Aloe Chooses Her FA Destination

[Renomitsu 933]

In a loaded free agency class like this one, even individual star forwards like former DC Dragon and Warsaw Predator Aloe Dear can get overshadowed by similarly-shiny players - after all, after the 800 TPA standpoint lots of players tend to have very similar builds. That was no exception for Dear, who found herself offered deals by a few teams (plus a $9M contract offered by D.C. - half in jest, half seriously) but without any interest from the overwhelming majority of the league. It's nothing particularly new -- especially with teams like Prague tight up against the cap and several teams not wanting to compete.

 

Let me be upfront: my free agency destination is the Vancouver Wolves. I know that's an extremely unpopular decision, possibly burning some bridges in the process. If you want to stop reading now, you're well within your rights and I won't judge you for it. This might be my last season with a player in the league, and Aloe is my only real shot at making the Hall of Fame after Hiro Renomitsu retired nearly 60 seasons ago without so much as a mention (except by Victor - thanks ).

 

Here's the challenge I want to issue to the VHL: let's be intentional about how we treat this upcoming season, because it's an important one for the VHL.

 

If the Vancouver meta team is problematic, then change something about the league to prevent it from happening again (whatever 'it' is). Let's not turn up our noses at a given build as exploitative, but only enforce our distaste for the build behind closed doors when no individual player would have specific, complete control over how their player performs in the sim and plays within the rules. I don't even have 40 passing, and have never ended a season in the VHL with as much. But if these specific builds -- however you'd like to categorize them -- are going to have subjective repercussions despite statistical excellence over a build with yet-to-be characterized benefits/faults, then it's punishment based on speculation at best and misguided bias that harms the community at worst.

 

If the Vancouver meta team is not problematic and it flounders this season, what consequences befall those that decried it? None. I make a bad free agency decision and despite making an erroneous statement, those that call the Vancouver team exploitative despite that not being the case, and only I look bad.

 

And yeah, I get it. Sometimes we aren't logically consistent, myself included. Sometimes we are. Could this one be supported empirically on further investigation? Yes, absolutely - but it hasn't been demonstrated yet, and no action has been taken on it despite the outcry. If you want to argue 'til you're blue in the face about the end-result, fine - but apply those standards to a season where it's been given a negative mark by those that set expectations and standards. Have a discussion on it where everyone can air their concerns about these team builds, and when a decision is made, then you can apply the standard to upcoming seasons.

 

Ultimately, the choice for me in selecting Vancouver grants me a complete team with an excellent set of forwards and a complete set of defensemen. If it also means the team has an outlandish season that results in quicker action, great - short term loss for long-term league gain. If the team is horrible, hey, that's fine too. No HoF, no individual awards, (most) everyone goes away happy as a controversial team fails.

 

That's just the game we have to play.

[thadthrasher 1,692]

32 minutes ago, Renomitsu said:

Ultimately, the choice for me in selecting Vancouver grants me a complete team with an excellent set of forwards and a complete set of defensemen.

And an ok goalie!