[tpaterniti]

Disclaimer: This post is somewhat roster based, but not exactly, so I just put it in here, first because I knew it would get more exposure here, and also because it is my answer to AP 2K8's announcement that they will not have a franchise mode.

I recently used my 2K7 roster to create a franchise for myself to play as the Ravens. As much as I liked my other franchise (where I controlled every team), it was a lot more fun when the computer controlled the other 31 teams. I used my full team export for the Ravens so that I could get all my players and have them in the right position as well. I was also able to add about 16 key players to other teams that weren’t in the roster file alone. The challenge of course was to add as many players as possible and to make it as realistic as possible. So I adjusted some players based on last year’s performance, and I toned some of the RB’s BTK stat down a bit because in my 2K7 franchise way too many of the RBs were rated in the upper 90s in 2 or 3 years.

In the end I could not be more pleased with the results. This franchise has added new life into the game, primarily because it is so realistic. More on this in a minute.

The point of all this is that I am willing to make a franchise for anyone who wants one. It would be easiest if you have AR Max, but I suppose I could do it through the mail. I will do it on a first-come (or should I say, a first-post) first-served basis. Let me know in this post if you want a franchise and which team you want it for. That way everyone can see in what order everyone else made their request. Then we can pm each other on specifics and I can probably do it in a week or so- maybe less. I can work with you on which players you want or don’t care about and stuff like that, both on your team and on other teams. I don’t really want to include this year’s draftees because that would take a lot of work (more on that below), but I can be persuaded about some things so just remember that it can’t hurt to ask if you really want something. The worst I can do is say no. If you can be satisfied with starting a franchise where last season left off (i.e. before this year’s offseason moves and draft), I promise that you will not be disappointed in this franchise.


Finally, I am not doing a roster for this season. With the advent of the new AP 2K8 game, and considering the limitations of the PS2 software, it just isn’t worth it for me to put in the massive amount of work it would take to make another roster. I have invested 500 hours over the course of the last 2 years updating the roster and I just don’t think I have another 100-200 in me for another update.This year I am just doing team exports for certain teams. Right now I have the Patriots and the Raiders. I am just doing them as I feel like it though, and I probably will NOT do very many teams. But if anyone wants to make exports themselves, I will include my excel file and you can simply make a team and export it yourself (this is the file labeled "booyah" below).

As promised, here is more on the accuracy. I played 3 games of my Ravens franchise and simmed the rest. Here are the results. I only simmed it once; I didn’t sim it until I got these results. Remember that injuries played a factor for some teams, as well as the computer changing depth charts (for example, it replaced Rex Grossman with Brian Griese because I had Greise rated a little higher than Grossman, even though Grossman was originally the starter in the depth chart).

Regular Season Results


AFC North
Ravens | 11-5
Steelers | 10-6
Bengals | 5-11 (Chad Johnson got hurt in Week 2 and missed almost the whole season)
Browns | 3-13


AFC South
Colts | 13-3
Texans | 11-5
Jaguars | 10-6
Titans | 6-10


AFC East
Patriots | 11-5
Jets | 8-8
Bills | 7-9
Dolphins | 6-10


AFC West

Chargers | 9-7
Broncos | 8-8
Chiefs | 5-11
Raiders | 3-13


NFC North

Bears | 9-7
Packers | 8-8
Lions | 7-9
Vikings | 3-13


NFC South

Saints | 12-4
Buccaneers | 9-7
Falcons | 7-9
Panthers | 7-9


NFC East

Eagles | 12-4
Cowboys | 9-7
Giants | 8-8
Redskins | 6-10


NFC West

Seahawks | 9-7
49ers | 9-7
Rams | 8-8
Cardinals | 7-9


Player Awards


MVP


Peyton Manning
335/478 (70%)
3936 yards
30 TDs
111.4 rating


Offensive Player of the Year


Michael Vick
284/477 (60%)
3616 yards
29 passing TDs
93.9 rating
121 rushing attemps for 340 yards and 2 TDs


Defensive Player of the Year


Troy Polamalu
116 tackles
3 sacks
9 INTs
2 force fumbles
1 defensive TD


Offensive Rookie of the Year


Philip Rivers

317/520 (61%)
4052 yards
29 TDs
98.3 rating


Defensive Rookie of the Year


Lofa Tatupu

116 tackles
5.5 sacks
4 INTs
2 forced fumbles


Rushing Title


Shaun Alexander

1475 yards (98 yard long)
4.6 yards per carry
14 rushing TDs
384 receiving yards (81 yard long)
4 receiving TDs


Sack Leader


Jason Taylor and Richard Seymour tied at 15.5


INT Leader


Troy Polamalu, Tye Hill, and DeAngelo Hall tied at 9


1000 yard WRs


1. Torry Holt | 70 receptions | 1338 yards | 14 TDs
2. Hines Ward | 72 receptions| 1238 yards | 6 TDs
3. Laveranues Coles | 72 receptions | 1135 yards | 8 TDs
4. Reggie Wayne | 73 receptions | 1096 yards | 13 TDs
5. Lee Evans | 67 receptions | 1069 yards | 9 TDs
6. Anquan Bolden | 58 receptions | 1007 yards | 9 TDs
7. TJ Houshmanzadeh | 74 receptions | 1001 yards | 11 TDs


Playoff Results (* = home team)


Wild Card Week
Chargers* d. Texans 20-17
Ravens* d. Steelers 38-24
Bears* d. Buccaneers 28-17
Seahawks* d. Cowboys 14-10


Divisional Playoffs Week

Colts* d. Chargers 28-26
Patriots* d. Ravens 29-24
Saints* d. Bears 47-35
Eagles* d. Seahawks 27-6


Conference Championship Week

Colt* d. Patriots 16-14
Saints* d. Eagles 21-7


Superbowl

Colts d. Saints* 28-21


Next Seasons Draft Order

1. Browns
2. Raiders
3. Vikings
4. Chiefs
5. Bengals
6. Dolphins
7. Redskins
8. Titans
9. Panthers
10. Lions
11. Falcons
12. Cardinals
13. Bills
14. Rams
15. Giants
16. Packers
17. Broncos
18. Jets
19. Cowboys
20. Buccaneers
21. Chargers
22. Bears
23. 49ers
24. Seahawks
25. Steelers
26. Jaguars
27. Texans
28. Ravens
29. Patriots
30. Eagles
31. Saints
32. Colts