ANCHORAGE BRUINS [GM YOUNT]

[GM Dario]

As I see it, your offense is more Pro Style Run with Medium depth on passing
The offense AMac came from was West Coast Pass Heavy with Deep shots to counter any bump-and-run on the West Coast.

Can we add a little more West Coast, with a few more deep shots to increase the offense output?  I know we're at a high level now, but we may need to get into some 50-49 games here and I feel like AMac might be more of a rhythm QB that could benefit from an uptick in passin'.

[Talon]

 

I can try to revamp the offense, just put it in the lock in, I guess.

[GM Dario]

I'll look over it before the lock in. Send up Coach Shoes please.

****

Coach Shoes, appreciate ya takin' the time to come up.

We tried to up the blitz percentage last week and it didn't work at all.
I know we're short handed a bit on the secondary at the moment.
I know Coach Graham wants to stay aggressive but we are just a step slow.

With the personnel we have at the moment, would it benefit to play a little more passive to try and limit the Dallas Offense or just stay the course and do what we can?

[Talon]

 

I'm a conservative minded guy, I always think its best to go more conservative.

[GM Dario]

So are we gettin' lit up on the pass because we aren't gettin' to the QB or more because we can't hold our coverage? Or some of Both?

[Talon]

 

Its hard to pin it on one thing, but I think its a combination of the two.

[GM Dario]

Gotcha Coach. Appreciate the input.

****

Shay, give a call to Bobby Shapiro for me please.

****

Bobby! It's TD in KC. This whole HIFL PFL mess is a cluster.
But I need ya help.

Got a slot to fill and I'm lookin' for a WR.
Anyone left in your stable that could be an option?

[Talon]

I've got a few on the free agent list.  Pick one and we can talk.

[GM Dario]

Aaron Cahill was on the 'Peg Squad last year as a Kick Returner and Wide Receiver.
How about the Rest of this season for 750k?

[Talon]

 

Deal.

[GM Dario]

Thanks Bobby. You've got a friend in KC.

****

Shay, let's check in with Coach Graham one last time.

****

Coach, hell of a week here.

I think the only person I've not talked with is the High Chief.
That talk is comin' soon I expect.
Winnin' cures a lot of things though.

Anythin' we need to do special to steal a win from Los Mariachis?

[Talon]

Nope, we just need to play good football.

[GM Dario]

Let's do the dang thing then!

All levels to original training camp specs.

WR5 Cahill

C1 Asher
C2 Smith


** LOCKED IN BABY!! **

[GM Dario]

SEASON 16 - WEEK 9



So we had a very good team Dub here today against Dallas. It was a typical Kansas City game -  Not pretty but effective.  We spent some extra focus this week on gettin' everybody involved.   I thought Coach Cannon's offense was solid and added in a few wrinkles we hadn't shown before. I also thought Coach Shoes showed a little ingenuity on bringin' out nuances to the D as well. When you get nine sacks and only one guy has 2, that's workin' some angles there.

Yes, we gave up a lot , but we scored more and it's wild how when ya score more, you get the Dub. Quirky but it works. Hats off to Dallas though. They had a very good plan and attacked us where it hurt. I thought Kidwell did a very good job despite bein' hurt. A bang up job for the Rookie McKinley as well.

We're 4-4 on the year, We're still within strikin' distance of what we wanna achieve this year. Hopefully this Win has righted the ship a bit so I'm hopin' we can keep Ol' Mo goin'.  But right now, I wanna go on a slight tangent here and take the time to remind everyone about justhow young this team is.  I think I've said this before, this is the youngest team in the HIFL. But because I'm on the field with them, during practice, and in the locker room, seein' these guys 24/7, sometimes I forget that these guys are just tryin' to impress their teammates and the people they look up to.  I think that sometimes we see the name and the jersey number on a stat sheet or a box score, but we forget there's somebody underneath that helmet that's just tryin' to do the best they can.

We've got 40 on our roster that's been a professional football player for 4 years or less, includin' 25 who are in their 1st or 2nd year. But then you get a guy like Robert Brandon, who literally came off the street last year, filled in as a last minute starter in the last game of the year, now he's worked himself up to be the starter this year and picked up a contract extension to be in Kansas City for a couple more years.

Then you have a guy like Gary Plunkett, who's been here since Day 1 with me and the guy's got a motor that won't quit. He's got that drive to be better and to make his teammates better,  and in turn, they want to be good for him.

And then you get guys like Myles Jack and William Dalton, stalwart vets who steady everybody on the defensive side of the ball. 

And I can't forget our guys on the O-line. I mean, if you told me that I was going to plug-in an undrafted rookie at center for his first start against that Dallas line, and he ends up havin' seven cakes and no sacks allowed,  that says a lot for him. Victor Asher wanted to show Coach Graham and Coach Luce what he could if given that chance.

And it also shows how good those guys up front are. I'm sure that Victor will be the first one to tell you that havin' Dave Johnson and Deon Wentworth on either side of him, gave him confidence to go out there and just do what he does best. I have a veteran like Eugene Jett on one side and have a kid like Israel Stinnett, who is going to be that next great offensive tackle, Mark my words, and they can put over 250 yards on the ground and over 450 yards total offense and kept Alejandro upright for 98% of the game -  that's just huge.

And I look at these guys when I talk with Coach Graham durin' the week and I'm like - "we're almost there - we're almost there -  we just need the time -  we just need the dice to break our way."  We don't have to be perfect. We just got to do the best we can, and that's what these guys do. It may not show up on the box score, but that means a ton to me. Strive to get better. Strive to stay together. It doesn't get any easier for Kansas City as we host division rival Rapid City but I think all my guys and myself are going to be up for the challenge.

Now let me get to some news. I'm happy to see our Egyptian Brothers from Other Mothers continue their winnin' ways . I'm also extremely happy to see that our exchange program is working. Did I expect to have a new member of the Kansas City Bruins after all of this? No But that's kind of what we were buildin' last year and seeing Daysam al-Taalin continue to be a part the Kansas City Bruins just adds to that One Nation mentality that we've always had, with our Native Americans, our Mongolian, now our Islamic rookie , as well as all the guys who are just out there to do what they can to be Kansas City Bruins

I told the guys earlier this week that we need to look at the front of the jersey more than the back of the jerseys, but the back does mean just as much as the front.   With diversity on the field in the locker room, it breeds diversity in our fans and our beliefs and all of that, brings strength underneath the SkyBear so I'm gonna be happy to have Daysam comin' back to Kansas City very soon.

Any questions for me?

[Talon]

 

Nice to end our skid, now lets start a winning streak.

[GM Dario]

Time to focus on Rapid City.

Lincoln played ground control to keep the ball away from Hyland and Company, but Thomas Large made an impact in a hurry. Should we just keep things status quote or would you recommend Changin' things up?

[Talon]

 

Hyland is a gun slinger, he's going to give us all we can handle and then some.

[GM Dario]

We're already 32nd against the pass. So.... Yeah.

Sounds like it'll be a shootout like we had against Dallas.

How did the play count go with Starling and Zamora?
And I saw Atherton get a few snaps as well, how did the snap count go at WR?

[Talon]

 

Starling played all 76 snaps on defense. Zamora got nothing.

At receiver Jeudy got 103, Rivers had 116, Williams 63, Atherton 14.  Obviously with only 86 plays on offense some of those others came on special teams etc, I guess.

[GM Dario]

Makes sense Coach.  Trade deadline is Comin' so Imma try to get us those bump-ups we need.  But we got one more guy to lock up first. I'll be back with ya shortly.

****

Shay, would ya ask Running Wolf to see me please.

****

I appreciate ya takin' time away from practice. You're in the last year of your deal and Kansas City runs very well with you as Captain. Your leadership on and off the field is top shelf.

I'd like to have you stay in Kansas City for the next 3 years at 9M Salary & 3M Bonus per season.

[Talon]

 

I appreciate your kindness, but I would prefer to focus on football right now.  I am not comfortable negotiating during the season.

[GM Dario]

Then I hope we don't talk for a long time to come.
But I appreciate ya hearin' me out regardless.

Let's take down Rapid City this week.

****

Shay, with our transfers from Egypt here, is there anythin' on the books about bein' able to talk with them? Obviously I can't talk dollars with them , but has anything been set from the Commissioners Office about chit-chattin'?

[Talon]

I think for now we're supposed to kinda let them be, but  they are enjoying their time here.

[GM Dario]

That's reasonable. I just didn't wanna be standoffish with our transfers by not askin' about them.

Will you ask Jacob York to pop in?

****

Jacob, it's been great havin' ya hear from Day 1 and I hope to kee ya here for quite a lot days as well. Coach Graham and I agree that you're a key cog in the SkyBear's offense and special teams.  I wanted to check to make sure you're not bein' pulled in too many directions by usin' on Run/Pass/Kicks and Punts?

[Talon]

 

I'm cool with the workload, but overall I'm not very happy.  I want more carries per game and I want to win.. That's it.

[GM Dario]

Gettin' that Dub is somethin' we all want.

I know we've got a good set up with you and RW plus Koz in the backfield, keeps teams on their heels with our run game.

I'll see what Coach Cannon and Coach Graham can do about things.
I just wanted to check your  '20' on this. 
Let's see if we can get that next Dub against RC. 
'Preciate ya #KeepinItCrystal

****
Shay, I'll need Coach Graham please.

****

Coach, it's not a headline trade like what's been pulled in Salt Lake and Vancouver, but we just picked up Robert Peters to help in our secondary. It cost us Johnson, which I hate to lose him, but gettin' Kaminski and Lewis back should keep the line stable.

I'm gonna continue to try and get that DL upgrade we're lookin' for, just depends on the pricin'.

Would a correct assumption be to slot Peters at Startin' Free Safety, Kaminski at Startin' Guard, and Lewis at Backup Swing Tackle? 
Or is Lewis better than Stinnett?  I like Jett protectin' the blind side, but we should put our best 5 on the field.

[Talon]

 

Wentworth to the left side, Kaminski on the right, Lewis backing up both tackles, and Peters starting, yeah that's all good to me.

[GM Dario]

Noted.

With Koz now the only FB left on the team, if we go to goal line or heavy jumbo, should we keep him at FB and let Wolf/York/Nieves work as the goal line back, or do we put another Lineman in as the blocking back for Koz as the RB?

[Talon]

 

Up to you, boss.

[GM Dario]

I'll make the necessary changes on the lock in.

So we just added Kieran Stones to the secondary. That gives us:

CB- Stones, Alcantar, Brookins, Coughlin & Cantwell
Nickel- White & Navarrete
FS - Peters. Starling, & Zamora
SS - Brandon & Driver

Is that our best lineup? Would we be better with Alcantar, Brookins or Stones at Nickel instead of White?

Obviously, if we go dime, we just need to figure who else goes in the Slot with White.

[Talon]

 

Stones looks like our clear up CB1 right now.  After that we can shuffle Alcantar, Coughlin, Brookins in any order as our next best three they are all close in overall skill, Couglin's the best tackler and is most agile, Alcantar is the fastest and has that elite length, and Brookins has the youth and upside.  White is our 5th best, I dont think he needs to be on the field unless we have injuries. Navarrete and Cantwell are definitely bench bodies.

[GM Dario]

Noted as well.

The well was plentiful to help out the back end , but the front end hasn't been as easy. The price has been too high or the value hasn't been there. Imma keep the lines open to see if we still can't swing somethin' though.
Touch base in a few before we get ready for RC.

***

Shay, I know I asked ya to do work outside the box askin' for a morale check with the players. And I know coaches mostly do their jobs, regardless of how things are goin' but I didn't ask about your morale.   I know you keep me in check a ton, and I appreciate that, but how do you feel about how the season has gone, and how do ya feel about the 2nd half of the season?

[Talon]

 

I try to focus on the business side and not the product on the field, big meaty men slapping meat isn't really my thing, but I do enjoy watching the "Momma Bears" do their routines at the intermissions.

[GM Dario]

That's why you're the best at what ya do, Shay.
Keepin' it all biz when it comes to the SkyBear's team.

And ya know, I never thought about everythin' that goes on at a game at the Wigwam. The Momma Bears doin' their routines, Herbert Dancer keepin' the kids entertained, and of course, all of the...  players on the field.

I was gonna say guys, but then I remembered Maria Maria down in Miami , so that woulda been wrong.  Speakin' of Miami, do you remember that news story from a couple weeks back?  It was before GM Gates walked as Rep.

Who was that seen with him?

[Talon]

 

Oh yeah! The FemFL commissioner.  the FemFL is the Female Football League, which has been going strong for a pretty good while now.  Way more "real" football compared to those arena leagues and lingerie leagues, its' not the most popular form of the sport, but I enjoy it.

[GM Dario]

Have to keep the FemFL in mind if we make it back next season.
We hosted the ComBBBine before in KC, might not be a bad idea to host a FemFL Combine soon. Gotta note that for the future.

Let's talked with Coach Graham one last time this week.

****

Coach, unless a free agent falls from the Sky, we're probably gonna go with the guys we got for the second half.

I'm thinkin' we just go with what we did last week.
We'll reset the lineups on the lock in.
Anythin' else ya suggest?

[Talon]

 

Nope

[GM Dario]

Then let's do this!!

Roster changes:

RB1 Wolf
RB2 York
RB3 Nieves

No Goal Line Specific RB- use available RB

FB1 Kozlowski
FB2 Campbell
FB3 Nieves

LT Jett
LG Wentworth
C Asher
RG Kaminski
RT Stinnett

LT2/RT2 Lewis
LG2/RG2 Nelms
LG3/RG3 Carranza
C2 Smith

CB1 Stones
CB2 Alcantar
CB3 Brookins (NCB1)
CB4 Coughlin
CB5 White (NCB2)
CB6 Navarrete
CB7 Cantwell

al-Taalim Inactive (Egypt)

FS1 Peters
FS2 Starling
FS3 Zamora

** LOCKED IN BABY!! **

[GM Dario]

ADDRESS THE MEDIA HOWEVER YOU WOULD LIKE THIS WEEK (ADDRESS ANY TEAM SPECIFIC NEWS!)

When you are finished, you may move to your first conversation -- if there is a need for a follow up from the media, it will come "before" your next piece of business is addressed.

SEASON 16 - WEEK 10



Big BIG W for the SkyBear's team at home. Great to get a big divisional win against the Inferno. I thought we played well in all three phases of the game. Happy to see AMac get the OPOG after his Passin' and Runnin' performance. We needed him to get that swagga back and JEAH!  He got it. Not quite what I'd hoped he say about Rapid City after the game but AMac is gonna AMac. I'll take the heat, no pun intended, from the En Fuego fans about it though. I'll also take that DUB we got with the heat.

Great game from the O-Line as well. Anytime you put up over 5 bills and keep the turnovers at Zero, You're gonna have good things happen.

The revamped D had its gameface on. Good to see Stones and Peters help shut down Hyland and Company and gettin' 7 sacks with 3 of 15 on 3rd down from our guys, it's a Yuuuuuge plus for us.

Great seein' the first playoff standin's out and seein' Kansas City within spittin' distance of the top 7. Still more to do though but we'll take it one at a time.

Rough game for our Brothers from Other Mothers, but Team USA is no joke. Egypt will bounce back though, I got that good feelin' about it.

Heatrbreak for AJ in the 'Dam.  Always hate seein' a injury like that. There's good people around him though so I gotta think you'll be seein' Mr. C's boy back on the field in due time.

Ya gotta think the Experience is gonna be lighter in the wallet after that celebration.  Some things just don't need to be seen at a football game.

Interestin' tidbit with South Carolina gettin' some rub from the Beachers. Gooch has always been a guy who's willin' to help and he did yeoman's work for the Gamecocks with his PR move. 

And Big Up's to the Golden Flashes for breakin' that ZERO out of the Win Column.

Any questions for me?

[Talon]

 

YO.

[GM Dario]

YO is Right! 
Reminds of that one guy who picks the games and always uses the mascot head as his call. 
But we earned that YO.

Coach Cannon and Coach Shoes opened up the playbooks a bit.
Didn't know AMac had THAT in him, but def a good push towards keepin' him swaggy.
And get that MO back on our side. 

But we gotta YUUUUUUUUUGE 5 Star test in Tucson. 

I'm thinkin' we just play with what brung us here. You agree, Coach?

[Talon]

 

Absolutely.  They know we're coming this time, but lets show them the Sky Bears fly high and the Stars fall out of the sky.

[GM Dario]

Sounds good to be Coach. 
Gonna talk with Shay and the High Chief then we'll go 'West Bound and Down' and Lock it in.

*****

Shay, is the High Chief free for a Pow-Wow?
Figure it's time for a "State of the Bruins" Address

[Talon]

 

"GM Kicking Balls, I am pleased to inform you that the great sky spirit animals are happy with our team's performance so far. The Great Sky Bear, the Wise Owl, the Mighty Eagle, and the Swift Wolf have been watching over us and guiding us on our journey. They have seen the effort and dedication that we have put into our work, and they have blessed us with their presence and their wisdom.

Your team's high-powered offense has been a joy to watch, and The Great Sky Spirits have been impressed with your determination to score and succeed. However, they want you to remember that football is a team sport, and it takes a collective effort to win games. Your defense, while not currently ranked as highly as your offense, still plays a crucial role in your team's success.

The Great Spirits want you to continue to guide your team with strong leadership, to foster a culture of teamwork and trust, and to focus on improving your defensive play. They believe that with hard work and dedication, you and your team can overcome any challenge and achieve greatness on the field.

So let us take heart in the knowledge that The Great Spirits are pleased with our efforts so far, GM Dario. Let us continue to work together with strength and unity, and let us honor The Great Spirits by giving our best performance in every game. With their blessings, we can secure a spot in the playoffs and bring glory to our team and our community."

[GM Dario]

I appreciate the praises from the Spirit Animal and yourself, High Chief. We gotta good start goin' and I'm lookin' forward to seein' us achieve those goals.

More importantly, I got good people around me on the staff and on the field that are gonna continue to do their best to build our team up.

May the SkyBear continue to bless our players and our staff as the season draws towards the ends.

And thanks for stickin' wit me, High Chief. 

****

Shay, next week, we need to check through the expirin' contracts for extensions.  But for now....

**** Locked In Baby!! ****

[GM Dario]

SEASON 16 - WEEK 11



Well, the SkyBear giveth, and the SkyBear taketh away. +55 against Rapid City, - 52 against Tucson.  Tough to play from behind but that's what Great Teams can do to a Good Team. We can play Good, but we have to play lights out to take on teams like Tucson, and we didn't this time. Disappointed we took the L but 6 games to go and we're still within distance of some goals we set back at the start of the season.

Good to see our Egyptian compadres get back on the W side this past week.

We got a huge game here at our Wigwam with Lincoln. Not only are we playin' against the Pride, we're playin' for pride as well. Playoffs are still way in the outside but stack up a couple wins and we're back in it

We've not been at .500 this late in the season since I started in KC, so the optimism is still pretty high for me here in SkyBear Country. I still think we got a lot we can do with these last 6 games.

Any questions for me?

[Talon]

 

That one hurt, I guess that win we got over them last year was a little more motivation than we could handle with our weaker secondary.

[GM Dario]

It just gets us outta sorts when we try to play from behind as well.

Controllin' the Tempo is def our MO.

But we ain't dead yet. We can put up some check marks with a W here at home.  This Lincoln Team isn't what we saw earlier in the season though.  Can't change the personnel grouping any but would a change in tempo or style help or hinder us?  Or just go with what got us here?

[Talon]

 

We have the #1 offense in the league, I dont think changing anything is a good idea.

[GM Dario]

So that sounds like Coach Speak for don't mess with anything ....
"Just go with what got us here...." got it

Offensively we are 1st
Defensively, we are anything but.  But do we make any changes to try to slow down the Lincoln all fence, or just run with what we have as well?