(S52) Offseason Task

[SwagSloth]

Tier 2: Short Form Tasks (Each must be 300+ words)
Choose up to TWO for 5 TPE each.



11. Write a short biography or story about your player. This could include background about how they came to the ISFL and how they’ve done so far, a story about their role in an exciting game, or anything else related to their experience in the league.

Braxton East grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana and excelled early in sports on behalf of his large size, allowing him to easily overpower most kids his age. That caused him to gravitate toward football, where he would focus on the Defensive Line. He was a breakout star in high school, dominating opposing schools’ quarterbacks with his powerful build and impressive speed for someone of his size. All the pieces were falling into place for a stellar college career. It was too soon to talk pro aspirations, but there were several scouts interested in his budding talents. Ultimately, he made the choice to play at Louisiana Tech despite offers from comparably-sized schools.

The downside of being treated like a star his whole life was that many of his victories had come easy so far. That would not continue to be the case at the college level. Despite showing an undeniable amount of raw talent, East hadn’t encountered enough adversity on the field to appreciate the need to further mold his talents. He was used to success and he expected it to come to him easily. As a result, less physically gifted athletes rose past him on the depth chart, overcoming East’s size with aggression and heart. There was no question that he still had a place on the line, but he wasn’t going to continue to be someone that the team game-planned around. He was a clear role-player with a few key strengths, but he lacked the discipline necessary to become a properly well-rounded player. And competition in the NCAA was too deep for someone to thrive without developing into a true multi-layered talent.

East ended his college career not with a bang, but with a whimper. The once heralded freak athlete that seemed destined to light NCAA on fire ended up leaving the school as just another name on a long roster of players. Some ISFL scouts still remembered writing his name down on their lists as someone to keep an eye on, but any hope of him even reaching the DSFL was seemingly gone. And then fate intervened. A last-minute gap in the prospect bowl led to East being brought in as a filler. Not much was expected, but coaches could see a change in heart. The formerly budding star had grown through failure and he could see that he had squandered his gifts. As a prospect, his name was now on the list of potential draftees. One team opted to take a chance on him: The Dallas Birddogs.  (421 Words)



16. Describe your player and/or team’s journey through this latest season. What were the highlights? What were the lower points? What might you have done differently? What are your expectations for next season?

After being drafted by the Dallas Birddogs, East found himself in the same conversations that once followed him into the realm of college. He was a big, physically talented athlete with a world of potential, but he needed to prove that he could become more than that. He needed to show that he had the discipline to recognize his flaws and the wisdom to overcome them. Simply mowing over opposing O-Lines didn’t work as well in the NCAA as it did at the High School level. And it certainly wasn’t going to work in the DSFL. But the coaches in Dallas wanted to see him get his second chance and East wasn’t keen to squander it.

His first year in the DSFL wasn’t noteworthy for its stats. With 10 Tackles, 2 Sacks, and 1 TFL, it would be kind to even call his performance average. But this wasn’t a star athlete unleashed on the field. East was brought in as a role player designed to be used sparingly and he fulfilled that role when his name was called upon. Dallas saw in their ranks a player that was willing to take a backseat and focus on his own long-term development at the expense of his ego. They knew what he was capable of when he walked in the door, but they needed to challenge him to grow beyond that. And, by all accounts within the organization, he has done so. Word coming out of the season was that East had grown tremendously since his college days and could even be a starter in the ISFL if he continued to show the same level of commitment and dedication that he had over the last year. Some criticisms were a lack of endurance and some clumsiness on the fundamentals, but East had come out of college expecting to leave the football world behind, only to be thrust back into it unexpectedly. The team knew he wasn’t coming into the season in the same shape as many of his fellow draftees. East has since been drafted into the ISFL, selected 10th overall by the Yellowknife Wraiths. There’s no doubt that it will take a lot of work to acclimate to the next level of play, but experts expect East to be sent down for another round in the DSFL while he continues to develop into the player that Yellowknife needs him to be. If he can walk into the next season of the DSFL in better shape and tighten up on penalties, Dallas seems committed to moving him into a larger role. All the opportunities are on the table this time around. If East doesn’t end up being one of the DSFL’s top lineman, he only has himself to blame this time. (459 Words)

[Raven]

Code:

0. Update your own players wiki page with a brief summary, 450 words minimum, of the most recent season, and Update your stats table to reflect your players career stats table to reflect the most recent season. Link your wiki page below along with a brief explanation of what was updated.

https://wiki.sim-football.com/view/Guszt%C3%A1v_Farkas

614 words + stat table updated

[Jimi64]

3:
I’ll start by assessing the future of my team, the Wraiths. This was an interesting season for the Wraiths, as many expected us to take a sharp downward turn due to having a rookie quarterback. However, some good strategy combined with good luck created a plethora of regular season wins, granting us the 2nd seed. The rookie quarterback failed in the postseason though, throwing multiple interceptions. However, during that time, our quarterback went inactive, creating a bit of a panic about the future. Thankfully, a trade this offseason landed an old veteran quarterback on his last season before retirement, to keep the offense humming while a permanent replacement is found. Yellowknife’s running backs are the core of the offense, but having a veteran quarterback should provide the opportunity for high scoring games next season. The Wraith defense was effective last season, but it is young, meaning that mistakes are expected. However, We can only expect improvements during this coming season, as some of the young players are earning enough TPE to become more impactful. I would consider this last season to be lucky, so I am not sure if we will have the same success, but I do believe that a playoff berth is expected, considering the strength of the other teams in the conference. I predict Baltimore to once again top the conference, even if they aren’t as strong as previous years. Sarasota could grab that second seed as they continue to grow in strength. That leads the third seed up for grabs. The Wraiths competition is likely to be Colorado and Osaka. The Yeti rebuild is truly beginning to see fruition at this point, and I expect their defense to show some dominance. However, I don’t believe they have enough talent yet to truly make the jump, so I expect them to be the fourth seed. Cape Town is crashing down, so they should not be challenging for glory anytime soon. Black Forest, formerly Berlin, has been in a tough spot for a while, and I don’t expect that to change. They should be good enough to win some games and potentially avoid the bottom seed, but I have less faith of them showing improvements in the long run than the Crash, due to rumors of internal issues. It would be good for the league if we could see Black Forest begin to show relevance, but some drastic changes would need to occur first. Looking across the standings, the ASFC looks like the stronger conference this season, and it truly seems like a toss up. The Arizona machine continues to roll along, and it seems that their most recent reload is keeping them as a perennial contender. They will remain competitive for the long term as long as their culture (which some may say includes unethical team building strategies) is maintained. However, there may be challenges to their dominances, such as the reigning champions, the Silverbacks. Additionally, a team that I believe we could see a giant jump from this season is Honolulu. They missed the playoffs this past season, but the conference was so tight that they were only 2 games behind the #1 seed. This is a team with a lot of players peaking all at the right time. Their talent on offense is undeniable, with arguably the best wide receiver stable in the league. It’s hard for me to imagine many defenses in this league holding down that passing attack. Even if so, running back Fig Newton is also peaking in TPE. There really is no easy way to strategize against them. They also have enough talent across the board to slow down most offenses. The sim has not always been kind to Honolulu in recent years, but if they even just get a fair shake of sim luck this season, I could see them as Ultimus champions this year and even the next.

650 words

[YetiTaz]

22. Written Option: If your player had a show starring them, what would the plot be?

Holden Affart would be the host of a cooking competition with a twist. Top chefs all over the world would compete with each other while random normal people out in society would be the judges. The chefs would be forced to make normal food like steak and taters or fried fish and French fries. The food dishes would be rated on the judges' abilities to pronounce the food as well as eat it without having an upset stomach. The chefs will also be judged on their ability to keep their composure while the judges microwave the feed and cover it with things like salt and ketchup. Bonus points will be awarded to the chef who is able to make the judges belch loudly. The winning chef will be featured at halftime of the Ultimus Championship Game and will be contracted out to prepare pregame meals for all the ISFL and DSFL teams.

(152 words)

16. Describe your player and/or team’s journey through this latest season. What were the highlights? What were the lower points? What might you have done differently? What are your expectations for next season?

The Colorado Yeti have been slowly making their way up in the standings after a winless season not that long ago. A 7-9 record included a 6-2 home record. The biggest win coming against the eventual Ultimus Champion New York Silverbacks. Alas, a 1-7 road record doomed the Yeti to finishing below .500. After nine games, the Yeti were 5-4 and serious playoff contenders but a four-game losing streak ended that dream. However, the Yeti have improved each season over the past three in the win column and look to get that winning season in Season 52. One of the most stunning achievements for the Yeti was sweeping the season series against the eventual conference champion Sarasota Sailfish. The Yeti finished near the bottom of the league in rushing with only the Otters having a worse yards per carry than Colorado. However, the Yellowknife Wraiths were the only team with more rushing touchdowns than the Colorado Yeti. The Yeti were also real good at protecting the football as only two teams in the league threw fewer interceptions. The Yeti stood out defensively at times as only two teams had more tackles for loss than Colorado. But they struggled to get to the quarterback this season. The Otters were the only team with fewer sacks than the Yeti. Katya Zamolodchikova passed for 3,872 yards and 24 touchdowns with only 12 interceptions. This is a significant improvement in season three for them after throwing 20 interceptions as a rookie and 18 in year 2. After a 65.2 passer rating as a rookie, Katya has improved to a passer rating of 89.9. Rookie Holden Affart started 16 games at nose tackle and made 42 tackles with 6 for a loss and only missed 4 tackles all season. However, he was unable to record a sack or force any fumbles.

(306 words)

33. Your player has decided to start a podcast since it's what all the cool celebrities are doing these days. What would the name of your player's podcast be and what would they talk about/do on the podcast?

Holden Affart would host a podcast called the Gas Chamber. This podcast would feature various guests from around the Sim Sports World. Not just the ISFL but also the SHL, PBE and others. Holden Affart has always been interested in why Ima Noobie likes to eat KitKats from the side instead of breaking them off one piece at a time. He would also invite jreed and his friends and foes to debate the legitimate claims of who really owns the Weekly Mirror. wileh would be another guest as they dive into the seeded roots of his hatred for poetry. And another topic of discussion on the Gas Chamber would, of course, be the disappearance of Hugh Eackman. Who has not been seen since Halloween night. That would be a very interesting investigation. And, of course, what would a Holden Affart podcast be without an in-depth interview with his nutritionist and the benefits of the Bush's Baked Beans Peanut Butter and Banana Protein Shake.

(163 words)

[caleb.grim]

2. Tell us about your draft class. Is there anything that makes it special in comparison to other classes? Where did your fellow draftees land, how are they doing? Did anyone turn out to be an unexpected steal of that draft based on what you know today? Do you think anyone in your draft class will become a hall of famer? If you’re new to the league, how do you think your class will do? Where do you think people will get drafted to?

As we take a look at the infamous Season 44 draft class once again, let's rank them based on a few parameters. The first set of criteria will be the number of playoff games played with the team that selected them followed by the number of touchdowns scored in their career. This quick ranking will let us know if looking back, we can determine if a good selection was made or not. We will only be taking a look at the 1st round selections in this exercise this time around.

Round 1:
Pick 1 - Thomas Passarelli   - 5 Playoff Games Played - 58 Touchdowns

Rank: 6th Place

With only 5 Playoff games for the Secondline, Passarelli will be considered overdrafted at his position. Of course, being the 1OA pick and going to a team on a historic bad run, the fact that 5 playoff wins (and two Ultimus Victories!) is a huge accomplishment! The 58 career touchdowns are tops for a non-quarterback in this ranking as well!

Pick 2 - A Waffle  - 0 Playoff Playoff Games Played - 12 Touchdowns (Switched Teams to Honolulu)

Rank: 13th Place

Definitely a bust here, as Waffle played only one season with Chicago before moving onto another team. Even with Honolulu, Waffle's career has been relatively uneventful.

Pick 3 - Orange Julius  - 3 Playoff Games Played - 51 Touchdowns

Rank: 9th

Julius has had a great career even if the SaberCats have not had much success as a team. With 51 career touchdowns, he matches up well against his fellow wide receivers of the S44 class.

Pick 4 - Trent Thigpen  - 6 Playoff Games Played - 6 Touchdowns

Rank: 5th

A solid pickup by Austin, Thigpen leads all defensive players in this draft with 6 career touchdowns.

Pick 5 - Ryan Mcbean  - 1 Playoff Games Played - 0 Touchdowns (Switched Teams to Arizona)

Rank: 11th

A major disappointment for a team that has had many recent disappointments. The Otters missed on other top defensive players (see picks 6, 7, 12 and 14) with this selection. After going IA, Mcbean switched teams and has found more success as a role player for Arizona.

Pick 6 - Thor Dangerson  - 5 Playoff Games Played - 2 Touchdowns

Rank: 7th

Almost a perfect match in rank and draft position here for Dangerson. The Wraiths have not had the sustained success of some other teams but Dangerson has been a solid contributer nonetheless.

Pick 7 - Jamie Orion  - 11 Playoff Games Played - 3 Touchdowns

Rank: 3rd

Orion has become a consistent contributor in the defensive backfield for a successful Sarasota team ever since he was drafted. 3 touchdowns from the defensive side of the ball is not to shabby either!

Pick 8 - Tuna Turndaballova  - 0 Playoff Games Played - 153 Touchdowns (Switched Teams to Baltimore)

Rank: 12th

With no playoff appearances until being traded to Baltimore this past season, Turndaballova ranks low in this exercise. Of course being a quarterback, he leads this list with 153 touchdowns.

Pick 9 - Pete Moss  - 0 Playoff Games Played - 0 Touchdowns (Switched Teams to Sarasota and Austin)

Rank:14th

The biggest miss in this whole draft, Moss was switched to a kicker (so no touchdowns) and has played with three different teams. He is also the only player on this list that didn't play in Season 51.

Pick 10 - Joey Battle  - 3 Playoff Games Played - 0 Touchdowns

Rank: 10th

A defensive player drafted to a team without a lot of success will land a little lower on this list. While Battle has a slower start to his career, he has become a major contributor for the Osaka Kaiju in the recent seasons.

Pick 11 - Jordan Bamford  - 12 Playoff Games Played - 53 Touchdowns

Rank: 1st

One could argue that being drafted to Arizona makes this exercise unfair but Bamford has played his role in Arizona's success as well! With an impressive 53 career touchdowns at this point as well, there is no arguing that this was a top selection.

Pick 12 - Carter Goad  - 12 Playoff Games Played - 1 Touchdown

Rank: 2nd

Tied for the most playoff games played with 12, my player has never missed the playoffs. With three consecutive Ultimus appearances (only one win unfortunately) occurring during Goad's prime, my player has established himself as one of the top D-Lineman of the past few seasons! Of course, touchdowns are not in abundance on the defensive side of the ball.

Pick 13 - Triceracop  - 3 Playoff Games Played - 56 Touchdowns

Rank: 8th

After a switch to runningback, Triceracop became a household name in the ISFL. While the team has experienced limited success, Triceracop was a major player for those playoff teams.

Pick 14 - Joe Bazooka  - 11 Playoff Games Played - 1 Touchdown

Rank: 4th

Another Hawk that has benefited from team success, Bazooka was called up one season after Goad and thus falls a bit in the rankings. Of course, his play the past few seasons has been a major factor in the team's success.

[hhh81]

8. This task is exclusive to non-recreate rookies of the S51 class and later. In 300 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?

My experience thus far with ISFL has been fine. I’d heard mixed things over the years about the league (I am not new to sim leagues by any stretch, with over 6 years and 35 seasons of experience on SHL), but someone encouraged me to try it out, so here I am. I’m not the biggest football fan, but AJ is cool so why not give it a try? As long as no one expects me to act like I care about NFL or talks to me about Ohio State, things will likely be fine.

Most people have been fairly friendly, but I would say AJ, royrivers, and Dunkler were some of the most welcoming/had best conversations with. I also appreciated having some other acquaintances from SHL like Pyro in my draft class. I’ve liked my brief time in the Grey Ducks LR—losing the Honk Tourney in Round 3 was devastating for me and I don’t know how I’ll ever recover from such a close and heartbreaking series.

It was cool to get drafted—I’m trying to remember if I’ve ever been drafted higher in the SHL, and I don’t think I have. I have gone 2ov or 3ov before in another league, so it’s par or a little better, which is fun and interesting! I’d been scouted by most (all?) of the teams, and most were about to the same in terms of information, though there were a few teams that stood out and I’d have been excited to be drafted to. I don’t really know anyone in Kansas City, but it sounds like they have a history of successful defensive linemen, so I’ll be interested to see how Yugo does. I’m a bit disappointed at how bad the Sleighport team did in the prospect bowl. Our offense was rough for almost every game, but had a few bright spots. That put a lot of pressure on the defense to get stops, but there’s only so much you can do when you don’t have offensive cohesion. Here’s hoping my first DSFL season goes better!

27. if your player wasn't a professional in the ISFL/DSFL, what would they be doing instead? (Written Task or Graphic Task)

Ryama D. Yugo, if he hadn’t taken the long journey to join the DSFL, would have stayed in the New World and worked tirelessly to overthrow the World Government. Truly, he was so close to Marineford HQ for school that getting away was likely smart. The new admirals were getting squirrely about the beefcake wall of muscle and his overwhelming stare. While it’s unconfirmed, some in the Marines whispered that, as the Marineford Community College Heroes’ starting defensive end was disrupting coverage and leveling players in the backfield, he might have Conqueror’s Haki (and the Fleet Admiral doesn’t even have Conqueror’s Haki!) So, to protect himself and keep his dreams of turning the Admirals into donuts, he fled to North America to play American football. If he’d stayed, no doubt Yugo would have ended up connected with the Revolutionary Army at some point and gotten involved in the resistance. Alas, we may never know, as Yugo has taken his talents elsewhere. Will football be as rewarding? Time will tell.

37. Affiliate PT from the SHL/SSL/PBE/VHL. The weeks of the task must match with the timeframe of this Offseason Task. You may only use a max of 1.
Link to SHL PT

[Cuffy]

10. If I were ever named a commissioner of the ISFL the league will be close to dying and it would probably fall apart in like 2 days because I know nothing about football and this is my first player in the league and I’m not really sure the ins and outs of it quite yet! But I know one thing that I would change almost immediately. One thing this place is missing is an affiliation with the basketball sim leagues out there. One for example that i would love love love to see as an affiliate the Simulation Basketball Association. The leagues are a little different in how they work but I can guarantee you that if there was a league affiliation here with the SBA you would find a lot of retired SBA ers giving the football life a shot. Hell if MJ could quit basketball and jump right into the world of baseball then I don’t see why big superstars from the SBA wouldn’t wanna make the jump to the football league. For example I hear that Former SG of the Brooklyn Bullets Jim Lahey has been retired from the sport of basketball for quite some time now and has been itching to return to the world of simulation sports. Currently Lahey has tried hockey (first sim league was SHL) where he had shown the SHL that he may have been a drunk trailer park supervisor to start off but in the end he really adapted to the hockey world and became a superstar! So when he was done with the hockey sims he gave the SBA a whirl and boy did he ever put on a show. Winning multiple SBA championships and positional awards gave himself a HOF career there that will always be remembered by many. So if the ISFL could affiliate with the SBA maybe we could see him come here and show us he can have a HOF career in the football sim world!

11.
Big John Myers is from a small rural town in central Newfoundland. Growing up football was unheard of in Newfoundland. John would spend most of his time in the woods along with his father and grandfather cutting and splitting and piling up loads upon loads of wood. After school was over that was a regular chore of his to hop on the four wheeler or snowmobile hook on the wood sleigh and start towing junks of wood from the cutting area back to his house. Doing this so often was an amazing workout and basically turned Myers into a lumberjack giving him massive boosts to his strength and endurance. Besides hauling wood all day Myers had a major interest in the world of professional sports. He was a jack of all in the world of sports. Grew up playing hockey and basketball helped him with his speed. Being his size speed was his one downfall.
So as he grew older he became really quick as he also joined a track and field team in middle school. When he finished grade 8 he started watching Sunday Night football games. That’s when he realized he was meant to play the game of football. He could not get enough of the sport. Staying up late on Sunday nights to watch every game he possible could. He wasn’t long becoming very knowledgeable with the sport but in Newfoundland there’s nowhere to play football unless you lived in St. John’s and even then rugby was a more so sought after sport in the province. So come grade ten he begged his parents to move to Halifax Nova Scotia where he could find his way on a high school football team to begin his dream to be the best football player out of Newfoundland (not a hard feat as there haven’t really been any to my knowledge) Once the scouts started watching him play they were all over him and couldn’t believe the skill they were seeing from the Big Newfie. From then on he’s been shining bright in the football world and this upcoming season he will debut in the ISFL after playing 3 seasons in the minor league he will finally get a chance to show what he can do on the main stage!

[modpro]

29. I was watching the football game between the New England Patriots and the Miami Dolphins all the way back in week 5 or so. The patriots were down 5 but were driving into the dolphins territory. The patriots quarterback, Jacoby Brisett threw a touchdown to rookie receiver Jalynn Polk for a New England Patriots Touchdown that would have won them the game against a much hated rival. Unfortunately for the pats, the touchdown was called back despite the receiver getting both feet down because Polk’s second foot went down toe in bounds heel out of bounds. In the case of a motion like that, the foot counts as out of bounds. This rule is utterly absurd in my opinion. Firstly, it’s kind of subjective whether it’s one stepping motion, two why in the hell should that not count? Football is a great game, but this is one of its flaws.

12. The rivalry between the New York Silverbacks and the Austin Copperheads stands out as one of the most intense in football, driven by the stark contrasts in team identity, regional culture, and fan enthusiasm. Despite not being geographic neighbors, the two franchises have cultivated a competitive animosity that ignites every time they face off. On the field, the Silverbacks and Copperheads embody different football philosophies. The Silverbacks are known for their gritty, methodical approach, often prioritizing defense and clock management to wear down opponents. In contrast, the Copperheads play with a high-octane, dynamic style that thrives on quick strikes and bold, unpredictable plays. This clash of styles creates a fascinating chess match whenever the teams meet, as each side tries to impose its will on the other. Beyond the game itself, cultural differences between New York and Austin deepen the divide. New York, with its fast-paced, businesslike attitude, mirrors the Silverbacks' disciplined and strategic gameplay. Meanwhile, Austin's reputation as a creative and free-spirited city is reflected in the Copperheads willingness to take risks and push boundaries on the field. These opposing identities often turn matchups into a symbolic clash of values, fueling the passion of fans on both sides. The fanbases play a significant role in escalating the rivalry. Silverbacks fans take pride in their team’s consistency and tradition, while Copperheads supporters embrace their team’s flair and underdog spirit. Social media amplifies these tensions, with playful trash talk and intense debates that keep the rivalry alive even in the offseason. Whether it's the Silverbacks trying to impose their methodical dominance or the Copperheads attempting to disrupt with their creative energy, every game between these two teams feels larger than life. It’s a rivalry fueled by contrasts, making their matchups must-watch events in the football world.


27. If Bull Dozier were not on the football field, he would be sitting at a table, his mind sharp and focused on a game of Connect 4. Before he got himself into football, he would spend hours playing strategy games with his younger brother, and Connect 4 was his favorite. He loved how a few simple rules could lead to endless possibilities, how each move required thinking two steps ahead, predicting what the other player might do, and countering it. Bull imagined entering competitive Connect 4 tournaments, his large hands carefully placing each disc with precision. He wasn’t just good, he was a master of the game, reading patterns and exploiting weaknesses in ways others didn’t see. Though football brought him strength and recognition, part of him would always find peace in Connect 4, a game where his mind could race without his body taking a beating and contracting CTE.

[roquefort]

0. -Wiki Task


Added a stat table for S51 as well as 600+ words describing the season.

[Rydel439]

0. Update your own players wiki page with a brief summary, 450 words minimum, of the most recent season, and Update your stats table to reflect your players career stats table to reflect the most recent season. Link your wiki page below along with a brief explanation of what was updated.

https://wiki.sim-football.com/view/Ryan_Joseph

S50 and S51 season recap updated as well as season stats and career stats tables.