Rin

Somewhere in the middle of that metaphor, I absolutely lost you but I think you're right because it sounds very smart and profound

I think we as a community are way too competitive, and overvalue sim results a fair amount. At the end of the day, how well your player does is still up to some form of chance; we can influence these odds all we want, but at the end of the day, we still need to be lucky in order to come out on top in some way. It takes effort to get to that much TPE, sure, but in this world effort better equates to time instead of skill, and at some point there's a diminishing return on how much that time or effort matters. I can't imagine it's a backbreaking difference to be at 99 on a stat instead of 95, for example. I think it's easy to forget that plenty of others in the league can also come up with 12 capped TPE worth of busywork every week, and doing so on a consistent basis doesn't really entitle us to anything. We earn in similar ways, we build in similar ways, what makes any player truly different? Who deserves results more? You mention competitiveness being forgotten, and while I do think there's room to be a little bit competitive, we're never going to be happy with the VHL unless we realize that success or fulfilment doesn't come from watching the random number sims that are posted every day. It's about using those sims to create narratives, write out ideas and reactions, turn mental images into tangible ones, and interact with a community that, just like you, can do little more than just sit and watch. The VHL isn't a skill game, like Chess or Counter Strike or even a real sport, where your time and effort are going to equate to growth and results. It's one big collaborative writing project disguised as some kind of competition, decided by the whim of a random number generator. TL;DR: You're right. What's the point of putting in so much stock in something you don't have real control over, at the end of the day? Do you enjoy engaging in the community/writing/creating/roleplaying a General Manager, or do you like it when your player(s) do well in the text posts? I think it's okay to step back and re-evaluate, and absolutely put time into other things if they'd be more fulfilling.

A mere 49 seconds into overtime of game 5, one Rin Kagamine found the puck on her stick after a shot from her teammate was blocked. Taking advantage of the confusion and quickly evolving situation on-ice, she fired a shot right back on net before the goalie had time to adjust to its course. The puck hit the back of the net, and the game was called; the Seattle Bears became S97 champions as the lamp turned red, and players poured from the benches to celebrate. It's funny to look back on this player's career, seeing as how I abandoned earning some time after hitting the then-active VHLE. Rin sat somewhere between 500 and 600 TPE for the majority of her VHL career, and managed to turn that into two cup wins and an overtime goal that cemented her spot in VHL history. Pepper was a (debatable) Shaw winner, (controversial) playoff MVP, and a one-time cup winner with Helsinki, on top of being their all-time wins leader for a goaltender. Winter was a one-time league leader in points, one-time champion with the Chicago Phoenix, and also scored the GWG during his one cup win, though it wasn't in such a dramatic overtime fashion. While Rin retires with no individual VHL awards to her name, she becomes my first player to lift the cup twice. I put so much more effort into her predecessors, and yet she goes on to not only continue my streak of winning one cup per player, but doubles down and becomes the first to do it twice. I suppose that's the advantage of being a depth player-- it's easier to move around and slot in to teams that just need that little extra push on the back end. Though I once worried about whether or not my players were truly making an impact despite the effort I consistently put into the VHL, it's a little humbling to look back and see how each of them has left a distinct mark on VHL history in their own ways. From playoff MVP, to two different cup winning goals, every one of my three players has been important in their own way. I can only hope that Yor Bjorven continues the tradition as he steps up to the VHL draft, though I know the chances are slim. It feels so much harder to win a cup as a goalie, because you know you don't have much of an option to leave the team you're drafted to. Either you're going to be good, or you're backstopping a squad that just doesn't have it. Above all else, I want Bjorven to win an uncontested, unshared Shaw. I've always loved being the goalie, and the last thing I really, REALLY want in the VHL is a distinguished goalie award. Another franchise leader/definer wouldn't be half bad, either. Here's hoping.

1) Maybe a little bit, but not super particularly. I think I'll end up wherever I end up, and I'm pretty comfortable with that. I think I'm moreso intrigued to see what happens at the VHL level as opposed to the VHLM level. 2) For the longest time, it was Final Fantasy XIV. There was so much to do when it came to character customization, leveling jobs/classes, etc. Since then, though, I haven't found anything that's as easy to poke into and stick with. 3) Not even close, no. A prime Yor Bjorven competing in the VHL would stand on his head compared to where he is now-- there's a LOT of room for improvement. ----- 1) Do you have any fun player names tucked away for future recreates? If so, what are some of your favorites? 2) Do you prefer to spend as much time with one franchise as possible, or jump around between different teams? Why? 3) What's one thing missing from the VHL that you wish was more present or forward?

KAGAMINE RIN WITH A CUP-CLINCHING GOAL THE CONTINENTAL CUP IS GOING BACK TO SEATTLE

I REALLY want a second cup for Rin before it's all over. Simon please

I mean, if you're itching for a rematch with Seattle after that 4-1 pounding... I'm MORE than happy to go round 2 for Valentine's Day

It's always "the haters," it's never a name Are they in the room with us right now...?

How hard is it to mildly pay attention to lines smh

LET'S GOOOOOO, BABY RIN FIRST PLAYER WITH 2 CUPS???

This is slightly off-topic, but I want to say thank you to @Gustav for taking this from Discord into a forum post and putting so much effort into backing an argument. Not only do I get to read through something I would have entirely missed otherwise, I got to see discussion added over time and even contribute if I wanted to (I'm not nearly knowledgeable enough to get into it though). Genuine stick taps all around, very good thread that is curing some work time boredom.

Should the NHL have the Hawks and Preds redo their series in case it was a big fluke? No disrespect to the preds, I'm a firm believer that Nashville sweeping them is a huge fluke and robs the Hawks of truly accomplishing what their capable of. I've spent the last few days in pure disbelief and it just doesn't make sense to me. I've spent the entire regular season watching the Hawks play great hockey it's just not fair. If the Hawks lose again I will face that the Preds deserved the win, but I am just 100% sure it was a fluke and does a big disservice to the Hawks and the NHL.

100% agree-- I really like the shape of the head and the silhouette of the logo overall, it looks right at home on the front of a jersey. Perfectly good logo ruined because it needed a nametag for some reason...

You call it corny, but I fucking love it lmao. Top 2 logo in the VHL, A+ tie-in to Moscow, it's everything I could have asked for.

Okay, that Calgary tie is cool as fuck. I wonder if that was intentional; I know the Wranglers branding has been around longer than most. I did think about bringing up LA, since the "Stars" moniker is fitting for exactly that reason, but I didn't want to turn my .com article into a surprise media spot LOL The Lynx being a former minor league team is really cool though, I love that. Keeping tradition going, in a way. Miami is one that has always made sense since it's so close to the ocean, and that anchor logo honestly just fucks.

S99, I'm a year out

(Good questions, I really liked these) 1) I'd love for Rin to help push Seattle to a surprise cup win before her retirement is 100% official. For Yor Bjorven, though, I really want a Shaw win. Pepper's only win was tainted by being split, so I'd love to finally get an undisputed award in that category. 2) I'm surprisingly opinionated about wanting to play for Moscow (@Spartan ), even though I don't think they need a goalie. Despite the massive hatred surrounding Russia at the moment (that I share, obviously), the Menace logo is one of the few in the VHL that I REALLY fuck with. Would really love to see it on the front of my player's jersey. 3) For sure. Depending on the definition of "fun," I could see Yor Bjorven rolling with a braided beard in Viking fashion. Someone as bug and burly as him could absolutely pull it off. --------- 1) Of all teams in the VHL, which has your favorite branding (logo, colors, name etc) and why? Is there a cool story behind it, or do you just find it aesthetically pleasing? 2) How do you most frequently interface with the league? Are you a forum browser and poster, or do you mainly stay parked in Discord? Why? 3) Are there any particular skills you feel you've developed or polished by being a member of the VHL?

It's been a while since the league needed to expand into four new franchises from the ground up, but still recent enough that I remember being around when things were being prepared. As was the process for VHLM logos as well, a group of people would comb through a few websites that hosted pre-made mascot logos and decide which ones were usable enough for the incoming franchises. At the time, it was a perceived limitation that we needed to pick something premade and ready to go, as we didn't have anyone within the community to go to for something custom. As such, we ended up with a number of franchises whose only inspiration was the availability of the logo; the Predators, Phantoms, etc were born of this mindset. However, if we were willing to spend money to grab a premade logo from a site that had them in bulk, we could have just as easily hopped on Fiverr and used the money for something a bit more custom or tailored to a vision. I wish I could have suggested it at the time, but with a few reference images and shitty drawings, I've been able to get some logos together for other projects that feel a lot more close to the creative idea at large. Every team started as a concept or an idea that was tied to their location, and having the ability to request a logo specifically for that purpose adds so much to the experience. I feel like we maybe could have put some better thought into a few teams from the ground level, releasing them with a cool little story and connection to the places they're from. I could also just be naive to some of the thought behind certain team branding. Obviously, the Halifax 21st have a very specific tie to the city, and the Las Vegas Aces have been reworked from the most generic gambling reference imaginable to a double-entendre that recognizes the city's rich history in aviation. The Chicago Phoenix are (a bit loosely, maybe retroactively) tied to the great Chicago fire, so on and so forth. If I'm missing any more of the cool stories behind team names, I'd really love to be corrected because I find that shit super fascinating. Forever and always, though, fuck the stupid esports text in logos. Looks super cheap, a good logo really shouldn't need a big "TEAM NAME" text in the middle of it.

So one of, if not my favorite parts of fake sim hockey is the opportunity to create an entire team's identity from scratch. From picking a city, to choosing colors, to coming up with the right nickname, something about it just scratches the perfect creative itch for me in a way that nothing else can. For every "Panthers" and "Wildcats" team name out there in the world, there's another city/mascot combination that's truly unique to them. Very few things, in my opinion, can capture the identity of a locale and its people quite like their local sports team. Don't ever doubt the power of a logo on a baseball cap. With this post (and perhaps an ongoing series of posts to come), I figure I can at least write down some of my musings and/or creations when it comes to team branding. I've put an embarrassingly large amount of thought into certain team identities, so hopefully you enjoy taking a peak at the thought process behind them. Starting things off is perhaps my new favorite identity, created for an NHL 2k11 sim league that I really need to get back into rebooting- the Silvis Sentinels. Logo for the Silvis Sentinels Silvis Illinois is not most peoples' radar, nor should it be. It's an incredibly niche location chosen by a 10 or 11 year old me, scrambling to find towns or cities without an NHL team to place my fictional CPU sim league team. A tiny brain with little knowledge to go off of ended up defaulting to the hometown of my mother, and current (at the time) home of my grandfather- the "City of Progress," Silvis IL. Nowadays, we use that motto more in jest; Silvis is an older, more run-down small town that serves more as a reminder of how things used to be, rather than how they are now. However, if you pay attention to a certain sport, you might recognize the city for a fairly prestigious yearly event. A display commemorating the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois If you follow golf at all, you'll be familiar with the John Deere Classic, held at TPC Deere Run in the Quad Cities-- more specifically, Silvis Illinois. It's a fairly large PGA tour event, backed by one of the longest running title sponsors in golf. This event is probably the second most recognizable thing hosted by Silvis, topped only by the sponsoring company itself. That's right, the John Deere headquarters are located here in Silvis, which is exactly why they want their name associated with its biggest event. The "Sentinels" name comes with a far more interesting backstory. A monument exists on the now-named "Hero Street" of Silvis, honoring the lives of immigrants who once lived on the same few blocks. This street was once home to a number of Mexican immigrants that worked for the Rock Island Railroad, many of whom answered the call of duty when the United States entered international conflict. Fighting for their new homeland, a total of 84 immigrants would go on to serve in World War II, Korea, and the war in Vietnam. Eight of these men would die during their involvement in WWII, and it is for them that this monument was initially constructed and dedicated. These brave men were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, fighting for their new home away from home. The Hero Street monument in Silvis It's poetic that the "Deere" is an animal associated with protection and safety. Not only does it represent the namesake of the city's most recognizable export, it's the perfect symbol of its people; the people who were willing to go out and give all they had to keep their new way of life safe. The logo is made complete with a shield in the background, further reinforcing the presence of the deer. On a less serious note, the logo was done by a Fiverr artist who, honestly, kind of killed it. Granted, we had some decent reference images to go off of, but I think it turned out lovely. Looks great on the crest of a jersey. The purple comes from its history within our little NHL 2k11 sim league. Some time ago, my brother and I threw a number of fully custom teams together in NHL 2k11 and had them play against each other, CPU vs CPU. Taking up the helm of our own franchises, we would attempt to make savvy roster moves in order to win a championship. Silvis "belonged" to neither my brother or I, and instead was more of a background team that helped fill out our list of opponents. Hence the reach for a far more obscure locale. Initially, the Silvis-based team was restricted to a logo and name that matched whatever the game allowed us to choose from. While names were free reign, logos were, of course, limited to a set of generic ones that had been provided. In need of a more extravagant color to round out the league's palette, the purple-donning Silvis Falcons were born of a mostly renamed Toronto Maple Leafs team circa 2010. This team, with each player renamed and a new set of uniforms on their backs, would go on to become one of the league's most potent offenses for years to come-- ironic, for a team that would later don the defensive "Sentinels" moniker. Though they rostered players who would regularly sit among the top echelon of point scoring, they could never quite bring everything together to make a deep playoff run. That was, of course, until my grandfather passed away. Like a predictable feel-good movie, the first playoffs without my grandfather saw the Silvis Falcons finally lift their first cup in a dominating 4-0 sweep. The purple-clad offensive juggernauts would be bringing the trophy home to a city which hosted everyone except for the one person that inspired its creation to begin with. The Falcons would add a second cup to their legacy just two seasons later, making them one of just three teams to claim more than one championship. The other two, of course, being mine and my brother's. As I've started to resurrect the sim league and get into texture modding for NHL 2k11, I've made the decision to rebrand and relocate teams to give them stronger identities. I knew from the start that Silvis wouldn't be going anywhere. They never will. Armed now with a new identity that helps tie them to their city, and a few nods to their days as a naïve creation of a little kid on a hockey video game, I wonder just how much they can continue adding to the legacy of their team. Of their city. Even though they're not the team I headed, they're the identity and history that I've come to love the most. The new Silvis Sentinels uniform set Now that I'm armed with the power of literal texture modding, I can give any team any uniform I want. For Silvis, I ended up repurposing an early Golden Knights jersey concept-- back when the team was rumored to be the Las Vegas Knights. The steel grey primary really sells the defensive "Sentinels" moniker, and it allowed me to include the purple as a contrasting highlight that would harken back to the early 2k11 days of team design. In that way, I was able to infuse a lot of my own personal history into this team's branding, which is a tremendously sweet thought. Hopefully this was an enjoyable read-- I didn't realize just how much I had to say until I started writing it all out. In fairness, though, I picked this team to talk about first because of how much I was able to dive into the history and legacy of Silvis; I learned so much about where my family was from while collecting inspiration for a fucking sim league hockey team of all things. I think that's part of what makes this process so much fun for me. This team, more than all the others I've worked on, is the perfect example of how I think a location's identity can by conveyed through the iconography of their local sports team. When you don a hat or a jersey of your local squad, you're doing more than just supporting them. You're showing off a little piece of where you're from. You're putting a part of your city's culture on display for the world to see. And if that's the case, then I believe the thought and meaning behind those symbols should be as strong as they possibly can be. I'd like to follow up with the thoughts or history behind some of my other teams, but I'm a little ashamed to say that they're not as lore rich as the Sentinels. This one, for me personally, sets a high bar of personal satisfaction that I doubt I'll ever reach again. I'm learning how to create my own logos as I continue to tweak the branding of my personal team (formerly the poorly thought out Las Vegas Yetis, now the Galveston Terrapins), and if I'm able to put together a logo and uniform set entirely of my own volition as opposed to relying on others, I might be able to clear that bar. Only time will tell, I suppose. At any rate, thank you for taking the time to read this far. If you're particularly attached to a team's branding, real or fake, PLEASE share it so I can geek out over it with you! 1,524 words, even if they're a bit rambly. I'm yapping over text.

In a short string of appearances amidst the dying light of Season 97, the Icelandic Ironman Yor Bjorven made eight total appearances (5 of them being starts) for the last place Mississauga Hounds. Knowing full well what he would be getting himself into, Yor Bjorven ended the campaign with an abysmal stat line-- a record of 0-5-0, a save percentage of only 0.847, and a goals allowed average of 4.42. Of course, the surface level numbers only tell a small fraction of the story for this young goaltender. Playing for a bottom feeder is bound to be hard on the goaltender; when the puck is glued to your end of the ice, it's a harsh reality that you're going to take a lot of shots. Fellow Hounds goalie whiteknight, the second half of the late season tandem, fared hardly any better over a full season sample size-- boasting a 5-35-10 record, a 0.853 save percentage, and a goals allowed average of 3.76. At this point in their careers, Bjorven and whiteknight can be considered goalies of similar caliber, but it's expected that this won't last long. Even with a full season's head start, whiteknight is just barely keeping pace with the Nordic netminder. Were the season to continue any longer, it's assumed that Yor Bjorven would have claimed the starting job through sheer work ethic, alone. Continuing the topic of comparables, Yor Bjorven is contested by only one other player in the upcoming Season 99 draft class- Finnegan Tex Sims of the Miami Marauders. Despite coming into the VHLM with a slight edge on experience, Yor Bjorven's physicals have already surpassed that of his American counterpart. Despite playing for a far superior team, Finnegan sports a stat line that leaves much to be desired with a record of 2-1-0, a save percentage of 0.837, and a goals allowed average of 2.34. Notably, however, the American goaltender has already recorded his first shutout with the league-topping Miami Marauders. With a GAA under three and a shutout to his name, the cause for such a low save percentage is likely more the fault of seeing far fewer shots than the average VHLM goalie. When you're cold and the puck is in the other end, something's bound to go in once you're back in action. Despite posting lesser numbers, Yor Bjorven has already shown signs of hope as a future starting goaltender. In his first ever start for the squad, Yor Bjorven famously stopped 29 of an incoming 31 shots from the potent Miami offense, only barely giving out in the dying moments of the third period to lose the game 2-1. While none of his following games would come close to matching the 0.935 save percentage he posted that day, it certainly turned the heads of both VHL and VHLM scouts to see the young Nordic netminder stand on his head in his first game on North American ice. With only two goalies entering the upcoming VHLM draft (as far as we know), it will be interesting to watch and see which teams spring for which goaltender. How many are comfortable with their current tandem? How many are in desperate need of consistency between the pipes, and which of these two goalies will they prioritize in order to fill that need? We'll find out soon enough as the madness of the VHL offseason kicks off.

Not an arrow-- it's the silhouette of a Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk plane. Las Vegas has an incredibly rich history in aviation, hence why their AAA baseball team is branded as the Las Vegas Aviators. Source: am native to Las Vegas, helped refine that logo when it was switched over from the old atrocity

If you were to return to Yor Bjorven's hometown and ask of his origin, nary a soul would be able to give you a satisfying answer. Residing in the small town of Akranes, Iceland, Yor Bjorven is most known for his quiet, welcoming presence behind the bar of a local tavern-style brewery and pub. A venue rich in wood paneling and rustic decor, it's a small hole-in-the-wall type of spot in an already sparse and close-knit town. With only a few employees on hand to pour fresh meads and beers, and perhaps cook up a bar snack or two, Yor Bjorven and his small crew are revered as local legends for those in the know. The stress and trouble of any bad day can be washed away after a night within those walls, surrounded by naught but good friends and good drink. Of those legendary few, however, Yor Bjorven sticks out as particularly mythical. None know where he lives, as his nights ends with him retreating back into the more mountainous regions of inland Iceland. Like the age-old American legends of Paul Bunyan or even Johnny Appleseed, the 6 foot 3 inch brickhouse of a man retreats into the wild to live as he so pleases. Sometimes, he returns with a cooler full of fish to cook as a special for the evening. Occasionally, he'll return with Duck or other poultry that, assumedly, were felled and collected by his own two hands. Nobody has ever seen Yor Bjorven outside of the small town, and none can vouch for what happens when he leaves its premises, but one things for certain-- all believe that he's an extraordinary man, capable of anything he deems possible. Naturally, Yor Bjorven's true origins are entirely unknown. The only thing known for sure, confirmed through the lips of the man himself, is that he is a proud, native Icelander. None have tried digging deeper into his past, for nobody cares to know or pry. All are fond of his gentle, giving soul, and are happy to simply live, let be, and enjoy the times before them. While hockey is a small and ever-growing sport in the country of Iceland, it finds itself popular enough among a small group of people within the limits of Akranes, Yor Bjorven included. When drink and dinner aren't enough to wipe the stresses of a long day away, the inner circle of Akranes find themselves out on the pond or at the local rink for regular games of pick-up ice hockey. It's here that Yor Bjorven continued to add to his legend, and begin a hockey journey that would eventually see him off into the VHL system. Leveraging his six-foot-three frame and his unnaturally graceful movement, the mythical Icelander commands respect within the crease as the city- nay, the nation's- best goaltender. Sharing a laugh and friendly competition with the regular patrons and staff of his bar, Yor Bjorven commands respect as he calmly positions himself to leverage his large frame and keep pucks out of the net. It's this dominance, combined with his odd man-of-the-land, that earned him the nickname of "the Icelandic Ironman." Of course, Iceland isn't a nation known for it's hockey pipeline whatsoever. Only a select handful of esteemed Icelandic individuals have played in the NHL at all, none if you consider only the more modern era of the world's iconic hockey organization. Any Icelandic players made their mark on an early 1920's era game. In the VHL, only a single player of Icelandic origin has made into the upper echelon of the system-- current Vancouver Wolves blueliner, Einar Mathiesen. Through 97 seasons of the Victory Hockey League, Mathiesen hold the claims to being the FIRST Icelandic player to partake in a major league game. By starting this journey, Yor Bjorven hopes to become only the second, and additionally the first Icelandic goaltender to make it. Notably, The S91 Ottawa Lynx goalie Olafur Gunnleifsson came close to staking the claim for himself, but fell just short as he topped out as a serviceable goalie in the VHLM system. It's unknown just who made it all the way out to Akranes to scout the local beer league game which brought Yor Bjorven overseas. Whoever spectated the event left only a letter on the door of Yor Bjorven's tavern, inviting him to come and try out against top-tier North American talent in the VHLM. Not one for the bright lights or fame and fortune that comes with being a professional athlete, the Icelandic Ironman would have promptly turned down (or rather, ignored) the offer were it not for the encouragement of his fellow beer-leaguers and tavern dwellers. Moved by the support of those closest to him, the burly Icelander said his goodbyes and swore to send a majority of his salary back home, so that the tavern and town might live just a little bit more comfortably. He departed by boat the next morning, venturing off to the United States and Canada to enter his name into the VHL draft. With a little luck, and a large application of his talents, he hopes to etch his name into the VHL's history book. For those watching at home. For the livelihood he sought to protect, to improve. For Iceland. 879 words Mentioned: @xsjack

In the dying moments of season 97, a wave of new players enter the VHLM to help bolster rosters in a final push for the playoffs. Included among them is a young Yor Bjorven, a man known affectionately in junior hockey circles as the Icelandic Ironman. Donning the jersey of the last place Mississauga Hounds, the silently intimidating goaltender prepared for a small stretch of starts that would serve mostly as a taste of overseas competition; a way to gain his sea legs before the S98 draft and subsequent season, as it were. With expectations low and focus set on settling in, few eyes would be set on his first career start against a league-toping Miami Marauders squad. And yet, despite the large disparity between teams, the game ended in a 2-1 nail biter in the dying moments of the 3rd. As expected, the Hounds were outshot and outplayed, but a young Yor Bjorven stayed calm and collected while giving the team a real chance to win. The final box score attributed 31 shots to the home Marauders to the mere 12 of the visiting Hounds, with Bjorven exiting the ice having turned away 29 of 31 for a save percentage of 0.935. With only a few matchups left to go, the Hounds will mostly look to secure a win for their freshly debuted goaltender. While there may be little left to play for on a team level, there's still plenty to strive for as scouts and general managers begin to look toward the VHLM's S98 draft class. What may appear to be a bleak situation now could easily bear fruit as the calendar gives way to a fresher start.