XTRA - Issue #2 by XRFL

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Well we’ve had a few turbulent weeks in the XRFL but I think we’ve come out a little stronger. We had to say goodbye to few of our league family members, and its never something I want to do. My main goal, as always, is to run a clean, fair and fun league for everyone. That’s why we do all these special extras — to make this league the best it can. Sometimes you have to take a step back to take two steps forward.

XRFL Commissioner

6 Keishon: Silent Assassin 13 Meet Your Opponent 14 Power Rankings 16 Have the Dynamics Changed? 20 Remix World Champs

26 Division by Division Breakdown 22 Where You At Bro?

Interview by: Mark Sickle

There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that there are a few stalwart veterans in the XRFL that have made the league what it is today. One of the most enigmatic men in the league right now is Keishon Cox. Historically he is almost always our dedicated Raiders user, although he has run with a few other squads. Keishon is a perennial Super Bowl contender and our most recent addition to the XRFL Hall of Fame. He is one of the cornerstones upon which the great XRFL is built upon, and the league would definitely not be the same without him. He can be an incredibly intimidating user to go head-to-head against. But one thing is certain about the guy — he is the quietest user in our league by leaps and bounds. He rarely joins in on chat, and even when he does he usually says very little. I thought it was time to get to know the man, the legend, Keishon Cox: The Silent Assassin.

XTRA: Tell us a little bit about your background, where you from. Tell us about growing up as Keishon. Keishon: I spent some time in Flordia, and California with my Mom as a kid but mostly bounced around with my dad until I was 20 something. He worked a good portion of my childhood in the Bahamas so I guess you could say I grew up there. Moved to California to study electronics.

XTRA: Keishon is a very unique name… Is there any inspiration to it? KC: My dad was first scouting out the Bahamas, him and my mom went there for a trip. She named me after this (Bahamian) painter who she liked.

XTRA: Looks like you’ve developed a beautiful family… Tell us about them. KC: Family is small, just me and the wife with a dog and a cat. I met my wife when I first started college and we’ve been cruising since

XTRA: Is your wife supportive of your Madden addiction? KC: Yep, I got her hooked in Skyrim so she usually plays that while I’m on madden. I think it’s a fair trade.

XTRA: What do you do for a living? KC: I work in IC manufacturing as a cad technician. Just laying out masks and artwork for a foundry to create.

XTRA: What is one important life lesson you’ve learned along the way that you share with others?

KC: Failing is learning.

XTRA: Did you ever play football in real life? KC: I played a year of football in high school, but it was mostly rugby for me. It’s gotten a lot of traction since high school but there was not much a push for it in my day. Safety was a big concern then.

XTRA: What are your favorite NFL teams in real life? KC: Raiders are fun to watch on home games, but I would say my favorite team is the Cardinals. I’ve watch Larry Bird all throughout his career and his is just polished. Especially with having only two good

QB’s throughout his career. Kurt Warner amazed me at quarter back with little to no O-line. Boldin was just beastly. Dansby and Adrian Wilson in their prime was fun to watch.

XTRA: How long have you been playing Madden, and how long have you been playing competitively online? KC: I’ve been playing madden since about 96 or 97. Playing competitively since madden 17.

XTRA: What are some of things you like and don’t like about this Madden? KC: I am not a fan of the constant updates. I would rather learn one system than 4 or 5 throughout the year.

XTRA: How many leagues are you in, and how do you balance it with life/work? KC: I’m in about 5 leagues. It’s nice to have games scheduled, then it does not feel so hectic. Work is highly intense so I am glad to relax and get a game in when I can.

XTRA: What are Keishon’s keys to winning a game? KC: Defense, and field position on offense. That goes out the window when my opponent can score at will. Then I’m trying to lock you out.

XTRA: What is your top weak point when someone plays against you? Where do you think you need to improve? KC: My weakest point is passing on offense, but I’ve had my best seasons passing in leagues during this madden. So I’m working on it. I also need to expand my playbook on both sides.

XTRA: What playbooks are among your favorite to use and why? KC: My favorite play books are my customs, but they are still developing so I don't use them much.

Offense is pretty much Oakland or Arizona, but defense varies greatly based on who you are what team you have and what team I have.

XTRA: Seeing the high level of success you’ve had in the XRFL, have you ever considered playing Madden professionally? KC: I do not consider myself anywhere elite in my madden play. I can push the wrong button on any down. I am almost always out of position on defense. I’ve seen way too many holes in my game to be considered professional.

XTRA: How many Super Bowl visits and victories have you had over the years, in all of your leagues? KC: I’ve probably had about 7 or 8. But the majority was in XRFL majors.

XTRA: Is there any one game or matchup you remember fondly the most? KC: Being blown out by the Browns in the AFC championship.

XTRA: You are such an active and dedicated user in the XRFL… Definitely an imposing user to play. Yet you are such a quiet guy. Why the relative silence? KC: I’ve been told the strong move quiet and the weak start riots.

XTRA: Looks like you’ve had a rough, and rather unexpected start to your season. What do you think is going wrong and what are your plans to getting back on track? KC: Nothing is wrong. I have a very weak defense and unproductive offense. With the ratings my players have, I didn’t expect much coming into the season. I’m playing the hand I’m dealt and making the best of it. Can’t win super bowls every season, and your players start to want a lot more when you do. So we see it both ways. We are here for the long haul.

XTRA: If you could give one piece of advice for guys to help develop their Madden skills, what would it be? KC: Build your team to win your division. I have Von Miller and Tyreek Hill to worry about. I need to build my O-line and get me a fast corner.

Cody Richard Samways Lives in: Taunton, Massachusetts Age: 22 Occupation: Work with special needs individuals Has Girlfriend, Angela

Been Playing Madden: since 2006 Favorite Team: Ravens Favorite part about playing Madden: I love being a defensive guru Random Fact: I won my grades fastest 40-yard dashâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;I ran a 4:38 in the 10th grade!

One thing is certain, Madden 20 has already been an instrument for great change in the XRFL. Expanding and contracting, adding new users and losing some veterans… This first season in all three of our leagues has truly been a big change for all of us. One of the most profound changes seemingly is what can only be described as a changed dynamic amongst the talent of our league. That’s not to say that great users are anything less than great still, but some newer users have really risen to the challenge in the early going of Madden 20. Meanwhile, many of our hard hitters who vie for the Super Bowl every season in past Maddens have struggled a little. So are people just adjusting to new mechanics? Are they getting to know new users play styles? After three full Maddens with some of our veterans, we’ve come to expect that there are a handful of guys just on a level above. Guys like Keishon and Casey English duking it out… It almost seemed a certainty that every year we would see Kyle and Luke and Micheal Reilly fighting for playoff spots… Conversely, there are guys who always end up at or near the

bottom, not necessarily because they are bad users but because the talent is so great in this league. Yet in many cases we are seeing flip flop of the common narrative as this season is being played out. Users like Keishon Cox, Simon Hyland, Sean Cornell find themselves in unfamiliar territory at the bottom of the rankings. Guys who usually excel and fight for playoff positioning every year seem to be stuck in the middle of the pack—among them Michael Reilly, Kyle Ousley and Casey Kaiser. Then you have guys who are perennially the bottom teams finding more success than past years. Here is where find Tim Harper, Mark Sickle (albeit with a little luck from fair sims) and Jason Andrew. Closer to the top of the heap are a bunch of newer guys or guys who are finding real footing with their gameplay this year — Luke Fiddner, Anthony Hernandez, Brandon Boyte, David Buskirk, Dagan Lightner. Lastly, the tip of the pyramid still contains Dalton Gregory (still undefeated and already won one Super Bowl in the X leagues at publishing), Casey English, Matt Collins and Matt Young. Prototypical of this new dynamic is Brandon Boyte, who although has found some success in past Maddens really seems to be taking off this year. Dalton, the current defending champion, has been on an incredible streak since the final season of X19 when he finally took the Lombardy. Luke Fiddner is really clicking this year as well, and David Buskirk is bucking for a playoff spot with his fine play. Dagan Lightner is excelling in Chicago and Tony is rocking out in Houston. Maybe its overstating the point that the dynamics have changed. Maybe its just too early in the Madden season to make that grandiose claim. It is interesting to see the variance in success levels from just one year ago. Competition is at an all time high in the XRFL and new users have definitely added a flair of talent to the league. Perhaps, as we have seen in past years, the rising competition will generate a stronger league. Maybe the ship will right itself for users and things will equalize at some point. I can’t say for sure, but what I will say is welcome to the XRFL. #Let’sGetIt.

After winning his very first Super Bowl in the XRFL last year, Dalton Gregory has continued to run almost unchallenged through the leagues. After a great season in XRFL Remix, Dalton has won his second championship bout in the X. He will also be the very first XRFL champion to walk away with his very own Lombardy trophy since we decided to give those out this year. He played against the San Diego Chargers (Micheal Reilly) and won by a score of 4117! Look for more about Daltonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s championship season in our special commemorative Remix Super Bowl magazine issue, due out next week!

The above map shows approximate locations for each team user. This map can be used to help schedule your games against a certain opponent by understanding what time zone they are in.