New York Flyers

New York Flyers
In the opinions of many, New York really is the golden standard of any sports league. It just seems that without an NY team, no league in any sport can be taken seriously. However, Jim Tading still had mixed feelings about New York. On one hand, it's one of the largest media markets in the world, and probably the biggest in the United States. And NY has a good track record as far as sports teams are concerned, as no major sports team has ever folded in NY. But on the other hand, as large as the market is, it's also flooded with othe major sports. From the Yankees and Mets in MLB, to the Knicks and Nets in the NBA, to even the Red Bulls in MLS, to the BFL's biggest red flag, the NY Giants & Jets of the NFL. But, Tading released the poll in NY anyway. On January 20, 2013, the BFL Candidacy Poll was released in the Big Apple, with mixed feelings and crossed fingers. When the polls came back two weeks later, they were actually quite surprised. Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan & Long Island all gave an 80% approval rating, while Staten Island only gave a 38%. Considering the NY Knights' stadium was in Staten Island, the low rating in this borough wasn't all that surprising. Still, 4 out of 5 boroughs was good enough for Tading, and the announcement was made on February 6, 2013. Fans were excited, but also wondered, what about the other New York franchises? Was New York really big enough for another football team? Both were answered the following day in a press conference held by NY Jets owner Woody Johnson. He said he was actually excited about the news, and said he was 100% sure that NY was big enough for three football teams. Three days later, the team's appearance was revealed, along with their name, the New York Flyers, named after the NY Giants' original name, before they changed it in 1952. The reveal was done by the team's new owner, Emilio Flores, a local entrepreneur who said buying a NY team didn't require much thought. Soon after, construction began on JPMorgan Chase Stadium in downtown Manhattan, just 15 blocks from Central Park. Construction finished on March 14, 2015. Two months later, New York played their inaugural game vs the Houston Wranglers. New York lost in OT, 23-20, and finished 2015 at 6-9. 2016 wasn't much better, as freak injuries to their best players caused NY to fall to 3-12, and slip into Division IV. In 2017, NY finished 5-10. Heading into 2018, Flores theorized the key to turning NY into a winner would have to start from the HC, then the roster would follow. So he brought in former A11FL HC John James, which was actually taking a huge leap of faith. John James had coached the New York Dragons of the A11FL from 1997 to 2010, cementing an almost legendary status along the way. But he retired due to a progressing heart problem, which had him close to death at least three times before he retired. He disclosed that his heart problem had been stabilized in 2012, but claimed a return to coaching was unlikely. So what changed his mind after 5 years? James said he missed the game more than he realized, and decided to wait for the right opportunity to arise before he returned. And the vacancy with the NY Flyers seemed to be it. James' first order of business, was to bring in a player he felt could carry New York into the future. In 2018, he did just that by signing RB James Vargas out of Auburn. A number of varying factors led to Vargas taking a free agent deal with the BFL over declaring for the NFL Draft that year, most notably was his involvement in the GoJersey Scandal. In 2018, Vargas came in a close second for Rookie of the Year honors, and led NY to a 9-6 record. They then preceded to beat Buffalo and win Division IV. In 2019, Vargas suffered a collarbone injury that left him out 10 weeks. NY finished 7-8. In 2020, NY finished 11-4, and beat the then Birmingham Stallions to win Division III. In 2021, NY went 10-5, and narrowly beat Houston 23-21 to win Division II, placing them in Division I for the first time in the team's history. With their recent streak still intact, it's easy to see why New York is considered a favorite to win the Alpha Cup sooner rather than later.

*C*: James Vargas, RB
Age: 26

Yrs in the NLF: 4

Awards: BFL All-Star (2020), BFL RB of the Year (2021)

Bio: James Vargas not only serves as, in the opinions of many, the premier RB in the BFL, but also as one of the league's better comeback stories. A 5-star recruit out of his hometown of Rochester, New York, Vargas was one of the most coveted RB prospects in the nation entering his freshman year in 2014. It came as somewhat of a surprise when Vargas committed to Auburn over schools such as LSU, Alabama and Clemson. But through three seasons in Auburn, Vargas looked every bit the star he was expected to be the day he committed. Then, everything changed the day after Auburn's home opener vs Georgia Tech in his senior year. On Sunday, August 31st 2018, ESPN reported that Vargas had been accused of obtaining illegal financial compensation for several of his autographed Auburn jerseys being sold online. Within the week, several other college players from various schools were alleged to have been involved in the scandal, including a few highly ranked college prospects. The NCAA were swift in their decision. Upon learning of the illegal sales, Vargas was suspended for the remainder of the college football season. Dubbed "The GoJersey Scandal" named after the site the jerseys were traced to, Vargas' stock plummeted in the aftermath. Once a lock for the top 10, many analysts reported his name had been blacklisted from many of his former suitor's draft boards. After the season, Vargas decided to forego declaring for the NFL Draft. Three weeks after graduating, ESPN reported that Vargas had signed a two-year rookie deal with the New York Flyers of the BFL. In the four seasons since, Vargas has proved himself to not only the Flyer faithful, but the league as a whole. Now, Vargas is more determined than ever to guide New York to their first Alpha Cup. With a solid offense built around him, and an ever-improving defense, it may not take the Big Apple long to become champions.

Strengths: Excels at finding running lanes. Shows above average initial burst off the snap. Patient runner. Shows exceptional blocking skills as well as consistency grabbing passes out of the backfield. Explosive runner, able to outrun the majority of defenders. Exceptional work ethic. Good leader on and off the field. Runs with a powerful second motor. Shows good strength, able to break a few tackles a game. Very rarely loses yards.

Weaknesses: Too often flagged for holding on plays where he's asked to block. Not good at running along the sidelines. Poor technique leads to too many fumbles thus far in his career. Probably underweight for the physicality he displays.