Christmas

Francis York Morgan, here. There is way too much scoring in the VHLM. I was checking out my stats, because who wouldn’t do that, from game to game, and I noticed that I was doing pretty well for myself. While I wasn’t scoring a lot of goals or anything, I was bringing the points and that seemed like a great start to my career. A point per game defenseman? Forget about it. However, I looked at my scoring relative to my team, and I could not believe it. I was one of five players over a point per game on my team. The Wild have 3 of 4 point per game players. Then I saw the Blades, and was completely flabbergasted by what I saw. 14 point players? Two of them? For crying out loud even the Storm has a 16 point guy AND two 14 point guys. In six games. Of course that is nothing compared to the Gladiators players. They have played six games, but Jack Ryan and Vogon Jeltz have 20+ points! How is that even possible!? This is like EASHL point totals. Clearly the VHLM needs to do something about this because this kind of stuff is garbage and may force me to ask the coach if I want to play at forward. Who wants to play defense when goaltenders are letting in goals like it is their job?

30 5 Lynx vs Blades 3

32 Wild vs Gladiators 33 Royals vs Watchmen 34 Outlaws vs Rush 35 Storm vs Red Wolves

My career in professional sports has already begun, and so far I am enjoying every second of it. I am currently on the bus on the way to the Gladiators arena (which I am told looks exactly like the Roman Colosseum) and am hoping that our goal scoring continues. However, defensively, we have been sub par so far. Our home opener was a gong-show all around, scoring four goals but allowing 6 in the loss. What was really frustrating was we were behind 4-1 after the first 20 minutes, which forced us into an offensive mode, not giving me a lot of chances to take my time with it and try to make a good play. I played 20 minutes in the loss, which isn't bad, but didn't register a single point and was a minus 1 on the game. I wasn't really surprised as this was my first hockey game with actual coaches, and I felt like I was in over my head. Our second game started out like our first. Joakim Videl, who sounds a lot like an old partner I used to have, scored twice in the first and we had to play catchup again. Thankfully, my teammate Backenbauer was able to tie the game early in the second to give us a little bit of life. But I made a mistake in the neutral zone later on and gave it right to Stabby McFullO'Schmidt, who was able to create a 3-0 on my own goalie and score. I didn't see another minute of ice-time in the second, and it really hit me that I can't make those kind of selfish plays out here. The third period rolled around, and we went down by two when my teammate Ruutu took a bad penalty early on. This was now do-or die time. My coach got me back on the ice and I helped start the rush on two goals midway in the third period to tie the game. It was late, but we were finally able to break through with 30 seconds left when Pablo Escobar sealed it for us. It was my first win, and a huge win. So far, I have been able to contribute. At this point that is all I can ask for since I am at a level below just about everyone in this league. Two points in two games as a defenseman isn't anything to scoff at. However, I can do better, and my coach knows it. Only three other players on the team have fewer points than I do, and while my -1 is on par with most of my teammates, that isn't going to be good enough if I want to be an impact player on this team. First thing I have to improve on is my passing. So far, I have connected on two goals, but my passes in general have been all over the place. One of my errant plays even led to a 3-0 chance which led to a goal. My coach even sat me down and let me know that I have to be smarter with the puck. The second thing I have to improve on is my shot blocking. Four shots blocked in two games is decent, but I'm tied for 4th on the team in that regard, and as a 1st rounder I have to be at least close to the top. The final thing, and the most important thing, is my communication. So far I haven't talked much at all, and both my teammates and coaches have said that I have to talk out there more. Players at this level are very good, but that doesn't mean they won't benefit from me communicating out there. Unfortunately that will be the hardest attribute to work on, as I focus most of my conversation towards Zach, who guides me through each of the games. Isn't that right, Zach? Either way, I am happy to start out with some points to get me some confidence, but I know that I will need to do better if I want to make the big leagues. And I can do better.

Francis York Morgan is an unknown asset in the VHLM at this point, and his history in the sport of ice hockey is not well known, let alone his personal background. However, that is all to change as I was able to get an inside scoop on Francis York Morgan and see where this potential defensive dynamo came from. Initial Years (Youth): Francis York Morgan was born on April 8th, 1990 in Langley, British Columbia. His parents growing up were Brian Xander Morgan and Valentine Morgan, who were very loving parents. Brian Xander Morgan was a detective with the FBI, and because of that was not around very often. However Valentine Morgan was a stay at home mother, and gave Francis York Morgan a great deal of attention. Francis York Morgan spent a lot of time outside, riding bikes and doing many activities that a young kid would want to do, however his social life was not really there, as most of the kids that lived near him were much older or younger than he was. This forced him to spend a lot of time either doing outdoor activities by himself or study with books. He particularly was invested in creative writing and media, focusing on how stories are told and what it takes to develop a compelling story. His years in early elementary school saw him as much more advanced than his peers, which endeared him in the eyes of his parents and teachers alike. Loss of Parents (1995): In the summer of 1995, Francis York Morgan was unfortunately the witness to an apparent murder-suicide by his father Xander Morgan of his mother Valentine Morgan. At the crime scene he suffered severe head trauma as it looked as if Xander Morgan had also attempted to murder him as well with a grazing shot. Because of this, Francis York Morgan fell into a coma until the spring of 1996. It was then that he was put into a foster home funded by the FBI, which he began to live his live without his birth parents. Life in Foster Care: While not a social youngster, he was able to live his life relatively well, not getting into a lot of trouble and continuing to learn. However his studies shifted suddenly to criminology and criminal law, which many believe was the result of his parents' death. He graduated high-school with very high marks, one of the best in his class, and proceeded to earn a degree in criminal law at the age of 19. He soon thereafter applied for the FBI, but after a long screening process was put on a probationary review, which meant he was not denied, but was not yet approved. Five agonizing months passed for the young adult, and eventually he was approved for the FBI and began work in Virginia as a field agent. His career took him across the United States, solving multiple murder cases and being a part of many life-changing experiences with his work. Greenvale Serial Murder Case (2013): One of his most prolific cases was the Raincoat Killer Case in Greenvale, Washington. He spent a great deal of time in the city with the locals, and soon found himself in the midst of a serious serial killing case as three more people were killed at the hands of the mysterious raincoat killer. Upon further profiling and evidence gathering, he was able to determine the raincoat killer: a member of the local police department! After attempting to arrest the suspect, he was forced into an intense firefight which left the suspect dead at the scene. Upon further investigation he was able to uncover the secret to numerous other serial killing cases (including the apparent murder-suicide of his parents which turned out to be something else entirely) which left him with so much work he felt he deserved the ability to take an early retirement. Life After Greenvale: Francis York Morgan moved back to his hometown in Langley and ended up demolishing the house he grew up in due to the poor memories he had there. After that he spent a very good chunk of his retirement money building a house he believed he and his parents would have enjoyed. For the next year or so he went back to his calling, creative writing. He wrote multiple short stories, publishing a couple of them. He also spent a number of months writing a novel called "The Wonderful Biscuit Affliction", which consisted of what appeared to be many short stories discussing the wonderful taste and harmful addiction of a well-cooked biscuit. He got this idea from a fellow deputy in Greenvale who was able to cook some of the best biscuits he had ever tasted. The following year saw him continue to write this novel, which revealed at the end of the book that the short stories were small snippets of conscious thought of the protagonist, detailing how his life was permanently affected by the tasty treats. He was able to find a publisher for the novel and it achieved high local fame due to its many local references. He did not see very much support across the continent, as many of his writings were too meta for most people's taste. His lack of success saw him go back to short stories in which he wrote about criminal law in a more creative sense. A memorable story was one of an officer who attempted to bribe a suspect in order to keep him from ratting him out for police brutality. It featured subtle political commentary but was not overly preachy, and it demonstrated his creative insight to his own past experiences. Introduction to Ice Hockey (2014): When the material began to run out, Francis York Morgan sought after a new type of hobby, one that he had never tried before. He was introduced to the sport of ice hockey, something that despite living as a Canadian he had never undertaken before. From here he took quite a bit of time to develop his game, which was something he was not used to, as most things he ended up doing came naturally to him. He grew comfortable in playing, and took it upon himself to play more competitively. He found a Beer League, which introduced him to more advanced concepts and made him appreciate the game much more. His team was knocked out in the championship game, however his game improved and he looked like a more more competent player from then on. VHLM Draft (S42): Francis York Morgan's efforts with his new sport saw him drafted to the VHLM, and because of this he decided he would take on a new career in professional sports, completely unexpected for him. So far he has met many new faces who have yet to know what he is about, and so far he has been considered a local icon for his quirky personality and his vast knowledge of creative writing and criminal law. His book "The Wonderful Biscuit Affliction" has since become a big hit in Ottawa, and because of his new found fame he has been able to participate in book signings as well as player signings. His career in the VHL may yet be unknown, but his path to it is well known now, and it was a wild path at that.

My coffee told me an interesting thing today. This morning I was eating my classic breakfast of sausage and eggs and didn’t even plan on looking into my coffee for guidance today as I had a great sleep the night before. However something different caught my eye as the cream was mixing with the coffee. I looked more closely and I saw the message. “Tonight you will be chosen for the elite much higher than expected.” This caught me quite off-guard. I know that I had been championing myself as a better draft pick that deserved respect, but to see something like this was not how I planned on starting my day. For starters, I am a career beer league player, which is a history that pales in comparison to the majority of the current draft class. Second, my combine week was a complete disaster. While I only explained about the first day and the nightmare that followed, the rest of the week was just about the same. The fact is, I could not hack it whatsoever against my peers, and that killed my confidence towards the end of the week. Speaking with GMs gave me a bit more confidence, but it appeared that only one was really interested in me. Ottawa’s GM, Aksel Thomassen gave me a bit of confidence that he would be interested in drafting me, but he didn’t really say where he would draft me. He didn’t have a lot of enthusiasm, at least in comparison to what I expected. However, looking back I think it was all about his strategy in terms of not giving anything away. He may have seen an amateur player with a big mouth who would be telling anyone and everyone that Ottawa was looking for me, causing other GMs to figure out what Ottawa was going to do in the draft. While this is all speculation, I can understand it. The draft seemed to fly by, and I almost completely missed out on the festivities while I was pondering the coffee in my breakfast. I made it just in time for Brampton to make their first pick. When E’Twaun Delicious was picked, I was not surprised. He is a very good player, and from what I saw in the combine he was an obvious first overall pick. Josh Merica came up second, and while I believe he was a relatively new commodity, he came out of the woodwork fast and he was a clear up and comer with long-term potential. Michael Clardy was another player who wasn’t a long-term asset from my understanding, and him going top 3 was not a surprise to me at all. Getting in the top 5, let alone the top 3, was such a long shot I didn’t in my wildest dreams think that I would be picked that early. Players began to get picked, and the first round was just about to end, as Ottawa took Benjamin Zeptenbergs for their first draft pick. This put me back down to reality as I stopped believing in my coffee and expected to get drafted in round 3 or so. However, the coffee once again proved itself correct, as just as the first round ended, Ottawa came through and drafted me 10th overall. This was definitely not what I expected, especially in a draft class that featured 40 of the top junior players in the world. However, since the coffee told me it was going to happen, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Moral of the story is to always believe your coffee. The coffee does not lie.

Wait, there is the chance to do a 2 point podcast instead of a 1 point Fan590? Someone fire mah rookie mentur.

Can I has survey?

I am happy to be mentioned. I hope they have lots of coffee in Bern!

Last week I made a statement that I was underappreciated in this here league, and made many very valid points as to what that is. I made an effort to point out that I was not included in the VHLM This Week despite starting out with some great insight as to my history in the sport and how I have gotten to where I am today. I received some mixed responses for it, but in general I was appreciated for my honesty. The writer of VHLM This Week even promised me that I would be in the next edition of the posting. As you can see, this quote signifies a binding contract which meant I was looking forward to this week for someone making note of my recent accomplishments. It was going to be a great week starting off with people really finding out who I was. Instead, we got this: http://www.vhlforum.com/index.php?/topic/17009-vhlm-this-week-febuary-8-2015/#entry179866 See my name anywhere? Of course you don't. That is because this Jaladolar fella is a no good rotten liar, and the VHLM police need to look into this travesty as I remain underappreciated and will never get into the VHL at this point if the media is completely ignoring me. I demand justice!

I would like to point out a severe error. I initially said that I was a winger which made me more important, when in fact I am actually a defenseman. Please pardon this mistake and continue to consider me for VHLM This Week. I am dum but I am still worth paying attention 2.

I was looking into my coffee the other day and it told me something interesting: that I am under-appreciated. I pondered this for a short moment, then took a look at the VHLM This Week post. Something was missing from the post. Francis York Morgan. I noticed Zachary Young had a small tidbit linking one of his articles. They even said he was a "real up and comer." This is hurtful and unfair to someone who may only be a career beer-league player, but who has a heart of gold and a lot to give to a league. But perhaps I was mentioned later. Nope. Blake Campbell was mentioned, though, with his lame interview and everything. Interviews are lame. And so are goalies. Wingers like me are more important, and I think that me not being included is very disappointing. What do I need to do to be appreciated? Do I need to make killer graphics? Maybe write an article talking about how great I am? Maybe videotape myself doing a dance? I think the writers of VHLM This Week should do a better job of identifying talent, because I am a player who is flying under the radar and should be appreciated more for my ability as a human being, as well as a player. Nothing against Blake Campbell or Zachary Young. You simply had to be the targets for my rant and I'm sure you are swell people.

After being selected to join other prospects in a VHLM combine, I was quite nervous. If you read the previous edition of this program, you are already aware of the fact I have not played in a competitive league with actual coaches and systems. Upon receiving the itinerary for the combine it was once again made apparent to me that I was in a league far beyond anythiing I have been a part of yet. First item on the agenda: arrive at the Calgary Saddledome (The Calgary Wrangler's practice facility) at 6:00 A.M. An early arrival? Quite the start to a day, considering my career always started some time between 8:00-10:00 P.M. and I was used to sleeping until noon at the earliest. I had a few days to mentally prepare myself and prepare all of my things for the trip to Calgary (thankfully not short), and after those few days and a short flight I was in Calgary ready to participate in the Combine. 6:00 to 9:00 A.M. - Sign-in and Off-Ice: Here all the potential prospects were required to sign in at the front desk, have measurements and photographs taken, and fill out a few forms to absolve the arena and the VHL of any and all damages that may be incurred during the combine. Walking around I saw muscular players who seems to be much more comfortable than myself, and I could not bring myself to talk to anyone for fear of humiliating myself. We were then given jerseys, socks, and exercising outfits that we were told we would utilize for the remainder of the combine. I was given a black jersey with "S42" on the front, and number 43 on the back. Again I had to fill out a form explaining that the jersey and socks were property of the combine and had to be returned following the end of the week. We warmuped up, and participated in off-ice exercises, such as using the treadmill and plyometric exercises. They also took measurements, which worried me at the start. To be frank, I was out of shape and a step behind everyone. If I looked back, I was probably dead last in every single category, except maybe the arm strength exercises, but only because of my experience shoveling snow on the frozen ponds, where I played every single day. We were given a short break, and had to suit up for the on-ice exercises. 10:00 to 11:45 A.M. - On-Ice Practice #1: I was outclassed in every facet of the game. Even though I drank coffee prior to the practice, it was not enough for me to compete. 12:00 to 1:00 P.M. - Lunch: Lunch was uneventful as I sat with other prospects who I cannot name. Most talked about the off-ice stuff and how they did in the first on-ice practice. I didn't join in the conversation as I was too enthralled by the discussion. 1:00 to 3:00 P.M. - On-Ice Practice #2: I was surprised that I was able to compete in the second practice, as I assumed that my assumed lack of conditioning would be the end of me. I was complimented by a couple players for my passing ability, and at the end of the final portion of the combine I was able to hold my head up high and be happy I survived with someone taking notice. All in all, the combine was what I expected it to be. I didn't know a single person as my only experience with hockey was with a bunch of beer leaguers. I was out of shape compared to other players who were training for this their entire lives, and I looked woefully out of place. On the ice, I was a nightmare, looking like I didn't belong, up until the second practice, where I played much better than before. For now, I will have to prepare for the next portion of the combine, and hope that my abilities off the ice will overshadow my lack of ability on the ice. Until then, I will drink my coffee and see what my future has in store for me.

I decided it would be a good idea to check out the teams that Francis York Morgan might get drafted to, so after looking at them here is what I have to say about each: 1. Calgary Wranglers: Horses get wrangled, they don’t wrangle. Call them the Calgary Wrangleders. 2. New York Americans: Cliché, but not bad. 3. Quebec City Meute: Meute as in mute? I am not sure what that means but since the logo is a wolf I assume it is wolves. 4. Seattle Bears: Makes sense. When I think of Seattle I think of all the bears. 5. Toronto Legion: Legion of bad hockey teams? Maybe, I don’t know the roster. 6. Cologne Express: The city is called Cologne. I don’t even have to continue. 7. HC Davos Dynamo: Davos from Game of Thrones? Good show. 8. Helsinki Titans: Sounds like a pretty sweet team to me. 9. Riga Reign: Sounds like a tongue twister. 10. Stockholm Vikings: Good team name to me. Maybe I should talk about the actual team, but I’m not going to. Just the names and logos. Deal.

Pick the WINNER, all three correct will earn 1 TPE (N/A is an answer here) Game 5: Riga @ New York - New York Game 6: New York @ Riga - New York Game 7: Riga @ New York - N/A Predict the score, Correctly predict the score for 3 TPE Game 5: Riga @ New York - 5-3 New York Predict the leading point earner of the series for 1 TPE Connor Low Predict the leading penalty minutes earner for 1 TPE Xin Xie Xiao Predict the leading special teams goals earner for 1 TPE Connor Low

Reign 3-1

Americans Reign Americans Reign

Francis York Morgan - Unassigned

Hello, I'm Special Agent Francis York Morgan. Please, call me York. That's what everyone calls me. This is a special that I will be starting every so often to give civilians a perspective of my history in hockey as I join this very quirky and interesting league. Let's start with the basics. I am from the quiet town of Langley, British Columbia. I have spent the last year or so winding down and playing hockey after a very stressful and strenuous investigation in Greenvale, Washington. After that was finished, I found myself a completely new person and decided to find a new hobby. That hobby was taking to the frozen ponds and playing hockey. At first, I was not a very good player, getting schooled by larger players in big handlebar mustaches, and overweight guys wearing denim suspenders. It was quite an ordeal and one that I didn't want to last, so I spent hours playing hockey and drinking coffee to keep energized. Eventually my game improved to the point where I was able to roll through those monsters I called opponents and win the self-respect to join a competitive team. When signing up for teams, the only one I seemed to be able to suit up for was "Beer League." This I found frustrating, as I could not find a single coffee league to join and it is all I ever drink now. With that disappointment I took my lumps and joined on a team as a free agent. The team that I went to was actually pretty good, and I learned a lot how to drink water between shifts instead of coffee, as well as to use sick toe-drags and curl-wristers instead of witty investigation techniques in order to score. Even though I was not familiar with the positions like Defense and Winger, I seemed to do well. Even as a center, which was a new position for me, I was passing pucks with regularity and not a bad player when compared to my teammates. By the end of the season, I was a man on fire. Another concept I was unfamiliar with was the "Play Offs." I found it counterproductive as I was under the impression games were supposed to be played on the ice. That confusion aside the team made it to the finals of the entire tournament, where I was finally able to produce and score a couple of goals. However my lack of experience proved to be the killing blow to our team, as I did not win a single face off and we were knocked out in the finals. Very disappointing for the team, but they were so happy with my improvement that they asked me to play the next year. The captain realized putting me at the center position was not a very smart move, and his first order of business was to put me in a position where I would not make as big of a negative impact on the team. I got defensive over this conversation, which caused him to put me at defense. There, my talents began to shine. I am not sure what happened the next season that changed for me, as even with my improvements on the pond and in Beer League I still wasn't a talented player, but the coffee I had been drinking for over two years suddenly felt more envigorating. I was skating faster, shooting harder, playing smarter. All of a sudden I started playing like a defenseman of the year, and towards the end of my second season, I was the team's MVP. We went into the playoffs feeling pride, and we felt that this year we would win it all again. That is when I was told the best news I could ever imagine. Scouts had been watching my beer league games by accident and thought that I was actually not a hoser and could hack it in the VHL one day. I was so happy that I asked them what I needed to do to get drafted, and they told me that unfortunately I had to quit my beer league team. This was not an easy pill to swallow, and I had to give up my hopes at a beer league championship for something more. My reaction when I received the news I may be drafted into the VHL. Yes, I was eating a sandwich. While spending time in the capital city of hockey, I kept in contact with my beer league players. They ended up making it to the finals again, and may have a real shot to win it even though I am not tearing the league up with my beer league skills. They play next week, so I won't know what happens until then, but I have a good feeling that with the leadership on that team I will be able to enjoy my team winning a championship in the Beer League. Right now I am currently waiting to be evaluated by VHL GMs and see what my future holds. Until I am drafted, I will just have to drink my coffee and see if it has anything to say for my future.

So basically anything but center. Noice. Guess I'm goin' Dee.

Hello. First thing's first. What do you want for Christmas? Second thing. What positions are most in demand? Thank you for your time, and Merry Christmas to you all.