Alright, so I think I'm going to start building some hype for my next player. It's been a while since I've done any media pieces so I know for a fact I'm rusty on the grammar edge. I'm feeling motivated and anxious for Season 25 to kick off, so let me try a little something. A little about my first and current player in the league, his name is Jordan Andrews and plays the Cornerback position. He’s an up in your face, physical, man to man defensive back. Growing up he replicated his game off of the great Charles Woodson. Born and raised in California, he was a competitor from day one, growing up with his twin brother, Derrick Andrews, who is about five inches taller and his cousin, Desmond Andrews, who was a year younger. Sports were a passion for all three boys, and they would venture the LA city streets playing pick-up games from basketball, baseball, football, cricket, volleyball, you name it. As the "three brothers" matured, they developed their skills and love for their sport of choice as Jordan became a city attraction in football around the San Fernando Valley. He balls out in high school at Grover Cleveland High School in Reseda (check wiki page for story) and signs a full athletic scholarship to play CB at UCLA where he continued to elevate his game. After four seasons at UCLA, Jordan is drafted 3rd overall to the Tijuana Luchadores in the Season 16 DSFL Draft, and wins the Ultimini the same year with an amazing group of teammates and staff. The following season the young star is drafted 3rd overall, no it's not Groundhog Day, to the NOLA SecondLine where he spends his first five seasons in the ISFL giving opposing wide receivers headaches. In his fifth season, Andrews is champion once again. Season 21 Ultimus champion, this time with the SecondLine, as the coaching staff found other ways to utilize his skills in the defensive backfield throughout the season.
That same championship offseason was bittersweet as friends and memories made over the last five seasons in New Orleans are going to have to say good byes. Jordan is selected in the S22 Expansion Draft by the Sarasota Sailfish and even though it was a fresh start, Andrews still felt comfortable as there were a few familiar faces that joined the Sailfish that offseason. No doubt it was rough leaving the friends and fans behind but Jordan ultimately knew that this next journey would prepare him for the next five seasons to come. Jordan started as the number two CB alongside Lucas Knight for the next two seasons, 22 and 23 playing in all 29 regular season games, totaling 120 tackles, 6 interceptions and 33 pass deflections before New Orleans eventually trades for their former round one pick in Season 24 offseason. Feeling the rejuvenation and excitement of NOLA trading for him, by week 6 Andrews is leading the league in sacks with seven through six games. By seasons end, the 8th year pro finished with 76 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 forced fumble, one interception, 4 passes defended and tied for sixth with 11 sacks. Playoff hype was huge that year in New Orleans, but their hopes of a run to the championship were shattered as the SecondLine was defeated by rival Orange County Otters in the first round of the ISFL playoffs. With expansion once again upon the league, recent talks with Jordan and NOLA management revealed he would not be in the team’s foreseeable future plans. Andrews then becomes a free agent and is contacted by management of the expansion New York Silverbacks. Just loving the game as he always has and letting it all come to him, Andrews signs a 1 year $2 million dollar contract with the Silverbacks to become the first signing in team history. Now united with a couple of Season 17 draft mates, Andrews will play the vet role in the locker room while continuing to help lift the younger talent in the defensive backfield and settling in to enjoy the closing moments of his career.
That brings us to my soon to be second player in the ISFL, whom I hope can become the star I envisioned myself to be when first signing up. With my up and down rollercoaster life over the past 3+ years, and hitting what I call my self-proclaimed rock bottom almost two years ago, this community has helped me through some of my worst moments in life and with that grew a deep fondness for this community and I would love to continue my time here while I still can. Now when I first joined this league, I wanted to tell a story with my character as I went through his career but that quickly went down the drain. So, I will be attempting to bring that back to life this time around as this player will be linked directly to Jordan Andrews. This character will be called Jaedon Waters and is currently a sophomore (S25) and the starting running back at Pierce Community College in Los Angeles.
Jordan’s childhood friend, Jimi Waters found himself in a life turning situation when he was hit with some hefty time behind bars during Jordan’s S21 championship run. His friend’s little brother, who his friend was taking care of due to the loss of both their parents to an earthquake, was at risk of going into foster care at the age of 14. Jordan spoke with child services and said he would be the child's guardian until he reached legal age, and brought him to New Orleans with him. Jaedon experiences the title run and gains an interest for football, deciding to sign up his sophomore year, S22 for Andrews. Never having played a single snap of the game before, it was a bumpy summer camp as he continued to fight and learn the ins and outs of not only football itself, but of being a team player having spent so much of his young life going it alone. His natural speed, catching, juking and vision convinced the coach the rough patches could be smoothed to perfection and adds him to the teams practice squad that the varsity defense runs their plays against. Jaedon continues to show the drive to learn the game throughout his sophomore JV season where he puts up mediocre numbers as a reserve but shows signs of potential. In six games, Waters tallied 25 touches for 167 yards. In S23, junior year, Jaedon is the 3rd running back on the JV depth chart and also returns some kicks on special teams. Jaedon continues to grow as more than just a player, but as a team player, learning the value of trusting those around him and being a part of something bigger than himself. A part of a family. A football family. (1,149?)
That same championship offseason was bittersweet as friends and memories made over the last five seasons in New Orleans are going to have to say good byes. Jordan is selected in the S22 Expansion Draft by the Sarasota Sailfish and even though it was a fresh start, Andrews still felt comfortable as there were a few familiar faces that joined the Sailfish that offseason. No doubt it was rough leaving the friends and fans behind but Jordan ultimately knew that this next journey would prepare him for the next five seasons to come. Jordan started as the number two CB alongside Lucas Knight for the next two seasons, 22 and 23 playing in all 29 regular season games, totaling 120 tackles, 6 interceptions and 33 pass deflections before New Orleans eventually trades for their former round one pick in Season 24 offseason. Feeling the rejuvenation and excitement of NOLA trading for him, by week 6 Andrews is leading the league in sacks with seven through six games. By seasons end, the 8th year pro finished with 76 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 forced fumble, one interception, 4 passes defended and tied for sixth with 11 sacks. Playoff hype was huge that year in New Orleans, but their hopes of a run to the championship were shattered as the SecondLine was defeated by rival Orange County Otters in the first round of the ISFL playoffs. With expansion once again upon the league, recent talks with Jordan and NOLA management revealed he would not be in the team’s foreseeable future plans. Andrews then becomes a free agent and is contacted by management of the expansion New York Silverbacks. Just loving the game as he always has and letting it all come to him, Andrews signs a 1 year $2 million dollar contract with the Silverbacks to become the first signing in team history. Now united with a couple of Season 17 draft mates, Andrews will play the vet role in the locker room while continuing to help lift the younger talent in the defensive backfield and settling in to enjoy the closing moments of his career.
That brings us to my soon to be second player in the ISFL, whom I hope can become the star I envisioned myself to be when first signing up. With my up and down rollercoaster life over the past 3+ years, and hitting what I call my self-proclaimed rock bottom almost two years ago, this community has helped me through some of my worst moments in life and with that grew a deep fondness for this community and I would love to continue my time here while I still can. Now when I first joined this league, I wanted to tell a story with my character as I went through his career but that quickly went down the drain. So, I will be attempting to bring that back to life this time around as this player will be linked directly to Jordan Andrews. This character will be called Jaedon Waters and is currently a sophomore (S25) and the starting running back at Pierce Community College in Los Angeles.
Jordan’s childhood friend, Jimi Waters found himself in a life turning situation when he was hit with some hefty time behind bars during Jordan’s S21 championship run. His friend’s little brother, who his friend was taking care of due to the loss of both their parents to an earthquake, was at risk of going into foster care at the age of 14. Jordan spoke with child services and said he would be the child's guardian until he reached legal age, and brought him to New Orleans with him. Jaedon experiences the title run and gains an interest for football, deciding to sign up his sophomore year, S22 for Andrews. Never having played a single snap of the game before, it was a bumpy summer camp as he continued to fight and learn the ins and outs of not only football itself, but of being a team player having spent so much of his young life going it alone. His natural speed, catching, juking and vision convinced the coach the rough patches could be smoothed to perfection and adds him to the teams practice squad that the varsity defense runs their plays against. Jaedon continues to show the drive to learn the game throughout his sophomore JV season where he puts up mediocre numbers as a reserve but shows signs of potential. In six games, Waters tallied 25 touches for 167 yards. In S23, junior year, Jaedon is the 3rd running back on the JV depth chart and also returns some kicks on special teams. Jaedon continues to grow as more than just a player, but as a team player, learning the value of trusting those around him and being a part of something bigger than himself. A part of a family. A football family. (1,149?)