FOF4 1.04c - Lake Erie Monsters

[QuikSand]

Lake Erie Monsters – a FOF4 post-patch career

I’m playing FOF4 again, this time with a very abbreviated set of house rules and hopes that the latest rounds of enhancement will have made this game a bit tougher overall. I will follow my favorite restrictions—no renegotiating, no contract extensions, and no unrealistic FA offers. I also do not expect to make any trades in this career – but I don’t know how rigid to be about that yet.

I’m starting out in my fictionalized football league (with relocated and renamed franchises) with a one-player universe, and sim the first season without any care at all. My scout-filled team actually goes 10-6, and we might have a few of those guys to consider for next season, when my team really starts in earnest.

On with the show.

[QuikSand]

2003

I make an effort to lure away the title-winning coach Wes Carbajal, but he takes less money to stay with Memphis. I end up coming to terms with 36 year old Bucky Gardner – he is solid all around, and a decent play caller. We should be okay for a while under him, I suspect. I stick with our initial scout, as the pickings are very slim in the open market.

Free agency is a non-event, with no older players seeking a new team. I will focus on the rookie crop for my new player additions, and then fill in as needed with undrafted rookies and perhaps some holdovers from our initial squad.


We have pick #26 in the draft, so I don’t expect a shocking talent for us – I will go with best player available, with an eye toward the obvious things that may have changed in the game from the patch.

When our first pick comes up, most of the titanic defensive front men are gone, and I’m considering several candidates. WR Ike Dodge looks very solid, but I don’t know that it’s the position I’d want to start off with. I like LB Donnie Hopkins, but his liability in pass coverage has me gun shy. I wouldn’t mind starting off with a QB, but I don’t see “the guy” in this lot. Unable to decide here, I make a trade – I send my #1 pick to Norfolk to get their #2, #3, and #6 picks in this draft, which should help us with quantity, if not top-level quality.

I go defense with my two early picks, and fill in after that. My initial impression is that there seem to be a lot fewer standout player in the draft – but this may be a function of my eyes being “trained” for the pre-patch giveaways.


Amateur Draft Report:

Rnd 2 - Sedrick Shea, OLB, Southern Mississippi
Rnd 2 - Steve Hamilton, CB, California
Rnd 3 - Jose Johnson, QB, Arizona State
Rnd 3 - Dominic Nichols, WR, Arkansas
Rnd 4 - Jeremy Joyner, CB, Pittsburgh
Rnd 5 - Kevin Specter, DT, Rutgers
Rnd 6 - Anthony Quick, RB, North Carolina
Rnd 6 - Bryant Fox, WR, Houston
Rnd 7 - Austin Lochner, DT, Georgia Tech


For the first time in quite some time, I have practically no idea what to expect from my rookie class. They look crappy to me – but I don’t yet have any good frame of reference.

I don’t really think that Jose Johnson is the answer at QB – but he merits a decent pick here on is current ability, and we’ll watch closely to see how he progresses (or doesn’t). I do like the two young corners we get here – both are well-suited to the man-up coverage that we’ll likely be running.

I fill in the rest of the roster with undrafted rookies, deciding against using the players carried over from our initial season. I’d rather go with guys I selected myself.



ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
ake Erie Monsters Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct OnTeam
ohnson, Jose 2 QB 1 13 49 4 yrs. 2003
treck, Dean 7 QB 1 7 38 1 yr. 2003
oontz, Leon 19 QB 1 6 34 1 yr. 2003
estbrook, Jorge 25 RB 1 22 26 1 yr. 2003
ixon, Tito 47 RB 1 24 29 1 yr. 2003
eber, T.J. 35 RB 1 22 27 1 yr. 2003
uick, Anthony 33 RB 1 22 30 2 yrs. 2003
lair, Gabe 20 FB 1 23 36 1 yr. 2003
illiams, Neil 28 FB 1 19 36 1 yr. 2003
udgett, Jack 81 TE 1 18 32 1 yr. 2003
aines, Dexter 89 TE 1 13 36 1 yr. 2003
adrinab, Corwin 82 FL 1 22 31 1 yr. 2003
ox, Bryant 88 SE 1 15 35 3 yrs. 2003
ordstrom, Larry 83 SE 1 18 32 1 yr. 2003
arkin, Bucky 80 SE 1 15 31 1 yr. 2003
ichols, Dominic 85 SE 1 22 38 4 yrs. 2003
oultrie, Mercury 87 SE 1 19 37 1 yr. 2003
ipp, Ross 64 LT 1 17 34 1 yr. 2003
arlson, Rico 61 LG 1 14 36 1 yr. 2003
arone, Alfred 60 LG 1 16 32 1 yr. 2003
opeland, Craig 65 C 1 16 37 1 yr. 2003
rnswaldt, Donkey 51 C 1 20 32 1 yr. 2003
arris, Gene 72 RG 1 17 30 1 yr. 2003
yers, Brenden 66 RT 1 9 26 1 yr. 2003
ammer, Vince 63 RT 1 9 24 1 yr. 2003
acAllister, Winfred 3 P 1 61 62 1 yr. 2003
urner, Harry 9 K 1 26 63 1 yr. 2003
tanton, Spencer 71 LDE 1 20 32 1 yr. 2003
hoden, Robbie 62 LDE 1 23 37 1 yr. 2003
lements, Jumbo 57 LDT 1 22 36 1 yr. 2003
pecter, Kevin 97 RDT 1 18 46 2 yrs. 2003
urlington, Kenyon 95 RDT 1 10 34 1 yr. 2003
urnett, Edwin 76 RDE 1 12 30 1 yr. 2003
oppe, Junior 77 RDE 1 16 29 1 yr. 2003
ochner, Austin 91 RDE 1 26 38 3 yrs. 2003
hea, Sedrick 96 SLB 1 24 49 4 yrs. 2003
onilla, Jackie 68 SLB 1 16 22 1 yr. 2003
oland, Ty 54 MLB 1 16 30 1 yr. 2003
iel, Jamie 53 MLB 1 17 30 1 yr. 2003
odge, Brett 45 WLB 1 17 32 1 yr. 2003
illner, Dan 50 WLB 1 18 32 1 yr. 2003
orton, Alan 23 LCB 1 19 30 1 yr. 2003
arris, Don 41 LCB 1 11 28 1 yr. 2003
amilton, Steve 22 RCB 1 22 42 4 yrs. 2003
oyner, Jeremy 42 RCB 1 18 33 3 yrs. 2003
ahovlich, Moe 27 SS 1 16 34 1 yr. 2003
arrish, Antonio 32 SS 1 21 32 1 yr. 2003
anning, Donald 44 FS 1 19 35 1 yr. 2003

$ - player is in starting lineup, ## - player is inactive.

layers Under Contract: 48
n Active Roster: 48

alary Cap: $75,500,000
ap Room: $61,530,000
aximum for New Player: $61,530,000
ap Room Lost (to old contracts): $280,000

ap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $280,000
ap Room Required Next Year: $5,640,000


**sigh** it appears that the “truncated first character” problem with printing to a text file was either unsolved by the patch, or is a function of Windows XT rather than FOF4. Alas, I was hoping this would be better, as this really undermines my ability to detail my dynasty report here.



We have a pretty predictable “growing pains” type of season – getting a few wins along the way, but generally pretty weak. The league is growing itself, but we took a step back by filling up completely with rookies. Too soon to make many judgments.


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
003 Summary for Lake Erie Monsters

ecord: 4-12
inning Pct.: .250

ake Erie Monsters Team Rank
ushes 346 31
ushing Yards 1462 29
ards Per Carry 4.22 14
ass Attempts 590 5 (T)
ompletions 321 16 (T)
assing Yards 2738 26
ards Per Attempt 4.64 32
rd Down Conversions 29.8 30
oints Per Game 11.3 31 (T)
urnovers 33 17 (T)
urnover Margin -3 21 (T)

pponents Team Rank
ushes 521 32
ushing Yards 2111 29
ards Per Carry 4.05 17
ass Attempts 518 7
ompletions 322 16 (T)
assing Yards 3226 23 (T)
ards Per Attempt 6.22 29
rd Down Conversions 35.0 26
oints Per Game 18.6 25
urnovers 30 19 (T)

eek Team Versus Oppnt
6 WHE 14
21 at SAC 24
10 at FKX 17
6 at CHY 23
22 NV 14
13 TIJ 16
21 at TUL 44
8 OCY 3
0 6 at WHE 10
1 0 at LVL 20
2 3 MEM 21
3 9 NIA 6
4 27 at PS 44
5 20 at OCY 10
6 3 DVY 20
7 7 LVL 13

assing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
Johnson QB 580 319 2712 4.67 6 27
*Team --- 590 321 2738 4.64 6 27

ushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
3 Quick RB 181 720 3.97 2
5 Westbrook RB 81 460 5.67 3
Johnson QB 64 237 3.70 1
*Team --- 346 1462 4.22 8

eceiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
8 Fox WR 113 58 672 11.5 80 1
1 Mudgett TE 84 47 352 7.4 96 1
5 Nichols WR 78 34 360 10.5 25 2
3 Nordstrom WR 68 35 372 10.6 31 1
2 Gadrinab WR 66 35 373 10.6 41 1
3 Quick RB 50 29 179 6.1 49 0
0 Blair FB 42 29 165 5.6 50 0
5 Westbrook RB 36 21 71 3.3 15 0
9 Gaines TE 30 18 130 7.2 29 0
8 Williams FB 18 12 56 4.6 9 0
*Team --- 590 321 2738 8.5 425 6

efense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
2 Parrish S 89 31 8.0 5 1 3
4 Foland ILB 71 25 0.0 0 1 2
2 Hamilton CB 61 17 4.0 1 3 5
3 Giel ILB 59 10 0.0 0 0 3
2 Joyner CB 53 17 3.5 3 4 4
6 Shea OLB 52 29 0.0 0 1 5
4 Manning S 52 25 1.0 2 4 3
7 Clements DT 50 23 2.0 3 0 0
7 Specter DT 49 21 3.5 2 0 0
1 Harris CB 47 14 1.0 0 3 5
0 Millner OLB 46 20 1.0 0 1 3
8 Bonilla OLB 43 14 0.0 0 0 1
1 Lochner DE 34 22 5.5 13 0 0
1 Stanton DE 29 8 3.0 1 0 0
5 Turlington DT 29 12 0.0 1 0 0
7 Mahovlich S 29 13 2.5 2 0 2
7 Hoppe DE 21 4 2.5 3 0 0
2 Rhoden DE 18 9 5.5 3 0 1
3 Horton CB 18 10 0.0 0 1 3
*Team --- 951 325 43.0 39 19 40



There are a few things noteworthy about this unusual season. First, our QB had a completely disastrous effort, worse than I’m used to seeing, even for a rookie. A 6/27 ratio is upside down in the worst way, I’d say. We did pass a lot – but that’s pretty rough. We’ll need to work on the line for certain, but maybe Johnson needs a close look as well.

On defense – undrafted safety Antonio Parrish was billed as a big hitter, and he certainly delivered. 89 tackles, okay, but 8 sacks?!? Wow. I may have to revisit my defensive settings – I don’t know whether that is a good or bad thing, really.


The good news ahead is that we’ll have one of the top three picks in next year’s rookie draft! Woo hoo!


Front Office Football: The Fourth Edition
2003 Awards List

Award Player Team
#Player of the Year Bruce Dixon FTW
#Front Office Bowl MVP Lionel Meagher KYH
oach of the Year Not Yet Awarded
egend of the Game Not Yet Awarded
#Offensive Player of the Year Darnell Farmer LVL
#Defensive Player of the Year Kurt Lyons ATH
#Offensive Rookie of the Year Darnell Farmer LVL
#Defensive Rookie of the Year Everett Rhoads OCY
#All-League First-String Quarterback Terrance Hopper YPS
#All-League First-String Running Back Darnell Farmer LVL
#All-League First-String Fullback Leonard Knight WHE
#All-League First-String Tight End Glenn Patterson LVL
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Lionel Meagher KYH
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Todd Morton YPS
#All-League First-String Center Shane Brown PS
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Deron Ward SAC
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Rod James TXA
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle James Matteson DVY
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Emmitt Henson WHE
#All-League First-String Punter Moe Henson MAN
#All-League First-String Kicker Brian Rolle LVL
#All-League First-String Defensive End Ryan Catlett YPS
#All-League First-String Defensive End Irv Flynn PEN
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Alonzo Milne MAN
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Rodney Kinney TIJ
#All-League First-String Inside Linebacker Mitchell Romanos HWK
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Kurt Lyons ATH
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Everett Rhoads OCY
*All-League First-String Cornerback Steve Hamilton LKE
#All-League First-String Cornerback Edwin Bennett LVL
*All-League First-String Safety Antonio Parrish LKE
#All-League First-String Safety Butch Ursini SAC
#All-League Second-String Quarterback Vinny Garrison NIA
#All-League Second-String Running Back Mike Jennings TXA
#All-League Second-String Fullback Benjamin Kiselak TUL
#All-League Second-String Tight End Kenny Gohl KW
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Pete White YPS
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Dana Maurer NIA
#All-League Second-String Center Patrick Magallanes NOR
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Alex Stevens FKX
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Stephen Nachman MAZ
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Kendrick Colclough MAN
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Dale Newton NOR
*All-League Second-String Punter Winfred MacAllister LKE
#All-League Second-String Kicker Mitchell Drake MAN
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Sedrick Dorsch PRV
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Dexter Wallace KYH
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Harvey Lorz CHY
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Darren May SSM
#All-League Second-String Inside Linebacker Willie Uffins PS
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Edgar Collins LTR
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Deon Clements WHE
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Donnie Mark TB
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Robert Rogers NIA
#All-League Second-String Safety Lewis Hudson PS
#All-League Second-String Safety Don Branch NIA

[cthomer5000]

QS, you get my vote for oach of the year

[QuikSand]

uck you, Corey.

[DolphinFan1]

Originally posted by QuikSand
2003


**sigh** it appears that the “truncated first character” problem with printing to a text file was either unsolved by the patch, or is a function of Windows XT rather than FOF4. Alas, I was hoping this would be better, as this really undermines my ability to detail my dynasty report here.

[/code]

QuikSand, I didn't have a problem with this before the patch. I haven't tried post patch yet. I am running Windows 98SE so maybe it is XT rather than the game itself. Just an idea.

[sachmo71]

I just printed a roster to a file, and opened it in notepad. All characters are there. Looks like it's XP?

Anyway, nice to see that breakout rookies are hard to identify again (for now!!)

[Bee]

I have XP and don't have the problem.

[QuikSand]

2004

I start the season by luring away a successful scout, Nick Arnold. He ought to provide a serious upgrade for us – he’s rated “good” with young players, which is the best among the scouts available. He is particularly good with linebackers and quarterbacks – not a bad pairing overall.


We again zip through the free agency period, and get to the draft. I’m excited about the prospects of our pick at #2 overall – I am hoping to get a defensive impact player here. However, I have to confess – RB Spencer Bauer might be good enough to lure me off that plan, and to get me to reconfigure the offense entirely. He looks that good. If he goes at #1, which I would expect, then I might trade down a bit – there are a number of solid players here, and I couldn’t miss even at #6 or even #10 or so.

Fort Wayne takes a wide receiver with the first pick, and I don’t think I have much choice. As many good-looking players as there are, I don’t see how we can look past the mighty Spencer Bauer, stellar tailback out of Northeastern.


Amateur Draft Report:

Rnd 1 - Spencer Bauer, RB, Northeastern
Rnd 2 - Kenyon Terry, OLB, Purdue
Rnd 3 - Donny Shifflett, S, Notre Dame
Rnd 4 - Dwayne Miailovich, FB, Vanderbilt
Rnd 5 - Joe Preston, T, Kansas State
Rnd 6 - Everett Lyle, DE, Fresno State
Rnd 7 - Robbie Pauley, WR, Oregon


With the uber-back in the fold, we pick up a serious pass-rushing LB next, and then go BPA. I’m hoping that Shifflett can shift over ot play corner, where he’d be a perfect fit for our defense. FB Miaialovich might move to tight end, where he could be helpful in the passing game – otherwise, he’ll be part of an outstanding backfield.

I again fill up with rookies, after re-signing a number of our returning players. Some get two year extensions, some only one. The rookies all get one year deals. We will again be a young, inexperienced team – but at least now we will have a star player to center around.


Here’s the roster we carry out of training camp and into the season:



ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
ake Erie Monsters Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct OnTeam
ohnson, Jose 2 QB 2 18 42 3 yrs. 2003
treck, Dean 7 QB 2 10 34 2 yrs. 2003
#Koontz, Leon 19 QB 2 8 33 2 yrs. 2003
orders, Marlon 18 QB 1 8 33 1 yr. 2004
auer, Spencer 48 RB 1 67 75 6 yrs. 2004
uick, Anthony 33 RB 2 24 29 1 yr. 2003
rock, Vernon 38 RB 1 24 32 1 yr. 2004
vans, Jorge 30 FB 1 24 32 1 yr. 2004
illiams, Neil 28 FB 2 21 34 2 yrs. 2003
iailovich, Dwayne 46 TE 1 44 58 3 yrs. 2004
udgett, Jack 81 TE 2 20 30 1 yr. 2003
ox, Bryant 88 FL 2 21 36 2 yrs. 2003
ichols, Dominic 85 SE 2 23 32 3 yrs. 2003
oultrie, Mercury 87 SE 2 20 31 1 yr. 2003
auley, Robbie 86 SE 1 16 36 2 yrs. 2004
reston, Joe 74 LT 1 16 41 3 yrs. 2004
rietz, Lincoln 67 LT 1 14 39 1 yr. 2004
arlson, Rico 61 LG 2 18 36 1 yr. 2003
rnswaldt, Donkey 51 C 2 25 31 1 yr. 2003
amison, Dixon 59 C 1 11 37 1 yr. 2004
rooks, Keith 70 RG 1 18 39 1 yr. 2004
ipp, Ross 64 RT 2 17 31 2 yrs. 2003
#Myers, Brenden 66 RT 2 10 22 1 yr. 2003
acAllister, Winfred 3 P 2 66 66 4 yrs. 2003
urner, Harry 9 K 2 31 64 2 yrs. 2003
hoden, Robbie 62 LDE 2 27 40 3 yrs. 2003
yle, Everett 90 LDE 1 17 33 2 yrs. 2004
ndrews, Bruce 92 LDE 1 15 32 1 yr. 2004
lements, Jumbo 57 LDT 2 28 37 3 yrs. 2003
pecter, Kevin 97 RDT 2 22 45 1 yr. 2003
urlington, Kenyon 95 RDT 2 13 32 3 yrs. 2003
ochner, Austin 91 RDE 2 30 35 2 yrs. 2003
cGregor, Joey 94 RDE 1 18 28 1 yr. 2004
oppe, Junior 77 RDE 2 17 27 1 yr. 2003
hea, Sedrick 96 SLB 2 26 44 3 yrs. 2003
omez, Ricky 99 SLB 1 15 31 1 yr. 2004
erry, Kenyon 52 MLB 1 27 46 5 yrs. 2004
oland, Ty 54 MLB 2 19 26 2 yrs. 2003
orris, Nick 58 WLB 1 21 27 1 yr. 2004
odge, Brett 45 WLB 2 19 26 1 yr. 2003
hifflett, Donny 43 LCB 1 27 53 3 yrs. 2004
orton, Alan 23 LCB 2 23 25 2 yrs. 2003
ennings, Eddie 37 LCB 1 21 36 1 yr. 2004
amilton, Steve 22 RCB 2 27 39 3 yrs. 2003
oyner, Jeremy 42 RCB 2 22 30 2 yrs. 2003
arrish, Antonio 32 SS 2 26 32 4 yrs. 2003
ahovlich, Moe 27 SS 2 17 25 1 yr. 2003
anning, Donald 44 FS 2 24 31 2 yrs. 2003

$ - player is in starting lineup, ## - player is inactive.

layers Under Contract: 48
n Active Roster: 46

alary Cap: $79,900,000
ap Room: $51,480,000
aximum for New Player: $51,480,000
ap Room Lost (to old contracts): $280,000

ap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0
ap Room Required Next Year: $24,350,000



We’re starting to fill in the roster – the offensive line still looks pretty sad, and the defensive front is makeshift at best. Over the next season or two, our focus needs to be to add some beef to this team.


We jump into the season, and I decide to stick with our fairly pass-heavy offense. RB Bauer is going to get his carries, I have little doubt, but I think this is probably wisest for us right now – with no line to speak of.

In our second game, Bauer runs for 168 and a TD, leading us to a nice win. I think this investment is paying dividends already. We end up a much improved team overall, and push our 4-12 record immediately up to 10-6, earning a playoff berth for the trouble.


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
004 Summary for Lake Erie Monsters

ecord: 10-6
inning Pct.: .625

ake Erie Monsters Team Rank
ushes 349 31
ushing Yards 1803 10
ards Per Carry 5.16 1
ass Attempts 591 7 (T)
ompletions 351 5
assing Yards 3062 24
ards Per Attempt 5.18 31
rd Down Conversions 34.8 11
oints Per Game 21.3 2 (T)
urnovers 26 6
urnover Margin +5 8 (T)

pponents Team Rank
ushes 450 23
ushing Yards 1790 22
ards Per Carry 3.97 16
ass Attempts 545 15
ompletions 335 23
assing Yards 3670 28
ards Per Attempt 6.73 30
rd Down Conversions 35.0 22
oints Per Game 17.1 19
urnovers 31 14 (T)

eek Team Versus Oppnt
3 OCY 20
32 NOR 16
37 FTW 22
27 at NIA 6
31 WHE 18
13 KW 28
35 MAN 6
3 at NSH 31
20 at OCY 10
1 27 at LVL 16
2 24 HWK 6
3 14 at CHY 26
4 24 at PRV 27
5 20 LVL 10
6 17 at TXA 13
7 15 at WHE 20
$WC at FKX

assing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
Johnson QB 587 348 3031 5.16 18 19
*Team --- 591 351 3062 5.18 18 19

ushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
8 Bauer RB 170 1038 6.10 5
3 Quick RB 90 441 4.90 3
Johnson QB 73 221 3.02 3
*Team --- 349 1803 5.16 13

eceiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
8 Fox WR 123 74 781 10.5 73 7
6 Miailovich TE 82 49 479 9.7 79 2
8 Bauer RB 76 44 311 7.0 174 2
5 Nichols WR 75 41 384 9.3 30 0
7 Moultrie WR 63 33 379 11.4 51 3
0 Evans FB 61 41 214 5.2 108 1
6 Pauley WR 44 24 226 9.4 20 2
3 Quick RB 35 24 142 5.9 70 1
1 Mudgett TE 22 16 126 7.8 16 0
*Team --- 589 351 3062 8.7 627 18

efense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
6 Shea OLB 79 24 15.0 9 2 7
2 Terry ILB 69 30 6.5 3 3 12
7 Specter DT 67 29 5.5 3 0 0
8 Morris OLB 61 15 0.0 0 0 3
2 Hamilton CB 59 30 1.0 0 2 6
2 Parrish S 54 28 3.0 3 1 4
3 Shifflett CB 54 22 0.5 0 0 11
3 Horton CB 51 8 1.5 0 0 4
7 Clements DT 45 9 1.0 0 0 1
4 Foland ILB 41 10 0.5 0 1 1
4 Manning S 41 14 0.0 0 3 6
7 Mahovlich S 35 11 1.0 0 0 3
9 Gomez OLB 33 11 2.5 0 2 2
2 Rhoden DE 30 17 3.0 13 1 0
1 Lochner DE 26 5 6.0 7 0 0
5 Turlington DT 21 16 4.0 0 0 0
0 Lyle DE 19 7 3.0 3 0 0
*Team --- 931 302 59.0 44 16 61



Okay, it’s pretty clear that we’re not getting everything we had hoped out of Bauer – but we also have the most productive running game (ini ypc) in the league. Next season, we probably have to commit to him more, in the pursuit of a more productive overall offense. He looks like the real thing – over 6 yards per carry!

I really thought TE Miailovich would have a bigger year than this, but our passing game is just not that prolific. We need to get our pieces in place before we’re going to se truly big numbers there.

On defense, after a proper reallocation of our blitzing strategy, we get a great season from OLB Shea – who certainly merits all-pro recognition for this season. Rookie LB Terry put up decent numbers, but I think he may end up being a relative disappointment. DT Specter played a huge role on the inside of our defensive line – 67+29 tackles is a huge total for a defensive tackle, quite a year there, too.

Defensively, we are average at best – but I’ll continue to focus there, especially up front.


Lake Erie 27, Fort Know 16

We have to go on the road to play the 8-8 Glitters, but we get the win regardless. Spencer Bauer catches two of Johnson’s three TD passes, and our offense clicks nicely to get the solid win here. We head to Wheeling, who is the top seed and a very tough out.

Wheeling 23, Lake Erie 8

The Dealers run the ball right at us, carrying it 44 times for 163 yards – and dominating the possession by keeping the ball in hand. They didn’t look spectacular, but took advantage where they could, and kept our offense totally in check. Good win for them, they look tough.


But…it’s Nashua, who went 9-7 in the regular season, who pulls off two more upsets and gets the top prized this year.


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
004 Awards List

Award Player Team
#Player of the Year Bruce Dixon FTW
#Front Office Bowl MVP Carlos Graul MEM
oach of the Year Not Yet Awarded
egend of the Game Not Yet Awarded
#Offensive Player of the Year Bruce Dixon FTW
#Defensive Player of the Year Donnie Bohn NOR
#Offensive Rookie of the Year Xavier Finley HWK
#Defensive Rookie of the Year Malcolm Herndon SSM
#All-League First-String Quarterback Charlie Battle WHE
#All-League First-String Running Back Bruce Dixon FTW
#All-League First-String Fullback Leonard Knight WHE
#All-League First-String Tight End Kenny Gohl KW
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Ethan Swope ATH
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Nicky Picchietti NSH
#All-League First-String Center Geoff Lane MAN
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Deron Ward SAC
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Alex Stevens FKX
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Ty Daniels CHA
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Marcus Felkey DVY
#All-League First-String Punter Sedrick Bidwell TB
#All-League First-String Kicker R.J. Kiser WHE
#All-League First-String Defensive End Ryan Catlett YPS
#All-League First-String Defensive End Martin Mangiafico CHY
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Darren May SSM
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Terrance Ortiz TUL
#All-League First-String Inside Linebacker Malcolm Herndon SSM
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Donnie Bohn NOR
*All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Sedrick Shea LKE
#All-League First-String Cornerback Louis Girardi WHE
#All-League First-String Cornerback Donnie Mark TB
#All-League First-String Safety Tyrell Boyd PS
#All-League First-String Safety Antonio Lewis DVY
#All-League Second-String Quarterback Joe Rosenkrantz NSH
#All-League Second-String Running Back Ed Coffey MEM
#All-League Second-String Fullback Jermaine Grant NSH
#All-League Second-String Tight End Glenn Patterson LVL
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Henry Penrice DVY
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Irv Duffy FTW
#All-League Second-String Center Shane Brown PS
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Tyrell Curtis MAN
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Earnest Shields CHA
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Damon Hanson TUL
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Jake Endres CHY
#All-League Second-String Punter Thurman Stevenson PS
#All-League Second-String Kicker Wally Hiel NSH
#All-League Second-String Defensive End R.J. Amato WHE
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Darren Giefeke MEM
*All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Kevin Specter LKE
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Steven Parrish PEN
#All-League Second-String Inside Linebacker Bobby Jeffries CHY
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Jared Hunter DVY
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Sammie Shepherd FTW
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Rico Chandler PRV
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Arnie Coffey CHY
#All-League Second-String Safety T.J. Lap TXA
#All-League Second-String Safety Doug Nixon TB


No props for Bauer – certainly due to my insistence on throwing the ball. Next year, we’ll be aiming for the league’s top honors for him – he’s that kind of talent.

[ShagVT]

Okay, it’s pretty clear that we’re not getting everything we had hoped out of Bauer


I'm not sure this is clear at all. As a rookie he puts up close to 1400 yards of offense with seven touchdowns, playing with a cadaver at QB and a high school cheerleading squad for his O-line.

Considering that you ended up running the ball less than every other team in the league and that your intent was to remain more of a passing team while Bauer develops, what would you have considered "getting everything you hoped"???

[Bee]

I took the statement by QS to mean that Bauer hadn't been used effectively, not that Bauer hadn't produced when he was given the chance. Earlier QS had said something about not changing the pass heavy offense, but still expecting Bauer to get his carries. This didn't seem to really come off as well as I think was probably expecting because Bauer didn't get the touches that was hoped for. I think that's why we didn't really get everything out of Bauer we had hoped (due to no fault of Bauer). At least, that's the way I read it.

[QuikSand]

Yes, Bee, I spoke poorly. Even with his surroundings, it' clear that Bauer is by far our best weapon, and that he should have gotten 250 carries rather than 170. I have no complaints about his production when used, of course.

I expect his numbers to improve this year, as I plan to set most of my R/P playcalling splits to 50 or 55 instead of 33.

[Anrhydeddu]

50-50 splits instead of 33-67?? That's blasphemy.

[Marmel]

I think the answer is 2/3rds

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by Marmel
I think the answer is 2/3rds

Obviously, so do I, generally. However, given the specific situation, I'm wavering a bit... the 2005 season will help tell whether it's the right thing to do.

[QuikSand]

2005

I stick with my front office, and move directly to the FA process. The pre-season is mostly a formality in this developing league.

Now, with a few third-year players worth looking at, I actually get active in free agency. I pick up a number of new players here:

QB Amos Hulbert was Manhattan’s starter in 2003 – our #2 and a dark horse for the top job
LB Sammie Shepherd will probably become our third starter at LB, playing the weak side
LB Philip Garrett has potential, and we hope to bring some of it out of him
DE Gino Cossell is a potentially solid DE for us, had 14.5 sacks in 2003, hurt last year
C Marty Hartman immediately becomes the starter for us inside, should be a solid upgrade
CB Paul Vance will be a pretty cheap and decent reserve corner, with modest skills


We’re back down in the draft order – picking at #23. So, no major impact player here, it doesn’t seem. RB Vernon Rand, who should go #1, might be even better than Spencer Bauer – this might be a rivalry over the years.

My previously stated goal is to get bigger here – I’d like to draft for the DL and OL, preferably in that order. However, I am underwhelmed by the prospects left at my pick. I end up taking a pretty deeply flawed tackler Rufus Coffey with my top selection, mostly because I don’t believe in any of the second-tier DL available at #23.


Amateur Draft Report:

Rnd 1 - Rufus Coffey, T, Northwestern
Rnd 2 - John King, WR, Shepherd
Rnd 3 - Norm Catlett, DT, Purdue
Rnd 4 - Ricardo Kidman, QB, Indianapolis
Rnd 5 - Charles Martin, RB, Princeton
Rnd 6 - Kelvin Everett, DE, Lenior-Rhyne
Rnd 7 - Brock Austin, RB, Boston College


Coffey probably slots in as our starting left tackle – even if he’s less than perfect, he should be an improvement. John King looks mistake-prone, but talented – he ought to be a favorite target in a little time. DT Catlett might be a starter down the road, though perhaps at DE rather than DT. Kidman – a stab in the dark, he might have the goods to contend for the starting job here. Rest are fill-ins, who knows.

I fill in with a few more rookies, and re-sign a few more returning veterans – and we are in business. I suspect that we might have a little competition at the QB spot this season, as the newcomer Amos Hulbert has a nice training camp and makes his bid for playing time. The rookie, Ricardo Kidman, projects to be a shade better than either of them – so that adds some intrigue as well.


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
ake Erie Monsters Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct OnTeam
$Johnson, Jose 2 QB 3 24 31 2 yrs. 2003
ulbert, Amos 6 QB 3 24 39 2 yrs. 2005
idman, Ricardo 1 QB 1 17 42 3 yrs. 2005
#Streck, Dean 7 QB 3 11 27 1 yr. 2003
#Koontz, Leon 19 QB 3 10 33 1 yr. 2003
$Bauer, Spencer 48 RB 2 71 75 5 yrs. 2004
ustin, Brock 41 RB 1 30 35 3 yrs. 2005
artin, Charles 26 RB 1 27 40 3 yrs. 2005
$Williams, Neil 28 FB 3 23 32 1 yr. 2003
afrance, Nick 20 FB 1 21 38 1 yr. 2005
$Miailovich, Dwayne 46 TE 2 58 58 2 yrs. 2004
imms, Marcus 83 TE 1 14 27 1 yr. 2005
$Fox, Bryant 88 FL 3 28 35 1 yr. 2003
ing, John 80 FL 1 26 41 4 yrs. 2005
$Nichols, Dominic 85 SE 3 25 27 2 yrs. 2003
auley, Robbie 86 SE 2 20 35 1 yr. 2004
$Coffey, Rufus 68 LT 1 29 66 6 yrs. 2005
reston, Joe 74 LT 2 19 38 2 yrs. 2004
$Carlson, Rico 61 LG 3 25 37 2 yrs. 2003
$Hartman, Marty 50 C 3 32 39 3 yrs. 2005
amison, Dixon 59 C 2 14 37 2 yrs. 2004
$Brooks, Keith 70 RG 2 24 38 2 yrs. 2004
orton, Graham 65 RG 1 17 30 1 yr. 2005
$Gipp, Ross 64 RT 3 20 29 1 yr. 2003
acAllister, Winfred 3 P 3 62 62 3 yrs. 2003
urner, Harry 9 K 3 42 64 1 yr. 2003
$Rhoden, Robbie 62 LDE 3 32 42 2 yrs. 2003
yle, Everett 90 LDE 2 19 32 1 yr. 2004
$Clements, Jumbo 57 LDT 3 31 36 2 yrs. 2003
atlett, Norm 75 LDT 1 19 35 3 yrs. 2005
$Specter, Kevin 97 RDT 3 31 44 5 yrs. 2003
urlington, Kenyon 95 RDT 3 13 23 2 yrs. 2003
ossel, Gino 71 RDE 3 34 48 3 yrs. 2005
$Lochner, Austin 91 RDE 3 31 33 1 yr. 2003
#Everett, Kelvin 73 RDE 1 21 32 2 yrs. 2005
$Shepherd, Sammie 53 SLB 3 32 39 4 yrs. 2005
hea, Sedrick 96 SLB 3 29 30 2 yrs. 2003
erry, Kenyon 52 MLB 2 33 46 4 yrs. 2004
$Foland, Ty 54 MLB 3 20 20 1 yr. 2003
$Dodge, Brett 45 WLB 3 19 26 2 yrs. 2003
arrett, Phillip 93 WLB 2 19 36 2 yrs. 2005
$Shifflett, Donny 43 LCB 2 43 55 2 yrs. 2004
orton, Alan 23 LCB 3 25 25 1 yr. 2003
ance, Paul 36 LCB 3 24 39 2 yrs. 2005
$Hamilton, Steve 22 RCB 3 32 36 2 yrs. 2003
oyner, Jeremy 42 RCB 3 22 28 1 yr. 2003
$Parrish, Antonio 32 SS 3 30 32 3 yrs. 2003
hler, Willie 24 SS 1 17 25 1 yr. 2005
$Manning, Donald 44 FS 3 29 31 1 yr. 2003

$ - player is in starting lineup, ## - player is inactive.

layers Under Contract: 49
n Active Roster: 46

alary Cap: $84,300,000
ap Room: $42,200,000
aximum for New Player: $42,200,000
ap Room Lost (to old contracts): $0

ap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0
ap Room Required Next Year: $39,090,000


So, we are using about half of our salary cap, and are fielding a young and ragtag roster. Over the next couple of seasons, though, we should be filling in a bit more – and the team will really take shape. After making a postseason berth ahead of schedule last year, I’m not expecting a great advancement – but I do hope that our more conservative offensive style will suit our talents and will take some pressure off the defense – which I hope to see improve.


In our opener, at home, we lose to Louisville and watch Bauer get hurt. He ought to be okay – but he’s clearly the franchise right now, and we don’t want to see that happen.

Through four games, we are back up to 2-2, with Spencer Bauer finding his groove. He’s got 253 yards through four games, and has scored six TDs total – very nice. Jose Johnson is plugging along, but clearly has no real upside – it might be time to look around the roster for the starting QB slot.

A 6-3 loss, with Johnson throwing 3 picks, clinched the deal – we should go to a less error-prone guy, and I think Hulbert is that guy for us, right now. He is rated 51/87 in avoiding interceptions by my scout – his top feature. With a newly configured run-heavy attack, that makes a ton of sense. Hand it off to Spencer Bauer, and don’t f*ck it up. Hulbert’s career record of 13-4-1 suggests that he understand this role just fine.

After a thumping by Little Rock, we get things straightened out – Amos Hulbert connects for 4 TDs leading us over Ocean City, 28-16. OC’s Vernon Rand, their superstar rookie RB, gained 104 yards to Bauer’s 74, but we get the upper hand with the win.

In 32 seconds, we turn a 17-14 lead into a 24-17 loss against Fort Worth, and end up 3-5 at the midpoint of the season thus far. Bauer is down to 4.10 yards per carry, and I’m now openly wondering what we ought to do here – should we open up the offense more? Is Bauer better suited to running in the open field? I don’t know. Our defense continues to put up awful number, though we have been savaged by terrible DL injuries (what’s new) and have lost our FA LB acquisition for the year, it seems.

At 4-7, it’s clear that this season isn’t going anywhere. Hulbert has been okay, but not anything special. With a few games to play, we decide to let the rookie QB have a shot, so we install Ricardo Kidman into the starting job – and we’ll see what he can do.

In Kidman’s first game, the only TD scored all day is off an interception he threw- and we lose, 10-3. But he really wasn’t awful. Kidman is very sharp in the next game, throwing 2 TDs and leading us to a 31-16 win over Ypsilanti. We end up 7-9 on the season, with a final stretch of 3-2 under the rookie signal caller. Looking ahead, this probably means he’s our guy going forward, unless we make a big gain through an acquisition.


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
005 Summary for Lake Erie Monsters

ecord: 7-9
inning Pct.: .437

ake Erie Monsters Team Rank
ushes 465 7
ushing Yards 2052 4
ards Per Carry 4.41 3
ass Attempts 527 21
ompletions 321 16 (T)
assing Yards 3403 14
ards Per Attempt 6.45 11
rd Down Conversions 33.7 23 (T)
oints Per Game 18.8 14
urnovers 33 25 (T)
urnover Margin -1 17 (T)

pponents Team Rank
ushes 430 12
ushing Yards 1888 25
ards Per Carry 4.39 27
ass Attempts 538 12
ompletions 298 3
assing Yards 3373 20
ards Per Attempt 6.26 18
rd Down Conversions 31.9 3 (T)
oints Per Game 17.7 14
urnovers 32 9 (T)

eek Team Versus Oppnt
17 LVL 21
28 at TB 17
21 KW 6
15 FKX 23
3 at PEN 6
10 at LTR 41
28 at OCY 16
17 FTW 24
10 WHE 13
1 16 at LVL 21
2 37 CHA 10
3 3 at CHY 10
4 31 YPS 16
5 23 at WHE 26
6 20 at SSM 17
7 23 OCY 17

assing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
Hulbert QB 208 130 1451 6.97 11 9
Kidman QB 163 102 1116 6.84 6 7
Johnson QB 156 89 836 5.35 5 7
*Team --- 527 321 3403 6.45 22 23

ushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
8 Bauer RB 288 1357 4.71 8
1 Austin RB 117 470 4.01 1
*Team --- 465 2052 4.41 9

eceiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
0 King WR 85 46 645 14.0 74 7
8 Fox WR 81 48 691 14.3 105 2
6 Miailovich TE 71 44 494 11.2 105 4
8 Bauer RB 66 50 428 8.5 185 2
6 Pauley WR 59 31 314 10.1 26 3
8 Williams FB 49 33 199 6.0 103 2
9 Moultrie WR 49 28 320 11.4 38 0
1 Austin RB 29 18 102 5.6 26 1
3 Simms TE 21 9 67 7.4 9 0
*Team --- 527 321 3403 10.6 770 22

efense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
2 Parrish S 66 24 1.5 2 1 5
3 Shifflett CB 62 24 0.0 0 4 14
4 Foland ILB 60 20 3.0 0 1 1
2 Terry ILB 60 27 3.0 2 2 6
2 Hamilton CB 59 18 0.0 1 4 10
6 Shea OLB 57 22 8.0 6 0 1
4 Manning S 51 28 0.0 0 5 10
2 Rhoden DE 40 13 7.5 16 0 1
3 Horton CB 40 5 0.0 0 0 6
1 Cossel DE 38 20 10.0 26 0 0
5 Turlington DT 35 15 4.0 4 0 0
6 Vance CB 35 9 0.0 0 1 1
5 Catlett DT 34 10 7.0 1 0 0
7 Clements DT 30 14 2.0 6 0 0
2 Joyner CB 22 0 1.0 0 1 2
5 Dodge OLB 19 7 1.0 3 0 0
3 Garrett OLB 17 4 0.0 0 0 1
*Team --- 845 274 54.0 75 21 61



Well, the numbers on the QB situation suggest that Hulbert may have been the more effective guy, but Kidman’s potential to develop and improve probably put to rest any doubts I might have had. Nobody was good this year – Kidman is the one who might have better skills down the road.

Bauer gave us a solid year, but perhaps slightly disappointing. He got his carries, and he got his yards (nearly 1,800 combined) and there’s little to fret about. We need to improve on the cheerleading squad blocking for him – our need areas remain all-beef. Veteran C Marty Hartman was the best among our OL this year, but Rufus Coffey learned on the job, and I think he will be all right after all.

Defensively, we had so many injuries, hardly anyone got a full year in. DE Cossel had a solid effort, with 10 sacks and 26 hurries. CB Shifflett is turning into the star of our secondary – his 14 passes defensed is a really good sign. OLB Shea had another good season rushing the passer, though I’m rather worried about his run support (which is poor). Overall, stopping the run is our biggest need for improvement – a monster DT would help (Clements missed nearly the whole year with a knee injury – his return will help).


A path lies ahead – I knew this wasn’t really a serious contending team. Next year, we get a decent draft pick, and a chance to keep filling in more gaps.

Death Valley beats Niagara Falls in the title game, making it four different champions in four seaons.


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
005 Awards List

Award Player Team
#Player of the Year Bruce Dixon FTW
#Front Office Bowl MVP Carl Fisk DVY
oach of the Year Not Yet Awarded
egend of the Game Not Yet Awarded
#Offensive Player of the Year Bruce Dixon FTW
#Defensive Player of the Year Donnie Bohn NOR
#Offensive Rookie of the Year Vernon Rand OCY
#Defensive Rookie of the Year Christian Gillott YPS
#All-League First-String Quarterback Vinny Garrison NIA
#All-League First-String Running Back Bruce Dixon FTW
#All-League First-String Fullback Leonard Knight WHE
#All-League First-String Tight End Kenny Gohl KW
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Todd Morton YPS
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Dan O'Neill TB
#All-League First-String Center Shane Brown PS
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Deron Ward SAC
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Freddie Chaplin TUL
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Kendrick Colclough WHE
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Clay Harden NOR
*All-League First-String Punter Winfred MacAllister LKE
#All-League First-String Kicker J.T. Lohr CHY
#All-League First-String Defensive End Sedrick Dorsch PRV
#All-League First-String Defensive End Tommy McCaffrey LTR
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Darren May SSM
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Harvey Lorz CHY
#All-League First-String Inside Linebacker Donnell Hammond FTW
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Donnie Bohn NOR
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Ed Tuiasosopo NIA
#All-League First-String Cornerback Jerald Fogle NV
#All-League First-String Cornerback Adrian Lane SAC
#All-League First-String Safety Wendell Bland FTW
#All-League First-String Safety Leo Benoit SSM
#All-League Second-String Quarterback Scott Fox PEN
#All-League Second-String Running Back Kent Monroe LTR
#All-League Second-String Fullback Lewis Dernbach TXA
#All-League Second-String Tight End Glenn Patterson LVL
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Ethan Swope ATH
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Henry Penrice DVY
#All-League Second-String Center Geoff Lane MAN
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Tyrell Curtis MAN
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Toby Knott CHY
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Jake Endres CHY
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Tyrone Bailey TXA
#All-League Second-String Punter Cris Torres NV
#All-League Second-String Kicker Emmanuel Peek TXA
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Jimmie Maloney ATH
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Lincoln Hartmann MAZ
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Rich Corbett NIA
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Wendell Bennink KYH
#All-League Second-String Inside Linebacker Matt Mayes KYH
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Kurt Lyons CHA
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Antonio McKay DVY
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Juan Lyle YPS
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Wes McDonald NSH
#All-League Second-String Safety Zach Atkins MAZ
#All-League Second-String Safety Tyrell Boyd PS


Of course, Vernon Rand gets offensive rookie of the year, a prize that eluded Spencer Bauer. I will still endeavor to keep my guy ahead in the head-to-head race that obviously sets up for those two.

My lousy team’s only rep on the all-pro team is our skilled punter – who gets plenty of practice, obviously.

[Bee]

It seems that you may not be finding the "steals" late in the draft and from the URFAs that we normally find (especially early on with a OPU career where the rookies get so much playing time breakouts are revealed quicker than a normal career).

How are you "analyzing" draft picks and URFA signings? Are you finding yourself giving more weight to future potential (green) than pre-patch or still basing your decisions on current ratings?

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by Bee
It seems that you may not be finding the "steals" late in the draft and from the URFAs that we normally find (especially early on with a OPU career where the rookies get so much playing time breakouts are revealed quicker than a normal career).

How are you "analyzing" draft picks and URFA signings? Are you finding yourself giving more weight to future potential (green) than pre-patch or still basing your decisions on current ratings?

So far, I have had VERY little luck identifying breakout players from among the draft class. That's good news overall, in my opinion. The potential downside is that there may be a depreciation of the draft in the game, which may not be a good thing (especially if it makes late round draft picks valueless).

How am I "analyzing" picks? Just simple gut instinct - trying to look out for the things that I usually doo (too much parallel in the ratings, too high a green/red ratiothat sort of thing) - but it's demonstrably less precise than in any version of the game to this point. (At least in this early going, that seems so)

[albionmoonlight]

How is the draft talent overall. Is the overall skill level available about the same, even if it is harder to judge individual players?

[condors]

what does rb-bruce dixon look like he keeps showing up for end of season awards?

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by albionmoonlight
How is the draft talent overall. Is the overall skill level available about the same, even if it is harder to judge individual players?

Overall, it looks to me like the talent pool is lower - there are many fewer quality players around. Hard to tall, though, how muchof that is a function of my OPU start, and how much is the player generation mechanism.

I'll try to do more detailing later... once I have a body of players out there.

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by condors
what does rb-bruce dixon look like he keeps showing up for end of season awards?

My scout rates him as the 8th best RB based on ratings (when I search), which doesn't include my own guy Bauer. He has pretty good (but not spectacular) ratings, in order:

88
67
64
41/51
28
46
51/56
56/59
58
49
70
40/43 (PR)
0 (KR)
46

Not a monster in ratings, but he must be a perfect fit for the Fort Wayne team, as he churns out MVP awards on an annual basis, with just about 5,000 total yards in his three seasons.

I don't see anythign lese about Fort Wayne that helps to explain this - his line looks okay, but not amazing, for instance. Who knows?

[QuikSand]

2006

We work out a new deal with Bucky Gardner, our young but fairly promising coach. I toyed with the idea of pursuing another guy, but decided to stay with Bucky – outpacing Ypslianti in their efforts to steal him away.


We’ve got work to do – and I’m hoping to spend a little more money in free agency this season to help fill gaps. I’m okay taking on mediocre veteran players, if they are a real upgrade over the talent level that I can get in the middle rounds of the draft – which is proving to generally be the case. (A change from previous iterations of this game, I think – and a potentially meaningful one)


As we begin the FA process, the word is out that we’re going young at QB – and I get a trade offer. Amos Hulbert fetches us a 5th round pick and a decent veteran offensive lineman from Providence. The lineman goes (he’s from the original player pool) but the pick isn’t too bad – something for nothing, as I have all but given up on Hulbert.


In free agency, I find modest additions – that’s all. WR Jimmy Carter will be a passable reserve, and T Deon Geason might compete for the RT spot. LBs Tim Farley and Drew Torrance are both cheap, and should compete for jobs in the #4-6 slots. Not any impact players here, unfortunately. We should be well positioned for next season, though, in terms of the salary cap.


Into the draft, we have the #8 pick. That should be good enough for an impact player, I suspect. There are pretty solid number of interior linemen ranked highly in this draft. While I might not be inclined to take one at #8, it might be a fair spot to trade down to about #15 or so, and extract another pick from someone for the move up. DT Maurice Lehman is the guy I’d really covet, but I fully expect him to go in the first pick or two. If not, I may be tempted to try to move up to get him.


1. Providence - Clancy, Christian, RB, Georgia Tech
2. Thunder Bay - Kovel, Greg, QB, Oregon
3. Key West - Nixon, Ronald, T, Minnesota


No real gripe with any of these picks, but my guys is still there. I make offers to Texarkana (at #4) but they are tough. I decide to wait another pick or two, but my fever to get DT Lehman is running pretty high.


4. Texarkana - Lehman, Maurice, DT, San Jose State
5. Louisville - Grui, Colin, RB, Illinois State
6. Ocean City - Maloney, Lance, CB, Wisconsin
7. Napa Valley - Jennings, Skip, QB, Colorado


Dang. Texarkana liked him, too – so my chances were nil. I decide that my best play here is to move down—I will probably take an offensive lineman here, but cannot select from the three or four guys I like now.

I get Manhattan’s second round pick to drop to #16, but have to throw in the pick I grabbed from Providence earlier.

Well, I am making a pure “upside” pick here, as CB Scott Gaines just looks like a standout. He doesn’t look really ready to play yet, but if he developed anywhere near his apparent potential, he’d be a serious star. I decide to roll the dice, and hope to fill in with my beef later. (I know, I know)


Amateur Draft Report:

Rnd 1 - Scott Gaines, CB, Stanford
Rnd 2 - Devin Barton, C, Syracuse
Rnd 2 - Tim Farr, DT, Michigan State
Rnd 3 - Antonio Boyer, S, Arkansas Tech
Rnd 4 - Norm Mathis, OLB, Oklahoma
Rnd 5 - Devin Perry, DT, Stanford
Rnd 6 - Sean Mueller, CB, Washington State
Rnd 7 - Jared Kyle, FB, Arizona State


Well, this is the most “risky” draft I have had, in terms of players who might fit a “bust” profile. Actually, the top four guys all could come far short of their apparent potential. I tried to get solid contributors with the later picks, but there are bound to be some disappointments in this lot, I fear.


Front Office Football: The Fourth Edition
Lake Erie Monsters Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct OnTeam
ohnson, Jose 2 QB 4 27 30 1 yr. 2003
$Kidman, Ricardo 1 QB 2 19 40 2 yrs. 2005
treck, Dean 7 QB 4 13 27 1 yr. 2003
auer, Spencer 48 RB 3 75 75 4 yrs. 2004
$Austin, Brock 41 RB 2 30 34 2 yrs. 2005
artin, Charles 26 RB 2 28 40 2 yrs. 2005
$Williams, Neil 28 FB 4 26 29 2 yrs. 2003
yle, Jared 37 FB 1 20 28 2 yrs. 2006
$Miailovich, Dwayne 46 TE 3 66 66 1 yr. 2004
earson, Darren 81 TE 1 22 46 1 yr. 2006
$Fox, Bryant 88 FL 4 34 34 3 yrs. 2003
ing, John 80 FL 2 31 38 3 yrs. 2005
$Nichols, Dominic 85 SE 4 25 25 1 yr. 2003
oultrie, Mercury 89 SE 4 25 31 3 yrs. 2005
#Carter, Jimmy 82 SE 3 25 38 2 yrs. 2006
$Coffey, Rufus 68 LT 2 40 68 5 yrs. 2005
reston, Joe 74 LT 3 21 30 1 yr. 2004
arlson, Rico 61 LG 4 33 37 1 yr. 2003
$Barton, Devin 58 LG 1 19 57 3 yrs. 2006
$Hartman, Marty 50 C 4 37 38 2 yrs. 2005
amison, Dixon 59 C 3 18 38 1 yr. 2004
$Brooks, Keith 70 RG 3 30 38 1 yr. 2004
$Geason, Deon 72 RT 3 24 42 2 yrs. 2006
acAllister, Winfred 3 P 4 63 63 2 yrs. 2003
urner, Harry 9 K 4 51 64 5 yrs. 2003
$Rhoden, Robbie 62 LDE 4 37 43 1 yr. 2003
erry, Devin 94 LDE 1 15 43 2 yrs. 2006
$Clements, Jumbo 57 LDT 4 34 36 1 yr. 2003
atlett, Norm 75 LDT 2 22 33 2 yrs. 2005
arr, Tim 98 LDT 1 17 47 3 yrs. 2006
$Specter, Kevin 97 RDT 4 35 44 4 yrs. 2003
tuart, Ted 77 RDT 1 25 37 1 yr. 2006
#Turlington, Kenyon 95 RDT 4 16 23 1 yr. 2003
$Cossel, Gino 71 RDE 4 42 48 2 yrs. 2005
verett, Kelvin 73 RDE 2 23 32 1 yr. 2005
$Shepherd, Sammie 53 SLB 4 35 40 3 yrs. 2005
$Shea, Sedrick 96 SLB 4 33 33 1 yr. 2003
$Terry, Kenyon 52 MLB 3 38 44 3 yrs. 2004
oland, Ty 54 MLB 4 21 21 3 yrs. 2003
#Farley, Tim 56 MLB 3 15 25 2 yrs. 2006
orrance, Drew 99 WLB 3 25 31 2 yrs. 2006
#Garrett, Phillip 93 WLB 3 22 35 1 yr. 2005
odge, Brett 45 WLB 4 20 26 1 yr. 2003
#Mathis, Norm 51 WLB 1 18 38 3 yrs. 2006
$Shifflett, Donny 43 LCB 3 53 54 1 yr. 2004
ueller, Sean 27 LCB 1 31 39 3 yrs. 2006
ance, Paul 36 LCB 4 29 39 1 yr. 2005
$Gaines, Scott 30 RCB 1 29 71 6 yrs. 2006
$Parrish, Antonio 32 SS 4 32 32 2 yrs. 2003
amilton, Steve 22 SS 4 16 32 1 yr. 2003
$Boyer, Antonio 33 FS 1 24 62 4 yrs. 2006



Well, we have a fairly solid group returning – we need to get RB Bauer into good health, and we should be fine. The defense is getting a little deeper, and we might have taken a real step forward with our secondary if CB Scott Gaines and S Antonio Boyer work out. A run of good health and a little good luck – and we could be contenders again.


RB Spencer Bauer has to sit out our opener, but we get a 9-7 win anyway behind a good defensive effort. He’s healthy and ready to go the next week, and we hope to come out rumbling. In week 2, hosting Athens, we win 48-14, putting up 165 yards rushing to the Argos’ 25. We’re not a power team, but we’re off to a good start.

Our 2-0 start fades to 2-2, but we rebound with a nice win over Napa Valley, 28-6. We are, however, allowing far too many sacks – 7 more in this game, despite the win. We get to our midway point at 4-4, and the good news is just about even with the bad. Our defense has improved by leaps and bounds – we are well above average suddenly, helped out immeasurably by good health. Our offense remains a trouble area – Kidman is doing okay at QB, but certainly is not winning any games by himself.

We muddle through the season around .500, but a loss in our finale keeps us from finishing at that mark. Instead, it’s 7-9 this year – and a bystander again as the top teams face off in the playoffs.


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
006 Summary for Lake Erie Monsters

ecord: 7-9
inning Pct.: .437

ake Erie Monsters Team Rank
ushes 426 19
ushing Yards 1898 9
ards Per Carry 4.45 5
ass Attempts 571 11
ompletions 327 15
assing Yards 3099 25
ards Per Attempt 5.42 30
rd Down Conversions 35.5 18
oints Per Game 21.1 3
urnovers 35 27 (T)
urnover Margin -6 24

pponents Team Rank
ushes 408 7 (T)
ushing Yards 1377 2
ards Per Carry 3.37 1
ass Attempts 520 4
ompletions 297 1 (T)
assing Yards 3272 10
ards Per Attempt 6.29 17 (T)
rd Down Conversions 28.6 1
oints Per Game 17.4 12
urnovers 29 14 (T)

eek Team Versus Oppnt
9 at WHE 7
48 ATH 14
16 at MAN 23
16 CHY 28
28 NV 6
20 at TIJ 31
29 at TUL 0
7 at OCY 12
0 13 WHE 20
1 31 LVL 13
2 24 at MAZ 27
3 28 FTW 12
4 38 KYH 13
5 3 OCY 31
6 9 at BER 16
7 20 at LVL 26

assing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
Kidman QB 541 314 2956 5.46 17 23
*Team --- 571 327 3099 5.42 18 26

ushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
8 Bauer RB 202 942 4.66 6
1 Austin RB 154 649 4.21 2
*Team --- 426 1898 4.45 10

eceiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
8 Fox WR 112 59 683 11.5 91 6
9 Moultrie WR 87 47 521 11.0 49 3
0 King WR 85 38 419 11.0 54 2
8 Bauer RB 67 41 299 7.2 100 0
6 Miailovich TE 63 33 303 9.1 65 2
8 Williams FB 52 40 210 5.2 61 3
1 Austin RB 32 22 178 8.0 55 0
5 Nichols WR 30 22 243 11.0 39 0
*Team --- 569 327 3099 9.4 579 18

efense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
2 Parrish S 82 33 4.5 2 1 8
2 Terry ILB 76 31 8.0 1 1 9
7 Specter DT 70 12 6.5 6 0 0
7 Clements DT 61 24 5.0 10 0 0
6 Shea OLB 58 15 6.5 5 0 3
3 Boyer S 53 18 0.0 0 0 11
6 Vance CB 52 9 0.0 0 2 9
1 Cossel DE 49 20 13.0 12 0 0
3 Shepherd OLB 49 22 0.0 0 0 4
9 Torrance OLB 40 8 2.0 1 1 1
0 Gaines CB 36 20 0.0 1 9 8
2 Rhoden DE 32 17 9.0 18 0 1
2 Hamilton S 30 10 1.0 0 2 3
3 Shifflett CB 30 7 0.5 0 1 7
7 Mueller CB 23 9 1.5 0 1 2
*Team --- 855 267 62.0 60 18 66



Bauer suffered from injuries that caused him to miss three games, and it showed up in his totals. Our passing game continues to be anemic – we need some help there, it’s clear. LT Rufus Coffey is working out all right, and our line is starting to take shape, I think. I think it’s the skill positions that really need the help the most now.

On defense, MLB Terry gave us a very solid season, and our starting duo at DT stayed healthy and managed to really anchor the nice run defense – vaulting to #1 in the league in yard per carry allowed. Rookie CB Gaines had a really good effort – with 9 interceptions, and showed signs of developing well. He might pan out after all, despite my initial reservations.


Niagara Falls wins it all this year, avenging their title game loss from last season.



ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
006 Awards List

Award Player Team
#Player of the Year Vernon Rand OCY
#Front Office Bowl MVP Geoff Whalen NIA
oach of the Year Dwight Mason SSM
egend of the Game Michael Szur DVY
#Offensive Player of the Year Kent Monroe LTR
#Defensive Player of the Year Donnie Bohn NOR
#Offensive Rookie of the Year Ike Burroughs TXA
#Defensive Rookie of the Year Jamal McGeoghan LTR
#All-League First-String Quarterback Van Bennett KYH
#All-League First-String Running Back Kent Monroe LTR
#All-League First-String Fullback Leonard Knight WHE
#All-League First-String Tight End Kenny Gohl KW
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Henry Penrice DVY
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Rodney Tapia PEN
#All-League First-String Center Gerald Bible TXA
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Randy Lash SSM
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Deron Ward SAC
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Otis Richard SAC
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Emmitt Henson BER
#All-League First-String Punter Sedrick Bidwell TB
#All-League First-String Kicker Earnest Maxwell KYH
#All-League First-String Defensive End Michael Szur TUL
#All-League First-String Defensive End Sedrick Dorsch PRV
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Darren May SSM
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Jamal McGeoghan LTR
#All-League First-String Inside Linebacker Malcolm Herndon SSM
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Donnie Bohn NOR
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Alfred Guzy MEM
#All-League First-String Cornerback Jerald Fogle NV
#All-League First-String Cornerback Reggie Ah Yat TIJ
#All-League First-String Safety Zach Atkins MAZ
#All-League First-String Safety Grant Delong MAZ
#All-League Second-String Quarterback Vinny Garrison NIA
#All-League Second-String Running Back Vernon Rand OCY
#All-League Second-String Fullback Lewis Dernbach TXA
#All-League Second-String Tight End Glenn Patterson LVL
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Nicky Picchietti NSH
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Irv Duffy FTW
#All-League Second-String Center Jessie Joyner TUL
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Tyrell Curtis MAN
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Desmond Boyer TXA
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Ty Daniels CHA
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Jake Endres CHY
#All-League Second-String Punter Nolan Hatcher KW
#All-League Second-String Kicker Gerald Vollers LTR
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Ben Hendrickson NV
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Julio Bronson KW
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Terrance Baron KYH
*All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Kevin Specter LKE
#All-League Second-String Inside Linebacker Bobby Jeffries CHY
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Kurt Lyons CHA
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Chester Wolin MAN
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Lester Shumaker DVY
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Wes McDonald NSH
#All-League Second-String Safety Tyrell Boyd PS
#All-League Second-String Safety Cedric Rogalle HWK


Well, my supposed riovalry with Spencer Bauer and Vernon Rand isn’t materializing, as Bauer failed to crack 1,000 yards this season while Rand topped 2,000 yards from scrimmage and earned league MVP honors.

We do get recognition for DT Kevin Specter, who is very effective when he stays healthy.

[QuikSand]

2007

My scout has declined, though he’s only 62 – I will look for another guy before renewing with Nick Arnold. We bring aboard Deon Bridges, with a career record of 51-37, and better skill with young players. He also doesn’t have any ratings below average.


As we start this season, I now feel like the team-building process is getting serious. I need to be focused about what we’re doing – we have a lot of cap room to use, and ought to be putting some money on the table this season. Here are our top roster priorities:

QB and WR – our passing game remains a liability, and we simply need better talent here. A high quality receiver would certainly help, but a better passer is probably the real need for this team. I have the money to pursue either via free agency.

Right side OL – our performers on the OL are getting better, but the two on the right side remain pretty shaky. A serious upgrade would be very useful.

Top grade LB – we’re doing okay with the group we have, but we lack a serious star-caliber linebacker. Add a star here, and he’d clean up with stats, I think.


In free agency, there are a few players who fit our needs rather nicely, I think. This is the first year that I have 5th year players to see – so this is the first truly open free agency period for us (up to now, we only saw players who had actually been released, not RFAs).

There are two solid star-caliber receivers in this draft, and two very good linebackers. My goal here is to get one of each, and make improvements at two key areas by shelling out big FA money. I’m using the “GroupThink” rule for FA bids – for any FA requesting a bonus, it has to be at least as big as the largest year’s salary. Since I don’t renegotiate, that means I have to be serious about any player I pursue – there’s the potential for a lot of dead cap space if we screw up.

QB Amos Hulbert is here in the FA market, and might be the best veteran out there. I’m not interested (especially at his asking price), but I will try to keep an eye peeled.

My initial offers are to MLB Jay Kley and WR Todd Martin, and each guy gets an identical offer: 5 yrs, $48 million ($8m across). I also put in low level bids for C Marcus Gardner and FB Tom Lane, looking for quality depth.

WR Todd Morton signs immediately with us, so we have one all-star wrapped up – and a huge upgrade to our receiving corps. LB Kley has several offers on the table, and we are going to need to do better if we want to land him, it seems. He has several deals worth over $10, a year – I decide to try the “shorter deal” approach, and put up $40m over 3 years. It works – in week two, he is signed with us. Great.

FB Tom Lane debates for a few weeks, and ends up taking an offer from Memphis. So, I end up with three out of four of my early pursuits – not too bad.

At week seven, my DE Robbie Rhoden, asking for a fortune, is still awaiting an offer. So is QB Amos Hulbert.

I decide to put in a bid for DE Marvin Magniafico. If I’m going to lose Rhoden (very likely), this is a fair way to fill the hole – he’s a journeyman DE, but seems to get 8-9 sacks a year and plays okay against the run, too. Plus, he’s only seeking $4m a year or so.

I am moved to put in an offer for Sedrick Shea, my incumbent strong-side linebacker, of $2m per season. I had intended to let him walk, but for some reason (after seeing him get an offer) now I want to hold on to him. I also put in a new offer for CB-turned-safety Steve Hamilton (he has been a bust in terms of ratings, but now gives us some cheap veteran leadership in the secondary).

Late in the FA process, I put in cheap bids for S Ryan Manusky and G Tim Garrison. That wraps up our efforts – I’m not sold on any of these cheap guys as real difference-makers, but the big two fish we landed ought to make us the most improved team from this offseason.


I’ve got my eyes on several guys with my pick at #9. The best DT, K.C. Taylor, is again atop my list of hopes, but there are plenty of guys who would help a lot. QB Roy Planish is a guy I’d have to take as well- he looks like he’s got a lot of potential. Plus, there are OL and DL prospects aplenty- I will get a potential impact player at a key position here, no doubt about it.


1. Mazatlan - Natale, Emmitt, T, North Texas
2. Ypsilanti - Planish, Roy, QB, Vanderbilt
3. Louisville - Rice, Grady, DE, Maryland
4. Champaign - Preston, Renaldo, QB, Arizona State
5. Hawk Mountain - Taylor, K.C., DT, Oregon
6. Fort Wayne - Lane, Louie, DE, Miles
7. Manhattan - Farrell, Mickey, DT, Temple
8. Napa Valley - Neale, Byron, CB, Clemson


Well, with my top picks taken ahead of my selection, I am left with my hand fairly guided. I can go for the last star WR left, or take one of the standout offensive linemen. However, I do like DE Ken Barnes, and am always a sucker for a pass rusher. He looks like my guy – I will hope to see one of these solid OL slip to me in round two (though it’s not that likely, I am finding).


Amateur Draft Report:

Rnd 1 - Ken Barnes, DE, East Carolina
Rnd 2 - Marshall Hogenkamp, OLB, UCLA
Rnd 3 - Deon Meyers, G, Northern Iowa
Rnd 4 - Terrell Boone, G, Youngstown State
Rnd 5 - Rusty Hamilton, FB, Miami, Florida
Rnd 6 - Leonard Sanford, CB, Tennessee
Rnd 7 - Tommy George, QB, South Carolina


Barnes is an enticing prospect for our DL, and after that we have guesses. Hogenkamp has a mic of abilities, but might end up being a pretty good run stopper for our LB rotation. The two OL are guys I’m hoping can help us with interior depth, but neither projects to be a real star. Rusty Hamilton might fight for a starting job at FB, and the other two are just depth providers – I have no real dreams about QB Tommy George.


We go to training camp, hoping that some of our young players will show strides and secure their future with the club. As we come out, here’s what we have on hand:


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
ake Erie Monsters Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct OnTeam
ohnson, Jose 2 QB 5 28 31 2 yrs. 2003
$Kidman, Ricardo 1 QB 3 26 37 1 yr. 2005
eorge, Tommy 11 QB 1 16 33 3 yrs. 2007
$Bauer, Spencer 48 RB 4 78 78 3 yrs. 2004
*Austin, Brock 41 RB 3 30 32 1 yr. 2005
artin, Charles 26 RB 3 29 39 1 yr. 2005
ender, Dexter 29 RB 1 26 38 1 yr. 2007
iener, Preston 20 RB 1 23 31 1 yr. 2007
amilton, Rusty 34 FB 1 36 50 3 yrs. 2007
$Williams, Neil 28 FB 5 30 30 1 yr. 2003
$Miailovich, Dwayne 46 TE 4 64 64 3 yrs. 2004
eith, James 37 TE 1 17 52 1 yr. 2007
$Morton, Todd 84 FL 5 59 62 5 yrs. 2007
ox, Bryant 88 FL 5 36 36 2 yrs. 2003
ing, John 80 FL 3 33 35 2 yrs. 2005
$Moultrie, Mercury 89 SE 5 29 31 2 yrs. 2005
arter, Jimmy 82 SE 4 27 38 1 yr. 2006
$Coffey, Rufus 68 LT 3 58 69 4 yrs. 2005
alcon, Buddy 69 LT 5 24 42 2 yrs. 2007
$Barton, Devin 58 LG 2 34 51 2 yrs. 2006
$Hartman, Marty 50 C 5 36 36 1 yr. 2005
$Gardner, Marcus 63 C 5 35 65 2 yrs. 2007
$Garrison, Tim 62 RG 5 25 48 2 yrs. 2007
oone, Terrell 61 RG 1 22 48 3 yrs. 2007
eyers, Deon 79 RG 1 21 45 4 yrs. 2007
eason, Deon 72 RT 4 35 42 1 yr. 2006
acAllister, Winfred 3 P 5 54 54 1 yr. 2003
urner, Harry 9 K 5 60 64 4 yrs. 2003
$Mangiafico, Martin 91 LDE 5 44 44 4 yrs. 2007
erry, Devin 94 LDE 2 17 36 1 yr. 2006
$Clements, Jumbo 57 LDT 5 34 37 3 yrs. 2003
atlett, Norm 75 LDT 3 21 26 1 yr. 2005
arr, Tim 98 LDT 2 19 44 2 yrs. 2006
$Specter, Kevin 97 RDT 5 38 44 3 yrs. 2003
tuart, Ted 77 RDT 2 25 36 1 yr. 2006
$Cossel, Gino 71 RDE 5 46 49 1 yr. 2005
arnes, Ken 92 RDE 1 35 58 5 yrs. 2007
$Shepherd, Sammie 53 SLB 5 38 39 2 yrs. 2005
hea, Sedrick 96 SLB 5 34 34 3 yrs. 2003
ogenkamp, Marshall 90 SLB 1 28 54 4 yrs. 2007
$Kley, Jay 55 MLB 5 63 63 3 yrs. 2007
$Terry, Kenyon 52 MLB 4 49 49 2 yrs. 2004
oland, Ty 54 MLB 5 21 21 2 yrs. 2003
arley, Tim 56 MLB 4 16 24 1 yr. 2006
orrance, Drew 99 WLB 4 29 32 1 yr. 2006
athis, Norm 51 WLB 2 19 35 2 yrs. 2006
$Shifflett, Donny 43 LCB 4 54 54 3 yrs. 2004
ueller, Sean 27 LCB 2 32 38 2 yrs. 2006
anford, Leonard 36 LCB 1 15 32 2 yrs. 2007
$Gaines, Scott 30 RCB 2 42 67 5 yrs. 2006
$Parrish, Antonio 32 SS 5 32 32 1 yr. 2003
amilton, Steve 22 SS 5 18 28 2 yrs. 2003
$Boyer, Antonio 33 FS 2 36 56 3 yrs. 2006
anusky, Ryan 21 FS 3 23 54 2 yrs. 2007


Well, we managed to use up practcically all of our remaining camp room, but in doing so we targeted need areas and made big upgrades. That’s how it’s supposed to work, right?

We’ll have to see whether the upgrade at WR will be enough to help out our anemic passing game. I will stick with the fairly run-heavy gameplan, but as long as he’s healthy, I don’t see why we shouldn’t throw at least 120 passes or so toward Todd Morton, who ought to be able to do something with them, I’d think.


We’re in relatively good health coming out of the exhibition games. DT Jumbo Clements is depressed, but we’ll try to get past that. Our roster rates a 5th-best 52/100, with Wheeling the dominant 100/69 on the list. Our team cohesion rates a 95/80/94/88 – with that 80 being near the bottom of the league (young league, recall). The “power ratings” put us second best in the AFC behind Wheeling, but I don’t know why (I have never paid any attention to this).


In our opener, Ocaen City and Vernon Rand rumble right past us, winning 28-10. It’s pretty clear, there is simply no comparing my guy to Rand, who is a total house on fire. I still have hopes that Spencer Bauer can be a productive player for us–even our offensive star—but he’s already far behind Vernon Rand.

Our promising season-to-be starts out 0-3, and things look pretty bleak. It’s looking like another lost season with a no-talent at the QB helm, and we simply don’t have any good options there. We tumble to 0-5, and now I have to wonder what we ought to be doing. It’s tough to just hang this on QB Kidman, but I don’t know what else I can try to change.

We finally get a win – and a good one. We beat Key West 38-18, and Bauer is well over 100 yards rushing, Morton is over 100 and a TD receiving, and things look better. True, Kidman threw three picks, but we played well enough to still dominate.

Later in the season, we get our first “winning streak” as we beat Ocean City 23-6, but they are without Vernon Rand, who blew out a knee and will moss the rest of this year. We hope he’s okay for down the road, but are glad to face them weakened here.

Our winning streak continues, and we have risen from 1-6 to 5-6, and are on the fringes of being a contender. Wheeling is 9-2 and has the division all but locked, but if we keep winning we could get somewhere into the wild card race, I suppose. Well- our winning streak does continue, and stretches to 7 games, placing us at 8-6 on the year, and right into the playoff hunt. With two games to go, we are the #7 team in the AFC – need to catch just one 9-5 club to get our spot.

However, our final two games are tough- we lose to Death Valley before beating Wheeling, but the 9-7 mark is just short of getting us into the postseason this year. At least we can take some solace in the mighty rally we made from 1-6 to 9-7 on the year, though it’s hard to just write off such a terrible start.


Front Office Football: The Fourth Edition
2007 Summary for Lake Erie Monsters

ecord: 9-7
inning Pct.: .562

ake Erie Monsters Team Rank
ushes 433 17
ushing Yards 1773 12 (T)
ards Per Carry 4.09 7
ass Attempts 516 25
ompletions 305 28
assing Yards 3182 27
ards Per Attempt 6.16 19
rd Down Conversions 37.8 11 (T)
oints Per Game 18.3 15 (T)
urnovers 24 13 (T)
urnover Margin -3 20

pponents Team Rank
ushes 442 18 (T)
ushing Yards 1717 20
ards Per Carry 3.88 17
ass Attempts 553 18
ompletions 323 16 (T)
assing Yards 3683 24
ards Per Attempt 6.66 24
rd Down Conversions 41.5 30
oints Per Game 18.0 15 (T)
urnovers 21 28 (T)

eek Team Versus Oppnt
10 at OCY 28
18 at SAC 33
14 CHY 20
19 at NIA 20
21 WHE 31
38 KW 18
13 MAN 15
23 at NSH 6
20 OCY 7
1 13 at LVL 10
2 17 at MEM 7
3 20 at FKX 17
4 24 PS 21
5 14 LVL 7
6 13 DVY 34
7 17 at WHE 14

assing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
Kidman QB 499 293 3023 6.05 19 18
*Team --- 516 305 3182 6.16 21 18

ushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
8 Bauer RB 304 1308 4.30 4
6 Martin RB 90 383 4.25 1
*Team --- 433 1773 4.09 5

eceiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
4 Morton WR 102 48 802 16.7 163 3
9 Moultrie WR 100 65 688 10.5 80 5
8 Bauer RB 88 60 512 8.5 114 5
8 Fox WR 68 33 373 11.3 31 3
4 Hamilton FB 40 26 187 7.1 70 0
6 Miailovich TE 30 18 171 9.5 47 1
0 King WR 28 15 173 11.5 24 1
6 Martin RB 20 13 87 6.6 33 0
7 Keith TE 20 14 122 8.7 11 2
*Team --- 514 305 3182 10.4 597 21

efense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
5 Kley ILB 109 24 4.5 4 3 7
3 Shifflett CB 69 19 0.0 0 4 23
2 Parrish S 63 21 1.0 0 0 2
3 Boyer S 60 27 0.5 0 1 6
6 Shea OLB 59 18 5.5 7 0 1
7 Clements DT 56 20 3.0 4 0 0
0 Gaines CB 54 16 0.0 0 3 9
1 Cossel DE 50 12 6.0 14 0 1
2 Terry ILB 48 18 0.0 0 0 7
7 Specter DT 47 19 3.0 5 0 0
3 Shepherd OLB 45 16 3.0 4 0 2
1 Manusky S 42 13 2.0 1 1 2
7 Mueller CB 31 8 0.0 0 0 2
1 Mangiafico DE 19 9 2.5 7 0 0
2 Barnes DE 17 9 2.0 6 1 0
6 Sanford CB 17 7 1.0 0 1 0
*Team --- 878 263 36.0 55 14 62



Offensively, QB Kidman recovered from a ghastly start to get his TD/Int ratio positive, if only slightly. Bauer played pretty well overall, getting more involved in the passing game and topping 1,800 total yards. WR Morton missed two games to injury, but I just cannot believe that we threw as many passes to Moulktrie as we did to Morton – what gives there? Morton admittedly caught fewer than half the passes sent his way – that has to get better, period. LT Rufus Coffey is working out pretty well, but LG Devin Barton is not looking like a top-grade player. C Marcus Gardner stepped in and played well- and might have won the starting C job from the injured Marty Hartman, whose contract is now up.

Despite staying pretty healthy most of the year, we failed to maintain our dominant ratings on defense, where we slipped all the way down below average against both the run and pass. That’s very disappointing – I felt like our personnel actually improved, but we moved backwards. We did get a good season from our new MLB Kley, but our pass rush really dropped off to only 36 sacks – and that, I’m sure, made a big difference. The DE tandem of Mangiafico and Barnes, new faces at the LDE spot, simply didn’t make up for our losses there.


Wheeling makes it to the title game, but gets upset by Sault Ste. Marie, and has to settle for runnerup this year.



Front Office Football: The Fourth Edition
2007 Awards List

Award Player Team
#Player of the Year Charlie Battle WHE
#Front Office Bowl MVP Charlie Battle WHE
#Offensive Player of the Year Marshall Brock TUL
#Defensive Player of the Year Zach Atkins MAZ
#Offensive Rookie of the Year Paul Farley SAC
#Defensive Rookie of the Year Monty Foreman SAC
#All-League First-String Quarterback Charlie Battle WHE
#All-League First-String Running Back Marshall Brock TUL
#All-League First-String Fullback Leonard Knight WHE
#All-League First-String Tight End Glenn Patterson LVL
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Rodney Tapia PEN
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Ethan Swope ATH
#All-League First-String Center Gerald Bible TXA
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Dale Boyd LTR
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Desmond Boyer TXA
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Doug Barrett DVY
*All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Rufus Coffey LKE
#All-League First-String Punter Shane Franklin MAZ
#All-League First-String Kicker R.J. Kiser WHE
#All-League First-String Defensive End R.J. Amato WHE
#All-League First-String Defensive End Michael Szur TUL
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Maurice Lehman TXA
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Darren May SSM
#All-League First-String Inside Linebacker Matt Mayes KYH
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Edgar Collins PEN
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Ed Tuiasosopo NIA
#All-League First-String Cornerback Reggie Ah Yat WHE
#All-League First-String Cornerback Louis Girardi WHE
#All-League First-String Safety Zach Atkins MAZ
#All-League First-String Safety Monty Foreman SAC
#All-League Second-String Quarterback J.C. Meier FKX
*All-League Second-String Running Back Spencer Bauer LKE
#All-League Second-String Fullback Lewis Dernbach TXA
#All-League Second-String Tight End Kenny Gohl KW
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Henry Penrice DVY
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver R.J. Washington MAZ
#All-League Second-String Center Shane Brown PS
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Rod James TXA
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Alex Stevens FKX
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Otis Richard SAC
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Phillip Cobb PS
#All-League Second-String Punter Kendall Sutter KYH
#All-League Second-String Kicker Wally Hiel NSH
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Tommy McCaffrey LTR
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Cory Neal PS
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Kerry Mills FTW
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Alonzo Givens NSH
*All-League Second-String Inside Linebacker Jay Kley LKE
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Kurt Lyons CHA
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Everett Rhoads ATH
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Jamie Beyer TB
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Lester Shumaker DVY
#All-League Second-String Safety Kenny Kerr TIJ
#All-League Second-String Safety Grant Delong MAZ


So, we get a few kudos for a season that could have been a good deal better, had we not stumbled out of the gate. Three mentions on the all-pro list is a high, I think – things are looking up here in Monsterland.

[QuikSand]

2008

As we prepare for the 2008 season, we are poised to make another move forward. I’m hoping that our defense will be improved this year without much additional work, and my main focus is the offense. Young QB Kidman has been okay, but certainly not a team leader – if we can improve that position, I’d like very much to do so. I am not flush with cash any longer, but we’ll be willing to commit to a real free agent if there’s one who can really help us.


As we begin the FA process, we have a number of our own players up for new deals. S Antonio Parrish has been a starter since the get-go—he is not a great talent, but adds some stability and does help defend the run a good deal. If he’s reasonable, we’ll bring him back. DE Gino Cossel was a fairly cheap signee, who has played pretty well for us. But as he is looking for $8m+ per year, it’s very unlikely we’ll see him coming back. RT Deon Geason has been a disappointment, and we won’t pursue him unless we’re strapped.

I’m pursuing two guys via free agency – both fairly affordable. T Trevor Devine would be the answer for us at right tackle, and I’m seeking to lock him up for a three year deal. DE Dan Louchiey looks like a potential contributor at DE, and if we get him, we can help patch over the impending loss of Cossel for a lot less money.

I also put in a three year offer for QB J.R. Newhart, a backup from Athens who looks to me like he might be pretty decent. Not great upside, but a guy I could toss into a game – and possibly toss into a battle for the starting job here with our Monsters. He’s also looking for a pretty reasonable deal.

QB Newhart quickly takes my deal, and DE Louchiey is right behind. T Devine eventually accepts, and this leaves my own safety Parrish as the last one to respond. If he leaves, we will be fine – he’s not a star by any means. But he signs in week 7, and we are done. Fairly cheap, but we got good value, I believe.


Looking into the rookie draft, we pick in the middle of the pack at #19. We won’t be seeing top-tier talent, but can certainly look to fill needs. QB remains a wish item, and perhaps another legitimate WR target. I’d also be moved by a top-tier player almost anywhere on defense. I’m flexible.

As my pick approaches, I love safety Deon Henderson, but I fail to move up and he goes at #17. Future star, I’m certain of it. I’m used to seeing strong WRs here, but this season I am nonplussed by the lot of them. I take the best OL left, and then trade out of round two when I cannot locate a gut I like there. I’m unhappy with this draft – but I pick up an extra first rounder from Key West for next year.


Amateur Draft Report:

Rnd 1 - Rodney Houston, G, Brown
Rnd 3 - Malcolm Fridlund, FB, Arizona State
Rnd 4 - Dean Greene, S, Penn State
Rnd 6 - Courtney Westbrook, P, Arkansas
Rnd 7 - Riddick Clausen, RB, Mississippi


Rodney Houuston ought to be the guy we want at LG, while FB Fridlund should become a top-level all-around fullback. We’ll see about the rest – but P Westbrook ought to be very good.

Following the draft, we receive an intriguing trade offer. Bermuda wants LB Kenyon Terry, who has recently been moved to the outside on our scheme, and is in his final contract year. They are offering a solid safety in T.J. Lap (who is a confirmed ballhawker) and a 3rd round pick. Not a bad deal, really. This would move Sammie Shepherd into a starting role, which is fine. I decide to take the deal, and hope that T.J. Lap turns out to be as productive for me as he was playing in Texarkana a few short years ago.


Here’s our roster, as we gear up for the exhibition season:


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
ake Erie Monsters Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct OnTeam
$Newhart, J.R. 6 QB 5 40 57 3 yrs. 2008
idman, Ricardo 1 QB 4 33 33 3 yrs. 2005
ohnson, Jose 2 QB 6 30 30 1 yr. 2003
#George, Tommy 11 QB 2 17 34 2 yrs. 2007
$Bauer, Spencer 48 RB 5 78 78 2 yrs. 2004
lausen, Riddick 40 RB 1 36 43 3 yrs. 2008
ankford, Maurice 49 RB 1 25 35 1 yr. 2008
ranham, Bernard 25 RB 1 24 36 1 yr. 2008
#Battle, Horace 44 RB 1 23 39 1 yr. 2008
ridlund, Malcolm 47 FB 1 40 68 3 yrs. 2008
$Hamilton, Rusty 34 FB 2 40 50 2 yrs. 2007
$Miailovich, Dwayne 46 TE 5 62 62 2 yrs. 2004
obler, Zack 85 TE 1 17 43 1 yr. 2008
$Morton, Todd 84 FL 6 59 62 4 yrs. 2007
ox, Bryant 88 FL 6 36 36 1 yr. 2003
ing, John 80 FL 4 35 35 1 yr. 2005
$Moultrie, Mercury 89 SE 6 30 30 1 yr. 2005
#Carter, Jimmy 82 SE 5 28 39 1 yr. 2006
$Coffey, Rufus 68 LT 4 64 69 3 yrs. 2005
alcon, Buddy 69 LT 6 28 42 1 yr. 2007
arton, Devin 58 LG 3 41 49 1 yr. 2006
$Houston, Rodney 59 LG 1 36 66 5 yrs. 2008
$Gardner, Marcus 63 C 6 54 66 1 yr. 2007
oone, Terrell 61 C 2 25 39 2 yrs. 2007
$Garrison, Tim 62 RG 6 36 47 1 yr. 2007
#Meyers, Deon 79 RG 2 23 40 3 yrs. 2007
$Devine, Trevor 66 RT 5 46 67 3 yrs. 2008
estbrook, Courtney 4 P 1 73 81 2 yrs. 2008
urner, Harry 9 K 6 60 64 3 yrs. 2003
$Mangiafico, Martin 91 LDE 6 52 52 3 yrs. 2007
ouchiey, Dan 70 LDE 5 46 59 3 yrs. 2008
$Clements, Jumbo 57 LDT 6 34 36 2 yrs. 2003
arr, Tim 98 LDT 3 20 42 1 yr. 2006
ruttadauria, Lee 74 NT 5 34 40 2 yrs. 2008
$Specter, Kevin 97 RDT 6 39 44 2 yrs. 2003
$Barnes, Ken 92 RDE 2 39 58 4 yrs. 2007
$Shepherd, Sammie 53 SLB 6 38 39 1 yr. 2005
hea, Sedrick 96 SLB 6 33 33 2 yrs. 2003
$Kley, Jay 55 MLB 6 63 63 2 yrs. 2007
oland, Ty 54 MLB 6 22 22 1 yr. 2003
$Hogenkamp, Marshall 90 WLB 2 33 60 3 yrs. 2007
athis, Norm 51 WLB 3 20 31 1 yr. 2006
hifflett, Donny 43 LCB 5 51 51 2 yrs. 2004
ueller, Sean 27 LCB 3 37 38 1 yr. 2006
anford, Leonard 36 LCB 2 18 29 1 yr. 2007
aines, Scott 30 RCB 3 54 62 4 yrs. 2006
ap, T.J. 39 SS 6 39 39 3 yrs. 2008
#Parrish, Antonio 32 SS 6 31 31 2 yrs. 2003
amilton, Steve 22 SS 6 18 27 1 yr. 2003
oyer, Antonio 33 FS 3 44 50 2 yrs. 2006
anusky, Ryan 21 FS 4 29 54 1 yr. 2007
#Greene, Dean 45 FS 1 24 41 3 yrs. 2008

$ - player is in starting lineup, ## - player is inactive.

layers Under Contract: 52
n Active Roster: 46

alary Cap: $99,900,000
ap Room: $3,120,000
aximum for New Player: $3,120,000
ap Room Lost (to old contracts): $440,000

ap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0
ap Room Required Next Year: $80,590,000



One interesting note right off the top here – coming out of training camp, our staff believes that our FA acquisition QB J.R. Newhart is a better starter for us than the younger Ricardo Kidman. I may let the preseason decide it, but it’s an open competition from this point.

In the preseason, we get a lot from Newhart at QB, and Kidman doesn’t show us any reason not to go with the older guy here. So, we will start the season with a new face at QB – hoping that J.R. Newhart can give this offense some “new heart.” (heh)

Week 1: Louisville at Lake Erie

In our opener against Louisville, we roll to a decent 27-17 win. Bauer runs for 148 yards, while we totally shut their running game down – that’s still our easiest path to victory. T Coffey was 5 for 5 with key blocks – that’s a great game right there.

Week 2: Lake Erie (1-0) at Norfolk (1-0)

We lose a shootout, 35-30, despite a strong second half rally. We gave up a 28-6 lead in the first half, and couldn’t overcome those mistakes. A long fumble return TD was the backbreaker. Newhart, so far, is getting almost 8 yards per attempt – our passing game simply has much more confidence with him at the helm.

Week 3: Lake Erie (1-1) at Nashua (1-1)

J.R. Newhart again plays pretty well, but an interception returned 75 yards for a TD is a huge play as we get stung, 21-17.

Week 4: Fort Knox (1-2) at Lake Erie (1-2)

Fort Know has been a power team, but seems to be in a rut – and we help keep them there. Our run defense is great, and we keep control the whole way to a 26-3 win.

Week 5: Lake Erie (2-2) at Pensacola (2-2)

A road win here would get us back above .500 and perhaps feeling like a contender. However, our road woes continue, as we tumble 27-19. Newhart throws three interceptions, including two that go back for TDs – undermining a pretty darned good defensive game, once again. Newhart seems to be a double-edged sword for our team, as he will clearly make the big mistake just as much as make the great play.

Week 6: Lake Erie (2-3) at little Rock (2-2)

We get our road win here, as Bauer goes over 100 yards both rushing and receiving, and leads the way for a very productive day on offense.

Week 7: ocean City (3-3) at Lake Erie (3-3)

We get rolled again by Ocean City, watching Vernon Rand – nicely recovered from his injury last year – roll up 159 yards against us. He’s 4th in league rushing, a few slots ahead of Bauer. I still have hopes (after last year0 that Bauer can emerge as a truly elite player- once we get his surrounded well.

Week 8: Fort Wayne (5-2) at Lake Erie (3-4)

We skid to our midpoint with a loss at home, it’s not even close. 26-9 is the tally, and we aren’t even in the game, and looks to just be a mediocre team despite my efforts. We actually outgain them, but cannot play consistently well on either side – and giving up a kickoff return TD is a bad move in any game.


Oddly enough, at the midpoint of the season, QB J.R. Newhart leads the league in passing yards with 2,078 – but his 13/3 ratio is certainly not the stuff of legends. RB Spencer Bauer actually leads the team in receiving yards – as Todd Morton has again gotten hurt and looks like he simply isn’t a great fit for our system.


Week 9: Lake Erie (3-5) at Wheeling (4-4)

Wheeling certainly isn’t rolling like they did last year, and the division is up for grabs. They beat us 27-20 despite the fact we outgained them by nearly 100 yards: we turned the ball over 2 to their 1, but they were just more efficient with their chances.

But now RB Bauer will miss a few games – and we are in need of a turnaround anyway. I go back to our 33-based offense (yes, that is 2/3 passing, would you expect anything else?) and hope that this works out for us – as Todd Morton returns.

Week 11: Lake Erie (3-6) at Louisville (5-4)

Despite Newhart’s 376 yards passing, we end up only tied 13-13 at the end of regulation. CB Scott Gaines makes the big play in overtime, getting a pick and taking it in for the win. Morton makes a good return, with 154 yards and a score on the day – he should be the big beneficiary from a more aggressive passing attack.

Week 12: Lake Erie (4-6) at Hawk Mountain (3-7)

We stick with the up-tempo attack, even though RB Bauer returns this week while listed as probable. We put a hurting on the Sharpies, 41-13, as Morton hauls in another 150 yards and two scores. This uptick in offense seems promising – but let’s not get carried away.

Week 13: Cheyenne (6-5) at Lake Erie (5-6)

We get our third win under the new approach, with a narrow 29-24 edge. Bauer ends up with 95 rushing and 108 receiving, while Morton has his third straight 100-yard game. Newhart is 25 of 36 for over 300 with no picks – a great effort all around.


Week 14: Providence (8-4) at Lake Erie (6-6)

We get a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, and then hold on the rest of the way to take it, 14-10. DT Jumbo Clements leads the defensive charge with 4 sacks, and gets the game ball.

Week 15: Wheeling (5-8) at Lake Erie (7-6)

We are starting to look like the old Wayne Fontes Lions – crummy to start out, and very tough down the stretch. Two years running, we’ve had a late season run like this – probably when it was already too late.

We get up to a 9-6 win by way of winning the field goal battle. We overcome 3 picks to get it, but it’s our fifth straight win since the bye week adjustments.

Week 16: Texarkana (8-6) at Lake Erie (8-6)

Coming in, we sit in the #5 slot, tied with Cheyenne at 8-6. A playoff spot is our to lose, but there are five teams with 7 wins waiting to pounce.

We’re basically outplayed here, but get four interceptions and a kickoff return TD to pull out a nice 23-20 win. Lucky over good this time, I guess.

Week 17: lake Erie (9-6) at ocean City (11-4)

Well, we are prepared to square off against Vernon Rand, whose 1,058 yards came in only 13 games so far. Bauer needs 36 yards in this game to make 1,000 for the season – these two are not exactly towering over the league like I had imagined.

We still need this game for our playoff chances – OC has the division crown already locked up, and is fighting for their bye week.

The Thrashers thrash us pretty well, getting a 45-16 win, and leaving our future in some doubt…

But the 9-7 mark is good enough this year, as we sneak in as the #6 seed to face Key West in the playoff opener.



ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
008 Regular Season Standings

AC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
cean City 12 4 0 .750 367 261 9-3 5-1
ake Erie 9 7 0 .563 346 337 6-6 3-3
ouisville 7 9 0 .438 306 285 4-8 1-5
heeling 6 10 0 .375 296 364 5-7 3-3

AC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ort Knox 11 5 0 .688 385 268 8-4 6-0
ensacola 8 8 0 .500 345 425 5-7 3-3
ort Wayne 8 8 0 .500 372 363 6-6 0-6
ittle Rock 6 10 0 .375 290 343 3-9 3-3

AC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ey West 9 7 0 .563 349 345 7-5 4-2
anhattan 9 7 0 .563 337 295 6-6 2-4
ashua 8 7 1 .531 302 334 7-4-1 3-3
iagara Falls 8 8 0 .500 259 248 6-6 3-3

AC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ijuana 10 5 1 .656 304 307 8-3-1 4-2
heyenne 9 7 0 .563 352 245 6-6 4-2
apa Valley 7 9 0 .438 244 339 5-7 2-4
ulsa 7 9 0 .438 336 312 4-8 2-4

NC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ault Ste. Marie 9 7 0 .563 320 282 7-5 4-2
psilanti 7 9 0 .438 343 388 5-7 2-4
hampaign 6 10 0 .375 279 333 6-6 4-2
hunder Bay 5 11 0 .313 268 302 4-8 2-4

NC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
thens 12 4 0 .750 346 228 10-2 6-0
ermuda 9 7 0 .563 301 231 6-6 3-3
itty Hawk 5 11 0 .313 233 321 4-8 2-4
azatlan 5 11 0 .313 205 325 5-7 1-5

NC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
orfolk 8 8 0 .500 251 334 6-6 3-3
rovidence 8 8 0 .500 325 310 7-5 3-3
exarkana 8 8 0 .500 278 258 6-6 3-3
awk Mountain 7 9 0 .438 329 326 6-6 3-3

NC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
eath Valley 14 2 0 .875 383 215 11-1 5-1
uget Sound 9 7 0 .563 315 308 7-5 3-3
acramento 5 11 0 .313 247 260 2-10 1-5
emphis 4 12 0 .250 214 335 4-8 3-3


God, I hate this stupid truncation problem…


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
008 Summary for Lake Erie Monsters

ecord: 9-7
inning Pct.: .562

ake Erie Monsters Team Rank
ushes 413 23
ushing Yards 1580 24
ards Per Carry 3.82 23 (T)
ass Attempts 653 2
ompletions 398 2
assing Yards 4518 1
ards Per Attempt 6.91 8
rd Down Conversions 40.2 8
oints Per Game 21.6 7 (T)
urnovers 34 26
urnover Margin -6 24 (T)

pponents Team Rank
ushes 388 6 (T)
ushing Yards 1478 3
ards Per Carry 3.80 9
ass Attempts 578 26 (T)
ompletions 307 5
assing Yards 3694 22
ards Per Attempt 6.39 13 (T)
rd Down Conversions 36.2 17 (T)
oints Per Game 21.0 25
urnovers 28 15 (T)

eek Team Versus Oppnt
27 LVL 17
30 at NOR 35
17 at NSH 21
26 FKX 3
19 at PEN 27
27 at LTR 16
19 OCY 34
9 FTW 26
20 at WHE 27
1 19 at LVL 13
2 41 at HWK 13
3 29 CHY 24
4 14 PRV 10
5 9 WHE 6
6 23 TXA 20
7 17 at OCY 45
$WC at KW

assing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
Newhart QB 653 398 4518 6.91 24 24
*Team --- 653 398 4518 6.91 24 24

ushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
8 Bauer RB 244 1017 4.16 3
0 Clausen RB 84 301 3.58 5
Newhart QB 51 159 3.11 0
*Team --- 413 1580 3.82 8

eceiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
4 Morton WR 145 75 1040 13.8 166 4
8 Bauer RB 113 83 784 9.4 264 4
9 Moultrie WR 110 66 948 14.3 121 5
0 King WR 92 49 677 13.8 96 2
4 Hamilton FB 54 39 304 7.7 108 4
7 Fridlund FB 26 18 127 7.0 53 1
6 Miailovich TE 25 17 191 11.2 39 2
0 Clausen RB 22 14 65 4.6 29 1
5 Dobler TE 22 12 94 7.8 17 1
2 Carter WR 18 10 103 10.3 9 0
*Team --- 652 398 4518 11.3 928 24

efense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
5 Kley ILB 97 31 4.5 5 0 10
3 Shepherd OLB 82 20 5.5 3 0 5
3 Boyer S 77 14 1.0 2 2 12
9 Lap S 70 26 1.0 0 4 9
3 Shifflett CB 58 21 0.0 0 3 30
7 Specter DT 46 19 6.5 5 0 0
7 Clements DT 44 17 9.5 3 0 1
0 Gaines CB 43 18 0.0 0 9 13
0 Hogenkamp OLB 40 23 1.0 1 2 9
2 Barnes DE 35 10 4.5 12 0 1
7 Mueller CB 32 6 1.5 1 2 12
1 Mangiafico DE 30 13 6.0 20 0 0
2 Hamilton CB 18 2 0.0 0 0 0
*Team --- 810 240 45.0 60 22 104



Offensively, it’s obvious that the pickup in our passing game is the main ingredient – even Bauer remained very effective, tallying up over 1,800 yards again. Newhart is a much more polished passer than we have had – and it’s a different team under his leadership. Do I want 24 interceptions? Of course not. But it’s a different and better look for us to be moving the ball by these means, I think. We’ll hope that the numbers get better over time.

Morton becomes the franchise’s first 1,000-yard receiver, but it’s bittersweet. This was still a bit disappointing, compared to his efforts prior to playing with us. He’s a two-time first team all-pro, and I’d like to see some numbers good enough to get him back. he was brilliant for that three-game stretch, but is just prone to disappearing too often.

Defensively, we got our sack totals up a bit, but not enough, I don’t think. We improved against the run, getting back to the upper tier – but I would like to get even better there. I’m undecided about safety T.J. Lap, our addition who got four picks, but might not be the best guy in coverage. CB Donny Shifflet remains a top-grade cover man, not a great interception guru, but he defends a lot of passes and consistently get rated over 20 in the PDPCt rating. DT Clement had a freak year with QB sacks – not really his specialty. The LB corps was solid, and Marshall Hogenkamp has proven to be a perfectly solid starter on the rise for us, a nice surprise to a point.


On to the postseason…

Wild Card Round: Lake Erie (9-7) at Key West (9-7)[/b]

Spencer Bauer is our workhorse, predictably, as we churn out a big game form him: 99 yards on the ground, 123 in the air, and a TD each way. KW knots it up at 23 with under a minute to go, so we sail into overtime. We get the big drive, and kick the winning FG at 9:59 to take the 26-23 margin and advance.

[I]Divisional Playoffs: Lake Erie (10-7) at Fort Knox (11-5)[/b]

WR Todd Morton is hurt but playing – we will need him in this tough matchup.

We actually strom out strong here, scoring on our first two drives and going up 14-0 in the first quarter. A FG makes the halftime score 17-0, and we are looking good. Fort Knox scores on a fumble recovery, and then makes their run – getting it down to 27-21 early in the fourth quarter. but we put on the brakes – and hold them off the rest of the way, gaining entrée into the conference championship game with a 27-21 win on the road.

[I]AFC Championship: Lake Erie (11-7) at Ocean City (13-4)[/b]

OC is rolling, and Vernon Rand is at the helm. He’s healthy and has then all geared up for a shot at the top spot. Spencer Bauer, however, is out of this game – he is very hurt and simply cannot go. So much for the showdown matchup we wanted – we’ll have to pass this one around to win it.

We stop them on their first possession, and just march right down the field for a TD pass to Moultrie. OC responds, and drives, but we get it back on an end zone interception by Gaines, to stay up 7-0 with the ball. OC gets the ball back, connects on a long pass to get into position, and punched Rand in for the tying score. Early in the second quarter, it’s 7-7. The second half is back and forth, with no more scoring – it’s a 7-7 tie at the half way point.

We commit our first turnover, a Newhart interception, but manage to avoid trouble as OC misses their FG attempt. We actually get going on the ground on our next possession, and it is a pair of runs by Claussen and Fridlund (both rookies) that get us in for the go-ahead score. OC respond with a drive for a FG, staying within 14-10. However, we sense blood, and strike quickly – Newhart hits for a 35 yard strike to Morton, and then follows with a 22 yard TD pass to Moultrie, for the 21-10 lead. The first seconds of the fourth quarter are by, and we lead by 11 points.

It starts to get silly, as OC get stuffed, and then we roll on again – Newhart hits Fox for this score, and we lead 28-10. The celebrations might be too soon, though, as OC gets a responding TD and makes it 28-18 after the two-pointer. However, we get a good possession, eat some clock, and kick a FG to lead 31-18 with 4:31 left. The final mark is 31-18, and out of the blue we go from just squeaking into the postseason… now we’re rolling all the way to the Superbowl.

[I]Superbowl: Athens (14-4) vs. Lake Erie (12-7)

Athens takes the ball first, and we again stuff them right off the bat, sending our message nicely. Unfortunately, on third and long, they connect for a 62-yard TD pass.. and we train 6-0. As we are driving into position to respond, they rush heavily, get around Coffey, and sack Newhart. He coughs up the ball, and it’s recovered by Athens. They go on to march in for a TD, and take a 13-0 lead. I hope my players aren’t as pissed off and confused as I am right now.

At the end of the first quarter, the Argos get in again and it’s 20-0. Things don’t seem to be going our way here. In the second quarter, we slow the bleeding, but it’s 27-0 at the half. It doesn’t get much better – we end up on the dark side of the most lopsided finals game in this league’s history, 30-0.


Hey, it was a better run than we had any right to expect – now we have a real rivalry feel with Ocean City going, and the burden of heightened expectations.


Front Office Football: The Fourth Edition
2008 Awards List

Award Player Team
#Player of the Year Henry Penrice DVY
#Front Office Bowl MVP Kennedy Scarbrough ATH
oach of the Year Not Yet Awarded
egend of the Game Not Yet Awarded
#Offensive Player of the Year Marshall Brock TUL
#Defensive Player of the Year Tyrell Boyd PS
#Offensive Rookie of the Year Jackie Porter PEN
#Defensive Rookie of the Year Brock Campbell CHA
#All-League First-String Quarterback Eric Bielby FTW
#All-League First-String Running Back Marshall Brock TUL
#All-League First-String Fullback Jermaine Grant BER
#All-League First-String Tight End Glenn Patterson TUL
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Henry Penrice DVY
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Kelvin Conley SSM
#All-League First-String Center Sammie Sanderson OCY
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Tyrell Curtis MAN
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Randy Lash ATH
*All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Rufus Coffey LKE
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Travis Harry FKX
#All-League First-String Punter Winfred MacAllister NIA
#All-League First-String Kicker Benjamin Garrison TIJ
#All-League First-String Defensive End Scottie Lane SAC
#All-League First-String Defensive End Jamie Parry HWK
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Teddy Moore OCY
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Leroy Sweeney KW
#All-League First-String Inside Linebacker Malcolm Herndon SSM
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Emmitt Thompson CHA
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Junior McWilliams MEM
#All-League First-String Cornerback Ricky Dougherty FTW
#All-League First-String Cornerback Jeff Hitchcock PRV
#All-League First-String Safety Tyrell Boyd PS
#All-League First-String Safety Chuck Gowins NOR
#All-League Second-String Quarterback Jeff Logan TIJ
#All-League Second-String Running Back Teddy Travis PS
#All-League Second-String Fullback Lewis Dernbach TXA
#All-League Second-String Tight End Kenny Gohl KW
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Ethan Swope ATH
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Oliver Doxzon NV
#All-League Second-String Center Geoff Lane MAN
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard James Barfield TIJ
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Jorge Kestner WHE
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Ronald Nixon KW
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Doug Barrett DVY
#All-League Second-String Punter Lee Frederick TXA
#All-League Second-String Kicker Wally Hiel MAN
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Ryan Catlett YPS
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Darren Giefeke MEM
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Terrance Baron KYH
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Alan Knight CHY
#All-League Second-String Inside Linebacker Ian Hutton NIA
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Grady Glover NSH
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Everett Rhoads ATH
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Louis Girardi WHE
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Reggie Ah Yat WHE
#All-League Second-String Safety Spencer Nixon KW
#All-League Second-String Safety Allen Taxin BER



Good season, certainly room for hope, and perhaps a sense that we have figured out the right thing to be doing with this team (back to pass more, work to overcome our miscues).

[sachmo71]

Way to go, Monsters! Maybe if Bauer had been in the game...

[QuikSand]

2009

We’re right in the heart of the prime “window” in this game – where my top young players have not yet ended their initial contracts, and I have many quality players on the team for under budget. I’m getting good a little later than usual, in part due to my dawdling moves at QB, and also in part due to the changes in the game (generally making this tougher than before, I’d say).

We have two retirements this year – S Antonio Parrish, and WR Bryant Fox. Both had moved from being top contributors to marginal players – and both departures are on friendly terms. Fine, good luck fellas.


My coach Bucky Gardner is up for new contract. Well, we got to the Superbowl last season, so I suppose we ought to be thankful for that. He gets $8.5m a year for his new three year deal.


Pensacola is interested in QB J.R. Newhart, but I don’t see how we can let him go anywhere. He’s been the most obvious tonic for our sputtering offense, and while he may not be ideal, he’s certainly our main man for now. A second round pick and a player or two won’t get him away from us.


Our free agent list includes the odd case of Mercury Moultrie. We grabbed him as an undrafted roster filler back in 2004, and he played a bit here and there for his first season. We let him go, but re-signed him after we suffered an injury at WR in 2005, and he played sporadically that year as well. A marginal talent but demanding only very little pay, we inked him to a three-year deal for 2006-08, and his playing time kept growing. Partially, this is because he’s our only guy listed at split end, and we know what that means for the depth-charting process (which I only override selectively). So, he has started the last two seasons, and last year approached 1,000 yards – consistently catching 2/3 of the balls thrown his way, despite his very modest ratings (nothing at all over 44). He is still only seeking about $2m a year – I don’t see how we can not re-sign him and keep him around, as he continues to overperform.

CB Steve Hamilton never became the star I had hoped for when I made him our first draft pick, but he has stuck around as a decent reserve DB and solid kick returner. However, now he wants pretty big money – that will be a problem. I may try to wait him out – I cannot pay $2.5m a year for my 4th cornerback.

C Marcus Gardner has assumed the starting center job, and looks good. He wants titanic money, though, and I don’t think we’ll have it to spend. C is always an easy position to fill – we’ll be looking for a more modestly priced free agent (like Gardner was for us originally) for that spot, I fear.


On the open market, WR Henry Penrice is available, coming off a season where he was named league MVP. A wideout getting this honor is pretty rare, but his 1,695 yard season certainly made the case. He has made the all-pro team in each of his 5 seasons, and has gained 6,759 yards in that time – he’s a positively dominant player, it’s basically unbelievable that he’s out here like this. Death Valley couldn’t lock him up, and he’s looking to strike gold here – and I think he will.


I look around, preferring to focus on more affordable target players. I put in a bid for WR Harvey West, who has done pretty well as a reserve with Tulsa and Tijuana. T Brett Davis is solid, and a two year deal would give me some nice, cheap OL insurance. WR George Blades is a shade more pricey than West and my guy Moultrie, but he is more accomplished – I put in a three year offer for him in an effort to put out a solid squad of wideouts around Todd Morton.

After making my “budget” deals, I still have money left over – eve if all these guys sign. Probably not a full $10 million needed to ink one of the top star players out there – but enough to do something. Maybe I could re-sign C Gardner? I’ll wait him out, and watch the position.


After one week, all my offers are pending, but C Gardner has a 4yr, $30m offer from Manhattan. WR Henry Penrice, to my shock, doesn’t have a single suitor yet. I decide that I have to at least make an effort to get him – and I put up a 4yr, $45m offer which counts $8m this year. We’ll see – I can’t imagine that nobody will put up more, but if this is a possibility, I need to jump on it.

Free agent QB Eric Beeston signs with Bermuda, and probably makes them into a contender right away – he’s very solid. And at $18m a year, he’d better be.

WR Harvey West and Mercury Moultrie, hearing about my interest in Penrice, both quickly snap up their offers from us. So, that might help anyway – but we could end up with an embarrassment of riches if Penrice does sign.

In week 3, Hawk Mountain swoops in, offers Henry Penrice $84m over 7 years, and he’s gone. That makes much more sense – but it was exciting to think about landing him here.

After week 6, all my targets have signed with us (except Penrice of course) and C Gardner has signed with Manhattan. Most of our decisions are now done. But we still have $10 million or so to spend – I have the luxury of looking through the relative values remaining in the FA pool.

S Kenny Reeves has not gotten much playing time with Manhattan, but looks very good to us. It will take around $4-5m per year, but he’d become an impact player, I suspect. DE Chris Raymond has several bidders, but about $4m a year would lock him in – and he’s good enough to press for a starting job with us. We have several options – I decide to sit back and wait them out a bit longer.


After week 10, I put in an offer for S Kenny Reeves, 4yrs, $19.5m. He just seems to be the obvious fit for our team – so I decide to pay the freight. I also put in an offer to RG Frank Smith – who I see stepping right in to start for us. And a three year offer to C Calvin Robertson might give us a solid man in the middle for a while.

All three offers are accepted in a few weeks, and it looks like we have done a fairly good job in free agency this season. I like the upgrade at safety (cools the burn over losing the star safety in last year’s draft) and I think the line will be fine, if not improved with the depth we have added.


As we head to the draft, I am prepared to use my two first round picks (we have Key West’s from last year’s trade) to move up if there’s a particular target player worth pursuing. We have picks at #26 and #31- I wouldn’t mind using both to move up to mid-round and grab a falling value player. DT Prestoin Picchietti would be a nice possibility, if we got lucky and he slipped to #15 or so.

Regrettably, DT Picchietti goes at pick #5, and there’s nobody who intrigues me enough to move up to get mid-round. We are really without gaping holes on this team, which is nice, admittedly. LB is probably our most obvious need area – a developable young player would be helpful there.

I’m not too keen on this draft, so I trade my #26 pick and next year’s third rounder to Kitty Hawk for next year’s first rounder from them. They picked at #5 this year – so I can hold out hope that I will land a real impact player with that selection – rather than the dullard I’d get here.


Amateur Draft Report:

Rnd 1 - Vinny Sawyer, DT, Notre Dame
Rnd 2 - Rich Finneran, OLB, Mississippi
Rnd 3 - Greg Chandler, TE, Iowa State
Rnd 4 - Ricardo Teal, QB, Minnesota
Rnd 5 - Skip Briggs, C, UCLA
Rnd 6 - Chad Southern, RB, NWestern St., La.
Rnd 7 - Kim Bauer, ILB, Northern Arizona


An interesting draft. DT Sawyer might be very good, if he develops over time. I filled a couple of need spots, and picked up versatile TE Chandler (who originally was slotted at FB). QB Teal was intriguing in round two, a must in round four – he has great upside, which may never materialize, I understand. LB Kim Bauer might actually be a good fit for us, and we need help at LB.


The newest trade offer for QB Newhart is up to a 1st round pick, plus a decent player. Still not one I want to do, but it’s nice to have the phone ring.



Filling in the roster from here is tough. I want to re-sign DB Steve Hamilton, but his demands are just unreasonable. I can pay the $2.5m this year – but he demands a three year deal, and for a 4th or 5th corner and decent KR, that’s just too much. If he doesn’t get signed, I may ink him for one year after training camp – but will lose his cohesion benefits then. But then, even as I type that, I decide that it doesn’t really ring true to me – and I decide to go ahead and give him the three year deal after all. I work him down under $6m for the term – so it’s not that bad after all.

We bid farewell to QB Jose Johnson – the first guy we tried out at the position, who has hung around as a reserve, dropping like a depth charge to the lowest ranks of our depth chart. Now, he’s free to make his own deal, if he can (doubtful).


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
ake Erie Monsters Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct OnTeam
$Newhart, J.R. 6 QB 6 52 58 2 yrs. 2008
idman, Ricardo 1 QB 5 33 33 2 yrs. 2005
eorge, Tommy 11 QB 3 19 35 1 yr. 2007
eal, Ricardo 10 QB 1 10 48 3 yrs. 2009
$Bauer, Spencer 48 RB 6 77 77 1 yr. 2004
lausen, Riddick 40 RB 2 36 42 2 yrs. 2008
outhern, Chad 20 RB 1 23 34 2 yrs. 2009
ridlund, Malcolm 47 FB 2 47 67 2 yrs. 2008
$Hamilton, Rusty 34 FB 3 46 50 1 yr. 2007
$Miailovich, Dwayne 46 TE 6 62 62 1 yr. 2004
handler, Greg 29 TE 1 25 63 4 yrs. 2009
$Morton, Todd 84 FL 7 60 63 3 yrs. 2007
$Blades, George 88 SE 6 43 43 3 yrs. 2009
est, Harvey 83 SE 7 37 37 2 yrs. 2009
oultrie, Mercury 89 SE 7 30 30 2 yrs. 2005
$Coffey, Rufus 68 LT 5 66 70 2 yrs. 2005
avis, Brett 60 LT 6 40 50 2 yrs. 2009
$Houston, Rodney 59 LG 2 46 63 4 yrs. 2008
$Roberson, Calvin 50 C 7 36 47 3 yrs. 2009
#Boone, Terrell 61 C 3 26 38 1 yr. 2007
riggs, Skip 52 C 1 25 59 3 yrs. 2009
$Smith, Frank 64 RG 5 33 60 2 yrs. 2009
eyers, Deon 79 RG 3 25 38 2 yrs. 2007
$Devine, Trevor 66 RT 6 67 69 2 yrs. 2008
estbrook, Courtney 4 P 2 79 83 1 yr. 2008
urner, Harry 9 K 7 60 63 2 yrs. 2003
$Mangiafico, Martin 91 LDE 7 52 52 2 yrs. 2007
ouchiey, Dan 70 LDE 6 49 59 2 yrs. 2008
$Clements, Jumbo 57 LDT 7 33 36 1 yr. 2003
ruttadauria, Lee 74 NT 6 36 41 1 yr. 2008
awyer, Vinny 93 NT 1 18 35 4 yrs. 2009
$Specter, Kevin 97 RDT 7 39 44 1 yr. 2003
$Barnes, Ken 92 RDE 3 46 57 3 yrs. 2007
$Hogenkamp, Marshall 90 SLB 3 38 55 2 yrs. 2007
#Shea, Sedrick 96 SLB 7 32 32 1 yr. 2003
$Kley, Jay 55 MLB 7 63 63 1 yr. 2007
oland, Ty 54 MLB 7 21 21 2 yrs. 2003
#Bauer, Kim 94 MLB 1 10 33 2 yrs. 2009
orrance, Drew 53 WLB 6 33 33 2 yrs. 2009
$Finneran, Rich 95 WLB 1 29 46 4 yrs. 2009
athis, Norm 51 WLB 4 21 31 1 yr. 2006
$Shifflett, Donny 43 LCB 6 51 51 1 yr. 2004
anusky, Ryan 21 LCB 5 16 51 2 yrs. 2007
$Gaines, Scott 30 RCB 4 67 67 3 yrs. 2006
amilton, Steve 22 RCB 7 27 27 3 yrs. 2003
$Reeves, Kenny 24 SS 5 57 59 4 yrs. 2009
ap, T.J. 39 SS 7 38 38 2 yrs. 2008
$Boyer, Antonio 33 FS 4 57 57 1 yr. 2006
reene, Dean 45 FS 2 23 39 2 yrs. 2008

$ - player is in starting lineup, ## - player is inactive.

layers Under Contract: 49
n Active Roster: 46

alary Cap: $105,500,000
ap Room: $3,780,000
aximum for New Player: $3,780,000
ap Room Lost (to old contracts): $370,000

ap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0
ap Room Required Next Year: $69,270,000



We get through the exhibition season, and get a couple decent showings from rookie QB Ricardo Teal. Will he be good down the line? Don’t know, but this is a decent first step. We do have bad news – DT Kevin Specter is lost for the year already, putting new pressure onto the remaining players up there. We sign a rookie DT to help fill in, but this is a real loss to our defense. WR Todd Morton is also banged up, but should be able to play within a week or two – veteran Mercury Moultrie slides into the starting lineup to ensure that Newhart has a familiar target.


Week 1: Lake Erie at Wheeling

We double up the Dealers 20-10, despite being outgained. Three interceptions helped our cause, as we get off to a good start.

Week 2: Thunder Bay (1-0) at Lake Erie (1-0)

We rallied in the fourth quarter to tie this one up at 28, but they kick the game-winning FG as time expires, and take it 31-28. George Blades and Mercury Moultrie play well, but we need our game breaker in there to get the offense ignited. WR Todd Morton should be back for next week’s game.

Week 3: Manhattan (1-1) at Lake Erie (1-1)

Not a terribly exciting game, but we win 23-20 on two fourth quarter field goals. Newhart connects with eight different receivers to keep the offense moving well. We get an early bye, and hope to gear up the offense for better results soon.

Week 5: Cheyenne (2-1) at Lake Erie (2-1)

We get our wish, after falling behind early, the offense tunes up and rolls. We win 38-22, as Newhart gets 3 TD passes, and we get a long interception return TD by none other than Steve Hamilton, my “bubble” veteran leader.

Week 6: Napa Valley (1-4) at Lake Erie (3-1)

We are big favorites, and come through, winning 52-16. Our offense is electric – Morton has his second big game with 165 yards and two scores.

Week 7: Lake Erie (4-1) at Tijuana (3-2)

A good road win, though the final margin of 30-28 doesn’t seem too great. Newhart is solid – 33 of 50 for 3 TDs and no picks. Mortos is over 100 yards for his third straight game.

Week 8: Lake Erie (5-1) at Tulsa (5-1)

Tulsa bolts out to a 24-0 lead just before halftime, and we try to come back, but fall short and lose this one 24-21. We are again being outrushed, and it looks like we are simply not using the running game much – not just this week, but generally. Newhart’s 3 picks added to the early frustrations, and our defense couldn’t prevent capitalizing.

Week 9: Ocean City (2-6) at Lake Erie (5-2)

Too bad the rivalry loses its luster quickly, but we heap more trouble onto the Thrashers, handing them a 23-17 loss and dropping them even lower into the muck.


Halfway through our schedule, we are obviously a prolific passing team, and are ranked #1 in total scoring offense. We’re in the middle with defensive efficiency, one of my supposed strengths for this team. Newhart, however, has throws 21 TDs to only 9 picks – a much improved ration compared to last year, and that is the key element to our winning, I believe.

Week 10: Wheeling (6-2) at Lake Erie (6-2)

A big divisional game, we step up and club the Dealers, 21-0. That puts us a game up in the division, and we have them head to head also. It’s ours to lose this year.

Week 11: Louisville (3-6) at Lake Erie (7-2)

We get another solid effort here, but our running game is dropping badly. Bauer’s halfhearted effort today is worth 10 carries for 19 yards – not exactly star numbers on either side. Now Bauer will sit out a week or two to get over a knee injury.

Week 12: Lake Erie (8-2) at Champaign (7-3)

We get a tough road win here, pulling away in the fourth quarter after an even contest to that point. WRs Morton and blades both go over 100 yards and each get a TD catch in the effort.

Week 13: Lake Erie (9-2) at Pensacola (3-8)

We have a surprisingly close game here, and only manage a win with a late FG, to get to 24-23. RB Clausen and RB Fridlund actually carry the ball well, as we gain 147 yards on the ground in total. And suddenly, Spencer Bauer’s knee is feeling better, and he’ll be able to play.

Week 14: Lake Erie (10-2) at Ypsilanti (3-8-1)

We are already in the playoffs, and are now just battling Fort Knox for the top seeding. We also remain only one game ahead of Wheeling, so even the division is potentially tough. Meanwhile, to my chagrin, Kitty Hawk is 7-5, ruining my chances for a top-tier draft pick next season (I traded for their first selection).

A 34-9 road win looks good, as Newhart is very sharp, hitting for three first half TDs, and staying unblemished by picks all day. This former benchwarmer for Athens is now looking like our top player, and if he can stay consistently away from the interceptions, he’ll really be going places.

Week 15: Lake Erie (11-2) at Ocean City (5-8)

We stay consistent, and get another solid win here. The great defense is led by Marshall Hogenkamp, whose 14+1 tackles and 3 sacks earn him the game ball, needless to say.

Week 16: Sault Ste. Marie (3-10-1) at Lake Erie (12-2)

We get a 37-20 win, keyed by an early fake FG where our kicker tosses a short TD pass to WR George Blades. Nice – we roll on from there.

Week 17: Lake Erie (13-2) at Louisville (6-9)

We round out a very strong season with a nice division road win, and get to 14-2 on the year. We now have taken the next big step, and look every bit like the power team that we showed flashes of in each of the last two seasons.


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
009 Regular Season Standings

AC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
Lake Erie 14 2 0 .875 447 275 11-1 6-0
Wheeling 10 6 0 .625 327 316 8-4 3-3
Louisville 6 10 0 .375 261 298 5-7 2-4
Ocean City 6 10 0 .375 304 364 3-9 1-5

AC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
Fort Knox 12 4 0 .750 432 299 9-3 4-2
Little Rock 10 6 0 .625 359 342 7-5 4-2
Fort Wayne 8 8 0 .500 381 392 6-6 2-4
Pensacola 5 11 0 .313 395 431 4-8 2-4

AC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
Manhattan 9 7 0 .563 349 308 7-5 5-1
Niagara Falls 9 7 0 .563 327 304 7-5 3-3
Key West 5 11 0 .313 270 344 3-9 2-4
Nashua 3 12 1 .219 313 388 3-9 2-4

AC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
Tulsa 10 6 0 .625 329 258 9-3 5-1
Napa Valley 7 9 0 .438 268 322 5-7 3-3
Tijuana 7 9 0 .438 314 328 6-6 3-3
Cheyenne 6 10 0 .375 304 341 3-9 1-5

NC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
Thunder Bay 13 3 0 .813 405 304 10-2 6-0
Champaign 9 7 0 .563 334 277 7-5 2-4
Ypsilanti 5 10 1 .344 216 352 4-7-1 1-4-1
Sault Ste. Marie 4 11 1 .281 266 336 3-8-1 2-3-1

NC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
Kitty Hawk 10 6 0 .625 310 287 6-6 4-2
Bermuda 9 7 0 .563 358 330 7-5 3-3
Athens 7 9 0 .438 302 393 5-7 3-3
Mazatlan 4 11 1 .281 216 278 3-9 2-4

NC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
Norfolk 11 5 0 .688 351 293 9-3 5-1
Hawk Mountain 11 5 0 .688 392 276 8-4 3-3
Texarkana 8 8 0 .500 334 288 6-6 3-3
Providence 4 12 0 .250 213 394 2-10 1-5

NC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
Puget Sound 10 6 0 .625 328 301 8-4 4-2
Death Valley 10 6 0 .625 335 233 8-4 4-2
Memphis 8 8 0 .500 332 325 6-6 3-3
Sacramento 4 12 0 .250 282 377 3-9 1-5


So, we sit atop the division, and will face all comers from home this year.


Front Office Football: The Fourth Edition
2009 Summary for Lake Erie Monsters

Record: 14-2
Winning Pct.: .875

ake Erie Monsters Team Rank
ushes 356 30
ushing Yards 1597 23
ards Per Carry 4.48 4
ass Attempts 671 2
ompletions 422 1
assing Yards 4807 1
ards Per Attempt 7.16 7
rd Down Conversions 43.9 2
oints Per Game 27.9 1
urnovers 26 12 (T)
urnover Margin +7 8 (T)

pponents Team Rank
ushes 399 5
ushing Yards 1547 4
ards Per Carry 3.87 10
ass Attempts 584 29
ompletions 333 23
assing Yards 3749 24
ards Per Attempt 6.41 14
rd Down Conversions 39.7 22
oints Per Game 17.1 3
urnovers 33 4 (T)

eek Team Versus Oppnt
20 at WHE 10
28 TB 31
23 MAN 20
38 CHY 22
52 NV 16
30 at TIJ 28
21 at TUL 24
23 OCY 17
0 21 WHE 0
1 23 LVL 10
2 30 at CHA 20
3 24 at PEN 23
4 34 at YPS 9
5 21 at OCY 9
6 37 SSM 20
7 22 at LVL 16

assing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
Newhart QB 670 421 4804 7.17 35 19
*Team --- 671 422 4807 7.16 36 19

ushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
8 Bauer RB 155 851 5.49 6
0 Clausen RB 122 445 3.64 1
Newhart QB 55 163 2.96 2
*Team --- 356 1597 4.48 10

eceiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
4 Morton WR 153 79 1263 15.9 388 9
8 Blades WR 130 82 1064 12.9 180 5
8 Bauer RB 96 69 590 8.5 244 6
4 Hamilton FB 66 47 356 7.5 165 5
9 Moultrie WR 60 31 396 12.7 72 1
7 Fridlund FB 46 34 291 8.5 76 3
0 Clausen RB 45 29 223 7.6 103 0
3 West WR 33 23 284 12.3 24 4
6 Miailovich TE 30 21 233 11.0 52 3
*Team --- 671 422 4807 11.3 1322 36

efense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
0 Hogenkamp OLB 109 27 9.5 6 2 9
5 Kley ILB 108 25 3.5 4 6 11
3 Shifflett CB 69 15 0.0 0 1 16
3 Boyer S 65 16 0.0 0 1 11
4 Reeves S 64 26 0.0 2 2 12
5 Finneran OLB 56 31 2.5 0 5 9
4 Gruttadauria DT 49 25 7.5 7 0 0
7 Clements DT 48 25 9.5 5 0 0
2 Barnes DE 47 15 12.0 11 0 0
0 Gaines CB 42 7 0.0 0 4 7
1 Manusky CB 30 10 2.0 1 0 1
1 Mangiafico DE 26 13 5.5 16 0 1
2 Hamilton CB 25 4 1.0 1 3 0
9 Lap S 19 7 0.0 0 1 3
*Team --- 878 254 55.0 59 26 81


On offense, the pass-happy plan works well for us, as predicted. I had expected that the key factor would be having our defense help us overcome our many turnovers, but Newhart cut down on the picks, and we only turned it over 1.6 times a game – not nearly as bad as I had expected.

And though he didn’t make it directly, the one pass thrown by my kicker is evident by the margin between Newhart and the team totals. Kudos to K Harry Turner.

RB Spencer Bauer didn’t have a great season, but it’s still clear that there is a big difference between what he can do with his 155 carries and what our backup (Clausen) can do. No comparison, really.

And Morton, in his contract year, certainly earned his kudos – he remains the main threat in this offense, despite our efforts to diversify. WR George Blades played pretty well, too – staying healthy and topping 1,000 yards for the third time in his career.


Defensively, I am shocked to see Hogenkamp get more tackles than Kley, but he is certainly developing into a fine player. His move to the strong side was a boom for him – and I think he will get all-pro honors this season, which is a pleasant surprise. DE Ken Barnes is developing fairly well – overcoming some initial skepticism of mine. A fill-in player, DT Ken Gruttadauria, had a very nice season in reserve, but is not truly the run stopper than I crave for my middle defense. Rookie LB Rich Finneran played pretty well in a mostly-starting capacity— I am hoping that he continues to play well.

Overall, the defense played well in the second half – and we got going pretty well. If they play that well through the postseason, we will be very tough to handle.


Into the postseason:

Divisional Playoff: Wheeling (11-6) at Lake Erie (14-2)

A good draw for us, unless you buy that “hard to beat a team three times in a season” theory, which I don’t. We seem to match up well with Wheeling, and we’ll look to do our usual number on them.

Well, it was hard to do. Down 10 points with 7 minutes to go, we rally to score a TD, and then get in for a tying field goal, and force overtime. Our momentum carries over, and so we stop them, and quickly march in for the winning score, taking the game 33-27. not at all easy, but we advance.

Big efforts by big players: Bauer gets 127 on the ground and 101 receiving, while Morton has 191 and a TD receiving. Great game – one for the books.

Conference Championship: Fort Knox (13-4) at Lake Erie (15-2)

J.R. Newhart comes out slinging, and we roll to a quick 21-0 lead behind three first half TD passes. Fort Knox gets a FG just before the half, and then comes out hot in the third quarter, getting it to 21-17 early in the fourth. With 25 seconds on the clock, Fort Knox connects for a short TD pass, and they gain the final 24-21 edge, moving on to the championship game.

Ouch.


Fort Knox beats Norfolk 29-24 for their first championship. Tough loss for us, but we’ll try to suffer through and get back to that spot next season.


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
009 Awards List

Award Player Team
*Player of the Year J.R. Newhart LKE
#Front Office Bowl MVP J.C. Meier FKX
#Offensive Player of the Year J.C. Reeves NOR
#Defensive Player of the Year Malcolm Herndon SSM
#Offensive Rookie of the Year Neil Sanford NSH
#Defensive Rookie of the Year Winston O'Neal WHE
*All-League First-String Quarterback J.R. Newhart LKE
#All-League First-String Running Back J.C. Reeves NOR
#All-League First-String Fullback Lewis Dernbach TXA
#All-League First-String Tight End Kenny Gohl KW
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Glenn Mergen NV
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Henry Penrice HWK
#All-League First-String Center Marcus Gardner MAN
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Tyrell Curtis MAN
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Deron Ward SAC
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Mitch Hiscock OCY
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Doug Barrett DVY
#All-League First-String Punter Ernest Newman MAZ
#All-League First-String Kicker Emmanuel Peek NOR
#All-League First-String Defensive End Jamie Parry HWK
#All-League First-String Defensive End Derek Upshaw NOR
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle K.C. Taylor HWK
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Maurice Lehman TXA
#All-League First-String Inside Linebacker Malcolm Herndon SSM
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Everett Rhoads BER
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Roger Bryant LTR
#All-League First-String Cornerback Louis Girardi WHE
#All-League First-String Cornerback Lance Maloney OCY
#All-League First-String Safety Kenny Kerr TIJ
#All-League First-String Safety Nicky Hutchins LVL
#All-League Second-String Quarterback J.C. Meier FKX
#All-League Second-String Running Back Ike Burroughs TXA
#All-League Second-String Fullback Chuck Hampton FKX
#All-League Second-String Tight End Percy Towne SAC
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Nicky Picchietti NSH
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Irv Duffy PEN
#All-League Second-String Center Stan Swindal NIA
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Dale Boyd LTR
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Shawn Whalen ATH
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Joe Zinn TB
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Tyrone Bailey FKX
#All-League Second-String Punter Alan Zappa KYH
#All-League Second-String Kicker J.T. Lohr CHY
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Frank Beal MEM
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Travis Jarvis MAZ
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Kris Widner SSM
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Seth Hitchcock PRV
*All-League Second-String Inside Linebacker Jay Kley LKE
*All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Marshall Hogenkamp LKE
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Donnie Bohn NOR
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Ben McGee BER
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Byron Neale NV
#All-League Second-String Safety Ernest Sinclair PEN
#All-League Second-String Safety Tony Boatright KYH


Newhart easily outpaces the league in passing yards, and his 89.9 rating is good enough to give him the all-pro nod, and league MVP honors (slightly surprising to me).

RB J.C. Reeves, a free agent acquisition by Norfolk, was a complete jackpot for them. He signed for about $4-5m per year for five seasons, and he exploded for a monster year here – seems a lot like Priest Holmes to me.

Todd Morton misses out on the all-pro team, probably getting 5th place for only four spots. WR Henry Penrice gets a spot, though – he tops 1,500 yards for Hawk Mountain.

LBs Hogenkamp and Kley both get all-pro honors, which is nice to see. I’ll hope to retain Kley past this year, trying to keep this pair together on the field.

[QuikSand]

And thus marks the end of my "window" - I have several big dollar players coming up for new contracts this season: RB Bauer, LB Kley, CB Shifflet, S Boyer, and a few more. This will be the first offseaosn where we have to let quality guys go.

Not that we cannot keep winning, but the time period without that kind of loss is over. And after next season, we'll be looking at a new contract for QB Newhart, which is going to cost us at leats $10 million more than he costs me now.

[Ryan S]

Originally posted by QuikSand
**sigh** it appears that the “truncated first character” problem with printing to a text file was either unsolved by the patch, or is a function of Windows XT rather than FOF4.

I assume you use the "Generic / Text Only" printer driver to print to a file. Have you tried deleting and reinstalling the printer?

[RPI-Fan]

I must admit, I'm following the progress of the whole team pretty closely, but one player to catch my eye is CB Scottie Gaines (your 1st rounder 3 years ago).

Has he developed as you'd expected? He seems to be a hot-shot player - can he also shut guys down? With that flashy name and stat total, I'd be interested to find out...

~rpi-fan

[Chas in Cinti]

QS.

Excellent as usual. I am thouroughly enjoying this latest dynasty.

Good luck in the transition years.

Regards,
Chas

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by Ryan S
I assume you use the "Generic / Text Only" printer driver to print to a file. Have you tried deleting and reinstalling the printer?

Yes, I have done so a couple of times... to no avail. It's always happened on this computer (a fairly new laptop running Windows XT). Primelord reported the same problem, also running XT - that's the only affirmation that I have seen). SOL, I guess.

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by RPI-Fan
I must admit, I'm following the progress of the whole team pretty closely, but one player to catch my eye is CB Scottie Gaines (your 1st rounder 3 years ago).

Has he developed as you'd expected? He seems to be a hot-shot player - can he also shut guys down? With that flashy name and stat total, I'd be interested to find out...

~rpi-fan

When I picked Gaines, I thought he was a pretty likely bust, but took him because he had potential to be an across-the-board star at CB -- and with a mid-to-late fiorst round pick, it was too good a value to pass up. To my modest surprise but great delight, he actually deveoped to those potentials, and is now a bona fide star player.

Actually, his 52 in MTM coverage is one of his lower ratings, but he gets about 90 in the other coverages, 71 in run defense, 91 in play diagnosis, and 93/97 in interceptions. He's a serious top-level guy.

Over four years, his PDPct is 20.5 - and I usually consider anything over 20 to be a very good rating. He has 25 interceptions in that time - also pretty solid for a corner.

Donny Shifflett, my other starter at CB (converted from safety right after we drafted him) is not as good an overall talent, but seems to be slightly better in pure coverage. But together, I love these two - they are very good overall, just what I like to have back at the corners.

[QuikSand]

2010

This will be our first serious “year of decisions.” The initial phases of building a team from scratch in FOF are threefold. There’s the “one piece at a time” phase, as we have many needs and are looking for help everywhere. Then there’s the “window of opportunity” time where you have many of those initial players starting to peak, and not yet coming due for new contracts for big money. Then, finally, there’s a leveling off period – where you start to basically resemble a real-live football team, rather than something that was just built. I’m now entering that third phase.


Safety T.J. Lap has retired. he lost his job last season when we brought in top-dollar safety Kenny Reeves, and now he’s decided to hang ‘em up for good. Fine.


We decide to re-hire Deon Bridges, our lead scout. His new deal is actually less than his old one – despite our team’s success under him. Okay, then.


We have a flood of players without contracts – and a good sum to sign them. Yes, the good news is that we have $43m in cap space. The bad news is that the players I’d like to re-sign (all else equal) and the approximate sum they desire are:

DT Kevin Specter, $2m/yr (coming off big injury reduced his demands)
DT Jumbo Clements, $2m
LB Jay Kley, $13m
LB Sedrick Shea, $2m
RB Spencer Bauer, $9m
TE Dwayne Miailovich, $4m
DT Lee Gruttadauria, $5m
CB Donnie Shifflett, $8m
S Antonio Boyer, $6m
FB Rusty Hamilton, $2m
P Courtney Westbrook, $2m

We simply will not be able to bring everyone back (especially if some of these prices go us) – and things are going to get tighter next season, too. So – we will have to start making tough choices.

My first thinking is that we try to lock up LB Kley, RB Bauer, and CB Shifflett, and then see where we are. I’m split on S Boyer – he’s been solid, but I think it’s a pretty replaceable position, and I don’t think he’s enough of a star to pay big money for long term. I think we can grab a few of the lower-priced guys, and come away from this year pretty unscathed. That is, assuming we don’t have to overreach to hold on to Kley in particular.

I start off the FA period with bids in to those big three, and also my two longtime defensive tackles. I’d like to return that trio intact- but Gruttadauria has decided that he’s worth a ton of cash, so he won’t return.

We find a few cheap outside free agents to pursue – a couple fill-in offensive linemen, and a reserve corner, all cheap. DE brad Turk, in particular, could be a very handy addition for the veteran minimum. And QB Matthew Kennedy might be another nice reclamation project off the bench from Louisville, where he was never able to take a single snap.

DE Jamie Perry will no doubt be the big pursuit of this FA period (in addition to the two star RBs, including Bauer) – as he posted 23.5 sacks last year. Who wouldn’t want a guy with 64.5 sacks in five seasons? I put in a simple 3yr, $36m offer for him – not expecting to see him, but I figure that I’ll make the room if we somehow get him.


After the first week of free agency, I am shocked. RB Bauer is locked in with us, and CB Shifflett is also done. So are DT Specter and C Quinn (a cheap guy). But, to my shock, so is DE Jamie Perry – who took our simple offer, and now occupies a $12 million cap space. I will need to do some work to make this come out right. And the big issue is this: can we still afford Jay Kley’s $13m contract?

Here’s where we are: I have 39 players signed, and have 7 draft picks coming. So, I have about $5.5m to spend on free agents here. To get up to sign Kley, it’s going to cost me at least $8-9m, even if it’s a fairly backloaded deal. I need to make room – but I don’t see an easy way to do it.

The easiest thing to do would be to release one or both of my decent defensive ends Mangiafico and Louchiey – each are making about $3m and have just become reserves. If we land the free agent Turk, he can be our #3 and we can draft a #4 guy and be okay. That frees up something like $5 million – which certainly would help.


Okay – at this point, I think the only thing we can do is pull our offer to Jay Kley, and hope that he goes unpursued. Then, we might be able to clear out some space, and try to get him back more cheaply later in the FA process.

I start out by making some cuts. WR Harvey West couldn’t stay healthy last year, and is our clear #4 guy – we save about $1.2m by releasing him. We save $1m cutting longtime LB Ty Foland, who is now a marginal reserve at best. G Deon Myers is an easy cut for $850,000. Those cuts get us up to about $8.5m in usable space – better, but still not enough.

I pull the offer sheet to LB Kley, but hope to get back to the table with him soon.


Two weeks later, it’s decision time. Kley has an offer – from division rivals Louisville, too. It’s 6 years, $90 million. That’s an awful lot for a linebacker, no matter how good he might be. I look around, and see that a pretty darned good MLB from Fort Knox, bob Cummings, is asking for $8m a year and not getting a nibble. It might be time to let Kley go, and look for another guy to fill the spot.

In week six, MLB Jay Kley signs with Louisville, and my TE Miailovich signs with Memphis. I’m going to wait out the MLB crop, and sign someone later in the FA process- there are two guys I think I can get to step right and in and start for us.

As we’re into the middle FA stages, S Antonio Boyer gets a new deal from Bermuda, and he’s gone. The MLB from Niagara Falls just signed with Louisville – as they are clearly trying to make a serious push with their defense. So, we put in our offer for Bob Cummings – a very solid player who has spent his last two seasons in the middle of the defense for Fort Knox. His deal is for 5 yrs, $32 million – solid, but not a budget-buster, really. He accepts right away – and I think we have a reconfigured defensive front pretty well ready to go.

We also are very desperately out of cash.


So, going into the draft, we need to get all our need areas filled with these seven picks. We definitely need a safety and a fullback – just to get our roster filled out. Actually, getting a quality FB or TE in here would be good – usually there are decent players around in the middle rounds. Early on, a standout safety would be nice, or perhaps a future star-caliber linebacker, who could play on the weak side. We also are in need of a fourth wide receiver, so that’s another place we could look fairly early.

With picks at #26 and #30, I am again looking at the middle of the first round – and if something jumps up, I may be inclined to go and get it, using both first rounders if need be.

After 14 guys are off the board, S Tom Austin looks like he’d be an ideal pick for us – very ready to play, and projects to be an excellent all-around player. But move up to #15 to get a safety? Really?

I wait a couple more picks – he’s still there at #20. I decide now is the time to make a move. For our fourth rounder, we move up from #26 to #20, and grab the safety that I want here in Tom Austin. We also make a swap for next year as part of the deal, which may work out for us down the road.

I trade my own first rounder to Sacramento, to get their first rounder for next year—I have to throw in some extra picks, but it might work out to be a good selection, plus it ought to save us some cap space this year – which I need badly, as we know.


Amateur Draft Report:

Rnd 1 - Tom Austin, S, Virginia
Rnd 2 - D.J. Solwold, WR, North Carolina
Rnd 5 - Skip Robertson, RB, Florida State
Rnd 6 - Kelvin Sacratini, TE, Kentucky


In the end of round two, I get a WR I really like – DJ Solwold will return punts and work his way into the picture in time, I suspect. The later picks are for need – RB Robertson might be a nice utility back for us, as a good receiver out of the backfield.


We get an intriguing trade offer – a 1st round pick next year for RT Trevor Devine. He is playing well, but is in his last year and I absolutely cannot re-sign him, I’m sure of that. I don’t have to think too long about this one – that gives us three first rounders next year, where we ought to be able to do some damage.


At the end of the line, we get a complete roster, and the last move we make is to re-sign FB Rusty Hamilton for a five year deal. We’re left with $170,000 in cap space – not enough to do a damned thing mid-season if we need to.


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
ake Erie Monsters Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct OnTeam
$Newhart, J.R. 6 QB 7 53 58 1 yr. 2008
idman, Ricardo 1 QB 6 37 37 1 yr. 2005
eal, Ricardo 10 QB 2 11 44 2 yrs. 2009
$Bauer, Spencer 48 RB 7 76 76 5 yrs. 2004
lausen, Riddick 40 RB 3 40 42 1 yr. 2008
obertson, Skip 37 RB 1 29 37 3 yrs. 2010
#Southern, Chad 20 RB 2 23 30 1 yr. 2009
$Fridlund, Malcolm 47 FB 3 55 68 1 yr. 2008
$Hamilton, Rusty 34 FB 4 51 51 5 yrs. 2007
handler, Greg 29 TE 2 29 58 3 yrs. 2009
acratini, Kelvin 85 TE 1 21 36 2 yrs. 2010
$Morton, Todd 84 FL 8 60 63 2 yrs. 2007
olwold, D.J. 87 FL 1 28 41 4 yrs. 2010
ierce, Timothy 26 FL 1 15 29 1 yr. 2010
$Blades, George 88 SE 7 42 42 2 yrs. 2009
oultrie, Mercury 89 SE 8 25 25 1 yr. 2005
$Coffey, Rufus 68 LT 6 67 70 1 yr. 2005
avis, Brett 60 LT 7 43 50 1 yr. 2009
$Houston, Rodney 59 LG 3 54 56 3 yrs. 2008
$Quinn, James 58 C 5 44 56 3 yrs. 2010
riggs, Skip 52 C 2 32 62 2 yrs. 2009
$Smith, Frank 64 RG 6 46 60 1 yr. 2009
$Porter, Bernie 62 RG 6 34 66 2 yrs. 2010
itzgerald, Danny 75 RT 1 14 37 1 yr. 2010
estbrook, Courtney 4 P 3 75 82 3 yrs. 2008
urner, Harry 9 K 8 58 63 1 yr. 2003
$Parry, Jamie 78 LDE 6 68 68 3 yrs. 2010
$Louchiey, Dan 70 LDE 7 53 59 1 yr. 2008
angiafico, Martin 91 LDE 8 52 52 1 yr. 2007
urk, Brad 79 LDE 6 40 45 3 yrs. 2010
lements, Jumbo 57 LDT 8 34 37 3 yrs. 2003
awyer, Vinny 93 NT 2 18 31 3 yrs. 2009
$Specter, Kevin 97 RDT 8 22 26 3 yrs. 2003
$Barnes, Ken 92 RDE 4 54 57 2 yrs. 2007
$Hogenkamp, Marshall 90 SLB 4 50 54 1 yr. 2007
eBel, Ron 56 SLB 1 18 28 1 yr. 2010
$Cummings, Bob 54 MLB 7 54 56 5 yrs. 2010
auer, Kim 94 MLB 2 11 30 1 yr. 2009
$Finneran, Rich 95 WLB 2 35 44 3 yrs. 2009
orrance, Drew 53 WLB 7 33 33 1 yr. 2009
$Shifflett, Donny 43 LCB 7 50 50 4 yrs. 2004
#Manusky, Ryan 21 LCB 6 21 50 1 yr. 2007
$Gaines, Scott 30 RCB 5 67 67 2 yrs. 2006
azier, Brian 49 RCB 7 39 42 2 yrs. 2010
amilton, Steve 22 RCB 8 26 26 2 yrs. 2003
$Reeves, Kenny 24 SS 6 69 69 3 yrs. 2009
$Austin, Tom 42 FS 1 43 62 5 yrs. 2010
reene, Dean 45 FS 3 25 33 1 yr. 2008

$ - player is in starting lineup, ## - player is inactive.

layers Under Contract: 48
n Active Roster: 46

alary Cap: $111,100,000
ap Room: $170,000
aximum for New Player: $170,000
ap Room Lost (to old contracts): $2,180,000

ap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $300,000
ap Room Required Next Year: $89,610,000



So, we head into the pre-season hoping that the reshuffling has been for the good, on balance. Landing DE Parry caused a shockwave through our whole roster – but I think he ought to be a great addition for us.

As we prepare for the season, we have the 100 roster rating (Wheeling and Ocean City are next highest =t 76 – our division is stacked, it seems). Cohesion is at a modest level of 90-70-87-78 – none of these gets us near the top of the league. We have the top power rating in the league, at 72 (Wheeling has 68). So – we will see how this plays out. I will be very interested to see what Louisvile does with their two new stars in their LB corps--will they start both MLBs, or will then bench one after signing him to a huge contract?


Week 1: Ocean City at Lake Erie

OC remains a team focused on its all-around star RB, Vernon Rand. We have evolved past that (we think) but they still like to pound Rand as their main weapon on offense.

This game goes back and forth – we end up tying it late with a FG to send it into overtime, and then we win it on our first OT drive. Each side got a special teams TD, and neither offense played all that crisply. Bauer outgained Rand 46 to 17 – ho-hum, what a showdown, eh?

Week 2: Lake Erie (1-0) at Athens (0-1)

We get back on track with a solid 44-17 win, as our offense clicks the way it ought to – we gain 497 yards and everyone plays pretty well. Backup QB Ricardo Kidman comes in for the second half, and even under him we keep rolling along. Newhart is fine for next week, just got dinged a bit.

Week 3: Lake Erie (2-0) at Tulsa (1-1)

We get beat here the old fashioned way – they ran the ball, and stopped our running game. When we passed to catch up, they were ready. Good 17-9 win by the Drillers, and we slip off the early pace for the division.

Week 4: Lake Erie (2-1) at Niagara Falls (1-2)

Things start working for us again, as Spencer Bauer scored three times and we get a solid 30-10 win. In the early going, our new MLB Tom Cummings is fitting like a hand in a glove—he has 36 tackles in four games, and actually is proving to be the solid run-stopper that we really needed inside there. DE Parry has 2.5 sacks, but our promising youngster on the other side Barnes has 4.5, and the defensive line is playing well despite several minor injuries.

Week 5: Wheeling (2-2) at Lake Erie (3-1)

Here’s our chance to make some distance in the division. Our defense stands tall, and the only points Wheeling gets are off an interception return: we win 24-7 and look very good along the way, even as Newhart throws four interceptions. This game is the model for how I thought we’d be winning by now—I though we’d be mistake prone, but good enough on defense to keep in the game despite our miscues. We now have to see whether last year was the new expectation, or was it a fluke? (Finger pointed firmly at Newhart, who currently has a TD/Int ratio of 7/10)

Week 6: Key West (1-4) at Lake Erie (4-1)

In a game where we ought to clean up, we collapse instead. They run well, we don’t we throw four more picks, and they win 31-14. Ouch.

Week 7: Manattan (3-3) at Lake Erie (4-2)

Spencer Bauer is dinged up, but it doesn’t show here – he posts his first 100 yard game in some time, and looks sharp as we roll, 34-7. Mercury Moultrie, getting a start in place of the injured George Blades, shows a flash of his former self with two TDs in the game. A good effort all around, even though Newhart continues to throw picks (three more today).

Week 8: Lake Erie (5-2) at Nashua (6-1)

These are sometimes the games that measure a season – on the road against a tough opponent. We play well here, overcome two more Newhart picks, and get Spencer Bauer into the end zone in overtime for his second TD to seal it away, 22-16.


That’s our midway point – where are we? J.R. Newhart again leads the league in passing yards, but his ration of 11/19 is terrible. Interestingly, one of the QBs chasing the top of the league is Amos Hulbert, who has really caught on with Providence the last few years since he left us.

Our offense overall is great at generating yards – 2nd in yards per rush, 1st in total passing. But our 21 turnovers are second worst in the league, and our ratio of –10 is also. That’s just tough to overcome. The defense is doing well – in the top 10 in both rushing and passing efficiency (yards per play). CB Scottie Gaines is having a fine season with five interceptions – he and Shifflett are playing well in the secondary for us, once again.


Week 9: Lake Erie (6-2) at Ocean City (4-3)

Nobody knows why Vernon Rand is playing so poorly this season, but he’s only getting 3.3 yards per carry and actually trails Bauer in the rushing department. Things don’t get better this week – we beat the Thrashers 30-13, and Rand runs 9 for 56 on the day. Mercury Moultrie has a 100-yard day, and I think will stay in the starting lineup for a while.

Week 11: Louisville (4-5) at Lake Erie (7-2)

So, Louisville paid a new contract of 6 years, $45 million or so for MLB Ian Hutton – a guy who could make a huge difference for them this year and beyond. And where is he now? Sitting on the bench behind Jay Kley, watching two stiff play OLB every week. Great – I know this is supposed to be improved, but this is wrong on so many levels.

Without Todd Morton (out for a week or two with an elbow), we don’t have our usual fire on offense, but manage to eke out a 19-14 win here. S Kenny Reeves keys the big play with a 67 yard interception return, which really makes it better as Louisville tries to recover.

Week 12: Mazatlan (5-5) at Lake Erie (8-2)

A 42-14 thumping – just what a power team ought to do here. Newhart keeps slinging it around – this time it’s 4 TDs to only 2 interceptions – I guess we’ll take that.

Week 13: Fort Knox (8-2-1) at Lake Erie (9-2)

Big game, against the defending champions and the team who knocked us out last season at our place. Nashua is also in the picture, but this game might end up determining home field advantage this season in our conference.

A kind of crazy game – we battle back and forth, end up in overtime, and they again get us in the end, 33-27. Newhart completed 27 of 57 passes, but no TDs and no picks. Weird game – we played fairly close to the vest, and it didn’t really pay off.

Week 14: Lake Erie (9-3) at Kitty Hawk (1-11)

Ought to be a romp, but on the road you never know. Bauer gets 100 yards, Newhart avoids throwing a pick for his second straight game, and we win it 24-10.

Week 15: Lake Erie (10-3) at Louisville (7-6)

We need every second to win this one 34-31, as we get the game-winning FG at the buzzer. With Bauer out injured, we actually run the ball a little more than usual (weird) but Claussen and company do okay in his absence. Newhart again avoids the interception – but late in the game, he gets hit hard from the side, and the X-rays reveal a broken arm. We have a crisis, as he is listed out for five weeks.

Week 16: Bermuda (7-7) at Lake Erie (11-3)

With Newhart out, we have to go back to Ricardo Kidman – who barely made it through the roster slashing earlier this offseason. Now, we call on him to keep the engines going.

We get a 26-21 win over Bermuda here, as Kidman plays fairly well. It’s a late interception TD by Scottie Gaines that seals the deal, though – our defense clearly needs to “step up” here.

With a bye week looking like a big deal for us, we really need to keep winning – right now we stand as the #3 seed, not good enough.

Week 17: Lake Erie (12-3) at Wheeling (6-9)

Well, the expected challenge from Wheeling never materialized this year. But we are very dinged up all over – especially our skill positions, and this game is no gimme. We get a clutch 20-17 win, and even more importantly, Fort knox chokes in their last game – giving us the #2 seed behind Nashua. We get a very welcome week off, and will hope to lick some of our wounds to get ready for the postseason.



ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
010 Regular Season Standings

AC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ake Erie 13 3 0 .813 426 282 9-3 6-0
cean City 12 4 0 .750 395 266 8-4 4-2
ouisville 8 8 0 .500 374 309 4-8 1-5
heeling 6 10 0 .375 260 290 3-9 1-5

AC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ort Knox 12 3 1 .781 416 279 9-2-1 5-1
ensacola 10 6 0 .625 422 341 7-5 2-4
ittle Rock 8 8 0 .500 312 387 8-4 4-2
ort Wayne 7 9 0 .438 310 325 5-7 1-5

AC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ashua 14 2 0 .875 356 208 10-2 5-1
anhattan 9 7 0 .563 328 325 7-5 5-1
ey West 7 9 0 .438 330 337 4-8 1-5
iagara Falls 6 10 0 .375 273 344 4-8 1-5

AC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ijuana 8 8 0 .500 336 303 6-6 5-1
ulsa 8 8 0 .500 277 322 6-6 4-2
apa Valley 4 10 2 .313 301 313 3-7-2 2-3-1
heyenne 2 13 1 .156 249 402 1-10-1 0-5-1

NC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
hampaign 9 7 0 .563 303 291 7-5 4-2
hunder Bay 6 10 0 .375 324 325 6-6 4-2
psilanti 6 10 0 .375 296 354 5-7 2-4
ault Ste. Marie 4 12 0 .250 289 394 2-10 2-4

NC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ermuda 8 8 0 .500 287 259 8-4 5-1
azatlan 7 9 0 .438 232 331 7-5 4-2
thens 6 10 0 .375 290 351 5-7 1-5
itty Hawk 2 14 0 .125 208 422 2-10 2-4

NC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
awk Mountain 11 5 0 .688 425 360 8-4 4-2
orfolk 8 8 0 .500 324 293 7-5 4-2
exarkana 8 8 0 .500 289 315 7-5 2-4
rovidence 7 9 0 .438 337 412 4-8 2-4

NC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
uget Sound 13 3 0 .813 422 254 11-1 5-1
emphis 10 6 0 .625 334 269 7-5 2-4
acramento 9 7 0 .563 315 268 6-6 3-3
eath Valley 6 10 0 .375 217 326 4-8 2-4


A lucky break at the end of the season, as the conference’s three-way race worked out fine for us. I don’t mind traveling for the conference championship – it’s the bye week that we desperately needed (with an influenza bout hitting us in week 17 – awful timing).


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
010 Summary for Lake Erie Monsters

ecord: 13-3
inning Pct.: .812

ake Erie Monsters Team Rank
ushes 368 28
ushing Yards 1717 21
ards Per Carry 4.66 3 (T)
ass Attempts 683 1
ompletions 416 1
assing Yards 4911 1
ards Per Attempt 7.19 7 (T)
rd Down Conversions 45.0 3
oints Per Game 26.6 1
urnovers 28 14 (T)
urnover Margin -1 15 (T)

pponents Team Rank
ushes 427 12
ushing Yards 1649 7
ards Per Carry 3.86 7
ass Attempts 554 14
ompletions 326 15
assing Yards 3745 23
ards Per Attempt 6.75 21
rd Down Conversions 40.4 25
oints Per Game 17.6 8
urnovers 27 16 (T)

eek Team Versus Oppnt
27 OCY 24
44 at ATH 17
9 at TUL 17
30 at NIA 10
24 WHE 7
14 KW 31
34 MAN 7
22 at NSH 16
30 at OCY 13
1 19 LVL 14
2 42 MAZ 14
3 27 FKX 33
4 24 at KYH 10
5 34 at LVL 31
6 26 BER 21
7 20 at WHE 17

assing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
Newhart QB 569 343 4023 7.07 21 23
Kidman QB 114 73 888 7.78 8 2
*Team --- 683 416 4911 7.19 29 25

ushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
8 Bauer RB 184 935 5.08 7
0 Clausen RB 87 342 3.93 3
Newhart QB 49 277 5.65 0
*Team --- 368 1717 4.66 11

eceiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
4 Morton WR 145 77 1110 14.4 248 9
8 Bauer RB 107 69 662 9.5 275 7
9 Moultrie WR 97 51 844 16.5 113 4
7 Fridlund FB 82 54 527 9.7 189 2
8 Blades WR 64 38 542 14.2 77 3
7 Solwold WR 60 34 426 12.5 65 0
4 Hamilton FB 57 44 346 7.8 192 2
0 Clausen RB 32 23 189 8.2 100 2
7 Robertson RB 16 11 93 8.4 18 0
*Team --- 683 416 4911 11.8 1314 29

efense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
4 Cummings ILB 105 41 3.0 5 1 4
0 Hogenkamp OLB 81 27 3.5 3 1 13
3 Shifflett CB 64 16 0.0 1 2 13
4 Reeves S 62 28 0.0 1 4 10
0 Gaines CB 62 22 1.0 0 6 13
5 Finneran OLB 60 14 1.0 2 0 5
8 Parry DE 56 21 14.5 25 0 0
0 Louchiey DE 53 26 7.5 11 0 0
9 Lazier CB 53 10 1.0 1 2 1
2 Barnes DE 51 18 17.0 12 0 1
2 Austin S 36 21 0.0 1 0 5
7 Clements DT 28 11 3.5 2 0 1
5 Greene S 25 2 0.0 0 1 0
7 Specter DT 20 7 1.0 2 0 0
2 Hamilton CB 20 6 0.0 2 0 5
*Team --- 879 277 53.0 72 17 72


Newhart rediscovered his interceptions this year, but was getting it back together at the end of the season when he got hurt. He’s still list ad out for three weeks – I don’t know what he’ll be able to do for us down the stretch here. Kidman played well in his short stint, and we’ll call on him again.

Another solid season for RB Spencer Bauer, and another solid season for WR Todd Morton. Neither one set the world on fire, but both were effective. Mercury Moultrie was very good when he got to play – he may have battled George Blades out of a starting job. (He’s very resilient, it seems)

The offensive line played pretty well, with RG Frank Smith being really the only weak link. LG Rodney Houston might be in line for some post-season honors, with 27 key run blocks ion 61 attempts.


On defense, Tom Cummings cooled from his super-hot start, but was very effective for us all year. Defensive ends Parry and Barnes both were effective giving us the best 1-2 punch in pass rushing that we have ever had – exactly what we had hoped for. DE Dan Louichey, weighing 291 pounds, filled in well at DT, and gave us a solid season there, too.

Overall, the defense gave us an excellent year – the pass defense broke down a little bit in the second half, but overall, I am pleased.


Divisional Playoff: Fort Knox (13-3-1) at Lake Erie (13-3)

Fort Knox, of course, gets their win and advances to face us – just what we knew would happen. J.R. Newhart is at least a week away from returning, so we will go with Ricardo Kidman, and will keep the playbook intact. WR Todd Morton is out (maybe long term) with an injury, so our passing game will be a bit shaky. We’ll be looking for Spencer Bauer all day, in the running game and in underneath passing routes.

It’s a defensive game, and we lead 10-3 in the late third quarter. Fort Knox gets a drive to tie it up, and after we take over, there’s pressure on. Kidman throws an unfortunate interception, which is run back 89 yards for a TD, and we are in trouble. We get a FG later in the fourth, but never can close the gap – and Fort Knox kicks us ouut again, 17-13. They just seem to have our number.


Fort Knox makes it to the championship game, but loses there to Hawk Mountain, foiling their attempt to become the league’s first back-to-back winners.



ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
010 Awards List

Award Player Team
#Player of the Year J.C. Meier FKX
#Front Office Bowl MVP Brian Clements HWK
oach of the Year Not Yet Awarded
egend of the Game Not Yet Awarded
#Offensive Player of the Year Brent Simmons MEM
#Defensive Player of the Year Terrance Corbett PS
#Offensive Rookie of the Year Sammy Trahan TIJ
#Defensive Rookie of the Year Grant Rodriguez LTR
#All-League First-String Quarterback J.C. Meier FKX
#All-League First-String Running Back Brent Simmons MEM
#All-League First-String Fullback Leonard Knight TUL
#All-League First-String Tight End Rich Davidson FKX
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Glenn Posante PRV
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Nicky Picchietti NSH
#All-League First-String Center Marcus Gardner MAN
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Joey Perles NOR
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Tyrell Curtis MAN
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Ronald Nixon KW
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Trevor Devine TXA
#All-League First-String Punter Winfred MacAllister NIA
*All-League First-String Kicker Harry Turner LKE
#All-League First-String Defensive End Frank Beal MEM
#All-League First-String Defensive End Derek Upshaw NOR
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Maurice Lehman TXA
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle K.C. Taylor HWK
#All-League First-String Inside Linebacker J.C. George MAZ
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Terrance Corbett PS
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Donnie Bohn NOR
#All-League First-String Cornerback Freddie Forbes FTW
#All-League First-String Cornerback Louis Girardi WHE
#All-League First-String Safety Zach Atkins MAN
#All-League First-String Safety Mario Camara SSM
#All-League Second-String Quarterback Neil Sanford NSH
#All-League Second-String Running Back Marshall Brock TUL
#All-League Second-String Fullback Tyrell Moore KW
#All-League Second-String Tight End Percy Towne SAC
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Rodney Tapia PEN
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Shawn Rypien BER
#All-League Second-String Center Sammie Sanderson OCY
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Deron Ward SAC
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Desmond Boyer TXA
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Phillip Cobb PS
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Damon Durham OCY
#All-League Second-String Punter Julio Devito CHY
#All-League Second-String Kicker Norm Sullenger HWK
*All-League Second-String Defensive End Jamie Parry LKE
*All-League Second-String Defensive End Ken Barnes LKE
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Rickey Allen NSH
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Leroy Sweeney KW
#All-League Second-String Inside Linebacker Malcolm Herndon SSM
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Dusty Johnston TXA
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Emmitt Thompson CHA
#All-League Second-String Cornerback K.C. Nelson FKX
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Lester Shumaker DVY
#All-League Second-String Safety Dwight Fuqua NSH
#All-League Second-String Safety Alan Montgomery NIA



It wasn’t as much of a transition year as I had imagined. Actually, had we not picked up DE Parry, things would have been pretty smooth. The year ahead might be tougher- QB Newhart’s contract is up, as are a few other big dollar players. And, we have WR Todd Morton leaving this year with a potentially serious injury – that might be a big, dead, unbmovable contract if he cannot recover. We’ll see how it pans out – but this year ahead might be one where we end up shifting toward youth (with three first round draft picks) and away from some of the veteran players who got us this far.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Bee
I have XP and don't have the problem. Same here. Just started a new dynasty report and having no problems with it. Hmmmm.....

[QuikSand]

Ack, I misstated above - my system is running Windows 2000, not Windows XP. Sorry for any confusion...

[QuikSand]

2011 offseason

Here is a summary of our efforts so far – just for synopsis value:


Front Office Football: The Fourth Edition
GM Performance for QuikSand of the Lake Erie Monsters

Year Team Eval Perf Diff Proft FrVal Record Playoffs
2010 LKE 73 86 75 66 71 13-4-0 Division Final
2009 LKE 71 90 74 60 69 15-3-0 Conference Final
2008 LKE 72 95 77 72 59 12-8-0 Conference Champion
2007 LKE 47 54 77 46 40 9-7-0 None
2006 LKE 42 22 76 56 36 7-9-0 None
2005 LKE 48 19 73 66 48 7-9-0 None
2004 LKE 53 63 75 57 41 11-7-0 Division Final
2003 LKE 42 2 71 75 36 4-12-0 None


While our final result has slid a round each of the last three years, I think it’s tough to say that our team is declining. I think the 2009 team was our best so far, but we weren’t too far from that mark last season.


We don’t have any retirements this year – we’ll come back nearly intact. The one guy who is not coming back intact is WR Todd Morton, who blew out his achilles tendon late last season, and while he is nearly healthy, he is simply not the same player he once was. His $9.6 million contract is looking like a huge burden – we need to get rid of him. However, since he’s technically still injured (probable) we cannot cut him – ouch.


We start the FA process with 28 players signed, and $27m in cap room (with about $15m spendable on free agents). This is going to be tight – much tighter than last season, for certain.

On our roster, here are the key free agent players, and their demands:

QB J.R. Newhart - $15m/yr
LT Rufus Coffey - $12m/yr
LB Marshall Hogenkamp - $8m/yr

Those three alone would cost far more than I have, period. And that’s before I even consider the many other decent contributors who are without a deal – players like WR Mercury Moultrie, DE Dan Louichey, G Frank Smith, and several more. We’ve got a mess here – we sure could use the $8m in cap space that we’d get by cutting WR Morton. Double ouch!


My first decision here is that we have to pursue QB J.R. Newhart. Yes, he throws interceptions, but he is the guy who pulled it all together for us. I don’t see how we can expect to stay at the top of the league without him. It won’t be easy to replace the other guys, but that’s exactly what we need to try to do.

I put in an offer for Newhart: a simple three years, $48 million. The big payoff is in year three, meaning it only costs us about $13m this season and next. Even if this works out, we’re going to be very strapped elsewhere on the roster – and can totally say goodbye to keeping either of the other two “big name” players here.

I put in a few cheap bids, including two offensive linemen (who could help fill holes we’ll have after free agency) and a QB Matthew Kennedy – a guy I wanted to sign last year, but ran out of cash then. That’s all we put on the table as we head into the first week of this huge free agency process.

After week two of the process, we get news. Memphis has blown away QB J.R. Newhart, and he has quickly agreed to their terms – it’s $44 million over four years, but it’s apparently got an opt-out, making it potentially much more lucrative. And so – Newhart takes the offer from the Kings, and we’re left without our quarterback.

Time for Plan B.

I’ve also lost out on the OG I was pursuing, so I only have two bids in. But it’s time to spend some money – now that Newhart is off the board. I put in a bid for LT Brett Davis, who has been our backup – he might well have to take on the starting LT duties, assuming Coffey leaves. But that’s not necessarily a done deal at this point. Coffey has yet to get any big offers, so we might yet find a way to bring him back, which would be nice.

We also need to worry about QB. Ricardo Kidman is also without a deal, and I think bringing him back as the default starter is the wisest thing to do here. An offer is in for two years. And, I plan to wait out LB Hogenkamp, but would like very much to re-sign him as his price hopefully drops a bit more.

Bottom line – I expect to spend our modest cap room to grab a number of contributors, and this will likely mean that we still lose our big two guys out there, in addition to losing Newhart already.


Okay, after week four, LT Rufus Coffey has been signed away by Norfolk. That’s two down from my trio of “big name” players. But the next week, we ink deals with both QBs, and it looks like Ricardo Kidman and Matthew Kennedy will get a shot in training camp to take over our once high-flying offense.

We get T Roman Tyler, who will move in and have a shot to compete for the starting LT job – but will be starting somewhere on the OL this season. He ought to be solid, and is locked up for three seasons now.

DT Doug Roush is another decent pickup, and should help with our newly weakened defensive front. He’s much cheaper than Mangiafico or Louchiey, who are presumably departing (though neither has a taker at their request level). I still cannot work out an acceptable deal for LB Hogenkamp, and his return is looking less and less likely.

We make a two year offer to WR Mercury Moultrie, and he quickly accepts. With Morton in trouble (if not on his way out totally), Moultrie has a shot to become a critical starter for us this season – and despite his modest ratings, he really has never failed to be productive for us. Why not pay him?

I’ve got $5.4m left to spend on free agents, but only have 34 players signed. When we add in nine draftees, that’s still short by at least 3 players – so that really means we have about $4m to spend on one player at this point. That player probably ought to be LB Hogenkamp, but how to get him into the fold? I finally put together a 3yr, $22m offer, which he finds acceptable. I hope this is enough to get him back with us – at least for the next couple of years. He takes the deal, and our offseason is pretty well done. Not pretty, but it’s done.


For this year’s amateur draft, it’s all paying off. We have been pushing back early draft picks, in an effort to have a season like this one. We’ve got picks #3, #18, and #20 in round one – and are hoping to land a few impact players. I’m open to using the lower two pick to move up to grab a potential superstar, if I feel that such a guy is looming in this draft.

My top three guys overall (considering our team needs) are LB Austin Middleton, WR Cornell Grigsby, and QB Edgar Beyer. I’m awfully nervous about taking a QB with that early pick, but Beyer has some immediate skills and looks like he might develop into a serious star. Very tempting.

A good thing is that this seems to be a very RB-heavy draft, so it’s possible that other teams will let these guys slide a ways to my selections. That would be very nice.

All three guys are there for my pick at #3. I am paralyzed – I want to take Beyer, but I also feel like I might be able to get him at around pick #6-10, rather than take him here at #3. It’s tough.

The most intriguing thing is that Thunder Bay has two first rounders, at #7 and #12. If we get lucky, we might get two stars with those picks. I offer them #3 and #20 for the pair of picks, and they accept it. So, we sit at #7, and now we hope that we end up with two of my target players with my top two selections.


1. Kitty Hawk - Farrell, Wes, RB, Ohio
2. Cheyenne - Turnbull, Randal, DE, Virginia Tech
3. Thunder Bay - Shepherd, Mike, T, Washington State
4. Napa Valley - Grigsby, Cornell, WR, Stanford
5. Death Valley - Curtin, Ty, DE, Fresno State
6. Ypsilanti - Kennedy, Brandon, T, Syracuse


We’re fine now – we lost out on the standout receiver in this draft, but I think I would have taken the QB ahead of him anyway. I think Beyer has a shot to be the real thing… though what do I know about forecasting players?

Unfortunately, LB Middleton get taken at #10, foiling my hopes to grab two of my top three players here. We manage to get things we need – but a shade down from my highest hopes:


Amateur Draft Report:

Rnd 1 - Edgar Beyer, QB, Nicholls State
Rnd 1 - Courtney Gilmore, DT, Purdue
Rnd 1 - Kennedy Godfrey, OLB, Tennessee
Rnd 2 - Andy Riley, WR, Arizona
Rnd 4 - Shawn Dugans, S, Presbyterian
Rnd 5 - Steven Bates, K, Virginia Tech
Rnd 6 - Kenyon Segal, C, Pittsburg State
Rnd 7 - Dixon Bertolini, RB, Miami, Ohio


DT Gilmore might be a stalwart for us on the front, if he develops as he appears he can. LB Godfrey doesn’t seem to be as solid a bet as Middleton was, but if he pans out, he’ll be every bit as solid. The rest are potential contributors – WR Riley is a playmaker, and might complement our various possession guys pretty well.


I head into training camp with about $1 million in cap space. We will watch players like DE Mangiafico, DE Louchiey, LB Drew Torrance, and FB Malcolm Fridlund walk, all because we cannot afford to re-up. Perhaps once WR Mortomn gets healthy, we can make something work.

I decide that it’s within the spirit of my rules to extend the contract of WR Todd Morton here. He has been hurt, he’s clearly not a $9m player any longer, and he’s looking for a deal at around $4 million a year. We work it out – and I think that’s fair. Plus, it frees up some cap space right now – perhaps letting me land one more helpful guy.

We re-up with DE Martin Mangiafico for one more year – he ought to help give us one more usable body along the defensive line, which is always important. We also sign a veteran tight end Zach Dobler, who won’t be much of a factor in the passing game, but should help in blocking.



ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
ake Erie Monsters Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct OnTeam
$Kidman, Ricardo 1 QB 7 37 37 2 yrs. 2005
eyer, Edgar 12 QB 1 36 64 6 yrs. 2011
ennedy, Matthew 14 QB 7 32 49 3 yrs. 2011
#Teal, Ricardo 10 QB 3 15 43 1 yr. 2009
$Bauer, Spencer 48 RB 8 70 70 4 yrs. 2004
obertson, Skip 37 RB 2 30 35 2 yrs. 2010
#Bertolini, Dixon 23 RB 1 27 38 3 yrs. 2011
illis, Adrian 38 RB 1 23 29 1 yr. 2011
$Hamilton, Rusty 34 FB 5 51 51 4 yrs. 2007
ecker, Sammy 39 FB 1 27 37 1 yr. 2011
#Chandler, Greg 29 TE 3 31 55 2 yrs. 2009
*Dobler, Zack 81 TE 4 30 39 1 yr. 2011
$Sacratini, Kelvin 85 TE 2 21 32 1 yr. 2010
$Morton, Todd 84 FL 9 34 36 3 yrs. 2007
olwold, D.J. 87 FL 2 33 41 3 yrs. 2010
$Blades, George 88 SE 8 41 41 1 yr. 2009
iley, Andy 86 SE 1 28 50 4 yrs. 2011
oultrie, Mercury 89 SE 9 25 25 2 yrs. 2005
$Davis, Brett 60 LT 8 50 51 2 yrs. 2009
$Houston, Rodney 59 LG 4 61 61 2 yrs. 2008
$Quinn, James 58 C 6 52 53 2 yrs. 2010
riggs, Skip 52 C 3 36 62 1 yr. 2009
$Porter, Bernie 62 RG 7 48 66 1 yr. 2010
egal, Kenyon 50 RG 1 17 41 2 yrs. 2011
$Tyler, Roman 71 RT 7 48 69 3 yrs. 2011
yons, Russell 74 RT 2 11 36 1 yr. 2011
estbrook, Courtney 4 P 4 81 81 2 yrs. 2008
ates, Steven 16 K 1 40 79 2 yrs. 2011
$Parry, Jamie 78 LDE 7 69 69 2 yrs. 2010
angiafico, Martin 70 LDE 9 49 49 1 yr. 2011
urk, Brad 79 LDE 7 43 45 2 yrs. 2010
$Clements, Jumbo 57 LDT 9 26 29 2 yrs. 2003
oush, Doug 73 NT 6 44 52 3 yrs. 2011
#Sawyer, Vinny 93 NT 3 21 29 2 yrs. 2009
ilmore, Courtney 99 RDT 1 26 60 5 yrs. 2011
$Specter, Kevin 97 RDT 9 15 19 2 yrs. 2003
$Barnes, Ken 92 RDE 5 59 59 1 yr. 2007
$Hogenkamp, Marshall 90 SLB 5 58 58 3 yrs. 2007
eBel, Ron 56 SLB 2 20 28 1 yr. 2010
$Cummings, Bob 54 MLB 8 55 57 4 yrs. 2010
tokes, Winston 55 MLB 1 20 33 1 yr. 2011
$Finneran, Rich 95 WLB 3 40 40 2 yrs. 2009
odfrey, Kennedy 96 WLB 1 28 58 5 yrs. 2011
$Shifflett, Donny 43 LCB 8 48 48 3 yrs. 2004
$Gaines, Scott 30 RCB 6 67 67 1 yr. 2006
azier, Brian 49 RCB 8 43 43 1 yr. 2010
amilton, Steve 22 RCB 9 24 24 1 yr. 2003
$Reeves, Kenny 24 SS 7 67 67 2 yrs. 2009
$Austin, Tom 42 FS 2 53 59 4 yrs. 2010
ugans, Shawn 44 FS 1 24 34 3 yrs. 2011

$ - player is in starting lineup, ## - player is inactive.

layers Under Contract: 50
n Active Roster: 46

alary Cap: $116,700,000
ap Room: $1,560,000
aximum for New Player: $1,560,000
ap Room Lost (to old contracts): $300,000

ap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0
ap Room Required Next Year: $103,290,000


It’s another tight budget year – and obviously a year of real change. We’ve got two guys competing for the QB job right now, but we also have an exciting rookie who looks over that position with a long, dark shadow. If Edgar Beyer takes the job, he may never let it go. Beyer had a pretty good training camp, too – so we’ll be watching him closely this preseason.

[QuikSand]

2011 season

Into the preseason, we bring our mighty troops. I put rookie Beyer into the starting QB position for the preseason, with newfound free agent Kennedy in the backup role. I intend to start Kidman, but these two will be in the mix as well—the starting job is a pretty close call, actually, by all appearances.

Here’s what we get from the two QBs in the preseason:


Passing Att Comp Yards Yd/Att Long TD Int Sckd
12 Beyer 21 16 165 7.8 26 1 0 1
12 Beyer 27 17 209 7.7 41 1 3 2
12 Beyer 27 22 256 9.4 38 2 0 2
12 Beyer 26 10 155 5.9 44 0 1 0

14 Kennedy 22 13 101 4.5 15 1 0 2
14 Kennedy 8 6 46 5.7 16 0 0 3
14 Kennedy 8 5 22 2.7 7 0 1 1
14 Kennedy 14 11 85 6.0 14 1 1 1


In Edgar Beyer, I think there’s a good deal of Newhart—he’s a bit of a gunslinger, but at the moment, he is a little raw. He can clearly get the ball in the air, and I am optimistic that down the road, he will emerge as the guy we hope he can be. For now, these two will sit and back up Ricardo Kidman, whose late-season play last year earned him this shot. For now, Beyer will be the #2… and gaining.


We enter the season without Spencer Bauer, who hurt his shoulder in preseason and will skip the first month or so. Easing in a new QB is tough enough – doing so without our star tailback is worse by far.


Week 1: Louisville at Lake Erie

Three of the four TDs in this game are scored by the defenses, and our wins out as we take a 24-19 win. LB Bob Cummings and CB Donny Shifflett each returned picks for scores, helping take some pressure off the offense. Our offense played terribly – we managed only 24 yards rushing, and Kidman looked positively lost out there.

Week 2: Sacramento (1-0) at Lake Erie (1-0)

Our offense plays a bit better here, as we insert rookie RB Adrian Willis into the lineup – but our defense cannot get this one, ad we yield a tying, then winning FG to blow it 29-26.

Week 3: Lake Erie (1-1) at Tijuana (1-1)

We eke out another win, as Kidman throws this third TD pass with over 2 minutes left, and we secure a 27-24 victory. This definitely isn’t going to be easy.

Week 4: Fort Know (2-1) at Lake Erie (2-1)

We head into this big game without DE Jamie Parry, who will be out for a few weeks – just what we need, our best players on offense and defense both gone.

However, we come out like gangbusters, converting early and often – and getting three short TD passes from Kidman in the first quarter. We barely hold on, though, to take the 36-31 win. Our defense has been a little shaky this season, especially against the pass. Cause for some concern. However, after getting our big lead, we did get a mighty 140 yards rushing from undrafted rookie RB Adrian Willis – a nice surprise.

Week 5: Lake Erie (3-1) at Pensacola (2-2)

We return Bauer to the lineup, but drop back Kidman a silly 54 times en route to a 20-13 win. Moultrie, getting his first start of the year, posts a solid 99 yards and a TD to lead the receiving corps.

Week 6: Lake Erie (4-1) at Little Rock (1-3)

And now that we’ve battled the titans, we get slayed by the mouse. A 24-17 loss here, as we come out flat and are unable to do much at all on offense. Weird.

Week 7: Lake Erie (4-2) at Ocean City (1-5)

Kidman throws 54 times again, but this time it’s for the good, as we get a ncie 30-6 win over the struggling Thrashers. My TE Sacratini has 8 catches for 75 yards and two score in the effort – and he’s not really even there to catch the football.

Week 8: Fort Wayne (3-4) at Lake Erie (5-2)

RB Spencer Bauer is still hobbled, but playing – now by shin splints, which may never go away. With our anemic offense, we lose here by the unlikely score of 13-5. Kidman is downright awful – completing only 13 of 41 for 185 yards and a pick. Ouch. And now, right on cue, Kidman is hurt—he has a pulled groin, and will miss a week or two.


At our midpoint we are 5-3 -- but I think we’re lucky to be that well off. Our offense has really dropped off thus far (no major surprise after losing our QB) and our defense is just climbing back up to being average. Kidman has been okay, but not prolific – he has by far the most attempts passing, but is only 6th in passing yardage. On defense, with Parry playing only sporadically, we aren’t getting big numbers in sacks – only Barnes is poised for double digit sacks this year. Overall, this is disappointing.

We will be giving rookie Edgar Beyer his first start this week, and probably another one next week. I don’t have a plan after that – we’ll see who is producing best on the field. But if he proves to be a spark, I don’t mind going with the youngster.


Week 9: Wheeling (6-2) at Lake Erie (5-3)

A big game against the top division rival may not be the perfect time to audition a rookie quarterback… but here we are.

Edgar Beyer plays a pretty solid game – 22 of 39, 266 yards, 3 TDs and 2 Int. Our defense doesn’t help the cause much, and we lose the game 27-21.


Week 11: Lake Erie (5-4) at Louisville (3-6)

This is a big game for us, and young Edger Beyer will be back in the saddle. A loss drops us to 5-5, and probably out of the division race. A win keeps us in the hunt, I think.

We put it all together, and rout Louisville, 38-0. Edgar Beyer is very solid, throwing for 275 yards and 3 scores, with only one pick. He links up wit George Blades for 89 yards and a TD, while Spencer Bauer looks somewhat rejuvenated with 81 yards on the ground. Good effort, and the defense played great—holding them to 253 yards and causing 5 turnovers.

Week 12: Memphis (4-6) at Lake Erie (6-4)

Our euphoria takes a bit of a nosedive here, as J.R. Newhart and his gang rip us up, 28-6. Actually, it’s RB Brent Simmons who does most of the ripping, but it’s a tough loss nonetheless. Our running game is gone, and our QBs throw three picks with no scores. bad game, and 6-5 just isn’t what we were looking for at this point.

Newhart had some injury troubles early in the season, but has bounced back to do okay for the Kings. He won’t be an all-star, but he’s got them in the playoff hunt.

Week 13: Nashua (6-5) at Lake Erie (6-5)

Another very big game, and we have Kidman healthy and activated. He’ll start, with Beyer back in as the #2 man. We slip behind early, but rally back to get close, but still take a 27-24 loss. RB Bauer is probably out for the year, DE Parry is injured again, and we are in real trouble.

Week 14: Lake Erie (6-6) at Puget Sound (5-7)

We remain totally unable to run the ball, and our season seems pretty well sealed after we boot this one, 20-10. And now at 6-7, that probably wraps up the season. Ouch.

Week 15: Lake Erie (6-7) at Wheeling (8-5)

Tough call – if we win this game, we technically have an outside shot at taking the division. I’m not playing to lose, but I am putting Edgar Beyer back in to start.

We give up two defensive TDs in the first quarter, and cannot recover. We lose 28-16, and our season is basically over.

Week 16: Lake Erie (6-8) at Death Valley (6-8)

We limp home, suffering a 27-6 loss here, and dropping to only 6-9 for the season—easily our worst effort in years. We’ve got work to do, but I am hopeful that we have found the right guy to do it with in young QB Edgar Beyer.

Week 17: Ocean City (5-10) at Lake Erie (6-9)

With our morale shot, we post an ugly 6-3 win over the Thrashers to get to 7-9 for the season. Not very impressive at all.



ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
011 Regular Season Standings

AC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
heeling 10 6 0 .625 373 293 7-5 3-3
ouisville 8 8 0 .500 261 324 5-7 2-4
ake Erie 7 9 0 .438 312 319 7-5 4-2
cean City 5 11 0 .313 267 332 4-8 3-3

AC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ort Wayne 10 6 0 .625 358 311 7-5 4-2
ensacola 9 7 0 .563 343 325 6-6 4-2
ort Knox 8 8 0 .500 363 351 6-6 3-3
ittle Rock 3 13 0 .188 220 369 2-10 1-5

AC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
anhattan 15 1 0 .938 412 237 11-1 5-1
iagara Falls 11 5 0 .688 276 296 7-5 3-3
ashua 10 6 0 .625 357 266 6-6 4-2
ey West 5 11 0 .313 244 354 2-10 0-6

AC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
apa Valley 11 4 1 .719 294 212 7-4-1 2-3-1
ijuana 9 6 1 .594 380 307 7-4-1 5-0-1
heyenne 8 8 0 .500 335 354 6-6 2-4
ulsa 5 11 0 .313 296 336 5-7 2-4

NC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
hampaign 11 5 0 .688 401 282 9-3 5-1
hunder Bay 11 5 0 .688 453 361 8-4 4-2
psilanti 7 9 0 .438 290 359 6-6 3-3
ault Ste. Marie 6 10 0 .375 304 340 4-8 0-6

NC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
thens 10 6 0 .625 428 341 7-5 2-4
itty Hawk 9 7 0 .563 305 281 8-4 4-2
ermuda 6 10 0 .375 388 392 4-8 3-3
azatlan 6 10 0 .375 244 370 5-7 3-3

NC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
awk Mountain 8 8 0 .500 404 350 8-4 3-3
exarkana 6 10 0 .375 275 341 6-6 3-3
rovidence 5 11 0 .313 253 375 5-7 3-3
orfolk 5 11 0 .313 269 318 4-8 3-3

NC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
emphis 9 7 0 .563 379 317 7-5 5-1
acramento 8 8 0 .500 282 288 6-6 3-3
eath Valley 7 9 0 .438 331 343 4-8 2-4
uget Sound 7 9 0 .438 287 340 5-7 2-4


Not a very inspiring year. After a few seasons as major contenders for a title, we slip and find ourselves squarely in the mediocre.



ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
011 Summary for Lake Erie Monsters

ecord: 7-9
inning Pct.: .437

ake Erie Monsters Team Rank
ushes 341 31
ushing Yards 1311 31
ards Per Carry 3.84 24
ass Attempts 665 1
ompletions 382 1
assing Yards 4111 7
ards Per Attempt 6.18 21 (T)
rd Down Conversions 36.0 22
oints Per Game 19.5 16
urnovers 31 23 (T)
urnover Margin -5 20 (T)

pponents Team Rank
ushes 481 30
ushing Yards 2010 29
ards Per Carry 4.17 23
ass Attempts 536 9
ompletions 301 3
assing Yards 3514 8
ards Per Attempt 6.55 14 (T)
rd Down Conversions 36.2 10
oints Per Game 19.9 13
urnovers 26 16 (T)

eek Team Versus Oppnt
24 LVL 19
26 SAC 29
27 at TIJ 24
36 FKX 31
20 at PEN 13
17 at LTR 24
30 at OCY 6
5 FTW 13
21 WHE 27
1 38 at LVL 0
2 6 MEM 28
3 24 NSH 27
4 10 at PS 20
5 16 at WHE 28
6 6 at DVY 27
7 6 OCY 3

assing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
Kidman QB 418 238 2545 6.08 15 11
2 Beyer QB 234 140 1528 6.52 7 8
*Team --- 665 382 4111 6.18 22 20

ushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
8 Willis RB 106 371 3.50 2
7 Robertson RB 84 255 3.03 0
8 Bauer RB 71 364 5.12 1
Kidman QB 34 56 1.64 0
*Team --- 341 1311 3.84 4

eceiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
7 Solwold WR 126 76 1066 14.0 149 3
9 Moultrie WR 119 65 773 11.8 86 6
8 Blades WR 85 50 574 11.4 70 5
4 Hamilton FB 58 42 317 7.5 177 2
4 Morton WR 57 26 382 14.6 89 1
6 Riley WR 41 16 194 12.1 25 1
5 Sacratini TE 38 23 207 9.0 38 4
8 Willis RB 36 25 165 6.6 70 0
7 Robertson RB 35 24 119 4.9 37 0
8 Bauer RB 33 16 121 7.5 34 0
1 Dobler TE 18 11 131 11.9 19 0
*Team --- 663 382 4111 10.7 804 22

efense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
4 Cummings ILB 119 39 3.0 7 2 8
0 Hogenkamp OLB 96 26 5.5 4 0 12
5 Finneran OLB 69 20 1.0 1 0 2
3 Shifflett CB 66 21 0.0 0 4 17
4 Reeves S 62 25 0.5 1 4 7
2 Austin S 58 23 0.5 0 3 12
2 Barnes DE 51 14 12.5 15 0 0
0 Gaines CB 50 17 0.0 0 5 12
9 Lazier CB 49 15 0.5 0 5 8
7 Clements DT 39 13 2.5 4 0 1
9 Gilmore DT 34 11 0.5 4 0 0
8 Parry DE 31 16 3.0 16 0 0
2 Hamilton CB 22 7 0.0 0 0 1
4 Dugans S 18 0 1.0 0 0 1
*Team --- 883 260 33.0 66 23 81



Offensively, the dropoff at QB was obviously a very big deal. Kidman was okay, but 6.1 yards per attempt is just not moving the ball all that effectively. Beyer made more mistakes, but we at least see the potential to keep the offense going. On the receiving end, without Morton at his best, we have just a bunch of guys out there – Solwold is coming along and surprised with his first 1,000-yard season, but he admittedly has a limited upside. Moultrie is solid, but won’t ever be great, I don’t think. Riley is coming along, but needs to develop more to get into the starting lineup.

On defense, LB Cummings proves that he is actually an excellent fit for our defense – things worked out very nicely for us with him. Hogenkamp has another good season, rewarding us for our belief in him. Young Kennedy Godfrey is coming along, and I think he will be ready to start next year, and hopefully step in to complement those two.

33 sacks and 23 picks? We are just not making things happen with our defense. DE Jamie Parry was able to play in 12 games this season, but only managed 3 sacks in 409 pass plays. That’s just not getting it done – we made huge sacrifices to bring him here.


Overall, a pretty disappointing season. We’ll have some tough contract decisions ahead – CB Scott Gaines and DE Ken Barnes atop the list. Plus, we’ll have to decide what to do with some of our aging player – like Todd Morton, and maybe one of our backup quarterbacks. A few decisions lie ahead…


In the postseason, Wheeling rolls all the way to the title game, where they lose to Champaign, 24-21.



ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
011 Awards List

Award Player Team
#Player of the Year Chris Sutton DVY
#Front Office Bowl MVP Rickey Francis WHE
oach of the Year Not Yet Awarded
egend of the Game Not Yet Awarded
#Offensive Player of the Year Chris Sutton DVY
#Defensive Player of the Year Malcolm Herndon SSM
#Offensive Rookie of the Year Mickey Curley ATH
#Defensive Rookie of the Year Randal Turnbull CHY
#All-League First-String Quarterback Eric Bielby FTW
#All-League First-String Running Back Chris Sutton DVY
#All-League First-String Fullback Tyrell Moore KW
#All-League First-String Tight End Glenn Patterson PS
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Henry Penrice HWK
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Victor Stone FKX
#All-League First-String Center Howard Bullock CHA
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Ike Stephens WHE
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Dan Kramer NSH
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Mitch Hiscock OCY
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Rufus Coffey NOR
#All-League First-String Punter Lee Frederick TXA
#All-League First-String Kicker Martin Sinclair ATH
#All-League First-String Defensive End Grady Rice LVL
#All-League First-String Defensive End Frank Beal MEM
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle K.C. Taylor HWK
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Rickey Allen NSH
#All-League First-String Inside Linebacker Malcolm Herndon SSM
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Roger Bryant LTR
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Ed Tuiasosopo NIA
#All-League First-String Cornerback K.C. Nelson FKX
#All-League First-String Cornerback Glen Nelson CHA
#All-League First-String Safety Zach Atkins MAN
#All-League First-String Safety Spencer Nixon FTW
#All-League Second-String Quarterback Charlie Battle WHE
#All-League Second-String Running Back Brent Simmons MEM
#All-League Second-String Fullback Rondell Kowalski NV
#All-League Second-String Tight End Joey Lugar FTW
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Dominic Kelley HWK
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Kelvin Conley SSM
#All-League Second-String Center Marcus Gardner MAN
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Tyrell Curtis MAN
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Neal Doane CHA
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Donald Gray NSH
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Joe Zinn TB
*All-League Second-String Punter Courtney Westbrook LKE
#All-League Second-String Kicker Bruce Bensen BER
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Randal Turnbull CHY
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Brock Campbell CHA
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Jamal McGeoghan NOR
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Alan Knight CHY
#All-League Second-String Inside Linebacker Robbie Babka PEN
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Randal Dole YPS
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Dusty Johnston TXA
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Johnny Foster YPS
#All-League Second-String Cornerback David Norton LVL
#All-League Second-String Safety Ellis Douglass OCY
#All-League Second-String Safety Monty Foreman NV


As has become a fitting tradition, when we’re down, our only honoree is our punter – who again got lots of work this season.

Big work and big decisions lie ahead for this squad.

[Ben E Lou]

Quik:

How are you getting those preseason stats to output? Have I missed something?

[sachmo71]

Dump Morton. He's done.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Quik:

Great stuff! I'm reading closely.

I might have missed this, but did you enable the "team chemistry" function? If so, do you look at it at all?

Also, it seems like you are fairly immersed in this dynasty, and that it is turning out to be challenging, given your house rules. This correct? Are you having fun?

Given your results, I'm thinking about firing up FOF4 for basically the first time.

Lastly, do you think it's time for a new RB? Bauer is getting on in years. Do you have his career stats available?

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by SkyDog
Quik:

How are you getting those preseason stats to output? Have I missed something?

I just pasted them in from each game's box scores. Limited time only - not something I plan to do very frequently.

So, no - you're not missing anything, except a pain in the neck.

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by sachmo71
Dump Morton. He's done.

Your consultant fee is being processed - you should receive your check in two weeks.

[MIJB#19]

AC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
heeling 10 6 0 .625 373 293 7-5 3-3
ouisville 8 8 0 .500 261 324 5-7 2-4
ake Erie 7 9 0 .438 312 319 7-5 4-2
cean City 5 11 0 .313 267 332 4-8 3-3 At least you're winning in the division.

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by Godzilla Blitz
I might have missed this, but did you enable the "team chemistry" function? If so, do you look at it at all?

Also, it seems like you are fairly immersed in this dynasty, and that it is turning out to be challenging, given your house rules. This correct? Are you having fun?

Given your results, I'm thinking about firing up FOF4 for basically the first time.

Lastly, do you think it's time for a new RB? Bauer is getting on in years. Do you have his career stats available?

In order of apearance:

-I have chemistry turned on, but just cannot bring myself to give a shit about it.

-Yes, I am fairly immersed, and it is fairly challenging. Losing my QB (a function of my signing restrictions) was a doozy, but that's how it's supposed to be. You don't want my whole diatribe about "leakage" again, do you? I'm having a fair amount of fun... though there is a little voice in my head that keeps calling me away (hint: it pronounces itself "futbol").

-I think now is the time to get onto FOF4. I think it's a vastly improved game. My own half-hartednes is largely because I may have played this game as much as anyone... so I['m running something like my 150th or 200th season. Even though it's better - t stil largely looks and feels the same, which is tough to get past.

-Here's where Bauer stands:

8 seasons
120 games, 122 starts
1,618 carries for 7,812 yards
4.8 yards per carry
432 receptions for 3,707 yards
caught 66.8% of targeted passes

In an offense that has not exactly been terribly favorable to a pure runner, Bauer has been pretty productive. His ratings are still very strong-- though not topped-oput like he once was.

He's costing me $12.4m each of the next two years - and jumps by another $2m the next season. My guess is that he'll be our guy through 2013, and than I'll let him go.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Quik: Thanks for the answers!

[sachmo71]

Cool! Sign Gains and have one of the better secondaries in the league.

[MIJB#19]

Originally posted by QuikSand
-I think now is the time to get onto FOF4. I think it's a vastly improved game. My own half-hartednes is largely because I may have played this game as much as anyone... so I['m running something like my 150th or 200th season. Even though it's better - t stil largely looks and feels the same, which is tough to get past.That's interesting.
Presume the interface had been patched a little bit, the game would have looked "new" and you might have had less trouble in addapting to the "new" FOF4.

[QuikSand]

I don't really mean the interface exactly... but rather the type and nature of decision-making involved. I'm still dealing with the same kind of thing as in the previous versions of FOF4... my players' demands are predictable, the quality of free agents is pretty predictable, and my dilemmas about where to spend my cap space are pretty much the same. Those are the ways where this game is different from FOF 2001, for instance, but largely the same as FOF 4.0a, 4.0b, and 4.0c.

[QuikSand]

2012 offseason

We’ll try to shake off the bad effort of 2011, and focus on the season ahead.

Coach Bucky Gardner’s contract is up – and I give this some thought. He is pretty decent at most everything, a good game day coach (in playcalling, especially) but perhaps we can do better? I pore the available candidates – I am convinced, Bucky is the man to stick with. We lock him up for four more years, making him the third-highest paid coach in the league.


As we head into free agency, here’s the skinny: 34 players signed, plus our initial set of 7 draft picks makes 41 spots filled. We have some $12 million to fill the remaining spots – not too bad, but not a huge sum, either.

CB Scott Gaines is requesting about $15m per year – it just looks impossible to me that we could find any way to keep him. DE Ken Barnes seeks another $8m a year – that is possible, though it will be difficult. We’re going to take losses on the OL, but that’s an area where we have done well with fairly cheap free agent fill-ins. We’ll have to do so again, it seems.


I start with a few affordable offers – two OL and a decent CB. CB Malcolm Shepard might be my starter this year if he accepts and we are unable to re-sign Gaines, which looks very likely.

After week one, CB Scott Gaines has a monster offer on the table from Key West – for over $16m a year. There’s simply no way I will compete with that – he’s as good as gone.

Just before week seven, we finally land CB Malcolm Shepard – Gaines has yet to sign with Key West or anyone, but I don’t expect that he’s in the picture for us. I still have $6.8m in cap space – and would like to go after DE Ken Barnes. But to do that, I need to trim some roster cap space.

WR Todd Martin is the odd man out. He’s nowhere near the player he once was – we release him to free up $3.3m in cap space, which we need pretty badly. DT Jumbo Clements has lost most of his skill, and he is gone also. DT Vinny Sawyer never developed into the top player we thought he’d be – in his last year of his rookie contract, we give him his papers, too.

CB Scott Gaines signs with Kitty Hawk for nearly $80 million – about $20m more than I could scrape together. Hope they’ll be happy – we hate to lose him.

I find RB Brett Durham, a journeyman from Fort Worth who I think has some real potential to be a solid reserve. I think he’ll be better than our usual string of anonymous late-round draft picks. We ink him to a three year deal with a little more than minsal.

I finally get in an offer to DE Ken Barnes – it’s a fairly affordable 4yrs, $26m deal. If he accepts, it will pretty much lock up our remaining money this year, but he’s been a good, solid player for us – and that ought to be rewarded, I think.

He signs in week 13, and we are basically done. I have a few bucks to nibble around the edges, and do so.

I grab a free agent tackle Austin Hansen, who will give us depth there as needed. DT David Hargett will be decent on the front line- maybe even a starter for us.

CB K.C. Nelson – a star-level performer, is sitting there still awaiting a deal. He wants over $10m a year – less than Gaines, but still pretty pricey. It would be great to ink him, but I don’t see how we could get it done.

I poke around, and end up unearthing a pretty good free agent tight end in Shaun Meyer. We release Greg Chandler, who has fallen apart after an injury.

Now, with 38 players signed – we ought to be able to fill most of our remaining holes by way of the draft.


Looking into the rookie draft, we have wants and needs.

Top areas for impact players: CB, WR, LB, DE
Areas where we need to fill in: FB, TE, WR, G, MLB, CB, CB

So, it would be ideal if a top-tier corner fell to us at #13, but it might not happen. Bo Perkins from UVa is the guy I really covet – but I expect him to be top five material. And after him, I don’t see anyone worth taking this early. Tough draft for us. I’m guessing that we end up with a defensive lineman with our top pick (which is often my inclination, anyway).

The picks ahead of us are, shall I say, ruthlessly efficient – I am left with none of the guys I had hoped would drop (and there were about eight of them). My top choices seem to be an OLB who should be a solid starter, and a WR with great potential but who is very, very raw (lousy reds, warning sign). I’m really torn.

I decide to drop down a few slots, and probably still get one of my two guys. But, I can’t get anything back unless I slide down a good deal, and I’m not willing to do that. So, I bite the bullet – and draft for upside. We take WR Norm Shields of Notre Dame, who could turn out to be a serious impact player for us – that is, if he develops. (I’m thinking Yatil Green here)


Amateur Draft Report:

Rnd 1 - Norm Shields, WR, Notre Dame
Rnd 2 - Jason Landry, OLB, Penn State
Rnd 3 - Ernie Bailey, CB, Oregon
Rnd 4 - Nolan Wingate, WR, Mississippi State
Rnd 5 - Dave Lemons, ILB, Oregon State
Rnd 6 - Louie Prior, CB, Pittsburgh
Rnd 7 - Marlon Freeman, TE, Oregon


After the draft, we fill in as usual. We head to training camp, and are ready to head into the preseason games. Here’s a look at our roster following camp:


Front Office Football: The Fourth Edition
Lake Erie Monsters Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct OnTeam
$Beyer, Edgar 12 QB 2 46 64 5 yrs. 2011
idman, Ricardo 1 QB 8 37 37 1 yr. 2005
ennedy, Matthew 14 QB 8 36 49 2 yrs. 2011
$Bauer, Spencer 48 RB 9 62 62 3 yrs. 2004
ertolini, Dixon 23 RB 2 35 43 2 yrs. 2011
#Robertson, Skip 37 RB 3 32 35 1 yr. 2010
urham, Brett 27 RB 7 29 31 3 yrs. 2012
$Hamilton, Rusty 34 FB 6 51 51 3 yrs. 2007
ughes, Troy 31 FB 1 21 37 1 yr. 2012
$Meyer, Shaun 82 TE 8 69 69 3 yrs. 2012
reeman, Marlon 83 TE 1 25 34 2 yrs. 2012
$Solwold, D.J. 87 FL 3 38 40 2 yrs. 2010
ingate, Nolan 80 FL 1 23 31 3 yrs. 2012
$Riley, Andy 86 SE 2 32 50 3 yrs. 2011
hields, Norm 84 SE 1 32 70 6 yrs. 2012
oultrie, Mercury 89 SE 10 25 26 1 yr. 2005
$Davis, Brett 60 LT 9 52 52 1 yr. 2009
ansen, Austin 64 LT 6 45 59 3 yrs. 2012
$Houston, Rodney 59 LG 5 59 59 1 yr. 2008
olmes, Rodney 62 LG 1 13 39 1 yr. 2012
$Quinn, James 58 C 7 55 55 1 yr. 2010
$Roberts, Pete 51 C 7 52 60 3 yrs. 2012
#Briggs, Skip 52 C 4 42 63 2 yrs. 2009
atton, Stan 76 RG 5 20 54 3 yrs. 2012
$Tyler, Roman 71 RT 8 64 69 2 yrs. 2011
estbrook, Courtney 4 P 5 81 82 1 yr. 2008
ates, Steven 16 K 2 54 66 1 yr. 2011
$Parry, Jamie 78 LDE 8 69 69 1 yr. 2010
urk, Brad 79 LDE 8 47 47 1 yr. 2010
$Hargett, David 91 NT 5 46 48 3 yrs. 2012
oush, Doug 73 NT 7 46 51 2 yrs. 2011
$Gilmore, Courtney 99 RDT 2 34 58 4 yrs. 2011
pecter, Kevin 97 RDT 10 14 16 1 yr. 2003
$Barnes, Ken 92 RDE 6 60 60 4 yrs. 2007
$Hogenkamp, Marshall 90 SLB 6 58 58 2 yrs. 2007
#Arnswaldt, Gene 77 SLB 1 17 37 1 yr. 2012
$Cummings, Bob 54 MLB 9 56 57 3 yrs. 2010
emons, Dave 98 MLB 1 23 35 3 yrs. 2012
amirez, Wally 57 MLB 1 18 32 1 yr. 2012
inneran, Rich 95 WLB 4 44 44 1 yr. 2009
andry, Jason 94 WLB 1 37 49 4 yrs. 2012
$Godfrey, Kennedy 96 WLB 2 29 54 4 yrs. 2011
$Shifflett, Donny 43 LCB 9 48 48 2 yrs. 2004
rior, Louie 41 LCB 1 9 23 2 yrs. 2012
$Shepard, Melvin 36 RCB 6 37 42 3 yrs. 2012
ailey, Ernie 21 RCB 1 20 40 4 yrs. 2012
$Reeves, Kenny 24 SS 8 66 66 1 yr. 2009
$Austin, Tom 42 FS 3 59 59 3 yrs. 2010
ugans, Shawn 44 FS 2 25 33 2 yrs. 2011

$ - player is in starting lineup, ## - player is inactive.

layers Under Contract: 49
n Active Roster: 46

alary Cap: $122,300,000
ap Room: $2,350,000
aximum for New Player: $2,350,000
ap Room Lost (to old contracts): $2,760,000

ap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $1,300,000
ap Room Required Next Year: $96,170,000


And so, this officially becomes Edgar Beyer’s team. He has my vote to start at QB, and it looks like he will develop into a solid player. Not a topped-out superstar, but probably good enough to keep our offense moving, which is what we need.

[QuikSand]

2012 season

We start off the season with a tough injury to work around – CB Donny Shifflett, my only reliable corner, is out for a few weeks. Time to reconsider what to do here. I decided to move S Tom Austin over to play corner for now – he’s got good man-up cover skills, and is a decent fit.


Week 1: Lake Erie at Wheeling

We get a rude awakening here, as the Dealers crush us at their place, 27-9. They ran the ball right at us, and that doesn’t bode too well – there’s the blueprint for kicking out butts all season. Their QB connected on 17 of 21 passes, too – not a good sign for our troubled secondary, either.

Week 2: Norfolk (0-1) at Lake Erie (0-1)

We bounce back from the dreadful opener with a great effort here. Edgar Beyer looks sensational, and we get a 31-3 victory at home. Ten different receivers haul in catches, as Beyer connects all over the field with 278 yards and 3 TDs.

Week 3: Fort Knox (0-2) at Lake Erie (1-1)

Fort Knox breaks out of their initial slump, unfortunately, against us – they win 17-3. We just couldn’t get much going offensively, and when we made progress, we couldn’t capitalize at all. Tough game – we look very inconsistent, needless to say.

Week 5: Chayenne (1-2) at Lake Erie (1-2)

We’re a bit banged up, so the bye comes at a good time for us. But the results here aren’t any better – we lose at home again, 31-28. Cheyenne gets the traditional 14-point fourth quarter to overcome our solid lead, but that’s just how it goes in FOF. WR D.J. Solwold scores all four of our TDs, including one on a reverse handoff.

Week 6: Napa Valley (2-2-1) at Lake Erie (1-3)

Our defense comes to play, and an early punt return TD by rookie WR Nolan Wingate is nearly enough for the win itself. We win 16-7, and inch closer to a respectable even mark on the year.

Week 7: Lake Erie (2-3) at Tijuana (2-3)

We’re going to have to get going again while on the road, after playing poorly on our recent home stretch. Once again, though, we get a team running the ball right at us for over 170 yards, and we end up in a shootout, losing 31-28 again.

Week 8: Lake Erie (2-4) at Tulsa (2-4)

Our defense plays great here, as we overcome 5 interceptions from young Edgar Beyer to still win 22-10. DE Parry gets three sacks – he might be motivated by his expiring contract (grrrr).

Week 9: Lake Erie (3-4) at Ocean City (6-2)

We sneak out a 24-21 win on the road, and get to our halfway point with an even record. Beyer throws the ball 58 times, and we have all but given up on our running game. Spencer Bauer as been playing hurt nearly all season – here he gives out and yields to our backup crew. Bauer has a broken fibula, and will miss most of the remaining season.


Through the first half, here are some key team stats:


Lake Erie Monsters Team Rank
Rushes 161 32
Rushing Yards 637 30
Yards Per Carry 3.95 15
Pass Attempts 340 1
Completions 214 1
Passing Yards 2258 4
Yards Per Attempt 6.64 21 (T)
3rd Down Conversions 41.5 11
Points Per Game 20.1 21 (T)
Turnovers 17 22 (T)
Turnover Margin -7 29

Opponents Team Rank
Rushes 234 18
Rushing Yards 830 9
Yards Per Carry 3.54 1 (T)
Pass Attempts 260 5
Completions 149 3
Passing Yards 1565 1
Yards Per Attempt 6.01 2
3rd Down Conversions 40.6 20
Points Per Game 18.3 12
Turnovers 10 25 (T)


Despite my occasional protests when we don’t pay well, this defense as been positively sterling. Basically, they have stepped up and just shot down opponents in three or sour games – giving us a chance to win, despite inconsistencies on offense.

Now, we’ll probably get even more pass-happy, with Bauer out (though in the past, that hasn’t always been so).


Week 10: Wheeling (3-5) at Lake Erie (4-4)[/b]

Out 17-14 halftime lead dissolves, and we lose 29-17. A fourth quarter meltdown, and they took full advantage.

Week 11: Lake Erie (4-5) at Louisville (4-5)

Another bounce back, with a strong 27-7 win on the road. We are starting to relish our road games, especially our defense – who rack up 7 sacks in the win. DE Jamie Parry, though, is lost for the season to a broken ankle. We offer a deal to old friend Martin Mangiafico, who will help out on the d-line for the rest of the way.

Week 12: Hawk Mountain (7-3) at Lake Erie (5-5)

We cannot seem to crack the .500 barrier, and lose another close one at home, 24-20. Perennial all-pro WR Henry Penrice is a star, as they rip us up pretty well through the air.

Week 13: Lake Erie (5-6) at Nashua (5-6)

Things bounce our way again on the road, as we win 17-16 over the favored Pollsters. Defense is again our key – we win despite losing the turnover battle 3-0.

Week 14: Lake Erie (6-6) at Providence (8-4)

Our reputation precedes itself – we are just tough on the road. Our defense plays well again, and we sneak out a 17-13 win at Providence over the Quahogs. WR D.J. Solwold continues his solid year with another 100 yards game – he may well top the 1,000-yard mark again this year, after just missing last season.

Week 15: Ocean City (7-6) at Lake Erie (7-6)

After such a mediocre season, we are now above .500 and actually tied for the division lead. This is a huge game for us – too bad we are at home.

However, we overcome our home field disadvantage, and take a nice 30-7 win over the Thrashers. We get to 8-6, and suddenly are in control of our own destiny – how about that.

Week 16: Lake Erie (8-6) at Texarkana (6-8)

Our roll continues, as we get a 38-16 win on the road here. Beyer throws for 5 TD passes, but also three interceptions – his ration is just barely over 1:1 on the year. However, we are among the top two or three passing offenses in total – so we are moving the ball, which is my top priority. RB Dixon Bertolini, subbed in as our starter the last few weeks, seems to be pretty effective in the role.

Week 17: Louisville (7-8) at Lake Erie (9-6)

Spencer Bauer eases back into the game plan here, but the defense makes it all moot – as we win it 34-3. Like several years ago, we started out very mediocre, but rallied late to enter the preseason on quite a roll.



ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
012 Regular Season Standings

AC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ake Erie 10 6 0 .625 360 264 7-5 4-2
cean City 8 8 0 .500 297 312 7-5 3-3
heeling 7 9 0 .438 278 300 5-7 4-2
ouisville 7 9 0 .438 284 318 5-7 1-5

AC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ort Knox 10 6 0 .625 347 307 8-4 5-1
ittle Rock 10 6 0 .625 309 271 6-6 4-2
ort Wayne 9 7 0 .563 328 313 7-5 2-4
ensacola 6 10 0 .375 349 397 3-9 1-5

AC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
anhattan 10 5 1 .656 390 348 8-3-1 5-0-1
ashua 8 8 0 .500 349 287 6-6 3-3
iagara Falls 8 8 0 .500 269 288 6-6 2-4
ey West 6 9 1 .406 251 351 3-8-1 1-4-1

AC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ijuana 10 6 0 .625 345 318 9-3 5-1
apa Valley 9 6 1 .594 339 254 6-6 3-3
ulsa 6 10 0 .375 235 343 5-7 3-3
heyenne 6 10 0 .375 384 402 4-8 1-5

NC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
psilanti 10 6 0 .625 361 357 8-4 4-2
hunder Bay 9 7 0 .563 354 308 9-3 5-1
hampaign 8 8 0 .500 379 382 6-6 2-4
ault Ste. Marie 5 11 0 .313 302 365 4-8 1-5

NC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
thens 10 6 0 .625 380 359 8-4 5-1
ermuda 9 7 0 .563 309 276 7-5 3-3
itty Hawk 7 9 0 .438 339 343 4-8 1-5
azatlan 5 10 1 .344 285 337 4-8 3-3

NC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
rovidence 11 5 0 .688 351 297 8-4 4-2
awk Mountain 9 7 0 .563 346 361 7-5 2-4
orfolk 8 8 0 .500 361 358 5-7 2-4
exarkana 7 9 0 .438 287 307 7-5 4-2

NC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
emphis 11 5 0 .688 382 275 8-4 6-0
uget Sound 7 9 0 .438 358 345 4-8 2-4
eath Valley 6 10 0 .375 350 383 5-7 2-4
acramento 2 14 0 .125 271 403 2-10 2-4


Quite a sea of mediocrity – he we won just one more game, we’d have been the #1 seed in the conference. As it is, we must play in the opening round on tiebreakers.


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
012 Summary for Lake Erie Monsters

ecord: 10-6
inning Pct.: .625

ake Erie Monsters Team Rank
ushes 333 32
ushing Yards 1267 32
ards Per Carry 3.80 23 (T)
ass Attempts 681 1
ompletions 418 1
assing Yards 4552 2
ards Per Attempt 6.68 17
rd Down Conversions 41.3 11
oints Per Game 22.5 6 (T)
urnovers 35 29 (T)
urnover Margin -17 32

pponents Team Rank
ushes 443 20
ushing Yards 1600 10
ards Per Carry 3.61 3
ass Attempts 543 12
ompletions 306 3
assing Yards 3373 1
ards Per Attempt 6.21 5
rd Down Conversions 37.5 8
oints Per Game 16.5 2
urnovers 18 29 (T)

eek Team Versus Oppnt
9 at WHE 27
31 NOR 3
3 FKX 17
28 CHY 31
16 NV 7
28 at TIJ 31
22 at TUL 10
24 at OCY 21
0 17 WHE 29
1 27 at LVL 7
2 20 HWK 24
3 17 at NSH 16
4 17 at PRV 13
5 30 OCY 7
6 37 at TXA 18
7 34 LVL 3
$WC LTR

assing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
2 Beyer QB 680 418 4552 6.69 32 29
*Team --- 681 418 4552 6.68 32 29

ushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
8 Bauer RB 100 417 4.17 2
3 Bertolini RB 94 325 3.45 2
7 Durham RB 79 212 2.68 0
2 Beyer QB 40 216 5.40 0
*Team --- 333 1267 3.80 7

eceiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
7 Solwold WR 152 83 1154 13.9 173 9
4 Shields WR 96 52 635 12.2 82 5
9 Moultrie WR 80 44 615 13.9 75 4
2 Meyer TE 78 55 544 9.8 133 5
6 Riley WR 68 37 445 12.0 69 2
8 Bauer RB 62 46 388 8.4 118 2
4 Hamilton FB 49 37 283 7.6 167 1
3 Bertolini RB 39 25 194 7.7 81 1
7 Durham RB 34 26 190 7.3 60 2
*Team --- 679 418 4552 10.8 988 32

efense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
4 Cummings ILB 114 42 8.0 7 1 8
4 Reeves S 83 35 0.0 2 1 8
0 Hogenkamp OLB 79 40 2.0 4 1 14
6 Shepard CB 59 22 0.0 0 2 7
3 Shifflett CB 58 9 0.0 1 1 16
2 Barnes DE 52 20 8.0 15 0 0
6 Godfrey OLB 50 12 3.0 2 0 5
2 Austin S 45 14 1.0 0 1 15
9 Gilmore DT 38 19 1.5 9 0 1
8 Parry DE 35 11 8.5 10 0 0
3 Roush DT 27 13 3.5 2 0 0
1 Bailey CB 25 8 0.0 1 2 3
1 Prior CB 23 10 3.0 1 1 2
1 Hargett DT 22 6 5.0 2 0 1
4 Dugans S 20 6 1.0 2 0 2
5 Finneran OLB 18 5 0.0 0 0 0
*Team --- 874 288 52.0 68 10 82


Beyer’s 4,500-yard season is solid – mostly a function of our pass-happy offense, but certainly he’s go something to do with it. We need to get that interception total down, but we are built around surviving those big mistakes. The running game was pretty inept overall (Bertolini played fairly well) but that’s just not what we do.

WR Solwold had his best year for us, and a mid-season switch to put rookie WR Shields in across from him seemed to help everyone. Once again, Moultrie got decent numbers, despite a strictly reserve role.


Defensively, Tom Cummings had a positively standout year for us in the middle – he has become the real anchor to this defense – and to think, he was a fall-back decision for us when we couldn’t re-sign our own MLB for big money. DE Barnes and Parry were doing well, but both got hurt and had their seasons cut short. Barnes is back, Parry is out. CB Melvin Shepard, getting his first chance to start, was adequate – but is probably better suited to being a third corner.

But overall, we cannot complain with this defense. Top five against the run and pass in efficiency – can’t ask for more than that.


Postseason Wrap-up:

Wild Card Round: Little Rock (10-6) at Lake Erie (10-6)

Our two big drives get us TDs, theirs get them FGs, and we win it 14-6. Red zone play made the difference in this tight defensive struggle.

Divisional Playoff: Lake Erie (11-6) at Manhattan (10-5-1)

Spencer Bauer returns and is very effective, and we get into quite a struggle here. We kick a tying FG with 16 seconds left to send it into overtime, but Manhattan wins it with their own FG halfway through the extra period, and takes the win, 26-23.


Manhattan beats Memphins to win the title, denying QB J.R. Newhart his ring once again. (He took us to the big game, only to lose there as well)



Front Office Football: The Fourth Edition
2012 Awards List

Award Player Team
#Player of the Year Brent Simmons MEM
#Front Office Bowl MVP Renaldo Preston MAN
#Offensive Player of the Year Brent Simmons MEM
#Defensive Player of the Year Roger Bryant LTR
#Offensive Rookie of the Year Juan Fouts NV
#Defensive Rookie of the Year Wayne Lowe TIJ
#All-League First-String Quarterback Renaldo Preston MAN
#All-League First-String Running Back Brent Simmons MEM
#All-League First-String Fullback Bernie Hank WHE
#All-League First-String Tight End Travis Zimmerman SAC
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Wendell Hines FTW
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Vince Logan YPS
#All-League First-String Center Arnie Crane DVY
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Randy Lash ATH
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Brett Bouler NOR
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Bernie Kellogg LTR
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Jake Endres CHY
#All-League First-String Punter Ernest Newman MAZ
#All-League First-String Kicker Earnest Maxwell KYH
#All-League First-String Defensive End Grady Rice LVL
#All-League First-String Defensive End Frank Beal MEM
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Mickey Farrell MAN
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Rickey Allen NSH
#All-League First-String Inside Linebacker Winston O'Neal WHE
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Roger Bryant LTR
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Terrance Corbett PS
#All-League First-String Cornerback K.C. Nelson MEM
#All-League First-String Cornerback Jeff Hitchcock PRV
#All-League First-String Safety Walter Murray HWK
#All-League First-String Safety Monty Foreman NV
#All-League Second-String Quarterback J.C. Meier FKX
#All-League Second-String Running Back Jack Jarvis CHA
#All-League Second-String Fullback Rondell Kowalski NV
#All-League Second-String Tight End Kenny Gohl KW
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Oliver Doxzon WHE
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Henry Penrice HWK
#All-League Second-String Center Howard Bullock CHA
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Steven Brock MEM
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Will Clayton FTW
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Rufus Coffey NOR
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Joe Zinn TB
#All-League Second-String Punter J.B. Ashley PEN
#All-League Second-String Kicker Dale Shannon NIA
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Karl Walsh FTW
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Vinny Astley TB
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Marshall Jacome LTR
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Terrance Ortiz TUL
*All-League Second-String Inside Linebacker Bob Cummings LKE
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Gerald Griffith PRV
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Donnie Bohn MAZ
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Johnny Foster YPS
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Clay Weber TUL
#All-League Second-String Safety Dwight Fuqua NSH
#All-League Second-String Safety Mickey Greene LTR


We are very nearly shut out of the awards – LB Bob Cummings our only rep at all. We do tend to split the load a bit, and that’s the main issue here – not our overall team quality.

[Karim]

How has LB Klea done since he signed for $90 million in 2010 and how did CB Gaines do this past season when he signed for $80 million? Have they paid dividends to their respective teams?

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by Karim
How has LB Klea done since he signed for $90 million in 2010 and how did CB Gaines do this past season when he signed for $80 million? Have they paid dividends to their respective teams?

Very fair - worth a check-in.

LB Jay Kley has stayed with Louisville for the three years since he left us, and has been their MLB starter that time, getting 46 starts in 3 seasons. He seems to be a very soild player for them - averaging about 100+30 tackles a season, and a few sacks (he had 7 sacks this year). He's mediocre in pass coverage, but a solid MLB who floats just below all-star level. I'd say they got what they paid for. (By my scout he is the 6th best ILB in the league, by current ratings)

CB Scott Gaines in Kitty Hawk posted another very solid season. He had 6 interceptions and a PDPct of 20.7 both just about what he was doing for us in his last couple of seasons. My scout rates him the 4th best corner in the league, on current skill.

And, for what it's worth:

QB J.R. Newhart has been plagued by minor injuries, but has been pretty effective for Memphis. They don't ask him to pass 600 times a season like we did, but he has become a pretty effective precision passer for them -- with a TD/Int ratio of 37/16 in his 26 starts for the Kings. He got them into the playoffs in his first season, and then to the title game last season-- they were 10-6 and 8-8 in the two preceding seasons.

[QuikSand]

Some Player Distribution Analysis

Now that my league is getting fairly “mature,” I thought I’d look at the distribution of players my scout likes – and see retroactively where they came from in the draft. I’ll use DE – a position where the obviously good players always seem to go pretty early, and certainly in the first round of the draft. Even without having archived each prior season – if I see a highly rated guy who was a 3rd or 5th round draft pick, I’ll know he was a breakout player (I wouldn’t miss a guy with big potential in later draft rounds, I’m always looking for DL).

By my scout, the top players by current ratings were drafted as follows:

1
1
1
1
1
1
4 – DE Brock Campbell, KYH: played 5 years, has 39.5 sacks
1
1
1
1
1
1
undrafted – DE Edgar Newsome, KW: played 7 years, has 32.5 sacks
1
1
3 – DE Julio Bronson, PRV: played 9 years, has 79.5 sacks
4 – DE Lamar Kennedy, FtW: played 7 years, has 40.0 sacks
1
1

That’s 15 out of 19 players (I excluded the one guy who was from the original distribution pool) who was taken as a first round draft pick. The non-first rounders, with the exception of Campbell, all are best at stopping the run (which might not be valued as highly by the computer when evaluating DEs, I’d guess)

I’ll so the same thing with the CB position – another area where apparent high-quality guys rarely slip from the fist round of the draft:

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
4 – CB Tom Wilkins, MEM: played 8 seasons, career 19.4 PDPct
2 – CB K.C. Nelson, MEM: played 6 seasons, career 20.8 PDPct
4 – CB Allen Logue, TIJ: played 8 seasons, career 20.0 PDPct
3
2
5
1
1
2
3
3
3
2

With these guys, I’m guessing that the trend is similar – I just don’t think that the game generates nearly as many superstar-caliber corners as it does DE. So, my guess is that those top seven guys, all from the first round of their drafts, were seven out of maybe 10 or 12 guys who looked like sure things—and when they pan out, they are the very best of the lot. The guys from rounds 2-4 just exceeded expectations – not necessarily by a lot, to become the next tier. There’s no obvious pattern to their skill sets (it’s not like all the round 2-4 guys are lacking in some particular skill).


Any real conclusions here? Well – to the extent that you might be looking for all sorts of evidence of great sleepers in the drafts in this game, it’s coming up a little short. I’d say that DE Campbell from above is a certain case—he’s very well-developed, balanced, and productive, and as a 4th round pick is obviously better than he initially looked. On the CB side, there are probably some guys who are similar cases – but several of these top-20 guys have the look of typical second round players—good in some places, not so good in others. I find it tough to be certain that they are really guys that I’d never let get past me in that part of the draft.

A better analysis, I recognize, would be to watch a series of players from one draft forward (I did a bit of this back with earlier versions of this game). That would help not only in spotting global trends, but also the specifics – what to the “disappointments” in the game look like up front, compared to those who live up to initial billing?

More work to be done…

[QuikSand]

Heh. I've never really paid attention to the "star rating" system before... but apparently this dynasty is only worth 2 out of 5. I can't argue with that, it's just news to me.

Nothing to see here...

[Bee]

I gave it a 5. I think whoever gave you a low rating was just jealous of your post count. ;)

I think it will take a lot of work to really analyze the draft. From the sample you've given, it looks like a pretty reasonable distribution that might be slightly skewed towards the higher draft picks being a little too valuable IMO. I think to really make a determination you'd have to look at how many 1st round DE's or CB's have busted. That might be a lot more difficult to quantify though.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Originally posted by QuikSand
Heh. I've never really paid attention to the "star rating" system before... but apparently this dynasty is only worth 2 out of 5. I can't argue with that, it's just news to me.

Nothing to see here...

Don't let it shake you. I gave you a "5", and I think I was the first one to vote this morning. Someone came by later this morning and gave both your dynasty and my XCOM dynasty a "1", which pulled both of them down. Drive on!

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by Godzilla Blitz
Don't let it shake you. I gave you a "5", and I think I was the first one to vote this morning. Someone came by later this morning and gave both your dynasty and my XCOM dynasty a "1", which pulled both of them down. Drive on!

I am resolutely unshaken.

[QuikSand]

2013 offseason

Okay, we’re heading into the third year under a new and exciting quarterback. He has shows the abilty to put up big offensive numbers. Now, we need to get him to settle down and be a bit more precise. That’s what happened with J.R. Newhart in his second full season in this system – and he got us rolling all the way to the big game.


We don’t have any retirements from the squad this year, so the roster comes back pretty much intact, save for expired contracts (of which we have plenty). Both my scout and coach remain under contract, and I am not inclined to mess around there - I’m all set with them both.


Our list of players without contracts follows:


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
ake Erie Monsters Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct OnTeam
Westbrook, Courtney 4 P 6 81 82 --- 2008
Parry, Jamie 78 LDE 9 69 69 --- 2010
Bates, Steven 16 K 3 62 64 --- 2011
Reeves, Kenny 24 SS 9 61 61 --- 2009
Houston, Rodney 59 LG 6 59 59 --- 2008
Hogenkamp, Marshall 90 SLB 7 57 57 --- 2007
Quinn, James 58 C 8 55 55 --- 2010
Davis, Brett 60 LT 10 49 51 --- 2009
Mangiafico, Martin 70 LDE 11 48 48 --- 2012
Turk, Brad 79 LDE 9 46 46 --- 2010
Finneran, Rich 95 WLB 5 43 43 --- 2009
Kidman, Ricardo 1 QB 9 34 34 --- 2005
Robertson, Skip 37 RB 4 32 34 --- 2010
Moultrie, Mercury 89 SE 11 25 26 --- 2005
Hughes, Troy 31 FB 2 20 35 --- 2012
Arnswaldt, Gene 77 SLB 2 17 37 --- 2012
Ramirez, Wally 57 MLB 2 17 32 --- 2012
Specter, Kevin 97 RDT 11 14 16 --- 2003
Holmes, Rodney 62 LG 2 13 38 --- 2012

Players Under Contract: 31
Salary Cap: $128,700,000
Cap Room: $42,180,000
Maximum for New Player: $36,300,000
Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $3,300,000

Cap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0
Cap Room Required Next Year: $71,940,000


That list, sorted by my scout’s current overall rating, gives a fair flavor of what we have to do that (I like that as an info dump at this point for each season, I think).

The trouble is – nobody on this list is asking for anything that I’d characterize as a pleasant surprise. Well, WR Mercury Moultrie is looking for less then $2 million – which I suspect I’ll give him. (I’ve never been disappointed by him yet) But all the top-tier players are seeking top-tier money, which will be tough. We have money to spend, but I’ll have to pay a premium to retain guys who have been with us a while.

I like S Kenny reeves, and at about $6-7m a year, I think I’ll make an effort to keep him. I also like LB Marshall Hogenkamp, and we’ll pursue him—hopefully for a bit less than $10m a season. That’s all I see for my first round of offers – I might end up with a few other guys at some point, but that’s it for now.

As usual, I will be scouring for free agents who I think can help without breaking the bank. LB Trevor Hylton is just such a guy – a serious impact player with mixed skills, he should be a great addition to our defensive front. He’d be good enough to take over a starting job for Hogenkamp is that’s necessary, but at worst he’s a great 4th LB. And for under $2.5m a year – he’s a steal.

I’m pretty excited about 6th year RB Randall Almonte, a guy who has rushed for over 1,000 yards twice – and who isn’t asking for a ton of cash in free agency. I offer him about $3.2m a year, and if he accepts, he becomes a superb component for our offense. He’s been very effective in the passing game with Napa Valley, and could very possibly become our starter. It’s certainly possible we get outbid here, but if not, he’s a great find.

Free safety Jason Connell has yet to really play much at all for Nashua, but my scout thinks he’d be a great fit in our system. A three year offer would give us a nice nickel back and possible starting safety with good man-up cover skills.

We need a new starter at LG, since Rodney Houston is asking for the moon and stars. So, I find Lenny Logan, a solid journeyman seeking a deal for under $2 million. This might be a position to target in the draft as well. We should be okay at tackle, as Austin Hansen ought to step right in to start this season.

I put in a bonus-free offer to C Derrick Yaros, mostly hoping he can painlessly switch to guard. If so, he’ll be a contributor for a couple of years.

Finally, we try a deal for DT Preston Middleton, who could actually be a real contributor for us inside. I’m always looking for guys who can help with the run defense up the gut, and he might be a great fit as our #3 DT. Potential steal for under $2m a year.


So, we start the FA process with 8 bids on the board, including some pretty big money for two of our own guys. Bt, I have FA backups for each position (S and LB), so if those go sour we can just focus on our new additions as starters, instead of backups. I’m comfy.


DE Jamie Parry, the league’s all-time sack leader (though a mild disappointment for us), gets a monster offer right off the bat: $125 million over 7 years from Napa Valley. I have to imagine he’ll land that deal – wow.

LB Marshall Hogenkamp is getting a slightly richer offer from Bermuda than we have for him – but I have a voidable year, which might make the difference. He does have low loyalty, so we’ll have to wait and see.

S Kenny Reeves re-signs with us right away, which is pretty good news. We also manage to grab RB Randall Almonte right away, which is even better news. We release RB Brett Durham, who we signed for three years last season, but really didn’t fit into our system well at all last year. That helps free up some of the cap space we are putting to great use now.


In week 2, we lock up G Lenny Logan and S Jason Connell. Both will be important contributors this year, taking pressure off a “need-based” push on the rookie draft.

In week 3, LB Hogenkamp decides to stick around, and he accepts out offer. I’m pleased – even though this is an expensive deal, he’s a player that I have grown to like.


At this point, with both LB Hogenkamp and S Reeves re-signed, we still have some real cap space left. And the most obvious thing left on our roster that’s missing is defensive end – we have Parry, Mangiafico, and Bred Turk all without deals. Parry is going to get huge money, it seems – but I need someone to play. I didn’t find anyone when scouring for “values” – but now that we have some cash, I’m a little more flexible.

Dan Louichey, a former Monster, is available – and looking for about $4.5m a year. That’s not too bad, but I’m trying to spend a little less than that. I’d like to get a contributor for no more than $3m a season – even if only on a one year deal. (I’m expecting to draft a DE or CB early this season) Actually, Mangiafico and Turk look like they might be the best options available at around the price I want to pay. I don’t think of either one as starting material, but I might end up there like it or not.


In week 4, DE Jamie Parry signs a deal with Athens, for $105 million over 6 years. G Rodney Houston got his deal with Fort Knox – a perennial playoff team. And we have landed one of our catches of the offseason, in LB Trevor Hylton. Two weeks later, we land DT Preston Middleton – and our target list is completed.

P Courtney Westbrook got the rich deal he was seeking – he’s a darned good punter, but I just don’t feel I can pay a punter $2 or $3 million a year. That’s a defeatist attitude, in my mind.


It’s week 9 of free agency, and the top rated QB remaining in the pool is none other than J.R. Newhart, our old buddy. He fleetingly had an offer, but the team withdrew it (perhaps it busted their cap space). He’s been very solid recently, and would do someone well—but he is asking for about $11 million a year, which is a pretty steep price tag. If he goes unclaimed, and settles in for a one-year cheap deal, some team might find themselves a keeper.


As we move into the later stages of free agency, I’m still looking at the players sitting out there at CB and DE. CB K.C. Nelson is a multi-year pro bowler, but he wants some $12 million a year to play. DE Karl Walsh is looking for big money, too – but he did have 18.5 sacks last year. These guys look like impact players, but I went through this hassle before with DE Parry, and I am admittedly gun shy.

But as we prepare to wrap up the FA process, I am surprised to have $12 million or so still sitting around, waiting to be spent. I guess I might have lured DE Jamie Parry back, but that’s no longer available. Now, maybe I ought to try a one year deal with someone? I hold off – and halfway expect that I’ll use some of that room to re-sign one or both of my free agent defensive ends, rather than plunge for one star player.


We pick at #25 in the draft, and as it’s coming up, all the prospects I had eyes for are gobbled up, of course. I like CB Ross Okeafor, who would be a decent nickel back and excellent return man- but I feel this is an awfully high spot to take a utility player like that. Second round, he’d be great. DE Marc Groll seems to be the best at that position, I think – but I don’t see him being a real star by any means.

Really, the best talent available here is at WR – a definite “non-need” position for us. With Solwold, Norm Shields, and Andy Riley all aboard, we have a perfectly satisfactory trio – with shield potentially being a future star. Does it make sense to use this pick to grab another potential star WR? Solwold’s deal expires after this season – maybe it would make sense to have an heir to his starting spot, since I probably won’t be able to re-sign him next year. We are a pass-happy team – it’s a position of real value to us.

I make a deal with Sacramento, switching first round picks next year to move down to their second round spot this year. I still may take a WR there, but it’s probably a worthwhile trade for us. They use the pick to take WR Devin Tetreault, the guy I was teetering on selecting – so that plan is off the table immediately.


Amateur Draft Report:

Rnd 2 - Cornell Pierce, WR, Baylor
Rnd 2 - Ross Okeafor, CB, Kentucky
Rnd 3 - Dana Sanders, DE, Texas Christian
Rnd 4 - Neal Young, DE, Duke
Rnd 5 - Donnie Barnes, TE, Eastern Michigan
Rnd 6 - Leslie Curtis, OLB, Arizona
Rnd 7 - Darrell Robertson, G, Miss.


Well, it wasn’t the draft we exactly would have forecasted – but we get some intriguing prospects in the lot. WR Cornell Pierce is a big, strong possession receiver, whom we will slot at the flanker – expecting him to probably take over the spot for next season.

CB Okeafor is a return specialist, and immediately becomes our first option on both punts and kickoffs. My hope is that he will develop into a decent third corner as well.

DE Sanders and Young are both projects – if either one works out to be a contributor, I will be pleased. The last three fill need slots, and hopefully will be decent reserves and special teamers.


So, we have 45 players signed, and millions to spend. What to do?

Despite the rookie additions, I feel the most pressing need is certainly at DE. So, we re-up with martin Mangiafico – this time settling on a three year deal with him, for $8m total. He is no star, but he can contribute – he will probably rotate around with the two rookies.

We have to get a kicker and punter, so we strike cheap one year deals with the best we can find. I missed out on one excellent punter in the draft – just couldn’t bring myself to spend a fourth round pick there.

We have nearly $8 million left in cap space. I don’t want to make any long-term commitments, but I also don’t see much point in leaving cap space unused. QB Ricardo Kidman went unclaimed through the FA process, and he’s only seeking a two year deal. That’s fine – I didn’t fill my third QB slot anyway, so we will pay to keep him around.

I head to camp with money unspent – that’ pretty unusual for a mature team. But, I am just trying to be prudent – I avoided overspending on one of the star free agents at DE or CB—we’ll see whether I regret that later on.



ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
ake Erie Monsters Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct OnTeam
$Beyer, Edgar 12 QB 3 67 67 4 yrs. 2011
ennedy, Matthew 14 QB 9 37 49 1 yr. 2011
idman, Ricardo 1 QB 9 34 34 3 yrs. 2005
$Bauer, Spencer 48 RB 10 57 57 2 yrs. 2004
lmonte, Randall 33 RB 6 48 48 3 yrs. 2013
ertolini, Dixon 23 RB 3 35 41 1 yr. 2011
$Hamilton, Rusty 34 FB 7 52 52 2 yrs. 2007
reeman, Marlon 83 FB 2 12 20 1 yr. 2012
$Meyer, Shaun 82 TE 9 68 68 2 yrs. 2012
arnes, Donnie 88 TE 1 24 39 2 yrs. 2013
$Solwold, D.J. 87 FL 4 40 40 1 yr. 2010
ierce, Cornell 85 FL 1 34 50 4 yrs. 2013
#Wingate, Nolan 80 FL 2 23 29 2 yrs. 2012
$Shields, Norm 84 SE 2 47 70 5 yrs. 2012
iley, Andy 86 SE 3 40 51 2 yrs. 2011
$Hansen, Austin 64 LT 7 53 59 2 yrs. 2012
$Fisher, Colin 72 LT 7 44 60 2 yrs. 2013
ogan, Lenny 66 LG 8 45 45 3 yrs. 2013
$Roberts, Pete 51 C 8 61 61 2 yrs. 2012
$Briggs, Skip 52 C 5 46 63 1 yr. 2009
atton, Stan 76 RG 6 24 54 2 yrs. 2012
obertson, Darrell 59 RG 1 18 30 3 yrs. 2013
$Tyler, Roman 71 RT 9 72 72 1 yr. 2011
oley, Joel 5 P 3 34 47 1 yr. 2013
amuels, Claude 9 K 1 39 69 1 yr. 2013
angiafico, Martin 70 LDE 11 43 43 3 yrs. 2012
#Young, Neal 75 LDE 1 15 43 2 yrs. 2013
iddleton, Preston 78 LDT 6 36 41 3 yrs. 2013
oush, Doug 73 NT 8 49 52 1 yr. 2011
argett, David 91 NT 6 47 47 2 yrs. 2012
ilmore, Courtney 99 RDT 3 43 56 3 yrs. 2011
arnes, Ken 92 RDE 7 59 59 3 yrs. 2007
anders, Dana 93 RDE 1 26 41 4 yrs. 2013
ogenkamp, Marshall 90 SLB 7 57 57 5 yrs. 2007
urtis, Leslie 58 SLB 1 15 25 2 yrs. 2013
ummings, Bob 54 MLB 10 55 56 2 yrs. 2010
ylton, Trevor 50 MLB 5 34 57 3 yrs. 2013
emons, Dave 98 MLB 2 24 34 2 yrs. 2012
andry, Jason 94 WLB 2 39 46 3 yrs. 2012
odfrey, Kennedy 96 WLB 3 33 52 3 yrs. 2011
$Shifflett, Donny 43 LCB 10 46 46 1 yr. 2004
#Prior, Louie 41 LCB 2 10 20 1 yr. 2012
$Shepard, Melvin 36 RCB 7 47 47 2 yrs. 2012
ailey, Ernie 21 RCB 2 23 38 3 yrs. 2012
keafor, Ross 38 RCB 1 21 44 3 yrs. 2013
$Reeves, Kenny 24 SS 9 58 58 3 yrs. 2009
$Austin, Tom 42 FS 4 59 59 2 yrs. 2010
onnell, Jason 40 FS 7 47 53 3 yrs. 2013
ugans, Shawn 44 FS 3 28 34 1 yr. 2011

$ - player is in starting lineup, ## - player is inactive.

layers Under Contract: 49
n Active Roster: 46

alary Cap: $128,700,000
ap Room: $5,760,000
aximum for New Player: $5,760,000
ap Room Lost (to old contracts): $3,600,000

ap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $300,000
ap Room Required Next Year: $110,200,000



I get a tempting trade offer for WR Andy Riley – a 3rd round pick. He does have two years left, and is pretty solid – I decide against the deal.

As we prepare for the season, our roster rating is 88, second only to Manhattan’s 100. We have a 74 power rating, the highest in the league. But our cohesion is fairly low: 84-76-80-82, with only our passing game and secondary above average. I’d suspect that we’re heading for another playoff berth, but I don’t know that the defense can play over its head again as well as it did last season. Even though I think our personnel is improved, I have trouble seeing us getting a lot better unless it’s due to a big improvement in offense and turnover ratio.

[QuikSand]

2013 season

We come out of the preseason pretty banged up – our defensive front has already been reshuffled, and RB Spencer Bauer will miss a game or two. We get ready, and head into the season – hoping that some advancement in the passing game will help take the pressure off the rest of the team.

Week 1: Lake Erie at Ocean City

A great start, as we throttle the thrashers, 23-3. Randall Almonte, getting the call in place of the injured Spencer Bauer, gains 107 yards rushing – and Edgar Beyer is very sharp. The defense was “lights out” and we prevail easily on the road.

Week 2: Lake Erie (1-0) at Thunder Bay (1-0)

A 2-0 start is ours with a 20-10 win here. Edgar Beyer’ 3 TD passes have u up big early, and we hold on from there.

Big, bad news, though – CB Donny Shifflett is probably out for the season with a really bad hammy. This could be awful – we need a complete reshuffling in the secondary. Tom Austin moves from safety to corner, and our third safety Connell moves in to start at free safety. I think we’ll be okay – but we are very thin now.

Week 3: Tijuana (1-1) at Lake Erie (2-0)

We get 5 TD passes from Edgar Beyer, who is now officially on fire. It’s a 52-24 win, as we outgun them – but our secondary gets pressed a bit more than I’d like. Hard to complain when we’re 3-0, but I’m not sure about us back there.

Week 4: Lake Erie (3-0) at Niagara Falls (1-2)

After giving up two early TD passes, the Monster Machine rolls on, and we roar back to win, 23-14. WR D.J. Solwold has 12 catches – and is clearly becoming a very prolific player in this offense – 484 yards in our first four games.

Week 5: Wheeling (2-2) at Lake Erie (4-0)

We keep things rolling on offense, with a 45-15 win, stretching to 5-0 on the season. On the season, Beyer has 12 TDs to 1 interception—and while that ratio is impossible to maintain, it’s a very good sign that he is figuring things out in this system.

Week 6: Key West (1-4) at Lake Erie (5-0)

A 27-16 win is another pretty routine day for us – Beyer is sharp again, with 3 more TDs to no picks. Bauer and Almonte are spreading the running back chores fairly well – I’m satisfied, even though we aren’t putting up huge numbers.

After LB Godfrey had an early-season injury, he is now trying to battle his way back into the lineup – as free agent signee Trevor Hylton has played very well in his absence.

Week 7: Lake Erie (6-0) at Manhattan (5-1)

We’re made four point favorites on the road here, and the game lives up to its billing. It turns out to be a pretty defensive-minded game, and they hold a 19-17 edge through most of the fourth quarter, stifling each attempt we have to get back onto them. That’s the final margin, as our perfect record drops to 6-1.

Week 8: Nashua (4-3) at Lake Erie (6-1)

Nashua follows up with a great game, and they beat us at home, 23-14. They light up our secondary for 344 yards, as they come back from a 7-point deficit to take command in the second half.

Through eight games, here’s the snapshot of the team so far:


Lake Erie Monsters Team Rank
Rushes 190 17 (T)
Rushing Yards 865 7
Yards Per Carry 4.55 5
Pass Attempts 336 1
Completions 214 1
Passing Yards 2413 1
Yards Per Attempt 7.18 10 (T)
3rd Down Conversions 51.3 1
Points Per Game 27.6 1
Turnovers 5 1
Turnover Margin +12 1

Opponents Team Rank
Rushes 183 10
Rushing Yards 717 11
Yards Per Carry 3.91 13
Pass Attempts 297 29
Completions 171 24 (T)
Passing Yards 1945 25
Yards Per Attempt 6.54 10
3rd Down Conversions 43.1 25
Points Per Game 15.5 2
Turnovers 17 6 (T)


Offensively, we have been very good – obviously. Defensively – we are yielding a lot of passing yards, but we’re slightly above average in both run and pass efficiency. I’m not panicked— and that positive turnover margin is very good, too.

We have 19 sacks through 8 games—losing Parry to free agency and now DE Ken Barnes to a season-long injury just undermine our pass rush – we don’t have anyone striking fear into opposing offenses at all. DE Mangiafico, a fill-in, leads the team with 4 sacks.


Week 9: Ocean City (2-5) at Lake Erie (6-2)

We drop our third in a row, and I’m worried. Bauer is out hurt again, and Beyer was pressing the ball – getting intercepted four times. Our stat keepers say he didn’t have any “bad throws” but I saw four of them get caught by the wrong guys, so I might differ there.

Week 11: Lake Erie (6-3) at Louisville (6-3)

Suddenly, we don’t look so hot anymore – and now the division is catching up to us. We go to some more trip-WR formations in this game, and it seems to pay off. Solwold is again the main target, but Riley and Pierce each come up with TD catches, and we get a 20-10 win.

On defense, we get Ken Barnes back for next week – he’s trying to come back from a knee ligament earlier then expected. We need him!

Week 12: Champaign (2-8) at Lake Erie (7-3)

We get a solid 30-17 win here, and are staring to look formidable again. Not a great game for Beyer (only 20 of 43) but Almonte tops 100 yards again on the ground.

Week 13: Lake Erie (8-3) at Fort Knox (6-5)

Fort Knox is a perennial tough out – and they get us here, 22-17. Not a bad effort for us – it was just a tight game, and they got the last laugh.

Week 14: Ypsilanti (6-6) at Lake Erie (8-4)

At this point, Manhattan is marching to the top seed in the conference – but the #2 seed and a bye week are reasonable goals for us to set. We need to finish strong, though.

A 34-26 win at home helps – our pass defense yielded a pretty big day, but we get the win nonetheless. SB Spencer Bauer is healthy again – but I’ve been impressed enough with Almonte that he will hold onto the starting job.

Week 15: Louisville (6-7) at Lake Erie (9-4)

Another pretty good game, and another win, 26-14. At RB, Bauer actually outshines Almonte in this game – maybe the competition is good for the two of them in the shared role. However the feeble Bauer gets hurt again, and will miss a couple of weeks.

Week 16: Lake Erie (10-4) at Sault Ste. Marie (7-7)

We’re in position for the #2 seed – we just need to keep winning. We get a hard-fought win here, beating the Lockmasters 31-28. We have the division title locked up – now it’s a question of seeding only.

Week 17: Lake Erie (11-4) at Wheeling (4-11)

A 27-7 road win gives us a nice strong finish to the season, and a solid 12-4 final mark. After losing three in a row at one point, we were worried – but overall, there’s a lot to like about what we did this season.


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
013 Regular Season Standings

AC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ake Erie 12 4 0 .750 422 272 8-4 5-1
cean City 9 7 0 .563 323 282 7-5 3-3
ouisville 8 8 0 .500 344 311 6-6 4-2
heeling 4 12 0 .250 269 414 1-11 0-6

AC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ort Wayne 11 5 0 .688 393 347 10-2 5-1
ort Knox 10 6 0 .625 392 347 7-5 4-2
ittle Rock 8 8 0 .500 328 327 5-7 2-4
ensacola 8 8 0 .500 370 346 5-7 1-5

AC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
anhattan 14 2 0 .875 396 273 11-1 5-1
ashua 8 8 0 .500 251 250 7-5 3-3
iagara Falls 6 10 0 .375 248 289 4-8 2-4
ey West 6 10 0 .375 265 305 4-8 2-4

AC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ulsa 7 9 0 .438 286 319 5-7 4-2
ijuana 7 9 0 .438 345 336 5-7 3-3
heyenne 6 10 0 .375 347 411 5-7 3-3
apa Valley 6 10 0 .375 295 300 6-6 2-4

NC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
hunder Bay 11 5 0 .688 353 308 8-4 2-4
ault Ste. Marie 8 8 0 .500 426 389 8-4 6-0
psilanti 8 8 0 .500 302 294 8-4 3-3
hampaign 3 13 0 .188 254 407 1-11 1-5

NC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
thens 11 5 0 .688 337 298 8-4 4-2
ermuda 10 6 0 .625 314 274 8-4 4-2
itty Hawk 9 7 0 .563 352 327 7-5 1-5
azatlan 6 10 0 .375 325 387 5-7 3-3

NC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
exarkana 11 5 0 .688 357 319 8-4 4-2
rovidence 10 6 0 .625 364 312 7-5 3-3
orfolk 8 8 0 .500 390 347 5-7 2-4
awk Mountain 7 9 0 .438 262 323 5-7 3-3

NC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
uget Sound 10 6 0 .625 312 289 7-5 4-2
eath Valley 7 9 0 .438 352 327 6-6 4-2
emphis 4 12 0 .250 270 353 3-9 3-3
acramento 3 13 0 .188 252 413 2-10 1-5


Out +150 point split is the best in the league – and that potential showdown with Manhattan looms pretty large.

And looming in the background, our deal to get Sacramento’s top pick in next year’s draft looks like a huge move, as they will be either #1 or #2 overall.


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
013 Summary for Lake Erie Monsters

ecord: 12-4
inning Pct.: .750

ake Erie Monsters Team Rank
ushes 366 31
ushing Yards 1688 17
ards Per Carry 4.61 1 (T)
ass Attempts 646 2
ompletions 406 1
assing Yards 4664 1
ards Per Attempt 7.21 7
rd Down Conversions 45.7 1
oints Per Game 26.3 2
urnovers 17 2 (T)
urnover Margin +14 3

pponents Team Rank
ushes 400 6
ushing Yards 1516 5
ards Per Carry 3.79 8
ass Attempts 582 29
ompletions 344 26 (T)
assing Yards 4046 30
ards Per Attempt 6.95 20 (T)
rd Down Conversions 41.4 25
oints Per Game 17.0 2 (T)
urnovers 31 12 (T)

eek Team Versus Oppnt
23 at OCY 3
20 at TB 10
52 TIJ 24
23 at NIA 14
45 WHE 15
27 KW 16
17 at MAN 19
14 NSH 23
16 OCY 24
1 20 at LVL 10
2 30 CHA 17
3 17 at FKX 22
4 34 YPS 26
5 26 LVL 14
6 31 at SSM 28
7 27 at WHE 7

assing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
2 Beyer QB 638 400 4595 7.20 34 10
*Team --- 646 406 4664 7.21 35 10

ushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
3 Almonte RB 180 860 4.77 5
8 Bauer RB 65 239 3.67 0
2 Beyer QB 57 313 5.49 2
3 Bertolini RB 40 177 4.42 1
*Team --- 366 1688 4.61 10

eceiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
4 Shields WR 137 69 877 12.7 155 9
7 Solwold WR 129 89 1303 14.6 235 5
3 Almonte RB 82 57 487 8.5 258 1
4 Hamilton FB 63 48 421 8.7 175 6
5 Pierce WR 59 34 449 13.2 41 5
6 Riley WR 54 29 376 12.9 56 6
2 Meyer TE 47 31 358 11.5 94 1
8 Bauer RB 35 26 203 7.8 114 2
8 Barnes TE 23 14 118 8.4 23 0
*Team --- 645 406 4664 11.4 1188 35

efense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
4 Cummings ILB 112 36 3.5 4 2 5
0 Hogenkamp OLB 111 33 3.5 4 2 8
0 Connell S 79 25 0.5 0 5 13
4 Reeves S 76 19 0.0 0 4 11
0 Hylton ILB 57 30 2.0 0 1 4
6 Shepard CB 52 13 0.0 0 6 14
2 Austin S 40 8 1.0 0 4 12
0 Mangiafico DE 39 17 7.0 10 0 0
9 Gilmore DT 38 11 2.5 7 0 1
8 Middleton DT 32 19 3.0 8 0 0
4 Dugans S 28 4 2.0 0 0 3
1 Bailey CB 26 14 1.5 1 2 3
3 Roush DT 19 8 5.0 7 0 0
*Team --- 846 254 34.0 51 26 75


Well, I had hopes that year three would be the breakout year for Edgar Beyer – and boy, did he deliver. Actually, his overall numbers are very similar to his from last season—with the huge difference of only 10 interceptions to 29. He also did the same amount of damage with fewer attempts – so his yards per attempt went up from 6.7 to 7.2 – a very meaningful movement. Great season for him – certainly worthy of some all-pro consideration.

RB Spencer Bauer looks like he’s just done – he cannot stay healthy and productive. Almonte came at a good time, and had a nice year fitting our system well. No complaints there – he’s cheap, and he’s signed for two more years.

At WR, we see the perils of Jim’s insistence on sorting by “targeted” passes. Shields had more passes thrown his way, but it’s perfectly clear who is getting it done here—D.J. Solwold. Solwold had the biggest season ever for our team, and sets himself up for a huge payday in free agency after the season. Shields is developing nicely, but is a notch below in productivity – expect in the red zone, where he already shines with his big body and playmaking ability.


On defense, Tom Cummings and Marshall Hogenkamp continue to make a great team for our LB corps. Hylton was a nice addition as the weak side starter. The defensive line was wrought with injury – but did okay all told. 34 sacks on the season is weak, and it showed in our passing defense, which slipped below average. The DL has to be priority #1 for the offseason – that draft pick ought to land us a star pass rusher.



Postseason wrapup:

Divisional Playoff: Fort Wayne (12-) at Lake Erie (12-4)

Our fans are screaming for Manhattan, but we need to get through this one first.

Fort Wayne puts up a good fight, and it’s tight through three quarters, with our lead at 17-10. Fort Worth puts up a nice drive to tie the game in the fourth quarter, and in the final minute they top off another possession with a field goal. We’re stunned, as we take a 20-17 loss, and a quick exit from the playoffs.

After such a promising season, it’s all over just like that. We couldn’t stop their passing game, and Edgar Beyer was picked off three times in the loss. Consistency is key—and even after a great season, we didn’t have it when we needed it.


Manhattan edges Fort Worth to get their bid in the big game, and then they edge Providence 27-24 to get the win. That was their game all year – win close games. They do it here, and take their title—their second in a row.



Front Office Football: The Fourth Edition
2013 Awards List

Award Player Team
*Player of the Year Edgar Beyer LKE
#Front Office Bowl MVP Renaldo Preston MAN
*Offensive Player of the Year Edgar Beyer LKE
#Defensive Player of the Year Roger Bryant LTR
#Offensive Rookie of the Year Norbert Osborne LVL
#Defensive Rookie of the Year J.J. Mills TB
*All-League First-String Quarterback Edgar Beyer LKE
#All-League First-String Running Back Colin Grui LVL
#All-League First-String Fullback Rondell Kowalski NV
#All-League First-String Tight End John Wright TIJ
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Nicky Picchietti SSM
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Dennis Price CHY
#All-League First-String Center Howard Bullock CHA
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Will Clayton FTW
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Devin Miklusicak PS
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Rufus Coffey NOR
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Mitch Hiscock OCY
#All-League First-String Punter Kevin Bottoms ATH
#All-League First-String Kicker Duane Sheldon MAN
#All-League First-String Defensive End Grady Rice LVL
#All-League First-String Defensive End Randal Turnbull CHY
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Rickey Allen NSH
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Otis Polak BER
#All-League First-String Inside Linebacker Winston O'Neal WHE
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Roger Bryant LTR
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Donnie Hopkins DVY
#All-League First-String Cornerback Ricky Dougherty ATH
#All-League First-String Cornerback Wes Pretko TIJ
#All-League First-String Safety Tyrell Boyd OCY
#All-League First-String Safety Dwight Fuqua PRV
#All-League Second-String Quarterback Renaldo Preston MAN
#All-League Second-String Running Back Rob Botkin NSH
#All-League Second-String Fullback Bernie Hank WHE
#All-League Second-String Tight End Dixon Maloney CHA
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Johnnie Hall PRV
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Cornell Grigsby NV
#All-League Second-String Center Oliver Rogers TXA
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Todd Vinatieri PRV
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Vernon Aschenbrenner TUL
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Ronald Nixon KW
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Chris Harden FTW
#All-League Second-String Punter Lee Frederick TXA
#All-League Second-String Kicker Bruce Bensen BER
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Karl Walsh MAN
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Ben Hendrickson NV
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Mickey Sandoval YPS
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Moe Peters FKX
#All-League Second-String Inside Linebacker Malcolm Herndon SSM
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Gerald Griffith PRV
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Junior McWilliams MEM
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Bo Perkins PRV
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Johnny Foster YPS
#All-League Second-String Safety Andre Peters KYH
#All-League Second-String Safety Spencer Nixon FTW


From this list, you get the sense that Lake Erie is a one-man team, with Edgar Beyer the only player of any consequence. I have to disagree with that, but regardless, we were only able to get so far.

Beyer has three more cheap years on his contract, and right now, I judge that as a metric for where we ar financially. I suspect next season we’ll be relieved of Spencer Bauer’s huge contract as well—so we may have some money to spend. Stay tuned…

[sachmo71]

Ohhhh, so close! Go Monsters!

[primelord]

Originally posted by QuikSand
That’s 15 out of 19 players (...) who was taken as a first round draft pick.

Now that seems like an unlikely mistake from the grammar king. :)

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by primelord
Now that seems like an unlikely mistake from the grammar king.

*blushing* Guilty, no doubt. Maybe it was the parentheses? *sigh*

[Godzilla Blitz]

Bummer that your season ended so suddenly, but with Beyer locked up for three more years, I like your prospects. Especially considering you'll be adding a #1 or #2 pick (nice move getting that Sacramento pick!) who might be able to make an immediate impact. Are you thinking DE or CB?

Sorry to see Bauer's career winding down. If you have a moment, could you_post how he ranks among your league's career leaders? Do you think he has a chance at the Hall?

I'm getting a sense that the AI is much sharper in drafting, but do you get a sense that it is effective in acquiring free agents? I noticed in FOFa that the game was letting good free agents slip through the 20-step process. Is that still happening?

Enjoying this a lot! Good work as usual! Good luck next year!

[QuikSand]

2014 offseason

I thought we might have had all the pieces last season, but alas – we came up short in the playoffs. This year, there will be real pressure on us to giove Manhattan (or whomever) a real run for their money. We want to be a serious title contender.

No retirements. The only guy I thought might be here was RB Spencer Bauer, but he marshals on. Almost a shame, because he’s past his best years, that much is for sure.


My scout Deon Bridges is looking for a new deal. I’ll think twice – he is 58, has been with us for several seasons, and might not be the best option. After reviewing the field – he’s the best option after all – we re-up with him for three more seasons.


As we start up the FA process, here’s the landscape of our players without contracts – sorted by current scouting evaluation:


Tyler, Roman 71 RT 10 72 72 --- 2011
Briggs, Skip 52 C 6 56 64 --- 2009
Roush, Doug 73 NT 9 51 51 --- 2011
Samuels, Claude 9 K 2 49 61 --- 2013
Shifflett, Donny 43 LCB 11 46 46 --- 2004
Foley, Joel 5 P 4 42 48 --- 2013
Solwold, D.J. 87 FL 5 39 40 --- 2010
Kennedy, Matthew 14 QB 10 36 48 --- 2011
Bertolini, Dixon 23 RB 4 34 40 --- 2011
Dugans, Shawn 44 FS 4 29 34 --- 2011
Upshaw, Derek 95 LDE 10 19 19 --- 2013
Freeman, Marlon 83 FB 3 12 21 --- 2012
Prior, Louie 41 LCB 3 9 17 --- 2012

Players Under Contract: 37
On Active Roster: 37

Salary Cap: $135,100,000
Cap Room: $24,610,000
Maximum for New Player: $14,260,000
Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $300,000

Cap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0
Cap Room Required Next Year: $67,300,000


Well – we have two big free agency issues for this season. We’re already thin at corberback, and have our best cover man Shifflett coming off a major injury and seeking a new contract. Second, we have a superstar-level performer at WR (a big money position where we are prtty deep already) looking for a new deal. How we resolve those two issues probably guides us into the next season. $25m in cap space (really $14m to spend) isn’t that much – not enough to be signing two star-caliber players as free agents.

I cannot find anyone who will take the contract of RB Spencer Bauer, and I simply don’t see how I can pay him $14 million this season. I’ much rather keep him than cut him – but my operational “house rules” don’t allow renegotiations. I think, though, that the spirit of my rules would be intact if I gave him an extension at the much-lowered price he seeks. It’s probably a better deal than he’d be able to get with any other team, at his reduced level of effectiveness. Right now, Bauer wants a 2yr extension worth a tad over $9 million. That would give him a cap number this year of about $7 million - $7m less than where he ranks right now. If I release him, he drops all the way to $2.4 – so keeping him around costs us a net of about $4.6 million. Pretty steep.

If I wait him out, his demands will likely drop – but I wont have the cash available to sign other players. Tough spot.


CB Donny Shifflett is only looking for about $8.5m over two years – that will be pretty affordable for a guy I wanted to pursue anyway. I’ll probably even try to lock him up longer term, if those are his demands.

WR D.J. Solwold is similarly reasonable in his demands – only seeking about $5m a year. This despite his pretty impressive stats—over 3,500 yards in his last three seasons. I will definitely be trying to bring him back as well.

T Roman Tyler is simply out of the question, asking for $12m a year or so. I expect that he will get it, but it’s just not conceivable that we could pay like that.

So, I get in my offers to Shifflett and Solwold, and am prepared to go on from there. They would only take me for $9.3m this year – so I have more room to work than I had expected. Especialy if I can save some real money with Bauer, one way or the other.


Manhattan made a very savvy move last year, swooping in and grabbing two solid veteran players from late free agency—DE Karl Walsh and CB K.C. Nelson. Both took one year deals, and both played very well for the season – and are back in free agency. Without those two stars, Manhattan will be looking to spend some money on defense this year, I’m sure. Those two are probably the two best defensive players available via free agency this year.


I don’t find a ton of fascinating playes in free agency’s bargain bins, but there are a few to pursue. T Randall Sisson is a decent player, either a RT or a utility lineman.

But with the relative dearth of great talent in the pool this season, I think I’m going to make the effort and keep RB Spencr Bauer. He can remain with us, probably sharing the starter’s role with Randall Almonte, and provide some team leadership. With that decision in mind, I work things out with him, and we will perhaps use some of the freed-up cap space to find a few cheap fill-in free agents.


After the first week of free agency, I have the only bids in to Shifflett and Solwold – great news. Niagara Falls has signed DE Karl Walsh to a huge deal, and CB K.C. Nelson I listening to a comparable deal from Champaign. They will both get paid, I’m sure.

Our three target players are all done and locked in by week 8 – so both Shifflett and Solwold will return. I’m pleased to see that, even if it means we won’t be adding a star player elsewhere. Meanwhile, our other free agents—DT Roush, T Tyler, C Briggs- are all cashing in big time for other teams.


I pursue CB Morris Hanks, for a reasonable 3yr deal. I’m thinking thathe becomes our nickel back, and might even have to start for us after this season, assuming Melvin Shepard leaves. He’s a similar player to Shepard, decent skills, but not exceptional.

DT Terrance Ortiz is still awaiting an offer – this is 12th year DT who is a superb run-stopper, and a solid pass rusher as well. A two-time all-pro, he still looks pretty solid – but he’s asking for about $9m a year. Even in his twilight, he can still be productive, but I am hesitant about getting stuck with a fat contract.

Instead, I make a late move to pick up DT Kris Compton, another or my usual “pretty decent” defensive linemen, taking the place of the new multimillionaire Doug Rousch. And, after a little more poking around, another familiar name resurfaces: DE Brad Turk. He was a reserve DE for us from 2010-2012, and then played last season with Ypsilanti – netting 12 sacks for them. I put in a pretty affordable three year deal for him, too – just trying to get my defensive line backup to snuff a bit more.

That gets us through the FA season, and we exit with 44 players and about $3.8 million in cap space. I’m tryig to manage responsibly, and we wre blessed with very reasonable demands from our two big free agents this season.


As we head into the rookie draft, I’m very excited about having a top pick, at #2 overall. We have an opportunity to grab a potential monster impact player here. My inclination is to go with the best player at either DE or CB, but I’m open to other positions, if somebody blows my doors off. My current MLB Bob Cummings and both top tackles are up for contracts after this season, after all – so those would be fair target positions as well.

Looking at the draft board, I see several players who look outstanding. T Rod Barlow is one of those guys you get and then build your team around. He’ll probably be an all-star left tackle for a decade. CB Chad Coles looks like a superstar in the making, too. DE Max Shields looks pretty good, but not the maxed-out genius that I’d be hoping for with a pick this high.

My thinking is that I might drop down a spot or two, and still try to get one of my top two players. Once one of them goes off the board, I will pick the other. But I’d be thrilled with either LT Barlow or CB Coles.

I get Wheeling’s second round pick to move down from #2 to #2 after a WR goes with the top pick. The only way this backfires is if both my top two go at #3 and #4. I’m rolling the dice that it won’t happen that way.

Wheeling goes for the best DT in the draft, and then Memphios takes CB Coles at #3, I’ll grab my star left tackle, and will be happy with the pick at #4.


Amateur Draft Report:

Rnd 1 - Rod Barlow, T, Colorado
Rnd 2 - Ronnie Harris, TE, New Mexico
Rnd 2 - Trent Austin, CB, Florida State
Rnd 3 - Sammy Noa, P, Pittsburgh
Rnd 4 - Ty Dagostino, DT, UCLA
Rnd 5 - Rick Oliver, K, James Madison
Rnd 6 - Tyrus Modig, QB, Georgia
Rnd 7 - J.J. Johnston, RB, Louisville


I love Barlow, and expect a lot from him. CB Austin, picked at the top of round two, should be a potential starter, but more likely a nickel back and return man. TE Ronnie Harris should be solid for us, as our starter Shaun Meyer will probably depart after this season. P Sammy Noa is outstanding – and worth the high pick, I think. We fill in elsewhere, and get up to a full roster.


I receive a somewhat interesting trade offer – Norfolk wants my young LB Kennedy Godfrey. He just sat on the benchmost of last year, after getting hurt and never regaining his starting job. But, a 4th rounder doesn’t seem like quite enough – and I turn them down.


We head into camp, with a full roster and hopefully a good shot to get back to the top tier of teams in the league. Manhattan certainly lost a lot after their repeat title – I wouldn’t be shocked to see them drop off a bit this season. We’ll hope to be the team everyone is worried about playing.

Here’s the roster as we exit training camp:


Front Office Football: The Fourth Edition
Lake Erie Monsters Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct OnTeam
eyer, Edgar 12 QB 4 74 74 3 yrs. 2011
idman, Ricardo 1 QB 10 34 34 2 yrs. 2005
odig, Tyrus 3 QB 1 19 33 2 yrs. 2014
auer, Spencer 48 RB 11 52 52 2 yrs. 2004
lmonte, Randall 33 RB 7 43 43 2 yrs. 2013
ohnston, J.J. 27 RB 1 21 36 2 yrs. 2014
amilton, Rusty 34 FB 8 52 52 1 yr. 2007
hields, Geoff 26 FB 1 23 31 1 yr. 2014
eyer, Shaun 82 TE 10 63 63 1 yr. 2012
arris, Ronnie 81 TE 1 37 53 3 yrs. 2014
olwold, D.J. 87 FL 5 39 40 3 yrs. 2010
ierce, Cornell 85 FL 2 38 47 3 yrs. 2013
ingate, Nolan 80 FL 3 23 28 1 yr. 2012
urtis, Lamar 31 FL 1 17 34 1 yr. 2014
hields, Norm 84 SE 3 54 71 4 yrs. 2012
iley, Andy 86 SE 4 44 51 1 yr. 2011
ansen, Austin 64 LT 8 60 60 1 yr. 2012
isher, Colin 72 LT 8 55 59 1 yr. 2013
arlow, Rod 79 LT 1 42 86 6 yrs. 2014
ogan, Lenny 66 LG 9 43 43 2 yrs. 2013
oberts, Pete 51 C 9 62 62 1 yr. 2012
atton, Stan 76 RG 7 27 53 1 yr. 2012
obertson, Darrell 59 RG 2 19 28 2 yrs. 2013
isson, Randall 74 RT 6 32 48 2 yrs. 2014
oa, Sammy 4 P 1 77 81 3 yrs. 2014
liver, Rick 18 K 1 33 44 2 yrs. 2014
urk, Brad 73 LDE 10 46 46 3 yrs. 2014
angiafico, Martin 70 LDE 12 37 37 2 yrs. 2012
oung, Neal 75 LDE 2 17 41 1 yr. 2013
iddleton, Preston 78 LDT 7 43 43 2 yrs. 2013
argett, David 91 NT 7 51 51 1 yr. 2012
ompton, Kris 77 NT 6 43 44 3 yrs. 2014
ilmore, Courtney 99 RDT 4 46 48 2 yrs. 2011
agostino, Ty 97 RDT 1 20 33 3 yrs. 2014
arnes, Ken 92 RDE 8 58 58 2 yrs. 2007
anders, Dana 93 RDE 2 27 42 3 yrs. 2013
ogenkamp, Marshall 90 SLB 8 57 57 4 yrs. 2007
urtis, Leslie 58 SLB 2 15 22 1 yr. 2013
ummings, Bob 54 MLB 11 55 56 1 yr. 2010
ylton, Trevor 50 MLB 6 43 57 2 yrs. 2013
emons, Dave 98 MLB 3 25 31 1 yr. 2012
andry, Jason 94 WLB 3 40 45 2 yrs. 2012
odfrey, Kennedy 96 WLB 4 37 46 2 yrs. 2011
anks, Morris 47 LCB 7 70 79 3 yrs. 2014
hifflett, Donny 43 LCB 11 46 46 3 yrs. 2004
hepard, Melvin 36 RCB 8 45 45 1 yr. 2012
ailey, Ernie 21 RCB 3 25 30 2 yrs. 2012
keafor, Ross 38 RCB 2 21 40 2 yrs. 2013
ustin, Trent 46 RCB 1 20 44 3 yrs. 2014
eeves, Kenny 24 SS 10 58 58 2 yrs. 2009
ustin, Tom 42 FS 5 57 57 1 yr. 2010
onnell, Jason 40 FS 8 53 53 2 yrs. 2013
ugans, Shawn 44 FS 4 31 34 2 yrs. 2011

layers Under Contract: 53
n Active Roster: 53

alary Cap: $135,100,000
ap Room: $3,000,000
aximum for New Player: $3,450,000
ap Room Lost (to old contracts): $400,000

ap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0
ap Room Required Next Year: $104,670,000

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by Godzilla Blitz
Bummer that your season ended so suddenly, but with Beyer locked up for three more years, I like your prospects. Especially considering you'll be adding a #1 or #2 pick (nice move getting that Sacramento pick!) who might be able to make an immediate impact. Are you thinking DE or CB?

Sorry to see Bauer's career winding down. If you have a moment, could you_post how he ranks among your league's career leaders? Do you think he has a chance at the Hall?

I'm getting a sense that the AI is much sharper in drafting, but do you get a sense that it is effective in acquiring free agents? I noticed in FOFa that the game was letting good free agents slip through the 20-step process. Is that still happening?



In order:

-Well, I was open to either DE or CB, but ended up with a standout OT. I'm just hoping that I don't regret this down the line - I have a feeling that CB Coles will be a serious star for a long time.

-RB Bauer, still with us after some debate, has 8,468 yards rushing - placing him 9th on the career list (one spot ahad of Vernon rand of Ocean City fame). With about 450 yards this season, he can catch the next guy ahead of him - who has already retired. He's a lot further down in career rushing attempts (18th), so he'll get good marks for efficiency (as some guys just pile up the chances). Will he make the Hall? I'd say it's pretty likely, but not a lock.

-My general impression is that teams are doing a much better job drafting, but are not doing much better in pursuing free agents. I'm still seeing quite a lot of very-high-quality guys sticking with very high demands, sliding all the way through the FA process, and then dropping their demands to almost minsal to sign for one year. I don't know what is the best way to deal with this, but it's a little weird to see, and indicates some imbalance to me.

[QuikSand]

2014 season

After poring through our training camp results, I am struck with a bit of great news. My scout and staff have all agreed – we struick gold with free agent CB signee Morris Hanks. We thought we’d be getting a solid nickel back – instead, he came through camp looking like a champ, and easily winning a starting spot. (Translation – his ratings exploded, and he now looks like a topped-out stud) He’s a 7th year player who hasn’t really been given a chance – but he’s going to get it now. What a grea break for us!


As we head into the season, we have the top roster rating in the league, with Little Rock next at 84. Manhattan has dropped all the way to 60, about tenth on the list. Our power rating is tops as well, at 74, ten points ahead of Tijuana and Providence.


Week 1: Lake Erie at Louisville

We start out fine, but collapse in the second half and let them get back into the game, and then beat us 30-27. Not the message we wanted to send here, exactly.

Week 2: Athens (1-0) at Lake Erie (0-1)

We have to scrape to get this win, 19-16. Our only TD comes on a kickoff return by rookie Trent Austin, and we edge this one out. We overcome Edgar beyer’s 5-int meltdown with great defense and some good luck.

Week 3: Tulsa (2-0) at Lake Erie (1-1)

We have to hold on desperately for another win here, as we allow another late rally. We do get the 34=29 win, but it should have been easier.

Week 4: Fort Knox (1-2) at Lake Erie (2-1)

Despite the poor start, Fort Knox is always good – and we need to be wary. We play well, and get our best win of the year, 27-10. WR Norm Shields, always the “upside guy” of the receiving corps, has his second 100+ game in a row, and is starting to show how good he can be.

Week 5: Lake Erie (3-1) at Pensacola (2-2)

We get into a major slugfest with the Panhandlers, but we manage to get a tying TD with 1:14 left. However, in a disappointing twist, our rookie kicker Rick Oliver misses the PAT, and we end up losing the game, 34-33. It’s his second miss in the game, and his third in 17 tries this season. Not getting it done. Enjoy working at Jiffy Lube, Rick.

Week 6: Lake Erie (3-2) at Little Rock (3-1)

On the road against a highly regarded team, we connect for a nice 28-6 win. We’re not the intimidating force that we seemed to be early last season, but when we play well, we are pretty tough. Beyer hits Solwold and Shield for 2 TD each here, as our passing game remains pretty effective all day. Beyer gets a minor injury but should be okay to play next week.

Week 7: Ocean City (2-4) at Lake Erie (4-2)

And just as things are looking up, we get stung and take a 24-23 loss at home. OC rolls past us with theitr running game – taking it right to us for over 200 yards. We also lose DE Ken Barnes for the year – that’s two straight lost seasons for him.

Week 8: Fort Wayne (4-3) at Lake Erie (4-3)

Beyer gets his groove back, and pitches it around for 4 more TDs as we win 35-21. Our running game is pretty spotty – Almonte is having atough go of it, it seems. We’ve lost WR Andy Riley for the year, too – so we’re hurting a bit at the skill positions.


Halfway through our season, here are our key stats:


Lake Erie Monsters Team Rank
Rushes 164 28 (T)
Pushing Yards 558 31
Yards Per Carry 3.40 31
Pass Attempts 338 1
Completions 188 2 (T)
Passing Yards 2280 2
Yards Per Attempt 6.74 19
3rd Down Conversions 35.1 24
Points Per Game 28.2 3
Turnovers 18 27 (T)
Turnover Margin +1 13 (T)

Opponents Team Rank
Rushes 228 27
Rushing Yards 879 23
Yards Per Carry 3.85 15 (T)
Pass Attempts 339 32
Completions 170 27 (T)
Passing Yards 2051 27
Yards Per Attempt 6.05 4
3rd Down Conversions 34.5 8
Points Per Game 21.2 15
Turnovers 19 4 (T)


Well, we have a fierce passing game, but nothing else is really working that well. We are totally ineffective running the ball, and the only other thing we’re doing well is slowing down the passing game. Actualy, the defense is playing okay – but not exceptionally well. I’d like to see that 3.85 yards per carry come down under 3.5, and get us back into the top ten there, if not better.

We’re causing turnovers, but we are turning the ball over this year, too. Last year might have been a little unrealistic – but we need to do better there. Beyer has a 20/12 ratio – we’d prefer more like 3/1.


Week 9: Lake Erie (5-3) at Wheeling (4-4)

We need to be winning games like this if we’re going to be serious contenders – and we get the win here. A solid defensive effort, with a TD scored by safety Tom Austin on a fumble, and we win 23-7.

We get a week off, and hope to keep things rolling in high gear. I don’t have much hope for the running game to get a lot better, but the defense can certainly play better and keep us from getting into these awful shootouts.

Week 11: Louisville (7-2) at Lake Erie (6-3)

Big game, as the division might slip away from us if we lose here. Louisville plays well, and they take a 34-24 win – and we are officially in trouble. They ground it out on us for 158 yards, and that was the real difference.

Week 12: Lake Erie (6-4) at Mazatlan (2-8)

Mazatlan is one of the curced franchises in this league – they never get good, no matter what. We face them without RB Spencer Bauer, who has beenplaying injured all year but is now listed as out. We crush them, 34-5. Beyer is a sterling 26 of 31 for 268 and 5 TDs, a this facet of the team remains pretty wel intact. Shields remains our #1 guy, with Solwold playing a solid support role.

Week 13: Lake Erie (7-4) at Manhattan (5-6)

I predicted a drop for Manhattan, but I didn’t expect them to slide out of the playoffs. We play this week without RB Almonte as well as Bauer, as both are listed as out. So, FB Hamilton gets his first start at tailback, with rookie Johnston in reserve. Ouch.

Edgar Beyer actually runs in for 58 yards and two TDs on the day, as we get an odd 20-14 win.

Week 14: Kitty Hawk (6-6) at Lake Erie (8-4)

Now, Almonte is back, but FB Hamilton is out – we can’t win in our backfield. Fortunately, we roll anyway, winning 51-10. Almonte gets 115 yards, and Beyer is solid again. CB Morris Hanks, out late-blooming star, gets his 9th interception on the season, and hauls it back 54 yards for the score.

Week 15: Wheeling (6-7) at Lake Erie (9-4)

We have a one game lead in the division on both OC and Louisville, so we need tostay in there – and win division games like this one. We get the 35-16 win in good fashion, again holding onto a big early lead.

Week 16: Lake Erie (10-4) at Bermuda (8-6)

Another solid win, 26-16, and our late-season streak gets better and better. We get two defensiv scores on interceptions by Melvin Shepard and Tom Austin, which certainly help the cause.

Week 17: Lake Erie (11-4) at Ocean City (8-7)

The Thrashers get the season sweep over us, as they rattle Edga Beyer and score twice on intereceptions. I’m hoping this gets the bad game out of Edgar’s system, so we cal get into the playoffs with it behind us.



ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
014 Regular Season Standings

AC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ake Erie 11 5 0 .688 461 296 7-5 2-4
ouisville 10 6 0 .625 400 297 9-3 4-2
cean City 9 7 0 .563 342 344 7-5 5-1
heeling 8 8 0 .500 323 378 5-7 1-5

AC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ensacola 9 6 1 .594 386 351 6-5-1 5-1
ort Knox 8 8 0 .500 335 367 5-7 3-3
ort Wayne 7 9 0 .438 320 344 4-8 2-4
ittle Rock 7 9 0 .438 308 317 5-7 2-4

AC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ashua 11 5 0 .688 318 242 7-5 5-1
ey West 8 7 1 .531 338 335 5-6-1 3-3
iagara Falls 8 8 0 .500 348 389 6-6 2-4
anhattan 6 10 0 .375 308 297 3-9 2-4

AC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
heyenne 10 6 0 .625 372 275 7-5 4-2
ulsa 10 6 0 .625 391 353 9-3 4-2
apa Valley 9 7 0 .563 339 331 6-6 2-4
ijuana 6 10 0 .375 329 342 4-8 2-4

NC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
hunder Bay 12 4 0 .750 413 322 10-2 6-0
ault Ste. Marie 7 8 1 .469 342 374 7-4-1 4-2
hampaign 5 11 0 .313 266 350 4-8 2-4
psilanti 2 14 0 .125 219 361 1-11 0-6

NC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
thens 11 5 0 .688 402 300 9-3 5-1
itty Hawk 8 8 0 .500 307 382 7-5 4-2
ermuda 8 8 0 .500 339 328 6-6 3-3
azatlan 3 13 0 .188 253 381 2-10 0-6

NC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
rovidence 12 4 0 .750 330 214 9-3 6-0
exarkana 6 8 2 .438 275 287 5-5-2 1-3-2
awk Mountain 6 9 1 .406 269 311 5-6-1 2-3-1
orfolk 3 12 1 .219 244 367 3-8-1 1-4-1

NC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
eath Valley 10 5 1 .656 322 250 7-4-1 5-1
emphis 8 8 0 .500 261 318 8-4 3-3
uget Sound 7 9 0 .438 255 321 5-7 2-4
acramento 7 9 0 .438 301 292 5-7 2-4


We end up getting our bye week, even though w fell short of being the “intimidating” team that we sought to be this season. A week off will serve us well, though.

By the numbers, that Providence defense looks pretty tough. 214 points allowed?


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
014 Summary for Lake Erie Monsters

ecord: 11-5
inning Pct.: .687

ake Erie Monsters Team Rank
ushes 348 31
ushing Yards 1299 32
ards Per Carry 3.73 24 (T)
ass Attempts 687 1
ompletions 396 1
assing Yards 4595 1
ards Per Attempt 6.68 18
rd Down Conversions 37.3 21
oints Per Game 28.8 1
urnovers 27 14 (T)
urnover Margin +5 8 (T)

pponents Team Rank
ushes 446 20 (T)
ushing Yards 1690 15
ards Per Carry 3.78 10
ass Attempts 608 28
ompletions 309 4
assing Yards 3784 19
ards Per Attempt 6.22 8
rd Down Conversions 35.0 6 (T)
oints Per Game 18.5 7 (T)
urnovers 32 6 (T)

eek Team Versus Oppnt
27 at LVL 30
19 ATH 16
34 TUL 29
27 FKX 10
33 at PEN 34
28 at LTR 6
23 OCY 24
35 FTW 21
23 at WHE 7
1 24 LVL 34
2 34 at MAZ 5
3 20 at MAN 14
4 51 KYH 10
5 35 WHE 16
6 26 at BER 16
7 22 at OCY 24
$CS PEN

assing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
2 Beyer QB 671 391 4557 6.79 35 18
*Team --- 687 396 4595 6.68 35 18

ushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
3 Almonte RB 168 515 3.06 7
8 Bauer RB 70 307 4.38 1
2 Beyer QB 48 262 5.45 2
7 Johnston RB 33 121 3.66 0
*Team --- 348 1299 3.73 13

eceiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
4 Shields WR 180 97 1355 13.9 228 9
7 Solwold WR 129 65 914 14.0 136 8
5 Pierce WR 85 49 625 12.7 89 5
2 Meyer TE 83 54 584 10.8 153 5
8 Bauer RB 67 48 334 6.9 177 0
3 Almonte RB 43 26 195 7.5 87 2
6 Riley WR 28 15 205 13.6 41 1
4 Hamilton FB 27 16 149 9.3 95 1
*Team --- 686 396 4595 11.6 1066 35

efense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
4 Cummings ILB 105 29 7.0 7 1 7
0 Hogenkamp OLB 93 28 6.5 4 2 20
0 Hylton ILB 73 29 3.5 4 1 2
7 Hanks CB 67 17 0.0 0 9 16
4 Reeves S 63 24 0.0 1 3 19
3 Shifflett CB 62 19 0.5 0 1 23
2 Austin S 62 20 0.0 0 5 14
8 Middleton DT 47 34 3.5 13 0 0
9 Gilmore DT 46 14 4.5 7 0 0
6 Shepard CB 32 7 0.0 1 1 3
3 Turk DE 27 6 9.0 15 0 0
0 Connell S 25 12 0.0 0 1 4
2 Barnes DE 21 5 4.5 11 0 0
1 Bitkowski DE 18 6 2.5 3 0 0
*Team --- 882 264 51.0 77 25 112



Well, QB Edgar Beyer got the mid-seaso message. After the halfway point, his ratio was a much improved 15/6, and for the season he gets back up over 2:1. Wit so little run support, it’s a wonder we were able to do as much as we did – everyone had to be dropping back into coverage every play. Our line play was poorer than usual, too – that doesn’t help the case, either. Next season, though, we will move Rod Barlow in at LT, and hopefully see him settle in and really deliver.

WR Norm Shields broke out ina big way this year, assuming the role of “top target” for Edgar. Solwold was still solid, but we saw his share decline. Our move to the 3WR set also brought Cornel Pierce in a lot more as a slot receiver. With that trio and Beyer all locked up through 2016, we’ll have some synergy opportunities ahead.

Defensively, we made more big plays than before – 51 sacks and 32 turnovers are both solid marks. We pushed in our linebackers a bit more, and that helped churn out a few more QB drops. Cumming and hogenkamp again had ncie seasons – maybe Commungs will get all-pro recognition. CB Morris Hanks is now, suddenly, our centerpiece defensive player, with 9 picks and 67+17 tackles (!) from the CB position. Now, he ought to get selected.

10th in yards per carry, 8th in yar per attempt – that’s not too bad, either. Big plays and pretty solid stats – that’s the kind of result we want from our defense.


We head into the playoffs with Almonte dinged but starting, and Bauer starting at FB and getting used as a utility player everywhere.


Divisional Playoff: Pensacola (10-6-1) at Lake Erie (11-5)

Edgr Beyer goes on another ofhis major tears, and has 4 TD passes in a 112 minute stretch of the first half. We almost blow it, letting them get within 35-26, btu hold onn for our first playoff win in some time. Beyer tops the 400-yard mark as we commit early and often to the air game.

However, we lose MLB Bob Cummings for the playoffs, and also suffer two more DL injuries – we are putting a skeleton crew out there, it’s a shame, really.


Conference Championship: Nashua (12-5) at Lake Erie (12-5)

We bach back and forth early on, and they hold a 10-7 lead at the half. In the third, we score to lead, but they score twice to pull away to 20-14. We get into scoring position late in the fourth, with a title game berth on the line. We are stopped at their 17 yard line, and decide to kick a FG to get within 3 points. However, they keep the ball from there – we don’t get our chance to get it back and try to atleast tie.

It’s 20-17 Nashua – and they move on to the big one.


Providence wins the title game 24-19, stifling the league with defense, even as the best teams are routinely led by great offenses.



ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
014 Awards List

Award Player Team
*Player of the Year Edgar Beyer LKE
#Front Office Bowl MVP Roy Planish PRV
#Offensive Player of the Year Darrell McCormick KW
#Defensive Player of the Year Ian Hutton LVL
#Offensive Rookie of the Year Lincoln Robertson HWK
#Defensive Rookie of the Year Thurman Strickland MAZ
*All-League First-String Quarterback Edgar Beyer LKE
#All-League First-String Running Back Darrell McCormick KW
#All-League First-String Fullback Kyle Coles PEN
#All-League First-String Tight End Conrad Sullivan LTR
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Dominic Kelley FKX
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Cornell Grigsby NV
#All-League First-String Center Sammie Sanderson TUL
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Wally Oshiro KW
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Tyrell Curtis CHY
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Ronald Nixon KW
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Tom Sutter MEM
#All-League First-String Punter Lee Frederick TB
#All-League First-String Kicker Nicky Glass LVL
#All-League First-String Defensive End Riddick Borgerson SSM
#All-League First-String Defensive End Ty Curtin DVY
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Otis Polak BER
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Rickey Allen NSH
#All-League First-String Inside Linebacker Ian Hutton LVL
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Gerald Griffith PRV
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Roger Bryant LTR
#All-League First-String Cornerback David Norton LVL
#All-League First-String Cornerback Norm Carr SAC
#All-League First-String Safety Junior Kane PS
#All-League First-String Safety Zach Atkins MAN
#All-League Second-String Quarterback Tim Duckworth ATH
#All-League Second-String Running Back Chris Sutton DVY
#All-League Second-String Fullback Doug Daniels PRV
#All-League Second-String Tight End Tyrus Keung YPS
*All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Norm Shields LKE
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Vince Logan NIA
#All-League Second-String Center Howard Bullock NSH
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Todd Vinatieri PRV
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Joey Perles NSH
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Rondell Bridges LVL
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Rufus Coffey NOR
#All-League Second-String Punter Lamar Lester NSH
#All-League Second-String Kicker Darnell Barber PRV
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Lincoln Summers SAC
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Brock Campbell KYH
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Preston Picchietti KYH
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Hugh Henderson NV
#All-League Second-String Inside Linebacker Winston O'Neal WHE
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Junior McWilliams MEM
*All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Marshall Hogenkamp LKE
#All-League Second-String Cornerback K.C. Nelson CHA
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Glen Nelson CHA
#All-League Second-String Safety Brian Hwang NOR
#All-League Second-String Safety Dwight Fuqua PRV


I’m pretty surprised that Edgar Beyer is again lauded for his season, though his prolific numbers are pretty dominant. He and WR Shields get the trip to the pro bowl, and I’m surprised that it’s Hogenkamp who joins them, and not MLB Cummings – must have been a functionof the competition.

Regardless – a solid season, but falling a tad short of our hopes.

[DolphinFan1]

Originally posted by QuikSand
2014 season

ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
014 Regular Season Standings

AC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ake Erie 11 5 0 .688 461 296 7-5 2-4
ouisville 10 6 0 .625 400 297 9-3 4-2
cean City 9 7 0 .563 342 344 7-5 5-1
heeling 8 8 0 .500 323 378 5-7 1-5

AC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ensacola 9 6 1 .594 386 351 6-5-1 5-1
ort Knox 8 8 0 .500 335 367 5-7 3-3
ort Wayne 7 9 0 .438 320 344 4-8 2-4
ittle Rock 7 9 0 .438 308 317 5-7 2-4

AC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ashua 11 5 0 .688 318 242 7-5 5-1
ey West 8 7 1 .531 338 335 5-6-1 3-3
iagara Falls 8 8 0 .500 348 389 6-6 2-4
anhattan 6 10 0 .375 308 297 3-9 2-4

AC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
heyenne 10 6 0 .625 372 275 7-5 4-2
ulsa 10 6 0 .625 391 353 9-3 4-2
apa Valley 9 7 0 .563 339 331 6-6 2-4
ijuana 6 10 0 .375 329 342 4-8 2-4

NC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
hunder Bay 12 4 0 .750 413 322 10-2 6-0
ault Ste. Marie 7 8 1 .469 342 374 7-4-1 4-2
hampaign 5 11 0 .313 266 350 4-8 2-4
psilanti 2 14 0 .125 219 361 1-11 0-6

NC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
thens 11 5 0 .688 402 300 9-3 5-1
itty Hawk 8 8 0 .500 307 382 7-5 4-2
ermuda 8 8 0 .500 339 328 6-6 3-3
azatlan 3 13 0 .188 253 381 2-10 0-6

NC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
rovidence 12 4 0 .750 330 214 9-3 6-0
exarkana 6 8 2 .438 275 287 5-5-2 1-3-2
awk Mountain 6 9 1 .406 269 311 5-6-1 2-3-1
orfolk 3 12 1 .219 244 367 3-8-1 1-4-1

NC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
eath Valley 10 5 1 .656 322 250 7-4-1 5-1
emphis 8 8 0 .500 261 318 8-4 3-3
uget Sound 7 9 0 .438 255 321 5-7 2-4
acramento 7 9 0 .438 301 292 5-7 2-4
[/code]



I've been reading quietly. Keep up the good work, this is great. One comment. I see that the tie problem wasn't fixed as well as Jim indicated. 4 ties this season. Bummer.

[sachmo71]

I'm starting to feel like a Saints fan here...

[Fonzie]

Originally posted by QuikSand
I’m surprised that it’s Hogenkamp who joins them, and not MLB Cummings – must have been a functionof the competition.


It may also have been due in part to his 20 defensed passes - that's a pretty healthy number for a LB.

Great read, as usual, QS!

[Godzilla Blitz]

Tough ending again, but solid entertainment as usual.

Interesting stuff there with Hanks. Not something that I think I've seen that much in previous versions of the game. Was he really a complete break-out player in his seventh season? Unless I'm mistaken, that would be a nice addition to the game; it seems in the past that players would pretty much break-out right away or not at all, but unpredictable break-outs would make for a much more interesting player universe.

[Godzilla Blitz]

dola...

Originally posted by QuikSand
2014 offseason
I get Wheeling’s second round pick to move down from #2 to #2 after a WR goes with the top pick. The only way this backfires is if both my top two go at #3 and #4. I’m rolling the dice that it won’t happen that way.

Wheeling goes for the best DT in the draft, and then Memphios takes CB Coles at #3, I’ll grab my star left tackle, and will be happy with the pick at #4.

It wasn't too hard to figure out, but it took me a bit here. Correcting the numbers might make it easier to follow.

[Fonzie]

Originally posted by Godzilla Blitz
Interesting stuff there with Hanks. Not something that I think I've seen that much in previous versions of the game. Was he really a complete break-out player in his seventh season? Unless I'm mistaken, that would be a nice addition to the game; it seems in the past that players would pretty much break-out right away or not at all, but unpredictable break-outs would make for a much more interesting player universe.

I'm pretty certain this is indeed a new feature for FOF4. In my current career (in my 10th season) I've had perhaps two "journeyman" players experience a breakout year several seasons into their careers. In neither case was there anything I'd noticed to indicate he was about to drastically improve, and I agree that it's a wonderful little feature that Jim added. It really captures the "lightbulb went on upstairs" phenomena that we see in some NFL veterans who, after many years, finally "get it." Nice touch, Jim!

[QuikSand]

Yes, CB Hanks was a pure and simple mid-carer breakout. Duringf training camp, most of his ratings leapt from about 40-50 immediately to the 85-95 range.

And Fonzie's comments are right on. (Ayyyyyyyyy!) I've seen it happen a few times before - always right between the 5th and 7th year, for what it's worth.

[QuikSand]

Lake Erie Monsters – 2015 offseason

We start up another season, and have one retirement to handle. RB Spencer Bauer has decided it’s over, after struggling to stay healthy for the last three seasons or so. He’s in the top ten in career rushing yards, and was a very solid all-purpose back for us for many years. As already discussed – he might have a case for the Hall of Fame.


My front office staff are locked into contracts – I don’t make any changes there.


We start off the free agency process, and here is the lay of the land for us:


Beyer, Shaun 82 TE 11 63 63 --- 2012
Roberts, Pete 51 C 10 62 62 --- 2012
Hansen, Austin 64 LT 9 60 60 --- 2012
Reeves, Kenny 24 SS 11 58 58 --- 2009
Austin, Tom 42 FS 6 57 57 --- 2010
Fisher, Colin 72 LT 9 56 59 --- 2013
Cummings, Bob 54 MLB 12 55 56 --- 2010
**Hamilton, Rusty 34 FB 9 52 52 --- 2007
Hargett, David 91 NT 8 50 50 --- 2012
Riley, Andy 86 SE 5 46 52 --- 2011
Shepard, Melvin 36 RCB 9 44 44 --- 2012
Nitkowski, D.J. 71 RDE 7 40 40 --- 2014
Patton, Stan 76 RG 8 28 53 --- 2012
Hodges, David 13 K 2 27 49 --- 2014
Lemons, Dave 98 MLB 4 24 31 --- 2012
Shields, Geoff 26 FB 2 23 29 --- 2014
Wingate, Nolan 80 FL 4 23 27 --- 2012
Bode, Eddie 55 C 3 22 42 --- 2014
Young, Neal 75 LDE 3 17 39 --- 2013
Curtis, Leslie 58 SLB 3 14 21 --- 2013

$ - player is in starting lineup, ## - player is inactive.

Players Under Contract: 33
On Active Roster: 33

Salary Cap: $141,500,000
Cap Room: $44,390,000
Maximum for New Player: $37,810,000
Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $2,940,000

Cap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0
Cap Room Required Next Year: $55,800,000


Well, from this list, there are a few things clear. Both our starting safeties are up for new deals, so getting at least one of them back would certainly help with continuity. My two starting tackles are up for new deals – and even though I have Rod Barlow presumably ready to step in at LT, that’s a point of transition. And MLB Bob Cummings – who has proven to be such a good fit for us, is probably the next most obvious target.

I like TE Shaun Beyer, but his return depends largely on his demands. If he’s reasonable, I’d be glad to have him back. But we don’t go to the TE all that often, and I’m not going to overpay for the position. But with Rusty Hamilton both hurt and without a contract, we’ll need a solid player for the FB/TE slot somewhere.



LB Cummings wants about $7m a year. Not ridiculous, but pretty steep. SS Kenny Reeves wants just about the same money – also pretty steep.

In fact, on my first walk through my own free agents, I don’t see anyone who immediately jumps out as a good, solid value. My only offer on the table right away is a cheap deal for reserve guard Stan Patton – not exactly a team-changing move.

However, WR Andy Riley is being pretty fair – seeking about $3m a year. He’s pretty good, and as our 4th receiver he will still get some work – he scored 6 TDs in his last full season, before missing most of last year to injury. I think he’s a good deal, and put in an offer.

Even though I don’t think he’s a great value, I also put in an offer for S Tom Austin. He has very good cover skills, and has a career PDPct of 20.2 – which is very good for a safety. His offer sheet amounts to $5.4m a year.


I do find my usual litany of solid free agents to pursue for modest contracts. LB Omar Lyon naturally plays the strong side (occupied by Hogenkamp for us) but could certainly play on the weak side, and would be very solid there. If we land him and lose Cummings, he’ll certainly cushion the blow and step in as a starter.

S Sean Acree is a pretty cheap, but well-rounded safety. Tackles Willie Andrews and Tommie Mallard are lured by the chance to battle for the starting job at RT. CB Zack Booker looks like a pretty decent contributor – but is only seeking the veteran minimum.


With that, I think we have the cash to make a real plunge after a top-level free agent. The obvious places to do this would be at DE (where we are just talent-thin) and RB, where Bauer’s loss leaves a real space. DE makes the most sense to me – and I take a closer look at the cream of the crop.

DE Tommy McCaffrey, an 11th year player from Little Rock, is probably the best guy available. 97.5 sacks in his career is impressive, but he’s only played 16 games one time in his 11 seasons – and has played in 9,12,6,12,9,3, and 11 games in his last seven seasons. For top dollar, this guy seems to lack durability. However – he is clearly the standout in talent, the only guy I’d pursue for top dollar if I had to.

So, where else to spend money? Well, LB Cummings is the fairly obvious thing to consider. He wants $7m a year – we ought to be able to handle that, as our cap situation is actually pretty good right now. I put in a reasonable bid for him.

RB Vernon Rand, curiously enough, is the top free agent at that position. That would be odd—we once thought he’d battle with Spencer Bauer for the league’s top honors. Rand flashed brilliance, but couldn’t really keep it together. He does have over 9,000 career rushing yards, but simply isn’t the guy he once was.

I decide to put in an offer to WR Marvin Pettway, a very solid veteran who is oddly seeking a modest deal. I’m used to seeing giant demands from receivers, so this is a pleasant surprise. We pass a lot, and having a quality guy like him around would be a nice safety net.


So, we head into the FA period with money to spend, but not a terribly aggressive plan of attack. I will probably have some cash left over in the late stages, and might be looking for a bargain player to sign short term.


We’re either the top offer or already done with all our target players after the first week –a good sign. We have company pursuing MLB Bob Cummings, but my offer seems best.

My TE Shaun Meyer has signed with Little Rock, and RB Vernon Rand has signed with Key West. So, two guys I had my eye on are no longer around.

After week 2, MLB Bob Cummings takes our deal, and will return. However, we lose out on WR Marvin Pettway, who probably was promised a starting job by Mazatlan. S Tom Austin signs with us the following week, so our big money guys are aboard. After week five, we are done with all our targets, losing out only on WR Pettway.

DT Emmitt Robbins is looking for over $12m a year, but might be the best defensive player left out there. My real need is at DE (where Martin Mangiafico is out for the season already, and Ken Barnes will miss much of this season, and may not be healthy when he returns), but a standout DT wouldn’t hurt either, and implicitly might let my other guys slide outside for more work there. But $12 or $13m a year is pretty steep.

S Kenny Reeves takes a big deal from Ocean City, and joins the Thrashers across the division from us. I liked him, but I just prefer guys with slightly better cover skills – I think we’ll be okay using that $7m a year elsewhere.

In week 11, DT David Hargett gets an offer from Nashua, and I am moved to match them. In week 13, he finally decides to accept our offer, for three more seasons.

In the late stages of free agency, I grab FB Rex Monroe, who will probably step right in and start for us. I like him as a blocker and not a ball carrier – what I prefer from my FBs, all told. I then decide that I need to spend my money, and ink DE Cary Wallace – by my reckoning, the best DE out there, to a one year, $6m deal. I may be overpaying him, but we need somebody to play out there.

I fill in with C Broderick Armstrong, but will be looking for a center in the rookie draft, after letting Pete Roberts and his lofty demands take a well-deserved walk.


We now head into the rookie draft, where we can fill in and top off the team. Picking #29, we have little hope of seeing a super impact player, but if anyone worthwhile at DE slips to us, I’ll be more than happy to grab him – that is our need position by far. Regrettably, it looks like an unusually weak draft at DE – wouldn’t you know it.

By our pick, the DL has been pretty well picked clean. I decide that need really is atop my list of concerns here, and so I go after a linebacker Jerry Deloach – who seems to have the size (264 lbs) to make the switch over to become a pass-rushing defensive end. It’s a risky move with my first round pick, but I feel like I need a contributor right away there. Fortunately, he does switch over pretty well, and I might have something here.


Amateur Draft Report:

Rnd 1 - Jerry DeLoach, DE, Iowa State
Rnd 2 - J.C. Darrow, ILB, Northwestern
Rnd 3 - Spencer Clinton, C, Virginia Tech
Rnd 4 - Clyde Sullivan, DT, Mississippi State
Rnd 5 - D.J. Perez, K, Arizona State
Rnd 6 - Jon Brewster, TE, Auburn
Rnd 7 - Fred Whitfield, RB, Houston


DeLoach might turn out to be a nice pick for us, if e can develop at his new position. Darrow should become a solid run-stopping linebacker, where we are gaining some formidable depth. DT Sullivan might have great upside – he’s one of those mixed-bag types, but his good areas are in key spots.


We receive a trade offer that isn’t too bad – Sacramento wants DT David Hargett. The offer passes the fairness test, and I take it – getting a 2nd round draft pick for the decent utility lineman.


We hit training camp, and get everyone on track for the season ahead.


Front Office Football: The Fourth Edition
Lake Erie Monsters Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct OnTeam
$Beyer, Edgar 12 QB 5 71 71 2 yrs. 2011
idman, Ricardo 1 QB 11 33 33 1 yr. 2005
odig, Tyrus 3 QB 2 20 30 1 yr. 2014
$Almonte, Randall 33 RB 8 39 39 1 yr. 2013
ohnston, J.J. 27 RB 2 22 34 1 yr. 2014
hitfield, Fred 49 RB 1 22 26 3 yrs. 2015
*Hamilton, Rusty 34 FB 9 46 46 2 yrs. 2007
$Monroe, Rex 32 FB 5 34 44 2 yrs. 2015
$Harris, Ronnie 81 TE 2 41 47 2 yrs. 2014
rewster, Jon 88 TE 1 26 49 2 yrs. 2015
ierce, Cornell 85 FL 3 45 46 2 yrs. 2013
$Solwold, D.J. 87 FL 6 41 41 2 yrs. 2010
$Shields, Norm 84 SE 4 72 72 3 yrs. 2012
iley, Andy 86 SE 5 48 51 3 yrs. 2011
$Barlow, Rod 79 LT 2 69 82 5 yrs. 2014
$Andrews, Willie 68 LT 6 48 64 3 yrs. 2015
$Harden, Richie 63 LG 6 45 55 3 yrs. 2015
ogan, Lenny 66 LG 10 38 38 1 yr. 2013
$Armstrong, Broderick 56 C 6 34 38 2 yrs. 2015
linton, Spencer 69 C 1 24 46 4 yrs. 2015
atton, Stan 76 RG 8 31 53 2 yrs. 2012
#Sisson, Randall 74 RT 7 36 48 1 yr. 2014
$Mallard, Tommie 61 RT 5 34 60 3 yrs. 2015
oa, Sammy 4 P 2 81 81 2 yrs. 2014
erez, D.J. 15 K 1 46 58 3 yrs. 2015
$Wallace, Cary 95 LDE 6 49 49 1 yr. 2015
$Turk, Brad 73 LDE 11 45 45 2 yrs. 2014
*Mangiafico, Martin 70 LDE 13 34 34 1 yr. 2012
eLoach, Jerry 53 LDE 1 33 63 6 yrs. 2015
$Middleton, Preston 78 LDT 8 46 46 1 yr. 2013
ompton, Kris 77 NT 7 43 43 2 yrs. 2014
$Gilmore, Courtney 99 RDT 5 50 50 1 yr. 2011
agostino, Ty 97 RDT 2 21 31 2 yrs. 2014
#Sullivan, Clyde 67 RDT 1 13 36 3 yrs. 2015
#Barnes, Ken 92 RDE 9 57 57 1 yr. 2007
anders, Dana 93 RDE 3 29 40 2 yrs. 2013
$Hogenkamp, Marshall 90 SLB 9 51 51 3 yrs. 2007
$Lyon, Omar 52 SLB 5 42 60 3 yrs. 2015
$Cummings, Bob 54 MLB 12 52 53 3 yrs. 2010
ylton, Trevor 50 MLB 7 51 57 1 yr. 2013
#Darrow, J.C. 57 MLB 1 22 48 4 yrs. 2015
andry, Jason 94 WLB 4 41 43 1 yr. 2012
odfrey, Kennedy 96 WLB 5 40 45 1 yr. 2011
$Hanks, Morris 47 LCB 8 80 80 2 yrs. 2014
$Shifflett, Donny 43 LCB 12 42 42 2 yrs. 2004
ooker, Zack 35 LCB 5 41 49 2 yrs. 2015
#Bailey, Ernie 21 RCB 4 25 29 1 yr. 2012
ustin, Trent 46 RCB 2 22 39 2 yrs. 2014
keafor, Ross 38 RCB 3 21 31 1 yr. 2013
$Acree, Sean 48 SS 5 51 61 3 yrs. 2015
$Austin, Tom 42 FS 6 58 58 5 yrs. 2010
onnell, Jason 40 FS 9 53 54 1 yr. 2013
#Dugans, Shawn 44 FS 5 31 33 1 yr. 2011

$ - player is in starting lineup, ## - player is inactive.

layers Under Contract: 53
n Active Roster: 46

alary Cap: $141,500,000
ap Room: $2,100,000
aximum for New Player: $2,570,000
ap Room Lost (to old contracts): $3,640,000

ap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $1,400,000
ap Room Required Next Year: $96,350,000

[Godzilla Blitz]

*cough* running back *cough*

[Fonzie]

*cough* what GB said *cough*

[QuikSand]

Well, my plan had been to draft a RB in the 2nd or 3rd round this season - but there were simply no good candidates. The guy I got in the 7th round was the guy who had been atop my list since round two - and he isn't much to look at, really. So, we'll have to wait a season to upgrade at RB, I fear.

[QuikSand]

2015 season

As I figure it, we have two seasons left, this year included, before it becomes near-impossible to keep this offense together. So, we need to make these two years count. I’m playing with fire without a serious backup to QB Edgar Beyer, but one thing he has been is pretty durable – let’s hope that continues.


After the preseason, we get some really good news. DE Ken Barnes is upgraded to probable, and he looks pretty close to where he was before the injury. Good news – I thought he might be gone for good. SO, if we get him back and healthy, that could really help our defense a good deal this year – and we hadn’t been counting on much of anything from him.


Week 1: Wheeling at Lake Erie

We kick off at home, and get a solid 23-6 win over division rivals Wheeling. We get bad news, though, as RB Randall Almonte is injured – and will miss about five weeks. That puts pressure onto young J.J. Johnston, who will step in to start for a while.

Week 2: Lake Erie (1-0) at Sacramento (1-0)

Sacramento, usually a walkover, looks tough as they beat us 24-6 here. We abandon the running game, predictably, and Beyer and Kidman in relief have 3 interceptions on the day. That overshadows a great game by DT Courtney Gilmore, with 11 tackles and 3 sacks.

And my earlier bad news about DE Barnes is taken back. When I activate him, his new ratings become apparent – and he’s now worthless after all. Too bad.

Week 3: Lake Erie (1-1) at Pensacola (1-1)

We get drubbed here, 28-0 – and I am now truly worried about the team. We get crushed twice in a row, and this shouldn’t be happening to us.

We really, really need the break that comes now – as we try to regroup and get ourselves together. I send DE Barnes to injured reserve, and sign a so-so free agent running back in Eddie Lowe, who will immediately get into the picture for us. He’s a decent receiver
– and we need some help, for sure.

Week 5: Lake Erie (1-2) at Cheyenne (1-2)

We eke out a 16-13 win, and avoid a disaster. A 1-3 start might have sent us downward for good – but 2-2 seems recoverable. Our running game remains dormant, but we get over 300 yards from Beyer, and it’s enough.

Week 6: Napa Valley (1-4) at Lake Erie (2-2)

Okay – maybe the bumpy part of the ride is over now. With RB Almonte and WR Shields both back from injuries, we get rolling again, and a 34-9 win. Beyer connects for 368 yards and 4 TDs, and we look sharp for the first time all season. WR Andy Riley is now filling in for Cornell Pierce, but he has been on fire – with 478 yards in four games.

Week 7: Tijuana (5-0) at Lake Erie (3-2)

We trade FGs in the final minute – there is to tie us, and then we respond with the game winner, 23-20. Decent game, and we get a big win over a potentially top-level foe.

Week 8: Lake Erie (4-2) at Tulsa (2-4)

We get a 27-17 win, and seem to be back on track now. WR Norm Shields regains his sense as the #1 threat, with a 206-yard, 2 TD game here. But Randall Almonte is hurt again – and we need to reshuffle the RB slot yet again.

Week 9: Ocean City (4-4) at Lake Erie (5-2)

Ocean City gets a TD on an interception by Kenny Reeves – sweet justice for him, as we let him go there via free agency. That spells the difference, as they win it 25-17. Beyer threw for 472 yards, but had 3 picks along the way and we get the L.

So, halfway through our season we have been up and down. Here’s where our main stats lie:


ake Erie Monsters Team Rank
ushes 150 32
ushing Yards 471 32
ards Per Carry 3.14 31
ass Attempts 373 1
ompletions 210 2
assing Yards 2682 1
ards Per Attempt 7.19 11
rd Down Conversions 40.8 12
oints Per Game 18.2 28
urnovers 13 13 (T)
urnover Margin -8 28

pponents Team Rank
ushes 201 10
ushing Yards 707 7
ards Per Carry 3.51 6
ass Attempts 274 13
ompletions 174 18 (T)
assing Yards 1896 11
ards Per Attempt 6.91 16
rd Down Conversions 34.1 5
oints Per Game 17.7 7 (T)
urnovers 5 31 (T)


We obviously cannot run the ball, and don’t even try. Our passing game is strong, but we are turning the ball over way too much. The defense is playing well, and we expect to have CB Shifflett back now, which ought to help also. We need to start causing some turnovers – only 5 in 8 games isn’t nearly enough pressure on the opposing offenses.


Week 10: Lake Erie (5-3) at Wheeling (6-2)

Wheeling dishes out a 24-14 win over us, and hurts our chances of staying in the real division hunt. They outrush us 152-40, and that’s a margin that’s very tough to overcome. RB Almonte, back from his injury to start here, is hurt again (his third injury already this season) and will miss a few more weeks. Ouch.

Week 11: Lake Erie (5-4) at Louisville (4-5)

We really need a win here, and for this to be the start of a turnaround. We deliver on the first half – as we get a 23-13 win, to get to 6-4 on the season. Missing basically three games due to injury, Norm Shields has really recovered—he’s already up to 931 yards on the season, including a string of six straight 100+ days, with 6 TD over that stretch.

Week 12: Memphis (2-7-1) at Lake Erie (6-4)

We inexplicably choke here and lose 24-6 – how? Four turnovers (three fumbles) and a lousy day overall from Edgar Beyer add up to an ineffective performance all around. Standing at 6-5, we are going to have to work hard just to get back into the playoff picture at all.

Week 13: Nashua (6-5) at Lake Erie (6-5)

We rebound with a 33-20 win, and that certainly helps. It’s a late TD by LB Hogenkamp that helps seal the deal – and we get a crucial win as we enter the stretch of the season.

Week 14: Lake Erie (7-5) at Puget Sound (5-7)

We actually get a little bit of a running game going, and we win this one 19-13. We have 124 yard on the ground, but plenty came from misdirection plays and the like. However, now we’ve lost CB Morris Hanks for several weeks – the injuries are just getting absurd.

Week 15: Lake Erie (8-5) at Ocean City (7-6)

Big game for the division standings, needless to say. With a hard-fought 13-10 win, we move to 9-5, and a game ahead of Wheeling for the division’s top spot. We need to keep it going – but these margins are not reassuring.

Week 16: Death valley (7-7) at Lake Erie (9-5)

A 45-27 shootout win gets us to 10 on the season, and keeps up our momentum. Defensive linemen Jerry DeLoach and Brad Turk both score TDs on fumbles in the cause.

Week 17: Louisville (7-8) at Lake Erie (10-5)

With a win here, remarkably, we’d be able to lock up a bye week. Key West has come from nowhere to roll to 14-1 and the top seed, but we’ll be right in there, especially with a win this week. But, we’ll have do go it without Randall Almonte, who is hurt again.

We get our win 28-14, and wrap up the season at 11-5. After being very worried about making the playoffs at all, we again got onto a late season tear and secured a good spot.



ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
015 Regular Season Standings

AC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ake Erie 11 5 0 .688 327 287 9-3 4-2
heeling 10 6 0 .625 373 336 8-4 3-3
cean City 7 9 0 .438 272 339 6-6 3-3
ouisville 7 9 0 .438 293 308 5-7 2-4

AC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ensacola 8 8 0 .500 314 320 7-5 4-2
ittle Rock 8 8 0 .500 368 328 5-7 3-3
ort Wayne 8 8 0 .500 341 320 6-6 3-3
ort Knox 5 11 0 .313 299 327 5-7 2-4

AC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ey West 15 1 0 .938 423 291 12-0 6-0
anhattan 8 8 0 .500 322 332 6-6 4-2
ashua 6 10 0 .375 310 371 4-8 0-6
iagara Falls 2 14 0 .125 297 389 2-10 2-4

AC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
heyenne 10 6 0 .625 378 255 8-4 6-0
ijuana 9 7 0 .563 266 288 6-6 1-5
ulsa 7 9 0 .438 397 334 5-7 4-2
apa Valley 4 12 0 .250 214 368 2-10 1-5

NC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
psilanti 10 6 0 .625 321 306 7-5 4-2
ault Ste. Marie 9 7 0 .563 301 284 8-4 3-3
hampaign 8 8 0 .500 351 335 6-6 4-2
hunder Bay 6 10 0 .375 285 356 5-7 1-5

NC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
itty Hawk 10 4 2 .688 334 296 6-4-2 4-1-1
azatlan 7 8 1 .469 293 375 5-6-1 1-4-1
ermuda 7 9 0 .438 329 349 5-7 3-3
thens 7 9 0 .438 333 346 5-7 3-3

NC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
exarkana 9 7 0 .563 340 351 7-5 4-2
awk Mountain 9 7 0 .563 324 302 6-6 3-3
orfolk 7 9 0 .438 315 344 6-6 4-2
rovidence 7 9 0 .438 318 279 4-8 1-5

NC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
acramento 13 3 0 .813 357 239 10-2 5-1
eath Valley 7 9 0 .438 376 346 5-7 3-3
uget Sound 7 9 0 .438 260 306 5-7 2-4
emphis 6 9 1 .406 315 339 4-7-1 2-4


327 points is the lowest total we’ve managed in quite some time – we definitely slipped this season overall. But Key West certainly has risen quickly to look very tough.


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
015 Summary for Lake Erie Monsters

ecord: 11-5
inning Pct.: .687

ake Erie Monsters Team Rank
ushes 316 32
ushing Yards 1109 32
ards Per Carry 3.50 30
ass Attempts 670 1
ompletions 386 2
assing Yards 4775 1
ards Per Attempt 7.12 12
rd Down Conversions 35.8 27
oints Per Game 20.4 14
urnovers 26 16 (T)
urnover Margin 0 16 (T)

pponents Team Rank
ushes 441 22
ushing Yards 1552 5
ards Per Carry 3.51 2
ass Attempts 581 26
ompletions 341 20 (T)
assing Yards 3848 16
ards Per Attempt 6.62 9
rd Down Conversions 38.4 15
oints Per Game 17.9 5
urnovers 26 17 (T)

eek Team Versus Oppnt
23 WHE 6
6 at SAC 24
0 at PEN 28
16 at CHY 13
34 NV 9
23 TIJ 20
27 at TUL 17
17 OCY 25
0 14 at WHE 24
1 23 at LVL 13
2 6 MEM 24
3 33 NSH 20
4 19 at PS 13
5 13 at OCY 10
6 45 DVY 27
7 28 LVL 14

assing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
2 Beyer QB 649 381 4701 7.24 27 17
*Team --- 670 386 4775 7.12 27 20

ushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
7 Johnston RB 115 364 3.16 2
3 Almonte RB 73 254 3.47 0
9 Lowe RB 65 182 2.80 0
2 Beyer QB 33 181 5.48 0
*Team --- 316 1109 3.50 3

eceiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
4 Shields WR 167 99 1629 16.4 453 8
7 Solwold WR 118 59 677 11.4 107 5
6 Riley WR 109 58 904 15.5 174 8
1 Harris TE 56 41 437 10.6 110 3
5 Pierce WR 55 26 403 15.5 33 2
7 Johnston RB 42 27 169 6.2 77 0
9 Lowe RB 37 20 175 8.7 73 1
2 Monroe FB 33 24 169 7.0 72 0
3 Almonte RB 29 20 126 6.3 74 0
*Team --- 668 386 4775 12.3 1185 27

efense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
0 Hogenkamp OLB 93 28 1.5 4 3 14
8 Acree S 80 37 0.0 0 1 12
0 Hylton ILB 74 22 2.5 4 3 4
2 Austin S 70 28 1.0 0 1 9
2 Lyon OLB 66 22 1.5 1 0 2
7 Hanks CB 57 19 1.0 0 1 16
5 Booker CB 52 16 0.0 0 3 14
0 Connell S 50 15 1.0 0 1 12
8 Middleton DT 49 29 6.5 11 0 0
4 Cummings ILB 42 13 4.0 0 2 1
9 Gilmore DT 33 14 6.5 3 0 1
3 Turk DE 31 11 3.5 6 0 0
3 DeLoach DE 21 10 5.0 10 0 0
5 Wallace DE 19 5 0.0 4 0 0
3 Shifflett CB 18 0 0.0 0 1 4
3 Sanders DE 16 3 3.0 7 0 0
*Team --- 890 290 42.0 55 16 90



Edgar Beyer had another pretty solid season, but was a bit off his last two stellar seasons. A 27/17 Td/Int ration is okay, but not top-notch. The running game was clearly a mess – and its disappearance is obviously a major contributing factor to our struggles.

WR Norm Shields had an unbelievable season – and recall, he only played in 13 games! In 456 pass plays, he managed to re-write our single season record book. Had he had three more full games, he might have topped 2,000 yards! Mitchell Pierce was hurt for much of the season, but Andy Riley did well filling in for both him and Shields.

LT Rod Barlow got hurt mid-season, and our line had to be reshuffled. He looks fine for the postseason, and will hope to be ready to help a lot.


On defense, LB Marshall Hogenkamp had another excellent year, as our standout (especially as MLB Cummings was injured on and off all year). DT Gilmore and DE DeLoach had 6 and 5 sacks, to help our diversified attack – which netted a mediocre 42 sacks. We simply did not cause enough big plays with this defense. 2nd against the run in ypc and 9th against the pass in ypa is very good – but we need a sprinkling of big plays to help things out, also.


Divisional Playoff: Pensacola (9-8) at Lake Erie (11-5)

Edgar hits early for two first quarter TD passes, and we go on from there for a 23-7 win. It’s our solid defense that keeps it working, and Edgar’s 396 yards passing. WR Norm Shields has his third 200 yard day of the season.

And now, we head to Key West to take on the upstart Kingfishers, who are rolling like nobody’s business this year.


Conference Championship: Lake Erie (12-5) at Key West (16-1)

We bring CB Morris hanks back, and he will play hurt for this game. S Jason Connell is now out – meaning that our secondary is pressed super-thin. We are hobbled badly for this game all over – but we’re ready to play.

The big issue is stopping reigning offensive player of the year RB Darrell McCormick. He’s their do-everything back, and had nearly 2,400 yards in total offense this season – probably sending him home with an MVP award. Now, we need to try to rein him in, somehow.

In the game, McCormick bangs and bangs, and he breaks through our defense for 160 yards on 34 carries. They get a solid 21-0 lead in the first half, due to good running and capable offsetting passing. We rally in the second half, but our 12 points falls short, and this year’s juggernaut Kingfishers are heading to the big game.


Key West gets nipped by Ypsilanti in the finals, 28-26, to deny them their obviously expected title. QB Brad Powell, a cheap free agent signee by Ypsilanti, earns the game MVP honors – and played a key role in leading them to the top this year.


Front Office Football: The Fourth Edition
2015 Awards List

Award Player Team
#Player of the Year Chris Sutton DVY
#Front Office Bowl MVP Brad Powell YPS
#Offensive Player of the Year Darrell McCormick KW
#Defensive Player of the Year Robbie Babka NIA
#Offensive Rookie of the Year Kendall Schofield SSM
#Defensive Rookie of the Year Russell Daniels FKX
#All-League First-String Quarterback C.J. Humphries SAC
#All-League First-String Running Back Darrell McCormick KW
#All-League First-String Fullback Mike Tatum FTW
#All-League First-String Tight End Travis Zimmerman SAC
*All-League First-String Wide Receiver Norm Shields LKE
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Glenn Posante KYH
#All-League First-String Center R.J. Winters KYH
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Tyrell Curtis CHY
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Vernon Aschenbrenner TUL
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Tom Sutter MEM
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Rufus Coffey NOR
#All-League First-String Punter Dusty Krenn PS
#All-League First-String Kicker Dale Shannon FKX
#All-League First-String Defensive End Grady Rice LVL
#All-League First-String Defensive End Frank Beal MEM
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Mickey Farrell MAN
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Otis Polak BER
#All-League First-String Inside Linebacker Robbie Babka NIA
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Jay Hamilton ATH
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Gerald Griffith PRV
#All-League First-String Cornerback Clay Weber TUL
#All-League First-String Cornerback Moe Seale TB
#All-League First-String Safety Bennie Ramirez TB
#All-League First-String Safety Ellis Gaylor FKX
#All-League Second-String Quarterback Sammy Trahan WHE
#All-League Second-String Running Back Rex Howard LTR
#All-League Second-String Fullback J.T. Eblen MEM
#All-League Second-String Tight End Jeffrey Thomason LVL
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Lee Woodley DVY
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Ethan Swope TXA
#All-League Second-String Center Kelvin Grebene PRV
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Joel Surtain MAZ
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Wally Oshiro KW
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Bernie Kellogg SSM
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Claude Ferguson LTR
#All-League Second-String Punter Kris Bruce OCY
#All-League Second-String Kicker Harry Turner NSH
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Riddick Borgerson SSM
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Justin Allen DVY
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Marshall Jacome LTR
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Irving Gomez TXA
#All-League Second-String Inside Linebacker Ian Hutton LVL
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Malcolm Martin NV
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Reggie Harry SSM
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Scott Gaines KYH
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Jumbo Myers SSM
#All-League Second-String Safety B.J. Hamer CHA
#All-League Second-String Safety Brian Hwang NOR


Well, WR Norm Shields certainly earned his all-pro berth this season, but nobody else gets a call. We see CB Scottie Gaines on the list this season, a former player of ours, as well as T Rufus Coffey – another one of our guys who got away.


Pretty good season – but I probably erred by not spending sufficiently to shore up the RB position. That’s something we can be sure to fix for the season ahead, as this is the last year of QB Beyer’s rookie contract coming up, and I forecast big financial upheaval after the 2016 season. This is it, gang.

[QuikSand]

2016 offseason

Well we’re in a tough spot now. We’ve been a solid playoff team for most of the last several years, but our one trip to the title game went for naught. The fans are understandably restless, and as I look at our contract situation, I feel like this season is perhaps our “last, best” chance to get there.

We’ve been spared any retirements – so we have a full range of choices for the coming season.


My coach, Bucky Gardner, is seeking a new contract. We re-up with him – he remains very solid, a great play-calling coach on game day.


Hylton, Trevor 50 MLB 8 58 58 --- 2013
Connell, Jason 40 FS 10 54 54 --- 2013
Gilmore, Courtney 99 RDT 6 50 50 --- 2011
Wallace, Cary 95 LDE 7 48 48 --- 2015
Middleton, Preston 78 LDT 9 45 45 --- 2013
Godfrey, Kennedy 96 WLB 6 41 45 --- 2011
Landry, Jason 94 WLB 5 40 42 --- 2012
Almonte, Randall 33 RB 9 39 39 --- 2013
Logan, Lenny 66 LG 11 37 37 --- 2013
Sisson, Randall 74 RT 8 35 47 --- 2014
Kidman, Ricardo 1 QB 12 33 33 --- 2005
Dugans, Shawn 44 FS 6 31 32 --- 2011
Lowe, Eddie 29 RB 6 29 29 --- 2015
Barnes, Ken 92 RDE 10 27 27 --- 2007
Bailey, Ernie 21 RCB 5 25 29 --- 2012
Johnston, J.J. 27 RB 3 22 31 --- 2014
Okeafor, Ross 38 RCB 4 21 31 --- 2013
Modig, Tyrus 3 QB 3 20 25 --- 2014
Mangiafico, Martin 70 LDE 14 18 18 --- 2012

$ - player is in starting lineup, ## - player is inactive.

Players Under Contract: 35
On Active Roster: 35

Salary Cap: $147,900,000
Cap Room: $51,250,000
Maximum for New Player: $42,920,000
Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $1,400,000

Cap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0
Cap Room Required Next Year: $58,210,000


We have over $40 million in usable cap space, but we honestly don’t have a single “must have” player on our list without a contract. LB Trevor Hylton is very solid, and actually he might be better than Bob Cummings at this point—but Cummings is already securely signed, and Hylton is asking for a huge salary.

S Jason Connell has been a solid reserve for us, and would be a potential starter – but he, too, is replaceable- and is seeking a big deal.

DT Courtney Gilmore is probably the closest to a “must sign” player here, but even he is certainly replaceable. He wants a $10m/season deal, and is certainly not the kind of towering superstar that usually gets that kind of money, at least from our team.

Admittedly, with not only Hylton but also Godfrey and Landry up for a new deal, we are going to need some additions at linebacker. But it doesn’t necessarily have too be any of these guys.

We’ve got work to do – and money to spend.


Looking around at the open FA market, I find some places to spend all this cap space.

RB Nicky Dylla was a top-tier running back last season for Niagara Falls, gaining 1,253 yards rushing and another 972 receiving. Wow. He’s a very solid back – that will cost a fortune, but after last season, I think the value of having top-level production there is tough to argue against. I make him an offer of 2 years, $24 million.

QB Billy Joe Mason hasn’t played much for Puget Sound, but we think he has serious potential. We offer him a three year deal, and target him for the backup spot behind Edgar Beyer. Very affordable.

DE Riddick Borgerson is a positively fearsome pass rusher. He’s not a topped-out plauyer in ratings, but his remarkable 41 sacks in the last two seasons have gotten him to the pro bowl twice, and atop the league sack board. I will make a push to add his formidable presence to our largely-vacated defensive line. We make a 4yr, $35m offer.

DT Eric Waggoner is a pass-rushing DT, who can also help with our pass rush. He’s not my prototype run-stopper, but might help get to the QB on passing downs. A 3yr deal, cheap.

I get together a deal for DT Courtney Gilmore, for $30m over three years. I’m really not sure he’s worth it, but since we’ve had so much trouble at DT, I decide to suck it up and give him a deal. If nobody else pursues him, I may try to weasel it down to be more affordable – if he leaves, it’s not so bad.

I also put in a fairly cheap deal for S Shawn Dugans, who has been a nice reserve for us, and is only looking for a shade over veteran minimum.

Even with all those deals done (including $10m for Gilmore), we’d still come out of this with a little cash to spend. We’ll go in from here, and be on the lookout for more bargain buys as we go.


After the first week of free agency, we have company in pursuit of RB Nicky Dylla, needless to say. We also do with DE Borgerson – SSM is trying to retain him, which might be a problem. I decide to make the last year of my offer to Borgerson voidable, in a further inducement. With Dylla, I decide to go with a slightly higher bid - $40m over three years, with a void if he tops 1,4000 yards next season. Risky, of course, but he looks like a very important piece to our puzzle, I think.

I withdraw my offer sheet to DT Gilmore – he’s not being pursued by anyone else, so I back burner him, even though I suspect we’ll be the ones signing him in the end.


RB Nicky Dylla accepts our heavy, incentive-laden offer, and we now have a new feature back. The fact that he nearly topped the 1,000/1,000 mark last year is very exciting to us—and we hope that he can deliver for us.

At week four, DE Borgerson is still mulling over his options. Meanwhile, DT Courtney Gilmore has just gotten his first outside offer. I come in with 2yrs, $18 million – and will try to keep him around for the next two seasons this way – without a huge long term deal. Louisville, however, has a five year deal on the table.

In week six, DE Riddick Borgerson accepts our offer – I’m thrilled. The next week, DT Courtney Gilmore spurns Louisville, and re-signs with us. Our defensive line is taking shape, though we could probably use one more journeyman type to help out if we suffer injuries.

I’m still waiting for QB Billy Joe Mason, and decide to replace my offer with a slightly smaller one. We are his only pursuers – maybe he’ll get the message. He snaps up the new offer, losing about $1 million on the process of waiting for something better to come along.

We have about $6.4 million in usable cap space – enough to grab a fill-in player or two, perhaps. DT Deron Newton looks like a good fit for us inside – a decent player for $2m per season. LB Gilbert Austin is also pretty cheap, and will fit us all right. I surprisingly lose out on LB Austin, but we do land DT Newton.

With LB Godfrey and Landry still awaiting deals, I think I can probably re-up with one of them a bit cheaper, so I’ll hold on to a little cash here.



We head into the rookie draft, with a slightly different situation that usual. We have a number of roster holes that will need to be filled—QB, RB, G, OLB. I have some flexibility with how we spend our top selection, but since we’re all the way down at #29, it probably will come down to what’s left to pick amongst.

What’s left is not much at all. I decide to deal out of the first round – sending this pick and my 4th rounder to Napa Valley in exchange for their first rounder next year, a potentially pretty good pick. They accept. This will also free up a little dough for a free agent re-signing, like LB Godfrey, for example.


Amateur Draft Report:

Rnd 2 - Grady Mathews, ILB, Cheyney
Rnd 2 - Darnell Blankenship, OLB, Tennessee
Rnd 3 - Tim Guajardo, FB, East Carolina
Rnd 5 - Derek Arbuckle, RB, Syracuse
Rnd 6 - Curtis Hickman, CB, Wagner
Rnd 7 - Rex Shello, RB, Wisconsin


In the second round, with an extra pick, we grab a couple of linebackers who look like they can be productive down the road. FB Guajardo might be a future starter for us – a great blocker and marginal receiver. RB Arbuckle will play backup this season, while RB Shello is a utility man – maybe even better suited to play at wideout.


We work through our own roster – and I’m pleased to see that S Jason Connell is interested in returning to us. We work out a new 3 yr deal for the all-around utility man, a guy I do like. We also work out a new three year deal with LB Kennedy Godfrey, who will take some pressure off the new arrivals at LB.

I do move RB Rex Shello over to flanker, where he will be our 5th receiver, and sometimes punt returner. Might be a pretty good value – after the switch he looks a little better.

I fill in the remaining slot at QB with another knockaround guy, Dwight Reilly. He’ll be #3 on our depth chart for this year, playing for the minimum. This means goodbye to Ricardo Kidman, who stuck to his demands of about $3m a year – too much for a low-talent backup.

I really want to sign RB Wade Michalske, who had a great year with Providence last season – but it just doesn’t work out – he want about $2.5 million, and without making a pretty serious cut, I can’t do it. Randall Almonte is also seeking pretty big dollars, and we’ll let him walk also.


Well, I didn’t exactly sell off the future to get this team together (as I was thinking I might have to do) but I think we are better off now than before. We’re understandably excited about the addition of RB Nicky Dylla, who ought to help transform this offense. We filled in well on defense, and unless we get another horrid rash of injuries, ought to remain a serious force on that side of the ball.

Here’s our after-camp situation:


Front Office Football: The Fourth Edition
Lake Erie Monsters Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct OnTeam
$Beyer, Edgar 12 QB 6 72 72 1 yr. 2011
ason, Billy Joe 13 QB 5 39 62 3 yrs. 2016
eilly, Dwight 9 QB 6 29 46 1 yr. 2016
$Dylla, Nicky 31 RB 6 74 74 3 yrs. 2016
rbuckle, Derek 39 RB 1 25 34 2 yrs. 2016
hitfield, Fred 49 RB 2 23 26 2 yrs. 2015
#Castillo, Lewis 36 RB 1 22 31 1 yr. 2016
onroe, Rex 32 FB 6 44 51 1 yr. 2015
$Hamilton, Rusty 34 FB 10 41 41 1 yr. 2007
#Guajardo, Tim 45 FB 1 33 58 3 yrs. 2016
$Harris, Ronnie 81 TE 3 50 50 1 yr. 2014
rewster, Jon 88 TE 2 32 52 1 yr. 2015
$Pierce, Cornell 85 FL 4 44 44 1 yr. 2013
olwold, D.J. 87 FL 7 39 40 1 yr. 2010
#Shello, Rex 26 FL 1 13 41 2 yrs. 2016
$Shields, Norm 84 SE 5 77 77 2 yrs. 2012
iley, Andy 86 SE 6 52 52 2 yrs. 2011
$Barlow, Rod 79 LT 3 85 85 4 yrs. 2014
$Andrews, Willie 68 LT 7 64 64 2 yrs. 2015
$Harden, Richie 63 LG 7 53 55 2 yrs. 2015
oodwin, Derek 75 LG 5 47 50 3 yrs. 2016
ason, Jimmy 58 C 6 48 50 2 yrs. 2016
rmstrong, Broderick 56 C 7 43 43 1 yr. 2015
$Patton, Stan 76 RG 9 38 53 1 yr. 2012
$Mallard, Tommie 61 RT 6 49 61 2 yrs. 2015
oa, Sammy 4 P 3 86 86 1 yr. 2014
erez, D.J. 15 K 2 57 57 2 yrs. 2015
$DeLoach, Jerry 53 LDE 2 45 68 5 yrs. 2015
$Turk, Brad 73 LDE 12 41 41 1 yr. 2014
orgerson, Riddick 71 LDE 6 30 32 4 yrs. 2016
ewton, Deron 98 LDT 6 37 47 3 yrs. 2016
$Compton, Kris 77 NT 8 47 47 1 yr. 2014
$Gilmore, Courtney 99 RDT 6 50 50 2 yrs. 2011
aggoner, Erik 72 RDT 7 41 46 3 yrs. 2016
#Dagostino, Ty 97 RDT 3 23 29 1 yr. 2014
ullivan, Clyde 67 RDT 2 16 36 2 yrs. 2015
anders, Dana 93 RDE 4 31 41 1 yr. 2013
$Lyon, Omar 52 SLB 6 53 61 2 yrs. 2015
$Hogenkamp, Marshall 90 SLB 10 51 51 2 yrs. 2007
lankenship, Darnell 59 SLB 1 25 38 5 yrs. 2016
$Cummings, Bob 54 MLB 13 45 46 2 yrs. 2010
arrow, J.C. 57 MLB 2 23 45 3 yrs. 2015
#Mathews, Grady 55 MLB 1 19 46 5 yrs. 2016
odfrey, Kennedy 96 WLB 6 44 45 3 yrs. 2011
$Hanks, Morris 47 LCB 9 78 78 1 yr. 2014
$Booker, Zack 35 LCB 6 50 50 1 yr. 2015
hifflett, Donny 43 LCB 13 37 37 1 yr. 2004
ustin, Trent 46 RCB 3 25 27 1 yr. 2014
#Hickman, Curtis 37 RCB 1 18 38 2 yrs. 2016
$Acree, Sean 48 SS 6 60 60 2 yrs. 2015
$Austin, Tom 42 FS 7 56 56 4 yrs. 2010
onnell, Jason 40 FS 10 53 54 3 yrs. 2013
#Dugans, Shawn 44 FS 6 32 32 2 yrs. 2011

$ - player is in starting lineup, ## - player is inactive.

layers Under Contract: 53
n Active Roster: 46

alary Cap: $147,900,000
ap Room: $130,000
aximum for New Player: $620,000
ap Room Lost (to old contracts): $2,010,000

ap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $1,220,000
ap Room Required Next Year: $110,370,000


Very disturbing news, that DE Riddick Borgerson – fresh off a huge contract with us, seems to be a great deal lesser player than we had imagined. I don’t know if he was injured late last season or what – but the guy we have is not at all the guy we were pursuing in free agency. (4/5 run defense, 54/62 pass rush technique) Very disappointing – instead of getting a stud, we might have ourselves a dud. We’ll probably be pressing more on young DE Jerry DeLoach than expected – at least he is developing very nicely.

Young LB Darnell Blankenship also looks like he will disappoint. He’s a shade lesser after camp than before – and typically that trend doesn’t reverse. Shame.

I’m worried about the defense now – I don’t know what would be best for us to do. I guess we will rotate in DE Borgerson as planned, and hope that he is productive despite the decline in his ratings. We really needed an upgrade at DE, and we were counting on him to come through for us big time. Ouch.

[MIJB#19]

What's Dylla's age?
I mean, he's a 6th year RB, that could mean he'll likely drop in skills and production after the contract or in the last year, if not already in the second year.
Or are you hoping he's your Marshall Faulk?

Was Borgerson in a terrible defense (and especially defensive line) last season?
That could explain the big # of sacks.

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by MIJB#19
What's Dylla's age?
I mean, he's a 6th year RB, that could mean he'll likely drop in skills and production after the contract or in the last year, if not already in the second year.
Or are you hoping he's your Marshall Faulk?

Was Borgerson in a terrible defense (and especially defensive line) last season?
That could explain the big # of sacks.

Dylla is 28 this year - so a decline is possible, but not necessarily imminent. If he plays well through our three years, he will be a bit riskier for another contract.

But yes - Marshall Faulk is exactly what I have in mind for him, to be our main RB and also a major weapon in the passing game. He seems ideally suited for the task.


Borgerson played for Sault Ste. Marie last season, and they were generally pretty weak on defense. That certainly could have something to do with his excellent production - though to get 20 sacks twoce, you have to be pretty good. Regardless, what happened to Borgerson after he signed with us is the real mystery-- all his ratings suddenly dropped by about 30-40 points. He hwas been rated about 85/90 in pass rushing technique, and that dropped to 54/62. His run defense rating similarly dropped from a mediocre 40-45 or so to a dreadful 4/5.

So, the mystery is not how did he put up great stats with the lousy ratings... the mystery is what happened to his very solid ratings after we gave him a $7 million signing bonus?

[QuikSand]

2016 season

We lead Ypsilanti 100-84 in the roster rating, a testament to the squad we have built. We are about sixth in the power ratings – a 59, while Ypsilanti is a 70.


In the preseason, we get through with fairly few injuries. So, we head into the season, looking to exert some more offensive power with a rejuvenated running attack.

Week 1: Ocean City at Lake Erie

It’s not an overpowering win, but a 20-10 victory sets the right tone. Dylla has 63 yards rushing, plus 90 yards receiving and a score. Good debut – there’s every indication that he will be the all-purpose weapon that we lacked last year.

Week 2: Norfolk (1-0) at Lake Erie (1-0)

We’ve been a little shaky at home these last few seasons, and here we stumble, losing 20-17 to the Carriers, who are led by QB J.R. Newhart. It’s tough to single out the problem – Dylla ran for 90 yards and we played reasonably well on offense, but they held the ball and ground out yardage all day to beat us.

We’be lose DE Jerry DeLoach for several weeks, thinning out our defensive front a bit more.

Week 3: Lake Erie (1-1) at Cheyenne (1-1)

We get an impressive 38-12 win here, as RB Nicky Dylla catches 3 TD passes from Edgar Beyer. So much for working up to some chemistry between those two – Dylla’s 118 yards almost puts him to 200 yards from scrimmage for the game. We also got TDs from Trent Austin (kickoff return) and Sean Acree (interception return). Sweet.

Week 4: Lake Erie (2-1) at Niagara Falls (0-3)

We edge them with a 30-27 win, but it’s still a win. It takes a tying FG with 16 second left, and a winning FG in overtime, but we escape the Falls with a W. Dylla has all 16 carries for our team (unusual) and Beyer rediscovers Norm Shields for 156 yards and a score.

Week 5: Wheeling (2-2) at Lake Erie (3-1)

We get off to a great start here, but then cough it away – Wheeling’s RB Darren Jefferson gets two fourth quarter rushing TDs, and they tie it, then win it in OT, 23-20. It’s not a terrible loss, but we are looking to open up this offense – and 20 points is shooting pretty low.

Week 6: Key West (3-2) at Lake Erie (3-2)

Need a win here – but we’re up against the defending conference champions. We come through all fired up, and win this one 40-7, sending the Kingfishers to a tough 3-3 start. Nicky Dylla catches his 7th TD pass in six games – he as scored in all but one of our games thus far.

WR Pierce is out for a few weeks, but we have depth enough to move players around there. Andy Riley will get a few starts, and Solwold will stay in the slot.

Week 7: Manhattan (2-4) at Lake Erie (4-2)

Edgar Beyer has 5 TD passes, and leads us to a 38-28 win. WR Norm Shields has 154 yards and 3 scores – he is back on track for another very big season as well.

Week 8: Lake Erie (5-2) at Nashua (3-4)

Another pretty high-flying affair, as we win 34-21. 2 TD each from Dylla and Shields (who has 226 yards receiving), and we have the offense rolling like I had hoped it could. We also registered 7 sacks on the day – buoying our pass pressure, which I think is a key to the defense’s success.


That gets us halfway through the season. Oddly enough, everyone else in the division stands at 5-2, so we’re far from home free. Let’s look at the numbers:


Record: 6-2
Winning Pct.: .750

Lake Erie Monsters Team Rank
Rushes 157 28
Rushing Yards 713 21
Yards Per Carry 4.54 2
Pass Attempts 344 1
Completions 214 1
Passing Yards 2742 1
Yards Per Attempt 7.97 4 (T)
3rd Down Conversions 42.7 11 (T)
Points Per Game 29.6 2
Turnovers 13 20 (T)
Turnover Margin 0 16 (T)

Opponents Team Rank
Rushes 205 19
Rushing Yards 787 19
Yards Per Carry 3.83 17
Pass Attempts 312 31
Completions 181 30
Passing Yards 1964 25
Yards Per Attempt 6.29 6
3rd Down Conversions 34.8 5
Points Per Game 18.5 8
Turnovers 13 13 (T)


Well, our running game has leapt forward more than I could have hoped. We don’t run the ball all that much, but Dylla has certainly helped us get something for it when we do so. And our passing game has never been more efficient, I don’t think. We’re rolling along on offense, looking very good.

Defensively – blah. We remain tough against the pass, but are pretty easy to run against. MLB Cummings has been out for a while, and out DL situation remains murky – that’s certainly a factor. But we ought to be able to do better than this – that’s apriority.

Incidentally, through 8 games, WR Norm Shields has 1,007 yards. The record is 1,870 – for what that’s worth. Dylla has 1,039 yards from scrimmage through the first half, and 10 TDs.


Week 9: Lake Erie (6-2) at Ocean City (5-2)

Down 13-0 early, we rally back with two TD passes from Beyer to Shields, and rack up a nice 17-13 win. And now, after our bye week, we will get DE DeLoach back – hopefully to add a new spark to our defensive attack.

Week 11: Lake Erie (7-2) at Louisville (6-3)

We thunder to a 34-17 win, with Edger Beyer very sharp again. Our team is actually in pretty good health all around – and we are playing well overall. Nice to see, actually.

Week 12: Hawk Mountain (2-8) at Lake Erie (8-2)

We take a break from our tough divisional schedule, and beat the Sharpshins 24-10. The bad news is that DT Courtney Gilmore is hurt, and out for the year. That could be bad news for us for the long term, too.

Week 13: Pensacola (6-5) at Lake Erie (9-2)

We put together a mighty effort at home, and trash the Panhandlers 38-0. Our three big offensive stars shine again—Beyer has 4 TDs, 3 to Shields, and Dylla has one rushing and one receiving.

Week 14: Lake Erie (10-2) at Providence (7-5)

Providence has the reputation of being a big, bruising team with a tough defense. And they beat us here 30-22 by playing their game – running for 166 yards and controlling the clock.

We’ve now lost DE Brad Turk for the year – the DL situation is getting bleak again, with four guys listed as “out.”

Week 15: Louisville (6-7) at Lake Erie (10-3)

We gain a nice 41-13 win here, as we get MLB Tom Cummings back from his injury, and are able to switch LB Godfrey to play outside at the DE spot (where we are desperate for help). No big plays from the defense, but the offense was rolling anyway.

Week 16: Lake Erie (11-3) at Texarkana (9-5)

We gat a good 31-17 win here, and stay in the race for the top seed in the conference. This year, it’s Tijuana – and they are even with us at 12-3. I think we have them in conference record, but have to win to keep it secure.

Week 17: Lake Erie (12-3) at Wheeling (10-5)

With our top seed within reach, we roll the Dealers 21-3, and secure the top seed in the conference. Another very good game for us overall, with the defense carrying the big load.



ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
016 Regular Season Standings

AC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ake Erie 13 3 0 .813 465 251 11-1 5-1
heeling 10 6 0 .625 371 277 8-4 4-2
cean City 8 8 0 .500 300 311 7-5 2-4
ouisville 6 10 0 .375 326 433 5-7 1-5

AC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ort Wayne 12 4 0 .750 393 278 8-4 5-1
ensacola 9 7 0 .563 305 356 6-6 4-2
ort Knox 7 9 0 .438 297 336 6-6 2-4
ittle Rock 3 13 0 .188 280 435 2-10 1-5

AC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ey West 8 8 0 .500 300 286 6-6 6-0
ashua 6 10 0 .375 338 382 4-8 3-3
anhattan 5 11 0 .313 316 359 3-9 2-4
iagara Falls 1 15 0 .063 274 447 1-11 1-5

AC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ijuana 13 3 0 .813 394 287 9-3 5-1
ulsa 11 5 0 .688 328 271 9-3 3-3
apa Valley 9 7 0 .563 339 286 6-6 3-3
heyenne 9 7 0 .563 328 303 5-7 1-5

NC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
psilanti 10 6 0 .625 336 274 7-5 5-1
hampaign 6 10 0 .375 328 334 5-7 3-3
hunder Bay 6 10 0 .375 354 329 5-7 2-4
ault Ste. Marie 5 11 0 .313 260 327 3-9 2-4

NC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ermuda 7 9 0 .438 313 296 6-6 4-2
itty Hawk 7 9 0 .438 304 375 7-5 4-2
azatlan 7 9 0 .438 309 403 6-6 2-4
thens 5 11 0 .313 279 350 4-8 2-4

NC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
orfolk 14 2 0 .875 371 265 10-2 6-0
exarkana 10 6 0 .625 335 301 8-4 4-2
rovidence 9 7 0 .563 363 340 6-6 1-5
awk Mountain 4 12 0 .250 234 360 3-9 1-5

NC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
eath Valley 10 6 0 .625 374 313 7-5 3-3
acramento 10 6 0 .625 339 293 7-5 2-4
uget Sound 8 8 0 .500 287 324 6-6 5-1
emphis 8 8 0 .500 337 295 6-6 2-4


Norfolk looks pretty tough from the other conference, but we’ll have our hands full just getting that far, as there will be tough teams in our way, for certain.

I am disappointed by the 9-7 showing of Napa Valley – I had hoped they would flutter in with 4 or 5 wins, giving me a top draft pick again.


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
016 Summary for Lake Erie Monsters

ecord: 13-3
inning Pct.: .812

ake Erie Monsters Team Rank
ushes 317 32
ushing Yards 1271 30
ards Per Carry 4.00 9 (T)
ass Attempts 665 1
ompletions 428 1
assing Yards 5348 1
ards Per Attempt 8.04 1 (T)
rd Down Conversions 44.0 3
oints Per Game 29.0 1
urnovers 20 5 (T)
urnover Margin +4 14

pponents Team Rank
ushes 418 11
ushing Yards 1602 11
ards Per Carry 3.83 14
ass Attempts 601 29 (T)
ompletions 339 21
assing Yards 3929 24
ards Per Attempt 6.53 7
rd Down Conversions 35.3 8
oints Per Game 15.6 1
urnovers 24 23

eek Team Versus Oppnt
20 OCY 10
17 NOR 20
38 at CHY 12
30 at NIA 27
20 WHE 23
40 KW 7
38 MAN 28
34 at NSH 21
17 at OCY 13
1 34 at LVL 17
2 24 HWK 10
3 38 PEN 0
4 22 at PRV 30
5 41 LVL 13
6 31 at TXA 17
7 21 at WHE 3

assing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
2 Beyer QB 663 428 5348 8.06 43 13
*Team --- 665 428 5348 8.04 43 13

ushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
1 Dylla RB 257 1002 3.89 6
2 Beyer QB 40 194 4.85 0
*Team --- 317 1271 4.00 7

eceiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
4 Shields WR 174 119 1845 15.5 428 17
1 Dylla RB 159 110 1056 9.6 490 12
7 Solwold WR 93 46 617 13.4 113 2
5 Pierce WR 78 39 543 13.9 67 4
6 Riley WR 50 36 491 13.6 79 1
1 Harris TE 48 32 395 12.3 94 4
2 Monroe FB 27 20 182 9.1 76 1
*Team --- 664 428 5348 12.4 1441 43

efense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
0 Hogenkamp OLB 97 30 5.5 8 4 11
2 Lyon OLB 85 27 3.0 2 0 6
8 Acree S 81 32 2.0 0 5 16
7 Hanks CB 65 24 1.0 0 5 29
2 Austin S 64 23 1.0 0 2 15
5 Booker CB 54 17 1.0 0 3 13
4 Cummings ILB 50 14 2.5 0 0 1
3 Shifflett CB 48 9 3.0 0 1 5
0 Connell S 48 17 0.5 0 1 3
9 Gilmore DT 43 15 6.5 3 0 0
6 Godfrey OLB 39 19 3.0 3 0 1
2 Waggoner DT 27 11 7.5 12 0 2
8 Newton DT 25 10 3.5 4 0 1
7 Compton DT 23 9 3.0 4 0 1
1 Borgerson DE 19 9 9.5 13 0 0
*Team --- 886 291 61.0 66 21 105



So, Edgar Beyer tops 40 TD passes, which is a new league record. He gets the new league mark in completions, yards, and TDs in this record-setting season. Actually, he breaks J.R. Newhart’s mark (from when he was with us) by over 500 yards, and now Lake Erie QBs have the top six seasons of all.

RB Nicky Dylla just barely got his 1,000 yards rushing, and along with his mark in receiving – he’s the first back in league history to get the double-thousand mark. And his 18 combined TDs is pretty impressive as well.

And of course, there’s WR Norm Shields. His season marks new league records for receptions, yards, and receiving TDs. He and Beyer each grab three league season record in this unbelievable outburst of a year.

Interesting question, though—who gets the vote for MVP? Beyer, I suspect.


Defensively, not a great year. Wed did post 61 sacks, which is pretty impressive – actually, it’s second only to Ypsilanti. In efficiency, we were okay - a little bit above average, actually.

LB Hogenkamp played very well, yet again. And we got some help with pass pressure from our new additions Waggoner and Borgerson. LB Godfrey deserves special note for being a solid fill-in everywhere we needed him – first at MLB, then the weak side, and then as a pass-rushing defensive lineman.

Not a stellar effort, but they didn’t fall apart and give our offense that much to worry about. We are vulnerable to a power running game right at us, but not that many teams have the discipline to stick with that, I think.


Postseason Wrap-Up

Divisional Playoff: Key West (9-8) at Lake Erie (13-3)

Our top seed gets us out of playing Fort Wayne here, but we get a down-but-not-out Key West team that beat us in last year’s playoffs.

This turns out to be no problem, as Edger Beyer is poised and sharp, and we get three TD passes from him to turn an early 3-3 split into a 24-3 final. WRs Shields and Pierce both top 100 yards, as we’re getting primed for the final games.


Conference Championship: Tijuana (14-3) at Lake Erie (14-3)

It’s a chilly 21 degrees – maybe this will be bad for the River Raiders, who are a warm-climate team, of course. Tijuana is the latest “strike it rich” team to come from nowhere, and like most – their formula is the same. They made a key pickup among the “no bidder” free agents, and rose from the ashes. They grabbed two defensive ends for about $1 million each, and now have both guys starting and together they have 26.5 sacks. For basically no investment, they have a fierce pass rush – for one year.

Tijuana’s QB Kirk Cortez hits his top RB Marco Cunningham for two TD passes in the third quarter, and our early 21-7 lead is gone. We battle through the fourth quarter to a near standstill, but Cortez drives them into position, and with 25 second remaining, they kick the FG to lead 24-21. We get only a couple plays to try to rebound, but can’t get it going – and Tijuana again leaves us at the altar and goes on without us.


In the championship game, it’s Death Valley (who upset Norfolk in their conference final), but they get nipped by Tijuana, 19-17. It’s the first time the title actually leaves the country – and the River Raders celebrate in high spirits.



ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
016 Awards List

Award Player Team
*Player of the Year Edgar Beyer LKE
#Front Office Bowl MVP Kirk Cortez TIJ
oach of the Year Not Yet Awarded
egend of the Game Not Yet Awarded
*Offensive Player of the Year Edgar Beyer LKE
#Defensive Player of the Year Gerald Griffith PRV
#Offensive Rookie of the Year Ralph Warren ATH
#Defensive Rookie of the Year Desmond Tokeshi NIA
*All-League First-String Quarterback Edgar Beyer LKE
*All-League First-String Running Back Nicky Dylla LKE
#All-League First-String Fullback Doug Daniels PEN
#All-League First-String Tight End Conrad Sullivan TXA
*All-League First-String Wide Receiver Norm Shields LKE
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Will Freeman NSH
#All-League First-String Center Warren Rash CHY
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Wally Oshiro WHE
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Martin Jarvis DVY
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Mitch Hiscock OCY
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Brett Johnston TXA
#All-League First-String Punter Gerald Kaplan SAC
#All-League First-String Kicker Mel McDaniel NOR
#All-League First-String Defensive End Max Shields NV
#All-League First-String Defensive End Max Hodges TUL
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Vince Rivera PEN
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle David Hargett SAC
#All-League First-String Inside Linebacker Robbie Babka NIA
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Gerald Griffith PRV
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Wayne Lowe TIJ
#All-League First-String Cornerback Leon Henn PEN
#All-League First-String Cornerback Jumbo Myers SSM
#All-League First-String Safety Monty Foreman NV
#All-League First-String Safety Bennie Ramirez TB
#All-League Second-String Quarterback Kirk Cortez TIJ
#All-League Second-String Running Back Darrell McCormick KW
#All-League Second-String Fullback Bernie Hank WHE
#All-League Second-String Tight End Leroy Dole CHA
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Walt Pritchett FTW
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Tyrus Harper LVL
#All-League Second-String Center Sammie Sanderson TIJ
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Randy Lash PS
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Heath Denis YPS
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Renaldo Robbins LVL
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Austin Henderson SAC
#All-League Second-String Punter Chris Konruff SSM
#All-League Second-String Kicker Terry Tennyson WHE
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Frank Beal MEM
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Greg Whitson FKX
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Rickey Allen NSH
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Leslie Brooks PS
#All-League Second-String Inside Linebacker Winston O'Neal WHE
*All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Marshall Hogenkamp LKE
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Jared Kasica TUL
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Norm Carr SAC
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Lance Maloney FTW
#All-League Second-String Safety Dwight Fuqua CHY
*All-League Second-String Safety Sean Acree LKE


Well, all three of our stars get their first team honors – I’m actually surprised that Dylla did, since his rushing total was pretty modest. Hogenkamp and Acree get laurels for defensive play, which is a nice addition. Beyer has his third MVP in four seasons, but still has a hand without rings.

And the season ahead will involve some pretty serious work on the team. I don’t know if this high-flying machine can stay together. What will it take to re-sign both Edger Beyer and Norm Shields, both coming off sensational record-shattering years?

[Godzilla Blitz]

Damn, I thought this would be THE year.

[MIJB#19]

Maybe 2017 will be the year...

Borgerson played for Sault Ste. Marie last season, and they were generally pretty weak on defense. That certainly could have something to do with his excellent production - though to get 20 sacks twoce, you have to be pretty good. Regardless, what happened to Borgerson after he signed with us is the real mystery-- all his ratings suddenly dropped by about 30-40 points. He hwas been rated about 85/90 in pass rushing technique, and that dropped to 54/62. His run defense rating similarly dropped from a mediocre 40-45 or so to a dreadful 4/5.

So, the mystery is not how did he put up great stats with the lousy ratings... the mystery is what happened to his very solid ratings after we gave him a $7 million signing bonus?Just a theory here, but, what if this is part of the scouting margin of error: before you sign him, he's overrated by 15 and later on he's underrated by 15?
Maybe Jim injected a code to make the ratings represent the stats in the FA period and represent the true skills after training camp? (I think that is what I would use in a text sim.)
A coach who is bad in DL?

He seems to have done his job pretty well, presuming you used him as a pass rush only DE, with 9.5 sacks and 13 hurries.

Did the AC West trash the NC South 13-3, or something like that?

[T-Storm]

I'd think that (B)orgerson is a simple case of 6th year bust. opposite to the 6th year breakout, that happened with the cb some seasons ago.

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by MIJB#19
Just a theory here, but, what if this is part of the scouting margin of error: before you sign him, he's overrated by 15 and later on he's underrated by 15?

Maybe Jim injected a code to make the ratings represent the stats in the FA period and represent the true skills after training camp? (I think that is what I would use in a text sim.)
A coach who is bad in DL?

While this conjecture is interesting, there's nothing to support this as a wholesale effect in FOF4. It's not something you see with any regularity.

Originally posted by T-Storm
I'd think that (B)orgerson is a simple case of 6th year bust. opposite to the 6th year breakout, that happened with the cb some seasons ago.

Yup, that's my read, too. Seems to happen somewhere in years 5-7, with a pretty small share of players. They just get a wholesale readjustment of their skills - often for the good, but apparently not always.

[QuikSand]

2017 offseason

Okay – the “window” has passed, and we are still without a title. We’ll see how this offseason progresses, and go from here.


The list of league retirees is getting longer – but we are spared yet again. RB Vernon Rand is on the list – a name I recognize, as the longtime RB for Ocean City. I guess he does get the last laugh over Spencer Bauer (my guy), as he ends up with about 1,700 more yards for his career. I expect Rand will be a hall of famer, too.


My scout, Deon Bridges , is 61 and looking for a new contract. He’s still the best guy available, and I re-up with him for another three year deal.


I am deeply relieved to see that I had made a mental error. I had thought that WR Norm Shields was due for a new contract this season, and that we’d be in a heap of trouble trying to lock him up. Instead, I find that’s not true – Shields has one more year on his deal, meaning that we’ve got a little more going for us than I had imagined. And so, our focus can be on Beyer this season, while the other two parts of our newly-assembled “power trio” are already in place. Very good news.

Here’s the roster situation:


Noa, Sammy 4 P 4 86 86 --- 2014
Hanks, Morris 47 LCB 10 78 78 --- 2014
Beyer, Edgar 12 QB 7 71 71 --- 2011
Harris, Ronnie 81 TE 4 52 52 --- 2014
Booker, Zack 35 LCB 7 50 50 --- 2015
Patton, Stan 76 RG 10 48 53 --- 2012
Monroe, Rex 32 FB 7 47 51 --- 2015
Compton, Kris 77 NT 9 44 44 --- 2014
Pierce, Cornell 85 FL 5 43 43 --- 2013
Hamilton, Rusty 34 FB 11 42 42 --- 2007
Turk, Brad 73 LDE 13 41 41 --- 2014
Armstrong, Broderick 56 C 8 39 39 --- 2015
Solwold, D.J. 87 FL 8 39 40 --- 2010
Shifflett, Donny 43 LCB 14 37 37 --- 2004
Brewster, Jon 88 TE 3 35 53 --- 2015
Sanders, Dana 93 RDE 5 31 41 --- 2013
Reilly, Dwight 9 QB 7 28 45 --- 2016
Austin, Trent 46 RCB 4 24 27 --- 2014
Dagostino, Ty 97 RDT 4 22 28 --- 2014
Castillo, Lewis 36 RB 2 21 29 --- 2016

$ - player is in starting lineup, ## - player is inactive.

Players Under Contract: 33
Salary Cap: $154,300,000
Cap Room: $43,790,000
Maximum for New Player: $33,590,000
Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $1,220,000

Cap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0
Cap Room Required Next Year: $58,760,000


Okay – we have 13 spots to fill via free agency, and about $33 million to spend. And the first and foremost thing we will need to do is take care of our QB Edgar Beyer – we cannot go forward without him, end of story.

Beyer is seeking $83m over four years – a shade more than $20, a season. I have no idea if he will get offers in that range— depends whether people see his performance as a function of our system or his talents. I just see a perfect fit, and a guy I need to keep around, at almost any cost. We’re very close to winning it all – can’t let that go away over a million here and a million there.

I put in an initial offer of $92 million over four years – right about at his target level. I’m hoping that I’m alone in the bidding, and that we can work something out over the FA process. But I will not be blindsided and see him swept away without a good offer on the table.


Next on the list of priorities is the CB position, where both of our starters as well as longtime veteran Donny Shifflett, are up for new contracts, and both Hanks ($16m) and Booker ($9m) are asking for pretty big money. This will be a tricky one – as there are rarely any truly cheap options at the CB position at any age. Hanks and Booker are rated #1 and #3 among the free agent corners, so I don’t expect any bargains.


I start to forage around among the free agents. I find two cheap linemen: T Mike Shepherd and G Sam Briggs, who should be very nice pickups for us, at under $2m each. And DB Lonnie Schroeder, who is listed as a safety, but I plan to try out at corner – he could be a nice nickel guy for a very low salary, if he can make the switch.

FB Rusty Hamilton is willing to play for only $1.6m a year, and he gets a new two year deal.


At wide receiver, we have a problem. D.J. Solwold has been a nice player for us, but his demands for $6m a year are just well beyond what we can afford. WR Cornell Pierce also wants $6m a year, and it’s pretty unlikely that we can do that, either. So, we’re in jeopardy of really thinning out our WR ranks if we lose those two. Second year man Rex Shello might be ready to be our 4th or 5th, but not our 3rd receiver (who is basically a starter for us). We need to make a move of some sort here.

WR Devin Tetreault is a guy I really wanted in the rookie draft (but got Cornell Pierce instead). Now he’s looking for a contract, after serving as a utility man for Sacramento. I leap at the chance, and make him a three year offer – he’s not asking for all that much, really. I think he’d be a great fit.


I have six offers in, and am basically ready to go. If we get Beyer, it will be a squeeze everywhere else. If not, we’ll have money to spend to try to compensate.


I am surprised that Edgar Beyer immediately accepts our offer, and is signed. Done deal. So, that wipes out $18.5m of our cap space – now, what do we do?

Morris Hanks has cashed in, getting a 4yr deal from Fort Worth. And I’m pending for all my lower-tier players.

After week four, we have S Lonnie Schroeder signed. Our scouts think he might be able to make the switch over to play cornerback, and maybe be a nickelback for us. He’s fairly agreeable, and we re-slot him. (He takes a hit, but not a terrible one)

In week eight, we have the last of our target players signed. Everybody is on board. We have over $7m in cap space remaining, and around seven spots to fill. DE Borgerson is a troubling case in this mix, too. He’s making $8.75m this year, but his ratings are dreadfully poor now. Regardless, he tagged 9.5 sacks last season just playing part time – so he can still get it done a bit.

On the defensive line, what choices do we really have? DeLoach is my only other signed DE, though we are okay on the inside. I take a cap hit of over $5m nest year if we cut Borgerson, which is almost as bad as having him at his salary. It’s tough.

My first move is to try and re-sign DE Dana Sanders, who listens to a deal for just over $1m. That’s pretty good value, and he’s a passable 4th end. My problem is that right now, he might be our 2nd best guy.


I’m excited by the possibility of one remaining re-signing. WR Henry Penrice is a 14th year player, but he’s the guy all over the WR record books. He has 812 career receptions, 12,736 receiving yards, and 78 receiving TDs. And he’s looking for a late-career contract to keep playing. We’re a WR-friendly offense if there ever was one, and I’m up for giving him a deal. He also wears two championship rings, and I’d love to see him get another one with us. He agrees to our deal – but this almost certain spells the end of our time with WR Pierce and Solwold, as we now have out top four spots all locked up.

As the FA process is ending, I decide that I want to let DE Riddick Borgerson go. I’ll take a cap hit next season, but this frees up $7 million this year, and I think I have an opportunity to do better with that money right now. We make a 4yr, $27m offer to DE Dominick Smith, who has been in the DE rotation for Memphis for his four years in the league after being their 4th pick in the 2013 draft. I think he has real potential, and should give us what we wanted from Borgerson originally.

And we head into the rookie draft with numerous holes to fill, and probably one or more cuts lying ahead – as we have stretched the budget to its limit, I think.


We hold pick #29 in round one, and will certainly be lucky to grab an immediate impact player there. I’m always looking for DL help, and this year is no exception. However, the obvious thing for us is the desperate need at cornerback, where we currently have only two very untested players in residence. Some work is needed here, to be sure. If we can land a pair of playable guys at CB, that would be a godsend.

So, I check out the CBs in the draft, of course. It’s a mixed group, overall. Nobody in there I’d consider a sure-fire star, but there are a few that I’d be happy to take in the late first round, considering my situation. I doubt that I’ll be able to get back-to-back quality guys, though.

One possibility here is that we might end up changing the style of our secondary. I have been a predominantly man-up cover team, but if the best young corners we can acquire are better at zone or bump, we will be open to a switch.

As the first round is unfolding, there are two guys who look intriguing. We just missed out on a pretty strong DE who might have lured me off the path, so now I’m really just looking at corners. CB Terrell George is a solid guy, with upsides of around 60-75 in most of the key coverage areas. His best rating is in man coverage – a good sign for my style – and he also has a good skill with interceptions, which I value, too. Solid prospect.

The other guy is Harold Londesbrough, who is a much more “mixed bag” type of player. Not so great in man coverage, Londesbrough has some tremendous upside in zone defense and run coverage – he might prove to be a better all-around player in time, even if he’s not the skilled cover man that George looks to be. Another intriguing player – neat possibilities. (He’s also got a pretty solid punt return skill)

I also should mention CB Graham Moseley, who is a bit on the lightweighted side when it comes to run support, but is otherwise a pretty highly regarded cover man. He might actually have more upside as a cover man than Terrell George, but he similarly has a low rating in play diagnosis. That makes three viable picks out there, as I am about ten picks away.

CB Moseley foes with pick #21, and then Terrell George at pick #24. So, suddenly, our hopes at #29 are down to one guy – the most interesting guy on the board, CB Harold Londesbrough.

Londesbrough falls to us at #29, and I decide he’s the guy to take here. We’ll have to wait and see the big picture before settling on a matter of philosophy, but he ought to be pretty ready to play right away, which is a plus for us right now.

We make a draft-day deal with Memphis, and will end up switching first round picks with them next season. They get a draft upgrade this season, but I have hopes that it will benefit us next year.


Amateur Draft Report:

Rnd 1 - Harold Londesbrough, CB, Missouri
Rnd 2 - Phillip Beecroft, DE, Notre Dame
Rnd 3 - Rob Elgar, CB, Texas
Rnd 4 - Billy Joe Barnes, TE, Memphis
Rnd 6 - Lewis Jeffries, FB, Bentley
Rnd 7 - Daryl Lindley, ILB, West Virginia


I’m intrigued by Londesbrough, who might be a real character. DE Beecroft looks better suited to play outside than inside, where he was originally listed. And my needs are greater at DE, so he switches. CB Elgar looks like he might be okay – but I don’t know if he can play now. We fill in with the remaining picks, and I feel okay about this draft.

Manhattan steps up and makes a trade offer I cannot decline. They need an offensive tackle, and want Willie Andrews. I started him at center last season, but a first round pick is just too much weight for him – in his final contract year anyway. It’s a deal I have to take, and do.


In our final stages of filling in the roster, I have a bit of cap space left – and have a few options. CB Donny Shifflett remains on the extended roster, without a contract. A 14th year player, he’s clearly past his prime – but with such shaky ground at CB, it would be nice to have him here to step in – maybe even to start. However, he simply will not sign for one year – he insists in getting a two year, bonus-heavy offer. I cannot see it, and break off talks.

TE Ronnie Harris has developed into a tremendous talent – exploding from his one-time middling self. He’s now practically topped out, and I’d love to have him in the toolbox. But he’s demanding $5m a year long term – and that’s more of a commitment than I seek to make at the TE position, which is second tier on this team.

So, I’m left with my wideouts – Pierce and Solwold. Both have been solid for us, but Solwold has dropped off a bit. I’d be happy to keep either one, but both are looking long term, and not interested in a short-term extension.

As training camp looms, I finally decide to spend our last dollars on Donny Shifflett. I don’t know where he’ll be slotted, but he ought to help with cohesion in our secondary, and we’re going to need the boost. It costs us a pretty penny, but I hope he helps out.

After camp, my last player cut is last year’s 2nd round pick, LB Blankenship. Bust city.



Front Office Football: The Fourth Edition
Lake Erie Monsters Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct OnTeam
$Beyer, Edgar 12 QB 7 72 72 4 yrs. 2011
ason, Billy Joe 13 QB 6 44 62 2 yrs. 2016
eilly, Dwight 9 QB 7 31 46 1 yr. 2016
#Woodson, Ty 19 QB 1 10 39 1 yr. 2017
$Dylla, Nicky 31 RB 7 73 73 2 yrs. 2016
rbuckle, Derek 39 RB 2 25 32 1 yr. 2016
urner, Michael 32 RB 1 24 30 1 yr. 2017
$Hamilton, Rusty 34 FB 11 42 42 2 yrs. 2007
uajardo, Tim 45 FB 2 35 54 2 yrs. 2016
#Jeffries, Lewis 28 FB 1 26 35 2 yrs. 2017
arnes, Billy Joe 83 TE 1 29 53 3 yrs. 2017
$Troy, Reuben 89 TE 1 28 41 1 yr. 2017
$Penrice, Henry 82 FL 14 42 42 2 yrs. 2017
#Shello, Rex 26 FL 2 13 38 1 yr. 2016
$Shields, Norm 84 SE 6 77 77 1 yr. 2012
iley, Andy 86 SE 7 53 53 1 yr. 2011
etreault, Devin 80 SE 5 45 51 3 yrs. 2017
$Barlow, Rod 79 LT 4 89 89 3 yrs. 2014
$Harden, Richie 63 LG 8 59 59 1 yr. 2015
oodwin, Derek 75 LG 6 48 49 2 yrs. 2016
$Briggs, Sam 70 LG 5 40 69 2 yrs. 2017
$Eason, Jimmy 58 C 7 56 56 1 yr. 2016
rmstrong, Broderick 56 C 8 40 40 2 yrs. 2015
$Mallard, Tommie 61 RT 7 61 61 1 yr. 2015
hepherd, Mike 74 RT 7 44 54 2 yrs. 2017
regg, Drew 10 P 1 31 40 1 yr. 2017
erez, D.J. 15 K 3 52 52 1 yr. 2015
$DeLoach, Jerry 53 LDE 3 53 68 4 yrs. 2015
ewton, Deron 98 LDT 7 39 45 2 yrs. 2016
$Gilmore, Courtney 99 RDT 7 50 50 1 yr. 2011
$Waggoner, Erik 72 RDT 8 44 45 2 yrs. 2016
ullivan, Clyde 67 RDT 3 20 36 1 yr. 2015
#Donnelly, Teddy 71 RDT 1 19 23 1 yr. 2017
$Smith, Dominic 92 RDE 5 50 55 4 yrs. 2017
anders, Dana 93 RDE 5 34 41 2 yrs. 2013
eecroft, Phillip 95 RDE 1 21 47 4 yrs. 2017
$Lyon, Omar 52 SLB 7 62 62 1 yr. 2015
$Hogenkamp, Marshall 90 SLB 11 50 50 1 yr. 2007
$Cummings, Bob 54 MLB 14 39 40 1 yr. 2010
arrow, J.C. 57 MLB 3 25 45 2 yrs. 2015
#O'Donnell, Earnest 50 MLB 1 25 31 1 yr. 2017
#Mathews, Grady 55 MLB 2 21 43 4 yrs. 2016
odfrey, Kennedy 96 WLB 7 50 50 2 yrs. 2011
indley, Daryl 51 WLB 1 14 47 3 yrs. 2017
$Shifflett, Donny 43 LCB 14 34 34 2 yrs. 2004
$Londesbrough, Harold 41 LCB 1 27 58 3 yrs. 2017
chroeder, Lonnie 38 LCB 3 17 45 2 yrs. 2017
#Hickman, Curtis 37 RCB 2 20 36 1 yr. 2016
lgar, Rob 30 RCB 1 19 45 3 yrs. 2017
$Acree, Sean 48 SS 7 61 61 1 yr. 2015
$Austin, Tom 42 FS 8 55 55 3 yrs. 2010
onnell, Jason 40 FS 11 50 50 2 yrs. 2013
ugans, Shawn 44 FS 7 32 32 1 yr. 2011

$ - player is in starting lineup, ## - player is inactive.

layers Under Contract: 53
n Active Roster: 46

alary Cap: $154,300,000
ap Room: $600,000
aximum for New Player: $1,110,000
ap Room Lost (to old contracts): $4,130,000

ap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $5,390,000
ap Room Required Next Year: $105,580,000

[MIJB#19]

Originally posted by QuikSand
Seems to happen somewhere in years 5-7, with a pretty small share of players. They just get a wholesale readjustment of their skills - often for the good, but apparently not always. Okay, sounds like a good explanation (form you and T-Storm).

I guess it adds another twist to player signings over the early career bust/booms.
That makes it even more interesting to get FOF4...

Since you cut Riddiculas Borgerson, where did he end up?

[Karim]

RYA PYA PPGA Turnovers Result
2016: 13-3, 1602(11), 3929(24), 15.6(01), 24(23) - Lost in Conference Championship
2015: 11-5, 1552(05), 3848(16), 17.9(05), 26(17) - Lost in Conference Championship
2014: 11-5, 1690(15), 3784(19), 18.5(07), 32(06) - Lost in Conference Championship
2013: 12-4, 1516(05), 4046(30), 17.0(02), 31(12) - Lost in Divisional Playoff
2012: 10-6, 1600(10), 3373(01), 16.5(02), 18(29) - Lost in Divisional Playoff
2011: 07-9, 2010(29), 3514(08), 19.9(13), 26(16) - Missed Playoffs
2010: 13-3, 1649(07), 3745(23), 17.6(08), 27(16) - Lost in Divisional Playoff
2009: 14-2, 1547(04), 3749(24), 17.1(03), 33(04) - Lost in Conference Championship
2008: 09-7, 1478(03), 3694(22), 21.0(25), 28(15) - Lost in Superbowl
2007: 09-7, 1717(20), 3683(24), 18.0(15), 21(28) - Missed Playoffs
2006: 07-9, 1377(02), 3272(10), 17.4(12), 29(14) - Missed Playoffs
2005: 07-9, 1888(25), 3373(20), 17.7(04), 32(09) - Missed Playoffs
2004: 10-6, 1790(22), 3670(28), 17.1(19), 31(14) - Lost in Conference Championship
2003: 4-12, 2111(29), 3226(23), 18.6(25), 20(19) - Missed Playoffs


~~~~~


With the thought that defense wins championships, I thought I'd look over a cumulative presentation of your team defensive stats in an effort to spot any trends.

All other things being equal:

1) When you stop the run consistently during the season, you are playoff bound.

2) Your passing yardage allowed has only cracked the top ten, three times. Ironically, in two of those years you still missed the playoffs, once because you were 29th in rushing yards allowed.

3) You consistently keep the score down. Only three times have you been outside the top 15 in points allowed. The past five years have been especially good.

4) You are not a big play defense. You've only once cracked the top 5 in turnovers produced.

There was no record of sack ranking each year that I saw but that would have been interesting to see as well.

Arugably your best defensive years were 2006 and 2012 but your record and final result doesn't correlate. These were the only years in which you combined a dominant passing and rushing defense.

I realize your focus in on offense and keeping your trio of playmakers together, but maybe time should be spent on cover guys in the secondary who can make big plays?

Just throwing this out there for analysis, trying to figure out why you haven't won it all yet.

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by MIJB#19
Since you cut Riddiculas Borgerson, where did he end up?

He remained unsigned, and sat the year out. Too bad...

[QuikSand]

2017 season

Okay – so the season goes ahead, and it doesn’t really feel like we had to blow up the team completely. Obviously, I decided to take the big hit at CB rather than on offense, and I feel like our passing game ought to be just fine with the new players aboard.

We are tied with Ypsilanti for the best roster rating – that’s down from last year, obviously. But we edge them out for the top power rating, 76-73. The stats love Ypsilanti – we’ll see if they can put together another good season.

I look through the multitude of 1yr, $1.16m signings for this season – looking to see who might have struck gold with these cheap one-year free agents. Nashua got a great DE in Cedric Martin, and a lot of other players I don’t recognize. Sacramento added WR Cornell Pierce, whom I expect will do quite well. My other WR D.J. Solwold went to Napa Valley, who was also pretty active in the market this year.


In the preseason, I’m primarily worried about injuries. RB Derek Arbuckle is first out, lost for the year. We want to sign RB Randall Almonte – who doesn’t have a team right now – but he wants almost $3m, and we cannot pony that much up. I end up with Lewis Castillo, a guy who played for us as our #3 last year. He may have to be #2 this year, though more likely we’ll rotate the fullbacks into the RB mix instead.

Next up on the stretcher is WR Henry Penrice. We shuffle around at WR and returners, and are okay there.

In the preseason, our defense and special teams are scoring like crazy (six TDs in four games) – that would be nice to see continue.


Week 1: Louisville at Lake Erie

And we stumble out of the gate, with a 21-14 loss at home. We really didn’t play badly, but we didn’t fire on offense quite the way we would have liked, and end up on the wrong side of this one.

Week 2: Lake Erie (0-1) at Thunder Bay (0-1)

We get back into high gear with a good 44-14 win on the road. Actualy, we get lucky from two interception TDs by Bob Cummings and Tom Austin, which help put this game away.

Week 3: Lake Erie (1-1) at Tijuana (1-1)

With DE Jerry DeLoach again on the sidelines, we still get a 23-17 win. We play fairly well, but are getting torched a bit on defense – as we might have expected.

Week 4: Fort Knox (1-2) at Lake Erie (2-1)

At home, where we have had some problems, we stumble again – losing 30-24 to Fort Knox. the Glitters just pound the ball up the gut at us – gaining 124 yards rushing, as part of their big day. We are having trouble stopping the run again – and are already having injury problems along the d-line.

Week 5: Lake Erie (2-2) at Pensacola (3-1)

We play a tough team here, and again look very solid. A 30-17 win looks good, and Beyer has his best game of the season. We don’t resemble last year’s titanic offense quite yet, but we are showing some good signs.

Week 6: Lake Erie (3-2) at Little Rock (0-4)

Despite a terrible lineup on the defensive line (with four guys already injured), we get a good 26-9 win over the inept Rollers.

Week 7: Lake Erie (4-2) at Ocean City (2-4)

Nicky Dylla has his best game as a Monster – with 177 yards rushing and 56 more receiving. Beyer throws three TDs as we get the 24-13 win.

Week 8: Fort Wayne (3-4) at Lake Erie (5-2)

We get DT Waggoner back from his injury – much needed. Beyer throws 4 interceptions, but we get six off of them, and take a 26-10 win. We get to the halfway point at 6-2, not too bad, considering the underlying data will undoubtedly show a dropoff from last year.


Record: 6-2
Winning Pct.: .750

Lake Erie Monsters Team Rank
Rushes 190 21
Rushing Yards 755 22
Yards Per Carry 3.97 19
Pass Attempts 348 1
Completions 211 1
Passing Yards 2524 1
Yards Per Attempt 7.25 10
3rd Down Conversions 36.8 25
Points Per Game 26.3 3
Turnovers 14 17 (T)
Turnover Margin +9 2 (T)

Ppponents Team Rank
Rushes 194 14 (T)
Rushing Yards 750 13
Yards Per Carry 3.86 13 (T)
Pass Attempts 297 30
Completions 162 23 (T)
Passing Yards 1946 26
Yards Per Attempt 6.55 12
3rd Down Conversions 35.3 9
Points Per Game 16.3 7
Turnovers 23 1


About what I expected – we’re just an average team in most respects, who happens to throw the ball like crazy. Our big plus right now is causing turnovers, where we have been great. If we can gin up the offensive engines, then perhaps we can get things going at our higher level in time for the playoffs.

So far:
Beyer – 2,524 yards, 18/14
Dylla – 618 rushing, 554 receiving
Shields – 775 yards, 6 TD


Week 9: Wheeling (4-3-1) at Lake Erie (6-2)

We get another solid defensive effort, and a 24-3 win. Dylla has another big game running with 147 yards – only his second 100+ yard game in a Monster uniform (not a single one last year, despite getting 1,000 for the season).

Week 11: Lake Erie (7-2) at Louisville (3-5-1)

We have lost LB Marshall Hogenkamp for the season – and that will really hurt. We will use Godfrey as a starter, and will have to rotate a variety of guys in as backups.

We eke out a narrow 17-14, with the winning TD coming on a late pass to Norm Shields. We keep winning, but we are not cruising like we did or much of last season.

Week 12: Champaign (8-2) at Lake Erie (8-2)

Pretty big game, hosting another team with a very good record. And again, we get a nice close win, 31-28, winning with a FG at the buzzer. Beyer tops 400 yards passing, as our offense is showing some more signs of exploding.

Week 13: Key West (5-6) at Lake Erie (9-2)

We have problems at WR, as Penrice continues to suffer injuries, and now Andy Riley is banged up. But we win again, with defense, 15-3. Shields and Tetreault both go over 10 yards, as we put up big yardage, but just not big points.

Week 14: Ypsilanti (7-5) at Lake Erie (10-2)

Ypsilanti was much-hyped in the preseason, but are struggling just to stay in the playoff hunt. All four of our top receivers are listed on the injury report – we’re dying here!

This one becomes a total shootout, but we get the win 41-33. We withstand a furious 16-point comeback to win by one TD. QB Edger Beyer has three TD passes, and WR Norm Shields gets his second rushing TD of the season. S Sean Acree has another TD off an interception – his second of the season, as he has become probably our best overall defensive player.

Week 15: Lake Erie (11-2) at Wheeling (7-5-1)

We get another solid, typical win on the road, 23-13. Nicky Dylla has another 100-yard game, and Shields has his first 200-yard game of the season. Both are again on pace for all-pro consideration yet again this year. Dylla has topped 1,000 yards rushing already, and is standing at 969 receiving – he may easily eclipse his impressive marks from last year, as we have two more games to go.

Week 16: Lake Erie (12-2) at Sault Ste. Marie (6-8)

Our big run comes to an end, as we get stung on the road, 26-20. We tie it up at the end of regulation, but they win it with an overtime TD pass. Big aerial circus here, with over 800 yards passing between the two teams.

Week 17: Ocean City (7-8) at Lake Erie (12-3)

We are atop the conference standings, but there’s a weird situation as the West division has three separate teams sitting at 11-4. Any one of them might conceivably catch us for the top seed – so we have something to play for here. But the bye week is a done deal.

We lose our second straight, taking a tough 27-10 loss, and end the season on a slight down note. Hopefully the week off will rejuvenate our wounded, and help us going forward.



ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
017 Regular Season Standings

AC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ake Erie 12 4 0 .750 392 278 9-3 4-2
heeling 8 7 1 .531 267 232 5-6-1 2-3-1
cean City 8 8 0 .500 334 305 6-6 2-4
ouisville 6 9 1 .406 301 315 5-6-1 3-2-1

AC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ort Knox 9 6 1 .594 386 404 8-3-1 4-2
ensacola 7 9 0 .438 298 378 5-7 4-2
ort Wayne 6 10 0 .375 237 268 4-8 3-3
ittle Rock 5 11 0 .313 281 385 3-9 1-5

AC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ey West 9 7 0 .563 338 342 5-7 4-2
ashua 9 7 0 .563 332 253 5-7 3-3
anhattan 8 8 0 .500 352 376 6-6 5-1
iagara Falls 1 15 0 .063 269 404 0-12 0-6

AC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
heyenne 12 4 0 .750 416 327 10-2 4-2
ulsa 11 5 0 .688 365 365 8-4 3-3
ijuana 11 5 0 .688 356 285 8-4 3-3
apa Valley 10 5 1 .656 409 296 7-4-1 2-4

NC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
hampaign 10 6 0 .625 393 285 8-4 4-2
psilanti 9 7 0 .563 321 277 7-5 3-3
hunder Bay 7 9 0 .438 314 397 6-6 3-3
ault Ste. Marie 7 9 0 .438 298 379 5-7 2-4

NC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ermuda 8 8 0 .500 322 333 7-5 4-2
thens 8 8 0 .500 350 361 6-6 3-3
itty Hawk 5 11 0 .313 278 387 5-7 4-2
azatlan 5 11 0 .313 248 347 3-9 1-5

NC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
rovidence 12 4 0 .750 372 279 9-3 5-1
orfolk 9 7 0 .563 286 272 8-4 4-2
exarkana 7 9 0 .438 300 286 7-5 1-5
awk Mountain 5 11 0 .313 287 310 4-8 2-4

NC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
uget Sound 12 4 0 .750 355 236 8-4 5-1
acramento 11 5 0 .688 380 312 8-4 3-3
emphis 4 12 0 .250 294 402 4-8 3-3
eath Valley 3 13 0 .188 316 371 1-11 1-5


The Western division was quite a race – I’ve never seen anything quite like that. Cheyenne pulls even with us at 12-4, and due to the conference record they take the top seed. If it goes that far, we’ll have to play at Cheyenne in the conference finals.


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
017 Summary for Lake Erie Monsters

ecord: 12-4
inning Pct.: .750

ake Erie Monsters Team Rank
ushes 369 28
ushing Yards 1512 24
ards Per Carry 4.09 12 (T)
ass Attempts 741 1
ompletions 443 1
assing Yards 5169 1
ards Per Attempt 6.97 11
rd Down Conversions 38.8 15
oints Per Game 24.5 3 (T)
urnovers 23 9 (T)
urnover Margin +19 1 (T)

pponents Team Rank
ushes 398 6
ushing Yards 1480 4
ards Per Carry 3.71 9
ass Attempts 626 32
ompletions 322 10
assing Yards 4144 30
ards Per Attempt 6.61 14
rd Down Conversions 36.8 10 (T)
oints Per Game 17.3 6 (T)
urnovers 42 1 (T)

eek Team Versus Oppnt
14 LVL 21
44 at TB 14
23 at TIJ 17
24 FKX 30
30 at PEN 17
26 at LTR 9
24 at OCY 13
26 FTW 10
24 WHE 3
1 17 at LVL 14
2 31 CHA 28
3 15 KW 3
4 41 YPS 33
5 23 at WHE 13
6 20 at SSM 26
7 10 OCY 27

assing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
2 Beyer QB 738 442 5157 6.98 33 21
*Team --- 741 443 5169 6.97 33 21

ushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
1 Dylla RB 307 1236 4.02 2
2 Beyer QB 40 221 5.52 0
*Team --- 369 1512 4.09 3

eceiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
4 Shields WR 223 124 1707 13.7 335 14
1 Dylla RB 167 124 1112 8.9 584 2
6 Riley WR 112 59 765 12.9 117 3
0 Tetreault WR 74 40 596 14.9 80 5
2 Penrice WR 54 28 361 12.8 61 3
9 Troy TE 47 26 291 11.1 58 2
5 Guajardo FB 34 21 130 6.1 55 1
3 Barnes TE 18 10 89 8.9 17 1
*Team --- 741 443 5169 11.6 1349 33

efense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
2 Lyon OLB 86 30 4.5 3 0 4
4 Cummings ILB 84 28 1.5 4 1 5
8 Acree S 81 29 0.0 2 11 19
2 Austin S 70 32 0.0 1 7 24
3 Shifflett CB 50 12 0.0 0 4 14
1 Londesbrough CB 49 24 0.0 0 3 10
0 Connell S 48 10 1.0 1 3 9
0 Hogenkamp OLB 45 15 1.0 2 2 7
9 Gilmore DT 45 18 7.0 12 0 0
6 Godfrey OLB 42 11 0.0 2 2 6
2 Smith DE 33 11 11.5 17 0 0
2 Waggoner DT 27 8 4.0 14 0 0
0 Elgar CB 22 2 1.0 0 1 3
7 Sullivan DT 19 8 2.0 10 0 1
3 Sanders DE 18 4 3.5 6 0 0
*Team --- 818 246 39.0 82 35 103


And so, our trio of offensive stars again post MVP-worthy numbers. Our offense didn’t score as much as last year, but Beyer, Dylla, and Shields all posted outstanding numbers yet again. I think Dylla might actually get consideration for league MVP this season, with his second straight 1,000/1,00 year by an even wider margin than last year. However, his puny total of only 4 TDs probably deep-sixes that hope.

It’s easy to overlook the OL when focusing on the team summary printout, but ours played very well this year. LT Rod Barlow led the way with 26/83 KRBs and only 1.0% sacks allowed. C Jimmy Eason also played well n his first year in the rotation.


Defensively, we end up slightly better than average – even against the pass. LB Lyon stepped into the role as our most effective man in the LB corps, as Hogenkamp was felled by injury. We lost DE DeLoach for most of the year again, but DE Smith gave us a solid effort, with a 6.3 PRPct – not too bad.

And in the secondary – safeties Acree and Austin both had very good seasons, helping out a lot. Donny Shifflett had a very adequate year as a full-time starter, getting a 20.2 PDPct and 4 interceptions. Rookie Harold Londesbrough posted solid numbers also – 3 int, 10 PD, and 19.8 PDPct. Pretty solid.

Our sack total dropped to 39 for the year – but I have no particularly good handle on that from year to year. We played reasonably well – and that’s all we could ask from this group, especially with all the injuries we dealt with.


Postseason Wrap-up


Divisional Playoff: Fort Knox (10-6-1) at Lake Erie (12-4)

We waste not time resolving this one, getting up 10-3 at the half, and then crushing them in the third quarter, and rolling up a 34-3 win. Edgar Beyer is in top form, with 378 yards, 4 TD, and no picks. Great effort by the offense in the second half to roll it up.


Conference Championship: Key West (11-7) at Lake Erie (13-4)

We luck out, to a degree, and get to play at home over the upstart Kingfishers. The downside here is that they have beaten us here before.

Beyer is on a mission, it seems – he racks up five more TD passes, and leads us to another 38-20 win. 461 yards passing on the day – our passing game is really rolling.


Superbowl: Bermuda (11-8) vs. Lake Erie (14-4)

As far as we’re concerned, there’ no luster lost – just because we are playing our second straight Cinderella team in the playoffs. We’re so hungry for a championship that we can taste it…

We get a punt blocked, and LB Kennedy Godfrey (starting this game at MLB, by the way) grabs the loose ball and hauls it in 28 yards for the score. However, we suffer a hug setback as Edgar Beyer gets nailed from behind, and is out for the game. Under reserve QB Billy Joe Mason, we drive on our next possession, and get a short TD pass to Andy Riley to lead 14-3 at the end of the first quarter.

However, with our offense running overtime during the playoffs, everyone expects a huge explosion of points. Now, we look downright conservative by nature – Mason is still passing a lot, but we shorten up and keep it contained. We slow everything down, and our defense plays well to preserve the lead through the third quarter, as we are up 14-9.

At that point, we just shut it down. Bermuda can’t even get more than one first down in the whole fourth quarter, and we simply coast home with a 14-9 win—getting our first Superbowl championship in thoroughly unexpected fashion.

QB Billy Joe Mason, who has thrown something like 20 passes in his two seasons with us, acquits himself fairly well in the game (24 of 52, 235 yards, 1 TD, 2 int) – and oddly enough gets the game ball as the MVP. I don’t know about that — LB Godfrey scored a touchdown, and that made quite a difference.

But it doesn’t matter.



Front Office Football: The Fourth Edition
2017 Awards List

Award Player Team
#Player of the Year Darrell McCormick KW
*Front Office Bowl MVP Billy Joe Mason LKE
oach of the Year Not Yet Awarded
egend of the Game Not Yet Awarded
#Offensive Player of the Year Darrell McCormick KW
#Defensive Player of the Year Jared Kasica TUL
#Offensive Rookie of the Year Wally Bishop TUL
#Defensive Rookie of the Year Peter Browning MAN
*All-League First-String Quarterback Edgar Beyer LKE
#All-League First-String Running Back Darrell McCormick KW
#All-League First-String Fullback Bernie Hank WHE
#All-League First-String Tight End Conrad Sullivan TXA
*All-League First-String Wide Receiver Norm Shields LKE
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Cornell Grigsby NV
#All-League First-String Center Omar Starks SAC
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Martin Jarvis DVY
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Ike Stephens TXA
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Austin Hansen WHE
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Willie Andrews MAN
#All-League First-String Punter Casey Horner FTW
#All-League First-String Kicker Bernard Richardson DVY
#All-League First-String Defensive End Tommie Rupp NOR
#All-League First-String Defensive End Cedric Martin NSH
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle O.J. Bailey NOR
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Irving Gomez TXA
#All-League First-String Inside Linebacker Robbie Shepherd CHY
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Jared Kasica TUL
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Malcolm Martin NV
#All-League First-String Cornerback Moe Seale TB
#All-League First-String Cornerback Lance Maloney FTW
#All-League First-String Safety Jon Gonzalez CHY
#All-League First-String Safety Walter Murray HWK
#All-League Second-String Quarterback Kirk Cortez TIJ
*All-League Second-String Running Back Nicky Dylla LKE
#All-League Second-String Fullback Bryant Marshall OCY
#All-League Second-String Tight End Tyrus Keung TB
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Marc Snead CHA
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Sedrick Mitchell MEM
#All-League Second-String Center R.J. Winters KYH
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Wally Oshiro SAC
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Alan Kimmel TUL
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Brett Johnston TXA
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Emmitt Natale HWK
#All-League Second-String Punter Kris Bruce OCY
#All-League Second-String Kicker Myron Boyajian SAC
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Jimmie Boucher NSH
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Edgar Newsome BER
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Grady Bagette YPS
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Vince Rivera PEN
#All-League Second-String Inside Linebacker Cris Wedderburn BER
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Karl Odegard PEN
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Wayne Lowe TIJ
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Jumbo Myers SSM
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Bo Perkins PRV
*All-League Second-String Safety Sean Acree LKE
#All-League Second-String Safety Chuck Damon ATH


So, Dylla has to settle for second team – okay. All three of our top guns get honors again. I’m not sure Edgar Beyer deserves quite as much kudos this year as last, but regardless, we are pleased. Safety Sean Acree had a really good season, too.

Well – the quest for a title has been keeping me interested for several seasons now. Where do we go from here?

[QuikSand]

Karim - for some reason, this year our defense caused more big plays - turnovers, at least. I agree with you, this is a pretty big deal, and one of the things that this team has traditionally not been very good at.

Stopping the run is a mercurial exercise - I really try to get guys with strengths here, but getting a defense that's especially good against the run seems to be a tough thing to find and maintain.

Good insights, there. I love how the FOF4 team summary information makes that so easy to do.

[MIJB#19]

Finally a Bowl victory, after so many seasons.
You're losing it, Sand...

QB Billy Joe Mason ... oddly enough gets the game ball as the MVP.QB controversy?

[Bee]

Didn't Billy Joe Mason jump off the Tallahatchee Bridge?

[sachmo71]

YAY!! Way to go, Quick! Now cut everyone and start over! Call it new ownership or something...

[QuikSand]

On a side note - i was offered a first round pick fo QB Mason pre-season. The offer faild my "fairness test," but I thought about it anyway -- thinking maybe a modified version of some sort might be sensible. (I add in a 3rd rounder or something)

Then, I decided that keeping Mason around made sense - I'd hate to lose a whole season if Beyer went down, since QB is so essential to our gameplan. Turns out that was the right way to go, I suppose (though he didn't exactly "win" the game for us, exactly).


Anyway, MIJB. Maybe I am losing it... or maybe, just maybe, this game has a few added features that actually make it a shade more challenging than its predecessors. It's certainly a *very* different game than the one you play (FOF2, if I recall correctly) in that regard.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Congratulations! Well done! Finally!

I say keep going. See how Beyer's career finishes out. Can he repeat?

Or is it time for a little CM4?

Originally posted by Karim

1) When you stop the run consistently during the season, you are playoff bound.

2) Your passing yardage allowed has only cracked the top ten, three times. Ironically, in two of those years you still missed the playoffs, once because you were 29th in rushing yards allowed.

Ah! But maybe...

...if he is playoff bound, he is winning often. Because he is winning often, he is playing with leads often. Because he is playing with leads, his opponents are playing catch up. Because he opponents are playing catch up, they are passing more and running less. Because they are passing more and running less, Quik's defense has gives up fewer rushing yards and more passing yards. So...

Because he is playoff bound, he is stopping the run?

[Fonzie]

Congratulations QS!

[QuikSand]

2018 offseason

Okay, we have our first offseason as league champions. Huzzah, huzzah. Considering the defending champs have gone 1 for 14 in defending the title, that’s no cinch.

We have three retirements from the squad – and none come as much of a surprise. CB Donny Shifflett filled in for us at CB last year when we really needed him. Now, he gets his grand send-off, and the obligatory honor as the “legend of the game.”

MLB Bob Cummings was a solid MLB, who was clearly in his twilight. Ha gave us several years in the middle, and was a central piece in a very solid defense over the years.

WR Henry Penrice was a “rental” player – signed to help bring some veteran leadership to our squad. He had won it all before, and played a role in helping out our less experienced players. However, he had trouble staying healthy, and has let it go after getting his third championship ring. He also holds a 3-yard edge on Ethan Swope as the career league-leading receiver – and they both retired, so he’ll hold that one.

We’ll eat some cap space for those three – but all told, I don’t regret any of those signings.


I’m not making any front office changes, so we head right toward players’ free agency.

Here’s free agent roster, sorted by current skill:


Front Office Football: The Fourth Edition
Lake Erie Monsters Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct OnTeam
Shields, Norm 84 SE 7 76 76 --- 2012
Lyon, Omar 52 SLB 8 64 64 --- 2015
Acree, Sean 48 SS 8 61 61 --- 2015
Mallard, Tommie 61 RT 8 61 61 --- 2015
Eason, Jimmy 58 C 8 59 59 --- 2016
Harden, Richie 63 LG 9 57 57 --- 2015
Riley, Andy 86 SE 8 53 53 --- 2011
Perez, D.J. 15 K 4 51 51 --- 2015
Hogenkamp, Marshall 90 SLB 12 50 50 --- 2007
Gilmore, Courtney 99 RDT 8 49 49 --- 2011
Gregg, Drew 10 P 2 38 40 --- 2017
Troy, Reuben 89 TE 2 34 37 --- 2017
Dugans, Shawn 44 FS 8 32 32 --- 2011
Reilly, Dwight 9 QB 8 31 45 --- 2016
Turner, Michael 32 RB 2 23 28 --- 2017
O'Donnell, Earnest 50 MLB 2 23 31 --- 2017
Sullivan, Clyde 67 RDT 4 23 36 --- 2015
Castillo, Lewis 33 RB 3 21 29 --- 2017
Donnelly, Teddy 71 RDT 2 19 23 --- 2017
Arbuckle, Derek 39 RB 3 16 22 --- 2016
Shello, Rex 26 FL 3 13 35 --- 2016
Woodson, Ty 19 QB 2 9 36 --- 2017

Players Under Contract: 28

Salary Cap: $159,300,000
Cap Room: $57,870,000
Maximum for New Player: $42,500,000
Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $7,990,000

Cap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0
Cap Room Required Next Year: $62,550,000


And before I get too deep into this discussion about our plans for the season – I need to offer this: Edgar Beyer may be done. His injury in the Superbowl was pretty serious, and he’s currently listed as out for 16 more weeks with MCL knee surgery. When he is back to full health, it’s certainly possible that he is a completely different player than before the injury. So, for the season ahead—that fact dominates our thinking.

I’ll be prepared to go into next season with Billy Joe Mason as our starter – but it’s simply not the same, of course.


With that – we do need to maintain the other vital cogs of our offense, and that starts with WR Norm Shields. He’s asking for about $16m a season – and it’ tough to argue that he’s not worth it. I start off with a flat offer of $48m over 4 years – but I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him around.

WR Andy Riley is looking for a huge deal – he wants $9m a year or more. I don’t see that happening, and I fear he may be on his way toward the free agent market along with Solwold and Pierce from last year. That would leave me with another hole to fill – but it’s not inconceivable that we could do that.

With my starting linebackers Hogenkamp and Lyon both up for new deals, we are undoubtedly gong to be in transition there. Both guys want fat deals – and I suspect we might not retain either guy. That would mean an entirely new fleet of ‘backers in there this year, though it’s possible- even likely- that we’d just elevate Kennedy Godfrey to a starting role. Elsewhere, my recent LB draft picks are all flameouts, so we’ll have to sign some guys who can help.

We had signed DT Courtney Gilmore to a short term deal, because I didn’t think he was really a $9m player. Well – he still seems to think that he is. That may prove tough – I may do better with two decent guys than by re-signing him for a fortune again.

Even Sean Acree looks like he may be heading out – he, too, has decided he is a big, big star. He gave us a great season last year, and now he wants big bucks. I can’t hold this team together at all, it seems.


Another thing to keep in mind for this season – we hold two first round picks this year, and they are at #3 and #15. So, we ought to be able to count on some real help from the rookie class, unlike many recent years.

My preliminary look suggests that we will certainly be able to secure a future star at either CB or DL with that top pick, if we are so inclined (and I suspect we will be). The #15 is more sketchy, but it’s very likely that we’ll get another immediate impact player—perhaps at LB?


We put in a few value FA bids, including a deal for P Sammy Noa, who came up with us for three years. We also pursue C Don Willis, a solid pass-inclined lineman who will play cheaply.

A 3yr offer to LB Nolan Bustos is my best attempt to resolve our MLB situation fairly cheaply. He’s a developing player with Tijuana, but my scout thinks he could do well right away.

CB Matt Duffy has been productive – and a playmaker – when he has played for Wheeling. We’ll try to get him aboard, potentially to become a starter for us at the corner. Our secondary is again under transition, so we could use a solid talent like him.

G Dusty Whitfield is looking for a multi-year deal, and we think he might be our best fit to start at LG. A bit pricey (over $2m) but he looks pretty good, too.


As we start out, my main plan is to wrap up WR Shields, and then focus on our target positions. I’m not planning to shell out top dollar for anyone anywhere – we’ll look for good fits among the relatively affordable players.

I’d like to bring back LB Hogenkamp, but I won’t pay him $10m a year while he’s already declining. I’d be willing to go to about $7 or $8m, and will hope that he gets more reasonable as the FA process rolls on – assuming he doesn’t get snapped up by someone willing to shell out top dollar.

Another player I’ll be watching is WR Cornell Pierce. After playing his one year deal last season, he’s only looking for about $4-5m a year – and that might be within our budget. I’d be glad to get him back, where he’d probably step right in to start again at the flanker spot.


So, we start things off. In the very first week, WR Norm Shields immediately re-signs with us for our initial offer. Fabulous!

LB Omar Lyon has the biggest offer of anyone - $97m over 6 years. He’d be a fool not to take it, and head to Nashua.

Elsewhere – no surprises. P Sammy Noa agrees to return, and we look good elsewhere.


After four weeks, we have our whole initial target list signed. Done – and we have $13.8m left to spend. We need to get about ten players for that much, of course, but that still leaves maybe $10m for 7 players or so. We can work with that.

In week 8, LB Omar Lyon signs – but he spurns Nashua to sign with Ocean City – staying in the division with us. Also, WR Andy Riley finally got he deal he wanted, and has signed for $9m a year with Champaign. Now, DT Courtney Gilmore has an offer for more than $8m/yr, and I doubt that I’ll make any effort to match that.

In week 10, DT Gilmore, S Acree, and G Harden all leave us for greener pastures. Winning it all certainly heightens the sense of cash for some of these guys.


I find a defensive end, Mel Elliott, who looks like a pretty good value at around $3-4 million a season. With all the injuries we’ve suffered on the DL, having one extra solid player certainly cannot be a bad move. We offer him a 3yr deal.

And I’m still waiting on WR Cornell Pierce. His price is gradually dropping – and I want to wait him out, until he’ll take $12m over three years.

DT Oliver Boyd is another solid presence for our defensive line – and his price is only about $2m a year. I expect he can fill the shoes of Courtney Gilmore quite well, actually. His signing gives us 8 defensive linemen under contract – enough to feel pretty comfortable, even with the slew of injuries we seem to get every season.


Well, we definitely won’t be able to keep LB Hogenkamp aboard – his demands are still around $8m a season, and I’m well past that mark. So, I need to look for somebody to play some LB for us this season, as I feel like I only have two starting caliber players on the roster right now. I cannot, however, find anyone who looks like a suitable player for our budget amount. I may have to depend on the draft to fill our need there – a dicey proposition, the way we’ve been doing with drafted linebackers.

Facing that, I decide to put in an offer to LB Leroy Peterson, who I believe to be a bit better than my various backups on the team right now. Ideally, he’ll be a 4th or even 5th guy – but if we need a starter, he might be okay in a pinch.


I break down, and make my offer to WR Cornell Giles – 3yrs, $13.2m. That’s enough to get him interested, finally – and we return one of our “fearsome foursome” back to the fold. Honestly – where is he going to catch more passes than right back here in Lake Erie?

And now, we’re ready to head into the rookie draft. We have needs to fill all over the place, and fairly little money sitting about to spend unwisely. but with two pretty nice draft picks looming – maybe we can get some immediate help from the incoming class.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Originally posted by QuikSand
2018 offseasonAnd before I get too deep into this discussion about our plans for the season – I need to offer this: Edgar Beyer may be done. His injury in the Superbowl was pretty serious, and he’s currently listed as out for 16 more weeks with MCL knee surgery. When he is back to full health, it’s certainly possible that he is a completely different player than before the injury.

Such a bummer. And he didn't even get to go to Disneyland.

[Karim]

Originally posted by Godzilla Blitz
Because he is winning often, he is playing with leads often. Because he is playing with leads, his opponents are playing catch up. Because he opponents are playing catch up, they are passing more and running less. Because they are passing more and running less, Quik's defense has gives up fewer rushing yards and more passing yards.

Good point. The high-powered offense masks any deficiencies there actually may be in the run defense.

[MIJB#19]

Originally posted by QuikSand
Anyway, MIJB. Maybe I am losing it... or maybe, just maybe, this game has a few added features that actually make it a shade more challenging than its predecessors. It's certainly a *very* different game than the one you play (FOF2, if I recall correctly) in that regard. I was just kidding of course.
Maybe, for the FOF4 players, this sounds like good news.

Referring to FOF2, I hardly play it anymore.
Especially the unrealistic AI drafting has made it very tough for me to keep interested.
I tried a new career a few days ago, though, starting as an expansion team and allowing me to sign any FA player I want, I ended up with the top rated FA's in numerous positions (WR, G, T, 2 DT, 2 LB, 1 CB).
Now I am thinking to restart with only self drafted players (not sure about expansion draft, that only has expensive backup WR, undevelopped mediocre cheap talent and 4/4/40 lineman).
I'm really thinking about buying fof4, but I will not take action until the "college" year 2002/2003 is over for me (that could be within 5 hours starting... 1 minute ago.)

[QuikSand]

2018 draft and camp

Okay, sitting at #3 in the draft, we have some good options. Here are the top three guys on the board, for our purposes (keeping in mind our team needs, that is):

DT Cornell Dunn – looks like a future DL titan, does it all, outstanding
DE Jerald Terry – dominant pass rusher and run stopper, should be a star
CB Darrell Norton – should be just a shade below topped out across the board

Any of these three would make a great signing for us – I’d be thrilled with any of them. My continuing desire to improve against the run probably makes DT Dunn my first choice, but any would be great. That might allow us an opportunity to move down in the draft and still get one of the three, while simultaneously picking up some help elsewhere.

By the way, ILB Brent Kennedy is really the only LB worthy of a first round pick in this draft – so if he’s there at #15, that would be great for us.


1. Niagara Falls - Dunn, Cornell, DT, Northwestern
2. Death Valley - Terry, Jerald, DE, Georgia Tech


Well, that certainly made things a bit clearer. It looks like we should just use the #3 pick and grab the cornerback – and we’ll go from there.

As LB Kennedy remains available at pick 10 and then 12, I feel like I need to grab him – and not leave anything to chance here. It costs us our 4th rounder, but we move up from #15 to #13 to get LB Kennedy, who fills probably the most desperate need on the team. Kennedy is undersized, but we think he can play for us – even in the middle spot.


Amateur Draft Report:

Rnd 1 - Brent Kennedy, ILB, Arkansas
Rnd 1 - Darrell Norton, CB, Tulane
Rnd 2 - Maurice Reese, ILB, Iowa State
Rnd 3 - Luke Givens, WR, Colorado
Rnd 5 - William Bjornson, QB, Arizona State
Rnd 6 - Edward Nickell, RB, Temple
Rnd 7 - Willie Fleming, RB, Florida State


I’m pretty excited about LB Maurice Reese, who I think might eventually become a serious pass-rushing threat for us. He’ll be listed as a weak-side linebacker, but it’s possible that he gets his playing time as a situational DE.

WR Givens is a fill-in and a returner – we’re going to be thin at receiver this season, so he should get some time both ways. Little upside here, I fear.


To fill in the roster, we need to make a cut or two, just to get up to our minimum number at each position. That means 4 QBs, since Beyer is listed as out for now. We are extremely thin for the season – no money to fill in for injuries at all. Dicey.



Front Office Football: The Fourth Edition
Lake Erie Monsters Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct OnTeam
#Beyer, Edgar 12 QB 8 71 71 3 yrs. 2011
$Mason, Billy Joe 13 QB 7 48 62 1 yr. 2016
ayne, Hugh 8 QB 1 10 30 1 yr. 2018
jornson, William 4 QB 1 7 41 3 yrs. 2018
$Dylla, Nicky 31 RB 8 72 72 1 yr. 2016
leming, Willie 25 RB 1 26 38 2 yrs. 2018
ickell, Edward 37 RB 1 25 35 2 yrs. 2018
uajardo, Tim 45 FB 3 40 57 1 yr. 2016
$Hamilton, Rusty 34 FB 12 35 35 1 yr. 2007
$Barnes, Billy Joe 83 TE 2 34 49 2 yrs. 2017
ardocki, Wayne 85 TE 1 17 49 1 yr. 2018
$Pierce, Cornell 87 FL 6 51 51 3 yrs. 2018
ivens, Luke 81 FL 1 17 36 3 yrs. 2018
$Shields, Norm 84 SE 7 76 76 3 yrs. 2012
etreault, Devin 80 SE 6 52 52 2 yrs. 2017
$Barlow, Rod 79 LT 5 87 87 2 yrs. 2014
$Briggs, Sam 70 LG 6 67 69 1 yr. 2017
$Whitfield, Dusty 69 LG 7 51 60 3 yrs. 2018
oodwin, Derek 75 LG 7 47 48 1 yr. 2016
$Willis, Don 54 C 6 54 66 2 yrs. 2018
rmstrong, Broderick 56 C 9 39 39 1 yr. 2015
$Shepherd, Mike 74 RT 8 47 52 1 yr. 2017
ones, Roman 66 RT 5 38 45 2 yrs. 2018
oa, Sammy 11 P 5 86 86 3 yrs. 2018
erubeis, Daniel 3 K 1 38 47 1 yr. 2018
$DeLoach, Jerry 53 LDE 4 61 68 3 yrs. 2015
lliott, Mel 97 LDE 6 45 53 3 yrs. 2018
$Newton, Deron 98 LDT 8 41 46 1 yr. 2016
$Waggoner, Erik 72 RDT 9 48 48 1 yr. 2016
oyd, Otis 78 RDT 7 48 50 3 yrs. 2018
$Smith, Dominic 92 RDE 6 57 57 3 yrs. 2017
anders, Dana 93 RDE 6 37 40 1 yr. 2013
eecroft, Phillip 95 RDE 2 24 45 3 yrs. 2017
eterson, Leroy 91 SLB 6 17 43 3 yrs. 2018
$Kennedy, Brent 99 SILB 1 38 73 6 yrs. 2018
$Bustos, Nolan 94 MLB 6 46 57 3 yrs. 2018
arrow, J.C. 57 MLB 4 28 43 1 yr. 2015
$Godfrey, Kennedy 96 WLB 8 49 49 1 yr. 2011
eese, Maurice 59 WLB 1 29 42 5 yrs. 2018
indley, Daryl 51 WLB 2 17 43 3 yrs. 2017
$Duffy, Matt 24 LCB 6 48 55 3 yrs. 2018
$Londesbrough, Harold 41 LCB 2 40 58 2 yrs. 2017
orton, Darrell 35 LCB 1 29 70 6 yrs. 2018
chroeder, Lonnie 38 LCB 4 21 46 1 yr. 2017
lgar, Rob 30 RCB 2 24 43 2 yrs. 2017
$Connell, Jason 40 FS 12 50 50 1 yr. 2013
$Austin, Tom 42 FS 9 50 50 2 yrs. 2010
ugans, Shawn 44 FS 8 32 32 1 yr. 2011

$ - player is in starting lineup, ## - player is inactive.

Players Under Contract: 48
On Active Roster: 47

Salary Cap: $159,300,000
Cap Room: $290,000
Maximum for New Player: $290,000
Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $8,670,000

Cap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $1,260,000
Cap Room Required Next Year: $121,700,000



I’ll be watching a couple of teams this year. Fort Worth has signed QB Mel Zercie, who is a top-level guy, to the infamous 1one year deal. Champaign signed Jerry Hartzell (one of three one-year QBs they signed this year) who is also very, very good. I’m guessing that both teams will make big temporary improvements this season, behind top-drawer QBs for practically nothing.


Anyway – with the signing of CB Darrell Norton, we look a good deal better off in the secondary. We’ll be starting S Jason Connell, who has been a utility man for us for the last several years. Norton will slide in as our nickel back, and will get some time to grow into his coverage role (he’s not very ready to play right away, really).

But the big question for us is obviously Edgar Beyer. If he comes back, then we probably have a tough year here and then get right back where we were. If he cannot fully recover from his injuries, then we’ve got an awful lot of cap money locked into a guy who isn’t worth it – and that’s not the way to go.

[QuikSand]

2018 season

So, it all falls onto the shoulders of Billy Joe Mason. He’s obviously the lynchpin for the team this season. If he can play especially well, we are a playoff team and maybe a contender. If he doesn’t play well, we probably drop to the ranks of pretenders. Pretty simple.

I’ll also be watching as one of my favorite Monsters, LB Marshall Hogenkamp, plies his wares for Nashua this season. Nashua is a team that tends to do well in the FA market – and I’m sure he’ll give them a solid season for a bargain price.


As we prepare to start the season, we check the numbers. We have the third-rated roster overall, with a 92 to Texarkana’s 100 and Nashua’s 96. We’re behind those two in the power ratings, also.


We get through the exhibition games, but we have injuries. WR Norm Shields gets hurt, but he should be a go for our season opener. But in the preseason, at least, our defense has been playing very crisply – and we might be pleasantly surprised there.


Week 1: Lake Erie at Wheeling

Well, we open up on a sour note – not that this is the first time that’s happened to us, though. Billy Joe gets us out ahead with three TD passes in the first half, but then we fold up and give it away, losing 30-21. Mason is 23 of 47 for only 214 yards, and has one pick to go with his three scores. Not terrible – but not great, either. We’re simply more effective when we push the ball downfield.

Week 2: Athens (1-0) at Lake Erie (0-1)

We take a tough loss at home, and the word is out—Lake Erie’s a dead fish. Mason has two picks, including one returned for a TD for the game’s first score, and we lose 26-20. We need to rebound – and do it in a hurry.

Week 3: Fort Knox (0-2) at Lake Erie (0-2)

We get the offense back on track, and this time the defense plays well, too – and we secure a 37-20 win. Nicky Dylla goes for 123 on the ground, and Mason is much improved as he gets 3 TD and no picks.

We get a week off to try to build on the best game of the short season.

Week 5: Cheyenne (1-2) at Lake Erie (1-2)

Okay, Mason and Norm Shields get onto the same page, and we get another good showing here, a 24-16 win. Shields gets 169 yards and 2 TDs on the day, and we are looking pretty good again on offense. What’s the word around the league now? “All system.”

Week 6: Napa Valley (3-2) at Lake Erie (2-2)

This is a very even game, but Napa takes the win, 38-28. Mason has 4 TD passes in the loss, and only one pick – we cannot hang this on him. Our defense, though, had some lapses – and are looking shaky against the run again.

And now we have lost WR Devin Tetreault to a shoulder injury, and he is gone for the year. That puts rookie WR Luke Givens front and center – on the spot to play in the slot for us. I’m not very comfy with that, but we simply don’t have great options.

Week 7: Lake Erie (2-3) at Tijuana (4-1)

We lose on the road, and at 2-4, we are looking like a team in trouble. Four turnovers are the real problem this week, but it doesn’t much matter how we lost, it’s that we are at 2-4.

Week 8: Lake Erie (2-4) at Tulsa (4-2)

We face another solid team on the road – but her, we get a much-needed win, 17-13. Billy Joe Mason throws 4 interceptions, but our defense plays a great game, and we keep it in hand.

Week 9: Lake Erie (3-4) at Ocean City (5-3)

We get back on top, with a mighty 37-3 win over the Thrashers. CB Matt Duffy gets a TD off an interception, and we get a nice win despite not using the running game much at all.

That’s our halfway point – time for a rundown of the numbers:


Lake Erie Monsters Team Rank
Rushes 166 30
Rushing Yards 661 30
Yards Per Carry 3.98 19
Pass Attempts 354 1
Completions 208 2
Passing Yards 2392 2
Yards Per Attempt 6.75 20
3rd Down Conversions 34.6 23
Points Per Game 25.0 4
Turnovers 17 22 (T)
Turnover Margin -2 21 (T)

Opponents Team Rank
Rushes 215 14
Rushing Yards 738 3
Yards Per Carry 3.43 1
Pass Attempts 311 25 (T)
Completions 179 24 (T)
Passing Yards 1879 13
Yards Per Attempt 6.04 3
3rd Down Conversions 39.8 23 (T)
Points Per Game 21.1 17
Turnovers 15 14 (T)


Well, we remain very effective in passing efficiency – and our 21/11 ration of TDs to interceptions isn’t too bad at all. Yards per carry is weak – we’d rather be around 4.3 or so with that.

Defensively, there’s very little to complain about – we are stopping the run, and are stopping the pass, too. We’re not making a ton of big plays, but if we can stay top-ranked in both run defense and pass defense, we should be able to work through our offensive inconsistencies.

Edger Beyer is listed as out for 6 more weeks, by the way.


Week 10: Wheeling (3-4-1) at Lake Erie (4-4)

We exact our revenge against the Dealers, getting a 23-17 win and overcoming their late rally to get close. We really dominated the game, until they scored twice late to make it interesting. Mason was shaky again – 4 picks to one score.

Week 11: Louisville (5-4) at Lake Erie (5-4)

Another narrow victory, but it’s a win, 21-17. Billy Joe Mason gets his act together, and is mistake-free this game, and we needed it.

But Edgar Beyer is now upgraded to probable – and I think it’s time to check him out. He looks okay, but we will ease him into work, putting him into the #2 spot for this week.

Week 12: Lake Erie (6-4) at Mazatlan (3-6-1)

We get a solid 20-16 win here – that’s three nail-biters in a row for our Monsters. Mason has the offense under control, but he himself is just not that reliable – he tosses three more picks in this game.

Despite the winning streak, we’ll go to Edgar Beyer for the next game. We have to see what he’s made of.

Week 13: Lake Erie (7-4) at Key West (7-4)

Beyer is 30 of 53, and makes only one mistake – but it’s a bad one, as his interception gets returned 97 yards for the score. Key West has a blizzard of offense in the third quarter, and beats us 35-13. Despite the score – we actually outgained them by nearly 100 yards. They just got a lot of breaks, and on the scoreboard lapped us badly.

I’ll stick with Beyer – underneath the W/L problem, he played well and is clearly our ticket to the top, if we want to get back there.

Week 14: Kitty Hawk (5-7) at lake Erie (7-5)

Edger Beyer is back in the saddle now, and he reels off a pretty solid game—we win 23-10, as the defense plays well once again. Dylla runs for 150 yards, and top 1,000 for the season. He’s 209 yards short of another 1,000/1,000 season – which would b his third running for us.

Week 15: Ocean City (6-7) at Lake Erie (8-5)

We are tied with Louisville for the division lead- so these division games are very big. It’s the defense’s show again, as they hold the Thrashers to 225 yards total offense, and we win 13-6.

Week 16: Lake Erie (9-5) at Bermuda (7-7)

We’re in the playoff hunt, but have to travel to face our Superbowl opponents from a year ago. The sting us 28-14, with help from a long punt return to break a tie, and we drop to 9-6. We’re a game behind Louisville for the division title, and will be out of the playoffs if we don’t beat them in the finale.

Week 17: Lake Erie (19-6) at Louisville (10-5)

This one is for the division, winner takes all. Loser will very likely be sitting out the playoffs. So, for us – it’s like the playoffs come a week early – win and go on, lose and go home.

We’ve again lost DE Jerry DeLoach to injury –he played most of the season, but is now out for the rest of the way.

Louisville responds to the pressure, and we simply do not. They win 23-3, and we fall to 9-7, and will be out of the postseason this year – a weak follow-up to our mighty championship run last year. Edgar Beyer, back in as our starter, is simply not the player he once was, and we struggled to a lousy 2-3 mark under his hand down the stretch.




ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
018 Regular Season Standings

AC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ouisville 11 5 0 .688 389 273 7-5 3-3
ake Erie 9 7 0 .563 330 321 7-5 4-2
cean City 8 8 0 .500 291 328 5-7 2-4
heeling 6 9 1 .406 285 303 5-7 3-3

AC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ort Wayne 9 7 0 .563 321 284 6-6 3-3
ensacola 7 9 0 .438 336 355 5-7 3-3
ort Knox 6 10 0 .375 317 380 5-7 2-4
ittle Rock 5 11 0 .313 270 345 5-7 4-2

AC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ashua 13 3 0 .813 368 220 10-2 5-1
ey West 10 6 0 .625 366 301 7-5 2-4
anhattan 8 8 0 .500 357 364 5-7 3-3
iagara Falls 5 11 0 .313 318 391 3-9 2-4

AC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ijuana 11 5 0 .688 326 289 9-3 4-2
ulsa 11 5 0 .688 327 254 8-4 4-2
apa Valley 7 9 0 .438 315 309 6-6 2-4
heyenne 5 11 0 .313 286 369 3-9 2-4

NC North W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ault Ste. Marie 9 6 1 .594 338 328 7-4-1 4-1-1
hampaign 7 9 0 .438 299 335 5-7 3-3
hunder Bay 5 11 0 .313 341 396 4-8 2-4
psilanti 4 11 1 .281 256 323 4-7-1 2-3-1

NC South W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
ermuda 8 8 0 .500 355 311 6-6 2-4
itty Hawk 6 9 1 .406 291 346 6-5-1 4-1-1
thens 6 10 0 .375 267 304 4-8 4-2
azatlan 4 10 2 .313 284 398 3-8-1 1-4-1

NC East W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
orfolk 11 5 0 .688 332 284 9-3 5-1
awk Mountain 9 6 1 .594 266 286 5-6-1 1-4-1
exarkana 8 7 1 .531 369 349 6-5-1 3-2-1
rovidence 8 8 0 .500 418 343 6-6 2-4

NC West W L T Pct PF PA Conf Div
acramento 14 2 0 .875 364 232 12-0 6-0
eath Valley 10 6 0 .625 345 314 7-5 3-3
uget Sound 8 8 0 .500 336 345 6-6 2-4
emphis 4 12 0 .250 332 415 3-9 1-5


Obviously a disappointing season – I felt it could work out this way, but I honestly didn’t think it would unfold quite like this. We looked awfully good for a while, and it’s hard to pinpoint Billy Joe as the reason we dropped off this year. Maybe it was just the overall thinning of the team— after all, we did lose quite a lot of players to free agency this season.



Front Office Football: The Fourth Edition
2018 Summary for Lake Erie Monsters

Record: 9-7
winning Pct.: .562

ake Erie Monsters Team Rank
ushes 336 31
ushing Yards 1364 30
ards Per Carry 4.05 13
ass Attempts 715 1
ompletions 412 1
assing Yards 4703 1
ards Per Attempt 6.57 23
rd Down Conversions 37.0 15
oints Per Game 20.6 16
urnovers 34 28
urnover Margin -11 27 (T)

pponents Team Rank
ushes 434 19
ushing Yards 1611 11
ards Per Carry 3.71 5
ass Attempts 594 26
ompletions 341 21
assing Yards 3592 6
ards Per Attempt 6.04 3
rd Down Conversions 38.8 23 (T)
oints Per Game 20.0 15
urnovers 23 25 (T)

eek Team Versus Oppnt
21 at WHE 30
20 ATH 26
37 FKX 20
24 CHY 16
28 NV 38
16 at TIJ 23
17 at TUL 13
37 at OCY 3
0 23 WHE 17
1 21 LVL 17
2 20 at MAZ 16
3 13 at KW 35
4 23 KYH 10
5 13 OCY 6
6 14 at BER 28
7 3 at LVL 23

assing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
3 Mason QB 495 279 3341 6.74 27 18
2 Beyer QB 220 133 1362 6.19 7 7
*Team --- 715 412 4703 6.57 34 25

ushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
1 Dylla RB 299 1255 4.19 1
*Team --- 336 1364 4.05 2

eceiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
4 Shields WR 230 131 1831 13.9 353 11
1 Dylla RB 165 105 963 9.1 518 9
7 Pierce WR 132 73 1030 14.1 180 8
3 Barnes TE 66 37 373 10.0 71 1
5 Guajardo FB 28 17 106 6.2 58 1
0 Tetreault WR 25 14 136 9.7 21 3
5 Fleming RB 25 13 88 6.7 37 0
*Team --- 713 412 4703 11.4 1283 34

efense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
4 Bustos ILB 94 50 3.0 4 0 8
9 Kennedy ILB 90 22 2.0 5 0 5
6 Godfrey OLB 75 26 1.0 1 0 3
4 Duffy CB 75 15 0.0 0 6 9
0 Connell S 74 36 0.0 1 0 11
2 Austin S 61 29 0.0 2 3 12
1 Londesbrough CB 58 21 1.0 0 3 9
3 DeLoach DE 39 12 11.0 28 0 2
2 Smith DE 38 22 12.0 26 0 1
8 Newton DT 36 16 2.5 7 0 0
8 Boyd DT 34 18 5.5 4 0 1
4 Dugans S 32 5 0.0 0 0 2
7 Elliott DE 28 12 7.0 4 0 0
0 Elgar CB 23 2 1.0 0 0 2
*Team --- 893 297 49.0 88 13 68


I think the key number to see on the offensive side is our yards per attempt in the passing game – down all the way to 6.6, well under the league average. When we play well, we push the ball upfield, and get a much better figure here—over 8.0 in 2016, and over 7.0 in 2017. We slip even further this season, and it shows.

Billy Joe Mason was adequate, and Edgar Beyer was the same, really.

RB Nicky Dylla missed out on his third 1,000/1,000 season, but clearly played well yet again, and will deserve serious consideration for another contract with us. WR Norm Shields posted another huge year, despite the down in our overall passing game. WR Cornell Pierce actually had a career year with us – and what would we expect?


On the other side, Nolan Buston stepped right in for us at MLB, and in his first year as a starter in the league, posted some very solid numbers. A great value pickup for us. LB Brent Kennedy, playing the “sam” all season, posted some very nice numbers as well – he’ll be a string candidate for defensive rookie of the year, I suspect.

Ends DeLoach and Smith both put up pretty solid seasons, each in double digits with sacks, which is pretty solid. DeLoach needs to be able to stay healthy if he’s going to earn big bucks, though. DE Mel Elliott was a needed fill-in, but we were again probably one quality player short on the DL this year, with injuries again crippling us mid-season. Can’t have too many in this game.

The embattled CB Matt Duffy ended up with a pretty impressive season, especially as he was on the bubble to get bumped to reserve status. But, our rookie Norton got hurt after about 5 games, and Duffy went on to play very well in the starting role.

By the numbers, #5 against the run and #3 against the pass -- we’ll take those results.



It’s Sacramento and Nashua in the Superbowl. I’ll be rooting for LN Marshall Hogenkamp, who has signed on with Nashua for this year and is among their defensive leaders. Nashua is also led by a one-year QB Rental in Karl Bissell – who “swept” them away with a 97 rating this year, behind the 1yr signee Will Cotter, a star at left tackle. Rent-a-team, indeed.

Nashua loses 33-27 in the title game, so they fall just short in their quest – and now will lose all those key players to free agency.




Front Office Football: The Fourth Edition
2018 Awards List

Award Player Team
#Player of the Year Roy Planish PRV
#Front Office Bowl MVP Van Duncan SAC
*Offensive Player of the Year Nicky Dylla LKE
#Defensive Player of the Year Omar Lyon OCY
#Offensive Rookie of the Year Charlie Meinke TXA
#Defensive Rookie of the Year Jerald Terry DVY
#All-League First-String Quarterback Roy Planish PRV
*All-League First-String Running Back Nicky Dylla LKE
#All-League First-String Fullback Dave Numbers TUL
#All-League First-String Tight End Tyrus Keung TB
*All-League First-String Wide Receiver Norm Shields LKE
#All-League First-String Wide Receiver Corey Mansker TIJ
#All-League First-String Center Omar Starks SAC
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Alan Kimmel TUL
#All-League First-String Offensive Guard Brian Dugan FKX
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Dana Cotter NSH
#All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Ken Strickland CHA
#All-League First-String Punter Courtney Westbrook CHY
#All-League First-String Kicker Claude Samuels KYH
#All-League First-String Defensive End Grady Rice SAC
#All-League First-String Defensive End Darren Medzihradsky NOR
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Irving Gomez TXA
#All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Leslie Brooks PS
#All-League First-String Inside Linebacker Cris Wedderburn BER
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Omar Lyon OCY
#All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Anthony Manning FKX
#All-League First-String Cornerback Neal Woody KW
#All-League First-String Cornerback Bo Perkins PRV
#All-League First-String Safety B.J. Ellard TXA
#All-League First-String Safety Wayne Dunlap WHE
#All-League Second-String Quarterback Myron Spar PEN
#All-League Second-String Running Back Darryl Barrett CHA
#All-League Second-String Fullback Trent Jorgenson KW
#All-League Second-String Tight End Al Ellard WHE
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Sedrick Mitchell MEM
#All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Marc Snead MEM
#All-League Second-String Center Rob Rubio NOR
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Martin Jarvis DVY
#All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Wally Oshiro SAC
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Bernie Kellogg SSM
#All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Joe Zinn BER
#All-League Second-String Punter Les Ahern MAZ
#All-League Second-String Kicker Emmanuel Peek SAC
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Frank Beal MEM
#All-League Second-String Defensive End Jerald Terry DVY
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Norbert Newhart WHE
#All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Peter Starkey MAZ
#All-League Second-String Inside Linebacker Trevor Hylton YPS
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Kim Foley NOR
#All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Clyde Dragos SAC
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Byron Neale NV
#All-League Second-String Cornerback Jumbo Myers SSM
#All-League Second-String Safety Joey Marr TB
#All-League Second-String Safety Monty Foreman NV


Interesting – Nicky Dylla actually gets lauded more this year than in his last two, despite having numbers a shade lower overall. We also note that LB Omar Lyon, who left us to play for Ocean City, was named defensive player of the year for the Thrashers.

My LB Brent Kennedy was beaten out by DT Jerald terry for rookie of the year – but it’s fair, since Terry did post 15 sacks and earn second tam all-pro honors.

QB Roy Planish of Providence threw 44 touchdowns, eclipsing one of Edgar Beyer’s single season records.

WR Norm Shields broke the season record in the non-stat “targeted passes,” which will and should go without any ballyhoo.



Well – we will carry on into the next season, hoping to regain our lofty perch atop the league. QB Edgar Beyer will have a struggle to get back to those heights, as he is physically not what he once was. But we still have enough tools on this team to be frightening, all told.

[QuikSand]

2019 offseason

Now, we’re into the part of the career where the retirement list is a bigger part of the game. For us – we manage not to lose anyone, yet again.

I look around the list of retirees and see some big names: QB Charlie Battle from Little Rock, C Sammie Sanderson (one of the great linemen in this league’s history) notably. Also one notable former Monster-- DE Brad Turk.


My coach, Bucky Gardner, is seeking a new deal. He’s been with us since the beginning, and is still only 55 years old. I see some minor slipping in his ratings (his defensive playcalling has dropped from EX to VG). But, he is still very solid all around. We bring him back for another 3 year deal.


As we head into the free agency process, we have more players than usual without contracts. Here’s the lay of the land:


Barlow, Rod 79 LT 6 88 88 --- 2014
Briggs, Sam 70 LG 7 77 77 --- 2017
Dylla, Nicky 31 RB 9 72 72 --- 2016
Shepherd, Mike 74 RT 9 59 59 --- 2017
Mason, Billy Joe 13 QB 8 57 61 --- 2016
Connell, Jason 40 FS 13 50 50 --- 2013
Londesbrough, Harold 41 LCB 3 49 58 --- 2017
Godfrey, Kennedy 96 WLB 9 48 48 --- 2011
Goodwin, Derek 75 LG 8 47 48 --- 2016
Derubeis, Daniel 3 K 2 44 47 --- 2018
Newton, Deron 98 LDT 9 44 46 --- 2016
Guajardo, Tim 45 FB 4 43 57 --- 2016
Armstrong, Broderick 56 C 10 39 39 --- 2015
Sanders, Dana 93 RDE 7 38 40 --- 2013
Hamilton, Rusty 34 FB 13 35 35 --- 2007
Dugans, Shawn 44 FS 9 32 32 --- 2011
Darrow, J.C. 57 MLB 5 28 43 --- 2015
Waggoner, Erik 72 RDT 10 26 26 --- 2016
Schroeder, Lonnie 38 LCB 5 23 46 --- 2017
Gardocki, Wayne 85 TE 2 19 44 --- 2018
Wayne, Hugh 8 QB 2 10 30 --- 2018

Players Under Contract: 27

Salary Cap: $164,300,000
Cap Room: $49,770,000
Maximum for New Player: $42,210,000
Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $6,090,000

Cap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0
Cap Room Required Next Year: $98,370,000


One real surprise – I didn’t even notice before that our second year, first round pick CB Harold Londesbrough had only signed for two years when we took him in the first round. What kind of deal is that? Now he’s restricted, but playing CB he’ll be looking for a boatload of cash, of course. It looks likely that he won’t stick around – he wants over $10 million a year. Rats!

LT Rod Barlow was everything we wanted when we took him with a very high pick, but now we’ll have to decide whether we can afford to really pay for his services. He wants $19m a year or so—which is a very steep price to pay, of course. My guess is that we’ll look for a cheaper solution somewhere – and I’ll even hazard a guess that he’ll be playing for minimum salary somewhere else this season.

RB Nicky Dylla is 30, but still has lots of very good skills. His past four years have averaged over 1,000/1,000 yards—this guy brings a lot t the table, and is clearly a great fit for our offense. Re-signing him is a top priority, period. I put in an offer – two years, $26 million.

QB Billy Joe Mason is obviously going to try to make big money, and is $14 million asking price puts him way out of my league. I will look to sign a cheap veteran backup for Edgar Beyer, probably in the $3 million range.

LB Kennedy Godfrey has bounced back and forth between starting and reserve roles, but we need him back – and he’s obliging with a pretty fair demand. 3yrs, $10.8m is on the table for him to return.

I’ll probably retain FB Tim Guajardo for cheap – he will become our starter, as he has the right mix of skills for my plans.


Among the free agents, I see CB Morris Hanks - who exploded when with us. He’s looking for a huge contract now, for over $12m a year.

I’m checking out the cheap free agents, and see LT Tommie Mallard – a former Monster – looking for work. I offer him a $2m.yr deal, and would like to bring him in to compete for a starting job once again. G Antoine Unsbee is also looking for a cheap deal, and looks like a good fir for our right side.

LB Walter Sims is a natural for the 3-4 defense, but we offer him a sheet to come in and give us time all over the place – probably as our 4th LB, but perhaps to fill in at MLB if needed. In my never-ending pursuit of decent defensive linemen, we offer DE Bennie Lockett a three year deal for $10.8m – hoping he can be our 3rd or 4th pass rushing option. DT Marshall Jacome gets a similar 3 yr offer – he might be a real asset in the middle for us, if he can get back to his form from a couple seasons ago.

I make an offer to QB Monty Glenn, who played last year for Champaign on a minsal contract. I offer him 3yrs, $9.6m and he listens – I think he’d be a very solid backup, of the same caliber as Billy Joe Mason.

My hope is that we can pick up an affordable player at WR and perhaps RB also – but I’ll wait until the market cools before making any pursuits there. There are a lot of guys at both positions, and nobody truly stands out to me.

So, with eight FA offers on the table, we had into the process.


We’ve got company in pursuing RB Nicky Dylla. I up our offer to 3yrs, $40m – which makes us the best deal on the table for him. If we don’t get him, I basically have no plan B – there’s nobody else out there who’s an impact back like Dylla.

My OL Barlow and Briggs both have huge offers on the table – so I’m prepared to wave goodbye to them both. The rest of our lower pursuits look pretty secure.


After two weeks, I’m very worried about RB Nicky Dylla. I have added a voidable year (which I don’t think he will achieve) but am still behind in the bidding. I don’t want to lose out for a million dollars here. I up the deal to 3yrs, $44m, with a void.


Finally, in week 6, it all comes together. Nicky Dylla has re-signed with us, and we officially see LT Rod Barlow leave for Thunder Bay and $80 million. Cheyenne has signed QB Billy Joe Mason, as well, but we lock up our new backup in Monty Glenn.


We are still short a defensive tackle – with only Otis Boyd returning from last year, and new signee Marshall Jacome on board. Thos two will be fine as starters, but we need at least one more guy just to field a bona fide roster. There isn’t much out there – I’ll wait here, also – and maybe re-sign DT Clyde Sullivan, who spent the last year with Athens but still shows some potential.

I have my eye on RB Jon Cook, who became Ocean City’s top RB when Vernon Rand ran out of gas, and is looking for a new home. He wants slightly ovr $3m a year – and paying that much for a conformed backup seems silly. But my thinking is that he gives me a reserve both for Dylla and possibly at WR – he might fit well into a utility/scatback/slotback role, and in our offense that can be pretty valuable. I’ll wait him out, but I think he might be a good fit for us. (We have three good receivers signed, but nothing behind them - and Devin Tetreault seems to be injury prone).

When Darnell Shelton, my “second choice” at RB, get taken in week 12, I need to act to go get Cook. And this is a first in my book—I evaluate Cook in terms of team chemistry, and am pleased to see that he should have an affinity with my backfield leader, FB Tim Guajardo. That’s an extra plus, and I ink the three year deal he wants for $9.6m. I may draft a WR somewhere soon, but I doubt that we’ll pay for a veteran free agent now – we can use some combination of Cook and Dylla in the rotation if needed.

After he signs, the affinity is confirmed. Who knows how much it might help?

As the FA process is ending, we are still short at CB and safety both. I also have voids at FB, TE, G, C, K, and still DT — but I’m probably short an actual starter at safety, and have no truly viable option as my third corner. So, that’s a particular concern.

I make an offer to 13th year veteran safety Andre Peters, with hopes that he will sign and become our starter at free safety. He might give us a nice veteran boost, and is a pretty good ballhawk even in his declining years. With him signed and a new deal with CB Lonnie Schroeder, we have a legal secondary – if not a very deep one. (Still cursing that two year deal with CB Londesbrough)

Onto the draft, where we have position #20 – a bit better than usual, unfortunately.

[QuikSand]

2019 Draft and Camp

On my first impression, this looks like a crummy draft. I see some Lbs and OL who are worth early picks, and a couple of good cornerbacks – but nobody at all on the defensive line (which is seemingly always my first look) and no RB worthy of note.

As my pick is getting close, there are a couple of safeties who look like they’d be nice picks here. Depth in the secondary would be a nice thing, and SS Benjamin Chandler would be a very good addition. It’s even possible that he could switch over to play CB, and if he kept his ratings, he’d be a standout. He slips to #13, but I decide not to move up – I’ll just hope that he keeps falling.

I offer Providence my fifth round pick next season to move up from #20 to #15, and I grab S Chandler there. If he can switch to corner, great. If not, he’ll still be a star for us at safety, I believe. (Great trade for us – trouble there?)


Amateur Draft Report:

Rnd 1 - Benjamin Chandler, S, Mississippi
Rnd 2 - Donnie Miller, T, Arizona State
Rnd 3 - Clyde Richardson, RB, Vanderbilt
Rnd 4 - Sherman Wells, DT, Southern Mississippi
Rnd 5 - Greg McDaniel, C, Auburn
Rnd 6 - Carlos Cole, WR, Kentucky Wesleyan
Rnd 7 - George Trejo, TE, Ohio State


We get a pretty decent left tackle in the second round – a possible future starter. RB Richardson got me off my script – I had not planned to take a RB in this draft, but he’s pretty good, and has great receiving skills. (I probably wouldn’t have signed RB Cole had I know this guy would come so easily) DT Sherman Wells has great upside in rushing the passer, and we needed a DT anyway. WR Cole is a kick return specialist, and passable reserve wideout.

I decide that Chandler will stay slotted as a safety, even though he has good enough skills to play pretty solid cornerback for us. He’d take a hit (93%) and I’d rather keep his strong skills in place, even at the easier position to fill.


I make a deal with Thunder Bay, who are interested in my reserve RB Willie Fleming. Rather than take the 4th round pick they are offering, I prefer to swap picks in the first round, and they accept. We’re rolling the dice here, of course, but there’s reason to believe we’ll come out ahead there.

I fill in the roster with rookie at FB, G, and K – and that exhausts our cap space completely. We will watch CB Harold Londesbrough, our first round pick from just two seasons ago, walk away and presumably get snapped up by someone on a minimum salary deal for this season – there’s just no way that we can afford the $10, plus he’s demanding.


After camp, we are whole – and looking ahead into the season, we are hopeful that we can get back toward the top of the league, with our “big three” all bag into the fold. We’ll watch Edgar Beyer, and hope that he can regain some of his once-proud form.


ront Office Football: The Fourth Edition
ake Erie Monsters Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct OnTeam
$Beyer, Edgar 12 QB 9 53 53 2 yrs. 2011
lenn, Monty 16 QB 7 47 66 3 yrs. 2019
jornson, William 4 QB 2 11 39 2 yrs. 2018
$Dylla, Nicky 31 RB 9 64 64 3 yrs. 2016
ook, Jon 22 RB 9 31 31 3 yrs. 2019
ichardson, Clyde 27 RB 1 26 39 3 yrs. 2019
#Nickell, Edward 37 RB 2 25 32 1 yr. 2018
$Guajardo, Tim 45 FB 4 44 57 2 yrs. 2016
ragomeni, Lewis 46 FB 1 17 27 1 yr. 2019
$Barnes, Billy Joe 83 TE 3 39 48 1 yr. 2017
rejo, George 89 TE 1 15 36 3 yrs. 2019
$Pierce, Cornell 87 FL 7 51 51 2 yrs. 2018
ole, Carlos 82 FL 1 22 28 2 yrs. 2019
#Givens, Luke 81 FL 2 19 30 2 yrs. 2018
$Shields, Norm 84 SE 8 75 75 2 yrs. 2012
etreault, Devin 80 SE 7 55 55 1 yr. 2017
allard, Tommie 73 LT 9 40 59 3 yrs. 2019
iller, Donnie 79 LT 1 18 44 4 yrs. 2019
hitfield, Dusty 69 LG 8 60 60 2 yrs. 2018
illis, Don 54 C 7 65 65 1 yr. 2018
cDaniel, Greg 58 C 1 21 47 3 yrs. 2019
nsbee, Antoine 61 RG 6 47 56 2 yrs. 2019
yers, Greg 62 RG 1 11 42 1 yr. 2019
ones, Roman 66 RT 6 40 45 1 yr. 2018
oa, Sammy 11 P 6 86 86 2 yrs. 2018
astyr, Omar 7 K 1 21 33 1 yr. 2019
$DeLoach, Jerry 53 LDE 5 71 71 2 yrs. 2015
lliott, Mel 97 LDE 7 51 53 2 yrs. 2018
$Jacome, Marshall 71 LDT 8 49 50 3 yrs. 2019
$Boyd, Otis 78 RDT 8 54 54 2 yrs. 2018
ells, Sherman 98 RDT 1 20 43 3 yrs. 2019
$Smith, Dominic 92 RDE 7 57 57 2 yrs. 2017
ockett, Bennie 76 RDE 6 44 47 3 yrs. 2019
eecroft, Phillip 95 RDE 3 26 43 2 yrs. 2017
eterson, Leroy 91 SLB 7 20 43 2 yrs. 2018
$Kennedy, Brent 99 SILB 2 50 73 5 yrs. 2018
$Bustos, Nolan 94 MLB 7 54 57 2 yrs. 2018
ims, Walter 52 WILB 5 41 48 3 yrs. 2019
$Godfrey, Kennedy 96 WLB 9 46 46 3 yrs. 2011
eese, Maurice 59 WLB 2 31 42 4 yrs. 2018
indley, Daryl 51 WLB 3 18 38 2 yrs. 2017
uffy, Matt 24 LCB 7 57 57 2 yrs. 2018
orton, Darrell 35 LCB 2 31 69 5 yrs. 2018
chroeder, Lonnie 38 LCB 5 24 45 2 yrs. 2017
lgar, Rob 30 RCB 3 27 38 1 yr. 2017
handler, Benjamin 39 SS 1 31 72 6 yrs. 2019
ustin, Tom 42 FS 10 48 48 1 yr. 2010
eters, Andre 23 FS 13 47 47 2 yrs. 2019

$ - player is in starting lineup, ## - player is inactive.

layers Under Contract: 48
n Active Roster: 46

alary Cap: $164,300,000
ap Room: $30,000
aximum for New Player: $30,000
ap Room Lost (to old contracts): $6,090,000

ap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0
ap Room Required Next Year: $150,630,000


My plan for now is to use the rookie S Chandler as our top reserve at both CB and S – so I expect he’ll get a good deal of playing time even if nobody gets injured. He’ll be the first call if we have to adjust for injuries.

CB Harold Londesbrough signed a one year deal for $880,000 to go play with Athens for the year – and he’ll still be a restricted free agent at the end of that deal. We lose.

[QuikSand]

wind...leaving...sails...

[Chas in Cinti]

AHHHH!!!... Just get us to 2020... see how Beyer recovers (or doesn't) form....

k?

please?

just a couple more?

: )

Regards,
Chas

[CraigSca]

This has been, by far, the best dynasty read in a while. Here's one person hoping you continue...

-Craig

[rjolley]

Here's another vote that you continue this career. I enjoy reading your dynastys.

[Fonzie]

I'm in agreement with the others - this has been a great read and I hope you continue. I can certainly understand how much work a dynasty like this requires, though, and promise not to take it personally if you end it, QS. :)

Regarding Londesbrough - I feel your pain, as I've had the same thing happen to me. I've noticed more than a few stupid contracts for first and second rounders in this game. When was the last time an NFL 1st rounder signed a 2-year deal? Or even a 3-year deal? That just doesn't happen very often, but I see it fairly frequently in FOF4. Very frustrating.

[JAG]

Originally posted by QuikSand
wind...leaving...sails...

Just wanted to throw in with the masses. It's been a great read so far. It's got me thinking about firing up a game of FOF4.

Here's an idea to possibly rejuvenate you: after the season ends, do something of a fire sale and draft a good young QB (assuming you're in a position to grab one) and as soon as possible after that, a good young RB. The QB can learn the tricks of the trade from Beyer and eventually step in with the RB to keep the high flying offense going. A couple guys like that might get you to keep going to see how they can do for their careers, because it seems like you might be losing interest because you don't have many players on your team you like. Anyway, just a suggestion.

[QuikSand]

Thanks for the compliments... I will endeavor to keep this going, at least until a more appropriate end.

It's just that my long-forgotten mistress has called... and I finally broke down and started up a CM4 career in earnest. And my recollection from my one and only previous career of that game was that it became pretty all-consuming in a short period of time.

So, we'll see. I'm flattered by the compliments, though-- I don't even really feel like I spent a lot of time wirting this particular thread up very well, but I guess it came along at the right time.

Message received.

[Bee]

While I am loving this dynasty and am impressed with the new challenges post-patch...A Quiksand CM4 dynasty may be worth giving this one up. :D

[Godzilla Blitz]

I've enjoyed this one a lot and it's sparked my interest in FOF4 again, but I'd be just as interested in seeing your impressions of the new version of CM.

Do what makes you happy!

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by Godzilla Blitz
Do what makes you happy!

You made my day.

[sachmo71]

bump

[QuikSand]

Tough to say... playing more FOF4 has just fallen off the top of my list of things to do when I have an hour or two to kill. CM4 is partially to blame, and when at home, it's online poker. Twin kill has FOF on the ropes.