Thursday, June 29, 2017
2017 Draft Order
Now that the dust has settled on fresh starts and relocations, we can put the 2017 draft order to print: The draft is scheduled for Sunday August 27th at 7:00pm.
Monday, June 26, 2017
Warm Impermanence
The Ninth Season of Larkspur Bowl action sees the customary array of changes, including:
-The 33rd distinct franchise in league history has been born: the BINGHAMTON SNIPERS. Mark Serokosz joins the league with fanfare as the first brand new owner since Marty Sheehy took over the Moosecrew in week 3 of the 2014 season.
-The OAKWOOD DRIVERS, owners of a moribund 17-35 record through four seasons, have been rebranded with a new color scheme. After so many years of STOP SIGN RED, the GREEN AND GOLD look should have Tom Acquisto's team going for first place in their fifth year.
-Vince Milillo's nomad franchise takes its eighth logo in eight years, heading to Palm Beach to become the MAR-A-LAGO GRABBERS. The Presidential moniker could be the key to an uncanny rise to the top for a team that's been out of the race for half a decade now.
-Already announced, but the Saskakatoon Sasquatch/Atlanta Rage squad helmed by Kevin Stabe have transitioned to become the PHILADELPHIA RUM HAM, hoping to get away from their own playoff drought which has reached four seasons.
-In addition to helmets and third jerseys for each of the ten teams that retained their 2016 details, the MANITOBA MOOSECREW and HCM CITY LEAD FARMERS have had their kits updated for the coming season, with the Moosecrew going away from their red accents and sporting more neutral toned blues, while the Lead Farmers maximize the black in their new duds while embracing a crisp modernized typeface that relegates the gunmetal gray.
-The 33rd distinct franchise in league history has been born: the BINGHAMTON SNIPERS. Mark Serokosz joins the league with fanfare as the first brand new owner since Marty Sheehy took over the Moosecrew in week 3 of the 2014 season. 
-The OAKWOOD DRIVERS, owners of a moribund 17-35 record through four seasons, have been rebranded with a new color scheme. After so many years of STOP SIGN RED, the GREEN AND GOLD look should have Tom Acquisto's team going for first place in their fifth year.
-Vince Milillo's nomad franchise takes its eighth logo in eight years, heading to Palm Beach to become the MAR-A-LAGO GRABBERS. The Presidential moniker could be the key to an uncanny rise to the top for a team that's been out of the race for half a decade now.
-Already announced, but the Saskakatoon Sasquatch/Atlanta Rage squad helmed by Kevin Stabe have transitioned to become the PHILADELPHIA RUM HAM, hoping to get away from their own playoff drought which has reached four seasons. 
-In addition to helmets and third jerseys for each of the ten teams that retained their 2016 details, the MANITOBA MOOSECREW and HCM CITY LEAD FARMERS have had their kits updated for the coming season, with the Moosecrew going away from their red accents and sporting more neutral toned blues, while the Lead Farmers maximize the black in their new duds while embracing a crisp modernized typeface that relegates the gunmetal gray.
-The rest of the league stands pat: the defending champion HILL VALLEY McFLYS, consummate medalist PHOENIX UPRISING, the PAWNEE PRIDE who sport the best regular season record over the past two years (18-8), the DEPUTY VAN HALENS fresh off a legitimate show of force in 2016, the due for some good luck SAVANNAH PETES, the 2015 champions SOUTH PARK COWS, TORONTO LTP who just missed the playoffs for the first time in four years, and the 2014 champion NEW YORK'S FINEST.
Friday, June 23, 2017
Franchise on Hiatus: Revis Islanders
The 2012 LBIV Champion Revis Islanders are going on hiatus, joining the 2009 LBI Champion Orgrimmar Horde as retired masters that tasted the Larkspur Bowl's silver chalice in their first attempt.
The Islanders were a playoff team in four of five campaigns. Their half decade of competition never matched that inaugural season, which was the year JJ Watt evolved into a dominant force the likes of which the league had never seen. Tom Brady and Brandon Marshall dominated the offense, while Lawrence Timmons and Lance Briggs helped complete a special (title winning) defense. They defeated the Atlanta Rage, Mt Tucky Pilots, and Hill Valley McFlys to climb from the 4 seed to the title. Although they went 7-6 in the regular season, they did lead the league in overall scoring, removing any potential doubts about the legitimacy of their victory.
Their title defense in 2013 was one of three playoff trips that would all see the team (sometimes called the California Swag) go down in the first round. 2014 was the team's only year under .500% as they struggled to a 5-8 record. The past two years were matching 8-5 campaigns with top five point totals but first round exits.
Jay Kalmer leaves the Larkspur Bowl a legend. Thirty-two competitors have sought to win the Larkspur Bowl, but only six of them have, and Jay is one of those elite few. Along with Orgrimmar and Phoenix, he's also one of only three teams to spend at least half a decade in the league and reach the playoffs in at least 80% of seasons. These are marks that last forever. The Islanders will go off the grid for now, but should the opportunity present itself, perhaps they'll return someday in the future.
Team Owner: Jason Kalmer
Hometown: Revis Island, California
Overall Record: (5 years) 35-30 .538%
Playoff Record: (4 appearances) 3-3
Championships: One
LBIV: 2012
Yearly Standing:
- 2016: 6th place 8-5; 2650.42 pts (3rd overall)
- 2015: 6th place 8-5; 2385.57 pts (5th overall)
- 2014: 11th place 5-8; 2113.05 pts (12th overall)
- 2013: 5th place 7-6; 1838.33 pts (11th overall)
- 2012: 1st place 7-6; 2239.08 pts (1st overall)
- 2016: Ezekiel Elliot (10th) GRADE: C
- 2015: Marshawn Lynch (5th) GRADE: B
- 2014: Jimmy Graham (9th) GRADE: B+
- 2013: Steven Jackson (14th) GRADE: B-
- 2012: Tom Brady (6th)
Sunday, June 18, 2017
Thursday, June 15, 2017
The League Goes to the Jersey Shore
We've got our first relocation of 2017! After three years in the Canadian wilderness, the Saskatoon Sasquatch will be returning to the United States and taking refuge in South Philly under the PHILADELPHIA RUM HAM banner:
Along with the new team name and logo, the Rum Ham have a new color scheme, which includes primary uniforms as well as a third alternate jersey, a new feature for all of the teams (that have confirmed their current location) listed on their pages in an effort to more comprehensively brand each team's unique identity.
Along with the new team name and logo, the Rum Ham have a new color scheme, which includes primary uniforms as well as a third alternate jersey, a new feature for all of the teams (that have confirmed their current location) listed on their pages in an effort to more comprehensively brand each team's unique identity.
Monday, May 1, 2017
The Expansion Option
The Larkspur Bowl has been a fourteen team league since inception; This number has allowed the league to have a thirteen week regular season (with every matchup occurring annually) followed by a six team, three round playoff, along with a six team consolation bracket for draft seeding. The current system works- if it ain't broke, why fix it? The one change to this format is that playoff reseeding WILL be in effect for 2017.
However, there is a short waiting list for entry into the league, which means the idea of 'new blood' is a regular off season idea. Here's a mock up for a hypothetical expansion, a return of the Orgrimmar Horde, and the addition of a hypothetical 'New England' team:
INEVITABLE CHANGES:
Expanding to SIXTEEN teams would likely involve a reduction of one bench spot per team (meaning the number of rostered players would increase from 294 to 320 at a time, depleting the talent pool by 26.) and a change to AUCTION style drafting in the year following expansion- if we were to move to 16 teams in 2017, we would change to an Auction Draft in 2018.
We would need to select one of three options for the new League Alignment:
OPTION ONE: No Playoff Bracket
There would be a fifteen week regular season and no playoff bracket, akin to a classic 'World Series' style Championship: In a Week 16 the top two teams in the standings would face off in the Larkspur Bowl. Each weekly matchup would matter that much more, as each and every win (and point) would be vital to determining who squared off in the final. This would likely mean that covering bye weeks and injuries would cause more roster turnover through the season.
OPTION TWO: Two Conferences, Four Team Playoff
Two Conferences would be formed based on the previous year's standings; for now, lets term these divisions the 'odd' and 'even' conference. (The 'odd' conference featuring teams that finished with odd numbered places in the standings the previous year: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15; the 'even' the inverse.) Each team would play every team in its conference TWICE, for a fourteen week regular season. The top two seeds in each division would then play in a Conference Championship Game in week 15, with the victors playing in the Larkspur Bowl in week 16. There would be no games across conferences, though the Conferences would be reshuffled by overall standing each season.
OPTION THREE: Four Divisions, Six Team Playoff
Four Divisions would be formed on a semi-permanent basis. Teams would play the other the other three teams in their division three times each, and then the four teams from another division once each, rotating each year. For instance, Division A would play Division B in year one, Division C in year two, and Division D in year three. The four division winners would receive automatic playoff bids, with two 'wild card' bids awarded to the next best teams, for six total playoff teams. The top two teams would receive first round byes in week 14, while the 3 seed played the 6 seed and the 4 seed the 5 seed, regardless of division. They would then reseed for a week 15 semifinal, followed by a week 16 Larkspur Bowl Championship.
NOTE:
You'll notice that none of the options involve a Week 17 Larkspur Bowl Championship, as the final week often feature non-competition variance and therefore is unlikely to ever be featured. Should the NFL expand their regular season schedule, the Larkspur Bowl will likely feature a mandatory shift in scheduling to better utilize the full slate of games.
However, there is a short waiting list for entry into the league, which means the idea of 'new blood' is a regular off season idea. Here's a mock up for a hypothetical expansion, a return of the Orgrimmar Horde, and the addition of a hypothetical 'New England' team:
INEVITABLE CHANGES:
Expanding to SIXTEEN teams would likely involve a reduction of one bench spot per team (meaning the number of rostered players would increase from 294 to 320 at a time, depleting the talent pool by 26.) and a change to AUCTION style drafting in the year following expansion- if we were to move to 16 teams in 2017, we would change to an Auction Draft in 2018.
We would need to select one of three options for the new League Alignment:
OPTION ONE: No Playoff Bracket
There would be a fifteen week regular season and no playoff bracket, akin to a classic 'World Series' style Championship: In a Week 16 the top two teams in the standings would face off in the Larkspur Bowl. Each weekly matchup would matter that much more, as each and every win (and point) would be vital to determining who squared off in the final. This would likely mean that covering bye weeks and injuries would cause more roster turnover through the season.
OPTION TWO: Two Conferences, Four Team Playoff
OPTION THREE: Four Divisions, Six Team Playoff
Four Divisions would be formed on a semi-permanent basis. Teams would play the other the other three teams in their division three times each, and then the four teams from another division once each, rotating each year. For instance, Division A would play Division B in year one, Division C in year two, and Division D in year three. The four division winners would receive automatic playoff bids, with two 'wild card' bids awarded to the next best teams, for six total playoff teams. The top two teams would receive first round byes in week 14, while the 3 seed played the 6 seed and the 4 seed the 5 seed, regardless of division. They would then reseed for a week 15 semifinal, followed by a week 16 Larkspur Bowl Championship.
NOTE:
You'll notice that none of the options involve a Week 17 Larkspur Bowl Championship, as the final week often feature non-competition variance and therefore is unlikely to ever be featured. Should the NFL expand their regular season schedule, the Larkspur Bowl will likely feature a mandatory shift in scheduling to better utilize the full slate of games.
Monday, February 6, 2017
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)