[S71] bigAL has retired!

[bigAL 2,176]

They say to always go out on top, to die a hero before you live long enough to see yourself become the villain, to retire at your peak and spare the sad, slow decline. Well, following this successful Founder’s Cup Final series against Minnesota, I’ll get my ring and be on top. What better time than now to go out?

 

Yes, that’s true. The league’s grooviest AGM, *the* bigAL, an OM (original Marauder), is stepping down. I’ll give you some space to cry and grieve.

*

Okay, back to it. Remember, there’s no(t much) crying in hockey.

 

It’s been a great run in Miami. I was a completely new member when I joined in the tail end of S71. Groovy Dood was signed on waivers to become Halifax’s 22^nd, but after a one and done playoffs, The Dood entered the VHLM Dispersal Draft.

 

The S71 offseason (or would it be the S72 offseason?) was a very exciting one, and not just for me. S71 was the last season where the VHLM was *lame*. S72 introduced the league to the most frightening logo in (virtual) professional hockey: Miami’s Marauder.

 

The Marauders were introduced to the league with a newly hired general manager too. Kris Rice, aka Kr-ice, aka K-Rice, became the first GM in Miami franchise history. Riceroni had a long, successful track record as a VHLM AGM in Yukon, and deserved this newly-created GM position. But, no GM locks themselves in their office and does everything alone – he needed an Assistant General Manager.

 

Enter bigAL.

 

The Dood showed up in the S71 offseason PUMPED. He was gonna get drafted, then he’d *finally* have a team to write a media spot for, then he’ll *really* start racking up the TPE, then actually be good at virtual hockey. That’s the goal. But, I soon realized there was another way to get involved in the league. No organization as big, as complex, or as labour-intensive as ours works without the work of volunteers. The blues, the commishes, the GMs, the updaters, the VSN, (and yeah, even the lowly AGMs) are all passionate, dedicated volunteers, and without them, the VHL wouldn’t be what it is today. The thing they’ve built, and the whole world that surrounds it, is awesome. I knew I wanted to help out in some way to make this great thing even greater.

 

But I didn’t plan on being AGM. In the hiring thread I was just a nosy new nobody asking too many questions about this volunteer opportunity. Turns out my future VHL GM Enorama was the one to encourage me to apply. Looking back with S73 eyes, I can’t believe the VHLM beauties I beat out to get this job: Spyro, Z, Viper, Glade, are all already-successful AGMs in the league; rip Alex Bridges, but he would’ve done great; Tallinder the VSN celebrity. Those are some elite AGM peers, and I respect them all, but holy hell I was pumped. I got in on the ground floor of an expansion franchise, a blank slate, an *expansion draft*, just so many cool things happening at once. I’ve absolutely loved my time as an AGM, and it’s such an underrated position in the league.

 

We got to scouting and prepping for the draft right away. I was brand new to the league, and the *assistant* GM, so I asked Minute Rice what I should be looking for in a potential Miami pick. He prioritized forum and locker room activity, positivity, and general “good human-ness” above all. This led to some widely criticized picks in the expansion draft, reaching to get low-TPE first-gens like Andre LeBastard, but the joke was on them – the draft went perfectly according to plan. Miami was meant to be a fun place to be from the get-go, and drafting VHLM stars like dlamb, OhSens, Kosmo, Wolf Stansson, and Bacon got us off on the right foot. During that highly successful draft, I had the spreadsheet all drawn up, so many tabs open, the draft board so colour coded you get a headache, and all the organization you could ever want. I was killing it as the Jonah Hill to his Brad Pitt.

 

The AGM is a great job and I’ve loved doing it. I missed posting only a few press conferences, and liked to use that space to ask questions that elicit long answers and good quotes while engaging you as a VHLM player, fan, and a person. I’ve liked being a part of the leadership team in Miami, stoking the flames when they’re good ones and putting out fires that are bad ones. I’ve *loved* being in the #vhlm-gm-corner – the shit that goes on in there is wild and they should definitely make a 30 for 30 about that channel someday. The league head office says they don’t pay AGMs, but that’s not all true: posting the press conference each week is your job, and so the 2 TPE you claim from that each week is your job *pay*!

 

I’m also so so thankful to be a part of the Miami room. I was drafted by the icky Minnesota Storm, one pick before Miami would’ve snagged me. I was held ransom in that frozen hellscape, and under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t have made it into the Miami locker room. I’m so active in the VHL because of the cool cats I met in that Miami club (okay gotta shout out the 9-to-5 crew too )

 

Hockey’s always fun, but let’s be real – it’s more fun when you’re winning. Since Miami’s been a thing, all we’ve done is win. Even when we’re not winning, we’re winning. Our inaugural season was a moral victory, blowing past everyone’s expectations. They weren’t supposed to make the playoffs *apparently*, but made it and took Round 1 to Game 7 against the stacked Minnesota Storm. This season, the moral victories turned into *actual* victories. The midget players we drafted last season grew up into juggernauts, and Miami had an absurd amount of 250-capped players before the Trade Deadline. We were winning games left, right, and centre, and had some epic winning streaks. All we do is win. At time of printing, we’re down 3-1 in the Finals to Minnesota again. Game 7 anyone?

 

Anyways, more to the point, I’m leaving it all behind at the end of these playoffs. Life’s hectic: I bought a house on the other side of the province and moved into it this weekend. I don’t work at the computer anymore. Frig, I won't even have internet for a few weeks and I'm at the local rec centre stealing free wifi to post this. I find myself struggling to keep up with the Discords. Miami deserves an AGM who can be the glue that keeps that tight-knit team together, and the honey that attracts the sweet new first-gens. I had a good run, and they always say it’s best to go out on top.

 

Win or lose this series, Miami’s been a huge success, and I’m so thankful I got to be a part of it.

&  

 Go Dragons

Edited January 28, 2021 by bigAL

[bigAL 2,176]

>1000 words means I can claim it again!

[ahockeyguy 110]

Review: OK this is the only VHL post I've ever seen (in my very limited experience) that has made me truly sad. You were and are a great AGM, and there will never be another like the legendary Dood! Our rivalry really is built on respect, and Wolf looks forward to seeing you in competition in the big leagues. I would have appreciated a picture on this thing, though. And also spaces between paragraphs. Oh, one final ambiguity: I couldn't tell if this means you're retiring your player or not. I assume not? Great job! Score: 8.5/10

[Bacon 40]

You were great, even the best. Not only in this virtual hockey did you help me, but even as a real life lousy teenager with issues you helped me. You are gonna be the greatest agm in bacon's career no doubt about it. I hope life treats you well in the future and the present.

[bigAL 2,176]

8 hours ago, ahockeyguy said:

Oh, one final ambiguity: I couldn't tell if this means you're retiring your player or not. I assume not? Great job! Score: 8.5/10

Thanks Wolf! The formatting from word to forum is messy but I could definitely clean it up. Good catch. 
 

and much to the excitement of my VHL team, GROOVY DOOD LIVES ON!

[Enorama 2,038]

5 minutes ago, bigAL said:

and much to the excitement of my VHL team, GROOVY DOOD LIVES ON!

 damn straight

[bigAL 2,176]

Doubles week $$$