GFL - The 2010 GFL Schedule, Completely Broken Down
By Adam Knoll | December 18, 2009 at 08:55 PM EST | No Comments
Lynx Rage Cowboys Heat Cougars Gladiators
(34-26) (32-28) (27-23) (44-36) (41-29) (36-24)
Wolves (-) Warriors (-) Nighthawks (3) Premier (-) Phoenix (-) Gators (4)
Premier (-) Gladiators (4) Wolves (-) Sabers (3) Nighthawks (3) Rage (8)
Phoenix (-) Heat (6) Cougars (6) Rage (8) Cowboys (7) Warriors (-)
Cowboys (7) Gators (4) Lynx (9) Scorpions (-) Wolves (-) Sabers (3)
Heat (6) Phoenix (-) Scorpions (-) Lynx (9) Gators (4) Premier (-)
Gladiators(4) Premier(-) Warriors (-) Cougars (6) Heat (6) Lynx (9)
Warriors (-) Cougars (6) Heat (6) Cowboys (7) Rage (8) Phoenix (-)
Cougars (6) Scorpions (-) Sabers (3) Gladiators (4) Lynx (9) Heat (6)
Nighthawks (3) Sabers (3) Premier(-) Warriors (3) Gladiators (4) Cougars (6)
Rage (8) Lynx (9) Phoenix (-) Gators (4) Premier (-) Scorpions (-)
(34) (32) (27) (44) (41) (36)
(5) (4) (3) (5) (5) (4)
(16) (16) (20) (8) (12) (16)
(1) (1) (-) (2) (2) (1)
(56) (53) (50) (59) (60) (57)
Nighthawks Warriors Premier Gators Phoenix Scorpions
(29-21) (44-36) (43-27) (30-20) (44-36) (35-35)
Cowboys (7) Rage (8) Heat (6) Gladiators (4) Cougars (6) Sabers (3)
Cougars (6) Scorpions (-) Lynx (9) Phoenix (-) Gators (4) Warriors (-)
Premier (-) Gladiators (4) Nighthawks (3) Sabers (3) Lynx (9) Wolves (-)
Warriors (-) Nighthawks (3) Phoenix(-) Rage (8) Premier(-) Heat (6)
Sabers (3) Wolves (-) Gladiators (4) Cougars (6) Rage (8) Cowboys (7)
Scorpions (-) Cowboys (7) Rage (8) Wolves (-) Sabers (3) Nighthawks (3)
Gators (4) Lynx (9) Scorpions (-) Nighthawks (3) Gladiators (4) Premier (-)
Phoenix (-) Gators (4) Wolves (-) Warriors (-) Nighthawks (3) Rage (8)
Lynx (9) Heat (6) Cowboys (7) Scorpions (-) Wolves (-) Gators (4)
Wolves (-) Sabers (3) Cougars (6) Heat (6) Cowboys (7) Gladiators (4)
(29) (44) (43) (30) (44) (35)
(3) (5) (5) (4) (5) (4)
(20) (8) (12) (16) (8) (12)
(2) (2) (2) (-) (2) (-)
(54) (59) (62) (50) (59) (51)
Wolves Sabers
(32-28) (32-28)
Lynx (9) Scorpions (-)
Cowboys (7) Heat (6)
Scorpions (-) Gators (4)
Cougars (6) Gladiators (4)
Warriors (-) Nighthawks (3)
Gators (4) Phoenix (-)
Sabers (3) Wolves (-)
Premier(-) Cowboys (7)
Phoenix (-) Rage (8)
Nighthawks (3) Warriors (-)
(32) (32)
(3) (3)
(16) (16)
(2) (1)
(53) (52)
Unadjusted Expansion Playoffs Championship
Phoenix (44) Phoenix (2) Phoenix (5) Phoenix (2)
Heat (44) Heat (2) Heat (5) Heat (2)
Warriors (44) Warriors (2) Warriors (5) Warriors (2)
Premier (43) Premier (3) Premier (5) Premier (2)
Cougars (41) Cougars (3) Cougars (5) Cougars (2)
Gladiators (36) Scorpions (3) Lynx (5) Wolves (2)
Scorpions (35) Gladiators (4) Scorpions (4) Nighthawks (2)
Lynx (34) Lynx (4) Gladiators (4) Lynx (1)
Rage (32) Rage (4) Rage (4) Rage (1)
Sabers (32) Sabers (4) Gators (4) Gladiators (1)
Wolves (32) Wolves (4) Sabers (3) Sabers (1)
Gators (30) Gators (4) Wolves (3) Cowboys (1)
Nighthawks (29) Nighthawks (5) Nighthawks (3) Scorpions (1)
Cowboys (27) Cowboys (5) Cowboys (3) Gators (-)
Home/Away Pre-Season Adjusted 2010 Final 2010 Adjusted
Premier (62)
Cougars (60)
Phoenix (59)
Heat (59)
Warriors (59)
Gladiators (57)
Lynx (56)
Nighthawks (54)
Rage (53)
Wolves (53)
Sabers (52)
Scorpions (52)
Cowboys (51)
Gators (50)
Okay, this may be the largest post I put up perhaps this year, and there is a reason for it. Above there are 14 schedules for 14 teams, and a buch of numbers you have no idea what they mean or what they purtain to. Allow me to explain:
Last season, around February, I got my hands on the season schedule, and on an off day of mine (like today, actually) I sat down and devised a formula for figuring out who had the hardest schedule in the league. The higher the number was the harder the schedule. It only had about 2-3 different aspect to it, so it wasnt very broad. This seasons was much more forfilling.
Last season, the hardest schedules went to the Gladiators and the Mustangs (now Nighthawks), while the easiest schedules went to the Rnegades (which is interesting) the Lynx and the Heat. However, that version was severly hampered by a few things:
- In a 10 team league, With 10 total games, everybody played everyone else. So, in reality, if I went by opponents records from the year before, well, no one would have had it any harder, or easier. The only discrepancy between teams was who they played twice that season (in week 1 and in week 10). So in essence, the Gladiators had the harder schedule because, well, they played the Lynx twice, and the Mustangs had the second hardest because they played the Heat twice (both were Championship teams the year before). So, it really depended on who you started and ended with
- However, a few little categories were able to be made. I gave each away game an extra point due to away games being harder, and the reason why that worked is because some teams had 4 Home games, while others had 6 Home games. So that changed the math a little. Also, I observed that since the four expansion teams had not played a game, they would only receive one point as a team, and another if the game was away. So if a team played 3 away games vs new teams that was 6 points (3 for the teams, and 3 because they were away), and another team only played 2 expansion teams away, that was 4, it made the numbers a little less stagnant
- Yet no matter how you split it, the results came out wildly close, being that the schedule were essentially the exact same except for who you played in week 10. Yet, when you look at how it came out, and the results of the season, one can see that the formula worked, with one very notable exception (The Renegades, yet they were perhaps the most injury riddled team last year. Also, along with that, thier 2-time team was the Rage, and that proves my point that expansion teams are tricky.)
- Lynx (2nd Easiest – Went 9-1, really didn’t have trouble until late in the season)
- Heat (Tied for 2nd Easiest, Went 5-1 before injuries stole their momentum, that and the hard part of the schedule came about in the Cowboys and Rage)
- Gladiators (Hardest Schedule – Went 0-5 to begin the year, entered a bit of an easier part of the schedule, won a few games, used that momentum to shock the Cougars, and got to 4-6)
- Mustangs (Started 3-2, yet ran into the hard part of their schedule and suffered from there)
So, emboldened by those outcomes, the new year comes about and I went at it again. Only this time, I have 14 teams to play with (wildly different schedules), more expansion fun, and added to the formula throughout. So, without delay, here is the formula, step by step:
- Each schedule was taken, and then their opponents wins from last season was set next to it. For Expansion teams, this number was set to 0, and I’ll explain where their number came from next. After totaling up the win total, I would get that teams Unadjusted Schedule difficulty (first Bold number), based solely on opponents with records from last year. Many people say this is the best way to do it, yet I tend to think differently about that (second Bold number is the Adjusted Number). For one, not every team plays the same amount of expansion teams. The least played by any team is 2, while the highest is 5(!). So naturally, a team with 5 expansions on their roster would have a lower number, but not necessarily an easier schedule. That’s where step two comes in.
- Last season, we had 4 expansion teams, and their records were 3-7,4-6,4-6 and 8-2. My last season formula was off primarily because nobody truly knows how good an new team will be. So, to combat this, I took the most common win number from the 2009 expansion teams, and used that (4). Naturally, come seasons end, some may have more wins, some sadly less, yet I think that 4 is a good baseline and a wise average to use (in Blue).
- Another Formula addition is an extra point was given to each team that made the playoffs last year. Why that happened was basically because of the Gladiator/Gator equation I ran into. The Gladiators made the playoffs, the Gators didn’t, yet they both had 4 wins and in my formula, they would both equal the same. Yet, for some reason, it just seemed wrong to not hold a playoff team in higher standard, so that’s the reason for the extra point all the way around (in Green).
- The next piece of the equation was the Championship teams, which were the best teams last year. If you have one of them on your schedule, that’s an extra point, each (in Red).
- The last one, which I won’t be able to finalize until the schedule itself it done, is the Home and Away part of the difficulty rating. Last year, I gave just 1 point for each away game and left it at that, however, that was when not everybody had 5 away games. This season looks to be pretty even, so the Home/Away quotient will be different. It will still be 1 point each, but each game that is played away in a row will result in an extra point, because long absences from home can be more difficult. So if Team A plays 3 games away in a row, the first one will be worth 1 point, the second week 2 points, and the final week 3 points. The reason for this is because we have some DRIVES coming up this year (if a Milwaukee team has to travel to Lake County, isn’t that a stressful situation?), so a team should be noted of that in the strength of schedule.
So, while the tally is almost complete, we will have to wait till the Home/Away sched pops out to have the final pre-season tally. After the season, I will change it all around using everyones 2010 records, and find out what the true strength of schedule was. Just to see how close I am.
For you formula guys out there, here it is (minus Home/Away)
(2009 W's) + (Playoff teams) + (Expansion Teams x 4) + (Championship Teams) = 2010 initial Strength of Schedule
The higher the number, the harder the Schedule, so there.
Without further explanation, here are my findings (hardest to easiest):
The Premier (62):
Fox Valley is an Expansion cut from the Lynx, and they get hit right away; the Heat and Lynx 1-2 punch will indoctrinate them into the league well. The Premier has 5 games against playoff teams from last season, and 3 games against new teams. They play both the Lynx and Cowboys during the season.
Hardest stretch of the season:
Even though the Heat/Lynx start is fun, the 2nd half of the season has the Rage, Cougars and Cowboys is store. Finishing strong is everything in this league, and the final two weeks will decide a lot
The Cougars (60):
Last season’s comeback team finds itself in a rough spot schedule wise. Their first half of the year isn’t bad at all, yet the second half becomes tricky. The Cougars have 5 games against playoff teams and 3 games against expansion clubs
Hardest stretch of the season:
As soon as the second half of the season rears its head, it’s make or break time. The Heat, rage, Lynx and Gladiators, all in a row, will provide a trying end of the season schedule.
The Phoenix (59):
The Cougars begin the season, the Cowboys end it, what happens in the middle is where the season will be won, or lost. However, the middle is where things really get tough. The Phoenix play 5 games against playoff teams, and only 2 new squads.
Hardest stretch of the season:
The Phoenix have the Lynx in Week 3, the sudo Lynx (Premier) in Week 4, and the Rage in Week 5. THEN they play the game everyone seems to be waiting for in week 6 against the Sabers. Luckily, there is a bye week after that.
The Heat (59):
The Heat will again need to get off to a good start, as the middle of the schedule could end their chances early in they don’t do well in their first two weeks. The Heat plays 5 playoff teams, and 2 new teams
Hardest stretch of the season:
Rage in Week 3, then the Scorpions, who could be anything, expansion teams are murky. Then, week 5 brings the Lynx, Cougars, Cowboys and Gladiators all in a row
The Warriors (59):
The Warriors will welcome their first season by saying hello to…the Rage. Welcome to the GFL. After that they will have to devise a winning streak to keep up with the second half of their year. The Warriors will play 5 playoff teams, and 2 new squads.
Hardest stretch of the season:
The Warriors schedule is sneaky in it’s strength, not really seeming all that bad. Yet a Cowboys, Lynx, Gators, Heat, Sabers final 5 could really knock them out if they aren’t careful.
The Gladiators (57):
The Gladiators are like so many other teams who will have to make something out of an easier first than second half schedule. The only big name in the first 5 games is the Rage, in week 2, followed by the Sabers, in week 4. The Gladiators will play 4 playoff teams, and 4 new teams.
Hardest stretch of the season:
So many stretches involve the Lynx, but that’s just how good they are. Starting in week 6, their schedule takes a turn with the Lynx, Phoenix, Heat and Cougars in a row, finishing up with the Scorpions
The Lynx (56):
Almost laughing at the Lynx’s schedule early on (really, the Champs get three expansion teams in a row?), one would have to tip their hat to the schedule makers for turning the rest of the schedule into a much harder affair. 5 games against playoff teams, 4 against expansion clubs
Hardest stretch of the season:
The Cowboys, Heat and Gladiators will make up Weeks 3-5, and the Cougars, Nighthawks and Rage will finish out their schedule.
The Nighthawks (54):
The Nighthawks early schedule is their only real difficult stretch, managing to only play 3 2009 playoff teams and 5 expansion clubs. 5 of their last 8 games are against new squads.
Hardest stretch of the season:
Cowboys, Cougars, Premier; Weeks 1-3. After that, if they get through even with one win, they should have a say in the playoff race.
The Rage (53):
The Rage, much like the Nighthawks, manage to miss prolonged stretches of difficulty, at least when compared to 2009 numbers. The week 3 matchup with the Heat will be a rematch of last seasons fight for first in their division, yet the early schedule should provide them with a winning record. The Rage has 4 games against playoff teams, 4 against new teams.
Hardest stretch of the season:
The Cougars come calling in week 7, followed by the Scorpions, Sabers and Lynx. The game vs the Lynx could be plainly for playoff seating.
The Wolves (53):
The Wolves, much like the Warriors, get their first game as a franchise against…the Lynx. And for an encore, the Cowboys! However, unlike the Warriors, the schedule lets up considerably after that. The Wolves get 3 games against playoff squads, and 4 against fellow expansion clubs.
Hardest stretch of the season:
The Lynx and Cowboys…yeah. There is a spot in the 2nd half against the Gators, Sabers and Premier, but nothing comes close to the first two games.
The Sabers (52):
An early game against the Heat (week 2), followed by the Gators and Gladiators makes for an interesting stretch, but not exactly murderers row. The Sabers play three 2009 playoff teams and 4 expansion teams
Hardest stretch of the season:
The Cowboys and the Rage in weeks 8 and 9 make for a nasty little end of the year trial, it’s bookended by games with the Warriors and Wolves.
The Scorpions (51):
The Scorpions will be welcomed into the league by the GFL’s founding franchise, and then the Scorpions destiny is in their hands. Two straight games against fellow expansion teams leaves the Scorpions as an enigma. The Scorpions play 4 playoff teams, 3 expansion teams, and don’t play either the Lynx or Cowboys
Hardest stretch of the season:
Heat, Cowboys, Nighthawks, Premier and the Rage, starting in week 4. The Gators and Gladiators after that could decide whether they make it to the playoffs or not.
The Cowboys (51):
Seeing the 20092nd place squad here was not a joyful occurance, but sometimes that’s how it goes. By the end of Week 4, as long as they are 2-2, they could easily be a high playoff seed. The Cowboys play three 2009 playoff teams, and 5 expansion teams
Hardest stretch of the season:
The Cougars in Week 3 followed by the Lynx in Week 4. Two games against new franchises later they play the Heat.
The Gators (50):
The only team to play neither the Lynx or Cowboys may have a great chance at making the playoffs, as long as they just take care of business. There is a minor rough patch in the middle of the year, yet throughout, it never gets overwhelming. The Gators play 4 playoff teams, and 4 new squads.
Hardest stretch of the season:
The Sabers in week 3 starts off the mini-bulge, with games vs. the Rage and Cougars after that. Even if the Gators are 2-3 after that, the 2nd half of the schedule is ripe.
As I said before, this list is without the Home/Away schedule, which may change things more drastically than many would realize. Also, this will be compared to how the season plays out, as I will at the end of the year redo everything with 2010 info and see how the predictions work out.
When the Home/Away schedule comes out, there will be an update
GFL Overview (For new GFL Website)
By Adam Knoll | December 03, 2009 at 02:08 AM EST | No Comments
The GFL was started in 2006 primary by Rick Starosta and a few of his friends. Rick has been a stalwart proponent of Semi-pro football and has been instrumental in getting the surrounding area used to the idea of a viable league. If it were not for him, the league would not be around, much less started.
Make no mistake; the league was never meant to have gotten as big as it is now. It was mainly started by a group of guys who wanted a good reason to throw on pads and play some ball. Perhaps it was that formula that laid the base for the league to blossom, as the GFL has never been interested in turning a profit or having fans pay huge gate fees. This is a type of football reserved for those who love the game and want to play again at a level that has steadily gotten much better. Firstly, the schedule was moved to summer, where the league would be less affected by other sports, and on top of that, family holidays are usually bye weeks as the league tries to stay a family orientated operation.
Along with that, the league has instituted rules that helped players stay healthy was goal number one, and the league stays true to those goals as there are no kickoffs of punts allowed. Also, spearing with your helmet, or failing to wrap up on a tackle below the knees is extremely looked down upon and even punishable within the league itself.
The first season was in 2007, consisting of eight teams, and an eight week season. Looking back on those first games, the first season, many would not have given the GFL a second look. Played on sandlots that wouldn’t be fit for a Pop Warner league, the GFL (then the 7FL) had trouble even getting its teams to match in color, jerseys, helmets or even socks. Yet even then the league grew in fan base and admiration, as players saw the potential in what the league had to offer.
The first season saw a few vigorous teams fight it out for the inaugural championship, as the Cougars defeated the Lynx for the first crown. A true league was born.
The second season saw the change to an 8 man league take place, which allowed teams a third lineman. For the second straight season, the league had eight teams, and the season was longer by one game. The playoff battles were fierce as the Lynx topped the Heat to take their first crown and become the league juggernaut by going undefeated.
Last year, a whole slew of changes took place as the league expanded by two clubs and field goals became a part of the league (both PAT’s and regular FG’s). Although seldom used, a few teams used the changes to make a strong run at the crown. Another change was that a defense could blitz as many as they wanted, and tackling (wrapping up) was allowed below the knees. The league has been very fortunate about injuries as every length has been taken to protect players.
Six teams went to the playoffs last year, including two spots taken by expansion clubs. What then followed was a real good battle in the Championship Game, again won by the Lynx. The two time Champion looks to rise to the top again, being chased by a list of hungry teams.
This season, the league has expanded to 14 teams, sprawled out across the Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois area. The rules more or less stayed the same this season as the league for the first time is focusing more on the expansion and growth of the league, in both venues and quality of play. Make no mistake, this league can now qualify as one of the best Semi-pro organizations in the area, attracting better talent, and gaining experienced, hungry owners who want to see the league reach its full potential.
We welcome you to the GFL, and we promise you will like what you see here.
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