San Diego Blitz Golden Anniversary Team:

QB: Dusty "The Midnight Cowboy" South (98.06 QBR, 358 TDs in 135 games)
RB: Jayden Rainey (7970 rushing yards, 5.3 ypc, 25 TDs)
FB: Buck Hardwick (7960 rushing yards, 5.6 ypc, 37 TDs)
WR: Morgan Armand (10,7700 receiving yards, 94 TDs)
WR: A.J. Storey (8,889 receiving yards, 98 TDs)
TE: Rudy Easterling (3,282 receiving yards, 30 TDs)
OL: B.J. Brandt (170+ games)
OL: Carl Hogg (120 games)
OL: Zachariah Otis (190+ games)
OL: Constantino Gómez (215 games)
OL: Yevgeniy Gevozkyan (175+ games)

DL: Tim Stanton (125 TFL)
DL: Rocco Brant (190+ TFL, 19 sacks)
DL: Rufino Madrid (165+ TFL, 14 sacks)
DL: Rusty Chamberlin (135+ TFL)
LB: Efrén Alonso (109 sacks, 13 interceptions)
LB: Cedrick Hawk (104 sacks, 12 interceptions)
LB: Wyatt Frost (89 sacks, 21 interceptions, 95.9% tackling)
LB: Max MacBain (56 sacks, 13 interceptions)
DB: Terry Slater (24 interceptions, 88.2% tackling)
DB: Morris Gamble (17 interceptions, 89.1% tackling)
DB: Grant Hendrix (33 interceptions, 89.9% tackling)

K: Robby Cooper
P: Markus Vanhorn


Honorable Mention: Timothy Packer (QB), Derek Rice (RB), Rocky Locke (FB), Kenzie Fleming (WR), Jake McPherson (WR), Dalton Rowley (TE), Rocco Brant (DL), T.J. Snow (DL), Glenn Swift (LB), Raymundo Weathers (LB), Kjell Nordal (DB), D.J. Hayes (DB)

Greatest Moment: In Season #50 Global Bowl, Louis Devaux's last second field goal to win the game 38-35.

0:23 Louis Devaux (K) kicks the ball for the field goal, 33 yard field goal is good

After starting the season on the shelf, “The Midnight Cowboy” Dusty South led the Blitz to their second Elite League championship in three seasons. This places South in s e l e c t company – only a few quarterbacks can boast two Elite Leagues titles (including former Blitzerian Yong Mcwhorter with thee). San Diego has now won a major trophy in each of the last three years – signaling a renaissance for the Blitz after the golden age of Mcwhorter back in the earlier 20’s season. Dusty will return in season 47 with most of the supporting cast and has a shot at all three of the major trophies next season. Go Blitz Go!

Dusty South was named the best quarterback in the Elite League last season on top of leading his team to their 7th Super Cup title. Dusty completed 68% of his passes for 4822 yards with 47 TDs versus 7 interceptions and a 101.68 QB rating in Elite League regular season games. When asked about the accomplishment, Dusty remarked “I think this validates my decision to focus on football and disregard academics, education and learning. Go Blitz!”

After many years of being playoff also-rans, the Blitz powered through four Elite league teams in the playoffs and Superbowl to capture their fourth Elite League Title. After losing their first two games of the season, the Blitz went on a 16-2 league run including winning their final nine games. The biggest difference was the maturation of QB Dusty South. In the playoffs he threw for 900+ yards, at 68% with 8 TDs and only one interception. On the defensive side, the star was Terry Slater with 3 interceptions and 1 TD in four playoff games. Retirements will be light this off-season, only a few starters, most notably TE Cam Muller and OT Carl Hogg on the offense and LB Wyatt Frost on the defense. So can the Blitz repeat? You Betcha!

Tomorrow is the last game for quarterback Yong Mcwhorter. I wouldn’t say that he’s the best Elite League player ever…but he’s certainly in the conversation. He probably has the most hardware, 3 Elite League Titles, 3 SuperCups and 2 CofC Championships plus a host of other trophies.

He was the prototype QB for a now past era, the era of the unsackable QB. His regular season elite league statistics were 128 games, 27,000 yards, 65% completion percentage, 265 TDs, 23 Interceptions, only 23 sacks (14 in this final season) and a QB Rating of 95.93. He is also the all-time elite league leader in game MVP awards with 57.

But Mcwhorter wasn’t always destine for greatness with the Blitz. He started with the Waiheke Island Kiwis before being placed for sale. Despite several other bidders, San Diego managed to grab him for the bargain price of $40M (apparently bwadders76 went to bed, leaving me the opportunity to outbid him). After spending a bit of time on the bench, he began starting for the Blitz taking over for Johnie “Football” Grisham in Season #16. He continued for the next 8 seasons until tomorrow when he’ll play his final game.

Good bye Yong!

San Diego Blitz All-Double Decade Team:

QB: Yong Mcwhorter (96.75 QBR, 141 TDs in 80 games)
FB: Landon Medlock (14,500+ rushing yards, 97 TDs)
WR: Royal Epstein (7,000+ receiving yards)
WR: Horst-Peter Meyer (67 TDs)
WR: Leslie Galbraith (5,000+ receiving yards)
TE: Stevie Conrad
OL: Orlando Underwood (200+ games at FB & OT)
OL: Cecil Hedrick (2,000+ pancakes, original SDB player)
OL: Adolfo Aguirre
OL: Ionut Lazar
OL: Trèsor Rossa

DE: Quintin Doan (49 sacks)
NT: Cristian Luna (150+ TFL)
DE: Nathan Mauro (RZA's most expensive player $250M)
LB: Lewis Wertz (57 interceptions, 25 defensive TDs)
LB: Orlando Rock (32 sacks)
LB: Otto Richardet (28 interceptions)
LB: Colby Macdonald (94.4% tackling)
CB: Danny Ryder (53 interceptions, 28 defensive TDs)
CB: Smokey Dyer (27 interceptions)
SF: Dharmi Prasad (RZA's fastest man)
SF: Daquain Matthews (27 interceptions @ CB & Safety)

K: Raymond Pennington
P: Buck Rosenberg


Honorable Mention: Etre Sárvári (QB), Johnie Grisham (QB), Harrison Castillo (RB), Lemuel Draper (FB), Dajan Bankole (WR), Haywood Beers (DE), Raul Bacon (NT), Lyndon Macon (LB/CB) & Domenic Matthiessen (DE/LB/CB/SF)


Greatest Moment: In Season #3 Galaxy 1.1 Bowl, Landon Medlock's 67 yard TD run versus the Cameroon Turtles!

2 and 4 to go on own 33, Harley Milburn (OC) snaps the ball to Matt Mckenna (QB), who hands off to Landon Medlock (HB/L), he starts running over the left end, Friedemann Martin (DE/L) breaks through, there is no SS who could tackle him, Landon Medlock (HB/L) breaks the tackles of Demetrio Contreras (CB/R), he is able to avoid the tackling of Antone Lujan (FS/C), forward progress: 67 yards, touchdown

Started off a 31-6 victory route over the arrogrant Turtles and delivered to San Diego it's first Championship Trophy!

San Diego scored their third Global Bowl victory with a thrilling 24-23 victory over the Landru Athletics. This game also represented the swan song for five Blitz players: elite WR Horst-Peter Meyer (700+ receptions, 6500+ yards & 67 TD’s). stub CB Quinn Landry (16 interceptions, 8 defensive TD’s), long-term TE Johnathon Christianson, veteran DB Leonard Krüger and French OL Maxence Marquis.

Today is the final day for Johnie “Football” Grisham with San Diego. Johnie has been helm of the Blitz after replacing Jahina Louis and now, like greats Joe Montana and Peyton Manning, moves on to another team…riding off into the San Diego sunset as an Galaxy champion and one of the finest field generals in the Elite league . Grisham will finish with almost 14,000 yards passing, more than 120 passing TDs and only 4 sacks (league games only). Goodbye Johnie!

The Blitz will lose 13 players going into season 18…eleven due to retirement and two due to sale. The list includes the all-time leading receiver Royal Epstein, 725 catches, 7000+ yards & 62 TDs. Mr. 50/50 Orlando Rock who finishes with 500+ tackles & 32 sacks and the almost perfect mind & body (50 strength, 49.6 speed & 50 intelligence). Long time kicker/punter Buck Rosenberg, 405 FGs, 79.3% FGP & 42.3 ypp. Also departing were Anton Jernigan (RB), Samuele Grimaldi (RB), Daniel Gill (WR), Stevie Conrad (TE), Eduardo Bratton (OL), Trèsor Rossa (OL), Sammy Braxton (DL), (LB), Otto Richardet (LB), Danylo Martyniuk (LB) and Hobert Chang (S).

After a season that saw San Diego in the Elite League Bowl, the Blitz retirement losses were heavy. The retirements are headlined by two long term stalwarts of the Blitz defense, Cristian Luna and Danny Ryder. Cristina Luna was one of the first big transactions ($46.5M) in RZA history and anchored the Blitz D-line since Season #3. He finishes with 761 tackles, 158 TFLs and 23 sacks in 220 league games. Danny Ryder was a 3rd round draft pick in the first RZA draft. He play multiple positions for the Blitz from Season #2 through #16 and compiled 976 tackles, 11 sacks, 53 interceptions and 28 defensive touchdowns & 10,483 plays in 238 league games.

In addition to Luna and Ryder, the Blitz will lose CB Theodor Štastný (390 tackles & 15 interceptions in 82 league games), long time safety Dharmi Prasad (342 tackles & 10 interceptions in 166 league games) and DE Kadir Omer (7 sacks in 14 league games). Good luck to all in their retirement!

After a season that saw San Diego in the Elite League conference championship, CofC finals and another Super Cup title, the Blitz retirement loses were heavy. Departing were all-time leading rusher Landon Medlock (207 games, 14,000+ yards, 5.3 ypc, 97 TDs), veteran offensive lineman, Colan Doan (146 games), defensive cornerstone at MLB, Lewis Wertz (190 games, 588 tackles, 57 interceptions, 25 defensive TDs), all-time sack leader Quinten Doan (192 games, 587 tackles, 148 TLFs, 49 sacks, 15 forced fumbles) and defensive line stalwart, Raul Bacon (188 games, 460 tackles, 115 TLFs). Also expected to leave is all-time receiving leader Dajan Bankole (109 games, 6,000+ yards, 53 TDs). Good luck to all!

The league championship was the final game for long time Blitz players Jeffrey Park and Orlando Underwood. Park was a solid TE known more for his blocking than his pass catching. Underwood was an original Blitz player and played at Fullback (through season #4) before moving to the Offensive Line. He played in over 200 league games and had over 4000 rushing yards and 39 TDs. Underwood also sports four Galaxy league championship rings and one from the Super Cup championship.

Today will be the final game for long time Blitz players Etre Sárvári, Harrison Castillo and Tony Bayne. Sárvári, nicknamed the “Hungarian RG3” is the most prolific QB in Blitz history with over 16,000 yards and 150 touchdowns. Castillo was a season 4 first round draft pick and leaves the team with 6500 yards rushing and 130 touchdowns. A season 3 draft pick, Tony Bayne has been a stale worth of the linebacker corps with 144 games played and 461 tackles.

Today, Nathan Mauro shattered the previous transfer record held by Preston Wertz. The new record of almost $250M is significantly more than the previous record transfer of $207M!

Top 5 Player Transfers
Name from to on price
Nathan Mauro Free Agent San Diego Blitzkrieg 2014-05-23 249,999,999
Preston Wertz Portlanders Botev Plovdiv 2014-04-04 207,000,000
Tue Kühn Free Agent Kinaportalen Flyers 2012-08-09 202,000,000
Loesan Okeke Free Agent Guinness Drinkers United 2013-09-05 200,000,000
Zafer Sad Free Agent Mighty Magpies 2012-11-24 185,060,826

Blitz lose three offensive starters to retirement; Emmitt Riddick, Leslie Galbraith and Ionut Lazar. RB Emmitt Riddick was an original Blitz player who rushed for over 10,000 yards, 67 TDs and won 2 League Titles and a Super Cup. WR Leslie Galbraith logged over 5,000 receiving yards and 47 TDs. OT Ionut Lazar was the top offensive linemen for the Blitz over the past 3 ½ years. All will be missed.

The anchor of the defensive line for the Blitz over the last five seasons retires with over 200 tackles. Ybarra was one of the original San Diego players and played on three conference championship teams and one league champion.

The top rusher for the Blitz over the last four seasons retires with over 10,500 yards rushing and 85 touchdowns. Staley was one of the original San Diego players and played on two conference championship teams and one league champion.

The SD Blitz brought up youth QB Matt “Machine Gun” Mckenna today and he’ll compete with veteran quarterback, Carson Ashcraft, for the starting job.