My GM Thought Process and Message to the League

[N0HBDY 1,131]

So the season has begun, and to the notice of many Warsaw has not started off well. Dealing with the slander and criticism each day is tough but I won’t let some of you assholes win and bully myself out of the position, I’ll tank for 20 more seasons if it means I don’t let them win. I understand now why Cow in the most recent case, stepped down from his position in New York. It is so much easier to throw this criticism and meme on the decisions of a GM than it is to receive them. I feel I definitely played a part in destroying his mental state as a GM by joining in on the meme and joking about his time as a GM. But this is just my thoughts so far into the season, I will refuse to give up until at least TDL, if you were in my locker room you would know how much effort I’m putting in to try and make this a competitive team. Anyways I’ll get into what I wanted to write this article about, kind of justifying my decisions (some bad yes) but also how Warsaw semi got screwed over in our rebuild process on part of myself and other factors.

 

I took over Warsaw a few seasons ago, was handed a playoff caliber team with many notable players, made the playoffs twice but lost the 1st round each time. After that I blew up the team to try and get picks. S87’s draft was the last remnants of what previous GM Dlamb had set up. 2 1st round picks and 2 2nds for a draft that would go 4 rounds. From that I selected Hannibal Barca (206tpe), Tim Riggins(182tpe), Mac Dre (128tpe), and Tyler Swift(161tpe). Not terrible picks for the time, though the callup minimum then from the VHLE was 350 so a little ways to go.

 

Now forgive me my memory isn’t entirely clear but in the S88/89 drafts Warsaw didn’t really have many early round picks, I believe I was trying to still fight for the team to stay competitive with the roster I came into. If you’d like to know that story line and are more interested in digging it up then me, please go for it.

 

Season 90 now, Warsaw headed into the draft with 2 1sts, 2 2nds, and 2 3rds. Sure the 2nds were relatively late but not a terrible draft stock to have in the history of VHL drafts. From that we drafted Maxim Anisimov (311tpe), King Kisslinger (261tpe),Jorji Costova(176tpe), Joseph Jec(226tpe), Aeschylus Jigglejawns CXXXVII II(128tpe), Joseph Dubois (180tpe), and a couple other players but I’m not looking to go past the 3rd right now. The draft would go 4 rounds, we’d snag a few hopefully franchise players that would spend some development time in the E so that we could go for another high pick the next season.

 

S91 was a very good draft to have 1st round picks in if you wanted a high earning player, I could’ve drafted myself, however I felt Warsaw was lacking future depth to back up the cornerstone pieces we drafted the season before. Therefore I traded away 2oa to go back to 13oa and pick up 2 2nds. In terms of picks that draft Warsaw had 1 1st, 4 2nds, and a high 3rd. From that we would draft Spanish Moth (292tpe), Behrens Minion(214tpe), Jacob Smith Jr (155tpe), Dietrich Reingaard (131tpe), Pipo Popa (195tpe), and Anasari Reingaard (121tpe) in a draft that would only go 3 rounds.

 

This in this most recent draft Warsaw traded away 2oa for my own player (2oa the season before lol) and had 3 2nds in total for a draft that would literally only go 2 rounds (not even). If you haven’t caught on the what I’m trying to get at don’t worry here it is. In the time Warsaw went into a rebuild the quality of draft classes/picks decreased so much. In total over the season’s covered if I did my math right Warsaw had 5 1sts, 11 2nds, and some other amount of 3rds (didn’t calculate since i didn’t include it in every season covered). In past seasons that kind of draft capitol would be pretty impressive. But on my own part and to the shrinking classes most of the picks just didn’t pan out.

 

So now this leads me to the future picks. I wanted a short sort of buy while future big player such as myself, anisimov, and the king finished getting up to that sort of top player tpe range. I brought it Wallob, Champagne, Rex, Maple, some players that if I can figure out how to put together, might get the job done and make the season a little bit more fun. After this past draft having only 2 rounds I was less than enthusiastic for seasons to come, especially with the state of recruitment. Yes I knew there was a recruitment drive coming well in advance to where I didn’t have to make these decisions to sell my picks, but having been on the wrong side of quite a few failed ads the prospect of “oh this ad is coming out and is going to be different than the last few” didn’t excite me. So essentially I bet on the ad panning out to around the same amount of recruitment as the past few. That bet has obviously not played out and you could say I’ve lost.

 

I still have hope in my team, like I said I will not give up. Many people have asked me if because of these moves I will be stepping down after the season, I will absolutely not. Like I said earlier fuck all of you that criticize me and meme on my team, I’m not going anywhere and will tank until S200 if I have to. Members of this league can be such assholes to the GM’s. Yes I’ve made bad moves, but in my opinion it’s just the perfect shit storm of poor recruitment and my own decisions. I have no one other than myself to blame for the state of the team, nor would I try to pawn it off on anyone else. But to the members that are constantly, daily, after each sim, and each move, in every thread, criticizing me, fuck off. You’re destroying the morale of a highly productive member of this league and despite wanting more members, try to destroy the loyal ones. That’s all.

[Spartan 4,531]

7 minutes ago, N0HBDY said:

Many people have asked me if because of these moves I will be stepping down after the season, I will absolutely not

I will say I've asked you this, but mainly because my worry was that you were pulling the age-old GM burnout tactic of "kamikaze a team by going all in with all assets and then step down before the rebuild if it fails." This 100% would not have been an ask had there not been a history of GMs doing this. Even recently in the M, we've had some GMs go all in knowing they would quit at the conclusion of a season.

 

7 minutes ago, N0HBDY said:

Dealing with the slander and criticism each day is tough but I won’t let some of you assholes win and bully myself out of the position

Also if you're just straight up getting harassed that isn't like....someone trying to actually help you with constructive criticism, report it. Mods are supposed to handle situations like this, regardless of who the member is - staff member or not. If they decide not to action on valid reports, then that's a moderation issue that would definitely get addressed.

 

Anyways you know my thoughts for the rest of it. We've chatted before.

Edited January 13 by Spartan

[badcolethetitan 938]

I hope I’m not the issue, if I am, then sorry. There’s been way worse, you’re kinda just getting STHS’d rn where you’re underperforming this season and should be doing much better.

[Banackock 8,141]

I’ve been taking the heat for 44 seasons. Sometimes it leaves me with a little sun tan and hurt too but the amazing experiences I have with other members and my passion for the role acts as my shield. I understand what you’re preaching. It sucks sometimes. “My tactics are too harsh”, “I’m too cutthroat” and not loyal to my players (which 99.9% would say is bull shit) but lots are black and white and see what’s on the surface. They don’t see the efforts we do behind the scenes. How HARD it is sometimes trading certain players. Most players. Admittedly, I’ve teared up a few times moving some amazing players and people. BUT, I look out for the individuals AND the whole team. This isn’t the NHL where you have to pack your shit, move your kids to new schools etc. we get a new career every 9 seasons max. I’ve made more amazing relationships on here that I can’t even put a number to. HOWEVER, it’s also a “business” and we want to run a successful team. Some Managers wanna have fun and use that as their main tactic. I want to have fun and win because winning makes having fun more fun. Sometimes I deserve the smoke, like most do, sometimes I don’t. However, everyone is allowed to have an opinion and rate/judge our moves and performance/rosters etc. It’s all part of it in every and anything like this (including real sports).

 

Warsaw will turn around this season. I was really surprised to see the start tbh. You’ll make playoffs. 

[Frank 5,259]

I'm here for the @N0HBDY redemption arc.

[Steve 1,951]

Hang in there @N0HBDY . 

[jacobcarson877 2,563]

Pretty sure I had my first draft pick make the VHL this season, and I have drafted what feels like a million players. Even if I wasn't "rebuilding" my strategy has always been to build a pipeline through the draft, and so I totally get where you're seeing a lack of flow into the VHL. Hopefully some of these new players stick around and bolster the ranks, because I know you aren't the only team that could use a good influx of quality players these days!

[Gaikoku-hito 2,135]

@N0HBDY You have summed it up very well about how overall I see your team with a bit of bad luck with drafting in the past but at the end of the day you took a calculated risk this season by adding and it wasn`t the wrong move if you break down your roster/future roster. I think a lot of members only see the now, not understanding the projection of the roster for the next few season or longer.

 

You have your core in:

(S90) RW - Maxim Anisimov - (S90) C - King Kisslinger - (S91) RW - Thor Reingaard

 

Now you just need some of the prospect to actually work out for your team and it should bounce back sooner than later!!

 

Keep taking risks to improve your team as some work and some really don`t work..... All we can do is try to improve the rosters with the tools available.

 

I also have faith in Warsaw to turn this season around and to be at least fighting for an wildcard spot by the end of the season. It has been a tough start to the season but your team is also playing some of the better teams in the league at the moment so keep the morale high as it should turn sooner than later.

 

Much respect, keep you head high and f*** the haters!!

 

[McLovin 470]

THAT'S MY GENERAL MANAGER! FUCK THE HATERS LET'S WIN A CUP BOYS

[Banackock 8,141]

4 minutes ago, McLovin said:

THAT'S MY GENERAL MANAGER! FUCK THE HATERS LET'S WIN A CUP BOYS

[Gustav 6,469]

Honestly, I see where you're coming from because there were certainly times in my GM tenure when I felt that I was taking negative pushback unfairly. I remember times I made trades and got laughed at for them, opened up Discord to some "at least we're not Davos" comment in the middle of a run of bad luck, and dealt with angry DMs from my own players over things I either had no control over or didn't know were issues to begin with--I have a small handful of things that I dealt with in private that I won't describe here but that taught me that GMing is hard and that sometimes people take your being GM as a free pass to pile onto you if you're not perfect. That's especially true if your team becomes a meme and the first word to come to mind when someone wants to say "lol [team] bad" in genchat.

 

Perhaps what got to me the most was something that was a bit unique to my situation. If you ask around, you'll find more than just me saying that I was great as a VHLM GM in my first seasons with the Hounds. Enough that there were some people who believed from the very beginning that my move up to the VHL was a mistake. Hell, there are posts in BoG advocating against ever giving me a VHL job. And though I'm sure that was meant as a compliment, I'd come across comments alluding to it here and there at various points in my VHL GM career. I was really proud of what I did in the VHLM, and I also wanted to be proud of the work I was putting in on the next level--and it hurt sometimes when I'd see that some thought that maybe I shouldn't be or that I didn't belong. I wasn't very good at winning games with Davos and I think that made some people look at my time very critically.

 

But I think that if you ask the vast majority of people who played for me in Davos, you'd find that they didn't regret it. When I took over, we were easily the league's most dunked-upon team, and to some extent, there wasn't much I could do to stop the dunking. That's just because everyone thought it was funny. What kept me going, though, and what I'm proud of, was knowing that I was able to give lots of people a fun time and a very active place to talk at night. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I was being dunked on in "every thread," but just knowing that the people who were doing that had nothing better to do with their lives (and were missing out on a lot by not playing with me) was good enough to push most of it aside.

[dlamb 1,328]

As a member of the peanut gallery;

• I want Warsaw, and whoever is in the organization, to succeed. Could go for a name change, never been a fan of "predators" but I obviously have a place for it in my heart being my first team as a player and GM.
• Draft Picks are going to bust, trades are going to blow up in your face. I wouldn't lose any sleep over missing on any. Happens to everyone at some point, you don't have to give your thought process to anyone.
• From an outsider I disagree with some of the moves that were made, but of course that's just my opinion. There is a clash between what I would have done since my tenure and what has been done, and I don't think it's too out of place to express that. I was IA for a bit so I may be missing context, but I also saw a lot of open tanking talk last season, something that gets under my skin, even if you just flat out stink.
• Anything I say in the cesspool comes with a disclaimer: dlamb, a member in the #general channel, explicitly disclaims any responsibility for the statements, opinions, or information they may share. The views expressed by dlamb are solely their own and do not represent the views of the group, its administrators, or any affiliated entities. dlamb holds no accountability for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of their own statements. Users are strongly advised to exercise their own judgment and discretion when considering information presented in #general.

That being said:

9 hours ago, N0HBDY said:

Many people have asked me if because of these moves I will be stepping down after the season, I will absolutely not.

I'm happy to see the commitment. Maybe the outdated Christmas server icon is the hex put on your roster.  

 

Nonetheless, it's your team, and I do hope the results turn around. Go Warsaw. 

[rory 1,943]

 

[Pifferfish 597]

@N0HBDY Warsaw cup win in s95 inc! Stick with it broski.

 

[FrostBeard 2,061]

I believe in Warsaw, I also believe in @N0HBDY 

[Banackock 8,141]

20 minutes ago, FrostBeard said:

I believe in Warsaw, I also believe in @N0HBDY 

But do you believe in Santa? 

[Dom 1,445]

Lots of people playing innocent here, be sorry for what you did for the 5 minutes of glory instead of making up excuses. I myself commented on a trade once and I’m sorry for it. This league should be fun for everyone and GMing is a big part of that fun that gets ruined by toxicity.

[Dom 1,445]

9 hours ago, dlamb said:

but I also saw a lot of open tanking talk last season, something that gets under my skin

You left that position leaving no good picks in bank and an old roster needing a rebuild. Thats so easy to compare and look good when you throw the next GM under the bus. At least, don’t be the loudest one about Warsaw’s situation because you do have your part in this.

[dlamb 1,328]

1 hour ago, Dom said:

You left that position leaving no good picks in bank and an old roster needing a rebuild.

Well that just isn't true.

[Banackock 8,141]

2 hours ago, Dom said:

Lots of people playing innocent here, I myself commented on a trade once and I’m sorry for it. 

We’re allowed to comment on trades and make jokes. Both are also part of the community. 
 

I’ve also meme’d people and commented on deals. I’ve had it also happen to me hundreds of times. I will continue to comment on trades as well. Nothing wrong with it. Just don’t bully. 
 

[MexicanCow123 915]

I feel yeah brother. I had to take a big step back from GMing soley because of this. Keep your head up, it's not easy when you're always being criticized, you got this, keep up the amazing work and don't let them get into your head like they did to me. 

[JardyB10 4,869]

Sounds like you need to get good obv

[Banackock 8,141]

11 minutes ago, JardyB10 said:

Sounds like you need to get good obv

[ShawnGlade 1,010]

PREACH

 

I remember I got so much shit with Davos for stuff that I couldn't even really control (in fact youll still see Nyko spewing some random shit to this day) and I really affected how I viewed the job. Did I do a perfect job? No, there are things I wish I could change but that's just life. People thought I was just soft and couldn't take the heat, but the reality is that most of this community is under the age of 19 and doesn't realize that the people they're hurling words at, is another real human being. Light jabbing is fine, but it got to a point where I couldn't talk in general chat without someone mentioning Davos and how bad we were. I mean, it didn't even stop after I was let go and Gustav took over the team.

 

I just got back into GMing a bit ago and have been hesitant to make a move to the VHL (whether it's in the cards for me or not is debatable, but my feelings towards it aren't). Like you said, it's easy to criticize when you're on the outside looking in. Are we perfect? No. Have we made some mistakes that shouldn't be made? Absolutely. But it's a fucking sim hockey league, there's a track record of stuff like this happening to GMs and the response from the community and high-ranking site members is usually "get good" or "grow thicker skin"

 

I went through it, Cow went through it, now you're going through it. You're not alone my friend and I'm here for you

Edited January 17 by ShawnGlade

[Gustav 6,469]

30 minutes ago, ShawnGlade said:

Light jabbing is fine, but it got to a point where I couldn't talk in general chat without someone mentioning Davos and how bad we were. I mean, it didn't even stop after I was let go and Gustav took over the team.

 

Just wanted to say that I've always really respected that we were cool with each other after that point. I could tell you were upset the first few times we interacted, but you never took that out on me and I think that says a lot.

 

Making fun of someone is awesome if they're cool with it--I have a couple friends who I absolutely rip into, but it's with the understanding that I don't come at things that are personal to them and that I can take the same in return. I think that's the general line here as well, and sometimes "everyone is doing it" becomes the collective excuse to cross it.