The GM’s Scouting Report (Div C) – Week 5

So I decided to do something different this week. Later on in the week, I’ll be submitting my midseason report that I do every season where I rank all the teams in the division, give my predictions for their final season standings. In the meantime, I decided to have a bit of a discussion with Simon in which I asked him a few questions, and we both give our feedback on it. His answers are in italics, and then my responses are below.

 

Are we past the idea of “division dodging” in the league? (Discuss the number of D1 players)

At the beginning of the year, there was discussions about Wolverines’ choice. Then, a lot came up and mentioned Darkside. Seeing Darkside’s record and having played Wolverines, I do not believe the idea of “division dodging” is still valid, at least, this season. Most big names aren’t living up to the expectation in every divisions. Also, as GM mentioned in the podcast, with all the D1 players now playing in Division C, I believe it balances out the odds. The Division got so strong that players from D1-D2 can come in, work their magic and still we’d see parity. No one believes Real Deal’s too strong for the division although they have Patrick Chenard, same could be said about Nathan Thompson with The Commission or even Rob Robinson among One Night Stands. I believe the issue will forever remain, as many will keep bringing it up, but as of Spring 2013, in Division C, there would be too many teams to point out; it’s simply the
level of football that is increasing and that’s fabulous.

 

Agreed. It’s easy to get caught up in the hype and mob mentality. The truth is, the term is thrown around a lot but it doesn’t really mean what stigma people assign to it. When I think about division dodging, there’s only one instance that really comes to mind. Winter 2011 was the year that there was no doubt in anyone’s mind which two teams would make the finals in D4: The Warriors and Triple Sixers. These teams smoked all of the competition, and no one else really even came close. We don’t have this here. Yes, there is a disparity between the top half and the bottom half of the division, sure, but there is no one who is untouchable like those two were.

 

Name three underrated players in Division C

Jonathan Legault (First Downers) : This new face to higher divisions is proving my point week after week. He was too much for Darkside to handle and that means a lot.

 

Julien Bellavance (Golden Eagles) : Julien is one of the monster no one speaks of. Last year, he proved his dominance with Checkmate. A quick look at his stats shows he’s been a great go-to receiver for his QBs all career long.

 

Vincent Jacques (Patriotes) : He won a championship with Outlaws in Division 5 and now he’s averaging 2 TDs / game in a strong Division C. Having played him, he definitely deserves more spotlight than he gets.

 

Doug Gelevan (Rude Bwoys) : Doug has been a consistent staple on an inconsistent team for some time. He’s usually known for his defensive prowess but is having a breakout offensive season and is on pace to breaking his career TD record. If you’re playing the Rude Bwoys, keep an eye on Gelevan on both sides of the ball.

David Polynice (Real Deal) : It’s easy to overlook someone on Real Deal whose last name isn’t Chenard or Thuot. But Polynice will definitely  punish you if you do. A solid tackle player for Vanier, David has also shown that he can run with the best of them in flag as well. With great football knowledge and a lot of athleticism, David can be anywhere and everywhere on the field at once.

 

Nicholas Gendron-Vallée (Golden Eagles) : It’s rare to see someone transition from QB to WR so seamlessly. Usually known for his quarterbacking, NGV shows that he’s as big as a threat catching balls as he is throwing them. Without even being statistically the #1 receiver on his own team, his stats blow most other receivers out of the water.

 

Considering the close calls and upsets we’ve seen, what can we look forward to in the playoffs

 

Considering what we’ve seen, I believe Div C won’t make an exception and we’ll see many frontrunners fall to underdogs before the end of the season. I don’t see any team “better, stronger” than everyone else. No one is safe this year and this parity makes me love Div C a whole lot more.

 

Honestly, it wouldn’t be FPF if we weren’t set to see surprises. It’s honestly rare that we DON’T see upsets, playoffs or otherwise. It’s interesting to see some teams really bring their A-game, and other times just play down to their competition completely. But we all know how much everything changes come playoff time.

 

Who is your frontrunner to win C and why?

I’ll stay true to my article and say that my current frontrunner is One Night Stand.

With the new addition of Rob Robinson, I believe the team gained that key piece they were missing. They’re undefeated at the moment for a reason and I believe their skill level is only increasing since week 1.

 

Honestly, while I think that ONS have the best offense in the Division, I don’t know if they’re going to be the ones to take the trophy, and that has to do with their defense. I think that at times, they look a bit lackadaisical…maybe the additions of Lariviere and Robinson will change that. In the meantime, I’m going to say that my pick is going to be The Incredibles. Having added Terrance Morsink midseason has given them a boost in height and defensive awareness, and also a viable option of a halfback or quarterback if Stern is ever unable to play. They know how to get it going in the playoffs and have their deepest roster yet.

 

Quick Picks

 

One Night Stands vs. #NoRegard – One Night Stands

Backyard Bullies vs. Monstars – Monstars

KGP Champs vs. Formerly Formerly Teamless – N/A

The Incredibles vs. Special Delivery – The Incredibles

First Downers vs. Wolverines – Wolverines

Darkside vs. Rude Bwoys – Rude Bwoys

Dragons vs. Ball Busters – Dragons