[NEOPARADIGM]

Talking offline Dynasty here.

I'm controlling Michigan: B+ offense, C+ defense.

Week 1: W 52-6 over Western Michigan.

Now, in week 2, I host Oklahoma State, and take a 31-14 halftime lead, at which point I get bit by the "are my sliders too easy?" bug (consciously noting that I've outscored the CPU 83-20 through six quarters) and proceed to lose the game, 52-48.

Week 3, I'm on the road against Indiana, and I fall behind 21-0 in the first quarter. I go on to lose the game, 48-35. (Got the score wrong in the "Frustrating Loss" thread, for anyone who's paying attention. 48-35 is the correct final.)

Week 4, I just played tonight, hosting Eastern Michigan. I fall behind 7-0 just 0:48 into the game, and eventually trail 28-10 at the half. But here's the thing: I get it together and win the game, 36-35.

Okay, so, to the point: I can't help but notice a pattern here. I'm wondering, had I not lost all competitive control against Oklahoma State, would I have lost the Indiana game? If I had gone on to beat OSU, say, 66-20, would I have fallen behind Indiana 21-0? Or do you suppose that could be literally a continuation of the fact I allowed 38 second-half points to OSU?

And notice that I only allowed 7 second-half points to EMU after I "got it together." My prediction, in turn, is that I should be fairly competent on D for at least the first quarter of my next game (opposed to falling behind 21-0, e.g.).

Also note, I'm not presenting this as any sort of "comeback AI" nonsense or "predetermined outcome" thing; rather I'd suggest that, if there is indeed game-to-game momentum, it's flippin' awesome.

Just wondering if others have noticed something similar, or, more specifically, if this can in fact explain some of the "predetermined outcome" etc. talk we get around here.

Again, if the game is in fact working on a game-to-game momentum system, I think that's awesome: it simulates teams watching film on you and spotting your weaknesses, opposed to previous iterations where if one team exposed you one week as fraudulent stopping the run, e.g., the next team would still try to throw on you all game, etc.

I'm starting to think, seriously, that, for instance, guys who can't run the ball can't run the ball because they haven't been able to run the ball! Ya know? Guys who can't sack the quarterback, aren't sacking the quarterback, because they never sack the quarterback! And so on.

I mean, if I'm wrong, whatever, but, it's not just these four games I'm pointing to (sample size!), it's more of a I've-been-playing-this-game-for-months-and-this-makes-sense hypothesis.

Anything?