BuzzerBeater Forums

Seasons greetings to you all.

We are kicking off the new season with two games for ranking purposes. Sadly we are pretty dire on shape!! 2 at strong, 7 at respectable and the rest on average or lower is making it much harder, some of this is due to recent sales. Please try and keep NT players in good shape, that would be very generous and helpful. I still hope to win both our games, but this will affect our PD

If you need a backup big Barik is GS 8

ta

Hey all. Thanks for voting me in for a 2nd term, I am grateful and did want to do it again! It just feels vaguely stressful at times, s'fine...

So today is gameday 1 :) 6pm for the u21 team and 7pm for the seniors.

The under 21 group is tough this year, and the schedule possibly a bit awkward.
Our first three games are against the weaker teams in the group, in schedule order: Moldova, our rivals over the border (again, a repeat of season 40) Scotland, and Andorra. Then we move on to 3 of the Euro giants in Greece, Poland and Lithuania. All 3 have more than 800 managers whereas we're currently at 167. What Greece are doing ranked below us is a mystery...or maybe just some poor management in recent years? Unfortunately (for us) they have a new manager! Then last up we have another rematch from s40 with Estonia. More than double our size as well and with a squad that looks as strong as Greece's I'm not sure they're any easier. So the most likely result will be a 3-4 record but I'll try to pick off one of the last few games.

I've picked an initial 11 to give me scope for flexibility later, given it's under 21s a few pops in a key area can make a big difference. I've messaged some managers about players who are on the fringe / what I'd like skillwise early in the season to then pick them, but if anybody else wants to know why their player isn't in at the moment or how they can make it just send me a quick message and I'm happy to explain.

Gonna put a 2nd post up in a bit which is more fun?

Greece was played (backup and depth) my trainee who was a decent big at the beginning of the season but got no inside training during the whole season and certainly didn't look like a stud. I was surprised when he got called as I didn't think he had the skills required for a larger nation like Greece.

Last edited by Lemonshine at 04/23/2018 12:35:21

Meet this year under 21 squad, in salary order:

Buddy Arthur, 21, 53.8k Centre (and captain)
Our big big man veteran of last season, starting all 11 games of our final 8 run.
Transferred this offseason from Lithuania and division 3 to Australian division 2, so will be doubling as our spy in his former country's camp later in the season.
Rumours are he's stronger than a bear.
Would be better if: he could hit a free throw.

Christopher Cummins, 21, 18.9k SG (vice-cap).
Another returnee from last year. He's been billed as a star prospect for years and maybe not without reason, most likely to make a future senior NT for my money.
Bit of a party boy though, but if he's in form he might surprise an opponent or two.
Rumour: girls only want him for his money.
Would be better if: he swapped some beers for training miles.

Fod Bartolo, 21, 16.9k PG.
Only 39 minutes last year, but will hope to be a key player this time.
Clubmates with Scotty Flanagan and they push each other 1on1 after training. Current record 62-62 each.
Bartolo a bit flashier but Flannyballs will just outwork you if you take a breather.
Rumour: thinks he better than Scotty
Would be better if: less arrogant.

Ronald Allen, 21, 16.5k C.
147 mins last year, he ended the season as our 2nd big next to Arthur so they should have some chemistry already, he'll just have to beat out his clubmate Olivier for the starting role.
Northern, therefore loves anything in a pie.
Rumour: Honestly, he just misses his mum.
Would be better if: Needs to turn some of his puppy fat into man muscle.

Alex Olivier, 21, 14.7k PF.
What makes him a PF and Allen a C based on their almost identical builds? It beats me. It will be a very close thing all season which gets a starting nod, Olivier has it for week 1 and is confident of keeping it but hopefully Allen fights back.
Rumour: As a 6'7 big he idolises Draymond Green. Not a bad thing.
Would be better if: Could pass, and dribble and turn up the intensity and..like Dray.

Squad profiles on pause because this game is closer than it should be! 1 point down after quarter 1, I've full court pressed into Look Inside (always fun in itself), then we've got push the ball vs their 3-2 zone (also not great), and they've crunched and we've taken it easy! This isn't gonna be enjoyable (so pls join chat for the moral support..)

Last edited by Bergkamp at 04/23/2018 16:10:23

Vietnam 78 - 115 England

A straightforward win today, little comment to make save for our use of a reduced squad due to GS. Hopefully we have a few more for next week so we can fill out the team. Thanks for the messages and for the managers that managed to get good shape, we have a pretty good team and I really hope we can make a go of this season!

Profiles pt II:

Scotty Flanagan, 21, 14.4k SG
See earlier Fod Barolo profile, I kinda did a 2 in 1.
Rumour: Look at that head. It's the shape of a coconut...His jaws that look like they could crack one open, some say they've seen it.
Better if: he had more than allstar potential :(

Darren Irvine, 21, 13.1k PG
Born in Scotland. Eats porridge for breakfast even on the hottest summer day.
Currently transfer listed so hoping for a new team he can flourish in.
Rumour: Obsessed with Katy Perry.
Better if: He stops the above. Look at her, fine. Liking her music and watching documentaries? I hope he grows out of it.

Quillan Danson, 20, 12.6k PF
The only 20 year in the squad at the moment. Mostly here for the experience, but we also need someone to wash the kits after each game. At least we're not a football team, it's a nicer job than cleaning boots...
Rumour: He's tough, growing up with a slightly weird name will do that. Being the youngster here won't scare him...Thinks he'll steal minutes from Hank Easton by the end of the year.
Better if: He gets one more years training :)

Hank Easton, 21, 10.7k C
Has older brothers who made him watch 90s cartoons growing up so sometimes seems older than he is. Has an excellent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles / Thundercats half-sleeve tattoo.
Rumour: Trained in Gully Foyle's school of the dark arts he naturally picked up a flagrant foul in his debut u21 game.
Better if: he does that in a competitive game taking out a key opponent at the same time :D

Alfred Hawthorn, 21, 10.7k PG
Can't grow a beard yet. Until then doesn't deserve a full profile.
Rumour: His favourite player is Ricky Rubio. Playing style, he's getting there, but he'll never be happy until he can match his current facial stylings.
Better if: He had Donovan Mitchell as his backcourt partner!

Ryan Thomas, 21, 9.3k PG
Well this is my guy so he's obviously the best player on the roster.
Rumour: His official BB position will change more than twice again this season (he was a PF last week). Makes decent homemade pasta.
Better if: His manager gives him less than 93 minutes in a week :/ (I had an ingame injury! No controlling that..)


Ahh, well that nonsense got tiring. It was a good idea at the start and hoping semi-amusing for some though?

Last edited by Bergkamp at 04/23/2018 17:06:05

Good win Vecx. Dodgy from them though, Vi at SG, PTB with a 2-3 zone so presumably 3 bigs? Odd.

I'm gonna do a match report too!! I'm on a roll so better keep it going.

Moldova u21 85 - 111 England u21.

An obvious game of two halves. I thought the fast tactic + a full court press was the best way of pushing our points difference, but I was pretty scared after the first quarter. I've played BB enough to think we'd probably pull it out in the end, but some crunches from weaker teams do work, and I didn't really like the look of this one...That diminished to just a bit of unhappiness at the half when we just had a lead, but fouled less in the 2nd than the first and also scored a little better. We had a decent lead by the end of the 3rd, and then a 13-4 start to the 4th quarter gave us garbage time.
That likely helped our scoreline, a 4th quarter using FCP (and we had 2 fast offensive tactics too) can be ugly for the team using it, as our bench came in instead we were still nice and fresh and pulled away to a 26 point victory. Not quite what I hoped for, but I'll take it.

No reason or obvious way to split our top 3 for MVP votes, so Arthur, Olivier and Bartolo all get 2 each today.

Hey both the u21s and seniors play Scotland next week...LADS ON TOUR. Drinking competitions and injuries from too competitive 5-a-side allround (alternatively: we're in different countries still, but whatevs. That's not a fun narrative)

Echo what Vecx-y said on game shape. I'm working with a small squad at the moment, and honestly I think there's less depth outside of the squad than my past couple of seasons, so good game shape on those in the squad will be more important than usual. One potential guard I'd have liked to use played a full 144 minutes last week, lols. An American manager in this case...Luckily I can trust most of our current managers anyway.

Hank Easton, 21, 10.7k C
Has older brothers who made him watch 90s cartoons growing up so sometimes seems older than he is. Has an excellent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles / Thundercats half-sleeve tattoo.
Rumour: Trained in Gully Foyle's school of the dark arts he naturally picked up a flagrant foul in his debut u21 game.
Better if: he does that in a competitive game taking out a key opponent at the same time

I drafted him so I don't even have the excuse of actually looking for vicious players.

Nice to see you play fcp at representative level. I always wanted to but never quite got up the nerve.

5 in shape players, 2 of them are in our regular starting lineup... can I request we get some good gameshape?