[bbbb1fbf]Memphis Express[/bbbb1fbf], Owner: [ibbb1fbf]GoldenEagle[/ibbb1fbf]
2005 results:
- 9-7 regular season
- Won wild card game vs. New Orleans, 17-14
- Won divisional game vs. Durham, 17-14
- Lost Eastern Conference finals vs. Detroit, 27-28

[ibbb1fbf]Offense:[/ibbb1fbf] The offense is based around the passing game with Mr. Consistent, QB Joshua Urrutia. Memphis has a big question mark at RB where last year's backup, Riddick Dole, is expected to start. [bbbb1fbf]Grade: B-[/bbbb1fbf]

[ibbb1fbf]Defense:[/ibbb1fbf] The only play-maker on this side of the ball is DE Horace Williams. Williams is tied for 3rd in career sacks with 33.5. [bbbb1fbf]Grade: C+[/bbbb1fbf]

[ibbb1fbf]Special Teams:[/ibbb1fbf] WR John Parsley continues to be the most dangerous kick returner in the league, having returned 4 kickoffs for TDs over the past 3 seasons. [bbbb1fbf]Grade: B+[/bbbb1fbf]

[ibbb1fbf]Overall season outlook:[/ibbb1fbf] [bbbb1fbf]6-10[/bbbb1fbf], The Express just didn't do enough in the offseason to remain competitive.


[bbbb1fbf]New Orleans Breakers[/bbbb1fbf], Owner: [ibbb1fbf]backbreakers[/ibbb1fbf]
2005 results:
- 9-7 regular season
- Lost wild card game vs. Memphis, 17-14

[ibbb1fbf]Offense:[/ibbb1fbf] The Breakers' offense has talent at all positions. Their 1st round draft choice, TE Corey Francis, should be able to contribute right away in both the passing and running games. Look for QB Randolph Kranz to have a breakout season. [bbbb1fbf]Grade: A-[/bbbb1fbf]

[ibbb1fbf]Defense:[/ibbb1fbf] CB Forest Wheeler was a smart free agent pickup, but New Orleans still lacks depth at CB. The rest of the defense is solid, led by 5'10", 230 lb. LB Don Byer, who has 226 solo tackles and 84 assists over the past two seasons. [bbbb1fbf]Grade: B[/bbbb1fbf]

[ibbb1fbf]Special Teams:[/ibbb1fbf] K Eliseo Frame was 1st team all-league in 2005, and P Chris Elswick is still punting in his 17th season. [bbbb1fbf]Grade: B+[/bbbb1fbf]

[ibbb1fbf]Overall season outlook:[/ibbb1fbf] [bbbb1fbf]11-5[/bbbb1fbf], This team should improve for the 4th straight year and could go far in the playoffs.


[bbbb1fbf]San Antonio Stingers[/bbbb1fbf], Owner: [ibbb1fbf]Shooter[/ibbb1fbf]
2005 results: 7-9 regular season

[ibbb1fbf]Offense:[/ibbb1fbf] Age is a concern for this offense with RB Chester Brumley (age 34) and QB Joaquin Luster (age 37). If Luster struggles early, 1st round pick QB Eddie Crawford could get thrown into the lineup soon. [bbbb1fbf]Grade: C+[/bbbb1fbf]

[ibbb1fbf]Defense:[/ibbb1fbf] If the Stingers could clone SS Michael Hubbard a few times they'd be ok, but for now they will allow their other young DBs to struggle for a season or two before they reach their potential. [bbbb1fbf]Grade: C[/bbbb1fbf]

[ibbb1fbf]Special Teams:[/ibbb1fbf] Last year's 5th round draft pick, K Alfred Luzar, made 84.8% of his field goals, including 6 in one game against Sacramento in a 32-29 Stingers overtime victory. [bbbb1fbf]Grade: C[/bbbb1fbf]

[ibbb1fbf]Overall season outlook:[/ibbb1fbf] [bbbb1fbf]5-11[/bbbb1fbf], This team went 1-7 over the 2nd half of 2005 and the struggles will continue this season.


[bbbb1fbf]Shreveport Pride[/bbbb1fbf], Owner: [ibbb1fbf]Raven Hawk[/ibbb1fbf]
2005 results: 4-11-1 regular season

[ibbb1fbf]Offense:[/ibbb1fbf] WR Pedro Lopez was brought in to give young QB Douglas Hartman a consistent possession receiver. However, the Pride's offense is based around RB Weldon Rayburn who quietly rushed for 1328 yards last year with a 4.51 average. [bbbb1fbf]Grade: B+[/bbbb1fbf]

[ibbb1fbf]Defense:[/ibbb1fbf] Shreveport's defense is a young, talented group who should keep them competitive in every game. Last year's #1 overall selection, DT Jerald Barber is living up to his high expectations, and playing behind him is MLB Joshua Mask who is 2nd in the league in career tackles. [bbbb1fbf]Grade: A[/bbbb1fbf]

[ibbb1fbf]Special Teams:[/ibbb1fbf] Kicker Carson Blume really struggled late last year, only making 4 out of his last 12 field goal attempts. WR Juan Batchelor is a decent kick returner while rookie WR Ernie Sutton was drafted to return punts. [bbbb1fbf]Grade: C[/bbbb1fbf]

[ibbb1fbf]Overall season outlook:[/ibbb1fbf] [bbbb1fbf]9-7[/bbbb1fbf], This team is a lock to improve on last year's performance.

I will be posting a division preview like this one for each division over the next couple of weeks as we get closer to the start of the 2006 season. Let the trash talking begin!

Great first post, Taco! Looking forward to read the rest...

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Division winners in 2003, 2012, 2016, 2019
147-122-3 regular season record
3-5 playoff record

Good read, I can't wait to see my team for anothers view.

1. New Orleans
2. Shreveport
3. Memphis
4. San Antonio

I agree with these predictions...Louisiana is looking good in the CFL

Looking back at our first draft- and the first round picks...
1. New Orleans- DE Leon Bronson# 7 overall. Had a decent rookie season, and a good start to his 2nd season when he went down with an injury. It will be interesting to see how he bounces back from this injury.

2. Shreveport- CB Brady Scott- The # 8 pick, has started 20 games in 2 seasons and has been solid- but has not lived up to the hype, and has not lived up to being selected # 8.

3. Memphis- Pick traded to Tulsa, tulsa selected WR Daniel Campbell (we all know how that turned out)

4. OLB Eric Hodges- # 21 pick. Has started 24 games in his 2 seasons. He has looked decent, but nothing spectacular. Hodges looks to be the starter again this season, and I expect him to have a solid, but not great season.

All in all this division did not have the best draft in our first CFL draft. Leon Bronson looked promising but with his injury, he may never fully recover. Brady and Hodges look like they will be starters for msot of their careers but never the type of player to build a team around.

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Home of Marvin "Muddy Waters" Raffo

[quote251115f="Doug5984"]2. Shreveport- CB Brady Scott- The # 8 pick, has started 20 games in 2 seasons and has been solid- but has not lived up to the hype, and has not lived up to being selected # 8.[/quote251115f]

With the addition of Erwin Koch to the CB ranks in Shreveport, Brady "The Bust" Scott has been relegated to shagging punts and playing dime-back.

Good write up Taco!

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Deep South Division Champions
2006, 2009-10, 2019, 2023-24, 2027, 2031-32, 2034-35, 2040, 2044, 2046-47, 2051-53, 2055-56, 2058-62
Eastern Conference Champions
2009, 2031, 2055
CFL Champions
2031, 2055
Hall of Fame
Joshua Mask, Douglas Hartman, Carl Bradford, Leland Wellins, Wally Wooden (#80), Brantley Gilmore (#9)

Great review Taco!

I must say New Orleans looks scary on paper this year.

Like you, I also expect a big rebound from Shreveport, they were probably the unluckiest team in the CFL last seaon. They could easily have gone 9-7 as the 4-11-1 they did...

[quoteff019f1="Raven Hawk"][quoteff019f1="Doug5984"]2. Shreveport- CB Brady Scott- The # 8 pick, has started 20 games in 2 seasons and has been solid- but has not lived up to the hype, and has not lived up to being selected # 8.[/quoteff019f1]

With the addition of Erwin Koch to the CB ranks in Shreveport, Brady "The Bust" Scott has been relegated to shagging punts and playing dime-back.

Good write up Taco![/quoteff019f1]

I was surprised Taco missed mentioning Koch.. course, it's next to impossible to not miss a trade or two in these kind of things ....

Adding a young, shut-down corner is crucial...

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Good point, Koch is definitely a nice addition to the Shreveport secondary. Wow, Brady Scott really should be called "The Bust". I guess that very high volatility got the best (or worst) of him. Ouch!

[quotecd41009="Taco"]Good point, Koch is definitely a nice addition to the Shreveport secondary. Wow, Brady Scott really should be called "The Bust". I guess that very high volatility got the best (or worst) of him. Ouch![/quotecd41009]

Yeah, unfortunately for me, the cap cost for me to cut him hurts me worse than keeping him on for another season. He'll probably be the highest paid punt returner in the league. I doubt that he'll earn that money.

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Deep South Division Champions
2006, 2009-10, 2019, 2023-24, 2027, 2031-32, 2034-35, 2040, 2044, 2046-47, 2051-53, 2055-56, 2058-62
Eastern Conference Champions
2009, 2031, 2055
CFL Champions
2031, 2055
Hall of Fame
Joshua Mask, Douglas Hartman, Carl Bradford, Leland Wellins, Wally Wooden (#80), Brantley Gilmore (#9)

I enjoyed reading your previews, Taco.

Just as long as we don't meet Motormouth early and often, we will be fine.

[quoteacc6261="Anonymous"]I enjoyed reading your previews, Taco.

Just as long as we don't meet Motormouth early and often, we will be fine.[/quoteacc6261]

That was me, btw.

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