RTL Active Trial Season Results
Greetings Redline Derby Fans...and welcome to the second season, the Active Trial Season, of the .
Will the League Champion Nash Ramblers get off to another hot start, as they did last season? Will the high scoring teams of the Tucker Division continue to put major points on the board? Will the astonishing pre-season move that sent Atlcelica to the Valiants and WorpeX from the Valiants to become captain of the Firebirds pay off for either team? Will the newly empowered Team Captains figure out how to put together the best mix of high scoring and consistency to help keep their teams winning?
Let's go to the RTL highlights for Tournament One of the Active Trial Season.
MATCH ONE: HORNETS at RAMBLERS
The pomp and pageantry was in full effect before this match began, as the League Championship banner joined the La Salle Division Pennant in the rafters of Ramblers Field. However, when the ceremony ended the season-long effort to repeat that accomplishment would have to begin all over again.
Meanwhile, Variation Jason had promised a very different Hornets team this year--no longer would he have his hands tied when it came to personnel decisions the way he was during last season's Blind Trial Season. This is the Active Trial Season and every week would give him an opportunity to mold his team in his image.
And that image is one of very tough defense--as he, personally, held the Ramblers' Team Captain to only two points while putting up seven himself. The tables were turned, however, in the second quarter with iowastockcars putting up eight points for the Ramblers and Radekal only managing two.
Still, a very close match--and the mood in the stands of Ramblers Field was not as jubilant as it was before the match started. Perhaps, Redline Derby gave his best motivational half-time speech...because the second half was pretty much all-Ramblers.
Bandeezee/Ohana thrashed Nightstalker in the third quarter, scoring 16 points to the Hornet's 5...and zoom kept the scoring coming, adding eight more points while holding the Hornets' dimitambe scoreless.
After this match, Variation Jason could only grumble when asked about dimitambe's future as a Hornet. What could he say? The League Champions had started the year taking the sting right out of the Hornets.
RESULT: VALIANTS 36 - JAVELINS 16
BOXSCORE:
Valiants
dwguff: 45
Atlcelica: 45
markkaz: 55
multispeed 220
Javelins
JDC 442 Racing: 65
seattlegreyy: 45
Jobe: 45
Baranca: 0
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT: multispeed (Valiants)
HIGHEST SCORING TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT: VALIANTS
...and, for all of the team captains, considering making some changes to improve their teams, here are the
TOP FREE AGENTS FOR TOURNAMENT ONE
vmj2734: 175
SpocketFTE: 130
EconoCarl: 80
GsR microracing: 55
Jeremy: 45
Shane The Pain: 30
david: 10
Discussion
The Active Trial Season of the continues with Tournament Two.
After one tournament, the Division Leading teams were the Nash Ramblers and the Plymouth Valiants--the same teams that had won their Division pennants. A plus ca change, a plus ca meme chose.
Might as well just jump right into the history as the most competitive...as EVERY match came down to the wire.
MATCH ONE: RAMBLERS at COUGARS
This match pitted the two La Salle Division teams that won their first games of the season--so, barring a tie, the results of this match would determine the only undefeated team in the Division.
The Cougars, playing in front of their home fans, took an early lead in the first quarter only to give it all right back in the second. At the end of three quarters, this match was tied--both teams had 24 points. It came down to zoom versus Idea Guy in the fourth quarter. Both teams rose to the occasion on defense--and zoom was held to just five points...and Idea Guy held to just three.
A two point win is still a win, and the League Champions are undefeated after two weeks into this new season.
RESULT: JAVELINS 26 - BEARCATS 24
BOXSCORE:
Javelins
JDC 442 Racing: 85
seattlegreyy: 85
Jobe: 90
Baranca: 0
Bearcats
SSLS6: 65
Bane: 50
clifford shaw: 85
Lil'Grabber: 40
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT: kybusch18 (Cougars)
HIGHEST SCORING TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT: RAMBLERS
...and, for all of the team captains, considering making some changes to improve their teams, here are the
TOP FREE AGENTS FOR TOURNAMENT ONE
vmj2734: 80
Jeremy: 75
EconoCarl: 75
GsRmicroracing: 75
david: 75
Shane the Pain: 50
SpocketFTE: 20
STANDINGS AFTER TOURNAMENT TWO
LA SALLE DIVISION WINS-LOSSES-TIES (POINTS FOR-POINTS AGAINST)
NASH RAMBLERS: 2-0-0 (63/41)
MERCURY COUGARS: 1-1-0 (60/44)
HUDSON HORNETS: 1-1-0 (36/54)
PONTIAC FIREBIRDS: 0-2-0 (36/55)
TUCKER DIVISION WINS-LOSSES-TIES (POINTS FOR-POINTS AGAINST)
STUDEBAKER LARKS: 2-0-0 (51-48)
PLYMOUTH VALIANTS: 1-1-0 (61-42)
AMC JAVELINS: 1-1-0 (42-60)
STUTZ BEARCATS: 0-2-0 (47-51)
Week One of the Active Trial Season of the concluded with Tournament Three.
Would the close, defensive-minded games of Tournament Two continue...or would some of the offenses that were so powerful in the previous season finally show how explosive they can be, and light up the scoreboards like a Christmas tree?
Nothing more needs to be said, really. So, let's jump right into theRTL highlights for Tournament Three and find out what happened! (Here's a hint...there's no place like home...there's no place like home...there's no place like home...)
MATCH ONE: VALIANTS at RAMBLERS
The two Divisional Pennant winning teams from last season faced off in the first match of Tournament Three--an early test to see if these teams will carry over their success from last season throughout this season. The Ramblers returned home, undefeated in two matches. The Valiants were hoping to shake off an unexpected early season loss in the previous match to keep pace with the Studebaker Larks in the Tucker Division.
Both teams started sluggishly, with Redline Derby managing only three points for the hometown Ramblers while, at least, managing to keep dwguff and the Valiants from scoring any points at all. Things opened up in he second quarter a bit. Atlcelica scored the first eight points of the match for the Valiants--but that was nothing compared to the 15 points put up by iowastockcars for the Ramblers. At the half, the Ramblers held a ten point lead.
That lead was extended by Bandeezee/Ohana, who scored three more points than his Valiants counterpart, markkaz. That meant that multispeed, an early break-out star in this season with consistently high scores in the previous matches, had to try to make up a thirteen point deficit or the Valiants would drop this match to the League Champion Ramblers.
multispeed did his part, scoring fourteen points--giving the Valiants a chance. What he couldn't do, however, was stop zoom of the Ramblers from scoring nine points.
Ramblers, cruising to their third straight victory this season, take this one by eight.
Yes, yes...Voltron. Got it.
RESULT: COUGARS 19 - JAVELINS 20
BOXSCORE:
Cougars
Kybusch18: 45
newman39: 40
Nukesub: 55
Idea Guy: 55
Javelins
JDC 442 Racing: 50
seattlegreyy: 75
Jobe: 75
Baranca: 0
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT: iowastockcars (Ramblers)
HIGHEST SCORING TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT: RAMBLERS
...and, for all of the team captains, considering making some changes to improve their teams, here are the
TOP FREE AGENTS FOR TOURNAMENT ONE
GsR microracing: 180
Jeremy: 120
Shane The Pain: 115
EconoCarl: 90
vmj2734: 65
SpocketFTE; 65
david: 50
STANDINGS AFTER TOURNAMENT THREE
LA SALLE DIVISION WINS-LOSSES-TIES (POINTS FOR-POINTS AGAINST)
NASH RAMBLERS: 3-0-0 (96/66)
MERCURY COUGARS: 1-2-0 (79/64)
PONTIAC FIREBIRDS: 1-2-0 (63/76)
HUDSON HORNETS: 1-2-0 (49/84)
TUCKER DIVISION WINS-LOSSES-TIES (POINTS FOR-POINTS AGAINST)
STUDEBAKER LARKS: 3-0-0 (81-61)
AMC JAVELINS: 2-1-0 (62-79)
PLYMOUTH VALIANTS: 1-2-0 (86-75)
STUTZ BEARCATS: 0-3-0 (68-78)
Roster Moves and Free Agent Signings after 10/30/11 of the Active Trial Season
In the previous "Blind Trial Season," team captains could only sit back and wait for a player to have gone scoreless in three consecutive weeks in order for that player to be replaced on their roster by an automatic formula.
In this Active Trial Season, Team Captains (for those teams that HAVE Team Captains) have been given the power to make roster moves at any point in time in the regular season.
Two teams have done just that already, with only the first week of Tournaments and Matches under their belt.
Let's go ahead and detail these first roster moves of the season.
Two team captains requested to release one of their team's players and sign an available free agent to replace that player. The rules state that all free agent requests are held until the end of the day and then prioritized to give the teams with the worst record the first chance to sign free agents.
On this day, the team that is requesting a roster move that currently has the worst record of the two that submitted roster move requests, was the Hudson Hornets.
Team Captain Variation Jason has decided to release dimitambe and sign Jeremy. Since no team with a worse record than the Hornets put in a claim for Jeremy, this move is approved...and the change in the roster will be noted now and Jeremy will be on the Hornets roster for the matches of Week Two.
The other team that has requested a roster move is the AMC Javelins. Since they have a better record than the Hornets, they had to wait until the Hornets' free agent signing request was processed. If the Javelins had requested Jeremy, they would have had their free agent signing request turned down--as the Hornets had already signed him, according to priority rules.
Team Captain JDC 442 Racing did not choose Jeremy, however. The request was made to release Baranca and to sign EconoCarl. As there are no prioritized and previous claims to sign EconoCarl, this move is approved...and the change in the roster will be noted now and EconoCarl will be on the Javelins roster for the matches of Week Two.
And no other teams currently have made roster move requests...
So, to recap:
Hudson Hornets
releasing: dimitambe
signing: Jeremy
AMC Javelins
releasing: Baranca
signing: EconoCarl
...and these roster changes will be in place starting with Tournament Four.
Good luck, everybody!
Damn right, Voltron.
Roster Moves and Free Agent Signings after 10/31/11 of the Active Trial Season
Showing everyone exactly who is boss when it comes to the Pontiac Firebirds this Active Trial Season, newly arrived Team Captain WorpeX has gone ahead and dumped the man he replaced--Army Will.
Army Will failed to score any points in the first three tournaments of this year. Perhaps he was pouting because he was no longer the Firebirds' Team Captain...perhaps he didn't understand the complicated offensive schemes that WorpeX brought with him from his previous team, the Plymouth Valiant. Whatever the reason, WorpeX wasn't going to wait around to see if things could be fixed with Army Will--he's gone ahead to fix things without him.
So, into the free agent pool he's dipped--and, since no other teams put in claims today, he had his pick of any of the available free agents. He has selected GsR microracing to replace Army Will.
It was actually somewhat surprising that neither the Hudson Hornets nor the AMC Javelins, who made roster moves yesterday, chose to make GsR microracing their free agent selection--as in Tournament Three, GsR microracing scored more points as a free agent than any player.
Too late now, he's a Firebird.
And no other teams currently have made roster move requests...
So, to recap:
Pontiac Firebirds
releasing: Army Will
signing: GsR microracing
...and this roster change will be in place starting with Tournament Four.
Good luck, everybody!
It was actually somewhat surprising that neither the Hudson Hornets nor the AMC Javelins, who made roster moves yesterday, chose to make GsR microracing their free agent selection--as in Tournament Three, GsR microracing scored more points as a free agent than any player.
I was watching him, but I felt Jeremy (as the president of the Lincoln Johnny Lightning Race Club) was a better choice. LOL. I just hope he doesn't miss any races!
Roster Moves and Free Agent Signings after 11/4/11 of the Active Trial Season
A few days ago, Pontiac Firebirds Team Captain WorpeX dumped the previous Firebirds Team Captain, Army Will--as a clear sign that he intends on being very proactive when it comes to improving his team's fortunes. That effort continued today, as WorpeX announced another move--this one, perhaps even more surprising than the last.
The Firebirds are releasing Sean_aruba. Sean_aruba, a free agent signing from last year, was described by Worpex as "generally scoring poorly"...and that he is willing to take the risk in replacing him with the top rated free agent so far this year, vmj2734.
"vmj is a high scorer," Worpex explained, "but I am worried about his activity."
Interesting to note that in Tournament Two of this season, Sean_aruba was actually the Firebirds highest scorer--by far...scoring 110 points to 4UBRAT's 60 and WorpeX's 40 (and now former Firebird Army Will's goose egg.)
Not good enough to stay a Firebird...and Sean_aruba becomes the first player to be dropped from a team while having scored the previous week.
And vmj2734 becomes an instant Firebird, just in time for this week's matches.
And no other teams currently have made roster move requests...
So, to recap:
Pontiac Firebirds
releasing: Sean_aruba
signing: vmj2734
...and this roster change will be in place starting with Tournament Four.
Good luck, everybody!
Hey hey, you missed the important part of, "He hasn't posted his picks for this week", which was 90% of the reason he was dropped! I don't want to see anymore 0's on the board for Firebirds.
Hey hey, you missed the important part of, "He hasn't posted his picks for this week", which was 90% of the reason he was dropped! I don't want to see anymore 0's on the board for Firebirds.
But in the fantasy world where the RTL exists. points aren't scored by picking the winners of a diecast toy car races (although in reality, they are)... I've imagined it as some weird Pixar "Cars"-like universe where cars play football against each other--but that might just be me. It is a conceit, granted...but I think it's a conceit that makes the game more fun to follow...it adds storylines where there really aren't storylines.
So, "I don't want to see anymore 0's on the board for Firebirds" is a great quote. Or, "I just didn't feel I could count on him when it was game time" could have been another great quote.
(And, I have to admit, creating needless and unnecessary drama in this game--like the Voltron/anti-Voltron stuff and the "Javelin is a pretty wimpy superhero" stuff--makes it more fun. Well, for me, anyway...and I'd say 90% of the hits on this subforum are probably from me. )
STANDINGS AFTER TOURNAMENT ONE
LA SALLE DIVISION WINS-LOSSES-TIES (POINTS FOR-POINTS AGAINST)
NASH RAMBLERS: 1-0-0 (34/14)
MERCURY COUGARS: 1-0-0 (33/15)
PONTIAC FIREBIRDS: 0-1-0 (15/33)
HUDSON HORNETS: 0-1-0 (14/34)
TUCKER DIVISION WINS-LOSSES-TIES (POINTS FOR-POINTS AGAINST)
PLYMOUTH VALIANTS: 1-0-0 (36-16)
STUDEBAKER LARKS: 1-0-0 (25-23)
STUTZ BEARCATS: 0-1-0 (23-25)
AMC JAVELINS: 0-1-0 (16-36)