Vice

You're a 12 in my book spartan. 

You thought I was done?! HA I've got some more up my sleeve.
 

 
Soooo....
 
$5 - me - @youloser1337(will claim the free week the week of the 20th)
 
*I've been told I'm an idiot. Sorry guys*

@bigAL There are already tons of great auctions so if it's not needed I understand but I am still offering my next players name as an auction if you needed more.

Team "My boss made me do this"

Team "My boss made me do this"

payout
 
1 TPE
@MexicanCow123
@Crstats23
@Garsh
@FrostBeard
@TeeJay11
@Moon
@Birdman
@McWolf
@STZ
@fishy
 
@Komaryk
@Ahma
@aksuko
@Hogan
@Vice
@dasboot
@Buddha
@Steve
@Frank
@DrunkMonkey23
@Scurvy
@N0HBDY
@rory
@BOOM
@MrMonkey
@Mongoose87
@joelunk
@tinafrombobsburgers
@lemonan
@ajwllmsn
@v.2
@atw2592
@JB123
@nurx
@Beaviss
@bigAL
@Matt thunder
@Nothing but goals
 
@Shawner40
@Horcrux
@UnkemptCL4PTP
@chikn
@Grosgars
@Cruze
@MubbleFubbles
@comrade cat
 
2 TPE
@youloser1337
@fromtheinside
@DollarAndADream
@Daniel Janser
@Spaz
@Thatsurfdude

Donating on behalf of myself and @Vice.  Merry Christmas dude, best AGM a guy can ask for!

Nice graphic! You did a good job picking a render that matched the overall scheme well and I think the quotes are hilarious. I definitely agree that the position of it could certainly use some work, and I would like to see more use of effects on the picture, just a touch to make it your own. Overall, though, not bad! 7/10

I've been meaning to make something to celebrate that my player and his VHLM linemate, @SpicyGecko will get to continue being linemates in the VHL. I've been calling our line "El Pollo Loco" since: a) It's a popular Guatemalan fast food restaurant that makes fried chicken b) George Sanderson, sounds like someone who would own a chicken farm and sell fried chicken.
 
That and he's just a great guy.
 
 

Unique take on a card! I've been debating to make my player a card or not but I have a hard time using effects to take up space. That glitch effect that you did was a good example of someone effectively using an effect to fill up space. Also great work on the logo swap, but most certainly try shading in to make the lighting match the logo. 8/10! Nice work!

Press Conference
Week Ending 12/12/21
(Answer 6 Questions for 2 Capped TPE)

 
The team has had some more positive results as of late, more players are earning more TPE! Is there a specific skill you're looking to increase? Is there anything you would like explained that you maybe don't quite understand? (I will DM you a reply to these so make sure to quote this!) Which player on the team do you think has performed the best? (Check the portal to look at ours and other teams stats!) The holidays are around the corner, what plans do you have? What is your favorite holiday time food and why? Do you have any special traditions in your family or your own that you would like to share?

Dang ok.

Did this as a speedrun graphic. Don't rate. Just laugh at the fact that I totally forgot to record this and it means nothing now lol

Swiss Central Gazzette (Marcel's stats/Daniel's stats)
 
Please find below the latest episode of our intrepid heroes' odyssee to find eternal VHL fame.
 
Marcel's 21st played the Bulls first and lost 7-1. The only goal for the Nova Scotians was scored by McMuffin @Ente2997(Hagel) after 1:37 minutes played. That was the zenith of the 21st's performance that night. The three stars were Kovalchuk @Banackock (1g/4a), Ayodele @KingOercy (2g/0a) and Lappi @aksuko (1g/2a). Jarvinen @Collusion(.957) dominated Zininger @ScoreAGoalBudEh (.741) by a landslide. Halifax' power play was inexistent  (0/3),  their penalty kill spotless (3/3).
Marcel had 0g, 0a and -5
 
Their second match was against the Marlins and while the score was much closer, it still was a 2-1 defeat. The Marlins scored a brace in the first nine minutes of the game and this was all it took to steal a win. Halifax honour was somewhat saved by the goal scored by AL @bigAL (Rain, Warrior) at the start of the third. The three stars were Wilson @dustywilson22(21 saves), AL (1g/0a) and Clue @MubbleFubbles (1g/0a). Wilson had a saving rate of .955 compared to Zininger's .882, well deserving that first star spot. Halifax' power play was 0/6, while the box play was 1/1. We cannot help but feel that one or even two points would have been in the realm of possibility if it wasn't for the 21st's inefficient power play. We sincerely hope that this will not come back and bite them in the final stretch of the regular season.
Marcel was logged with 0g, 0a, +0 and 2 hits.
 
Daniel's Storm was facing the Bratislava Watchmen in a hard fought 5-4 defeat. In the first period the teams took turns in scoring with the edge in Bratislava's favour (3-2). Jeffrenomitsu the 3rd @Jeffie43 (Puhovs, Pandora) and Nezuko @tfong(Sprout, Knale) were successful for the Storm. The only goal in the second was scored by Nezuko (Upton, Knale) which tied the game. In the final period, the Watchmen scored a brace, before Nezuko (Sprout, Janser) with their hattrick reduced the gap to one goal. Alas, their heroic effort remained unrewarded as this was the final goal in the game. Nezuko (3g/0a), Izaxaluoh @Vice (1g/2a) and Blloyoiderson @Cxsquared (1g/2a) were named three stars. Parise @Joker_TM (.915) performed better than the still respectable Fletcher @DragonFire420 (.881) in Oslo's net. The Norse power play was perfect (1/1) and the penalty kill good (4/5).
Daniel was noted with 0g, 1a, -1 and 4 hits
 
The second match was against Istanbul and ended in a 4-3 win. It took the Storm in shape of Sprout @Liberty_Cabbage(Rusty Knale) only 1:20 minutes to get on the board. With less than two minutes left in the first, Istanbul was able to draw however. They even took a 3-1 lead when the score two unanswered goals in the middle period. Alas, the Norse did not drop their sticks without a fight and a had a three goal comeback, scored by Jeffrenomitso the 3rd (Puhovs, Janser), Nezuko (Pandora, Sprout) and Sprout (Knale, Pandora). The Red Wolves were not able to react anymore and had to take the defeat. The three stars were Sprout (2g/1a), Tsarov @PadStack (1g/1a) and Khan @caltroit_red_flames (1g/1a). The goaltenders Fletcher (.930) and Kloxified @Kloxified (.902) were fighting an epic duel on the highest of levels, with the better end for the US-American between Oslo's pipes. Oslo's power play was very good (2/6), their penalty kill was not though (2/4).
Daniel had 0g, 1a, -1, 2 hits and 30:53 TOI (highest of his team) to his name.
 
The Jansers have the following stats to show for their efforts:
Marcel: 24gp, 2g, 12a, 14pts, -15, 12 PIM, 15 hits, 37sb, 1gwg, 2ppg
Daniel: 24gp, 8g, 14a, 22pts, -14, 36 PIM, 85 hits, 14sb, 1gwg, 2ppg
 
Stay tuned for further updates on Marcel's and Dan's path to glory.
 
https://vhlforum.com/topic/112724-a-tale-of-two-brothers-vhle-starts-at-last/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/112783-a-tale-of-two-brothers-normal-service-resumed/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/112831-a-story-of-two-brothers-in-full-swing/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/112865-a-tale-of-two-brothers-moving-on/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/112905-a-tale-of-two-brothers-1st-quarter-conclusions/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/112961-a-tale-of-two-brothers-defeats/
GM 113: Halifax 21st vs. Houston Bulls (vhlportal.com)
GM 117: San Diego Marlins vs. Halifax 21st (vhlportal.com)
GM 89: Bratislava Watchmen vs. Oslo Storm (vhlportal.com)
GM 94: Istanbul Red Wolves vs. Oslo Storm (vhlportal.com)

Swiss Central Gazzette (Marcel's stats/Daniel's stats)
 
The Janser brothers played four games each since our last issue. Please find our summary as follows:
 
Marcel's @Morcar80 21st had to face his former team, the high flying Mississauga Hounds. Long gone are the times this franchise had to suffer through defeat after defeat. Halifax had to learn it the hard way in a 4-1 defeat, that this team is no push over anymore. They scored first though with Hagel @jasplunds (AL, McGleiss) opening the score on the power play. After that it was the Hounds' game and they scored three goals in the second within four minutes and a fourth one in the final period. The three stars were Brillant @dart (1g/1a), Bushtit @Esso2264  (1g/1a) and Teekirque @Mongoose87 (1g/0a). Arpa @16z (.952) clearly won the saving competition over his opposite number McGleis @lukechezzwoo(.875). The 21st's special teams were okay (penalty kill 3/4) respectively good (power play 1/3).
Marcel had 0g, 0a, +0 and 2 PIM (High Sticking, no effect on the score)
 
The second match was the rematch against the Hounds. This time the game was much closer and ended in a 4-3 defeat. Halifax was first on the board again with Von Strangle @Timmy Turner(Warrior, Hagel) scoring the only goal in the starting period. Mississauga drew early in the second (Yurov @Geeks(Brillant)), but McMuffin @Ente2997(Janser, Leblanc) reinstated the one goal lead shortly after. Alas, the Hounds dominated the remainder of this period and had three consecutive goals by  Eli @Elijah (Fong's Son) (Jeffers, TenIQIsGod), Teekirque (Stamerov, Yurov) and Lamb @dlamb (Zubov, Bushtit). McMuffin (Rockwell, Leblanc) was able to close the gap early in the third, but the Hounds defended their lead and brought the win home. The three stars were McMuffin (2g/0a), Yurov (1g/1a) and Teekirque (1g/0a). Blake @JBlake29(.667) had one of his weaker days, but his teammates compensated with diligent defence work for his shortcomings in this match, McGleis' (.867) performance was nothing to write home about either. The 21st's power play was 0/5 and therefore poor, while they defended their net valiantly when on numeric disadvantage (6/6).
Marcel was reported with 0g, 1a and +0.
 
The third encounter was against the Las Vegas Aces and ended with a 9-2 spanking of epic proportions. After five minutes into the game the 21st would even lead 2-1 by goals from McMuffin (Leblanc) and Rockwell @Kairi (Warrior, McMuffin) but that was the pinnacle of their performance and they collapsed like a house of cards after wards. It should come as no surprise to our esteemed readers that all three stars were Aces and Delle Donne @Dtayl (2g/1a) was joined on the podium by TheGreat @Alex Thegreat (1g/3a) and Kendcruz @Cruze (1g/0a). Halifax' goaltender McGleis (.0813) actually had the better saving rate than Vegas' Clark (.800) but also was tested almost five times as much (10 vs 48 shots). The 21st's penalty kill was pathetic and almost on Vancouver Canucks level (1/4) while the power play was surprisingly good (1/3).
Marcel logged 0g, 0a, -1 and 3sb
 
The fourth and final game was against the Saskatoon Wild and was lost with 4-2. Halifax had the first goal in the game by McMuffin (Janser, Leblanc) as well as the last one by Von Strangle (Warrior, AL). In between these two goals the 21st allowed four consecutive goals. The three stars went to Johnson @MrMonkey(1g/1a), Simeoni @Alesime (1g/1a) and McMuffin (1g/0a). Pearce @N0HBDY was clearly better (.938) than McGleis (.733). The special teams were a desaster with power play being zilch (0/6) and penalty kill atrocious (4/7). If the we only take the even strength goals into consideration the match goes 2-1 to Halifax.
Marcel had 0g, 1a and +0 to his name.
 
Daniel's Storm first played the Gladiators. The match ended in a 7-3 defeat for the Oslo team. The Norse were on the board first with Sprout's @Liberty_Cabbage (Upton) goal in the starting period. Rome then scored three consecutive goals, before Knale @HatrickRoy(Upton, Sprout) decreased the Gladiator's lead to one. Jeffrenomitsu The 3rd @Jeffie43(Puhovs, Pandora) repeated this effort. Alas, Rome scored three unanswered goals in the third and took the win home. The three stars of the night were Dugan @Howie McMeeker (2g/2a), Jugs @NerdyCowz (1g/3a) and Dixon @Rjdixon01 (2g/1a). Spinelli @Lspinelli (.864) was slightly better than Oslo's Fletcher @DragonFire420 (.857). While Oslo's penalty kill (6/7) was good, their power play (0/5) was not. 
Daniel had 0g, 0a, -1 and 2 PIM (Roughing, no effect on the score)
 
The second match was against the Vikings from Stockholm and ended in a 7-2 defeat. Nezuko @tfong ( Puhovs, Knale) in the first and Sprout (Upton, Knale) in the third period were successful for the Storm. The three stars were Chiang @nurx (2g/1a), Dropper @Jamomayo (2g/1a) and Desu @Guriinwoodo(0g/3a). Bustard @williamirc(.929) had Fletcher's number (.857). The Oslo power play (1/5) as well as box play (3/4) were adequate.
Daniel recorded 0g, 0a, -1 and 5 hits
 
In the third game, Storm faced the Gladiators again. This encounter ended in a 8-3 defeat. Sprout (Upton), Pandora @PandaBearD25 (Sprout) in power play and Knale (Sprout, Upton) were successful for Storm. Cheese @a_Fork (1g/4a), Gaudette @Gaudette (2g/1a) and Dugan (1g/0a) were named the three stars of the night. Oslo's backup (.852) was not fit to stop enough shots to outperform Spinelli (.917). The Norse power play was okay (1/4) the penalty kill (3/5) was not.
Daniel was logged with 0g, 0a, -2, 4 PIM (Hooking and Slashing, neither causing a GAA) and 5 hits
 
And the final match up was against the Watchmen, where the Norvegians only scored one goal Knale (Toon) in power play against the Bratislavan four goals. The three stars were Ixazaluoh @Vice (0g/3a), Parise @Joker_TM (31 saves) and Blloydoiderson @Cxsquared (1g/1a). Parise (.969) knocked the ball out of the park with his performance compared to Fletcher's still good (.909) performance. Oslo's power play was good (1/3) however they fell short in the box play again (2/4).
Daniel achieved 0g, 0a, +0, 7 hits and 1sb
 
The Brothers' statistics in summary:
Marcel: 22gp, 2g, 12a, 14pts, -10, 12 PIM, 15 hits, 36sb, 1gwg, 2ppg
Daniel: 22gp, 8g, 12a, 20pts, -12, 36 PIM, 79 hits, 14sb, 1gwg, 2ppg
 
Please stay tuned for further updates on our overseas Winkelrieds
 
https://vhlforum.com/topic/112522-a-tale-of-two-brothers-starting-the-season-proper-for-some/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/112557-a-tale-of-two-brothers-marcel-on-fire/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/112596-a-tale-of-two-brothers-still-no-games-for-daniel/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/112611-vsn-presents-the-top-prospect-of-every-vhl-team/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/112724-a-tale-of-two-brothers-vhle-starts-at-last/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/112783-a-tale-of-two-brothers-normal-service-resumed/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/112831-a-story-of-two-brothers-in-full-swing/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/112865-a-tale-of-two-brothers-moving-on/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/112905-a-tale-of-two-brothers-1st-quarter-conclusions/
 

What is happening.

I put up the article connected to last week's mod survey today! If you haven't read it yet, go check it out. Here are a few of my general thoughts about it:
 
-I think I've cooled off a bit from when I originally posted the survey. At first, I thought I was going to end up disagreeing with a ton of people in the comments and spend all day writing up walls of text in response to super minor points (yes, I know I'm guilty of this). But instead of writing the article and preparing for a debate, I was mostly just happy with getting opinions out there objectively and letting them be interpreted.
-I learned a lot about what a lot of people think, and I appreciated hearing and considering things I don't necessarily agree with. I hope everyone who read it, regardless of what they think, was able to do the same.
-I appreciated connecting a bit with @Vice today, someone I've generally seen as a decently nice person but who I've rarely (if even ever) spoken with directly. I got some tips for survey-making I'll try to put into use if I ever do something similar in the future.
-Most of my recent issues with moderation have to do with the enforcement of the Code of Conduct rather than the Code of Conduct itself. Maybe we have people who are complaining that there's a Code of Conduct? I don't know, I didn't notice that in the responses at all. The sense that there are was present in a few responses, so I do worry that my point wasn't communicated clearly--I'm for a Code of Conduct and I think ours is good. I just don't think simply stating "Code of Conduct" is a valid substitute for an explanation, nor do I think anyone (mod or non-mod) should be trying to figure out ways anything and everything could be against the rules because of it.
-The discussion that followed about staff ownership of locker rooms still kind of gets to me. Whether or not the implication is that I can't be trusted to not let my team spout off offensive shit (I'm fully aware that it isn't), I still find it very hard not to feel like that happening would be a punishment I don't deserve.
-There's also a bit of a loophole to the above--we're free to make unaffiliated servers. We're also not required to have a Discord locker room (many might not remember this, but 10-ish seasons ago Toronto briefly killed theirs and went to the forum). I could hypothetically just make a Discord server, invite everyone on my team, and call it "Gustav's server" or something. There's nothing anyone can do to stop me from doing that--it's not an affiliated server and I will never claim that it is. If, hypothetically, someone tried to force me to hand over Davos...my response might be "well, there's no Davos Discord, but if you'd like to play for us I'd be happy to invite you to Gustav's server."
-The time has been served, but #FreeHogan. Most responses--even most of those that didn't have many issues otherwise--agreed that that one was stupid.

Disclaimer: opinions represented here are not necessarily my own, and this is not directly meant to push for any policy change. I have done this simply to represent the opinions of the community as a whole and try to start a respectful dialogue.
 
I'm going to try to do this as objectively as possible, so let me know if you think I haven't done that. 
 
Last week, I put up a survey asking for all of your opinions on the performance of the mod team. With many complaints being floated out there in recent memory (many perpetuated by none other than yours truly), I felt that everyone yelling at each other on Discord wouldn't be a productive way to start a discussion. On top of that, I believe that both mods and community members may be taken more seriously with their actions and ideas backed up by public opinion, should those opinions line up with what they do and say. Though the mod team is here to hold us accountable as members, I believe that the members play a role in holding the mod team accountable in return, a relationship which--ideally--should be healthy. Though I will not attempt to draw any single conclusion from the results of this survey, I believe that it will provide valuable feedback and a good general sense of what has been done correctly and what has not. 
 
Before we get into the report, I'd like to address a few things about how I'm going to give you the report, to hopefully give you a better sense of how to interpret it.
All who responded were given options to remain anonymous. Some gave me their name and will be named in this article, some gave me their name and will not. Some didn't give me their name, as that was an option that I gave as well. All responses (aside from anything that was, like, 3 words, or contains negative comments about specific people) will be reported in this article, because even if something is covered in another comment, I find it important to show the relative amounts of certain responses as recorded. I gave an option to survey respondents to not be quoted in the article, and in those cases the responses will be withheld. In some cases, I will edit the responses for proper grammar/spelling/punctuation. Wording will not be changed unless it is necessary to make a sentence grammatically correct, and I will not alter the meaning of any response. Though most responses were great, I have chosen to reject one entirely, and another partially. One response gave a score of 1 in every category without comment and without giving me any name--something which, though I could certainly use it to push my own agenda, I don't feel comfortable reporting seriously--and another gave a response to one question (which was scored differently from the others and may have been a source of confusion) which was entirely out of line with their comments and responses throughout the rest of the survey. These responses will not be counted in the calculations I will provide, though I don't know of a way to take them out of Google Forms. Because of this, they are still represented in the graphs provided (though I had enough responses that this shouldn't matter). I recognize that most of this article is other people's quotes (and it will be a ton of words). I'm only going to claim this for two weeks at most because of that (and it's not in the Media Spot section because I have something else sitting in there at the moment and this is more in the "discussion" category anyway).  
Let's get into it!
 
 
Thanks to the following, for the following:
@Berocka
@Spartan
@N0HBDY
@Ahma
@ajwllmsn
@FrostBeard
@Hogan
@JardyB10
@thadthrasher
@a_Fork
@Doomsday
...as well as 13 others who either chose to remain anonymous or gave me a name I'm unsure is correct (to whoever responded as me, I think I know who you are but I'm not going to assume).
 
 
Among those who responded, 91.7% do not have any mod powers (8.3% do). Both mods and non-mods were free to complete the survey.
 
 
Question 1: Do you believe that the VHL Code of Conduct provides a good general basis for moderation?
65.2% answered YES 17.4% answered NO 17.4% answered OTHER: "Yes, but I can guarantee that 99% of users are not going to read it." -Anonymous "I feel ike overall it's good. Like anything, it can be improved and likely will be improved as time goes on. Everything evolves!" -Anonymous "For the most part, yes. But when they announce bans by referring to section 1.1, that's a problem. That part just lists the punishments." -Anonymous "I believe that the meaning of the CoC is good. That said, we are coming to a point as a community where joking around by the CoC can become problematic." -FrostBeard  
 
Question 2: Is there anything that you would like to see added to or removed from the Code of Conduct?
 
"It's too specific, making chatting about the league and anything even fringe on the line a no go. Too restrictive." -Anonymous  
"Maybe have consequences laid out. EX - First time offender: 10 min mute 2nd: 1 hour 3rd: 12 hours etc" -Anonymous  
""Any comments made that belittle members of an oppressed group will not be tolerated." This should be removed, why do they have to be an oppressed group to get the treatment everyone deserves?" -Berocka  
"I'd like to see more clarity on what rules are actually enforced and which ones aren't. We've apparently had rules against baiting/trolling/drama/fighting for quite a bit now, and we have quite a lot of all of that in chats. However, it's never been punished before, so I'm not quite sure why they're included very vaguely if each reported situation is handled on a case by case regardless, and supposed infractions are just assigned to very high level buckets" -Spartan  
"I'd like to see kind of a limit as to how long ago something have happened can be reported, such as in Hogan's case this is 4 months later, and only resulted in a measly 1 week tpe ban. Like it was 4 months ago, is it worth even bringing up and reviewing and just going through all the trouble in general just to handout a slap on the wrist like that. This way like nothing minor, or likely as stupid as what hogan did gets brought up when it really didn't need to be. I'd like to see the admins and whoever handles these things take more responsibility and have more accountability when it comes to their mistakes. They likely saw what Hogan said when it happened, but thought it was ok then since nothing happened, so why change your mind 4 months later?" -N0HBDY  
"Nothing. I really like that the Mods have cracked down on members to make the community safer and more fun to be a part of." -ajwllmsn  
"Yeah, remove baiting. Obviously it's been meme'd to hell and back, and will continue to be so." -Anonymous  
"Punishment for abuse of power by a member of the moderation team." -Anonymous  
"I believe that CoC should be as simple as it can be. Don't do *list all the things like sexual advances, act with respect towards every human being, be mindful of what you say to people as it might hurt*. (That is just a quick list of things and is not complete) Anything after that to me is just trying to make sure that the league becomes TOO regulated." -FrostBeard  
"Maybe make it a bit more clear, I know when looking at some bans members were confused to what a section meant and how it related to a ban." -Hogan  
"I think that many of the rules are still very open to interpretation. It's kind of similar in the NHL to be honest. The rules are left just vague enough that the rule can be enforced differently depending on the situation and technically still fit within the definition. That can lead to bias against certain groups or members." -a_Fork  
"COC has become extremely tight and limiting, nothing in particular to remove as that's more on the enforcement side." -Anonymous  
"A statute of limitations on punishments for past offenses, as times and people change. I also really don't want to see instances like Hogan's where people dig up something from months ago for no good reason other than to be petty." -Doomsday  
 
Question 3: On a scale from 1 to 10, how do you feel the mod team as a whole has performed in terms of CONSISTENCY (similar/equal actions taken for similar/equal offenses)?
Average score: 4.96
Standard deviation: 2.70
 

 
Comments:
"Bans different lengths and punishments seem stupid for different reasons. Similar to NHL punishments, so at least that's realistic." -Anonymous  
"Very inconsistent, I think this is one of the biggest issues for the mod team right now." -Anonymous  
"There is obvious favouritism. Often you see certain members, who I won't name, get away with things. Then, you see members who aren't as liked do the same or less and they get slapped with the fine. This isn't with all moderators either, I don't believe." -Anonymous  
"I guess we do not see warnings, only the final results--so I do not know what is happening to know if the punishments are fair." -Berocka  
"I think the most recent situation with Hogan has a spotlight on this point specifically, as there are plenty of instances of the CoC being broken over the past 2 years that it's existed in this format. A simple search of "retard" on discord gives me 23 hits, including hits from a current moderator, most from 2019 through today. Since drama/fighting/trolling/baiting isn't allowed, all threads that got locked due to fighting/drama should have the involved users punished as well. Even recently, the NSFW rule to make the discord safe for work was enforced by the removal of the boomshack, but there was a discussion about porn in gen chat just a few days ago, and people are free to use profanity. This isn't a comment to advocate to make our league rated E for Everyone, or suitable for children across the board, as I frankly think most of the people in this league are old enough to contain themselves. People at work/school have more pressing things than to worry about mentions of porn in gen chat, although apparently those don't get moderated anyways." -Spartan  
"I think that they over exaggerate what the requirements it takes to be a mod, sure being of age is fine, but being available and on discord however many hours they said seems unreasonable, and I also think that they're overstepping their boundaries by now moderating discord locker rooms which they have no business in doing, and then hiring 4 new mods when they only had to replace 1 and maybe needed to add one more." -N0HBDY  
"Fishy has been on the BALL. Every time I need to tag a mod for help with member issues, new players with inappropriate names, etc... Fishy has been there right away to help fix problems. The other mods as well are doing a great job, I have just noticed Fishy really taking charge." -ajwllmsn  
"I've been in multiple voice chats where there's been a number of things that go against the code of conduct while moderators were present and nothing happened. That's not to say I want a policed-state in the league, but as to whether they are consistent or not, no they are not." -Anonymous  
"TPE bans are garbage. A person like Spyro, who has been Welfare+PF for their career, doesn't care much about a 2 week TPE ban I would assume. Then on the other hand you have Hogan, who has been max earning with his new player up to this point. Although the TPE almost evens out (2x 6 for Spyro = 12) and (1x 13 for Hogan), and I'm not exactly sure what Spyro did, but this affects Hulk Hogan 2's entire career, compared to a barely active Spyro." -Anonymous  
"I have been following the VHL on a consistent basis and the regularity of new mods implementing joke mutes or other behavior is disappointing. They also seem indifferent to some things that can be viewed as inappropriate, yet other times implement action immediately." -Anonymous  
"I think that when it comes to consistency, you can't really argue that it is there, after all, people are getting punished for doing small and irrelevant things too, things that should at best warrant a warning so, yes, it is equally consistent." -FrostBeard  
"A lot of the inconsistency for me comes in discord. Sometimes mods will quickly move topics to other channels while sometimes they let it stay. It feels like sometimes posts stay that should be deleted and vice-versa." -Hogan  
"By and large, the mod team does a great job. There's a couple recent things I didn't 100% agree with but don't disagree with enough to question the decisions too much or their conduct in general." -JardyB10  
"I've seen a variety of users break the CoC at various levels of severity. It seems that certain users have received more frequent/severe punishments over others." -thadthrasher  
"The mod team applies the letter of the law as consistently as possible. They're not going to see everything given the nature of Discord, but overall, as far as consistency goes, I think they do a relatively good job." -Anonymous  
"I think mods are fairly consistent and I think it's silly to expect 100% consistency on a group of people.  They are not a hive mind.  Although it's possible they are not as consistent as I think but that I just don't mind what they do." -Anonymous  
"I think it's kind of a toss up. The code of conduct still seems very broad and could be implemented differently by everyone." -a_Ferk  
"Punishments seem to vary wildly from user to user for similar issues/coc violations." -Anonymous  
"A couple of head scratchers here and there, but for the most part, it's typically just and consistent." -Doomsday  
 
Question 4: How do you feel the mod team has performed in terms of PROFESSIONALISM (general respect in mod-related discussion)?
Average score: 6.70
Standard deviation: 2.99
 

 
Comments:
"People are people and we make mistakes and they have to still enjoy the site too. They're not gonna be robots. They have emotions too. Similar to that standard, members should be and USUALLY are treated the same." -Anonymous  
"If we're limiting the definition of professionalism here to ""general respect in mod-related discussions,"" then it'd be a straight 10 since they either say ""we can't provide details" or simply don't participate in conversations.   
If we're covering professionalism across the board, I think people are generally fine, although some folks have issues with handling emotions during conflict. It leads to discussions being unproductive since people go on the defensive very quickly or want to leave the discussion. It doesn't help at all with conflict resolution when impulsive things are said. I can't really ding mods for acting immaturely without breaking code of conduct, since simply being immature isn't punishable in the league." -Spartan
 
"The older mods that have done this longer are the more professional of the group I would say, it likely takes time to establish yourself into the role. But from the newer mods, I was in a vc and was server muted for no reason other than the mods wanted me to be quiet or didn't like what I was saying, which what I was saying was not violating CoC guidelines. It makes me feel much more insecure about what I think I am able to say not because these mods feel that they can mute at their disposal even when there are no rules being violated." -N0HBDY
 
"I would consider myself to be closer (friends) with some of the mods, and they even take their role seriously when I start joking or doing anything. For example, in gen chat we were making jokes about the CoC, Sam shut me down right away which she rightfully should have. Nothing has changed, we don't hate each other because of it, she was just doing her job." -ajwllmsn
 
"Too professional. We're here to have fun, and it seems like everyone is going out of their way to get people bans. And I'm all for moderation and justice, but I can't be the only one thinking this??" -Anonymous
 
"I believe every response by mod team members, every post about a ban or a CoC violation has been well written, thought through and professional." -FrostBeard
"I don't see much unprofessionalism. You can't ask mods to completely remove their personalities to become pure professional entities but I think they do a good job at staying professional." -Hogan
 
"It's easy to lash out at the rabble, and they don't. They state their actions and their (maybe sometimes vague) reasons, and they respond to protests, if there are any, respectfully. And they don't flip flop on their decisions." -JardyB10
 
"I've seen users ask about CoC violations and whether something was allowable or not and had members of the mod team say "if you have to ask..." This conveys a level of unprofessionalism and assumes that everyone understands the CoC to the same degree. There are members who vary in cognitive ability, and these members may genuinely not know or need help understanding." -thadthrasher
 
"Almost gave a 10 here - for all of the complaints some people may have, professionalism cannot be one of them." -Anonymous
 
"I haven't worked with them on any issues, I don't see them going around handing out bans or time outs or shutting down conversations for no reason." -Anonymous
 
"I don't really care about professionalism of a mod team for a fake hockey league." -a_Fork
 
"You generally need to be a real clown for the mod team to dunk on you over your behavior." -Doomsday
 
 
Question 5: How do you feel the mod team has performed in terms of TRANSPARENCY (availability of information when giving it is reasonably possible)?
Average score: 4.09
Standard deviation: 2.94
 

 
Comments:
"Hiding things makes people talk about it more." -Anonymous  
"They need to be more transparent for sure, some of these conclusions make no sense." -Anonymous  
"Little bit transparent. They give you what you need to know I guess. I know once upon a time there was a grand purge where everything bad about the blues etc was PUUUURGED. Certain events happen and you only know a small part. Maybe details, to an extent, would be better to help establish guidelines and understanding." -Anonymous  
"They show who gets banned and reveal as little information as required whilst keeping the people anonymous." -Berocka  
"I had hoped that a revamp/rewrite of the code of conduct would provide more clarity on how moderation would work in this league, and would allow league members to go back to normal league activities such as earning, interacting with their teammates, growing the community. Instead, all the focus has been on the inconsistency and murkiness of the current moderation policies, which isn't optimal. This inconsistency/murkiness is based on the sheer lack of information being provided on what is acceptable and what isn't. Punishments from instances months ago are getting punished without rationalization, and one of them was even completely miscategorized. Requests from the league members to clarify moderation policies have generally been answered with ""we can't provide more details"" under some apparent crackdown on moderation to prevent harming any victims of abuse. However the same refusal to elaborate existed in Hogan's situation when he openly discussed what he did wrong, yet moderators chose not to elaborate on the process and help the league understand what is acceptable and what isn't. I just find that the current moderation policies 1. leave little room for a reported offender of conduct rules to defend themselves, 2. opens up the possibility for people to report others based on a ""I don't like this"" rationale, without actually addressing it with that user directly, and 3. essentially leave all decisions on any report to a group of people who seem to not be following any set precedent, and all operate in a similar mindset considering how they have collectively responded to anything moderation related." -Spartan
 
"[They] don't say any reasoning for why a punishment happens, why they chose that specific punishment, or what the person actually did or said. It's just "code of conduct violations"... like thanks. Would be nice to see what people actually did or said so we can judge if the punishment is too severe or not." -Anonymous
 
"There's never enough on why the person was banned, you always have to hear it through the grapevine, which is annoying and benefits no one. It keeps it private, which in some cases it likely should be, but all evidence for the persons ban is typically deleted and so people have no base of where to judge who's in the wrong and have to instead rely on the grapevine which has no way of telling you if something is true or not which leads to a lot of slandering of someones name, such as the mattyice case, we all thought that they deleted the team locker room they ran to cover up evidence but it was just because they were a boomer and hadn't transfered server ownership to someone else, and so when they tried to leave, boom, server gone." -N0HBDY
 
"There hasn't been a time when there has been a problem with transparency, at least I have not yet to see one yet." -ajwllmsn
 
"I recall reading on the forums that details of bans wouldn't be super detailed or whatever. I don't know, I think it's better to keep things super transparent so people understand where all parties are coming from. Just my opinion though." -Anonymous
 
"I know you have been the one clamoring for the most transparency, and it has not really come, just mostly copy paste messages for different situations. Yes, sure, they don't want to put details out there, but come on, give us something if you're going to be policing everything with an iron fist." -Anonymous
 
"Simply stating a violation is a breach of CoC 1.1 or similar is not good enough. Specify the offence." -Anonymous
 
"This question is the one where I strongly believe that transparency is important. We as a community need to know precisely why someone gets banned or penalized, who reported it and when. THAT is needed for a simple reason - so that people know and don't questions the way how certain issues are handled." -FrostBeard
 
"I think transparency in the biggest problem is moderating. In the two most recent bans I think the transparency has been terrible. In my ban I had to ask for it to be mentioned that in happened in July and in a draft stream. Without this information members were to think anything could have happened recently including a lot worse such as racism/sexism or something along those lines. I think adding on that it happened in July was done late and if never done could've changed opinions on me.
In the case of DarkSpyros ban. He received a 2 week TPE ban following a heated report in which he swore and called the members named for what he claimed was harassment.  [REDACTED] asked for some screenshots. After two days Spyro didn't send any and told me ""When I seen it was [REDACTED], I couldn’t take him seriously"". [REDACTED] had told Spyro that he would be TPE banned for 2 weeks. After saying ""you should know we take CoC violations very seriously"". [REDACTED] then told Spyro they would not be moving forward with his claim of harrasement.
I just think the league could've done a better job here in two ways. Firstly, in the original report. Had they done their own investigation they would find a few posts which I would call [REDACTED] being [REDACTED]. To a member that has little to no idea who he is these may come off as rude and annoying. I think the mod's could have informed Spyro that this is pretty average for [REDACTED] to see if they could try to cool him down. Instead this slapped him with a ban for letting his emotion get the best of him in what he believe what a reasonable situation.
The second place they could've done better is transparency for the league. When I heard of his ban I thought maybe somebody dug something up, maybe he ripped into a player or maybe anything happened. With the lack of things they said it was hard to know. I think the appropriate way to adjust this would be to mention that he used rude language towards another member in a report and didn't reply in 2 days, resulting in a ban." -Hogan
 
"I don't think their actions should be 100% transparent, as has been discussed much and everyone agrees on. I agree with you that they can be at least A LITTLE more specific in their rulings like you laid out in your article. It doesn't need to be "Gus has been banned for showing his penis to everyone on Discord," but it should be more than, "Gus has been banned because rules." A nice "Gus has been banned for sexually inappropriate and degenerate behaviour on the Discord," is perfect." -JardyB10
 
"Without delving into the detailed reasons behind bans and what not, there seems to be a general vagueness when people ask about what happened. Sure, there are some people are simply nosey, but others may want to better understand what is and is not acceptable." -thadthrasher
 
"This is a bit of a sticky issue, but given the nature of some of the complaints, not all of the details can be shared." -Anonymous
 
"I looked at the ban thread for 2021, and felt things mostly had enough information (not all bans were by mods).  I agree with what I have seen mentioned a few people say in that citing 1.1 (spyros ban) as the reason for a punishment is not ideal.  I don't feel obligated to know many details but a section number is appreciated." -Anonymous
 
"The mods are not extremely transparent in my opinion. A lot of the reasoning for bans could mean literally anything. I understand why it is though and it isn't necessarily a bad thing. Not everything should be public knowledge; especially in the more serious harassment cases." -a_Fork
 
"It's not perfect, but it's definitely improving. Steps in the right direction lately." -Doomsday
 
 
Question 6: How do you feel the mod team has performed in terms of RELATIVE VOLUME (amount of action taken compared to your own perception of a proper amount)? To clarify--a score of 5 for this question is considered "just right".
Note: this was the question I rejected one person's response for--comments throughout the survey indicated that they believed that the mod team has been too harsh, but the number given for this question was a 1. This number is not included in the average/standard deviation below, but it is present on the graph.
 
Average: 5.91
Standard deviation: 1.41
 

 
Comments:
"Times have changed. Everyone is PC, over sensitive and take things too seriously. This is a community that's supposed to be light, fun and a hobby. Always someone to get upset over nothing and then someone to over police to be a hero." -Anonymous  
"This is based on my own opinion of not seeing anything sinister happen. But maybe they are doing their job right that I don't see anything bad happen." -Berocka  
"Overall, the actions that have been publicly taken seem to be around fine, considering each situation has deserved the punishments they received with the exception of Hogan who got a 4 month delayed TPE punishment instead of a temp mute/suspension. However, the chatter around staff ownership of locker rooms, abolishment of locker rooms and non-staff run VHL servers, and other community staples that moderators want to have control over concerns me, as its essentially removing the abilities for GMs and other community members to develop their own mini-communities and have more quality interactions." -Spartan  
"I think some of the punishments were a bit excessive. Not sure if that counts for volume though." -Anonymous  
"I don't like how they're running the place now but they also aren't at that level where I can no longer stand them. I understand that they feel the need to keep the league sfw and other things, but punishing the smaller stuff that could likely have slid in the first place is unreasonable, almost like they're taking the "job" too serious." -N0HBDY  
"The bans and actions taken have been right. Members who have received these bans have shown their hate and anger towards the Mods and the CoC, but they need to realize they are mad and angry because they are in the wrong. The Mods don't want us to hate them, they want us to love and respect our community and the people in it. Mods will do whatever is needed in order to achieve this goal." -ajwllmsn  
"Like I alluded to before, I don't think we need a policed-state here in VHL. If people are being pricks then sure, deal with them. It's simple enough not to be an asshat. Punish those who are. I felt this whole CoC thing is a little much. Every situation has context. There's a ton of people in this community who clown around and joke about all sorts of spicy things, and I'm not saying that's right or wrong. People need to gauge the room and know their audience. I feel like a concrete set of laws doesn't gel well with that." -Anonymous  
"7 just from Hogan. I will forever not agree with that ban. But from what it looks like, that number will be rising very soon. Since the CoC ramp up a month ago, there has been 4 bans to prominent members. In the year prior, there was 3 or 4 total to prominent members based on the CoC (not including new member trolls/members with multis/etc.)" -Anonymous  
"I lean towards far too much action due to a simple reasoning - I think that when it comes to "trying to make the league a safe space" we are not actually doing that, what we are doing is creating a league where we will silence the difference of opinion, where we will not be able to feel safe as feeling safe is not about being isolated out of the things you don't like, it is about figuring it out how to better yourself in the light of these things, how to make sure that you don't take everything to heart." -FrostBeard  
"Probably like a 6 or a 6.5. Again, even though it was a minor punishment for a minor offence, pun less intended than your article, I didn't find that necessary." -JardyB10  
"I selected the middle option here because this varies. I feel it varies largely on who the user is. It seems that the CoC has been applied lightly to veteran users and heavily on newer ones." -thadthrasher  
"Too much action, but this has been a long time coming. For years, when it came to rules, moderations, just about everything, the general consensus was ""don't be a dick - this is a league run by volunteers for fun and the spirit of the law is more important than the letter of the law."" Over the past couple of years, we've continued to shift more and more towards a corporate environment that needs a policy for everything. This isn't a shot at leadership because it's essentially what a vocal portion of the userbase has demanded, but it then just becomes a never ending battle of punishment and precedent. 
I also have a problem with the moderation of the forum in general and the number of hidden posts for ""trolling"". The recent VHL Mod Team Hiring thread is example number 1,2, and 3 of this. There are numerous posts hidden in there that do 0 harm - are they necessarily helpful? No, but what are we doing hiding forum posts? Why? I'm rambling, but overall, I feel we're swung way too hard to the ""over moderating"" side of the pendulum." -Anonymous
 
"I think it's been fine." -Anonymous
 
"I'd say it's somewhere in the middle. It annoys me when there are mutes for meme trying to ban someone though. I don't think anyone is naïve enough to think that a goober like me is legitimately staff." -a_Fork
 
"Feels like we probably overreact and punish to fast." -Anonymous
 
"The mod team is very consistent with punishments and I'm struggling to find an example of where I felt it was too harsh." -Doomsday
 
 
Question 7: Are there any particular mods who you feel represent the above qualities significantly better or significantly worse than others? If so, please explain why. NOTE: ALL responses to this question will be withheld in the final article, regardless of your answer to the first question.
 
As stated above, I'm not going to report anything in this article. This question was meant to be a tool for feedback--if any mods would like to message me for a general, entirely anonymous summary of the comments made about them, good or bad, they are welcome to do so.
 
 
Question 8: Which of the following do you consider issues with current league moderation?
 

 
One person selected "other" and commented:
"Mainly unnecessary punishment or what I'd call avoidable. I think more information could be said and things could be more consistent. Although its hard to be more consistent with the recent addition of multiple mods." -Hogan  
 
Question 9: In general, what do you feel the current mod team does well?
 
"Online time" -Anonymous  
"They're always online. Good coverage. Typically they're okay. Kind of shitty in deescalating situations." -Anonymous  
"As I mentioned earlier, they are all considerate to the opinions people that are reporting situations hold." -Spartan  
"I think they do a good job establishing themselves as a higher power for the league." -N0HBDY  
"Cracking down. Not being the Mr. Guy anymore and making people know that when they do something wrong, there will be punishments." -ajwllmsn  
"Overall, I think having an updated, professional Code to moderate by is a good thing. But the code does not explicitly detail what goes into the decision making for a ban. I'm not a fan of the "everything is case-by-case" way of thinking. Like it or not, that can easily lead to favoritism." -Anonymous  
"Collect their weekly pay." -Anonymous  
"Mod team does act really quickly to problems. It is vital that this happen when there is a serious issue though for Mod team there is one thing that has to happen - before you penalize, remember to teach, instruct and explain, provide warnings before you do something irrational." -FrostBeard  
"Activity. I think there's always a mod there to talk to. 
Overall moderation. Just making sure no rule is blatantly broken at a major level. Although getting into more particular situations I dont think its done as well." -Hogan  
"Their jobs" -JardyB10  
 
Question 10: In general, what do you feel the current mod team does not do well?
 
"Blanket bans on bad words on Discord with no context. Feels like they just don't want to actually do their jobs and get a shitty bot to do it for them." -Anonymous  
"too restrictive/ favoritism" -Anonymous  
"Remain consistent" -Anonymous  
"Favouritism, poor handing out of consequence, over policing. Yes, everyone needs to be respectful. People can have convos though without someone crying and being upset." -Anonymous  
"They are a bit heavy handed on some things. I don't agree with the mod team reaching past the VHL discord server and forum though." -Berocka  
"In contrast, there is very little flexibility or patience given to someone accused of breaking a rule, and the team as a whole does not communicate necessary or helpful information to the community." -Spartan  
"transparency 100%" -Anonymous  
"I think they overstep their boundaries and just need to chill out." -N0HBDY  
"I haven't seen anything wrong lately. Others will disagree but I feel like the people who disagree are the people who have done wrong and received punishments for their actions." -ajwllmsn  
"Consistency" -Anonymous  
"Meme/Unnecessary Mutes, trying to control topics in GENERAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CHAT" -Anonymous  
"Give a sense of fairness to decisions." -Anonymous  
"I think I have answered this a bit in the previous question but Mod team needs to be more understanding of BOTH sides of the argument - not only the accuser but also the defender. If that is something that Mod team believes is wrong, sadly, I think at that point the Mod team is just abusing their given power. " -FrostBeard  
"Transparency for what I've said previously. Also having so many mods isn't always a great thing." -Hogan  
"In general I think they're good. MAYBE can improve transparency a bit, but I'd be fine with their current rate if it avoided conflict." -JardyB10 "I'm not sure, in general I think they are doing fine." -Anonymous  
"I feel like the code of conduct allows favoritism to an extent. Banning someone four months after the fact is pretty suspect and I will die on that hill." -a_Fork  
 
Question 11: Are there any issues that you feel are not addressed to a great enough extent by the current mod team (i.e. "is there anywhere you feel mods should be MORE strict")?
 
"Hold everyone to the same standard ok?" -Anonymous "Just to know their boundaries and know that they represent the league in a way and should be careful with what they say or do." -N0HBDY "They have been strict in this category but I want them to be extremely strict on sexual harassment. I feel as an online community with majority of members being male, the females do get picked on more often with sexual harassment. I want all genders to feel safe and wanted here. So as a male myself, I want all the other males to not be creepy and make others (usually females) uncomfortable. It is just embarrassing to all guys when that happens and it isn't right." -ajwllmsn "Not really. One thing is league voice chats. It's hard to manage them but I feel like tons of things are being said in there daily that shouldn't be. I don't go in often and have heard a few things. No real way to have that moderated though." -Hogan "No" x10  
 
Question 12: If you have any comments not addressed by the above questions, please add them here.
 
"[We] should take a look at what other leagues do when discussing punishments. PBE puts the comments in, SHL gives reasoning as to why they choose that punishment. "code of conduct violations" means nothing." -Anonymous  
"My only extra comment is that I have seen in gen chat that people feel as if adding new mods isn't the answer to fixing problems. That's not true. More mods means more eyes to catch you in your acts. Maybe you think these new mods aren't qualified enough to have joined the team, and I disagree. I can't name anyone on the mod team who isn't qualified. All 7 members have been around the league for a long time, know the ins and outs, and are all very nice human beings. Same with commissioners and admins, they wouldn't have their roles if they were just random Joes. They're all very much qualified and I respect all members on the team and think they're great for the job." -ajwllmsn  
"I think I pretty much covered it but to recap, I'm not a huge fan of the system as a whole. That's not to say there shouldn't be rules, but if we just deal with the people who do obviously bad shit, all of this shouldn't be necessary." -Anonymous  
"I just want to make it clear I am not calling for VHL to be like the wild west, with slurs, offensive shit, harassment, etc to be rampant. But I don't want to feel like the CoC is breathing down everyone's neck and at the forefront of every single conversation, like it is now. I just want to have a healthy balance." -Anonymous  
"I would have rated the mod team far higher scores, had they not implemented a TPE ban on Hogan for something that happened too long ago and on an anonymous report probably. I'm not a fan of Hogan but the retroactive nature of this action is unacceptable and shows signs of sheer desperation on behalf of the mod team to be seen to actually do something." -Anonymous  
"At this point, I want to address something that has been bothering me so strongly, I have multiple times noticed that there is this sentiment that ""If you are doubting something is against CoC, don't do it"". I think that with that kind of thinking, this league, this community is laying down a brick road to hell. CoC as a general way of we act, the way how we conduct ourselves should be based on each persons humanity. Can that include trashtalking and not agreeing to decisions? Yes. Can that humanity include baiting and acting like a total jack ass? Yes. Can members act towards each other with certain level of malice without being punished? Yes. To me, the whole point of CoC should not be to make the league safer, it should be to create a long lasting understanding that certain things are not allowed and should be thought through. Did Hogan deserve the TPE ban? No. Was Tate situation something that warranted an instant ban of such severity? No. I could go on, but I think at this point you get where I am standing with all this. 
CoC should be reworked." -FrostBeard
 
"sorry if writing sloppy not re readin brothaer" -Hogan
 
"Pull from this what you would like:
The CoC states in 1.1 that, ""The VHL aims to curate a welcoming, inclusive community intended to provide enjoyment for all its members, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability."" When an organization has a set of rules for conduct it has to be applied to the areas that it states. I want to make sure that we have a safe environment for people to have fun together, but I'm concerned that we may be taking it ""too far"" in some respects and maybe not far enough for others. Let me make the case for religion.
We have a huge variety of religious beliefs throughout our community. In order for us to use the CoC correctly regarding religion, the moderators need to know the intricate details of those religions and what may be deemed as offensive. For example, let's say a user makes a player named ""Muhammad."" This user then goes on to create a graphic of their player where they portray themselves as the prophet Muhammad. In some sects of Isalm, if not most, this is offensive.
Christians see taking the Lord's name in vain as a sin, and may consider it offensive as well. Meaning users should avoid saying ""Oh my God/god;"" ""Jesus Christ"" as an exclamation of disbelief, anger, or frustration; or even ""God d---it.""
Jewish users may not spell out ""God"" and will instead write ""Gd"" or ""G-d."" One person writes, ""We do not write G‑d's name in a place where it may be discarded or erased. Treating G‑d's name with reverence is a way to give respect to G‑d. So even though on a computer the name is not really being erased (and perhaps is not really there in the first place), and ""G‑d"" is only an English term used to translate G‑d's holy name, it is in keeping with this respect that I write ""G‑d"" in my emails and on-line articles."" So, in order to be inclusive of our Jewish brothers and sisters, the word ""God"" should be avoided.
After stating what I did as a profession there was a user who made a pretty offensive joke. Now, they immediately messaged me and apologized, and I wasn't offended at all. I come into this community knowing that I view ALOT of things differently from ALOT of users, and some of what is said is incredibly offensive. But, I also understand this risk when I come into a diverse and large community. I do not expect, nor do I want, the entire community to have to change their behavior and language to avoid offending me.
I bring these up not because I think the VHL should be a place where every moderator has to be a subject matter expert in the realm of religion or social issues, but to show that there is an existing level of ambiguity in the CoC, what is and is not offensive, and how those offenses are being handled. I want to make sure we have a CoC, of course! But, we have to keep in mind the wide variety of cultures and beliefs of the users in the VHL. " -thadthrasher
 
"This isn't directly related to the moderators but wanted to say that I'm flabbergasted at the communities response since the CoC came out.  I could be wrong but I don't think most or any of the rules listed in the post are actually new items.  So I'm not sure why people have acted like the rules are so different now.  Same with people who think the rules are too vague and that every instance of something that can be classified as a wrong doing under the rules is going to get you in trouble.  If you haven't gotten in trouble in the last year, you probably have nothing to worry about.
Overall I think moderation has been fine, but I guess it's all in the eyes of the beholder." -Anonymous
 
"DAVID" -Doomsday
 
 
Once again, to those who responded, THANK YOU for your time, and I hope both members and mods alike read this, take this seriously, and listen to what they do not agree with. I've learned a lot myself with this survey and I hope you'll agree!

1. We had a brilliant draft and picked up many young players who will only join our team next season, your thoughts on the draft?
I am excited to be among those picked for the draft! Let's see what this season brings us!
2. GM Frostbeard has said that he plans to play his goaltending duo together and he believes that Orion is ready to step up as the true number 1, how do you feel about that?
I do not have experience with these two just yet, though I expect the GM has the best-interest of the team when he makes these decisions.
3. Did you do anything extremely crazy this off-season that just was out of your character? 
I did not. I stuck to exactly what I wanted.
4. Bratislava city fans are eager for the next season, if you would have to select a food product that our team should advertise and give out to our fans, what would it be?
If you wanted to market Cadmael, you should just sell basic tacos or something.
5. Watchmen have made a trade and have acquired Sting Chameleon, your thoughts on this trade that sent away Pippo Coca?
I am excited to see Sting! I have seen his name a few times on my way up through the M so I am happy to have a chance to play with him!
6. How confident are you that Bratislava Watchmen have what it takes to win it all this season?
Anything is possible with the correct work ethic!

Press Conference
Week Ending 12/5/21
(Answer 6 Questions for 2 Capped TPE)
 
1. We have some stellar performances from individual players despite a less than stellar record. How has you player been doing?
2. With a few games of experience, what aspects of the game is your player excelling?
3. What would you say is something you would need the most help with or don't quite understand about the league?
4. The S82 draft is coming up in the next off-season, do you have any hopes for your own player in that draft?
5. The NHL is picking up steam, now that we are almost through the first quarter of the season....who ya got?
6. Will Ovi surpass Gretzky's goal record next season or will he retire 2nd?
7. Talk about taking a bite out of crime! Brendan Lemieux is set to have a hearing for his bite on Brady Tkachuk. How many games does the DoPS give him?
8. Marc Bergevin is out as the GM for the Canadiens...who is the next team to clean out their front office?

Love the graphic! The effect is very nice and I think it does the overall mood of the image well. The logo swap was also very well done. My only suggestion would be to try adding more to the border so that it doesn't feel empty! 9/10

Did this as a speedrun graphic. Don't rate. Just laugh at the fact that I totally forgot to record this and it means nothing now lol

Outside of Arena of Ondrey Nepela in Bratislava
GM John Frostbeard steps up to the podium on a windy day with his hair flopping around and mustache shaking:

"Another season is upon us, the greatness you all have a chance to see and feel is unimaginable! I know, I know, we are just a VHLE team, but you know what we also are? WE ARE THE BEST VHLE TEAM! But alright, we are here to announce the people who will be leading us on and off the ice in our 2nd ever season in the recently founded VHLE. It will be a tough assignment to follow people like Carter, Brozik and Adams but here we are! Now, without much further ado, welcome captains!"

Firstly, the A will be worn by Guatemalan dominator, defenceman who screams fear into the ears of his opponents - Cadmael Ixazaluoh! @Vice
Secondly, the A will be worn by a brilliant trade acquisition, Sweden's favourite son - Nils Godlander! @Moon
And finally, the captain of S81 Bratislava Watchmen is someone who spent last season playing for us, being a reliable player and now is ready to step up, truly breathtaking LW from USA - John Baard @Birdman
Congratulations and we will see you all on the ice!

VSN Presents: The Top Prospect of Every VHL Team (S81)     
     With Season 81 recently commencing and the drafts in the rearview mirror, right now is prime time to take a look at each VHL team and its top prospect. Some teams are in win-now mode which makes the decision rather obvious as they have few prospects. However, a good portion of teams have a cupboard of prospects to choose from; many of whom could be a bonafide top prospect for another franchise! 
 
*All statistics are updated through sims on November 25, 2021.
 
Seattle Bears 
Top Prospect: Hulk Hogan 2, D, Istanbul Red Wolves 
TPE: 320 | Drafted: 6th overall, S81
VHLM Stats (Including Playoffs): 107 GP, 52 goals, 129 assists, 181 points, +63, 445 shots, 175 hits, 110 shots blocked  
VHLE Stats (Including Playoffs): 6 GP, 2 goals, 6 assists, 8 points, +4, 46 shots, 15 hits, 20 shots blocked (Istanbul) 
Hulk Hogan 2 leads Seattle prospects in TPE with 320. Hogan 2 won the Ryan Sullivan Trophy, awarded to the best defender of the VHLM, this past season with the now-defunct Yukon Rush before moving on to the Istanbul Red Wolves of the VHLE. A max earner, he can effectively shut down the best of the best while still producing in the offensive zone. Hogan 2 was a tremendous pickup for the Bears, as he will likely round out its top four next season, joining the likes of Zeedayno Chara, Nixon Caldwell and Sven Eightnine. Also worth noting is that Hall of Famer and career Bear Hulk Hogan was part of the same agency as Hulk Hogan 2 is. 
 
Toronto Legion 
Top Prospect: Cadmael Ixazaluoh, D, Bratislava Watchmen 
TPE: 273 | Drafted: 5th overall, S81 
VHLM Stats (Including Playoffs): 77 GP, 23 goals, 69 assists, 92 points, -15, 132 shots, 97 hits, 144 shots blocked 
VHLE Stats (Including Playoffs): 6 GP, 0 goals, 6 assists, 6 points, +11, 10 shots, 9 hits, 19 shots blocked 
While Cadmael Ixazaluoh, a first generation player drafted 5th overall this past offseason by the Legion, does not lead Toronto prospects in TPE, he does have the highest ceiling among them. Ixazaluoh earns 12 capped TPE per week regularly, and has been able to efficiently transfer his game to the VHLE level thus far. He is a terrific two way defender and power play quarterback who can set teammates up. The future looks bright for the Legion, and Ixazaluoh is at the forefront. Something to look for in the coming seasons is Ixazaluoh's Reaper teammate and excellent shutdown defender George Sanderson and him potentially being on the same pair. 
 
New York Americans 
Top Prospect: Tadhg Byrne, G, Vasteras Iron Eagles 
TPE: 227 | Drafted: 16th overall, S81 
VHLM Stats (Including Playoffs): 43 GP, 23-19-1, 0.898 save %, 3.73 GAA, 1 shutout 
VHLE Stats (Including Playoffs): 6 GP, 4-1-1, .897 save %, 3.30 GAA, 0 shutouts 
Tadhg Byrne, the top goalie selected in the Season 81 VHL Entry Draft, is a max earner with a solid all-around game. Drafted by the New York Americans with the final pick of the first round, he looks to replace former Americans goalie Thadius Sales as the next franchise goaltender of the team. So far in his career, Byrne has played a large role in his teams' successes, and New York hopes he can continue that when he reaches the next level of play, the VHL. 
 
Calgary Wranglers 
Top Prospect: Daniel Janser, LW, Oslo Storm 
TPE: 280 | Drafted: 8th overall, S81 
VHLM Stats (Including Playoffs): 77 GP, 42 goals, 42 assists, 84 points, -10, 289 shots, 164 hits, 28 shots blocked 
VHLE Stats (Including Playoffs): 5 GP, 2 goals, 0 assists, 2 points, -10, 19 shots, 12 hits, 18 shots blocked 
Daniel Janser is a fantastic two-way forward who has shown he can make an impact in all three zones. Janser has consistently been able to max capped TPE every week, and has the potential to be a superstar winger for Calgary, who ironically drafted Alex, his GM in Philadelphia, in the same spot three seasons prior. Janser is a strong skater who can handle the puck well, can use his body to his advantage, and can pitch in at both ends of the ice each game. The Wranglers managed to draft his brother, Marcel Janser, as well. They have played together on three teams already, the Brigade in the Junior Showcase Tournament in S79, and the Mississauga Hounds and Philadelphia Reapers this past season in the VHLM. 
 
Vancouver Wolves 
Top Prospect: Rhys Trenton, D, Cologne Express 
TPE: 337 | Drafted: 17th overall, S79 
VHLM Stats (Including Playoffs): 134 GP, 48 goals, 107 assists, 155 points, +33, 413 shots, 290 hits, 236 shots blocked 
VHLE Stats (Including Playoffs): 78 GP, 16 goals, 50 assists, 66 points, +0, 260 shots, 107 hits, 153 shots blocked 
Rhys Trenton is playing their second season in the VHLE, posting nine points in six games as a defender so far. Through their time both in the VHLM and VHLE, Trenton has been one of the top two-way defenders. They do a fabulous job at pitching in on offense while stifling the best of the best on defense. With another season or two in the VHLE Trenton will join a top notch back end in Vancouver. 
 
Los Angeles Stars 
Top Prospect: Florida Man, RW, Stockholm Vikings 
TPE: 352 | Drafted: 13th overall, S80
VHLM Stats (Including Playoffs): 108 GP, 22 goals, 24 assists, 46 points, -3, 268 shots, 67 hits, 15 shots blocked 
VHLE Stats (Including Playoffs): 85 GP, 42 goals, 45 assists, 87 points, +20, 344 shots, 97 hits, 20 shots blocked 
Florida Man, LA's top pick in the Season 80 VHL Entry Draft, is undoubtedly their #1 prospect as of right now. He has followed his point-per-game scoring rate last season with almost double that in six games (11 points). With another season in the VHLE under his belt he will surely be ready for the VHL. He and AJ Williams will make up a very proficient one-two punch at right wing for a long time. 
 
Chicago Phoenix  
Top Prospect: Austin Towbaker, RW, Bratislava Watchmen 
TPE: 272 | Drafted: 28th overall, S80 
VHLM Stats (Including Playoffs): 144 GP, 111 goals, 102 assists, 213 points, +44, 742 shots, 176 hits, 79 shots blocked 
VHLE Stats (Including Playoffs): 6 GP, 6 goals, 5 assists, 11 points, +9, 53 shots, 8 hits, 5 shots blocked 
Austin Towbaker, the captain of the Season 80 Founder's Cup Champion Ottawa Lynx, is not disappointing for Bratislava through six games this season. He is a prolific scorer, evidenced by his 75 goals last season with Ottawa and the goal per game rate he is scoring at with the Watchmen this season. With Chicago greats Lee Xin and Christian Mingle retiring after this season, Towbaker will be in a prime position to become a VHL star player, either next season or in Season 83. 
 
D.C. Dragons  
Top Prospect: Adeline Delle Donne, C, Las Vegas Aces, Bratislava Watchmen 
TPE: 145 | Drafted: 36th overall, S81 
VHLM Stats (Including Playoffs): 82 GP, 29 goals, 31 assists, 60 points, +5, 209 shots, 66 hits, 27 shots blocked 
VHLE Stats (Including Playoffs): N/A 
With D.C. entering a rebuild, they will be relying on up-and-coming talent. Adeline Delle Donne is among that talent. Currently playing for the Las Vegas Aces in the VHLM, he is tied for the league lead in goals (9) with Vasile Lamb of the Mississauga Hounds. Although Donne still has some seasons of development left, he could be a stellar two-way player for the Dragons when he reaches that point. 
 
Riga Reign 
Top Prospect: Alexandre Leduc, RW, Cologne Express
TPE: 269 | Drafted: 13th overall, S81
VHLM Stats (Including Playoffs): 87 GP, 45 goals, 69 assists, 114 points, +60, 348 shots, 50 hits, 13 shots blocked 
VHLE Stats (Including Playoffs): 6 GP, 3 goals, 5 assists, 8 points, +2, 33 shots, 19 hits, 3 shots blocked 
Alexandre Leduc, a first-gen player, is a steady TPE earner and an all-around player. Leduc is a fine skater and puck-handler who can affect offensive and defensive play. They are building on their 90 point season in the VHLM last season with eight points so far in six games for the Express. Leduc is at the center of the Reign's group of young talent, and they should make the lineup either next season or in Season 83, at the latest. 
 
Malmo Nighthawks 
Top Prospect: Miroslav Tsarov, LW, Istanbul Red Wolves 
TPE: 358 | Drafted: 16th overall, S79 
VHLM Stats (Including Playoffs): 164 GP, 79 goals, 91 assists, 170 points, +51, 701 shots, 253 hits, 52 shots blocked 
VHLE Stats (Including Playoffs): 78 GP, 23 goals, 23 assists, 46 points, -10, 278 shots, 89 hits, 15 shots blocked (Istanbul)
Miroslav Tsarov leads Malmo prospects in TPE, and has outstanding goal-scoring ability, shown by their 51 goal season in Season 79 with Philly. They are off to a good start with Istanbul this season, already potting a goal and having three assists for four points in six games. Tsarov could play on the second line in Malmo next season, where they can showcase their offensive skills in the big league. 
 
Prague Phantoms  
Top Prospect: John Baard, LW, Bratislava Watchmen 
TPE: 345 | Drafted: 19th overall, S79 
VHLM Stats (Including Playoffs): 137 GP, 57 goals, 93 assists, 150 points, +11, 492 shots, 191 hits, 53 shots blocked 
VHLE Stats (Including Playoffs): 82 GP, 37 goals, 50 assists, 87 points, +0, 390 shots, 166 hits, 54 shots blocked 
John Baard is the only active prospect that the Phantoms have, and one who will make an impact once he joins the team. Baard is a two-way forward who can make plays happen while shutting down opponents in his own end. In all his seasons both in the VHLM and VHLE, Baard has been close to or at a point-per-game. He will likely start on the third line when he first arrives in Prague. 
 
Moscow Menace 
Top Prospect: Sergey Preobrazhensky, C, Geneva Rush 
TPE: 247 | Drafted: 15th overall, S81 
VHLM Stats (Including Playoffs): 64 GP, 47 goals, 42 assists, 89 points, +0, 395 shots, 84 hits, 48 shots blocked 
VHLE Stats (Including Playoffs): 5 GP, 5 goals, 5 assists, 10 points, +0, 46 shots, 8 hits, 7 shots blocked 
Sergey Preobrazhensky will undoubtedly be a force for the Menace, who selected them 15th overall this past draft. An explosive young center, Preobrazhensky is scoring at a two-point- per-game pace right now for Geneva in the VHLE. They have superb hands and a great shot, and can also backcheck extremely well. Preobrazhensky does not lead Moscow in TPE at the moment, but does among prospects drafted within the past three seasons. Look for them to potentially slot in on the third line once Brian Strong Jr retires following the season. 
 
Warsaw Predators
Top Prospect: Brendan Marner, LW, Rome Gladiators 
TPE: 379 TPE | Drafted: 21st overall, S80 
VHLM Stats (Including Playoffs): 67 GP, 2 goals, 8 assists, 10 points, -37, 44 shots, 77 hits, 6 shots blocked 
VHLE Stats (Including Playoffs): 82 GP, 3 goals, 13 assists, 16 points, -9, 104 shots, 108 hits, 8 shots blocked , Rome 
Despite the fact that the Predators have been in win-now mode for the past few seasons, winning it all in Season 78, they have made the most of their draft pick selections. Brendan Marner is at the top of that list. They are having a career season for Rome right now, posting five points in six games. Marner continues to max earn each week three seasons in. They join Bogdan Trunov and Zach Kisslinger II as another good young forward that will help form the next core of Warsaw. 
 
HC Davos Dynamo 
Top Prospect: Ray withers, RW, Houston Bulls, Geneva Rush 
TPE: 148 | Drafted: 53rd overall, S81
VHLM Stats (Including Playoffs): 39 GP, 1 goal, 2 assists, 3 points, -22, 18 shots, 50 hits, 3 shots blocked 
VHLE Stats (Including Playoffs): N/A 
Ray withers is poised for a breakout season ahead; they already have half the amount of shots as they did in 35 games last season. They can skate well and create chances for their team. Very well rounded overall, withers will be a solid player over time. They lead active Dynamo prospects in TPE at the moment, and could join an emerging core on offense after making the move to the Geneva Rush of the VHLE. 
 
London United  
Top Prospect: Nils Godlander, RW, Bratislava Watchmen 
TPE: 377 | Drafted: 11th overall, S80 
VHLM Stats (Including Playoffs): 115 GP, 67 goals, 97 assists, 164 points, +9, 567 shots, 226 hits, 43 shots blocked 
VHLE Stats (Including Playoffs): 6 GP, 6 goals, 10 assists, 16 points, +12, 51 shots, 15 hits, 3 shots blocked 
London has two highly-talented wingers in Nils Godlander and Zaza Colors, but Godlander gets the edge here solely because he is further ahead in his development with more TPE. He is also another great first-gen player who could become a star for the United in the next few seasons. Godlander continues to dominate in the VHLE after doing so in the VHLM. Himself, Colors and current London center and superstar That Dude will be a deadly combination up front as early as next season. 
 
Helsinki Titans 
Top Prospect: Nezuko, LW, Oslo Storm 
TPE: 307 | Drafted: 1st overall, S81 
VHLM Stats (Including Playoffs): 111 GP, 67 goals, 69 assists, 136 points, +79, 453 shots, 112 hits, 30 shots blocked 
VHLE Stats (Including Playoffs): 5 GP, 2 goals, 1 assist, 3 points, -7, 44 shots, 5 hits, 10 shots blocked 
Nezuko is an elite sniper who went 1st overall in this past VHL entry draft. They put up 121 points last season with the Minnesota Storm, who have since relocated to Oslo to compete in the VHLE. Although they do not currently lead Helsinki prospects TPE-wise, they will very soon. Nezuko has quite possibly the highest potential among prospects of the Titans. Only time will tell, but Nezuko could be a great fit at first line left wing, playing with Jonathan Ori and Alex Johnston. 
 
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