Lefty_S

It’s also important to consider the negatives of the affiliate experience. I’m auto-12 in the SBA and created a player there a while ago that I just have no interest in. I’ve got no problem with the SBA and I like a lot of its members—and I do sort of wish I cared a bit more. Even though I have to do literally zero work, my player is inactive because I just don’t ever think about doing the stuff and don’t have any enthusiasm for it if I do. 
 
I spent about a year actually invested in the EFL and had lots of fun there, so I’m very pro-affiliate in general. But I think there should be some questioning how we can get people to actually care that they’re in an affiliate league. Unfortunately, I’ve been on both ends of that and don’t know. I think my EFL time lined up nicely with all the time I had to skip virtual classes and hate myself over COVID and I just don’t have that time now that there are actual responsibilities in my life. But that can’t be all of it because I know there are lots of people who make affiliate leagues work well for them on limited time. I think we should look into the ways that the affiliate system works for those who use it and whether anyone who’s involved has ideas about how it could be more interesting. 

I'll start with your last sentence and go backwards - we are affiliated with the PBE for a vhl.com replacement with their PT.
 
The EFL is actually a really good example of what happens when a league is predominantly made up of affiliate users. There's no core userbase and therefore limited members willing to step up and fill roles when needed. We're just starting to feel a bit of that impact here in the VHL with limited job applicants who don't already have multiple roles already. If someone can cap out easily by claiming half their tasks from the SBA, why would they ever get involved as a GM here? Why would most of the league ever really interact in LRs if its not their main league. That's why affiliate users are nice to fill up leagues, but I find that relying on them to make up the majority of the league just causes operational problems.

uwu?

For the second time today, hello!
 
We were very excited to welcome two new VHLM GMs today and felt that we should keep the party going with a second announcement. Last season, @Gustav  and I made two significant changes to the workings of the VHLM - increasing VHLM GM pay from 2 TPE to 4 TPE, and changing up the draft pick holding rules to prevent unhealthy asset management in a league oriented towards development and retention. We promised to increase the quality of the VHLM GM experience, but last season felt more like we were restricting our GMs as to what they could and couldn't do.
 
Today, we'd like to announce our largest change yet - a completely revamped waiver process and system that is now fully run through the portal. That's right! VHLM GMs no longer have to post offers into waiver threads or constantly lurk the forums in order to secure a new player. This system also puts the decision-making process into the hands of the newly created player with a simple yet informative UI thanks to the work of @Dil. Here's what new creates will see immediately after creating their player:
 

(Data and teams are from S80 for testing and demonstration purposes)
 
We chose elements for this page based on what we felt were the most important aspects of a team that influence a player's decision. All the teams will be sorted by standings, and the # of players per team is also visible. This should allow users to have a better understanding of the situation they're walking into. Using the screenshot above, a new center would see that some of the top teams could use a third line center, but Las Vegas is the best team that can offer them a top 6 role. We hope that this new UI will give enough information to new creates without overwhelming them in a sea of data points.
 
To add a bit more of a personal touch from the GM along with more information on a potential player's fit on the team, we've given VHLM GMs the ability to write (and update via Team Management) a pitch and projected position that new creates can choose to read when picking between teams:

(Sample text for what a new user would see)
 
Once a new create chooses a team, they will be redirected into a forum DM created between the new create, the team GM and the team AGM if the team has one. This will alert the team's management that a new create would like to join the team so that they can begin interacting with the new user, invite them to the team LR and get them signed to a contract. The automated DM will also include helpful links to forum content such as the TPE Guide and the Updated Build Guide. As many have mentioned before, new creates sometimes simply never venture into the forum or feel like the forum is too difficult to navigate in terms of finding relevant and helpful content. This new process both redirects new users to the forum and presents them with resources to begin their VHL journey on the right path.
 

 
Finally, this system can be modified at the discretion of the VHLM Commissioners. Based on the league population and positional data, we can change what we consider to be "full" teams, and increase/decrease the threshold for a team's position to display as favorable or unfavorable. This system will also be deactivated from the start of the playoffs until the conclusion of the VHLM Draft. Any creates during playoffs or the offseason will need to be signed via written pitch in their new create thread, as was the common practice.
 
---
 
We're very excited to see this new system in action for S86 and hope that it improves the overall experience for new VHL users. Expect to see various VHLM rule changes being announced in the coming days as we transition the VHLM rulebook away from the old waiver system, and remove rules largely created to incentivize GMs making written pitches to new players. As always, please let us know if you have any questions or feedback!
 
@VHLM GM
@VHLM Commissioner

you can read any of this?

Guys, we helped the fish.
 

 
Next time focus on what is more important ok?
 

The most difficult thing I've done in the VHL is to stop posting boobs. If I can do that, other users can stop being asshats to each other. FFS, please. 

Bro get over it, you got to waste 1.5 irl years making up BS player brands for players you didn't have (and then copy pasting it to EFL) all so you could get 2 TPE/month for your mid at best SBA players
 
Jokes on all 3 leagues for letting you get away with that shit, now jokes on you for being triggered that they did the right thing
 
Yeah that's a pretty accurate description of yourself

The Sun Gazzette is beginning a new monthly column that will cover the new playing career of Steve Lattimer, who has recently joined the VHL. Beat reporter Michael J. Smith will be sitting down with Lattimer every month in his hometown of Mooselookmeguntic, Maine. 
 
Smith: So you decided to join the league?
Lattimer: I did. For reasons that are only adjacently related to the VHL itself. I basically was forced to join the league for all intents and purposes, and I'm none too happy about it if I'm being honest. That being said, I'm here, so it is what it is.
 
Smith: Wait, what?
Lattimer: Yeah, I know. Stupid rules breed stupider behaviors, so here we are. I'd wax poetic about how stupid some of these people are who are forcing these kinds of activities, but I'd rather not because I already feel like they're out to get me either way. It's amazing how people can think that they're above reproach when in reality they're probably just really shitty human beings.
 
Smith: Okay well I won't press on that but maybe I'll come back to that topic. So what exactly are your aspirations in the VHL?
Lattimer: To have a player that's as active as I necessarily need to be, that's it. No more, no less. I plan on doing the bare minimum. What that means, I actually have no idea since I've never been in the VHL before.
 
Smith: So what does that mean in practice?
Lattimer: It means that I'll sign with whichever General Manager, it doesn't matter to me. Whichever team, doesn't matter to me. I'll make virtually no effort whatsoever. If someone wants to lead me to water, I'll click a few buttons maybe but that's it. I'll have no personal investment in this league, won't spend any time on the forums, etc. Like I said, it is what it is. About the most effort I plan on expending is sitting down with you, Michael.
 
Smith: Okay, so what's next?
Lattimer: I guess I need to sign with a team? I'll sign with anyone. I guess as of this interview I've already had a few people reach out. I'll tell them what I'm telling you right now, in fact I'm going to point them to this interview. They can DM me on Discord which is my preferred communication channel, and we can talk there. I plan on just signing immediately and not being involved in much at all. My discord contact information is: davesport5#3011 You can pass that along.
 
This wraps up our first edition of our monthly column with Steve Lattimer, newly minted member of the VHL.

Captain - Tater Tottingham @Trunkxolotl
Tater Tottingham was our third overall pick in this last season's draft and was also recently appointed as the team's AGM for Season 85 so will undoubtedly be a big locker room presence this season!
 
Alternate Captain - Jani Karppinen @ShawnGlade
Jani Karpinnen was taken fourth overall in the VHLE Draft and, with his max capping potential, should prove to be a valuable player for the Vikings this season!
 
Alternate Captain - Mr Duk @Lefty_S
When Mr Duk steps onto the ice next game, they will break Stockholm's all-time appearance record and they need only two goals to break Aldwin Craig's all-time goals record for the franchise, here's hoping for a winning sendoff for Mr Duk. 
 
 
 

tbh when one side wants to remove human rights there really can't be a middle ground

tbh when one side wants to remove human rights there really can't be a middle ground

tbh when one side wants to remove human rights there really can't be a middle ground

tbh when one side wants to remove human rights there really can't be a middle ground

A fetus is not a baby. It is unable to survive outside the womb before at least 22 weeks and even at that point it's incredibly unlikely it will survive. An organism that requires a host is not a baby, it's a parasite.
 
Now that's not saying that fetus' are parasites, that's obviously a stretch, but it's no more of a stretch than saying they are babies. They cannot survive at that stage and frankly do not deserve extra protection to do so especially in situations where they were not wanted or are not viable. Making it out that arguing for women's rights = arguing for murder doesn't help anything.

My wife's a pediatrician who also does a lot of public health work in maternal and child health. And being in Minneapolis, she gets a lot of people from the Dakotas in particular because healthcare protection for women's and reproductive health there has already been stripped to the bone. This ruling will ratchet that up to 11. And for many people who can't easily drive 4 hours just to see a doctor who can legally see you, especially the heavy indigenous population out there, they're absolutely fucked. It's an instant public health crisis for absolutely no good reason (or less charitably, shitty fringe evangelical reasons), in the middle of a completely separate ongoing pandemic.
 
Realize: Today's ruling won't prevent abortions. Today's ruling will prevent safe abortions, where people can see actual doctors and learn the options that are best for them. All the Supreme Court is doing is limiting help that can be given to people who really need it in the most vulnerable times of their lives.
 
I'm glad you were able to get out being pissed and scared, being pissed and scared right now is we should be. But I do take some comfort in seeing just how many people realize this is bullshit.
 
(North Dakota's only abortion provider in Fargo had already made moves to set up shop across state lines in Minnesota in anticipation, but they haven't completed the move yet. If anyone wants to help, here's their Twitter with more info.)

hi vhl,
 
i really want to talk about the overturning of roe v wade and gen chat is not the place for it. so here i am
 
roe v wade was a case that legalized the right to abortion in the united states. the supreme court has overturned this ruling, which means that states are now allowed to ban abortions
 
i ... don't even know how to describe what i'm feeling. i'm angry and really, really scared. the ruling effectively said that they're going to try to go after other rulings of similar import (e.g., legalizing same-sex marriages and relationships, contraceptives, etc.).
 
as a queer person with a uterus it's so scary to watch as the people who are supposed to protecting me are actively stripping me of rights right now, and people are.. happy about it? i'm 23 years old, and i feel like there's no hope for me to gain any rights in this country, let alone even maintain them. it's horrifying
 
i saw the ruling this morning and i had no idea what to do with myself. i can't call my parents, who are both anti-abortion and certainly not avid supporters same-sex marriages and relationships or contraceptives. my friends are at work, my partner on vacation, and i just felt so trapped. it's terrible
 
so yeah, i'm opening up this space for other people to be pissed and scared

Qak

Hi,
 
To some peoples happiness I'm stepping down from Vancouver. I've already accomplished pretty much everything I wanted to as a GM, and just don't really have the motivation to put in the effort to make Vancouver continue to succeed. I'd like to thank the Blues for giving me the job, and all the people in Vancouver who worked to make the team what it was over the past 4 seasons. 
 
As my last act, I'd like to retire Henry Tucker's number 88. Congrats NSG
 
Peace

qak (accept)

I love that this has brought out the old man in you. “It’s always worked fine before, why are we changing going things”
 
This isn’t sarcasm, I’m actually serious haha.

A cautious note, you don't have to be a girl to understand that being a dick isn't ok. While I'm sure that you're less than pleased that there isn't someone that identifies as a girl on the staff team, it'd be unfair to say that they don't care about a girl's perspective or experiences and take them seriously. 

I support this movement.

Hey guys, does everyone remember that quik’s birthday was worth an uncapped tpe? Well quik is not commish anymore, therefore we are being scammed of 1 huge uncapped tpe per year. Thats unacceptable! Since @bigAL is technically the commish that replaced quik I suggest that we get a free tpe on his birthday.
 
reveal your birthday @bigAL so we can know we are not missing it!