Here - The Xbox Football League

Issue
15
In this issue >>>
Using XP Wisely (Part 1 of 4)
Part 1 of this story will focus on distributing XP among your
quarterbacks and running backs in ways that actually make
a difference with on-field performances.
Front Office Forum
Using XP Wisely (Part 1)
How to Stop the Read Option
aren't the obvious attributes such as
Pass Block, Run Block, Man Coverage,
Zone Coverage, etc. - all of which are of
great importance, but very selfexplanatory.
Virtual vs. Reality: LaMichael James
The XBFL’s Facebook Page
X’s & O’s: A Quarterly Insight into The XBFL (Xbox Football League)
on
Rule reminders >>>
Scheduling Tips
Scheduling your games early is of
paramount importance. Do not wait
until the new week starts before
contacting your opponent. Reach out to
them the Saturday before or the Sunday
of the new week. Furthermore, offering
up several options to your opponent
makes scheduling easier. Be sure to also
keep your opponent's time zone in mind
too. Most people are available between
the hours of 7-10pm, M-F in their
respective time zones, and those time
slots should be made available for
gaming. Weekends by design shouldn't
be counted on for anything less than a
last ditch effort due to many of the
league members having family
obligations on those days.
Front Office Forum: League Update
We are now just past the quarter mark of our Fall Season and while there is
some separation in most of the divisions, everyone is still in the hunt. So far
this season, we haven't heard of any game-breaking glitches which is a good
thing, however we have had some issues involving gameplay and attendance. As many of you know, we expanded our roster from the typical 24
team format we've used the past few years (one CPU team per division) to a
full 32-human team league. In doing so, we've brought in a lot of new
talent, however, there is always the risk of losing some along the way due to
the inability to keep up with the commitment of scheduling, or maintaining
the sim-code of conduct with regards to gameplay and abusing exploits. So
far this season, we've let go of two players due to one of the
aforementioned reasons. Historically, only about 30% of any group of new
recruits have been let go during a season. There is hope that this trend will
not continue, however so far, there are a number of teams in jeopardy of
defaulting due to the attendance policy and a few instances of unsporting
gameplay.
The primary reason The XBFL has been around longer than any other league
on Xbox Live is because it retains only the most committed players who
accept nothing less than quality sportsmanlike opponents who are
dependable each and every week. Most of the guys in this league have been
participating for over 7 years. Several have been around for over 10. That
kind of loyalty is virtually non-existent with other leagues…or even the NFL
for that matter! It takes each person's individual contribution to make this
league great, and when everyone does their part, the seasons turn out to be
a nice escape to a virtualization of a sport we are all so passionate about.
All of us in the Front Office are looking for a fun and exciting remainder of
this season, and appreciate those of you doing your part to make it so.
One of the perks of Madden 13, and this
year's Madden 25 is the inclusion of XP that
gets awarded to both your coach and your
players. While most of the listed attributes
are common sense (e.g. speed, jumping,
etc.), there are a number of others that may
not be as clear. This can lead to confusion
as to which items are priorities in leveling up
each of your players. Here is a breakdown
of key attributes you should focus on
enhancing, with knowledge that each five
point increment produces noticeable performance increases (i.e. Improving to 75 from
70 will likely be noticeable, but an improvement from 72 to 74 is likely to not have discernible results). The items listed below
Quarterbacks:
Throw accuracy: this is a summary of
your short, medium, and deep throw
accuracy scores. Improving this should
make your quarterback more
consistent with this throws overall. That said, you should have your
three ranges fairly close in score too.
Throw on the run: the ability to roll out
of the pocket and hit your target while
on the move (or scrambling).
Elusiveness: Increases the difficulty for
a defender to sack the quarterback,
particularly when utilizing the analog
stick to evade or duck away from a
would-be tackler.
Runningbacks:
Ball Carrier Vision: This is not affected
when you control the player, but rather when the CPU controls him. This
is not an attribute of priority.
Trucking: The ability to take a hit and
continue your forward momentum. Definitely a good attribute to
have, particularly with a score 80 and
higher. (continued on page 4)
Game Tips >>>
Q: How Can I Stop The Read Option?
Pre-Snap Controls to Focus Your DE On
A: Use
Either the QB or RB
Using your pre-snap controls (L-Trigger), you can decide on which player you
wish your DE to focus on. Press A for him to contain the quarterback or X to play
the running back. It is advised to always let the DE go after the quarterback
while you manually take control of a DT or LB and target the RB yourself.
Another option is to audible a blitz off the edge while you spy the half back.
Did You Know?
In Madden 12, you could trigger a
Gatorade Shower after every win by
pressing LT+ RT+LS+RS.
This was supposedly part of Madden
11, but many found it impossible to
accomplish. (glitch?)
A throwback load screen in Madden
25 shows this being a feature in the
game.
NCAA Football 14 League
Lord Nelson has been running an
NCAA Football 14 league (and NCAA
13 and 12 leagues prior to that) which
has both past and current XBFL
members participating.
If you are looking for more football
gaming action, head over to the XBFL
NCAA 13 Website and sign up.
There is very limited space available
and now is a good time to submit an
application for participation. The third
season of NCAA Football 14 is
expected to begin around the second
week of November.
XBFL’s Facebook Page
Virtual vs. Reality >>> >>>
LaMichael James vs LaMichael James
Finding An Agent That’s Right For You
This issue's Virtual vs. Reality spotlight is San Francisco 49er's running back LaMichael
James. This year with the real-life 49ers, James has touched the rock only seven
times for 31 yards. However in the XBFL, it is a different story. James has the distinction of being the second fastest halfback to reach the 1,000 yard mark in XBFL history
behind only Emmitt Smith (NFL 2K3, Season 2). Two questions are probably on most
people's minds: Why is Frank Gore benched and what about Kendall Hunter, the
49ers REAL backup running back? Mr Fett answers these two questions: "Frank Gore
has a tendency to fumble in the Red Zone when running off left tackle. I don't know
why, but it's been consistent enough to be bothersome both this year and last. When
playing Green Bay in our season opener this year, Gore once again coughed up the ball and also suffered a bone bruise. Prior to
the game, I was disheartened to see that EA Sports screwed up the roster update by completely omitting Kendall Hunter from
the game. James was the only other name I was familiar with, so I put him as Gore's understudy. On my first few carries, I was
pleasantly surprised by his quickness and agility. After a few carries, I was getting the hang of him and before I knew it, he was
ripping off monster touchdown runs. Gore's been riding the pine ever since. Because of James' low 60-something rating and the
success he's seen, I've been able to level him up to where he's now a bit more productive between the tackles too."
Through Week 5, LaMichael James leads the league in rushing with 106 carries for 1,012 yards and 14 touchdowns.
xbfl member spotlight >>>
As many of you know, The XBFL entered the realm of social media a few months
ago with its own Facebook page. There, you will find league news, scheduling
advancement notices, the occasional game recap, and a "Friday Funny" image that
offers up some NFL humor.
Everyone is welcome and encouraged to make posts to the Facebook page, however if you do so, we ask that you adhere to the following guidelines:
 No profanity of any kind.
 No flaming fellow members (if you have a problem with a specific opponent,
contact the Commissioner).
 No discussions of political, religious, or ethnic matters.
What is allowed:
 Game recaps (similar to what you can submit from the game itself)
 "Playful" trash-talking is permitted
 Asking questions or offering advice to other members
 Posting video highlights from games (NCAA 14 or Madden 25)
 Posting links to helpful advice pages/videos and or entertaining highlights or
news from the NFL
 Discussions concerning the NFL
 Discussions concerning Madden 25 and football gaming in general.
Off-topic gaming comments (e.g. Xbox One, other games) are welcome too,
though the majority of posts should be football-gaming related. There are times
when a new/big game release is made that members host a non-football game
night where everyone is welcome to participate (like CoD, Halo, etc.). These can
be added to the league's Facebook calendar when appropriate.
Meet the XBFL Admin Staff
Coming December 30 >>>
In The Next Issue
XBFL League Update
Strategy Session: Using XP (Part 2)
Ask the Experts
Virtual vs. Reality: Jay Cutler
XBFL Member Spotlight
Holiday Schedule Announcements
Using XP Wisely (Part 1) - Continued from Page 2
Meaker
Mr Fett
Trazzy88
Lord Nelson
Status: Commissioner
Tenure: 6 years
Accomplishments: 5-time
Madden Champion, 3time Madden Fantasy
Champion
Favorite NFL Team:
Miami
Favorite NFL Players: Dan
Marino, Mark Clayton,
Zach Thomas, Jason
Taylor
Status: Founder,
Former Commissioner,
Recruiting & Social Media
Tenure: 11 years
Accomplishments: 4-time
NFL finalist, one undefeated season (Dallas), NCAA
12 Champion (UCONN).
Favorite NFL Team: Dallas
Favorite NFL Players:
Herschel Walker, Cris
Carter, Jason Witten,
Charlie Garner
Status: Assistant
Commissioner, Madden
League; Commissioner,
Xbox One Fantasy League
Tenure: 4 years
Accomplishments: Multiple
Playoff Appearances in NFL
leagues, 2-time NCAA 13
Champion
Favorite NFL Team: Dallas
Favorite NFL Players: Deion
Sanders, Adrian Peterson
Status: Commissioner, NCAA
Football Leagues, Social Media
Tenure: 10 Years
Accomplishments: NCAA 12
Champion (Nebraska), multiple
playoff appearances in NFL and
Madden Fantasy leagues.
Favorite NFL Team: Indianapolis
Favorite NFL Players: Walter
Payton, Russell Wilson,
Andrew Luck
Stiff arm: The ability to shove a would be tackler out of the way. This goes hand-in-hand with the strength attribute.
Carry: The higher the score, the less likely a running back will fumble when tackled.
Catch: Improves the likelihood of your running back making receptions out of the backfield. A score of 75 should be
sufficient in most cases.
Awareness: Awareness is an attribute to consider if you have a running back you intend to pass to a lot. If he is
primarily a runner, you should save your XP for other areas to improve upon.
Part 2 of ‘Using XP Wisely’ will be included in next month’s issue of X’s & O’s: The Official XBFL Newsletter, and will
cover wide receivers and offensive linemen.
www.thexbfl.com
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