 86 / 65 / 35
4. Alvin Chipmunk: 201 / 77 / 72 /55
Time will tell if this level of depth on the offensive side of the ball will translate into the same sort of high-powered offense we saw from the Yeti last season.
If it does, though, other teams should be worried. The Yeti GMs drafted a number of great young players on the defensive side of the ball as well, while also grabbing some players through free agency to help solidify what was a porous defense. The likes of Beau Montgomery (@Dangles13) and Logan Lejune (@PSanchez55) will add some much-needed help when the Yeti offense steps off the field, while players such as Omar Wrong and Odell Marret acquired through free agency will help build some level of depth on defense.
In reality, the Yeti defense should only improve based on these moves, and if this is the case, and the investment in the receiving corps pays off like I predict it will, this is a team that should actually improve upon their results last season, and may even challenge for the Ultimus.
Code:
1273 words - ready for grading
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Update Page
[div align=center][/align]
[div align=center][SELECT style="background-color:maroon; color:white; font-family:Arial; font-size: 12px; width: 400px; "][br]
[OPTION]Scott Michaels || Colorado Yeti General Manager || #YetiNoises
[OPTION]Birthplace: Scranton, Pennsylvania
[OPTION]===========================================
[OPTION] NSFL Regular Season Record
[OPTION] S9: 3 - 1
[OPTION] S10: 9 - 5
[OPTION] S11: 8 - 6
[OPTION] S12: 6 - 8
[OPTION] S13: 8 - 6
[OPTION] Career: 34 - 26 (.567)
[OPTION]===========================================
[OPTION]NSFL Playoff Record
[OPTION] S9: 0 - 1
[OPTION] S10: 0 - 1
[OPTION] S11: 0 - 1
[OPTION] S12: DNQ
[OPTION] S13: 1 - 1
[OPTION] Career: 1 - 4 (.200)
[OPTION]===========================================
[OPTION] DSFL Regular Season Record
[OPTION] S8: 10 - 4
[OPTION] S9: 9 - 5
[OPTION] Career: 19 - 9 (.792)
[OPTION]===========================================
[OPTION]DSFL Playoff Record
[OPTION]S8: 1 - 1
[OPTION]S9 0 - 1
[OPTION] Career: 1 - 2 (.333)
[OPTION]===========================================
[OPTION]Accolades
[OPTION]S11 NSFL GM of the Year
[OPTION]S9 DSFL NFCN Division Champions
[OPTION]S8 DSFL NFC Conference Champions
[OPTION]S8 DSFL NFCN Division Champions
[OPTION]===========================================
Update Page
[div align=center][/align]
[div align=center][SELECT style="background-color:maroon; color:white; font-family:Arial; font-size: 12px; width: 400px; "][br]
[OPTION]Scott Michaels || Colorado Yeti General Manager || #YetiNoises
[OPTION]Birthplace: Scranton, Pennsylvania
[OPTION]===========================================
[OPTION] NSFL Regular Season Record
[OPTION] S9: 3 - 1
[OPTION] S10: 9 - 5
[OPTION] S11: 8 - 6
[OPTION] S12: 6 - 8
[OPTION] S13: 8 - 6
[OPTION] Career: 34 - 26 (.567)
[OPTION]===========================================
[OPTION]NSFL Playoff Record
[OPTION] S9: 0 - 1
[OPTION] S10: 0 - 1
[OPTION] S11: 0 - 1
[OPTION] S12: DNQ
[OPTION] S13: 1 - 1
[OPTION] Career: 1 - 4 (.200)
[OPTION]===========================================
[OPTION] DSFL Regular Season Record
[OPTION] S8: 10 - 4
[OPTION] S9: 9 - 5
[OPTION] Career: 19 - 9 (.792)
[OPTION]===========================================
[OPTION]DSFL Playoff Record
[OPTION]S8: 1 - 1
[OPTION]S9 0 - 1
[OPTION] Career: 1 - 2 (.333)
[OPTION]===========================================
[OPTION]Accolades
[OPTION]S11 NSFL GM of the Year
[OPTION]S9 DSFL NFCN Division Champions
[OPTION]S8 DSFL NFC Conference Champions
[OPTION]S8 DSFL NFCN Division Champions
[OPTION]===========================================