Dropped a fair amount of knowledge at FOFC today.

[Guest]

It might be wise to read up.

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...ad.php?t=82362
http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...ad.php?t=82359
http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...ad.php?t=82366
http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...ad.php?t=82363

[Guest]

Some interesting pointers there, especially about training camp. The WR stuff seemed like common knowledge, but you really pushed it harder than anyone I've seen.

[Guest]

Ben has never really been shy about his love for WRs, but that definitely did hammer it home. I've sort of been the type to take every bit of research and every bit of strategy as food for thought more than a direct plan for success, though. Whats good for the goose isn't always good for the gander, I suppose.

Thats what makes FOF so great, and one way it really mirrors the NFL because no matter how many strategies come out and how many gameplans get passed around, there is an ever evolving game here, and it will most likely change over time. A game that can be investigated and poked and prodded for 5 years and still be so competitive is something you don't come by often, and it continues to be shaped and reshaped by new ideas and strategies all the time.

While Bens advice is clear cut and can be accepted as fact based on the evidence provided, it is by no means the only way to win. Hell of a compendium of research he has put in over the years though. There is a reason why he is one of the better GMs out there.

[Guest]

If anyone wants to see how an otherwise decent team with mediocre WRs does they need look no further than the Dakota Totems.

[Aston]

Haha, now I know what Nemesis means when he was telling me about that league he's in with Ben, how he has them all WR hunting in the draft, and Nemesis scoops up obvious mega-stud QBs (like Tubbs, only better) at 1.19.

I agree with Julio. There are really other ways to win. Look at the Washington teams built around a stud RB (they won the bowl when Tito was all they had at receiver, and was a rookie IIRC). Ben is laying out a lot of his philosophies, but if you aren't Ben, it might not get you the same results. I did like his stuff about training camp though. I want to be all that I can be!

The old adage that Ben and many others well know is that QB/WR/WR kills it. But with 6.3a/6.4, I thought it was also getting more apparent that this was less true. I think RBs are somewhat undervalued there by Ben. But even here with Columbus, he has always been a "give me a couple of crap RBs and I'll get by" guy. In this and other leagues though, I have seen stud RBs be huge difference makers. (Not for me, mind you. I suck with RBs, period). To each their own.

Here's some stuff on WRs from last year by a guy who did a very very in-depth look to try to explain what the bars mean: http://www.naflsim.com/board/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7919 Get Downfield and more surprisingly, courage and route running, also seem to be pretty important bars for WRs. Well, Ben also says jeffrey's studies are fundamentally flawed.

A big thanks to Ben for sharing, though. It is always cool to read stuff like this.

[Nemesis]

Haha, now I know what Nemesis means when he was telling me about that league he's in with Ben, how he has them all WR hunting in the draft, and Nemesis scoops up obvious mega-stud QBs (like Tubbs, only better) at 1.19.

I agree with Julio. There are really other ways to win. Look at the Washington teams built around a stud RB (they won the bowl when Tito was all they had at receiver, and was a rookie IIRC). Ben is laying out a lot of his philosophies, but if you aren't Ben, it might not get you the same results. I did like his stuff about training camp though. I want to be all that I can be!

The old adage that Ben and many others well know is that QB/WR/WR kills it. But with 6.3a/6.4, I thought it was also getting more apparent that this was less true. I think RBs are somewhat undervalued there by Ben. But even here with Columbus, he has always been a "give me a couple of crap RBs and I'll get by" guy. In this and other leagues though, I have seen stud RBs be huge difference makers. (Not for me, mind you. I suck with RBs, period). To each their own.

Here's some stuff on WRs from last year by a guy who did a very very in-depth look to try to explain what the bars mean: http://www.naflsim.com/board/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7919 Get Downfield and more surprisingly, courage and route running, also seem to be pretty important bars for WRs. Well, Ben also says jeffrey's studies are fundamentally flawed.

A big thanks to Ben for sharing, though. It is always cool to read stuff like this.

I would like to point out that this is exactly how Ben was able to get this QB who just threw 60 tds in 15 games this season as well.

[Aston]

I'm sure he is not being intentionally sneaky :)

I'm going to quote Firefly over at the CyFL because he is consistently one of the top GMs, and I think he makes a very good point.

not really... I agree with maybe half what he posted...
but the good stuff is really good
What I like about FOF is that the most knowledgeable, most successful players basically disagree about everything

[Guest]

i think julio hit it on the head my first few seasons here i tried to read what ben and the other fofc guys said and well it got me nowhere once i tapped into bear and yoda over at the vnfl and jeffery in the rnafl especially this past season using his patriots gameplan as a foundation and yodas defensive philosophies ive done much better

maybe its because he knows what going on under the hood better than i do but none of his stuff has helped me gameplan wise. as far as draftin ben is untouchable tho

funny thing was ben special teams are 180 degrees from what bear has said lol i just see that there is no "right way" to play this game and for that i am truly thankfull to jim gindin for that

[Aston]

What is this "Patriots Gameplan." I am a NE Pats fan in real life and I think they are doing pretty well on offense. You must divulge these secrets.

I think Ben also thinks ST are important, just not for training camp. It seems you can get away with no time for ST in TC. That seems like it shouldn't happen, but I guess it does. Hopefully Jim patches that up sometimes because you shouldn't be allowed to skimp on ST.

It is definitely funny how opposite a lot of qualified opinions are. Just goes to show as you say, many ways to win the game. Of course I have not even discovered one!

[Guest]

ben doesnt necessarily need time on ST because he ALMOST always has superior talent when you have a guy like rudinsky returning kicks yeah you dont need practice

bot koz was onto something with his .2 yds on punt coverage. ben is great because nobody drafts like ben and when you have big red bars you can pretty much do anything you want

i guess that what i meant by me listing to ben didnt work. yeah throwing deep all the time works great when you have bobby tubbs and rudinsky and "tex" but what if your flanker doesnt have 88 bpr? what if your qb doesnt have 70+ sr well you cant throw deep as often

bens stratigies are great just like bill belichecks strategies are great...if you draft right.....and have a great qb.

[Guest]

The analogy I always use for Ben is that he is the 90-91 Buffalo Bills. And if you can't match him, then you better try and be the 90-91 New York Giants. :)

I do think Ben is 100% right in what he's saying. But you also need to realize, and this is certainly not a knock on him, that Ben's record in bowl games isn't as dominating as his regular season stats would indicate.

I think this is the frustration you see in those posts. He doesn't *want* to be throwing 60 TDs in 15 games - but he's going to try. It is up to the other owners to stop him.

And if it wasn't emphasized enough in those threads, step one is to quit using run-aggressive defenses.

[Guest]

The analogy I always use for Ben is that he is the 90-91 Buffalo Bills. And if you can't match him, then you better try and be the 90-91 New York Giants. :)

I do think Ben is 100% right in what he's saying. But you also need to realize, and this is certainly not a knock on him, that Ben's record in bowl games isn't as dominating as his regular season stats would indicate.

I think this is the frustration you see in those posts. He doesn't *want* to be throwing 60 TDs in 15 games - but he's going to try. It is up to the other owners to stop him.

And if it wasn't emphasized enough in those threads, step one is to quit using run-aggressive defenses.

LOL somehow i doubt ben is losing sleep over throwing 60 tds

i guess im hung up on 1 post ben made a long time ago something to the effect of him not wanting to share more because it would hurt his mp game. granted its not fair but then again im sure ben could care less what a noob like myself thinks.

ive just found trying to duplicate him is darn near impossible and one has to wonder how many aces hes still holding. and maybe hes not maybe its like in basketball where great players are so naturally gifted they cant teach it

then again ben has his disciples and they do well so its im sure its my execution. in the end bens on the top im at the bottom looking up. but jugg guys like you and bear are MY hero you show you can win another way.

[Aston]

in the end bens on the top im at the bottom

And that's just how strick likes it.

[Guest]

And that's just how strick likes it.

[Guest]

i guess im hung up on 1 post ben made a long time ago something to the effect of him not wanting to share more because it would hurt his mp game. granted its not fair but then again im sure ben could care less what a noob like myself thinks.

Well, yeah, have to keep in mind that this is basically an exit interview from Ben. He's bored, so it's 'here's how I did it' posts.

I do believe there's other ways to win. And if there's sharks like Ben in your league, it's worth finding 'em. That being said, this is the only league where I've had any sort of maintained success. I'm a whipping boy in WOOF and IHOF, and streaky in CCFL.