Board 8 > Are you interested in football, the NFL, and/or board projects? [sign-up topic]

(+) Yeah! (+)

If so, Board 8 National Football League League (B8NFLL) might just be for you.

What is this?
B8NFLL is a simulation league using Madden 06s franchise mode where users build rosters while managing the salary cap to have fun and/or accomplish something over the course of multiple seasons (no hard figure, but the game can't exceed around 30 seasons). We just ended our ninth season where the Denver Broncos defeated the Dallas Cowboys.

How do I sign up?
In Post #3, there will be a list of all the teams in the league. Any team that is in bold will represent one that is taken for this upcoming season. Any team that is italicized will represent a team that was taken in this previous season and whose user has yet to inform me if they are returning to them or not. Incumbent users have first dibs on the team they had the previous season. Any team that is neither bolded nor italicized is open. If you are most interested in a team that is italicized, you can sign up for an open team and inform me that you would take over the italicized team should the incumbent user not return to them. To officially sign up, just post in the topic and say what team you would like to be.

You will notice that some aren't actual NFL franchises. There have been a handful of cases where teams have moved to other cities. As such, I will inform you what any moved franchises used to be named.

What is the seasonal schedule?
1. Offseason
- Ownership changes
- Player retirements
- Restricted free agents
- Unrestricted free agents
- NFL Draft + signing draft picks
- Free agency
2. Preseason
3. Regular Season
4. Postseason

The beginning of the offseason is the only time that I can change ownership of teams, and I personally think that it makes most sense to end the season with the playoffs, so this is where we begin. The majority of your work in this league will be in the offseason. The pre, regular, and postseason is basically seeing the fruits of your labor and making any adjustments that you see fit. You can ask questions now if you have any about the offseason events, but I go over them in full detail when the time comes.

This is the kind of project where you can be as active or inactive as you want. I of course like to see it when people put in a lot of effort, but I totally understand that people have different lives and schedules that might affect the amount of time they are able to put into this. We've had a wide variety of successful levels for those active and inactive. We've even had users who literally did nothing all season who went on to win Super Bowls or make it far into the playoffs. If you are interested in joining this but are hesitant based on your availability, let me assuage some possible concerns. I end up doing like 95% of the work on this project, and I give users plenty of time to do their tasks. A large number of offseason segments I give users at least a week to complete. Should you idle during any of those segments, I have very forgiving rules in place. Your team will not be screwed over if you ever forget to do something.
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In the OP of every topic we have, there are four links you will see. They are as follows:

1. Hub Spreadsheet
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10gIP0JkVqOaoUc4aQX_NyDM8dB31FOPm_dUx6DVTWPk/edit?usp=sharing

This is where you will find all pertinent information on the current state of the league. In it you will find several sheets, most of which should be self-explanatory if you understand the NFL. You might want to look at to get familiar with it and if your choice of team depends on its roster and not fandom. If your choice of team does depend on the roster it unfortunately is not fully accurate.

Due to the amount of time it would take to update each time players' ratings change, ratings for all teams are reflected based on what they were entering the preseason unless a player was signed or traded after it. Also, the team financial sheet which gives you contract info and ages for all your players are only shown for user teams based on how much time and effort it takes to work on it. Do not hesitate to ask me any questions regarding any teams you might be interested in taking over.

2. Word Doc
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RVeEIyjqIiEkS0VYvbsI02dWMDXyOgdVQAgThNJyIfc/edit?usp=sharing

This was recently re-worked, but it still a very wordy 14 pages worth of info that should be helpful to understand how B8NFLL works within Madden 06. I wouldn't say it is essential and it doesn't cover everything, but I think it covers most of the important stuff and might answer many of the questions you have.

3. Wiki Page
http://board8.wikia.com/wiki/Board_8_National_Football_League_League

This is starting to get ridiculously long and may prompt me to move it elsewhere as I can't seem to make new articles on the B8 Wiki, but the basic history (such as who was in charge of what team each season, final regular season records, playoff results, award winners, and end-of-season stat leaders) of every season of B8NFLL is on record here.

4. Previous Topic
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/76208308

This is the final topic we used for last season. It might help you to understand how things will be presented. It encompasses the final weeks of the regular season, end-of-season awards, playoffs, and bridging the end of last season to this one. It also starts off with a debate about a trade, so that might help you understand how the group approaches evaluating trades.
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Denver Broncos
Kansas City Chiefs - Ranlom
Oakland Raiders
Washington Hawks (formerly San Diego Chargers) - crazyisgood

Buffalo Bills - stevr
Miami Dolphins - KCF
New England Patriots (formerly Birmingham Cougars for a few seasons) - Jukkie
New York Jets

Baltimore Ravens - Wiki
Cincinnati Bengals
Mexico City (formerly Cleveland) Browns - VI
Pittsburgh Steelers - Shattered

Columbus Pioneers (formerly Houston Texans)
Indianapolis Colts
Jacksonville Jaguars - Sultan
*Tennessee Titans - Stan

San Francisco 49ers - Scare
Seattle Seahawks
St. Louis Rams
Toronto Wildcats (formerly Arizona Cardinals) - prof

Dallas Cowboys - Wiz
Las Vegas Pumpkins (formerly Philadelphia Eagles)
New York Giants - Eddv
Washington Redskins

Detroit Lions - Nee
Green Bay Packers - Tangicide
Los Angeles (formerly Richmond and Chicago) Bears - cheyne
Minnesota Vikings

Anaheim Lightning (formerly New Orleans Saints) - Kora
Atlanta Falcons
Carolina Panthers - Emerald
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - MZero

*Stan is willing to give up his Titans if someone prefers to be in charge of them.
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My short analysis of all open teams

Denver Broncos:
They are the reigning Super Bowl champs. They are an older team, and they will have some cap space issues after fielding the most expensive team last season, but there's no reason not to expect them as SB contenders this upcoming season. If you want immediate success without having to do much team-building, this is as good of a choice as any.

Oakland Raiders:
One of the premier defensive teams in the league, they have an excellent blend of youth and veteran players. They are generally good for 6-9 wins a season, but with a little work and luck, getting them to their first double-digit win season isn't out of the season.

New York Jets:
A perennial playoff team in the early going, horrific luck kept them out of the playoffs for a while until last season. There's a lot of talent across the board and are led offensively by a back-to-back MVP finalist in HB Romance Taylor. They do play in the AFC's toughest division, but they were undefeated in divisional play last season.

Cincinnati Bengals:
The Bengals began last season with the #1 overall pick in the draft and finished with a AFC North division crown and a playoff win. They aren't a young team and some of their high-rated players do not play to their ability, but in a division full of complete question marks, you can rely on their defense and special teams. They are in a good cap situation.

Columbus Pioneers:
I have been a huge believer in this team for some time, and they finally broke through by winning the AFC South and a playoff game. This offense is getting long in the tooth at WR and OL, but it seems to be improving these past few seasons. The defense used to be awful, but it is young and ascending. The Jaguars had won this division for a B8NFLL record six straight seasons, but it might be the Pioneers seasons to come

Indianapolis Colts:
This team confuses me. I always think they will be bad based on their relatively crappy OL, cap space issues, and lack of playmakers, but they do just enough offensively to help out their underrated defense. They still end up mired in mediocrity, but maybe all they need is a user's love, preferably of the unconditional variety. You don't want to be like Socko or stevr.
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Seattle Seahawks:
I don't get this team at all, but I would be ecstatic if someone got them to the playoffs! They find themselves picking in the Top 10 of the NFL Draft more often than not, and they will pick anywhere from 4-8 this season. However, I believe their issue lies more with injuries and maybe an ill-suited coaching scheme and not talent. Like the Colts, a user back in the saddle might be all that this team needs.

St. Louis Rams:
Similar to the Bengals, the Rams entered the season with the #2 pick, selected QB Ryan Tannehill in the draft, traded for HB Ronnie Brown, and just took off without looking back all the way to the NFC Championship game. The offense is light years ahead of their defense, but as long as you're elite on one side of the field, you most definitely have a shot at the playoffs.

Las Vegas Pumpkins:
They took a step back last season, but this team is on the verge of a playoff-bound breakthrough season. Most of their starters will be 30 or younger this upcoming season, so there's plenty of hope for both the present and future. The only thing standing in their way is getting through the slaughter dome that is the NFC East.

Washington Redskins:
I'm not going to lie to you, this will be a team to take on. They are still easily one of the 10 most talented teams, but are in a brutal division, and will be in cap hell for at least another season or two. If you want a challenge right off the bat, look no further. They also will likely pick #1 in the upcoming draft if that tickles your fancy.

Minnesota Vikings
They have qualified for the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, one of only three teams with that distinction. They also the league's oldest team, but they have plenty of young, quality starters and youthful depth, so there's little reason to suspect a dropoff as the veterans start to retire.

Atlanta Falcons
A steady if unspectacular team these days, they will be seeing some of their best players retire in the upcoming years. They should still be able to compete for a playoff spot this upcoming season at the very least.
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Here are a few testimonials from our esteemed members:

"B8NFLL S10 signups: More people = more fun!" - Emerald

"I took over a mid-level packers squad that had a knack for finishing 8-8. In just two years, I have taken this team from wild card contender to top-8 draft pick! And so can you!" - Tangicide

"I won a Super Bowl by doing literally nothing!" - Eddv

"Where else can you see the Patriots lose in the playoffs to a 6-10 team?" - Shattered

"Fantasy Football not cutting it anymore? B8NFLL Season 10 signup topic" - Ranlom
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"stan begged me to join, and i did, and then did nothing, and i made the playoffs which is a better track record than KCF's favorites, the Cleveland Browns" - greengravy294
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i could be convinced, read, CONVINCED....

but only if i can move my team to Albuquerque and name them the Assblasters

then i'd be open to negotiating
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Sorry for all the posts, but I wanted to represent this league the best I could in broad strokes. I want to reiterate that this is a league for people of all activity levels and schedules, and for those who can't spend much time on this, there are very forgiving rules in place to protect your team. From the true beginning of the offseason (after signups end) to the end of the playoffs, I want to say that seasons last four or five months, and the bulk of what you do will be in first half.

I'm obviously biased, but I think this is a great project, and it is better when more users are involved. I very much hope that the people who do read this take the plunge and give it a whirl. Do not hesitate to ask me any questions you may have. The signups won't end until sometime in April, so I don't need an answer immediately.

Do know that it is first come first serve, so if there's an open team that you are a huge fan of or has a player that you love, it is best to grab them before anyone else can. I can change ownership of teams from AI to user and vice-versa as many times as needed, so it isn't like you are making binding commitment if you want to get the jump on a team now.
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greengravy294 posted...

i could be convinced, read, CONVINCED....

but only if i can move my team to Albuquerque and name them the Assblasters

then i'd be open to negotiating

I can look for any teams that would be willing to relocate and see if Albuquerque happens to be on their list, but I don't want to get your hopes up.
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well how about any city OR state starting with an A

truth be told i cant even begin to spell albuerqueue without spellcheck, since who the fuck can
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That was actually my suggestion for a topic title, but it works there too!
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I would just like to say that this is an incredibly well-run project, and all of us would love more users to sign up. We're all a friendly bunch, and KCF is a really gracious host and does everything he can to make sure that everyone understands everything.
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Fuck you emerald I'm not friendly at all. End this slander post haste.

Join this project because deep down you want to cause KCF a little pain by winning a title while you idle.
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Emeraldegg posted...

I would just like to say that this is an incredibly well-run project, and all of us would love more users to sign up. We're all a friendly bunch, and KCF is a really gracious host and does everything he can to make sure that everyone understands everything.

I will echo this sentiment. Not that I've participated in any board-run stuff outside of contest season besides this, but it's impossible for me to imagine anyone putting more time and effort into anything on this board than KCF does for this. And you can be as hands-on or as hands-off as you like.

Whether you want to take over a winning franchise or rebuild a fallen one, the options are all there right now for the taking!

As someone who has taken the Bills from the bottom of the AFC East to 2 playoff appearances in 3 seasons, went 1-5 in division this past season, went 9-7 overall and still made the playoffs, and has split their head-to-head match-ups against the best team in the AFC 3-3 over these 3 seasons, let me inform you, potential newcomer/rejoining former participant, the joy of such achievements or others like it could belong to you!

I fully intend for us to ascend the ranks of the AFC until it is we, the Buffalo Bills, that dominate this league, but it will hold less meaning if you don't sign up! Plus, how am I going to trade with you if you don't exist in this league?!

So join and become trade partners with the Bills to help us end the reign of Miami Dolphins tyranny over the AFC East! Or join and don't trade with us. Either way.

I would recommend joining!
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greengravy294 posted...

well how about any city OR state starting with an A

truth be told i cant even begin to spell albuerqueue without spellcheck, since who the fuck can

Only open team willing to relocate is the Washington Redskins, but the cities are Houston Texas, Manhattan New York, and Tallahassee Florida.
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Now I'm curious which user teams were willing to relocate!

Chiefs and Packers
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Bump
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Not into sports at all, but I'd like to join anyways if that's alright.

I'll take the Las Vegas Pumpkins, because that's a pretty great name not gonna lie.
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Excellent. Since you aren't into sports, I will try and shoot you a PM later on with some basic info that others usually already know going in.
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Welcome Shonen! This is less sports and more business management anyway.
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theawesomestevr posted...

Well put. Makes me want to join all over again!

Chiefs and Packers

Hmm, our home-field advantage has been lacking lately...
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bump up
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KCF0107 posted...

I will try and shoot you a PM later on with some basic info that others usually already know going in.

Might not be until tomorrow or Monday that I actually do this.
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bump
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Bump
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Sending that PM tonight
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Up you go
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Bumpsy daisy
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Bump
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Bumps
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This is going to be a slow month isn't it?
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Need to start the season sooner!

But we are totally going to get more sign-ups!

prove me right amigos
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Yep, no doubt
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Bump
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Bump
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I still need a worthy rival in the AFCW!
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Ranlom posted...

I still need a worthy rival in the AFCW!

>_>

<_<

Bump
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Still plenty of time to sign up!
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Bumpers
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Bumps
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Bump
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I do want to say that this is easily the best run Board 8 project I have ever been involved in and people should seriously join. May fall on deaf ears if nobody new is checking the topic though.

The amount of work KCF puts into this project is crazy and it is very fun to be involved in no matter how involved you are. The worst part is actually this part right now where we are in between seasons waiting for stuff to kick back in!

But seriously join!

Yeah, if you're reading this topic and you're like a lurker or something that's on the fence, hop off that fence and join!

KCF will make the process very easy for you, and if there's ever something you're not sure about, he's there to explain things, and the rest of us will do our best to help you in any way we can!

Yes, what those two said
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April 8th will officially be the deadline
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