Tate

Hi @Spartan
 
I'm going to give you three recent examples of the issues I listed above, just so I can also show any other individuals who wonder about the same thing.
 
Here we go:
 
Outsiders Don’t See the Benefit
 
While it would be easier to point to a bad hire, I am going to use a good hire but where the process was done wrong by the Blue team. Wrong in the sense of the above issue, outsiders not seeing the benefit (after the hiring process).  Look at the hiring of @Frank as GM for Vancouver.  You and I both know that Frank is a top tier GM, great to his players, engaging, creates fantastic content.  Literally, a perfect person for the job.  However, when Frank was hired he quite literally leaped frogged over a whole assortment of people and got the job in about five seconds (an exaggeration but not far from the truth).  Why did this happen?  There was a time crunch and a decision had to be made quickly.  Frank was a logical choice for the job, because of the above -- but so too were many others, many of which who were never even given an opportunity to interview for the job.  Which is quite frankly (pun intended), not doing your due dilligence (a common theme in the leadership team here - see further below in a moment).
 
The above scenario is a really good way of killing morale.  You achieve your goal of securing a solid GM, yes, but you may as well of given the middle finger to all of those who applied before him. 
 
Bad Staff
 
For those who come to this thread in the future, check this out:
 
  
 
That thread outlines a perfect example of the mod team not doing their due dilligence, and also not giving a fuck about the fact that they fucked me over.  The fact that only yourself, Spartan, reached out to me after this thread speaks volumes.  I've really gone after @Baozi on this subject, because while I don't think they're a bad person I do believe they have the wrong ideals for their role and because of that, even their mistakes in hiring people are brutal holes to climb out of.  
 
Look, the mod team isn't all bad.  I don't want people to believe, that I believe that.  I can directly point at both @samx and @frescoelmo (Edit - nvm on Fresco) and say that Sam is ONE staff members that I am almost certainly dislike me, but always treats me with respect and is nice-ish to me.  I have all the time in the world for her because she tries hard to contribute positively to the community.
 
Other hires like @fishy (more below on that) - were the worst of all, and after witnessing the work that both Baozi and fishy dished out on this site the past year in suspensions and bans - y'all should be having nightmares. fishy did this site the biggest world of service by stepping down from the mod team.
 
Toxic Members
 
Like I said to Hatter, some people are toxic to some but not others- but let's just show you an example of how a member like @fishy is toxic toward me.   Let's just take a look at some recent comments from fishy in regards to me:
 

 
 
Why the comment above sucks ass:
 
fishy was directly involved in suspending me, and was a person who did not do their due dilligence.  Not only did fishy read my Mod Mentality thread, and listen to my podcast, fishy openly mocks me because of it.  This is quite literally a form of bullying. 
 
Ironic that it comes from the person who posted the current COC.  Here is another example of fishy mocking me below:
 
 
 

 
That again comes after my thread where I bared my soul and put myself out there, exposing my pain.  There is no remorse from fishy, only subtle shots and cruel comments.  But I am not the only one, fishy is also unkind to others. Here is another RECENT example:
 

 
Members like fishy do a great job of making other members like me feel like shit, but no one claps back at fishy because they're one of the elitist now (who are far too good for us commoners).  Especially, far too beyond making an apology for causing a member like me a great deal of pain in my life.  That, is what makes a toxic member. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I'll tell Big Al you're coming after him for ya

You forgot Shindigs, he's probably the only reason I got hooked on the VHL

1. Why are you asking yourself questions in your retirement thread?
2. Do you plan to answer these questions during your last podcast?
3. Is this just a fake post to get 2 TPE and work the system?
4. Should others look at this very example and do the same thing?
5. How silly is it to ask six questions for 2 TPE?
6. Why does the league make us continually do miniscule tasks?

W fishy

Hi @Spartan
 
I'm going to give you three recent examples of the issues I listed above, just so I can also show any other individuals who wonder about the same thing.
 
Here we go:
 
Outsiders Don’t See the Benefit
 
While it would be easier to point to a bad hire, I am going to use a good hire but where the process was done wrong by the Blue team. Wrong in the sense of the above issue, outsiders not seeing the benefit (after the hiring process).  Look at the hiring of @Frank as GM for Vancouver.  You and I both know that Frank is a top tier GM, great to his players, engaging, creates fantastic content.  Literally, a perfect person for the job.  However, when Frank was hired he quite literally leaped frogged over a whole assortment of people and got the job in about five seconds (an exaggeration but not far from the truth).  Why did this happen?  There was a time crunch and a decision had to be made quickly.  Frank was a logical choice for the job, because of the above -- but so too were many others, many of which who were never even given an opportunity to interview for the job.  Which is quite frankly (pun intended), not doing your due dilligence (a common theme in the leadership team here - see further below in a moment).
 
The above scenario is a really good way of killing morale.  You achieve your goal of securing a solid GM, yes, but you may as well of given the middle finger to all of those who applied before him. 
 
Bad Staff
 
For those who come to this thread in the future, check this out:
 
  
 
That thread outlines a perfect example of the mod team not doing their due dilligence, and also not giving a fuck about the fact that they fucked me over.  The fact that only yourself, Spartan, reached out to me after this thread speaks volumes.  I've really gone after @Baozi on this subject, because while I don't think they're a bad person I do believe they have the wrong ideals for their role and because of that, even their mistakes in hiring people are brutal holes to climb out of.  
 
Look, the mod team isn't all bad.  I don't want people to believe, that I believe that.  I can directly point at both @samx and @frescoelmo (Edit - nvm on Fresco) and say that Sam is ONE staff members that I am almost certainly dislike me, but always treats me with respect and is nice-ish to me.  I have all the time in the world for her because she tries hard to contribute positively to the community.
 
Other hires like @fishy (more below on that) - were the worst of all, and after witnessing the work that both Baozi and fishy dished out on this site the past year in suspensions and bans - y'all should be having nightmares. fishy did this site the biggest world of service by stepping down from the mod team.
 
Toxic Members
 
Like I said to Hatter, some people are toxic to some but not others- but let's just show you an example of how a member like @fishy is toxic toward me.   Let's just take a look at some recent comments from fishy in regards to me:
 

 
 
Why the comment above sucks ass:
 
fishy was directly involved in suspending me, and was a person who did not do their due dilligence.  Not only did fishy read my Mod Mentality thread, and listen to my podcast, fishy openly mocks me because of it.  This is quite literally a form of bullying. 
 
Ironic that it comes from the person who posted the current COC.  Here is another example of fishy mocking me below:
 
 
 

 
That again comes after my thread where I bared my soul and put myself out there, exposing my pain.  There is no remorse from fishy, only subtle shots and cruel comments.  But I am not the only one, fishy is also unkind to others. Here is another RECENT example:
 

 
Members like fishy do a great job of making other members like me feel like shit, but no one claps back at fishy because they're one of the elitist now (who are far too good for us commoners).  Especially, far too beyond making an apology for causing a member like me a great deal of pain in my life.  That, is what makes a toxic member. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hi @Spartan
 
I'm going to give you three recent examples of the issues I listed above, just so I can also show any other individuals who wonder about the same thing.
 
Here we go:
 
Outsiders Don’t See the Benefit
 
While it would be easier to point to a bad hire, I am going to use a good hire but where the process was done wrong by the Blue team. Wrong in the sense of the above issue, outsiders not seeing the benefit (after the hiring process).  Look at the hiring of @Frank as GM for Vancouver.  You and I both know that Frank is a top tier GM, great to his players, engaging, creates fantastic content.  Literally, a perfect person for the job.  However, when Frank was hired he quite literally leaped frogged over a whole assortment of people and got the job in about five seconds (an exaggeration but not far from the truth).  Why did this happen?  There was a time crunch and a decision had to be made quickly.  Frank was a logical choice for the job, because of the above -- but so too were many others, many of which who were never even given an opportunity to interview for the job.  Which is quite frankly (pun intended), not doing your due dilligence (a common theme in the leadership team here - see further below in a moment).
 
The above scenario is a really good way of killing morale.  You achieve your goal of securing a solid GM, yes, but you may as well of given the middle finger to all of those who applied before him. 
 
Bad Staff
 
For those who come to this thread in the future, check this out:
 
  
 
That thread outlines a perfect example of the mod team not doing their due dilligence, and also not giving a fuck about the fact that they fucked me over.  The fact that only yourself, Spartan, reached out to me after this thread speaks volumes.  I've really gone after @Baozi on this subject, because while I don't think they're a bad person I do believe they have the wrong ideals for their role and because of that, even their mistakes in hiring people are brutal holes to climb out of.  
 
Look, the mod team isn't all bad.  I don't want people to believe, that I believe that.  I can directly point at both @samx and @frescoelmo (Edit - nvm on Fresco) and say that Sam is ONE staff members that I am almost certainly dislike me, but always treats me with respect and is nice-ish to me.  I have all the time in the world for her because she tries hard to contribute positively to the community.
 
Other hires like @fishy (more below on that) - were the worst of all, and after witnessing the work that both Baozi and fishy dished out on this site the past year in suspensions and bans - y'all should be having nightmares. fishy did this site the biggest world of service by stepping down from the mod team.
 
Toxic Members
 
Like I said to Hatter, some people are toxic to some but not others- but let's just show you an example of how a member like @fishy is toxic toward me.   Let's just take a look at some recent comments from fishy in regards to me:
 

 
 
Why the comment above sucks ass:
 
fishy was directly involved in suspending me, and was a person who did not do their due dilligence.  Not only did fishy read my Mod Mentality thread, and listen to my podcast, fishy openly mocks me because of it.  This is quite literally a form of bullying. 
 
Ironic that it comes from the person who posted the current COC.  Here is another example of fishy mocking me below:
 
 
 

 
That again comes after my thread where I bared my soul and put myself out there, exposing my pain.  There is no remorse from fishy, only subtle shots and cruel comments.  But I am not the only one, fishy is also unkind to others. Here is another RECENT example:
 

 
Members like fishy do a great job of making other members like me feel like shit, but no one claps back at fishy because they're one of the elitist now (who are far too good for us commoners).  Especially, far too beyond making an apology for causing a member like me a great deal of pain in my life.  That, is what makes a toxic member. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

It’s theme week, and doing a write up about Jake Thunder and his experience as a first gen would be boring and probably not even worth reading so I’m going to write about the first gens who have had the biggest impact with my experience in the VHL and how they molded Jake Thunder’s career.  If you’re sensitive, you may not want to read some of this because you might cry or at the very least get emotional.
 
The person who I have to credit or blame, depending on how you might look at it is Scurvy.  I still remember Scurvy’s persistence on convincing me to join the VHL.  He would sit at his desk, doing nothing as usual, but more importantly he would make comments about how he scored a goal, got an assist, or got into a fight.  Initially I thought he was on NHL 22 on his I-phone and I couldn’t figure out what the hell he was doing.  Then he told me how he found a hockey league and how he’s building his player based on his player name Brian Payne.  He bragged about how the Payne Train was leading his team in hits and was hoping to be drafted high in the draft.  He explained how he had to earn TPE to improve his skills and write articles or do graphics every week.  All of this was over my head and somewhat confusing.  Nevertheless, Scurvy was patient and eventually got me to join the league, and Brian Payne has had a huge impact on Jake Thunder’s career.
 
Brian Payne
 
Brian Payne is a superstar, although @Scurvy will never give Payne the credit that Payne deserves.  Brian Payne started in the VHLM on the San Diego Marlins, and focused on being a heavy hitter.  Payne enjoyed crashing into opponents and breaking bones.  He looked forward every day to get into fights and to contribute to his team with penalty minutes.  The “Payne Train” made him giddy and his quest for a team championship was more important than scoring goals.  Now, Scurvy has always paid attention to his +/- on NHL 10-22 on Xbox, to the point that he wouldn’t let me in the locker room if his +/- was in jeopardy.  But, in the VHLM, he finished the season with a -21, which may have played an impact on his draft.
 
Bratislava was smart in picking Brian Payne up in the VHLE draft as Payne continued to demonstrate his strength and devotion of being a team player and sticking up for his teammates.  It was during this season that Scurvy introduced Thunder to the VHL and to Shindigs.  And the mentoring was greatly appreciated; however, given Scurvy’s limited skills with explaining how to navigate through the forum, I had to reach out to Shindigs more often than not.  But that’s a side note, let’s get back to Brian Payne.
 
Payne’s performance in the E was decent and he continued to put up some good numbers that proved his value as a defensive stud.  He continued to enjoy high numbers in hits and blocked shots.  And he complained every time he was not involved in a fight or when, especially when, he lost a fight.  In the end, he was also proud of his penalty minutes.  I guess the Payne Train kept on rolling down the tracks.
 
I was hoping that Brian Payne would stay in the E another season so that Jake Thunder could face Payne, but that wasn’t the case.  He was drafted by Warsaw and he immediately adapted to the team and had some high praises about the team and their management.  Payne’s numbers remained on pace with previous years, getting high numbers due to his physical play and contributing with scoring but not dominating.  Last season Brian Payne dominated the hits, penalty minutes, shots blocked, and put up some impressive numbers in assists and goals, thus earning him  the well deserved defensive player of the year.
 
As Payne gets ready for his later years now, his TPE is being used selectively and his performance is respectable, but not on pace as last season’s output.  On a sad note for Payne, his fighting is somewhat pitiful and I hear about it from Scurvy more often than not.  Jake Thunder continues to wait for the opportunity to drop gloves with Brian Payne, but that may never happen considering Payne’s propensity to try to be a tough guy, only to flaunt his endorsement by Curve’s and his Payne Train clothing line of Spandex.
 
Bo Johansson
 
The next first gen player who had a big impact on Jake Thunder is none other than Bo Johansson.  @Shindigs does not participate like he’s a first gen player.  He seems to be so knowledgeable of the ins and outs of the VHL and is so generous with his time and assistance.  He is a genuine good person who shares his experience with everyone and helps make them a better person and player.  Shindigs has been instrumental in Thunder’s growth.  I often look at Bo Johansson’s update log so that I can stay informed on how to earn TPE.  If I don’t know how to put in for something, I first go to Johansson’s player page and then to Shindigs if I can’t figure it out.
 
Like Brian Payne, Bo Johansson started the M in season 81.  Johansson was on the Miami Marauders and his season in the VHLM was impressive.  It was quickly known that Johansson would have an outstanding career as an offensive defenseman.  Johansson is a pass first defenseman offensively, and a strong man on defense.  His VHLM hits and shots blocked were off the hook, and to top it off he was well disciplined in the M.
 
Bo Johansson joined Brian Payne at Bratislava in the VHLE and it became apparent that Johansson was the defensive star of the team.  He dominated the ice with assists and blocked shots.  It was during this time that Jake Thunder was introduced to Bo Johansson.  I will never forget a graphic review I did on a graphic by Shindigs.  His graphic was done really well and with the meticulous attention I have gotten to know and appreciate Shindigs’ abilities.  At any rate, I completely missed his purpose of connecting the “O” and the “J” in the graphic which was to emphasize Johansson’s nickname, “BoJo.”  At that moment, I realized how talented members of the VHL were and looked at graphics through a different lens.
 
Bo Johansson started off his career in the big leagues with a bang and won the rookie of the year award.  His offensive talents were on display all season as well as his ability to block shots.  Bo Johansson continues to work hard and is on pace to break all of his earlier records.  He is likely to earn the defensive player of the year, most assists, and offensive defenseman of the year.  Choosing Johansson in the fantasy league may prove to be one of my smartest decisions.
 
Unlike Brian Payne, Bo Johansson does not partake in questionable off the ice debacles.  While Brian Payne is often seen drinking white claws and singing Olivia Newton-John songs on karoake nights, Bo Johansson is studying and dissecting the opponents stats and tendencies, preparing for the next game.  Shindigs is quite talented with the way the STHS works and is very knowledgeable on maximizing TPE.  As a first gen player, Shindigs is one of the best and its an honor to know him.
 
Siyan Yasilievich
 
Another first gen player who has impacted Jake Thunder’s career is Siyan Yasilievich.  @badcolethetitan is a driving force in the Davos locker room and his leadership was recognized early on in his career.  Thunder met Yasilievich when they joined the rebuilding Davos squad and have bonded as teammates.  Although they are currently on different lines, they have good chemistry and are both involved in the success of the Dynamo.
 
Prior to being Yasilievich’s teammate, Thunder only knew of Yasilievich as someone who dominated the VHLM and the VHLE.  Yasilievich was a star for Philadelphia and then Istanbul.  Yasilievich made his mark and there was no doubt he would be sought out by the first team in need of a defenseman in the draft.
 
Yasilievich has an energy that is unmatched and as the team captain he lifts the team to levels beyond their normal abilities.  His leadership is on display on the ice as well as in the locker room.  Another trait that sets Yasilievich apart from other first gen players is his attitude.  He is always bringing out the best in people because of his positive, optimistic attitude.
 
One might not realize that Cole is a first gen because his knowledge of the league is advanced and consistent with a player who has more seasons under his belt.  He’s on his third season as a GM for the Mexico City Kings and his knowledge of the league is on display with his outstanding decision making.  In addition to a GM role, he was AGM for two seasons.  Cole applies his knowledge of the league to his player and has made Yasilievich a superstar.  As a first gen player Siyan Yasilievich will definitely catch everyone’s attention for the next five seasons and will be sporting several trophies, whether it be an individual trophy or a team trophy.  In the meantime, Thunder will continue to look for Yasilievich for encouragement and advice.
 
If there is anything about Cole that needs improvement it would definitely be his affection for the Buffalo Sabres.  Him being a Sabres fan causes me to wonder why!  How could someone so intelligent, so energetic, and so skilled, be a fan of such a crappy team.  Clearly he has no appreciation of real hockey, otherwise he’d be a Bruins fan!
 
1638 words - claiming for three weeks

This is the finale for the Ask Tate press conference thread, and more importantly, an ode to our longtime producer @Phil. 
 
There will be one more episode coming, get your questions in by using the link below:
 
 
Enjoy the show!
 
 

Outsiders Don’t See the Benefit
 
Members are motivated by more than just player development.  In fact, many would argue that player development might be one of the least favored goals.  The VHL claims to have an array of job opportunities and prospects available to any member, but when those paths are continually blocked or denied, simply building a player isn’t enough.
 
I’ve always been one to believe that our members are our customers, our employees.  So, let’s look at some data from the Harvard Business Review - it shows that 88% of employees give some or heavy consideration to benefits like health benefits, bonuses, job growth and flexible hours.
 
It is more competitive than ever before to hire and maintain employees because of the number of opportunities elsewhere. 
 
If you don’t make the rules of the game visible and fair, you’re going to have poor results, and people will look elsewhere.
 
Bad Staff
We’ve all heard that people don’t leave jobs, they leave bosses. So, look at your turnover rate by team — in fact, by commissioner, manager, or mod — and see if there isn’t a trend.
 
Are members fading or quitting because a commissioner continually ignores them?  What about favoritism being given to those promoted to manager ahead of others who have been longing for a chance? Look at the utter disastrous wake of destruction the mod team has caused since the beginning or the COC change in Nov. of 2021.
 
According to Forbes, 42% of workers stated they had left a company because of a bad boss.
 
The problem is, even when bosses try to be good leaders, there’s often a disconnect between how employees want their managers to act and how employers think they’re supposed to act.
 
The number one thing that members want is appreciation of their contribution. So if you want members to stick around, focus your retention efforts on training staff to be better at soft skills — showing appreciation, communicating so that members feel like they know what’s going on, and being empathetic to your members concerns.  Not being selectively empathetic either – every member should matter.
 
The good news is that the VHL does have leaders who demonstrate these skills, so all is not lost.
 
But remember, tone bleeds down from the top.
 
Toxic Members
There is a group of members who lie in wait here, tired of doing media (far above it), and for some reason – angry. It’s the kind of smell that hangs in the air like rotten fish, and these are the members who are critical of others when they do media – when they contribute. These are the members who call others cringe.
 
Maybe they’re jealous of the attention that others receive? Maybe they just hate their own life and want to cause pain in others? Whatever the reason, mold spreads, and soon enough, it gets everywhere.
 
The problem is that these toxic members have stature in the VHL, and they’re allowed to walk the line of bullying others with little to no repercussion. Ultimately, it is because they are favored over others that they get away with it, and for what? Because they were here from the start? Because they put in time talking on Discord and now your friends? What about the impact they cause on the others, the hurt and pain they give out in backhanded compliments and passive aggressive statements? Why should they go unchecked when others are drawn and quartered for missteps?
 
It's hypocrisy at its finest, and it will continue so long as the silent majority remains timid and lets the loud minority rule this playground.
 
Bottom Line
I took a run at this league 3.5 years ago for this very topic, and the retention rate is even worse today. It’s a matter of where priorities lie, and people will always tell you where their priorities lie in how they spend their time. There is still time to fix this mess but it’s going to take a lot of tough conversations and hard work to do it.
 
And to that I say, good luck.
 
 

Outsiders Don’t See the Benefit
 
Members are motivated by more than just player development.  In fact, many would argue that player development might be one of the least favored goals.  The VHL claims to have an array of job opportunities and prospects available to any member, but when those paths are continually blocked or denied, simply building a player isn’t enough.
 
I’ve always been one to believe that our members are our customers, our employees.  So, let’s look at some data from the Harvard Business Review - it shows that 88% of employees give some or heavy consideration to benefits like health benefits, bonuses, job growth and flexible hours.
 
It is more competitive than ever before to hire and maintain employees because of the number of opportunities elsewhere. 
 
If you don’t make the rules of the game visible and fair, you’re going to have poor results, and people will look elsewhere.
 
Bad Staff
We’ve all heard that people don’t leave jobs, they leave bosses. So, look at your turnover rate by team — in fact, by commissioner, manager, or mod — and see if there isn’t a trend.
 
Are members fading or quitting because a commissioner continually ignores them?  What about favoritism being given to those promoted to manager ahead of others who have been longing for a chance? Look at the utter disastrous wake of destruction the mod team has caused since the beginning or the COC change in Nov. of 2021.
 
According to Forbes, 42% of workers stated they had left a company because of a bad boss.
 
The problem is, even when bosses try to be good leaders, there’s often a disconnect between how employees want their managers to act and how employers think they’re supposed to act.
 
The number one thing that members want is appreciation of their contribution. So if you want members to stick around, focus your retention efforts on training staff to be better at soft skills — showing appreciation, communicating so that members feel like they know what’s going on, and being empathetic to your members concerns.  Not being selectively empathetic either – every member should matter.
 
The good news is that the VHL does have leaders who demonstrate these skills, so all is not lost.
 
But remember, tone bleeds down from the top.
 
Toxic Members
There is a group of members who lie in wait here, tired of doing media (far above it), and for some reason – angry. It’s the kind of smell that hangs in the air like rotten fish, and these are the members who are critical of others when they do media – when they contribute. These are the members who call others cringe.
 
Maybe they’re jealous of the attention that others receive? Maybe they just hate their own life and want to cause pain in others? Whatever the reason, mold spreads, and soon enough, it gets everywhere.
 
The problem is that these toxic members have stature in the VHL, and they’re allowed to walk the line of bullying others with little to no repercussion. Ultimately, it is because they are favored over others that they get away with it, and for what? Because they were here from the start? Because they put in time talking on Discord and now your friends? What about the impact they cause on the others, the hurt and pain they give out in backhanded compliments and passive aggressive statements? Why should they go unchecked when others are drawn and quartered for missteps?
 
It's hypocrisy at its finest, and it will continue so long as the silent majority remains timid and lets the loud minority rule this playground.
 
Bottom Line
I took a run at this league 3.5 years ago for this very topic, and the retention rate is even worse today. It’s a matter of where priorities lie, and people will always tell you where their priorities lie in how they spend their time. There is still time to fix this mess but it’s going to take a lot of tough conversations and hard work to do it.
 
And to that I say, good luck.
 
 

After taking a quick look around the S87 draft page (1), which nicely lists all the players and users, I was able to conclude that there are not that many active first gen users and if there are - quite a few of them rely mostly on welfare to earn TPE.  I started to wonder how could things be easier and more fun for the first gens.
 
Create alternative reality
Instead of starting from the bottom, make the new players start from the top! When you create a player, every stat will be at 99. Good is bad, and bad is good! (2) A very modern approach to simulation leagues.  Instead of starting from 40 and hoping to reach 99 or the high 90s, you will start from 99 in every stat. The goal is to build a perfectly balanced player. When every stat is at 99, the player is not perfectly balanced. That is where the fun starts, who can build a player that works the best? Can anyone score? Do we see thousands of fights every season? The alternative reality is full of options and possibilities.  More importantly, it will be fun.  The first gens can test stuff out and see how everything works. The older users can pretend they are not taking it seriously as they compete against each other, everybody will be entertained.
 
TPE lottery with a twist
For 0.5 dollars, you get one ticket. You can buy only one ticket each week (3). The jackpot will be 1000 TPE. Every week one user will win the jackpot! There is a catch though. If you win the jackpot, your player will be retired after the season ends.  The money will be donated to charity or to promote VHL somehow. What I like about this idea is that new users could get a real taste of what it's like to be a star in the league.  Alternatively, we could see some records that are going to be broken if a seasoned user with a nice TPE total wins the 1000 TPE lottery. Also, a hint of realism as we rarely see real one-season wonders in VHL. This lottery could allow one-season wonders to happen much more frequently. What about this: some junior hockey player puts up 400 points during one season, but for some reason, they did not end up being a star in the VHL? Realism. Once again fun and entertaining for everybody.

Promote positive things
Instead of asking first gens and users to do point tasks on the site - ask them to do point tasks in real life. Help someone, pick up trash (4), go to work, go to school, apply for jobs, work out, cook a healthy meal, etc - the list goes on and on. Reward positive things by allowing them to be claimed for TPE on the site.  There are too many unhappy people around the internet, VHL should be a place where positive habits are created, VHL should be a place where positive stories are shared.  

1 - I did not look at the S87 draft page
2 - Who decides what is what? The society. Time for a change?
3 - Gambling is ok once a week
4 - *player name* carrying *player name* - cmoon, we are having fun here
 

Outsiders Don’t See the Benefit
 
Members are motivated by more than just player development.  In fact, many would argue that player development might be one of the least favored goals.  The VHL claims to have an array of job opportunities and prospects available to any member, but when those paths are continually blocked or denied, simply building a player isn’t enough.
 
I’ve always been one to believe that our members are our customers, our employees.  So, let’s look at some data from the Harvard Business Review - it shows that 88% of employees give some or heavy consideration to benefits like health benefits, bonuses, job growth and flexible hours.
 
It is more competitive than ever before to hire and maintain employees because of the number of opportunities elsewhere. 
 
If you don’t make the rules of the game visible and fair, you’re going to have poor results, and people will look elsewhere.
 
Bad Staff
We’ve all heard that people don’t leave jobs, they leave bosses. So, look at your turnover rate by team — in fact, by commissioner, manager, or mod — and see if there isn’t a trend.
 
Are members fading or quitting because a commissioner continually ignores them?  What about favoritism being given to those promoted to manager ahead of others who have been longing for a chance? Look at the utter disastrous wake of destruction the mod team has caused since the beginning or the COC change in Nov. of 2021.
 
According to Forbes, 42% of workers stated they had left a company because of a bad boss.
 
The problem is, even when bosses try to be good leaders, there’s often a disconnect between how employees want their managers to act and how employers think they’re supposed to act.
 
The number one thing that members want is appreciation of their contribution. So if you want members to stick around, focus your retention efforts on training staff to be better at soft skills — showing appreciation, communicating so that members feel like they know what’s going on, and being empathetic to your members concerns.  Not being selectively empathetic either – every member should matter.
 
The good news is that the VHL does have leaders who demonstrate these skills, so all is not lost.
 
But remember, tone bleeds down from the top.
 
Toxic Members
There is a group of members who lie in wait here, tired of doing media (far above it), and for some reason – angry. It’s the kind of smell that hangs in the air like rotten fish, and these are the members who are critical of others when they do media – when they contribute. These are the members who call others cringe.
 
Maybe they’re jealous of the attention that others receive? Maybe they just hate their own life and want to cause pain in others? Whatever the reason, mold spreads, and soon enough, it gets everywhere.
 
The problem is that these toxic members have stature in the VHL, and they’re allowed to walk the line of bullying others with little to no repercussion. Ultimately, it is because they are favored over others that they get away with it, and for what? Because they were here from the start? Because they put in time talking on Discord and now your friends? What about the impact they cause on the others, the hurt and pain they give out in backhanded compliments and passive aggressive statements? Why should they go unchecked when others are drawn and quartered for missteps?
 
It's hypocrisy at its finest, and it will continue so long as the silent majority remains timid and lets the loud minority rule this playground.
 
Bottom Line
I took a run at this league 3.5 years ago for this very topic, and the retention rate is even worse today. It’s a matter of where priorities lie, and people will always tell you where their priorities lie in how they spend their time. There is still time to fix this mess but it’s going to take a lot of tough conversations and hard work to do it.
 
And to that I say, good luck.
 
 

1. I’m not crying; you’re crying…? 
 
2. will you slip into my DMs from time to time? 
 
3. do you feel a sense of peace that you’ve decided to step away and you’ve let everyone know?
 
4. when I go inactive, I will probably just fade into the mist. Stop checking the discord and sims  as often, claim only welfare and then just not recreate. Is this a bad way to go?
 
5. what 3 pieces of advice would you give a brand new member?
 
6. what would you do if we randomly bumped into one another on the street.
 
 
it’s been terrific having you here. You’re doing what’s best for you and I can’t fault you for that, but you’ll be missed! All the best good sir and ill see you around!!

Dear VHL Members,
 
I am going to do one final podcast where I answer any/all questions from any/all members.  Feel free to post any questions below and you will be tagged once my retirement podcast is posted. 
 
Thank you in advance!

Love hearing that story, and it's so true!! You rock 
 

Love you brother. Great listen! We'll be in touch  

This is the finale for the Ask Tate press conference thread, and more importantly, an ode to our longtime producer @Phil. 
 
There will be one more episode coming, get your questions in by using the link below:
 
 
Enjoy the show!
 
 

This is the finale for the Ask Tate press conference thread, and more importantly, an ode to our longtime producer @Phil. 
 
There will be one more episode coming, get your questions in by using the link below:
 
 
Enjoy the show!
 
 

My experience is telling anyone something that they don`t want to hear no matter how it is stayed or put while usually be met with deaf ears. Even if it is your wife!! LOL!!
 
I remember when we were dating and we were dating for a few years. I was living with her in Japan at this time as we were heading out for the day to a Aquarium but for some odd reason she worn mix matching shirt, skirt and cowboy boots. It looked bad so I politely suggested that she might want to change her top to match the boots or change the boots to something a bit easier to match with the rest of her out fit. She started to argue with me but I stopped her as it up to her on what she wears. So out we went for the day and a bunch of pictures taken throughout the day made her realize that what I had suggested wasn`t meant to be mean or anything but out of the kindness of my own heart so that she would be embarrassed. We still have all the pictures of your trip that day around the house and now when she ask for advice with clothing she listens.
 
Also as you get older, you are right you learn what matters more and what doesn`t as we let our kids wear whatever they want within reason, backwards, upside down and inside out. It doesn`t really matter. My youngest actually likes exploring different ways of doing things like walking up stairs backwards, wear clothes different then how they are meant etc.... It best to let them learn on their own and have fun exploring.  

No questions here, just want to wish you all the best Tate in your future endeavors ❤️ take care 

1.  What will do with all the free time now that you dont want to do any podcasts?
2.  How do you compare your podcast skills to others? (You can’t use me as an example cuz I still dont have the stones to do one)
3.  Do you like the current tpe/minutes for podcasts or should there be changes?
4.  Why is Brian Payne @Scurvyafraid to drop the gloves against Jake Thunder?
5.  How long have you been in VHL and have your teams won any championships?
6.  What will it take to keep you doing podcasts?
 
thanks

You know what, I'll just make this my presser for the week.
 
 
1. I want to say that I really love that you have your own strong opinions on a lot that goes on in our league--and I think you have a lot of good to say on a lot of topics. That said, it's no secret that some of your threads generally haven't gone over very well. Why would you say that's happened to you in particular (as compared to, say, some of my posts complaining about moderation, or those from some other members)? What do you still stand by, and is there anything you wish you could take back?
 
2. You've always come across as very professional, and a lot of what you've talked about seems to concern itself with the philosophy of how to run and conduct oneself within a business. How closely do you think the VHL should mirror a workplace (and how close do you think it is)? 
 
3. Out of nowhere, you're made a league commissioner. What do you do to make the league the way you think it should be?
 
4. What do you think the VHL can learn from you, and what have you learned from the VHL?
 
5. There have been plenty of non-controversial things about your time in the VHL that a lot of people seem to forget. How do you want to be remembered as a VHL member? 
 
6. What have you appreciated about your time in the VHL?

1. Do you see yourself returning one day?
2. Despite the niche focus, is VHL community just like any other community? 
3. What part of VHL or the community is underrated?
 
 
 
 

Dear VHL Members,
 
I am going to do one final podcast where I answer any/all questions from any/all members.  Feel free to post any questions below and you will be tagged once my retirement podcast is posted. 
 
Thank you in advance!