Gustav

@STZ skipped; @samx on the clock

Seen them twice! I’d like to this year as well, but I’m like 20% sure at best that I’ll be able to make it happen given the tour dates + times. It’s a great experience. Seeing as most who go are older, everyone’s got a story to tell about how they saw the original group back in ‘77 or something (I wish). Definitely one of the first names I search up for tour dates every spring. There’s some discourse among the fanbase that they’ve lost some energy—and I don’t entirely disagree, so maybe that’s why it wasn’t the first thing that came to mind—but as long as they’re out there, I’m going to enjoy it. And yes, Mayer is dope. His style is much more straightforward/bluesy than you’d hear from Jerry, but it’s still the real deal.

I saw Phish in Toronto in 2019 and it was quite good. Apart from that, I’ve gotten myself out of the house lately to see a few acts, just about all of which I’ve had fun with. Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of seeing Goose (a relatively new-to-the-scene jam band), and it was FANTASTIC. I’d checked them out on Spotify before, but that truly doesn’t do the live shows justice.

I think I’m cool because I’m a very good listener. I remember lots of things about lots of people and I’m actually interested in getting to know what’s going on in your life. I love helping people through tough stuff, but sadly as a dude I don’t find myself in many situations where people seek that out from me. But to those who I have helped, and those who get that I care in general, I’m probably cool enough. Also, I spent way too much time playing Monopoly against myself as a kid (don’t ask) and 10+ years later I can tell you the price and rent of every property on the board, as well as the order of every square on the board, without looking. So there’s my useless talent.

God I hate DQing people. @DoktorFunk is now DQ’d; that puts me on the clock. These picks could be either really good or really terrible, but here goes: F - Perry Laperriere D - Sven Eightnine And I suppose that puts @Spartan on the clock.

Art Vandelay

Yep, you’re doing it right! This time you would tag @samx, but for your next pick you would tag Frank (and then Sam again once Frank picks). Hope that makes sense.

Great article—thanks so much for the kind words! I always wondered how others saw Taro, because it was always weird to see other players doing amazing things and getting good press for it knowing that I was probably seen the same way for a while and just didn’t really catch the feeling with it being my player and all. I’m also happy that my time as GM will end up on the portal in some way. Obviously the results of the GMing never would, but I’ll certainly take Taro as a compromise.

Art Vandelay

@xNJDevilsFanx skipped; this counts as the first skip then I guess? @Frank on the clock

I’m just picturing someone sitting there like “oh BOY! JURY DUTY!” I got a summons when I was 19 and got out of it because I was a full-time student (apparently that’s an exception where I live? I didn’t ask many questions and they never wrote back). Glad I’ve never been through it though I am mildly curious.

Art Vandelay

Review, because one of my trivia questions this week was straight-up incorrect and I’m salty about it because I missed out on 1 TPE I deserved: -I don’t mind the green tint on the render at all, but it’s a little too dark to be the main point of focus. Try adjusting the light and brighten up the face and head area a little. -I’m awful at text myself, but see what you can do to improve yours. One notable thing is that all of it blends in somewhat with the rest of the picture (which is fine) while the “Phoebe” sticks way out (which would be fine on its own but in comparison to the rest of the text is a bit strange). The shape is also a bit unconventional but I’m not going to criticize that because you know what a graphic looks like and presumably you made it shaped like this on purpose. It would be perfectly doable if it were shorter, but you do you. Because I need to give a score for this to count apparently: 7/10. It’s coming along fine, just keep at it.

already selected

Yes. @DoktorFunk skipped; make two picks when you see this because you’re back on the clock. F - Jonathan Ori D - Asher Reinhart

Imagine a world where we had an updated rulebook…I don’t think it’s been 100% accurate at any time I’ve been here.

Hi all, This week I’m not in town, and with that being what it is, my VHL experience is and will be just about entirely on my phone. I generally have the privilege of being on the forum on my computer, really only popping in here when I’m out of the house and running Town of Salem (which will happen soon-ish, I promise) or on break and bored at work (or not on break but bored at work nonetheless). First, I HATE Discord on my phone, so that’s why I haven’t responded if you’ve messaged me. Maybe I’ll pop in at some point. Something I hate just as much is typing on the forum on my phone. Thankfully, I had the foresight to write something multi-claimable last week, so I don’t have to do a media spot (like I think I did last year? I don’t remember). Even with the shorter article, though, I hate it. It’s like driving a car that won’t get up to highway speed…on the highway. I’m slow and I’m making mistakes all over the place. So, hats off to @Doomsday and whoever else does it for making this work. I’m mostly just here to lurk and stay on top of my VHFL draft. Anyway, I’m sorry this week’s installment of Gustav hasn’t been terribly exciting. Hopefully next week’s will be!

I am a coffee enjoyer. It has to be sweet and creamy, though. My favorite is probably a mocha, though I like a handful of styles. I think so? Not sure though because I don’t follow basketball. If it’s all or mostly the same players/stars, no, but if things have changed up, yes—I think of a dynasty as a team which has managed to keep winning through different eras in their history, with success being handed off from one lineup to another over time. I’m painfully unaware of my classic movies/things that everyone has seen, so I’ll go with those in general. I don’t even know what’s out today honestly. 1. What’s the best place you’ve gone on vacation? 2. Has the VHL off-season taken too long? 3. Have you played hockey in real life? If so, what position? If not, which other sports have you played?

This is now the Ping Sam thread

Honestly I feel like I remember hearing about them a LOT more when I started out here and in the S70s than I do now. I definitely explained (and had it explained to me) what the SHL is and generally how they work quite a few times...and I really don't see the topic coming up much anymore. I'll say that a lot of the times I heard it brought up was in the context of "lol SHL is more toxic than we are", back when we went through our seasons-long "guys we're not that toxic" identity crisis during which we were admittedly more toxic than we are now (in my opinion). So that debate has kind of subsided. I think the main reason for all the talk dying off is just that we've found out who we are and what we want to be as a community. When everyone talked about the SHL and tried to compare us to them, our numbers had just started to blow up. By the mid-S70s, our numbers had already blown up, we stopped caring about (being insecure about?) being a smaller community, and we were on to other things. TL;DR: myths of the SHL's existence shall not go unpunished

Reposting for edits: 1. @Gustav (GM) F - Duncan Idaho F - Jonathan Ori F - Perry Laperriere D - Asher Reinhart D - Sven Eightnine G - David Davis 2. @DoktorFunk - 50% F - Sigard Petrenko F - AJ Williams F - Henri le Massif D - Hulk Hogan 2 D - Jan Hlozek G - Dusty Wilson 3. @STZ F - Saku Kotkakoivu F - Nico Pearce F - Taylor Mourning D - Tui Sova D - Mikhail Kovalchuk G - Oskar Lindbergh 4. @samx F - Zeedayno Chara F - Paul Atreides F - Daniel Janser D - Hard Markinson D - Rolf Fizzlebeef Jr G - Brandt Fuhr 5. @xNJDevilsFanx - 50% F - Vinny Detroit F - Daniel Janser F - Baby Bob D - Aurelien Moreau D - Poopy Peepants G - Papa Emeritus 6. @Frank F - Alex Johnston F - Druss Deathwalker F - Anze Miklavz D - Jerome Reinhart D - Max Torq G - Xavier Booberry

F - Duncan Idaho @DoktorFunk

You're DAMN RIGHT that's what you get!

Art Vandelay

It's some time after the S84 draft, and It's some time after I've just gone first overall (!) for the first time in any draft, ever. I'm excited! The past season-plus has paid off, and Art Vandelay may have himself a bright future in LA--where I'll be playing starting this season. As I mentioned in this article before the season, I would be faced with somewhat of a choice if drafted with over 350 TPE. Go up, and I could potentially add to my stats and build upon my career with nine seasons. Stay down, and I sacrifice a rookie season for the opportunity to be hit much less hard by depreciation and cap out my build at a higher point. To some, the choice may seem simple, but I'd be willing to bet there are people on either side of the issue for which that's true. I'm not entirely sure what I want to do myself, but now that it's been decided what I'm doing, here's why I'm excited about it. Vandelay is (I think) only the third goaler to come up right after the draft since the switch, following Cole Pearce in S82 and Brandt Fuhr last season. There isn't enough sample size (nor is there any, really) to know the "best" way to generate career numbers one way or another, but if the immediate call-up ends up being the way to go, Vandelay could end up being one of the players who proves it. I have the opportunity to (legally) start 576 games rather than 504, and that means more wins and one more shot at success. I also don't like the idea of players, whether skaters or goalers (but mainly goalers because they're hit harder), staying down for the express purpose of avoiding depreciation. That thought is giving me ideas which I'll outline in some other article if I manage to put them into words, but for now we'll stick with the basics. Players should always strive to get out of the M and the E as quickly as possible, and I'm glad that what's happening to Vandelay follows that (and has the potential to encourage people to take what I see as the less stupid path from a what's-good-for-the-league standpoint if it works out). I definitely earn well enough that the extra depreciation isn't going to completely tank my career, so it's going to be interesting to see what happens.