Semipro Opinion: Around The World With Energy

Embed from Getty Images

With the hopeful changing of the seasons, action tends to heat up. As the leaves find the trees, football at the Semipro level heats up. To the chagrin of many, we remain an independent voice of the sport. Our last article regarding changes in the APDFL prompted a degree of much-needed change. Whether people want to admit that fact or not, no league is perfect and despises the selfish wishes of a few, the needs of many should take precedence.

Dangerous Snakes

Over the past few weeks, the Georgia Cobras moves in relative silence. In order to enhance their team, they added talented defenders, in the hopes of getting another crack at the championship. In William Howard, the Cobras bring a talented edge rusher with the ability to bend the corner and close. Howard tallied seventeen sacks and four forced fumbles in 2021 for the Georgia Thrashers. Adding to the defense, Eugene Robinson, late of the Pensacola Panthers will give the Georgia defense another dynamic defender. Robinson, whose 43.5 career sacks places him among the best in the recent history of the league, brings another element to the field. Meanwhile, nose tackle T.J. Boyet clogs the middle and ensures the Cobras’ defensive line will feature a depth that should keep them fresh. Linebacker Harry Burke can now operate in space with a quality pass rush in front and versatility all around.

New League Rises

This Saturday, The Mountain West Football begins its football journey. Formed out of teams from the RMFL and ICFL, Mountain West offers a unique concept. One that needs to catch on. The league does not have a single owner. Instead, the team owners enjoy equity, allowing clear decisions that benefit the league and not one particular owner. Imagine the utter lack of ego it takes to actually fight for the greater good. Other leagues need to follow suit. The Idaho Mustangs and Utah Revolution appear to be the early season favorites.

Quiet Sam

Before his injury during the loss to the Crescent City Kings, Mississippi Dynasty defensive tackle Sam Washington made his presence felt. In registering four sacks before a leg injury sidelined him, Washington gave the defending champions all they could handle. On film, Washington looks smaller and much quicker than in previous years. Instead of inundating social media with post after post, boasting about his success, Washington shows up and plays. The accolades and multiple championships do all of the talking for him.

New Problem For Blockers

Last Saturday, Columbus Storm defensive end Amarie Jackson had his way with the Florida Falcons. From sacks to tackles for loss, Jackson beat the Falcons seemingly at with. At 22 years old, Jackson could challenge for the title of best pass rush in the APDFL for the longest time. What stands out most is the exuberance that he plays the game with. More importantly, despite being held by multiple blockers, Jackson never resorts to anything dirty. Instead, he plays even harder. Jackson flashes the ability to string together a fifteen-to-eighteen sack season this year.

The Truth

Based on the film, the Western Conference of the APDFL looks like a two-team race. Far and away, the Crescent City Kings and Mississippi Dynasty stand head and shoulders above the rest of the conference. For the Kings, they do not appear satisfied with resting with one championship. Surprisingly, they maintained the hunger from 2021 and approach the game, every game as a must-win. Meanwhile, despite the loss, the Dynasty will still give many teams the proverbial business. The Kings beat the Dynasty, fair and square, in Mississippi. Can any Eastern Conference team defeat either of them? Both the Kings and Dynasty possess playmakers on both sides of the ball. On top of that, they are well-coached, from snap to whistle. Each possesses that killer instinct of putting teams away if they have the chance. Semipro separates fact from fiction.

APDFL MVP Standings

Marquavious Favors (ATH, Thrashers)

The most versatile player in the APDFL, Favors excels wherever his team slots him. Without fail, he becomes a matchup nightmare for every team in the APDFL, regardless of offense or defense. At this pace, Favors could notch fourteen-plus sacks, twenty-plus catches, and five rushing touchdowns. Maybe not the largest player in the league, he stands above many with his dedication to succeed.

Jervious Epherson (QB, Cardinals)

The Cardinals will go as far as Epherson will bring them. Although he doesn’t throw many interceptions, Epherson still takes his chances and makes teams pay. Completing sixty-eight percent of his passes opens eyes. Yet, the 13:3 ratio for touchdowns to interceptions drives the point home. The West could evolve into a three-team race.

Jerquin Vines (WR, Storm)

Vines makes the highlight play and the regular play with equal aplomb. Connecting with Marcus Brooks brings his game to another level. A quarterback’s best friend is a player that can catch any throw and make a play. What impresses me most about Vines is that his stats (16 receptions, five TD) are all on film. There is no padding nonsense.

Keywan Bullock (CB, Kings)

After an interaction with his teammates, proclaiming that he’s been overlooked, I went back and watched the film.. from 2019-present. Why? You can see an evolution in his game. If he’s played for the Kings, I’ve watched every single snap. In a world where people tout how many interceptions they grab, Bullock shuts down his side of the field, rendering the opposing wideout useless. By far, he is enjoying one of his best seasons ever. Numbers will never tell his story film, does. One of the best defenders in all of Semipro.

Around FPC

NFL RUMORS: Deshaun Watson Traded To The Cleveland Browns

NFL NEWS: Raiders Opinion: Tae Day And Everybody’s Celebratin’

DRAFT: 2022 NFL Draft Profile: OG Kenyon Green

NFL MOCK DRAFT: FPC 2022 NFL Mock Draft 1.0: Lions Snag Malik Willis

NHL: NHL Insights: Tyler Toffoli Trade, Jack Eichel’s Return and Wild West

PODCAST: Full Press NFL Podcast Ep 36: Deshaun Watson Traded To The Cleveland Browns

61 Still Stands

Saturday, the Georgia Thrashers host the Alabama Blackhawks, in a rematch of the 2021 Eastern Conference championship game. Yet, many of the participants, from an Alabama perspective moved on. Yet, on stalwart remains. Guard Chris McCarroll opted to stay behind. The Blackhawks endured player movement, which many teams offer, but also a traumatic loss. In the offseason, running back Adonis McCaskey passed away. McCaskey, beloved by teammates and foes alike, leaves a cavernous void on this team. Mccarroll, fully cognizant of this, decided to stick around as a tribute to his late friend. Granted, the outcome of the game matters in the win/loss column. Yet, to many, seeing number sixty-one line up again brings a smile to many around the league.

Loyalty

In recent days and weeks, the topic of loyalty regarding player movement surfaced. In all honesty, if a player chooses to leave, that remains their decision and no one else’s. People conflate loyalty with staying in the same sport. Football will end for many players this year. The bonds of brotherhood should never simply know a uniform. Rather, it needs to extend beyond the field into everyday life. The moment I hear anyone droning on about loyalty, I tune them out and quit listening. There is not a person in Semipro that should ever tell another how they should move in this game. Miss me with that nonsense. If a player isn’t happy, let them leave. Why hold on to someone that wants to play elsewhere? That negativity infects a team, making it miserable. Hold petty grudges at home, not near the team.

Professionalism

Another topic reared its head this week. There is a reason why the media, other leagues, and Semipro, in general, hold the Utah Revolution, Crescent City Kings, Mississippi Dynasty, and Idaho Mustangs’ respective administrations in the highest regard. These organizations, at the top, conduct themselves with keen business acumen and restraint that permeates their team. Players can talk trash back and forth all day, that’s the nature of the game. You can count on one hand, the number of times, management decides to verbally take things to a new level. Owners dole out thousands to play each season. In fact, one organization spends roughly ten thousand dollars just for home games. These people affix their names and reputations to that of their teams, becoming one with their brand. Going back and forth with opponents chips away at the respect that many owners have spent years building. Pick your battles. Hold yourself up to the standards that have earned so much respect.

Commentary

With the Top 50 three months away, we may need to clear a few things up. First, if you cannot provide quality film to support your stats, those numbers become invisible to me. Whine or social media, cry in my inbox, doesn’t matter. If I can’t see it, it does not exist. Next, lobbying or campaigning for any mention across our platform is weird. Be better than that. If you’re as good as you say you are, film and opponents will say so. Complaining about being slept on falls flat. As an independent outlet, I maintain that. No league tells me what to do, controls what I say. Your CEO, coach, owner, president, or commissioner will never tell me what to do. I don’t work for them. All they can do is compose a passive-aggressive social media message that I will inevitably disregard. Lastly, if you can’t answer my questions on a live podcast because you want to control the narrative, may as well save your words.