Devise

http://www8.zippyshare.com/v/89623032/file.html
 
Jericho is sick and obsessed with spoons, Chris reveals his plans for world domination as they both take me hostage for this late night (for them) cast. We talk all the new surrounding the "trade deadline" stuff. We do a halfway point awards check in of the sim. We issue a Pajodtask that has to do with people listing of some of the teams they like or dislike in the VHL. We then list off some adjectives and describe members to shout out. Another "shorty" by Pajodcast standards, although we keep humming along just over an hour for the last little while now. 
 
If you click the link you'll be transported to the wasteland that is season 40, post Vasteras winning two cups in a row and the league implosion that followed...

MapFreak is also a significantly better member. 

MapFreak is also a significantly better member. 

Man Higgins, can you continue to go so in depth to clarify this issue to the point that it's blowing my mind?  
 
On a serious note I didn't realize this was actually a security risk. I wonder what motivates that. 

Your actually a lot better than people may think. Over 400 TPE for a S35 draftee isn't bad at all. If you continue at the pace your going, with still half a career left you could hit 600 or 700 TPE. Who knows how many damn PIM records you could have by that time!  

Brennan McQueen was drafted 7th overall in the S35 VHL entry draft. Drafted as a potential solid two way forward with some inconsistency issues, McQueen still impressed scouts with the potential to be a top level VHL player. Even still, most believed that McQueen would pan out to be one of the top second line players in the VHL. McQueen spent an extra season in the VHLM and then was traded from the Bears to the Riga Reign for fellow S35 draftee Edwin Encarnacion. This trade would ensure McQueen played zero games for the team he was drafted to.
 
S36 marked the rookie debut with Riga for McQueen whom immediately showcased a solid scoring threat with two way ability. McQueen led the league in hits with 371 in his rookie season, and complimented his physical play with 63 points on a Riga team beginning the upswing of it's rebuild. After a solid rookie season, Brennan followed it up with an award winning Season 37. Improving on the hit totals while still leading the league, this season with 390, McQueen also jumped to 84 points en route to a close win of the Scott Boulet trophy as the top two way forward in the league. While Riga would struggle in the playoffs, they had to be impressed by the constant improvement and dominating physical game of Brennan, who had only spent two seasons in the VHL. 
 
Rookie/Sophomore Grade: A-
 
S38 marked the first year of a prime contract for Brennan, and the last year of his deal with the Reign. It would be another good year for arguably the leagues most physical forward. While McQueen did fall short of leading the league in htis, with only 342 on the year, Brennan potted a career best 107 points including 49 goals. Brennan was 5th among all players in total points, and would win his second straight Scott Boulet trophy. Riga realizing they had the VHl's premier two way forward would promptly sign McQueen to a two year extension with a no trade clause. We are only 23 games into S39, but McQueen has been bringing exactly what he is expected to start the season. A solid scoring pace with a consistent to elite level physical game. McQueen currently sits just under a point per game with 22 points, leading the Reign in that department. He also is third in the league in hits with 97. Brennan will still assuredly be a finalist for the Scott Boulet trophy in Season 39, although it may be more of a battle to win it this year out. But McQueen has more than lived up to expectations as a 7th overall selection. Many players picked before McQueen have barely done anything in the VHL. With still half a career in front of him, two Boulets under his belt and an elite level of consistency, McQueen could easily be looking at a potential Hall of Fame birth when his career is over. 
 
Overall Potential and Future Grade: A

This vote is fantastic. I say give em both jobs! A Two Face offside editorial where we get two different view points!  

Hello all! This season my goal is to recruit 20 new members from now until the end of August. As such, this season I will be upping the ante in ther form of increased prizes.
 
First and foremost, during this drive, any and all recruitment related rewards will be doubled. So if you recruit someone during this month, you will be entitled to double points for any achievements they make.
 
Linking us on another forum you post on (http://www.vhlforum.com/index.php?/topic/6334-do-you-post-on-other-forums/) will earn you two TPE for this month.
 
Any member who recruits someone during the drive will be entered to win:
 
1) A copy of NHL '15 for any system of your choice or cash value of the game.
2) Free Double's week
3) Double's week
4) 5 TPE
5) 3 TPE
6) 3,000,000 player store cash
7) 1 TPE + 1,000,000 player store cash
 
I will also be giving 1 TPE to anyone who can give me a good recruiting idea.
 
During this month, I've also decided that any new member will receive $3,000,000 in player store cash to use on their player immediately after they create.
 
I'll also pay for people who go out of their way to recruit on other forums.
 
Now hopefully we can reach that goal of 20 new members.
 

Damien I can respect your opinion, but you are taking a very reductionist approach to this. The whole "super hero movies are popular ergo it's a trend ergo it will die" point of view, simply ignores the actual nature of the "trend" and what motivates it. It also would be a very long trend already if you think about it.
 
Since 2002 when the first Spider Man released, there has been a movie based on a comic book every single year that has been successful at the box office. EVERY SINGLE YEAR. 2002 had Spider Man which grossed 821 Million. 2003 had X-2 which grossed 407 million. 2004 Spider Man 2 grossed 783 million. 2005 had several movies based on comics successful at the box office, Batman Begins, Constantine, Fantastic Four, V for Vendetta. The highest gross that year was Begins with 374 Million. 2006 had X-Men and Superman Returns. X-Men Grossed 459 Million. 2007 saw Spider Man 3 and Fantatsic Four 2 both turn good profits. 2008 saw the darker turn of the genre with The Dark Knight, obviously I don't need to state it was a success, Iron Man also came out that year. While a weaker year 2009 still had successes in Watchmen and X-men Origins Wolverine. 2010 had Iron Man 2, 2011 Thor, X-Men First Class. 2012 boasted 3 super successful blockbuster comic book movies with Avengers, Amazing Spider Man and Dark Knight Rises. In 2013 Iron Man 3, Man of Steel and Thor 2 all grossed over 500 Million. 2014 thus far Captain America Winter Soldier, X-Men Days of Future Past and Amazing Spider Man 2 all grossed over 600 million. Guardians of the Galaxy will probably hit a billion if we are being honest.
 
This isn't a simple "trend" Damien. It's overall growth of societies acceptance of geek culture. It isn't just comic books either. Go to the movies and watch the trailers. Tell me something that isn't a sequel, based on a comic book, video game, or book itself, or who's plot isn't basically just a super hero movie? When I was a kid, you could put Sly Stallone on the cover of a movie poster as your star and that movie would be your big action Hollywood summer block buster. Nowadays? Sly with an entire ensemble cast of people in an action movie can barely turn a profit. It's an overall changing of the guard in the entire film industry. Movies that have single stars now even if they aren't based on a comic book, are basically comic book movies. That is to say it isn't just a dude, dude with either get powers, or get a suit, or something. 
 
But that geek culture becoming main stream is something that is more than a trend. Look at the things in general that have begun to get more and more popular throughout the 2000's and in the decade we are in. Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Matrix, Comic Book Movies, Game of Thrones, The Hobbit, The Hunger Games, The Harry Potter Franchise, and I could keep going. You combine the increase in acceptance of geek culture with the greatest connection tool known to man, that also has increased the word to mouth of EVERYTHING in the internet, and you get something that is much more than a trend. 
 
Casual audiences when I was younger liked movies and TV shows that you didn't need to know 18 different backstories of had seen previous things. They loved stuff you could skip 5 weeks of on TV and watch and still be caught up because it wasn't that type of show. Things like Friends and Seinfield and Fraiser, sitcoms were super popular. Now? Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Dexter, House of Cards, Boardwalk Empire, Lost. Shows that have a very strict narrative and if you miss an episode your left in the dark. But again, there is a reason the world has changed and embraced this type of stuff. The internet. People can more readily access the episodes they missed via downloads, tivo, netflix. People can get on and discuss how overly complicated something is with their friends. It is for this reason that the casual audiences have allowed the overall Marvel Cinematic Universe to get as deep as it is and still let it continue going deeper. Because simply put, they don't treat it like a comic book movie anymore. It's a movie with a connected universe. That's it. 
 
At the end of the day to me this is more than just a trend. It helps represent an entire societal shift, and I think a time when a big major comic book blockbuster is no longer considered to be successful at the box office is many years off. Probably in the 2020's if you want my honest opinion. Another big factor that gets overlooked as to why it's been such a success, it's because the movies themselves have been good. Green Lantern was a piece of shit movie, it didn't gross as much as other comic book movies. As long as the creators of these films make something that the casual audiences can enjoy, the fact that it is a super hero movie or has a connected universe as I've established is something that doesn't bother the majority. So if the movie is good, people will continue to see them. 

Damien I can respect your opinion, but you are taking a very reductionist approach to this. The whole "super hero movies are popular ergo it's a trend ergo it will die" point of view, simply ignores the actual nature of the "trend" and what motivates it. It also would be a very long trend already if you think about it.
 
Since 2002 when the first Spider Man released, there has been a movie based on a comic book every single year that has been successful at the box office. EVERY SINGLE YEAR. 2002 had Spider Man which grossed 821 Million. 2003 had X-2 which grossed 407 million. 2004 Spider Man 2 grossed 783 million. 2005 had several movies based on comics successful at the box office, Batman Begins, Constantine, Fantastic Four, V for Vendetta. The highest gross that year was Begins with 374 Million. 2006 had X-Men and Superman Returns. X-Men Grossed 459 Million. 2007 saw Spider Man 3 and Fantatsic Four 2 both turn good profits. 2008 saw the darker turn of the genre with The Dark Knight, obviously I don't need to state it was a success, Iron Man also came out that year. While a weaker year 2009 still had successes in Watchmen and X-men Origins Wolverine. 2010 had Iron Man 2, 2011 Thor, X-Men First Class. 2012 boasted 3 super successful blockbuster comic book movies with Avengers, Amazing Spider Man and Dark Knight Rises. In 2013 Iron Man 3, Man of Steel and Thor 2 all grossed over 500 Million. 2014 thus far Captain America Winter Soldier, X-Men Days of Future Past and Amazing Spider Man 2 all grossed over 600 million. Guardians of the Galaxy will probably hit a billion if we are being honest.
 
This isn't a simple "trend" Damien. It's overall growth of societies acceptance of geek culture. It isn't just comic books either. Go to the movies and watch the trailers. Tell me something that isn't a sequel, based on a comic book, video game, or book itself, or who's plot isn't basically just a super hero movie? When I was a kid, you could put Sly Stallone on the cover of a movie poster as your star and that movie would be your big action Hollywood summer block buster. Nowadays? Sly with an entire ensemble cast of people in an action movie can barely turn a profit. It's an overall changing of the guard in the entire film industry. Movies that have single stars now even if they aren't based on a comic book, are basically comic book movies. That is to say it isn't just a dude, dude with either get powers, or get a suit, or something. 
 
But that geek culture becoming main stream is something that is more than a trend. Look at the things in general that have begun to get more and more popular throughout the 2000's and in the decade we are in. Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Matrix, Comic Book Movies, Game of Thrones, The Hobbit, The Hunger Games, The Harry Potter Franchise, and I could keep going. You combine the increase in acceptance of geek culture with the greatest connection tool known to man, that also has increased the word to mouth of EVERYTHING in the internet, and you get something that is much more than a trend. 
 
Casual audiences when I was younger liked movies and TV shows that you didn't need to know 18 different backstories of had seen previous things. They loved stuff you could skip 5 weeks of on TV and watch and still be caught up because it wasn't that type of show. Things like Friends and Seinfield and Fraiser, sitcoms were super popular. Now? Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Dexter, House of Cards, Boardwalk Empire, Lost. Shows that have a very strict narrative and if you miss an episode your left in the dark. But again, there is a reason the world has changed and embraced this type of stuff. The internet. People can more readily access the episodes they missed via downloads, tivo, netflix. People can get on and discuss how overly complicated something is with their friends. It is for this reason that the casual audiences have allowed the overall Marvel Cinematic Universe to get as deep as it is and still let it continue going deeper. Because simply put, they don't treat it like a comic book movie anymore. It's a movie with a connected universe. That's it. 
 
At the end of the day to me this is more than just a trend. It helps represent an entire societal shift, and I think a time when a big major comic book blockbuster is no longer considered to be successful at the box office is many years off. Probably in the 2020's if you want my honest opinion. Another big factor that gets overlooked as to why it's been such a success, it's because the movies themselves have been good. Green Lantern was a piece of shit movie, it didn't gross as much as other comic book movies. As long as the creators of these films make something that the casual audiences can enjoy, the fact that it is a super hero movie or has a connected universe as I've established is something that doesn't bother the majority. So if the movie is good, people will continue to see them. 

Green you just need to see the Light. If I have to Laich, buy you a Bentley to convince you then maybe I should. Besides our team is so Young that you'll have a chance to compete, we won't be this Low in the standings for much longer. You won't hit a career Wahl with us I swear to the all mighty Odin...
 
Man this is harder than I thought it'd be...

On July 29th, 2014 my girlfriend and I were told that we were expecting a baby. This is a major turning point in my life, and the range of emotions is greater than I ever thought possible. Just wanted to share with you guys because I'm close with a few of you, and some other guys I believe have gone through this as well... so I may ask for some advice from time to time.

Welcome to a new series of Fan590's that I'll be doing for the foreseeable future. The Player Focus series is just going to take a look thus far at the career of a player, grade them based on when they were drafted, how they have lived up to expectations, and look at future potential. Lets get started with Seattle Bear winger Bruno Wolf!
 
Bruno Wolf was drafted by the Seattle Bears with the 2nd overall pick in the S38 draft. Wolf was a highly touted prospect coming from the Kesler agency, who already produced a solid center in Sergey Brovalenko. Wolf was more of a two way threat than Brovalenko, and was expected to be a more consistent all around player than the offensively gifted Brovalenko. 
 
S39 marks the sophomore season for Bruno, after a rather uneventful rookie season. In Season 38 Wolf had 16 goals and 15 assists for 31 points on a Bears club that made the playoffs. He also had 93 hits and 19 shots blocked to go along with his +27 rating. While it wasn't a stellar rookie season, and I'm sure was rather disappointing for the player, all in it was a rather middling start to his career.
 
Rookie Season Grade: C+
 
We are currently 16 games deep into Season 39 and Wolf looks to be heading forward already on the quest to become a point per game player. The Bears in the wake of the early retirement of goalie Steven Smyl are looking to remain competitive this season. Wolf has 7 goals and 6 assists for 13 points, nearing a point per game pace. He also boasts 43 hits, almost half of his hit totals from last season already. Look for Wolf to really bring the pace this season as he is relied upon more by the Bears to be a difference maker. He should finish around a point per game, and should finish with 200+ hits on the year. 
 
Sophomore Season Early Grade: B+
 
Going forward, the Bears should make it a priority to sign Wolf to a long term extension in Season 40, the last of his entry level deal. Wolf has shown significant improvements in a short time period, and has the potential to be a star power player in the future. His ability to improve both his offensive, and his physical game in one short season is a sign of things to come. In another season or two Bruno Wolf will be a standout candidate for the Scott Boulet trophy as a top two way forward. Wolf also has a very limited shot at reaching an even higher ceiling than that, according to scouts. Some believe Wolf has the potential to challenge for other top flight awards such as the Mike Szatkowski or the Kevin Brooks trophies. 
 
Overall Future Potential: A-

I'll take a win like this over Helsinki!

Congrats Kendrick. Sucks that Taylor could never win a Cup but his constant presence on Cologne really put that team on that map. Well deserved retirement imo. 

The New York Americans made the playoffs for the first time in a couple seasons in S38. A season that saw them get humbled in the playoffs by Remy LeBeau and the Toronto Legion. But Season 38 could be the season the VHL historians mark as the beginning of a new Americans dynasty.
 
The last Americans dynasty saw them make the playoffs 11 times in a row. They made the finals more times than any other team in that run, however they only saw one Continental Cup win. That dynasty was responsible for bringing in some of the VHL's most elite talent. Hall of Famers like Daniel Braxton, Benjamin Glover, Tukka Reikkinen, Adam Schultz, Leeroy Jenkins, Alexander Labbate, Alexander Chershenko, Ryan Sullivan, Phil Rafter, David Smalling, Pavel Koradek, Jukka Hakkinen. Basically a who's who list of Hall of Fame inductee's over the last ten seasons. All of them spent some time on New York during this dynasty run. 
 
If you look at the Americans roster now, if you look at the quality of elite level players mixed with players entering their prime and youth and prospects. They look exactly like a team poised to make another long run. The team is headed by one of the leagues savviest General Managers in Chris Miller, and he always seems to find the best way to keep his team elite while getting ready for the future. He will remain tested in doing that as his prime players begin to age, but he has shown all signs that he can combat it. This New York Americans team could easily repeat or even top the 11 season record of the previous dynasty. However the current squad is hoping for more than one Continental Cup win in that time. 
 
The big question mark is how many players currently in this dynasty run will see the Hall of Fame. Tukio who spent his final season his best of his career on the Americans is a sure fire HoF player. Odin Tordahl is another that is sure to see Hall of Fame. But elite level player Wesley Kellinger is a name that could still go either way pending on the last two seasons of his career. But even looking at the players in or entering their prime. Conner Low, Tom Slaughter, Xin Xie Xao. All could be future Hall of Fame players. Low is looking more and more like a sure fire bet as each season passes. The big question mark in terms of elite level talent for this potential dynasty remains in net however. 
 
During the previous run the Americans enjoyed quality level play every season from Benjamin Glover. However after spending a year as a back up, many question whether Brick Wahl will be able to back stop a dynasty for several more seasons. Even if he does, he isn't as young as he once was, with only five more seasons in the league if the Americans hope to make the playoffs at least 10 more times they will need a new back stop at some point. 
 
Either way though, the chance of another American dynasty grows with each passing season. The fans and franchise that have enjoyed little Championship success will for now still be able to hold their hats on being one of the VHL's consistently elite teams. 

Don't know if it counts as a favorite mag moment, but my answer would have to be seeing us resurrect the Magazine after we lost the second site and had to move over here. At that time the editor of the magazine had gone inactive, the site was in shambles and it would of been very easy for us to just let the Mag fall to the wayside. Instead we got a new editor, got the team re-hired and back together and continued powering through to make our way to number 200. Pretty fantastic community effort in my opinion. 

Fun run of it, would of been nice to go deeper but not much we could do. You assembled a solid team Boubabi nice playing with you all.

Fun run of it, would of been nice to go deeper but not much we could do. You assembled a solid team Boubabi nice playing with you all.

The S38 VHL awards ceremony has come and gone. After many long seasons with the Seattle Bears, their Captain of the past few seasons Sebastian Ball Jr has finally been given his due. Ball Jr won the Top Leader award in the recent S38 VHL Awards, an award many would argue he was long overdue for.
 
After the epic era of the Seattle Six the Bears have struggled to find an identity in the new era of the VHL. Seeming to constantly employ a mixed strategy of competing while also making moves for the future, or acquiring players to try to make the playoff run memorable, the Bears haven't been able to to the VHL finals in some time. 
 
However through all the frustrations and mediocrity there was a core player at the heart of the Bears roster. A player who through thick and thin continued to remain optimistic, put his team first, and push for the Bears to be the best they could be. That player is Sebastian Ball Jr. S38 will mark the final season in the career of Ball Jr, as he has chosen to retire and move on in his life and career. However while Ball Jr never got to see the Bears, HIS team hoist the Continental Cup while he was there, he at least will get recognized as one of the true heart and soul captains during his tenure in the VHL. 

I say as punishment we send all the three players to Calgary and Edgar gets zero picks and zero players back in return for being literally the worst GM in VHL history....

I say as punishment we send all the three players to Calgary and Edgar gets zero picks and zero players back in return for being literally the worst GM in VHL history....

I should just be shamed and quit the league for all my faults.