Mongoose87

8SG80449KG156983P 5 Uncapped TPE

The VHLM was the first thing I loved about the VHL. My first player, Kosmo Kramerev, had the privilege of being an inaugural draft pick of the Miami Marauders. That was a fun team. Flush with first-gens, we all learned about the league together. For many of us, it was our first time in simulated sports, so there was a lot to learn. I used the opportunity to test drive my concept of a defenseman with a focus on shooting. The results were excellent, in the M, at least, as Kosmo would rack up a team-leading 106, sixth among league defensemen. The feisty Marauders would sneak into the playoffs, counter to all expectations and then nearly upset the first seed Minnesota Storm in seven games, as Kosmo put up 18 points in a Herculean attempt to bring Miami its first ever playoff series victory. It was a bittersweet moment, as everyone knew the Marauders had been playing over their heads, but we had been so hopeful that we could make that early impact. Kosmo was drafted by the Calgary Wranglers, and I let my GM decide if I should go up or not. I almost regret that decision. Another season in Miami would've been a blast. When Kosmo's professional career was winding down and the time came to create anew, I couldn't help myself - I needed to make another D with a big shot. On a personal level, the results were outstanding. James Teekirque, my second ever player, pulled off an amazing 112 points, good for third in the league, not among defensemen, but among all players. I'm still a little insulted that Cameron Elsby took home the Ryan Sullivan Trophy (best defenseman) that season, with a mere 87 points. That kind of remarkable scoring should be rewarded. Sadly, James could not replicate Kosmo's playoff par excellence, and only saw six postseason games with the Hounds, before moving on to a wasteland in Oslo and then discovering in Davos that he was born to play forward. All in all these first two forays in the M were a blast, and a great way to kick off a new player's career. Then came Giorgiy Costanzov, goalie. I knew goalie could be an uphill battle. I never expected that part of the fight would be having two active players on my team. It was an absolute travesty. Giorgiy led the M with a disgusting 2815 save attempts. The next highest? Nearly 500 less, at 2330. Despite a save percentage of .918, good for third among eligible players, Giorgiy had, through no fault of his own, a miserable 3.19. You see, though Giorgiy had only one other active on the team, there were teams in the league icing full rosters. Despite the VHLM being our opportunity to induct new players into the league with a fun, competitive experience, instead it is squeezing them out by subjecting them to a zero parity mess. My third time in the M was such a letdown. The first two times there, it was possibly my favorite part of my players careers (jk, it was definitely winning a cup and getting my number retired by DAVID). My third was borderline insulting.

1. It's good. Conveys that it's a minor league to the VHL. What else could you need? 2. I'm partial to the Marauders, since my first player was on their inaugural team. 3. It's gotten a lot harder this season. I loved that uncap. 4. I was just finishing my last year of high school. That was a good summer. 7. Reaction Time, Hand Speed, Agility. 8. Sidney Crosby. As a great a person as he is a player.

Take Dumb Penalties Look, there's two kinds of players in this league, the players who look out for number one and the chumps. You're not a chump, are you? Good, then look out for number one. That means scoring points at any cost, so you can get your awards and that cold hard cash that's buying your depreciation fighters. If you care about scoring points, winning awards and getting paid you need to start taking as many dumb penalties as you can. Get your checking above 80. Never invest in discipline. Not only will you get recognition for your massive hit totals, but you'll score more, too. I can hear your skepticism right through your monitor. Listen, if you take dumb penalties, then you can count on your opposition scoring power play goals. That means your team will need to play from behind. That's what you want. You need your team to be pressing for points, so you get to score them. Let your chump teammates waste their time on the penalty kill. Then you step out of the box, fresh and ready to hop on your horse and do the glamorous business of getting recognized for your offensive genius, and cashing in when the offseason comes around.

1. Mystery Mouseketools, VHL edition. 3. I want to be the very best, like no one ever was. 4. Hmmmm.... has it been four years already? Jesus Christ. 6. 3-1 is a pretty insurmountable lead. So, the Nicks. 7. The late addition, an identical clone of Lee Harvey Oswald. 8. I prefer traveling by plane, but I hate everything involved before you get on the plane.

2. George Costanza. You might have heard of him. He's unemployed and lives with his parents. 3. Graphics, 100%. 4. I liked the old color scheme better. 5. The social prestige and respect from my colleagues. 6. See answer 2 7. I did it in another league. The pressure stressed the hell out of me. Never again.

Ah, okay, I misunderstood the chart.

I think you forgot to list me?

1. NGL, as a backup it was a little underwhelming. Part of the path of a G. 2. That's gotta be Fuukka. 4. How fast it went by. Felt like two days. 6. Time to prove all the doubters wrong. 8. Giorgiy's father mostly berated him for how he was handling it. 9. Knowledge.

1. More starts for Georgie Boy! 4. End the E. I'll keep saying it until it happens. 5. Solidify my starting position so I don't have to share the net again. 6. Man, I've got two little kids, I'm good. 7. Mississauga. It's only an hour away. 8. This is too vague. Is cereal a food, or do I have to pick a type? Are there health consequences?

Not holding out against you, bud. Like I said, I liked everything else you did.

Got to be honest, I really like the fantasy as it is, outside of that one time where we had to guess all the standings right at the end of last season.

3. I'm going to be putting a lot of TPE into Positude, though I might pivot to Crospucity. 4. 0118, 999, 881, 999, 119, 725...3 5. Fluffy-Puff Marshmallows 6. Personally, I don't mind a little quiet. I think you start to tune the league out of it's in your ear all the time. 7. I'm thinking Dallas and Florida. 8. I've always preferred PC, but the convenience has me on my Xbox, lately.

I know my way around a damn bracket

Really appreciate that, Bana. One of the rare occasions when sim sports gives me the opportunity to do more than just waste my own time For those who don't know, the Rainbow Railroad is an organization that brings LGBT people out of countries where their governments make it dangerous to be queer and brings them into safe countries. It's a great cause.

"Follow the rules?" Don't listen, GMs. Show your strength by continuing to break the rules until they fold a team as punishment.

72. I think BEARS GONTA CHAMPS! 74. Prince Harry. Biggest threat to the king. 75. It was goaltending. 77. The Rain City Bitch Pigeon. It's s massive bird that only comes out in the rain. 79. They were iguanas with flamethrowers attached to their heads. They were chanting "Sa-aint Geo-rge." 80. I found this mix for Chicago style deep dish pizza crust, want to to it for family pizza night this weekend.

1. I think there's a shot of making the playoffs, but I don't think the expectations will be high. 2. Seattle, no bias. 3. There's just too much historically. Who wants a whole other set of records with asterisks? 5. Yeah, I didn't think Toronto would make it to seven games. 6. Though the NFL does everything they can to squeeze the joy out of it, I do love football. 8. One continuous hole.

64. George, the Marine Biologist. Finishing move is "Easy Big Guy" where I throw a Titleist down their throat. 65. Paying $20 for beer, being boring corporate executives who don't cheer enough at games. 67. Nothing gets Giorgiy's energy back up like some hot soup with fresh bread. 68. I got a new pillow for riding the pine. 69. XL. It doesn't stand for anything. Everyone who has every been banned is welcomed back. The portal breaks within hours. Users that pay $8 a month get higher spots in lineups. 71. More people should try salads with fruit in them. Not fruit salads- regular, leafy salads with fruit. For an easy one, try spinach, strawberries, goat cheese in a Balsamic Vinegarette.

Simmer, think there's a problem with the NA teams' strats. They all seem to be set to "lose to Seattle."

Spoiler expansion team: Orlando Option 1

56. 2/10. Not a single one of these guys are dead! 57. The unfortunate reality is that to pay all of our deadline acquisitions, we had to pawn a lot of equipment. Now we only have one set of goalie gear that we have to pass back and forth. That includes the cup. 59. Have you ever seen those honey bottles that are shaped like bears? That, but not so yellow. 60. Wow, that's a little private for a press conference, don't you think? 61. It's a massive pickup truck called the Kodiak that gets the worst miles per gallon allowed by the EPA. 63.

One of my best LRs ever was with TDZ. May their memory be for a blessing.