(F13) TFSerie Press Pass

This week, we have an interview with a TFS vet who's been here since the start, Go Devils...

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Go Devils​

Serie B​

You've been a part of TFS since Season 1 and have competed in Serie B and C throughout your time here. Serie A soon, right?
If you know me Bronc... you know that I am first and foremost an eternal realist about my skills and the clubs I run. While I would love to play with all the stars of the Top Flight I just don't see it happening in my future. As I have mentioned before far too many times, my prime has come and gone a long time ago. I remember having FIFA 97 on my PC back in my freshman year of college on the the... Sega Genesis... I was damn good in my day with the Italians. But that was 15 years ago. Now I am but a humble student of the game learning from all of you guys and sampling an ale or two in the process.

With plenty of TFS experience, has there been a match or two that still sticks out in your mind as being the most memorable?
If you see the record you know there have been quite a few losses over the past 2+ years here in TFS. But I'd have to say the Coppa matches of the past where so much was on the line in qualifying. Last year we actually made it through for the first time in 9 seasons here. All those games were pretty memorable. But I'd have to say any of the games I've played against Frenchie1916. He's just such a good guy and makes playing in this league a joy. The conversations extend well past each and every contest.

Whenever we seem to have a discussion here at TFS regarding fair play and such, I feel like we can always count on you to at some point boil it down to "just don't be a dick." First of all, great advice. But secondly, being one of the longtime vets down in Serie B, do you at times feel like the big brother or perhaps even the rule enforcer of sorts for the new crop of managers working their way up?
I'm sure I drive the big bosses crazy. I try to toe the line between the joys of immaturity and the grumpiness of being a serious 30-something. I just want a fair field of play when we play our games. I know that is something that has been a challenge since the early days of on-line gaming, my time stretching back to the early '90s of CompuServe and AOL. Folks used to play the home game and report the stats on-line to a central compiler. Even then you had questionable game play. Fast forward 20 years later and game management is still a challenge. It just comes down to pride in the end. Some say age... but as you can see with some of the folks that have come and gone due to questionable decisions; age has nothing to do with it. I get how competitiveness can cause people to not always make the best decisions. But in the end, we all take time out of our busy lives to spend time on here playing the game we love. Why cheat others the opportunity of enjoying it as much as you do? While I get the drive of some to cheat, I'll never understand why the conscious doesn't step in and prevent it with adults. But if the world wasn't a perfect place we wouldn't spend billions in law enforcement. That's a chat for a different day though.

With the Coppa Confederazione awaiting the return of a couple managers, you're still alive in the Quarterfinals awaiting to play slicknick202 and Stoke City. How do you see that match playing out?
First and foremost we gotta get this game in. Between my ridiculous work schedule and slicknick202 going on vacation it's been tough to play out. But when I look at this Stoke team, a club I know all too well having run them in Seasons 3 and 4, a see a club that has a shot at promotion late in the campaign if they win out. He gets a lot out of athletic striker Kenwyn Jones. More than we ever did. I look forward to pitting his attack against our defensive club and seeing who turns out victors in the end. I hit a solid run of play when the Confederazione started and lucked in to a win. We'll see where we go from here.

Currently sitting in 10th place in Serie B with a game to go, do you think you have a shot to jump up into a tie for 9th alongside UcanHateMeNow before the season's all wrapped up?
Don't love my chances. We have to beat out a ridiculously competitive Villa side fighting for promotion, but at the same time the Cheeseburgers are going up against the Canaries who have every shot to beat them and keep them at 18 points. You know I got up to 15 points and thought I had a shot at 25+. And then I played the games! I'm just hoping I can keep my seat in Serie B. A division I really enjoy the competition in for what it's worth.

Obviously no one wants relegation, but you did improve your point total from a season ago and won a cup knockout game. Overall, how would you rate your current season with Marseille?
Consistently inconsistent. My problem over the years, as it has been in the current campaign is my inability to find a personality of the team and try to win with it. One week I build an offensive unit and forget about the back-end, the next week the opposite. My goal going into FIFA 14 is to lean on the side of balance. We'll see where that takes me. And I'm a bit embarrassed as this Marseille team is one of the best 4* clubs in FIFA. I would expect any capable manager to do much better than I.

Back when you were managing Galatasaray in Seasons 7 and 8, you had a brief period of playing with Wesley Sneijder and Didier Drogba toward the end of your spell there. After managing 7 teams over the 10 TFS seasons, would you say that the short period you had with those stars was the strongest and most enjoyable squad you've ever had?
God those two were good. Landing Drogba was just a god send. He was so ridiculous anywhere around the 18-yard box. I've never really had the grace of having a fantastic striker and he was amazing for those 5 games. If I had to pick my favorite team however it would be Flamengo back in Season 5. It was a sad start to the season as I had been relegated to Serie C, but the offensive firepower of that team was something I had never experienced. Ronaldinho, back when he could still drag his fat ass around for 90 minutes, teamed with Vagner Love really was fun. And they had so much pace on the wings and from the back. Only had them for a season as I tend to be schizophrenic with my team selection, there were just a blast to play with.

And lastly, switching gears a bit- you are our resident ASU expert, as evidenced by your Devils Den podcast. What can we expect from ASU this upcoming (American) football season?
Oh that crappy project (the podcast)? Well... we on the show are a collection of cautiously optimistic alumni and current students. Our 8 wins last year in Todd Graham's first season were a pleasant surprise. If you've followed the college preview circus so far this summer you know about the Devils tough schedule in the first half of the season: vs. Wisconsin, @Stanford, vs. USC, vs. Notre Dame (in Jerry's World a game I am excited to be going to). That's a helluva stretch. But we have one of the most efficient quarterbacks in college, a fantastic tight end, a dynamic duo at running back, and an attack based defense that was right there with the best of the best in sacks and TFLs. It's Pac-12 Championship time in 2013, but to do it we need to beat UCLA for the first time in three years and beat the Trojans while they are down. I always tell folks, if you have trouble going to sleep at night come download the podcast and give us chance to help you out with that with our banter about football, beer, and music.


Thanks to Go Devils for opting to take part in the latest TFS Press Pass. I surprised this interview went without any mention of boobs! Although you did make sure to pop in some beer references in there

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