Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen Press Conference

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

Questions from @eaglesfan036

 

1) What goes into your decision making when choosing what VHLM team to sign with?

 

Is their name the Ottawa Lynx? If so, sign. If not, don't sign. Pretty simple.

 

2) What goes into the decision making when creating a new player name?

 

I've used my first name, Flyers players, and some random name to go along with my last name. I don't really want my last name out there anymore, so now it's just going to be random stuff...like Smitty Warbenjagermanjensen.

 

3) Thoughts on my player name Gritty, and also the Gritty mascot in general?

 

At first I thought it was the stupidest thing ever, but it's kind of grown on me. You don't get to fully appreciate the Gritty-ness until you see it in person. The eyes...

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

4) Should the VHL ever expand back to 10 teams?

5) What should a Philadelphia based VHL team be named?

[hedgehog337 3,483]

Will you demand to pronounce your full last name?

Can he be better than Jeff Gow?

Any preferable VHL destiantions?

Why you're only accepting offers from Ottawa?

Are you hoping to be the best TPE earner among S64 draftees prior that draft?

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

 

 Should the VHL ever expand back to 10 teams?

 

Right now? No. If current recruitment/retainment levels are maintained for the next couple of seasons? It's probably going to be something to explore. I know I'd prefer expansion and keeping 6F/4D/1G over larger rosters.

 

What should a Philadelphia based VHL team be named?

 

Philadelphia Freedom, Independence, Liberty, etc...something to do with the Revolutionary War.

 

1 hour ago, hedgehog337 said:

Will you demand to pronounce your full last name?

 

Yes, 100%. I already told off @diamond_ace for not typing it all out in the Ottawa locker room. 

[Exlaxchronicles 415]

1. Do you ever hope to be a good as Kiaskov was with the Ottawa Lynx?

2. Where did the name Fire Hakstol come from?

3. Do you think you'll reach a 1000 TPE with this player?

4. When did you first join this virtual league, and what keeps you here?

5. Do you have custom sticks made or like myself prefer to prepare your own?

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

On 11/23/2018 at 3:27 PM, hedgehog337 said:

Can he be better than Jeff Gow?

 

Yes, I think he will be. Although to be fair to Jeff, he's a better player I give him credit for. 

On 11/23/2018 at 3:27 PM, hedgehog337 said:

Any preferable VHL destiantions?

 

I would like to go back to Calgary, since that's where my VHL career started. Riga would be nice as well, but I did just spend 1.5 seasons there. I don't really have anywhere I DON'T want to go though.

 

On 11/23/2018 at 3:27 PM, hedgehog337 said:

Why you're only accepting offers from Ottawa?

 

Because Ottawa is the best VHLM team. All of my players have played there for at least one season, most played the full 1.5 seasons there. I GM'd there twice as well. I also like D_A.

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

On 11/23/2018 at 3:27 PM, hedgehog337 said:

Are you hoping to be the best TPE earner among S64 draftees prior that draft?

 

That is my hope, and I think I have a good shot at it, especially with the doubles week and extra TPE from the theme week.

 

On 11/24/2018 at 2:31 PM, Exlaxchronicles said:

1. Do you ever hope to be a good as Kiaskov was with the Ottawa Lynx?

 

I'm going to be as good as Jeevan "Wayne Gretzky" Samuelsson was in the VHLM many, many seasons ago. He was a VHLM inactive free agent who I think had 5 straight seasons over 100 points?

 

On 11/24/2018 at 2:31 PM, Exlaxchronicles said:

2. Where did the name Fire Hakstol come from?

 

Dave Hakstol is the Flyers coach, and I believe (and have for a while) that he is not a good coach and deserves to be fired. It seems the time for that may be near...so I'm going to have to come up with a new name or go back to the old flyersfan.

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

On 11/24/2018 at 2:31 PM, Exlaxchronicles said:

3. Do you think you'll reach a 1000 TPE with this player?

 

That's one of my goals, and it's much more attainable than it used to be. My closest player to do so was Robin, who finished in the mid-900s. If he wasn't a GM player who was forced to be traded I would have hit it and may have been borderline HoF, but probably not. 

On 11/24/2018 at 2:31 PM, Exlaxchronicles said:

When did you first join this virtual league, and what keeps you here?

 

I first joined in S24, because I believe my first player was a S26. I was a senior in high school who was looking for a hockey league to join. I actually found the SHL first, but there was some sort of reason that I couldn't actually join a team for weeks or something. I said "that's dumb" and found the VHL maybe a month later off a post from HFBoards. I'm still here because I like to win Continental Cups.

 

On 11/24/2018 at 2:31 PM, Exlaxchronicles said:

Do you have custom sticks made or like myself prefer to prepare your own?

 

Custom made all the way. Professionals always do a much better job than myself.

[Dil 1,760]

1. How does one pronounce your name?

 

2. Although it is quite early, where do you think you will get drafted?

 

3. Any pregame rituals?

 

4. How much do you like playing for Ottawa on a scale of 1-10?

 

5. Which team do you hope to play for in the VHL?

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

10 minutes ago, DilIsPickle said:

How does one pronounce your name?

 

Smit-TEE wer-BEN-yay-GER-man-JEN-sen 

 

 

7 minutes ago, DilIsPickle said:

 

2. Although it is quite early, where do you think you will get drafted?

 

For the VHLM Draft, I think I'll be a low end 1st round pick or a high 2nd round pick I don't have the TPE numbers at the beginning of the season, but I'll hit 200 TPA by the end of the season. For the VHL Draft, I think I'll comfortably be top 3. 2nd is probably "safe", but I believe I have a realistic chance at going 1st overall.

 

9 minutes ago, DilIsPickle said:

3. Any pregame rituals?

 

A nice slice of pizza and some water. Cheese pizza only, no toppings before a game.

 

Other responses are in the spoiler, too annoying to get them out of there.

Edited December 11, 2018 by Fire Hakstol

[eaglesfan036 4,604]

1) What are your thoughts on playing with me in Ottawa again?

2) Are there any VHL teams you really hope you do or don't get drafted to>

3) What VHL GM past or current do you think is most comparable to Ron Hextall?

4) Will any of your players ever make the hall of fame?

5) Do you usually go on VHL on mobile or on a laptop?

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

On 12/11/2018 at 4:09 PM, DilIsPickle said:

4. How much do you like playing for Ottawa on a scale of 1-10?

 

10. It was the first team I ever played for back in S24, first team I GM'd, and all my players have played at least one season there (I believe). I was also involved in changing their name from the Ottawa Ice Dogs to the Lynx, since we were going through our teams and trying to eliminate all/most references to real hockey teams. The old logo was extremely similar to the Niagara Ice Dogs.

 

On 12/11/2018 at 4:09 PM, DilIsPickle said:

 

5. Which team do you hope to play for in the VHL?

 

I was just able to play for Riga again, which is a team I have a lot of history with, so you can sort of cross that one off the list (not that I wouldn't go back there and enjoy my time, but it comes off the list of 'hoping' to play there). Calgary would be nice since it's where I started it all, and Toronto would be nice since it's the only team I haven't been on.

 

23 minutes ago, eaglesfan036 said:

1) What are your thoughts on playing with me in Ottawa again?

 

Playing in Ottawa is good and playing with you is good because it gives me extra incentive to bug you about updating your player and earning TPE.

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

23 minutes ago, eaglesfan036 said:

2) Are there any VHL teams you really hope you do or don't get drafted to>

 

Don't want to go to New York, just because New York - nothing to do with @Spade18 or anyone else. And if I was drafted there, I'd still play and wouldn't request a trade or anything, but I'd just make jokes about it. For teams I hope to get drafted to, see above.

25 minutes ago, eaglesfan036 said:

3) What VHL GM past or current do you think is most comparable to Ron Hextall?

 

I'm trying to think of GMs who just hoard draft picks...I think @hedgehog337 has a bunch of them.

 

26 minutes ago, eaglesfan036 said:

4) Will any of your players ever make the hall of fame?

 

Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen!

[diamond_ace 3,112]

On ‎11‎/‎27‎/‎2018 at 7:48 PM, Fire Hakstol said:

 

That is my hope, and I think I have a good shot at it, especially with the doubles week and extra TPE from the theme week.

 

 

I'm going to be as good as Jeevan "Wayne Gretzky" Samuelsson was in the VHLM many, many seasons ago. He was a VHLM inactive free agent who I think had 5 straight seasons over 100 points?

 

 

Dave Hakstol is the Flyers coach, and I believe (and have for a while) that he is not a good coach and deserves to be fired. It seems the time for that may be near...so I'm going to have to come up with a new name or go back to the old flyersfan.

Jeevan Samuelsson must be the Lars Rasmussen of the later era. Rasmussen was fantastic in the early 20s.

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

31 minutes ago, diamond_ace said:

Jeevan Samuelsson must be the Lars Rasmussen of the later era. Rasmussen was fantastic in the early 20s.

 

I can't/don't feel like finding the stats, but I swear Jeevan had like a 170 point season or something at one point.

[diamond_ace 3,112]

5 minutes ago, Fire Hakstol said:

 

I can't/don't feel like finding the stats, but I swear Jeevan had like a 170 point season or something at one point.

I'm not entirely sure either (and I think it's old enough I couldn't look it up if I wanted to) but I think my entire top line in S21 was around there or better. Rasmussen was the only inactive, and therefore the only one with many seasons, but Evgeni Fyodorov had a hell of a goal scoring year (pretty sure he held the record for a while), Keon Henderson racked up the assists with him, and Rasmussen was their center. Rasmussen, I'm sure was the lowest of the three, so he may not have nipped 170 but I think Fyodorov was mid 200s or something. It helped that the best goalie that year was 86 TPE, and he was on my team, so these guys were racking up the points against 40-50 TPE inactives

[eaglesfan036 4,604]

1) Have you ever browsed and or posted on the VHL while drunk?

2) Will you ever attempt something in the VHL graphics section just for the fun of it?

3) Do you miss the days of having people grade your media spots for grammar and content?

4) Do you miss @Squinty? When you bumped one of his thunderdome threads I thought he returned

5) Who is the funniest VHL member?

Edited December 22, 2018 by eaglesfan036

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

On 12/22/2018 at 12:22 PM, eaglesfan036 said:

1) Have you ever browsed and or posted on the VHL while drunk?

 

Probably in college, but never since then.

 

On 12/22/2018 at 12:22 PM, eaglesfan036 said:

2) Will you ever attempt something in the VHL graphics section just for the fun of it?

 

Seeing what gets a 6/6 these days...I probably wouldn't do it just because I wouldn't want to raise a stink about it, but maybe a 2 TPE one.

 

On 12/22/2018 at 12:22 PM, eaglesfan036 said:

3) Do you miss the days of having people grade your media spots for grammar and content?

 

Not really tbh. Content and appearance sort of but can take it or leave it, and obviously the league is in a much better spot without it. The grammar part I don't miss at all.

[diamond_ace 3,112]

2 hours ago, Fire Hakstol said:

 

 

Not really tbh. Content and appearance sort of but can take it or leave it, and obviously the league is in a much better spot without it. The grammar part I don't miss at all.

Opposite of me. I wish the grammar part was back, but don't miss having to throw random pictures in it.

[eaglesfan036 4,604]

1) Who do you think is the current best VHL GM?

2) Is Smitty going to be your best player ever?

3) Why are you suddenly much more active with Smitty?

4) I am thinking of naming my next player "4th Forward" and making a defensemen where I keep defense at 40 and do all my offensive stats first. Your thoughts?

5) Do you ever go on discord?

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

On 12/22/2018 at 12:22 PM, eaglesfan036 said:

4) Do you miss @Squinty? When you bumped one of his thunderdome threads I thought he returned

 

Yes. He was one of the few members I would talk to on chat for non-VHL related stuff. Is also a funny guy. If I could pick one member to bring back, it would be him.

 

On 12/22/2018 at 12:22 PM, eaglesfan036 said:

5) Who is the funniest VHL member?

 

I don't know if I would say he's the funniest VHL member, but I find that @Victor's humor and mine often intertwine. @Higgins and @Munk get honorable mentions.

 

On 12/30/2018 at 2:20 PM, eaglesfan036 said:

1) Who do you think is the current best VHL GM?

 

Hm...would probably go with @Bushito. His teams always  seem to be competitive and I can't remember a rebuild of his failing. Obviously there's the whole going inactive as GM thing...but I view that as a "member issue" and not a "GM issue". I might be going a little harsh on @Devise because I know he's won a bunch of cups by trading off his picks, but I can't remember him completing a rebuild cycle or starting from scratch. Not saying he hasn't...I just don't remember it and can't be bothered to research a question for a press conference.

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

On 12/30/2018 at 2:20 PM, eaglesfan036 said:

2) Is Smitty going to be your best player ever?

 

I would like him to be so...but I said the same thing for Shayne and Jeff. Neither of them were bad players, but none of them could hold a candle to Robin. I think where I am in work and life though, he actually could be.

 

On 12/30/2018 at 2:20 PM, eaglesfan036 said:

3) Why are you suddenly much more active with Smitty?

 

More motivation to make a good player, back on a defensemen, which I enjoy more than forwards and 100x more than goalie, and the VHL itself has picked up a lot of steam recently.

 

On 12/30/2018 at 2:20 PM, eaglesfan036 said:

4) I am thinking of naming my next player "4th Forward" and making a defensemen where I keep defense at 40 and do all my offensive stats first. Your thoughts?

 

Would be interesting, but I wonder what the overall effectiveness would be once you get to higher TPE levels. Have to make sure he's small too, since obviously small defensemen can't play defense and can only play offense. 

[eaglesfan036 4,604]

1) Who will end the year with more points Smitty or Gritty?

2) If hypothetically we were to get an expansion team, would you be more or less wanting to join said team?

3) If you couldn't play for Ottawa which VHLM team would you have picked

4) Are you going to use my regression article in your attribute decision making or will you ignore it?

5) Would you ever make a return to VHL GMing?

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

On 12/30/2018 at 2:20 PM, eaglesfan036 said:

5) Do you ever go on discord?

 

No. Discord is dumb and I'm an old man with gray hairs now. I'm not going somewhere else to talk to people when we have perfectly good chat here.

 

On 1/12/2019 at 8:55 PM, eaglesfan036 said:

1) Who will end the year with more points Smitty or Gritty?

 

Smitty Warbenjagermanjensen. Learn to spell the name.  But nah, I'll have so many assists that I think I'll score more than you this season. 

 

On 1/12/2019 at 8:55 PM, eaglesfan036 said:

2) If hypothetically we were to get an expansion team, would you be more or less wanting to join said team?

 

Depends on where said team is. We both know Ottawa is love, Ottawa is life, but if a Philly team were to join...sorry Ottawa. 

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

On 1/12/2019 at 8:55 PM, eaglesfan036 said:

3) If you couldn't play for Ottawa which VHLM team would you have picked

 

Probably Saksatoon. Funnily enough, they've often been my rivals when I was on Ottawa, but they always seem like a good team with a good group of people.

 

On 1/12/2019 at 8:55 PM, eaglesfan036 said:

4) Are you going to use my regression article in your attribute decision making or will you ignore it?

 

I'm not going to ignore it, but I'm going to just keep it in the back of my mind. I do like that it supports that puck handling is pretty important, but some of the other findings I don't really agree with.

 

On 1/12/2019 at 8:55 PM, eaglesfan036 said:

5) Would you ever make a return to VHL GMing?

 

In general, no. Only way I would is if the situation in Riga happened again - a very good, competing team that couldn't get over the hump. Then I'd win a cup or two and step down so I didn't have to go through the re-build. But I just really don't have the interest or time commitment to do it again. If someone was a GM and just wanted me to help out, I certainly wouldn't mind it.