I Remember When.....

[VTrunNgun]

For what intended to be a short post turned into a short novel once I started reflected on the NDL and the memories I've made over the years.

HOW IT ALL STARTED...

Getting called up to the big leagues and grabbing my first NDL team in NCAA 08. Season 10 - Kent State Golden Flashes with Julian Edelman holding it down...Helluva ride meeting the likes of Weasel & UCWeiser.



Taking my points, jumping in the draft with a chance to get my beloved Hokies. With no rabid fans in sight, I thought I had a shot...Then some guy named "Crowes" swoops them up...My heart was broken. Well if you can't draft'em...then beat'em...Logic being I'll do my part to make sure the incumbent coach doesn't meet their season points with hopes they go back into the draft. My pursuit to get my Hokies began - I will follow "Crowes" or whomever coached my Hokies until the day comes that I can draft'em.

So Season 11 I took the upstart Wake Forest Demon Deacons with Riley Skinner slinging the rock at QB. I didn't realize how magical that kid was and somehow I ran the table, won the division then made it to the ACC Conference Championship where I was slatted to face off against the legend Marino and his Miami Hurricanes. A showdown indeed that never saw the light of day...Schedule conflicts and holiday travel gets in the way - game goes to a coin flip - Miami wins. Wake Forest does however make a solid bowl game, matched up against some guy named Coach Biffy with the Crimson Tide.



Season 12 - If I can't have my favorite team, I might as well go after my 2nd favorite team...The Tennessee Volunteers. Waiting for me would be Erik Ainge's golden arm and the talented freshmen Eric Berry. Everything clicks, Vols roll in the SEC, knocking off Coach Fogtown of Florida along the way. At the time Coach Fog was "the guy to beat" - someone who clearly loved winning with a 15 game win streak in progress. Well, he overlooked my Vols, we pulled off an the upset, then suddenly Coach Fog got "too busy" to play NCAA anymore. He would quickly lose interest then quit the league all together (you're very welcome NDL)

That season I would sneak past Daw1git in SEC title game where I BLOCKED my first field goal - a rivalry is born. I know he's still salty about that game...



Season capped off with my first NDL Title Game Berth with my first NDL Cup championship to boot. The biggest game that no one ever saw as my shitty Nat 4 connection finally caught up to me when Coach Cnasty and I could never connect...Coin flip decides this one...USC Trojans are your default champs - while I still say I've never lost with Tennessee

I love my Vols...but I love my Hokies more...why hasn't that jerk "Crowes" left yet!? Okay fuck it, I'm moving back to the ACC! Better yet, I'm going to join the Coastal Division just to make sure I see the Hokies every season. With the 4th pick, I pull a shocker snatching up B- Georgia Tech where some guy Jonathan Dwyer was setting the conference on fire in real life as we transitioned to NCAA Football 09.

Season 13 Day One Draft
01. shel311 - Oklahoma
02. ICE - Florida
03. carlwayne1 - Texas Tech
04. VTrunNgun - Georgia Tech
05. DrTom - Western Michigan
06. xmgmikej - Tenessee
07. quest4gold - West Virginia
08. fsupenguin - Florida State
09. wj5811 - Purdue
10.Talented3 - Maryland

With hopes that Crowes would just bounce after getting bored, turned into the waiting game...I was having fun with Georgia Tech but I had a sinking feeling he wasn't leaving... I spent 5 seasons (2 game versions) at Georgia Tech hoping to smoke him out - no such luck. The Hokies would have a crummy year in Season 16 so I jumped into the draft naive thinking Crowes would have gotten fired. No such luck again... I would garner the 5th pick then opt to go back to the Yellow Jackets for one more shot..

Season 17 Day One Draft
1. BIGmike - Missouri
2. nole4real - Florida
3. shel311 - USC
4. LytezOut - West Virginia
5. VTrunNgun - Georgia Tech
6. nickwadden - Oklahoma
7.texasfan4444 - Oklahoma State
8. pounddarock - Ohio State
9. Steamrollr22 - Penn State
10. doc1424 - Pittsburgh

Highlights from my Stint at Georgia Tech

Failing to stop VVV en route to his NDL title. I had two shots that season and we let him off the hook! Stupid CJ Spiller and James Davis giving me nightmares still


Getting some revenge later on VVV with a goaline stand to decide a game. It wasn't a championship game, but it still matters...I bet VVV still thinks Spiller got in


Epic bowl game against Doc in a win


Epic bowl game against Buckeye in a loss


Time to pack my bags...I've very become irritated waiting for Crowes to leave Virginia Tech. It's been 3 calendar years now. I need to stop obsessing with this guy leaving because at this point Crowes must be squatting there just to spite me. My saltiness was visible on the forums...



While Crowes mocks me...



Commissioner AJ puts me in check...



We enter the draft, grab the 20th spot with hopes of grabbing West Virginia (at the time league rivals of Virginia Tech) or whoring myself out and taking Virginia (division opponent and rival of Virginia Tech)

When it came down to it, WVU was gone at the 12th pick (Coach Seeitsaveit) and I didn't have the guts to take Virginia (simply hated them too much in my core). So i decide to roll with the Iowa Hawkeyes (C+ overall). No particular reason to pick them as I was beginning to wonder what it was like to play in other conferences. Maybe my new mission would be to play in every conference like that guy Nole or something. A season I couldn't have predicted with the Hawkeyes as things clicked, we run the table, go undefeated, win the Big 10, then get our shit kicked in by Shel (before twins). I've never seen someone use verticals so effectively



Then...it FINALLY happened...After 3 versions of NCAA, Crowes left the Hokies! Season 19 is a season I'll never forget as I landed the 3rd spot in the draft with no Hokie fans in front of me. Coach Whit and BigMike - I'm forever in your debt

Season 17 Day One Draft
1. Whit- Florida St
2. BIGmike- Boise St
3. VTrunNgun- Va Tech
4. Talented3- WVU
5. TheRealDray- Georgia
6. vicktim7- Oregon
7. Dawgit- Florida
8. Cnasty- Miami FL
9. nole4real- Miami Oh
10. buckeye76- Buckeyes

And it's been magic ever since...

First game & first win. Takes down Coach Talented and the West Virginia Mountaineers - a rivarly is born


First time I got comfortable then someone humbled me. Coach Steamroller at Georgia Tech - rivalry already born, but now


First & second time I was humbled by Miami - Coach BigMike in Season 20 then Coach JohnnyP in Season 21


First time a fluke play helped me win a game - Coach Champdizzle still salty about this Defensive INT turned into a safety


First time I underestimated someone and they smacked me for it - stars aligned for you Coach Riccio that day


First significant title as the Virginia Tech coach. Season 22 NDL Cup Championship over Coach Biffy and the Crimson Tide


First snow game - sneaking past Coach Matt 90210


First time I cried/misted up a bit...Beating coach Bigred in the Season 23 NDL Championship Game. I then decided I would wear all maroon in championship games ONLY


First time feeling bad about beating a friend. Coach Dcane had me on the ropes and if it wasn't for a fluke internet fallout, resulting in a partial restart, this game and season would have been completely different. I know that game still haunts him...


First (and probably only) time beating BigMike twice in a season





Thanks NDL for all the memories over the years. I'm pumped to finish out this last season of NCAA then create more memories down the line as a broader gaming community.

[shel311]

then get our shit kicked in by Shel (before twins). I've never seen someone use verticals so effectively 

Not hard to do when you user that corner back on the left side so ineffectively

[Whittness10]

Good stuff man

[RB4SC22]

Darn I didnt make the long novel. Was hoping you whooping my butt multiple times would make it. Haha nice stuff man, cool story line.

[Uuaww]

Great write up. I would make my own topic but mine isn't that long lol.

For me, like the rest of you, it all started when NCAA came online. That magical game. Pretty sure it was 2004. If it wasn't I played the shit out of that one more than any other game I had ever owned. I have no idea why but I found out about an online league called the INCAA.

First season in the INCAA I had Auburn, upset week 1 by Colorado. That was my first realization that I sucked at video games. Next season I had Air Force. Was decent. Played some guy who was Oregon State that was ranked and beat him 3-0. I remember punting from his 45 yard line on 4th and 2 b/c of field position in that battle.

INCAA folded at some point and I applied to join the NDL, referred by Spydie. After a season or two in the farm, get called up. Pick one of the last teams, San Jose St. Highlight of that season was playing a ranked or undefeated Utah State (I think?) team and beating him. I was petrified that he would quit or something so I took photos of the game screen with the final score and everything. Sure enough, he says we never played and the game never happened or something. I show photos to the commish and everything and eventually he quits but the game was told to be replayed... I lost.

Next season I have a good draft position. I narrow my teams down to Tulane or for some reason Connecticut. Dave gets wind that I may take UCONN ahead of him and asks me to leave them. I decide to go with my school for a month. Tulane. (Was to attend Tulane, Katrina hit, a school in California offered to allow me to transfer for free basically and I took it)

After 1 season, I didn't make the jump to PS3, soon after I moved to Australia and lost touch.

After moving to the Caribbean, I reapply and am instantly accepted. Tulane is offered and I take them starting a 10 year dynasty. I played RanDawg every fucking year, and lost by nearly 35 every fucking year except for that 1 magical year, season 22. C-USA West champions. Beat RanDawg 42-7 forcing like 7 picks. By far my great acheivement in the game and I still say probably one of the biggest user-user upsets ever.

Before that though I pissed off AJ in my first year back, ran big run on him with Tulane against Ball State. AJ hates me for next 2 years, surprised I didn't get kicked out of the league for that one.

I had 2 winning seasons in my time in the NDL. The first on the back of 3 sim wins to get to 7-5. The other during that magical season of 22...

Dynastying the shittiest of teams was awesome. Always wanted to get that major upset...

[BFiVL]

My favorite move is when you gave crowes all zeros on his coaches reports when he had va tech.

[6ftdeep]

My favorite move is when you gave crowes all zeros on his coaches reports when he had va tech.

whoa, Considering all the Nebraska fans I played, when I had them, Im glad they never did that to me..

They hated I had them, but still wanted them to do well.. Now that is diehard fans.

[Dcane7]

I'm mad. I've known you the longest and the only memory I get is the one that haunts me lol. Damn the fact that the very first online game I ever played NCAA 04 going to the lobby firs the first time and I got matched up with you and we have been friends and playing our annual game ever since they. You're still a chump hahahaha. 31-14 before your internet helped you out. Lol

[dealer4014]

Great stuff VT!

[The_Niddler]

Nice write up, fun to hear people reminisce.

[BIGmike]

First season of the INCAA I had Louisville so I decided to make it come full circle and take them as my last NCAA team...of course having Teddy Bridgewater to use doesn't hurt either.

[Nole4real]

as my last NCAA team....

Retiring as the #2 winningest/best coach in NDL seasons history is nothing to be ashamed of. You had a good run man

[BIGmike]

as my last NCAA team....

Retiring as the #2 winningest/best coach in NDL seasons history is nothing to be ashamed of. You had a good run man

I know being #2 is tough Lamar.

[shel311]

as my last NCAA team....

Retiring as the #2 winningest/best coach in NDL seasons history is nothing to be ashamed of. You had a good run man

Thanks for the nod, you were a great player, #3 is nothing to scoff at.

[Nole4real]

as my last NCAA team....

Retiring as the #2 winningest/best coach in NDL seasons history is nothing to be ashamed of. You had a good run man

I know being #2 is tough Lamar.

as my last NCAA team....

Retiring as the #2 winningest/best coach in NDL seasons history is nothing to be ashamed of. You had a good run man

Thanks for the nod, you were a great player, #3 is nothing to scoff at.

oh hai guys, just got back from NDL HOF. Brought some stuff back with me.





As I was saying congrats again on #2 Mike

and my apologies Shel, #3 deserves a round of applause as well.

You both should fully enjoy your retirement, well deserved. Good little runs.....good little runs indeed

[BIGmike]

Me:
Overall Record:
352 - 82

Nole:
Overall Record:
322 - 112

Ball don't lie.

[Nole4real]

you're counting cup games

hey, im 129-4 against hoos in scrims...maybe i should count those too. It's NDL related!

whats my ladder record?!?! I should count those too!



(cant believe I actually lost to hoos 4 times)

[Nole4real]

Not saying cup games dont "count" as far as the league goes

The cup is a TOURNAMENT run by NDL. As stated many times by Jeff, it is a totally seperate portion of NDL from the actual ndl SEASON

I'm talking NDL SEASONS.....where your gameplay is graded and counts toward your next season. Your NDL success is based on your season play. CUP play while fun isnt factored into that. There are no coaches reports, no stats, no recaps no NOTHING required for those. You dont even have to participate (as allllllllllllllloooooooooottttttttt of coaches dont)

How bout a compromise.

Congrats mike on retiring as the NDL CUP winningest coach!

lol, goddamit 6, these posts are intended to just be a joke and ball busting because they arent playing NCAA anymore

[Nole4real]

dammit 6, u deleted your post on me!

[BIGmike]

I even didn't play two seasons and got more wins than you Lamar. Be gone wanna be, be gone!