The Totem Pole

[Guest]

A little over halfway through the season and we've been up and down but we lead the division by a game and we're going to have the tiebreaker over anyone who can catch us. I suspect we'll be a wild card team.

McBriar has been maddening at QB - Turnovers + lack of production. I guess that first season I had with him was either a mirage or he's declined in rating enough that I can't run as aggressive an offense as I used to. I don't really have another viable option at QB right now, so it's something I'll have to fix in the offseason. It's too bad because I think I could make a decent passing game with my current receivers if I had the right QB.

Fortunately, my RB is a stud and my defense is relatively young and talented. Still, I doubt this team will make it further than the divisional playoffs this season.

[Sharkn20]

Maybe we can talk about my back-up at QB Peterson for the next year... He will top 49 and I'm pretty sure that will be in the mid 50 at some point... Also he plays like that when he is under the Center... Think about

[Guest]

Maybe we can talk about my back-up at QB Peterson for the next year... He will top 49 and I'm pretty sure that will be in the mid 50 at some point... Also he plays like that when he is under the Center... Think about

He's OK but...

...SACK LEVEL: AUSTIN CASH. :)

[Sharkn20]

He's OK but...

...SACK LEVEL: AUSTIN CASH. :)

hahahaha

[Guest]

Shredded by Denver and Greg....Pinson? Yuck.

Despite the fact that we could finish 8-8, we have the division and a wild card position locked up. We'll get our first regular season look at 7th round wunderkind Walt Johnson.

He does well enough he might start the playoff game. :)

[Guest]

Walt Johnson wins in his first start. That guy could conceivably end up starting for us next year.

We finished 9-7 and aren't scaring anyone on offense, but our defense has come along since A.J. Hassett came back from his high ankle sprain. We're going as far as our QB can take us, and I don't think McBriar is taking us any further than the divisional round at best.

We face Yuma in the wild card game and I haven't ever beaten Julio in OSFL yet. A win would make this season a semi success for us.

[Guest]

Bowed out in the wildcard vs Yuma the Unbeatable. (Well, they're unbeatable for ME at least.) Just about as far as this team deserved to go.

Position by Position Analysis Going into Postseason

(QB) Situation: Untenable.

McBriar just can't seem to accomplish anything I want him to. He had some success in Dakota, but it seems like a replacement is in order. Superman 7th round draft picks Walt Johnson and Nicky Stevens will probably be our #2 and #3 for years to come.

(RB) Situation: Pretty Awesome

Superstar Quack Duckworth has this position locked down for us for years to come. Solid vets J.B. Trotter and Rob Wickes will continue to back him up as long as they're able.

(WR) Situation: LOL WUT?

We had a nice late round find in Louie Heinlein this season and he should step into Bernie Jones' slot receiver role as Jones ages. Donaghy and Lovejoy had their worst seasons so far, but I think I can solve that by getting them a QB upgrade this offseason. Troy Barnhill is decent but he may get moved if I don't have a ton of cap space next year.

(TE) Situation: A'ight

Rickey Bradley and Rex Westbrook are fine for my current offense. Britt Peters will probably be on this team until he retires as TE3 for his leadership abilities.

(OL) Situation: FEAR

We have 3 quality centers, so we'll probably move J.T. Sandage this offseason. Register, our 1st round pick will move into the starter role. Domenici is probably a starter quality backup. At guard we will probably continue with our former Ohio Valley run game mauler Martin Rice and a suddenly less disappointing Dustin Chorak. At T we have reason for worry as our new superstar bonus laden tackle, Sean Burton, broke his leg twice in one year. Hopefully he comes back in one piece. If Craig Monroe doesn't get a huge age hit to his rating he'll probably start at the other tackle position again.

(DL) Situation: Peachy Keen

A.J. Hassett is a monster, Jeffery Gaylor can stuff the run, Wes Pimentel is a good situational pass rusher who has underperformed, and Kyle Ackerman is a solid backup. Jerome Howe will start, but depending on age hits Charlie Patton might be replaced. Cedric Caldwell, while adequate, wants far too much money for an adequate DT and may be on his way out.

(LB) Situation: Better than Usual

The acquisition of Cole Motz from Utah fills a huge hole we've had at SLB for years. Montgomery will probably be franchised for a 4th consecutive year at MLB and WLB.... well... who cares? If we can't keep Montgomery, Lorenzo Ferguson will slide in neatly at MLB and fill the void.

(CB) Situation: Not Quite Camilleri/Dudgeon, but Pretty Good

Hutchins and Leslie Troglia don't quite measure up to our great duo from the past, but they are above average. Jumbo Raffray, acquired by trade, had his best season as our nickle back. O.J. Bridges finished the season on IR and is aging, but he might be back for another season.

(S) Situation: Just OK

Lamar Rivera, the zero endurance wonder, will continue to get snaps. Corey Maiher started the season on fire but faded towards average as it went on. Jorge May is a normally a liability in coverage, but with affinity he seems to be just fine.

(P/K) Situation: Idiot Kicker

We're set up for years with Marcum and Selmon at kicker, but Selmon is a huge liability on kickoffs. We'll probably be dedicating a roster spot to a KO specialist from now on.

[Aston]

cut/trade Selmon. Kick Accuracy doesn't matter. The other guy is plenty good enough.

[Guest]

cut/trade Selmon. Kick Accuracy doesn't matter. The other guy is plenty good enough.

Kick Accuracy isn't everything....it is the ONLY THING!!!

[Guest]

2028 DRAFT

1(5) Malcolm Rowland WR 31/52 - Red Flag and no combine, but the last possibly elite WR left. Traded a future 1st to get here and it was probably worth it. Lots of VUs on him and other scouts view his ratings well, so it looks like he's really VU. My first top flight WR in OSFL if he holds.

3(17) Chad Wallace CB 7/25 - A stinker I picked based on pairs. Don't even know if he'll make the roster. CLASSIC DAKOTA PICK.

3(21) Sam Wilcox TE 22/47 - Looks like a dropper. If he only drops a little he could make the roster.

5(27) Eugene Farnell CB 22/38 - Could stick around as a nickel CB.

6(21) T.J. Wynn RB 26/46 - Also looks like a dropper. Drafted as a possible WR convert.

7(2) Wayne Laughlin CB 10/17 - At least I waited until round 7 for this one.

[Guest]

2028 DRAFT

1(5) Malcolm Rowland WR 31/52 -> 36/57 - What a hit. Could be better than Booker who I tried to trade up for. Great WR draft at the top for everyone. Meier and Morrison both dropped 2 but should be excellent WRs.

3(17) Chad Wallace CB 7/25 -> 9/25 - Yep. SEEYA.

3(21) Sam Wilcox TE 22/47 -> 27/46 - Still can make the roster since two of TEs took a dump in TC.

5(27) Eugene Farnell CB 22/38 -> 26/39 - My old nickle/dime backs fell, so Farnell probably makes the roster. He has affinity to boot.

6(21) T.J. Wynn RB 26/46 -> 27/41- Splat. Have fun stormin' the waiver wire!

7(2) Wayne Laughlin CB 10/17 -> 17/20 - +3 TC but he'll just be 7th round pick trade bait or a cut. He has affinity so he might stick anyway.

[Guest]

Farewell, Pat Donaghy! The record holder for most receiving yards in a game for Dakota is sent packing after 7 seasons with the team. He was taken with pick 1.32 (traded for from Utah, of course) and was serviceable, but never really achieved as much as we thought he could. We're a lot deeper at WR and we needed to restock our dwindling number of draft picks, plus we have a "real" TE for the first time since Nate Garrett.

[Guest]

Another goodbye for a longtime Totem. TE Britt Peters was cut before week 2 of preseason after 9 years with the Totems. He caught a TD pass against his old team in our bowl win vs the Bees. The only remaining members of our championship 2022 team still with us are WR Teddy Barnikow and RBs J.B. Trotter and Rob Wickes.

WR Terrence Blackwell takes his roster spot. He carved out a nice little niche for himself on the team in 2025 when we went 7-9, but we let him go in free agency the next year. In the past six years that was the only season he played much as as WR. His role will purely be on special teams this time.

[Aston]

The de-pollination continues!

[Guest]

The de-pollination continues!

We'll never get all the pollen out! We're positively lousy with pollen! :)