Nathan_8

1. With the VHL entry draft coming up on the 9th how excited are you to be joining a new team? Is there anybody who you would KILL to have on your team?
I'm super excited to see where I end  up in both  the VHL and  VHLE drafts!  It'll be fun to join a new team's locker room and get to know some new players, and especially to have a team I can settle into for the long term.  I would love to be able to play on a team  with all of my teammates here in Houston, but I really don't want to have to choose one, so I'm going to go with Annie Oaks @Noodle Enjoyer, who I think is going to be a fantastic player in the VHLE and VHL very soon.  I think any team with the opportunity to draft Oaks next weekend would do very well to pick them up and I would love  to be teammates someday.  I guess we'll see how it all shakes out!
 
2. We have new team pets with our kitty Litten, our dog Rocky, and out Puppy Growlithe how are you going to spoil them? Also don't worry you will be allowed to come back to the facility to hang with them.
Litten is going to get all the cuddles from me.  Rocky is sweet too, and Growlithe, but I'll definitely be coming back mostly to see our little Houston Hell Kitty.  Okay, maybe I'm picking favorites, but Rocky and Growlithe can be somebody else's favorites 😅.  
 
3. Once you get your big boy pay after being drafted to the show how will you spend tour newly earned money?
I'm gonna reinvest in my training so I can make the most of my opportunity and eventually get to a higher level.  It's gonna be great to finally make it to the VHL and obviously it'll be nice to get an increase in pay eventually, but I'm aiming to be the best I can be and helping a team win it all, and in order to do that I think it'll be best to put my money into increasing my training and supporting my player development.
 
4.  Your favourite AGM has been kidnapped by criminals and you have to fill his role what are you doing first?
I'm holding a press conference in your honor.  I know you're kidnapped, not dead, but we all know this team can't afford to pay the ransom, as much as we'd really like to get you back, so I'd like to offer a moment of silence for the Great AGM of Season 92, @Nathan_8.  We could build you a statue, but we've kinda already blown the earnings from the "charity" fundraiser on @AJW's collosus, so... 
 
5. Are there any teammates who you will keep in touch, and hang out with after the gang is split up?
Hopefully I can keep in touch with as many as possible! We've had a great group this season and I'd love to be able to continue to chat with all of them, honestly.  Realistically, it will always happen that people end up elsewhere with new groups and you lose touch, but I'd especially like to keep in touch with people like Nathan, Ondra, and Benjamin who have have been very big parts of the Houston locker room, good teammates, and great friends.  
 
6. Your AGM is doing the press conference this week do you like the change or would you rather @AJW continue doing it?
As much as I like AJ's press conferences, this one is kinda fire!  I think this is a great role for the AGM to be taking on weekly, getting involved and getting to know the players, and also being able to do so creatively with fun questions.  This was a great press conference and I'm sure I'll be back to do another one just for fun at some point!
 

I’ll apply 

@AJW

Hello everyone,
 
I guess it's been awhile. A lot of you may not know me, but I was a very active member from late 2019 until late 2021, when I had to step back and prioritize my personal life and studying. Since I have returned, I have been wondering what to do as far as content, as I really enjoy the scouting aspect of the VHL and I hope to get back to making content surrounding it. 
 
I am thinking about maybe bringing back my draft profiles series that I did from S70 to S72, except with some tweaks to make it fresh and new. That series is what first gave me a sense of purpose in the VHL community, and it seemed that people really enjoyed them. Looking ahead, I would definitely be open to bringing back the draft profiles.
 
Another possibility is some in-depth coverage for the VHLM, looking at individual teams and the prospects they have that could become VHL stars. For example, I could look at the Miami Marauders, look at the TPE earning of their players, as well as their leading scorers, and then maybe interview a player or GM/AGM to ask about the future of certain players and the team as a whole.
 
Other than those two ideas, I'm still trying to think of other possibilities, and I am 100% open to any suggestions. Hopefully I'll get back to draft-related content soon, and hopefully you guys will tune in thanks for listening to my ramble.

HOUSTON BULLS PRESSER!
Hello and welcome to this week's Houston Bulls Presser! Our run is over, Philly figured us out. Thank you all for the consistency of answering these weekly press conferences. You can always answer them once you join a new team if you want! It's fun getting to know people more based on their answers. Please answer each question to your best ability.

Answer three questions for 1 capped TPE or six questions for 2 capped TPE!
For the Week Ending Mar 10th, here are your questions!
 
1. With the VHL entry draft coming up on the 9th how excited are you to be joining a new team? Is there anybody who you would KILL to have on your team?
2. We have new team pets with our kitty Litten, our dog Rocky, and out Puppy Growlithe how are you going to spoil them? Also don't worry you will be allowed to come back to the facility to hang with them.
3. Once you get your big boy pay after being drafted to the show how will you spend tour newly earned money?
4.  Your favourite AGM has been kidnapped by criminals and you have to fill his role what are you doing first?
5. Are there any teammates who you will keep in touch, and hang out with after the gang is split up?
6. Your AGM is doing the press conference this week do you like the change or would you rather @AJW continue doing it?
 
 
To claim TPE:
Go to the portal > Player > Manage > Claim Capped > Type > Press Conference

Thank you to everyone who participates in these pressers, I read all of your answers!
 
Let's Go Bulls!
 

1. while i'm not in a draft, my player just got traded and i am super excited to be joining a new team in new york.
2. i'm actually going to be taking litten and growlithe and then i will become a pokemon champion with them.
3. you will not believe the amount of doinks i will have.
4. after i'm done crying my eyes out over my favourite agm being kidnapped, i call the police and start the search immediately.
5. i am actually hoping to meet some of the legendary S92 bulls as they grow and their players graduate to the big leagues.
6. aj's questions would probably all be about being drunk and high so it's a tough choice.

1. My player personally isn’t in any upcoming drafts but he is excited to finish out his career with Calgary! I would love to play with Triller’s player I am curious how our passing builds would work together and he did just kill it these VHL playoffs.
 
2. The puppers get a wheel barrel of bones each. Litten is our god of double dubs and will get anything at her request. We will start by giving her as much cat nip and treats as she needs. Also the fluffiest kitty bed, the puppers get top tier beds too.
 
3. I liked to spend my money on doubles weeks with my player the first two seasons to boost my draft stock. It made me really jump above everybody else, also helped that I donated the first few seasons too.
 
4. I’m sending out a search party for you first of all. But we have a big budget so I’m sure they’ll find you. Until you’re back I’ll run the show solo and maybe set up some pranks in your office.
 
5. I hope I will still see all of the players on this team after this season. Whether that be through discord or forums I’m sure I’ll be able to bump into everyone here and there. Everyone is always welcome to come back to the LR to say hi with their alumni roles.
 
6. I have no preference. They’re fun to make but also fun to answer. I like giving you the practice! 

1. The emotions were running rampant I had to go and hide in the bathroom so nobody could see the tears, it was a very tough loss to say the least.
2. During the off-season I will be spending time at the local short track with Benjamin Abbenduct and going to NASCAR truck series races with my race team.
3. My favourite part about being a Bull this season was funny enough being a Bull the vibes were so good and I will miss this team.
4. I will not join in on the riots instead I will pull a Maurice Richard and go on the airwaves to tell everyone to stop the rioting. (yes this happened in the Richard riots)
5. Yes GMs have reached out to me I believe 4-5 so far and I do not have a specific favourite of who I want to got to (that I will say).
6. I dont have any specific plans or goals for my player  but I am hoping to have a good rookie season.

@AJW

You asked and you shall receive

@AJW

Hello Houston Fans and members of the forum!
 
This may be off the tracks of Member Portfolios but I'd like to start a thread where I ask for graphics of my team, the Houston Bulls. Something my former AGM @Triller excelled at was creating team content in the form of graphics, something I am not the best at. I feel it put Houston more on the "map" of the VHLM community, so with that being said if anyone is open to fulfilling my requests, please reply to this thread with your graphic created. I will always credit you when I use your graphic, I always did for Triller, your work deserves to be seen!
 
I want more visuals of my team for the viewers eyes to see. Not everyone who joins here likes to read wordy media spots.
 
If you have Houston Bulls Graphics and would like to post them here so that I can start using them and credit you, PLEASE DO! SEND THEM ALL!
 
First Official Request:
 
A Graphic of the Pokémon, Litten, and make it Houston Bulls related.
 

 
In the VHLM we get two games simmed a night, two wins is a "Double Dubs" sim. I want a graphic of Litten so that I can post it every Double Dub in our Discord LR or for any future team media.
 
Story Behind the Idea:
 
In recent Houston Gossiper news: 
 
 
As quoted from @Mutti, "One interesting proposal, however, was for Houston Bulls to have a team kitty. It is no secret that Houston uses motifs of fire or even hell in their graphics. And as we all know, cats are (alongside being enormously cute and adorable), the guardians of the Underworld (No, not that movie, calm down.) So who knows! Perhaps we’ll witness a cup finals accompanied with a kitty purring next season!" 
 
This idea hit the hearts of the Bulls players and management, we have officially adopted Litten as the Houston Bulls Kitty.

I apply for both

As the VHL draft is slowly but surely approaching I have been watching my Houston Bulls player's TPE levels to predict where they get drafted this season. I'm really proud of this group and special shout outs to @LucyXpher @Schnee @Rhynex Entertainment @Crstats23 @jake (hope you're doing well buddy!) @Nathan_8 and @Mutti who have all passed the 200 TPE mark already! This means next season they will play in the VHLE and be on their next step to VHL glory! 2 of these members are recreates, and 5 of these members are first gens! @CowboyinAmerica You're also a stud by the way, thanks for hanging with us this playoff run and I'm cheering for you to go to Davos 1oa. This is all exciting but also it made me question something:
 
Can we do more ads?
 
With the last ad drop hitting YouTube we brought in a LARGE crowd of active members. This draft class is example as you could argue that we have a good two rounds of active VHL prospects. Argue that if you want, or don't, but this class is deep and it makes me really excited. If dropping that YouTube ad did so well then why isn't this a reoccurring event? Doing it every 2-3 seasons seems the most logical as doing it every season could get too much, too quickly. I don't know what the VHL budget is and that is something that higher ups would have to deal with, but if we can afford it with all our seasonal donations, why aren't we doing it?
 
We have been searching for more life and more talented members to help grow our forum. We have been looking for portal devs for example, one is sure to walk in, right? The 5 first generation members I mentioned above are killing it in their first season already and have so much more potential to come. Lucy is a wizard with a type writer and she reminds me of @Shindigs in the way that she already shines bright throughout our community in her short time being here, Nathan is one of the biggest reasons our locker room stays active daily and he is so easy to work with as my AGM in Houston, Schnee is becoming a really good friend of mine we talk daily and he's working on improving his graphics talents weekly, and Mutti is the best European bastard you could have... the guy makes podcasts fun to listen to and he can play along with any fun lore we create. Jake unfortunately went inactive but he was so much fun as our captain during his run, really hope he is doing alright and can pop in again soon. These members have all been a treat and I'm greedy, I want more!!
 
What do we think? Are more ads a possibility? Personally this was my favourite season GMing in the VHLM because of all the new faces who joined in. I feel like I can speak on behalf of the entire VHLM GM staff and say that we are always ready for new members to come in, we want them!

I apply for both

I apply for both

Hello!
 
As we approach the offseason, we're once again looking to hire GMs for some open positions in the VHLM. We've got a bit of turnover this offseason and are hiring for two teams (and potentially more depending on the VHL/E hirings) - Halifax and Mexico City. Thank you to @ShawnGlade and @hylands for their great work as VHLM GMs, and for all the time and effort they put into their teams and players.
 
Please comment below if you are interested in any of these teams, and feel free to state a preference for a specific team. We cannot guarantee those preferences being followed if selected for the job, but we'll keep it in mind. We may also find out that we're losing another GM to the VHL hiring cycle, so there is a chance we'll need 3 GMs - so there are plenty of opportunities for all!
 
Serious applications only in this thread, anything else will be sent to the gulag. Feel free to DM me or Gus with any questions, comments, concerns. Happy to discuss the positions with any interested candidates!
 
- @VHLM Commissioner

While the S93 VHL Entry Draft was highly anticipated from the moment high-end prospects Gianfranco Del Rocco @Victor and Antonia Bucatini @CowboyinAmerica declared their eligibility - and Jean-Pierre Devote @eagle_3450 and Forum Content @frescoelmo rounded out the top of the draft class nicely - it was a group that was originally pegged by many VHL scouts as lacking in depth.
 
It’s not so much that those scouts missed the mark, but the VHL made a mid-season play to expand their recruiting efforts and all of a sudden, there was a massive influx in talent in the VHLM and, accordingly, in the S93 draft class as well. Several of the new faces brought in have immediately made names for themselves, and a couple of them even threaten to shake up that top of the draft class - although the top two of Del Rocco / Bucatini in some order is essentially untouchable.
 
As a result, the S93 draft now looks like one of the deepest VHL draft classes in a very long time. Here, we’ll take a look at some of the new faces that have made their impact felt during their brief times in the league, and when some of these fast-rising prospects can look forward to hearing their names called on draft day.
 
Lucy Leitner - D - Houston Bulls @LucyXpher
The 5’8, 155 pound US-born defender stormed onto the VHL scene at the start of S93 and signed with Houston, where she would go on to rank 4th in the VHLM in defenseman scoring with 76 points in 72 games. That is surely impressive production for a VHLM rookie but it’s off the ice, with her work ethic, that Leitner has impressed most. She is a brilliant skater who moves the puck well and excels in her own end of the ice, though the offensive toolkit (passing and shooting) will need to develop to see the same production at the next level. Leitner has skyrocketed up draft boards and has massive upside - currently ranked 5th in the draft class, Leitner’s name will be in the minds of every GM who isn’t picking in the top-2, and if I were making the call, she would probably be the #3 pick.
 
Benjamin Abenduct - D - Houston Bulls @Schnee
The Bulls really scored themselves a pair of great young defensemen early in the year through the VHLM’s waiver process, with Abenduct close behind Leitner all year and actually outproducing her on the scoresheet. He finished the year with 23 goals, 81 points, 170 hits, and 100 blocks in 68 games. Although the stats don’t necessarily bear it out, Abenduct is a little more defense-minded than Leitner but doesn’t get around the ice as well and has a little bit less refined offensive game. He’s currently ranked 6th in the draft class and has his own case to jump Devote and Content on draft day, probably going right after Leitner especially if a team needs a defender.
 
Annie Oaks - RW - Las Vegas Aces @Noodle Enjoyer
Oaks signed with the Saskatoon Wild at the start of the VHLM season before being traded to the more competitive Las Vegas Aces at the deadline. Over the season, Oaks totalled 41 goals and 95 points, showcasing excellent vision and a powerful slapshot. Her shot is actually nearly pro-ready, but she does have a lot of work to do defensively before being able to contribute at the VHL level. Oaks is currently the ninth-ranked player in the draft class, the highest-rated forward coming from the increased recruiting efforts, and is a surefire first-round pick with a good chance to break into the top half of the round.
 
UghSike - LW - Miami Marauders @UghSike
UghSike has a lot of similarities to the aforementioned Oaks, having signed with the Wild at the start of the year before being shipped out at the trade deadline. UghSike found himself in Miami after the trade and was not as productive as Oaks during the season - he compiled 28 goals and 60 points. Compared to Oaks, UghSike has a slightly weaker shot (but still very good), is even less refined defensively, but is a better passer and skater. He will likely come off the board shortly after Oaks on draft day, somewhere in the middle of the first round.
 
Trimiskez Artav - RW - Houston Bulls @jake
Another member of the Houston Bulls, Artav brought it in a big way this season putting up 43 goals and 88 points in 72 games. He’s talented offensively and a little more well-rounded overall compared to the other forwards we’ve discussed so far. Unfortunately, over the last few weeks, there have been reports that Artav’s development has stalled and he’s been missing practice, which could definitely affect his draft stock. For the time being, Artav is still ranked 12th, but it seems likely he will fall into the second or third round based on these recent developments.
 
Nathan Ecker - RW - Houston Bulls @Nathan_8
As you may have guessed, the Bulls were big beneficiaries of the VHL’s recruitment effort, and this is the fourth player they’ve placed on this list. Ecker is an extremely similar player to UghSike, with glaring defensive deficiencies in his game but excellent offensive talent, hands, and vision. With 25 goals and 48 points in 72 games, Ecker contributed to the Bulls’ offense from day one and has shown a steady commitment to improving. He is ranked 15th in the draft right now and will definitely be in the conversation for those GMs picking late in the first round.
 
Gul Dukat - D - Miami Marauders @MSouthworth
Dukat is an old-school defender, a stay-at-home, 6’3 200 pound behemoth with a mean streak and above average mobility, the kind of game that fans, scouts, and coaches all love. Dukat even showed some untapped offensive ability with Miami this season, putting up 18 goals and 65 points, even though that’s not necessarily their strong suit. With 163 hits, 72 PIM, and 123 blocks, it is that defensive element where Dukat truly shines. Ranked 16th in the class to date, Dukat is also the draft’s third-ranked defenseman behind Leitner and Abenduct, which means they should be a lock to be a first rounder.
 
Ondrej Vencko - G - Houston Bulls @Mutti
Vencko came to the VHLM as a talented but troubled young netminder, and had some much-publicized concerns about drug usage mar his early days in Houston. We may never find out exactly what went on, but it seems that whatever it was is firmly in the rearview mirror. Vencko quickly claimed the starting role in Houston and improved greatly as the year went on, finishing the season 27-18-3 with an .892 SV% before posting a .917 SV% in 12 playoff games. Vencko has excellent reflexes and rebound control, but struggles with lateral mobility and plays a little small in his net at times. There’s definite upside here though and he is the 3rd-ranked goaltender and 18th-ranked prospect in the draft overall. Vencko should go early in the second round and might sneak into the late-1st if there is a particularly goalie-needy team.
 
Tyler Lawson - C - Houston Bulls @Nyx
The Bulls are a veritable factory of brand-new talent! Interestingly, Lawson is the first player on this list that naturally plays centre and is the third-ranked centre in the draft class overall. Lawson has a similar profile to a lot of these players in that he’s got great offensive vision, a good slapshot, and some flaws in other areas of his game, particularly defensively. Joining the Bulls mid-season, Lawson scored at a point-per-game pace in the regular season (56 points in 56 games) but fell off in the playoffs with just 5 points in 12 games. He’s ranked #22 and probably didn’t do enough this season to jump into the first round, but he’s a high upside player who could really reward a team that takes the plunge in the high or mid-2nd.
 
Ray Stanton - D - San Diego Marlins @horoscope
Stanton, a 5’10 185 pound defenseman who’s a little more offensively-inclined than most of the others in this draft, really stepped into the league in a big way with the Saskatoon Wild mid-season. He put up 21 points, 61 hits, and 42 blocks in just 18 games before being traded to the San Diego Marlins. Unfortunately, his production tailed off in a more structured system in San Diego leaving some questions as to whether his production was a product of just playing on a bad team or truly being great. Stanton has made some good progression over his short time in the league so far and is projected in the middle of the second round (ranked #25).
 
Cody Toland - D - Houston Bulls @ctoland102
A gritty, 6’4 215 pound offensive defenseman, Toland likes to hit and isn’t afraid to mix it up, giving him a little bit of a different dimension compared to most of the other young defenders in this draft. The two main concerns with Toland at this stage in his career are that he’ll need to develop his defensive game to play a defensive position at the next level and, while his improvement has been consistent over the course of the season, he hasn’t taken the next step in his development like some of the other players in the class have. With 35 points, 213 hits, and 92 blocked shots for Houston this year, Toland definitely has a possible VHL career in his future, and I would expect him to be chosen somewhere in the late-2nd or early-3rd round.
 
Oliver Loo - RW - Miami Marauders @Peiffy
Loo is a well-rounded, two-way forward with a little less upside than many of the forwards we’ve covered so far, but has shown steady improvement throughout the year and plays a projectable game without many flaws. Because of his limited offensive upside, at least based on what we’ve seen so far, Loo is more of a project who will likely spend more time at the VHLM and VHLE levels. However, he’s a good skater and responsible defensively, two things that VHL teams love to see. Loo is another player who will probably be selected somewhere around the early-3rd round.
 
Billy Joel - D - San Diego Marlins @The goat of hockey
Joel is a similar player to Toland, except even bigger, but less refined defensively. Joel’s brand of defense is simply running guys over and while it’s effective at times and certainly fun to watch, he will need to develop that positioning and poke checking at some point in order to have a VHL career in the future. Joel is a real old school type player, a 6’5, 235 pound physical force who is very willing to drop the gloves. He’s also got a bomb of a shot when he wants to use it. He put up 20 points in 72 games with San Diego but, more importantly, 205 hits and 84 blocks with 106 PIM. The harder he practices, the quicker he will get better but for now it looks like whoever drafts Joel will have a long-term project on their hands, with probably VHL #4 defenseman type upside to him. He’s likely to go off the board in the early-3rd round.
 
Jack Dickins - RW - Houston Bulls @Mystery_boy98
A big, well-rounded winger, Dickins has shown some steady improvement over the season and the consistency to eventually play at the VHL level if he can maintain that for a few seasons, but he’s definitely a couple of seasons away, starting with what will likely be another VHLM season to continue his development. Dickins put up 20 points in 64 games with Houston this year and is in line for a bump up in role with whichever VHLM team drafts him next season. How the next season or so goes for him will be the big determinant in whether or not the VHL is in his future, but he’s surely worth a pick in the 3rd round to figure that out.
 
 
~2020 words for the next 4 weeks

+10 Micah Cederbaum

Hello WJC fans today is the day we reveal which members will be leading each nation into battle! @samx and I are excited to announce your S92 WJC GMs:

       Team USA      

 @LucyXpher 
 
 
   Team Europe  

@Mysterious_Fish
 
 
   Team Canada   

   @Dadam30   


     Team World     

    @Nathan_8    
 
 
      Team Asia     

@UnknownMinion
 
 

 
 
 

My suggestion is to reach out to GMs to provide this link for their team at the beginning of each season. I bet you lots of people don't even know they can earn uncapped TPE from submitting questions. One of my player's actually showed me this thread this season because I forgot it was a thing! I'll 100% be posting it each season now. Should definitely be something all league GMs should be sharing with their team.

Da bullz 

DA BULLZ 🤝 DA BEARZ

In Pamplona, Spain, there's a long-standing tradition of running bulls through the streets of the city.  Originally serving the practical purpose of moving the animals in from the country side to the city for sale, the tradition-- which began around the 13th century-- eventually evolved into a festival where members of the general public would run through the streets ahead of the bulls.  While the running no longer serves any practical purpose, it continues annually and still attracts people from around the world, especially the thrill seeking types.  Sadly, for those who tempt fate, the bulls claim lives every year and the festival has drawn criticism for being barbaric and dangerous.
 
I'm not here to moralize for or against the practice which has endured in Spain for generations, but I do want to draw a comparison.  There's an old adage, "When you mess with the bull, you get the horns."  There are natural consequences for certain risks.  Anyone choosing to willingly run through the streets with bulls should at least consider the potential for being seriously injured or even killed.  It's a harsh reality, but what else could you expect from a frenzied herd of horned beasts? 
 

@Pifferfish Jorgen Lovstrom (above)
 
This brings me to the title of this article, my last article on the Season 92 Houston Bulls-- tempting fate.  This season's Bulls team lived up to the ferocity of the animal on their crest.  This was a physical team that loved to throw the body and punish their opposition physically.  During the playoffs alone, the Bulls led the league in hits with 294 in 12 games.  This style of play comes with its upside in that it can force an opponent to play tentatively, constantly looking over their shoulders to see where the next charging bull is coming from.  The Bulls also led the league in penalty minutes with 159, and herein lies the drawback and inherent risk of a high level of physical play, especially if it becomes reckless and undisciplined.  This season's Bulls were constantly straddling that line.  Sometimes their physical play was a dominant feature of their team game and it created space for their more skilled players to create offense.  In other cases, the physicality got away from them and produced some unwanted consequences and unfortunate results.  
 
Game 6 of the Founder's Cup Semi-Final against the Philadelphia Reapers was an example of just that.  Despite being out-hit, 30-25, the Bulls took 10 penalties.  In a game of fine margins that the Bulls were in until the end, all it took was the Reapers converting on 1 of those 10 powerplay attempts to seal the game and the series, punching their ticket to the finals.  It's an unfortunate outcome for a Houston team that has grown so much over the span of the 72 game season.  The disappointment in the Houston locker room after the loss was more than apparent as the team had full buy-in and belief in the process that they had committed to from day one.  A loss like this can certainly shake belief and cause a team to become demoralized after leaving everything on the ice, and that in itself is a tempting fate. 
 
Fate is a cruel mistress and a cunning temptress.
 

 
It's all too easy to become overly fixated on what went wrong and why things didn't work out on the ice.  Sometimes that negative mindset is even appealing.  It can feel good to vent, or complain, or blame, or cry, or feel like the whole world is conspiring against you to see your demise.  I think it's healthy to allow oneself to experience such emotions after suffering a loss-- but not to allow them to linger indefinitely.  The Houston Bulls have so much to be proud of and this season can only be called a success, despite their failure to cap it off with a Founder's Cup.  Going from a team with only 4 players on the roster after the VHLM dispersal draft, to the team with the most contributing roster players and the consensus top team on paper is nothing short of remarkable.  The Bulls' general manager, @AJW deserves a tremendous amount of credit for his role in building the team and the culture around the locker room.  He should undoubtedly be in consideration for GM of the Year for his efforts and results, though he'd humbly credit the players for their hard work and determination.  What cannot be disputed is the effort of this group as a whole, from their GM AJ, AGM @Nathan_8, and every one of their players who contributed to the positivity of the team, both on and off the ice.  This kind of positivity is what will help propel many of these players to long and successful VHL careers as they move on from the Bulls next season-- it's the good habits and friendships that combat the temptation of thinking all is lost.
 

 
For many of these Bulls players, this is only the beginning of their career, and despite a crushing defeat, they have so much further to climb and work towards.  A Founder's Cup, while a fantastic achievement, is not the pinnacle of the sport and only represents a goal along the path toward the top.  Sure, every player in the VHLM wants to win it, but how many players would truly be satisfied playing in the VHLM, forever chasing that goal?  The M is a transitional league to help develop the skills of players coming from junior divisions, to prepare them for the rigors and competition of the higher pro ranks. While it's a great goal to win at every level, in the grand scheme, the goal of VHLM players is to start their career out on the right foot, and the Houston Bulls as a collective have really embodied that competitive spirit of practice and growth.  There are so many players on this roster who began the season with little to no experience.  Through hard work, collaboration, and dedication, so many of them have developed into top prospects in the upcoming VHL and VHLE drafts.  It's truly a testament to the success of the the Bulls management group and developmental support system which has enabled their players to grow in leaps and bounds.  So while it's a disappointing end to a thrilling playoff run, the Bulls had already won-- sure, maybe not on the scoresheet, but some things are bigger than a scoresheet.  
 

 
(Lauren Lambert has come unstuck in time) Look, maybe this is just me writing my way though a heartbreaking loss, trying to come to terms with what comes next.  I'm a melodramatic artist and I'm coping, okay?!  Oh, you thought I was an unbiased journalist who just reported the facts? That's funny... I guess I don't value professionalism enough to leave my allegiances at the door when I start writing an article.  Well, now you know...
 

 
When you mess with the bull, you get the horns... but there's another saying, "Grab the bull by the horns".  When facing adversity or risk, sometimes the best strategy is to attack the problem, to face it head on, to get up close and personal with danger and conquer it.  While this offseason may have come sooner than Houston would have hoped, they have an opportunity to put this time to good use, for players to continue developing, and to use this loss as motivation for future goals.  There is a lot to be excited for with the VHL Draft coming up this offseason, the Victory ProAm, the Junior Showcase Tournament, and the World Junior Championships right around the corner.  There are plenty of reasons for this Bulls squad to bounce back and get refocused-- re-motivated-- to continue working towards their ultimate goal of playing at the highest level. 
 

 
I, for one, will be following these players closely, though it's with a heavy heart that I move on from regular coverage of the Houston Bulls.  It's been a fantastic run with the Bulls this season, full of drama and excitement on and off the ice.  Wherever I end up next, I know I will always look back fondly on this past season as it was remarkable and gratifying in so many ways.  Thanks to all who have been reading me faithfully and I look forward to bringing you more VHL/E/M articles in the near future.  Until then, keep running!
 
.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.
Lauren Lambert for VHL.com
claiming intoxication until next season...

@Masu Chan