Rōnin

In a darkened pub in rural Iceland, an old and haggard man sits down alone. The bartender approaches him and as they make eye contact they exchange a head nod between them. (All spoken words in Icelandic) "What'll it be?" The bartender asks him. "Anything heavy," the old man says, "I don't plan on eating today." The bartender gives him an understanding nod before he turns and pours what appears to be black sludge like beer into a tall glass, "This will fill you up," the bartender tells him as he places the glass in front of the old man. "Thank you," the old man says as he drinks long from the glass before he places it down and belches a deep and obnoxious burp. "Everything all right these days?" The bartender asks, doing his duty as the server and spending time with the only patron here. "All right?" The old man asks with a sarcastic tone, "Is life ever all right?" "Sure it is," the bartender begins to say. "Don't be so quick to say what is and what isn't, boy," the old man is not so much rude in his tone as he is cautionary, "Every confident man holds a foolish boy inside. This life is not meant for confidence, it's a sin you know?" The bartender remains silent as he listens to the man, and the old man takes it as a cue for him to continue, "I can tell you a story, one that will make your confidence disappear. It will take away and never give it back, but you wouldn't want that, would you?" The bartender shakes his head, "No," and then smiles, "But I'm not sure such a story exists." A slow smile creeps along the sides of the old man's face, "Well," he looks the bartender dead in the eye, "Let me oblige you if you are so sure." "My story is of another confident and foolish boy, Milo Fox, a young lad from Iceland, who at just 21 years old left his homeland to travel south. People 'round here call him a prodigy, and no doubt, he had natural talent for the game, you know? He played with offensive instincts that'll leave you breathless, and that was for a defenseman. But, he had his flaws too. Wasn't much of a leader, and he was as skinny as a twig. Could've use some beefing up, if you ask me, especially before he took on the great unknown. But Milo, he was always been fascinated by the lore of our land. You should know it, Iceland's got tales as old as time, stories of gods and monsters, all wrapped up in the icy winds that blow across our home. Milo, he ate that stuff up like candy. Spent all of his free time outside of hockey reading about old sagas and listening to the whispers of the northern lights. And that - that's where there's a darker side to Milo's story. When he was just a wee boy, barely old enough to lace up his skates, he had a close call. Nearly died, he did. Something to do with the ice, they say. No one knows the full story, but it left its mark on him, that's for sure. Ever since then, he's had this... connection to the cold, like it's a part of him. But despite his near death experience, Milo never lost his love for the game. He spent hours out on the frozen ponds, practicing his shots until his fingers were numb. And let me tell you, it paid off for him as the kid had a shot like a cannon, and he wasn't afraid to use it. But, like I said, Milo's had his weaknesses too. He was too much of a loner, always kept to himself. Didn't have much to say, unless you got him talking about hockey or the old tales of Iceland. Despite his flaws, though, Milo had potential. With a bit of guidance and some time in the weight room, he could've been a force to reckon with. And who knows, maybe one day he could have fulfilled his dream of playing in the VHL. But that never happened, he let his ego get the best of him - he thought he knew what was right, and he didn't want to listen, and look where it got him." The bartender replaces the old man's now empty glass with a freshly poured black brew, "So, where did it get him?" "What?" the old man asks as his glass eyes look back toward the bartender, "Where did it get who?" "The kid from your story," the bartender says, "Milo." "Oh," the old man looks down and away, "Here," he tells the bartender mildly, "Right here." "What do you mean?" the bartender asks him. The old man looks up at him again, and somberly tells him, "Because I'm Milo," the old man looks away again, "I'm Milo Fox." The bartender replaces the old and frail Milo Fox's drink for a third time, and it is with this drink that Milo has begun to sway - but he finds the glass and he touches it once again to his cracked and course lips. "What if you could change the past?" the bartender suddenly asks him. "You can't," Milo practically spits out the words, "You can't change the past, that's why they call it the past," Milo is drunk, "It's gone, boy." "I am as much of a boy as you are," the bartender says as he leans into toward Milo, "Now answer my question, what would you change?" Milo turns his head abruptly to face the bartender, "Everything," he says with honesty, "I'd change everything." "How could you be sure?" the bartender smiles, "I thought confidence was a sin." Milo smiles before he finishes his third glass, "Good point." "What if I told you that you could have a second chance?" the bartender places a fourth glass down. "What's the catch," Milo goes to reach for the glass and as he does the bartender places his hand on Milo's forearm, stopping him. "No catch, so long as you're sure you'd change everything." They held eye contact for what felt like a minute before Milo finally says, "I'm sure." "Finish that glass, and when you wake up tomorrow, you'll be twenty one years old again," the bartender tells him with such confidence that at first Milo believes him. Milo laughs out loud before he grabs the glass and downs in one long gulp. He smacks the glass down on the bar before he stands up from his seat, "Well my boy, this was a good chat," Milo is dizzy and nearly falls over. "I told you already," the bartender begins to say, and as Milo starts to drift into sleep he can hear the bartender tell him, "I'm about as old as you." (1152 words)

Name: Milo Fox Age: 21 Nationality: Iceland Position: D The 21 year old prodigy hailing from Iceland, has swiftly emerged as a rising star in the world of professional hockey. Born amidst the frosty fjords, Milo's passion for hockey ignited at a young age when his natural talent and determination emerged the moment he stepped onto the ice. Since then, Milo's journey to and from the rink has been nothing short of remarkable, and his rise to extreme heights has been a pleasure to watch. Now that Milo has made the move to North America, it remains to be seen where he will land when it comes to both the VHLM and VHL draft. For now, his destination resides on the coast of Eastern Canada, Halifax. But Milo does not worry about the transition, he's used to the cold. Pros Slapshot – Fox possesses a slapshot that strikes fear into opposing goalies. With explosive power, his shot blazes toward the net and can be both precise and unstoppable. Milo's slapshot is a weapon on the ice that leaves defenders trembling in their skates. Decision Making – Fox's decision-making prowess on the ice is high, as he regularly displays a high IQ for the game. With the keen instincts of a seasoned veteran, he anticipates plays before they unfold, orchestrating plays with finesse. Whether it's choosing the perfect pass or seizing scoring opportunities, Milo's mind is consistently leading his team to victory. Speed– Fox's powerful strides propel him effortlessly past skaters, leaving opponents in his wake. With his agility and explosive acceleration, Milo's speed makes him a force to be reckoned with. Cons Leadership – Fox's leadership skills are a work in progress. As he matures, fostering better communication and leading by example will enhance his effectiveness. By inspiring teammates and making decisive decisions under pressure, Milo can evolve into a formidable leader both on and off the ice. Checking – Fox shows promise, yet refinement is needed. By mastering timing and positioning, he can deliver checks with a greater effect while minimizing any penalties he might take. Developing physical strength and honing his awareness will elevate his checking game, transforming him into a force on the ice. Strength – Fox's journey to the highest level of competition faces a hurdle if his current lack of physical strength remains the same. Milo will need to dedicate himself to rigorous strength training and conditioning programs, so he can bridge the gap, and compete against the strongest opponents the VHL will have to offer. (414 words)

So, I decided to come back and recreate for a number of reasons. I’ve debated whether or not to cover my thoughts on a podcast, but I am not sure yet when/if I’ll do one. I’m sure at some point it will happen, but I’ve gotten into trying to work on graphics, so this is a good way for me to practice and get better at it. I saw the recent article Gustav wrote about how defense is not a high need and we’ve got a chance to fall in the draft. That is something I don’t mind as it’s always better to have intrigue heading into the draft rather than knowing already where everyone is going to land. I decided to go with defense on a whim and didn’t bother to scout the league on what position(s) were needed. I prefer the position overall and feel as though it will be a good fit for me, so time will tell if the league feels the same way.

1. How big of an immediate impact adding more defender would have on this team? Huge, especially when his name is Milo Fox 2. What team do you feel is the best match up for Halifax in the playoffs? I would like to see us take on the most dominant team so we can prove all the doubters wrong. 3. What has been your favorite moment of the season so far? I just got here, so that part. 4. What is your ideal team bonding activity? Icecream and romcoms, anyone else in? 5. What would you change about the league aside from deleting the VHLE? Making the VHLE somewhere you can play for your 9th season 6. Will Salt Lake City get their NHL franchise? I hope so, just so I can see a new brand and jersey design

Player Information Username: Tate Player Name: Milo Fox Recruited From: Returning Age: 21 Position: D Height: 75 in. Weight: 212 lbs. Birthplace: Iceland Player Page @VHLM GM

My final press conference for 1 TPE. 1. Do you like pumpkin spice lattes? 2. How do you feel about pumpkin pie? 3. If you were going to carve a pumpkin, what expression would you give it?

It's mostly music, but somewhere in the middle is me.

Brandt Fuhr - AG

Brandt Fuhr - RT

Assistant to the assistant director.

Thank you to those who voted, and congrats to all winners and nominees.

I could not have said it better, and I do hope that the staff reads your response because it is spot on. Thank you again for being such a great teammate and friend, take care!

I appreciate all that you said above, and also agree with what you’ve said, your civilized and thorough approach in acquiring feedback was well done and effective. We all bring unique skills to the table and I would say the impact you’ve had since coming here is immeasurable. You rock, Gustav. I’ll elaborate more on this below but my focus on retention isn’t as much to do with the VHLM. I have always found my experience in the M to be positive, even as a veteran player. My first time around in the M was extremely positive, and this is where I disagree with the common belief that retention lives and dies in the M. I just want to give one last shout out to the GM’s of the M for what they do. I see two significant benefits to your first run in the M, and that is: 1. Understanding how to build a player and earn 2. Fun environment built on a draft year and usually an opportunity to meet some vets. Beyond that my retention focus is on what happens next. One of the best ways to maintain retention is to place attention and praise on your active members. Some ideas on that would be to: 1. Reward content creators with capped TPE boosts. For example an awesome PT could be featured on the portal and the member rewarded with 8 TPE instead of 6. It’s the little things and acknowledgements that give people a boost, and you’re not giving them extra TPE but you’re making their workload smaller while also praising them. 2. Look for opportunities to grow non content creators (and content creators). But maybe you have some quiet people and who don’t like to do media but do like to hang out in Discord. They can help Moderate or act as mentors to help aid new people as well. Acknowledge their work and literally feature them on the site/portal. I know Builders are a part of the HOF, but we’ve got Builders here like @a_Ferk @Garsh who may not create as much media but do so much to benefit the league. That is in no way to suggest that Ferk or Garsh are in any risk of leaving or in need of retention, but imo you need to keep giving love to those who stay and help. This is where I don’t fault Bek for having trouble in doing this, because he is but one man. Retention continues all the way through your tenure here, and there are steps along the way that if people just got a little more encouragement or respect then the end result might be different. I have more ideas of course, it’s just about creating a more open, positive environment. No lines drawn in the sand. By no means should people be forced to participate in anything they don’t want to. It’s more of opening up a conversation and making sure we’re on the same page if someone crosses a line. There should always be a bridge back. One that people can see. I agree with you that there are those who listen, and such is why I appreciate you taking the time to talk with me. Take care, good sir

For my final VHL podcast, I'm going to do what I never do, and add timelines below: 0:00 - 3:52 : Purposely long and self-indulgent opening 3:53 - 5:16 : My typical intro involving a rambling conversation about something happening in my personal life 5:17 - 14:35 : @jRuutu's questions 7:37 - 9:37 : Challenge to @Beketov 14:36 - 37:18 : @Gustav 's questions 37:24 - 40:47 : @Thunder's questions 40:48 - 41:42 : Shoutout to @OrbitingDeath 41:43 - 48:47 : @Phil's questions 48:48 - 54:30 : @JardyB10's question 54:31 - 54:55 : Special Guest's closing comments Thank you to all that listen, much love to you.

Thank you to all who posted questions, Jardy’s question above this post will be the last I answer. Take care!

Love the ode at the top, you made me legitimately laugh out loud multiple times. You’re not only great at doing podcasts but you’re going to improve the tiny void left by me. No worries on me being contacted to waive my NTC for Fuhr (if wanted), and I still plan to claim welfare until no team wants my player anymore. I’m glad you didn’t go through my thread doing a play by play, but I’ll say that the list of topics I included were my list, not necessarily the list of a first gen. My post wasn’t for theme week. You rock Hogan, honestly, I appreciate your sense of humour. Enjoy your trip, and take care!

This is where I admit that my writing is not as good as it sounds in my head, and another reason why I wanted Baozi to listen to my voice. This post is not about Spartan, Gus, and Acyd (he's too new to blue). So, when they responded I had to sort of outline who/what I was talking about better. Gus mentioned that my original post was vague or something like that, so then I decided to be specific. Just so you're 100% clear on what I was complaining in regards to you and Josh about are: 1. Rushed hires 2. Enabling staff who have detrimental affects on the league (again, I quite like Baozi as a person, and chatted with him today in Discord - very nice person). But in outlining my Mod Mentality as well as their history this year, I'm trying to point out what happened, and by using me specifically I can argue it until the day is gone because I know all the details. 3. Enabling Toxic Members, in the sense that if you were to go to Gen Chat right now, and look at the past week's messages. You'll see references in there about giving BJ's, doing your Mom, all sorts of stuff. No one gets tagged for that, but I got hung out to dry for making what I thought was a joke. I said something that even children wouldn't get sent to the office for, it's a slap on the wrist. It's a crazy double standard. I want to be clear, I don't mind the jokes that happen in Gen Chat, and in fact I am a fan of dark humor. I am merely pointing out how I was treated so dramatically different. Horcrux (Kachur) was a huge factor in this as well, as the part of me being informed ahead of time of my inappropriate behavior never happened. I wish I could show everyone all that I know, because I spent a lot of time agonizing over it. You're not looking in the right places nor asking about the affect I have had on this league. Ask about me, audit me. Look at the impact I have had with members (especially those who have known me all along). I stayed away from Discord because I got banned for saying Your Ass is Damn. People want to say it's because I was harassing, but I was not, I was doing what I always did. I know now that what I was doing was wrong, and it's changed how I approach conversations. But to say that I am not active, is to be one hundred percent not looking. I believe you for the most part on that, however, some of your comments above suggest to me that you've not paid attention to the work I've put into this site. And to be fair, you're busy as all hell. I get it. I would buy you a beer in person if I could, would love to sit down and shoot the shit with you. I like who you are as a person, I like what you've done for this league. If I could do so right now, I would like to shake your hand. If you ever get around to listening to my podcast, if you could go back and just try to hear the words I am writing in my tone of voice - it will sound a lot better. I think I want you to know at the end of all of this, that I think you're great, even though I said what I said above--- Actually, let me say it this way, after all that I have outlined above I still think you're great. When I think of great leaders here, you're in the conversation, and all great leaders continue to learn and grow as they go. You will too. I've watched you over the past 3.5 years navigate many difficult situations, and I respect you for how you do it. Yes, you are correct. It's the hardest job in the league and IMO it should come with an automatic 12 TPE a week. We've lost some great people due to the burnout that comes with it, and that in of itself demonstrates how strong and capable you are.

I just want to speak on the part I bolded because I think Bek is referring to me here. So, I have never missed a week, always maxed earn, and was a consistent donator. I've also constantly contributed media to this site. Outside of when I criticized you 3.5 years ago, and the mods recently - when have I ever thrown jabs? (the question is rhetorical, you will not find any) This was the same issue 3.5 years ago. You are only one person, but you've got a league filled with members. You need more help Anywho, just had to respond to those parts.

Do me a favor and re-read the sections where I talk about you, specifically. I didn't say any of what you just wrote above. I actually think quite highly of you as a person, member, and site manager. I outlined my reasons above, trying hard to acknowledge how much I like you and how much hard work you put in. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't be made aware of these issues. Definitely not a vendetta against the majority of staff, I've highlighted my concerns. If I thought there was any point in reaching out to you privately before I made my decision to leave, I would have. I did expect you to contact me after the Mod Mentality post, but at this point it does not matter. I want to make sure that you (Bek) know that I think you're not only a good person, but that you try as hard as you can. It doesn't mean that you don't get things wrong, and this is a way for me to not only be specific but also to point it out for everyone else. When I leave this league, I will leave with no hate in my heart for you, Bek. I wish you all of the best going forward, you're a good man. Take care!

Correct

Hi Hatter, I did not initially see your reply until now. Not ridiculous, I guess I'm doing a bad job of explaining it because everyone seems to be getting my point wrong. My whole thing on Frank was HOW the process was conducted. I don't believe I've earned a job due to my time in the league, but based on my contributions (which are outside of this, very positive), I should have at least been given an interview. I'm talking about how choices like that kill morale in others. It's about how people feel they've been, "treated," - whether they are right or wrong in their observations. Frank is fantastic, for the love of all holy. That's why I pointed to a GOOD hire done poorly. So, I kept silent when I came back, and I tried to play nice. I spoke out because of what I saw them do over a calendar year. Please, if you're interested, take the time to read my thread and listen to my podcast. The listening part is the most important IMO because you hear my voice, and my real tone. I do try to write in a way where I don't sound like a complete dick, but based on my responses I think I don't know how to write otherwise. lol. I'm sticking up for the silent people here, Hatter. You may not be one of them, but there are others like me. This is just for clarity (about me), none of this will likely change the league.

The only thing I want to comment on here (for others visibility), is let's say that the line of applicants was not that long - doesn't mean interviews should not be done. This is what I mean about doing your due diligence. Now, we all know how busy Bek is, and again (I quite like Bek), but this is why I have always stated that there should be a minimum of 3 active commissioners. Their workload is way too high for just 2 people, let alone 1. My overarching theme on the first point I made was making the process of applying visible and fair. If everyone feels like they had a chance at the job, and Frank still gets it- the mood in the room is far less tense. This is just a fact of how emotions work with people.