The Bill Gates Challenge, Part VI: Flirting With Destiny

[Kodos]

Well, for better or worse, Alston is signed through 2019.

[Kodos]

Week 13

Gatesville (7-4) at Philadelphia (2-9)
=============================================

Injury Report:

Berg sat out for our game versus Eagles, but should return for the Dallas game next week.

The Game:

In a game against a very weak Eagles squad, turnovers and botched special teams plays led to most of the scoring in what could only be described as a wretched offensive showing by both teams. The Eagles finished the day with 268 total yards of offense, which looked pretty good compared to our 244 yards.

Tied at 20 after 60 minutes, we headed to overtime to decide it. Mercifully for the fans, the game finally ended with 6:45 left in overtime when Vernon Talley kicked a 23-yard field goal to win it for the Eagles, 23-20.

Key Performers:

Dana Alston had a miserable outing, completing 17 of 31 attempts for 147 yards, 1 TD, and 2 picks. He also fumbled once.

Herb Matthews ran 13 times for 81 yards, and caught 6 passes for 26 yards. In the end, it was not nearly enough to save our anemic offense.


=============================================
Pittsburgh (8-3) at Dallas (5-6)

The Cowboys continued their trend of hanging right around .500, as they beat the formerly high-flying Steelers, 16-10, to move to 6-6 on the season.


=============================================
The Playoff Picture:

In a small favor to us, Tampa Bay (9-2) defeated Arizona (7-4) to keep us in the running for the NFC East crown. Here is how the NFC playoff field looks after 14 weeks:

1. Tampa Bay (10-2)
2. New Orleans (8-4)
3. Arizona (7-5)
4. - 6. Gatesville, Richmond, & St. Louis are all 7-5.

[Kodos]

From: Kyle Diaz
To: Bill Gates & Kodos
Subject: Dallas Cowboys

Injury Report:
Gino Burroughs, WR - Out
Joel Flannery, CB - Questionable
Michael Robertson, G - Questionable
Juan Phan, T - Questionable
Troy Tompkins, LB - Probable
Jerome McCarthy, CB - Doubtful
Greg Drayson, S - Questionable
Marlon Mercer, C - Questionable
O.J. Bell, CB - Probable
Bruce Leatherwood, LB - Questionable

Offensive Overview:

Starting Quarterback: Tracy Mazurek
217 for 373, 2302 yards, 7 TDs, 12 interceptions this season.
Excellent at throwing short passes.

Starting Running Back: Norbert Healey
122 carries for 420 yards, 3 touchdowns this season.
Very good overall runner.

Starting Flanker: Dale Corbett
48 receptions for 425 yards, 3 touchdowns this season.
Very good third down receiver.

Starting Split End: Peter Duvall
52 receptions for 532 yards, 2 touchdowns this season.
Excellent hands.

Defensive Overview:

Starting Left Defensive End: Herb Page
27 tackles, 7 assists, 3.5 sacks this season.
Good pass-rusher.

Starting Right Defensive End: Marlon Linquist
18 tackles, 6 assists, 2.0 sacks this season.
Very good defender against the run.

Starting Nose Tackle: Sean Ross
31 tackles, 9 assists, 7.5 sacks this season.
Very good pass-rusher.

Starting Left Outside Linebacker: Derrick Quinn
16 tackles, 14 assists, 1.0 sacks this season.
No real strengths to speak of.

Starting Left Inside Linebacker: Troy Tompkins
66 tackles, 22 assists, 1.0 sacks this season.
Very good pass-rusher.

Starting Right Inside Linebacker: Howie Hitchcock
27 tackles, 6 assists, 0.5 sacks this season.
No real strengths to speak of.

Starting Right Outside Linebacker: Jamal McElroy
43 tackles, 12 assists, 0.0 sacks this season.
Fair man-to-man pass defender.

Starting Weak-Side Cornerback: Joel Flannery
32 tackles, 11 assists, 0 interceptions this season.
Very good zone pass defender.

Starting Strong-Side Cornerback: Damon Tanner
29 tackles, 6 assists, 1 interceptions this season.
Very good pass intercepter.

Starting Free Safety: Greg Drayson
79 tackles, 20 assists, 0 interceptions this season.
Excellent man-to-man pass defender.

Starting Strong Safety: Shawn Treadway
68 tackles, 31 assists, 4 interceptions this season.
Good pass intercepter.

[Kodos]

Week 14

Dallas (6-6) at Gatesville (7-5)
=============================================

Attendance: Apparently disappointed with our two-game skid, we sold only 49,500 tickets for the Cowboys, and 3,000 of those folks ended up being no-shows. Apparently, these people don't take our blood-feud with the Cowboys as seriously as we do...

Injury Report:

While Berg was still not 100% back from his pulled groin, he insisted on playing versus the Cowboys. That's my boy!

The Game:

Having watched us go 1-2 in his absence, Berg was eager to get back on the field and help right our ship. It took him a couple of drives to shake off the rust, but on our third drive, Berg hooked up with Earl Thornton for a 5-yard touchdown to put us up 7-0.

Seven plays into the Cowboys' ensuing drive, rookie SILB Sam Viola picked off Tracy Mazurek's pass and returned it 33 yards to the Dallas 21, but it was all for naught as nose tackle Sean Ross knocked the ball out of Berg's hand on the very next play, and LOLB Derrick Quinn took it 74 yards the other way for a touchdown. Instead of going up 14-0, we found ourselves mired at 7-7.

To begin the second quarter, Berg and the offense took to the field once again. With grim efficiency, Berg disemboweled the Cowboy's defense with passes of 19, 33, and 13 yards en route to a 4-play, 76-yard touchdown drive that ended with a 13-yard TD by Earl Thornton.

Norbert Healey finished off a 13-play drive that covered 71 yards with a 4-yard rushing touchdown to tie it at 14 all before the intermission.

Things got pretty quiet in the third quarter, as Broderick Hidalgo's 32-yard field goal midway through proved to be the only score of the quarter. Thus, we took a tenuous 17-14 lead into the final quarter.

A 45-yard Hidalgo field goal with 10 minutes left extended our lead to 20-14, and our next possession ended with a 20-yard receiving touchdown by Levon Wallace. Our attempt to push the lead to 14 failed when Herb Matthews was brought down short of the goal line on the 2 point try, so the score remained 26-14.

With just 5 minutes remaining, Curtis Perez's 19-yard field goal at the end of an 81-yard drive made it 26-17, but time was running out for the Cowboys. Unable to do much on offense, we gave the ball back to the Cowboys, but they too were soon forced to punt, and this time we made them pay. Ty Robbins' 18-yard touchdown catch with 1:54 left sealed the deal, and we won by the final score of 33-17. In the wake of our recent troubles, the victory over our sworn enemies tasted all the more sweet.

Key Performers:

After a slow start, Berg lit up the Cowboys for 356 yards and 4 TDs with 25 of 42 passing to earn the Game MVP award. He also threw one interception and fumbled once, but in light of the 4 TDs, we were willing to forgive a little rustiness on his part.

Herb Matthews' struggles continued, as he ran the ball 8 times for 54 yards.

Ralph Randle made 7 catches for 131 yards.

Ty Robbins caught 5 passes for 99 yards and 1 TD.

Earl Thornton caught 4 passes for 54 yards and 2 TDs.

New Injuries:

Left guard Rusty Pleasant, just back from a turf toe injury, now has bruised ribs, and will miss 2 more weeks.


=============================================
The Playoff Picture:

The Cardinals beat Minnesota to move to 8-5 and stay just in front of us in the East. St. Louis and Richmond also won to stay even with us at 8-5.

1. Tampa Bay (10-3)
2. New Orleans (9-4)
3. Arizona (8-5)
4. Gatesville, Richmond, and St. Louis are all 8-5.

It should be noted that the Cowboys' loss dropped them behind Washington (7-6) in the race for the playoffs. While technically still alive, the 'Boys are definitely gonna have a hard time making the playoffs. Such a shame...

[Kodos]

Originally posted by cthomer5000:


yikes, this quest for a three-peat is getting a little difficult. time for Chuck U. to take the offense to a new level!

[Kodos]

Yep. It's been a tough 2015 campaign, but we are still in the running. Berg's return should really help get us back on track. And Chuck U could come to life at any time. He seems to get his touchdowns in bunches.

[Kodos]

Week 15

Jacksonville (10-3) at Gatesville (8-5)
============================================

Attendance: 52,500 people bought tickets; 4,500 didn't show up.

The Game:

We came into this game as a small underdog against a Jacksonville team that had only lost 3 games, but nonetheless found ourselves leading 31-0 early in the second quarter. Alan Hines opened the scoring with a fumble return for a touchdown; Chuck Farley followed with a score of his own; then Earl Thornton caught a 42-yard touchdown; and finally, Herb Matthews ran in a 21 yarder - all in the first quarter. Though Berg left early in the second with a bruised shoulder, we still cruised the rest of the way to a convincing 58-30 victory. One telling statistic: The Jags gained just 6 yards on the ground in the first 3 quarters.

Key Performers:

Earl Thornton caught the Game MVP award with 5 catches for 144 yards and 2 TDs.

Berg completed 7 of 13 for 112 yards, 2 TDs, and 0 interceptions before leaving the game with the shoulder injury.

Dana Alston went 21/33 for 289 yards, 2 TDs, 3 interceptions, and 1 fumble in relief of Bergeron.

Herb Matthews ran 11 times for 47 yards and 1 TD. He also made 8 grabs for 85 yards.

New Injuries:

Berg bruised his shoulder and will need 2 weeks or so to recover. Crap. He may play anyhow.

Right guard Darren Cruise sprained his knee. The estimate: 2 weeks.

SOLB Terrance Fuller has a dislocated shoulder and will miss 3-5 weeks. He is definitely out until the playoffs.

Chuck Farley has a hyper-extended elbow, and will miss a couple weeks. He is out next game for sure. We need him to be healthy in the playoffs. Unfortunately, this will end his quest to catch 10 touchdowns in the regular season.

Backup safety and kicker returner Percy Stewart has shoulder tendonitis and needs 3-5 weeks to recover.

Gene Flannery, who has rotated with Jonathan Farmer at center this year, has a broken foot. 3-5 weeks.

Backup guard Rob Stanton is demanding a trade. Jerk. Way to be a team player.


============================================
Philadelphia (3-10) at Dallas (6-7)

The Eagles edged the Cowboys, 16-13, to drop the Cowboys to 6-8 on the season. For all real purposes, their playoff hopes are gone.


============================================
The Playoff Picture:

Arizona (8-5) was defeated by Washington (7-6) by the score of 21-10. The Cardinals' loss, combined with our victory, put us back in first place in the East with 2 games to go! It also moved us up to the third seed in the NFC.

New Orleans (9-4) lost to Richmond (8-5), 24-14, to keep our hopes of getting a first round bye alive. However, Richmond has now passed us in the race for the number 2 seed.

Here is how the playoff field is shaping up:

1. Tampa Bay (11-3)
2. Richmond (9-5, 7-4 in NFC)
3. Gatesville (9-5, 6-4 in NFC)
4 & 5. St. Louis and New Orleans are both 9-5
6. Arizona (8-6)
---------------
7. Washington (8-6)

This is getting interesting folks. We have a game in St. Louis next week and we will play host to Chicago in Week 17. With a little luck, we can still secure the bye and let some of our men (especially Berg) try to get healthy for a playoff run. Definitely stay tuned - this looks like it could go down to the wire!

[Kodos]

Week 16

Gatesville (9-5) at St. Louis (9-5)
============================================

Injury Update:

Ross Corbett got the start at tight end in place of the injured Chuck Farley.

With a possible bye at stake, as well as the chance of missing the playoffs entirely still a possibility, we rolled the dice and let Berg play despite the shoulder injury.

The Game:

We carried a 17-7 lead into the fourth quarter in St. Louis, but Everett Schwarz's second fumble in less than a quarter gave the Rams the ball on our 20 with 7:40 left in the game. Three plays later, Kurt Warner hit Kevin Castillo for a 3-yard touchdown that brought the Rams to within 3, 17-14.

Pinned deep on our own 7, Schwarz tried to redeem himself with consecutive runs of 10, 16, and 5 yards to move us out to the 38. However, a dropped pass by Randle and a sack ended the drive and forced a punt. Bill Carr, who has let us down time and time again this season, surprisingly came through with a 52-yard punt.

Kurt Warner and the offense started off at their own 22 with 3:49 on the clock needing a field goal to tie the game. However, 2 Warner completions were not enough to overcome an offensive holding call, and the Rams were forced to punt it back to us.

Our next drive was failure in that we couldn't run out the rest of the clock, but we did manage to force St. Louis to use all of their time outs.

Starting from their own 36 with just 1:19 left to go, Warner hit Irv Chambliss for 44 yards on their first play. Crap! Following 2 short runs, Lamar Shea kicked a 36 yarder to tie up the game at 17-17 with 10 seconds left. Overtime, here we come.

St. Louis got the first crack at the ball in overtime, and they were able to move to our 45 before they ran out of steam. A good punt by Reed forced us to start from our 7. Berg was able to hit Ty Robbins for 20 yards to move us out from the shadow of our own goalpost, but three consecutive soon incompletions forced us to punt it away.

On their ensuing drive, the Rams were able to move the ball to midfield before being forced to punt once again. This time, we got the ball on our 18. The drive started inauspiciously when Levon Wallace was stopped 3 yards behind the line, but we made up for it on second down, when Berg hit Ross Corbett going across the middle, and Corbett proceeded to break multiple tackles en route to an 85-yard touchdown! Sweet victory for Gatesville, 23-17! What a finish! Chuck U, look out!

Key Performers:

Berg captured the Game MVP based on 26/46 passing for 400 yards, 3 TDs, and 0 interceptions. He also ran 5 times for 31 yards.

Everett Schwarz had a bad day after coming in for Matthews, who left the game with a bruised shoulder. Schwarz ran 11 times for just 42 yards, and also fumbled twice deep in our territory. Not impressive. Not impressive at all.

Ross Corbett certainly filled in for Chuck Farley in heroic fashion. In all, he caught 8 balls for 175 yards and 2 TDs. Nice work, Corbett! Why didn't somebody tell me that this kid was so good?!

Earl Thornton caught 4 balls for 63 yards and 1 TD.

New Injuries:

Herb Matthews suffered a bruised shoulder and will need 2 weeks to get back to good health.


============================================
Baltimore (3-11) at Dallas (6-8)

It was "Hello, Losing Season!" for the Cowboys once again, as the Ravens beat them 24-14 to seal the Cowboys' fate. As always, Bill and I enjoyed a bottle of fine champagne in celebration of the 'Boys annual march of futility.


============================================
The Playoff Picture:

We officially captured the NFC East title with Arizona's loss to Philadelphia. Our good fortunes continued when both Richmond and New Orleans lost too. When all was said and done, we had moved up into the number 2 slot in the NFC with one week left to go in the regular season.

1. Tampa Bay (11-4)
2. Gatesville (10-5)
3. Richmond (9-6)
4.-6. Washington, St. Louis, and New Orleans at all knotted up at 9-6.

[Kodos]

Originally posted by SplitPersonality1:


Congrats on the NFC East title. Nice win over St. Louis. Threepeat. Threepeat. Threepeat.

Good luck.

[Kodos]

Originally posted by revrew:


Um, excuse me. Let's not talk sacrilege. Corbett had a fine game because he was playing it for Chuck. It was Chuck's motivation from the sideline, Corbett's dedication of the game to Chuck that made the difference. It's not like Corbett could continue that.

Besides, it was obvious the Rams MLB was doped up on heroine. Did you see his eyes? His pupils were swimmin in pools of strawberry-rhubarb jelly. My grammama could have caught 100yds against that fool.

Hold your tongues, Kodos.

[Kodos]

I figured the Chuck fans wouldn't like my touting Corbett as the next great tight end. Don't ya worry - Chuck's job is safe. I will start using more 2 tight end formations though.

[Kodos]

Originally posted by cthomer5000:


chuck is getting up there in years right?

maybe its time to groom the successor, especially when he has a monstrous game like that.

[Kodos]

Chuck's in his 9th season, but I don't see him slowing down yet. He's running out of chances to achieve his 10 TDs in one season goal. He had a chance this year before he got hurt...

[Kodos]

Originally posted by revrew:

Originally posted by cthomer5000:

chuck is getting up there in years right?
maybe its time to groom the successor, especially when he has a monstrous game like that.

What is this?! Conspiracy! Conspiracy, I tell you! Buy a gas mask! Hide the children!

Oh, wait. I'm sorry. I..I...I guess I've been locked up in this compound too long :o

[Kodos]

Originally posted by CAsterling:


Ross Corbett and Dana Alston, the future is bright. Maybe the added competition will push Chuck and Berg to new heights

[Kodos]

Alston poses no threat to Berg in my mind. Besides, Berg is only in his sixth season, and has led us to 3 Super Bowls, 2 of which he was voted MVP in. Alston is a backup, and not that great a backup at that.

[Kodos]

Week 17

Chicago (7-7-1) at Gatesville (10-5)
=============================================

Attendance: 52,500 bought tickets for our final regular season game, but 4,000 apparently had something better to do come gameday.

Injury Report:

Matthews, Farley, and linebacker Terrance Fuller all sat out this game in order to get healthier for the playoffs.

The Game:

The Bears went up early on a 45-yard Dwayne Ward field goal, but Corey McElroy soon put us on top with a 62-yard punt return that made it 7-3. In the second quarter, we traded field goals and went into the half leading 10-6.

In the third quarter, Ralph Randle extended our lead with a 2-yard touchdown reception, but Ward kicked a 50-yard field goal to keep them within 8, 17-9.

The fourth quarter saw the Bears even the score with a 25-yard Reuben Linquist run and a successful pass on the conversion from Tee Martin to Steve Hoag. 17-17.

With 1:34 left in the game, Broderick Hidalgo broke the tie with a 54-yard field goal to give us a 20-17 advantage. A Derek Brandon interception set up another field goal with 34 seconds left, and we held on to win 23-17.

Key Performers:

Cornerback Derek Brandon's possibly game-saving interception earned him the Game MVP award, despite the fact that he only had 2 tackles and 1 assist.

Berg, his bruised shoulder not fully healed, had an off day, completing just 17 of 35 passes for 213 yards, 1 TD, and 1 interception. He also ran 3 times for 18 yards.

Everett Schwarz ran the ball 10 times for 15 yards. Sad. I swear, we have so much trouble getting a decent running back here in Gatesville. They start off strong, and then trail off into worthless little running backs...

Ralph Randle added one more touchdown to his season total while catching 6 passes for 79 yards.


=============================================
Dallas (6-9) at Arizona (8-7)

Their season already officially in the shitter, the Cowboys got a meaningless win against the Cards, 19-10. Big whup. It just means a worse drafting position for 'em.


=============================================
The Playoff Picture:

The Rams' 34-24 victory over the Broncos secured them the NFC West title and the number 3 seed in the NFC. Here's how the teams will be seeded for the 2015 Playoffs:

1. Tampa Bay (12-4)
2. Gatesville (11-5)
3. St. Louis (10-6)
4. Washington (10-6)
5. New Orleans (10-6)
6. Richmond (9-7)

Notably, Richmond is one of only 2 teams out of the 12 that made the playoffs that did not win 10 games or more. Getting our threepeat won't be easy, no matter who we end up facing...

[Kodos]

2015 Final Standings

Here is how the divisions looked after all was said and done in the 2015 regular season.

  

 NFC East               W   L   T   Pct   PF    PA    Div     Conf  

**Gatesville            11  5   0   .688  447   335   5-3-0   8-4-0     

Washington              10  6   0   .625  356   267   5-3-0   9-4-0     

Arizona                 8   8   0   .500  250   272   4-4-0   7-5-0     

*Dallas                 7   9   0   .438  265   315   3-5-0   6-6-0     

Philadelphia            5   11  0   .313  218   336   3-5-0   3-10-0    

   

 NFC Central            W   L   T   Pct   PF    PA    Div     Conf  

Tampa Bay               12  4   0   .750  392   223   6-2-0   9-3-0     

Chicago                 7   8   1   .469  231   235   5-2-1   6-5-1     

Detroit                 7   8   1   .469  282   322   5-2-1   6-5-1     

Green Bay               5   11  0   .313  204   272   2-6-0   3-10-0    

Minnesota               3   13  0   .188  208   324   1-7-0   3-10-0    

   

 NFC West               W   L   T   Pct   PF    PA    Div     Conf  

St. Louis               10  6   0   .625  413   306   7-3-0   8-5-0     

New Orleans             10  6   0   .625  311   240   7-3-0   8-5-0     

Richmond                9   7   0   .563  303   248   5-5-0   7-6-0     

San Francisco           9   7   0   .563  293   279   4-6-0   6-7-0     

Atlanta                 7   9   0   .438  250   312   4-6-0   7-6-0     

Carolina                4   12  0   .250  223   341   3-7-0   4-9-0   

 

 AFC East               W   L   T   Pct   PF    PA    Div     Conf  

Buffalo                 12  4   0   .750  305   242   7-3-0   10-3-0    

New York                9   7   0   .563  340   288   6-4-0   7-6-0     

Indianapolis            8   8   0   .500  278   265   6-4-0   6-7-0     

Des Moines              7   9   0   .438  272   326   5-5-0   6-7-0     

New England             6   10  0   .375  262   372   3-7-0   5-8-0     

Miami                   6   10  0   .375  232   331   3-7-0   3-10-0    

   

 AFC Central            W   L   T   Pct   PF    PA    Div     Conf  

Pittsburgh              11  5   0   .688  400   259   8-2-0   9-4-0     

Jacksonville            10  6   0   .625  344   328   5-5-0   8-5-0     

Cincinnati              9   7   0   .563  314   308   6-4-0   8-5-0     

Tennessee               9   7   0   .563  309   315   5-5-0   7-6-0     

Cleveland               7   9   0   .438  341   323   4-6-0   5-8-0     

Baltimore               4   12  0   .250  258   325   2-8-0   3-10-0    

   

 AFC West               W   L   T   Pct   PF    PA    Div     Conf  

Seattle                 10  6   0   .625  296   316   7-3-0   9-4-0     

San Diego               10  6   0   .625  385   271   6-4-0   8-5-0     

Wichita                 9   7   0   .563  322   265   6-4-0   8-5-0     

Kansas City             8   8   0   .500  329   386   5-5-0   7-6-0     

Denver                  8   8   0   .500  399   338   5-5-0   7-6-0     

Oakland                 4   12  0   .250  241   388   1-9-0   1-12-0 

[Kodos]

Originally posted by cthomer5000:


so they Jets missed out on a 3rd chance to go for the title? too bad... that would have been classic.

[Kodos]

2015 Playoffs - Wild Card Round

NFC:

The Rams, who we defeated 23-17 in overtime back in Week 16, edged Richmond and will come to Gatesville next weekend for the Divisional Round. The Redskins will travel to south to face the Buccaneers.

5. New Orleans (10-6)  10

4. Washington (10-6)   29

 

6. Richmond (9-7)      17

3. St. Louis (10-6)    20

AFC:

We had a couple of close games on the AFC side, but the underdogs, Jacksonville and Cincinnati, will be watching the rest of the playoffs on TV despite gritty performances.

5. Jacksonville (10-6)  7

3. San Diego (10-6)     13

 

6. Cincinnati (9-7)     6

3. Seattle (10-6)       10

[Kodos]

Originally posted by cthomer5000:
so they Jets missed out on a 3rd chance to go for the title? too bad... that would have been classic.

Mercifully, yes. No Buffalo Bills jokes for them this year...

[Kodos]

Originally posted by cthomer5000:


let's go Redskins! you gotta come up with a win against Tampa to make the road to the title again run through Gatesville, Texas.

[Kodos]

Yep, but before that, we have to beat a Rams squad that we had a tough time against just a couple weeks ago... Keep those fingers crossed!

[Kodos]

2015 Playoffs - Divisional Round

St. Louis (11-6) at Gatesville (11-5)
=============================================

Attendance: A record crowd of 52,500 showed up for this game, with nary a no-show.

Injury Report:

SOLB Terrance Fuller, still not fully back from a dislocated shoulder, elected to play anyway, it being the playoffs and all.

Percy Stewart, our return man and backup safety, has shoulder tendinitis and was put on the injured reserve list.

Gene Flannery, our center who rotates with Jonathan Farmer, was inactive for this game due to a broken foot.

The Game:

Herb Matthews, despite his lackluster performance through most of this season, got the start at RB over the even more lackluster Everett Schwarz.

Both teams came out looking really stiff in the first quarter. After 15 minutes of play, the combined offense for both teams was less than 100 yards. The second quarter wasn't much different, as we ended up totaling just 52 yards rushing and 41 yards passing in the entire first half. Unsurprisingly, we went into the half in a scoreless tie.

We finally hit paydirt in the third quarter when Berg hit Matthews for a 3-yard touchdown to put us up 7-0. On the ensuing kickoff, safety Edward Jenkins (who we picked up just this week after placing Percy Stewart on IR) recovered return-man Dodge's fumble and returned the ball 40 yards for a touchdown! How 'bout that?! No scoring for almost 40 minutes, and then 14 points in 17 seconds!

With 11 minutes to go in the fourth, Broderick Hidalgo hit a 38-yard field goal to make it 17-0, and it looked like we were on our way to victory.

Kurt Warner and the Rams apparently saw it differently. On consecutive plays, Warner, in search of a third Super Bowl ring, hit Irv Chambliss for gains of 41 and 36 yards, with the second reception going for a touchdown. At 17-7 with 9:44 remaining, the Rams were down, but they weren't out just yet.

Sensing a possible shift in momentum, our offense took to the field looking to finish the Rams off. On first down, James Pond sprung Herb Matthews up the middle for a 52-yard scamper that ended at the St. Louis 28 yard line. A Berg scramble and a Farley reception gave us another first down at the Rams' 17. However, three straight incompletions brought on the field goal unit, and Hidalgo's kick sailed true from 34-yards away to push our lead to 20-7. Still, the Rams were within striking distance.

Strike they did, as they once again manufactured a 2-play touchdown drive with a pair of long passes. This time Chambliss struck from 36-yards away to pull them to within 20-14.

With clearly no help coming from the defense, Berg and the offense once again trotted out onto the field and took over from our 20 with 6:17 left in the game. Immediately, Berg dialed up Earl Thornton for a 20-yard gain that moved us out to the 40. A Berg scramble and a completion to Ralph Randle netted us another first down, and from there Chuck Farley caught passes for gains of 22 and 12 yards to move us to the Rams' 14 with just over 3 minutes left. Looking to take as much time off of the clock as possible now that we were in scoring position, we ran the ball a couple times and sent Hidalgo out to try a 28-yard field goal after failing to get another first down. With 2:41 left, Hidalgo sent the ball right down the middle, and it was once again a 2-score game, 23-14.

Our defense, having just allowed 2 touchdowns in 4 plays, rose to the occasion this time, and forced the Rams to go three-and-out and punt it away as we hit the 2 minute warning.

We would have liked to have run out the clock, but we went three-and-out too, and gave the ball back to the Rams with 1:14 remaining in regulation. Dave Sanders' interception of Kurt Warner on third-and-19 sealed the deal, and we escaped the Rams' comeback bid with a 23-14 win. With our game decided, we would have to wait to see how the Bucs would fare in their game versus Washington on Sunday night.

Key Performers:

Herb Matthews won the Game MVP with a 16-run, 127-yard performance, which he supplemented with 5 catches for 53 yards and 1 TD.

Berg once again seemed to be off of his game, as he completed just 19 of 40 passes for 211 yards and 1 TD. I don't need to tell you that those are not very Berg-like numbers...

Chuck Farley caught 4 passes for 48 yards.

Dave Sanders made 5 tackles and 3 assists before making the game-winning interception.

[Kodos]

2015 Playoffs - Divisional Round

NFC:

The Bucs had an easier time with the Skins than we had with the Rams. Thus, we will travel to Tampa Bay in hopes of upsetting a very tough Buccaneers squad that beat us 24-21 back in Week 10 without the services of their best player.

4. Washington (11-6)  9

1. Tampa Bay (12-4)   27

AFC:

Pittsburgh and Buffalo both took advantage of the home field to advance to the AFC Championship game.

3. Seattle (11-6)     15

2. Pittsburgh (11-5)  38

 

4. San Diego (11-6)  3

1. Buffalo  (12-4)   20

Send us your good thoughts this week. We're gonna need 'em...

[Kodos]

From: Kyle Diaz
To: Bill Gates & Kodos
Subject: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Injury Report:
Luther Monroe, DT - Out
Renaldo Apolonio, DE - Probable
Brock Platt, T - Doubtful
Marty Card, DE - Doubtful
Luke Lane, G - Probable
Mario Oliver, LB - Out

Offensive Overview:

Starting Quarterback: Dwight Norris
182 for 298, 2216 yards, 18 TDs, 3 interceptions this season.
Excellent at throwing very long passes.
Loves to run the football.

Starting Running Back: Jon Adams
193 carries for 797 yards, 5 touchdowns this season.
Excellent overall runner just back from a sprained back. Last season’s League MVP.

Starting Flanker: Donovan Burroughs
60 receptions for 819 yards, 8 touchdowns this season.
Excellent runner after the catch.

Starting Split End: Ethan Hevey
53 receptions for 612 yards, 6 touchdowns this season.
Very good go-to receiver.

Defensive Overview:

Starting Left Defensive End: David Fisher
35 tackles, 14 assists, 7.5 sacks this season.
No real strengths to speak of.

Starting Right Defensive End: Renaldo Apolonio
36 tackles, 8 assists, 4.5 sacks this season.
Very good defender against the run.

Starting Left Defensive Tackle: Chuck Fields
32 tackles, 10 assists, 0.5 sacks this season.
No real strengths to speak of.

Starting Right Defensive Tackle: Fernando Dawkins
26 tackles, 9 assists, 0.5 sacks this season.
No real strengths to speak of.

Starting Left Linebacker: Mark Dixon
64 tackles, 18 assists, 3.0 sacks this season.
Good pass-rusher.

Starting Middle Linebacker: Marco Curtis
67 tackles, 29 assists, 3.0 sacks this season.
Good zone pass defender.

Starting Right Linebacker: Lance Adams
38 tackles, 14 assists, 2.0 sacks this season.
No real strengths to speak of.

Starting Left Cornerback: Danny Carty
36 tackles, 7 assists, 3 interceptions this season.
Very good pass intercepter.

Starting Right Cornerback: Wesley Castleberry
51 tackles, 14 assists, 4 interceptions this season.
Very good pass intercepter.

Starting Free Safety: Adrian Strong
74 tackles, 33 assists, 8 interceptions this season.
Excellent man-to-man pass defender.

Starting Strong Safety: Junior Martinez
77 tackles, 18 assists, 4 interceptions this season.
Very good pass intercepter.

[Kodos]

Originally posted by cthomer5000:


this must be destiny! Honestly their defense looks like it can be had, a big day by Herb Matthews should be in order against that weak-ass D-line. Chuck also needs some customary clutch plays.

Me fearless prediction:

Gatesville wins 30-24 in overtime!

[Kodos]

2015 Playoffs – NFC Championship Game

Gatesville (12-5) at Tampa Bay (13-4)
============================================

The Game:

Coming into our rematch with the Bucs, who had beaten us 24-21 back in Week 10, we found ourselves faced with a case of “pick your poison” - either to try to stop Jon Adams, the 2014 NFL MVP running back, or to try to stop Dwight Norris, a veteran quarterback who had become a star in his own right in recent years. After going back and forth for a while, we concluded that Adams represented the bigger threat, and thus predicated our defensive game plan on stopping him.

On a balmy, rainy day in Florida, the Bucs won the toss and decided that they wanted the first crack on offense. Following a 23-yard return of a short Hidalgo kickoff, Tampa started out at their own 34. To nobody’s surprise, Adams got the ball first and plunged through the line for a 3-yard gain. Following an incompletion, Norris connected with Donovan Burroughs for a 22-yard gain. Alternating Adams runs with Norris passes, the Bucs moved down the field with an aura of absolute self-confidence. On the thirteenth play of the drive, Jon Adams charged around the left end for a 1-yard touchdown to give them an early lead, 7-0.

Our first possession started on our 27. Chuck Farley dropped Berg’s pass on first down, but with good reason – the defender had grabbed himself a nice handful of face mask. After the penalty was walked off, we were on the 42. Berg’s second pass went Farley’s way too, and this time the big man caught it for a 10-yard gain and a first down at the Buc 48. Herb Matthews got his first opportunity next, and gained thirteen yards around the left side of the line behind center Jonathan Farmer. From there, Berg took to the air for the third time in four plays, and this time found Earl Thornton on his way to the end zone. Touchdown, Gatesville! Regrettably, Hidalgo lost his footing on the extra point and it sailed right, so despite our touchdown, the Bucs stayed on top, 7-6. Time would tell whether or not Hidalgo’s miscue would come back to haunt us.

Maurice Rousseau’s 7-yard sack on the first play of their next drive put the Bucs offense in a hole that they could not get out of, and they quickly punted following a three-and-out.

Taking advantage of good field position, our offense quickly moved into Buc territory, but 2 sacks in 3 plays forced us to settle for a 47-yard Hidalgo field goal at the beginning of the second quarter after we had advanced into the red zone. 9-7, Gatesville.

Following unsuccessful drives by both the Bucs and ourselves, the Bucs started off with great field position at their 43. Dwight Norris did most of the work with his passing, and Adams finished off the drive with a 12-yard run around the left end to score his second touchdown of the day and recapture the lead, 14-9.

Things got considerably worse for us on the first play of our ensuing drive, as Berg was picked off deep in our territory. A 23-yard Adams run helped set up a 3-yard quarterback keeper by Dwight Norris. In less than 2 minutes, our 2-point lead had become a 12-point deficit.

Determined to get some of those points back, Berg went to the air starting from our 16 with 3:33 left before the half ended. Ralph Randle provided Berg’s first target, and he gained 19 yards across the middle to move us to the 35. Next, Berg found Herb Matthews out of the backfield for a 22-yard gain, and followed it up with a 30-yard strike to Ty Robbins that moved us to the Tampa 13. With the Bucs defense back on its heels, we switched things up and gave the ball to Matthews on the ground, but he was stuffed for a 2-yard loss. A Berg incompletion and a Matthews reception that fell well short of a first down brought on the field goal unit. Hidalgo’s 27-yard attempt sailed true to bring us to within 9, 21-12.

We started the second half with the ball, and after picking up one first down, Everett Schwarz was called for spearing and was ejected from the game. The 15-yard penalty proved to be too much to overcome, so we were quickly forced to punt.

Following a Buc three-and-out, we drove to the Tampa 28, but Hidalgo’s field goal attempt sailed wide left and the score remained at 21-12 in the Bucs’ favor.

Starting from their own 35, the Bucs went to the air on their next drive with great success. Soon they had marched to our 29, and following a 15-yard run by Jon Adams, Norris hit Andre Barker for a 14-yard touchdown that made it 28-12 with 3:48 left in the third quarter. I’d like to tell you that our offense came alive and we came roaring back to defeat them, but that just didn’t happen. The Bucs scored 2 more touchdowns before time ran out on us, while we failed to put up even a single point in the second half. When all was said and done, the Bucs had thrashed us to the tune of 42-12. Like the 8 teams that had tried before us, we failed to make it back to take a crack at a third consecutive Super Bowl victory. We had flirted with Destiny, but clearly, she hadn’t flirted back. Thus we became the 9th team in NFL history to try for the threepeat and fail.

Key Performers:

Dwight Norris, the Game MVP, just picked our defense apart, as he completed 20 of 26 attempts for 246 yards, 3 TDs, and no interceptions.

Our attempts to slow down Jon Adams worked to some extent, as he only gained 83 yards on 22 carries. However, his 2 touchdowns alone were enough to beat us.

Berg, who never seemed to be quite himself after he returned from the groin injury in Week 14, had a miserable day. He completed only 11 of 25 passes for 148 yards, 1 TD, and 3 interceptions. Our top receiver on the day, Earl Thornton, managed only 35 yards. Berg will now have a very long off-season to recover.

Herb Matthews did not have the monster day some expected, as he only gained 82 yards on 17 runs.

[Kodos]

2015 Super Bowl

Buffalo (14-4) at Tampa Bay (14-4)
============================================


Despite having both of their superstars, Jon Adams and Dwight Norris, leave the game early with injuries, the Bucs still found a way to defeat the Bills, who were never able to climb back into the game after they fell behind 21-7 in the second quarter. Tampa Bay backup QB Leonard Marshall had a fairy tale performance, as he racked up almost 400 yards and 5 TDs on the day. The final score: Tampa 41, Buffalo 26.

Super Bowl MVP: Leonard Marshall hit on 25 of 35 attempts for 396 yards and 5 TDs.

Andre Barker also had a field day, as he caught 7 passes for 154 yards and 3 TDs. Incredible performances for both those guys!

[Kodos]

2015 Individual Statistics

QBs

Berg was in the midst of an excellent regular season before he got injured. In all, he threw 30 TDs, but he probably could have broken the NFL single-season passing TD record if he hadn't gotten hurt towards the end of the season and missed significant playing time.
Berg's 101.3 passer rating was tops in the league, while Tampa QB Dwight Norris finished second-best with a rating of 99.8. Dana Alston's numbers, including a 65.0 passer rating, leave a lot of room for improvement...

Name                  Tm  GP  GS  Att   Comp  Pct   Yards Avg   Lg

Bergeron, Devin       GTV 13  13  441   260   58.9  3512  7.96  85      

Alston, Dana          GTV 7   3   178   100   56.1  1049  5.89  51      

Name                  TD    Int   Sack  Yards Rate

Bergeron, Devin       30    6     30    193   101.3   

Alston, Dana          8     10    10    65    65.0    

RBs

Herb Matthews led all rushers despite the fact that he failed to eclipse the 500-yard mark. Not so good. We will be looking for help at RB in the draft.

Name                  Tm  GP  GS  Att   Yards Avg   Lg    TD

Matthews, Herb        GTV 14  11  119   497   4.1   34    5       

Schwarz, Everett      GTV 15  5   127   440   3.4   35    3       

Bergeron, Devin       GTV 13  13  62    339   5.4   15    2       

Wallace, Levon        GTV 16  16  62    196   3.1   22    1       

Receivers

Two guys (Ty Robbins and Earl Thornton) topped the 1000-yard mark receiving, while Ralph Randle also came somewhat close to doing so. Thornton just seems to have the knack for getting the ball into the endzone. Chuck Farley missed another chance to catch 10 touchdowns in a season when he got hurt. Maybe next year...

Name                  Tm  GP  GS  Ctch  Yards Avg   Targ  CtPct

Robbins, Ty           GTV 16  3   68    1073  15.7  114   59.6    

Thornton, Earl        GTV 16  15  64    1053  16.4  129   49.6    

Randle, Ralph         GTV 15  14  69    923   13.3  135   51.1    

Matthews, Herb        GTV 14  11  60    540   9.0   84    71.4    

Farley, Chuck         GTV 14  14  42    330   7.8   73    57.5    

Corbett, Ross         GTV 15  2   14    265   18.9  22    63.6    

Name                  Lg    TD    YAC   Drop  PsPly TgPct

Robbins, Ty           85    5     476   5     486   23.4    

Thornton, Earl        51    9     586   6     563   22.9    

Randle, Ralph         46    7     423   10    480   28.1    

Matthews, Herb        20    3     441   4     317   26.4    

Farley, Chuck         51    7     277   4     361   20.2    

Corbett, Ross         85    3     69    2     103   21.3    

Defenders

MLB Al Ingram led all tacklers, as usual, while newcomer Sam Viola looked very good in his rookie season. If he has a good camp next year, he will replace the aging Ingram at MLB.

Name                  Tm  GP  GS  Tckl  Asst  Sack  Blk   Hurr

Ingram, Al            GTV 15  15  89    35    2.0   0     2       

Sanders, Dave         GTV 16  16  73    39    0.0   0     0       

Hines, Alan           GTV 16  16  73    14    0.0   0     0       

Viola, Sam            GTV 16  16  65    18    1.0   0     0       

Whitfield, Allen      GTV 15  15  60    23    8.0   0     1       

Fuller, Terrance      GTV 10  10  49    25    0.0   0     0       

Harden, Joel          GTV 13  13  44    10    0.0   0     0       

Eagle, Mike           GTV 16  16  43    13    0.0   1     0       

Name                  RnPly PsPly PRPct TkPct

Ingram, Al            286   448   0.8   17.1    

Sanders, Dave         341   511   0.0   13.1    

Hines, Alan           369   550   0.0   9.4     

Viola, Sam            251   290   0.3   15.5    

Whitfield, Allen      289   433   2.0   12.6    

Fuller, Terrance      168   208   0.0   19.6    

Harden, Joel          254   363   0.0   8.7     

Eagle, Mike           333   456   0.2   7.0     

Eafon, Lamont         89    285   3.5   11.7    

Pass Defenders

As usual, Dave Sanders and Joel Harden led the secondary in interceptions, but we really could have used more picks this season. Hopefully we will be able to grab a solid second cornerback in the offseason.

Name                  Tm  GP  GS  Ints  IRYd  TD    Cght  Dfns

Sanders, Dave         GTV 16  16  4     62    0     35    16      

Harden, Joel          GTV 13  13  4     62    0     24    3       

Eagle, Mike           GTV 16  16  2     18    0     29    2       

Stewart, Percy        GTV 16  1   2     11    0     21    0       

Hines, Alan           GTV 16  16  1     58    0     38    7       

Viola, Sam            GTV 16  16  1     33    0     29    1       

Brandon, Derek        GTV 16  2   1     23    0     17    3       

Mincy, Dexter         GTV 16  8   1     0     0     14    2       

Name                  PsPly PDQ

Sanders, Dave         511   43.6    

Harden, Joel          363   34.8    

Eagle, Mike           456   22.8    

Stewart, Percy        303   22.9    

Hines, Alan           550   23.4    

Viola, Sam            290   17.3    

Brandon, Derek        221   27.2    

Mincy, Dexter         169   27.6    

Sack Leaders

Our d-line was not able to produce many sacks this year, so WOLB Allen Whitfield picked up some of the slack.

Name                  Tm  GP  GS  Tckl  Asst  Sack  Blk   Hurr

Whitfield, Allen      GTV 15  15  60    23    8.0   0     1       

Farley, Frankie       GTV 16  15  15    5     6.0   1     2       

Everett, Paul         GTV 16  16  9     4     6.0   0     1       

Sanders, Patrick      GTV 16  16  30    16    4.0   1     1       

Hickman, Peter        GTV 16  1   13    4     4.0   3     2       

Eafon, Lamont         GTV 16  0   33    8     3.0   3     4       

Mason, Jose           GTV 16  0   14    2     3.0   1     4       

Ingram, Al            GTV 15  15  89    35    2.0   0     2       

Name                  RnPly PsPly PRPct TkPct

Whitfield, Allen      289   433   2.0   12.6    

Farley, Frankie       220   175   5.1   6.5     

Everett, Paul         262   223   3.1   3.9     

Sanders, Patrick      307   462   1.2   6.5     

Hickman, Peter        174   390   2.3   3.7     

Eafon, Lamont         89    285   3.5   11.7    

Mason, Jose           101   190   4.2   6.5     

Ingram, Al            286   448   0.8   17.1    

[Kodos]

2015 Player Awards

Berg was one of only 2 Silicon Pirate to earn any recognition in 2015, but he got three of the biggest awards out there: NFL MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, and 1st-Team All-Pro QB. Not too shabby, especially considering that he missed 3 full games and parts of other games.

Levon Wallace earned 2nd-team recognition at the fullback position.

   

  Award                                 Player                  Team  

**NFL MVP                               Devin Bergeron          GTV     

**Offensive Player of the Year          Devin Bergeron          GTV     

Defensive Player of the Year            James Skerritt          JAX     

Offensive Rookie of the Year            Kim Voigt               STL     

Defensive Rookie of the Year            Daryl Bassett           CAR     

Super Bowl MVP                          Leonard Marshall        TBY     

**All-Pro 1st Team Quarterback          Devin Bergeron          GTV     

All-Pro 1st Team Running Back           Bob Macias              SFO     

All-Pro 1st Team Fullback               Alex Schroeder          KCY     

All-Pro 1st Team Tight End              Spencer Sprouse         SDO     

All-Pro 1st Team Wide Receiver          Wade Aleman             WAS     

All-Pro 1st Team Wide Receiver          Cornelius Terry         PIT     

All-Pro 1st Team Center                 Phil Fitzgerald         TEN     

All-Pro 1st Team Guard                  Clyde Hare              KCY     

All-Pro 1st Team Guard                  Lawrence Hartland       STL     

All-Pro 1st Team Tackle                 Jim Stapleton           SFO     

All-Pro 1st Team Tackle                 Billy Joe Scott         PHI     

All-Pro 1st Team Punter                 Brant Dawson            PHI     

All-Pro 1st Team Kicker                 Lamar Shea              STL     

All-Pro 1st Team Defensive End          Toby Stavros            CLE     

All-Pro 1st Team Defensive End          Geoff DiGiacomo         MIN     

All-Pro 1st Team Defensive Tackle       Edward Bray             DSM     

All-Pro 1st Team Defensive Tackle       Britt Rackers           CIN     

All-Pro 1st Team Linebacker             Buddy Russell           DSM     

All-Pro 1st Team Linebacker             Graham Stone            MIN     

All-Pro 1st Team Linebacker             Jorge Barton            SEA     

All-Pro 1st Team Linebacker             Fernando Cano           CHI     

All-Pro 1st Team Cornerback             T.J. Dove               CLE     

All-Pro 1st Team Cornerback             Dean Hambrick           BUF     

All-Pro 1st Team Safety                 James Skerritt          JAX     

All-Pro 1st Team Safety                 Adrian Strong           TBY     

All-Pro 2nd Team Quarterback            Marty Petkovich         DEN     

All-Pro 2nd Team Running Back           Keith Duran             JAX     

**All-Pro 2nd Team Fullback             Levon Wallace           GTV     

All-Pro 2nd Team Tight End              Kenneth Conway          DSM     

All-Pro 2nd Team Wide Receiver          Sedrick Henson          NOS     

All-Pro 2nd Team Wide Receiver          Lamar Talley            SDO     

All-Pro 2nd Team Center                 Tito Hickson            PIT     

All-Pro 2nd Team Guard                  Brant Wooden            NOS     

All-Pro 2nd Team Guard                  Chuck Hicks             BUF     

All-Pro 2nd Team Tackle                 Chris Samuels           GBY     

All-Pro 2nd Team Tackle                 Russell Farrell         STL     

All-Pro 2nd Team Punter                 Drew Alexander          WAS     

All-Pro 2nd Team Kicker                 Calvin Connolly         RIC     

All-Pro 2nd Team Defensive End          Hardy Gordon            WIC     

All-Pro 2nd Team Defensive End          Corey Benson            KCY     

All-Pro 2nd Team Defensive Tackle       Wes Dougherty           SEA     

All-Pro 2nd Team Defensive Tackle       Kevin Von Hagel         NYJ     

All-Pro 2nd Team Linebacker             Sammie Connell          SFO     

All-Pro 2nd Team Linebacker             Mo Reeves               CIN     

All-Pro 2nd Team Linebacker             Tito Malewitz           CAR     

All-Pro 2nd Team Linebacker             Jared Updike            JAX     

All-Pro 2nd Team Cornerback             Donovan Ross            RIC     

All-Pro 2nd Team Cornerback             Tim Lowe                ATL     

All-Pro 2nd Team Safety                 Winfred Armanda         OAK     

All-Pro 2nd Team Safety                 J.J. Tweedie            WIC

[Kodos]

Originally posted by cthomer5000:


it can't be!

How could Gatesville lose?!!!!??

arggghhhh!

why did i bet my house on the game?

[Kodos]

Originally posted by cthomer5000:
why did i bet my house on the game?

LOL. Don't worry, Berg will buy you a new one. He feels like it was his fault that we lost.

[Kodos]

Originally posted by cthomer5000:


tell him he can find me in the alleyway between St. Peters Hosptial and Southwest Burrito in New Brunswick, New Jersey. I am easily mistaken for messy copies of the Sunday Star Ledger and Home News Tribune.

[Kodos]

Originally posted by DataKing:


Tough break with the Buccaneers, Kodos. It was a damned shame to watch Berg and Co. walk off the field with their heads down like that. They've got nothing to be ashamed of, as far as I'm concerned.

And the repeated success will certainly help you keep your job. What is this, four straight playoff berths?

[Kodos]

I believe it is our 6th straight playoff berth (2010 - 2015). We also appeared in the Super Bowl 3 consecutive years before this season, and won the last 2 Super Bowls that we appeared in. So we're having a pretty good run. And it's actually conceivable that we could have our first home sellout next season.

[Kodos]

Originally posted by Godzilla Blitz:


Just caught up with this year's story. Bummer you missed the three-peat, but a great read as usual!

You've got to believe that your success is costing Dallas fans. Be nice to see them hit the road!

Have any of the other teams moved?

Looking forward to next year!

[Kodos]

Nobody has moved. I think the Bears tried to move, but got rejected.

[Kodos]

Originally posted by DataKing:


Good thing, too. If the Bears ever moved out of Chicago, the GM would probably wake up next to a horse's head.

[Kodos]

Or a horse would wake up next to the GM's head...

[Kodos]

2015 Season Final Team Ratings:

Season Ending Power Ratings:

We finished the year with a pretty respectable power rating, but we just didn't carry enough momentum into the playoffs to get to our fourth consecutive Super Bowl. The Cowboys team was very average this year, and their power rating shows it.

Gatesville: 89

Dallas:     51

Team Rankings for 2015 Season:

With our porous secondary, nobody even bothered trying to run on us. Thus our deceptively good looking run defense ranking of 4th. Our passing game was great as usual, but our running attack left a lot to be desired. We need more of a go-to back, and I suspect that either Matthews or Schwarz has played his last game with us.

Rushing offense   1513 yds  24th

Passing offense   4561 yds  1st

Rushing defense   1353 yds  4th

Passing defense   3743 yds  31st

Our sacks ranking fell from 4th in 2014 to 15th this year, probably due to the departure of defensive tackle Joey Rhoades in the 2015 offseason.

In the past, our defense has been good at generating turnovers even though we sometimes allowed opponents to rack up good yardage. This year, we just didn't create as many turnover opportunities as we are accustomed to.

Our points allowed also dropped from 14th in 2014 to 28th in 2015. Unacceptable.

Sacks             42   15th

Interceptions     16   21st

Turnover margin   0    20th

Points scored     447  1st

Points allowed    335  28th

[Kodos]

2015 Franchise Info:

Average Yearly Attendance Through 2015:

Good news here as our average attendance jumped by 4,400, while the Cowboys' attendance dropped by 3,600. Looks like a lot of folks are spendin' their Sundays in a new stadium! In 2 years time, the Cowboys have lost 7,900 in average attendance, while ours has risen by 5,900. This is just the kind of thing we have been working for! I actually believe that if things go well in 2016, we could have our first sellout ever! Ohhhh, dare to dream, Kodos, dare to dream!

          Gatesville           Dallas

       Attend.  %Attend.  Attend.  %Attend. 

2007   35,400     59.7    55,400     84.3*

2008   36,200     61.1    55,500     84.4

2009   38,200     64.5    59,300     83.7**

2010   35,400     59.7    61,800     87.2

2011   39,600     66.8    58,700     82.9

2012   42,300     71.4    50,300     71.0

2013   43,200     72.9    55,900     78.9

2014   44,700     75.5    51,600     72.8

2015   49,100     82.9    48,000     68.9

* Our first year in Gatesville
** Dallas' first year with their renovated stadium.

Fan Support Through 2015:

Well, our loyalty climbed just a bit, but the best news here was that the support for a new stadium in Dallas fell to 0 from 12% just last season. Looks like if Jerry wants to get himself a new stadium, it won't be in Dallas!

            Gatesville                   Dallas

     Fan loyalty  New stadium   Fan loyalty  New stadium 

2007       0            0            69          0 

2008       0            0            63          0     

2009       0            8            56          0

2010       0            16           45          0

2011       0            26           36          0

2012       6            46           25          0

2013       20           70           18          0

2014       31           87           28          12

2015       33           85           23          0

Franchise Values Through 2015:

More progress here, as we gained two spots, and the Cowboys lost two.

       Gatesville              Dallas

2007  $515,700,000  (28th)  $614,790,000  (9th)

2008  $537,350,000  (29th)  $576,170,000  (22nd)

2009  $546,000,000  (29th)  $539,500,000  (31st)

2010  $590,860,000  (29th)  $654,660,000  (17th)

2011  $616,350,000  (20th)  $595,290,000  (26th)

2012  $647,970,000  (24th)  $557,030,000  (32nd)

2013  $652,850,000  (27th)  $547,870,000  (31st)

2014  $726,040,000  (14th)  $587,820,000  (30th)

2015  $734,520,000  (12th)  $591,740,000  (32nd)

Yearly Profits/Losses Through 2015:

Here's where the bad news starts. We cut our losses by $2.12 million in comparison to 2014, but that isn't nearly enough if I'm trying to keep my job. Not good. Not good at all.

        Gatesville      Dallas

2007  -$158,340,000   +$1,270,000

2008  -$156,020,000  -$14,750,000

2009  -$175,240,000  +$64,470,000

2010  -$216,300,000  +$52,820,000

2011  -$174,590,000   -$5,030,000

2012  -$157,570,000   -$8,200,000

2013  -$131,510,000   -$5,090,000

2014   -$64,880,000   +$1,940,000

2015   -$62,760,000   -$9,160,000

Cumulative Table Of Losses Through 2015:

More trouble. I now have less that $100 million in losses left to work with... **GULP**

Season  Team Losses

=====================

2000     $620,000,000

2001       18,000,000

2002       14,000,000

2003      134,600,000

2004      169,300,000

2005      122,100,000

2006    6,731,700,000*

2007      158,300,000

2008      156,000,000

2009      175,200,000                    

2010      216,300,000

2011      174,600,000

2012      157,600,000

2013      131,500,000

2014       64,900,000

2015       62,760,000

===================== 

Total  $9,106,860,000

* Bill Gates bought the right to rename Waco to "Gatesville" in 2006 for $6.6 billion dollars.

And The Squeeze Gets Tighter...

Just as a refresher, before the 2014 season, my pal Billy gave me 5 years to start turning a profit with this team. However, if our cumulative losses exceed $9.2 billion before those five years are up, I will be fired immediately; The only caveat being that he will not fire me after any season the ends with a Super Bowl victory for Gatesville. My margin for error is now only $93.14 million...

So it's looking like this: If our finances don't improve drastically soon, I will be out of here following the 2017 season...

$9,200,000,000

-9,106,860,000

==============

   $93,140,000

2013 vs. 2014 vs. 2015 Financial Performances: A Closer Look

It appears that our increased average attendance this season was cancelled out by the fact that we hosted two fewer playoff games than we did last year. All that progress for nothing... Basically, our total revenues and total costs were about the same as they were last year. In other words, things are not looking too good for ol' Kodos' job security these days...

                           2013          2014          2015     %chg

====================================================================

Television contract    $56,840,000   $57,520,000   $58,200,000   +1%

Ticket revenue         $45,830,000   $50,380,000   $48,510,000   -3%

Suite revenue                   $0            $0            $0   --

Concessions             $4,240,000    $4,760,000    $4,770,000    0%

Parking                 $2,240,000    $2,520,000    $2,520,000    0%

Advertising            $10,700,000   $13,290,000   $15,850,000  +19%

====================================================================

Revenues              $119,850,000  $128,470,000  $129,850,000   +1%

====================================================================

Player contracts       $95,840,000   $96,960,000  $101,600,000   +4%

Player bonuses         $23,680,000   $46,600,000   $37,500,000  -19%

Training               $12,070,000    $7,270,000    $7,890,000   +8%

Coaching               $70,000,000   $22,400,000   $22,400,000    0% 

Scouting               $45,000,000   $14,850,000   $17,550,000  +18%

Stadium maintenance     $4,770,000    $5,210,000    $5,670,000   +8%

Stadium payment                 $0            $0            $0   --

====================================================================

Costs                 $251,360,000  $193,350,000  $192,610,000    0%

====================================================================

Profits/Losses       -$131,510,000  -$64,880,000  -$62,760,000   +3%

[Kodos]

Well, that pretty much does it for Part VI of The Bill Gates Challenge. Sadly, we fell short of our main goal this season, but still we made some significant strides toward our ultimate goal of driving the sinister Jerry Jones and his dreadful Cowboys out of Texas. However, the time has drawn short. It is quickly becoming do or die down here in Gatesville, at least as far as yours truly is concerned. Things should be interesting during the upcoming two seasons.

Speaking of the next couple of seasons, I should also tell you that I am going to be taking some time off from this dynasty for a while. With a little luck, a shiny new copy of NCAA 2003 will be arriving at my doorstep tomorrow, and I plan to invest most of my gaming time in the upcoming month into that gem until Madden 2003 comes out. Basically, I'm thinking that I will take some time off to recharge my batteries and then come back and finish up this dynasty in the fall. For now, there is certainly no shortage of good dynasties to read out there. Who knows, with a little luck, perhaps the mighty X-com thread will return soon! I'll leave you now with the solemn oath to come back and finish this thing sometime this fall. Until then, enjoy the rest of your summer. And remember, football's return is just around the corner. God, I love football!

Take care until next time,

- Kodos

[Kodos]

Originally posted by stkelly52:


With FOF 4 now out, does that spell an end to The Bill Gates Challenge? Do the Cowboys actually win?

[Kodos]

Originally posted by cthomer5000:


Kodos has maintained that the dynasty will not die with the presence of FOF4, and he will indeed complete the challenge. I can't wait until it gets going again!

[Kodos]

stkelly: I can verify what cthomer says. The advent of FOF4 will have no effect whatsoever on this dynasty. I will also tell you that it will still be a while before Part VII sees the light of day. But I can also tell you that I have big plans for finishing this thing and sending this dynasty off into the sunset in the best manner possible. Thanks for your continued support of myself and the Pirates!

- Kodos

[Kodos]

Originally posted by JAG:


Hey Kodos,
Just read your dynasty from start to finish...GREAT stuff! I can't think of any better praise to give than to say I'm a huge Cowboys fan yet I'm rooting for Gatesville to drive the 'Boys out of Texas. I think the attendance stats of the past 5 years are amazing considering you're playing in a city of 110k vs. whatever million are in Dallas yet last year you outdrew them. Good luck getting those finances in order though, considering your player salaries and bonuses combined are worth more than your total source of revenue and doesn't include scouting/coaching costs, etc... Seems like you may have to play with a self-imposed salary cap, but then a less competitive team means less fan revenue...catch-22. I'm interested to see how you handle this...it'll also make it quite difficult financially to upgrade the stadium unless you can sell Bill on the image of the upgraded Microsoft 2.0 Stadium.. Again, very well done and hope you get back to it soon.

Jamie

Kent: Kent Brockman here, with Campaign '96: America Flips A Coin. At
an appearance this morning, Bill Clinton made some rather cryptic
remarks, which aides attributed to an overly tight necktie.
Kodos: I am Clin-Ton. As overlord, all will kneel trembling before me
and obey my brutal commands. [crosses arms] End communication.

[Kodos]

Glad you enjoyed it, JAG. You're right, of course; I am in deep doodoo with Bill's financial ultimatum. The only loophole is that I can't get fired in a season following a Super Bowl victory. We'll have to see if that comes into play... Right now, that may be the only hope for my continued employment after the 2017 season.

Anyhow, it will be at least a few weeks before this thing kicks back in to gear, but it will be back at some point. Till then, enjoy watching the wretched real life Cowboys... lose.

[Kodos]

Originally posted by DataKing:


How about Microsoft Stadium XP? No sharp angles in the entire building, nothing but rounded edges, and cartoon-ish drawings of Chuck U. Farley and other Silicon Pirate heroes?

Just an idea.

[Kodos]

I think Kodos Stadium sounds good, personally.I think Kodos Stadium sounds good, personally.