#31

From Admirals 1.1, ranked #138 globally and holder of 8 trophies including 2 League championships it's Llana - owner of Kamen Rose-Croix!


Hi Llana!


What part of the world are you from?

I live in Kamen, a small town just east of Dortmund in Germany's Ruhrgebiet.



Who is your real world favorite team?

I spent half a year in Cincinnati during College. Even tho it was the mid 90s and the Bengals were the worst team of the decade, a strange bond formed.
Thankfully, they play a lot better today.



Who is your all-time favorite player?

I got in hooked to American football in the late 80s/early 90s, when a lot of legendary players were active. But for the pure fun to watch him play, its Larry Csonka, the Dolphins running back from the 70s. I even spent 20 creds to have him on my RZC roster .



How long have you been here at RZA?

2014-09-20, which was in season 9. This is my third online football game - not counting a score of pbm games I played in the pre-email era. But so far, its the most fun one.



What is the inspiration for your teams name?

Kamen obviously is my hometown.
Since 2001, when I played DaoC, I am a member of an online gaming guild called The Order of the Rose-Croix. So, the name and the Club badge is an honor to this band of lunatics.



How would you describe your team?

I still have no clue, how to set up a proper playbook and I am a lazy pig. I am on the bottom of the Karma list. So most is down to close-your-eyes-and-pray. I just try to be unpredictable, which sometimes works.
Until the Roadrunners come along and trash my hopes and dreams.



Brag about your most dangerous star player.

That is definitely my wide receiver Robert Šašek. A famous track star, he can outrun daylight, outmaneuver a housefly and outwit a ... housefly. Sometimes.
The Motol Ducks drafted and then sold him (Thank you Mr. Pumpkin ) and I got him for a fiver. The best thing? He is only 26 so he has most of his career still in front of him.



Your teams most important/favorite win?

My most important win will be the game, when I finally beat the !§$%§()=)/ Roadrunners.
I'll be drunk for a week after that.



Your teams most memorable loss?

Any loss against the Roadrunners. I am 0-9. That is a lot of memory.



Biggest rival?

I have no rival. I have a nemesis.



Which opponent causes you the most headaches?

You may have guessed it. It's the frikkin Roadrunners. Ever since season 9 in the Admirals 3.4, they are making my life miserable. Even in friendlies, when they play their second string, they are beating me. I'm outwitted, outplayed and out knocked.
When he moved to 2.2, I had a short breath of fresh air. For a while there was a safe 2 leagues distance between us. But now they are back in my league and stubbornly refuse to promote to Elite. I hate them. Go away.



Which opponent do you admire/respect the most?

From a game perspective, its all the Elite managers, who stay at the top consistently. The Athletics, Bears, Blitzkriegs, Spartans etc. etc. They are named every second post, so meanwhile, everyone knows who they are

But I have to name jack6 from the Leverkusen Leopards for putting together that RZA Game Guide. I am still amazed, how much work he has put into this thing and its actually pretty spot on. Honestly man, you R.O.C.K.!



What do you feel is your biggest team management mistake?

Apart from starting this game in the first place?
It is probably my stupid refusal to use the playbook for such a long time. Thanks Rock777 for waking me up.



Audible! Answer a question you want to be asked.

The answer is 42.
And I cant wait for the Grand Tour at Amazon Prime.



Championship game is on the line! It's 4 and goal at the 2 - under 30 seconds left to play and you are behind by 3. What do you do?? Go for the tie or the win?

I roll a dice and go with whatever the great Randomizer tells me to do. The Rose-Croix is unpredictable enough to mess up both options.



Any last comments?

I just love this game. The real one and this little time killer here. The best part is that RZA suits both, the pedantic control freak and the lazy buggers. And both can be pretty successful.

Fantastic, Pete. You have done a marvelous thing!


Thank you for your time and contribution to making this a fun and competitive game!

#32 (Interviewed during season 21)

From Fire 1.1 and currently 8-0, ranked #17 globally and holder of 20 trophies including 2 League championships and 7 Friendly Cups - it's Meitheisman - owner of Lyon Eagles!


Hi Meitheisman!

Hi Dude!


What part of the world are you from?

I was born and raised in Lyon, France but I left France in 2003 and only go back for vacations or to visit family and friends. Since then I’ve lived in the US, Argentina, Colombia, Brasil, Mexico, Hong Kong, Turkey and I’m now in Barcelona, Spain.



Who is your real world favorite team?

The Philadelphia Eagles. When I first left France it was to attend Temple University in Philadelphia. I knew very little about football back then but if you want to make friends in Philly, moving there in August, you have to follow the Eagles. I’ve yet to find such a strong bond to a team anywhere else I’ve been. It’s like absolutely everyone in Philly is really into the birds, young or old, rich or poor, male or female, Trump or Bernie supporters… so I spent the entire season watching the Eagles and asking tons of questions about football in general, next thing I knew I was hooked too and I’ve not missed an Eagles game since. I’ve also attended many of them during my 8 years on the US East coast, including the famous Miracle at the New Meadowlands in New York, the game we were losing 31-10 with 8 minutes left that we won at the last second with a DeSean Jackson punt return TD



Who is your all-time favorite player?

Brian Dawkins. He was pretty much at his prime when I started to follow the Eagles and he seems like such a genuinely nice guy in real life when you hear his interviews or teammates and coaches talk about him. A true great, on and off the field. I actually was at the game he played as a Broncos at Lincoln Financial Field and was really happy to be able to give him one last ovation in Philly, even though he played for the other team that day.

Special mention to Brian Westbrook, I still often wear his jersey on game day if I can find a local pub showing the NFL where I am.



How long have you been here at RZA?

I joined the day of SuperBowl XLVI, the day the terrible 9-7 Giants beat the Patriots in 2012. My four years in New York City ended a few months before that SuperBowl and my office in NYC was right by the city hall, where the parade finishes. Being in Buenos Aires and not New York was much better, at least I knew very few Giants fans there so I luckily avoided a lot of trash talk that year

In RZA terms in was the end of season 2 so I was lucky enough to be here on time to draft 3 LBs right away and make my defense the building block for a strong team.



What is the inspiration for your teams name?

I’m from Beijing and support the Cowboys… or maybe not but with the previous answers you should be able to figure this one out if you hadn't already



How would you describe your team?

Open to change. I started playing RZA with a really strong defense and terrible offense that mostly ran. I quickly bought a few players on the TM to improve on the terrible players we started with at the time and then used a slow build/no TM strategy. Between seasons 5 and 17 I signed a free agent RB and bought a OL, that’s it. Then in season 17 I decided to spend a bit of cash and signed a few players and became more of a balanced team (run/pass and strength of offense and defense). I also recently changed my RB coach for a FB coach changing the team’s long lived running strategy.



Brag about your most dangerous star player.

If I can name a retired player it’d have to be Jean-Paul Lalanne. He was the 2nd rounder of my very first draft, instant starter at MLB where he spent 14 seasons scoring 207 TDs. Yes, you read that right, a defensive player averaging almost 15 TDs per season, he was a beast. 50 speed and INT, 48+ strength, 46TW, 5* EXP and a special trait.

Currently though it’d have to be my QB, 50 INT, Passing and Vision and 45+ speed and strength. I still have at least one more year with him too.



Your teams most important/favorite win?

I’ll pick a fairly recent one. During season 21 I was lucky enough to beat Landru Athletics twice, once in the Elite League and then again in the Champ of Champs first round. I did not think I could compete with the very best in RZA yet but these two wins gave me some hope, maybe with a slightly better playbook and players I could be one of them too.

Special mention to season 18 Supercup’s quarter-final overtime win against the Montego Bay Cardinals, I thought I stood no chance so reaching the semi-final was a great surprise.



Your teams most memorable loss?

Losing the semi-final of the Champ of Champs in overtime to eventual winner Maykop Dynamos was a bit disappointing last season. Once I reached the semi and saw that I had beaten 2 of the 3 other teams remaining that season and had more Elite wins than all of them I thought I could go all the way. Then Maykop went all the way instead. … Another tough loss also came against Maykop when in season 20’s Fire 1.1 Bowl game I was up 23-0 and managed to lose 23-28! I did just beat him 51-28 in a crazy game now that we’re both back in Fire 1.1 so I just got a small revenge



Biggest rival?

I’ve now spent 20 seasons playing this game so I have to name two teams here.

- GLADIATORI ROMA: From season 5 to 14 we were both battling for the Fire NC West title, ROMA winning 8 of the divisional trophies (only 2 for me) and the whole league twice during that time so his team was better but our rivalry was pretty close and I often managed to go 1-1 against him in the division. Then he went to the Elite and back down, then I did and we just played each other again to begin this season. We also played each other in the Conference Championship game to qualify for the Elite twice, winning once each.

- Maykop Dynamos: To me he was the best team in Fire 1.1 NC from seasons 2 to 13 (when the Elite league was created) and he kicked my ass several times during that period. Since then we’ve played 2 seasons in the Elite together (and got relegated together twice) faced each other in the Fire 1.1 Bowl game twice and in the CoC semi-final so the rivalry is growing.



Which opponent causes you the most headaches?

The Austrians! The Flying Ducktales prevented me from reaching the Elite once, the Kumberg Cowboys beat me in the regular season and almost beat me again in the Championship Game a couple of seasons ago. These two being in the Fire region I face them more often but the Vienna Falcons and Styrian Bears are also a nightmare to play and seem to find a way to win every time I face them, even when I manage to keep it really close!



Which opponent do you admire/respect the most?

Having been here for 20 seasons I also have to name several teams here.

First let’s start with the best of the best, Solana_Steve and notsch. It’s hard to separate these two as they’ve both managed to be at or very near the top ever since RZA started so they deserve admiration/respect for the consistently impressive performances.

Second I’ll go with hollyhh2000 manager of the Wilmersdorf Wadenbeisser. For his first full season he won his 2.x league and gained promotion to 1.1. His first season up he won 9 games, the following one he won 15 games and the Bowl game. Then he made the PO for his first Elite season and reached the Elite Bowl game for his second season there. Clearly the fastest manager to become this good.

Third fellow Frenchie OLIVEH and his Fighters de Paris, with 6 consecutive Elite seasons (7 out 9 total). We haven’t faced each other many times in official games but we play each other almost every season in the French Cup that he organizes and it’s always great fun.

Finally JonnyP and his Leeds Celtics are one of my favorite teams. Not only is he one of the best teams in RZA despite not spending much on salaries but his posts on the forum are always intelligent, informative or funny which is great for the community.



What do you feel is your biggest team management mistake?

When creating a new playbook for my first game against the Kumberg Cowboys this season I pressed the letter “p” on my keyboard thinking it would go straight to “pass” in a line in my playbook and I didn’t double check it before the game, it went to “punt”… I ended up punting from my opponent 3 yard line 3 times in the same game, on second down! Costing me at least 9 points and possibly 21pts. Luckily though my defense played a spectacular game that day and I only allowed 7pts so still won.



Championship game is on the line! It's 4 and goal at the 2 - under 30 seconds left to play and you are behind by 3. What do you do?? Go for the tie or the win?

My playbook says try the field goal even though I’m not too proud to admit it and the call would probably come back to haunt me if I lose in overtime.



Any last comments?

Pete, I love you! Thanks for creating such an awesomely addictive game, for being very present on the forum and extremely active when it comes to improving RZA. We don’t always agree on the best course of action to follow to make this game even better than it already is but you’re always willing to listen to suggestions and ideas. I’m sorry we sometimes seem to frustrate you a bit when some of us disagree with a certain change and I promise that if/when we happen to be in the same city I’ll gladly buy you a well deserved Guinness, or two!

Punch Drunk, thank you for thinking of these interviews, doing them consistently and for giving me the opportunity to share a bit more about myself with you guys.

Finally a big thank you to everyone playing RZA and contributing on the forum. This is the friendliest forum I’ve ever been on which is very refreshing. Another special thanks to those who read this until the end, I know I got a bit carried away.




Thank you for your time and contribution to making this a fun and competitive game!

#33

From Galaxy 1.1, ranked 133 globally, holder of 2 divisional trophies and going for another with a league record of 8 wins - 2 losses it's cjfitzg - owner of Soton Pangolins!


Hi cjfitzg!


What part of the world are you from?

Hi. I'm from a market town in rural Buckinghamshire called High Wycombe, lying between London and Oxford in SE England. It's famous for chairs, a mediocre football (soccer) team and RAF strike command.



Who is your real world favorite team?

I have family who live close to Houston, so my favorite team is the Texans.



Who is your all-time favorite player?

Having only been following the NFL for 5 years and being a Texans fan, there are only a couple of viable candidates! JJ Watt stands out from the rest for me simply due to his ridiculous work ethic and stellar output. The fact he plays in one of the less glamorous positions yet still has become superstar says enough for me.



How long have you been here at RZA?

Since 9th Jan 2015 (Season 15)



What is the inspiration for your teams name?

Up until this summer, I was studying for my MEng at the University of Southampton (I graduated last week) hence the Soton. I've always liked how American Sports pick really random things as team names (I play lacrosse in real life, and am a huge New York Lizards fan in the MLL mainly because of the name). Pangolins are about as random an animal as I could think of. If you don't know what one is, look it up - you won't be disappointed!

As I will be moving For my new job, there may be a Rams style name change in the pipeline



How would you describe your team?

A young team full of potential, with a scatter of experienced has-beens who have been acquired from other teams. Steady improvement has been the aim of the game, with the next goal to become a regular playoff team in Galaxy 1.1



Brag about your most dangerous star player.

Despite what the stars say, my most dangerous player is versatile LB Lawrence Bassett. At 23 years old, he is the franchise record holder for both picks and defensive TDs, and boasts one of the better tackle success rates on the team. I'm hoping his production continues throughout his career.



Your teams most important/favorite win?

Last season, finally getting a 27-21 victory over the Wallace Wildcats - the team who have owned my division since I joined it. It also took me into the Playoffs on a wildcard, so I can't complain!



Your teams most memorable loss?

S17, the year I was promoted from Galaxy 2.1. After going 15-1 on the regular season, I was looking forward to a run deep into the playoffs - which happened. I reached the conference championship, and was put to the sword in a 31-17 loss to Detroit Gros Hamsters. Promotion eased the pain significantly, but that was the best



Biggest rival?

The Wildcats - they have done the double over me every season I have been in 1.1 other than last season. They have also knocked me out of the playoffs before.



Which opponent causes you the most headaches?

Saarbruecken Orcs. They dismantle my team like a child playing with Lego every time we play.



Which opponent do you admire/respect the most?

Pete, for both his banter and his (ahem) managerial prowess. All hail the black nectar!



What do you feel is your biggest team management mistake?

Spending too much on experienced players who can only offer a season or two while stunting the development of younger players. I've been working on improving that for a few key positions, time will tell if that has worked.



Championship game is on the line! It's 4 and goal at the 2 - under 30 seconds left to play and you are behind by 3. What do you do?? Go for the tie or the win?

Go to tie it up, and fire the kicker when he misses! In seriousness, I would say it depends on how the game is playing out. If I am dominant but simply not converting chances, I would take it to OT. If I am lucky to be in with a shot, I would go for the TD.



Any last comments?

Thanks to everyone for making the game as exciting and fun as it is. I wish you all the best of luck in your quest for RZA glory, unless you are playing the Pangolins in which case I will grease all your players gloves...

And this thread has been very enjoyable - I look forward to reading many more interviews in the future.


Thank you for your time and contribution to making this a fun and competitive game!

#34
From Claymore 2.1, ranked 285 globally, holder of 2 divisional trophies and has already clinched his division this season it's CardinalFever - owner of Bristol Wizards!



Hi CardinalFever!


What part of the world are you from?

United Kingdom .



Who is your real world favorite team?

Cardinals and Jaguars .



Who is your all-time favorite player?

Only been a fan for a few years but l'm loving Blake Bortles and Tyrod Taylor.



How long have you been here at RZA?

A week before season 20 Draft .



What is the inspiration for your teams name?

Bristol is where I'm from but I use this name for one of my fantasy teams.



How would you describe your team?

It's going well and growing. They are making themselves tough to beat. I'm always looking to take players on to improve where I need to but seriously impressed with the lads I have at the moment.



Brag about your most dangerous star player.

 Don't really think I have one the moment. QB has always been my rock. My team got themselves where they are.



Your teams most important/favorite win?

 This season vs Vilhena Hunters was seriously an impressive result (62:19). Wasn't expected to get anything like that but to win by that big a margin is certainly surprising and a big result.



Your teams most memorable loss?

Season 21 playoffs. Great season but was an expected tough playoffs. The loss against zero left this season was humiliating to. Should have won that and it's potentially cost me a clean sweep regular season.



Biggest rival?

Not been on here long enough to have one.



Which opponent causes you the most headaches?

Don't have anyone that has. I'm still in division 2 and my form on all season's so my team hasn't allowed itself to be in that position.



Which opponent do you admire/respect the most?

I've only been here 3 seasons so I've not been here long enough to gain such knowledge of my opponents.



What do you feel is your biggest team management mistake?

 The defeat by Zero Left. I underestimated the situation with TC from my new player acquisitions. Mistakes are learning curves.



Championship game is on the line! It's 4 and goal at the 2 - under 30 seconds left to play and you are behind by 3. What do you do??

Field Goal then OT for a win. Better safe than sorry. Going for a TD in that situation is to risky.



Any last comments?

I'm new but my team knows how to get results. As I get better my team will take you down.


Thank you for your time and contribution to making this a fun and competitive game!

#35
From ELITE, ranked #2 globally, holder of just 62 trophies and on his way to the playoffs it's notsch - owner of Landru Athletics!



Hi notsch!

Awesome idea btw

What part of the world are you from?

I am from Germany. Born at the coast I am now living for more than 30 years in Berlin. That is also the reason why I choose the Thunder league here in RZA (the Berlin Thunder played in the NFL Europe).



Who is your real world favorite team?

When I started following the NFL back in the early 90s the San Diego Chargers managed to win their division after an 0-4 start. I found that to be pretty impressive and cheer for the Bolts ever since.



Who is your all-time favorite player?

Since I haven´t watch that many games those all-time-favorite questions are tough for me...however, I am a Wide Receiver guy and what I saw of Sterling Sharpe while he was playing was the incarnation of grace and class.


How long have you been here at RZA?

I am here right from the start and registered on day two...probably right behind yoda himself and Buffalo who joined the same day I did.



What is the inspiration for your teams name?

Oh Boy, thats a bit nerdy...Landru originates from an old Star Trek episode and since I´ve been a die-hard-trekkie I still use this name for any type of computer-linked character I play.
And with Landru being set I needed something sticky as team name and finally came up with the 'Atheltics'...which actually has not that much to do with football...but well...whatever.



How would you describe your team?

My Athletics have never been a pass-only team. Actually, we started as a run-only team in the early days but adjusted over the seasons. You have to have a potent aerial attack to be successful in these days but we still run the ball pretty often and try to sustain long drives to eat up the D over the course of the game.



Brag about your most dangerous star player (active)

The anchor of my D-line Mario 'Superman' Holanek wreaks havoc on opponents RB and QBs. He is strong as Conan and faster than the Flash. He was my last really huge transfer and I hope he isn´t thinking about retirement too soon.



What has been your favorite RZA season?

I have to go back waaay long and choose season 2 where I managed to win the Triple... I won my Thunder 1.1, the SC and the CoC.

It was a completely different game in those days though...you ran every play cause the passing game wasn´t working well at that time. I drafted two top-notch RBs after season No. 1 and those two guys wrecked down any opponent in that annus mirabilis of mine.



Your teams most important/favorite win?

It is so tough to name THE most important win...but one of my most memorable wins dates back to AC CC game of season 9 against the Chelsea Raiders. With the whole season on the line the last five minutes of the game were not pretty but intense... miscues all over the place and I aged like years for sure.

But although it was a classic game between two equal contenders, it is not the game itself what was special on that day: I proposed to my wife that day and thank god, she said yes!!

The Bowl game one week later was also a heck of a game, which went down to the wire and was decided on a 4th down play in the redzone.

And thinking about the question a little bit longer I really have to mention a third game: The Bowl game of season 13 against the Styrian Bears. That game has been (up to now) my last game played in the Thunder 1.1 and I really wanted that last win game pretty badly because it was my first Bowl appearance after the mentioned Bowl-Game against the Fraggles in season 9.

I managed just two first downs and 59 yards total offense in the first half and my only score came from a fumble return TD... so at halftime I was down 7-17 which was really really flattering; I intercepted the Bears also in my Redzone once.
But the second half was different and started with an 18 plays and eight minutes longing drives of my squad for a TD. Now it was a game and I won it luckily 24 - 20 in the end.



Your teams most memorable loss?

This one is even more tricky than the former question. I just checked my team record and I lost in total 9 Bowl games... so it should be one of those games.

In season 20 i lost the SuperCup Bowl game against San Diego Blitzkrieg by a missed PAT 23-24

But my most memorable loss is probably the SC-Bowl game of season 13 against the Vienna Falcons. After trailing 7-21 in the third quarter my Athletics finally went to work and fought back to a 24-21 lead with 6 minutes to play.

But my defense was without any chance against the magic of 'Schaller to Fingerlos', who combined in the next drive for 55 yards in 7 plays and a TD catch with 63 seconds to go. With the last play of the game I completed a 25 yard pass...but that wasn´t enough for the win.

On a sidenote: The first game that struck my mind when thinking about the question was a group-stage-supercup game from season 4.

I played Grzymisław and his Naprzód Marsz! and it was kind of a Champ-of-Champ-of-Champions competition, since we both were the only two teams able to win the CoC at this point.

We both used MOTY and I lost a close game 14-21... that season was the only time (so far) that my Athletics weren´t able to advance to the SC playoffs, so this game really had some significance.



Biggest rival?

Hmm, after 20 seasons there are quite a few... among the active ones my first rival were the Budapest Wolves. In season one our teams played the Conference Championship game and we were division rivals in the Thunder 1.1 for the next 12 seasons. In season 3 he managed to beat me three times within one week... two of those were elimination matches and I really had some tough nights due to that week.

But of course some seasons later the "Austrian invasion" of the Thunder league started with the arrival of the Vienna Falcons and the Styrian Bears in season 4 and 7.

Taking the number of important games into account I had to play against those two, especially with the start of the EL, it just would be ludicrous not to name those two teams being my biggest rivals.

Well, and in recent RZA history I had quite some meetings with Steve and his Blitzkrieg... allthough our head to head is even at 7-7 he had better luck in the important games...like the SC Bowl game in season 20.



Which team do you dread having to play against?

Free Agent Mascots... this season I was finally able to beat them in a league game... prior to that game I had seven tries including three Championship games and not even one of those occasion were close... so yeah, playing the Mascots makes me nervous.



Which opponent do you admire/respect the most?

I respect every manager in the game but asked that directly I have to go with wiesengrund. We write pns occasionally, so I know him a tiny bit and I really admire his compassion for American football in general and for RZA in specific. For him it is more about having fun instead of winning every game... Being able to celebrate a loss the way he sometimes did... That is in my opinion real class.

He is also a fanatic when it comes to stats... you can talk to him for hours about players and their efforts and we started kind of a Thunder Hall of fame at some point on the game.

Or just read his blog entries on his team page. I really like this role play element he, next to others, try to bring into the game.

And finally just read any of his forum posts... Always trying to push the game forward with a solid and data based argumentation in a civilian style and without being snobbish or arrogant in any kind of sense. He is simply a good guy.

Lately he has reduced his online time, but i am sure has a very good reason to do so.



What do you feel is your biggest team management mistake?

Hmmm... Once I got 'fooled' during a contract negotiation and paid a guy 470 k instead of 47 k... it also took me a few week to realize that mistake and I was forced to sell him.



Audible! Answer a question you wished you were asked.

You want to know who really should get an honorable mention within the RZA Universe?

For me all those managers who put a lot of their time and effort into the community in terms of forum time are IMO unsung heroes.

For example anyone who puts effort into broadcasting the weekly events in the game itself. I love reading reviews of games. Bringing those bits and bytes to life with kind of a role-play attitude is IMO awesome.

I think of guys like jake6 and his Leatherhead reviews or Bovakian, who really puts effort into broadcasting the recent events in the Thunder 1.1 (of course he got a lot of help lately by cheesehead, jetto and others).

I also have to mention Grzymisław, who makes awesome gameday reviews of the EliteLeague - and of course ausonny... Becko rules!



Championship game is on the line! It's 4 and goal at the 2 - under 30 seconds left to play and you are behind by 3. What do you do?? Go for the tie or the win?

I kick the FG.



Any last comments?

A big thanks to pete for putting his time and effort into his little gem... I really enjoyed the last years being part of that community for sure!!


Thank you for your time and contribution to making this a fun and competitive game!

A personal letter from punch drunk:

Hi RZA players!

Hope you are all doing well! We have several good interviews ready to post up and they will be coming soon.

I was blessed with my 4th grandchild today (Tuesday) and as I pondered my blessings while doing RZA stuff I read JohnnyAce's letter and New O tour - what a really cool thing to share with us! Thank you Johnny! You earned a big thumbs up and that trophy!

Then I thought of my wildcard win today and the message I receive from Stabler (Cincinnati Spartans) - what a classy thing for him to do! Big thumbs up Stabler!

Looking around the forums I see many others posting their congratulations in the Super Cup thread and league forums. That is real class everyone! Big thumbs up to you all too!

It was also pretty classy of pete to send a trophy to JohnnyAce! His 5 year speech was also a very classy thing to do! You don't much see owners of other sites caring enough to do the personal things like that. Big thumbs up to you too pete!

Thank you for the blessing that RZA has added to my life and surely some of you too! ("Blessing" may seem to be an odd description of a game but anything that provides enjoyment and satisfaction is a blessing.)

At the end of every interview I have "Thank you for your time and contribution to making this a fun and competitive game!".

I mean it folks - Thank you!

May you find many blessings in this life.

#36
From Admirals 1.1, ranked #36 globally, holder of 12 trophies including league championships it's lions1934 - owner of Melittlemenon thepitchhitchin!



Hi lions1934!


What part of the world are you from?

Originally from Great Malvern in Worcestershire, lived around the world when my dad was in the Armed Forces, settled in Hitchin in Hertfordshire after my own stint with the Army. Been in this area since the early 70s.



Who is your real world favorite team?

Detroit Lions and Millwall FC.



Who is your all-time favorite player?

Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions (was lucky enough to meet him at Wembley before the Cowboys preseason game) and Terry Hurlock of Millwall FC (also met him on a number of occasions). Totally different athletes but both had the desire and professionalism to put every ounce of effort in for their team over many years.



How long have you been here at RZA?

Had one failed attempt in season 7ish and been here since my second attempt in season 8ish.



What is the inspiration for your teams name?

Hitchin which I now call home.



How would you describe your team?

Really lucky, really unlucky, mainly homegrown through drafts and academy.



Brag about your most dangerous star player.

Cleo Chase on offense as QB usually gets the job done and Lumumba Obi on defense is a beast who can stop the run, get after the QB and pick off passes.



Your teams most important/favorite win?

Winning the first playoff game using a playbook, had a safety against on first offensive play but after that it was one way traffic.



Your teams most memorable loss?

Last gasp against Bwadders and his Shard End Sharks.



Biggest rival?

Now it's Bob Boy and his Magpies.



Which opponent causes you the most headaches?

The aforementioned Bwadders.



Which opponent do you admire/respect the most?

The aforementioned Bwadders (just don't say it aloud).



What do you feel is your biggest team management mistake?

Underestimating the power of the running game which meant a passing heavy offense with a relatively inexperienced QB. Had an up and down existence for a while.



Audible! Answer a question you wished you were asked.

Proudest parts of my life are "her indoors" Annie who I've been with since 1987, my daughter Nula who is 25, and my granddaughter Niamh who is 6 today (08-12). Happy birthday Squishy!



Championship game is on the line! It's 4 and goal at the 2 - under 30 seconds left to play and you are behind by 3. What do you do?? Go for the tie or the win?

9 times out of 10 go for the tie but if I've had a few Doombars then it's go for the win.



Any last comments?

It's a good community here and a well set up game which I really enjoy. Hats off to Pete, it's the best one around. Plenty of people wished me well in January when I had a quadruple heart bypass and I'm happy to say that I'm still around annoying people left right and center.

Best of luck to everyone (unless I play you in the league or cup).


Thank you for your time and contribution to making this a fun and competitive game!

#37
From Dragons 1.1, ranked #71 globally, holder of 8 trophies including 1 league championship, 3 conference champion and S21 Elite member it's Stabler - owner of Cincinnati Spartans!



Hi Stabler!


What part of the world are you from?

Murica



Who is your real world favorite team?

Oakland Raiders. Detroit Lions a close second.



Who is your all-time favorite player?

Kenneth Michael "Ken" Stabler. Greatest Quarterback/Pirate ever!



How long have you been here at RZA?

3/29/2014 Season 12. (I had to go look back at a post of mine )



What is the inspiration for your teams name?

Current Hometown + Michigan State University, my Alma Mater.



How would you describe your team?

Scrappy



Brag about your most dangerous star player.

Gregorio Seidel, MLB and first overall pick in the Spartans first draft. Sadly, he retires this year.



Your teams most important/favorite win?

Season 20 Conference Championships in Dragons 1.1 over the Kolin Walruses. I was 1-10 against them going into that game. That win put me in the Elite League.



Your teams most memorable loss?

All of them.



Biggest rival?

The Walruses. panmrzatko has always run a good team.



Which opponent causes you the most headaches?

I would have given a shootout to the Dog Pound but they just went Bot. Shame. Every team in Dragons is a headache.



Which opponent do you admire/respect the most?

Pete, Duh! I feel honored to part of the world he created. There are only about 500 of us scattered around the world.



What do you feel is your biggest team management mistake?

Not getting rid of guys soon enough. I get attached to my players. They all have nicknames, etc. Kinda strange


Audible! Answer a question you wished you were asked.

How did you get to playing RZA?
Came over from playing G r i d iron. It got boring quickly.



Championship game is on the line! It's 4 and goal at the 2 - under 30 seconds left to play and you are behind by 3. What do you do?? Go for the tie or the win?

Tie. The Spartans are more than ready for the 5th quarter!



Any last comments?

Thanks to Pete and everyone who makes this a great, fun place to waste some time.


Thank you for your time and contribution to making this a fun and competitive game!

#38
From Elite, ranked #66 globally, holder of 12 trophies including 3 league championships and 2 Elite member it's Kordaiin - owner of Buffalo Bills!



Hi Kordaiin!


What part of the world are you from?

Lockport, N.Y. USA



Who is your real world favorite team?

The Buffalo Bills, are you surprised? Lol.



Who is your all-time favorite player?

Thurman Thomas. That guy was a Beast! So much heart and talent. I met.him when I was a kid, he was very humble and welcoming.



How long have you been here at RZA?

Originally I started in S10. I managed that team for four seasons before I had an accident that made me step back for a few months mid season. The following season I came back and restarted my beloved Buffalo Bills but I missed the draft. I decided to tank that season and focus on building up my stadium. S16 I had a great draft and the new Buffalo Bills were off and running.



What is the inspiration for your teams name?

I'm a HUGE Buffalo Bills fan!



How would you describe your team?

I'm not sure this is the answer you're looking for but I would describe my team as being in reboot and rebuild mode. I had huge success early, won the bowl in each division and then had a mediocre first season in RZA elite. I just can't afford to maintain a winning team up here yet.



Brag about your most dangerous star player.

That's a tough question Sir. I'd probably have to say QB Dhoruba Cisse. No matter what playbook I throw at him and how run orientated I try to make it, he just preforms. Top 5 in passing yards and Top 10 in TDs. He's been a bright spot this season for me.



Your teams most important/favorite win?

My season 20 Bowl victory against the Cincinnati Spartans. Winning Div 1 of Dragons league is something I am very proud of.



Your teams most memorable loss?

Season 10 Bowl loss against Memphis Bees. It was my first season in RZA I went undeafted all season long. I got cocky, or maybe it was nervous, I'll never tell which one it really was lol. I switched up my depth chart and playbook then proceeded to get destroyed by the Bees 41-10



Biggest rival?

That's tough, my biggest all time rival would have to be Memphis Bees. Me and him have had some serious games against each other. That being said rivals have to be playing one another so I'm going to have to say Fighters de Paris. He's just had my number up here and I love his team philosophy.



Which opponent causes you the most headaches?

Fighters de Paris



Which opponent do you admire/respect the most?

I've only had the pleasure to play against him once or twice but I admire Pete the most because he is the guy that brought us all together and gave us this amazing game we all love.



What do you feel is your biggest team management mistake?

Do I have to answer this one lol? So embarrassing but I had an amazing YA player that was going to be the new centerpiece of my secondary and I never signed him to a contract after moving him to my roster.



Audible! Answer a question you wished you were asked.

How long have I been a Bills fan? My whole life!! GO BILLS!



Championship game is on the line! It's 4 and goal at the 2 - under 30 seconds left to play and you are behind by 3. What do you do?? Go for the tie or the win?

I go for the W man, go for the Win.



Any last comments?

Thank you for picking me for this interview, I was hoping I'd get the chance to do this. Take care guys and thanks for reading


Thank you for your time and contribution to making this a fun and competitive game!

#39
From Elite, ranked #18 globally, holder of 29 trophies including 11 friendly cup, 1 league championship and 2 Elite division winner it's OLIVEH - owner of Fighters de Pλris!



Hi OLIVEH!


What part of the world are you from?

I live in Paris, France.. what a surprise !



Who is your real world favorite team?

Denver Broncos... the 1st team I used to support in 1987 when they lost Superbowl to the NY Giants. Then it was my favorite teams for years.



Who is your all-time favorite player?

Chris Flynn, a Canadian QB I had the chance to play with for 4 years in France, now part of the Canadian hall of fame... he was amazing, rushing and passing and he's a great man.



How long have you been here at RZA?

Started in season 4 so many seasons for my team now.



What is the inspiration for your teams name?

I used to play for a french team near Paris, Fighters de Croissy, so now I live in Paris they became Fighters de Pλris (the λ sign is for the Eifffel Tower).



How would you describe your team?

Passing first... rely on a strong QB and WRs then aggressive defense.



Brag about your most dangerous star player.

I always had strong QBs, so my actual one, Timotej Trcek but he's retiring.



Your teams most important/favorite win?

Winning bowl season 16 in Dragons league against Besaid Auroch.



Your teams most memorable loss?

Loss ?



Biggest rival?

Used to be The Northern Riviera in Dragons Division, lost many game against them... it's been a long time I did not play them. Maybe now french Lyon Eagles.. great team.



Which opponent causes you the most headaches?

The big names of Elite league, but maybe San Diego Blitzkrieg... I usually loose by 40 points against Steve... except this year



Which opponent do you admire/respect the most?

Same as before San Diego Blitzkrieg, Landru Athletics which give me headaches when playing them.



What do you feel is your biggest team management mistake?

I don't remember my mistakes ...



Audible! Answer a question you wished you were asked.

Biggest wish : having 2pts conversion soon... thanks Pete !



Championship game is on the line! It's 4 and goal at the 2 - under 30 seconds left to play and you are behind by 3. What do you do?? Go for the tie or the win?

Hum.....go for it.. send my big FB on the field.... and throw a short pass.



Any last comments?

Love this game.... Thanks Pete !!


Thank you for your time and contribution to making this a fun and competitive game!