thadthrasher

Well, this is silly

1. I pulled for the Eagles and was happy to see the game go the way it did! 2. Preparing himself for his first full season. Cunningham is disappointed, sure, but excited to see what is next. 3. No, not really. I'm not a huge exhibition game fan. 4. No, not really. Since I'm newly back I'm not at a place where I'm interested in that, quite yet. 5. Never. I enjoy winter, snow, ice, all of it. 6. I don't know, but I can tell you what I'm trying to lose... my high cholesterol.

Claiming 2/16

Great start here! I'm glad to see an attempt at logo swapping, and of course making the colors match is always a plus. One thing I would mention is that the overall image is pretty blurry and the white balance is blown out, which can be jarring. Overall, I think this is a great attempt and I am excited to see where else these graphics of yours go. There is a great number of fantastic graphic makers who I am sure would help you more than I can! 6/10

This right here is a stunning graphic. I truly mean that this is on par with NHL level graphic making. The entire image is pleasing to the eye, clear, and the colors blend oh so nicely. Of course, an impressive feature of this graphic is the logo placement on the chest, and how it seems to wave and move with the ruffling of the sweater. Really high quality work here. 10/10 would buy again

1. I have absolutely no knowledge of basketball, so I don't really have an opinion. Was this bad or something? 2. Again, I don't have much of an opinion on this. All I know is that a trade that hurts NY is a trade I like. 3. I believe that with a new stud defenseman adding depth we should be mighty fine. 4. Well, of course. But, while the incentive of doing well is nice, my first player played in Miami, so it only felt natural to return. 5. Not one single bit do I pay attention. 6. No. I don't see the need for this.

It was recently reported that Titus Cunningham had quite a few firsts over the last several days since moving to Miami. Of course, the hockey world focused on his first blocked shots, first penalties, first hits, first assist, first goal, and so on. What seems to be going under the radar though is the fact that Cunningham has now experienced, for the first time in his life, the beach. General Manager, @Ricer13, has found himself liking the idea of having the team go for early morning runs together. Cunningham has still be adjusting to life outside his hometown, West Virginian holler, while also focusing on hockey, so going to the beach never crossed his mind. Yet, here is Ricer, forcing him to. The first morning after he arrived in Miami, the team was instructed to be at the beach at 5:30 AM to beat the crowds. The intent of this early wake up was to get a few miles in on the beach. This was the first time that Cunningham experienced the sand, ran in the sand, felt the slowing effect of this type of run, and it's the first time he had ever seen or felt the Atlantic Ocean. It was a lot to take in, and left Cunningham in a bit of a state of shock. But, even though it was shocking, Cunningham enjoyed the experience and plans to find himself back on the sand soon enough.

As S97 was well on its way to wrapping up, the Miami Marauders recognized that a playoff appearance was inevitable. Figuring it couldn't hurt to finish out the season trying a few new things, the team picked up defenseman Titus Cunningham, a West Virginia native, from free agency. Many around the league thought this to be an odd addition, as Cunningham had not one single stat in professional hockey. He was a relatively unknown player whose rise to hockey is an odd one at best. He reigns from a part of the world where hockey is not really played, yet his natural talent for the game became evident to former VHL superstar Napoleon Dynamite, who vouched that the kid was "freakin' spectacular!" While Cunningham's start in the VHLM has been rather slow, no one is ready to give up on him yet. He's getting great ice time, contributing to offensive momentum, and shutting down the opposing teams well. Given he's now had a few games under his belt, it's time to highlight some major firsts for the young defenseman. His First Game and Penalty Game 313 vs Mississauga Hounds This will go down in history as Cunningham's first taste of professional hockey. In a 2-1 win over the Hounds, Cunningham did not contribute much to the team's success. In fact, his first-ever recorded penalty was a direct contribution to the Hounds scoring early, just after the 5-minute mark of the first period. Finding himself easily frustrated at the rough play of Jay Sikes, Cunningham established himself early on as someone who was not to be messed with. But, this move got him sent to the box, and to add salt to the wound it was Sikes who lit the lamp while Cunningham watched from the box. However, Cunningham was on the ice for both of the Marauders' goals. His First Blocked Shots Game 319 vs Saskatoon Wild In a 5-0 blowout game against the Wild, Cunningham felt the sting of his first two shot blocks. Determined to help Finnegan Tex Simms, a fellow newly acquired free agent signing, get his first win and even first career shutout, Cunningham laid his body on the line for his teammates. Of course, the sting of these pucks was nothing compared to some licks he took in the holler. Both shots that Cunningham blocked came off the stick of CJ Daniels early in the 3rd period. Cunningham was quick to realize the sign that Daniels had when he was about to shoot, even when he was attempting some tricky no-look shots. When asked about this, Cunningham simply stated, "the fool kept popping his mouth guard out before each shot." So, Cunningham made himself big and shrugged off the shots, aiding in the shutout win. His First Hit Game 326 vs. Mississauga Hounds To some, it may be surprising that it took Cunningham this long to earn his first hit, to others they are merely shocked at a 9-0 blowout victory by the Marauders. However, these surprised people are missing the fact that Cunningham has been slowly integrating himself into a more physical game. He's been spending much time on the ice, quickly learning the rhythm of his teammates, and wanted to be sure that any physical play would be helpful and beneficial for the team. Cunningham noticed his chance just shortly after the 11th minute of the 1st period. Hounds player, MacGregor Walcott, was well on his way to driving the net, had he had an opportunity to leave the neutral zone. Shortly after crossing the red line, Cunningham noticed that Walcott's head was down, and with no chance of missing the hit, Cunningham glided right into him. The hit was massive and was heard in every seat in the rink. Cunningham displayed for the world why a man of his size, coming from West Virginia, could be problematic for those trying to score on his goalie. Walcott lost the puck after finding himself on his back on the ice, and while Mississauga picked up the puck, many were rattled by the hit they just witnessed and Miami quickly took control. His First Assist and First Point Game 338 vs. Houston Bulls In a closely contested 2-1 victory over the Bulls, Cunningham finally found himself with his first career assist and point. Unfortunately, this is not the sort of first assist that a player dreams of. Cunningham found himself in a similar predicament as MacGregor Walcott was for Cunningham's first hit, he was skating with his head down. A lesson learned. Houston's Cash Carti took notice of the vulnerable new player and laid out the body hard, almost knocking Cunningham to the ice. This impact caused the puck to move into the possession of Elf Shoes, and after a few back-and-forths with Andreas Andreasen, the puck found its way into the back of the net. It's not a glorious first assist and point, but it's a first nonetheless. Cunningham won't complain. His First Goal Game 349 vs. Mexico City Kings Finally, Cunningham experienced the first of all firsts. The first that every player, even a defenseman, longs for, his first career goal. What puts the icing on the cake here is that this was the first game of the season that his family could finally make it to. What better way to introduce your family to the great game of hockey than by scoring your first goal in a 3-1 win? We can't think of a better way! The play developed like this: Filip Zinek found himself carrying the puck all the way through the neutral zone. After skirting by an attempted hit, he was skating even harder into the slot. Mexico City's defensemen collapsed in on him, and in desperation, he took a slap shot that missed the net and rung around the left boards, all the way up to the blue line where Cunningham had just entered in. Cunningham retrieved the puck on his backhand, being a righty, and brought it to his forehand. No one had found themselves covering him, so he had plenty of space and time to work with. He watched, as time seemed to slow down, as Pepe Silvia tried to anticipate what Cunningham's next move would be. Not expecting a shot, Silvia shifted slightly to his right, thinking that Cunningham would pass up to Zinek who had now moved into his left winger position and was ready for the pass, calling for it. Cunningham let off a shot that seemed to find every gap along the way and rung it on the inside of the right post, while Silvia seemed to freeze as he couldn't believe the shot happened. While he wasn't sure who all cheered, he could only hear the ecstatic shouts from his family in the stands. For Cunningham, he'd hoped that this would be the first of many goals to come. --- 1121 words Claiming 2/9 and 2/16

Ha! We'll see. First time managing a defender, so who knows. But, now I've had a goalie, forward, and defender.

Titus Cunningham +10

This isn't a bad graphic for just starting out! I'm not sure if you did a color swap, but if so it looks good! One suggestion I'd make, and it may be more of a personal preference, is that you move the text on the top left in more toward the center. The border of the image seems to almost cut into the "Armas" and makes it feel cluttered. Overall, not bad, keep it up! 6/10.

As always, I've loved your work. I especially appreciate the overlay of the two images of the goalie, and the background colors matching the sweater colors nicely. I also think the line between "Jorgen Nighthawks" and "Lovstrom" is a nice touch and adds some character and dimension. Well done! 8/10!

The day after Titus Cunningham received a call from Miami GM, @Ricer13, he was standing on the ice in Miami, ready to go. The Marauders' management found a flight out of the closest airport to Cunningham and had him geared up before he could even say hello to the rest of the team. While Titus was sometimes called, "Titus the Titan" due to his stature and build, he felt as small as a mouse in his first practice. He shared after the practice, "I've never been on a team before, and these guys are deep into their season already. I sort of feel like an intruder, out of place, and like I'm not really supposed to be here. But, I've been assured multiple times that's not the case. All I know right now is that yesterday I was changing the oil in my '72 C10, and today I'm a professional hockey player. I just hope the VHLM remembers this one thing about me, you can take the man out of the holler, but you can't take the holler out of the man. I don't mean that to come off as bragging, but to explain why I am the way that I am. I'm unorthodox, but incredibly focused. I know the Miami management will not regret bringing me on." --- 218 words Claiming 2/2/25

1. I would say that unless anything significant changes, then absolutely. With a point gap that wide, it has to happen. 2. I'm a Penguins fan living in an area with a lot of Flyers and Capitals fans. So, that's tough. 3. Red velvet cake all the way. It's the best. 4. Honestly, I have no thoughts, because I don't have any idea what the theme week is. I'm sure people are still complaining about it though. 5. Sure. I don't think it would hurt anything to offer that. 6. No, never. Now, my doctor would say, "yes" as well, especially when she sees my latest cholesterol count.

Upon reading the biography of the newly signed Miami Marauder defenseman, Titus Cunningham, you would quickly discover that he's not your average hockey player. He didn't grow up in an area where hockey was prevalent, nor did he know anyone who played hockey. Part of how he discovered hockey has to do with an old truck and an even older man. It was one of those moments in time where as the moment was happening no one could have guessed what it would have led to. Now, we read this with the understanding that Cunningham is set to be one of the greatest defensemen in VHL history. Here's one of the ways that hockey became a part of Titus' life. Titus had stepped off the bus just in time for his dad to be driving by on his way to his second job at the butcher shop, just outside of town. His father rolled up and said, "Billy Stevens needs a hand. Head over now, I told him you'd be coming." At only 12 years old, Titus said, "Yes sir," and headed down the road. Soon, he was standing in Billy's yard as the old man shuffled out of the trailer surrounded by mounds of junk, everything from old sofas and TVs to cars that hadn't run in years. Billy noticed Titus eyeing up the old 1974 Chevy C10, "Ehhh she's a beaut, ain't she." Titus nodded calmly. "I'll tell yer what Titus, you help me clean up this junk over the next few weeks and I'll pay you enough cash to take this truck off my hands." Without hesitation, Titus began lifting. On the side, Titus picked up a few other small jobs, hoping he'd get enough money to buy the classic truck off old man Billy. He helped his uncle with removing the back side of the holler of wild boar, built a dog house for Ms. Catherine the closer to dead than alive 1st-grade teacher, and even found himself at Mr. Cartwright's farm cleaning out stalls. As the time came when the yard was cleaned up, or at least as cleaned up as a yard in the holler could be, Titus promptly handed cash over to Billy. "Is this all you got?" "Yes sir, it is." Billy handed back half the cash and the old man hopped in the truck, flipped the visor down and grabbed the keys that fell. As he handed them over to Titus he said, "Now, what in the world are you planning on doing with this truck, anyways?" "Simple sir, I'll fix it up, get my license as soon as I can, and I'm headed to Columbus." As the years went on Titus continued cleaning up yards around the holler. It was easy money and often led to him finding old parts that fit the truck. The parts weren't always perfect fits, but good enough to get the old thing running and moving. The simple idea of visiting a city kept Titus' motivation high, and as each week, month, and year passed, that dream came closer and closer to reality. Finally, Titus had the truck in near perfect condition, enlisting the help of the holler's almost always drunk mechanic, Mr. Johanson, who mostly was no help at all. The final repair came just in time for Titus to take his driving exam and get the license he's wanted since he first laid eyes on the '74 C10 in Billy's cluttered yard. He easily passed the driving exam, stopped by his house, and grabbed the cash he had saved up over the years, and headed straight for Columbus without telling a soul. Little did Titus know, that's when his life would really change. It's on this trip that Titus sees Nationwide Arena It's on this trip that Titus watches his first hockey game. It's on this trip, in the old man's truck, where he falls in love with the sport that would change his life. --- 662 words Claiming 2/2/25

S97 Donation Transaction ID: 8B291221K08047915 Doubles Week (Claiming week of 2/2) 5 uncapped TPE (Claiming week of 2/2) 1M Player Store

Titus Cunningham - The Boy from the Holler When people talk with Titus Cunningham for the first time, they often walk away with a bit of a puzzled look. It's not because Cunningham is strange, nor is he at all peculiar. He's your average young man from the hollers of West Virginia. Sure, he has a big build and quickly catches most eyes when he walks into a room, but beyond that, there isn't anything special about Cunningham. What tends to draw a puzzled look from most folks though is the fact that Cunningham plays ice hockey. That may not seem strange to you, but to his fellow West Virginians, it's practically unheard of. Cunningham grew up deep in the hollers of the West Virginia wilderness. Where he comes from life is slow, simple, but often difficult. His hometown had no red lights but did have a small post office, a grocery store that looked more like a vegetable stand with a few snacks, and miles of forested road that led into and out of the holler. Needless to say, this was not the town where the young men grew up learning about ice hockey. Which, of course, is what leads many to look at Cunningham with a hint of puzzlement and perplexion, "How in the world did you end up playing hockey?" After Titus turned 16 and got his license, though that never stopped him from driving around the holler since he was 12, he took the old truck he bought off one of the townsfolk and decided to drive up to Columbus, OH to "see what the city was like." Of course, he was utterly surprised at the business of the city and found himself quickly lost. Turn after turn came and gone, and finally, he ended up driving right next to the Nationwide Arena, and that was the first time he saw this sport of hockey. He found a spot, bought a ticket, and quickly found himself in the stands for his first-ever hockey game. This was a move that would change his life. Titus' parents were completely blown away. First, they were livid that he'd left the state, let alone the holler without letting them know what he was up to. But, to then come back and ramble on and on about "hockey," and "pucks," it was too much. The only saving grace for Titus was when he explained that when problems arose on the ice they settled it the old-fashioned way, with fists. His father always wanted to see Titus take a liking to sports, especially football, so this would have to do. The problem though was that there was no hockey anywhere near Titus. Yet, this didn't stop the young 16-year-old from trying. He devoted any free moment he had to getting into even better shape, learning the rules and rhythm of hockey on the family's sometimes working computer, and driving clear up to Columbus on the weekends to try his hand at ice hockey. It was during one of the many trips to Columbus that Titus met a retired Victory Hockey League player, Napolean Dynamite. Dynamite had hung up his skates a few years before this initial meeting and took up coaching as a way to stave off his boredom. At one of the practices that Dynamite led, he noticed that Titus carried a unique personality and play style. Cunningham was no-nonsense, hyper-focused on his performance, and never shied away from asking for pointers from others. Due to his size, and his personality, he was a natural defenseman. No one seemed to be able to make their way around him, and the kid could read passes like a picture book. He was intelligent with cycling the puck, keeping it in the offensive zone, and wasn't afraid of rotating up to the net for scoring chances. However, Cunningham's strength came at laying out the body of opposing players, making bullet-like passes to his forwards. It was obvious to Dynamite, and everyone else watching, that Cunningham was determined to be the best defenseman around. What gave Cunningham the advantage here was not just his size and strength, though being 6'4" and 225lbs certainly helped, it was the fact that he was from the holler. Life in the holler wasn't easy, and it quickly made men out of boys. No one in the holler had anything they didn't earn, which included everything from the clothes on their back to the countless nights spent in the small-town sheriff's cells to cool off. All of it, good or bad, was earned. This instilled in Cunningham a work ethic and drive that folks like Dynamite hadn't seen in years. It made him unique, it made him desirable, it made him an asset like none before. It wasn't long after meeting Cunningham that Dynamite began talking to his old VHL buddies about this kid. "Titus the Titan is a freakin' menace, GOSH!" Of course, this caught the attention of @Ricer13, the manager of the Miami Marauders who made it a point to give him a call. After some simple pleasantries and introductions, Ricer got straight to the point, "Son, I know you've never played on a real team a day in your life, but I've seen the videos of your game and practices and you've got something special. I'm looking to add another defender to our roster, what do you say to signing with Miami for the remainder of our season? I can get you here tomorrow morning for practice." Titus sat on the front porch of the Cunningham home, overlooking the small creek a few hundred feet ahead of him, raised his eyes to the rolling West Virginia mountains above, and with the thick West Virginian holler accent said matter of factly, "Lord willin', and the creek don't rise."

Player Information Username: thadthrasher Player Name: Titus Cunningham Recruited From: Returning Age: 19 Position: D Height: 76 in. Weight: 225 lbs. Birthplace: United States of America Player Page @VHLM GM

Hello VHL, This post serves as my announcement of my resignation from Recruitment, GM of the New York Americans, Board of Governors, and as one of the VHLE Commissioners. Allow me a moment to explain: On October 8th, 2020, I found myself with a lot of time on my hands. I was working part-time and earning my Master's degree while living in a world that was dictated by COVID. I saw an advertisement on one of Thrash94's videos for the VHL and I quickly joined. I came in eager to learn, eager to earn, and eager to make Hall of Fame-worthy players. I dove headfirst into the VHL community and loved every minute of it. Eventually, I applied to be a GM for Team USA in the WJC and since then I've managed in one way or another. I became a GM for the San Diego Marlins, then the Stockholm Vikings, and finally the New York Americans. In all of that, I helped manage various off-season tournaments as well. That escalated to me taking a position on the Recruitment Team, and being asked to work as a Commissioner for the VHLE, which I happily accepted. While all of that was going on, my personal life and career were taking off. My wife became pregnant, we moved back to our home state, and our family grew. I finished my Master's, and started working full-time, and the time that I had to devote to the league dwindled more and more over time. This year though has been a tipping point. As some of you know, my mother struggled with addiction my whole life, and in April that struggle caught up to her and she passed. Then, my wife and I endured the hardship of losing two children through miscarriage. Those events led us to grow much closer, and it made me realize just how precious the time I have with my family is. It's only here temporarily, and it can vanish in the blink of an eye. Those hard moments were, well, hard. But, there have been so many good things to happen in my life this year, most of them revolving around increased work responsibilities. While I love my work, I don't have the luxury of a job that runs 9-5 and is off on the weekends, so the free time I do get is rather limited and decreases more and more. All of that being said, I want you to know that I am not making this decision because I'm burnt out, nor because I've lost interest in the VHL. It comes down to the fact that I just don't have the time I used to when I first started, and I can't devote the way I want to the thing that I seem to be lacking. My goal, at this time, is to finish out my career with Dynamite and then...well, who knows? Maybe I'll take a season or two off completely and lurk every once in a while, or maybe I'll make another player and ride the pension/welfare train for a while. I don't know. What I do know is that I'm thankful for the time I've had here, and for the friends I've made.