der meister

Boo. Bounce back bulls

Never heard back on my other queries. Publishing industry sucks. It doesn't help that the month of April was one of the hardest months for me in six and a half years of my current job. I'm absolutely exhausted from what I have to do and what I have to cover since we've been operating at 50% staffing and they moved me into management at the beginning of the year. That being said, a few days ago I had a brilliant and silly idea for a 7 Days to Die miniseries. Not sure if any of you here watch my 7 Days content, but either way I am really excited to do this at some point. Honestly, I'm just as excited to have something to look forward to with the way things have been going lately

Man oh man this is a nailbiter

Big Futaba energy

1 - Took too long 2 - Whoever wins this series wins it all. Tooth and nail. 3 - The lady who flashed the Caps when they won 4 - Big "nopes" across the board 5 - Doesn't matter. Either one will be our victim. 6 - I'm 40. I don't do fun and I don't get summers off.

We got a battle going

Earlier this year, my family and I attended a performance of the Ukrainian National Symphony Orchestra, widely regarded as one of the premier Symphony Orchestras in Europe. The concert was truly extraordinary, with a lengthy Haydn second piece with a world famous cellist being one of many highlights. It was the first time I attended an orchestra performance where there were not one but two encores, with the final being the Ukrainian National Anthem. Truly a moving experience, and impossible to separate the real world situation their country is in from the performance. I decided to create a Ukrainian player in the VHL the week that Russia decided to invade Ukraine. Seeing what has happened since then has not lessened my desire to make Shevchenko one of, if not the best, of my players in this league. I don't have any kind of false hope that this will matter in the slightest to anyone but myself, but my heart goes out to them, their nation, the families torn apart by the brutal imperialism, and Shev is my way of honoring them in their fight to remain sovereign.

Now formally eligible for the VHLM Entry Draft, Ukrainian-born winger Konstyantyn Shevchenko's schedule appears to have ramped into full swing. It has been reported that Shevchenko has already received several requests from VHLM scouts and managers for virtual meetings ahead of the draft. Shevchenko himself has been a popular topic for many sports columnists in Austria and the surrounding countries, with many playing amateur prognosticator and trying to predict his draft position. Despite the current climate in Ukraine, he's also received some hype from his homeland, with the nickname Rocket from Rokhmaniv gaining in popularity. His goal scoring prowess has been on frequent display in recent weeks, as evidenced by his 9 goals in the past 6 games for the Vienna Capitals. With a month or so until the VHLM Entry Draft actually takes place, Shevchenko's desire to leave his mark on a bigger stage is evident. It's said he's been spending more and more time in the weight room, working on both bulking up for the next stage of his career and trying to improve on his cardio. Shevchenko is not the best skater in the ICE Hockey League by any stretch - frankly, he's probably average - but average in the ICE Hockey League is certainly below average in the VHLE, maybe even in the VHLM, so if he wants to be a star at the next level, he'll need to improve on that for sure. In yesterday's post-practice media scrum, however, Shevchenko chose to focus his attention on the charitable organization run by his parents, Viktor and Yulia. The charity aims to assist Ukrainian families cross the border into Austria, at least on a temporary basis, to protect them from the invading Russian forces. "My parents do not pay themselves with the money raised by their foundation," Konstyantyn revealed. "Any money that I have made playing hockey with Vienna has gone to supporting them and this cause, which all three of us believe in. I was lucky enough to find an exit for myself and my parents because of my hockey ability, but not everyone in Ukraine has that option. As this illegal invasion drags on, it is more and more important to me to do what I can to help the people of my country." Even before the invasion, border crossing was a process. The upcoming VHLM draft class looks to be a strong one, so Shevchenko will have his work cut out for him to stand out above the rest. That pressure doesn't seem to be affecting him in the slightest, however. "Of course I want to be well thought of in the Draft, and I want to go to whichever team selects me and help them win a championship. There is no pressure put on myself to be a savior for a hockey team, though. Hockey is fun, a game that I happen to be good enough at to make money. The real pressure is on those families who are afraid every day because their cities and their homes are being attacked. Compared to that, what kind of pressure do I have? What do I have to complain about in my life? Whether I go first overall or one hundred and first, I'm going to step onto the ice next season and do my best to be a difference maker on the ice, and then use that attention to help the people of Ukraine."

GG Vegas

Jesus, Johnny.

Condolences. That sort of thing is never easy

...the hell is a finna?

Vegas already is booty tho

Don't even waste your time; just give Houston the Championship right now and save everyone the heartache.

Very nice!

1 - keep it going full steam. We absolutely can, but it doesn't matter if we don't win in the postseason 2 - I think so. It's hard to fully answer since I joined late. 3 - I've had very little individual success - such is the nature of late season creation - but it's nice to see the team win. 4 - dunno. That one guy. 5 - nope. And nope. Any team that's in the playoffs is a team I hate. But if someone has to win, I'm pulling for Winnipeg. 6 - negative. And I barely watch the NHL. I think getting in bed with sports betting has ruined the product.

Approved

Hey Kendrick, welcome back, old timer.

Last week I ended this .com miniseries talking about Christoph Klose, the player who always fell just a hair behind Lord Karnage when it comes to individual recognition. Next was Essian Ravenwing, the Welsh centerman. Similar to Casey Jones, who I will get to next, chemistry was hit and miss, but by the end of his career he got himself a Championship and had multiple 100+ point seasons, so not much to complain about there. My only regret is not having the time to fully flesh out his story, which I thought started super strong, with him being the descendent of the actual Prince of Wales. Chemistry seemed to always be an issue with Casey Jones, where I roleplayed the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles character. He started his VHL career really strong, winning top defenseman and top rookie after a 100 point season, if I recall correctly, but kind of petered out after that. From there I went to The Terrible Trivium, who was the first ever selection by the London United, which is something I'm proud of. Triv was a roleplay of the Demon from "The Phantom Tollbooth", an excellent children's book full of tremendous puns. Unfortunately being on an expansion team limited his success, but he spent his whole career there and I'm glad he did. Finally was Ryuji Sakamoto, a roleplay of the Persona 5 character. I intended him to be a physical fighter, a hothead with a bad attitude, but I also wanted him to be a useful defensive player. The jury's out on how that ended up. As I wrap this up, it occurs to me that Ravenwing is the only "VHL Original" character I've done before Shevchenko. I hope Shev can live up to that standard, and maybe even achieve top billing.

With the International Central European (ICE) Hockey League standings all but finalized, 17-year-old winger Konstyantyn Shevchenko found himself standing behind the podium, fielding questions from a pair of reporters. It was largely standard fare - "How disappointed are you in how the season has gone?" and "What do you think you could have done differently?" and so on - but it was clear what both reporters wanted to ask, and what they built up to. "Have you decided yet if you will remain in Austria with the Capitals, or are you leaving the ICE Hockey League?" Shevchenko did not appear surprised by the question, or caught off-guard in the least. "It is still a decision to be made with me and my family, but I think probably the best for me and my future is to go to the VHLM next season." The reporters finished jotting their notes before one of them asked a followup: Do you have a preference for a VHLM team? "Not at all," Shevchenko answered without hesitation. "I expect to hear from some teams once the news is public. I have been told that it is customary to have an agent represent a player's business interests but I'm not sure I want that. I'd rather handle it all myself and with some insight from my mother and my father." Another question: What's the first thing you're going to buy with a big VHLM paycheck? For this, Shevchenko answered with a laugh. "Probably pay my rent and hopefully get a sandwich." Despite the decision being all but finalized, Shevchenko hasn't "checked out" of his duties as a member of the Vienna Capitals. He has notched 3 goals and a pair of assists in the past 4 games, a definite step up for the young Ukrainian. He's averaged slightly over half a point per game this season, no small feat for a player his age. And while he'll likely never be known as any kind of physical powerhouse, delivering crushing body checks against hapless opponents, he has stepped up his play in his own zone, to the point where he's even received some small amount of time on the penalty kill. Shevchenko has recently shown himself capable of utilizing angles to play opponents off of the puck, which could raise his draft stock. On that subject, it's wildly unclear to try to project exactly where Shevchenko will find himself ranked in the VHLM Entry Draft, should he finalize his decision to make himself eligible. As per the usual with the Draft, there is a considerable amount of hype and expectations around some players, as teams always look for The Next One. Is it possible that Shevchenko himself could be The Next One, the one who not only garners pre-Draft hype, but lives up to expectations or maybe even exceeds them? Certainly. And what a story that would be if this Ukrainian refugee set the hockey world on fire, etching his name into the league's history books while crafting an inspirational story for children around the globe. Or, perhaps, he simply carves out a nice, quiet career for himself and, like so many before him, moves on with his life.

pts

Back to goose eggs

About goddamn time

Hopefully not the Shevchenko Curse

That's so satisfying to look at