*The S43 Gemini Media Awards

[Baron1898]

The S43 Gemini Media Awards
Recognizing Merit in the League

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Welcome to the S43 Gemini Media Awards! My name is Baron1898, and I'm here to present some recognition for the best works of media created during the past season.

This has been an unfortunate weekend for me. I am presently still hurting from losing the Ultimus on Friday, a game I have been to only twice and have won exactly zero times. I have been in this league for almost half a decade. It fucking stings. My team has been upset at home both times I've made it to the dance. Some users seem to collect rings like candy, and yet I have never experienced the joy of ultimate victory in the league I love so much.

But this isn't the Baron bemoaning hour. These are the Gemini Awards, and I have been pleased throughout the season to see that this is a much stronger crop of competitors than last year. There have been some incredible pieces from newcomers and veterans alike, and the best of the best are absurdly good. It warms my heart as much as it breaks it knowing how tough it has been to choose just one winner. I will add my usual spiel that your time would rarely see better use than by reading all of the competitors below and more besides.

Five years into this show, the powers that be have yet to realize that inflation is a real thing and continue to sponsor my work. Every Gemini winner will find their bank accounts enlarged by $3 million thanks to our generous benefactors in Head Office and the media team. If you dream of earning this reward one day, all you have to do is get writing. The league is your oyster.

Here are the rules to the competition.

1. Any piece of written media published during Season 43 is eligible for an award. This runs from the end of Ultimus 42 to the end of Ultimus 43, or from July 21 to September 15. While pressers technically count, the nature of a presser means it would have to be truly exceptional to even register. Graphics and podcasts do not qualify; I know nothing about the former and do not have enough time for the latter.
   
2. There are four award categories: Best Article (Limited), Best Article (Series), Best Author, and Best New Author. Best Article (Limited) and Best Author have ten nominees, while Best Article (Series) and Best New Author have five.
   
3. An article can only be considered for one of the two relevant categories. Any article published as part of an ongoing series, regardless of whether that series was started in Season 43, is only eligible for the latter category. The exception is any article intended to start a series that so far is the only entry.
   
4. Articles published by groups (for example, the SFWG) are not eligible for awards. Articles that are just lists of statistics or players with no added contribution by the author are also ineligible. Finally, my own articles are ineligible for the obvious conflict of interest.
   
5. Any author can qualify for Best Author. Quality as well as quantity of work is heavily rewarded. Only authors who joined the league in the last three draft classes (for this year, the S43, S44, and S45 classes) and who have never won Best Author or Best New Author before are eligible for Best New Author.
   
6. Remember that this is all one ring-less girl's opinion. Every piece of media has creative value and brings something new to the table.
   

With that out of the way, here are your S43 Gemini Media Awards!

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Best Article (Limited)

This category honors the media pieces from the past year that have risen above the competition to bring creative and professional content to the league at large.

And the nominees are…

@aeonsjenni, "ISFL Trades: Webs, Trees, and Roots"

• If the Ultimus game had been delayed two hours, this article would have instead appeared on the shortlist for Best Article (Series). But on its own, this spiritual successor to jenni's earlier work on her draft pick's trade history launches a fascinating exploration of the league's trade graph and its many webs, namely every web outside of the main one. The article's subject matter is so incredibly in-depth, well-researched, and unique, and like everything else from the author it is a pleasure to read.
  

@AW13, "Analyzing the League's Newspaper"

• AW13 turned trash into treasure by taking a lens to the sim's auto-generated newspaper, a resource which has hitherto lay entirely untapped for its comic potential. The commentary and presentation here are the stars of the show. While it only covers the first five weeks of the season, AW13's piece is engaging throughout and adds the context and assessments necessary to find meaningful insight from an auto-generated script. It's breezy, it's funny, and it's wonderful.
  

@caleb.grim, "Do Penalties Really Matter?"

• One of the newest talents on the media scene, caleb.grim shows out with this awesome statistical analysis on penalties as they relate to winning games. The article layout does a great job of taking the reader along for the ride, exploring the different layers to their starting question through numerous graphs and table visualizations to pair with smart, incisive commentary on the results generated. Caleb.grim's effort here is obvious to see.
  

@caleb.grim, "Exploring the Impact of Sacks"

• I doubt they will be grim to see another article of theirs up for nomination. Here, caleb.grim's blend of statistical focus and excellent clarity of presentation combines for another interesting dive into how sacks impact the points an offense can expect to score on a drive. Just like the article on penalties, this is a smart inquiry and the outcome is worth the investment.
  

@infinitempg, "The MOP Award is BAD"

• Infinite takes the stand on his latest article, arguing against the league's most worthless award using facts and logic to destroy MOP and advocate for its abolition to the shadow realm once again. As to be expected of him, the article is gorgeous to look at and is structured perfectly to convey his many, many grievances as well as his proposal for an alternative. Clearly, he has put thought into this, which is more than can be said of almost everyone who actually votes for MOP.
  

@lemonoppy, "Looking for the GOAT ISFL GMs"

• Lemonoppy has foregone making their own media awards (which is a shame) in favor of this dive in ISFL GMing history. It's a worthy tradeoff. Everything is laid out clearly, their reasoning is appropriate for the decisions they make, and while I will always hold speculadora as the GOAT based on his impact on the game, I will admit the raw numbers make that harder to justify. Lemonoppy excelled in all aspects here and made a great case for their second career Gemini.
  

@lock180, "The OFFICIAL 1-Star Mcdonalds Prospect Analysis"

• Much of the media on this list tackles incredibly innovative, statistics-based questions on league history and the workings of the sim. But all pale in importance when measured against this. GMs across the league breathed a sigh of relief when this was published, knowing that their scouting departments needed only to scour a prospect's McDonald's review to know the measure of their worth. This stunning, timely expose from lock180 is as comprehensive as it could possibly be.
  

@slate, "How to Play 13 Seasons with Minimum Effort"

• The league eagerly awaits the first user bold enough to embrace the way of the Sleeping Giant. The path to this goal has been blazed by slate, whose writing is meticulous on every front and whose quest to slay the regression giant went beyond the surface level and dove into ways that a variety of players, not just max earners, could stick it out all thirteen years. The article has a clear thesis in mind and explores it from every angle, resulting in a great, engrossing piece of media.
  

@Troen, "NFL injury rate vs. ISFL teams"

• Sometimes I worry that I bullied Troen out of adding question marks to his titles. The implication question here, of how injuries would affect the league, is answered quite thoroughly anyways with a resounding rejection of the idea. Troen doesn't just settle for simple unit conversions of injury rates but goes further, exploring how any sort of injury system might be handled logistically by all involved parties with a serious attention to detail. He's a very consistent writer, and this is yet another banger.
  

@wizard_literal, "Wizard's Orb: Two Quarterback Systems in the DSFL"

• No two quarterback system will ever be as good as the union between Ryan Leaf Jr. and Rose Jenkins, but wizard has the details for any who wish to try. This article plunges straight into the technical breakdown of a dual quarterback system, covering the various playbooks and formations available and how GMs may divvy up the snaps most effectively for both players to shine. Wizard's personal flourish is always appreciated, combining formatting and research in a truly engaging way.
  

And the Gemini for Best Article (Limited) goes to...

@caleb.grim!

The rookie's dive into the impact of penalties is just such a well-constructed piece. It melds an intuitive article flow and structure with their worthwhile numerical findings, and everything in the article fits together so perfectly. There is not one word out of place here, creating an experience that deserves recognition in the form of this Gemini award.

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Best Article (Series)

This category recognizes the media that has been published as part of an ongoing series of articles. United in theme or in branding, these media collections can tell stories and capture an audience through the use of sequenced publishing.

And the nominees are…

@aeonsjenni, "Expected Points: S43 stuff"

• THIS ARTICLE READS LIKE A FEVER DREAM, AND THE CONTINUATION OF JENNI'S GEMINI-WINNING MEDIA SERIES MAY HONESTLY BE MY FAVORITE ONE TO READ DUE TO THE WIT AND ATTITUDE THAT OOZES FROM EVERY SENTENCE. UNFORTUNATELY HER SILVERBACKS-WINNING-THE-ULTIMUS NARRATIVE DIDN'T PAN OUT, AND FOR GETTING MY HOPES UP ABOUT THAT SHE IS DISQUALIFIED FROM WINNING THE AWARD. NEXT FUCKING ARTICLE.
  

@AW13, "ISFL Defense (First Half)"

• Speaking of articles that got my hopes up for an Ultimus win, AW13's excellent two-parter on the league's rushing and passing defenses really shines. He goes beyond mere presentation of the relevant data and analyzes what the numbers show, exploring them from perspectives of both the wider league and specific head-to-head comparisons. The piece has a simple, clear structure that incorporates a number of tables seamlessly into his argument and makes the dense subject matter easier to understand.
  

@Baron1898, "The Rockiest Road"

• This is no place for shameless self-promotion. While you're here, though, feel free to check this series out if you haven't already.
  

@GrimmCrackers, "DSFL Rookie Standouts"

• Great two-parter series were all the rage this year. GrimmCrackers' work is an easy example of such, showcasing the many new faces across the DSFL and highlighting the standout performers. The expansion of scope in the second installment to include defense and special teams is an impressive evolution, but what remains consistent in both is a knack for exciting formatting and a writing style that shows obvious attention to the finer details.
  

@lock180, "The Clown Car Four"

• Another two-article series up for the nomination, lock180's coverage of the DSFL's soap opera antics in relation to the titular Clown Car Four and Nauseating Nine is wildly different from every other nominated series in tone and structure. I think they pull it off wonderfully. The exploits in the articles are so fun to read through, even as an old grump with zero context, and while it may seem an unimportant topic there is so much effort and talent on display here to create a reading experience this light without falling into nonsense.
  

@ztarwarz, "The All Time Draft"

• Ztarwars simply cannot resist turning on the turbo jets and cranking out a deluge of media. All their efforts this year went into this mega-series analyzing the results of the All Time Draft exercise of the offseason. Sure, they have some absolutely terrible takes (the amount of disrespect thrown at Turk Turkleton is borderline libel) but in here as well is a sweeping survey of history's best players, their accomplishments and weaknesses, and how each roster might fare against the others.
  

And the Gemini for Best Article (Series) goes to...

@AW13!

These articles are deceptively simple at first glance, but every time I return to them I find myself more and more impressed by what AW13 accomplished here. It really is the perfect marriage of clean structure and deep care for the analysis on display. He may not have returned to the series at the end of the season, but what exists is already worthy enough of a Gemini.

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Best Author

This category honors authors whose work in the past year has contributed significantly to the media scene. These individuals have proven to consistently provide quality content for the press and include some of the most inspired and dedicated members of the community.

And the nominees are…

@18situaseans

• I could lie, and say that Sean is nominated because of his simple yet comprehensive predictions for the season or his retrospective on the ingredients of a successful Ultimus run. I could even say that his Ultimus bid for Lake Tahoe, a media category that rarely merits awards mentions, is a factor here because of that beautiful logo that 100% should be voted to the top next season. No, he is here only for the gif of him running backwards fifteen yards into the waiting arms of an Arizona defender.
  

@aeonsjenni

• Everything jenni writes feels like a journey. She only contributed two articles to the scene this year – barely missing out on a third – and yet both managed to be nominated for a Gemini. Her writing is the perfect vessel with which to explore the astoundingly creative angles she takes to league statistics and history. Not to spoil much, but don't be surprised to see her most recent article in the trade web series taking home the gold next season.
  

@AW13

• The winner of the Gemini for Best Article (Series), like jenni, only had one other work to his name. That one was the article on the league newspaper, which as you might remember was nominated for an award of its own and proved one of the heaviest contenders. AW13 has a great understated style in both pieces and, although they explore entirely separate genres, managed in both to create a serious lasting impression.
  

@caleb.grim

• Caleb.grim not only had two articles nominated for Best Article (Limited), which they won, they nearly had a third. Their articles all stand on impressive ground, exploring so many unique approaches to quantifying aspects of the league while translating their research into media that any audience can enjoy. My favorite of those not nominated was their early season work on each ISFL team's red zone success and how it factors into their records.
  

@GrimmCrackers

• GrimmCrackers started their media career with two solid flavor articles on their player, with good narrative work and prose, but the obvious standouts of their catalogue are the two articles on DSFL rookie standouts. There is such evident improvement in their work, with wit and serious analysis in equal spades and an excellent job of formatting throughout. I cannot wait to see more of what this author has to offer the league.
  

@homercrates

• Some authors veered into the goofy this year; homercrates plunged straight into the deep end strapped to a rocket. Their work was a blend of earnest charm and complete departure from reality, all brewed into a uniquely multimedia form heavy on the graphics to sell the package. From pictograms of fellow rookies and a children's book on his player's exploits to the detective work of Thorlock Holmes, every piece had the undeniable imprint of the author in every line.
  

@lock180

• Lock180 graduated from the Ztarwarz School of Writing A Whole, Whole Lot and went to town on the media scene this year. I've mentioned their McDonald's review article and the Clown Car Four, but this does a disservice to the extent of their bibliography, including series on both dates for every NSFC player and the Zen Thoughts of his kicker as well as pieces on prospect bowl drama and playoff prediction trends. Managing to make this much quantity of work and still remain coherent and gripping is a herculean feat.
  

@Tmoney6996

• The fifth rookie in a row! The lion's share of Tmoney's output came from their Aztecs/Buccaneers Weekly column, which covered a wide variety of DSFL topics from team performance reviews and rookie of the year predictions to taking season prediction advice from random listeners. They also orchestrated the collaborative effort of eight users to mock the first three rounds of the draft, two of which were Zamir multis and one of which was caught. RIP to X-man.
  

@zaynzk

• The other one was zayn, which no one has figured out yet. I can't believe I have to compliment someone whose name pronunciation is so counterintuitive to how it is spelled, but zayn really did an excellent job this year in his trio of mock drafts and coverage of every 1OA pick in league history. He had good prose, insights, and formatting, all the things good media needs, aside from the fact that he refuses to end most of his synopses with a period
  

@ztarwarz

• The champion of this category for two years running, ztarwarz spent this season entirely focused on their massively expansive coverage of the All Time Draft. The volume of players that they had to judge and analyze for this endeavor is truly commendable.
  

And the Gemini for Best Author goes to...

@caleb.grim!

I cannot say much more about caleb.grim's writing than I have already. They've got obvious talent in spades, and I truly hope that they continue producing articles well into the future for the community to enjoy. Winning two Geminis in one year is exclusive company to keep, but their catalog for the season is exceptionally worthy.

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Best New Author

This category recognizes the newcomer authors on the block, whose early dedication and hard work shines through their content.

And the nominees are…

@GrimmCrackers

• "8 TFLs and 5 sacks gave him nearly one tackle behind the line per game, one more than both McBean and McDonald, so McTake that."
  

@homercrates

• "Why was Beck washing a dollar bill in his sink if it wasn’t some elaborate scheme to launder money?  What other possible explanation is there?  When We reached out to Beck for explanations he had no comment.  As you can see it was clearly an admission."
  

@lock180

• "He then threw down his helmet jumped into the stands and picked up the flip flop and started hitting the empty seat with the flip flop saying “You aren’t my friend. You aren’t my friend. I hate tomato sauce. I hate tomato sauce”."
  

@OrangeJulius

• OrangeJulius wasn't nominated for Best Author, but they were the last person on the shortlist to be excluded and it was far from an easy decision. Their two best articles were a pre-draft and post-draft examination of DSFL season predictions, which included some great coverage of each team's strengths and weaknesses as well as critiques of the players drafted onto each squad. They also expanded into other categories with prospect bowl game recaps and a DSFL mock draft, both of which are worth a read.
  

@Tmoney6996

• "Baltimore wins it all, the team is inspired when the citizens of the city travel en masse to destroy Natty Boh brewing facilities in Georgia and Ohio, before returning to brew the beer in it's rightful home, and pouring it on all the players."
  

And the Gemini for Best New Author goes to...

@lock180!

This author has it all. Writing articles of this energy and spontaneity has a serious risk of wearing oneself out if done improperly, but they have a winning combination of varied topics and oodles of charm to go with great writing. Without even mentioning the insane volume of output, lock180 absolutely put in the work to justify winning the Gemini.

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Congratulations to @caleb.grim, @AW13, and @lock180 for your Gemini victories, and congrats to everyone else who was nominated or who contributed to the media scene in any fashion this year. I encourage anyone who hasn't read any of the media pieces mentioned above to take some time out of your day and peruse. I promise it will be time well spent.

And for all the new people who recently joined the league, or anyone who hasn't written media in a while, I hope you are inspired in some capacity to write something of your own. This award could soon be yours.

I'll see you in Season 44!

[aeonsjenni]

smh zayn isn't a zamir multi, zamir is a zayn multi. give him some respect

[wizard_literal]

wow the absolute NYS bias I can't believe zayn got a nomination at least you didn't actually give him the gemini I would've called for a full HO investigation into the matter

[Bamford13]

Smh not the kicker

[Chicken Lips]

Shouts out to all the media from the rookies, been a great season to learn how to read.

[lock180]

I am oozing and throbbing with happiness right now. I will put this in my trophy case with all the other trophies and awards I have.

UPDATE: I have just been informed I don't have any other awards in my trophy case

[AW13]

Honored to be a recipient this season! Hope to continue to show out for more future consideration!

[ztarwarz]

It's only libel if I'm saying statements that aren't provably true. For instance, it's not libel if I say McDairmid is a better punter (even just accounting for his old sim stats) and a better kicker at every distance range than Turkleton was, because that's provably true. It's also not libel if I say that the same thing goes for Venus Powers.

It would be libel if I said that Turkleton was worse in every way than, say, Swantavius King, or Dean Jackson, but I did not say that. Congrats to the winners regardless!

[homercrates]

I am so absolutely thrilled, over joyed, a single tear of happiness is all that is ever allowed to from from my eye; and I have now spent that commodity.
What a great compliment and honor. Thank you.

[caleb.grim]

Thank you so much! I am humbled and honored. I hope anyone that read any of the pieces enjoyed reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them!