Bobo

congrats to all! we can finally draft

professional ahh graphic

never never.

dm2 is here. DONT SLEEPPPPP

yessir.

just re made

Don't Snooze on Alfred Champagne This Draft, and here’s why: Every draft in the VHL, there seems to be a sleeper. Whether that’s a player with a lesser known user, lack of experience and playing time, or low activity. There’s always that player that deserves more attention, and right winger (RW) Alfred Champagne is that guy. You see, Champagne is going into the draft with more humble stats than others amongst his TPE number. He is ranked number two for the right wingers this draft, and while in the minors his numbers aren’t anything to play around about. His 20 goals and 63 points aren’t bad at all. Even before his drafting in the VHL minors, he shined on a waiver deal with the San Diego Marlins, but his performance with the Philadelphia Reapers made him stand out amongst wingers. He’s expected to go late first round into early second round. Anthique, the user behind Champagne, is fairly active on the forums, constantly earning well and steadily becoming an active user in the community. He’s a very well rounded player, with extra emphasis on the scoring and defensive awareness of his game. His puck handling and playmaking ability is nothing to look over as well, he reminds me of an early Joe Thornton before he went to San José. Now, with all of that said, you might be wondering something: “How could someone so praised and highly thought of you be a sleeper?” Great question, random reader, let me explain. He’s never played a minute in the VHL Europe league–the step before the VHL for many of the other players in this draft. Now there is obvious reasoning behind this move, as his TPE is a bit too low for qualification in the ‘E, but it does affect his draft stock quite drastically. Even with these deteriorating factors, I feel like he’s still a great pick up for any team, and will make a great impact with a bit more conditioning in the farm leagues or even overseas. Give him the time he needs, and he will blossom for your franchise. I’m expecting the LA Stars or the Moscow Menace to call his name on the big stage (Pick 14 or 15). If he falls below those teams, the London United, Prague Phantoms, or the New York ‘Mericans in the early second round and late first round would definitely get a great player then. However, with the needs of top tier young talent in London, I would see him getting the call from the United this draft. This is all speculation though. His impact will be immediate, when he does enter the league. Expect a 40+ point season out of him, and at least 20 goals from him too. Very balanced numbers on a second line wing spot. Higher than average shot counter, and a big presence on the ice. Champagne is a winger who instantly caught my eye upon my review of this year’s draft class, and for all of the good reasons. He’s a Cinderella story in the making, and a definite sleeper in this year’s entry draft. Catch me in the stands with a Champagne jersey cheering on the next talent of the United hopefully. They need the talent of him, and with the other players developing, they could be in contention of hoisting the cup in a few years. But only time will tell.

the mac is back ;))

Player Information Username: Bobo Player Name: Darius Marimoto II Recruited From: Returning Age: 24 Position: RW Height: 78 in. Weight: 203 lbs. Birthplace: Japan Player Page @VHLM GM

Is HC Davos’s Long-Lasting Rebuild Almost Over? With all of the top prospects the Dynamo holds, what does that mean for the team’s eventual success? A word that often comes to mind when talking about HC Davos Dynamo and their recent performance would be, well, disappointing. It’s either an early playoff exit, or high draft pick for General Manager Alex’s squad as of late. To put Davos’s situation into better context, they haven’t won a championship since S61. Sure, they’ve had many–and I mean many–prominent names such as SS Hornet and Roque Davis, to name two. But still, those big time players don’t win you championships alone, it’s always a team effort. The Dynamo always have powerhouse players, but their core is 24/7 lacking. For Davos faithful, the team’s lack of success in the regular season and postseason is demotivating and, according to one animated supporter, “Plain out embarrassing.” But, considering their prospect pool, and stockpile of draft picks, there’s still hope for the fans who have given up on the team. If Alex and the Dynamo know how to do anything, that’s stockpiling draft picks. Rebuilds are always hard for star players, so naturally, they want to go to more contending teams to try and win a championship. Davos’s moves have mainly consisted of sending older and more washed stars out to contenders for mid-second round draft picks. One first round pick was thrown around in the Luc Tessier deal. The Dynamo also snagged a forward, Nicholas Mariani, who still is active and brings some veteran experience to the locker room without worrying about depreciation yet. He put up 33 goals and 88 points in S80 with Prague. Addison McLaren, veteran forward, was also shopped for a second round pick to Malmo. Darth Kaprizov, Brian Schmigel, and others found new homes around the league via. trade too. With all of these big names departing the Davos locker room, what does that mean for the younger and more hungry players? Well, it means the opportunity of a lifetime for them. Many of them came out of the VHL European league, with defenseman James Teekirque leading the charge with 24 goals and 44 points, out of Oslo. There is a good mix of prospects in the purple and black’s pipeline. Another Storm player, forward Matt Rooster, is a big body centerman who puts a real scoring gift out on the ice every night. His 98 points, and 39 goals show his goal scoring gift at play, in a very competitive league. With three star goalies up and coming down in the system, The next Davos Dynamo players are going to come out and make some noise. All of their players are in the S75-S80 range, and are approaching retirement. With a very old core, the younger players will come in and take the stress off of their backs. Davos has 19 total prospects in the minor leagues and overseas. They’re gonna be deadly when they develop. Don’t forget about the draft picks–and boy are there a lot of them. This season’s draft, S82, the Dynamo are going to hold two first round selections, with one of them guaranteed to be high. They own Riga’s first round selection, which will likely be lower in the first round. They also hold four–yes I said FOUR–second round selections. They own Malmo, Prague, their own, and Seattle’s second round picks. They have one third, and two fourth round picks too. Next year; S83, they have Malmo, Calgary, and their own first rounders, one second round pick, and four–Moscow, Prague, their own, and Seattle’s third round picks to use. That’s a lot, which they could use to draft, or trade for top prospects of other people’s teams. Star upcoming defenseman Hammar Voss is available, and would be a slam dunk for Davos’s much needed defense. The big frame powerhouse already put on quite the performance with the Houston Bulls of the VHL Minors league; 45 goals and 121 points as a DEFENSEMAN. Quite a force of nature, and would be a beast around their young forward stars. When you have the right assets, and the right factors playing in your way during a rebuild–anything is possible. Even though they made the postseason’s playoffs, they for sure did not do much of anything. They’re still rebuilding, but with the leadership of Alex and Assistant GM Nohbdy, that rebuild will surely end soon. Only time will tell, until the mighty purple and black Dynamo will hoist the cup again… Opinion: Reylynn Reinhart is one of the most underrated Davos players in their franchise’s history, with multiple 60+ point seasons. She had 369 points in 362 games with the Dynamo. Pretty impressive!

#jointhebrigade!! happy to be on board

Player Information Username: Bobo Player Name: Anthony Anthony Recruited From: Returning Age: 25 Position: RW Height: 75 in. Weight: 219 lbs. Birthplace: United States of America Player Page @VHLM GM

brings back memories….ahem…vht

hey so i like the content written on in this but i recommend that you put the tags at the bottom of the page due to them making sentences feel clunky. also, you don’t need to put who got points for every goal since you’ve included the game logs in the bottom of the post. final comment; more spacing between citations at bottom and content above would be better on the eyes. plus more headlines to break up article. great piece otherwise. 8.6/10

Dear VHL Community, Mental health is a very hard topic for many to speak on, but also a very necessary topic to cover and speak on too. I know that many people on this earth experience some form of mental struggle; from basic anxiety and nervousness, to bipolar and manic depressions–mental health is mental health. There’s no denying it that some people are looked down upon due to their struggles everywhere. But that is never, ever, ever ok, no matter what kind of struggle you face. I haven’t had the strength to tell many people but my closest family and friends, plus my significant other. But now I will tell you all. I am going to be tested for Bi-Polar depression. A very severe and chronic mental health condition. But I’m not going to look at it as a weakness, it’s a strength. It’s my superpower; I’m a superhero. I despise it when people will call a mental health condition a “weakness, burden, or a stigma.” I hate that. My mental health struggles do not make me weaker than others, they make me stronger. Stigma; a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person. I wouldn’t consider something like anxiety or chronic paranoia a mark of disgrace. I don’t ever look down on myself for those types of things, I am never disgraceful for those types of things. I say I am strong, I am resilient, I am brave. I could’ve ended it all; made more lives other than mine worse, just to make mine better. That’s called being selfish. I decided to embrace my conditions and make the most out of life. That's what I call making a weakness, a “stigma” into a strength; a superpower. I love myself, and you should love yourself back. Mental health in all isn’t a joke. Many people end their own lives every year just because of a condition that they couldn’t bear to live with anymore. Mainly because of people looking down on them for something out of their control. If people could fix an imperfection in their brain’s functions like a computer, then many people would easily be cured from mental health problems. But that’s never the case. They take mood suppressing or elevating drugs to provide a temporary cure. It’s never permanent, and can lead to addiction down the line as the drug becomes more hardcore. So the best thing we, as a community, can do is support each other and love each other. Positive environments prevent mental health issues. It’s a fact. So, with that said, I want people to love each other, no matter what kind of condition or situation they are living through. Take it from me, I’ve been looked down by people for having unipolar depression and slight mania. But I never hated others for their conditions, I loved and supported them for it. I support my love, my family, my friends, and you all through anything and everything. I just wanted to share my experience with mental health struggles, so that you guys got to know me better. I’m not asking for attention with this article, these are just some of my thoughts and opinions. I believe that the VHL should be, and continue to be a safe space for all peoples and backgrounds. I believe that we are doing a great job in maintaining a safe space for all walks of life. Keep up the good work. I appreciate each and everyone of y’all. Bobo is back. - Bobo.

DontBeSillyComeToPhilly

Player Information Username: Bobo Player Name: Tsuji Marimoto Recruited From: Returning Age: 21 Position: RW Height: 76 in. Weight: 218 lbs. Birthplace: Japan Player Page @VHLM GM

Kanye West Yeezus Review Ye's experimental sounds and hard-as-nails production culminates to a project ahead of its time. Three years after Kanye West released his musical epic “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” Ye needed to follow that up with something that could hold its ground to the album of a decade. Yeezus was that album. While being bashed by critics at first due to being too “minimal.” But for me, the album was the complete opposite. Distorted synths and fuzzy and hard drums with extreme bass were the main elements of the instrumentals on many of the songs on Yeezus. Ye’s vocals are also heavily distorted and caked with autotune. His heartfelt vocals on “Guilt Trip” are a perfect example of how he utilized autotune and effects to create another instrument. Many fans of Ye expressed how they felt about the 2013 album with much hate. Calling the album messy and very hollow-feeling. Three years after Kanye West released his musical epic “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” Ye needed to follow that up with something that could hold its ground to the album of a decade. Yeezus was that album. While being bashed by critics at first due to being too “minimal.” But for me, the album was the complete opposite. Distorted synths and fuzzy and hard drums with extreme bass were the main elements of the instrumentals on many of the songs on Yeezus. Ye’s vocals are also heavily distorted and caked with autotune. His heartfelt vocals on “Guilt Trip” are a perfect example of how he utilized autotune and effects to create another instrument. Many fans of Ye expressed how they felt about the 2013 album with much hate. Calling the album messy and very hollow-feeling. This project started off with a bang. “On Sight” was a musical slap in the face. The intro synth track was all over the place but evolved into something that worked well. The drums kicked in with the melody. Then came the hi-hats, then the lyrics. “Yeezy season approachin’...fuck whatever y’all been hearin’.” After an aggressive first verse, a sample from the Holy Name of Mary Choral Family “He'll Give Us What We Need”. The sample of a child’s voice saying, “He’ll give us what we need, it may not be what we want.” The sample represents Yeezus very well, as fans didn’t want the style of the album, but it was needed as a changeup in musical sound for Ye. the M.B.D.T.F. sound wasn’t going to be able to be replicated forever. The hard-as-nails and aggressive sound are the building blocks of his future sound. After the tornado of sound that is On Sight, Black Skinhead comes straight in with distorted electric guitar and 808 drums and bass. The lyrical themes of the song are all about rebellion. Rebellion against the world that looked down on Kanye. In the outro, he repeated “God!” over and over again. This is a perfect set up into his next song I Am a God. Which features similar synth sounds to On Sight but with a different pattern and vibe to it. On the track, he calls himself a god, and expresses how he is way better than everyone else looking down on him. His ego is at an all-time high with the line, “The only rapper compared to Michael (Michael Jackson).” He literally calls himself a God. New Slaves is a really interesting track. It covers how Ye feels about what he calls modern day slavery. Stereotyping black people as people who only buy rich things, such as: fur coats, Bentley cars, diamond chains, etc. He also mentions Alexander Wang, an American fashion designer who sells expensive; high-end clothing items. “You see it’s leaders and it’s followers...but I’d rather be a dick than a swallower,” a line from Ye during his refrain on the song. The line is a metaphor towards speaking your mind and being criticized for it, rather than holding in your opinions. The song finishes with West and Frank Ocean–best known for his 2016 record Blonde which came out after Yeezus–singing to Omega’s Gyöngyhajú lány. Fast-forward a few songs to Blood on the Leaves, a song featuring a very infamous sample of Nina Simone’s Strange Fruit, a song all about african americans and lynching that occured during the segregation period in the 1900s. The track is about the downsides of fame. He mentions JAY-Z and Beyoncé in the final verse with the line, “I don’t care if you used to talk to JAY-Z...he not with you, he with Beyoncé , you need to stop acting lazy.” Guilt Trip, the track I mentioned before, Ye was talking about a girl who he used to date, who only likes expensive things and was a capricorn. But more importantly, she left him but still loved her. West, who is deep in his feelings on the song, contemplates why she left him. Many mentions of alcohol and how he uses it to cope with the loss of his love. He’s on to the next one. It’s all a guilt trip for him. Cudi, the singer I mentioned before, comes in and sings the line, “If you love me so much, why’d you let me go?” A line that ties into my previous point of a guilt trip. The final track on the album is Bound 2, the track that many know as the best on Yeezus. The main sample on the track is from a soulful ballad by the Ponderosa Twins Plus One called Bound. The sample has a voice saying “Bound to fall in love,” Over and over again. After a verse, the tone shifts to a voice singing a refrain, and Aeroplane by Wee playing under the vocal track. After doing a listen through, I’m reminded of the brilliance that was expressed by Kanye West on his sixth studio album. All songs have a sample that adds to the overall story. The sound is hard to listen to at first, but after a bit, it grows on you. The lyrics have meaning, and are quite catchy with most of them. Vocal delivery is great, especially with the features. A highlight of the album is Frank Ocean’s vocals on New Slaves, and Kid Cudi’s singing ability on Guilt Trip’s interlude. It all comes together to form an ahead of its time masterpiece. Final Rating: 9.2/10

Very nice piece of writing. I’m really liking your utilization of description and inclusion of a byline. It makes your story come to life, and look more professional. Well done! 9/10

nice. W

wwwww, btw album otw

impossible for me, writing is my job

facts.