Muff Builder Article

[Gustav 6,139]

Damien Walec - Class of S79

 

Joined: S12

Jobs Held: VHL Magazine Writer, Grader, VHL GM, VHLM Commissioner, BoG

HoF Players (at time of writing): Tukka Reikkinen (S25)

 

Presently known as @.sniffuM, S79's Builder induction points its finger at a member known by many names across many different leagues. Though some know him as BBD, some as Dennis, and some as Crittenden, the VHL colloquially knows him as Muff, and as great as his sim league accomplishments may be as a whole, what he has been able to bring to the VHL in particular is sufficiently significant to warrant the highest level of individual recognition our league can bestow.

 

First entering the VHL scene shortly after the conclusion of the league's first decade, many muffins were left unbaked in the '10s. It took Muff an unusual amount of time to initially catch on--first drafted by Calgary in the third round as an inactive who remained inactive, he would subsequently recreate as Optimus Prime in S14 and be drafted a round earlier. Just before the midpoint of Prime's career (in his prime, one might say), though, things had dropped off again and Muff was recreating for the S18 draft with Joey Clarence, at first under an alias.

 

At this point, things started to take a turn for the better. Clarence would make Muff, once he was playing as Muff again, a well-known member with a good player--though not quite a Hall-of-Fame player, he would still legitimize Muff's name among the league's active members and keep Muff interested in league goings-on, as it was at this point that he would pick up his first league job as a writer for the VHL Magazine. And since the Magazine was still fairly young at the time, Muff proved central to its continued success, serving as a faithful member of the staff for almost 100 issues. It was during his time as a writer, though, that Muff would make his single greatest player.

 

Tukka Reikkinen was drafted 4th overall to Vasteras in S25, and got off to a solid start team-wise by participating in the team's championship win in S26 (Vasteras' last cup ever). The following season, Reikkinen won the Funk and led the league in goals and points (with 152!)--and Muff became GM of the team, thereby establishing himself as the face of the franchise on multiple levels. Though Muff's run as Vasteras GM would not come with a great amount of critical acclaim, it was around this point that he may have hit his early-career peak, with a Writer job (soon to become a Grader job) and a GM job while managing a player who, per his Hall of Fame article, qualified at the time as "one of the top five forwards ever". Reikkinen was a beast--outside of the championships and the awards, he put up 825 points, with four seasons over 100, and nearly 1,900 hits with a level of physical play not usually seen among elite scorers. 

 

Though the late 20s represented the most noteworthy aspects of Muff's career as a member, that's not to say that he dropped off or became insignificant. One career or one short period of time as a hugely active and influential member of the league will not lead to an induction--and Muff receives this induction as such a member with longevity. With a long-standing run of activity from the distant past to the present, the culmination of Muff's efforts to make the league a better place are just as impressive as anything anyone would find on paper. Today, and for a great length of time, Muff has been someone with a top-tier sense of humor who can always be relied upon to provide support or serious discussion, and has had a significant influence on the league's general atmosphere and dynamics.

 

Most recently at the time of writing, Muff has continued a legacy of building in the portal era with defenseman Marvin Harding, goaltender A Red Guy (who enjoyed a brief run among the league's elite), and role-player Muffbeav, and finally distinguished himself as a GM. 44 seasons after his Vasteras tenure ended, Muff was ushered in as the first-ever GM of the Warsaw Predators as part of the league's largest expansion ever in S73. Within a few seasons, in remarkable contrast to his tenure with Vasteras, Muff had flipped Warsaw around into a powerhouse and a perennial contender. Though he would once again leave the GM world after 6 seasons, this did not come until after he won a championship, his first ever as GM, in S78.

 

At the time of writing, Muff is a member of the BoG, and one who can always be counted on to provide honest, thoughtful responses to whichever issues are presented. Though he is no longer part of the new generation of VHL members, he is now a monument to what a fresh, new member may become, and will be remembered with this induction for VHL eternity as such.

[Tomat0 50]

REVIEW

 

A truly outstanding article. As a noob in the VHL I have no idea who Muff is, but you did a wonderful job outlining his career in the league and his importance to it. Your writing is clear, concise and understandable. It reads well and is simply extremely enjoyable. Great work.

 

10/10

[.sniffuM 1,741]

 

Great article, thanks gus!