(Split payout 50/50 between G2019 and I)

Vaxlare: I actually like Tig though. We had some pretty good talks leading up to my SHL draft. I think I will keep him around for a bit at least to keep me from getting fined.

I think my coffee spirit animal would be a dark roast iced coffee. There is nothing hot about me, but I will still warm your heart and keep you from falling asleep. 

I have a ton of respect for the GMs in the J currently. It won't be an easy task by any means and it won't happen overnight. I do believe we have the start of something special and I am ready to put in the work. Detroit wins at least 3 cups in the next 10 seasons.

G2019: I would never fire Tig. He's my GM in Seattle and someone who took a chance on me and bought into what I'm about. I really value that.

If I were a cup of coffee, I'd be a cappuccino (with an extra shot of espresso). I'm not as brash or bitter as some others, but rather like to make the experience pleasant. However, when that espresso kicks in, you see that I mean business and I'm ready to put in the work when I'm determined to do something.

I think that Detroit could win 2 or 3 four star cups in the next 10 seasons. With the strength and depth of some of the teams in the league, we have some catching up to do, and it's going to be a process, but it'll sure be a fun ride!

Vaxlare:
I think the roster is in a much better spot than what their record reflected last season. Before I was hired G asked me what my thoughts were on the roster and what kind of moves I would make if I was in his spot. We both had very similar ways of thinking and viewing the current roster. A couple pieces were moved to bring Sconnie and Zayne over. I think at this point we have a great young group from S63 that we can build on in this next class. I don't forsee us moving any of the remaining veterans as you still need them to help lead the team. 

FHM is always going to be a learning experience in this league. The last two seasons in the WJC have really given me a chance to try some things on my own. I have reached out to quite a few users trying to get any insight I can on what works, what doesn't and trying to find things that people maybe haven't even tried yet. There is a lot that is unknown about the sim engine still by even the veteran GMs. G and I are willing to put the work in, but it will take time to catch up to those who have had more time to learn it.

Both. Sustained success is our goal, but the "bright peak" as you put it will be when we win cups. You can't go out every year trading for rentals at the trade deadline and expect to make a cup run every year. There will be down seasons, but we don't plan on missing playoffs and not winning series when we are in those down seasons.

I think the next 2 seasons will really surprise people. I really think Detroit played well below their ability this season. I am not sure what the issue was exactly. On paper the roster was not that far behind everyone. I know Halk didn't have a co-GM and I think it was just a matter of him not having enough help and/or time to do everything that a GM needs to do. 

I think losing Dangle, Boots and McHits will hurt as those are the veteran presences that will guide the young team as they find their way. However, the S63/64 draft is where the foundation of this team is being built at the moment. I think those players and users will help push this team into the next era of Detroit Falcons hockey. 

Personally, my blind spot is trying to do much at once. I have experienced this a lot inside and outside the SHL. I have been very good about pacing myself since I joined. I knew that I would want to GM and kept waiting for the right chance to do so. 

The difference will come down to experience. G is a GM in the ISFL so he has a bit more than I do, but I know there are some veteran GMs in the J still. I am as green as they come and will take it one day at a time and ask all the questions I need to. We have a great support network of ex Falcon players who are involved at every level on the site willing to give advice. However, we know that we will be able to lean on them when we have questions, concerns or issues. And they aren't afraid to bring anything to us that they think we could improve on or are doing wrong.


G2019:
For a team that only won 5 games last season, the team really does have a solid core. When I took over as GM, we immediately made moves to solidify our future, picking up some key players and gaining assets in draft picks for the upcoming drafts. We plan on having a much improved season next season, and then begin competing the following season.

The roster has a core group that is active and earning well, along with some players who have fallen off on the earning front a bit. I've reached out to most of our players to encourage them and offer any assistance I can. It's going to take a full team effort for us to get where we want to go; sometimes you need to meet users where they are at and take what you can get. Others (like myself) are easily motivated by positivity or responsibility. It's all about Vax and I getting to know everyone and how we can best work with them.

FHM experience is a weakness for me, but I've done a ton of sim testing in the ISFL and know that it's something I will learn more about and improve upon. Between Vax and I, I'm confident we'll get to where we need to be with FHM knowledge, learn the nuances of the sim, and have success moving forward.

I'm very confident that Detroit can make a deep playoff run within the next 3-4 seasons. The plan is certainly sustained success; it comes down to promoting the appropriate locker room culture (active, fun, supportive, team-focused) along with drafting the right kinds of users and making key free agent signings. These are things I think Vax and I are both strong in, so I'm very confident in the direction we are headed.

This coming season, I expect us to be much improved. I'm not going to put a win or point number on it, but you should see a team scoring more and giving up less...making games more competitive and pulling more results than last season. In the following season, I expect us to be a solid playoff team, as we have a great group of S63s who should be really high TPE by then combined with some S62s who are capped at 425 and (hopefully) this coming rookie class going strong.

We've already had a fair amount of turnover, and I'll never rule out trades to improve the team, but Vax and I are really happy with the core group we have here and are hoping they roll with us moving forward.

Losing those two players will certainly hurt, but again, I think we are more so looking at the strength of our 63s and (soon enough) 64s as the main thing pushing us to contention. I know that Vax and I both care a lot about our players, but Detroit is our baby now, and I don't question either of our commitment to the job at hand for a second. Personally, I am absolutely loving this position thus far.

I think FHM tactics had to have a large part in it. The roster had holes (and obviously still does), but it wasn't a five win roster. Vax and I will certainly be digging into sim testing to find the optimal strategy for the players we have and look to make a marked improvement next season.

I really like this question. For me, I care a lot about people, and that can sometimes lead to me giving too many chances or expecting a user to change behavior (earn more, be more active, be more positive). It's something I also deal with in real life, so it's nothing new, but I know I'm surrounded by awesome people in Detroit who will help me in that arena when the time comes. I also think something that Vax and I talked about right when he applied was the idea that the differentiation between GM and co-GM really doesn't need to be a thing for us. We are a team and we are going to do things together. As we continue to get to know each other, we'll play off of each other's strengths and compliment each others' weaknesses.

On the ice, strength will be determined off of our personnel. We will play to our strengths in order to give our team the best chance to win. That personnel is obviously determined through roster construction, and that's a big strength for Vax and I, in my opinion.

I think the biggest difference is simply experience. Other GMs who have been around a while will have dealt with situations that Vax and I simply haven't. However, I know neither one of us is shy about asking questions, and we have a tremendous support network within the Detroit locker room, where ex-GMs and alumni are willing to help out with whatever is needed, so I feel like we are in a good spot. Additionally, I think we will both learn quickly how to handle difficult situations that may arise.

Vaxlare: Detroit Lions? Detroit Red Wings? Idk, I don't really watch them.

G2019: Detroit doesn't suck...at least not at sim hockey. Now NFL football, on the other hand...


Vaxlare: I think this past seasons S63 rookie class is the brightest part of the teams future. Mrs, McSaves, Sam Azjha, Bubba Tree, Evert Jansson and Ivan Lacksamus will all be important players moving forward. Expect them to play significant minutes this season as they start to take on more responsibilities on the ice and in the locker room. 

It is hard to come into a situation like this and say the previous management did it wrong. Was every decision the one that I would make? Probably not. They had their own plan and their own direction they were taking the team. I don't see anything they did that screams "what was this person thinking?", so I don't forsee anything slowing down the progress this team will make.

I think this team will perform much better than a season ago. I don't know about league leaders, but we will sure be trying. This season will be a learning experience as the new management team transitions in and finds their footing. Expect S64 and beyond to be strong moving forward though.

G2019: The brightest part of Detroit's future is our group of S63 players...no doubt about it. They are absolutely vital to what we are trying to build.

Previous GMs/co-GMs in Detroit are all wonderful people and users who want the best for this franchise, and I don't think anyone had given anything but their best.

I think jumping to the top of the league is asking a bit too much, just given a lot of the rosters around the league and the established GMs they have, but I think we will start to be a very competitive team in season 64.

Honestly, I'm happy that the moves we've made thus far were not ones that upset outgoing players. Kingtag, UberBJ, and Michiganonymous are awesome users who made it clear they were open to moving, especially for the betterment of this franchise. That kind of selflessness was fantastic to see, and I wish them well on their new teams. I think the moves were strong ones that brought in players who will help us out right away, as well as draft picks for us to build  our future core. Additionally, probably the biggest move we've made thus far was to bring in Vaxlare. He has a capped defenseman, but more than that, he will be absolutely vital in working with all of us to rebuild this franchise...I couldn't be happier with the pick and I'm so happy that he applied!


Vaxlare: We will certainly finish better than last season.

As of right now we have no more plans to make any trades. If the right offer comes along, and we feel that it benefits us and our plan moving forward, then we would be open to going from there.

The young players are really the strength of this team. Sam Azjha is someone who I wasn't familiar with and has really impressed me. I hadn't had the chance to talk to him until I came over to Detroit. He is very active in the locker room and always wanting to get involved with the team. It is always nice to see rookies who are active and not afraid to speak. 


G2019: The team will finish higher than last season for sure!

We are pretty set on keeping the players we have right now, as Vax and I are both really high on them. With draft picks, however, who knows. We currently have some great assets in 1oa, 6oa, and 15oa, so we'll see if any other teams tempt us with a good enough offer to move any of those!

Detroit has a really solid group of wingers, honestly. McHits is 425 capped, Akashi SixNine is nearly 425 capped as well, Wet Jeans is at 371, Ivan Lacksamus is an S63 who is already at 312 and will soon be 350 capped, Oskar Von Walther at 307, Sam Azjha at 244, Bubba Tree at 239, and Deshawn Booker at 189.  As far as who has surprised me, I'll go with our goalie, Evert Jansson. Sergeantens has been a pleasure to talk to and start to get to know. His player does a great job for us between the pipes and I have every confidence in him to continue getting better and be one of our leaders.


Vaxlare: We are happy to say that we in Detroit are 100% vaccinated against the terrible disease known as Ligma. While other teams may struggle this season to stay healthy, we will not ligma.


G2019: I marked Detroit Falcons as "100% safe from Ligma" on Facebook, so that makes it official, right?

Vaxlare: I think a fresh set of eyes is always what a team needs. It keeps things from getting stale. 

This team will make the playoffs next season. Anything short of that is a failure on my part. We may just do it with only 20 wins though.

G2019: I think fresh perspective can be helpful, and that's just what Vax and I will bring. We are super appreciative of what I would call the 'old guard' in the Detroit management chat, as well, so I feel we have a good blend between old and new. I also think that Vax and my relative youth in the league means that we will be able to connect well with players in the younger classes, and especially our own class (S62).

The goal is always to make the playoffs. I think 20 wins would be a great improvement from last season, and we can celebrate that if we hit it, but Vax and I will always be looking for the next goal to reach, and we'll drill that mentality into our players, as well.

Vaxlare: Good question. I guess when someone decides I am worthy of the title?

I still talk to the guys there regularly. They understand the move was something that I really wanted to pursue. It did still hurt to leave because I would have liked to finish my J career there. I think Gordon took it the worst. Good news though! We are both Raptors in the PBE now, so it kind of makes it better?

See above answer to the 5 different ways this was asked before you lol.

G2019: I could feel Vax's passion and energy from the get-go. I offered a prompt for him to respond to that had to do with what moves he would make if GM of the team, and he dove right in. The energy matched my excitement for the position, and throughout the rest of our chat he only reinforced that he was going to be the guy!

The immediate plan is to build around our S63s and S64s to reach contention within the next two or three seasons.

I think we have done a couple of things right off the bat. First, we have made our intention to compete abundantly clear. Secondly, we have begun to utilize our players in leadership/scouting roles to give them more buy in and rely on their experience and expertise. Finally, we've added a few new bots to the server

Vaxlare: Can confirm there is a lot of questions. 

G2019: SO. MANY. QUESTIONS!

Vaxlare: Hinata is pretty good. I expect to have Dangle try to shut him down next season when COL and DET play each other. I will estimate Hinata scores less than 3 goals against DET.

G2019: As many as he wants, as long as Detroit gets the dubs!

Vaxlare: I am supposed to say S69 (hehe) for the memes. I am going to say S65

G2019: S65
Vaxlare: Well usually the best teams are the humble ones. So any team that has won the cup of recent and didn't have to tell everyone about it

G2019: I think you may be on to something there. Much respect for NL, as they have a tradition of sustained success and seem to simply reload each and every season.

Vaxlare: I think being a newer user and first time create it will help me connect with the newer drafted players in Detroit. Unlike the people who have been here a while, I just experienced what it was like joining a new league and new team. For the recreates and older user we have a lot of veterans around still so help invite them in. 

G2019: I think both Vax and I can relate to newer users and especially members of our class (S62), and I think that will help us in scouting and recruiting moving forward.

Vaxlare: Is that like waterboarding? We don't condone hazing in our LR. Our rookies are welcomed with steak dinners and beer. 

G2019: Is this a Florida thing I'm too Wisconsin to understand?


Vaxlare: I deleted 3 of the questions since I already answered them. I don't really have a top 5 moment in Colorado. The whole time I spend there was great. My most enjoyable probably how hyped everyone gets during game time. Just a few of us watching the stream and getting hyped for every goal. 

Least favorite part? Uploading files/lines because it doesn't work half the time. Then you try submitting 3 times over before it goes through. 

I really enjoy the whole process of drafting and building a team. There is a sense of accomplishment in seeing what you do with what you built. I also feel like my experience in COL really made me get involved in the league. So I am hoping that I am able to inspire more user to get involved in the league. 

Pineapple belongs on pizza. End of story. 

I will always come chat in the locker room. As long as you don't kick me for being a traitor.

The SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE goal horn will never be leaving while I am here. 

Detroit obviously. 


Vaxlare: I just pinged him and asked. Will update.

G2019: I have not.


Vaxlare: A poem? No. Now a song with some guitar? Then we might start talking

G2019: That, plus additional benefits maybe....


Vaxlare: Yes, all of them. I do appreciate the money though. 

I will always share pictures of my pups. On the second part, no comment. 

Stay tuned, I am working on some lore media to address the Dangle to Detroit move. My PBE player has more RP behind him, but I will make one for this move for sure. 


G2019: Gotta appreciate Baby Jefe's enthusiasm, but yeah, those were some grinders!

I'm usually more of a cute toddler pic posting kinda guy, but could share pictures of the doggos as well, I suppose. Also, no tamperinos.

I'm not one to dig into lore much with my players because uh...I'm not creative haha. As far as how they fit in the team, being two capped 425 players, I think we'll make a positive impact right away!