mediocrepony

Swiss Central Gazzette (Marcel's stats/Daniel's stats)
 
Our intrepid hockey exports played one game apiece. Please find without further ado the summary of same here below.
 
Marcel's Hounds performed well and took a 6-3 win in the fifth match in the series. Mississauga took an early lead in the first, winning the period 2-0. Bridgers and Lamb found the back of the net for the Ontarian team. The second period had 'Marlins' written all over it, as they drew before the second intermission. The Hounds answered with three consecutive goals by Lamb, Bushtit and Ivanovitch (PPG) to make the score 5-2. The Marlins pulled one goal back, but Janser doused any spark of hope the San Diego might have had with the final goal of the game. Lamb (2g/2a), Bushtit (1g/1a) and Bridgers (1g/1a) were named three stars of the night. Arpa (.906) had Utonium's (.860)number all night. The Hounds had a decent penalty kill (3/4) however the power play could do with some extra training (1/9).
Marcel had 1g, 1a, +2, 2 PIM (High Sticking, inconsequential to the score), 1 hit and 2sb to his name.
 
The Red Wolves also had a rebound in a 9-5 win. The first period was a thriller with a total of six goals, four of them for Istanbul and a brace for Rome. Tsarov, Wilson, Heavems and Zabastovka were successful for the Turks, the latter two in power play. In the second period Istanbul had three goals against Rome's two, with Hogan in power play, Wilson and Hogan, who profited again from a one man advantage, scoring for the Wolves. Li and Kman scored for the Turkish team, the latter taking advantage of the continued lack of discipline on Rome's side. In this game, the Byzantine Cataphracts taught the Roman Legions a lesson in efficiency as well as discipline. The three stars of the game were Wilson (2g/1a), Zabastovka (1g/2a) and Cheese (1g/1a). As the Romans outshot their Eastern rivals of old, Menace (.906) beat both Spinelli (.774) and Olson (.778). Obviously, the change in net mid-game did not have the expected effect of waking the Italian team up. The Istanbul power play was other-worldly (5/6) and their penalty kill almost perfect (5/6).
Daniel was reported with 0g, 0a, -1, 2 PIM (Hooking, no effect on the score board) and 2 hits.
 
The brothers' stats summarized read as follows:
Marcel: 5gp, 3g, 3a, 6pts, +1, 2 PIM, 3 hits, 12sb, 0 gwg, 1ppg, 0 shg
Daniel: 5gp, 0g, 0a, 0pts, -1, 12 PIM, 5 hits, 2sb, 0gwg, 0ppg, 0shg
 
We cannot help but note that Marcel is hot when it counts and has more than one point per game in the playoffs, he hardly takes penalties and puts his body on the line to help his netminder. He is in the top ten of the defenders in scoring and also in respect of shots blocked.
 
Daniel's playoff run on the other hand is rather underwhelming and he would be the first to say so himself. While Istanbul players reign supreme in some of the most important offensive charts, he is not amongst them. The only category he is to be found among the top of the league is in penalty minutes served, and this does not help his team at all. Maybe he is already too excited about his foreseeable call-up to Calgary and their success in the VHL playoffs, however he needs to focus on the present and give his all for the team he is playing for right now.
 
Please do not miss our next update, when further game results are available.
 
https://vhlforum.com/topic/113795-a-tale-of-two-brothers-inconsistent-performances/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/113906-a-tale-of-two-brothers-on-the-final-stretch/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/114044-a-tale-of-two-brothers-it-is-playoff-time/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/114148-a-tale-of-two-brothers-first-round-of-playoffs/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/114186-a-tale-of-two-brothers-facing-elimination/
GM 18: San Diego Marlins vs. Mississauga Hounds (vhlportal.com)
GM 10: Rome Gladiators vs. Istanbul Red Wolves (vhlportal.com)
 

@JardyB10
 or pink font

Swiss Central Gazzette (Marcel's stats/Daniel's stats)
 
The two young Swiss have both reached the playoffs with their respective teams. Marcel's Hounds struggle against San Diego and trail 2-0 in the series, Daniel's Red Wolves are 1-1 with one OT loss against Rome.
 
Mississauga's first playoff game in S81 was lost 7-5. It all started good, though, with Teekirque @Mongoose87 (Lamb, Arpa) opening the score with a power play goal, only 36 seconds into the playoffs. Unfortunately, the Marlins answered with three straight goals, before Janser @Morcar80 (Lamb, Bushtit) with a slap shot from the blue line during a man advantage and Lamb @dlamb (Bridgers, Teekirque) equalized the score for the first intermission. The second period went to the Californian team with 2-1. Cobberson @David Cobberson(TenIQIsGod, Marino) scored the only goal for his colours. The third period was a copy/paste of the second and Janser (McMuffin) was responsible for Mississauga's sole marker in that period, with a deflection in front of the net. The three stars went to Eklund @Ekky (1g/3a), Lamb (1g/2a) and Young @Laflamme (1g/2a). The goaltending was nothing to write home about with the edge with Utonium @fishy (.898) having the edge over Arpa (.851). The Hounds had an abysmal penalty kill (6/9) but a decent power play (2/6). It appears both teams neglected their defensive duties when at a man disadvantage.
Marcel was recorded with 2g, 0a and -1
 
The second game was lost 5-3. This time, the SoCal team was first on the board with a power play goal, but before the first intermission Lamb (Bridgers, Janser) scored during DeGroot's @rory tripping penalty to even the score one each. In the second, Teekirque (Nine, Bridgers) scored the only goal of the period and short handed to boot. Unfortunately, the Marlins came into the third hot as hell and scored four consecutive goals, three of them on a man advantage. With 2:11 minutes on the clock McMuffin @Ente2997 (Bob, Nine) with his power play goal saved some of the Hounds' dignity that was left, by ending the game on a positive note. Matthias @Underclass_Hero (1g/2a), Great @Jake Sumner(1g/1a) (one of the brothers' fellow Calgary prospect) and Xavier @Johnny_HX (1g/2a) were named three stars of the night. Again, the goaltending face off was held on a rather mediocre level, with Arpa (.881) only marginally inferior to Utonium (.893). Even more than in the previous match, the defence of either team neglected their defensive chores and let their goaltenders do the heavy lifting. The Hounds sported a 4/8 in box play which is just not good enough for a team with ambitions for the second round of the playoffs (despite their SHG). Their power play was more impressive (2/5). Or should we say the Marlins' box play was similarly inefficient as the Hounds'.
Marcel had 0g, 1a, +0 and 3sb to his name.
 

an all too common sight in this series sofar: Arpa beaten once again.
 
Daniel's Red Wolves celebrated a 5-3 win over Rome in the first match up of the series. The first period saw a brace for each team. Bonaparte @CptSquall (Zabastovka, Waffles) on a power play and Hogan @FonziGG (Power, Heavems) on even strength found the twine for Istanbul. In the second period, both teams slowed down and focussed on their defensive play. Therefore, only Tsarov @PadStack (Bonaparte, Zabastovka) was able to score and bring the Wolves in front. In the third period, Heavems @RstortonYT (Li, Hogan) extended the lead to two goals, before Rome closed the gap again. In the dying minute and in an act of desperation, Rome pulled their netminder to play 6 vs 5, but Tsarov (Zabastovka, Wilson) had different plans and crushed what little hope the Italian team may have had with an empty netter. The three stars were Tsarov (2g/0a), Zabastovka @DarkSpyro (0g/3a) and Hogan (1g/1a). In an epic goaltending battle, Menace (.927) had Olson's (.907) number. Istanbul's power play was okay (1/4) the box play has room for improvement (2/7).
Daniel was noted with 0g, 0a, +0, 2 PIM (Tripping, lead to a goal against) and 1 hit
 
The second game was lost 7-6 in sudden death. The first period was a rollercoaster with three goals for each team. Tsarov (Waffles, Zabastovka), Li @Ryan Li (Heavems, Kman) and Hogan (Heavems, Li) found the back of the net for the Red Wolves. In the second period, Istanbul had the upper hand in shots and on the score board, with three of their goals against Rome's two. Li (Heavems, Hogan), Heavems (Hogan, Kman) and Wilson @LeBron Jamezz (Waffles, Zabastovka) succeeded for the Turks. Rome was able to equalize though with the only goal in the third, which meant the teams had to go into over time, which the Italians took for them. Heavems (1g/3a), Li (2g/1a) and Hogan (1g/2a) were awarded the three stars. Menace (.881) was again the better man in net than Olson (.857), but Rome's five!!! power play goals, meant that this game was unwinnable for him. As already indicated, Istanbul's box play was nothing short of catastrophic (5/11) and the power play (0/1) was not able to offset this huge disadvantage. The even strength score was 6-1, but was thrown away by too many unnecessary penalties on which the Wolves rolled out the red carpet for the Gladiators.
Daniel had 0g, 0a, +0, 4 PIM (Hooking and Roughing, with the former leading to a goal against), 1 hit and 1sb
 
The Jansers' stats in the playoffs sofar:
Marcel: 2gp, 2g, 1a, 3pts, -1, 0 PIM, 0 hits, 3sb, 1ppg
Daniel: 2gp, 0g, 0a,  0pts, +0, 6 PIM, 2 hits, 1sb, 0ppg
 
We will update our valued readers on the progress of the playoffs in due course.
 
https://vhlforum.com/topic/113629-a-tale-of-two-brothers-goodbyes/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/113687-a-tale-of-two-brothers-a-good-start/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/113721-a-tale-of-two-brothers-final-quarter/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/113795-a-tale-of-two-brothers-inconsistent-performances/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/113906-a-tale-of-two-brothers-on-the-final-stretch/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/114044-a-tale-of-two-brothers-it-is-playoff-time/
GM 2: San Diego Marlins vs. Mississauga Hounds (vhlportal.com)
GM 6: San Diego Marlins vs. Mississauga Hounds (vhlportal.com)
GM 2: Rome Gladiators vs. Istanbul Red Wolves (vhlportal.com)
GM 4: Rome Gladiators vs. Istanbul Red Wolves (vhlportal.com)
 

User @red has been permanently banned for violations of the VHL Code of Conduct for the following:
 
1.2 - Creation of multiple accounts under
- @carl @akitsaws @susboicarlos @711 slushies @notjared @stopdonttouchmethere
 
1.4 - Harassment
- User was attempting to harass other members via DM and with forum posts.
 
1.5 - Drama, Fighting, and Trolling
- User has generated names of characters with intent to cause drama.
- User has prior been warned April 1 of violations with intent to cause drama or troll.
 
User has received warnings for behavior in the past but continues to exhibit intent to harm the community.
 
 
 

It happened! Say “hello” to Wesley!

 
@LuluSalesAway was a champ and is resting well. Thank you all for thinking of us ❤️!
 
#thaddydaddy

 

As arguably the quickest player in the VHLM, Halifax's blueliner Ryuji Sakamoto is rapidly developing a reputation as a guy with speed to burn. "He's like Quicksilver in that X-Mans movie where he saves everyone from the bomb and eats a sandwich during it," one teammate quipped. "Ryuji's already the fastest guy on this team, and it's not even close. I'd love to see him in a VHLM skills competition next year, to see where he ranks against the rest of the league; I'd bet on him to win a footrace against any other player in the league."
 
Most scouts agreed leading up to the Declared Free Agent period, but there was also the question of what else Sakamoto might bring to the table, whether this season or next. "He's remarkably fast, and I've seen some definite growth in his defensive game, but that's not gonna get anyone very far. Looking toward the VHLM draft, I'd be surprised if he's picked in the first 2 rounds. A super fast shut down defenseman? The VHLM likes players who bring offense to the table."
 
Once he suited up for the 21st, however, Sakamoto showed there's more to his game than his speed. In 16 games with the lowly Halifax squad, Sakamoto put up 4 goals, 6 assists, and a -3 rating, with all of the goals coming with the man advantage. He also threw 18 hits and blocked 25 shots on goal. It's worth noting that he has no prior ice hockey experience, and that his transition to the VHLM was more of a curiosity than a career goal. 
 
"It's a small sample size, to be sure, but right now, he's making me eat crow," a General Manager for a VHLE franchise said, under condition of anonymity. "We try to keep a close eye on whose coming up, of course, and when you hear about some kid who is all speed and nothing else, your immediate reaction is probably to roll your eyes. But Sakamoto has made good progress and has been an immediate contributor for Halifax. If he ends up being a defensively-responsible player at even strength and a power play specialist, there's definitely room for him at any level, be it the VHLM, VHLE, or the VHL."
 
"His speed is elite for his level, no question about it," a veteran VHL head coach added. "I've had some players over the past few seasons who wouldn't be able to keep up with him. I know he's gaining a reputation for having a temper, so I expect his strength and hitting to start showing themselves before too long, but the real question about Ryuji Sakamoto is, 'what comes next?'."
 
For Ryuji's part, he doesn't know where his career will take him, what skills he will ultimately develop, or even care what other people say. "Shitty adults can say whatever they want. My job is to play hard and prove them wrong, day after day after day. Whether that means I put up 100 points in a season or 10, I'm going to do what I want to do, and how I want to do it." 
 
 

I'm not quite sure if this has ever been done before, there's always a first though so.
 
 
The @VHLE Commissioners wanted to thank @samxfor the work they've put into GMing the Geneva Rush in the E and helping migrate the team to the new league.
I'll speak for the @VHLM Commissioner s and thank @Minionfor all the work they've put in for the Halifax 21st. 
 
 
We wanted to congratulate @samx for becoming the new(old) GM of the Halifax 21st. 
At the same time we would like to congratulate @Minion for becoming the new GM of the Geneva Rush.
 
Both are great GMs and are valuable assets to the league. I'm glad we're not losing either one. So yes, we're switching GMs around between leagues. 

so im sure alot of you know me as a happy face around the league, I really alot like that in person too, normally but not lately. so I thought I would say this stuff I just need to, I think it may help me truely understand what is happening, once again its nots happy or anything.
 
When I was about seven I moved from my old town to where I am now when I got here everyone bullied me, I couldn't make friends, I couldn't leave my house on my own because it was that bad, it got better with time but its still a thing I deal with as anybody else, I use to get pushed in snow, sat own, made fun of for my speech impediment, it made me mate my face, my voice, myself. I started getting angry with everyone and everything I was a really bad person to be around, I became what I hated a bully. so I went to therapy, this is were I was told about my ADHD and things like that, by this point I was in grade six, life was rough but good. so life said fuck that, my dad would go to prison for assault that spring, at this time my day was my world, I cried for days and smiled at school though the hardest pain in my life, I was still in therpy but I also joined a program called strive which its meant for helping students with this stuff, by the fall of grade eight, I was free (I thought) I left therapy and felt great,  their was something I started to see but It didn't mean anything yet I was really good with talking to new people or people one on one at the time no big deal I still had my best friend, who left the summer beteewn grade seven and eight this broke me really bad again but I stayed strong, I told myself I was okay, grade eight started and nobody in the school would talk to me at all, it wasn't normal, I found out shortly before covid somebody started spreading a bad rumour about me, I was alone.
 
covid would hit that month and I would return to that school instead I started grade nine, grade nine was bad not just with covid, that was the year I was told by my doctor I need help again, I have social anxiety, I cant even really order food or go shopping with out having an attack schools is rough too but I just but a smile on. my day also got out of prison that year but i chose not to speaking to him as i belive he is unhealth for me, he does heavy drugs and is crazy. fallowing grade nine I was in a dark place but somebody who I love even now pulled me out of it, she was their for me helped me, cared for me. then like everyone else, left me, she moved to the other side of canada, and I was once more in a dark place, my anxiety getting worse and worse, I always feel alone, I fight with my family a lot, I fell left, unliked, and just sad all the time, I try so hard to smile everyday but it gets harded and harded, I feel worse and more left out every day like nobody gets me, The VHL is honest what I spend all my time on now, It make me happy.  I need to figure out whats next and I think this is first, no Im not leaving I need this place more then anything, I dont feel alone here. but I do need a next step and I dont know what that is, I think its talking about it and accepting its their, but I dont know if I can do more therapy, I dont know just typing this made me realize how little I know about myself I put everyone else before me, maybe I don't know who I am again (IDK)
But thanks for reading this, it felt great just typing this. this is me under my shell I keep locked.

I’ve been covering the VHL for the last couple of months, but I finally realized something. Something is odd about every single player in the VHL, VHLE, and VHLM. I’ve seen hundreds of players be slammed into the ice at high velocity speeds and be crushed into the boards with immense force, but not once, not even one time, have I ever seen a player be injured in a VHL hockey game. Now, one may say that this is just due to luck, but I think not. The probability behind that is borderline impossible. In fact, there is a far better explanation for why no VHL player ever gets injured. That’s right, it’s not that every player in the VHL doesn’t get injured because they are extremely durable or that they are just extremely lucky, it’s that they are all robots! 
 
       People will call me a conspiracy theorist, a madman, a crazed maniac, but they are all wrong. In fact, I am the only one that understands the truth behind this robot-filled league. Tell me this, have you ever seen the insides of a VHL player? No, right? That’s no coincidence, it’s because they would never let you see inside of them. And do you know why? That’s right! It’s because all that is inside of them is mechanical parts and gears. “But Lemon Man, they can’t be robots because they don’t shoot lasers out of their eyes!” you all say. Now, I was almost fooled by this truth, and it is extremely convincing,  but then I realized it. The ice rink provides a perfect cooling effect for the robot body of these players, causing them to cool during practice and in games and thereby shutting down their laser systems. Through these simple facts, it is clear to me and should be clear to all of you, the VHL is full of robots, and I personally cannot stand by it.
 
       In order to solidify my argument, I had an interview with VHLM star Marshall Maxx and asked him a hard hitting question: “Are you a robot?” And in response he responded with a simple “No.” before walking away quickly, as if he was trying to hide something. Now, you may think that this is how a normal person would respond to this question, but I think not. No, this is what a robot would answer to this question in order to try to hide their identity as a robot! To be completely honest, I was not convinced of my theory before my interview with Marshall, but his answer solidified my argument completely and made it entirely clear that the VHL is full of robots. 
 
       It is fully clear that every single player in the VHL, VHLE, and VHLM is definitively a robot. We need to rise up as a community and get to the bottom of this mystery. Anyone that disagrees with this is also most likely a robot, in fact, maybe everyone is a robot. Maybe I am a robot. Beep boop.
 
Word Count: 505
Claiming for Week of 1/2

Hello, VHL...
 
With the conclusion of the regular season upon us, I think now is the right time to talk about the conclusion of something different. That being...
 
...that this will be my last season as Davos' GM.
 
I was (controversially) originally brought on in January of 2020, meaning that at the end of the playoffs, I will have served the league (somewhat) faithfully for just about exactly 2 years. This will also be my first time not being a GM of some sort since April of 2019, when I became the first GM of the Mississauga Hounds. I know that this will come as a surprise to some of you, but I have given this a great deal of thought on my own time and think it's the best decision to make for myself and for the league. Bear with me, because I'm going to try to address whatever I can about it in this post.
 
FAQ:
 
Why?
This is an interesting question, and it has a few answers.
Davos will be hit hard with retirement, and I don't have the heart to deal with it. We've had some not-fun times with me here, including S70-71 when we set the record for most consecutive seasons in last place (which wasn't really my fault) and S74-79 (I think?) when we underperformed and rebuilt (which kinda was my fault). While we're a playoff team now, I don't have the same enthusiasm for turning things around that I did then. It might be possible to make it work, but I've asked myself whether I see myself working to do that and I really don't. Hopefully we get someone who will! I haven't lived up to the hype. This by itself isn't a reason to step down--the reason is mostly represented in the first point--but I was meant to be the savior of the franchise and things didn't work out that way. I will always think it's more important that everyone had fun, but with one failed attempt to compete gone and another probably gone unless some playoff magic comes out of nowhere, I also think it's unfair to the league that a consistently underperforming team has the same GM for eternity. The league and I are moving in different philosophical directions. This actually isn't about the VHLE. Everyone's also aware of the whole meta thing, and it's more about that. I'm not here to criticize anyone for going along with it, but it's another "do I see myself doing this" situation where the answer is no. I am NOT saying that I want any replacement to try to make Davos a meta team--in fact, I very much do not want that--but I find the idea of running a team less fun when "this is what I want to do" is very different from "this is what I should be doing if I want to win a championship". Like the second point, this is a very minor issue for me in relation to the first, so please don't make me "that guy who left over the meta" or anything. Just something I find worth mentioning. I don't like that I'm saying any of the above, but I've had this on my mind for weeks and I think it's the most fair explanation of my thoughts.
 
Are you going inactive?
No. In fact, I hope I stay as active as always in the future.
 
Do you want to GM again?
I hope I do at some point, and at that point I hope I'm hired! Right now, I just need a break.
 
Are you leaving the BoG?
No, you can't get rid of me that easily. I like arguing too much.
 
 
A few (alright, quite a few) shoutouts to people who have made my time as GM fun:
 
@Berocka: I cannot possibly make a list without putting you on top. I don't like to speak in absolutes, but you are my best friend in this league. Thank you for putting up with all of my bullshit, and thank you for always being there to talk. It's been great working with you almost from Day 1 and I hope we'll do some other cool stuff in the future.
 
@Ahma: It's no secret that you LOVE Davos, and I'm amazed by your ability to stand by this team through thick and thin. Thank you for your loyalty, and also for reminding me to care when I start to lose it.
 
@WranglersSuck, @Banackock, @Darth Kaprizov, @Tyler, @KC15, and @JardyB10: to the rest of the active members of the current roster, hi! I know this comes on short notice, but thank you so much for getting Davos where it is today and making it a wonderful place to be. Best of luck!
 
@Brrbisbrr, @McWolf , @Laine, @FrostBeard, @Grape, @Snussu, @samx, and probably a whole lot of others I'm missing: you were the people who made the past 12 (yes, 12!) seasons fun as players. I hope you're doing well, whatever you're up to.
 
@Doomsday, @Renomitsu, @Esso2264 , @DoktorFunk, @diamond_ace , and especially @GlowyGoat (if you ever see this): you never played for me, but you still showed up to our server because you wanted to. I appreciate this endlessly and consider you my friends.
 
To the @VHL GM crew: some of you have given me advice, some of you have given me some respectful negotiations, some of you I've never really interacted with on a GM level. But none of you have ever made me feel unwelcome, even when I wasn't making the smartest moves, and I think that's great.
 
@Commissioner: I haven't talked to you about this, so I'd like to apologize again for the zero-notice thing. But here's the announcement. Thanks for keeping things running for all of us! If you'd like to talk to me about the next GM, feel free to do so; if you'd rather make the decision on your own, I respect that as well.
 
To anyone else I missed, and to many others I'd like to tag here but won't because the reasons don't really connect to my time as a GM: thank you for being you.
 
 
This isn't an easy post to make, but I've been hesitating to make it for a while now and it's time to push the button.
 
But before I do...
 
DAVID

VHLM Receives:
@samx
 
VHLE Receives: 
@Minion
 
This trade has been accepted by all parties and does not need further league approval.  
 

yooo just got java 3 days ago

Congrats, winners *sniffle*

What a Christmas season. I'm always amazed by the generosity of our community. Nicely done to everyone who donated, and thanks for the participation and attention from those that were unable to. The results from the charity drive are amazing.
 
The last loose end to tie up is the 12 Days of Christmas Raffle. Every day, you dutifully logged in, said hello, and got entered into the grand raffle.
 
As explained in the rules, we've got a lot of winners:
I used Google's Random Number Generator to pull a number of Josh's crazy spreadsheet that organized all the entries. You can view the streams here, here, and here if you don't believe me, but don't waste 15 mins of your life watching and listening to me fumbling around a spreadsheet.
 
So, here are the winners!
 
Tier 1:
You win:
 
Tier 2:
You win:
 
Tier 3:
You win:
 
Tier 4: THE GRAND CHAMPION
You win:
 
Thanks to everyone who participated. The 12 Days raffle is always my favourite because it's an "activity" check of sorts. We had 186 unique users participate in this bonanza. That's fantastic, what a big number. I'm proud of you, proud of us, and happy for all the winners.
 
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Good Riddance 2021, let's all have a great 2022 ✌️ 

Was a great effort by them, well done... told you, you will pick up points given time
 

Hello friends & Jardy, today I am here to announce that the next edition of the Victory Hockey League minecraft server will be setup and ready to join on January 3rd 2022.
 
This time around, we will have anti-griefing and various QoL plugins installed to start off.
 
This version of the server will be Java 1.18.1, meaning you need the JAVA EDITION of minecraft to join the server.
 
This thread will be updated with the ip when the server is released, and everyone who reacts to this message will be notified via a ping on the discord!
 
 
IP: 54.39.250.227:25574
 
 

I love how this thread devolved (evolved?) into color theory

orange. the answer is orange

As you are all aware, @ajwllmsn was caught updating for other members, and for the league side of things, he has received his punishment already. What remained to be seen was how this would be handled from the perspective of the VHLM, as he was the GM of the Las Vegas Aces. He had been suspended from the role until the final ruling was in place. @McWolf  and I were largely torn on this - on one hand, this was absolutely a large enough infraction to be considered fire worthy, but outside of this particular incident, AJ was a bright spot among the new members of the league. Basically he did many things right, but one thing very wrong, and so it fell to us to implement a punishment befitting the crime. 
 
After talking with all the directly affected parties per our final decision: AJ is fired from the role of GM of Vegas. However, he is certainly among the pool of applicants for future openings, and should he learn from this, it'll likely just be a bump in the road for him in the long term. We've seen firsthand how little a punishment can affect a good member in the long run *cough @Beketov cough* and so we suspect this will not hinder him going forward. In fact, he's landed somewhat on his feet already...
 
As it's close to playoffs, which is always an awkward time for a new GM to start in a role, and the current AGM of Vegas is a veteran member who is familiar with Vegas' setup at the moment and the inner workings of the VHLM: @MubbleFubbles will be taking over the role. (Don't worry those of you who might be looking for a job with apps, there will be one coming up soon, unrelated to this post). This leaves the AGM position open, which will go to AJ. Reminder that AGM is not a job, does not inherently come with job pay, and is in no way a guarantee to future promotions or the like, but this does put AJ among promising candidates heading forward. Obviously when a whole body of work is taken into account for future hires, this incident will be a negative for him and he's not likely to be the absolute first candidate on the page for the immediate next job, but he is definitely still on the list. Who knows, it may even be a future iteration of Vegas in particular, given the M's historical turnover rate.



*No, we do not expect everyone will be pleased with this ruling, but there was a wide range of opinions and that would be impossible. Instead we focused primarily on what McWolf and I in particular thought, obviously with some input from blues/mods/etc as pertained to the larger league ruling, and we were both somewhat in the middle. This seemed fair - he loses the job, a player of his earn rate loses the immediate job TPE going forward and will have to do a little more each week until earning his way back into a spot, but he's not blackballed or anything of that nature. If he's learned, it's ultimately not much in the long run, but it's hefty enough in the short run.

I should be more clear: the way it’s taught is bullshit. Kids are taught that the opposite side of the wheel are either complimentary colours or opposites. Those can’t both be true and generally neither is true. They certainly don’t compliment each other but if you take blue out of an image the image becomes more yellow, not more orange, so they can’t be opposites either.
 
In general the colour wheel is just a good way of showcasing the warm / cool sides of the spectrum and how you get between them. Colours on opposite ends of the wheel don’t necessarily represent anything in relation to each other.

and
and
 
Seriously, I might as well just copy and paste what Beav and Quik said in theirs. For real, I pulled the classic blue move of “go away for a few weeks and lose the drive to come back.” Someone else on the brink of retirement gave me the lightbulb moment when they said they “were actively avoiding logging in” and I was like, “igen, that’s me, that's a red flag.” I mentioned a bit about December’s hectic ‘goodbye tour’, but that started as a weekend away. And turned into a week. And then another end. And here we are at the end of another week, still barely active. Time to make it official, I can't do the job to the standards that this league deserves anymore.
 
The VHL was the right place, the right people, and the right project for me at the right time of my life. I’m so proud of almost two years I’ve been a part of this community. From my humble beginning as an AGM, to my work on the WJC, to bringing a voice of reason to the BoG, and then finally becoming the tyrannical overlord for the last six months, it’s been a ride. More important than job titles and responsibilities, though, are the friends made along the way. I’ve been so fortunate to spend time with so many different groups. I broke in with the League folks early days; the 9-5 crew last year was a bumpin’ gang of people who were definitely supposed to be working remotely but were on discord all day; my S72-74 Miami LR, because you always remember your first; the Jackbox party team were the best because that was a game my crap technology could actually handle (unlike Golf With Friends which I swear melted my laptop); the Chess Club, which was so much fun; the podcasting friends, both those that I actually met and podcasted with face-to-face and the people who feel like friends because I hear you talking to me regularly. Everyone here is a “best people around” even if you aren’t old, or a boy, or in the club.
 
I dunno what my legacy will be here, but I’m intensely proud of the work we’ve all accomplished in the last six months. The moderation team did an unbelievable job of codifying our rights and responsibilities as members, and I’m happy to be a part of that. The VHLE was implemented while I was blue, so that may or may not be on the ‘positive’ side of the ledger for you. I’ve always been a community organizer, a volunteer manager, a policy and good governance of large social groups wonk, and so I got a lot out of being a commissioner. It was fun for me in the same way writing academic essays is fun for me (seriously, I got to help write a few uni papers for a friend this month and it made me long so much for uni). I needed a new project that kept me in the community organizing world since I left my old one behind in Canada. Blue was a job that kept me sharp professionally, engaged and entertained personally, and allowed me to give back to a community that gave me so much during the pandemic.
 
On top of all that, I’ve got a new appreciation for the work of the commissioners. They tell you that your job description is to do, quote, “everything”, and it’s accurate. The blues are the HR department, managing all our staff; they’re our spreadsheet hockey organizers, responsible for creating and enforcing rules, training new GMs, settling disputes between our squabbling children; we’re community organizers who work hard to make sure there’s a wealth of positive experiences and activities to keep people entertained and engaged; and, commissioners are just generally firefighters, dealing with the unexpected problems that come up when dealing with 200+ incredibly diverse humans all existing in the same space. I was even the lucky blue that didn’t have to sim, so add that daily responsibility on top of all the above, and you’ve got the day-to-day VHL life of Bek and Josh. Holy shit they do a lot. Make sure to hug a blue and call your parents today.
 
Life changes, and we’re allowed to (and it’s important for us to) change and grow along with it. I’m old now, I can look back and see a number of distinct chapters in my life. Each has a starting and an ending, and each leads - not always immediately - to a new chapter. That could be a new job, a new city, moving away to uni, starting or ending a relationship, or joining or leaving an online community. That’s okay! I’m working through now how to thread those chapters together, how to make an active choice of what and who to bring from a closed chapter to a new one. My VHL chapter taught me a lot of things. It reignited my passion for writing which - ugh, I hate the idea of this but love the practicality - I’m trying to monetize on UpWork. I got to dust off my photoshop skills after 10+ years of stagnating on a back shelf of my brain, and PS is one of those things you can’t really do unless you have a project like creating VHL graphics. As my relationship was deteriorating, the league gave me a place to safely retreat to so I didn’t feel so sad and alone. I got to podcast! I always wanted to do that, but never had a purpose or a thought so interesting that the world needed to hear it. I learned and practiced what diversity looks and sounds like in the 2020s, which was extra important as I lived first in the aggressively heteronormative small town in northern Ontario and then in the aggressively heteronormative country of Hungary. The VHL kept me hip to what the kids are rappin’ to these days, yo. I know that when a student tells me they love to play League, I should ask what their “main” is (and they get so damn excited that I can speak their lingo). These are all skills and experiences that I now have, that are now a part of me, that will come with me on the rest of this crazy journey through life. 
 
I’m forever thankful that this chapter of my life happened, that so many of your names appear in my daily journals, and that we could all be there for each other during these “unprecedented times”. 
 
So, that’s it for me. My day to day life in Europe just doesn’t have the required space and energy to adequately do the blue job anymore. It’s not fair to you to have 50% of a commissioner, and it’s not fair to me to carry the guilty burden of not meeting the responsibilities I signed up. I’ve said in a few places, I took this job literally the morning of my last full day in Canada before I had my coffee and immediately when it was offered. With more time to think it through, I probably wouldn’t (shouldn’t?) have done it knowing all the change that was coming in my life. The time zone meant that I wasn’t active at the same time as most of my friends, which takes out a lot of the fun from the league. Since covid doesn’t exist in Hungary (lmao fuck), I wasn’t spending time sitting at a computer long enough to participate in actual discord conversations anymore or to deal with things in a timely manner. 
 
And, I’m not gone. I’ll still be on the forums. I’ll be on discord probably as much as I have been the last two months (ie: not enough). If we hang out and chat, it’ll be as friends catching up on life and not likely sim hockey fans debating the merits of drafting first overall Vasile Lamb or Tavish MacGroot (don’t blow up this chance, go for the demoman).
 
So, it’s been a ride. Keep on keepin’ on. Bring joy to someone’s life. Remember to think of things you’re thankful for. Hug your loved ones. Be kind to yourself and treat yourself the way you would your best friend. In the immortal words of bigAL: “don’t be a dick.”
 
✌️ & ❤️
 

Scrabble Grapple is happy to announce the newest member of the team Poopy Peepants. @JardyB10

and
and
 
Seriously, I might as well just copy and paste what Beav and Quik said in theirs. For real, I pulled the classic blue move of “go away for a few weeks and lose the drive to come back.” Someone else on the brink of retirement gave me the lightbulb moment when they said they “were actively avoiding logging in” and I was like, “igen, that’s me, that's a red flag.” I mentioned a bit about December’s hectic ‘goodbye tour’, but that started as a weekend away. And turned into a week. And then another end. And here we are at the end of another week, still barely active. Time to make it official, I can't do the job to the standards that this league deserves anymore.
 
Oh well, it happens. I wrote a eulogy, an explanation, a reflection to go along with this, but this isn't the place to do that. Check that heartfelt look back here.
 
So long, and thanks for all the fish.
 
✌️ & ❤️

1. Same thing I do every season, Pinky: try to take over the world.
 
2. Silently go back to the locker room and give my coach a firm handshake.
 
3. I'll probably go in the late second round.
 
4. James Teekirque is never naughty!
 
5. First they came for the multis and I said, "Good, screw multis."
 
6. Very pleased, so far.

When I did my last case swap on sim box I used a case with 5 fan slots plus a new cooler that obviously contains a fan. Since this time the fans have been set to red because only 3 of them were RGB and red fans were what I had available otherwise.
 
HOWEVER I received for Christmas a pack of 3 more RGB fans which means the cooler fan and the front fans can now be RGB as well, fully colouring all 6 fans in the case / cooler. Now sim box is old and therefore doesn’t have an RGB header which means I can’t go full unicorn vomit (I wouldn’t want to anyway) BUT I can select from a range of colours to have all the fans be the same. That’s where you all come in.
 
Changing it frequently is a pain because it’s done with a physical remote in the back of my case but since I’m putting new fans in anyway this is the perfect time to change it up and therefore I want the VHL community to decide what flavour their sims come in. Whatever is highest by the time I put the new fans in wins.
 
Relatively mediocre showcase of the colour options