(S25) - Ultimus Week

[209tacos]

17: Banner




PBE CW affiliation 

21:unique card

[DoIHaveTheSause]

This task is exclusive to non-recreate rookies of the S24 class and later. In 400 words or more, how has your experience been in the league? Who have you met that has made your time here more fun, friendly, and exciting? Have you been satisfied with your player’s early start? What was it like being drafted for the first time? Do you have any comments or suggestions for the entire league that you think should be implemented?

Being a player just entering the Development Football Simulation League Week Twelve in Season 26, I am still getting used to alot of what the league has to offer. But from what I’ve experienced, I feel like I am entering a whole new world of fun. Although I am fairly new, I was able to get some playing time, even on a team that had some of the best receivers in the league, the Tijuana Luchadores, while in the middle of a playoff run. My first  moment of action was a reception for 23 yards! I didn’t think I had it in me, but I guess I did.  My comrades later congratulated me in the locker room after the game. This would ignite a fire under me to drive me into working towards becoming the best receiver in the league. If I had the ability to have a play like that, who knows what else I had the potential to accomplish. Later into the year I was able to see some more playing time, but our playoff hopes were cut short in a heart breaking overtime loss. I was picked up as But now that I’ve had time to get adjusted to the league, I’ve gained more information on the structure of earning TPE and getting to know more of the teams in the Development Football Simulation League, I am looking forward to the upcoming draft on which team decides to take a chance on me, and I’ll make sure they never regret it. As a red Zone Threat, no endzone is safe.

Over time , I have taken notice on how the entire league is run, and honestly I am very impressed. The amount of structure that goes into everything is astounding.  The people who have built this league have really developed a culture that brings everyone together, no matter their background or what team they end up on. And the fact that everyone you meet is willing to reach out to see if you need help with anything makes the process of getting used to things easier. But if I were to suggest something that I wouldn't change the way things are done, but merely add on / incentivize better work, would be to pay people (league money) for the amount of interactions their articles get. I think this would significantly raise the quality of content media players put out, and give readers a reason to check out other people’s work but bring people into the website more. Nothing that there is anything wrong with the current system, I feel that this bonus would greatly elevate not only the quality of work, but the quantity of traffic towards the site.




Pick any position, and determine who in your view is the greatest player to ever suit up at that position. Why do you view them as the GOAT? What achievements, records, accolades, or statistics do they hold? How do they stack up against the other legends in their position, and why does your chosen candidate come out on top?

Looking around the landscape of the league, there are a lot of great players in all of the skill positions. But If there was someone I would have to nominate to be the greatest of all time, not only now, but leading into the future, it would have to be Goat Tank, from the Myrtle Beach Buccaneers. Now I know he’s a Defensive Tackle, but this guy is an animal. He damn near counts as two guys on the line!! I would consider him the greatest of all time further than just his stats. Looking at his athletic breakdown, he currently has an eighty speed. This is as a defensive tackle, that's pretty fast. If he gets a good angle on one of these development football simulation league running backs, Goat Tank is making the tackle. Another important athletic ability that Goat Tank possesses is his strength, with seventy three of it. As a player who is a ROOKIE still, he has the potential to become one of the strongest players in the league.  I fully believe that whatever team decides to take Goat Tank into their team should make him a keystone of their defense. The importance of having such a great Defensive Linemen like Goat Tank could help solidify any defense’s run defense and pass defense. I believe with the type of style that Goat Tank plays with force’s any offensive line to make it a priority to stop him. While they make it a priority to stop him, this allows his team around him to have a better chance against a one on one matchup, and this is a type of stat that the statsheet should show more in my opinion. I personally would call them, “Assisted Secondary Stats” or A.S.S., for short. If I had to compare the type of player in real life that Goat Tank reminds me of, it would have to be Aaron Donald. Just a complete dominant force up the middle will likely wreak havoc to any offensive gameplan. That is one of the biggest factors that I think Goat Tank creates, is that he completely disrupts the thought of running the ball up the middle. This will further help any team that drafts him; he will be the solution for stopping the running game. And I believe the reputation that Goat Tank has speaks volumes as well. He is known to be a beast, and this will strike fear to any running back or quarterback. Last season he caused three forced fumbles and recovered all three of them. This is a determined man. If he gets the chance to crack anyone who even ATTEMPTS to come through the middle, Goat Tank will make them pay.

[FreeSafety]

(TIER2 TASK 15)Since coming into the league I have had nothing but fun. It’s like a welcoming community. I like every bit of the league  and wanna help it grow. In any way I can. I  have  joined voice chats with people and have got to communicate with a lot of people.  I have had a great rookie mentor who has been helping me a lot on discord his name is GuitarMaster166#0521.  He has  explained to me how stuff works In the league what tpe is and etc. He has Always responded so quickly to me and for someone like me who isn’t used to using threads like me Guitar help me learn very fast. He told me how to impress gms , What can get me extra tpe talk about bonuses. He has made my whole process feel so easy like the way he would explain things.  The person who probably has made my time here more fun has to be Guitar . I can’t say anybody else because like I stated before Guitar has help me so much . Like normally threads are super hard to learn but Guitar made it seem so easy. Like I was knocking out my task so quickly with him. Next Question is  Have you been satisfied with your player’s early start? Yes I joined the league not even 3 days ago and I’m already finished with all the rookie tasks shout out to Guitar again who has help a lot. I wanted to jump out to an early start so I could start impressing DSFL GMs early and show how determined I am to improve my player overall. So yes I am very satisfied  with how I have started  off as I hope to continue rising  on draft boards. Alright so the next question  that  was  asked was what was it like being drafted for the first time? Well Currently I have not been drafted yet , But In two weeks I will be and im definitely looking forward to hearing my name called on draft night . I know for a fact It’s gonna be so exciting and I can’t wait. I wish It would already speed up and get here. Like  I’m itching to hear the words so and  so you are now on the clock. I’m excited how  the setup for the draft is gonna be ya know. Being a newcomer to the league that's the thing I have been looking forward to. Like I wanna see how the draft cards look and all the edits.


(TIER 3 TASK 22)
Scouting report For Lorenzo Smith II.Lorenzo Strengths in college were some of the best. He could see everything on the field plus his high IQ help his awareness on the football field. He was always seeing everything he could get there before anybody else could. His quick burst with his excellent speed made him able to make big players quicker. He also has great hit power he would hit people so hard sometime they would get knocked out .He has a great frame and great wing spain. Overall he is a perfect prospect .  Lorenzo's 40 yard dash in college was time as a 4.10 one of the fastest times ever. He showed during workouts he had great strength when he was able to bench 225 50 times.  He also has a great vert jump and 3 cone shuffle drill.  One of his weaknesses is probably injuries but he is mentalty very tough. He has broken a lot of bones and tore a lot of things  but he always would fight through the pain  and  showed people what it took. Sometimes people wouldn’t even know he was hurt, that's how tough he is.Overall he is the perfect prospect in this draft . He has the potential to be a league star and potentially a hall of famer. You should expect his name to be called early on draft night. He is an amazing addition to peoples locker rooms. He will make people laugh and  he is just a very interesting person . People will root for him wherever he goes.



(TIER 3 TASK 23)

[Asked Madden]

22)
Pope Francis is a blue chip prospect coming out of Vatican city. Slotting in at the defensive end position he will no doubt fill a large need on one of the many isfl Rosters.
At 6ft5 and 300lbs Pope Francis has been seriously packing on weight since leaving his position as voice of God. He is a formidable tackler and all around demon on the field and polite preacher off the field.
In the gym he has really focused on strength and speed. Ensuring he will be able to break down an offensive line and rush the QB.
Francis has had an average amount of TFLs and Sacks but his best moment of the year came against Tijuana - 5 points down in the 4th quarter. The birddogs had put up a great defensive set. Here comes Pope Francis through on the punter the hand of god outstretched to block the punt. Putting them in great field position eventually leading to a game winning TD.
In my humble opinion Pope Francis will likely be a mid round guy. This is mostly down to his sporadic updates. Whilst he has shown a lot more activity than a good number of players in the class his TPE gains have been fairly sedentary when compared to the top of the class.

14)
Trial by fire is a great way to describe the S25 season for the Dallas Birddogs. The class of S24 had a huge amount of talent from the large reddit draft class and judging by previous years numbers, the majority of them would get to stay down for a second year to hopefully challenge for the ultimini. Alas midway through that season the expansion was announced. Meaning a huge talent drain would open up in the DSFL and a large number of prospects would be moved straight up to the big leagues.
The birddogs were hit harder than a lot of other teams by call ups. Losing stalwart RB Zoe Watts, their top 2 Dlinemen in Thebaw and Crowder, scrappy safety Roberts and both tight ends in hex and
skiuuup to name but a few.
This coupled with a rather small draft class culminated in a very bare bones team and bots in positions you wouldn't want them.
Of course this led to Dallas losing 6 straight games and drawing ridicule from a number of articles and twitter posts. Ranked dead last in every ranking thread the birddogs kept going. The locker room was still full of happy cheerful people a much different attitude than you'd expect from a team performing so poorly.
The team built on this positivity and relief heavily on watts replacement. Cobra Kai who lead the league in most rushing metrics.
Week 7 against the SeaWolves saw the teams first luck strike. Mark callous put in the performance of a lifetime scoring a receiving and return TD lighting a fire underneath the team.
The birddogs went on to win 3 more of their remaining games cementing them above Norfolk to ensure they didn't finish last. Some great individual performances from Leaking slammu Kai and Berto spurned the team on. And the hand of God from the Pope himself helped to keep the birddogs alive in their most impressive win against Tijuana, the future champions.
Whilst 4-10 may not look like a good season, the adversity this team faced really highlighted just how well they performed. New GM Kya and incumbent GM Lim should be proud of the team and environment they've built in this locker room. They really harbour growth and engagement in their team and that was the key to the turnaround.
With the draft just around the corner the birddogs will secretly hope for more send downs than last year and will need to find another couple of diamonds to really help out the team.

18)
My favourite game of the season happened to be one I played in. Week two of the ISFL The San Jose Sabercats hosted arch rivals the Arizona Outlaws in a bitter contest.
There were a number of reasons this was my favourite game but the key reasons were - this was my first win as an isfl player. I registered a sack against our largest rivals,
whom a number of their players had been running their mouth off before the game. I registered my first forced fumble of my career this one from Jay Cue helping hault a drive but most importantly it was the start of another winning season for San Jose.
Key Players
Matthew McDairmid - ever reliable with the boot. Kicked 9 points for the Sabercats.
Nate Swift & Jamar Lackson - each scoring pivotal touchdowns.
Brackenridge - defensive captain leading by example with 2 Sacks and an interception.
But the key play of the game happened late in the 3rd when arizona had the ball trailing by 1. Jay Cue threw a wayward pass which Rashad Hilliard returned for a touchdown and putting the team 8 points ahead.
The Sabercats ended up winning 27-9 and kicked off their season with a bang

[Briedaqueduc]

SHL Affiliation CW


30) Reflect on the two expansion teams. How did their first seasons go? What were their key strengths and weaknesses, and how are they poised to improve in seasons to come?

I think both team did really well considering it was their first season. The New York Silverbacks had 4 wins and 12 losses, which at first glance, might not look that good. But they didn't have that much of a worse offense, producing only 2 less points than the New Orleans Secondline with 361 points. They also didn't have the worst defense, allowing 6 points less than the Honolulu Halalua. They also are home of the first candidate to Offensive Lineman Of The Year, Douglas Quail. He had a massive season with 93 pancakes and no sacks allowed. Their starting running back, Owens, also led the league in running yards, and they had many other players who were among the best in the league stat wise. They look very solid for the next couple seasons, and they should already be better next season. As for the Berlin Fire Salamanders, they're not looking as strong as New York, with a record of 3 wins and 13 losses. They were pretty far from the other teams in the NSFC in both points for and points against. They also don't seem to have as many successful players as New York did. But they had a pretty solid win against NY 23-7, so some could argue that they were better, just in a tougher division. Still, both teams have a bright future ahead of them.
(231 words)

[y2bobman]

8)

Here is my case for Ernest Lover, the Defensive End for the London Royals, to be named as Defensive Rookie of the Year come awards night. 

At the time of writing, Lover / user @Mojojojo is sitting third in TPE for S26 rookies with 261.  I know it’s not all about TPE, but that certainly helps ensure that your player is able to make an impact out onto the field.  Now look; Lover has been a force to be reckoned with since that start of pre season.  In those four games then, he managed 13 tackles, four tackles for a loss and three sacks.  This was lover setting a precedent for how his season was going to go.  From the off he hits hard – when you’re sacked by Lover, you stay down. 

He went to Dallas in game one and hit seven tackles, following this up with his first sack (and solitary forced fumble for the season) in the Royals’ home victory against eventual Ultimini winners Tijuana.  Moving on to week three and we see another sack, plus six tackles in a tight loss to Norfolk.  But it was week four where Lover really laid down his first claim for this award – six tackles and two sacks in a home loss to Myrtle Beach.  Their QB Daytona had a tremendous season, but perhaps this was perhaps the one blip – imagine he was aching after that one.  Week five saw another sack, week six saw a season-equalling nine tackles. 

Moving forward, week seven saw six tackles, two for loss, helping the Royals defeat those pesky Pythons in Portland.  In the home victory against Dallas a week later Lover equalled the nine tackles seen in week six (10 is just greedy, right).  And the same story a week later, another nine tackles, three for loss, in a comfortable win in Tijuana (they got revenge in the end though...).  Lover only managed a couple of tackles, one for loss and a sack in the win against Norfolk in week 10, and a lowly one tackle in week 11.  A sign of Lover coming un stuck?  Not a chance.  Week 12 and he’s back in the game, five tackles, one for loss, and one sack.  The final two games of the regular season brought nine tackles, two for loss and a sack.

So where does that leave us now.  Well in the regular season Lover amassed 75 tackles (1st for DE), 11 of which for loss, eight sacks (joint 1st for DE, 6th OA) and a forced fumble.  In my opinion, regardless of my London links, those numbers make him the stand out rookie DE and my shout for the illusive Defensive Rookie of the Year award.



15)

This is a topic I’ve written about a little in the past, and something @Crunk and I have discussed in our Podcasts.  But that was then, all based on that debut season in the DSFL.  Since then I can honestly say that the experience has been taken up a notch.  Now you could say that this has been helped by the fact that I’ve spent two seasons as a member of the London Royals – and we’ve reached the Ultimini twice in that time.  So do you need to be on a winning team to have a good experience?  Not at all.  I’m certain all teams offer a good experience, but perhaps the Royals just take that up a notch.

The London Locker Room is a hive of activity, regardless of the time of day.  Now I’m a busy guy so i’ll admit that I’m only able to make limited contributions.  But honestly, the folks in there are great.  Everyone has got each other’s back, anyone can start a chat about anything and they’ll be some good debate or advice available.  And yeah, everyone has a lot of fun too, always a positive.  

Have I met anyone who has enhanced this?  I’d be lying if I said I could single out a few as there really are so many and it would be unfair of me (and a test for my terrible memory, which would ultimately fail me) if I did so.  But the Royals GMs (old and new), the vets in my first season, the rookies in this season, what a great bunch.  A lot of these people are going to go on and do (or will continue to do) a lot of great things in this game. 

Now signing up at the same time as @Crunk I’m inevitably going to compare my players progression with his.  But now that he’s co-GM of Arizona too I need to be careful…!  I’ve got a real focus on player development – not just maxing out on TPE each week, anyone can do that, but aiming for the most efficient player build to not only help the team, but bring some good numbers home too.  This focus led to me switching player archetypes (from run stopper to speed rusher) midway through my rookie season.  I’m feeling  lot more comfortable now.  So new users, have a think about that with your players, keep that in mind as an option and discuss it in your Locker Rooms.

I’ve experienced two drafts with Burfict – both amazing experiences, very exciting.  I certainly went under the radar in DSFL draft, and perhaps a little in the ISFL draft too.  But I’m delighted that I landed in Arizona, not just for the @Crunk link-up, but the team seems to fit my style (or at least I think it will when I’m called up).  Did I think I’d be taken a little sooner in the ISFL draft based on Burfict’s numbers?  Perhaps.  But other users probably offer more in terms for discord activity and sim data testing/analysis and at that stage I simply didn’t have the time and made sure I was honest when speaking with scouts about that.

So there it is, can’t wait for the journey to continue – London or Arizona, L’Gazzy will be ready.

[Memento Mori]

6) Write 800 words or more on something that interests you. It could be related to statistics, to a league issue you take seriously, or a niche part of history that doesn’t fit neatly into either of the above categories. This must be directly related to the league, so don’t wax 800 words about your team’s Werewolf server. Be warned that freedom comes with risk, and this category will be judged especially stringently for anyone trying to spew complete nonsense.

As time has passed, the ISFL has resembled a real pro football league more and more. From a league that was once 6 teams playing 14 games, we're now a 14 team league playing 16 games with a developmental system that somewhat resembles a combination of college football and developmental leagues like the AAF. There are two final frontiers, in my opinion: contracts (which are honestly a symptom of the league economy more generally) and free agency. After a gradual increase in the number of free agents the last few offseasons, this offseason free agency exploded.

A sceptic might claim that we saw a somewhat unique implosion within the Philadelphia Liberty franchise, and that's why there's so many top-level free agents. It's true that Philadelphia's Sam Torenson, Captain Rogers, Randy Vuxta, Dorothy Zbornak and my own player Brandon Booker left the team in free agency. However, there were enough high-level free agents from other teams that I think there's a general trend emerging. Zamir Kehla, Julio Jones and Heath Evans left Arizona, Givussafare Rubbe left New Orleans, Rotticus Scott left Colorado, Derred de Ville left Baltimore, Dermot Lavelle Jr. left Austin and many more players are currently available on the open market.

I believe the primary reason for this is the league's growth and expansion. When there were six teams, there was a maximum of five teams you might rather play for. Maybe two or more of these teams have a culture you don't like, or users you don't get along well with, etc. Maybe there's actually only one or two teams you'd rather play for, and you're happy enough where you are so there's no itch to leave. The league was a small place, and maybe the thought of falling out with your old team if you left in free agency made you uneasy as it might lead to fewer landing spots should you reach free agency again or recreate.

Now, you look around and there are thirteen other teams. The growth of the league might mean there are as many as twenty, thirty or forty users you'd like to play with who you've never played with. When there are so many other teams, and so many people that you get along with, it's much easier to imagine that the grass is greener somewhere else.

This, finally, brings me to the point of my response to this task. I think that teams who lose players in free agency should receive compensatory picks, à la the NFL. Some of the league don't follow the NFL closely, so I'll briefly explain what a compensatory pick is. At the end of each round of the draft, from the 3rd round onwards, teams who have been awarded compensatory picks make selections. In the 2020 NFL draft, there were ten compensatory third round selections, eight compensatory fourth round selections, two compensatory fifth round selections, etc. The formula isn't public, but losing more free agents, and more free agents who signed large contracts, increases your team's score in this regard and the teams that have lost the most to free agency receive additional draft picks. The number and contract value of free agents you sign is offset against this, so if I lose a CB who is paid $10m a season but sign a new CB who is paid $10m a season this is offset. I think this offseason the league's free agents have the ability to dramatically affect parity in the league. Thankfully it hasn't happened and it doesn't look like it will, but what if the six to eight players at or around 1000 TPE had decided to join the same team? Worse still, what if the team they'd decided to join was already good, like Colorado or Orange County?

There is a positive case for introducing compensatory picks too, not just a negative one. First, it provides insurance against teams who experience an exodus due to poor team management. Philadelphia lost several players, including one GM, and the other GM stepped down. Pat, Philadelphia's new GM, and his new co-GM (who, to be clear, I have complete faith in) will find it difficult to turn the team around having lost four or five starters to free agency and a sixth to retirement. The situation is not their fault, and they can do nothing about it. If Philadelphia was to receive compensatory picks to reflect the fact that they lost a 900 TPE CB, an 800 TPE WR, and two young, promising S24 players then Philadelphia would be in a better position to rebuild and in a better position to rebuild faster. This would increase the chances that their existing players choose to remain with the team, and reduce the chances that available free agents or upcoming prospects would be put off by the idea of playing for Philadelphia.

Or, to use Arizona, who lost three players as an example: Arizona has haemorrhaged free agents for a few seasons without attracting new ones. Z-Whiz and Crunk have the potential to be fantastic GMs but have been handicapped by the fact that as the S22 draft class enters their prime, the Outlaws are without Heath Evans, Tyler Oles Jr., and Zamir Kehla. In a competitive environment, even slight edges can be enough to give you a significant advantage over your opponent. It's easy to see how a team like Philadelphia or Arizona could be confined to ceilings of finishing 9-7 for long periods if they continually lose good players to free agency, even if they make up for it with good drafting, scouting, testing and creating a good locker room environment.

In offseasons past, players surprise-opting-out of their contracts and joining a new team have been hot topics. Plenty of bad words have been exchanged and bridges have been burned in particular after rookies have opted out and joined a new team after just one season with the team that drafted them. Even more so when the player in question has been drafted within the first two rounds as was the case with Bex and Oles. What if this wasn't so damaging to the team that drafted them? I'm sure that some of the vitriol and toxicity could be avoided if when a young player opted out early in their contract and joined a new team, the team that drafted them received a compensatory pick the next offseason. The user would feel less guilty about leaving, and the team left behind would be less likely to hold a grudge.

Further, the addition of compensatory picks might also encourage free agency to become (even) more active. With the threat of losing a player for nothing no longer quite so real, teams might be more open to allowing their players to test free agency. Users with an interest in testing free agency might feel less like they're betraying their team or letting them down by doing so.

The compensatory pick system isn't perfect, and we'd have to come up with our own formula given that far more players take salary discounts to help their team in the ISFL than in the NFL, but I think that introducing something similar could improve parity, help rebuilding teams and help to de-toxify some of the darker aspects of free agency. (1211 words)

[abh89]

16) Create an argument for your own player, or for someone else on your team, as to why they should be nominated for awards. Lay out their stats or compare them to other contenders. Make a convincing case.

One of the most obvious nominations for S25 ISFL awards should be Dexter Banks II for the Most Valuable Player award. The high-powered Sarasota Sailfish offense heavily leaned on Banks in their air raid offense and he always answered the call. In a season that started out much worse than most could have predicted, Banks and the Sailfish still managed to put up the most points per game and most passing yards of any team in the league. In the past though, while Banks put up top tier passing numbers he was also inefficient and turnover prone, but he has flipped the script this season. In terms of efficiency, Banks has been at or near the top of the league consistently all season. As you would expect, his turnovers have significantly decreased as well. When looking at passing stats, Banks leads the league in yards, touchdowns, and passer rating while having the third fewest interceptions. He is no slouch in the running game either. He managed to accumulate the fifth most rushing yards of all QBs and is tied for the most rushing TDs of all QBs as well. Not only should Banks be nominated for the MVP award, I think it is pretty clear that he should be the winner of the award as well.

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216 words

18) Choose your favorite non-playoffs game of this season, whether your own team or another. Explain what was so special and why the winner ultimately came out victorious, including key players and moments.

Season 25 was a very interesting one as a member of the Sarasota Sailfish and resulted in many memorable games. One in particular that I am fond of was the Week 9 matchup in which the Sarasota Sailfish traveled to Arizona to face off against the Outlaws. In relation to the league, the game wasn’t overly impactful, but facing off against a team led by a fellow London Royals alumni and friend from the Season 24 class, Z-Whiz, put a bit more weight on this game for the personal bragging rights. Having just snapped a 3-game losing streak, the Sailfish headed into the game with a 3-5 record, while the Outlaws sat at 4-4. The game started about how you may have predicted with the Outlaws jumping out to a 23-10 lead at the half. The second half couldn’t have been more different than the first though. Both offenses started the second half slowly, but the Sailfish got things rolling with a rushing TD by Dexter Banks to decrease the Outlaw lead to 6. The Outlaws would answer with a 73 yard receiving TD by Saba Donut, but before they could even catch their breath, Cuco Clemente returned the following kickoff 93 yards for a TD. Due to a missed XP by Arizona, the lead was now 5. The fourth quarter was all Sailfish though with Dexter Banks delivering two more TDs in the air to storm out to a 37-29 lead that would hold up as the final score.

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250 words

20) Choose any award from the past 24 offseasons that you think should’ve gone to a different contender. Why was your chosen candidate’s season superior to the actual winner?

When it comes to awards controversies, there is one that immediately comes to mind for me and most recent London Royals alumni. None other than the Season 23 Defensive Player of the Year and Linebacker of the Year awards. As we sit watching the presentation, the name Alejandro Chainbreaker is displayed as the winner of both awards. Wait, surely that is a mistake, right? If you take a look at the stats for Season 23, you’ll have to look down the list pretty far before you see Chainbreaker. In fact, 13 other linebackers (and 1 cornerback)  finished the season with more tackles than him, the most noteworthy of those contenders being London Linebacker Juan Domine. Domine finished the season with a whopping 166 tackles, which was good for 21 more tackles than the next closest defender, and 64 more tackles than Chainbreaker. If 64 tackles wasn’t enough of a reason, then let’s take a look at the other stats. Chainbreaker edges out Domine in FF by 2, FR by 2, sacks by 3, and PD by 1. However, Domine wins TFL by 1 and INTs by 2. The INTs and FF/FR are basically a wash, so the voters told us that 3 sacks and 1 PD outweigh 64 tackles and 1 TFL.

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213 words

28) Select any player who was drafted in the back half of a DSFL or ISFL draft. Show how that player has outperformed their draft position, or how they will soon do so. You cannot write about your own player.

Upon reading this prompt, one player instantly came to mind for me, Z-Whiz. In the Season 23 DSFL draft, Z-Whiz slid all the way to the 7th pick of Round 6, which was the 47th pick out of 62 total prospects. As a prospect that joined at almost the exact same time as Z-Whiz, I was familiar with progress as the draft approached and knew that both he and I were earning as much TPE as possible for new creates, so it was quite surprising to see him fall 24 picks after me but I was I was very pleased to see that he was selected by the same team I was. I think he would have been a max earner either way, but the low draft position seemed to put a chip on his shoulder. Keeping pace with the front runners in TPE, Z-Whiz made his way into the London WR and began helping with sim testing while his player started climbing the depth chart. In the Season 24 ISFL draft, his hard work paid off as his name was announced as the 4th overall pick by the Arizona Outlaws. With a draft position improvement of 43, there are few players out there that can say they outperformed expectations quite like Z-Whiz.

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[Mojojojo]

Tier 1: Long form task (800+ words)
Topic 3: Team Mount Rushmore
My word count: 903

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For this point task, I have collaborated with @slate to highlight the many noteworthy figures in the short, but remarkable history of the Sarasota Sailfish. I will present a Mount Rushmore of defensive players for the team, while @slate will present one for the offense.

Sarasota, a team with only four seasons in its franchise history, has not been particularly famous for its defense. Yet it has more than a few defensive players that have already made their mark on the team and deserve recognition. To determine who made it into the Sarasota Defensive Mount Rushmore, I considered: overall TPE (via tracker.sim-football.com), franchise career records through season 24 (via index.sim-football.com), and discord activity (via Mee6 leaderboard in the Sarasota locker room). We are not considering league awards in this ranking because this isn’t a popularity contest; it’s about impact! Let’s meet the four faces on our Sailfish monument: Jamie Nkiah, Cuco Clemente, Haha Mango Panda, and Fan Dillmiballs.

Jamie Nkiah (user @Drizzy on forum; Dankoa on discord) is a veteran in comparison to most of the Sailfish defensive squad. An S20 all-around safety, Nkiah played for the Myrtle Beach Buccaneers in the DSFL before being drafted to the Arizona Outlaws at the 34th overall pick (4th round). Sarasota picked up Nkiah in a post-draft trade during the S22 offseason to help provide defensive leadership. And Nkiah did not disappoint. With 1082 TPE, Nkiah is the third-highest earner on the team and the highest among defensive players. He also set a franchise career record for most defensive touchdowns (at 1) in his first season (2037) that remains unbroken. At Mee6 rank 15, level 17, Nkiah may not be the most chatty player in the Sarasota locker room, but his teammates say he is a “positive and steady” presence.

Next up we honor Cuco (formerly Octavio) Clemente (user @Billybolo53 on forum and discord). Like Nkiah, Clemente began his time in the league with the Myrtle Beach Buccaneers as a stand-out defensive tackle, helping the team win the Ultimini his rookie season. Drawing the interest of the newly created expansion team, Clemente was selected by Sarasota with the 8th pick in the Second Round of the S22 ISFL draft (20th overall). With the Sailfish having signed a number of veteran defensive tackles from around the league, Clemente played another season in the DSFL before making his debut for the Sailfish. He then played DT for one year in Sarasota before switching roles to center fielding safety to make room for Big Edd. It’s at safety where Clemente continues to make his mark today. While he doesn’t hold any franchise career records or notable awards, Clemente is a solid earner with 955 current TPE (second most of an active defensive player) and strong stats across the board. Clemente is an active member of the Sarasota locker room with a Mee6 rank of 8 (level 24) and is described as “upbeat, determined, and competitive“ by his teammates. Clemente’s web presence also helps maintain a wholesome and bright brand for the Sailfish as he can often be seen in pictures playing with dolphins and other aquatic life.

Next we will move from the safety to the linebacker position as we immortalize Haha Mango-Panda’s likeness in Sarasota coral (user @furiousPanda on forum and discord). Mango-Panda began his league career on the Dallas Birddogs, where he made an impression on Sarasota’s new expansion team management. Sarasota drafted him with their 26th pick (3rd round, 2nd pick) in the S22 draft and he was immediately called up to start as a middle linebacker for the franchise. In their first season (2037), Mango-Panda set the franchise career record for tackles at 113 (now held by Harrison Andrews, CB) and he has gone on to secure additional franchise records that still hold today. Mango-Panda is the franchise leader in in fumbles recovered (2 in 2039) and sacks in a season (14 in 2040). He is also a boisterous member of the locker room with a Mee6 rank of 7 just above Clemente (also at level 24). He has been described by his teammates as “argumentative” and is known to have tensions with upper management. While being one of the vocal leaders of the team’s #FireFrolf movement, Mango-Panda has been able to set aside his differences while making plays on the field.

And last but not least, the Sarasota Defensive Mount Rushmore honors Fawn Dillmiballs (user @enforcer on forum; Booger McFarland on discord). Dillmiballs played for the Kansas City Coyotes in the DSFL before being drafted by the Sarasota Sailfish in the S22 ISFL draft and was immediately called up to play alongside Mango-Panda as a pair of young, but accomplished linebackers. While Dillmiballs had been a tackle-focused, run-stop linebacker for the Coyotes, on the Sailfish he learned to drop back in coverage where he has performed well. Dillmiballs continues to be a high earner with 872 current TPE. While he has yet to set any franchise records, he continues to put up solid stats on the field. Off the field, Dillmiballs is a chatterbox. Dillmiballs has the highest Mee6 rank of any defensive player in the Sarasota locker room (rank 4; level 31), where he is described by teammates as having a “great sense of humor.” His fellow linebacker Mango-Panda went so far as to say that Dillmiballs is an “Angel who has a calming presence.” Maybe we now know who is there to keep the peace.

[Seymour]

Tier 2 – Question 13: 449 words

I feel that looking at the league from a new perspective I feel that it gives me a different answer than most. When I step back and look at where the league will be in 3 seasons is that it will be more than likely almost twice as big as it is now. With the proper advertisement and outreach I think a lot of new players will join the ISFL. I know a lot of madden players that have asked for an experience like this. Since joining the league I have told a lot of people about this league and they have all said they are interested and looking to join soon. I found this league through the madden reddit but if you go into the PC Madden league discord and ask to recruit there can be a lot of new players created. EA is constantly failing their player bases in regard to franchise mode and career mode, I think ISFL is in a great position to swoop in and grab a lot of those frustrated coaches.
Looking at the upcoming draft, I think a lot of people are sleeping on BamBam McMullett. While he is a considered a top prospect – he is not the consensus number 1 pick for the draft. I think after this first season he is going to make those teams regret passing on him. He will be like Josh Rosen saying the teams picking before will regret passing on him but unlike Rosen, Bambam McMullett will follow through on his words. While some would argue that I may be biased because Bean Beanman is a defensive end and to that I say… you are probably right but I am going to ignore all criticisms. Bean Beanman and Bambam McMullett will be a dominate duo if they are paired together *wink wink nudge nudge to GMs*

As a Philadelphia Eagles fan, I have to stick with my boys in Philly and say that they are the upcoming dynasty team in the ISFL. Those players in Philadelphia hit different, they play different, they are fast AND stronger. So the league should prepare for the Philadelphia rising and welcome it with open arms or risk getting run over. Also as a Canadian, it shocks me to see a team from Yellowknife so I can’t ignore them either. Those players have to fight off the cold and the polar bears. Just based off that statement you know that they will stay dominate and make us Canadians proud. This is another match made in heaven for Bean Beanman – this Canadian can take the Wraiths to the promised land and bring back the trophy to the world’s greatest country, Canada.


Tier 2 – Question 15: (428 words)

My experience in this league has been amazing. I found this league through Reddit and I have enjoyed every second of it since joining it. I have always enjoyed the sim aspect of Madden and always wanted something in-depth in relation player careers. When I joined the Discord I wasn’t sure at all what I was doing and felt completely lost but SchwarzNarr was the first person I reached out to get some help with understanding the league and how creating players worked. He was the nicest person I have ever met – his moose avatar fits him perfectly. He answered all my questions and helped explain what the positions are best for the first time around. After my conversation with him I felt enough confidence to set my player up and start creating content. Once I created my player, Bean Beanman, I immediately started creating some graphics to get him known and earn some cash for when I get drafted. I am not the best at photoshop, and I am still learning my ways around it, but the graphics team was so nice. They were nice in their criticism and said that they were looking forward to my future graphics. This was a nice confidence boost and pushed me towards making more graphics for my player. Once I get on a team, I cannot wait to start doing more content to help grow as a player and meet new people.
Since creating my player I was able to follow the rookie point task which helped me figure out the basics of the league. It helped me navigate the website easily. The only issue I had when starting with my player was the YouTube video that walks you through what to do. I guess it was created on the old forums that ISFL was on so it was a bit outdated but I reached out to a rookie mentor and they were super nice and helped me with the task with the new website.

The draft is a little under 2 weeks out and I cannot wait to see how draft night goes and where Bean Beanman gets drafted. I have had a few teams reach out to me regarding my player and each team’s representative was so nice and welcoming. ALL of them said if I have any questions regarding the league or my player to reach out to them. This was so nice and such a great representation of the league. I am so excited to get on a team and start working towards my player’s goals.