SAN JUAN HURRICANES [GM LUCAS]

[GM Dazz]

Great. We'll do the following then:

Playing time: Mostly Starters
Tempo: Fast
Run: Pass ratio: 60 :40
Strategy changes:

Hardwick to RG2
Rojas to TE1
Kilpatrick replaces Snow at WR in all formations
Cotter replaces Spellman in all formations
DE1: 75% Stephens, 25% Lilley
DE2: 75% Lilley, 25% Walker
Clark to DE3
Clark to DT4 in 4-3 and nickel
Clark to DT2 (3 tech) in dime

Boucher to SS2
Bracket to FS3

lock in

[GM Dazz]

SEASON 15 - WEEK 10

1. Discuss your weeks results (if you won, who deserves a game ball for their efforts?)

This was a really important win for us against a very talented division rival, made all the more important by our home overtime loss to the same team earlier in the year. Getting revenge for that was satisfying but it's the impact it has on the division that made it an important game. We can't be giving our rivals advantages in our head to heads so we needed to get that win back in Oakland. It also keeps us on top of the division for another week and helps maintain this great run and the confidence that goes with that. They certainly didn't make it easy for us and you have to admire their ability to get to the QB consistently, particularly against an o-line as strong as ours. I have to give the game ball to Hudgins for being able to be so accurate and to drive the team forwards despite being sacked 7 times. He, and the rest of the team really, showed great toughness and resilience and I'm proud of them all for that.

2. Discuss any news that interested you. (Cover your news first; then move on)

Hottest team in football is some title to be attached to us, particularly when you consider where this team was when I took over. We've been in great form and a 7 game win streak does wonders for confidence. I can understand Finnegan's comments about thinking about more than a division title and I can't deny that my own targets for this season have grown as the weeks have gone on but I think it's important to keep our feet on the ground. We have a very tough run of fixtures coming up which could go on to define our season so we need to keep focused and take each game as it comes.

I saw the comments from Britt about Cleveland's championship caliber defence and GM Wayne's claims of having the best unit in the league and I can see why they're saying it. I guess for us to have put 41 points on them in their previous game says a lot about how we've been playing so far this season.

I was disappointed to see the story about Lawrence being called a bust this week... mainly because I'd rather they saved that kind of motivation for a week we're not playing him. I do think people are too quick to jump on young QBs in this league and they don't get given enough opportunity to develop before being given labels like that. That sort of thing can kill a career before it's had a chance to really start properly so I do think more patience is needed.

3. With the trade deadline in the rear view, what move surprised you the most?

The most surprising thing for me about the trade deadline was being able to acquire players of the quality of Lilley and Rojas. They are both big additions to our team and are going to have a big impact so I was pretty surprised neither had been snapped up before I made the call myself. The other big moves were less surprising simply because of the arms race Vancouver had started the week before. Add in a couple of teams giving up on their seasons and big trades were always likely to happen. I'm not one for making big moves in season but with the way the rest of the division and conference were loading up there wasn't much choice really. The main difference for us is that I've included the additions in my plans and budget for next season so I know we can be competitive again whereas some of these others are going to have some real pain to endure over the next season or two after the moves they've made.

4. Tell us a player on offense and defense you want to see more from in the second half of the season.

With the way we've been playing recently it would be pretty petty of me to call anyone out for under-performing. All of us can improve, of course, and it's our philosophy to constantly be pushing ourselves to do more each week. I'm fortunate to have a great group of lads here who want to improve week in week out and I do think there's even more to come from some of the players, despite the high standards they're already setting. Offensively I think Gorham is set to really break out and make a name for himself and perhaps some of these tougher games will force us to pass more and give him the opportunities to showcase his abilities. Defensively, I'm really intrigued to see how Clark takes to getting snaps at DT. I think he's got the attributes to be someone who can cause problems for interior linemen so I'll be looking to see if he's able to add some pressure up the middle for us over the rest of the season.

5. Discuss your next opponent and game. What is your biggest advantage in this contest?

Another really important divisional road game for us against a well rested Long Beach team coming off a bye. Perhaps that can be a good thing for us if they're not coming back fully sharp. You see it plenty of times where teams take a few weeks to get back up to speed after a bye week, just look at St Paul this season, so us coming into the game in great form and them potentially being a little cold could be an advantage. Then again, we've just played an overtime game and are having to travel while they're fully rested and have been able to focus on this game for 2 weeks so perhaps it's not an advantage. I think the way the teams match up does sit a little in our favour though when you consider that their run-d is probably where they're a little weaker and running the ball is obviously a strength of ours. If there is any lack of confidence from Lawrence then our pass rush is probably not what he wants to be facing but I'm expecting to see a reaction from him. It's going to be a tough game, as all of the divisional games are, and we're going to have to be at our best to get the win. If we play to our strengths I'm pretty confident of a good result though.
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Coach, that win was huge for us but there's no time for celebrating with a really tough run coming up. I'm very pleased to see the team at pretty much full strength to start this stretch and I was happy to see the new lads contributing straight away against Oakland. My only slight concern is the prospect of complacency creeping in if the lads are already talking about targeting more than the division. I think they're right to and I myself am aiming at home field advantage but we need to make sure the lads are keeping focused on the next game and not looking too far ahead.

[Talon]

 

I can't say for a fact, but I think we have one of the hardest schedules left this year, not a single easy team left on the list, so we take it one game at a time, but if we come out of this final stretch with the #1 seed, we damn well earned it.

[GM Dazz]

Absolutely, though I do think we match up well against any team in the league so I'm confident we'll come through these games with a positive record. Margins are going to be tight until the end of the season so it might be worth talking about discipline. I think we're one of the most penalised teams in the league and we just gave up a lot of yards in penalties against Oakland. I understand it's a consequence of our aggressive style and fast tempo but is there anything we can do to try and reduce the penalties without making sweeping changes to how we play?

[Talon]

 

Unfortunately, the only things we can change are the playing style, tempo, and then the coaches individual traits, and I don't think we want to remove any of our staff at this time, we're clicking well outside of the penalties.

[GM Dazz]

I did think that might be the answer but thought it worth asking anyway. I don't want to change something that's working and I definitely won't be changing the coaching staff so we'll see how things go for now. I remember lowering the tempo slightly on the road last season to try and reduce penalties but I don't remember if it actually helped. If it becomes a problem over this next stretch of games we'll look at maybe doing that again but for now I don't think we change anything. I don't think I have anything else for you this week so I'll let you get back to practice.

Playing time: Mostly Starters
Tempo: Fast
Run: Pass ratio: 60 :40
Strategy changes:None

Lock in

[GM Dazz]

SEASON 15 - WEEK 11

1. Discuss this past week.

That was a very important win against a very good team in their house so I'm delighted. Losses for the rest of the division as well made it an almost perfect week in the end and we now sit in control of the division. With the run in we have though we'll need all of the cushion we can get. I'm very proud of the lads for the way they dug in this week and for the heart they showed. Special mention has to go to Cotter, Woodard and Finnegan for making big plays when we needed them to.

2. Discuss any news that interested you. (Cover your news first; then move on)

I'm very disappointed with the decision to suspend Smoke despite the officials on the field not feeling the incident was serious enough to eject him. The officials have a very difficult job and the League Office shouldn't be making that harder for them by undermining them in this way. I think the officials called it spot on during the game and they should have been supported in that. It's a dangerous precident for the League to step in and contradict officiating decisions retrospectively. I get it if the incident was missed entirely but in this case it was dealt with on the field and I'll be looking at my options when it comes to appealing this ridiculous and dangerous decision.

I was also disappointed to hear that Jessica Woods was being abused after their loss to us this week. Long Beach played a very good game and would beat most teams playing like that. Turnovers made the difference but that was down to great play from our players and not poor coaching in Long Beach. I'm sure the majority of their fans know that and it's just a minority of idiots making the rest of them look bad.

It's a similar situation in Atlanta it seems. Some fans seem to have a very short memory complaining about the direction of that team. It wasn't that long ago that they were deep into the worst winless run in league history so to expect fireworks this early is a little ridiculous. I recently said that QBs deserve more patience and I'm going to say similar about GM Wrong here. He's doing a great job and I would suggest a little more patience from the fans. I know I've built a career on taking teams with the worst records in the league and making them some of the best teams in the league very quickly but it takes a lot of effort and skill to do that. It's certainly not easy and shouldn't be expected as the norm.

3. Talk about your plans for this week.

Well first off I need to see what can be done with the Smoke situation. He should be playing in my eyes but if not we'll need to plan accordingly. It's all the more frustrating because we're going up against one of the league's best teams in what could be a deciding game when it comes to seedings so we absolutely need to be at our best this week. I'm confident that Bennett and Kilpatrick will do a great job with the opportunity presented to them but it shouldn't come to that.
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Harley, are we able to appeal the suspension and is there any risk of it being extended of we lost?

[Talon]

We can certainly appeal Mista' D!

If we appeal, he would be allowed to play this week, and then based on the decision of the league office he would either be cleared on the next week or if the suspension is upheld he would be suspended for the next game instead.

[GM Dazz]

So the worst case scenario is that he plays against Rapid City but we lose him at Pearl Harbor? I think that's a risk worth taking if it might help get the ban reversed. What's the procedure here? Do I call them up and argue his case or file an appeal in the league office?

[Talon]

In this situation, we just send our appeal to the league office and they will re-review with a 3rd party arbiter and announce their decision next week.  No need to actually argue our case since it was an on-field situation.

[GM Dazz]

Thank you Harley. Could you ask Smitty to come and see me please?
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Smitty, I just wanted to let you know we're appealing your suspension. We're fully behind you on this one. You weren't ejected so shouldn't have been suspended. I don't know if it'll succeed but you'll be cleared to play this week so go and make the most of it against Rapid City.

One last thing, I know we play an aggressive style but please try and save it for the next play once the whistle blows in future.

[Talon]

 

Appreciate you getting me in the game this week, I'll try to make up for my mess, and put some points on the board.

[GM Dazz]

Sounds good. I'll let you get back to practice. Glad to have you out there this week.
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Harley, could I see Coach Dos Santos please?
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Coach, we have Smitty this week but not sure about next week. I had one thing I wanted to ask about though. We've allowed quite a few sacks in the past few games. Is that due to facing particularly aggressive pass rushes or is there a bit of tiredness kicking in? Is it worth rotating in Hardwick and Edwards for some snaps to give others a rest?

[Talon]

 

I don't think it's fatigue, I've not seen anything to suggest it, but we have faced some high quality pass rushers lately as well.

[GM Dazz]

Alright, no need to change anything this week then. Though it may be worth looking at increasing the use of I and 2TE formations against top pass rushes in future. Thanks Coach.

Lock in

[GM Dazz]

SEASON 15 - WEEK 12

1. Discuss this past week.

That was one for the ages, wasn't it? A real treat for the fans in attendance and the millions watching at home. A great advert for this great league. It wasn't the game I was expecting considering how good we are defensively normally but I'm not going to complain when we put on an offensive masterclass like that. I always laugh when people refer to us as the Crawford team because I know how good the rest of the lads are. Crawford has been and continues to be a star for us and he's won us plenty of games this season but I think we showed this week that we can win a game many different ways and you can't afford to focus on just our run game because Hudgins has the ability to light it up if he needs to. I'm ridiculously proud of the lads this week, particularly when we faced one of the best teams in the league and performed like that.

2. Discuss any news that interested you. (Cover your news first; then move on)

I'll start with the positive and that's the offensive player of the week award for Hudgins. I've heard Franchise's ridiculous assertion that RoMar deserved it but he's clearly living on a different planet. Hudgins played an almost perfect QB game this week and his 6 TDs and over 470 yards from 20 completed passes is probably worthy of an offensive performance of the season award. His understanding with Perry was joyous to watch this week and I'm looking forward to seeing that develop further over the next few games.

I'm not going to say much about the Smoke suspension. Obviously I don't feel a penalty this week should have any impact on a decision over last week's penalty. I could also point out that there were plenty of other personal fouls this week that the league didn't step in to add suspensions to and question the consistency of decision making. What I won't do is tell you what I really think because if I did I'd probably end up suspended as well. It's a one week ban so we'll just have to deal with it and move on.

GM Kirk has his own way of managing a team. It's not the way I'd do it but when you've had the success he's had in the league you can probably get away with being a bit of an arsehole.

Ortega's injury shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone with the way they've been riding him this year. I really don't understand why they've been using him as a glorified RB though. Sure, I've also made the jokes about how well he passes for a RB but the point to remember is that he is a pretty great passer as well as runner and to use him so heavily to run the ball is to waste his broader talents. The inevitable consequence is injuries like the one he's picked up. You just can't put a human through that much hardship and expect them to thrive. It's why we have Tank to take some of the load off of Crawford, for example.

3. What is more interesting to you the PFL or the IFAF, do you believe either is a true rival or threat to the HIFL?  Who is your favorite player from either league and why?

IFAF is more interesting to me because of the partnership the league shares with the International teams. To pick PFL over IFAF is akin to dismissing the contributions of the International partners so I hope no GM has done that. Are either rivals to this league? No, and I'll tell you why... the lack of quality in depth. Both leagues have individual players with huge ability and potential but the majority of the players in both leagues are guys who wouldn't make the bench at a HIFL team. I mean, when you have a complete bust like Huerta looking like a superstar in the PFL it says all you need to know about the PFL. I believe he was a star of the XFL before joining the HIFL and went on to be way out of his depth. My favourite player is a PFL player though and that's Turnover Taylor. It's an absolute travesty that he's even in that league and a symptom of piss poor financial management of some HIFL GMs. He should be playing in this league and I hope he is next season.

4. The bye weeks are through; five games remain this season; evaluate your team and season, if you still have a shot at the playoffs what does your team have to do to close out the regular season on a high note?

After 2 games and 2 close losses I was concerned this was going to turn out to be one of those seasons where we're frustratingly just short of where we need to be all year. However, a 9 game winning streak can really change your perspective. We have been fantastic and it is down to the hard work and heart of these players and the coaching staff. We're 1 win away from equaling last year's tally with 5 games left and it feels like that would be a huge disappointment if that's all we manage. I think that if we beat Long Beach and Pearl Harbor that'll guarantee us the division, though my maths might be a little off particularly with that draw in there for Pearl Harbor. That has to be our minimum target now. Home field advantage is still ours to lose at this point so we'll keep fighting to get there as long as we're still in it. Our run in is probably the toughest in the league though so we're going to have to give it our all for all 4 quarters of all 5 games to achieve what our efforts so far deserve. Playoffs are obviously the primary goal here though. Once you're in anything can happen but you've got to get in first.
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Coach, horrible defensive performance but I'll forgive that when Hudgins and Perry play like they did this week. Great job keeping the lads focused and confident right to the end. Another huge game for us this week but no Smoke this time. Bennett getting his TD must have been a real shot in the arm for him so I'm hoping he can step it up in Smoke's place. Or would you rather see Kilpatrick playing as cover at WR this week?

[Talon]

 

I think Bennett showed he has the chops to flash; we'll survive without Smitty, at least this isn't a win or go home type game. 

[GM Dazz]

Bennett looked great in college so it'll be good to take a look at him as a starting WR this week in that case. I think Kilpatrick should be next on the depth chart behind him this week but I'll let you sort that out as you see fit. Hopefully we can keep our winning run going and take a huge lead in the division. That's all I have this week, Coach. Cheers.
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Harley, could I see Hudgins and Perry together please.
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Lads, fantastic effort this week. The telepathic connection between you was fantastic to watch. I really enjoyed that one and I hope you lads did too. Keep up the great work.

[Talon]

BOTH PLAYERS THANK YOU FOR THE PRAISE, APPEARING TO BE BONDING WELL AS TEAMMATES

[GM Dazz]

Fantastic. I'll let you get back to practice.

lock in

[GM Dazz]

SEASON 15 - WEEK 13

1. Discuss this past week.

I always enjoy the road games against Pearl Harbor because I get a great reception from the fans there and it's just nice to see the people and places I know from the great year I had as GM there. It's even better when we get the road win like we did this week, of course. I suspect the warm welcome might cool off a bit if we keep getting road wins there. They played a really good game against us and frustrated our offence after the near perfect performance the week before so they deserve a lot of credit for that. We certainly won't be taking them lightly in the closing game of the regular season. This week our defence stepped up to put us in a position to win the game and our clutch kicker, Stanton Welsh, was able to score the winning points in the dying seconds of the game. I don't want to put undue pressure on the lad but it's no exaggeration to say that having him when these clutch kicks are needed reminds me a lot of having Sasser in DC in those situations. That's a great thing to have in the team and gives the lads a lot of confidence to keep pushing right to the end. It was an important win against our key division rival this year and gives us a useful cushion but we need to make sure we don't throw that away in the coming games. Our run in is tough and it's going to be a battle all the way to the finish. 

2. Discuss any news that interested you. (Cover your news first; then move on)

It was great to see one of the new lads going out and putting on a DPOTW performance this week. Lilley has been a big asset to this team since the moment he stepped through the doors and I look forward to more award winning performances from him. He's a big talent and is causing me a bit of a headache when it comes to planning the finances for next season... one of those good headaches to have. He's settled in brilliantly so far and we're delighted to be able to provide him the platform to showcase his talent. Hopefully it's a fit that works as well for him as it does for us.

It is no surprise to me that Caleb Smoak has broken the all time TD record, though it was a slight surprise to hear he did it weeks ago and nobody noticed. He's one of the best professionals I've had the pleasure to work with in my time in this league and I am delighted for him and his family for his achievement. I've heard one GM question his credentials as a HoF candidate but that is quite frankly ridiculous and a demonstration of the lack of respect some show to the HIFL greats who helped to put this league where it is. He's a first round addition in my eyes and absolutely deserving of it when he gets there.

Eugene McReynolds being so close to 1000 receptions doesn't surprise me either. Another great professional I've been fortunate enough to work with and I'm sure he'll achieve the milestone soon. Another sure thing for the HoF if you ask me.

The GM market looks like it's going to get hot again in the off-season but you can rule me out of both of the big jobs on offer. I'm very happy where I am thank you very much. Rapid City does look like a great spot for a GM to land but Seattle is a job I'd recommend people stay well clear of. That team is in need of some major surgery but with an owner expecting success right now you're just not going to get the time and space you need to do it.

I've heard a lot of comments from other GMs regarding the Barger situation and I just have to shake my head at what I hear. The whole thing and the response to it confuses me. I thought wives always wanted their husbands to get on well with the mother in-law...

3. If you could will your team into fixing or improving one thing, what would it be?

Penalties is probably the one thing I would will us into fixing. It's not something we can fix without impacting on the way we play but if I could get the team to cut out some of the more frustrating ones it would be a big help.

4. You going to win this week?

I certainly hope so. Long Beach need this win to stay in the hunt for the division and a loss could really hurt their playoff hopes so we know they'll be coming in fully motivated and fighting hard to remain relevant. Revenge for our victory at their home will probably be a big motivator for them as well. We need to remain focused and be prepared for a battle this week but if we can do that and add to our winning streak it'll be a big step towards the playoffs for us.
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Coach, I'm sure I don't need to mention how big this game is for us this week. Annoying to possibly have TJ missing but at least we have Smoke back this week. Looking over the video of the last game against them, we won that on turnovers but Hudgins was getting hit too often. We have 3 very good receiving TEs and a great blocking one in Rojas so is it worth using some 2 TE sets a little more this week to add some protection?

[Talon]

 

It is not a bad idea, it takes some of our explosiveness away in the pass game, but it gives us the protection and time we need, hopefully.

[GM Dazz]

We weren't able to be particularly explosive in the passing game last time we played them anyway so the extra protection feels like the way to go. Thanks Coach.

Strategy changes:
Increase use of two TE sets (at the discretion of the coaches)
If TJ Edwards is unavailable -
4-3
CB1 - Finnegan
CB2 - P Johnson

Nickel
CB1 - P Johnson
CB2 - Camp
Nickel - Finnegan

lock in

[GM Dazz]

SEASON 15 - WEEK 14

1. What stood out to you about your team this week?

We were going to lose a game eventually but we should all take a lot of confidence from the 10 game streak we put together. What's important now is how we bounce back from this next week and the week after and so on. It was another close game against a rival who are very similar to us in a lot of ways. The games this year against Long Beach have come down to a single moment and the interception was unfortunately that moment this week. There was still a lot to take from that game, such as Crawford's contribution as a receiver or another very good game from Hudgins, and our other rivals also dropped games this week so we're still in a great position. It's disappointing we couldn't clinch the division this week, which I believe a win would have done for us, but it's still entirely in our hands.

2. Discuss any news that interested you. (Cover your news first; then move on)

A lot of people seem to be talking about the Daley concussion news as if it's new this week but it's an issue we've all been aware about for weeks. I don't understand why he was still being thrown onto the field when he clearly needed to be looked after. Players will always tell you they want to play but as a GM it is your responsibility to do what is best for the team and for the players themselves even if they don't like it. I believe it was GM Lucas who made the Bloom comparison and I think he's right. I don't get why Oakland were risking him when their playoff hopes are already long gone. There's a real danger that an extremely talented QB may have had his career cut short and it's all the more confusing when Wright has had a fantastic season backing him up.

3. 3 Weeks to go, do you make changes or are you ready to roll with what brought you to the dance?

We have 3 very difficult games between us and the end of the season and we need to try to rebuild some momentum to finish things out. If that needs us to make a few tweaks to things here and there we'll do that but no major adjustments should be expected. Vancouver went all in at the trade deadline and it seemed to throw them off a bit to begin with but it looks like things are starting to click at the right time for them so it's going to be a tough one this week. I'm confident we can set things right after this loss and I believe a win would secure a playoff spot so we've certainly got the motivation to get the win. If we can put a dent in their playoff hopes at the same time then that's a bonus because a team with the talent they have is always going to be dangerous when it's win or go home time.
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Well that could have gone better. i expect it would have with TJ fit but it is what it is. I'm glad to have him back for this one. The two TE thing didn't really work this week so I think we scrap that for the rest of the season. No need to panic after one loss so let's go back to what was working so well for 10 weeks and trust in the lads to get it done.

Strategy changes:
Reduce use of 2 TE formations to normal.
With TJ Edwards back, reverse the prior week's CB depth chart changes.

Lock in

[GM Dazz]

SEASON 15 - WEEK 15

1. What stood out to you about your team this week?

The will to win is strong with this group of players. We didn't play at our best against a ridiculously talented Vancouver team but we were able to put ourselves in a position to win it and the lads made plays when it mattered. Hudgins probably had one of his worst statistical games and yet was able to pull off a 80 yard TD pass when the pressure must have been immense. Smoke doesn't get the recognition he deserves but he has been a huge part of recent victories for us so I was pleased to see him get the TD in the final 5 seconds to take us to overtime. And of course I have to praise the special teams unit for the blocked punt that saw us score the winning TD in overtime. It wasn't pretty at times this week but this group keeps doing what they need to to win games.

2. Discuss any news that interested you.

The main aim of any regular season is to make the playoffs and we've achieved that with 2 games to go. It's taken a huge effort from everyone involved in this team to do that in the toughest division and I'm immensely proud of all of them. We can't sit back and congratulate ourselves though, there's still work to do and the hardest part to come.

A player going to play in another league while under contract in the HIFL simply can't happen. It's a clear breach of contract and there must be consequences for it. I think the HIFLPA and the player's agent have questions they should be coming out and answering and it's somewhat concerning that both have so far been silent on the matter. All eyes of course will be on Music City but I personally think this is an issue the league office needs to step in and sort out directly. If not then it's open season on signing whoever you want to play for you whenever you want. I've avoided signing players with contracts in the PFL as I've always respected their contracts but it looks like I'm free to sign anyone without even speaking to their teams. A couple of players that could improve a playoff run suddenly seem to be available. I guess it even opens up the possibility of bringing in players from teams that miss the playoffs in the HIFL. Maybe I'll borrow Ortega or Wilkinson during their bye weeks next season.

3a. What makes your team more deserving of a playoff spot that the other teams competing against you?

Because we won more games than them. That's how it works, right? We still have 2 games left and a shot at the #1 seed in the West. I heard Cory talking about having the best record in the league but it seems he forgot about us so that's motivation to keep pushing I guess. We have some injuries at the wrong time though so we're going to have to think about whether it's better for our chances in the playoffs if we rest guys to have them fully fit when it matters most. That's a conversation I need to have with the Coaches but it's great to be in a position where we can have those conversations at this point.
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Coach, well done on getting that win and securing our playoff spot. Your whole coaching team deserves a lot of praise for that considering where we've come from in these 2 seasons. I would love to get that Best in the West title in these next 2 weeks but at this point we need to start thinking playoffs rather than regular season. We have a few important players with niggling injuries this week and I'm leaning towards giving them a rest to make sure they're fully ready. It would also give us a look at a couple of the lads pushing for a starting spot for next season. That said I've always been a believer in taking momentum into the playoffs... though I've tried that every season and have a horrible playoff record anyway. Which do you think is more important: going all out to win these final 2 games or making sure we get healthy for the playoffs? I'm not talking about massive changes or playing backups in these games but specifically resting the lads who are questionable/probable and the like on the injury report.

[Talon]

 

I think having the bye-week to get right into the divisional round is important and establishes dominance; we want that title.

[GM Dazz]

Let's keep pushing then. I think we match up pretty well against Salt Lake but they've been tough to beat all season so I'm sure you'll ensure the lads don't look past them. Cheers Coach.

Lock in

[GM Dazz]

SEASON 15 - WEEK 16

1. What stood out to you about your team this week?

This week felt much more familiar than recent weeks have. We were able to ride the run to an early lead and then managed the rest of the game nicely. The late fumble on our own goal line made things more nervy than they needed to be but we saw it out well in the end. Salt Lake deserve a lot of credit for the way they fought back though.

2. Who has to step up this weekend in your eyes?

It's not that anybody in particular needs to step up, I would just like to see the defence that dominated the first half of the season to come back. They're still making big plays when we need them to but I know they can perform better because I saw them do it across the first 10 weeks. If we can stifle teams like we were earlier in the year then our chances in the playoffs greatly improve.

3. What does this final week of the season mean for you and your team?

A chance to cement ourselves as the best team in the conference and to win that bye week and home field advantage. We need Lincoln to do us a favour as well but we need to do our job first and that's going to take maximum effort against a very good Pearl Harbor team out for revenge. It should be a good one.
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Coach, congratulations on clinching the division. I thought I should say that now because our full attention needs to be on the playoffs once this next game is done. I don't quite get the tie breakers in this league but let's go do our bit and get this last win.

Lock in

[GM Dazz]

SEASON 15 - WEEK 17

PLAYOFF TEAMS

1. Talk about the final week of the regular season and this week's match up.

We're playing a game we shouldn't be playing and we have nobody else to blame for it. Those are my thoughts on last week. But, the regular season is about getting to the playoffs and now we need to focus entirely on what's in front of us. There are no bad teams when you get to the playoffs, well in the Western Conference at least, so you need to be playing at your best to advance. That's doubly true against a team like Lincoln. Evans has done a great job building a well balanced team with great talent at every part of the field and his Prove it Pride mantra seems to have galvanised the team. They also have one of these dual threat QBs who is actually as good a passer as he is a runner so you can't go all out to stop the run like you can against other rushing QBs so it's a tough one to scheme for. That said, we also have great talent all over the field and a team that can beat you in multiple different ways so I really do think it'll come down to desire, effort and heart at the end of the day. Should be a great game for the neutral.

2. What will it take for this team to win the Impact Bowl?

To win the next game and keep doing that until the games run out. It sounds flippant but what I mean is that we can't afford to start looking at the Impact Bowl and lose focus on the game in front of us. We'll take this one game at a time and give maximum effort to each. If we can recapture the form from our 10 game streak we'll give ourselves a great shot at playing again next week.
------

Harley, could I see Coach Hall first please?
------

Over 170 yards for Simon and 5/6 for Dodds isn't good enough from our perspective. We need to be better against the pass if we're going to achieve anything in these playoffs. For me, TJ and Johnson in particular have been disappointing while Finnegan has impressed and Camp has looked good in his limited opportunities. You're the specialist in the secondary so I value your opinion. I'm tempted to make the following changes to our CBs:

4-3
CB1 - Finnegan
CB2 - TJ

Nickel and Dime
CB1 - TJ
CB2 - Camp
Nickel - Finnegan
Dime - Johnson

Before I commit though I'd like your view on that and a quick rundown of Camp's main attributes.

[Talon]

Camp is a poor man's Finnegan as far as style goes.  He's strong and physical, second only to Finny in our CB room in those departments; he's actually our best tackler but he has the lowest graded hands and is the slowest other than old-man Paulson.  Granted his speed isn't so slow that he can't play; he's just not the guy to match up with a speedster unless he can jam him off the line and just disrupt his routes.

We can shuffle our corners in any configuration and they should play well; all four are starter quality and all four are putting the team first. Johnson's our lowest graded tackler by far and at only 5'11 he's undersized but his speed and hands make him a potential INT/pick-six threat.

[GM Dazz]

That's really useful information, thank you. I am going to make some changes but they'll probably be slightly different to what I suggested. I'll give it some thought and let you know in the lock in sheet. All 4 will likely get significant playing time so make sure they're all ready. Cheers Coach.
-------

Harley, could I see Coach Dos Santos please?
-------

Sorry to keep you waiting but I really felt the secondary needed urgent attention after the past couple of performances. Looking at Lincoln they're a very good running team thanks to the contributions of their QB. I think we have the players to deal with it but I was wondering if it might be worth adding some beef to the d-line. I'm thinking of something like using Kessler and Clark at DT in our nickel package to help clog up the line when we're a LB short. On a related note, is it worth sticking with our rotation to keep the DEs fresh deep into the game or at this point should we be going with the best players on every play?

[Talon]

 

I think the rotation still keeps our best at their best later in the game.

[GM Dazz]

We'll stick with it then. I think we should stick with the normal lads on the line now I think about it as well. I don't want to change too much going into the playoffs when we've had such a good season. I don't really think there's much else to discuss here. Lincoln are good across the board so no point trying to scheme for any particular strength or weakness. Let's just play better than they do. I'll follow you down to speak with the lads. I'll keep it brief. Cheers Coach.
---------

Alright lads. I know you're all disappointed to be here playing in this game when we should be enjoying this round on the TV as we rest for the bye week but that's just the way it is. The thing is, all great teams have had to come through adversity before they could be great and it's how you respond to those moments that decides if you're really destined for greatness. I look around at the lads gathered here and I'm sure I see it in you. People will tell you that the regular season doesn't matter... i told the media that just this week... but of course it matters. It matters that you lads put together a 10 week winning streak that had the media and other GMs calling you unbeatable. It matters that you fought through the toughest division to finish with the best record in the league when the others who claim that title... Winnipeg, Orlando and Tucson... had Cancun, Kansas, Dallas, San Antonio or Vegas to beat up on twice this season. It matters that we topped the only division where all teams had a winning record... a division with 3 playoff teams... by a 2 game margin. And it matters that even when we weren't at our best we found ways to win anyway. All of that matters because it shows that what we've achieved is hard earned and that we have the talent, the fight and the will to win that can carry a team to the top. I believe in all of you and you should bloody well believe in yourselves. We've already done things the hard way this season so it shouldn't be a problem doing it the hard way through these playoffs. So go out there this week, give it your all and if you can't be at your best for whatever reason... find a way to win anyway. Go get 'em lads!
-------

Strategy changes:
4-3
CB1 - Finnegan
CB2 - Edwards

Nickel
CB1 - Finnegan
CB2 - Edwards
Nickel - Camp

Dime
CB1 - Edwards
CB2 - Johnson
Nickel - Finnegan
Dime - Camp

Lock in

[GM Dazz]

SEASON 15 - WILDCARD WEEKEND

WINNING TEAMS

1. Talk about your wildcard game, how does it feel to advance to the Divisional round?

First off, Lincoln played a great game and I was almost writing my answers to the questions for the opposite press conference before the end. If that's Ervin Edward's final game the league is losing a great player but you can't say he didn't give his all to extend that career at least 1 more game. I can certainly understand how they're feeling at this point... I've been there too often myself. It's always painful to get to the playoffs only to find yourselves going home after the first game. Fortunately for us Smitty Smoke had a moment of magic in him in the dying seconds and we live to fight another day. I spoke to the players about finding a way to win even if things weren't going our way and they did just that. We could have played better and perhaps should have been further ahead earlier but at this stage of the season it doesn't matter how you win, only that you do. We haven't really got time to celebrate or particularly take stock of what's happened. Focus now shifts entirely on the next game.

2. What is the key to advancing to the Conference Championship?

Finding a way to win, however we have to. That's been the way all season and that's how we'll keep approaching these games. Winnipeg are the defending champs and they've once again been one of the teams to beat this season. We've probably been the other in the Western Conference. I know Tucson earned the number 1 seed but I still think we were the two best teams and that this is the game everyone has been waiting to see. We were neck and neck all season and now finally we're going to find out which team really was the best. I'm excited to see it and I'm just pleased it's our fans who get to watch it in person. That surprised me but I'm certainly not going to complain about having this one at home. We'll need the fans to get behind the team and make things loud in there when they have the ball. They can really make all the difference for us.
-------

Congrats again, Coach. It was a nail biter but we pulled it off in the end. Now it's probably the toughest game of our season so far. I thought we looked a lot better against the pass this week but we allowed Lincoln far too many yards rushing and we can't afford to let that happen again this week. Looking at the box score, I can't quite understand how Lincoln did it. I think we had something like 10 TFLs last week, the LBs contributed 8 between them and Charlton had 5 tackles on the game. I don't think Winnipeg are usually quite so effective on the ground, though they tore through a very good Long Beach d-line, and I don't want to focus too much on the run considering how good their QB is. So, is it worth making a personnel change at DT in our 4-3 to add some size in the run situations? How has Kessler developed on the practice field? Is this a game to use Clark to get some penetration up the middle? Am I tinkering too much?

[Talon]

 

Its hard.. you want to tinker, but no matter what we do, if it doesnt work we'll regret not doing the other thing.  We're 12-4.  We've been doing it right most of the year, I say we trust our players to do the job.

[GM Dazz]

Let's leave things alone then and let the players do what they do. No need to over-complicate this. We looked better against the pass so we'll stick with this grouping at CB as well this week. I'll come down again and help GM Cory do our motivating for us.
------

Right lads, first things first. I asked you to find a way if things were going against us and in the final moments Smitty did just that with that catch, spin and burst to the end zone. This is for you...

GM Dazz hands a ball, presumably the game ball, to Smitty Smoke before giving him a brief moment of applause

CC, don't think I forgot about your contribution this week. Outstanding again on the ground and fantastic as a receiver as well. You really carried this team on your back for most of the game and I'm sure your teammates are all grateful to you for your efforts.

Pause for applause

Now we turn our focus to Winnipeg... the game we've all been waiting for. Except, I'm not sure if you heard, GM Cory doesn't think you should be here. He called you overachievers. Said you've only made it this far through luck. He thinks staying healthy is the only advantage we've had. I say it's all bullshit. I say we're here because we bloody well deserve to be. I say we're the best team in the Western Conference and we should make sure Cory eats his words and has to scramble about for excuses as he explains why his team got knocked out by a group he thinks are only good compared to his greatness. I say we go out there and fight with all we have, find a way to win if we have to and book our place in the Conference Final!

Lock in

[GM Dazz]

LOSING TEAMS

1. Talk about the game this week.  What went right and what ultimately went wrong?

I said we'd find out who the best team was and it turned out it wasn't us. It's incredibly disappointing because we absolutely were better in most areas but we just couldn't stop the run. If you allow 100 yards on the ground you'll struggle to win any game. Over 200 and you need a miracle. Over 200 two games in a row is impossible. It's unacceptable really. We've had a really positive season but for it to end like this leaves me feeling sick to my stomach and I'm sure the coaches and players all feel the same. We didn't play as well as we can in this one and we're all going to have to look ourselves in the mirror and ask if we did enough. For a few of us that answer won't be pretty. We're going to look back on this as a chance missed but it should drive us on to be even better next season.

2. When you look back on this season, where do you think you missed the move that sends you to the Conference championship game?

I don't have to look back that far. I recognised that defending the run better against Winnipeg would be important but did nothing about it. That's a decision that's going to keep me up at night for some time to come.

3. Who was your best player this season?

Usually I hate answering these questions and singling anybody out but I think Crawford was clearly one of the top offensive players in the league this year. He'd be our MVP for the season but plenty of the other lads deserve recognition. Hudgins really improved as the season progressed, Smoke finished the season really strongly, Wright is once again one of the top defenders in the league and The Cotter has been excellent since joining. The great thing is that all of our core players are due back next season.

4. Grade the job you did this season as well as that of your coaching staff.

Regular season is As all around, though obviously expectation will be higher next year. We weren't entirely sure what we had to start the season. We knew we'd be good but in the end we were great. The Coaches deserve huge credit for that. Postseason I would grade myself a C. I didn't make the changes needed and my speeches probably didn't help. I would grade myself lower but we did get that elusive playoff win this year. It's just hugely disappointing it was only 1 and I put that on me.

5. What is next for you and this club?

We get as far away from football as we can until the playoffs are over then come back refreshed for another push for an Impact Bowl. I doubt I'll even watch the rest of the games. I'll probably be out on the waves instead. Next season we're well placed to go again. We only have a couple of slots in the starting lineup to fill so the recruitment can be entirely focused on upgrades rather than trying to have a team we can squeeze under cap. A lot of the playoff teams this year put themselves in serious financial trouble chasing a title but we budgeted sensibly so we're looking strong already.

[Talon]

 

...A tough pill to swallow.

[GM Dazz]

Very. You were right though, whichever choice you make if it doesn't work out you regret not making the other one. At least we know where we need to strengthen next year. I'll let you go decompress while I speak to Mr Irwin. I'm then going to find a stiff drink or 6. If I don't catch you and the rest of the coaching staff in one of the Sydney bars I'll see you when we get back to work. Cheers Coach.
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Harley, does the big boss want to see me?

[Talon]

Oh Mista' D! I'm so sorry the season ended earlier than we planned, if you need me you know where to find me, hun!








Oi Mate!  Crackin' season, don't let the end cloud the beauty of a year we had!  Tough as woodpecker lips on defense, as cunning as a wild honey badger stalkin' its prey!   I'm loving what you've built mate, believe me!

[GM Dazz]

Thank you, Mr Irwin. I hate losing, particularly when I thought it was ours to lose this year, but we'll learn from this and come back stronger. I've got an eye on a few moves we can make to improve things. At the end of the day, though, if you're happy with where the team is going then I'm happy. That's my job after all. If you don't need me for anything else then I'd like to politely ask if I can be excused to find somewhere to sink a few drinks and forget this last game for a while.

[Talon]

OI!!! You go on then!

[GM Dazz]

Thank you. Have a good one.
------

Harley, don't suppose you know a good place around here to go drown some sorrows do you?

Lock in

[Talon]

Mista' D!!! Welcome back!!  Oh I'm so glad to see you back in the building, it gets so lonely here all by myself during the off-season break!  So anyways!

I currently have us with $46.5MM in available salary cap and $1.5MM in Bonus funds for S16.  Our bonus may flex depending on how you decide to handle our coaching staff.

I have us with 18 open roster positions at this time. 

I have our draft picks as follows for S16:

1st - LB
2nd - SYD
6th - SYD
7th - SYD

We have all of our own draft picks for S17; and all of our own picks for S18.

We currently owe $1.36MM in taxes payable from our off-season bonus fund or deferable until S16's bonus fund.

Our available off-season bonus money currently is: $4.5MM ($4.5MM from your GM Contract + $0 from your S15 budget rollover).

I have our off-season team sheet copy here. Feel free to edit/use it if you would like.  If you have questions or disagree with my notes please let me know and we will get to the bottom of it!

[GM Dazz]

Thank you. You do know you're allowed time off as well during the break, right?  Because of the way the tax impacts our off-season funds I'll likely be able to pay for your vacation again this year. It's the least you deserve for the work you put in. Before that though, could I speak to Coach Dos Santos please?
-------

Coach, I think we'd better talk about your staff considering the changes in the way this works now. I have a pretty clear idea of how I want things set up but I'm interested in what sort of specialism you'll be looking for from your assistant.

[Talon]

Well, losing Coach Kidwell puts a damper on things, but there are still other really good offensive minds out there we can pursue and try to keep our offense similar to what we had...

My biggest focus will be adding discipline to the staff to try to balance our our penalty issues and mental mistakes. I'd like to retain Coach Hall and then obviously find our next OC.

[GM Dazz]

Losing Kidwell is a blow, I agree. From what I understand, though I generally let him run things his way, is that we were playing out of a shotgun base but obviously running more often than passing. Similar to the kind of thing Peter Jingle plays if I understand right. I'm not saying go hire Jingle, I'll leave that decision to you. I want someone who can run our offence without needing too much input from you though. I agree with you on Coach Hall and with that in mind I'd suggest something like this for the other coaching positions:

Assistant HC- up to you
Strength and conditioning -  best we can get
Quality Control -  best we can get
Special teams -  we have really good players in this area so I think we can afford to get a promising young coach for this.

OC - as we discussed
QB -  I think we can get a dynamic young coach here. If Smoak retires he might be the man, for example.
RB - we have experienced guys with elite talent so a dynamic young coach should be fine.
O-line - no lower than intermediate here. We have experience and top talent here but we're also going to have a couple of youngsters so we will need someone who can help you develop them as a unit
WR/TE - depends on the OC but I think there's more to come from our group so I'd go no lower than intermediate.

DC - Hall
Run d - best we can get. This area cost us in the playoffs and I want it worked on
Pass rush - I trust you here so I'm comfortable going for a promising young coach
LB - same as above. We have an experienced group so I'm comfortable with you developing a young coach for this role
Secondary - Coach Hall's specialism but we have players I think can develop further. No higher than intermediate for this role though.

If I have forgotten anyone then I leave that to your judgement. I'm looking to set a budget of $15m for this but we have some room for manoeuvre. Do you agree or are there any adjustments you want to make? Is that enough money and how do you need me to split the budget?

[Talon]

 

My math was right at $8.5MM on offense and $7.5MM on defense for a total of $16MM, but I can work with $15 if that is where you want to be.

[GM Dazz]

I can add in an extra $1m if it gets us the staff that meets the criteria we're looking for. I'll get the numbers filed with the league office. You're happy with the breakdown I've set out?

[Talon]

 

I am; Lets do it.