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Can you believe that we're in week #6 already?
I think we can all turn our attention to the Texas Hellriders. They've taken advantage of both LRK and CBA's early season faltering and are in first place. They've seemed to hit their stride and an interesting game awaits them in week#7 when they take on OAK.
The in season QB carosel was also on. Newark sent Scott Nelson to Lansing, Columbia sent Gerald Sanders to Houston, and Boston sent one of my personal favorite's Reuben Sante to Newark. Nelson has been great in his stint in Lansing posting 511yds and 4TDs while posting a QB rating of 105.6. This is the best I can ever remember seeing Scott Nelson playing. Sanders was solid in his debut in Houston posting a nice completion rate of 71.4%. Sante on the other hand has struggled all year, including in his first game in Newark. I've always been a big fan of Reuben Sante and I hope Newark is the right spot for him. He'll have enough of a support staff there, but Newark has yet to show that they can properly utilize their QBs.
As much as I love Sante as a player, I've always held a soft spot for the Lawrence Phantoms as a team. This team has been waiting for QB Tobias Stanfield to mature and put it all together. So far, this has been his year. He needs to minimize his INTs and continue to play with the same aggressive nature.
There have been some changes in our governing community. GM Jave of the Oakland Assassins has stepped down and sold his shares in the team. I had a chance to sit down with him just after his press conference.
1. You made a big decision to retire mid-season. What steps did you go through to get to the final decision?
The timing of this was critical. It was something I should have done during the offseason, however, I was just made aware that I had a chance to be involved in this new project from the ground up. And waiting untill next season would have put the new owner in a serious crunch. Let me explain.
First is the win/loss situation. With stretching myself so thin, I didn't feel like I would have been able to focus on the team, and it has the possibility to go into a downward spiral quickly. The new owner is put into a managable situation at 2 and 3. While I am dissapointed that we got off to a slow start, it seems to be a theme with this team. They play their best ball during the latter half of the season. Giving the new owner the majority of the year to understand his new team, and make the corrections needed, I feel Oakland is still a Championship squad, and will once again wear another Conference Championship ring by the end of this year.
Another factor, and one that is, I believe MORE important then just wins and losses this season, is the overall picture. With a team that has this many quality players, they do not play for free. The players are signed through a couple seasons, so I feel good that the new owner will not be left with excessive cap debt or average players making tons of money eating up valuable cap space. However, big decisions need to be made at the end of the season. Hamilton will be looking for a new contract, and many other players will be looking to resign long term. By waiting untill the end of the year to sell the team, the new owner, will be put into a situation where he has to make decisions regarding the future of this team in mere days!
By releasing Oakland today, he is able to sit down, and spend a good deal of time analyzing the team, the cap and what direction he wants to take with Oakland. Putting his own "stamp" on the team, is now possible as he can decide for himself, who goes and who stays, and what players he needs to pursue in free agency in order to maximize his chances of winning.
I was a bit long winded here, but it was important that other owners really understand why I released the team during the season. And I feel confident that was the right choice.
2. What will be your legacy as an owner in this league?
Hahaha, well........thats a question better answered by the people who have played against me during the years. Being the owner of Oakland takes a different kind of mentality. The fans are ravenous when it comes to this team, and you have to take that into account. If you run this team like a business, the fans will have you thrown out on your ass.
When you step into this office, you live and breath the history and tradition of the Oakland franchise. You really must be able to "feel" the pulse of the team. You must embrace every player and coach. It really is much different then say............St. Louis. Those fans want to win, and they don't care how you do it, just get it done. The fans here in Oakland want to win as well, but they truley fall in love with the players here. They(the fans) want to win, but they want you to win with the players on the field.
They show up to every practice week in, and week out. They set up their barbeques and turn their music way up. I don't think I have seen a single fan who does not wear a team jersey. You see, they really do care about these players.
So while I was a bit "left of center", it was only a reflection of the people who really matter. The fans. They buy the tickets, the merchandise, they are the true owners of this team.
I loved playing in this league and I believe it showed.
3. What will you miss the most about your old job?
Sundays will be much quieter these days, thats for sure. I miss the electricity of game days. There is nothing like it. I will miss the other owners. The competitive spirit of the game is unmatched. What made the IFL so successfull was it's owners. I know the fans have many choices on what league to watch on gamedays, yet so many choose the IFL because of the quality of the owners. So I guess you could say, I will miss the owners more then anything. Every single one of them puts 100% effort into winning week in and week out. Even at the end of a long season, the owners who's teams just could not get it done are still fighting tooth and nail for each and every yard they get. Thats what I will miss the most.
4. How would you like to be remembered?
Times change and people move on and do other things. I will eventually be forgotten. But, what I awalys strived for was making an impression. Some day, when all is said and done. I want people to look back on these first seasons of the IFL and smile. I want them to be sitting on their porch and think to themselves, "DAMN, I never had so much fun as when Jave and Jeff were killing each other in the press, or the wars between Oakland and SLC on the field." I want people to realize that this league is special and no one owner can change the entire scope of a league, but damn if I didn't try.
You see, thats what makes the IFL different. It's not a group of owners that make it so special, it's the entire league. Every single owner brings something to the table that contributes.
I suppose if you were to twist my arm and force an answer to this question from me, the answer would be one thought in everyones head. "That was one stubborn, competitive son of a bitch!" When people think of the name Jave, thats what I want them to remember.
5. Tell me about the feelings you went through last season as you watched your team grow and finally make it to within seconds of an Imperial Bowl win.
Honestly, it was a complete shock. I still remember the day of the allocation draft. We went late into the night, and only a few owners were still around for those final picks. But I remember thinking to myself that this team can go all the way. These guys are that good. I knew it would takes years for them to mature, but it was my intent to keep them together, no matter what, because I saw the potiental.
People laugh today at the 3 year plan, but I was serious. And I came damn close to pulling it off to. After the injuries the previous year, I was rather tempered about the chances the team had. I had lost some good players and wasn't sure if I could still be successful without Nelson and Nickels. Theres injuries made them almost a non-factor, and they WERE the defense.
But the addition of Bice was a godsend. As time goes on, you will all see, he will be in the hall of fame. The guy is that good! Hamilton to Bice..........people will fear that combo for years to come. But I got offtrack some......While the year started out horribly(3-4) I wasnt quite sure how to reverse it. I sucked up my pride and picked up the phone to call a trusted friend. Jeff. He mentioned some very basic ideas that he noticed were missing. So very very simple I nearly discounted them as Jeff not wanting to really give any serious help. But I had a bit extra under the cap and fiqured it couldn't hurt.
Well, it seems thats at least part of my success last year, was those 2 additions to my team. Because as you know, we pretty much rolled through every single opponent from there out.(And for those who think Jeff gave me unfair advice, his suggestion was a kick holder and a kicker mentor. Thats it! Thats the big, shocking piece of help that Jeff offered).
But it was much more then that. You have to remember, that alot of these guys are only in their 4th and 5th years in the league. Players usually do not really mature to a championship level untill their 7th-10th seasons. I believe it had to do with consistensy as well. The same players had played together pretty much since the league was started. I had a solid offensive line, and my defense was a strength as well. I was not dealing with many injuries and it all just fell together.
I want to give mad props here to Norfolk. It took one hell of a team to stop us, and the Vipers had that team. I don't think you will ever see a more competitive, thrilling Imperial Bowl for a long, long time. It was just a great run all around, and the perfect way to finish up my career.
6. How do you see your Assassins faring both this season and in the future?
If Jeff does what I think he will do, Oakland will be a juggernaught for years to come. Every single player is just now reaching his full potiental. With the strength of Jeffs cunning, savy gameplanning skills, and the quality of team that Oakland has assembled, I don't see many teams being able to keep up. The only thing that may slow them down is simply the amount of good players on the team. It will be extremely tough to keep this squad together and still come in under the cap in the next 3 years.
If Jeff is able to at least keep the core together,(Hamilton, Bice, Rogers, Jerome, Ingraham, Allmon, McLaughlin, and Davey), then I don't see any reason why Oakland will not win multiple championships in the next 5 years.
7. Any comments on the new ownership group?
Trust. When you give away something you fought so hard for and truly loved, you must be able to trust that the person has the abilities and committment to see it through. They have to be skilled, yet compassionate. They have to understand how the team, the league, and the game operates. In other words, they must be perfect. And Jeff is perfect for this team. He has a complete grasp on what needs to be done, and how to win games. I have total confidence that the new ownership will not only pick up where I left off, but he will also improve, in the areas I was weak. Jeff and Oakland is a perfect match for each other. I just feel sorry for the rest of the league!
Peace..............
Thank you Jave. We'll all miss your love for this game, your love for your team and its players, and this league.
You will be missed.
Oh yeah, here is the power rankings for Week #6
1. Norfolk
2. Vermont
3. Albequerque
4. Little Rock
5. Oakland
6. Lawrence
7. Anchorage
8. Coumbia
9. Reno
10. IWC
11. St.Louis
12. Newark
13. Hartford
14. SLC
15. Pittsburgh
16. Lansing
17. Madison
18. Texas
19. Orlando
20. Fresno
21. Dakota
22. Houston
23. Tulsa
24. Cleveland
25. Louisiana
26. Montreal
27. Murfreesboro
28. Vancouver
29. Portland
30. Wichita
31. Boston
32. West Virginia
Until next time,
Vic
I think we can all turn our attention to the Texas Hellriders. They've taken advantage of both LRK and CBA's early season faltering and are in first place. They've seemed to hit their stride and an interesting game awaits them in week#7 when they take on OAK.
The in season QB carosel was also on. Newark sent Scott Nelson to Lansing, Columbia sent Gerald Sanders to Houston, and Boston sent one of my personal favorite's Reuben Sante to Newark. Nelson has been great in his stint in Lansing posting 511yds and 4TDs while posting a QB rating of 105.6. This is the best I can ever remember seeing Scott Nelson playing. Sanders was solid in his debut in Houston posting a nice completion rate of 71.4%. Sante on the other hand has struggled all year, including in his first game in Newark. I've always been a big fan of Reuben Sante and I hope Newark is the right spot for him. He'll have enough of a support staff there, but Newark has yet to show that they can properly utilize their QBs.
As much as I love Sante as a player, I've always held a soft spot for the Lawrence Phantoms as a team. This team has been waiting for QB Tobias Stanfield to mature and put it all together. So far, this has been his year. He needs to minimize his INTs and continue to play with the same aggressive nature.
There have been some changes in our governing community. GM Jave of the Oakland Assassins has stepped down and sold his shares in the team. I had a chance to sit down with him just after his press conference.
1. You made a big decision to retire mid-season. What steps did you go through to get to the final decision?
The timing of this was critical. It was something I should have done during the offseason, however, I was just made aware that I had a chance to be involved in this new project from the ground up. And waiting untill next season would have put the new owner in a serious crunch. Let me explain.
First is the win/loss situation. With stretching myself so thin, I didn't feel like I would have been able to focus on the team, and it has the possibility to go into a downward spiral quickly. The new owner is put into a managable situation at 2 and 3. While I am dissapointed that we got off to a slow start, it seems to be a theme with this team. They play their best ball during the latter half of the season. Giving the new owner the majority of the year to understand his new team, and make the corrections needed, I feel Oakland is still a Championship squad, and will once again wear another Conference Championship ring by the end of this year.
Another factor, and one that is, I believe MORE important then just wins and losses this season, is the overall picture. With a team that has this many quality players, they do not play for free. The players are signed through a couple seasons, so I feel good that the new owner will not be left with excessive cap debt or average players making tons of money eating up valuable cap space. However, big decisions need to be made at the end of the season. Hamilton will be looking for a new contract, and many other players will be looking to resign long term. By waiting untill the end of the year to sell the team, the new owner, will be put into a situation where he has to make decisions regarding the future of this team in mere days!
By releasing Oakland today, he is able to sit down, and spend a good deal of time analyzing the team, the cap and what direction he wants to take with Oakland. Putting his own "stamp" on the team, is now possible as he can decide for himself, who goes and who stays, and what players he needs to pursue in free agency in order to maximize his chances of winning.
I was a bit long winded here, but it was important that other owners really understand why I released the team during the season. And I feel confident that was the right choice.
2. What will be your legacy as an owner in this league?
Hahaha, well........thats a question better answered by the people who have played against me during the years. Being the owner of Oakland takes a different kind of mentality. The fans are ravenous when it comes to this team, and you have to take that into account. If you run this team like a business, the fans will have you thrown out on your ass.
When you step into this office, you live and breath the history and tradition of the Oakland franchise. You really must be able to "feel" the pulse of the team. You must embrace every player and coach. It really is much different then say............St. Louis. Those fans want to win, and they don't care how you do it, just get it done. The fans here in Oakland want to win as well, but they truley fall in love with the players here. They(the fans) want to win, but they want you to win with the players on the field.
They show up to every practice week in, and week out. They set up their barbeques and turn their music way up. I don't think I have seen a single fan who does not wear a team jersey. You see, they really do care about these players.
So while I was a bit "left of center", it was only a reflection of the people who really matter. The fans. They buy the tickets, the merchandise, they are the true owners of this team.
I loved playing in this league and I believe it showed.
3. What will you miss the most about your old job?
Sundays will be much quieter these days, thats for sure. I miss the electricity of game days. There is nothing like it. I will miss the other owners. The competitive spirit of the game is unmatched. What made the IFL so successfull was it's owners. I know the fans have many choices on what league to watch on gamedays, yet so many choose the IFL because of the quality of the owners. So I guess you could say, I will miss the owners more then anything. Every single one of them puts 100% effort into winning week in and week out. Even at the end of a long season, the owners who's teams just could not get it done are still fighting tooth and nail for each and every yard they get. Thats what I will miss the most.
4. How would you like to be remembered?
Times change and people move on and do other things. I will eventually be forgotten. But, what I awalys strived for was making an impression. Some day, when all is said and done. I want people to look back on these first seasons of the IFL and smile. I want them to be sitting on their porch and think to themselves, "DAMN, I never had so much fun as when Jave and Jeff were killing each other in the press, or the wars between Oakland and SLC on the field." I want people to realize that this league is special and no one owner can change the entire scope of a league, but damn if I didn't try.
You see, thats what makes the IFL different. It's not a group of owners that make it so special, it's the entire league. Every single owner brings something to the table that contributes.
I suppose if you were to twist my arm and force an answer to this question from me, the answer would be one thought in everyones head. "That was one stubborn, competitive son of a bitch!" When people think of the name Jave, thats what I want them to remember.
5. Tell me about the feelings you went through last season as you watched your team grow and finally make it to within seconds of an Imperial Bowl win.
Honestly, it was a complete shock. I still remember the day of the allocation draft. We went late into the night, and only a few owners were still around for those final picks. But I remember thinking to myself that this team can go all the way. These guys are that good. I knew it would takes years for them to mature, but it was my intent to keep them together, no matter what, because I saw the potiental.
People laugh today at the 3 year plan, but I was serious. And I came damn close to pulling it off to. After the injuries the previous year, I was rather tempered about the chances the team had. I had lost some good players and wasn't sure if I could still be successful without Nelson and Nickels. Theres injuries made them almost a non-factor, and they WERE the defense.
But the addition of Bice was a godsend. As time goes on, you will all see, he will be in the hall of fame. The guy is that good! Hamilton to Bice..........people will fear that combo for years to come. But I got offtrack some......While the year started out horribly(3-4) I wasnt quite sure how to reverse it. I sucked up my pride and picked up the phone to call a trusted friend. Jeff. He mentioned some very basic ideas that he noticed were missing. So very very simple I nearly discounted them as Jeff not wanting to really give any serious help. But I had a bit extra under the cap and fiqured it couldn't hurt.
Well, it seems thats at least part of my success last year, was those 2 additions to my team. Because as you know, we pretty much rolled through every single opponent from there out.(And for those who think Jeff gave me unfair advice, his suggestion was a kick holder and a kicker mentor. Thats it! Thats the big, shocking piece of help that Jeff offered).
But it was much more then that. You have to remember, that alot of these guys are only in their 4th and 5th years in the league. Players usually do not really mature to a championship level untill their 7th-10th seasons. I believe it had to do with consistensy as well. The same players had played together pretty much since the league was started. I had a solid offensive line, and my defense was a strength as well. I was not dealing with many injuries and it all just fell together.
I want to give mad props here to Norfolk. It took one hell of a team to stop us, and the Vipers had that team. I don't think you will ever see a more competitive, thrilling Imperial Bowl for a long, long time. It was just a great run all around, and the perfect way to finish up my career.
6. How do you see your Assassins faring both this season and in the future?
If Jeff does what I think he will do, Oakland will be a juggernaught for years to come. Every single player is just now reaching his full potiental. With the strength of Jeffs cunning, savy gameplanning skills, and the quality of team that Oakland has assembled, I don't see many teams being able to keep up. The only thing that may slow them down is simply the amount of good players on the team. It will be extremely tough to keep this squad together and still come in under the cap in the next 3 years.
If Jeff is able to at least keep the core together,(Hamilton, Bice, Rogers, Jerome, Ingraham, Allmon, McLaughlin, and Davey), then I don't see any reason why Oakland will not win multiple championships in the next 5 years.
7. Any comments on the new ownership group?
Trust. When you give away something you fought so hard for and truly loved, you must be able to trust that the person has the abilities and committment to see it through. They have to be skilled, yet compassionate. They have to understand how the team, the league, and the game operates. In other words, they must be perfect. And Jeff is perfect for this team. He has a complete grasp on what needs to be done, and how to win games. I have total confidence that the new ownership will not only pick up where I left off, but he will also improve, in the areas I was weak. Jeff and Oakland is a perfect match for each other. I just feel sorry for the rest of the league!
Peace..............
Thank you Jave. We'll all miss your love for this game, your love for your team and its players, and this league.
You will be missed.
Oh yeah, here is the power rankings for Week #6
1. Norfolk
2. Vermont
3. Albequerque
4. Little Rock
5. Oakland
6. Lawrence
7. Anchorage
8. Coumbia
9. Reno
10. IWC
11. St.Louis
12. Newark
13. Hartford
14. SLC
15. Pittsburgh
16. Lansing
17. Madison
18. Texas
19. Orlando
20. Fresno
21. Dakota
22. Houston
23. Tulsa
24. Cleveland
25. Louisiana
26. Montreal
27. Murfreesboro
28. Vancouver
29. Portland
30. Wichita
31. Boston
32. West Virginia
Until next time,
Vic
