I, Colorado Sports Network's Yeti Reporter, Jeffrey Andrews, have been asked to do even more interviews. I have just completed a special end of the year interview tour! Here is all of my newest work. I first caught up with Yeti QB Logan Noble.
JA: What was the locker room like after the disappointing result to an otherwise fine season? How do you personally feel about this situation?
LN: It was really hard sitting and watching the Wraiths play their final game which decided our fate. It's the worst feeling to know that your future is in someone else's hands. Yellowknife came out and played their game and took the win and that's how it goes sometimes. The locker room was obviously disappointing, but it's nothing we can't bounce back from. Colorado is neither down nor out, were simply waiting.
JA: What can the front office do to allow you to better perform to your full capability over the offseason?
LN: Adding some offensive line talent should be the number one priority for our GM's. The number of times I was sacked this season was atrocious and will need to change if we expect numbers to improve for our receiving and passing game.
JA: Do you feel like you played the best you could have all season?
LN: No, honestly. I was way to inconsistent. Throwing 20 interceptions this season was ridiculous. I've been putting in my work and trying to make myself a smarter, more accurate quarterback. I can't blame my performance this year fully on anyone but myself, because in the end it boiled down to me not being the best I could be.
JA: What is your biggest concern with the team going into the next season?
LN: My biggest concern is just the locker room atmosphere. We have some moments where the team stays quiet, and it might just be attributed to our recent losses but I feel that this season the locker room mood in Colorado changed drastically. We did have some great LR guys like Vinny [Cox] and Vikian [Marmaldeov] step off the roster to play elsewhere which may have made a difference. This is a hole that could be easily addressed by bringing in a top player in the next draft though who will spark us back to life this season.
Next I was able to speak with Boss Tweed. Tweed has made a major jump from last year to this year, and has become a legitimate Running Back of the Year candidate.
JA: What was the locker room like after the disappointing result to an otherwise fine season? How do you personally feel about this situation?
BT: The final day of the season was a rollercoaster in the locker room. At the start of the day, we thought the league was using the NFL tiebreaker system and the tiebreaker between us and the Wraiths would be strength of victory, so we believed we would make the playoffs as long as we beat the Hawks. It wasn’t until right before game time when we realized that the tiebreaker would actually be decided by total points scored, which gave the Wraiths a significant advantage. We felt demoralized starting the game because we realized we did not control our own destiny and we needed help to make the playoffs. Then we started pouring it on early against the Hawks and the whole team started getting energized as we realized we still had a chance to win the tiebreaker if we scored enough. However, we did not score enough but our dominating performance still left a feeling of optimism in the locker room. That optimism began to fade as the Wraiths pulled away from the Otters and our season came to an end. After the Wraiths game, the locker room was in a tough state and most of the players felt angry and disappointed. I couldn’t help but feel like we had been robbed. We beat or tied the Wraiths in every NFL tiebreaker and our point differential was 47 points higher than theirs, which suggested we were a much stronger team. It felt like the tiebreaker the league uses was the only tiebreaker that would have enabled the Wraiths to beat us since they are more offensive oriented while we are more defensive oriented. I also felt some blame on a personal level. As an offensive player, I could have made a difference if I had scored more often during the season and allowed us to compete with the Wraiths in the tiebreaker. After blowing out the Hawks, I feel like we would have had a good chance against them in the playoffs even though we would be on the road, so it felt disappointing that we didn’t get a chance to play them in the playoffs. At the end of the day we came up short, but I’m hoping this disappointment will help fuel us to be even more determined next season so that we can pursue a championship.
JA: How do you feel your improvement over the season has helped the team?
BT: I think my improvement has given the offense an opportunity to be more dynamic. Last season, I was not as good compared to other running backs, so teams did not have to worry as much about run defense and focus more on stopping our passing game. This year, they had to work out a way to simultaneously cover against the best quarterback and the best running back in the league. They couldn’t focus too much effort on covering just the passing game or just the running game because we had threats in both facets. We’ll need to build up our offensive line more before we can reap the full benefits of this threat but I think that with my improvement, we have the talent to become the most dangerous offense in the league once we improve the line.
JA: Do you feel you can make as big of a jump next year as you did this year?
BT: I think I am capable of making another big jump next year. I think the biggest factor in my jump was my extensive offseason training this year. I think I am one of the hardest training players in the league and that some defensive players had trouble keeping up with me after my training. I think that another offseason of hard training will allow me to stay in peak shape and to increase the gap between myself and some defenders. I also think our offensive line will look better next season and that will naturally lead to improvement. I was able to compete with other top running backs with a weaker offensive line, so I am excited to see what I can do as our line grows.
JA: What is your biggest concern going into next year? What are your expectations?
BT: A big concern I have is that we seem to play down to our competition. This is the second year in a row that we lost a home game against the worst team in the league and it cost us big time. We would have been the #1 seed in the NSFC if we had beaten the Legion at home, but we lost that game and missed the playoffs. Last season, we lost home games against the Hawks and the Sabercats and would have had home field advantage in the championship game if we had won those two games. We have never lost a home game against a team who finished the season with a winning record, yet we are just 3-3 in home games against teams who finished the season with a losing record. Similarly, we lost a road game against the Liberty despite being much more talented. We have shown we can perform well against top teams, but we need to execute in our easy games in order to get the higher seeding that may be necessary for a championship run. I am also concerned a bit about our offensive production. We have the highest rated quarterback and running back in the league yet we are tied for just the 4th most points per game. I think we have the talent to be the highest scoring team in the league, but we need to execute more to reach that potential. I think the biggest issue is our offensive line. Noble doesn’t have the chance to dissect defenses when defenders are on him seconds after the play begins and I can’t use my speed to create big plays when there aren’t any holes to run through. I think an improved offensive line could help the offensive to perform more in line with our talent level.
Next Up we have Co-GM Mike Norton. Norton is trying hard to build a team that can make it back to the Ultimus Cup.
JA: What can you do next year in order to prevent disappointment and return to the playoffs next year?
MN: I think a big key to get back on track will be to work on our game planning during the season. Naturally we will fill some holes on our roster during the offseason, but we already have a roster with championship caliber talent and we need to perform up to our talent level in order to return to the playoffs. Despite having a very talented roster, we never really dominated any of our games other than the first Legion game and the second Hawks game. I’m hoping to try out more types of game plans to attack opposing rosters more directly to see if it can help give us more of an edge so that we can perform more like one of the top teams in the league
JA: Is there any players that you would be willing to trade?
MN: In theory, I would be willing to listen to a really good offer for a player. However, I think we have a really strong core together right now and probably won’t try to shake it up by trading anybody away. There isn’t anybody in particular I plan to trade, but if I saw a trade opportunity that could help put us over the edge this season, I would consider it.
JA: What does your draft board look like?
MN: I can’t say too much in public, but my draft board is definitely starting to come together. I see some prospects who I think could come in and immediately be big contributors to us. I think our roster is mostly complete with a few holes remaining and I think this draft contains enough talent to help us fill some of those gaps. Things could get shaken up after this season’s recruitment drive, but I think there is a lot of talent in this season’s draft already and we could land some big contributors.
JA: Logan Noble said his biggest concern with the team was the locker room environment, How can you address the main problem of your biggest star?
MN: I think one component to that will be team performance. In Season 1, we started out 6-1 and went on to win a playoff game. There was a lot to be excited about so naturally, people were very active. Even though we had the same record this season, it was never quite as exciting. We never really had a big winning streak and didn’t have any big road wins. We only had two blowout wins and we had two very demoralizing losses against the Legion and the Liberty. Even though we had a good record, I feel like this season didn’t quite have the excitement factor of last season. The most active I saw the locker room during this season was when we played the Hawks in Week 14 with a playoff spot on the line. Everyone was very excited and posting a lot during the game. A high stakes elimination game turned out to be our biggest margin of victory for the season. I think the more exciting games we have, whether we win by large margins or beat tough opponents on the road, we will see people get more excited and the locker room will become more active. Another trend I noticed is that some of our most active locker room people were rookies. Since rookies are newer to the league, they naturally tend to be more excited and bring more life to the locker room. Rookies can be big presences in the locker room, so I think a key to building a strong locker room culture will be bringing in rookies who will be big presences in the locker room.
Next Up, Rookie Star Safety Roman Thomas. He had a great start to the year, and will be looking to recapture that magic going into next season.
JA: What was the locker room like after the disappointing result to an otherwise fine season? How do you personally feel about this situation?
RT: We were all disappointed obviously and how could we not be? But we know we have a strong team and a good future so while we were definitely down because of the finish we have optimism for next season as well. Personally I think anyone would be disappointed and let down with a finish like that but we just have to keep fighting and we'll get our break.
JA: How do you feel like you performed in your rookie season?
RT: I feel my rookie season wasn't near as good as it should have been. We have a strong defense and I feel like I was the weak link on it for sure for most of the season. Other than about two good games I was nonexistent out there and I have to train harder and get better to help this team succeed in the future.
JA: How do you feel you will improve next year?
RT: I think I will be faster and more agile on the field. I need to get to passes quicker and disrupt them if I can't make the pick. I also need to work on my tackling so I can help in the run game instead of being a liability.
JA: What is your biggest concern with the team heading into next year? What are your expectations for next years team?
RT: I think our offensive line is our biggest concern and it's no secret to anyone. We have one of the most talented QBs in the league and an amazing set of WRs and we just can't get him the time to throw the ball consistently. We have some amazing offensive linemen but we have holes on the line as well that are huge red flags and weak links to our whole offensive scheme. I think we will do better next season though. The players we have will continue to get better and with a good draft we can hopefully solve a few O-Line concerns. Our defense is one of the best in the league already so we just have to focus on building up that O-Line and our returning players training harder to be even better.
Obviously, the Yeti will be coming back next year with a great energy to the team, and hopefully have a more satisfying end to the year. That has been it for the Off-Season special Yeti interviews.
GRADED
JA: What was the locker room like after the disappointing result to an otherwise fine season? How do you personally feel about this situation?
LN: It was really hard sitting and watching the Wraiths play their final game which decided our fate. It's the worst feeling to know that your future is in someone else's hands. Yellowknife came out and played their game and took the win and that's how it goes sometimes. The locker room was obviously disappointing, but it's nothing we can't bounce back from. Colorado is neither down nor out, were simply waiting.
JA: What can the front office do to allow you to better perform to your full capability over the offseason?
LN: Adding some offensive line talent should be the number one priority for our GM's. The number of times I was sacked this season was atrocious and will need to change if we expect numbers to improve for our receiving and passing game.
JA: Do you feel like you played the best you could have all season?
LN: No, honestly. I was way to inconsistent. Throwing 20 interceptions this season was ridiculous. I've been putting in my work and trying to make myself a smarter, more accurate quarterback. I can't blame my performance this year fully on anyone but myself, because in the end it boiled down to me not being the best I could be.
JA: What is your biggest concern with the team going into the next season?
LN: My biggest concern is just the locker room atmosphere. We have some moments where the team stays quiet, and it might just be attributed to our recent losses but I feel that this season the locker room mood in Colorado changed drastically. We did have some great LR guys like Vinny [Cox] and Vikian [Marmaldeov] step off the roster to play elsewhere which may have made a difference. This is a hole that could be easily addressed by bringing in a top player in the next draft though who will spark us back to life this season.
Next I was able to speak with Boss Tweed. Tweed has made a major jump from last year to this year, and has become a legitimate Running Back of the Year candidate.
JA: What was the locker room like after the disappointing result to an otherwise fine season? How do you personally feel about this situation?
BT: The final day of the season was a rollercoaster in the locker room. At the start of the day, we thought the league was using the NFL tiebreaker system and the tiebreaker between us and the Wraiths would be strength of victory, so we believed we would make the playoffs as long as we beat the Hawks. It wasn’t until right before game time when we realized that the tiebreaker would actually be decided by total points scored, which gave the Wraiths a significant advantage. We felt demoralized starting the game because we realized we did not control our own destiny and we needed help to make the playoffs. Then we started pouring it on early against the Hawks and the whole team started getting energized as we realized we still had a chance to win the tiebreaker if we scored enough. However, we did not score enough but our dominating performance still left a feeling of optimism in the locker room. That optimism began to fade as the Wraiths pulled away from the Otters and our season came to an end. After the Wraiths game, the locker room was in a tough state and most of the players felt angry and disappointed. I couldn’t help but feel like we had been robbed. We beat or tied the Wraiths in every NFL tiebreaker and our point differential was 47 points higher than theirs, which suggested we were a much stronger team. It felt like the tiebreaker the league uses was the only tiebreaker that would have enabled the Wraiths to beat us since they are more offensive oriented while we are more defensive oriented. I also felt some blame on a personal level. As an offensive player, I could have made a difference if I had scored more often during the season and allowed us to compete with the Wraiths in the tiebreaker. After blowing out the Hawks, I feel like we would have had a good chance against them in the playoffs even though we would be on the road, so it felt disappointing that we didn’t get a chance to play them in the playoffs. At the end of the day we came up short, but I’m hoping this disappointment will help fuel us to be even more determined next season so that we can pursue a championship.
JA: How do you feel your improvement over the season has helped the team?
BT: I think my improvement has given the offense an opportunity to be more dynamic. Last season, I was not as good compared to other running backs, so teams did not have to worry as much about run defense and focus more on stopping our passing game. This year, they had to work out a way to simultaneously cover against the best quarterback and the best running back in the league. They couldn’t focus too much effort on covering just the passing game or just the running game because we had threats in both facets. We’ll need to build up our offensive line more before we can reap the full benefits of this threat but I think that with my improvement, we have the talent to become the most dangerous offense in the league once we improve the line.
JA: Do you feel you can make as big of a jump next year as you did this year?
BT: I think I am capable of making another big jump next year. I think the biggest factor in my jump was my extensive offseason training this year. I think I am one of the hardest training players in the league and that some defensive players had trouble keeping up with me after my training. I think that another offseason of hard training will allow me to stay in peak shape and to increase the gap between myself and some defenders. I also think our offensive line will look better next season and that will naturally lead to improvement. I was able to compete with other top running backs with a weaker offensive line, so I am excited to see what I can do as our line grows.
JA: What is your biggest concern going into next year? What are your expectations?
BT: A big concern I have is that we seem to play down to our competition. This is the second year in a row that we lost a home game against the worst team in the league and it cost us big time. We would have been the #1 seed in the NSFC if we had beaten the Legion at home, but we lost that game and missed the playoffs. Last season, we lost home games against the Hawks and the Sabercats and would have had home field advantage in the championship game if we had won those two games. We have never lost a home game against a team who finished the season with a winning record, yet we are just 3-3 in home games against teams who finished the season with a losing record. Similarly, we lost a road game against the Liberty despite being much more talented. We have shown we can perform well against top teams, but we need to execute in our easy games in order to get the higher seeding that may be necessary for a championship run. I am also concerned a bit about our offensive production. We have the highest rated quarterback and running back in the league yet we are tied for just the 4th most points per game. I think we have the talent to be the highest scoring team in the league, but we need to execute more to reach that potential. I think the biggest issue is our offensive line. Noble doesn’t have the chance to dissect defenses when defenders are on him seconds after the play begins and I can’t use my speed to create big plays when there aren’t any holes to run through. I think an improved offensive line could help the offensive to perform more in line with our talent level.
Next Up we have Co-GM Mike Norton. Norton is trying hard to build a team that can make it back to the Ultimus Cup.
JA: What can you do next year in order to prevent disappointment and return to the playoffs next year?
MN: I think a big key to get back on track will be to work on our game planning during the season. Naturally we will fill some holes on our roster during the offseason, but we already have a roster with championship caliber talent and we need to perform up to our talent level in order to return to the playoffs. Despite having a very talented roster, we never really dominated any of our games other than the first Legion game and the second Hawks game. I’m hoping to try out more types of game plans to attack opposing rosters more directly to see if it can help give us more of an edge so that we can perform more like one of the top teams in the league
JA: Is there any players that you would be willing to trade?
MN: In theory, I would be willing to listen to a really good offer for a player. However, I think we have a really strong core together right now and probably won’t try to shake it up by trading anybody away. There isn’t anybody in particular I plan to trade, but if I saw a trade opportunity that could help put us over the edge this season, I would consider it.
JA: What does your draft board look like?
MN: I can’t say too much in public, but my draft board is definitely starting to come together. I see some prospects who I think could come in and immediately be big contributors to us. I think our roster is mostly complete with a few holes remaining and I think this draft contains enough talent to help us fill some of those gaps. Things could get shaken up after this season’s recruitment drive, but I think there is a lot of talent in this season’s draft already and we could land some big contributors.
JA: Logan Noble said his biggest concern with the team was the locker room environment, How can you address the main problem of your biggest star?
MN: I think one component to that will be team performance. In Season 1, we started out 6-1 and went on to win a playoff game. There was a lot to be excited about so naturally, people were very active. Even though we had the same record this season, it was never quite as exciting. We never really had a big winning streak and didn’t have any big road wins. We only had two blowout wins and we had two very demoralizing losses against the Legion and the Liberty. Even though we had a good record, I feel like this season didn’t quite have the excitement factor of last season. The most active I saw the locker room during this season was when we played the Hawks in Week 14 with a playoff spot on the line. Everyone was very excited and posting a lot during the game. A high stakes elimination game turned out to be our biggest margin of victory for the season. I think the more exciting games we have, whether we win by large margins or beat tough opponents on the road, we will see people get more excited and the locker room will become more active. Another trend I noticed is that some of our most active locker room people were rookies. Since rookies are newer to the league, they naturally tend to be more excited and bring more life to the locker room. Rookies can be big presences in the locker room, so I think a key to building a strong locker room culture will be bringing in rookies who will be big presences in the locker room.
Next Up, Rookie Star Safety Roman Thomas. He had a great start to the year, and will be looking to recapture that magic going into next season.
JA: What was the locker room like after the disappointing result to an otherwise fine season? How do you personally feel about this situation?
RT: We were all disappointed obviously and how could we not be? But we know we have a strong team and a good future so while we were definitely down because of the finish we have optimism for next season as well. Personally I think anyone would be disappointed and let down with a finish like that but we just have to keep fighting and we'll get our break.
JA: How do you feel like you performed in your rookie season?
RT: I feel my rookie season wasn't near as good as it should have been. We have a strong defense and I feel like I was the weak link on it for sure for most of the season. Other than about two good games I was nonexistent out there and I have to train harder and get better to help this team succeed in the future.
JA: How do you feel you will improve next year?
RT: I think I will be faster and more agile on the field. I need to get to passes quicker and disrupt them if I can't make the pick. I also need to work on my tackling so I can help in the run game instead of being a liability.
JA: What is your biggest concern with the team heading into next year? What are your expectations for next years team?
RT: I think our offensive line is our biggest concern and it's no secret to anyone. We have one of the most talented QBs in the league and an amazing set of WRs and we just can't get him the time to throw the ball consistently. We have some amazing offensive linemen but we have holes on the line as well that are huge red flags and weak links to our whole offensive scheme. I think we will do better next season though. The players we have will continue to get better and with a good draft we can hopefully solve a few O-Line concerns. Our defense is one of the best in the league already so we just have to focus on building up that O-Line and our returning players training harder to be even better.
Obviously, the Yeti will be coming back next year with a great energy to the team, and hopefully have a more satisfying end to the year. That has been it for the Off-Season special Yeti interviews.
GRADED