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+---- Thread: Michael Fox set to retire, S60 to be his last (/showthread.php?tid=116102)
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Michael Fox set to retire, S60 to be his last - FuzzSHL - 05-21-2021
I wanted to do this post in character. My first few articles on the site were all in character, a constant back and forth between famed reporter Tripp Forslund and soon-to-be SHLer Michael Fox. I have tried all season to get a proper article typed up in character, thanking teammates and coaches, captains and rookies, one last introspective from the forward-turned-defenseman. None of it felt right. Something felt off in every version that I came up with. No one really seems to read articles from a player’s point of view anyways, so, fuck it. Let’s do this the right way.
It probably isn’t coming as much of a surprise to anyone who knows me, and probably not even to a good bit of you who don’t know me either. Even less so now with the protection lists being made public. Next season will be Michael Fox’s last season in the SHL.
What a career it’s been.
With one season to go, Fox has racked up 648 games in the bigs. 179 goals, 293 assists, 472 total points, and a total +/- of +95. If we had stayed in the FHM era, this would be one hell of an accomplishment in my opinion. With the Great Lakes being, well, the Great Lakes, this doesn’t seem to be as big of an accomplishment as it used to be. But personally, I’m proud of it, and that’s what matters in the grand scheme of things, right? One Challenge Cup with an amazing group in New Orleans, and I’ll never forget the hat trick Fox had against the team I’m currently the GM of, all in one period of Game 7 to keep that playoff run alive. His juniors numbers weren’t as impressive, but a Captaincy in his 2nd and 3rd season coupled with back-to-back Four Star Cups in his rookie and sophomore seasons makes up for the points performances.
For me, though, as much as I am proud of the personal performances Fox had in the sim over the 2 and a half years I have had him as my player, what truly makes me happy when looking back on his career was the people I met along the way, the people who helped me become the person I am on the site and, even to some extent, who I am off of the site and away from this league. Day 1 in St Louis I met the likes of @Scrufdaddy, @Eggy216, @Durden, @CanadianDuck, @Hoovuh, and @SlashACM as teammates. Scruff was the Captain my rookie season, and he is one of the most important people in terms of why I am still on the site. He set the standard for what it meant to not only be a Captain, but to be a good person. When I was given the opportunity to don the C for the Scarecrows the following season, I knew that if I was even half the Captain that Scruff was, I was going to be just fine. Since then, Scruff and I have gone on to be the Federation Heads for Team USA, winning a couple medals along the way. He was and is one of the most amazing all-around people on this site to the core, and anyone who has ever had the privilege of sharing a locker room with him knows exactly what I am talking about.
The St Louis war room at the time was, well if I said star studded, it would be an understatement. @TML99, @JKortesi81, @Blastmeaway, @Nictox, @SlashACM. I could go on and on about how much this war room helped me in my pursuit of, well, really everything I wanted to do on the site in terms of management. I still remember a conversation with someone early on where I asked if you had to have a player to be a GM, because I wanted to be a GM but I didn’t know how it worked with also having a player. This war room, and eventually the New Orleans one as well (same group minus TML, add @slothfacekilla and @TheDangaZone), gave me so many valuable insights into the inner workings of a team. How draft decisions were made, how trade talks went within a war room, the general banter that came with having a close group like that.
We had some amazing guys pass through St Louis during my three seasons there. @fever95, @esilverm, and @jjlangabeer all came in my sophomore season and @Mika_Kandinsky, @MrStennett, and @Huck24 all came in my last season. That was an utterly amazing locker room. It was what I wanted Carolina to ultimately become once I had the opportunity there to build a team. The S40s St Louis Scarecrows were not only dominant, but we were also super tight knit, we were a family. I am forever grateful for the people I met there, even those who I haven’t been able to keep in touch with over the years.
New Orleans is where things really kicked into gear. An expansion team, a fresh start for everyone. With that, new faces and new teammates. @Obsidian311, @Clint Eastwood, @CptSquall, @Paq, @majesiu, @TheDangaZone, @Nictox and @Blastmeaway finally as teammates, @Evok, @Carbine, and Slash was back in net. It was a small locker room, not really any room for a whole lot of alumni to help out with things like there was in St Louis. But it was fun. It was a new experience, something I think most people look forward to no matter how much they enjoy their junior team. That team was strong, and for the next few seasons only got stronger. We brought some new faces in and a few familiar ones left, the normal ebbs and flows of an SHL team. We finally broke through and got a cup in S54 with help from the likes of @Bonk, @BadWolf, @Jenny, @MCP_, @Bruins10, @frithjofr, @JuOSu, @bluesfan55, and @prettyburn.
Coming to Los Angeles was, admittedly, bittersweet. I had gotten my first “GM” job as USA’s WJC GM in S47. @SpartanGibbles joined me the next season if I’m not mistaken, or maybe I started in S46 and he joined me in S47. I can’t really remember which it was. But when the LA position opened up, I thought long and hard about whether I wanted to apply. It was a rival, one that New Orleans wasn’t really on good footing with. But I had recently been turned down for an expansion team and, despite the success @trella and I had (and @sve7en and I were having) in Carolina, I was starting to want some more certainty from season to season. I wanted to be able to build long term, and the timing just felt right. Holy shit was it ever a good move. The guys in LA welcomed me with open arms, no bad blood whatsoever. @OrbitingDeath, @RomanesEuntDomus, @Tate, 7 ofcourse, @Count Chocula, @vbottas17 all gave me the chance. I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else now with the group we have there. The expansion draft is going to suck.
Enough about my career though. As fun as it was, it's coming to a close, and I’ve got some people to thank.
@Scrufdaddy Thank you for being the best Captain a rookie could ask for and also for being the best Fed Head a Co could ask for. You and I have had some amazing times and memories together over the past 2 and a half years, and I don’t expect they’ll be our last either. Keep being you.
@TML99 I’m not sure if you come around the site much anymore, but if you do and you see this, thank you for being willing to take the chance on an unproven new guy way back when. I’m not sure I would have made it in a different team other than St Louis.
@JKortesi81 Thank you for advocating for me and being the driving force in bringing me into St Louis, and then again into New Orleans. Thank you for giving me the chance in both war rooms, for taking me under your wing and showing me what you had learned from those before you. Thank you for the advice, the drunken conversations, the laughs, and the pick-me-ups when we both needed it. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I couldn’t be where I am today without your help over the seasons. Thank you.
@Nictox Man, I know we don’t talk much anymore, or play games like we used to, but I still consider you a close friend. You brought a certain level-headedness to the rooms you were a part of that is quite honestly underrated. It was a sad day seeing you step down from New Orleans, but I understand why, and hope you are happy both on the site and in life.
@trella Thank you for helping me turn Montreal into Carolina, and building that place to be the juggernaut that it has become. I still get goosebumps thinking about where we started and where we finished. I couldn’t have had any of the success I had there without you. More importantly though, thank you for being a good person. Thank you for being around in St Louis and for being willing to make a new friend.
@sve7en You quite literally fell into our laps in Carolina, and I like to believe that that is how it was supposed to happen. So underrated from Day 1, you have taken over and show no signs of stopping. You’ve been an incredibly valuable confidant and you were one of the main reasons I applied for Los Angeles. I am extremely lucky to have you around.
@TheDangaZone As great as Joe was as a GM to have, I truly don’t think there was a better Co New Orleans could have had. You were always willing to sacrifice for the name of the team, and you’ve done the same with Lee as you were willing to with Augustus. I’m trying to come up with the right words here and honestly, nothing seems appropriate. You’ve become one of, if not my closest friend on the site next to Sloth. I feel as if I could confide in you anything, and I am forever grateful for everything you’ve done for me.
@slothfacekilla from that first day together in New Orleans I felt as if you and I were going to be friends. It’s kinda funny how being drafted together can work that way. The lengths you have been willing to go though has been nothing short of insane. You have been there everywhere: New Orleans, Carolina, now Los Angeles, and I couldn’t imagine being in any of those places without you. I hope I’ll never have to find out. You keep saying that you don’t do much, you don’t help much, but your presence alone brings with it a calm and serenity that makes anything seem possible.
There are so many other people I want to thank. @BadWolf, @LukeTD, @Segi, @ACapitalChicago, @Gumbaman, and so many others. But I’ve droned on long enough. A wonderful journey coming to a close. For those of you still on your first players, you’ll understand the feeling when you know the time is right. There’s something special about your first player that makes it all the more special.
This isn’t a goodbye, obviously. I’m ofcourse coming back with a new guy. I just wanted to reminisce and give thanks to the many people over the last 2 and a half years who have helped me become the player and person that I was and am.
RE: Michael Fox set to retire, S60 to be his last - thedangazone - 05-21-2021
Going to miss Fox on the ice and so happy we get to GM the Panthers together bud
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RE: Michael Fox set to retire, S60 to be his last - PremierBromanov - 05-21-2021
Cant wait for Michael Jr Fox to hit the scene
RE: Michael Fox set to retire, S60 to be his last - slothfacekilla - 05-21-2021
Stick taps on the career man, I'm really glad we could spend so many seasons together
RE: Michael Fox set to retire, S60 to be his last - majesiu - 05-21-2021
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RE: Michael Fox set to retire, S60 to be his last - Exilate - 05-21-2021
Amazing career \_ \_ \_
RE: Michael Fox set to retire, S60 to be his last - canes2112 - 05-21-2021
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RE: Michael Fox set to retire, S60 to be his last - ACapitalChicago - 05-21-2021
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/
I could write an essay here, but I think the best way to say it is thank you, and congratulations on a storied career
RE: Michael Fox set to retire, S60 to be his last - trella - 05-21-2021
Love you homie, great career
RE: Michael Fox set to retire, S60 to be his last - CptSquall - 05-21-2021
An absolute joy to be around and a force in his own right. Was a hell of an honour to play alongside you man.
RE: Michael Fox set to retire, S60 to be his last - JKortesi81 - 05-21-2021
I've done so many things wrong on my own personal GM journey, but drafting you was one of the best things I've done.
We talked about it already, but it's sad to see Fox go. Even though I get why.
The worst part of watching you grow into a future superstar GM in USA, STL, and NOLA was knowing that you were going to leave me some day for a team of your own. You're doing great things in LAP with great people. I'm proud of you. <3
Stick taps to Fox, one of the best picks in Specters history, hands down.
RE: Michael Fox set to retire, S60 to be his last - Nictox - 05-21-2021
<3
Stick taps for a great friend. Good luck with the next player!
RE: Michael Fox set to retire, S60 to be his last - SlashACM - 05-21-2021
<3
RE: Michael Fox set to retire, S60 to be his last - CanadianDuck - 05-21-2021
Can't wait to see what you do in the future, it was an honor to call you a teammate. <3
RE: Michael Fox set to retire, S60 to be his last - Samsung virtual assistant - 05-21-2021
Did me good when i wanted out and even got a hell of a return. Best of luck with the next player!
