Commissioner Bex enters her office after a long day full of meetings. She stops short as she approaches her desk. Someone is in her chair.
"infinite? What are you doing in here?"
infinite slows turns his gaze towards her.
"Did you know the universe is expanding?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah I guess I've heard that before" she says, unsure if that was true, "What's going on?"
"Do you know what happens after something is done expanding?"
"I'm really not sure what you're talking about..."
"It contracts. It shrinks back to what it once was. Think of a lung expanding as you inhale and contracting as you exhale."
"OK, I'm definitely not sure what you're talking about."
"The league has been expanding for too long. The time has come for a course correction. The time has come to end all of this."
"Are you feeling OK? What's going to be ending?"
"The league."
"What do you mean? Is this about you leaving HO? I'm worried infinite. Have you lost it? Have you done something rash?"
"You could say that. There's no point in worrying though. Change is already in motion. It's too late to stop it."
"Stop what?!"
"The Contraction Tournament, I call it. One final hurrah for the league. Only the strongest teams get stronger. Only the strongest survive."
"The league isn't ending!"
"Like I said, it's too late. Things are already in motion. Come see..."
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Expansion was the talk of the offseason. Every team faced tough decisions on who they could and would lose to the two new teams. During 1.5x media week, I was trying to think of interesting angles to write about, and this one idea struck me, what would the opposite of expansion be? And then I never really did anything with the idea...until now!
The idea is, pit all the teams against each other. The weakest teams get eliminated bit by bit, but more than that, once they are eliminated, the remaining teams get to raid them of their top players.
Round 1
I'm starting with the Week 1 file, and simming 26 games for each team. One home game and one road game against all 13 other teams, round robin style. At the end, the bottom two teams get eliminated and the remaining 12 get to pick up their players in a mini draft. I won't spend too much time discussing this round as its pretty straightforward, just the normal opening day rosters for each team with their W1 strats.
Round 1 Results
Team ................. Record ..Home.. Road ... PF .... PA ..... PD
Colorado .............. 21-5 ....12-1 ... 9-4 ...... 833 ... 538 ..... 295
Sarasota ….......... 19-7 … 11-2 … 8-5 ..… 715 … 537 …. 178
Arizona .............… 17-9 .… 9-4 … 8-5 ….. 688 … 524 … 164
San Jose …......... 15-11 … 8-5 … 7-6 ..… 537 … 480 ..… 57
Chicago …........... 15-11 … 9-4 … 6-7 ..… 691 … 636 ..… 55
New Orleans ...… 14-12 … 8-5 … 6-7 ..… 627 … 612 ….. 15
Yellowknife ......… 14-12 … 8-5 … 6-7 ….. 586 … 624 …. -38
Baltimore …......... 14-12 … 8-5 … 6-7 ..… 582 … 636 …. -54
Orange County … 12-14 … 8-5 … 4-9 ..… 637 … 624 …. 13
Philadelphia …..... 10-16 … 6-7 … 4-9 ..… 594 … 664 … -70
Honolulu ............… 9-17 … 5-8 … 4-9 ….. 600 … 642 …. -42
Berlin .................… 9-17 … 6-7 … 3-10 .... 492 … 652 … -160
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New York ...........… 7-19 … 5-8 … 2-11 …. 549 … 747 … -198
Austin …................ 6-20 … 4-9 … 2-11 ..... 507 … 722 … -215
I was pretty surprised to see Austin at the very bottom. Are they supposed to be bad this season, or was this just an unlucky round? Either way, their tournament is over. I figured Berlin and New York would be the two eliminated, but Berlin makes the cut over New York based on a much stronger defensive performance, as the Silverbacks gave up nearly 4 more points per game than the Fire Salamanders in this round. At the top, Colorado and Sarasota pick up where they left off in S24 as two top teams. But enough about this opening round, let's get to the fun part.
Round 1 Draft
Just like the actual draft, the contraction draft order will be based on record. At least just for this first draft, it will just be one round. All players from either eliminated team are available.
1. Berlin Fire Salamanders select RB Ashley Owens from New York
Berlin had the worst offense in round 1, and their current running backs are very young. Owens has been hit hard by regression, but will step in to be RB1 right away to pair with Joseph Petrongolo and give them a versatile weapon out of the backfield. Owens (709 TPE) will be replacing Danny King (397 TPE) on the depth chart, a net gain of 312 TPE.
2. Honolulu Hahalua select DT Bubba Thumper from New York
Thumper is still good enough to start on any defensive line in the league, let alone Honolulu, whose top defensive lineman is at 520 TPE, barely more than half of Bubba. The Hahalua defense was mediocre in round 1, but should get a big boost from the big defensive tackle. Thumper (1025 TPE) will be replacing Sigismund Sternenstaub (342 TPE) on the depth chart, a net gain of 683 TPE!
3. Philadelphia Liberty select DE Carolinabbq Isbest from Austin
No matter what I was going to give Philly a front 7 player here, as the Liberty's top DL/LB is at 435 TPE. Isbest is appropriately named, as he is Austin's best player in terms of TPE, so this is a perfect fit. Isbest (886 TPE) will be replacing Honky-Tonk Haywood (323 TPE) on the depth chart, a net gain of 563 TPE.
4. Orange County Otters select WR Eddie Jeeta from Austin
Orange County put themselves in a delicate position by drafting Owen Holloway, whose contract demands have him in a starting role as a rookie. Fortunately for them, I am not beholding myself to salary concerns and contract clauses in this tournament, so the Otters get a huge upgrade from Jeeta (861 TPE) starting alongside Future Trunks over Holloway (334 TPE).
5. Baltimore Hawks select DE Troen Egghands from Austin
Much like Honolulu and Philadelphia, Baltimore could use a lot of help on the defensive line, with their top player at 427 TPE. Baltimore could also use a running back after losing Darrell Williams in free agency, but with Owens taken the remaining options don't represent good enough value. Egghands (861 TPE) replaces Arik Eller (389 TPE - also he's on the Butchers roster on the forums but on Baltimore in the sim file?)
6. Yellowknife Wraiths select CB Dermot Lavelle Jr. from Austin
Yellowknife finished with a winning record in round one, despite a negative point differential. After veteran Mervin Leonard, the Wraiths cornerback depth drops off. Lavelle (835 TPE) replaces Dan Foster (345 TPE) opposite Leonard, giving the spooky boys a fearsome CB duo.
7. New Orleans Second Line select WR Net Gaines from Austin
With Toriki and Gump both in regression, the passing game becomes more important for New Orleans, and to help out on that front, Net Gaines (737 TPE) gives them a net gaine of 277 TPE over current WR2 Brock Bodenhamer (460 TPE).
8. Chicago Butchers select CB Colt Mendoza from Austin
Chicago has a pretty well-rounded roster. The biggest hole I found was in the secondary, where Raphael d'Alcott is starting at safety with 379 TPE. Replacing him with a cornerback in Mendoza (807 TPE) will need some secondary reconfiguration, but that's not an issue.
9. San Jose Sabercats select TE Leon McDavid from New York
Why mess with a good thing, right? The Ultimus champions lost McDavid in expansion to the Silverbacks, and they take the opportunity to snatch him back. McDavid was the highest TPE player remaining (1020 TPE) and obviously can fit right in to the Sabercats offense, as he retakes the starting tight end job from Daniel George (310 TPE), a net gain of 710 TPE, the largest difference in this draft.
10. Arizona Outlaws select DT Tyler Montain from Austin
Arizona has a great defensive tackle in place in Plop Miller, but Montain (751 TPE) is a nice upgrade over the current DT2 Shane Masters (438 TPE). Similar to Baltimore, Arizona could use an upgrade at running back, but Montain was the better value option here.
11. Sarasota Sailfish select DE Slinky Claxton from Austin
Sarasota has a very strong defense, but still has spots for improvement. Namely, their fourth defensive lineman Arlington Heights is at 289 TPE, so Slinkly Claxton's 699 TPE should prove to be a big help.
12. Colorado Yeti select CB Lesean Paris Crooks from Austin
The Yeti were the strongest team in the league is S24 (Ultimus results notwithstanding), so naturally they have few major holes to fill. However, after trading Thor Kirkby to New York, Colorado will be starting at rookie Joel Drake (461 TPE) at safety. Crooks (699 TPE) instead provides a decent upgrade to the secondary.
Round 2
Alright, now the fun begins, as the remaining 12 teams welcome their new friends and face each other again. Same format as Round 1, round robin everyone plays everyone else, once at home and once on the road.
Round 2 Results
Team ................. Record ..Home.. Road ... PF .... PA ..... PD
San Jose ….......... 15-7 … 9-2.. … 6-5 .... 562 … 394 … 168
Colorado ..........… 13-9 … 9-2 ...... 4-7 .… 675 … 569 … 106
Arizona …............ 13-9 … 10-1 …. 3-8 …. 537 … 529 ….. 8
Chicago ….......... 12-10 … 7-4 ….. 5-6 ….. 564 … 501 … 63
Sarasota …......... 12-10 … 7-4 ….. 5-6 ….. 549 … 509 … 40
Philadelphia …..... 11-11 … 8-3 ….. 3-8 …. 494 … 476 … 18
Orange County … 11-11 … 8-3 ….. 3-8 ….. 516 … 529 … -13
Honolulu ….......... 10-12 … 8-3 ….. 2-9 ….. 535 … 579 … -44
New Orleans ….... 10-12 … 8-3 ….. 2-9 … .472 … 532 … -60
Baltimore …........... 9-13 …. 6-5 …. 3-8 ….. 472 … 535 … -63
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Berlin …................. 9-13 ….. 6-5 … 3-8 ….. 482 … 564 … -82
Yellowknife …......... 7-15 …. 5-6 … 2-9 ….. 439 … 580 … -141
Some really close results there, with the majority of teams within a few games of .500. San Jose dominated on defense, despite picking an offensive player in the Round 1 draft, and Colorado's offense dominated, despite picking a defensive player. Go figure. Arizona rode a fantastic home record to third place finish, despite a barely positive point differential. Chicago and Sarasota meanwhile finish in the top half of the standings on (relatively) strong road performances. On the bottom end of the standings, Yellowknife struggled mightily, with both the worst offense and worst defense in the round. Not a recipe for success typically. Baltimore barely edges out Berlin based on the point differential tiebreaker to stay alive for the next round, and will also be picking first in the Round 2 draft. Speaking of...
Round 2 Draft
1. Baltimore Hawks select RB Mathias Hanyadi from Yellowknife
Baltimore finished with a winning record in Round 1, but took a step back against tougher competition. I mentioned in the Round 1 draft that running back was an option for the Hawks, and here they land the new star running back for an offense that has struggled. Hanyadi (956 TPE) will be replacing rookie Captain Rogers (426 TPE), a net gain of 530 TPE.
2. New Orleans Second Line select DT Patrick Money from Yellowknife
Much like Baltimore, New Orleans was much better in Round 1. Despite adding to their wide receiver corps with Net Gaines, the offense still struggled. However, even still I have them going for defensive line help here. Money's 840 TPE is a big upgrade over Azarius Ranger's 351.
3. Honolulu Hahalua select CB Mervin Leonard from Yellowknife
Honolulu has been living on the edge, with poor records earning them the 2nd pick in the Round 1 draft and the 3rd pick here. Round 1 had them upgrade their defensive line with Bubba Thumper, and now they add another S17 vet, this time to help in the secondary. Leonard (905 TPE) replaces rookie Davriel Lavigne (351 TPE).
4. Orange County Otters select DE James Cho from Yellowknife
Through the 48 games of the tournament, the Otters have 1153 points scored and 1153 points allowed. In order to tip those scales a bit more in their favor, I have the Otter going for a solid defensive lineman here. I feel like half of the picks made so far in these drafts have been defensive line, but it's just a spot were many teams have room for improvement. Cho (826 TPE) replaces Goat Tank (379 TPE) on the Otters line.
5. Philadelphia Liberty select CB Dermot Lavelle Jr. from Yellowknife
Lavelle will be going to his third team in three rounds, as Philly fills a big hole in their secondary. I was more focused on the front seven from them in Round 1, but the Liberty also had a lot of room for improvement here as they had the long time veteran Richard D'Attoria V (228 TPE) getting significant playing time. Replacing him with Lavelle's 835 TPE is a big net gain.
6. Sarasota Sailfish select CB Asher Quinn from Berlin
The first Fire Salamander finally goes off the board. The Sailfish, like the Liberty, went defensive line in Round 1 and now sure up the secondary, where they were previously starting rookie Harrison Andrews at 513 TPE. Quin brings 832 TPE to the table instead to what is now a very strong secondary.
7. Chicago Butchers select DE Mario VonPebbles from Berlin
Like I said in Round 1, Chicago has a pretty solid roster all around. The one hole I found was DE Arik Eller...wait for real though, I already replaced him on Baltimore. How is this guy on two different rosters? Well either way, VonPebbles (765 TPE) steps in over him.
8. Arizona Outlaws select RB Acura Skyline from Yellowknife
Great value pick for Arizona here. They needed a running back just as badly as Baltimore and get a comparable one 7 picks later. Skyline (855 TPE) will act as a versatile RB1, pushing Zed Keppler and rookie Gunner Thorbjornsson to share RB2 duties.
9. Colorado Yeti select LB Douglas Quaid from Yellowknife
Colorado finished with the top record in Round 1 and second best in Round 2. The first draft had them taking a cornerback to help in the secondary, and now they pick up Quaid (1041 TPE) to replace rookie Melvin Murder-Moose (499 TPE) in the linebacking corps. With how well their offense performed in Round 1, an even more improved defense should be a great combination. And did I just subconsciously reveal my homerism by giving Colorado the only 1000+ TPE player taken in this round? Maybe.
10. San Jose Sabercats select DT Claude Miller from Berlin
Once again I return to the defensive line well. Miller is at 674 TPE, but should still be a nice upgrade over Raylan Crowder's 358 TPE. San Jose's defense performed superbly in this round, so I'm interested to see how they do in the next round with even more help.
Round 3
Since I'm kind of making this up as I go, after this round (another round robin style) when it's down to 8 teams, I'm unsure if I will continue with the round robin format all the way to the end, or with 8 teams, make it into a bracket style tournament. If so, I guess this round's standings would determine the seeding. So a lot on the line.
Round 3 Results
Team ................. Record ..Home.. Road ... PF .... PA ..... PD
Sarasota …........... 11-7 …. 9-0 …. 2-7 …. 469 … 349 … 120
Chicago …............ 11-7 …. 8-1 …. 3-6 …. 466 … 406 … 60
Honolulu …........... 10-8 …. 7-2 …. 3-6 …. 427 … 465 … -38
Colorado …............ 9-9 …. 6-3 …. 3-6 ….. 521 … 440 … 81
Orange County ….. 9-9 …. 8-1 …. 1-8 ….. 400 … 422 … -22
Baltimore …........... 9-9 …. 8-1 …. 1-8 ….. 430 … 460 … -30
New Orleans …...... 9-9 … 8-1 ….. 1-8 ….. 419 … 452 … -33
Arizona ….............. 9-9 …. 7-2 ….. 2-7 ….. 407 … 444 … -37
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San Jose ….......... 7-11 … 4-5 …. 3-6 …... 353 … 372 … -19
Philadelphia …...... 6-12 … 5-4 … 1-8 …... 418 … 500 … -82
What an odd set of results. For one, look at those extreme home and road splits. Home teams won 70 of the 90 games, which seems high even knowing what we know about the sim. For comparison, home teams went 91-41 in Round 2. For another, only three of the ten teams finished with a positive point differential. Sarasota, on the strength of a newly improved secondary, was pretty dominant this round, especially at home. Honolulu finished with a winning record despite having the second worst point differential. Half of the league finished at .500. And poor San Jose gets eliminated after finishing with the top record in Round 2, even with a better point differential than five teams of the eight teams that will be advancing.
Round 3 Draft
1. Arizona Outlaws select CB Brandon Booker from Philadelphia
I may have overlooked Arizona's secondary in the first round, probably just from noticing their top two corners are very good, and then just looking for other areas of improvement. However after the CB duo of Scarlett and Kehla, the secondary could use some more help. A corner will have to slide into a safety spot, but Booker (864 TPE) is a nice upgrade over Tayshawn Crunk (341 TPE).
2. New Orleans Second Line select LB Tyron Brackenridge from San Jose
Second Line really haven't done much of note in this tournament yet, but they are still staying alive and are picking second in back to back rounds. After adding defensive line help last draft in Patrick Money, New Orleans tries to strengthen the front seven even further. Brackenridge (924 TPE) replaces rookie Busch Light (513 TPE).
3. Baltimore Hawks select DT Otis Allen from San Jose
Baltimore went for defensive line in the Round 1 draft with Troen Egghands, and returns to the well with a defensive tackle this time. Maybe not the best allocation of resources, but it still really was an area that needed improvement. Allen's 1029 TPE will replace Matt Hole (308 TPE), a huge net gain.
4. Orange County Otters select QB Brock Phoenix from Philadelphia
Alright, now we're getting interesting, with the first QB change in the tournament. Orange County had the second fewest points scored in Round 3, and the lowest among advancing teams, and what better way to overhaul an offense than with an improvement at quarterback? And as fate would have it, the Otters get to pick up the second highest TPE (1166) QB to replace rookie Suleiman Ramza (798 TPE)
5. Colorado Yeti select DE Carolinabbq Isbest from Philadelphia
The Yeti offense was again the best in the tournament. Frankly the defense was fine too, but in figuring the reason for the .500 finish, its gotta be the defense, even though the first two drafts were used on LB and CB. This time the Yeti go for Isbest who was picked by Philly in the first round. Isbest (886 TPE) replaces Ismael Sanchez (390 TPE) on the defensive line.
6. Honolulu Hahalua select LB Lawrence Bass from San Jose
If Phoenix wasn't already gone by the this pick he would instead be a Hahalua. Instead, Honolulu needs to do something for the defense, which gave up the second most points in the round. They were lucky to have a winning record and may not be as lucky next round without some improvement. Bass (824 TPE) will step in to replace Rusty Rucker (338 TPE)
7. Chicago Butchers select RB Jamar Lackson from San Jose
Honestly I didn't love making this pick for Chicago. I've already mentioned that Chicago has a pretty well rounded roster, especially after the previous two additions. One spot that I would have liked to improve for them would have been linebacker, but Honolulu just took the only really viable option off the board in Bass. Instead, Chicago makes an improvement to the RB2 spot for what could be really dangerous offense. Lackson (867 TPE) replaces Julio Tirtawidjaja (636 TPE) on the depth chart.
8. Sarasota Sailfish select CB Dermot Lavelle Jr. from Philadelphia
Quite the journey for Lavelle, as he has been on a different team for each round. Initially on Austin, followed by Yellowknife and Philadelphia, and now makes the trip to Sarasota. The Sailfish had the strongest defense in the round, but there was still a bit of room for improvement in the defensive backfield, where Lavelle (835 TPE) will replace Beat (563 TPE).
Round 4
I was considering switching the format with fewer teams, but I decided I'll just keep it going like this all the way to the end. Also, I just want to summarize the roster additions so far, partly for my own sake
Round 1-3 Additions
Arizona: DT Montain, RB Skyline, CB Booker
Baltimore: DE Egghands, RB Hanyadi, DT Allen
Chicago: CB Mendoza, DE VonPebbles, RB Jackson
Colorado: CB Crooks, LB Quaid, DE Isbest
Honolulu: DT Thumper, CB Leonard, LB Bass
New Orleans: WR Gaines, DT Money, LB Brackenridge
Orange County: WR Jeeta, DE Cho, QB Phoenix
Sarasota: DE Claxton, CB Quinn, CB Lavelle Jr.
Round 4 Results
Team ................. Record ..Home.. Road ... PF .... PA ..... PD
Orange County … 10-4 ….. 6-1 …. 4-3 … 360 … 297 … 63
Baltimore …........... 9-5 ….. 6-1 …. 3-4 … 334 … 320 … 14
Chicago …............. 8-6 ….. 5-2 …. 3-4 … 377 … 373 … 4
Arizona ….............. 8-6 ….. 5-2 …. 3-4 … 325 … 327 … -2
Sarasota …............ 6-8 ….. 5-2 …. 1-6 … 357 … 349 … 8
Colorado …............ 6-8 ….. 4-3 …. 2-5 … 390 … 400 … -10
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Honolulu …............ 5-9 ….. 2-5 …. 3-4 … 293 … 369 … -76
New Orleans …..... 4-10 … 3-4 …. 1-6 … 335 … 336 … -1
Well, it looks like the QB change worked out for Orange County as they rocket up to the top record. Baltimore also improves quite a bit, while Colorado and Sarasota take a dive in terms of record. Much like San Jose last round, New Orleans just gets some dreadful luck, getting eliminated with a nearly even point differential.
Round 4 Draft
1. Colorado Yeti select WR Jed Podolak from Honolulu
The Yeti had the worst defense in this round, but I honestly don't see any big defensive spots that need improvement for them anymore (this will kind of becoming a recurring thing at this point in this process). So instead the Yeti will hope that the best defense is a good offense, by upgrading the WR corps with Podolak. Podolak (1012 TPE) will shift William Lim and Leeroy Jenkins down the depth chart a bit.
2. Sarasota Sailfish select RB Marcella Toriki from New Orleans
Sarasota has used all three picks on defense so far, and with decent results, but now it seems its time to round things out a bit. The Sailfish had RB1 locked in with Raphtalia Chan, but with Toriki can really make a fearsome running back duo. She will take over for Running Back (415 TPE).
3. Arizona Outlaws select S Mason Blaylock from New Orleans
If Toriki didn't go with the previous pick she would have gone here. However, this may work even better for Arizona. Even though they already addressed the secondary in the previous round, there is still a place for Blaylock (1284 TPE, highest in the league) to replace starting safety DB Jadakiss (614 TPE).
4. Chicago Butchers select LB Tyron Brackenridge from New Orleans
As I mentioned in the previous round, linebacker was one of the few spots I was looking for to help the Butchers, so this worked out well that a good one fell to them in Brackenridge. Rookie Juan Domine (544 TPE) gives up his starting job to Brackenridge (924 TPE)
5. Baltimore Hawks select WR Ed Barker from New Orleans
Quite the turn around from Baltimore here, as they match their win total from the previous round despite playing four fewer games. The Hawks WR corps could use a bit of an upgrade, and therefore they pick up Barker (884 TPE) to take over for Joshua Campbell (528 TPE).
6. Orange County Otters select RB Keʻokeʻo Kāne-Maikaʻi from Honolulu
After the QB upgrade proved to help quite a lot, Orange County keeps the focus on the offense, now providing a viable second option in the backfield behind Tatsu Nakamura. Keynel McZeal (271 TPE) is currently the RB2, so KKM's 793 TPE is a really impressive upgrade at this point in the tournament. The rich get richer.
Round 5
We are getting down to the nitty gritty here. These teams are all pretty elite at this point. And now with fewer games, every one of them counts for that much more.
Round 5 Results
Team ................. Record ..Home.. Road ... PF .... PA ..... PD
Colorado ….......... 7-3 …... 4-1 …. 3-2 …. 332 … 255 … 77
Sarasota ….......... 6-4 ...… 2-3 …. 4-1 …. 279 … 215 … 64
Orange County … 5-5 …... 1-4 …. 4-1 …. 275 … 256 … 19
Baltimore …......... 5-5 ….... 4-1 … 1-4 …. 279 … 303 … -24
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Chicago …........... 4-6 ….... 3-2 … 1-4 … 248 … 263 … -15
Arizona …............ 3-7 ….... 2-3 … 1-4 … 184 … 305 … -121
Colorado goes from worst (advancing) to first as the offense again continues to impress. Sarasota climbs back to the top as well, and the defense continues to impress. Baltimore continues to do enough to survive. I'm not quite sure what happened to Arizona's offense this round. I went back and double checked that I didn't accidently mess with their offensive depth chart.
Round 5 Draft
1. Baltimore Hawks select S Mason Blaylock from Arizona
There were a few different options here, but I ended up just going with the old strategy of picking the best player available. As the top TPE player in the league, Blaylock kind of has that title by default. Blaylock (1284 TPE) is a 884 TPE upgrade over veteran safety Walt Green, so its safe to say this is big move.
2. Orange County Otters select LB Galf Wilf from Arizona
Orange County somehow managed to go 1-4 at home this round, but still managed to advance. Linebacker is a spot that I had in mind for the Otters since Round 2, it just hadn't happened yet. But now they get a chance to finally address it, and with a good one. Wilf has over 1000 TPE, almost double Joseph Joestart's 524 TPE.
3. Sarasota Sailfish select QB Jay Cue from Arizona
This was a tough one. Does Cue really make a big difference compared to Dexter Banks? Would they be better off going for someone like Chicago's Sean O'Leary instead? Only time will tell. On the plus, side making this move blocks Colorado from taking Cue, the highest TPE QB in the league.
4. Colorado Yeti select DT Pete "Plop" Miller from Arizona
I kind of surprised myself by picking all Outlaws this round. Just the way it all lined up I guess. As I mentioned above, if Cue was available, Colorado would have taken him here, even though the offense has been dominant as is (leader in points scored every single round). Instead the Yeti return focus to the defensive line, picking up Miller at nearly 1000 TPE.
Round 6
This is it, the last round of the round robin format. The last draft too. After this it will be the final
Round 6 Results
Team ................. Record ..Home.. Road ... PF .... PA ..... PD
Colorado ….............. 4-2 … 3-0 … 1-2 … 185 … 135 … 50
Orange County ….... 3-3 … 2-1 … 1-2 … 169 … 174 … -5
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Sarasota ….............. 3-3 … 3-0 … 0-3 … 108 … 128 … -20
Baltimore …............. 2-4 … 2-1 … 0-3 … 144 … 169 … -25
Round 6 Draft
1. Orange County Otters select S Mason Blaylock from Baltimore
This whole tournament I haven't even considered a defensive back for the Otters. I mean their top 4 players are DBs and all at or above 1000 TPE. Why would I need to upgrade that? But now after 5 rounds of improvement, the fifth secondary spot actually looks like a good spot to focus on. Also, in going against this Colorado offense, they may need what will surely be the best secondary ever put on the field. With the addition of Blaylock, the weak spot here is Lord Beerus with 998 TPE.
2. Colorado Yeti select S Jamie Nkiah from Sarasota
As I mentioned last round, Cue was going to be the top target for Colorado, and here is available again. But I started having doubts. The offense has been unstoppable with Wolfie, why switch it up now? Especially seeing that Sarasota's offense struggled mightily this round after adding Cue. After there the only options are minor upgrades. Toriki or Hanyadi over Gilbert? Rayne Gordon over Lim? Again, I don't really want to mess with a good thing on the offense, so instead let's go with a 1000 TPE safety to take over for 700 TPE Greedy Sly.
Round 7 - The Finale
We made it. The final two teams. A rematch of the S22 Ultimus. Basically two super teams at this point. I guess in the fiction I made at the start of this article, the last champion of the league before it folds, or something. Best of 3 series. Colorado gets home field advantage, because they had the better record in Round 6, and also because I'm a homer (before you get suspicious, I swear these were the actual results, and the only three games that I simmed). Also I'm not sure what happened to the logos and why they don't show up. My game was generally pretty angry with me about this whole situation. I had like 3 corrupted save files while doing all this.
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3
Ladies and gentlemen, your Contraction Tournament Champions, the Colorado Yeti!
QB: Wolfie McDummy
RB: Darrell Williams
RB: Richard Gilbert
WR: Jed Podolak
WR: William Lim
WR: Leeroy Jenkins
TE: Earl Sauce
OL: Mo Magic
OL: Dick Thruster
DL: Pete "Plop" Miller
DL: Carolinabbq Isbest
DL: Immanuel Blackstone
DL: Warren Stephens
LB: Douglas Quaid
LB: Adelie de Pengu
CB: Louisiana Purchase
CB: Rotticus Scott
CB: Lesean Paris Crooks
S: Jamie Nkiah
S: Pete Parker
"infinite? What are you doing in here?"
infinite slows turns his gaze towards her.
"Did you know the universe is expanding?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah I guess I've heard that before" she says, unsure if that was true, "What's going on?"
"Do you know what happens after something is done expanding?"
"I'm really not sure what you're talking about..."
"It contracts. It shrinks back to what it once was. Think of a lung expanding as you inhale and contracting as you exhale."
"OK, I'm definitely not sure what you're talking about."
"The league has been expanding for too long. The time has come for a course correction. The time has come to end all of this."
"Are you feeling OK? What's going to be ending?"
"The league."
"What do you mean? Is this about you leaving HO? I'm worried infinite. Have you lost it? Have you done something rash?"
"You could say that. There's no point in worrying though. Change is already in motion. It's too late to stop it."
"Stop what?!"
"The Contraction Tournament, I call it. One final hurrah for the league. Only the strongest teams get stronger. Only the strongest survive."
"The league isn't ending!"
"Like I said, it's too late. Things are already in motion. Come see..."
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Expansion was the talk of the offseason. Every team faced tough decisions on who they could and would lose to the two new teams. During 1.5x media week, I was trying to think of interesting angles to write about, and this one idea struck me, what would the opposite of expansion be? And then I never really did anything with the idea...until now!
The idea is, pit all the teams against each other. The weakest teams get eliminated bit by bit, but more than that, once they are eliminated, the remaining teams get to raid them of their top players.
Round 1
I'm starting with the Week 1 file, and simming 26 games for each team. One home game and one road game against all 13 other teams, round robin style. At the end, the bottom two teams get eliminated and the remaining 12 get to pick up their players in a mini draft. I won't spend too much time discussing this round as its pretty straightforward, just the normal opening day rosters for each team with their W1 strats.
Round 1 Results
Team ................. Record ..Home.. Road ... PF .... PA ..... PD
Colorado .............. 21-5 ....12-1 ... 9-4 ...... 833 ... 538 ..... 295
Sarasota ….......... 19-7 … 11-2 … 8-5 ..… 715 … 537 …. 178
Arizona .............… 17-9 .… 9-4 … 8-5 ….. 688 … 524 … 164
San Jose …......... 15-11 … 8-5 … 7-6 ..… 537 … 480 ..… 57
Chicago …........... 15-11 … 9-4 … 6-7 ..… 691 … 636 ..… 55
New Orleans ...… 14-12 … 8-5 … 6-7 ..… 627 … 612 ….. 15
Yellowknife ......… 14-12 … 8-5 … 6-7 ….. 586 … 624 …. -38
Baltimore …......... 14-12 … 8-5 … 6-7 ..… 582 … 636 …. -54
Orange County … 12-14 … 8-5 … 4-9 ..… 637 … 624 …. 13
Philadelphia …..... 10-16 … 6-7 … 4-9 ..… 594 … 664 … -70
Honolulu ............… 9-17 … 5-8 … 4-9 ….. 600 … 642 …. -42
Berlin .................… 9-17 … 6-7 … 3-10 .... 492 … 652 … -160
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New York ...........… 7-19 … 5-8 … 2-11 …. 549 … 747 … -198
Austin …................ 6-20 … 4-9 … 2-11 ..... 507 … 722 … -215
I was pretty surprised to see Austin at the very bottom. Are they supposed to be bad this season, or was this just an unlucky round? Either way, their tournament is over. I figured Berlin and New York would be the two eliminated, but Berlin makes the cut over New York based on a much stronger defensive performance, as the Silverbacks gave up nearly 4 more points per game than the Fire Salamanders in this round. At the top, Colorado and Sarasota pick up where they left off in S24 as two top teams. But enough about this opening round, let's get to the fun part.
Round 1 Draft
Just like the actual draft, the contraction draft order will be based on record. At least just for this first draft, it will just be one round. All players from either eliminated team are available.
1. Berlin Fire Salamanders select RB Ashley Owens from New York
Berlin had the worst offense in round 1, and their current running backs are very young. Owens has been hit hard by regression, but will step in to be RB1 right away to pair with Joseph Petrongolo and give them a versatile weapon out of the backfield. Owens (709 TPE) will be replacing Danny King (397 TPE) on the depth chart, a net gain of 312 TPE.
2. Honolulu Hahalua select DT Bubba Thumper from New York
Thumper is still good enough to start on any defensive line in the league, let alone Honolulu, whose top defensive lineman is at 520 TPE, barely more than half of Bubba. The Hahalua defense was mediocre in round 1, but should get a big boost from the big defensive tackle. Thumper (1025 TPE) will be replacing Sigismund Sternenstaub (342 TPE) on the depth chart, a net gain of 683 TPE!
3. Philadelphia Liberty select DE Carolinabbq Isbest from Austin
No matter what I was going to give Philly a front 7 player here, as the Liberty's top DL/LB is at 435 TPE. Isbest is appropriately named, as he is Austin's best player in terms of TPE, so this is a perfect fit. Isbest (886 TPE) will be replacing Honky-Tonk Haywood (323 TPE) on the depth chart, a net gain of 563 TPE.
4. Orange County Otters select WR Eddie Jeeta from Austin
Orange County put themselves in a delicate position by drafting Owen Holloway, whose contract demands have him in a starting role as a rookie. Fortunately for them, I am not beholding myself to salary concerns and contract clauses in this tournament, so the Otters get a huge upgrade from Jeeta (861 TPE) starting alongside Future Trunks over Holloway (334 TPE).
5. Baltimore Hawks select DE Troen Egghands from Austin
Much like Honolulu and Philadelphia, Baltimore could use a lot of help on the defensive line, with their top player at 427 TPE. Baltimore could also use a running back after losing Darrell Williams in free agency, but with Owens taken the remaining options don't represent good enough value. Egghands (861 TPE) replaces Arik Eller (389 TPE - also he's on the Butchers roster on the forums but on Baltimore in the sim file?)
6. Yellowknife Wraiths select CB Dermot Lavelle Jr. from Austin
Yellowknife finished with a winning record in round one, despite a negative point differential. After veteran Mervin Leonard, the Wraiths cornerback depth drops off. Lavelle (835 TPE) replaces Dan Foster (345 TPE) opposite Leonard, giving the spooky boys a fearsome CB duo.
7. New Orleans Second Line select WR Net Gaines from Austin
With Toriki and Gump both in regression, the passing game becomes more important for New Orleans, and to help out on that front, Net Gaines (737 TPE) gives them a net gaine of 277 TPE over current WR2 Brock Bodenhamer (460 TPE).
8. Chicago Butchers select CB Colt Mendoza from Austin
Chicago has a pretty well-rounded roster. The biggest hole I found was in the secondary, where Raphael d'Alcott is starting at safety with 379 TPE. Replacing him with a cornerback in Mendoza (807 TPE) will need some secondary reconfiguration, but that's not an issue.
9. San Jose Sabercats select TE Leon McDavid from New York
Why mess with a good thing, right? The Ultimus champions lost McDavid in expansion to the Silverbacks, and they take the opportunity to snatch him back. McDavid was the highest TPE player remaining (1020 TPE) and obviously can fit right in to the Sabercats offense, as he retakes the starting tight end job from Daniel George (310 TPE), a net gain of 710 TPE, the largest difference in this draft.
10. Arizona Outlaws select DT Tyler Montain from Austin
Arizona has a great defensive tackle in place in Plop Miller, but Montain (751 TPE) is a nice upgrade over the current DT2 Shane Masters (438 TPE). Similar to Baltimore, Arizona could use an upgrade at running back, but Montain was the better value option here.
11. Sarasota Sailfish select DE Slinky Claxton from Austin
Sarasota has a very strong defense, but still has spots for improvement. Namely, their fourth defensive lineman Arlington Heights is at 289 TPE, so Slinkly Claxton's 699 TPE should prove to be a big help.
12. Colorado Yeti select CB Lesean Paris Crooks from Austin
The Yeti were the strongest team in the league is S24 (Ultimus results notwithstanding), so naturally they have few major holes to fill. However, after trading Thor Kirkby to New York, Colorado will be starting at rookie Joel Drake (461 TPE) at safety. Crooks (699 TPE) instead provides a decent upgrade to the secondary.
Round 2
Alright, now the fun begins, as the remaining 12 teams welcome their new friends and face each other again. Same format as Round 1, round robin everyone plays everyone else, once at home and once on the road.
Round 2 Results
Team ................. Record ..Home.. Road ... PF .... PA ..... PD
San Jose ….......... 15-7 … 9-2.. … 6-5 .... 562 … 394 … 168
Colorado ..........… 13-9 … 9-2 ...... 4-7 .… 675 … 569 … 106
Arizona …............ 13-9 … 10-1 …. 3-8 …. 537 … 529 ….. 8
Chicago ….......... 12-10 … 7-4 ….. 5-6 ….. 564 … 501 … 63
Sarasota …......... 12-10 … 7-4 ….. 5-6 ….. 549 … 509 … 40
Philadelphia …..... 11-11 … 8-3 ….. 3-8 …. 494 … 476 … 18
Orange County … 11-11 … 8-3 ….. 3-8 ….. 516 … 529 … -13
Honolulu ….......... 10-12 … 8-3 ….. 2-9 ….. 535 … 579 … -44
New Orleans ….... 10-12 … 8-3 ….. 2-9 … .472 … 532 … -60
Baltimore …........... 9-13 …. 6-5 …. 3-8 ….. 472 … 535 … -63
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Berlin …................. 9-13 ….. 6-5 … 3-8 ….. 482 … 564 … -82
Yellowknife …......... 7-15 …. 5-6 … 2-9 ….. 439 … 580 … -141
Some really close results there, with the majority of teams within a few games of .500. San Jose dominated on defense, despite picking an offensive player in the Round 1 draft, and Colorado's offense dominated, despite picking a defensive player. Go figure. Arizona rode a fantastic home record to third place finish, despite a barely positive point differential. Chicago and Sarasota meanwhile finish in the top half of the standings on (relatively) strong road performances. On the bottom end of the standings, Yellowknife struggled mightily, with both the worst offense and worst defense in the round. Not a recipe for success typically. Baltimore barely edges out Berlin based on the point differential tiebreaker to stay alive for the next round, and will also be picking first in the Round 2 draft. Speaking of...
Round 2 Draft
1. Baltimore Hawks select RB Mathias Hanyadi from Yellowknife
Baltimore finished with a winning record in Round 1, but took a step back against tougher competition. I mentioned in the Round 1 draft that running back was an option for the Hawks, and here they land the new star running back for an offense that has struggled. Hanyadi (956 TPE) will be replacing rookie Captain Rogers (426 TPE), a net gain of 530 TPE.
2. New Orleans Second Line select DT Patrick Money from Yellowknife
Much like Baltimore, New Orleans was much better in Round 1. Despite adding to their wide receiver corps with Net Gaines, the offense still struggled. However, even still I have them going for defensive line help here. Money's 840 TPE is a big upgrade over Azarius Ranger's 351.
3. Honolulu Hahalua select CB Mervin Leonard from Yellowknife
Honolulu has been living on the edge, with poor records earning them the 2nd pick in the Round 1 draft and the 3rd pick here. Round 1 had them upgrade their defensive line with Bubba Thumper, and now they add another S17 vet, this time to help in the secondary. Leonard (905 TPE) replaces rookie Davriel Lavigne (351 TPE).
4. Orange County Otters select DE James Cho from Yellowknife
Through the 48 games of the tournament, the Otters have 1153 points scored and 1153 points allowed. In order to tip those scales a bit more in their favor, I have the Otter going for a solid defensive lineman here. I feel like half of the picks made so far in these drafts have been defensive line, but it's just a spot were many teams have room for improvement. Cho (826 TPE) replaces Goat Tank (379 TPE) on the Otters line.
5. Philadelphia Liberty select CB Dermot Lavelle Jr. from Yellowknife
Lavelle will be going to his third team in three rounds, as Philly fills a big hole in their secondary. I was more focused on the front seven from them in Round 1, but the Liberty also had a lot of room for improvement here as they had the long time veteran Richard D'Attoria V (228 TPE) getting significant playing time. Replacing him with Lavelle's 835 TPE is a big net gain.
6. Sarasota Sailfish select CB Asher Quinn from Berlin
The first Fire Salamander finally goes off the board. The Sailfish, like the Liberty, went defensive line in Round 1 and now sure up the secondary, where they were previously starting rookie Harrison Andrews at 513 TPE. Quin brings 832 TPE to the table instead to what is now a very strong secondary.
7. Chicago Butchers select DE Mario VonPebbles from Berlin
Like I said in Round 1, Chicago has a pretty solid roster all around. The one hole I found was DE Arik Eller...wait for real though, I already replaced him on Baltimore. How is this guy on two different rosters? Well either way, VonPebbles (765 TPE) steps in over him.
8. Arizona Outlaws select RB Acura Skyline from Yellowknife
Great value pick for Arizona here. They needed a running back just as badly as Baltimore and get a comparable one 7 picks later. Skyline (855 TPE) will act as a versatile RB1, pushing Zed Keppler and rookie Gunner Thorbjornsson to share RB2 duties.
9. Colorado Yeti select LB Douglas Quaid from Yellowknife
Colorado finished with the top record in Round 1 and second best in Round 2. The first draft had them taking a cornerback to help in the secondary, and now they pick up Quaid (1041 TPE) to replace rookie Melvin Murder-Moose (499 TPE) in the linebacking corps. With how well their offense performed in Round 1, an even more improved defense should be a great combination. And did I just subconsciously reveal my homerism by giving Colorado the only 1000+ TPE player taken in this round? Maybe.
10. San Jose Sabercats select DT Claude Miller from Berlin
Once again I return to the defensive line well. Miller is at 674 TPE, but should still be a nice upgrade over Raylan Crowder's 358 TPE. San Jose's defense performed superbly in this round, so I'm interested to see how they do in the next round with even more help.
Round 3
Since I'm kind of making this up as I go, after this round (another round robin style) when it's down to 8 teams, I'm unsure if I will continue with the round robin format all the way to the end, or with 8 teams, make it into a bracket style tournament. If so, I guess this round's standings would determine the seeding. So a lot on the line.
Round 3 Results
Team ................. Record ..Home.. Road ... PF .... PA ..... PD
Sarasota …........... 11-7 …. 9-0 …. 2-7 …. 469 … 349 … 120
Chicago …............ 11-7 …. 8-1 …. 3-6 …. 466 … 406 … 60
Honolulu …........... 10-8 …. 7-2 …. 3-6 …. 427 … 465 … -38
Colorado …............ 9-9 …. 6-3 …. 3-6 ….. 521 … 440 … 81
Orange County ….. 9-9 …. 8-1 …. 1-8 ….. 400 … 422 … -22
Baltimore …........... 9-9 …. 8-1 …. 1-8 ….. 430 … 460 … -30
New Orleans …...... 9-9 … 8-1 ….. 1-8 ….. 419 … 452 … -33
Arizona ….............. 9-9 …. 7-2 ….. 2-7 ….. 407 … 444 … -37
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San Jose ….......... 7-11 … 4-5 …. 3-6 …... 353 … 372 … -19
Philadelphia …...... 6-12 … 5-4 … 1-8 …... 418 … 500 … -82
What an odd set of results. For one, look at those extreme home and road splits. Home teams won 70 of the 90 games, which seems high even knowing what we know about the sim. For comparison, home teams went 91-41 in Round 2. For another, only three of the ten teams finished with a positive point differential. Sarasota, on the strength of a newly improved secondary, was pretty dominant this round, especially at home. Honolulu finished with a winning record despite having the second worst point differential. Half of the league finished at .500. And poor San Jose gets eliminated after finishing with the top record in Round 2, even with a better point differential than five teams of the eight teams that will be advancing.
Round 3 Draft
1. Arizona Outlaws select CB Brandon Booker from Philadelphia
I may have overlooked Arizona's secondary in the first round, probably just from noticing their top two corners are very good, and then just looking for other areas of improvement. However after the CB duo of Scarlett and Kehla, the secondary could use some more help. A corner will have to slide into a safety spot, but Booker (864 TPE) is a nice upgrade over Tayshawn Crunk (341 TPE).
2. New Orleans Second Line select LB Tyron Brackenridge from San Jose
Second Line really haven't done much of note in this tournament yet, but they are still staying alive and are picking second in back to back rounds. After adding defensive line help last draft in Patrick Money, New Orleans tries to strengthen the front seven even further. Brackenridge (924 TPE) replaces rookie Busch Light (513 TPE).
3. Baltimore Hawks select DT Otis Allen from San Jose
Baltimore went for defensive line in the Round 1 draft with Troen Egghands, and returns to the well with a defensive tackle this time. Maybe not the best allocation of resources, but it still really was an area that needed improvement. Allen's 1029 TPE will replace Matt Hole (308 TPE), a huge net gain.
4. Orange County Otters select QB Brock Phoenix from Philadelphia
Alright, now we're getting interesting, with the first QB change in the tournament. Orange County had the second fewest points scored in Round 3, and the lowest among advancing teams, and what better way to overhaul an offense than with an improvement at quarterback? And as fate would have it, the Otters get to pick up the second highest TPE (1166) QB to replace rookie Suleiman Ramza (798 TPE)
5. Colorado Yeti select DE Carolinabbq Isbest from Philadelphia
The Yeti offense was again the best in the tournament. Frankly the defense was fine too, but in figuring the reason for the .500 finish, its gotta be the defense, even though the first two drafts were used on LB and CB. This time the Yeti go for Isbest who was picked by Philly in the first round. Isbest (886 TPE) replaces Ismael Sanchez (390 TPE) on the defensive line.
6. Honolulu Hahalua select LB Lawrence Bass from San Jose
If Phoenix wasn't already gone by the this pick he would instead be a Hahalua. Instead, Honolulu needs to do something for the defense, which gave up the second most points in the round. They were lucky to have a winning record and may not be as lucky next round without some improvement. Bass (824 TPE) will step in to replace Rusty Rucker (338 TPE)
7. Chicago Butchers select RB Jamar Lackson from San Jose
Honestly I didn't love making this pick for Chicago. I've already mentioned that Chicago has a pretty well rounded roster, especially after the previous two additions. One spot that I would have liked to improve for them would have been linebacker, but Honolulu just took the only really viable option off the board in Bass. Instead, Chicago makes an improvement to the RB2 spot for what could be really dangerous offense. Lackson (867 TPE) replaces Julio Tirtawidjaja (636 TPE) on the depth chart.
8. Sarasota Sailfish select CB Dermot Lavelle Jr. from Philadelphia
Quite the journey for Lavelle, as he has been on a different team for each round. Initially on Austin, followed by Yellowknife and Philadelphia, and now makes the trip to Sarasota. The Sailfish had the strongest defense in the round, but there was still a bit of room for improvement in the defensive backfield, where Lavelle (835 TPE) will replace Beat (563 TPE).
Round 4
I was considering switching the format with fewer teams, but I decided I'll just keep it going like this all the way to the end. Also, I just want to summarize the roster additions so far, partly for my own sake
Round 1-3 Additions
Arizona: DT Montain, RB Skyline, CB Booker
Baltimore: DE Egghands, RB Hanyadi, DT Allen
Chicago: CB Mendoza, DE VonPebbles, RB Jackson
Colorado: CB Crooks, LB Quaid, DE Isbest
Honolulu: DT Thumper, CB Leonard, LB Bass
New Orleans: WR Gaines, DT Money, LB Brackenridge
Orange County: WR Jeeta, DE Cho, QB Phoenix
Sarasota: DE Claxton, CB Quinn, CB Lavelle Jr.
Round 4 Results
Team ................. Record ..Home.. Road ... PF .... PA ..... PD
Orange County … 10-4 ….. 6-1 …. 4-3 … 360 … 297 … 63
Baltimore …........... 9-5 ….. 6-1 …. 3-4 … 334 … 320 … 14
Chicago …............. 8-6 ….. 5-2 …. 3-4 … 377 … 373 … 4
Arizona ….............. 8-6 ….. 5-2 …. 3-4 … 325 … 327 … -2
Sarasota …............ 6-8 ….. 5-2 …. 1-6 … 357 … 349 … 8
Colorado …............ 6-8 ….. 4-3 …. 2-5 … 390 … 400 … -10
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Honolulu …............ 5-9 ….. 2-5 …. 3-4 … 293 … 369 … -76
New Orleans …..... 4-10 … 3-4 …. 1-6 … 335 … 336 … -1
Well, it looks like the QB change worked out for Orange County as they rocket up to the top record. Baltimore also improves quite a bit, while Colorado and Sarasota take a dive in terms of record. Much like San Jose last round, New Orleans just gets some dreadful luck, getting eliminated with a nearly even point differential.
Round 4 Draft
1. Colorado Yeti select WR Jed Podolak from Honolulu
The Yeti had the worst defense in this round, but I honestly don't see any big defensive spots that need improvement for them anymore (this will kind of becoming a recurring thing at this point in this process). So instead the Yeti will hope that the best defense is a good offense, by upgrading the WR corps with Podolak. Podolak (1012 TPE) will shift William Lim and Leeroy Jenkins down the depth chart a bit.
2. Sarasota Sailfish select RB Marcella Toriki from New Orleans
Sarasota has used all three picks on defense so far, and with decent results, but now it seems its time to round things out a bit. The Sailfish had RB1 locked in with Raphtalia Chan, but with Toriki can really make a fearsome running back duo. She will take over for Running Back (415 TPE).
3. Arizona Outlaws select S Mason Blaylock from New Orleans
If Toriki didn't go with the previous pick she would have gone here. However, this may work even better for Arizona. Even though they already addressed the secondary in the previous round, there is still a place for Blaylock (1284 TPE, highest in the league) to replace starting safety DB Jadakiss (614 TPE).
4. Chicago Butchers select LB Tyron Brackenridge from New Orleans
As I mentioned in the previous round, linebacker was one of the few spots I was looking for to help the Butchers, so this worked out well that a good one fell to them in Brackenridge. Rookie Juan Domine (544 TPE) gives up his starting job to Brackenridge (924 TPE)
5. Baltimore Hawks select WR Ed Barker from New Orleans
Quite the turn around from Baltimore here, as they match their win total from the previous round despite playing four fewer games. The Hawks WR corps could use a bit of an upgrade, and therefore they pick up Barker (884 TPE) to take over for Joshua Campbell (528 TPE).
6. Orange County Otters select RB Keʻokeʻo Kāne-Maikaʻi from Honolulu
After the QB upgrade proved to help quite a lot, Orange County keeps the focus on the offense, now providing a viable second option in the backfield behind Tatsu Nakamura. Keynel McZeal (271 TPE) is currently the RB2, so KKM's 793 TPE is a really impressive upgrade at this point in the tournament. The rich get richer.
Round 5
We are getting down to the nitty gritty here. These teams are all pretty elite at this point. And now with fewer games, every one of them counts for that much more.
Round 5 Results
Team ................. Record ..Home.. Road ... PF .... PA ..... PD
Colorado ….......... 7-3 …... 4-1 …. 3-2 …. 332 … 255 … 77
Sarasota ….......... 6-4 ...… 2-3 …. 4-1 …. 279 … 215 … 64
Orange County … 5-5 …... 1-4 …. 4-1 …. 275 … 256 … 19
Baltimore …......... 5-5 ….... 4-1 … 1-4 …. 279 … 303 … -24
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Chicago …........... 4-6 ….... 3-2 … 1-4 … 248 … 263 … -15
Arizona …............ 3-7 ….... 2-3 … 1-4 … 184 … 305 … -121
Colorado goes from worst (advancing) to first as the offense again continues to impress. Sarasota climbs back to the top as well, and the defense continues to impress. Baltimore continues to do enough to survive. I'm not quite sure what happened to Arizona's offense this round. I went back and double checked that I didn't accidently mess with their offensive depth chart.
Round 5 Draft
1. Baltimore Hawks select S Mason Blaylock from Arizona
There were a few different options here, but I ended up just going with the old strategy of picking the best player available. As the top TPE player in the league, Blaylock kind of has that title by default. Blaylock (1284 TPE) is a 884 TPE upgrade over veteran safety Walt Green, so its safe to say this is big move.
2. Orange County Otters select LB Galf Wilf from Arizona
Orange County somehow managed to go 1-4 at home this round, but still managed to advance. Linebacker is a spot that I had in mind for the Otters since Round 2, it just hadn't happened yet. But now they get a chance to finally address it, and with a good one. Wilf has over 1000 TPE, almost double Joseph Joestart's 524 TPE.
3. Sarasota Sailfish select QB Jay Cue from Arizona
This was a tough one. Does Cue really make a big difference compared to Dexter Banks? Would they be better off going for someone like Chicago's Sean O'Leary instead? Only time will tell. On the plus, side making this move blocks Colorado from taking Cue, the highest TPE QB in the league.
4. Colorado Yeti select DT Pete "Plop" Miller from Arizona
I kind of surprised myself by picking all Outlaws this round. Just the way it all lined up I guess. As I mentioned above, if Cue was available, Colorado would have taken him here, even though the offense has been dominant as is (leader in points scored every single round). Instead the Yeti return focus to the defensive line, picking up Miller at nearly 1000 TPE.
Round 6
This is it, the last round of the round robin format. The last draft too. After this it will be the final
Round 6 Results
Team ................. Record ..Home.. Road ... PF .... PA ..... PD
Colorado ….............. 4-2 … 3-0 … 1-2 … 185 … 135 … 50
Orange County ….... 3-3 … 2-1 … 1-2 … 169 … 174 … -5
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Sarasota ….............. 3-3 … 3-0 … 0-3 … 108 … 128 … -20
Baltimore …............. 2-4 … 2-1 … 0-3 … 144 … 169 … -25
Round 6 Draft
1. Orange County Otters select S Mason Blaylock from Baltimore
This whole tournament I haven't even considered a defensive back for the Otters. I mean their top 4 players are DBs and all at or above 1000 TPE. Why would I need to upgrade that? But now after 5 rounds of improvement, the fifth secondary spot actually looks like a good spot to focus on. Also, in going against this Colorado offense, they may need what will surely be the best secondary ever put on the field. With the addition of Blaylock, the weak spot here is Lord Beerus with 998 TPE.
2. Colorado Yeti select S Jamie Nkiah from Sarasota
As I mentioned last round, Cue was going to be the top target for Colorado, and here is available again. But I started having doubts. The offense has been unstoppable with Wolfie, why switch it up now? Especially seeing that Sarasota's offense struggled mightily this round after adding Cue. After there the only options are minor upgrades. Toriki or Hanyadi over Gilbert? Rayne Gordon over Lim? Again, I don't really want to mess with a good thing on the offense, so instead let's go with a 1000 TPE safety to take over for 700 TPE Greedy Sly.
Round 7 - The Finale
We made it. The final two teams. A rematch of the S22 Ultimus. Basically two super teams at this point. I guess in the fiction I made at the start of this article, the last champion of the league before it folds, or something. Best of 3 series. Colorado gets home field advantage, because they had the better record in Round 6, and also because I'm a homer (before you get suspicious, I swear these were the actual results, and the only three games that I simmed). Also I'm not sure what happened to the logos and why they don't show up. My game was generally pretty angry with me about this whole situation. I had like 3 corrupted save files while doing all this.
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3
Ladies and gentlemen, your Contraction Tournament Champions, the Colorado Yeti!
QB: Wolfie McDummy
RB: Darrell Williams
RB: Richard Gilbert
WR: Jed Podolak
WR: William Lim
WR: Leeroy Jenkins
TE: Earl Sauce
OL: Mo Magic
OL: Dick Thruster
DL: Pete "Plop" Miller
DL: Carolinabbq Isbest
DL: Immanuel Blackstone
DL: Warren Stephens
LB: Douglas Quaid
LB: Adelie de Pengu
CB: Louisiana Purchase
CB: Rotticus Scott
CB: Lesean Paris Crooks
S: Jamie Nkiah
S: Pete Parker