The League

**Hooe** · 02-17-2006, 06:01 PM

Re: The League

Team Overview / Week 4 Preview: Arizona Outlaws

The Arizona Outlaws (1-2) were a Division III team in the previous league alignment, but despite this have just enough talent, notably on the offensive side of the ball, to potenially make some noise this year with a bit of luck. That said, if they plan on doing such, it will be an uphill battle.

Offense: The biggest threat on offense is receiver Tito Maas. Maas is a big receiver with very good speed given his stature. He runs crisp routes and has some of the softest hands in the League. Critics argue, however, that he does not give 100% for the entire game, and also that he is too quick to dole out blame for losses to everyone but himself. Also notable on offense are quarterback Chris Kane, a quarterback who plays his best in situations such as the no-huddle offense and when forced to improvise plays on the fly, and running back Justin Mears, a big and tough running back who can just as easily run around an opposition as he can run over it, but struggles to play his best consistently.

Defense: There is but one bright spot on an otherwise very mediocre unit: defensive end Gary Patton is one of the better right ends in The League. He doesn't excel in any one particular area, but he has no weaknesses in his game and he is a hard worker. Outside of him, however, there isn't a player on this unit worth mentioning.

Projection: The defense is too bad for this team to compete this season. Already in a hole at 1-2, with their only victory over the lowly Sanctuary Divots, this team may be interesting to watch in a couple years, but for this year don't expect much.

Week 4 Preview: Arizona Outlaws vs. Waco Mavericks

The Waco Mavericks (3-0) attempt to roll off their fourth win in as many tries as they host the Arizona Outlaws. The Outlaws come into this game in an interesting predicament, as their top two quarterbacks, Chris Kane and Mike Flag, both went down with injuries during last week's loss to the Chicago Marauders. The team has brought in NFL castoff Chad Hutchinson to take the reigns, but one wonders how much "Hutch" will be able to accomplish given the lack of time he's had to learn the Outlaws' complex but effective scheme.

Key Players: Waco

DE Freddie Emanuel: With a new quarterback in for the Outlaws, Emanuel will have to do his best to make the inexperienced Hutchinson as uncomfortable as possible. In the NFL, Hutchinson did not perform well when flushed from the pocket, and the same will likely hold true in The League if Emanuel and the rest of the Waco defense can get to him.

WR Jason Tucker: The Outlaw defense is the polar opposite of the Seattle Reign's defense; they are slow and they lack talent. Tucker could potentially have a field day against this pourous pass defense.

CB Casey Black: Black is matched up against one of the best wide receivers in The League in Tito Maas. He can't be expected to shut him down, but Black must do his best to contain Maas and prevent him from making a game-changing play.

Key Players: Arizona

QB Chad Hutchinson: The pitcher-turned-quarterback hasn't had any time, relatively speaking, to learn the Outlaws' playbook. That said, he is head-and-shoulders above any other active quarterback on the team right now, and thus he will be called upon to move the offense. He needs to play at least decently for the Outlaws to compete.

HB Justin Mears: Given the circumstances currently surrounding the quarterback position, Mears needs to produce big for the Outlaws today. Mears is not normally called upon much in the Outlaws' pass-oriented offense, but he has the talent to carry this team if need be and he may have to this week.

DE Gary Patton: Patton will be matched up with Mavericks' left tackle Al Taylor. The two are fairly equal in talent level; it will be an interesting matchup to watch.

**Hooe** · 02-17-2006, 08:11 PM

Re: The League

Week 4: Arizona Outlaws (1-2) at Waco Mavericks (3-0)

The Arizona Outlaws traveled just a ways to the east to pay a visit to the undefeated Waco Mavericks, who were coming off an emotionally-charged win over the Seattle Reign. Given that the Outlaws were starting a quarterback who seven days ago wasn't in football and the fact that they were struggling beforehand, no one expected for the Outlaws to compete in this game.

Despite the doubters, for three quarters the Outlaws gave their opponents everything they could handle, frustrating the Mavericks' offensive efforts by forcing critically-timed turnovers, stifling the running game, and making life for rookie quarterback Tommy Player difficult with consistent quarterback pressure.

However, as they tend to do, the veterans picked up the their struggling team onto their backs and carried the Mavericks to victory. Among those carrying the burden was eleventh-year halfback Anthony Castle, who put up over 60 rushing yards in the fourth quarter against a fatigued Outlaw defense and punched in the game-clenching score. Castle finished with 101 yards on 20 carries and two scores.

For the Outlaws, not all is lost. Quarterback Chad Hutchinson played about as well as he could be expected to for someone who had less than seven days to learn the Outlaws' complex passing offense, completing 7 of 18 passes for 165 yards, two scores, and two picks. Halfback Justin Mears had a proficient day on the ground as well, picking up 118 yards and a score on 15 carries. Finally, while receiver Tito Maas faced double coverage all day and was held without a catch, teammate Corbin Hunt picked up the slack, catching five passes for 151 yards and two scores.

The Waco Mavericks are now 1-0 in division play, 4-0 overall. They travel to Orlando next week to take on the Rage in another divisional matchup.

Statistics: Waco (31)

QB Player: 17/27, 215 yards, 2 TDs, INT
HB Castle: 20 carries, 101 yards, TD
HB Hartley: 13 carries, 36 yards, TD
WR Tucker: 6 catches, 64 yards, TD
WR Sylvester: 4 catches, 104 yards, TD
TE Bridges: 2 catches, 18 yards

SS Hooe: 2 tackles, 2 INTs, 2 deflections
FS Randle: 4 tackles
LB Mitchell: 3 tackles, sack
LB Greer: 4 tackles

Statistics: Arizona (21)

QB Hutchinson: 7/18, 165 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs
HB Mears: 15 carries, 118 yards, TD
WR Maas: 0 catches
WR Hunt: 5 catches, 151 yards, 2 TDs
WR Johnson: 1 catch, 12 yards
TE Kelly: 1 catch, 2 yards

SS Gibson: 8 tackles, 1 fumble forced
LB Dotson: 7 tackles
DT Higgins: 6 tackles
CB Manson: 4 tackles

**Hooe** · 02-17-2006, 09:17 PM

Re: The League

GAME OF THE WEEK
Week 4: Memphis Maniax at Santa Fe Unforgiven

This game wasn't supposed to end up being the best game this week. Alas, things in The League can be a bit unpredictable at times.

Memphis jumped out to a 10-3 lead by the end of the second quarter, thanks to deft passing by quarterback Jim Druckenmiller. "Druck" would leave the game late in the third quarter, however, as he fell awkwardly onto his throwing shoulder while being sacked. Preliminary post-game reports indicate that the injury is just a bone bruise and that he should be fine, but the injury placed the inexperienced backup Marcus Crandall into the game. Statistically, Crandall did not fill in well, as completing 9 of 12 passes, but threw two costly interceptions.

Sante Fe took advantage of the situation, marching down the field on the last drive of regulation and converting a field goal attempt to send the game into overtime. The overtime period was back and forth, and neither team was able to get into field goal range. The extra period finally ended after a fantastic punt by Unforgiven punter Skip Otto that pinned the Maniax down inside their own five yard line, followed by a sack of Crandall in the end zone by defensive lineman Rashaun Bradford.

Statistics: Memphis (10)

QB Druckenmiller 15/26, 158 yards
HB Moss 22 carries, 68 yards
WR Hobbs 8 catches, 77 yards
TE Thomas 7 catches, 46 yards

FS Williams 15 tackles, 1 INT
LB Stiles 6 tackles, 1 fumble forced
DT Rheams 3 tackes, 2 sacks
SS Clark 2 tackles

Statistics: Santa Fe (12)

QB Robinson 15/26, 145 yards, TD, INT
HB Kirby 12 carries, 49 yards
WR Black 4 catches, 21 yards
WR Chander 3 catches, 35 yards

DE Bradford 8 tackles, sack, safety
DT Smith 8 tackles
LB Parker 8 tackles, 2 sacks
SS Vinson 7 tackles

**Hooe** · 02-17-2006, 09:58 PM

Re: The League

Week Four Roundup

Orlando Rage - 39 -- 10 - Dakota Comets
Las Vegas Outlaws - 23 -- 20 - Kansas City Crossfire
New York Nightmare - 22 -- 7 - San Jose Armada
San Diego Cyclones - 14 -- 6 - Baltimore Bearcats
Memphis Maniax - 10 -- 12 - Santa Fe Unforgiven
Seattle Reign - 6 -- 30 - Washington Redhawks
Chicago Enforcers - 20 -- 13 - Carolina Copperheads
Arizona Outlaws - 21 -- 31 - Waco Mavericks
San Francisco Demons - 37 -- 7 - Orlando Hammerheads
NY/NJ Hitmen - 13 -- 3 - Sanctuary Divots
Minnesota Reapers - 12 -- 27 - Birmingham Bolts
Dallas Aztecs - 10 -- 30 - Denver Grizzlies
Las Vegas Aces - 23 -- 42 - Los Angeles Xtreme
Calgary Hitmen - 35 -- 3 - Potomic Vipers

The League Player Of The Week
QB Tommy Maddox, Los Angeles Xtreme

Standings

American Conference

North:
Chicago Marauders, 2-0-1
Cincinnati Crusaders, 1-2-0
Sanctuary Divots, 0-3-0
Dakota Comets, 0-4-0

South:
Waco Mavericks, 4-0-0
Orlando Rage, 2-1-0
Kansas City Crossfire, 1-3-0
Arizona Outlaws, 1-3-0

East:
Memphis Maniax, 3-1-0
New England Regulars, 2-1-0
NY/NJ Hitmen, 2-2-0
Baltimore Bearcats, 0-4-0

West:
Las Vegas Outlaws, 3-1-0
Denver Grizzlies, 3-1-0
San Diego Cyclones, 3-1-0
San Jose Armada, 1-3-0

National Conference

North:
Calgary Hitmen, 3-0-1
Minnesota Reapers, 3-1-0
Chicago Enforcers, 2-1-0
Detroit Devils, 2-1-0

South:
Potomic Vipers, 3-1-0
Santa Fe Unforgiven, 2-2-0
Birmingham Bolts, 1-3-0
Carolina Copperheads, 0-4-0

East:
New York Nightmare, 3-1-0
Dallas Aztecs, 1-3-0
Washington Redhawks, 1-3-0
Orlando Hammerheads, 0-3-0

West:
Los Angeles Xtreme, 4-0-0
Las Vegas Aces, 3-1-0
San Francisco Demons, 3-1-0
Seattle Reign, 0-4-0

**Hooe** · 02-17-2006, 11:14 PM

Re: The League

POWER RANKINGS

01		The Xtreme are the class of the League right now; a good defense, complimented by a great Tommy Maddox-led offense.
02		Questions to answer following the injury to Larry Jordan, but the defense is dominating. Don't be fooled by the expansion team label, the Hitmen are the real deal.
03		Quentin Sands' energy and enthusiasm is feeding right into the other players of this team; they are a nightmare to play against.
04		Shane Spain has been brilliant so far this season, and he's making the guys around him better.
05		The Mavericks have to be in the top five as they haven't lost, but their past four opponents have a combined two wins, and the run defense has been awful. Tommy Player and Anthony Castle have been pleasant surprises, however, and the addition of Jason Tucker right now looks like the best move of any club during the offseason.
06		"He Hate Me" is plowing through opposing defenses, Ryan Clement is finally showing signs of being an adequate QB, and the defense is getting to other QBs repeatedly. A criminal combination.
07		A decisive win over the defending champs and a 3-1 record lands the Grizzlies in the Top 10.
08		The running game has issues, but QB Mike Pawlawski has always carried this team; as long as he's standing, they'll be a good team.
09		Quarterback Dwight Parker is playing efficient football, and the team has a +5 turnover differential four weeks in. That's good.
10		Jeff Brohm and co. are all clicking right now, and with a game coming up against the surprising Waco Mavericks, they need to be.
11		Brutal loss to the Xtreme, but they have some great wins on their resume. As long as Kelvin Diggs' cancerous me-first attitude stays dormant, this club should be fine. The development of the passing game has been a pleasant surprise.
12		Tough loss to the Unforgiven last week, but this club will bounce back. That is, as long as the injury to Jim Druckenmiller is only as inconsequential as the Ax' media outlets are telling everyone.
13		Tony Forbes is having an MVP-type season thus far, and the rest of the team is playing fairly well also.
14		The offense hasn't been as good as anticipated, but the Enforcers are finding ways to win games. John Avery has to return to his dominating ways if the team wants to win their tough division, however.
15		They have been missing their best player in cornerback Vonnie Treonday, but he comes back this week and will have his side of the field on lockdown, thus returning things in Boston to the status-quo.
16		Yes, the Devils are 2-1, and their victories have been impressive, but color us unconvinced. The talent level isn't as great as their victory margins indicate, and Cookie Wallace is a locker room division waiting to happen.
17		The Vipers got defanged this past week by the Calgary Hitmen, losing by an eye-opening 32 point margin. The pass defense has been good and the guys are playing hard, they can bounce back.
18		A surprise victory over the Maniax shows that this club is more resilient than orignally thought. Probably not better than a .500 club right now, though.
19		Quietly 2-2, with a good run defense. Wally Richardson has managed to keep his turnover numbers down, as well; this team could be a surprise later in the season.
20		RB Kwazi Mbutabe is keeping this team afloat. The team has already benched QB Brennan Riley, and Philip Armstrong was great in a win last week over Baltimore. Can he build off of that?
21		Quarterback Sam Schmidt has thrown seven picks to go with his seven touchdowns, and there are a number of injuries in the secondary holding this team back right now.
22		They've had a tough schedule, but they're the defending champions; we expect better, and so does Julius Williams. Can he circle the wagons?
23		Perhaps turning a corner after their latest win over Seattle (or perhaps only stopping the bleeding temporarily). If Mike Mexico can continue the progress he made as a passer from that contest, this team could come back.
24		The inconsistency of quarterback Casey Weldon is holding this team back a bit, and the pass defense has plenty of room for improvement as well.
25		The expansion Armada are going to take their lumps this season, but so far they haven't been as wholly bad as some of their expansion counterparts. QB Glenn Mickens needs to either pick up his play or head to the bench, though.
26		They are the victims of unfortunate circumstance, as their top two quarterbacks are both hurt, but their defense is in shambles.
27		The Reign apparently aren't reigning at the moment. They have the talent, but just aren't producing; if this continues, the coaching staff needs to be canned.
28		Thanks to rookie QB Grant Tanner, the team is competing, but alas they are still winless. The running game has to improve and give the youngster more support.
29		The Hammerheads always underachieve; this season is no different. The team's combined rushing attack is averaging less than 3.0 YPC; awful.
30		The Divots are the least talented team in The League right now, but are almost competitive. There are some gems here, but for the most part, this expansion team needs a complete overhaul.
31		Apparently, the bye week didn't help at all. The Comets are still winless, despite the surprising emergence of quarterback Joel Preston.
32		How long will Bruno Battaglia put up with a team THIS bad before he does something completely over the top, as he always does? The team has yet to score a passing touchdown, and has only scored two touchdowns in four games, one of which was a special teams TD. Horrendous.

**Hooe** · 02-17-2006, 11:43 PM

Re: The League

STATISTICS: Waco Mavericks

Passing
Tommy Player 63/94, 804 yards, 6 TDs, 2 INTs, 105.9 Rating
Cade Rotolo 2/3, 21 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs, 86.8 Rating
Anthony Castle 1/1, 7 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs, 135.4 Rating

Rushing
Anthony Castle 53 attempts, 316 yards, 5 TDs, 2 fumbles
Stacey Hartley 37 attempts, 242 yards, 4 TDs, 0 fumbles
Bob Lowe 5 attempts, 49 yards, 1 TD, 0 fumbles
Tommy Player 9 attempts, 43 yards, 2 TDs, 2 fumbles
Rashard Taylor 7 attempts, 16 yards, 1 TD, 0 fumbles

Receiving
Jason Tucker 25 catches, 349 yards, 4 TDs
Mo Sylvester 10 catches, 206 yards, 2 TDs
Rashard Taylor 7 catches, 75 yards, 1 TD
Lennox Bridges 6 catches, 70 yards
Justin Jonas 4 catches, 60 yards
Austin McAllister 4 catches, 44 yards
Anthony Castle 9 catches, 24 yards
Stacey Hartley 1 catch, 4 yards

Defense
Jarvis Greer 12 tackles, 2 deflections
Cedric McFarland12 tackles, 2 deflections
Chris Hooe 12 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 INTs, 2 deflections
James James 11 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 fumbles forced
Shyrone Mitchell 10 tackles, 1 sack
Freddie Emanuel 8 tackles, 5 sacks, fumble recovery, TD
Jeremy Randle 8 tackles, INT, 3 deflections
Casey Black 8 tackles, INT, 2 deflections
Cory Van 7 tackles, 2 sacks
Nick Rosario 7 tackles, deflection
Jared Simpson 5 tackles

**Hooe** · 02-18-2006, 01:24 PM

Re: The League

Statistical Leaders: League-Wide

Passing:

Yards:

Mike Pawlawski (San Francisco Demons): 1076
Shane Spain (Chicago Marauders): 1030
Casey Weldon (Birmingham Bolts): 963
Bret Costanza (Calgary Hitmen): 933
Germaine Miles (Las Vegas Aces): 919

Touchdowns:

Tommy Maddox (Los Angeles Xtreme): 11
Shane Spain (Chicago Marauders): 10
Ralph McNeal (Potomic Vipers): 8
Bret Costanza (Calgary Hitmen): 8
Taylor Stanton (Minnesota Reapers): 7

Rushing:

Yards:

Tony Forbes (Minnesota Reapers): 629
Kelvin Diggs (Las Vegas Aces): 420
Mark Morris (Kansas City Crossfire): 397
Ed Peterson (Seattle Reign): 396
Mike Mexico (Washington Redhawks): 386

Touchdowns:

Stevo Jones (Detroit Devils): 6
Anthony Castle (Waco Mavericks): 5
Stacey Hartley (Waco Mavericks): 4
Rashaan Salaam (Memphis Maniax): 4
Ed Peterson (Seattle Reign): 3

Receiving:

Yards:

James Jules (Las Vegas Aces): 448
Henry Jones (Potomic Vipers): 417
Brian Sullivan (Dnever Grizzlies): 412
Ralph Bundy (Calgary Hitmen): 389
Nate Sweeney (Kansas City Crossfire): 370

Touchdowns:

Brian Sullivan (Denver Grizzlies): 7
James Jules (Las Vegas Aces): 6
Douglas Blake (Minnesota Reapers): 5
Henry Jones (Potomic Vipers): 5
Jermaine Copeland (Los Angeles Xtreme: 5

Defense:

Sacks:

Zach Perez (Calgary Hitmen): 7
Randall Grandmount (Calgary Hitmen): 6
Freddie Emanuel (Waco Mavericks): 5
Hank Abraham (Denver Grizzlies): 5
Hunter Johnson (San Jose Armada): 5

Interceptions:

Jacob Oliver (New York Nightmare): 3
Chris Hooe (Waco Mavericks): 2
Dwayne Harper (San Francisco Demons): 2
Jeff Little (Seattle Reign): 2
Victor Russell (Denver Grizzles): 2

**Hooe** · 02-18-2006, 04:15 PM

Re: The League

Team Overview / Week 5 Preview: Orlando Rage

The Orlando Rage (2-1) were the favorites to reach and win the XFL Million Dollar game in 2001 until quarterback Jeff Brohm was injured midway through the season. The team did manage to finish 8-2 that year despite his injury, but was upset by the San Francisco Demons in the playoffs. Despite this, the Rage are one of the fastest teams in The League and remain loaded on the offensive side of the ball.

Offense: Quarterback Jeff Brohm is easily among the best passers in The League. He can make all the throws and possesses unmatchable decision-making skills. Making Brohm even more dangerous are the toys he has to play with, so to speak. Receivers Dialleo Burks and Kevin Swayne both possess tremendous speed and quickness, and both are very capable of torching any defensive back in The League. Slot receiver Mario Bailey also has great speed, but his hands are not as consistent and thus his playing time is limited.

Defense: Often overlooked is how fast the Rage defense is, as much of the focus and gameplanning goes towards slowing down their offense. Linebackers James Burgess and Sam Banks are both very athletic and excel in coverage, but are suspect open-field tacklers. The same goes for defensive backs Stephen Fisher and Cory Gilliard. Free safety Scott Cloman, conversely, is a very sure tackler, but has limited range.

Projection: The Rage are a bit off the pace set by their divisional rivals, but are very much still in the thick of things at 2-1. Assuming the Rage can down Waco, they should become the favorites in the division.

Week 5 Preview: Waco Mavericks at Orlando Rage

The Waco Mavericks (4-0) are gunning for their fifth consecutive win in as many tries in Orlando today as they take on the Rage. For the first time this season, however, they are outmatched talent-wise, if only by a small margin. The Rage are also by far the fastest team the Mavs will have seen to-date, and they will have to adapt to this sudden change quickly if they don't want to be out of the game early.

Key Players: Waco

QB Tommy Player: Player will find out today what a real pass defense looks like. The Rage defenders all excel in pass coverage and, as aforementioned, are all very fast. Player cannot afford to make a mistake, a tall order for a rookie.

HB Anthony Castle: Conversely, the Rage are vulnerable up front, as both their defensive line and corps of linebackers are undersized. Castle must establish himself on the ground and open up passing lanes for Player to throw through.

CB Cedric McFarland: Receiver Dialleo Burks receives most of the attention on the Rage offense, but split-end Kevin Swayne is every bit as fast as his counterpart. McFarland is overmatched by a great margin athletically, and will have to be mistake-free in his technique in order to prevent big plays.

Key Players: Orlando

HB Brian Shay: The Rage's dynamic passing attack receives all of the attention, but they do attempt to keep the defense honest with the running game. Like his teammates, Shay has tremendous athleticism, but is inexperienced at the halfback position. Despite this, Shay needs to produce against the vulnerable Waco run defense to keep passing options open for Brohm and company.

WR Kevin Swayne: Swayne completely overmatches the man that will be assigned to cover him, cornerback Cedric McFarland. Swayne will either get the ball himself for large chunks of yardage or draw the coverage away from fellow receiver Dialleo Burks.

DE Sedrick Clark: Clark has been the best pass rusher for the Rage so far this season, and he needs to continue that trend today. If the Rage can pressure Tommy Player, is is that much more likely to make that rookie mistake that he has yet to make.

**Hooe** · 02-18-2006, 05:27 PM

Re: The League

Week 5: Waco Mavericks (4-0) at Orlando Rage (2-1)

An interesting matchup this week pitted the Waco Mavericks against the XFL's Orlando Rage. Both teams had to this point shown considerable firepower on offense and some playmaking ability on the defensive side of the ball.

For a half, the game was fairly even on the scoreboard, but the Mavs had a considerable amount of momentum. Rage quarterback Jeff Brohm could not establish a rhythm in the first two quarters, and the Mavericks were able to control the ball with their dual-threat running attack featuring Anthony Castle and Stacey Hartley.

However, the Mavericks' house of cards came tumbling down in the second half as quarterback Tommy Player finally showed signs that he was indeed a rookie. Player threw two key interceptions in the second half and lost a fumble on a scramble as well, and generally looked confused the entire day against the fast Orlando defense. The Rage offense capitalized on the turnovers, with running back Brian Shay marching the Rage down the field in large chunks, and quarterback Jeff Brohm making brilliant passes to his fleet-footed receivers, including two 60-yard touchdown strikes to Kevin Swayne and Mario Bailey.

The Mavericks have a good shot of bouncing back from this loss next week, as they will take on the struggling Dakota Comets.

Statistics: Waco (17)

QB Player: 12/28, 140 yards, 2 INTs
HB Castle: 19 carries, 88 yards, TD
HB Hartley: 11 carries, 70 yards, TD
WR Tucker: 5 catches, 64 yards
WR McAllister: 3 catches, 29 yards
WR Sylvester: 2 catches, 28 yards

LB Rosario: 4 tackles
SS Hooe: 3 tackles
LB Mitchell: 3 tackles
DT Van: 3 tackles

Statistics: Orlando (24)

QB Brohm: 9/19, 217 yards, 2 TDs
HB Shay: 14 carries, 93 yards, TD
WR Swayne: 2 catches, 88 yards, TD
WR Burks: 3 catches, 47 yards
WR Bailey: catch, 66 yards, TD

FS Cloman: 10 tackles, 3 deflections
LB Banks: 7 tackles, 2 deflections
LB Alexander: 3 tackles, INT
CB Gilliard: 3 tackles, INT, 3 deflections

**Hooe** · 02-18-2006, 06:29 PM

Re: The League

GAME OF THE WEEK
Week 5: New York Nightmare at Dallas Aztecs

When two bitter rivals such as the Nightmare and the Aztecs get together, one knows that a brutal football game is in store. Such was the case today, as injuries piled up for both sides.

For the Nightmare, running backs Ty Dixon and Demetrius Adams both left the field with injuries; Dixon is believed to have a fractured kneecap, which will sideline him for quite some time, while Adams left the game with a pulled hamstring. With their top two running backs on the shelf, rookie-third stringer Darren Campanelli was called upon and was largely ineffective, and with no support from the running game quarterback Clinton Thorpe was picked off twice, with one of these interceptions being returned for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

As for the Aztecs, quarterback Julius Williams was given a blatant blow to the head by Nightmare linebacker Quentin Sands on the first play from scrimmage. Williams sat out the rest of the first half, presumably having a concussion, but insisted on being put back in at the beginning of the third quarter when the Aztecs trailed the Nightmare 6-0 and backup quarterbacks Jesse Tallman and Cade Simon both failed to move the offense. Williams put forth an admirable performance for a quarterback with a concussion, putting up 123 yards in 7 completions and a touchdown.

The brave performance by Williams may have just saved the Aztecs season, as they get a much-needed win over a division rival. At 2-3, there is still work to be done, but if Julius Williams has any say in the matter, the Dallas Aztecs will not fall any farther behind.

Statistics: New York (13)

QB Thorpe 14/28, 119 yards, TD, 2 INTs
HB Campanelli 15 carries, 38 yards
WR Brown 8 catches, 69 yards, TD
WR Roberts 3 catches, 32 yards

LB Sands 14 tackles, sack, 2 fumbles forced
LB McKensie 7 tackles
LB Censky 5 tackles
SS Lucas 4 tackles

Statistics: Dallas (23)

QB Williams 7/17, 123 yards, TD, INT
HB Knight 33 carries, 132 yards
WR Starks 6 catches, 88 yards, TD
WR Dacota 5 catches, 47 yards

SS Shade 5 tackles, INT, TD
LB Dadson 5 tackles
LB Unsicker 5 tackles
DE Flanigan 4 tackles

**Hooe** · 02-18-2006, 07:06 PM

Re: The League

Week Five Roundup

Baltimore Bearcats - 7 -- 24 - Birmingham Bolts
New England Regulars - 17 -- 20 - Memphis Maniax
Detroit Devils - 31 -- 13 - Chicago Marauders
Sanctuary Divots - 13 -- 27 - Chicago Enforcers
Santa Fe Unforgiven - 25 -- 11 - Calgary Hitmen
Waco Mavericks - 17 -- 24- Orlando Rage
Carolina Copperheads - 6 -- 12 - NY/NJ Hitmen
San Francisco Demons - 17 -- 24 - Seattle Reign
Arizona Outlaws - 6 -- 17 - Las Vegas Aces
Potomic Vipers - 29 -- 27 - Los Angeles Xtreme
New York Nightmare - 13 -- 23 - Dallas Aztecs
Orlando Hammerheads - 6 -- 38 - Las Vegas Outlaws
Dakota Comets - 10 -- 41 - Kansas City Crossfire
Cincinnati Crusaders - 9 -- 31 - San Diego Cyclones

The League Player Of The Week
RB John Avery, Chicago Enforcers

Commentary and League News: After five weeks, there are no undefeated teams in The League, but five teams remain winless. Two of these teams are expansion teams that are still developing (the Comets and the Divots), one is breaking in a rookie quarterback (the Copperheads), and the other two (the Bearcats and the Hammerheads) look completely hopeless despite the talent they have.

The northern division of the National Conference is turning out to be just as competitive as predicted. All the teams in this division have at least three wins; in fact, all the teams are 3-1 except for the Calgary Hitmen, who are 3-1-1. The winner of this division surely will not be decided until the conclusion of the regular season.

Speaking of the Calgary Hitmen, they were shown to be vulnerable as they were surprised by the Santa Fe Unforgiven. Running back Dontrelle Drayton fumbled three times in the loss, and was visibly disappointed in himself after the game. "I completely let the team down; this loss is on me, and it won't happen again" he told reporters. Meanwhile, Santa Fe is right in the thick of things in the southern division of the National Conference with a 3-2 record and considerable momentum.

Julius Williams may be the gutsiest player in The League. After taking a deliberate shot to the head from the face of The League himself in Quentin Sands (which the refs somehow failed to flag Sands for unnecessary roughness), Williams refused to let such a low-handed maneuver keep his team from victory. When asked about the hit after the game, Williams refused to comment on the situation. Sands celebrated the hit, telling reporters "That [expletive] [expletive] Williams had it coming to him! Though we lost the game, I have no regrets about what I did, and if I could change anything, I'd hit that [expletive] harder!" The two clubs will meet again later this season. Regarding whether Sands will face any punishment for his actions, League officials are still reviewing film of the hit and his post-game comments.

Though the Washington Redhawks had the week off, they remained in the news with quarterback Mike Mexico's controversial press conference where, among other things, he insisted that he would win the League's Most Valuable Player Award. "There ain't no one in this League that can outperform me on the field offensively, and there ain't a team in the League defensively that stop my game," Mexico stated. When asked about the team's 1-3 record, the passer referred to the three losses as "flukes". The Redhawks will play the Dallas Aztecs next, a game which features an intriguing matchup of two brothers: quarterback Julius Williams and defensive end Jacob Williams.

**Hooe** · 02-18-2006, 11:05 PM

Re: The League

Team Overview / Week 6 Preview: Dakota Comets

The Dakota Comets (0-5) received an unlikely bid of approval to join The League this season when the League Commissioner put in motion his plan to take on the striking National Football League. Hailing from the not-quite appealing city of Pierre, South Dakota, the club was able to lure few free agents during the expansion period, and thus is not the most talented club. However, Comets general manager Xavier Pitts has a reputation of being a very wise personnel man and excellent team builder (see his prior work with the New England Regulars), so the Comets should be contenders in but a few seasons.

Offense: The offense has generally struggled thus far this season due to lackluster play by the offensive line. However, when the line gives a good push, running back Leslie Paris can make things happen. Paris won't win a foot race or a bench press contest against other running backs from around The League, but his willpower and knowledge allow him to perform at a higher level than his lack of given physical talents suggest he should be able to. Quarterback Jamel Preston is in a similar situation in that he makes the most of what he has, but Preston is more mistake-prone than his running counterpart. Vaughn Rucker and Justin Blades have been the top receivers for the Comets thus far this season, but both struggle with their route running and both also will sometimes fail to properly secure the ball on tougher grabs.

Defense: The defense is very weak in the linebacker corps, so weak in fact that the lowly Sanctuary Divots may have better 'backers than this group. The other compenents of the defense do their best to make up for this deficiency, starting with defensive tackle Deion Holcombe. Holcombe hasn't learned all the mental aspects of the game yet, but he is arguably the most athletically gifted defensive lineman in League history, with a blend of speed and power that no football team has ever had in an interior lineman. He has been unblockable at times this season. The secondary is also somewhat solid, and is lead by cornerback John Lofton. Lofton has decent athletic ability and good instincts, but standing at only 5'9", he has struggled against bigger receivers this season.

Projection: The Comets will not compete for The League Championship this season, but despite their record they have enough talent to pull off a few upsets. Look for them to play spoiler to some borderline playoff teams late in the season as the players they have progress.

Week 5 Preview: Dakota Comets at Waco Mavericks

The Waco Mavericks (4-1) looking to rebound from last week's loss against the Orlando Rage this week as they host the Dakota Comets. Dakota, on the other hand, is looking to establish any sort of momentum in an effort to garner some positive things to build upon for the future.

Key Players: Waco

QB Tommy Player: Player struggled last week against a fast Orlando secondary. While Dakota's secondary isn't quite as talented as that of the Rage, they aren't slouches, either. Player must bounce back and play mistake-free football.

WR Mo Sylvester: While the Comets' secondary plays well, they aren't the most athletically gifted. Slot receiver Mo Sylvester is by far the fastest player in this game, and the Mavericks will want to take advantage of this inherent advantage.

CB Cedric McFarland: McFarland played downright awful last week against Orlando. Look for him to bounce back this week and have a huge game against the Comets' receivers, whom are by far less athletically talented than Orlando's.

Key Players: Dakota

HB Leslie Paris: Though he won't have much blocking help as the top two offensive linemen on a bad line are both inactive for this game, Paris needs to establish himself as a threat to the Mavs' defense. Waco has played poorly against the run throughout this season, and the Comets need to exploit this weakness to stand a chance.

FS Will Osbourne: Osbourne is an X-factor of sorts in this game. He has been a very inconsistent player this season, but when he's at his best can be a tackling machine and quite the ballhawk. He needs to be at his best here to make up for the lack of help at linebacker in front of him and to help slow down Waco's League-best rushing attack.

WR Vaughn Rucker: Though Rucker is not very talented in his own right, he is going up against a very struggling corner in Cedric McFarland. If Rucker can get into McFarland's head early, he could have a huge impact on this game.

**Hooe** · 02-18-2006, 11:39 PM

Re: The League

Week 6: Dakota Comets (0-5) at Waco Mavericks (4-1)

Looking to bounce back from a prior loss against the Orlando Rage, the Mavericks returned to Waco with the intent of showing that last week's performance was not indicative of the true talent of their team.

However, a winless and undermanned, yet hungry and determined Dakota squad had other ideas.

The Dakota Comets hung around against the overconfident Mavericks and in the fourth quarter finally knocked down the door with a nine-yard touchdown blast by running back Leslie Paris, putting the Comets up by eight and catching Waco completely offguard. The Mavericks would score another touchdown on a long pass from Tommy Player to Jason Tucker, but failed to convert a two-point conversion try for the tie and failing to hold down the Comets' rushing attack on the final clock-killing drive, taking the game by the count of 21 to 19.

Offensively, the Mavericks seemed to have a bit of an identity crisis today. Despite the early success of the rushing attack, head coach Steve Wieslaw abandoned the run for stretches at a time, putting the game instead in the sole hands of quarterback Tommy Player. Just as it did last week, Player's inexperience caught up to him, as he tossed two interceptions to Comets' defenders.

"I know this is stating the obvious, but I'm really struggling right now" Player said in a post-game interview. "Teams are starting to scheme against my style of play and I haven't yet adjusted. I'm confident that over time I'll get over this hump, but I cost us this game today that we arguably should have won."

Though it is always easy to point the finger at the quarterback, Player wasn't the only one at fault, however. The only receiver that was getting open on a consistent basis was Jason Tucker, who set franchise records with nine grabs for 198 yards. The rest of the team combined for 37 yards receiving. The Mavs' defense also had a very lackluster second-half performance, allowing most of the Comets' 258 yards of total offense in the final two periods of play. The Mavericks also suffered their first major injury of the season, as rookie safety Chris Hooe suffered a pinched nerve and is expected to miss three to six weeks of play.

The Mavericks will attempt to regroup again next week, though they will face a much tougher opponent in the Los Angeles Xtreme.

Statistics: Waco (19)

QB Player: 16/27, 235 yards, TD, 2 INTs
HB Castle: 12 carries, 81 yards, TD
HB Hartley: 6 carries, 32 yards
WR Tucker: 9 catches, 198 yards
WR McAllister: 2 catches, 26 yards
FB Taylor: 2 catches, 12 yards

FS Randle: 7 tackles, INT
DE Emanual: 4 tackles, 3 for loss
CB Black: 3 tackles
SS Simpson: 3 tackles, INT

Statistics: Dakota (21)

QB Preston: 10/14, 191 yards, TD, 2 INTs
HB Paris: 18 carries, 55 yards, 2 TDs
FB Styles: 2 carries, 10 yards
WR Rucker: 5 catches, 115 yards
TE Williams: 2 catches, 44 yards
WR Baker: catch, 19 yards, TD

FS Osbourne: 10 tackles, INT, deflection
CB Lofton: 7 tackles, 2 deflections
DT Holcombe: 4 tackles, sack
CB Sabbatini: INT

**Hooe** · 02-19-2006, 01:10 AM

Re: The League

GAME OF THE WEEK
Week 6: Potomic Vipers at Chicago Enforcers

This week's Game of the Week came down to the wire, as the Potomic Vipers and Chicago Enforcers gave each other everything they had, and then some.

Chicago opened the scoring with a 21-yard touchdown strike from Kevin McDougal to receiver Fred Coleman, but the Vipers responded swiftly with a quick drive ending in a 1-yard line plunge by running back Todd Mason. The teams exchanged field goals, then the Vipers' kicker Stanley Poole tacked on two more for good measure.

In the second half, the Enforcers struck again, McDougal this time finding receiver Zechariah Lord from 5 yards out. The Vipers tacked on another field goal, but Poole's kicking would turn out to be the difference, as he also missed two field goals this half. This small window is all Chicago needed, as they drove into Vipers' territory just far enough to provide kicker Andy Crosland with the opportunity for a game-winning 51-yard field goal. Crosland's kick proved true, and the Enforcers took the game as time expired.

The close win came at a cost for Chicago though, as quarterback Kevin McDougal was lost late in the game due to an injury to his leg. Early test were inconclusive, but it is believed to be a torn ligament in his knee, meaning that McDougal is likely done for the season.

Statistics: Potomic (19)

QB McNeal 24/41, 262 yards
HB Mason 26 carries, 74 yards
WR Connor 7 catches, 92 yards
WR Jones 7 catches, 47 yards

SS Steele 8 tackles
LB Jones 6 tackles
LB Nelson 5 tackles, sack
DT Hamilton 4 tackles, sack

Statistics: Chicago (20)

QB McDougal 19/29, 192 yards, 2 TDs, INT
HB Avery 6 carries, 34 yards
WR Lord 9 catches, 67 yards, TD
K Crosland 2/3 FGs, GW-FG long of 51

LB White 9 tackles
LB Baisley 7 tackles, sack
FS Coleman 6 tackles
SS Brew 6 tackles

**Hooe** · 02-19-2006, 01:38 AM

Re: The League

Week Six Roundup

Chicago Marauders - 36 -- 13 - Sanctuary Divots
Minnesota Reapers - 23 -- 7 - Detroit Devils
Washington Redhawks - 17 -- 24 - Dallas Aztecs
Potomic Vipers - 19 -- 20 - Chicago Enforcers
Orlando Hammerheads - 3 -- 17 - San Jose Armada
Birmingham Bolts - 10 -- 38 - Santa Fe Unforgiven
Kansas City Crossfire - 22 -- 10 - Cincinnati Crusaders
New England Regulars - 16 -- 10 - Carolina Copperheads
Dakota Comets - 21 -- 19 - Waco Mavericks
NY/NJ Hitmen - 3 -- 7 - Memphis Maniax
Baltimore Bearcats - 14 -- 30 - Las Vegas Outlaws
San Diego Cyclones - 13 -OT- 16 - Denver Grizzlies
Orlando Rage - 9 -- 10 - San Francisco Demons
Seattle Reign - 31 -- 9 - Arizona Outlaws

The League Player Of The Week
LB Paris Lenon, Memphis Maniax

Commentary and League News: The sixth week of play has concluded, and the only surprise outcome this week was the Dakota Comets defeating the Waco Mavericks. The Mavericks' passing attack that started off so hot has cooled off significantly, as teams are adjusting to the tendencies of rookie quarterback Tommy Player. The Mavericks' coaching staff needs to help Player get over this hump if they want to get back to their winning ways.

In a rather interesting move intended to improve their to-this-point non existent running game, the Carolina Copperheads signed troubled running back Maurice Clarett to a one-year contract and handed him the starting running back job. Clarett responded well, rushing for 105 yards and a score on 28 carries against a solid New England Regulars' defense. Though the Copperheads lost and remain winless, they looked much more balanced on offense, and thus could yet turn this season around. Could Clarett be the running threat to compliment rookie quarterback Grant Tanner for years to come?

Another chapter is written in the ongoing Mike Mexico saga, as the "MVP" is being pointed at as the sole reason that the Redhawks lost to the Dallas Aztecs this week by the score of 24-17. Mexico completed less than 50 percent of his passes, threw two picks, and lost a fumble during the contest. Mexico was quick to point out that his teammates also contributed to the loss. "My guys ain't hanging on to the passes I throw 'em," the quarterback said, adding "...and my line should be ashamed of themselves after today's performance. I was running for my life, man! I can't do it all by myself, y'know? I gotta have some help." Other members of the Washington Redhawks refused to speak on the issue directly, though rookie running back Derick Trailer did go as far as to say that "the team has some chemistry issues on offense right now."

Media outlets are still awaiting the fallout from the Quentin Sands incident last week. The New York Nightmare team officials released a statement this week stating: "We as a football organization do not in any way condone the actions of Quentin Sands last week, which were beyond unsportsmanlike. We will stand by any decision The League makes in regard to the incident." The Nightmare fined Sands $10,000 for the blow to the head on quarterback Julius Williams, but Sands was still practicing with the team during the Nightmare's bye week and to this point it appears that no further reprimands from the club are forthcoming.

The League

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