Hybrid1486

Welfare players for the win

2. With the season halfway over, what are you working on to prepare for playoffs? There's one thing I can do very well, and that's play defense. I'm just gonna keep working on getting better at that and the rest will fall into place. 3. Next season are you planning on going to the VHLE, making the jump straight to the VHL, or staying in the VHLM? I doubt I'll be playing in the VHL next season. I'm expecting VHLE, but I wouldn't be surprised if I end up in the VHLM for another season as well. 5. Last week we made a massive trade, shipping out most of our S81 picks for Donny Carter @TheNeonShaman, Drakon Zabastova @DarkSpyro and Sting Chameleon @Hybrid1486 to try and win now and to get @KaleebtheMighty a Founder's cup before he leaves for the VHLE next season. Where do you think this trade leaves the team among the league in terms of standings? It leaves us a hell of a lot better than it leaves Houston, so it'll be nice to be able to compete for a playoff spot and a chance at a championship. 7. Should pizza be cut into triangles or squares? It depends on the shape of the pizza, but in most cases it should be triangular. There is a special place in hell reserved for people who cut round pizzas into squares. 8. With the Olympics ending, how do you feel your home country did? Was there any particular moment that made you proud? Well, I believe we won the most medals, so I suppose we did very well. I didn't watch much of it, but it was kind of neat that Bruce Springsteen's daughter won silver in the horse thing. 9. What is a new hobby that you've started doing in your spare time? Lockpicking. I just bought a kit earlier this week and I've cracked a couple locks, but I'm way far away from being "good" at it.

Through 18 games, the Houston Bulls have rolled out one of the better defenses in the VHLM. The team has allowed 3.22 goals per game, the fourth-best total in the league so far. Their goaltender, Xavier Booberry, is one of the better netminders in the minors at this point and a top prospect for the S80 VHL Draft. Why, then, is the team dead last in the standings with only four wins and eight points? Simply put, the offense is atrocious. The big reason for that is a supreme lack of depth scoring; while most teams can roll 4 lines of solid minor-league players, the Bulls are giving heavy second-line minutes to Beta players who really don’t belong in the league. On the defensive side, they can roll out a passable top pair but, again, rely heavily on low-talent players for heavy minutes. If even a few players above this replacement level could join the team, the Bulls might be competitive for the rest of the season, possibly even squeezing into a playoff spot if the turnaround happens relatively quickly. Until then, however, the lack of scoring is destined to keep them at the bottom of the barrel for the foreseeable future.

1. @JardyB10 by a kilometer and a half 2. I believe it was posted in the MSFL back in 2008 or so...I remember seeing Season 5 and being mildly impressed that it lasted that long but not actually joining until the MSFL folded in S7. 3. The Naggerwolve (idk if anybody still talks to him, hope he's doing well) 4. I don't know, really, I guess it's just something else that can keep my mind occupied for a bit when I need to step back from work and don't feel like mindlessly surfing the internet or doomscrolling social media. 5. No, because I don't have aspirations of becoming a top-tier player and the effort to write an MS isn't worth it for me, especially since I get the 5 TPE pension plan. 6. Rotisserie chicken...I can buy one and eat half for lunch and half for dinner with a little left over for some chicken-based cooking the next day. I like some sriracha on the side for dipping as well.

A little, but I tend to assume that the ones you reject are fine with it in the end

Is this thread no longer in use? I'm having my second giant airport beer and I need something to do...

I'm not anti-Discord in the sense that I think it's a bad thing by any means, I just noticed that a lot of people who reached out to me brought it up so I figured it was worth explaining why I'm not on it.

*making a second post because I forgot the same link can't be claimed twice and I used my first link for the 2 TPE and I need to claim the 12 for the triples week*

I was planning on writing something hockey-related for my first media spot in at least a couple years, but something struck me while I was looking for something to write. Prior to being drafted into the VHLM, I was contacted for three pre-draft interviews, and I ended up being drafted by a fourth team. Additionally, I’ve talked to quite a few people outside of that process, and the one common thread that seems to keep coming up is Discord. I have a Discord account that I use for exactly one thing, and even then, it’s just to help a friend with a project of his. Aside from that, I have no interest in using Discord, and here are a few reasons why: Constant Connection This is my biggest reason for being anti-Discord. When I’ve used Discord in the past, it makes me feel compelled to become a constant presence in the community. Between the mobile app and alerts, I would have my phone blowing up over updates and pings. This isn’t all bad, I guess, but I’m one of those people who can’t stand unread texts and emails and the like, and I’ve found that my desire to immediately read any alert I get outweighs my desire to unplug from certain activities for a while. I can’t enjoy something if I become too immersed in it, and if I’m getting messages and pings on Discord regularly, I’ll keep checking and become too immersed in it. I’ll admit that this was a bigger issue for the Pokemon Go Discords I was in, where people would be blowing up my phone about going to raids and making me feel guilty if I didn’t, but the point applies. Inconvenient Chat Scrolling I remember seeing someone else mention this as I was leaving last time, and it holds true. In a forum setting, it’s easy to pick up a conversation where you last left off and interjecting on a point that might be a couple hours past isn’t all that awkward. In Discord, I feel like even if you scroll back to the “last unread message” it might still be a ways off from where you actually left the conversation, and if you want to make a point about something that the conversation has moved on from it’s very clunky and inconvenient. Drama I don’t know how much of an issue drama is these days, but when I left there seemed to be a lot of arguing and drama in the Discord. Even now, I’ve had at least one GM ask me if there are any people I don’t want to be on a team with. Dude, I’m 34 years old. I don’t have any interest in drama, and if keeping out of Discord will help me avoid it in some small way then that’s a no-brainer for me. If You’re Not There, You’re Nobody This is something that might just be my perspective, but it’s something I’ve definitely needed to move past to rejoin the league. When I was in my personal VHL hey-day, I was able to make a name for myself with well-written media spots, contributions with jobs, and good forum conversation. The last time I was here, I feel like I was putting in the first two, but I wasn’t too present in Discord conversations, and as a result the VHLM GM’s (most of whom weren’t around years ago) had no idea who I was, and even though I was one of the top TPE players in the draft class I was in I think I went in the fourth round just because (I assume) nobody knew who I was. Coming back, I really don’t have any expectations about draft position or playing time, so I don’t feel compelled to “make a name for myself” beyond my contributions as a player. As I write these out, it seems kind of small and almost petty to be so anti-Discord over relatively minor reasons. There were also some other reasons I left (largely being unable to compete TPE-wise with heavy recruiters, something I have never been good at). That said, This is where I am in my relationship with the league, and I’m comfortable with that. (708 words)

What is something you couldn't live without? Concerta. Look it up if you're interested and you should see why. What is one thing ritual you do before every game? Gameday naps are underrated. A nice 20-minute refresher before getting going can really help with the energy levels. Just don't go too long or it becomes counterproductive. What is your favourite pre-game meal? Rotisserie chicken. Maybe on a wrap, but really just need to pull some onto a plate and hit it with a little hot sauce, that's what's up. If you had to play another sport what would you play? Golf...or baseball...something that doesn't generally come with traumatic brain injuries. What is your go to shoe when you're relaxing? Adidas Daily 3.0 If you could put a team anywhere in the world where would it be? How's hockey in Australia? Do they need some love or do they not care?

I don't really mean to repeatedly write VHL.com articles about how the league has changed over the years, but until I'm actually playing again I don't know what else to write about. I was drafted into the VHLM today as a third-round pick by Houston. They seem like a good-enough team, having made the playoffs in each of the last three seasons and coming real close to a championship in S76, but the turnover is enough that S76 is ancient history by the point. What really struck me, though, was seeing a damn seven-round dispersal draft full of players who seem like they might at least be somewhat active. There were seventh-rounders who, based on current TPE, would have been mid-to-late firsts when I was a VHLM GM a decade ago. If even a few rounds' worth of them stay active, well, the need for the VHLE must have been pretty obvious. I'm assuming the inaugural VHLE Draft and the VHL Drafts are more of the same. I can't even imagine this level of activity back in the day. It's pretty cool to see.

Ugh, so I have to actually do a PT now? Boo. But yeah, 14 years for a sim league is something. This league has been around for so long that when it started the Sabres were good.

Wow, Season 79. I remember the old NFL sim leagues where five seasons was an accomplishment, and here comes the VHL churning towards the century mark with no signs of slowing down. Well done, y'all. Now, confession time: I barely paid attention to the league this year. I legitimately could not name one player in the VHL right now without going to look, and my knowledge of the VHLM is pretty much limited to some of the players on Miami with me last season. I'm going to end up copying the predictions for next season, but here's a question for anybody reading this. Um...who's good? Like, teams, players, other nouns, whatever, who are the future legends of the league that are playing right now? Any runaway favorites for MVP? Any defensemen or goalies head-and-shoulders above the rest of the league? I'm looking forward to finding out.

Like a Joe Thornton beard or a normal person beard?

1. Defense, defense, skating, but mostly defense. Defense wins championships. The best defense is more defense. The defense never rests. I could come up with some more catchphrases, but you get the idea. Also, Michael Scott played hockey, but off-ice he was on The Office. That's the best I can do, 2. Not very closely. I did see that Yukon won, so congrats to them, but this season was more about getting oriented. I'll keep a closer eye on things next season, especially now that I can get some of those sweet, sweet prediction points. 3. Good question. I mean, clearly I respect people's desire to move on to other phases of their life, so if they're happy with what they're doing then I'm happy for them. I'm not trying to cop out, though, so of the people who don't seem to be around anymore I would say @Knight. Glad to see @Philaround, at least. 4. It's mostly just more players and teams. A lot of names I don't recognize. It doesn't seem like anything's changed with regards to the actual gameplay, at least not that I've seen. 5. Probably...since the last time we were active simultaneously I've bought a house and changed jobs about four times with the same company. How about you? 6. Most of my friends are really into board gaming, so I do a lot of that. One of my friends is in the end stages of designing a game for commercial release, so if I'm not gaming on my own I've been helping with that (mostly proofreading the rulebook). Nothing else too crazy, just PS5 and trying to convince myself that I need to be moving around more.

Yukon 2 gud

Yes. Thank you.

Thank you much, @JardyB10 1. Positionally in the upcoming VHLM Dispersal Draft, where do you think you’ll be selected? The sentence structure in this question is terrible, I’m sorry. I get the gist of it. I'm guessing it'll be later on, somewhere in the round 2-4 range. I'm not sure how VHLM drafts go these days, but the last guy I tried to create was top-five in TPE and didn't go until the fourth round for some reason. 2. What type of player do you hope to be, and where do you see yourself fitting in on future VHLM and VHL teams? Probably a defense-first kind of guy who eventually learns to direct an offense from the point. I'm probably going to be a second or low-tier first pair defenseman in the VHL and I'm quite alright with that. Hopefully I can get some decent playing time while I'm still in the VHLM (and probably in the VHLE as well) before I'm relegated to the shelf. 3. What are your fondest memories of your time in the VHL? I don't have a cup to my name as an active player, so I'd guess my biggest achievement is going first overall in one of the worst drafts of all-time. Outside of that, there were a lot of good times on the original forum...shit, you might remember, there was that one guy on Calgary who wrote about ghosts and shit all the time and probably didn't speak English but was funny as hell, I don't even remember why. 4. Is the VHL the only sim league you’re currently involved with? If not, which others are you a part of, and how does your dedication to them compare to here? The VHL is it for me. I'm too old and busy to be involving myself with new sim leagues. It's been about a decade since I've been truly active with anything besides the VHL and I have no interest in changing that. 5. What are your thoughts on the upcoming VHLE? Any teams you’d like to see return and/or be a part of, etc? It's crazy that the VHL has hit this point, but it's awesome and I'm looking forward to getting to play in the VHLE. I also like the career length extension that comes along with it. As far as teams go, I'm really sad to see Bern bringing up the rear in the final teams poll. I know we have Davos, but I was able to go to Switzerland for work a couple years ago and it was one of the best weeks of my life, so a second Swiss team would have been great. 6. Which Megaman game is your favourite, and which level/boss is most enjoyable? Mega Man 2 is one of the first games I remember playing as a kid, so that holds a special place in my heart, but my favorite boss is Storm Eagle, mostly because I seem to have a way easier time with him than anyone else does (you just have to jump forward against the wind tunnel and charge up to shoot when you have the chance).

I don't have a team PC to answer anymore, so...hit me

I was just released by Miami today ahead of the next VHLM Draft, and as I was considering the possibilities for my next VHLM squad I started realizing how many teams in this league are wholly unfamiliar to me. The VHL is almost completely foreign to me. I know all about the Yukon Rush from Brock Waldron's monster season way back in S38, but the rest of these teams...I don't know. Saskatoon and Ottawa used to have VHLM franchises way back in the day, but I only vaguely remember Halifax and Philadelphia coming on to the scene as I was leaving a year ago. I remember winning VHLM GM of the Year with the Kolari Wolves in S17...remember them? No? How about the Vasteras Junior IK? Back in the days when VHLM teams were affiliated? I'm not saying I miss that, just something that struck me ahead of the PT deadline. Chances are good that I'll be familiar with more of the VHLE teams when they come around than I am with these squads.

Welcome, Vinnie...I'm just coming back myself, but I've been in and out of here for about a decade or so...good start, just keep getting your feet wet and pick up that extra TPE where you can. Your first player might feel like a baby for the whole way through, but if you stick it out your second player can be a beast

1. With a few games left in the season, how do you think your player fared this year? Pretty well, I suppose, given I only played in a handful of games after the trade deadline. It was good enough to create a solid foundation moving forward. 2. What is one thing in the off season you would like to focus on?? Boosting my defensive abilities outside of just defense. I seem to have a decent enough shot but I don't see myself driving play from the point all that often. 3. Would you ever be interested in management roles in the future? If my time(s) in this league have taught me anything, it's that I tend to get sucked in and set myself up for burnout. Fortunately, I feel like not being on Discord kind of precludes me from ever really being considered, so I don't think that's going to be an issue this time around. 4. If given the opportunity would you like Miami to draft you or retain you next season? Absolutely. Even though we weren't very good, it was great to get top-pair minutes right off the bat, and I feel like I played well enough to be considered for a full season in that role around here. 5. What is your favourite summer activity?! Not going outside in the heat. I spent wayyyyy too much time inside last year (although I'm guessing most people did), so even being able to take walks when the weather cooperates would be nice. 6. Do you play video games? If so what is your favourite?! I'm really more of a board gamer, to the point that the video game I spend the most time playing these days is the Steam version of Gloomhaven. On the PS5, I'm working through the FF7 Remake intermission episode now...I've already Platinumed the base game and the ported original version. I also clearly have a place in my heart for MMX.

I've been around for about a week now, and so far, so good. Sting Chameleon seems to be doing pretty well for himself with ten points and a -14 rating through 15 games. He's holding his own defensively as well, although the Marauders aren't very good and I was mostly just looking for some top-pair playing time. The site itself seems more or less the same as it has since the last time I was around a couple years ago, even without jumping into Discord. I'll admit that I'm not looking very hard ... I won't ever be as interested as I was during the ... um ... Twenties, I guess? Have y'all started referring to groups of seasons like decades yet? Anyways, it's nice to see how far this league has come from a technology standpoint. I remember about 10-12 years ago trying to make an all-time stats catalog MANUALLY through Excel (I didn't know how to use Excel beyond basic formulas), and now we have a whole damn portal, to say nothing about the growth of the community to the extent that a third league is being implemented. I have no idea how long I'll be around this time...I usually make good headway with the first guy I create before trying to go all-out on a second guy and becoming despondent when I'm nowhere near the top of the draft order because I don't recruit and nobody who joined after about 2013 knows me, but I'm here for now. Someone make me a sig plz and thank you.

ens was a great man, as are you

dick