Ray's Journey (FOF2K7 dynasty)

Peregrine · 01-01-2008, 04:33 PM

In this dynasty I will follow the path of Ray Misner, coaching prospect. Depending on where he ends up (and what role) I will follow the offense and/or defense of the team. Right now Ray is a young guy with dreams of coaching, he has been an assistant for Detroit and Baltimore in the last few years, at lower levels, but looks to have the drive and talent to make something of himself as a coach.

Ray has solid skills across the board and could become a very good coach. His only weak points are with receivers and the offensive line, and it looks like a defensive coordinator could be a good spot to break into the league.

February, 2022

The Washington Redskins had just defeated the Tennessee Titans, 28-24 to win the Super Bowl, as Ray continued to make a barrage of phone calls, dialing all his contacts to try to get an interview somewhere, or at least get noticed. He got a lot of business cards but the phone never rang for him, as he waited first weeks, then months.

April, 2022

Ray picked up the phone as he stepped out of the shower. It was the last thing he expected, the GM of the San Diego Chargers! Apparently their negotiations for a defensive coordinator had fallen through, and they had to pick up someone fast. The GM told Ray they were going to give him a chance, but just for one year, at a salary of just $2.6 million. Ray jumped for joy, he was in! He had never seen this kind of money before, and he didn't care if he was the second lowest paid coach in the league. He told his wife Carla that night and they had a fancy dinner to celebrate. Then he flew out to San Diego the next day from his home in Raleigh.

The Chargers had finished 6-10 the previous year and wanted to get back towards the playoffs, which they last reached two seasons before. Defense had been a real problem last season, especially against the run.They had the 8^th pick in the draft, and filled a big need by taking DT Dexter Wulfeck.

Ray soon found out that their defensive unit was spotty at best, a few good players and some gaping holes too. Randal Baxter was their best player on defense, a two time Pro Bowler at linebacker,, but their starter at weak-side linebacker was just a warm body and they didn't have a lot of depth. For the defensive line they had the rookie Wulfeck and another rookie was starting at RDE, a run-blocker. The secondary was a bright spot, they had a lot of talent at corner and some depth, and some solid safeties but no depth there. Overall he saw a defensive squad that most likely would have some problems against the run and was a few injuries away from total collapse. To make things worse, the team's long-time QB and San Diego legend Fernando Cope was holding out on his contract!

January, 2023

San Diego finished 6-10 again this season. Ray had done his best but the defense was as sloppy as expected. MLB Vince Freeman had stepped up for 103 tackles but the defense was still 24^th against the run and 23^rd against the pass. Ray found himself hoping that his contract would be renewed, but wasn't optimistic. The owner was rumored to be putting pressure on the GM to do some house cleaning, and bring in a new bunch of coaches who could right the ship.

korme · 01-01-2008, 04:45 PM

Cool dynasty

Peregrine · 01-01-2008, 04:51 PM

Yeah, a long time ago I did a similar dynasty where I tracked the progress of a coach in Fast Break College Basketball, and I thought I'd give it a try with FOF. I'll be surprised if Ray doesn't end up as a head coach at some point.

Peregrine · 01-01-2008, 04:52 PM

May, 2023

It happened as he expected. He and the head coach were both removed at San Diego, but he had found another job quickly, and had signed a one year contract with Kansas City to be their defensive coordinator. At least he was learning his trade, and making a name for himself. Carla and their daughter Sarah stayed behind in San Diego, they had found a great house and really loved the city.

Kansas City had won their division at 11-5 last year, and their defense had been more solid than the Chargers. They had a lot of older veterans and some wondered how long the 10^th and 11^th year guys would hold up. Apparently the head coach agreed, and most of the veterans were gone. The defense was stocked with a lot of rookies who would have to prove themselves, as well as some good players, the best being Thomas Soutsos, one of the best strong safeties in the league, who had 122 tackles last year. The linebacker corps was pitiful however, with three rookies, two of them undrafted, slated to start. Ray would have his work cut out for him, as the defense had been slashed apart to save on cap costs. All he could hope was that the offense could win some games for them until his young squad could catch up.

December, 2023

Ray's season was again over early, as the Chiefs struggled to a 6-10 finish. The defense performed excellently against the pass, with the veteran secondary holding opponents to only 215 passing yards a game, the best in the league. However the untested line and mediocre linebackers meant that the team could barely stop the run, giving up over 125 yards a game. Ray's defense forced an impressive 30 turnovers, and with a few early season free agent signings he was pretty happy with his players overall. Thomas Soutsos was again the rock with 111 tackles, and second round rookie pick Percy Mcneil played well at middle linebacker.

Oakland took out Minnesota in the Super Bowl, 30-17. Ray got to watch it at home in San Diego, at least, wondering what his future would bring. He had some good experience as a coordinator now and seemed to be improving, this year's rookies had really helped him improve in working with linebackers, for example. He hoped at least to get a multi-year contract from some team, and had his feelers out across the league.

Peregrine · 01-01-2008, 05:14 PM

January, 2024

Ray had had a couple of meetings with Jack Parham, GM of the Cincinnati Bengals, along with several other teams. When Jack arrived for their third meeting, he was grinning ear to ear. “Look Ray, we want you on board, we've seen what you've done and to be honest, you've impressed the hell out of us. So what do you say? We want to bring you to Cincinnati for three years.” Ray was glad to sign the paperwork, a three year contract for $4.2 million! He couldn't believe his luck, and he was glad to finally get recognized. Cincinnati had finished 9-7 last year and barely missed the playoffs, and Ray wanted to be a part in getting them back there.

June, 2024

Ray was working hard getting his defense into shape. Overall they were a pretty solid squad, with only a couple of weak spots, but there were few standout players. Third year cornerback and former Rookie of the Year Lorenzo Flynn was an excellent top corner and the best player on the defense. There was little depth and with injuries Ray could imagine himself having to scramble. He had also scrambled to get Carla and Sarah to Cincinnati. Nothing was guaranteed of course, but with a three year contract he wanted some stability and wanted all his family in one place.

February 2025

What a whirlwind season it had been for Ray! The Bengals got off to a great start and their powerful offense blew through most opposition, ending the regular season at 12-4. Ray's defense was great against the run, second in the league, holding opponents to just 90 yards. Agains the pass they weren't so good, but the offense, led by quarterback Wes Winchester, racked up the points. In the playoffs they were fortunate not to have to play powerful Oakland, who were knocked out early despite a 14-2 regular season. After they defeated New England in the AFC Championship they were on to the Super Bowl! In a brutal game where Ray's defense was tested severely, they won over the Vikings, 22-21! This from a team which last made the playoffs in 2020!

Lorenzo Flynn took home another Pro Bowl nod for a great season, and veteran linebacker Gene Hopkins lead the defense with 94 tackles. Defensive lineman Clay Woods had 11.5 sacks to lead the team. Overall it was a tremendous year and a tremendous year, and Ray couldn't imagine what would happen next.

Peregrine · 01-02-2008, 04:25 PM

August 2025

Ray rubbed his eyes and threw down another report on a player. There was more than enough work to go around in getting the team ready for another year. Most of the defensive squad would be back from last year, but there were a few trouble spots, especially weak side linebacker, where they had almost no one to play the position. They had signed rookie cornerback Martin Schwimmer in the first round to fill out their secondary, but it would be the same team for the most part going forward. They would have a target on their back as the defending champions.

December 2025

Ray couldn't believe how bad the Bengals had been this season. After the Super Bowl, a pitiful 3-13 record? There were a lot of factors, injuries, the collapse of their running game, their quarterbacks throwing interception after interception (an insane -33 turnover ratio!) and certainly a much worse defensive performance across the board. The team's defense ended up 24^th against the run and 22^nd against the pass, a terrible performance. Safety Walter Boone led the team with 100 tackles, and even though the team got more pressure on opposing quarterbacks this year, it wasn't nearly enough. They had simply underplayed their potential as much as they had overplayed it last year.

Peregrine · 01-02-2008, 04:36 PM

June 2026

Ray was anxious to enter the last year of his contract with the Bengals, and prove his defense to be a solid one. What a rollercoaster ride he had been on over the past two years? He felt he had improved and was becoming a strong coach, and wanted to prove it all over again. The Bengals had come into the draft with the 2^nd overall pick, and used it on linebacker Carlos Henne out of Memphis, he looked like a great player to fill a particularly weak position. The rest of the team looked much the same, though they had added free agent strong safety Richie Tilton. His main standouts would be Lorenzo Flynn as always, and the rookie Henne, but the rest of the defense was dangerously thin.

Ray in 2026

January 2027
The Bengals had come back to the middle this year, with an 8-8 performance. Ray was happy with the defense this year, they had improved across the board from last year. Rookie Henne, though a standout and future great, hadn't taken over the field the way Ray had hoped, though he did end up with 74 tackles, second on the team. Another rookie linebacker, Quentin Walsh, led the team with 100, though overall they finished 21^st against the run, a slight improvement from last year. Their pass defense really came together though, led by Flynn and safety Curtis Thompson. (15 passes defensed by a safety? I'll take that any day.) They finished as 8^th in the league against the pass, and got a lot of compliments from the head coach. If new quarterback Martin Atwater hadn't tossed 26 interceptions, and running back Matt “Butterfingers” Shaffer hadn't fumbled 11 times this year, the defense could have won a lot more games. Now it was time to find out if he would be re-signed by the Bengals.

Peregrine · 01-02-2008, 05:09 PM

August 2027

In the end Ray hadn't waited long, Jack Parham called him upstairs and told him they had no intentions of letting him go. In the end he signed another three year contract with Cincinnati, but with a nice salary bump to $6.7 million. The past few months had been busy in another way, as his son Isaac was born. The late nights hadn't kept him from doing his best to prepare the defense for another year. The team had taken his advice and made some free agent signings, solid but unspectacular Mickey Cook and Trent Cox at defensive end, Marlon Moeller at DT, and most importantly run-stopper Percy Mcneil from KC at linebacker. Ray had coached Percy before when he was with the Chiefs and knew that he was a top notch run defender, just what the team needed. He felt this year's linebacker squad was strong through and through, though they'd need some time to develop, with two second year players. He only worried about safety, where they had lost a starter in the off-season and the replacement looked questionable.

January 2028

Ray watched his son play with the plastic blocks, various toys scattered around the house. There were almost as many binders and player reports as there were toys, he realized. It had been a good year. The Bengals looked steady at 10-6, grabbed a wild card spot before getting bounced by Miami in the playoffs. That Miami team had gone on to win the Super Bowl, 21-14 over the 49ers. His defense had been a big part of it, greatly improved from last year, despite an early injury to Mcneil that kept him from playing. Carlos Henne was a force with 104 tackles to lead the team and 5.5 sacks, and his defense had finished 12^th in the league against the run, a former weakness now turned into a strength. Linebacker Quentin Walsh racked up the tackles along with safety Donnie McKenzie. The team slipped a bit against the pass from last year, but still were 17^th in the league, and Ray was proud of them, since they had to face quite a few good quarterbacks in their division and conference. Cincinnati's head coach Al Cole was talking about retiring, but he always did this time of year. He had coached the Bengals for 21 years and was a legend in the city, though some said he had lost some of his edge. In the end, he stayed on, though offensive coordinator Levon Wardzala left for greener pastures in Denver, to be replaced by 72 year old Terry Singleton. Ray didn't care, a great wife and growing family, plenty of money, and a dream job, it couldn't get better for him, he thought.

PiemasterUK · 01-03-2008, 02:24 AM

Interesting dynasty. I'll be keeping watch as I have always been interested in the lifecycle of coaches, but have never really taken the time to investigate.

PadresFan104 · 01-03-2008, 10:45 AM

Just wanted to say that this is a really interesting and well-written dynasty!! Good job! I love the "off the field" comments you add.

Peregrine · 01-03-2008, 05:36 PM

September 2028

Ray finished bringing the groceries into the house, trying to remember where the pantry was. He and his family had just moved into a larger house, an incredible one that he had never dreamed of owning. They needed more room with Isaac and Sarah, and Carla wanted more space for gardening than she had at their own place. If only he could remember where everything went, he would love it here. He had been busy putting all the pieces of the defense into place. He felt confident of most of his defense this year, with only the right side of the defensive line worrying him. Second year man Dixon Wilkins would be a new starter at corner, and Ray was looking forward to seeing him play. He figured he'd match up with Lorenzo Flynn. The Bengals had picked WLB Kirk Herrod out of Boston U. in the first round, and he looked like he was a future star, but at the start of the season he still hadn't signed with the team. Agents were one thing Ray was glad he didn't have to deal with.

February 2029

Ray took another sip of his beer, enjoying just relaxing with some players and coaches after they'd watched the Super Bowl. Minnesota had blownd out Pittsburgh 41-10, and Ray was glad for them. The Vikings had been kind of a joke in the league after they had lost three Super Bowls in the last five seasons. At least this year they got their title. Cincinnati had skated into a wild card spot this year, going 9-7, while Pittsburgh dominated their division at 13-3. That had been another reason to enjoy watching them lose, of course. The Bengals had taken out Kansas City in the wild card round before falling to Miami. Ray's defense had been very good this year, particularly against the pass. They finished tied for 3^rd in passing yards allowed, and allowed only a best in the league 16.1 points per game. It was a great feeling running a dominant defense and knowing that he was making a difference. Against the run they were 15^th but he was happy all the same. The right side of the d-line surprised him, with some of Ray's new schemes allowing veteran RDE Josh Fleischer to break out with a record 14.5 sacks and a Pro Bowl nod. Quentin Walsh led the team with 90 tackles this season and was named 1^st team Pro Bowler in his position. Rookie Kirk Herrod was broken in lightly with some backup duty and didn't especially shine, he'd need some practice, maybe in summer league, before he'd find his potential.

Peregrine · 01-03-2008, 06:05 PM

August 2029

Head coach Al Cole had really retired after the 2028 season. Ray would miss him, he had been easygoing and good to work with. He was having a bit of trouble adjusting to new head coach Bucky Manning, who was fiery and pushy, though no doubt he was a good coach. He had come over from Jacksonville where he had coached for ten years. Ray had fought him hard for some of his defensive lineman, but the Bengals needed to cut their salary totals and some had had to go, including veteran Trent Cox. He was particularly concerned with defensive tackle, which had never been a bright spot for the Bengals. They only had 10^th year man Clay Sandlin and some rookies to hold down the fort at that position. The rest of his defense was solid, with linebackers Quentin Walsh, Carlos Henne, and young Kirk Herrod stepping up to start this year. Lorenzo Flynn and Dixon Wilkins were an excellent tandem at corner, and safety Donny McKenzie would team up with free agent signing Andre Branton. He didn't know if they could match last year's performance, but they would give it a shot.

January 2030

Ray hung up the phone on Ted Bashear, one of his old buddies from college, who was now a coaching assistant with the Ravens. Ted was overwhelmed that his team had won the Super Bowl this year, of course Ray wasn't too happy that they had won Cincinnati's division. The Bengals had had a change to take charge late in the season but the game had ended in a tie, disgusting him, and the Bengals finished 8-7-1, not good enough for the playoffs. The defense had continued to be excellent against the pass but struggled to stop opposing runners, finishing 22^nd in the league against the run. Against the pass though they were the best team in the league, with veteran corners and safeties locking quarterbacks down. Quentin Walsh had 93 tackles this year to lead the team, but safety Donny McKenzie had a hell of a year with 90 tackles. Josh Fleischer led the team with 10 sacks but beyond him, they struggled to pressure the pass. Ray knew his contract was up this year and wondered if the new coach would want to bring in his own people. He'd love to stay in Cincinnati but knew he would land safely somewhere.

PiemasterUK · 01-04-2008, 01:08 AM

How are you playing this Dynasty? Are you controlling a team or are you just nominally 'in charge' of a team and just simming through.

Peregrine · 01-04-2008, 05:38 AM

Well I just took a regular game where I was playing a team and forked it so with the dynasty version, I'm not doing anything but simming through.

Peregrine · 01-04-2008, 11:39 AM

Thanks to the random generator, I found my old coach's eye view thread from FBCB, if anyone is interested. Maybe I'll have to pick it up again after this one (if I can find the save file.)

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...d.php?p=343368

Peregrine · 01-04-2008, 06:13 PM

August 2030

Ray had been kept on by the Bengals, signing a four year contract for $8.3 million a year, making him the second highest paid defensive coordinator in the league. Now he was reading a report as the team prepared to make a round of player cuts. The defense would be relying heavily on three rookies on the defensive line, first round pick Harry Bradford at LDT, second round pick Tommie Malone at RDT and third rounder Andre Starnes at LDE. Ray was pretty worried about the whole situation but hadn't had much choice but accept it – another cost cutting move by the GM. He would have veteran Clarence Myer rounding out the d-line. At linebacker would be his three musketeers, Walsh, Henne, and Herrod. The secondary had one new face, journeyman Bo Middleton at free safety, working with Flynn and Wilkins at CB and McKenzie at safety.Virtually all of the team's draft picks had been spent on defense so he had a bit of depth, but would be relying on a young squad that would probably take some time to get used to the NFL.

January 2031

Ray waved to Sarah as he dropped her off at school. His family life seemed so much busier now that the season was over, probably because he didn't get to spend nearly enough time with them during the season. It had been a blessed one for the team, they went 12-4 and steamrolled their division, which didn't put up much of a fight this season, the next best team being 8-8. Ray was still hurting from their painful 38-13 loss to the Titans in their first playoff game though, it had seemed like a mismatch from the start. No question that his defense had been the star of their season, though. They were really starting to be seen as an elite unit, allowing only 82.4 rushing yards a game this year, the best in the league. They had been 3^rd against the pass, and overall this was by a good margin the best any of defenses had done. Despite the raw defensive line, he emphasized fundamentals and a powerful blitz, and Bradford and Malone had been very solid at DT. Carlos Henne had had a tremendous year and been given a trip to the Pro Bowl, with 94 tackles and 4.5 sacks.

As an aside, check out this guy! I think this is the worst player I've ever seen on an NFL roster, he was scouted 4/5!

korme · 01-04-2008, 06:26 PM

Yea but he can lay the wood!

Peregrine · 01-06-2008, 08:27 AM

August 2031

Ray unlocked the door of his office and eased himself into his chair. He turned on the light and took a gulp of coffee. 5:30 AM, bleah, he hated these early starts, but he needed the time to make plans. The defensive squad had few changes in the offseason, for once. DT Cory Caldwell had been signed as a free agent to work with Rex Wolf, who had emerged last year as the other starting DT. His defensive ends remained Harry Bradford and Tommy Malone who had played so well as rookies last year. Walsh, Henne and Harrod remained stalwarts at linebacker. SS Christian Clancy was the only new player in the secondary, with Lorenzo Flynn, Dixon Wilkins, and Donny McKenzie the other three. Some people thought Flynn has lost a step or two, now in his 10^th season, but he was undoubtedly the starter at corner. Ray studied a picture of Carla on his desk for a moment, she was making a goofy face, but still beautiful. He knew was a lucky man, doing what he loved, being paid well, and with a wonderful family.

December 2031

The Bengals had slipped this year, back to 8-8, and finished third in the AFC North. Part of the problem was the amazing year the Pittsburgh Steelers had, going from 7-9 last year to run the table at 16-0 this year. They had done it with a bruising defense, a lot of forced turnovers, and an excellent performance by quarterback Isaac Dill. Still, it hadn't stopped them from falling to Miami in the AFC championship. (Hmm, a preview of a certain real life undefeated team? Not to Miami of course!) 14-2 powerhouse Carolina had ended up winning the Super Bowl.

The Bengals' defense remained pretty solid this year, but as usual, their offense dragged them down Ray knew the offense had struggled for several years now, QB Martin Atwater was talented but threw far too many interceptions, and they hadn't had a really effective running game in a while, usually platooning a couple of average guys. The defense though had been solid against the run, finishing as the 11^th rated team, and excellent against the pass, finishing 4th. Quentin Walsh led the team with 70 tackles in only 11 games because of a leg injury.

PiemasterUK · 01-06-2008, 01:45 PM

How are Ray's ratings looking these days?

01-02-2008, 04:36 PM	#7
Peregrine Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Cary, NC	June 2026 Ray was anxious to enter the last year of his contract with the Bengals, and prove his defense to be a solid one. What a rollercoaster ride he had been on over the past two years? He felt he had improved and was becoming a strong coach, and wanted to prove it all over again. The Bengals had come into the draft with the 2^nd overall pick, and used it on linebacker Carlos Henne out of Memphis, he looked like a great player to fill a particularly weak position. The rest of the team looked much the same, though they had added free agent strong safety Richie Tilton. His main standouts would be Lorenzo Flynn as always, and the rookie Henne, but the rest of the defense was dangerously thin. Ray in 2026 January 2027 The Bengals had come back to the middle this year, with an 8-8 performance. Ray was happy with the defense this year, they had improved across the board from last year. Rookie Henne, though a standout and future great, hadn't taken over the field the way Ray had hoped, though he did end up with 74 tackles, second on the team. Another rookie linebacker, Quentin Walsh, led the team with 100, though overall they finished 21^st against the run, a slight improvement from last year. Their pass defense really came together though, led by Flynn and safety Curtis Thompson. (15 passes defensed by a safety? I'll take that any day.) They finished as 8^th in the league against the pass, and got a lot of compliments from the head coach. If new quarterback Martin Atwater hadn't tossed 26 interceptions, and running back Matt “Butterfingers” Shaffer hadn't fumbled 11 times this year, the defense could have won a lot more games. Now it was time to find out if he would be re-signed by the Bengals. Last edited by Peregrine : 01-02-2008 at 04:39 PM.

01-03-2008, 10:45 AM	#10
PadresFan104 High School Varsity Join Date: May 2006	Just wanted to say that this is a really interesting and well-written dynasty!! Good job! I love the "off the field" comments you add. __________________ Hands-On Games YouTube Channel Hands-On Games Facebook Page

01-03-2008, 05:36 PM	#11
Peregrine Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Cary, NC	September 2028 Ray finished bringing the groceries into the house, trying to remember where the pantry was. He and his family had just moved into a larger house, an incredible one that he had never dreamed of owning. They needed more room with Isaac and Sarah, and Carla wanted more space for gardening than she had at their own place. If only he could remember where everything went, he would love it here. He had been busy putting all the pieces of the defense into place. He felt confident of most of his defense this year, with only the right side of the defensive line worrying him. Second year man Dixon Wilkins would be a new starter at corner, and Ray was looking forward to seeing him play. He figured he'd match up with Lorenzo Flynn. The Bengals had picked WLB Kirk Herrod out of Boston U. in the first round, and he looked like he was a future star, but at the start of the season he still hadn't signed with the team. Agents were one thing Ray was glad he didn't have to deal with. February 2029 Ray took another sip of his beer, enjoying just relaxing with some players and coaches after they'd watched the Super Bowl. Minnesota had blownd out Pittsburgh 41-10, and Ray was glad for them. The Vikings had been kind of a joke in the league after they had lost three Super Bowls in the last five seasons. At least this year they got their title. Cincinnati had skated into a wild card spot this year, going 9-7, while Pittsburgh dominated their division at 13-3. That had been another reason to enjoy watching them lose, of course. The Bengals had taken out Kansas City in the wild card round before falling to Miami. Ray's defense had been very good this year, particularly against the pass. They finished tied for 3^rd in passing yards allowed, and allowed only a best in the league 16.1 points per game. It was a great feeling running a dominant defense and knowing that he was making a difference. Against the run they were 15^th but he was happy all the same. The right side of the d-line surprised him, with some of Ray's new schemes allowing veteran RDE Josh Fleischer to break out with a record 14.5 sacks and a Pro Bowl nod. Quentin Walsh led the team with 90 tackles this season and was named 1^st team Pro Bowler in his position. Rookie Kirk Herrod was broken in lightly with some backup duty and didn't especially shine, he'd need some practice, maybe in summer league, before he'd find his potential. Last edited by Peregrine : 01-03-2008 at 05:39 PM.

01-04-2008, 11:39 AM	#15
Peregrine Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Cary, NC	Thanks to the random generator, I found my old coach's eye view thread from FBCB, if anyone is interested. Maybe I'll have to pick it up again after this one (if I can find the save file.) http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...d.php?p=343368 Last edited by Peregrine : 01-04-2008 at 11:40 AM.

01-01-2008, 04:45 PM	#2
korme Go Reds Join Date: May 2001 Location: Bloodbuzz Ohio	Cool dynasty

01-01-2008, 04:51 PM	#3
Peregrine Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Cary, NC	Yeah, a long time ago I did a similar dynasty where I tracked the progress of a coach in Fast Break College Basketball, and I thought I'd give it a try with FOF. I'll be surprised if Ray doesn't end up as a head coach at some point.

01-01-2008, 04:52 PM	#4
Peregrine Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Cary, NC	May, 2023 It happened as he expected. He and the head coach were both removed at San Diego, but he had found another job quickly, and had signed a one year contract with Kansas City to be their defensive coordinator. At least he was learning his trade, and making a name for himself. Carla and their daughter Sarah stayed behind in San Diego, they had found a great house and really loved the city. Kansas City had won their division at 11-5 last year, and their defense had been more solid than the Chargers. They had a lot of older veterans and some wondered how long the 10^th and 11^th year guys would hold up. Apparently the head coach agreed, and most of the veterans were gone. The defense was stocked with a lot of rookies who would have to prove themselves, as well as some good players, the best being Thomas Soutsos, one of the best strong safeties in the league, who had 122 tackles last year. The linebacker corps was pitiful however, with three rookies, two of them undrafted, slated to start. Ray would have his work cut out for him, as the defense had been slashed apart to save on cap costs. All he could hope was that the offense could win some games for them until his young squad could catch up. December, 2023 Ray's season was again over early, as the Chiefs struggled to a 6-10 finish. The defense performed excellently against the pass, with the veteran secondary holding opponents to only 215 passing yards a game, the best in the league. However the untested line and mediocre linebackers meant that the team could barely stop the run, giving up over 125 yards a game. Ray's defense forced an impressive 30 turnovers, and with a few early season free agent signings he was pretty happy with his players overall. Thomas Soutsos was again the rock with 111 tackles, and second round rookie pick Percy Mcneil played well at middle linebacker. Oakland took out Minnesota in the Super Bowl, 30-17. Ray got to watch it at home in San Diego, at least, wondering what his future would bring. He had some good experience as a coordinator now and seemed to be improving, this year's rookies had really helped him improve in working with linebackers, for example. He hoped at least to get a multi-year contract from some team, and had his feelers out across the league.

01-01-2008, 05:14 PM	#5
Peregrine Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Cary, NC	January, 2024 Ray had had a couple of meetings with Jack Parham, GM of the Cincinnati Bengals, along with several other teams. When Jack arrived for their third meeting, he was grinning ear to ear. “Look Ray, we want you on board, we've seen what you've done and to be honest, you've impressed the hell out of us. So what do you say? We want to bring you to Cincinnati for three years.” Ray was glad to sign the paperwork, a three year contract for $4.2 million! He couldn't believe his luck, and he was glad to finally get recognized. Cincinnati had finished 9-7 last year and barely missed the playoffs, and Ray wanted to be a part in getting them back there. June, 2024 Ray was working hard getting his defense into shape. Overall they were a pretty solid squad, with only a couple of weak spots, but there were few standout players. Third year cornerback and former Rookie of the Year Lorenzo Flynn was an excellent top corner and the best player on the defense. There was little depth and with injuries Ray could imagine himself having to scramble. He had also scrambled to get Carla and Sarah to Cincinnati. Nothing was guaranteed of course, but with a three year contract he wanted some stability and wanted all his family in one place. February 2025 What a whirlwind season it had been for Ray! The Bengals got off to a great start and their powerful offense blew through most opposition, ending the regular season at 12-4. Ray's defense was great against the run, second in the league, holding opponents to just 90 yards. Agains the pass they weren't so good, but the offense, led by quarterback Wes Winchester, racked up the points. In the playoffs they were fortunate not to have to play powerful Oakland, who were knocked out early despite a 14-2 regular season. After they defeated New England in the AFC Championship they were on to the Super Bowl! In a brutal game where Ray's defense was tested severely, they won over the Vikings, 22-21! This from a team which last made the playoffs in 2020! Lorenzo Flynn took home another Pro Bowl nod for a great season, and veteran linebacker Gene Hopkins lead the defense with 94 tackles. Defensive lineman Clay Woods had 11.5 sacks to lead the team. Overall it was a tremendous year and a tremendous year, and Ray couldn't imagine what would happen next.

01-02-2008, 04:25 PM	#6
Peregrine Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Cary, NC	August 2025 Ray rubbed his eyes and threw down another report on a player. There was more than enough work to go around in getting the team ready for another year. Most of the defensive squad would be back from last year, but there were a few trouble spots, especially weak side linebacker, where they had almost no one to play the position. They had signed rookie cornerback Martin Schwimmer in the first round to fill out their secondary, but it would be the same team for the most part going forward. They would have a target on their back as the defending champions. December 2025 Ray couldn't believe how bad the Bengals had been this season. After the Super Bowl, a pitiful 3-13 record? There were a lot of factors, injuries, the collapse of their running game, their quarterbacks throwing interception after interception (an insane -33 turnover ratio!) and certainly a much worse defensive performance across the board. The team's defense ended up 24^th against the run and 22^nd against the pass, a terrible performance. Safety Walter Boone led the team with 100 tackles, and even though the team got more pressure on opposing quarterbacks this year, it wasn't nearly enough. They had simply underplayed their potential as much as they had overplayed it last year.

01-02-2008, 05:09 PM	#8
Peregrine Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Cary, NC	August 2027 In the end Ray hadn't waited long, Jack Parham called him upstairs and told him they had no intentions of letting him go. In the end he signed another three year contract with Cincinnati, but with a nice salary bump to $6.7 million. The past few months had been busy in another way, as his son Isaac was born. The late nights hadn't kept him from doing his best to prepare the defense for another year. The team had taken his advice and made some free agent signings, solid but unspectacular Mickey Cook and Trent Cox at defensive end, Marlon Moeller at DT, and most importantly run-stopper Percy Mcneil from KC at linebacker. Ray had coached Percy before when he was with the Chiefs and knew that he was a top notch run defender, just what the team needed. He felt this year's linebacker squad was strong through and through, though they'd need some time to develop, with two second year players. He only worried about safety, where they had lost a starter in the off-season and the replacement looked questionable. January 2028 Ray watched his son play with the plastic blocks, various toys scattered around the house. There were almost as many binders and player reports as there were toys, he realized. It had been a good year. The Bengals looked steady at 10-6, grabbed a wild card spot before getting bounced by Miami in the playoffs. That Miami team had gone on to win the Super Bowl, 21-14 over the 49ers. His defense had been a big part of it, greatly improved from last year, despite an early injury to Mcneil that kept him from playing. Carlos Henne was a force with 104 tackles to lead the team and 5.5 sacks, and his defense had finished 12^th in the league against the run, a former weakness now turned into a strength. Linebacker Quentin Walsh racked up the tackles along with safety Donnie McKenzie. The team slipped a bit against the pass from last year, but still were 17^th in the league, and Ray was proud of them, since they had to face quite a few good quarterbacks in their division and conference. Cincinnati's head coach Al Cole was talking about retiring, but he always did this time of year. He had coached the Bengals for 21 years and was a legend in the city, though some said he had lost some of his edge. In the end, he stayed on, though offensive coordinator Levon Wardzala left for greener pastures in Denver, to be replaced by 72 year old Terry Singleton. Ray didn't care, a great wife and growing family, plenty of money, and a dream job, it couldn't get better for him, he thought.

01-03-2008, 02:24 AM	#9
PiemasterUK Mascot Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: London	Interesting dynasty. I'll be keeping watch as I have always been interested in the lifecycle of coaches, but have never really taken the time to investigate.

01-03-2008, 06:05 PM	#12
Peregrine Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Cary, NC	August 2029 Head coach Al Cole had really retired after the 2028 season. Ray would miss him, he had been easygoing and good to work with. He was having a bit of trouble adjusting to new head coach Bucky Manning, who was fiery and pushy, though no doubt he was a good coach. He had come over from Jacksonville where he had coached for ten years. Ray had fought him hard for some of his defensive lineman, but the Bengals needed to cut their salary totals and some had had to go, including veteran Trent Cox. He was particularly concerned with defensive tackle, which had never been a bright spot for the Bengals. They only had 10^th year man Clay Sandlin and some rookies to hold down the fort at that position. The rest of his defense was solid, with linebackers Quentin Walsh, Carlos Henne, and young Kirk Herrod stepping up to start this year. Lorenzo Flynn and Dixon Wilkins were an excellent tandem at corner, and safety Donny McKenzie would team up with free agent signing Andre Branton. He didn't know if they could match last year's performance, but they would give it a shot. January 2030 Ray hung up the phone on Ted Bashear, one of his old buddies from college, who was now a coaching assistant with the Ravens. Ted was overwhelmed that his team had won the Super Bowl this year, of course Ray wasn't too happy that they had won Cincinnati's division. The Bengals had had a change to take charge late in the season but the game had ended in a tie, disgusting him, and the Bengals finished 8-7-1, not good enough for the playoffs. The defense had continued to be excellent against the pass but struggled to stop opposing runners, finishing 22^nd in the league against the run. Against the pass though they were the best team in the league, with veteran corners and safeties locking quarterbacks down. Quentin Walsh had 93 tackles this year to lead the team, but safety Donny McKenzie had a hell of a year with 90 tackles. Josh Fleischer led the team with 10 sacks but beyond him, they struggled to pressure the pass. Ray knew his contract was up this year and wondered if the new coach would want to bring in his own people. He'd love to stay in Cincinnati but knew he would land safely somewhere.

01-04-2008, 01:08 AM	#13
PiemasterUK Mascot Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: London	How are you playing this Dynasty? Are you controlling a team or are you just nominally 'in charge' of a team and just simming through.

01-04-2008, 05:38 AM	#14
Peregrine Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Cary, NC	Well I just took a regular game where I was playing a team and forked it so with the dynasty version, I'm not doing anything but simming through.

01-04-2008, 06:13 PM	#16
Peregrine Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Cary, NC	August 2030 Ray had been kept on by the Bengals, signing a four year contract for $8.3 million a year, making him the second highest paid defensive coordinator in the league. Now he was reading a report as the team prepared to make a round of player cuts. The defense would be relying heavily on three rookies on the defensive line, first round pick Harry Bradford at LDT, second round pick Tommie Malone at RDT and third rounder Andre Starnes at LDE. Ray was pretty worried about the whole situation but hadn't had much choice but accept it – another cost cutting move by the GM. He would have veteran Clarence Myer rounding out the d-line. At linebacker would be his three musketeers, Walsh, Henne, and Herrod. The secondary had one new face, journeyman Bo Middleton at free safety, working with Flynn and Wilkins at CB and McKenzie at safety.Virtually all of the team's draft picks had been spent on defense so he had a bit of depth, but would be relying on a young squad that would probably take some time to get used to the NFL. January 2031 Ray waved to Sarah as he dropped her off at school. His family life seemed so much busier now that the season was over, probably because he didn't get to spend nearly enough time with them during the season. It had been a blessed one for the team, they went 12-4 and steamrolled their division, which didn't put up much of a fight this season, the next best team being 8-8. Ray was still hurting from their painful 38-13 loss to the Titans in their first playoff game though, it had seemed like a mismatch from the start. No question that his defense had been the star of their season, though. They were really starting to be seen as an elite unit, allowing only 82.4 rushing yards a game this year, the best in the league. They had been 3^rd against the pass, and overall this was by a good margin the best any of defenses had done. Despite the raw defensive line, he emphasized fundamentals and a powerful blitz, and Bradford and Malone had been very solid at DT. Carlos Henne had had a tremendous year and been given a trip to the Pro Bowl, with 94 tackles and 4.5 sacks. As an aside, check out this guy! I think this is the worst player I've ever seen on an NFL roster, he was scouted 4/5!

01-04-2008, 06:26 PM	#17
korme Go Reds Join Date: May 2001 Location: Bloodbuzz Ohio	Yea but he can lay the wood!

01-06-2008, 08:27 AM	#18
Peregrine Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Cary, NC	August 2031 Ray unlocked the door of his office and eased himself into his chair. He turned on the light and took a gulp of coffee. 5:30 AM, bleah, he hated these early starts, but he needed the time to make plans. The defensive squad had few changes in the offseason, for once. DT Cory Caldwell had been signed as a free agent to work with Rex Wolf, who had emerged last year as the other starting DT. His defensive ends remained Harry Bradford and Tommy Malone who had played so well as rookies last year. Walsh, Henne and Harrod remained stalwarts at linebacker. SS Christian Clancy was the only new player in the secondary, with Lorenzo Flynn, Dixon Wilkins, and Donny McKenzie the other three. Some people thought Flynn has lost a step or two, now in his 10^th season, but he was undoubtedly the starter at corner. Ray studied a picture of Carla on his desk for a moment, she was making a goofy face, but still beautiful. He knew was a lucky man, doing what he loved, being paid well, and with a wonderful family. December 2031 The Bengals had slipped this year, back to 8-8, and finished third in the AFC North. Part of the problem was the amazing year the Pittsburgh Steelers had, going from 7-9 last year to run the table at 16-0 this year. They had done it with a bruising defense, a lot of forced turnovers, and an excellent performance by quarterback Isaac Dill. Still, it hadn't stopped them from falling to Miami in the AFC championship. (Hmm, a preview of a certain real life undefeated team? Not to Miami of course!) 14-2 powerhouse Carolina had ended up winning the Super Bowl. The Bengals' defense remained pretty solid this year, but as usual, their offense dragged them down Ray knew the offense had struggled for several years now, QB Martin Atwater was talented but threw far too many interceptions, and they hadn't had a really effective running game in a while, usually platooning a couple of average guys. The defense though had been solid against the run, finishing as the 11^th rated team, and excellent against the pass, finishing 4th. Quentin Walsh led the team with 70 tackles in only 11 games because of a leg injury.

01-06-2008, 01:45 PM	#19
PiemasterUK Mascot Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: London	How are Ray's ratings looking these days?

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