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| Les Lacy, QB, Oakland |
All-Pro Ballot is Up!
Please vote for our 1975 All-Pro Team. The ballot is ready to go. I have included just a brief stats summary for each player, so please take the time to peruse those and choose the most deserving candidates.At the end of the survey, please write in your choices for Offensive MVP, Defensive MVP, and Coach of the Year. I sort of forgot to include Coach of the Year last season, but I am sure you guys would have voted for me just to jinx my Florida Blazers team in the playoffs (ha ha). I will pick the punter and kicker, since Survey Monkey limits us to 10 questions for the free version.
I will leave this ballot open until I see the responses dropping off, then I will give everyone one more day to finish up. You can find the survey here.
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| Mike Williams, CB, NJ |
Last year's co-MVPs on offense, QBs Agustin Cook and Daniel McKee, are back on the ballot this time. The voting is liable to be much tighter this time. The leading candidates might include Oakland Invaders QB Les Lacy and San Antonio Gunslingers WR Donnie Baker.
Last year's defensive MVP, John Cintron of the Shreveport Steamer, is not on the ballot this time. Cintron suffered a knee injury in Week 8 and was not as dominant the rest of the way, finishing with fewer than half of the tackles he recorded in 1974 (54 to 121) and allowing 62 percent completions instead of 33. This year's leading candidates might include San Antonio MLB Jonathan Neal, Oakland CB Edward Alston and New Jersey CB Mike Williams.
Playoff Preview
The Chicago Blitz (15-1) and Oakland Invaders (14-2) will receive first-round byes in the American Conference. The only Chicago starter who appears questionable for the second round is center Ron Stanfill. Oakland should be 100 percent healthy for the second round.
The Blitz will meet the Portland-Honolulu winner. MFN picks the Storm by 3 points. The teams did not meet during the regular season. Portland won, 13-10, during the 1974 regular season. Six Honolulu starters are questionable for this game, while Portland enters the game with its starting lineup intact.
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| Jonathan Neal, MLB, San Antonio |
The Detroit Wheels and San Antonio Gunslingers square off for the right to meet Oakland. The teams did not meet during the regular season, but San Antonio won, 22-17, in 1974. MFN calls this matchup even. San Antonio should have all of its starters ready, while Detroit will be missing SLB Edward Flores.
The Georgia Force (15-1) and Pittsburgh Maulers (13-3) received first-round byes in the National Conference. Georgia is likely to be without one starting OL and one backup OL for the next round. Pittsburgh might be missing LT Herman Winn and CB George Rice.
The Jacksonville Bulls host the Birmingham Stallions for the right to meet Georgia. The teams did not meet this season, but Jacksonville won, 17-3, in 1974. The Bulls are a 3-point favorite according to MFN. Birmingham will likely play without injured LG Earl Murtagh, a 1974 All-Pro. Jacksonville will be missing starting LT James McManus and SLB Andres Neal.
The New Jersey Generals are a 1-point favorite by MFN against the Shreveport Steamer in the other first-round game, with the winner to face Pittsburgh. Shreveport won, 35-23, during the regular season. CB Gregory Johnson is the only significant injury for New Jersey, and Shreveport will likely be without DT James Courtney.
Team: Oakland Invaders
Playing MFN Since: 12/25/16 (Really? I had nothing better to do on Christmas?)
Hometown (town, state): Muskegon, MI
Current residence (town, state): Same
Day job: Bus driver
Favorite teams (all sports): Michigan Wolverines and Oakland Raiders fan. I saw the Raiders on TV when I was 10 years old, the Silver and Black, Stabler, Casper, Tatum, Branch etc. I knew that was the team for me. Grew up a Michigan fan and will pretty much watch any sport that they are competing in, from women's softball to football. When I watch hockey, I pull for the Red Wings.
A real-life sports experience: High school football, we were playing a team that always competed for state championships and always kicked our butt. We played the game of our lives and I got a strip sack in the end zone, my teammate recovered the fumble for the winning TD (ah ... the glory days).
Coach's Corner: (tip for a new MFN coach): Watch the games (especially if your new). Maybe it's just me, but when I first started playing I thought, "I'm not going to watch these little circles run around" (having been spoiled by Madden graphics), but it will help you learn the game and how the plays really work in a way that you can't by just looking at the numbers. Not to mention that once you are invested in your team and players, these games can be downright grab the nachos and a beer exciting.
I'm going to beat this dead horse...scout your own playbook. Too often I scout a team's offense and they are using Run Play A and averaging 1.1 ypc and they've been doing it all season or longer. Switch it up. Also be a copycat. Study the plays the good teams are using and the personnel they use to do it. Good luck! (because just like in real football, you're going to need that sometimes too).
Coach's Profile
User Name: WolveraiderTeam: Oakland Invaders
Playing MFN Since: 12/25/16 (Really? I had nothing better to do on Christmas?)
Hometown (town, state): Muskegon, MI
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| Wolveraider |
Day job: Bus driver
Favorite teams (all sports): Michigan Wolverines and Oakland Raiders fan. I saw the Raiders on TV when I was 10 years old, the Silver and Black, Stabler, Casper, Tatum, Branch etc. I knew that was the team for me. Grew up a Michigan fan and will pretty much watch any sport that they are competing in, from women's softball to football. When I watch hockey, I pull for the Red Wings.
A real-life sports experience: High school football, we were playing a team that always competed for state championships and always kicked our butt. We played the game of our lives and I got a strip sack in the end zone, my teammate recovered the fumble for the winning TD (ah ... the glory days).
Coach's Corner: (tip for a new MFN coach): Watch the games (especially if your new). Maybe it's just me, but when I first started playing I thought, "I'm not going to watch these little circles run around" (having been spoiled by Madden graphics), but it will help you learn the game and how the plays really work in a way that you can't by just looking at the numbers. Not to mention that once you are invested in your team and players, these games can be downright grab the nachos and a beer exciting.
I'm going to beat this dead horse...scout your own playbook. Too often I scout a team's offense and they are using Run Play A and averaging 1.1 ypc and they've been doing it all season or longer. Switch it up. Also be a copycat. Study the plays the good teams are using and the personnel they use to do it. Good luck! (because just like in real football, you're going to need that sometimes too).
