Tate

Well, it’s been quite the week overall since I last did an article, and this time around it won’t be as controversial or aggressive.  I think I accomplished what I set out to do in that I was heard, and those who are currently in leadership positions did take notice of what I had to say regarding the mods.  It remains to be seen what impact this might have (if at all), but at least I got it out and I didn’t sit back and stay silent.  It’s important to stand up for what you believe in, and no matter what the outcome you will never make everyone happy.
 
That sort of leads into my next thought.  While I did get some great feedback from members, I also received a considerable amount of silence and distaste from others.  This was to be expected because no one really likes it when people stir the pot, especially when it goes against individuals, they consider to be good friends—but the whole experience has made me question my place here.  What is it that I’m holding onto?  It would appear as though I am in the minority when it comes to how this place should operate, and the kind of mentality/mindset it should have.  I’ve gotten a clearer picture of how I’m viewed here, and I don’t know that I am the right kind of fit for this community.
 
Maybe that’s been the trouble all along? 
 
We have a saying that goes along the lines of, “you can’t blame a person for trying.”   But when should you stop them from trying to force a circle into a square?
 
(275 words)

I'm not much of a article reader tbh. Is there a podcast I can go over?

Well, it’s been quite the week overall since I last did an article, and this time around it won’t be as controversial or aggressive.  I think I accomplished what I set out to do in that I was heard, and those who are currently in leadership positions did take notice of what I had to say regarding the mods.  It remains to be seen what impact this might have (if at all), but at least I got it out and I didn’t sit back and stay silent.  It’s important to stand up for what you believe in, and no matter what the outcome you will never make everyone happy.
 
That sort of leads into my next thought.  While I did get some great feedback from members, I also received a considerable amount of silence and distaste from others.  This was to be expected because no one really likes it when people stir the pot, especially when it goes against individuals, they consider to be good friends—but the whole experience has made me question my place here.  What is it that I’m holding onto?  It would appear as though I am in the minority when it comes to how this place should operate, and the kind of mentality/mindset it should have.  I’ve gotten a clearer picture of how I’m viewed here, and I don’t know that I am the right kind of fit for this community.
 
Maybe that’s been the trouble all along? 
 
We have a saying that goes along the lines of, “you can’t blame a person for trying.”   But when should you stop them from trying to force a circle into a square?
 
(275 words)

1. Is it easier to communicate with a dog or a cat?
2. Do you believe in the paranormal?
3. Has anyone ever said anything to you that just creeped you out?
4. Would you rather be a wizard or a psychic?
5. John Taveras is on a tear recently. Plan the parade?
6. Vancouver (Wolves) looking promising for next season?
 
@Tate

An audio letter for@Baozi.  
 
 
 
 
@Beketov & @Josh also mentioned.  
 
 
 

For those of who you may be unaware, I have recently engaged in a polarizing debate against the current Mod team, specifically the ideals of their leadership.  I implore any of you that may have interest in the long-term health of our league to check out my podcast post, Mod Mentality (link below):
 
 
 
I wanted to use my dot.com article this week to highlight why I believe it is so important to stand up for what you believe in.  I want people to understand how serious I am taking this initiative to speak out, and how badly I want to draw attention to what I feel is an extremely important issue within our league.  The following information I have pulled from the web and edited to keep it as concise and clear as possible.  I will have also fulfilled my one-hundred-and-fifty-word count by the time you begin reading the text below.  I welcome all feedback.  Hope everyone has a Happy Halloween!
 

 
Let's start now with a question:  “How many times have you sat back and stayed silent even if you didn’t believe in what was being said or done?”
 
If you have, I don’t blame you, it’s easier to keep your own ideas to yourself. You don’t risk getting put down, feeling judged, or becoming an outcast.
 
But what if the one idea you have can change everything for the better?
 

 
It is for that reason that you shouldn't keep it to yourself, and instead, stand up for what you believe in.
 
So the next question you might ask yourself is how you do it?  Before we talk about that, let's stay on why it's so important:
 
1.    It builds respect
This goes two ways. Sticking up for what you believe in builds your self-respect because you’re following through with your values. Standing your ground also gains respect from others, even if they view things differently than you. Just having the guts to stand up for yourself or others will show what kind of person you are. 
 
2.    You will gain confidence
At first, standing up for your beliefs isn’t the easiest task. You may be doubt yourself, you may hesitate, and your words might not come out just right (like the prepared speech you have in your head). But the more you do it, the better you’ll get and the more confidence you’ll gain. You’ll be more willing to step out of your comfort zone in uncomfortable situations.
 
3.    It helps you discover who you are
When you just go along with what others say, you’re letting them take control over a piece of your life. You’re allowing them to dictate how you should do or say something, even how you should think. This may sound drastic but every little thing that you sit back on impacts your life. By standing up for what you believe in, you’re expressing who you are and what you want out of life. Even if your ideas don’t change a thing, you are still putting your real, unique self out there. 
 

 
So, let’s finally talk about how you can implement this strategy in your life.
 
1.    Figure out what you believe in
Before you stand up for what you believe in, you have to know what it is that you believe in! It sounds simple enough but when we sit back and let others take over, we sometimes forget or lose sight of who we really are. When you have a quiet moment to yourself, think about the following questions.
 
•    What is important to me?
•    What am I passionate about?
•    What motivates me?
•    What are my core values?
 
2.    Let go of your fears about what people think of you
This is a tough one. When standing up for yourself, you have got to let go of your fears of what people think about you. 
 
3.    Don’t doubt yourself
Sometimes when you stand up for yourself, there will be people who try to change your mind or put you down. Always keep your beliefs in mind. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to hear others out and listen to their point of view. But that doesn’t mean you have to change what you believe in.
 
4.    Keep doing it
We know that staying in your cozy shell doing your own thing is comfortable, but you have the power to change things for the better when you allow yourself to break out of your comfort zone and stand up for what you believe in. You’ll build respect for yourself, gain confidence, and discover who you really are. It may not be easy at first but it’s quite simple to do. Start by finding out what your beliefs are, let go of your fears, quit doubting yourself, and keep practicing. 
 
 
(160 words written by author)

I liked your reply to me, but I also wanted to say thank you for writing a thoughtful finish to this debate. 
 
I do feel as though we’ve both been heard and been able to state our viewpoints.
 
Win win for both sides, in a way
 
Take care!

I don't know, can we really trust this commish if he was cheating point tasks 12 years ago?...

I like to be technical because I don't like misunderstandings of sorts.
 
 
I think that's good. At no point in time did I disparage this or say you didn't change or own up to what you did. Again it made me believe that the 2 week warning discipline action worked out and you basically learned from it.
 
 
I certainly don't think you are a bad person. I've said it multiple times now, we have a difference in values and views. I've acknowledged this and I've explained to you why we are different but I didn't say that you can't be you. Certainly if i did then I do apologize for that, I definitely mean it takes many people in many walks of life and we all have different life experiences so none of us are the same. That isn't even in a negative way. Its just to express uniqueness in each person. This is why i took the time to listen to your podcast and I replied back to you. 
 
Also please note I haven't discouraged or shut down any of this conversation because I think its fine to have these discussions. Certainly talking it through and having people voice concerns I've always welcomed.

First of all, there is a gigantic difference between what I said, and what you said.
 
Mine should have been warning, and in my opinion yours was more of a cry for help.  It’s clear the pain you felt inside that made you attack that individual.
 
Second of all, it is the very nature of how you suspend people that we disagree on. Showing that you’re consistently over the top and wrong does not prove your point to me. It just shows a record of misunderstanding that is being led by you.
 

The proactive aspect is in reference to Baozi's ideology on how they approach enacting discipline (severe punishments) and what not.  I was technically suspended for breaking consent, I actually only made ONE comment that was complained about.  I was the one who submitted an article to show my past behavior as well as anyone could have searched Discord to have seen the countless messages between us, OVER YEARS.
 
And if we want to post the comment I was dinged for we can, it's actually a PG safe comment for anyone curious, and you can still find it in discord.
 
The comment I made might be something you hear on a playground, among teenagers or kids.  Listen Spartan, you're a great person and all, but don't go drinking the Kool Aid (look it up if you don't know what that phrase means).  There is plenty of evidence to support what happened to me, which is why I must reply to you next comment. 
 
 
 
 
 
In no way did I merit discipline, absolutely not.  I deserved a warning, and the knowledge that what I was doing was wrong.  For more proof, go look at the countless messages before hand which support why I acted the way that I did.  I was completely blindsided when my suspension happened to me.  I literally had no idea that was any issue at all.  
 
There are also plenty of people who felt my punishment was unjust but for their sake I will not name them publicly, I certainly take issue with you making that statement.  You want to make a statement for how you feel? Fine.  But certainly not a blanket statement.  That is 100% not fair. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
So, not all mentorships work out, not all people stay.  The point is to try.  Like I mentioned before, moderators are by nature educators because they know the rules.  When you hire people, you hire for personality and character.  You can teach the rest. 
 
It's not about chances, it's about communication.  There does come a time where you determine if the person in question is knowingly trying to cause harm, and it is then that you enforce discipline like a suspension or banning. 
 
 
 
 
 
I am a writer by nature so forgive my dramatic descriptions but it is to get a point across.  Text is hard to get right, so when using it I am trying my best to make a point and I also have a certain way of doing it. That is just who I am.  Also, I have a right to feel pissed off with the response I got from Baozi, and I can choose how I want to go about expressing it.  At no point have I gone against the COC. 
 
But let me tell you, I didn't start this so I could call on myself to take over.  It was only after hearing from Baozi that I offered myself as a temporary solution to help guide the ship.  What I am saying overall is listen to the differences between how Baozi and I would lead.  Who would you prefer?
 
Based on some of your responses here I see how you align with Baozi's mindset when it comes to be a bit on the stricter, and that is perhaps why you're comfortable with the current mold.  But I also know the kind of heart and compassion you have because we've exchanged some really good conversation. 
 
Can you really say that what happened to me wasn’t unjust ?  After everything I have stated, shown.  After what the actual truth is?  If I knew for one second that the person I offended didn't want me to talk to them in the way that I did -- I WOULD NEVER, EVER HAVE DONE SO.  Learning the truth was like getting punched in the gut.  It makes me sick to think about it. 
 
I sure hope the same thing never happens to you, Spartan.  Because I did not deserve to be labeled in the way that I was or have my reputation affected negatively across multiple leagues.  I deserved the right to a conversation.  
 
I'm quite surprised you don't see that. 
 
 
 
Of course I don't think everyone feels the same!!  I am trying to get members who may be staying silent to speak up.  Do I really believe that this team will ever hire me, let alone for the Head Mod job?
 
No.  Absolutely not. 
 
They don't trust me.  They've got a nice group of friends here that have made this place run for a looooooooong time.  Why should my feelings matter?  I am just another one to complain, bitch and moan.  Ignore me long enough  and eventually I'll just go away like the rest of them do, right?

Not one to make a sappy, rep-farming post, but I might as well take a VHL.com article to wrap up some final thoughts as Warsaw GM.
 
One final thank you to all the players that have played in Warsaw since Season 79, you've made it a great time for me, and I couldn't have wished for anything better. Warsaw will forever be my favourite VHL team, and I'm excited to be coming back as a player, beside the team, and work towards getting to the promised land for the 3rd time. 
 
I don't plan on going anywhere, still plan to be a regular gen chat member and BoG hopeful. Definitely sticking with Pension+ until it gets a nerf. Hard to think we're entering... Christmas season...  I feel like I have things going on every day, so a tiny step back was needed on my end. (Side note, respect to long-term GMs) It hurts to see Vasile falling down the S82 Draft Rankings though. 
 
What will this offseason look like for Warsaw? I'm in a position where I want to get the roster in a competitive spot for S86, but I am also holding back trading future picks in respect for the new GM. I think it's best they have picks for when the core of this team eventually dies off. Speaking of said GM, who will it be? I didn't explicitly give any one member my seal of approval, I just hope whoever does get the job shows the same passion that both Muff and I have shown in the past. 
 
Thats it and I'm out.
 
(250 Words)

No worries, thank you for your response. I definitely did not plan to respond again but since you asked some important questions I will answer them. 
 
 
 
 
Okay, this is an excellent question.  I just want to clarify the order on how things happened that led to everything I ended up doing- 
 
I did the Podcast to discuss my philosophical differences between how I view the problematic Mod team and how they have been approaching discipline in this league.  The mod team is very punishment heavy, feeling as though their bans/suspensions will help prevent future incidents and also believing them to be fair.  Believing that they have a right to be proactive.
 
I personally think they're bat shit crazy, and do not believe anyone here has the right to be proactive when it involves risking the well being of people's mental health.  Instead, I do believe that our Mod team must be reactive and assess situations case by case as they arise.  In both JRuutu and my suspensions they got aspects of the details involving why we were suspended wrong, and what they did was not only unfair but reckless.  In my case alone it resulted in a significant loss in my reputation and my mental health.  
 
I wanted Baozi to hear my mindset, hoping it might sway their opinion, and maybe get them and the group to see the error in their over the top, idealistic ways.  However, that was not the case, and because Baozi was so defiant that is why I spent so much time going on about my own suspension, because I wanted them to see the pain and damage they had caused.  I wanted to show them that they weren't always right, and the fact that by acting proactive they had actually caused more damage than good. 
 
So, just to clarify -
 
1. The podcast was an outreach to Baozi and also to flag this issue to the Blue Team.
2. Once Baozi responded in the way that they did -- I bit back with my own suspension (which I had in my back pocket because I knew I had been wronged).  I am also not alone in that belief, there are many league members still here to this day that were present when I was suspended and know what it was for.  Which again, goes to my point about how over the top their reactions and PUNISHMENTS are.  All I needed was a warning.
 
All I had needed was to know that there was a problem... they did not give me that.   
 
Differences in how I would operate -- 
 
Most cases that involve breaking the COC would involve a conversation, and mentorship of that member.  I would want our moderators to build connections with members and help them understand why what they said/did broke the COC and work with them to avoid doing it again.  I would have them show examples or try to help said members understand how to approach those situations better.  I would only use suspensions as a last resort, when a member had knowingly gone against the previous conversations from the Mods and specifically tried to target/hurt people.  Kachur is an excellent example of a lifetime ban.  JRuutu and I should have been talked to and that's it. 
 
One of the points JRuutu brought up about himself is that he is Finnish and English is not his first language.  We know already based on some of the responses in this thread that the majority of people have found that my podcast was well spoken, but that I come across as a bit of a dick when I am writing out these combative messages.  This is the negative aspect of text that all Mods must consider before acting with discipline.  Not punishment. 
 
In my opinion, the way that this Mod team operates promotes an Exclusive environment where only certain people get to stick around, whereas I would look to work tirelessly with members before being so willing to give up on them.  I will do whatever I can to promote what I feel is an actual inclusive environment, where people don't have to live under the threat of fear.  A place where questions can be asked, and people can be understood -- even if they are initially misunderstood.  A place where the first reaction is open arms.  
 
We need to understand that any of the members who choose to stay here are special, that we share a bond and a love of hockey or games.  That we are the same.
 
I would also look to work with each Mod team member to better help them understand how to talk to people, and discern intent.  I would also work with them further so that they understand the risks of labeling people with certain reputations and or improve how to avoid harming them while at the same time educating them about whatever it is they might be confused about. 
 
I want to break down the walls we constantly have up, open up the communication, and get this place back to where it was before the iron fist of this Mod team was enacted.  When this aggressive Mod team first came into pass, it was for a good reason, but I feel they've gone away from it.  They've lost sight of their light.
 
I also believe that everyone here is on the same page when it comes to what kind of place we want around here., and how we go about reinforcing that should be done with pleasure, not pain.
 
Think about the fact that @Ricer13 of all members complained about the methods of the Mod team.  This is an aggressive group that has a chip on their shoulders, and it's easy to see why when they have a leader like Baozi. 
 
 
 
 
One of the only ways to show proof of the Mod teams mistake(s) was to put myself out there for everyone to see.  Because I am so familiar with the subject matter (my suspension) I already knew that there would be no way for the Mod team to disprove me, because the fact of the matter was that I was never contacted prior to my incident.  If Baozi had not wrongly thrown back my suspension in my face I wouldn't have come back at them so hard about it.  Sometimes you don't get the attention you want with sugar, you need to throw some salt in the wound. 
 
My suspension is something that happened to me in my life that really bothers me.  You have to understand the person I pride myself to be.  I go out of my way to treat people with respect, and there are a lot of people here who will back me up on that.  I have friends here for a good reason, and even the people that don't care for me too much will admit that I am a very respectful member.
 
I knew the only way I would be able to draw the attention of outsiders is if I spoke the truth about what happened to me, and if I spoke from my heart. 
 
Also, I initially intended to dispute my suspension through Fishy when it happened but once I got kicked from Discord and the forum, I had no way of contacting anyone.  I ended up putting in a request to be Josh's and Bek's friend on Discord so I could dispute it, and by the time Josh accepted my friend request I was so upset over what happened I told him to close my account and retire my player. 
 
Once a cooler head prevailed I realized how much I loved being a member here and recreated my account.  I felt like if I stayed away I would be letting this Mod team win, and while I did try to remain silent at first- I could no longer.
 
In fact, I wish I would have spoken up sooner. 
 
 
 
 
There will never be the swift kind of change I'd like to see on this because of the current leadership structure.  This is why people complain about the O L D B O Y S club because we've got a very tight knit group here that is hard to crack, and fiercely loyal to one another.  But therein lies the hypocrisy, because this group preaches change and inclusivity when they have never been more Exclusive than now.  
 
One of the most notorious copy pasta's of the VHL is a quote from me criticizing Beketov.  That was three years ago and it was because the VHL has always struggled with retention, and with good reason.  Not much changes around here when it comes to the disconnect between the veteran leadership staff and the outsiders looking in.
 
But what I do hope is that people listen to me, read my responses, and stand up for what is right.  I intend to keep my podcast up and ongoing for as long as I can so hopefully they won't be able to fully forget and ignore me.
 
I won't allow silence to let them to win.   
 
Thank you!
 
 

Yo! I just can’t not respond to some of that. I’ve come this far, if people have questions I feel like it’s a cop out not to answer them.

Yo! I just can’t not respond to some of that. I’ve come this far, if people have questions I feel like it’s a cop out not to answer them.

No worries, thank you for your response. I definitely did not plan to respond again but since you asked some important questions I will answer them. 
 
 
 
 
Okay, this is an excellent question.  I just want to clarify the order on how things happened that led to everything I ended up doing- 
 
I did the Podcast to discuss my philosophical differences between how I view the problematic Mod team and how they have been approaching discipline in this league.  The mod team is very punishment heavy, feeling as though their bans/suspensions will help prevent future incidents and also believing them to be fair.  Believing that they have a right to be proactive.
 
I personally think they're bat shit crazy, and do not believe anyone here has the right to be proactive when it involves risking the well being of people's mental health.  Instead, I do believe that our Mod team must be reactive and assess situations case by case as they arise.  In both JRuutu and my suspensions they got aspects of the details involving why we were suspended wrong, and what they did was not only unfair but reckless.  In my case alone it resulted in a significant loss in my reputation and my mental health.  
 
I wanted Baozi to hear my mindset, hoping it might sway their opinion, and maybe get them and the group to see the error in their over the top, idealistic ways.  However, that was not the case, and because Baozi was so defiant that is why I spent so much time going on about my own suspension, because I wanted them to see the pain and damage they had caused.  I wanted to show them that they weren't always right, and the fact that by acting proactive they had actually caused more damage than good. 
 
So, just to clarify -
 
1. The podcast was an outreach to Baozi and also to flag this issue to the Blue Team.
2. Once Baozi responded in the way that they did -- I bit back with my own suspension (which I had in my back pocket because I knew I had been wronged).  I am also not alone in that belief, there are many league members still here to this day that were present when I was suspended and know what it was for.  Which again, goes to my point about how over the top their reactions and PUNISHMENTS are.  All I needed was a warning.
 
All I had needed was to know that there was a problem... they did not give me that.   
 
Differences in how I would operate -- 
 
Most cases that involve breaking the COC would involve a conversation, and mentorship of that member.  I would want our moderators to build connections with members and help them understand why what they said/did broke the COC and work with them to avoid doing it again.  I would have them show examples or try to help said members understand how to approach those situations better.  I would only use suspensions as a last resort, when a member had knowingly gone against the previous conversations from the Mods and specifically tried to target/hurt people.  Kachur is an excellent example of a lifetime ban.  JRuutu and I should have been talked to and that's it. 
 
One of the points JRuutu brought up about himself is that he is Finnish and English is not his first language.  We know already based on some of the responses in this thread that the majority of people have found that my podcast was well spoken, but that I come across as a bit of a dick when I am writing out these combative messages.  This is the negative aspect of text that all Mods must consider before acting with discipline.  Not punishment. 
 
In my opinion, the way that this Mod team operates promotes an Exclusive environment where only certain people get to stick around, whereas I would look to work tirelessly with members before being so willing to give up on them.  I will do whatever I can to promote what I feel is an actual inclusive environment, where people don't have to live under the threat of fear.  A place where questions can be asked, and people can be understood -- even if they are initially misunderstood.  A place where the first reaction is open arms.  
 
We need to understand that any of the members who choose to stay here are special, that we share a bond and a love of hockey or games.  That we are the same.
 
I would also look to work with each Mod team member to better help them understand how to talk to people, and discern intent.  I would also work with them further so that they understand the risks of labeling people with certain reputations and or improve how to avoid harming them while at the same time educating them about whatever it is they might be confused about. 
 
I want to break down the walls we constantly have up, open up the communication, and get this place back to where it was before the iron fist of this Mod team was enacted.  When this aggressive Mod team first came into pass, it was for a good reason, but I feel they've gone away from it.  They've lost sight of their light.
 
I also believe that everyone here is on the same page when it comes to what kind of place we want around here., and how we go about reinforcing that should be done with pleasure, not pain.
 
Think about the fact that @Ricer13 of all members complained about the methods of the Mod team.  This is an aggressive group that has a chip on their shoulders, and it's easy to see why when they have a leader like Baozi. 
 
 
 
 
One of the only ways to show proof of the Mod teams mistake(s) was to put myself out there for everyone to see.  Because I am so familiar with the subject matter (my suspension) I already knew that there would be no way for the Mod team to disprove me, because the fact of the matter was that I was never contacted prior to my incident.  If Baozi had not wrongly thrown back my suspension in my face I wouldn't have come back at them so hard about it.  Sometimes you don't get the attention you want with sugar, you need to throw some salt in the wound. 
 
My suspension is something that happened to me in my life that really bothers me.  You have to understand the person I pride myself to be.  I go out of my way to treat people with respect, and there are a lot of people here who will back me up on that.  I have friends here for a good reason, and even the people that don't care for me too much will admit that I am a very respectful member.
 
I knew the only way I would be able to draw the attention of outsiders is if I spoke the truth about what happened to me, and if I spoke from my heart. 
 
Also, I initially intended to dispute my suspension through Fishy when it happened but once I got kicked from Discord and the forum, I had no way of contacting anyone.  I ended up putting in a request to be Josh's and Bek's friend on Discord so I could dispute it, and by the time Josh accepted my friend request I was so upset over what happened I told him to close my account and retire my player. 
 
Once a cooler head prevailed I realized how much I loved being a member here and recreated my account.  I felt like if I stayed away I would be letting this Mod team win, and while I did try to remain silent at first- I could no longer.
 
In fact, I wish I would have spoken up sooner. 
 
 
 
 
There will never be the swift kind of change I'd like to see on this because of the current leadership structure.  This is why people complain about the O L D B O Y S club because we've got a very tight knit group here that is hard to crack, and fiercely loyal to one another.  But therein lies the hypocrisy, because this group preaches change and inclusivity when they have never been more Exclusive than now.  
 
One of the most notorious copy pasta's of the VHL is a quote from me criticizing Beketov.  That was three years ago and it was because the VHL has always struggled with retention, and with good reason.  Not much changes around here when it comes to the disconnect between the veteran leadership staff and the outsiders looking in.
 
But what I do hope is that people listen to me, read my responses, and stand up for what is right.  I intend to keep my podcast up and ongoing for as long as I can so hopefully they won't be able to fully forget and ignore me.
 
I won't allow silence to let them to win.   
 
Thank you!
 
 

Against my better judgement I'm going to briefly reply to you in the thread, so apologies if this brings you back when you planned to drop this or incites something again. I'm not the "top" you refer to here since I have no involvement in punishment or moderation, so this isn't an official stance, just my own thoughts after seeing everything play out over the last week or so.
 
I listened to your podcast in its entirety (until the questions portion at the end when the moderation topic seemed to be over), but I will admit I am not a podcast guy. I don't listen to them unless I'm trying to fall asleep, they just don't grab my attention. But I tried my best to focus on what you said while I worked, and I did catch the general points and sound bites that Fong addressed in his response to you, so I feel like I've got the gist of your points.
 
That being said, what specifically do you want to see change other than to fire Fong and hire you as the head mod? How would you even be different? Why should we overthrow a tenured moderator for someone who has been openly bitter about being punished by that moderator and his team? I mentioned in Moscow's LR after I listened to the podcast that I felt this was a very philosophical podcast, but no specific suggestions or constructive feedback that correlated to the VHL. You talked about inclusivity, but you didn't talk about how you would handle members that make comments that exclude others. You mentioned discipline vs punishment as a moderation tool, but you didn't say how you would change the current system to handle problematic behavior.
 
I just don't see what your plea for change even is, other than as I stated, firing Fong and hiring you. Half this thread was animosity over how your own conduct was handled and how you were impacted. Wasn't that something better suited to address with moderators at the time of the punishment, or even in private at this time? I argue with Fong over plenty of stuff morally/ethically/philosophically but I like to think he's understood my perspectives when it comes to moderation since I try to present them as feedback instead of complaints. One is helpful, one is not.
 
From a sim league/VHL perspective, I never see change happening over complaining and extreme, reactive "solutions." Identify and explain the issue, detail ways to improve and always expect compromise. Good luck  

The silence from up top and the lack of accountability from the head of the Mod Team can rightly summarize that this leadership group is going to ignore my plea for change.  It is much easier to do than rock the boat, and risk having to engage in a, "hard," conversation with a longtime friend. 
 
Some people are going to take a run at me for saying this but I am genuinely disappointed in the individuals who were involved in my suspension that haven't bothered to at least message me in private.  An apology goes a long way and not recognizing that you played a role in wrongfully suspending me for betraying consent is wrong. 
 
I know who you are and that you've read this thread, and while you may not like me as a person it doesn't mean that I wasn't harmed by what you did.  I've proven why that was the case above and expressed my feelings over the matter.  That's not an easy thing to do. 
 
For a group that is supposed to be concerned for the well being of their members I would expect better from you. 
 
To the others who have privately messaged me, I thank you for your support, it truly means a lot.  It's actually a big reason why I went through all this trouble to challenge the ideals of this Mod team, because I believe in the people we have here -- and the good that is within them.
 
Big love to all of you (even you @youloser1337), Tate is now signing off from this thread **
 
 

 

The silence from up top and the lack of accountability from the head of the Mod Team can rightly summarize that this leadership group is going to ignore my plea for change.  It is much easier to do than rock the boat, and risk having to engage in a, "hard," conversation with a longtime friend. 
 
Some people are going to take a run at me for saying this but I am genuinely disappointed in the individuals who were involved in my suspension that haven't bothered to at least message me in private.  An apology goes a long way and not recognizing that you played a role in wrongfully suspending me for betraying consent is wrong. 
 
I know who you are and that you've read this thread, and while you may not like me as a person it doesn't mean that I wasn't harmed by what you did.  I've proven why that was the case above and expressed my feelings over the matter.  That's not an easy thing to do. 
 
For a group that is supposed to be concerned for the well being of their members I would expect better from you. 
 
To the others who have privately messaged me, I thank you for your support, it truly means a lot.  It's actually a big reason why I went through all this trouble to challenge the ideals of this Mod team, because I believe in the people we have here -- and the good that is within them.
 
Big love to all of you (even you @youloser1337), Tate is now signing off from this thread **
 
 

 

Hello VHL!

As you are all aware the blue team has been running as just myself and @Josh for awhile now since @bigAL (RIP) stepped down from the position. This has been, on the whole, fine but we both agree that the blue team has historically ran best as a trio. Especially given that I just had my second kid and Josh is soon having his first having double baby brain with no extra assistance seems like a recipe for disaster which is why today we are announcing that the blue team is once again going to be three members. We would like to officially announce that @Acydburn will be leaving his post as VHLE commish and taking on the blue team mantel officially!
 
That does, of course, leave a gap at the VHLE level. Fear not, we are not leaving @Enorama to run the place by himself so recently after taking on the role. Instead we are bringing @thadthrasher in as the official second VHLE commish.
 
After just shaking up the VHLM last season it will mercifully stay the same and hopefully our full RGB teams can remain in place for a bit and continue to make improvements to their respective leagues.
 
- @Commissioner

The silence from up top and the lack of accountability from the head of the Mod Team can rightly summarize that this leadership group is going to ignore my plea for change.  It is much easier to do than rock the boat, and risk having to engage in a, "hard," conversation with a longtime friend. 
 
Some people are going to take a run at me for saying this but I am genuinely disappointed in the individuals who were involved in my suspension that haven't bothered to at least message me in private.  An apology goes a long way and not recognizing that you played a role in wrongfully suspending me for betraying consent is wrong. 
 
I know who you are and that you've read this thread, and while you may not like me as a person it doesn't mean that I wasn't harmed by what you did.  I've proven why that was the case above and expressed my feelings over the matter.  That's not an easy thing to do. 
 
For a group that is supposed to be concerned for the well being of their members I would expect better from you. 
 
To the others who have privately messaged me, I thank you for your support, it truly means a lot.  It's actually a big reason why I went through all this trouble to challenge the ideals of this Mod team, because I believe in the people we have here -- and the good that is within them.
 
Big love to all of you (even you @youloser1337), Tate is now signing off from this thread **
 
 

 

The silence from up top and the lack of accountability from the head of the Mod Team can rightly summarize that this leadership group is going to ignore my plea for change.  It is much easier to do than rock the boat, and risk having to engage in a, "hard," conversation with a longtime friend. 
 
Some people are going to take a run at me for saying this but I am genuinely disappointed in the individuals who were involved in my suspension that haven't bothered to at least message me in private.  An apology goes a long way and not recognizing that you played a role in wrongfully suspending me for betraying consent is wrong. 
 
I know who you are and that you've read this thread, and while you may not like me as a person it doesn't mean that I wasn't harmed by what you did.  I've proven why that was the case above and expressed my feelings over the matter.  That's not an easy thing to do. 
 
For a group that is supposed to be concerned for the well being of their members I would expect better from you. 
 
To the others who have privately messaged me, I thank you for your support, it truly means a lot.  It's actually a big reason why I went through all this trouble to challenge the ideals of this Mod team, because I believe in the people we have here -- and the good that is within them.
 
Big love to all of you (even you @youloser1337), Tate is now signing off from this thread **
 
 

 

The silence from up top and the lack of accountability from the head of the Mod Team can rightly summarize that this leadership group is going to ignore my plea for change.  It is much easier to do than rock the boat, and risk having to engage in a, "hard," conversation with a longtime friend. 
 
Some people are going to take a run at me for saying this but I am genuinely disappointed in the individuals who were involved in my suspension that haven't bothered to at least message me in private.  An apology goes a long way and not recognizing that you played a role in wrongfully suspending me for betraying consent is wrong. 
 
I know who you are and that you've read this thread, and while you may not like me as a person it doesn't mean that I wasn't harmed by what you did.  I've proven why that was the case above and expressed my feelings over the matter.  That's not an easy thing to do. 
 
For a group that is supposed to be concerned for the well being of their members I would expect better from you. 
 
To the others who have privately messaged me, I thank you for your support, it truly means a lot.  It's actually a big reason why I went through all this trouble to challenge the ideals of this Mod team, because I believe in the people we have here -- and the good that is within them.
 
Big love to all of you (even you @youloser1337), Tate is now signing off from this thread **
 
 

 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2xl3OWlF8PMkvdGWOIUowP?si=PW4wt9-YQACyzMA5CRckEA

For the second time today, hello!
 
We were very excited to welcome two new VHLM GMs today and felt that we should keep the party going with a second announcement. Last season, @Gustav  and I made two significant changes to the workings of the VHLM - increasing VHLM GM pay from 2 TPE to 4 TPE, and changing up the draft pick holding rules to prevent unhealthy asset management in a league oriented towards development and retention. We promised to increase the quality of the VHLM GM experience, but last season felt more like we were restricting our GMs as to what they could and couldn't do.
 
Today, we'd like to announce our largest change yet - a completely revamped waiver process and system that is now fully run through the portal. That's right! VHLM GMs no longer have to post offers into waiver threads or constantly lurk the forums in order to secure a new player. This system also puts the decision-making process into the hands of the newly created player with a simple yet informative UI thanks to the work of @Dil. Here's what new creates will see immediately after creating their player:
 

(Data and teams are from S80 for testing and demonstration purposes)
 
We chose elements for this page based on what we felt were the most important aspects of a team that influence a player's decision. All the teams will be sorted by standings, and the # of players per team is also visible. This should allow users to have a better understanding of the situation they're walking into. Using the screenshot above, a new center would see that some of the top teams could use a third line center, but Las Vegas is the best team that can offer them a top 6 role. We hope that this new UI will give enough information to new creates without overwhelming them in a sea of data points.
 
To add a bit more of a personal touch from the GM along with more information on a potential player's fit on the team, we've given VHLM GMs the ability to write (and update via Team Management) a pitch and projected position that new creates can choose to read when picking between teams:

(Sample text for what a new user would see)
 
Once a new create chooses a team, they will be redirected into a forum DM created between the new create, the team GM and the team AGM if the team has one. This will alert the team's management that a new create would like to join the team so that they can begin interacting with the new user, invite them to the team LR and get them signed to a contract. The automated DM will also include helpful links to forum content such as the TPE Guide and the Updated Build Guide. As many have mentioned before, new creates sometimes simply never venture into the forum or feel like the forum is too difficult to navigate in terms of finding relevant and helpful content. This new process both redirects new users to the forum and presents them with resources to begin their VHL journey on the right path.
 

 
Finally, this system can be modified at the discretion of the VHLM Commissioners. Based on the league population and positional data, we can change what we consider to be "full" teams, and increase/decrease the threshold for a team's position to display as favorable or unfavorable. This system will also be deactivated from the start of the playoffs until the conclusion of the VHLM Draft. Any creates during playoffs or the offseason will need to be signed via written pitch in their new create thread, as was the common practice.
 
---
 
We're very excited to see this new system in action for S86 and hope that it improves the overall experience for new VHL users. Expect to see various VHLM rule changes being announced in the coming days as we transition the VHLM rulebook away from the old waiver system, and remove rules largely created to incentivize GMs making written pitches to new players. As always, please let us know if you have any questions or feedback!
 
@VHLM GM
@VHLM Commissioner