D.C. Dragons - 20 Games Played and Still Loving It [1/2]

[KC15 340]

I made no secret of the fact that I wanted to come to the D.C. Dragons more than any other VHL team and I have written about it before. I’m coming back to it, because 1) I feel like I haven’t really figured it all out for myself and writing helps, 2) we are at game 20- a little over one fourth of the season in the books and it feels like a good milestone upon which to reflect, and 3) I need something to write about and get that sweet 6 TPE.

 

I feel like it needs to be said each time. The number one and two reasons remain the cool people that are my GMs @Enorama and @McWolf  and teammates. None of this makes much difference or is any fun if you can’t share the highs and lows of sim league life with people you genuinely like being around So, kudos to my fellow Dragons. But it goes beyond that as there are great GMs and teammates all over the league.

 

So, what is the appeal of 2^nd year expansion franchise D.C.?

 

First, everyone loves an underdog. I feel like this is universal and not just an American thing, but having started as an upstart bunch of “no taxation without representation” rebels, it might be in our very DNA. We love David knocking off Goliath and at the moment, D.C. is definitely David.

 

Second, I love getting in on the ground floor and helping to shape the very culture of a franchise. When I was a church planter establishing a new congregation in the suburbs of Kansas City, someone told me - “Careful what you do in these first years. You and your congregation are setting the DNA of the church. And DNA is very hard to change for good or ill.” Big responsibility, but exciting. If the first GMs and players for D.C. are positive, team-oriented, hard-working, fun-loving folks, chances are that this is the DNA that is set and even when there is turnover in management or players, the Dragons will continue being the same kind of organization. I love being a part of that DNA setting.

 

Third, it’s fun to watch the steady, sometimes dramatic, improvement. You come to a Cup winner and you are just trying to hold on to your excellence. It’s hard to get much better. But when you win 20 games in your first season, there is little place to go, but up. If you win 25 the next year, it’s a success. 30 wins and you’ve improved at a 50% clip. That kind of improvement and march to the Cup is exciting! Right now D.C. is 9-9-2, which puts them on a pace to better even the 30-win mark. 32-32-8 to be precise. Super exciting! An improvement of approximately 60% over last year!

 

Fourth and finally, on a fledgling squad in only its second year of existence, you have opportunities to shine and be important in the success of the team that you would not likely get on a more established team. Hard to crack the top lines of a team of veterans. Julius Caesar is reported as having said, “I would rather be first in a little Iberian village than second in Rome.” I get it. We want our actions to count. On a Cup contending team, Guy Lesieur would likely be on the 3^rd or 4^th line or more likely racking up points in the VHML. On D.C., Guy is on the second line with his old Las Vegas linemates and has the second most goals on the team with only team captain, Mikko Aaltonen, with more than Guy. He plays on second line of the power play and the penalty kill as well – not something he would likely be able to say if he were playing in Seattle or one of the other top teams.

 

Yes, I wanted to play in the District more than anywhere and for the above reasons, I’m glad I got my wish!

Edited November 25, 2019 by KC15

[Renomitsu 934]

Review

I love the positive attitude you take to playing on a burgeoning expansion team, especially as one of the newer members on the site. Some players don't like forging through hardship, and want results/championships without necessarily putting in the hard work that makes it possible. In terms of style/narrative, taking us back to relevant parts of your player's (or your own) experiences before the VHL is an important part of engaging the reader, and I felt you accomplished that here.

[Banackock 8,190]