Jus

+10 Juan Jaundice

Recruited!

Only on days I remember to eat them. I rely on my d-men to supply me them pregame

There's nothing about this that I don't love.

+4

1. In the latter half of the season now and, while Halifax and Minnesota are quite a few points ahead, there is just 4 points separating 3rd and 7th, which of those five teams (Aces, Bulls, Lynx, Rush, Wild) do you think will finish highest at the end of the season? I think the Wild have a solid chance to run the table here. We're getting better and stronger as the days move on. 2. Since the last set of questions were asked, the World Juniors Rosters have been selected. What do you think about your nationalities chances at winning the tournament? USA all the way, baby. 3b. (If you didn't make your World Juniors roster) Were you surprised not to make it onto your team's roster or was it expected? Not surprised I didn't make it, getting up to speed took time and the lack of a good defensive core really hurt my play until the big trade. The ship's righted now though, so watch out. 4. Hunter Hearst Helmsley is currently leading the league in points and goals, do you think there's anyone who can stop him from leading in either come the end of the season? Sometimes the best the rest can hope for is to fight for second place. Hunter is a monster and we should be in awe of what he's done so far. 5. Give a shout-out to one member of your team who has helped you out and why (maybe a member's player has helped your player perform well in the sim, a member who helped you with PT's, etc.) @Peace and @SparrowLTD have helped guide me through everything and get me started. A few rocky bumps here and there but man they have been fantastic. I'd also like to give props to @K1NG LINUS because that man always give props. ALWAYS. 6. Recommend either a video game or a movie for other members to play/watch and why you'd recommend It. It's not a movie, and I'm not a big anime guy, but I HIGHLY recommend anyone watch Run with the Wind. It's 23 episodes and is a super engaging show with characters that draw you in. I binged it hard on a recommendation from a friend and it's one of my top shows of all time now. All shows, not just anime or whatever.

Yall were suffocating them! Only allowing 13 shots to get to me, great job boys!

USA

+4 Juan

42 saves on 44 shots? Hoo boy, I had a workload today!

1. Since the trade, we've seen nothing but good fortune. My workload has decreased significantly and I'm performing at a consistent level throughout. The team is firing on all cylinders, and I think that trade is the turning point for our season. 2. I believe we'll make the playoffs. I don't forsee those wins being a flash in the pan. We shored up our biggest hole and our competing at the level we knew we could play at. 3. I love them, frankly. 4. Give it two or three more solid wins. We have to come back down to earth eventually, but I forsee many more W's than L's. 5. Biased, but us. Hands down. 6. If they'd have me, I'd gladly keep playing my role.

+4 Jaundice

1. I believe it's a bit mixed up right now. We're excited to be scoring, and honestly we've lost some games we really should have had. I think if we get a shake up we will see a lot better quality in mood. 2. Salvaging and clawing your way up from the gutters is a lesson in mental toughness, and it shows in spades with how hard we scrap. Am I satisfied? No. Not at all. There's so much more work to be done. 3. The chemistry between the lines is the greatest weapon. They seem to be firing on all cylinders and you can see it in their eyes. They know they're on fire and it'll keep raging, I think. 4. I'm not one to complain so uh...next question. 5. I don't think it's all that surprising. The talent is there, we just need a few more pieces to really take it further. 6. I'm happy with the direction management has taken with me. They're not breathing down my neck, but are adamant I stick to my training to improve. They have high hopes for my potential, so I feel spurred to continue.

Name: Juan Jaundice Age: 18 Birthplace: Pottsville, PA Height: 6’0” Weight: 218 lbs. Position: Goalie Glove: Left Juan has many natural gifts that will lend themselves well to his success as a goaltender in the league, but diligent practice is required to hone these talents. While he is slightly undersized compared to many other goalies, he intuitively uses that size well as he grows and shrinks in the crease. He displays an aptitude for rebound control and has relatively quik recovery times. His unorthodox path getting into the sport leaves many questions in the air and it is hard to gauge just where his ceiling his from 3 years in high school. His senior year with the Pottsville Maroons High School Hockey Club showed marked improvement over the previous two. It was evident he had done his homework between Grades 11 and 12, as his fundamentals were much more sound. He saved 284 out of 310 shots, yielding an impressive .916 SV%, compared to .766SV% his junior year. Strengths Puck Control: Juan exhibits excellent puck control, far better than expected given his level. When watching him play, the best word to describe it is "Sticky." Pucks seem to gravitate towards him like a black hole and he seldom lets them go. More akin to a baseball catcher than a goalie at times, Juan favors his glove far more frequently than the paddle. In fact, were it not for him diligently working on it now, the lack of stick work would be considered a massive weakness. He likes trapping and his coaches have had glowing reviews on many "miraculous" snags he's pulled off. He positions himself more aggressively than most, looking to grab the puck to set his team on the attack, or to snuff the play out quickly. Juan does seem to find genuine excitement in this, as he can be heard cackling after gloving a particularly hard shot. Vision: Scanning the ice constantly, Juan has a good handle on keeping track of lanes and attackers. He seldom loses sight on the puck through traffic and seems to surprise even himself at his laser focus at times. This vision helps give him an acute sense of positioning and keeps him from getting burned too often on an overzealous play. Being young, a shiftier player will still give Juan fits, but that is something only time and on-ice experience can give him. If he refines this further in tandem with his puck control, I foresee many teams dreading when they see Juan in the opposing net. Conditioning: Owing to his self-described "Blue-Collar" work ethic, Juan displays a surprising level of conditioning. He seems to start breathing heavy very quickly but he can maintain at that pace for the duration of the contest with little drop in performance. Endurance is the name of the game here and as long as his head is in the game, he will remain at an effective and consistent level throughout the match. Whether the shots are four or forty, Juan seems to stay at the same stamina level as when he started. I can see some late overtime heroics in his future if he can sharpen his other skills. It will be hard for most goalies at his level to outlast him, if he's allowed to play the game his way. Which leads us into his greatest weakness... Weaknesses: Composure: Juan, for all the raw talent, has a glaring weakness that I don't imagine will be rectified easily. He becomes very obsessive over how things "feel", whether physical or abstract. This is evident in a game during his junior year where we witnessed him spend more time shaking his left leg than actually paying attention to the game. When the period had ended, it turned out that Juan was being bothered by his left sock tucked slightly differently than his right. This is troublesome, as it cannot be drilled away, and if something does come up, his entire performance can become suspect. The biggest way to leverage this is potentially therapeutic solutions to treat his obsessions. Though these incidents are far and few between, they pose enough of a risk to hamper his growth as a professional player if he cannot get a handle on this. Along the lines of composure, if he feels he's been wronged or doled something unfairly, he has a flaring temper. Juan received more than his fair share of slashing penalties against defenders trying to crowd his net. This lack of discipline needs to be rectified ASAP. Reflexes: Despite his proficiency with the glove, lax reflexes will shoot Juan in the foot more than anything. Often, whether it be do to composure or his mind floating elsewhere, Juan will let in extremely soft goals. A focus on improving reflexes outside of just the glove are highly encouraged, and it is my fear if they are not addressed that he will let them lag to the point of inability. He shows flashes of brilliance and can make cat like saves on the rare occasion, but he does not possesses the flexibility or muscle tension to make adequate desperation saves yet. If composure is his biggest intangible flaw, reflexes would have to be the biggest flaw that can be addressed through training; specifically time in the weight room. Improving his balance, agility, and reaction time could easily propel him to higher performance levels. Intelligence/Stubbornness: I believe this is a tie between these two, as they closely relate to each other in this case. While he shows a gift for absorbing knowledge, applying it is a different story. Juan soaks up information like a sponge but it takes diligent and passionate coaching to squeeze it out onto the ice. He passionately defends a self described "Old School Way" and seeks to achieve that in all aspects of his game. He is a stickler for simple, energy efficient movement. This is evident in his preferred style of Stand Up goal tending. Often times it takes a near whack to the head to convince Juan to change up his game of tactics. This bull-headed nature could absolutely lead to his stagnation. In Conclusion: Juan is a fantastic young man who has a bright future in the league, provided he hauls his fair share of the work load. With the way things have been trending, in a few years a goalie with such a stubborn and old-school method of thinking may not have such an easy time getting and staying in the league. But that attitude may also endear fans to him. His persona is essentially a grinder in goalie gear. While very rough around the edges, I believe with enough effort his skillset will be completely rounded out. He shows some openness to butterfly goal tending techniques, so further encouraging that growth could prove beneficial at converting him into a Hybrid tender. Juan has the potential to be a very rare jack-of-all-trades goalie, and I feel many teams could tweak and utilize that to their advantage. As it stands though, a team has to decide if the investment is worth the potential risk. His natural talent is there, he could be a contender, but he needs to get his head into the right mindset. Given time and patience, it's my firm belief that there's a gem under the rough exterior. A veritable diamond of the coal region.

Claiming for week ending 3/10.

1) The draft is over, the signings have settled down, and the VHLM is just about ready to get things started. Who do you think is the favorite, going into this season? There's been a lot of rumbling about Halifax, so I'm going to have to chip in too. They look like absolute monsters, so they're going to be a real tough one to crack. 2) With teams filling up this quickly, further expansion of the VHLM might be a potential talking point. Where would you put another minors team? I'm a North East boy, born and bred. I would love to see another team along the American East Coast. Jersey is a premier location for a VHLM team, I'd wager. Small and passionate market, they could real strive there. 3) The offseason's ending- what's your player's plan to get back in shape for game 1? Drills, drills, drill, and more drills. He's got a lot of ground to cover to hit the ground running, but we're going to grind it out as best we can. 4) Do you/your player have any preseason superstitions to help boost their performance? Study and study some more. I/my player am/is a sucker for research and general knowledge. My team, the other team. Their tics and habits. I need to know it all. The more prepared we are, the less sidetracked we can get. 5) Now that you've had time to get used to your team, who's been your favorite teammate thus far? I'm a sucker and friendships run deep. @SparrowLTD gets the nod for enlisting me into this wacky game. I love it. 6) If the commissioners/GMs could do one thing to make your VHLM experience more fun, what would it be? They've been phenomenal with helping me get up to speed and answering all my questions, so I have no improvements to suggest!

Player Name: Juan Jaundice VHL/VHLM Team: Saskatoon Wild Cash you have: 4,000,000 Purchase Name: First Gen Doubles Cost of Purchase: 1,500,000 Cash Left: 2,500,000

Hello and welcome to Finding the Balance with Howie Buskiewitz, our new segment that focuses on up-and-coming players that have piqued our communities interest, for better or for worse. Today we are joined by the newest goaltender for the Saskatoon Wild: Juan Jaundice. Juan is far from a typical case in the VHLM. Having no concrete experience and being a late entry into the world of hockey, Juan is trying to stay afloat in a world that has swallowed many dreams whole. What is even more atypical is his current contract: Not many are sure how Juan went from beer leagues to a roster spot on the Saskatoon Wild. Even his friends and family in Pottsville, PA are stunned. Howie will be checking in via phone with Juan fresh off a heart breaking loss to the Ottawa Lynx. Howie: Juan, first of all, thank you for joining us. How are you feeling after today's game? Juan: Frankly, pretty beat down. I won't lie, with such a miracle call to come to Saskatoon, I thought things would come easier. I kind of expected it to be like the movies, right? I get the chance and I just blow the doors down! Nah, it's been...gosh, it's been pretty eye opening. I guess that's what I get for making an assumption. Dad always said that'll just make an ass outta your umptions. H: I don't think that's how the saying goes, but alright. In today's contest you allowed 6 goals on 34 shots. Would you say this loss has you discouraged? Are you maybe regretting leaving the steel mill? What will you do next? J: Iron mill. And what else can I do next? It'd be a sour sport that quits after just one bad stretch, right? I'm very thankful for my teammates and my coaches. They've been supporting me every step of the way, especially when it comes to my ol' block-head figuring the ins and outs. Everyone made it clear when I came up that they knew I only had some high school experience under my belt. They're patient with me, and I'm beyond thankful for that. I'm committed one hundred percent to making sure Saskatoon becomes a powerhouse. Our goal scorers are doing amazing, and the d-men in front of me are so good. Now what's left is for me to pick up my share of the load. They're letting me live my dream, so I hope in some way I can help them live theirs. H: Dreams are well and good Juan but most people come crashing down to reality sooner than later. Do you consider 22 goals in 5 contests is "living the dream?" J: Oh, by no means! Like I said, I know I have some rust. The only thing I can do is polish it up and see what kind of shine is underneath. It'll take a lot of hard work, but that's fine by me. I prefer to tackle life head first anyway. H: Wonderful. You've had an interesting life so far, is that right Juan? J: I'd say up until about a week ago I lived a pretty boring and average life. I can't remember anything too groundbreaking ever happening to me. H: Well, you know what I meant. Coming from having almost no experience, and now you're up playing in the VHLM. What got you here? Can you tell us a bit about what makes Juan stand out against the other goalies? J: Oh geez. ...Well. Hm. Well to start, I came from an athletic home. We were tight on money, so we passed the time just by being rambunctious. A LOT of sandlot baseball and street football, haha. I'd say I have a scar from every game we played back then. I did a lot but never found something that stuck. Back then it didn't matter, you know? But one summer, we were watching the VHL and we got the idea to play some street hockey. No pads, full contact. Idiots, haha. I went into goal because no one else wanted to and, well, I loved it. I felt like a mad man! I remember begging my older brother John to stay out past dusk and keep firing that ball at me, I cou- H: Wait. I'm sorry to interrupt, but did you say John? John Jaundice? J: Yes? H: Okay, is this some kind of joke with the names? J: What do you mean? H: Ah. Never mind. Continue. J: ...As I was saying. I couldn't get enough. I tried out for the high school team and, frankly, I was bad. I was pretty stubborn and made some bone headed moves. I rode the pine a lot that first season. Back then, the coaches said I had the fire and the skill to play the game, but I didn't have the brain. Wasn't the first time I'd been accused of lacking up in the old noggin. So the coaches started giving me assignment after assignment. I honestly started to enjoy it! I couldn't stop. I was watching reels and how-to videos constantly. My family joked that I went to my room a gangly kid and emerged 2 years later a hockey nut. I honestly think the turning point was whe- H: Juan, I'm sorry to interrupt you again but we're running out of time here. Would it be okay if we continued this installment with you? I'm sure everyone would love to hear you finally go into more detail about high school and your statistics there. You're still relatively an enigma to a lot of us. J: Oh. Oh yeah, I get it. Sure! That'd be cool. I'd basically have my own series, right? H: Tha-..That's not exactly right, Juan. You see our goal is to cover multiple up and coming players to really corne- J: Of course I'd love to talk more about this! Anytime you guys want. You just let me know, and I'll be ready! Oh man, that's so cool. Wait until I tell mom and dad! H: Well there's something to be said for exuberance. Good luck, and we'll keep an eye on you. Until next time: Juan Jaundice, everybody. Have a good night, folks. (1038 words, using for weeks ending 3/3, and 3/10)

Absolutely okay to get the Rudy feel. When I initially I started out wanting a "Rudy...but maybe more successful than just a single play" vibe. Thank you for the praise! @xDParK I'm terrible at learning new forums so I'm having trouble quoting you as well. Thank you very much as well. I did have a lot of fun, you're right. I waned on steam a bit here and there, but I wrote it during a shift at work...so I can't complain too much with the result. Glad people like it!

Player Name: Juan Jaundice VHL/VHLM Team: Saskatoon Wild Cash you have: 4,500,000 (added 3million from Feb Lottery win) Purchase Name: The First Generation Cost of Purchase: 500,000 Cash Left: 4,000,000

Damn. Philly turned me into Swiss cheese these two games. Good game, though!

Riga Calgary HC Seatt

Seattle 2-1

Thank you! I had a bit too much fun writing it haha

Childhood/Early Years In December of 2001, Juan was born the middle son to the Jaundice family, composed of a brother two years his elder, a stay-at-home mother, and an iron worker father. A third brother would soon factor into the mix 2 years later. Nestled deep in Pennsylvania's Coal Regions, specifically Pottsville, the family never saw too far above the poverty line. Despite the lower household income, the Jaundice children were encouraged to participate in as many sports as possible, most likely as a stronger entertainment outlet than video games or television. This led Juan to have a natural curiosity about the world around him, spending from dusk til dawn bounding around the creeks and wooded areas outside of town. More than once his mother would go steaming out her front door hollering for Juan to come home, well past his Street Light Curfew. These bouts were normally followed by the worst torture a young Juan could think of: forced to stay inside for a week, with the exception being school. While discipline was common place in their household, it wasn't without it's share of laughter. Speaking to him now, even as a young man, Juan looks back fondly for the days that shaped him, no matter how many summer weeks he spent "locked up". The Jaundice family instilled in all their boys a strict moral code, a yearning for adventure, and most importantly a compassionate heart. While his father worked long hours, interactions between the two were striking and warm. Juan remembers lessons taught by his father that can very much be summarized as "You'll understand when you're older." His mother, on the other hand, gave Juan his most polarizing feature, what can make or break his performance in anything: his Stubborn streak. The stubbornness was so profound that his grandmother jokingly gave him the same nickname she gave his mother: "Testa Dura", Hard Head. The clashes between mother and son were heated, usually over as quickly as they started, with Juan slamming a door after being sent to his room. His relationships with his brothers were revolving, two would always get along with one being the odd man out. Not a day went by when the odd man out didn't shift. School Years In middle school, Juan began to bulk up in efforts to continue playing football. He enjoyed stonewalling people as an offensive tackle, but overall size was a limiting factor. Juan wasn't gifted, no more than anyone else, that is. In fact, you could say his only true shining feature was his unrelenting nature. He was not a boy that you could tell "You aren't right for this." His single-minded focus led him to sticking to the position of tackle, even after he was informed he could find greater success under center or at guard. He got along well in his studies, never shining too bright or dim. He friend group tended to follow the same method. He was well liked, but had few close friends. Juan stood as an Everyman, just like his father. He held tightly onto that blue collar workman's spirit. Everything he did followed that old method: Clock in, do your job. Nothing too flashy, just hard honest work. The fire in him was more like a furnace than an inferno; steady heat instead of wild bursts. He didn't take to change well, instead preferring to let his skills and talents compensate for any new styles or techniques. In High School, after a rousing summer of street hockey, Juan decided he'd like to try out for the school's hockey team. He had watched a fair amount of games, but that first taste of the game over the summer sparked a fire in his heart. He began to spend every waking moment obsessing over the game. His interest laid primarily in the brazen position of goalie. "It'd take some balls to basically dare them to beat you." he excitedly said to his parents on the day he signed up for try outs. As predictable as it was for a small town in PA, there was not much interest in the team outside enough to barely fill the roster. Juan got his spot. His coaches saw potential in the young man, but also saw the many flaws. Because of the fact that he was never formally trained in the sport, his form was on anywhere from sloppy to awful. His discipline suffered greatly, as well. When your only physical taste is backyard hockey, rules tend to taste foreign. His entire freshman year could be summarized as a back and forth battle between him and the coaches. As a result, he rode the bench more than he saw any actual ice time. Initially spurned by this, he resolved himself to studying the position in his own free time. What started as another sport to play ended up becoming a time consumer. With a voracious hunger, Juan began poring over highlight reels, scouting reports, reference texts. He was devouring any information he could get his hands on. He began to taste success in the coming years and while his hockey prowess grew, his grades shrank. By his senior year it became abundantly clear that no college was going to offer him a scholarship, especially with his grades just barely keeping afloat. Post Graduation Juan couldn't imagine giving up the sport he grew to love so much, and with the idea of college drifting further and further away, he resolved himself to joining the workforce along side his father after high school. He would get his taste of hockey through pickup games at the local rink, volunteering to play goalie for any team that needed one. Sometimes even rushing straight from work to the rink to suit up for an impromptu game. It wasn't much, but it kept the fire burning. Juan knew deep down that he was destined for something more, and until he figured out what that was, he would keep grinding away. After a phone call came through at the end of an inauspicious week, one that saw Juan get his third reprimand for clocking in late, the answer may have come sooner than expected. Some people say to wait and think about big life changing decisions, but Juan never was that great at listening to others. The Saskatoon Wild needed a goalie, any goalie would do, and it just so happened that Juan was any goalie.