(S13) - Ultimus Week

[LGMForever]

TASK 1: PBE PT

TASK 2: PRE-GAME or...POST-GAME

The Ultimus this year was easily one of the more exciting ones in recent memory, with the two teams basically being neck-and-neck up until the very end when the Orange County Otters had the final quarter to score three points to tie and four points to beat the Colorado Yeti. That definitely doesn't sound like much, but the mounted pressure from being in the biggest game of the season and also considering that it hadn't really been a high-scoring game added some extra weight to it. The Otters did indeed score nothing earlier in the first quarter, so it was a great possibility. On both sides, the quarterbacks definitely seemed to be struggling a good bit, with Micycle McCormick having only 36 completions through 54 attempts and Gus Showbiz having only 22 completions through 36 attempts. In comparison to the Yeti, the Otters appeared to have their scoring distributed a lot more widely than the Yeti during the game. In comparison to the Otters having three different players with a touchdown through Crush, Adams, and Zephyrous, the Yeti seemed a lot more reliant on a single player through their two touchdowns through rushing/receiving being only by Miller. In the end, this Ultimus really came down to the wire with a decent amount of offense but distinct differences between the two contenders.

TASK 3: QUARTERBACK MATCHUP

The quarterback matchup this year in the Ultimus wasn't particularly one to scoff at, with both quarterbacks facing off against each other being veterans of the league above 850 TPE. It was apparent that Gus Showbiz has a bit of an advantage, having a TPE count in the late 900s while Micycle McCormick is in the late 800s. At a TPE count that high, there isn't really that much of a disparity between the two of them but I suppose that it's sort of important to bring up for reference purposes. In terms of the performances in the Ultimus match itself, it's hard to really say who had the better game due to the fact that they were similar in the attempts/completions ratio and through other categories they varied in who was better. For example, Showbiz had a clear advantage in average yards with 11.2 in comparison to McCormick having only average yards of 8.1. However, Showbiz did have two interceptions through the course of the game while McCormick managed to come out with only one. Due to all of these similarities, it made sense for the score of the game to come down to the wire and for it to really fall down to the other positions of offense on each team.

TASK 4: GOING TO DISNEYLAND!

First off, I need to start by saying that I've never been one to believe that a player on the losing team can be considered the most valuable player for a singular game. It's just like the whole element of the most valuable player being the one who won the game for their team to bring home the trophy. Just going off of that, I think that it's hard to not state the most valuable player for the Otters in the Ultimus was Gus Showbiz. Honestly, I don't know much about football but how can a quarterback not always be the most valuable player with all of that yardage and the amount of touchdowns unless the game is literally struggling to get points on the board. Anyway, going to Disneyland is always a fun time and there's really a variety of activities to do there. All of the numerous shows centralized around every single of the popular Disney movies are always pretty cool to go to, although the planning of it is never the most fun. Of course, any self respecting human individual needs to attend every single location at Disneyland that's related to Star Wars. There's no denying that Disney has kind of been ruining the franchise and all of our memories but overall it's a pretty nice experience.

[Blastmeaway]

SHL PT 3/4-10

[JVMjrDOT]

PBE PT

[tlk742]

SHL

PBE

1) It is amazing, because I am 99% sure I can just copy my point task from last season and bring up, that once again the San Jose Sabercats, who are most assuredly cursed, are destined for greatness next year. Twelve wins, their first home field advantage, and the chance to really see the glory. The Otters defense was weaker, Carlito Crush was in regression, Angus Winchester is gone. This was the perfect time for the San Jose Sabercats to take the prize and win it all. And yet, the San Jose Sabercats have truly become the Bengals, and have shown that despite how good they look, they cannot and will not win when the spotlight is on them in the playoffs. Seriously it’s amazing. But anyways, to the topic at hand, let’s be real, Crush is still regressing, and with Atwell now gone, the Otters are going to look to Sunnycursed to step up, and realistically the ASFC is the Sabercats to lose, not the defending champion Otters. No one on San Jose is going through regression right now, and while they did lose Horne, he was playing out of position the entire season, so they did not lose that much. Crazy times.

Let’s talk about the Otters-Sabercats matchup. The game took place in San Jose, and the Orange County Otters started with the ball. The moment the game started, the Sabercats looked to be in control. Seriously, if you stopped the game after the first ten minutes of play, the Sabercats had this game under wraps. Gus T.T. Showbiz and the Otters would not have a single first down. Until the last two minutes of the game’s first quarter, the Otters never even got out of their half of the field. When they ended the quarter with a 29 yard catch from Ricky Adams, the Otters were on the 2yd line but still down a goal and needing to score against the stout San Jose Defense. They did, but San Jose rallied back and scored. Otters scored. The game doesn’t really get away until the 2nd half, where the San Jose team starts to look almost unprepared. Otters rally with two field goals in the third, and San Jose doesn’t respond until the first play of the fourth with a touchdown. You want the play of the game? It’s right here at 5:44 in the fourth. Otters are up by 7. 3rd and 6th on the San Jose 39 yard line. Thorian Skarsgard sacks Christ. The Sabercats opt to punt and bank on the defense carrying them to the win. It doesn’t happen, and the Otters drive, score, and finally give the ball back to San Jose with 12 seconds and a 10 point deficit.

[J.G.10]

http://probaseballexperience.jcink.net/ind...indpost&p=65523

[TomHanks]

Going to Disneyland!:
“Mama always said that the happiest place on earth was where we went in our minds while we’re thinkin’ about nothing. As I grew up, I learned that the happiest place on earth is apparently Disneyland. I guess that’s just where mama went when she was thinkin’ ‘bout nothin’, I never really gave much thought into it. Congratulations to Mason Brown for getting to travel. I’ve only been to Disneyland once and there were lots of nice people there in funny costumes and the like. The worst part about goin’ to Disneyland is the waiting. They have these new little passes you can buy so you skip the line but that doesn’t seem fair to everyone else waiting there so I’d just wait my turn. Takes a while and sometimes fellas will try to sneak past you to get the rides quicker but that doesn’t bother me too much, and it shouldn’t bother Brown. He played an impressive football game and he’s earned his day of happiness, I think. Hopefully he’ll get to eat some of the food there. Things taste good but you got to spend a lot of money, and nobody likes to worry about that. He should also be able to enjoy some time in the sun in California, I don’t know what the weather’s like in Orange County but everybody always makes fun of Florida so it can’t be too good.”

QUARTERBACK MATCHUP - Can be completed anytime
“Going into the Ultimus Trophy game, I had heard more people talkin’ ‘bout that Showbiz fella than McCormick, so for quarterbacks I thought he’d perform better. We all know nothing’s certain in football, that’s part of the beauty of the sport, the unexpected happening. That’s one the things I always liked most about it anyways. That any given Sunday mentality was on full display in the championship, with McCormick lookin’ like the way more impressive quarterback. Why, he must have tried to move the ball down the field himself 60 different times. That guy was the soul of his team, and he played like he wanted to take that big trophy home. By no means do his game stats look like he was passing the ball perfectly, but you don’t need to be perfect to be great, that’s something my dad taught me was I was just a young little kid. He also showed he can run the ball, granted only once was he particularly successful but not everybody can just take off and get goin’, especially with those big old bruisers on the other side of the ball trying to stop you. Showbiz had pretty much a bang average day which isn’t what you want to see in the championship, but it happens. Both QBs look like they got bright futures.”

That Magic Moment: Pick one moment from a playoff game and describe what made it so amazing to watch. (Must be completed after the game you write about)
“Even in average games with average performances, you can see some moments that have the potential to define the game. Near the end of the second quarter in the NSFL Ultimus Trophy game, the Otters had one of those moments, giving them the momentum (or the big Mo and my mama calls it) they needed to win the whole thing. McCormick dropped back to pass the ball, trying to get some points for his team before the half ended, which would’ve seized the big Mo, but when he threw it one of the players from the other team, Spector, just jumped right up into the air there and snatched it out. He ran back a good distance before getting tackled and set up his team in a solid spot to get into the end zone. With four minutes to go and half the field to cover, I thought they might try to go slow and wind the clock down but they just unleashed Showbiz. After 1 incompletion he connected on 3 straight throws, with the 3rd ending up being a touchdown. Those kinds of drives leave a defence struggling for answers, and it was a big turning point in the game.”

SPOTLIGHT ON THE YOUTH - Can be completed anytime
“Focusing on talented youth is important to improving your team down the line. I always liked when younger players would come up to talk to me about what I was doing and how I did what I did, even if my answer was really just that I was real good at runnin’. I suppose this time I’m the youngest player, but I can still look at some of the newer guys. One of the most impressive young players for the Otters is Danny Grithead. Fourth in the league in tackles at 119, that guy was flying all over the field this season. He also had 2 forced fumbles, 1 recovered, and a pick to go with 11 passes defensed. As a free safety, this guy defends sideline to sideline, and there were lofty expectations of him going into the playoffs. Grithead didn’t disappoint, bagging 13 tackles and a sack in the two playoff games. This was Grithead’s first sack of the season, and it seems like he picked his time to get the quarterback well. The future looks bright for Grithead and the Otters, and he’ll likely be looking to improve on forcing turnovers to really make that jump to being a true elite player.”

Ready for grading

[Rouchicus]

UW Point Task for Rock Hardshaft

Sit-down with a Star

_______________________________________________________

I'm fortunate enough to sit down with Axel Hornbacher, cornerback of the Yeti. He's taken some time to sit down and answer some questions, so let's get straight into it. Axel, your Yeti defense had a lot of success against the Liberty, picking off 5 total passes. What do you believe you owe that success to?

I think it had to do with the mental training aspect that I focused on this season. We studied game tape more and I spent extra time reviewing myself and matching up with receivers to improve my defensive IQ

And what about the Ultimus Bowl? The Yeti fell just short of the Otters. What do you think went wrong for the team?

I think we just ran into lots of issues with their offense. They have a ton of weapons on the field and it's so hard to keep track of where the ball might be going because they have a veteran like Crush and guys like Sunnycursed and Adams who can make big time plays. We just didn't have the coverage to keep up in the long run.

What can we expect from Axel Hornbacher and the Yeti next season?

Expect me to continue working hard in the off-season with Beau and our defense. You can be sure that I'll be working on breaking the pass deflection and interception records next season.

Any big plans for the off-season? I mean, when you're not on the grind to improve for next season?

I'll probably take a trip back to New Orleans for a bit. I loved spending time in that city during my rookie year and miss living there right after I was drafted.

Thank you so much for taking some time out to give us some insight into your experience during this year's Ultimus Bowl. Enjoy your off-season and best of luck next year!

---Tristan Jones

[manicmav36]

1) IT IS OUR TIME THIS (NEXT) YEAR - Can be completed anytime

The Yellowknife Wraiths would have what many would probably call a disappointing season, 4-10 isn’t exactly setting the world on fire. However, there were clear improvements over last season. After finishing a league worst 3-11, the Wraiths improved almost across the board. Ignoring the obvious of 1 more win over last season, they also improved in points scored by scoring nearly 4 more points per game, and total offense by improving roughly 55 yards per game. Curiously, despite adding CB Johnny Snuggles with the 1st overall pick in the draft, points allowed and passing yards allowed by failed to improve, and in fact, got worse, when compared to last season. This offseason looks to be a boon for the Wraiths, however. After retaining the talented Dick Wizardry, running back star in the making, the Wraiths traded a pair of draft picks to the Arizona Outlaws for blossoming star linebacker, Alex Selich, who will replace barely serviceable Elvin Enchant as the #1 linebacker. The fun doesn’t stop there though. The Wraiths also retain the rights to 3 picks in the first round of the upcoming draft. Although many expect the first pick to address their future QB and have little to no effect on the team next season, they are expected to pick up two more starters with the 6th and 8th overall picks. The Wraiths may not be competing for the Ultimus this upcoming season, but with the continued improvements, they are well on their way.



2) SPOTLIGHT ON THE YOUTH - Can be completed anytime

Entering only his second season in the league, James Bishop has a lot of room to grow. Luckily for Bishop, he gets to learn behind the greatest wide receiver the Colorado Yeti have ever seen, Howard Miller. Miller has been fantastic in his career and many believe if he continues his current pace, has a good shot at the Hall of Fame. But where does James Bishop fit into all of this? As the clear #2 receiver on the team, he frequently gets the benefit of one-on-one coverage due to the consistent double coverage on Miller. In the past teams could easily pull this off with no clear #2 threat coming from the Yeti, but since he has joined the league, Bishop has been making the pay. Now, it’s true that Bishop saw a slight dip across the board (receptions, yards, TDs, yards/reception) but that less of an indication of where his career is headed, and more an indication of the added firepower (although temporary) on the Yeti’s offense. L’Alto has had a great season, but is officially on his way out the door and Bishop will be there to pick up the slack (and yards) left behind. With defenses keying on the bigger names (Miller, L’Alto) expect Bishop to flourish in the payoffs and make defenses pay for the lack of respect. Expect a monster showing from Bishop as he continues to grow and mature next season.

3) SIT DOWN WITH A STAR @Bigred1580 answered questions from me

1) After a very up and down season (especially by Luchadore standards), you've managed to fight your way into the Ultimini against the defending champs, the Kansas City Coyotes. What did you do to prepare for this showdown, and can you give me any insight into the Luchadore's game plan?
I plan to prepare for this game like I do every other game. Catch 100 balls every morning, 100 balls after lunch, and 100 balls before bed. I will study the game plan as I fall asleep to the prophetic dream of catching a TD in the Championship and that TD being the difference in the game. The game plan is pretty simple, feed me the rock. 20+ targets aren’t out of the question.

2) After finishing 5th in receiving yards and first in touchdown receptions, do think you deserve to be in discussions for WRotY in the DSFL?
Definitely. The first half of the season we were bringing along a rookie Qb. Once he started realizing his best strategy was to throw to your’s truly, we began our late season comeback. That comeback resulting in me getting to fifth in receiving yards, but more importantly destroying the competition in TDs. Unless I’m mistaken, you get points in football for TDs, not yards, so I did more to help my team than anyone else. In fact, I ended the regular season scoring 6 touchdowns in the last 5 games, a trend that continued into the playoffs. So yeah, you got your WRotY right here.

3) Next season you will likely be joining a Yellowknife receiving corp as the #4 receiver. How do you hope to separate yourself from the rest of the group?
I reject the premise that I will be the #4 receiver. Yellowknife is getting a baller, a touchdown maker, a future no 1. I understand that I have to show my stuff, and I always have, but it’s only a matter of time before I’m the leading wide out in the league. My only setback will be learning French. That’s what they speak up there right?

4) What are some realistic goals you have both for yourself and the Wraiths as a whole next season?
Ultimus, RotY, WRotY. MVP will come in year two...


4) SIT DOWN WITH A FAN I answered questions from @Bigred1580

What's the biggest difference moving from Nebraska to Canada?
Honestly, it’s the sheer lack of things to do here. Funny to hear someone from Nebraska to say that, right? “It’s just a fly over state” I hear it all the time. Seriously though, there is nothing to do here. Thank God for football, or this town would drive me absolutely insane. Did I mention the cold? Who’s bight idea was it to put people this far north? It’s must be someone’s idea of a cruel joke. Don’t forget your parka.

How would you gauge your performance as a rookie this season and what areas are you looking to improve on in this off season?
Overall, I’m pretty happy with it. I finished with 61 tackles, 14 passes defended, and 3 interceptions. The 61 tackles is my most disappointing statistic, as it puts me at #15 among CBs, although there was significant improvement on that front towards the end of the season. The 3 interceptions was good enough to tie me for 11th in the league and 4th among CBs (and tie for most of all defensive rookies). My goal for passes defended was an average of 1 per game (that I nailed!), but there is plenty of room for improvement there as the league leader finished with 31. 14 was still a respectable number, however, as it was good enough to put me in 17th overall and 8th among CBs. It was also the most recorded by any rookie. While I would call it a solid season overall, being the first overall pick in the draft is a lot to live up to, and I strive to do every day.

You got the privilege of learning alongside future HOF Dermot Lavelle in his final season. What has he been able to pass on to you as his heir apparent?
The best thing he’s taught me is that eventually, we all get beat on a route, especially in a league as pass happy as the NSFL. The thing the separates the good from the great is how quickly you bounce back from, and how you learn from it. Honestly though, it’s hard not to learn something from that guy whenever you step on the field with him. He’s the career leader in passes defended, interceptions, defensive touchdowns, return yards… the list just goes on and on. He’s a legend.

What should we as fans expect to see from the Wraiths next season?
Improvement. I’m not going to lie to you and say that we’ll be Ultimus favorites, because we won’t be. I’ll probably catch some flak for that, but it’s the truth, we’re just too young right now. The amount of young talent we have on the roster will surprise some people though. Add in our 4 picks in the top 9 of the draft this year, and the we have all the makings of an NSFC power in a couple seasons.

[KingCollins]

1) IT IS OUR TIME THIS (NEXT) YEAR - Can be completed anytime

Written: Write 200 words on your team and either why they should be looked at as Ultimus champions this season, or if your team has been eliminated, next year, or the year after for those non-believers.


Technically, as I am undrafted, I have no DSFL team. However, that doesn't matter, as I think it is the Marshalls time next year to win the Ultimini. They came in as the favorites (11-3) to the current reigning champions, The Tijuana Luchadores (7-7-0) in the first round of the playoffs. As we know, they lost pretty disappointingly, losing 37-10, and leaving us thinking what could have been. The Marshals will have to account for the loss of Covro Havran, a top QB prospect going in this years DSFL draft. He was huge in that game, and across the season, it will hurt and they're going to need a very good player to help fill his gap. On the bright side, they still have Boija, who deserved more carries versus the Luchadores average just over 5 per carry. If they can get another good QB, give their talented backs the ball more, and fix their defense a little, the Marshalls already have a solid team and good management. This would allow them to easily make a shot at an Ultimini next season. Especially in this deep draft, I don't see the Marshalls being out of championship talks for longer than two seasons. They can easily draft their holes, allow them to build up TPE, and win the Ultimini game.

2) SPOTLIGHT ON THE YOUTH - Can be completed anytime
I don't think anyone would have guessed that Fast Boija would be this dominant in the DSFL. Ok, that may be a joke considering his legendary 2027 run. But it was definitely a surprise he was able to continue the momentum. He was a vital piece of the Marshalls regular season dominance. He had nearly 1000 yards over the second best rusher. He led in yards and in rushing touchdown. That is not an easy feat to complete. He also has all-time season records in rushing tds, rushing yards, and rushing attempts. While he keeps the ball a lot, he's able to convert it into yards, and most importantly, touchdowns. It will interesting to see how his touches will be affected by the loss of Covro Harvan. Maybe he will need to take an even larger workload and could explode for 3000 yards. He has shown that he can be very good with the ball, I wouldn't rule it out to see one more season of dominant Fast Boija. We don't know but are we sure excited. He will be the player to watch for with the Marshals, and if teams aren't sure how to stop him it will most likely result in an exit from the playoffs.


3. PRE-GAME or...POST-GAME - Can be completed before or after based on choice.

We are gonna look at the SFC semifinal game between the Luchadores and the Marshalls. The Marshalls won all but one of their games versus the Luchadores this season, and had a noticeably better record, so they came in as clear favorites to take this playoff game. The Luchadores bounced to an insanely hot start, as Tanner Hendrix caught a 10 yard pass to set the first points of the game, in the Luchadores favour, 7-0. Next, Quandre Favorite had a clean 15 yard pick that ended in a pick-six(or pick-seven). It was now 14-0 and the Marshals were in serious risk of blowing away the game in the first quarter. This heightened awareness from the Marshals did not deter the Luchadores, as they got in one more score before the end of the quarter, a 33 yard field goal by Stephen Harris Jr. In the second quarter, the Marshalls refused to go out without a fight. A 33 yard FG by Stephen Harris marks the first Marshals points of the game. A 4-yard run by Fast Boija is quickly followed the field goal. The Marshalls werent able to stop it all however, a beautiful 56 yard field goal from Stephen Harris Jr. set the score at 20-10 at the half. The third quarter was all the Luchadores. A 2 yard run by Roronoa and a 32 yard field goal by Stephen Harris Jr. put the Luchadores up by 10 more points, and the Marshalls were unable to respond, 30-10. To put the nail in the coffin, Nate Swift caught a 6 yard pass from Andreas Metaxas to close out the game, 37-10. This was a dominating Luchadores performance from such a promising Marshalls team, I expect them to want blood in next years playoffs.


4. QUARTERBACK MATCHUP - Can be completed anytime

I again am going to look at the game between the Luchadores and Marshalls in the SFC Semifinials and compare the quarterback performances. Corvo Havran was one of the top rated QBs this past season, and he definitely did not disappoint here. He had 282 yards and 1 touchdown, on 26 for 34. It is also important to note he did not throw an interception. He wasnt able to avoid being sacked however, and he got taken to the ground three times compared to 2 for Andreas Metaxas and Z Wozy. I think this can be attributed to a lack of mobility, as he only rushed for 5 yards that game. In the next level, teams are going to need to surrond him with a great o-line, since he might be able to use his mobility to avoid rushing defenders. Despite all this, I still want to reiterate, he had an amazing night, however his team was just not able to get into the endzone enough, but he easily led the game in passing yards. Wozy was able to atleast post something comparable to Havran, with 235 yards. He was noticeably less efficient, on 21/39 passing. He also was pressed hard by the opposing defense, as he had 3 interceptions. Ultimately, he was outplayed by Havran, but the Luchadores powered through in other fields, which led to their dominanting performance.

[youngcricket]

1) Why will my team win it all next year? Here's why, I'm going to be a dominant athlete. This season I was not afforded too many opportunities to be on the field, but when I was, I was owning the game. I had 12 tackles, but three of those were sacks. Is that not impressive? When I was given the opportunity to get after the quarterback, I let it rip. I believe most of my playing time was on special teams, as evidenced by me only appearing in 12 games. Any defensive starter would've been out there for every game. My team in the NSFL next season will likely be getting a steal in the draft. Leighton Lee currently has the 3rd most hours in the gym, but nobody knows because I just updated and there will be no film. I will be picked on potential and my physicque, not my body of work in game. I think that allowing my team to likely get another solid pick before me then having the opportunity to get me will be big for them and will help us reach an elite level. I hope my teammates are ready because I will help improve a team a lot if given the right atmosphere.

2) Spotlight on a young player? Look no further than Thorian Skarsgard. Listen, I know that all of you idiots look at his stat line and see one tackle and thing he wasn't having an impact. The clog in the middle held the team's opposing rusher to 26 yards and you want to tell me that he wasn't a huge impact? Defensive tackle will never rack up a ton of stats, but they will be clogs for the running game. The Otters defense looked spectacular and it started upfront with the performance of Skarsgard. This kid is the real deal and is getting better every single week. I fully expect him to develop into a bonafide superstar based on his frame and tape that we have been able to see so far. There are other players like Dan Schneider, but I think that Thorian is the player that needs the spotlight on them going forward. The Otters don't currently have any super young players, but he is relatively young and will need to be a star for Orange County for a long time to come. I will be watching him very closely going forward because he is going to be a great player and if I am lucky, I will get to play behind him.

3) Post-Game, I will be honest with you. I am a tad bit surprised that the Orange County Otters ended up winning the whole thing. I think they are a good team and I probably have a bias since I was mostly active when I was with the Arizona Outlaws, but I didn't think they were the hottest or best looking team going into the playoffs. They have a solid defense and a solid offense, but nothing really jumped out about them. I think they would lose a majority of times that it was simmed to the Sabercats and probably a decent number of times against the Yeti. The Sabercats looked electric all season long and I was shocked to see that they lost in the first round against the Otters. The Sabercats, behind the Christ, seemed like the likely team to win it all. They only suffered 2 losses the past season. They got absolutely manhandled by the Otters really and didn't look like they were in the same ballpark. It makes you applaud the Otters' coaching and the players' ability to make plays. I fully do not expect the Otters to win next year, I would have my money on the Sabercats. I am still in shock of the results experienced.

5) My enemy? I don't want anybody to get mad, but I know they will be angered by my answer. To all of my Portland fans and teammates, I apologize for my answer in advance. I think that my biggest enemy right now would have to be Gekyume Stokeley. I know that he was/is my teammate, but my focus is on the draft and being the best linebacker from our class and hopefully in history. As of right now, the obvious issue is that he is on my team and is taking away stats from me. I think that he is also projected to go higher than me because he is a tad more vocal and more out there than me. With my recent return to being vocal, I hope that I have put the whole NSFL on watch that I am coming in hot. This game is not about being okay to good enough, if I am going to be active, I am going to be the best. I am sorry Gekyume, but I want to do everything better than you, not matter what stands in the way. I am coming for the top draft spot for a defender and I am coming to be better than you in the league.