Category Archives: Innovation

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Dunlap’s “Pass Receiving Quotas”

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Without question, my favorite innovation of all time is my APBA Football brother’s, Mark Zarb, “Yards per Catch” innovation but before this was created I played countless games using Ray’s innovation. I loved it because it’s math-based, player controlled with a built in bonus for throwing to “C” index receivers. However, the best feature is his “Extended Length Passes” (ELP) which does a great job of separating the possession receivers from the either the 7.5 yards per catch running backs or the 20-yard plus deep threats.

Pass Receiving Quotas (Dunlap APBA Journal)

Innovation: Measurement

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By Ray Dunlap

Many of you know that I used to be the head statistician for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back in the 1980’s.  Well, I will never forget my first game – because I screwed up big time, and I got blasted by Steve Hirdt of the Elias Sports Bureau for messing up the yardage on certain plays, in particular those right at the first down marker.  Thank goodness it was a pre-season game!

Here’s where I made my mistake – I remember James Wilder, running on a first down play, and gaining enough yards to force a measurement, which came up short by about one inch.  Well, for me, sitting in the press box, since he gained 9 yards and 35 inches, I gave him a 10 yard run.  On the subsequent play, he carried again, and was stopped at the line, causing another measurement, this time the Bucs got the first down by an inch.  So, on this “two-inch” run, I credited Wilder with 0 yards.

Seemed logical to me.

But, the NFL rules are very specific on this point, and Hirdt made me painfully aware of it.  Wilder, by falling short of a first down, even by one inch, is credited with a NINE yard run in that circumstance.  Because, ten yards would have had to result in a first down.  Consequently, his “two-inch” run should have been credited as a one yard run.

So, I have taken this concept and applied it to APBA Football.

But first, a little background on what NOT to do.  When I ran the Suncoast Football League, I implemented a “measurement” rule that was not well thought out.  The rule was this: if the result of the play ended exactly where the first down marker was, then you would roll one die – if the result was “odd” if was a first down, if the result was “even” it was one yard short.

Well, the negative feedback that I received was furious!  And, justifiably so.  It was a completely one-sided rule that only penalized the offense, and we eliminated the measurement rule immediately.

Well, recently, I added it back in . . . but, with a twist that makes it much fairer, and gives as much benefit to the offense as the defense.  Now, when the APBA Football board result either lands exactly on the first down marker or one yard short of the marker, I will apply the same single die roll to see if it is a first down or not – “odd” first down, “even” not.

So, in the James Wilder example above, the result could have been 10 yards on the APBA boards, but an “even” die roll for the measurement would have resulted in the measurement coming up “short,” and, instead of a 10 yard gain, Wilder would be credited with a “9” yard gain.  Then, if his next run resulted in a “0” yard run on the APBA boards, effectively one yard shy of the first down, you would still roll that indicator die, and, if it comes up “odd,” then he would be credited with a one yard gain and a first down.  Exactly what I saw happen in that Pre-season game.

As you can imagine, this adds an extra level of excitement to the game playing experience and can be a lot of fun, especially near the goal line.  I have had some great goal-line drama as a result.

This innovation is very easy to implement and I think is worth considering for your APBA Football gaming experience.

As always, if you have comments, good or bad, about any of the innovations I share on this forum, I would love to hear them!

Old is New with a Twist

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After reading Ray’s response to the following question “How would you score net yardage for a 41 yard punt with holding on the offensive team during the return?” it made me realize how current Master game rules contradict the NFL rules. The game company’s “punt return-penalty” rules outlined in the Master Game don’t coincide with actual NFL rules when there is clipping, offensive holding or an illegal block. APBA specifies to enforce from spot of possession resulting in “zero return yardage for applicable returner and the 10 or 15-yard penalty being enforced from spot of possession.” If memory serves me correctly, in the old football game (pre-1982) you would roll both dice together, add, and this would determine return yardage. So that gave me the idea for the following:

  • Roll both dice and add to determine return yardage. If the red die is a larger number than white die (red 5 & white 3), this indicates the infraction occurred beyond the return gain. For example, Roscoe Word fields the punt at the -20 and has an 8-yard return to the -28 but New York was penalized 10-yards for holding and the spot of the foul was the -30. I would score this as an 8-yard return for Roscoe Word and enforce the penalty from the -28 resulting in New York taking over at the -18.
  • Roll both dice and add to determine return yardage. If the red die is a smaller number than white die (red 3 & white 5), the white die will indicate the spot of the infraction. For example, Roscoe Word fields the punt at the -20 and has an 8-yard return to the -28 but New York was penalized 10-yards for holding and the spot of the foul was the -25. I would score this as a 5-yard return for Roscoe Word (ignore the red die or 3 yards) and enforce the penalty from the -25 resulting in New York taking over at the -15.
  • If you roll doubles, use this as the gain and enforce from this spot. For example, you rolled a 66 this would indicate a 12-yard gain to the -32 and the 10-yard penalty would be enforced from this spot. The Jets would take over at the -22.

I believe this will add realism and only require one additional roll that should not slow down play. In a nutshell, if red die is larger add both dice and if not, only use result of white die for the return.

Timing Adjustment Chart

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When using the Master Game Addition, each quarter consists of 30 full plays.  Certain plays are recorded as half-plays (i.e., incompletions, touchdowns, field goals, safeties, plays that go out of bounds, whenever the ball changes team possession and penalties).  Each half play accounts for a 15- second interval, a quarter consists of 60 half plays.  Let’s use the following example, The NY Jets kick off to the NE Patriots and the ball is returned to the NE 20-yard line to begin the game (half play or 14:45). Tom Brady’s first down pass is incomplete (half play or 14:30).  L. Blount is stuffed for no gain on second down but remained in bounds (full play or 14:00). Darrelle Revis intercepts Tom Brady’s third-down pass 25-yards downfield and returns it 45-yards for a touchdown (half play or 13:45).  I would record this play on the reverse side of my scoresheet as: NYJ – Revis 45 interception return (Folk kick), 13:45.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have an alternative timing methodology to enhance the realism of the game? Wait no more; Mark Zarb has created a simple but effective solution that only requires three dice (traditional red and white die and another colored die) and the Timing Adjustment Chart. After a scoring play, roll all three dice and read the red/white in first column and the other colored die across the top.  If the other colored die roll is a 6, a re-roll is required.

Timing Adjustment Example

Using the above example, I would add 8 from the original time of 13:45 resulting in the new time of 13:53. I would now record the scoring play as: NYJ – Revis 45 interception return (Folk kick), 13:53.

Note:  If you time a game were the final play of the game is annotated as the 15:00 mark, you would subtract.  If you time a game were the final play of the game is annotated as 0:00 you would add.

Intro to Oguard62’s “Locator”

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Oguard62 Locators

For those of you who enjoy using the “offensive index finder system” at the back of the Master game booklet and “Fletch67” to determine the defensive alignment for each play when playing solo this spreadsheet might be of interest to you. It also incorporates the “situational down and distance” chart from my “Method of Play” presentation for use during situational downs. The only preparation required, is entering each team’s “Fletch67” rating in “Input” tab. At the beginning of each series, just type in the offensive index point differential in appropriate cells and with one click you will instantly have this information. I have created several additional dice rolls to prevent having to reroll for identifying runner or intended receiver, blitzes, audibles, interceptions, fumbles or when used with innovations that require additional dice rolls. Now the only time you have to actually roll the dice is to determine the play result.

For additional information regarding this spreadsheet, please, refer to my “Visual Tutorial” presentation. In addition, this video addresses a common error committed by solo players in the passing game.

As I mention in the video, this spreadsheet was created by my close friend, Mark Zarb.

 

Jeff Hart’s “Detailed Score Card”

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Without a doubt, one of the greatest tools for capturing an APBA Football game is the score sheet designed by Mr. Jeff Hart. I’ve used it for over ten years and wouldn’t dream of playing a game without. Denny Hodges (a.k.a. Zinnastone) used it as the template for his state of the art “Score and Store” system. My APBA Football brother and dear friend, Mark Zarb, recently sent me his score sheet from a thrilling NY Jets come-from-behind victory. The thing that struck me was how each of us customized this great works sheet to meet our individual needs. For example, Mark records his games in a cumulative manner (see below) where I record each individual play result and determine totals at the end of the game. I’ve said this many times before but it merits repeating, “Jeff, thank you for all that you have done for APBA Football.”  

Zarb Scoresheet

https://oguard62.net/2012/05/06/jeffrey-hart-scoresheets/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Squib Kick”

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There is a 1/14 chance of rolling a TL penalty when kicking off using the APBA Football Master game. With that said, there is a 1/12 chance of rolling an Unsportsmanlike Conduct – Offense- 15 from line penalty resulting in the ball being moved to midfield.  It might tempt the opposing coach to attempt an on-sides kick but the odds are not in your favor. So the coach usually just kicks off and the result the majority of the time will be a touchback. Does this penalty really have a negative impact on the receiving team? The only impact on the game is a timing issue (i.e., half-play recorded).

During a recent conversation with Mark Zarb this very subject came up. We both agreed the correct course of action would be to squib kick the ball, however, the current game engine doesn’t offer this feature. So I asked Mark if he would create one to go along with his many other innovations. After reviewing kicking distances and potential receiving “targets”, I feel this is a quality product that accurately depicts this type of kick. I would like to share this innovation with the rest of the gaming community.

So your protecting a lead at the end of the game or you don’t want to kick to Devon Hester, it’s simple, just squib kick it. A special thanks to Mr. Mark Zarb for all his great contributions to the game of APBA Football!!

Squib Kick

“Play-Calling” Spreadsheets

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Awhile back, I posted a solitaire play calling system designed by Mr. Doug Reese. My good friend and APBA Football expert, Mr. Mark DerGarabedian, used his Excel expertise to incorporate Doug’s system into two “user-friendly” spreadsheets. This is just another example of the selflessness of our gaming community. I for one believe the more “tools we have in the toolbox” the better it is for all of us.

Reese system