Spartan

It's possible I guess, I only changed lines on Davos once for G7 and once for Riga after the first sim too. I don't know how many GM's actually do the mind-games thing, I've only ever done it with @Banackock and very slightly with Alex? No one else that I've noticed does funky shit with lines, though I used to really hard counter Hedge's lines on Riga when he was GM but we still had a top team. I guess it depends on if a team is doing line experiments mid-season to see what works best, then sets and forgets for the playoffs. Or conversely, you don't make changes often during the season and start to frantically try changes in the playoffs. I just don't think *that* many GMs are making moves like that to make it a 10/15/20 season potential issue of wild cards overperforming.

With even more professional evidence and effort (I searched two words with a filter) I say "nuh uh!"

I don't think @Grape calling it a retool was the right way to put it. A retool is generally what contenders who hit the cap have to go through to drop some cap, shuffle the roster but still come out with solid results. The teams you mentioned do it well, yes. Warsaw in grapes example or any of the rebuilders is just perpetual rebuild because they can't get players to buy into what they're building. Disengaged players either want out or more commonly go IA. I obviously don't know what goes on in most LRs of rebuilders, but if the same trends happen to the same teams, it paints a picture. Malmo's situation just resembles what Chicago after Jeff or LA after the Vandelay class retired, or Prague after the Jameson class retired, looked like. Some of them (Chicago) got players to buy in under Cole and they made themselves respectful. We can see where the other two teams have gotten since then. Malmo shouldn't have an issue getting players to buy in to their rebuild or retool coming up, but they have no assets for the next 2 seasons unless they commit to a rebuild with whoever isn't retiring. It's not rocket science, they'll just be worse in the EU but probably still a playoff team since the other 4 EU teams are lost in the sauce.

Yiiiiiikessss....

Even better

1. I'm the Menace GM, but I'll always hold the Aces logo near and dear to my heart after co-designing it with you and @Zetterberg back in the day. We really just threw up a shit ton of ideas and somehow made it work, super fun to have done together! 2. I try to have a mix of both. Discord for casual chatter, forum to react to folks' content and sometimes drop replies here and there (or stir the pot a little for some fun banter). 3. I'd probably say just becoming more level-headed at times of chaos or conflict. More aware of the situation and generally better at interacting with people very different fro me. Questions I suppose since I'm here 1. Did you ever strongly want to play for a specific team or GM in your past, but it just never worked out? How come? 2. If your player was given $100 and could spend a day in any city in the world, where would they go and what would they do with the money? 3. What one thing do you wish our sim engine could do? Could be something minor that's just quality of life improving, or something major like how the engine works or what the output/presentation of a game is.

Bet, we'll be in touch after our playoffs are over (as long as you're a draft prospect, I'm woefully unaware due to all my travel rn)

LMAOOOOO

@Beketov upgrade to 1.3 I've had enough of 1.1

I got to see Heavy//Hitter live this past weekend which was awesome, but this relates to the VHL because it's also what @Grape's been spending the last 24 hours calling Malmo. Pretty surprising that three series' went to 7 games, I fully expected Moscow and Davos to go the distance despite us rolling them in the regular season. I admittedly never looked around the EU in prior seasons and really considered teams as threats and chalked off playoff losses to myself just not doing a good enough job, but @Alex has consistently built solid threats over in Davos so I'll give him a nod for that. Maybe I'm just a cynic, but saw the Malmo loss coming from a mile away. Insanely talented and well-performing Victory Cup winning team gets a first round exit? That's pretty much the story for most Victory Cup winners these days. There really is something in the water for Wild Card winners and I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes a Riga/Seattle cup finals match up either. I'm not going to sit here and debate if Malmo's moves were good or bad, but their players enjoyed their season and wanted to stick together. Unless a full team is on board with a new GM coming in and dismantling a playoff roster, there's not much you can even do in that position. Make the best of it and commit to developing young players over time and avoid impulse moves without having a read on the market and league. Other than that, I'm hopeful that Moscow is still in playoffs by the time I get back home this Friday. It'd be nice to be at my own home office and be back to sleeping in my own bed after three weeks away. Right in time for the new Apex season, woohoo. Good luck Riga.

That's Victor not me, I just would chat about it somewhere in discord down the line

Have I brainwashed this guy or something Now quit shitting on other GM'S, your trade value is low enough already smh

You were eliminated from playoffs not me, we have playoffs to focus on

Very much alive panda Congrats @Alex and GG to you and Davos

All I got out of this was Woods is going to keep Woods-ing Hope life doesn't beat you up too badly, good luck with the endeavors!

You're much nicer than I'd have been if I wrote this. "Buying too soon/selling too early" are what I'd have called blatant mismanagement and shitty trading, along with the "sitting pat" equaling a GM being too lazy to engage players in a rebuild and they slowly all go IA or decline to stick around. Maybe it's hard in this era to expect 16 GMs to be able to run teams at high levels, especially sitting through tough rebuilds. But it doesn't seem like rebuilders even focus on the success of young players since they all seem to go IA or try to join a different team.

That's how you know you're getting bounced early. Moscow ain't winning shit now

Just need another Moscow stint with a skater it seems

It's definitely weird for some max earners to come to Moscow after being used to being the top dog in the last few seasons of their prior VHLers careers and in the M as well. Unless we're just starting a rebuild, you're coming in at the bottom of the totem pole. Your job is to just not be a liability and develop as much as possible. We have other people to play the main roles, and in your case being the 3D is not a glamorous role at all. But it's good to see that you've taken it well and are motivated to chase the stars ahead of you. It's funny to see the people you listed as the stars on the team and to think back to who each of these folks had to sit behind when they first joined Moscow. Ruutu and Rashford sat behind Gunner and Alone/Lewis. Obuz was 2D behind Leif Reingaard. Woods had to sit behind Obuz of course (as she sadly still does), and Mav had to learn behind Rashford/Analfist. Everyone pays the dues when they join, it just makes them better in the long run! Excited to see the jump from Harrington for next season

Bust alert

Thanks for being our backup for a couple seasons, glad we got you onto a team

1. I think it's a good sign that our performance can continue. We were doing well against the EU before the TDL, if no one made moves, we should continue doing well in theory. 2. Well if you believe in the Victory Cup curse, seeding is pretty important. We've won enough Victory Cups, I'd rather not get the 1 seed in the EU. 3. I'd nominate Pombo @samx for a made up award called "best supporting cast" if we're stealing ideas from Golden Globes awards. Great step up this season and is having a quietly fantastic season! 4. Well Satou isn't on the team yet, but in LVA he's been quiet for the most part, just focusing on his game and trying to get VHL ready. 5. Self Hell by While She Sleeps, banger and our theme for our continental cup win 6. Probably that 4 EU teams are tanking and have been tanking but their future outlook isn't getting any better. A little talked about but not enough.

0 busts woohoo