03-03-2020, 10:59 PM(This post was last modified: 03-03-2020, 11:33 PM by Jenny.)
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1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
This reality is just one of infinite realities existing alongside this one in parallel. Take us over to one of those realities in which everything is the same but these S52 playoffs have unfolded differently. What happened in that reality's playoffs and who's in the Challenge Cup over there?
In this alternate universe, things have unfolded quite like this universe, but the New Orleans Specters won that fateful final game against the San Francisco Pride and are headed to the finals. Instead of comforting Jimmy Slothface and cheering for Leo Lockhart and Dom Montgomery in the Challenge Cup finals, Olivier is doing the opposite. Those semi-finals were a stressful time for my son as his individual alliances were tested--mostly, he just spent all his time trash-talking everyone's team equally and saying he hoped they would make SHL history and both lose. Unfortunately, since that wasn't possible, he also spent his time supporting his friends on an individual level. Anyway, in this alternate universe, Olivier is wearing a NOLA jersey and living his best life. (In this reality, you couldn't pay him to wear anyone else's team merchandise in public.) Also, in this alternate universe, NOLA definitely wins, because what's the point otherwise, and Olivier kisses his boyfriend on the ice a lot while NOT touching the cup.
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3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
By now, you're probably familiar with the attributes on FHM, and you likely have some sense of what type of build you're going to be aiming for with your player. What one attribute are you going to focus on most? Of all the attributes in the game, what is your player going to strive to be the absolute best at? Why are you picking that specific attribute above all others?
Bold of you to assume I have any fucking clue how FHM works, but I'm gonna pretend for the next 80-ish words. Since Olivier was meant to be a sniper all along, I'm going to continue building him that way for FHM. I wanted him to focus on speed and acceleration the most, because zoom zoom, but then I was told that wasn't necessary, so instead I will focus most on his shooting accuracy. A sniper is supposed to score a lot, and I figure to accomplish that I will want to give him the best possible chance to be accurate as fuck.
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4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
The Most Generic Prompt of All Time - what is your player looking forward to in the offseason? What are they planning on doing? Training? Relaxing? Testing free agency? Whatever it is, let us know!
Olivier is looking forward to a chill offseason, as he does most offseasons. The hope right now is to hang out in San Francisco for a bit and only Slightly resentfully support Leo and Dom's dope as fuck Challenge Cup celebrations, STHS-willing. After that, it's over to Wales to hang out with his grandma, probably with Jimmy in tow, and then to IIHF, and after that it'll be time for the traditional Fourth of July party he attends in Michigan. Olivier likes to focus his offseasons on spending time with the people he only borrows time with during the season, so he'll likely split the rest of his actual time off between Jimmy's house in New Orleans and Leo and Dom's house in San Francisco - or wherever else any of those three might want to travel to that he's invited to go with them. He's not picky as long as they're there.
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6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
The SHL is taking a stand and trying to do its part in reducing its carbon footprint. One of the proposed ideas is to eliminate back and forth air travel during the Challenge Cup and Four Star Cup finals and instead hold all 4-7 games in one neutral, rotating location a la the Super Bowl. Are you FOR or AGAINST this idea? Why?
I am AGAINST the idea of eliminating the back and forth air travel during the finals, but not because I hate the planet - instead, because what would really be the point? The carbon footprint from the rest of the season still exists, and the league would be depriving home fans of both teams the chance to watch playoff hockey unless they could travel - which, if they could, then they might fly, and the net result is the same. Instead, I think the leagues should buy hella carbon offsets and invest money in sustainable energy research, companies invested in sustainable practices, and advocacy initiatives.
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8. Written/Graphic, 3 TPE (150 words min. for written option)
The arenas in San Francisco and New York certainly don't need any gimmicks to get people into the stadium for the series, but the arenas want to make sure they're pulling out all the stops on the big stage. Help the concessions department of one of these two teams develop a new product, with marketing specifically pertaining to this finals series, to be sold at the arena during the finals. Describe the product and the marketing in 150 words or create a promotional poster showing the product, its name, the price, etc.
Okay, this is a little out there, but hear me out: the San Francisco Pride are really going to lean into the pride thing, and they're going to sell the fans wearable lion heads that have a rainbow cape attached. This is going to be expensive to manufacture, but they are going to be PRICELESS for the fans to own. Can you imagine the intimidation factor when you look up at the stands and everyone is a fucking lion? Besides, Challenge Cup finals branded lion heads? Detachable rainbow cape for later wearing a the gay club? What is not to love here. The marketing will be splashy as fuck, possibly feature glitter, and depict a stadium full of rainbows, as the sport of hockey should always have. Also, Olivier Cloutier will buy one, despite not being on the team, and he will stand in the press box YELLING at the ice from afar, and that will be good enough marketing for any self-respecting person.
03-04-2020, 12:29 AM(This post was last modified: 03-04-2020, 01:18 AM by DaftRaincloud.)
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3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
By now, you're probably familiar with the attributes on FHM, and you likely have some sense of what type of build you're going to be aiming for with your player. What one attribute are you going to focus on most? Of all the attributes in the game, what is your player going to strive to be the absolute best at? Why are you picking that specific attribute above all others?
Jonas Larsen is the Norwegian sniper, and for that reason he is going to be a perimeter shooter that focuses on getting open and getting the puck behind the goalie. Shot accuracy and shot power are going to be crucial for what I want to accomplish with Jonas. I see him being like a Kucherov or an Ovechkin, but without Ovi's physicality. Since Larsen will not be responsible for the other end of the ice he can really hone in on his offense. Checking and hitting won't be important for him, but his speed and skating prowess definitely will need to be addressed along with his offense.
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4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
The Most Generic Prompt of All Time - what is your player looking forward to in the offseason? What are they planning on doing? Training? Relaxing? Testing free agency? Whatever it is, let us know!
Well - Jonas is hoping that he will be partying with the cup this coming offseason. As always he will spend as much time as he can in the practice facility working on his skills and developing his game. With how far the team has gotten though he will definitely be taking some time off for rest and relaxation. Jonas loves to surf and being in San Francisco he has ample opportunity to do so. He will probably take in some of the local golf courses and go out for some fun in the sun on the beaches down closer to SOCAL. Seeing as Jonas has still yet to crack the top six for San Francisco he knows that he has to put in more work in the offseason than perhaps some other guys on the team in order to get a chance to play on the second or first line. A majority of Jonas' offseason activity will be focused on moving into that role that he wants to be in.
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5. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
Which player from the Rage or the Pride would you bet on to win a regular season individual award in a future season? What player and what award? What makes you think they'll live up to their potential and take home the hardware?
I could see Bo Kane for the San Francisco Pride winning multiple MVPs in the future. This season was his first in the big leagues and he immediately stepped into the locker room and onto the ice and became a difference maker, even though he was playing mainly third line minutes. Kane will certainly be the first line center of the future for the Pride and as a team that has aspirations to compete at the highest level for seasons to come he will be a huge factor of the offense and driving play. If Kane's play continues on it's current trajectory I can definitely see him winning multiple league MVPs and playoff MVPs.
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6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
The SHL is taking a stand and trying to do its part in reducing its carbon footprint. One of the proposed ideas is to eliminate back and forth air travel during the Challenge Cup and Four Star Cup finals and instead hold all 4-7 games in one neutral, rotating location a la the Super Bowl. Are you FOR or AGAINST this idea? Why?
I actually do like this idea. There is something to be said about this negating the impact of home ice advantage that teams work all season to get for that competitive edge, but going to a neutral site, perhaps at a location that does not currently have an SHL team, could grow the game and perhaps test markets for potential future expansion. I would love to see this idea tested, perhaps just for one or two seasons, and see the fan response to it. Having the final played in a place like Mexico City or Seattle, Washington would be entertaining and bring different flavors to the playoffs for the players and the fans alike. People could travel to places and experience local culture and cuisine.
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13. Podcast, 3 or 4 TPE
Record a mini-podcast on any of the below topics!
- Highlights of the S52 season (on or off the ice)
- S52 playoff round-up
- S52 Challenge Cup finals Breakdown
- FHM Excitement!?
1 person Mini-Pod: 3 TPE for 5 minutes or 4 TPE for 7 Minutes
2 person Mini-Pod: 3 TPE for 6 Minutes or 4 TPE for 8 Minutes
Post the direct link to your podcast.
17. Casual Member Special, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer - SEND ANSWER IN PM TO "PT DIRECTOR" (tagged below)
A. As determined by draft class, which rostered player is the oldest player in this series?
B. Name TWO players who have played for both the Pride and the Rage.
C. Among ACTIVE PLAYERS, who has the most points scored in Pride franchise history?
D. Who was recently selected as the #1 player in Rage franchise history as part of their Top 50 in 50 series unveiled this season?
**Important**: Send the answers to username "PT Director" with the subject of the message titled “S52 CW" - Do not send it to my personal account; those will not be graded. Do not post the answers in here; you will not get credit for the task.
I've always envisioned Alex as a two way player, but given that his position is defenseman it obviously make sense to put the focus on that end. I don't have a great feel for this sim, but I think that on defense having the ability to be in the right place at the right time is the most important thing. With that in mind, I plan to focus a lot of TPE on positioning. Sure, it's important to be good at the basic defensive skills like checking, hitting, and blocking, but to have the opportunity to get those stats and help your team, you have to be in the right place first.
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112 words.
TASK #4 (3 TPE):
Alex is hopeful that he'll be able to go into this offseason a champion, but regardless he'll head there knowing his team accomplished a lot and that he was able to make significant contributions. The offseason is for working hard and getting better, but he'll definitely take a little bit of time to relax and head home to his native Russia to spend time with his family. He is living his dream of being a professional hockey player in America and truly enjoys exploring the States, but he definitely misses everyone back home. This will be a good opportunity to catch up and decompress. Back in America, he's going to take the opportunity to explore part of the East Coast a bit. He loves the West, but it's time. He hopes to find a pretty beach somewhere and load up on sun and seafood for a few days. Not too long, though, because the work of a professional hockey player is never done, and before long it'll be time to get back to work if he wants to keep improving.
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180 words.
TASK #6 (2 TPE):
This is a tough one for me, as I'm definitely concerned about the environment and my carbon footprint. My husband and I have solar panels on our house and we own an electric car, so logically I should be for this neutral location thing. However, while I think it works for a single game event like the Super Bowl, it becomes a drag for a longer series like we see in the SHL. Teams want to bring the excitement of the playoff hunt to their home towns so they can enjoy home court advantage and let more of their fans be a part of the games. In having the games in a neutral location, the only fans that get to attend are the ones who happen to live in the neutral location or have enough money and time to travel there. And with all the people traveling to the neutral location, that's more pollution from traveling to worry about. Over four to seven games, that might even cause more pollution than traveling back and forth to cities. So overall, I'd say we should keep things as they are, at least for tradition's sake.
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193 words.
TASK #8 (3 TPE):
As people may or may not know, I am a total glutton. So when you give me a prompt talking about concessions, my brain automatically goes to creating some sort of Pride or Rage related food. Since the Pride are my SHL team (and their branding is overall more fun for this), I'm going to create a San Francisco Pride related food to serve. San Francisco gets the reputation as being health conscious, so you'd think they might want to offer something healthier in a world of fried food and sweets. How about a hummus and veggie tray? Always delicious, and much better for you than you would expect. Plus, it's easy to make it look like a lion! First, put the hummus in the middle in some sort of little round bowl. We can consider that to be the head of the lion. Hell, we could even use olives or something to make it looks like there's eyes and another parts of a face there. Then, surround it with carrots (and maybe bell peppers if you want to add some color). Have them shaped around the hummus face to look like a lion's mane. That way it looks awesome and is also easy to eat. Now Pride fans can celebrate their team while taking in a few fewer calories. Will hockey fans go for this? Probably not, but I'd eat it.
Quote:232 words.
And I sent a PM for task #17. Let's goooooooooooo!
(sigs courtesy of Carpy48, BDonini, Turd Ferguson, FlappyGiraffe, and Sulovilen)
This reality is just one of infinite realities existing alongside this one in parallel. Take us over to one of those realities in which everything is the same but these S52 playoffs have unfolded differently. What happened in that reality's playoffs and who's in the Challenge Cup over there?
Well, this is an easy one. In an alternate reality the Texas Renegades are in the Challenge Cup playoffs instead of in a long term residence on local golf courses in the Dallas area. We somehow managed to avoid losing a silly amount of games in the second half of the season and were able to get over the hump and into the postseason. After a magical run of sweeping both the Calgary Dragons and the Edmonton Blizzard in the first two rounds of the bracket, we found ourselves in a tough match up against the New Orleans Specters, but once again, the Renegades were too much for them to handle and so here the team is, preparing for its first Challenge Cup finals series in 15 seasons. We are facing up against the Buffalo Stampede who in this reality also managed to make it in, and it will be a ferocious series but I believe we have the required luck on our side to win it all.
168 words
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2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
You're put in charge of making the casino odds on the Cup winner for next season. Whom are you giving the best and the worst odds to, and what's your reasoning?
Interestingly enough, I would probably give whoever wins this series out of the Manhattan Rage and the San Francisco Pride the worst odds of winning the Cup next season. Although I have nothing to base this on with FHM, the deciding factor in this choice was how long it’s been since we had a team win back to back cups. I honestly can’t remember the last time it happened, and so based on this trend I’m going against the team that wins it this year getting the repeat secured next time around. In terms of the best odds, I have to go with the Hamilton Steelhawks. They have the guy who is definitely most clued up with FHM out of everyone on their side in Teddy, and I’ve got to believe that with his knowledge they’ll be able to put together the best collection of FHM builds and strategies to have an incredible run in S53.
156 words.
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4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
The Most Generic Prompt of All Time - what is your player looking forward to in the offseason? What are they planning on doing? Training? Relaxing? Testing free agency? Whatever it is, let us know!
There is one big thing that Kaarlo is looking forward to in the offseason, and that is making the choice about whether or not to return to the SMJHL next season. While many people think that Tom Brady’s upcoming decision is the biggest choice to be made in sports this offseason period, they are wrong; it is in fact whether SMJHL MVP candidate will decide whether or not to enter the SHL or return to the SMJHL for another season. There is a lot that will go into this choice and it’s expected it could take Kaarlo perhaps the whole of the offseason in order to come to a verdict. He plans on returning to Finland after the IIHF tournament for some relaxation time with family, and is hopeful that the fresh air and return to familiar surroundings will make his choice easier to make. He will obviously be keeping up his rigorous training regime additionally, in order to ensure that wherever he ends up next season he plays to the absolute highest level possible.
175 words.
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6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
The SHL is taking a stand and trying to do its part in reducing its carbon footprint. One of the proposed ideas is to eliminate back and forth air travel during the Challenge Cup and Four Star Cup finals and instead hold all 4-7 games in one neutral, rotating location a la the Super Bowl. Are you FOR or AGAINST this idea? Why?
I am for this idea. We all have a responsibility to help the environment where we can and eliminating flying from New York to San Francisco multiple times for a large number of people would be worth the effort. I would hold the 7 game series in Miami. It’s where the Super Bowl was held, is hot and would allow the players fun time when they aren’t playing or practicing. They could sample the famous Miami nightlife and this would compensate them for not being able to play any games at home. While the greedy SHL owners would probably protest at the loss of revenue from holding games, I believe it is in everyone’s best interest to hold next year’s Challenge Cup series entirely in Miami.
126 words
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14. Written, up to 5 TPE Pick up to 5 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words to qualify.
1. Head GMs JayWhy and Grapehead have been GMing for a while, whereas Co GMs Luketd and DaftRaincloud are newer to management - which team's front office staff (including coaches) do you think will provide a strategic edge (lol as if such a thing exists in STHS) in this series?
2. Manhattan has been rocking a pretty evenly-distributed ice time for forwards (35-33-32) whereas San Francisco is going a bit more top-heavy (40-40-15). Which approach do you think is better for a fierce Challenge Cup series?
3. The Rage and the Pride have, in my opinion at least, two of the best logos in the entire SHL. Which team's logo do you like more and why?
4. What is your favorite player name on either of these two teams and why? (not favorite player/user, just focusing on their player name)
5. Would you rather: (a) a chainsaw lesson with JayWhy, (b) a private Gritty meet-and-greet for you and Luke, (c) an all-you-can-eat grape buffet experience with Grapehead, or (d) an hour session where DaftRaincloud shows you everything from his internet history?
1. As pointed out already in the question, I don’t really think it’s possible to gain a meaningful strategic advantage in STHS. But I think Luke is one of the really smart guys on the site who I imagine does some real deep dives into the sim and how it works and stuff so I think if pushed I’d probably say Manhattan got the slight advantage in that department, but it is razor thin as I believe that Grapehead is a bit of a sim buff too.
2. I think this is more a question of what’s better, a deep three line roster which you can roll lines with or a superstar top 6 that’s expected to carry more weight. From personal experience, in STHS the second probably works better for some reason, even though in a real life series it would be the opposite. I’d say if SFP’s top 6 has the firepower to beat out Manhattan’s and they use that strategy, then they’ll take the advantage.
3. I like the Pride’s more simply because it’s original. No disrespect to the Rage and I think it is a cool logo, but it’s also used by various e sports clans and other fake sports teams on the internet, which to me just means it can’t be considered a great logo. I like SFP’s, it’s pretty well designed but most importantly is uniquely theirs and not something that’s going to crop up in other locations.
4. Favourite player name in this series has to be Nathan Explosion. I don’t know if it’s a reference to something but it’s a pretty different name. It sounds like it could be real almost because Nathan is a pretty normal name. But then Explosion is a cool second name and so it works together as being believable but also cool and exciting. Thank you for reading my assessment of this player name.
5. I would take the internet history session with DaftRaincloud. It could prove interesting to learn from him about what keeps him amused on the internet. If it’s stuff that’s weird then it might be slightly disturbing, but it would also make me feel better about my own internet searching so there would be a silver lining to the cloud for sure. While the others sound tempting, I think this has the most potential for personal growth.
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2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
You're put in charge of making the casino odds on the Cup winner for next season. Whom are you giving the best and the worst odds to, and what's your reasoning?
Thanks @StamkosFan for the above submission. (link to this post to claim 1 uncapped TPE for the suggestion!)
For best odds to win the cup next season, I am going with New Orleans and Calgary both at 2-1. I realize neither even made it to the finals this season, but with the switch to FHM that will get rid of the randomness of SimonT, I think that having high end players will give you the most success next season. Both of these teams are built very strong and should hav eno problem pushing their way up the standings and making a big push for the cup next season. As for the worst odds, I feel there's only 1 team that truly belongs there and that is the Toronto North Stars.Besides having 1 high end player, they really have nothing. This isn't basketball where 1 player can carry a team and I can see this team really struggling with the switch to FHM. I'm putting them at 15-1 to win the cup.
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4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
The Most Generic Prompt of All Time - what is your player looking forward to in the offseason? What are they planning on doing? Training? Relaxing? Testing free agency? Whatever it is, let us know!
For this off season Brennan Kennedy Jr is looking at taking it easy. Being a free agent is kind of looming over him and he may very well end up testing the free agency market for the first time in his career, but his main goal this off season is to get some rest and relaxation. The off season started a bit earlier then many on the Calgary Dragons had anticipated, but really gives the team the time to look back and reflect on the past regular and post season and see where it went wrong. Don't get me wrong, there will be a fair amount of training sprinkled in through the summer as well as he looks to stay in shape coming into camp, but his main goal is to try and take his mind off the game a bit and really enjoy the time off before next season.
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7. Written, 1-2 TPE
Our poetry theme this season is a limerick! Write 1 SHL-themed limerick for 1 TPE or 2 SHL-themed limericks for 2 TPE.
Limericks
A Man Called Piotr
A Limerick by Anonymous
There once was a man who liked scoring.
He said, "See the lovely doehring!"
It was available,
But not quite salable
He couldn't say no to the lorang.
A Lass Called Dash
A Limerick by Anon
There once was a young lass called dash.
She said, "See the lovely hash!"
It was rather short,
But not very cort,
She just couldn't say no to the rash.
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14. Written, up to 5 TPE Pick up to 5 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words to qualify.
1. Head GMs JayWhy and Grapehead have been GMing for a while, whereas Co GMs Luketd and DaftRaincloud are newer to management - which team's front office staff (including coaches) do you think will provide a strategic edge (lol as if such a thing exists in STHS) in this series?
I think that San Fransisco has the slight edge in this series. That's not to say I'm counting Jaywhy out, but I feel like Grape is coming into this series with a chip on his shoulder and with something to prove, because of this he will do anything and everything in his power to succeed.
2. Manhattan has been rocking a pretty evenly-distributed ice time for forwards (35-33-32) whereas San Francisco is going a bit more top-heavy (40-40-15). Which approach do you think is better for a fierce Challenge Cup series?
I believe that Manhattan is doing things right here by evenly dividing the ice time among all 3 lines. The playoffs are a long hard battle that can take its toll on any team, and by splitting up the playing time they are allowing their top players a bit of a rest during games that is needed for continued success.
3. The Rage and the Pride have, in my opinion at least, two of the best logos in the entire SHL. Which team's logo do you like more and why?
While I disagree with the statement that these are the top 2 logos in the league, out of the 2 I am going with the San Francisco Prides logo by a landslide. I just really like the look and flow of it and Manhattan's logo just doesn't do much for me.
4. What is your favorite player name on either of these two teams and why? (not favorite player/user, just focusing on their player name)
Out of the 2 teams I have to go with Rainbow Dash. The idea of a pony out there playing hockey against all these big surly men and nimble women really amuses me for some reason. How does he or she? I'm not sure, either way how do they hold the stick? Also you're getting body checked by a horse. It's just funny to me.
All you can eat grape buffett for sure with Grapehead. My first go arouns in the league I played juniors with him and really clicked and realized we actually don't live that far from each other. He just seems like a great guy and someone I could really get along with off of the site.
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17. Casual Member Special, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer - SEND ANSWER IN PM TO "PT DIRECTOR" (tagged below)
A. As determined by draft class, which rostered player is the oldest player in this series?
B. Name TWO players who have played for both the Pride and the Rage.
C. Among ACTIVE PLAYERS, who has the most points scored in Pride franchise history?
D. Who was recently selected as the #1 player in Rage franchise history as part of their Top 50 in 50 series unveiled this season?
**Important**: Send the answers to username "PT Director" with the subject of the message titled “S52 CW" - Do not send it to my personal account; those will not be graded. Do not post the answers in here; you will not get credit for the task.
03-04-2020, 11:20 AM(This post was last modified: 03-07-2020, 01:05 PM by OrbitingDeath.)
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1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
This reality is just one of infinite realities existing alongside this one in parallel. Take us over to one of those realities in which everything is the same but these S52 playoffs have unfolded differently. What happened in that reality's playoffs and who's in the Challenge Cup over there?
In this alternate universe the 3-1 curse does not exist and the Los Angeles Panthers have not lost to the Calgary Dragons. Vorian Atreides would have wounded up as the team’s unexpected MVP as due to his life prolonging treatment he does not grow older, but he also does not grow tired. In this alternate reality all Panthers games would go to game seven where Atreides’ will shine in due to the fatigue of others. He might not be the best hockey player, but his endless stamina would have brought the Los Angeles Panthers their first cup in a long time. The opponent in the final would have been the Hamilton Steelhawks, as dethroning the current champions is always a great thing to do. After being crowned the MVP he would then start training hard again to get ready for the future, as you can’t stop at a single cup (atleast not voluntarily).
(Words: 153)
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2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
You're put in charge of making the casino odds on the Cup winner for next season. Whom are you giving the best and the worst odds to, and what's your reasoning?
I don’t follow the SHL enough to actually make a valid decision in this. So I’m going to play the homer card here and give the Los Angeles Panthers the #1 option to win the cup next season. You will not make much money on this guaranteed bet as the Panthers are definitely winning next season. The Panthers have a new head coach in Tommy Creller and he is part of the new movement of coaches. His new coaching style can not be compared to what any of the old style coaches are doing. No longer are the players training on scoring, skating or defense, but he introduced stuff like ‘Speed, Bravery, Shooting Accuracy, Shot Blocking’ things that were unhear off in the last 52 seasons of the SHL. This change in attributes to train on will make Creller an expert in his area, we just need to hope none of the other teams will make a switch and the cup should be ours. The worst odds will be the other teams, which all get 100 times your entry if you predict them correct.
(Words: 183)
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3. Written (100 words) 2 TPE
By now, you're probably familiar with the attributes on FHM, and you likely have some sense of what type of build you're going to be aiming for with your player. What one attribute are you going to focus on most? Of all the attributes in the game, what is your player going to strive to be the absolute best at? Why are you picking that specific attribute above all others?
Vorian Atreides will not be anywhere close to be the best at anything at all, he is just a lower end player for now and will need to spend his points wisely in order to be useful. Due to this he will have a more balanced build with several things to be okay at. His highest attribute so far is his offensive read, as I felt this would be an important skill for a centerman. Next to that he has passing, puckhandling, shooting accuracy, faceoffs, stickchecking, defensive read, acceleration, agility and speed, all at 15. Due to the harsher upgrade scale, it felt better to do it like this. He has not picked anything specific, but will become a more all round player for the lower lines.
(Words: 127)
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4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
The Most Generic Prompt of All Time - what is your player looking forward to in the offseason? What are they planning on doing? Training? Relaxing? Testing free agency? Whatever it is, let us know!
For the most generic prompt of all time, it’s time to go for the most generic answer of all time. Vorian Atreides is just coming off of his rookie season in the league and he still has a lot of training to do before he actually can make a decent statline in the SHL. So this off season with the switch to FHM6 there is a lot of training to be done for Vorian. There is no time to relax as Vorian is already planning on acquiring equipment for the new season and is half way through the championship week prompts for another 16 hours of training. For now he is totally focussed on playing for the Los Angeles Panthers, so there will be no free agency for him. He has agreed with Los Angeles on a new 3 year deal paying 3 million each. Not the jackpot but that is not needed for a while. So Vorian is ready for next year.
(Words 163)
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6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
The SHL is taking a stand and trying to do its part in reducing its carbon footprint. One of the proposed ideas is to eliminate back and forth air travel during the Challenge Cup and Four Star Cup finals and instead hold all 4-7 games in one neutral, rotating location a la the Super Bowl. Are you FOR or AGAINST this idea? Why?
It is a great idea to reduce the carbon footprint, in a time where environmental change is needed you need leagues and organisation to take a stand. As everyone is looking at one another and no one is taking the first step nothing will happen. So I’m all for this idea to go to a neutral location. Sure it might not be nice for the fans, but we are following this league from behind our pc anyway. Next to that I would also lower the series to a best of five, this way less games and travelling will be needed throughout the entire playoffs and this also solves the 3-1 curse issue.
(Words 112)
03-04-2020, 11:31 AM(This post was last modified: 03-10-2020, 10:12 AM by mstuk41.)
Code:
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
This reality is just one of infinite realities existing alongside this one in parallel. Take us over to one of those realities in which everything is the same but these S52 playoffs have unfolded differently. What happened in that reality's playoffs and who's in the Challenge Cup over there?
In my alternate reality, the Calgary Dragons crawl all the way back against San Fransisco and take home Game 7, to advance to the Western Conference Finals. In that series they go head to head with their old buddy Joe K, in a series with the New Orleans Spectors, that saw the Spectors jump out to a two games to zero series lead, then the Dragons fighting back to tie the series, only to lose game five, before clawing back once again in game six to even the series, and send it to game seven. Game seven would not disappoint, going to double over time before Big Game Choybuck ended the Spectors dreams of another cup and propelling the Dragons into the finals. In the finals the Dragons displayed their dominance against Manhattan, easily taking home the championship in five games, after dropping game one 5-2, sweeping the next four, by outscoring the Rage 24-3. Total Domination, with Kata Vilde being named the playoff MVP.
Code:
2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
You're put in charge of making the casino odds on the Cup winner for next season. Whom are you giving the best and the worst odds to, and what's your reasoning?
Thanks @StamkosFan for the above submission. (link to this post to claim 1 uncapped TPE for the suggestion!)
Putting odds to a brand new system like FHM is a difficult task, since we have no idea how it will sim with the new rules that we have in place, 3 lines as opposed to 4. I also think that since we no longer will have to deal with Simon T being random as fuck, after the first season you will get a much better sense as to how to set these things up in the future. With that being said, I think you will see Hamilton have a great season. I think that Drunken Teddy has been working with FHM for so long that he has a distinct advantage over the GMs that were forced into this because Hamilton fucking sucks. Which makes me think, maybe they did it on purpose to force the change, but that is a wild conspiracy theory that is reserved for crazy people.....That being said, since Hamilton has alot of experience with the FHM system, they would have a distinct advantage, at least right out of the gates to have a strong start to carry them to the Presidents Cup, with 5-1 Odds. My guess, looking at rosters, Toronto will have a hard time being competitive with the lineup they currently have, I would put their odds at 100-1.
Code:
3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
By now, you're probably familiar with the attributes on FHM, and you likely have some sense of what type of build you're going to be aiming for with your player. What one attribute are you going to focus on most? Of all the attributes in the game, what is your player going to strive to be the absolute best at? Why are you picking that specific attribute above all others?
With the switch to FHM, I am going be taking a very different approach to my player than I had in mind when I created him. I was originally a scoring winger, that liked to hit, now I am going to be a screening centerman that cleans up the garbage around the net. Not nearly as fast as I used to be, but much more dangerous in tight. So i am looking at screening, strength, and balance as attributes that I am boosting to make it as tough as possible to move my player out of the way of the goalie. I really enjoyed watching Adam Graves as a Ranger, and seem my player having a lot of the same characteristics as he does. Screening the goalie, and cleaning up the garbage infront of the net.
Code:
4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
The Most Generic Prompt of All Time - what is your player looking forward to in the offseason? What are they planning on doing? Training? Relaxing? Testing free agency? Whatever it is, let us know!
After the long season, I always look to take a week off to refresh my batteries. This season, however, is very different. I have hit the dreaded R word. Regression. Ouch it hurts me to say it. Now I have to do the yearly give back of that precious TPE, so instead of taking it easy, I am hitting the weight room nonstop. Adding that muscle, going that extra mile right out the gate of the offseason, before I transition my workout regimen from adding muscle mass, to gain the needed flexibility and conditioning to carry that extra mass. This especially is a big offseason, since we are moving to another platform, I am embracing that, and trying to transition my game from a goal scoring winger (which never really ended up happening with my build) to a screening centerman, who can be pushed around in front of the goalie. And likes to clean up the garbage.
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14. Written, up to 5 TPE Pick up to 5 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words to qualify.
1. Head GMs JayWhy and Grapehead have been GMing for a while, whereas Co GMs Luketd and DaftRaincloud are newer to management - which team's front office staff (including coaches) do you think will provide a strategic edge (lol as if such a thing exists in STHS) in this series?
JayWhy has everything needed to win a championship, great communicator with his players, excellent at making changes, and as a former simmer, he knows Simon T inside and Out. I feel that his experience will lead them to the cup. And as a former junior player for him, I hope that he does bring it home.
2. Manhattan has been rocking a pretty evenly-distributed ice time for forwards (35-33-32) whereas San Francisco is going a bit more top-heavy (40-40-15). Which approach do you think is better for a fierce Challenge Cup series?
It really depends on who you have on your team. Sometimes it really is about Jimmy & Joe's, rather than X's and O's. I feel that Manhattan runs that system for a reason, they have 3 very very good lines that can go against anybody's lines. I think you see teams running top heavy lines to try and hide deficiencies down the lineup. Manhattan does not have that problem.
3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
155 words
I am focused on a few different attributes. I want to make a two-way center, so I'm focused on Defensive Read, Offensive Read, Puckhandling, and Balance. Out of those, i think Defensive Read will be the most important in keeping shots down on my side of the ice. But for the sake of being a huge hipster, I'm going to say Balance. I think a lot of people are not focusing on skating, and if they are they really want to make speedy bois, so lots of acceleration and speed. But, I think staying on your feet while doing cool tricks will be incredibly important. Who cares if you can dangle if you keep falling over? So I want my player to be able to recognize the proper plays to make via offensive and defensive read, but I want his feet to be able to carry him there at a moments notice
4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
172 words
Tom Fiddler is looking forward to hopping into the dimensional portal that brings him into the universe of franchise hockey manager. More than that, he's looking forward to working hard to prepare for the transition to a new universe. This summer though, he does have plans to visit Japan, despite viral concerns. Seems like it doesn't matter where you live anyway. Japan has beautiful landscapes, sunny weather, and amazing culture to explore. He's going to start in Tokyo and get the real "experience" of Japan, the frilly techy stuff. Check out manga stores, modern malls, and all the amenities of a big city. But then, Tom Fiddler is going to take one of the legendary trains out to a smaller town, the name of which I do not yet know. But he's going to go there, and relax in the comfort of a small town, before making his way towards mt Fuji, wherever the hell that is. Temples, Sanctuaries, bath houses, all the classic Japanese things are what he wants to experience.
5. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
117 words
I would bet my bottom dollar that Phineas Gold will win a regular season individual award in a future season. He will definitely win some scoring award, or leadership award or MVP. He is a force of nature in earning TPE and rallying those around him to greatness. It may not be next season (thats me), or the season after that (still me), but some day soon he will win that award. Phineas has a great presence in the locker room and talks to everybody, so I think he will have a good idea of how to make an effective player, and I think because of his great attitude and words of wisdom he will be recognized.
6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
103 words
I am extremely against the idea of not playing the cup finals in your home arena. So much of the pride of hoisting the challenger cup is being able to lift it in front of your fans and take it back to your own locker room and celebrate. This isn't always the case (probably closer to half the time), as you often lift the cup in the other teams arena, but this is still a massive middle finger to the other teams fans. I also hate the planet and everyone in it, so i will gladly be complicit in the immolation of it.
8. Written/Graphic, 3 TPE (150 words min. for written option)
238 words
For the San Francisco pride, I have developed the Pride 7 layer nachos. I had originally thought maybe a rainbow hot dog, but that seems too on the nose. San Francisco has always been a beacon of the LGBTQ community, so thats why I think that. Plus, pride. Duh. So the 7 layers would each be a color of rainbow, as best as we can manage. It's served in a large bowl. Bottom layer, Refried Beans, then black beans, then nacho cheese, sour creeam, guac, topped with onions, black olives, cheddar chese, and silantro. Of course, tortilla chips throughout. This dip represents the diversity of the city of San Fran, both in sexuality and ethnicity, and a special shout out to that wonderful magic that happens when we americanize mexican flavors.
For the rage, they are selling Ragin' Boners. A special callout to their friends in buffalo, or a middle finger if you see it that way, with hot buffalo sauce on a genuine new york hot dog. Nothing represents the state and city of new york like this hot dog. It has Sour Kraut, grilled onions, and a special buffalo-fused spicy mustard. It sounds terrible but its great. You can also get the Hot Dog in various styles, like Chicago or indeed california. This helps represent how new York is a center of culture in the U.S. and how it reaches out to every place in america.
14. Written, up to 5 TPE Pick up to 5 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words to qualify. 1.
55 words
I think Luke and Draft will get the upper hand because I have spoken to luke personally and not any of the others. And this to me is indicative of a good GM who is very smart. Luke is also a good sport so i think he is able to adapt to change more easily. 2.
96 words
I think the key to any challenge cup win is either extreme depth and scoring on 4 lines, OR an incredibly elite top 6. Even with the best 6 players in the league, though, i think you will run into trouble for the 20% of the time your top 6 isnt on the ice. Not to mention, in real life, susceptible to injury. The greatest real life team in history, the 2002 Red Wings, had depth out the wazoo because they had top 6 players from other teams in their bottom 6, like absolute fucking monsters. 3.
63 words
I think the Buffalo Buffalos and the Stars are the only teams with the balls to stick to a simplistic elegant design. Every other logo is either too busy or just AHL-tier scary animal/man design. I mean, like half of these teams are just a mysterious guy facing the viewer and the other half is animals with the same angry eyes and snarl. 4.
57 words
My favorite player name is Filip Zadina. Because obviously the real Filip Zadina is the future draisaitl of the NHL, so this tribute seems in great taste and will bless Zadina with future success. As the real Zadina gets better, so the imaginary gets better, and as the imaginary gets better, so the real zadina gets better.
03-04-2020, 01:59 PM(This post was last modified: 03-04-2020, 03:01 PM by CanadianDuck.)
Task 1:(3 TPE)In a different reality these playoffs have resulted in a very interesting outcome in the Finals. In round one, The Dragons made it through just like they did here, but the Toronto North Stars survived after a tough 6 game series against Buffalo. The second round was an enjoyable one for all to enjoy. Every series went 7 games with each featuring a 3OT Game 7 thriller. The San Francisco Pride, New Orleans Specters, Toronto North Stars, and the Chicago Syndicate all made it to the Semifinals. These four teams put it all on the line to get a chance at the Holy Grail of the SHL. The Pride and Specters series proved to be a classic just like ours did, but the difference came in the 2OT of Game 7 where Nicholas Williams finally put the Pride away to move onto the Finals. The other series wasn't as much of a battle and saw the Chicago Syndicate victorious after a 5 game series. The Specters vs Syndicate Championship series begins soon.
Task 3: (2 TPE) The news of the move to FHM has filled the entire SHL and SMJHL with excitement and buzz. Most players have already decided how their new builds will be laid out and ready to get the next season rolling. I have an idea on what I will be doing and don't want to give away everything yet, but I will say a few things. I want to give myself high Passing and Puckhandling stats, while also maintaining a high Speed and Acceleration. This season also happens to be the beginning of my regression, so it should be a very interesting few weeks coming up for me.
Task 4: (3 TPE) This Offseason will either be my most enjoyable or my most miserable. It all comes down to the outcome of this final series. This is the first time I've been in the SHL Finals as a player and not as a spectator. I will be celebrating with my Pride team all over the place if we win, and it will make the days between the seasons fly by. If we lose, It will make the wait seem like an eternity of what ifs. The beginning of my regression will feel much worse than it would have if we had been victorious against the Manhattan Rage. My sole focus is on this final series, everything else has taken a backseat. My experience winning back to back 4 Star Cups will hopefully help me in what may be my toughest challenge in my career, I can't express just how much wining this Championship would mean to me after everything I've experienced since my career began in the SMJHL.
Task 6: (2 TPE) This idea is interesting, and I think should be implemented with a few alterations. I feel both teams should host at least 1 of the final games in their home arena. Game 1 hosted by the higher seed and Game 3 should be hosted by the lower seed. Games 2,4,5, and 6 can be hosted in a neutral location, and a potential Game 7 should be hosted in a completely different arena.
Task 14: (3 TPE) 1. There is strong benefits for both management teams in this series. The older group of the Pride have the experience and more knowledge to combat against the Rage. The Rage come into this with new and fresh ideas which could be the best thing for them. I will say the Pride have the advantage in this area.
2. The amount of ice time the Pride give their better players vs the evenly spread out time on the Rage side is more proof that this series could be a very good to to watch. If a game goes deep into OT, the Rage have the advantage for splitting their ice time evenly. The Pride have the advantage if the games have no OT because they are playing their top players more in regulation.
3. I have to say I believe the Pride have a better logo than the Rage. This is a completely biased answer, but that doesn't make it wrong. The Lion logo just looks so good, and while I will admit the Rage have a nice looking logo as well, I just think the Pride have the better logo.
03-04-2020, 02:19 PM(This post was last modified: 03-04-2020, 06:24 PM by Legend.)
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
This reality is just one of infinite realities existing alongside this one in parallel. Take us over to one of those realities in which everything is the same but these S52 playoffs have unfolded differently. What happened in that reality's playoffs and who's in the Challenge Cup over there?
Everything is the same, but different... but still the same? Sounds like a scene right out of a British doctor TV show however they're not even crazy enough to write this. The very first game of the SHL playoffs something incredible happens. The Panthers are playing the Dragons but Knox Booth is injured in warmup from an over eager player exiting the tunnel, only to blindside his only goalie. Nolan McMahon is thrown into the game as a the starter but promptly tears both of his quads trying to get over the boards (Hehe, McMahon). The Panthers have no choice to dress an Emergency Backup in net. Who? A sumo wrestler from China just happened to partake in the events for the game and before he could say no he's in gear and on the ice. Sadly this isn't a happy story as the poor guy gets shelled for 19 goals. Even worse as he find out in the coming weeks, but this sumo wrestler was actually carrying COVID-19 and due to his heavy sweating instantly passed in along to the Panthers and Dragons. This shit spread like wildfire and soon the SHL was forced to suspend playoffs until the virus could be quarantined. That never happened unfortunately and the SHL playoffs still sit suspended to this day.
2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
You're put in charge of making the casino odds on the Cup winner for next season. Whom are you giving the best and the worst odds to, and what's your reasoning?
MacTavish recently rewatched the movie Casino. He's got this. First thing is first, in order to set odds you need to look the part. MacTavish needs to excuse to rock a salmon colored suite jacket and matching tie, but hey it's Las Vegas baby! (At least I think it is). The first thing he does is take a look at all the teams records over the past five sea- Ah who are we kidding, he showed up got hammered and went to work. Anyways he gives every single team across the board a 1-2 odds (besides New Orleans, he gives them 1-9 for some reason), not knowing anything about odds and that is in fact completely terrible for anyone to bet on. As such no one bets anything and MacTavish is promptly fired and thrown out of the Casino. No car bomb awaits him, frankly because he shouldn't be driving anyways (Gulp, gulp, gulp). Guess thy shouldn't have hired a drunk Scottish lad.
4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
The Most Generic Prompt of All Time - what is your player looking forward to in the offseason? What are they planning on doing? Training? Relaxing? Testing free agency? Whatever it is, let us know!
As always MacTavish will be in a drunken stupor until training camp hits (or even after depending if his friends can get him back on a plane to Carolina). As soon as the Kraken were eliminated from the playoffs the drinking began and to be quite honest, no one even knows where MacTavish currently is. Not even his handler which is weird. Hopefully he's smart enough to do most of his drinking at home this year and avoid catching the Chinese Plague. One plan that MacTavish did have was to go on tour of all the Scottish brewers and distilleries. He tried last off-season and couldn't even make it to the second stop if I recall, he just had that much fun at the first! There is also a new brand of Scotch that was rumored to be released this off-season - although no one knows where it's being released. You can bet on MacTavish being involved in that, almost like a mini treasure hunt with a booze sniffing Scotsman.
6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
The SHL is taking a stand and trying to do its part in reducing its carbon footprint. One of the proposed ideas is to eliminate back and forth air travel during the Challenge Cup and Four Star Cup finals and instead hold all 4-7 games in one neutral, rotating location a la the Super Bowl. Are you FOR or AGAINST this idea? Why?
FOR. Big time! Think of the party, the festivals, the event in general! It would be like the Mecca of Hockey, the ultimate pilgrimage to go and watch 4 to 7 games in the same place, maybe even on back to back nights if we're lucky! Ultimate party mode and a madhouse outside the arena as these hockey fans would give Europe soccer fans a run for their money. It wouldn't just be a playoff series, it would be literal war. I think the SHL would not only reduce the carbon footprint, but increase it's ratings as well! I would pay good money to see the teams stay in the same hotel as well. Talk about the ultimate mind games and off the ice war!
03-04-2020, 02:43 PM(This post was last modified: 03-09-2020, 12:36 PM by BrewskyBoy.)
Quote:2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
You're put in charge of making the casino odds on the Cup winner for next season. Whom are you giving the best and the worst odds to, and what's your reasoning?
If the odds were to come out today, I'd have to put New England as my favorite to win the cup. I'm sure this isn't the most popular opinion and people would probably shy away from betting on them, but after running the TPE numbers the other day, New England at this time actually has the highest average TPE value per player. With the current rosters, they have the most all around depth. Moving to FHM, I believe the cup winners will be more predictable and less random, where the higher TPE teams will typically win the cup. On the flip side, I've got Toronto with the worst odds to win the cup. For the same reasoning, they have the lowest average TPE among all of the teams and I just don't see them fluking their way to a cup title in FHM. Those numbers didn't take in prospects at all so maybe teams have some good prospects in the waiting that would beef up their numbers, but again just using the rosters that we see today, those are my odds.
Quote:3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
By now, you're probably familiar with the attributes on FHM, and you likely have some sense of what type of build you're going to be aiming for with your player. What one attribute are you going to focus on most? Of all the attributes in the game, what is your player going to strive to be the absolute best at? Why are you picking that specific attribute above all others?
The one attribute that I'm going to be focusing on the most is my defensive read skill. I feel like this will be of utmost importance to have a high IQ on the ice and to be able to predict what the offense is going to do before they do it, so that I have plenty of time to get into the proper position and react. I know there are other skills that will be nearly just as important to actual make a play on the puck and that it's not alone to just know what the offense is going to do, but I believe it all starts with having a good read ability. As long as you have a good head on your shoulders, you can develop the rest of your game to accomplish what you need to do.
Quote:4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
The Most Generic Prompt of All Time - what is your player looking forward to in the offseason? What are they planning on doing? Training? Relaxing? Testing free agency? Whatever it is, let us know!
I've still got a couple years left on my deal with the Renegades, so I don't need to worry about any contract negotiations over this offseason. Despite making $4 million a season though, I've actually found myself in debt due to my training habits and lack of extra income. This offseason I'll be focusing on picking up a few side jobs in order to restock my bank account and prepare for the upcoming season's worth of training and new equipment purchases. It sounds like this offseason might take be an extended one, so there should be plenty of free-time to take my focus off the ice and put pen to paper writing media articles. I've never been a very good writer and quite frankly hate it, so it'll be a bit of a struggle I'm sure. But I know it needs to be done if I ever expect myself to become one of the top defenseman in the league.
1. I think JayWhy and Grapehead provide much needed experience to both teams. You can't roll into the finals with an inexperienced leader at the helm, that's just a recipe for failure. As far as Luke and Daft go, I think they both provide a nice young insight to counter the old folks, but I'd give my edge to Luke due to his advanced analytics.
2. This is a tough one, because I think both strategies are viable and provide completely different advantages. On one hand, I like the balanced attack of rolling your top 3 lines evenly. It keeps players fresher and performing at peak ability more often. On the other hand, I think you need your best players on the ice during crunch time in the finals. I like what San Francisco's doing here. Those top two lines are going to need to find a little extra gas in the tank, but I'd expect nothing less when the cup is on the line.
3. This is a much easier one. I'll be honest, I don't really care for the Manhattan logo and color scheme. Red is just such a basic color and I feel like it's overused in the sporting world. San Francisco has a much more unique color scheme with the purple and yellow that you don't see nearly as often.
4. Favorite name goes to Nathan Explosion on the Pride. With a last name like that, how can you not root for the guy? He backs up his name with an explosive skating and shooting ability on the ice as well, it really is the perfect name for him. I'll give the runner up in this matchup to Rainbow Dash.
5. I'm going with the all you can eat grape buffet with Grapehead. I love grapes. They're easily in my top 5 fruits and you can eat them with literally anything. Hell I've even eaten them with potatoes and gravy. Will I get sick after stuffing my face with as many grapes as possible? Almost certain. Will it be worth it? 100%.
Quote:17. Casual Member Special, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer - SEND ANSWER IN PM TO "PT DIRECTOR" (tagged below)
A. As determined by draft class, which rostered player is the oldest player in this series?
B. Name TWO players who have played for both the Pride and the Rage.
C. Among ACTIVE PLAYERS, who has the most points scored in Pride franchise history?
D. Who was recently selected as the #1 player in Rage franchise history as part of their Top 50 in 50 series unveiled this season?
**Important**: Send the answers to username "PT Director" with the subject of the message titled “S52 CW" - Do not send it to my personal account; those will not be graded. Do not post the answers in here; you will not get credit for the task.
Answers submitted to PT Director
3 + 2 + 3 + 5 + 3 = 16 TPE
puolivalmiste Player Progression Director
Posting Freak
03-04-2020, 03:05 PM(This post was last modified: 03-05-2020, 06:46 PM by puolivalmiste.)
Code:
2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
You're put in charge of making the casino odds on the Cup winner for next season. Whom are you giving the best and the worst odds to, and what's your reasoning?
As we move to FHM which is said to be more consistent and where good teams can expect to be good we can take advantage of recent article of @BrewskyBoy where he takes look at TPE averages of all teams. Averages tell one tale but then I need to take look at one specific position, that being of course starting goalie for top teams and there we get hint of what might be coming, unlike with SimonT and our current update scale new one won't allow maxing out for anyone, not even for goalies, which means that goalies at 1.4k and 1.8k TPE won't have same maxed out build. This leads me to think that most likely winner for S53 ChallengeCup is New Orleans (at last) and closest to them would be Calgary so if we can have two teams with 2/1 odds I'll give it to them.
And even with some roster moves I think that highest return for investment should come with very unlikely Toronto Cup. 3 TPE
Code:
3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
By now, you're probably familiar with the attributes on FHM, and you likely have some sense of what type of build you're going to be aiming for with your player. What one attribute are you going to focus on most? Of all the attributes in the game, what is your player going to strive to be the absolute best at? Why are you picking that specific attribute above all others?
To my own and some other peoples surprise Björn's new build has his highest stats being positioning and shooting range as he moves away from his enforcer build. But based on what I have heard about FHM I doubt that really focusing on any one skill will end up being good solution until I hit higher TPE values and most likely Björn's stats will see steady increase all across the board, though positioning being key skill to two way defenseman I'm pretty sure he that it will be highest or at least tied for top spot from now on until someone at team tells me we actually could use me at some other role. 2 TPE
Code:
4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
The Most Generic Prompt of All Time - what is your player looking forward to in the offseason? What are they planning on doing? Training? Relaxing? Testing free agency? Whatever it is, let us know!
Once again season in Texas comes to early end but this time Björn is ready to take his game to next level. He has his share of plays that are not too impressive and what happened in Finnish juniors really didn't help with his already pretty complex relationship to his father, Viljami Leppänen. Yet as Viljami failed with Finnish WJC team and hosting duties and his services were no longer needed he took job as coach for Rauman Jätkät, team from Finnish Mestaruussarj and there he has found his passion for coaching again and is ready to help Björn to get back to level what they both know he could play on.
This offseason Björn is dedicated to spend his time training with his father at Rauma only to return as new man, one who might be less willing to drop his gloves but for sure remembers how to shoot and play solid two way hockey. 3 TPE
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8. Written/Graphic, 3 TPE (150 words min. for written option)
The arenas in San Francisco and New York certainly don't need any gimmicks to get people into the stadium for the series, but the arenas want to make sure they're pulling out all the stops on the big stage. Help the concessions department of one of these two teams develop a new product, with marketing specifically pertaining to this finals series, to be sold at the arena during the finals. Describe the product and the marketing in 150 words or create a promotional poster showing the product, its name, the price, etc.
3 TPE
Code:
12. Graphic, 3 TPE
Design a Challenge Cup Championship banner for one of the teams in the finals, like those which appear on the side of the site.
3 TPE
Code:
17. Casual Member Special, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer - SEND ANSWER IN PM TO "PT DIRECTOR" (tagged below)
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
This reality is just one of infinite realities existing alongside this one in parallel. Take us over to one of those realities in which everything is the same but these S52 playoffs have unfolded differently. What happened in that reality's playoffs and who's in the Challenge Cup over there?
In an alternate reality the lovable underdogs from Edmonton did not lose the series to New Orleans and, instead, dominated the ragamuffin Cajun hockey squad in seven games. After the series win, in which Boruvka Banananak led all scorers with an SHL record 13 goals during the series, Edmonton made their way to the finals and garnered a much anticipated rematch with Hamilton. In an exciting back and forth series, the Challenge Cup finals made its way to Game Seven and the all important grudge match between these two rivals. This ultimate game between good and evil saw Edmonton and Hamilton go back and forth in one of the highest scoring games in league history. With a final score of 8-7, Edmonton overcame the evil empire that is Hamilton to bring home yet another Challenge Cup on the back of FR Finn-Rhys scoring the game winning goal with only 13 seconds remaining in the game.
Code:
2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
You're put in charge of making the casino odds on the Cup winner for next season. Whom are you giving the best and the worst odds to, and what's your reasoning?
Thanks @StamkosFan for the above submission. (link to this post to claim 1 uncapped TPE for the suggestion!)
The best odds of winning the Challenge Cup next season has to go to the Edmonton Blizzard. I will totally admit that I am biased, but I can also honestly say that Edmonton, at least in recent history, has consistently maintained their position as a team to beat and I would expect that trend to continue. As we transition into Fantasy Hockey Manager, I think Edmonton will find a way to gel as a team sooner than others and will be able to earn some early dividends which will lead us to not only do well during the regular season but also propel us past our nearest competitors and into the Challenge Cup Finals.
As far as the worst odds, well, honestly that can only be the Minnesota Chiefs. Do not get me wrong, I have a lot of friends on the Chiefs and I like them a lot but I just do not think they are there yet when it comes to turning the franchise around. Give them another season or two and I think they will be back into playoff and Cup contention but until then I think they have some of the worst odds out there.
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4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
The Most Generic Prompt of All Time - what is your player looking forward to in the offseason? What are they planning on doing? Training? Relaxing? Testing free agency? Whatever it is, let us know!
As with every offseason, FR Finn-Rhys is going to take some well deserved time off before starting to get ready for the next season. With the transition to FHM, FR will probably spend a good portion of his off season developing some of his offensive and physical skills to better meet the new player format. When he is not doing that, however, FR will probably take a much needed vacation to northern Italy. While hitting up the beaches and dining with beautiful women every night FR will inevitably come down with coronavirus (although he will be asymptomatic and suffer no more than a cold) and unknowingly transmit the virus when he gets laid over in Hamilton, thereby infecting the entire Hamilton squad and preventing them from competing in the upcoming season. Beyond that, FR will probably just sit on his couch, drink beer, watch some junior league hockey on TV and spend the offseason relaxing the days away.
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6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
The SHL is taking a stand and trying to do its part in reducing its carbon footprint. One of the proposed ideas is to eliminate back and forth air travel during the Challenge Cup and Four Star Cup finals and instead hold all 4-7 games in one neutral, rotating location a la the Super Bowl. Are you FOR or AGAINST this idea? Why?
I am absolutely AGAINST this idea. I am all for reducing carbon footprint but instead of being stuck in a neutral city I think it would be better to just utilize more carbon neutral transportation services like a speed train or electric buses or something of that nature. That way you still get to have the finals in the home cities for both teams but you also get to see which team really has the stamina and energy to deal with the longer travel days between cities. Plus, can you imagine the teams travelling in party buses to and from host cities? I can almost guarantee that it would be absolutely insane and could put many a stripper through college.
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14. Written, up to 5 TPE Pick up to 5 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words to qualify.
1. Head GMs JayWhy and Grapehead have been GMing for a while, whereas Co GMs Luketd and DaftRaincloud are newer to management - which team's front office staff (including coaches) do you think will provide a strategic edge (lol as if such a thing exists in STHS) in this series?
I know there is a lot to be said for experience, especially when it comes playoff time, but in this instance I think that youth is better served. I think Manhattan’s management has done a spectacular job this season and their youth is allowing them to come up with novel ways of doing things as compared to being stuck in their ways.
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2. Manhattan has been rocking a pretty evenly-distributed ice time for forwards (35-33-32) whereas San Francisco is going a bit more top-heavy (40-40-15). Which approach do you think is better for a fierce Challenge Cup series?
Ultimately I think Manhattan’s approach is the better one. While San Francisco is top heavy for a reason, I think it bodes better for Manhattan that they can run three quality lines. When you really look at it, the difference between 40% and 35 or 33% is only 5 and 7% whereas the difference between 32% and 15% is 17%. Clearly, if Manhattan can get San Francisco’s third liners on the ice for any amount of time Manhattan will hold the decisive edge.
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3. The Rage and the Pride have, in my opinion at least, two of the best logos in the entire SHL. Which team's logo do you like more and why?
I actually prefer the logo for the San Francisco Pride better than the Manhattan Rage and it all comes down to coloring for me. I especially like that the purple and gold of the lion actually has a similar coloring to what an actual lion would look like as opposed to a bright red bull. That is just me though.
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4. What is your favorite player name on either of these two teams and why? (not favorite player/user, just focusing on their player name)
My favorite player name is the Manhattan Rage’s Backdoor Barnacle. It is just a silly and ridiculous name but it absolutely flows off the tongue and has just enough playfulness in it with just enough seriousness in it that it makes it a great name and clearly my top choice for being my favorite.
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5. Would you rather: (a) a chainsaw lesson with JayWhy, (b) a private Gritty meet-and-greet for you and Luke, (c) an all-you-can-eat grape buffet experience with Grapehead, or (d) an hour session where DaftRaincloud shows you everything from his internet history?
I feel like the least dangerous of all these events would be an hour long session where DaftRaincloud shows me everything from his internet history. I caveat that because I know DaftRaincloud is into some totally weird stuff, but if it is only for an hour I feel like I could trudge through it and survive relatively unscarred.
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
This reality is just one of infinite realities existing alongside this one in parallel. Take us over to one of those realities in which everything is the same but these S52 playoffs have unfolded differently. What happened in that reality's playoffs and who's in the Challenge Cup over there?
In an alternate reality the sim was not as garbage and sucky and New England made the playoffs instead of Toronto as things should have been. New England in fact ended up in the top spot in their conference just ahead of the Manhattan Rage, and they breezed along to the conference finals. They made quick work of Hamilton, which thrilled everyone, and then they beat Manhattan in a really tight and hard fought series. New England arrived in the Cup finals and were looking very strong, with lots of scoring power and a strong defense. Things in the West unfolded about the same, with San Francisco being a worthy team and all. The Pride still beat New Orleans and were ready to play New England in what was sure to be a great series. This is the fate the Wolfpack deserved not the nonsense that actually happened. This is what the tests said should happen, but sadly not the real reality.
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2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
You're put in charge of making the casino odds on the Cup winner for next season. Whom are you giving the best and the worst odds to, and what's your reasoning?
New England has such a top tier team and has been just very unlucky in STHS. I would give them 2-1 odds and put them as the favorites to win the first Cup in FHM. They are long overdue for success and they are very strong in all departments. They have 2 players that will be over 2K TPE after trading for Rex Kirkby, and that star power could carry them far. As for the worst odds I would give that to Toronto. Without STHS stopping them from tanking they have no chance, they have like one good player if that. It's like 20-1 at best, maybe even more of a long shot. They just have nothing and in a real, legitimate sim, they wouldn't be anywhere within sight of making the playoffs. They should be rebuilding for a long long time, they're in a bad spot and easily the worst team in the league just by looking at their roster.
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3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
By now, you're probably familiar with the attributes on FHM, and you likely have some sense of what type of build you're going to be aiming for with your player. What one attribute are you going to focus on most? Of all the attributes in the game, what is your player going to strive to be the absolute best at? Why are you picking that specific attribute above all others?
I would like to focus the most on offensive read to help make all of my offensive skills better. This attribute raises your hockey IQ, and will help me to be in the right place to score and to act at the right times, to make the right plays. It will also help me to beat goalies and to read their moments so that I can find the open spots to put the puck in the back of the net. It's obvious why I would pick that, hockey is all about scoring and contributing on the scoresheet. I want to put up more points in FHM and to truly come into my own as a strong, intelligent scorer. The more goals I can make for the team and more plays I can set up that lead to a goal, the better. With offensive read, I can improve a wide array of skills and diversify my skills as a player, strengthening all aspects of my offensive game.
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4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
The Most Generic Prompt of All Time - what is your player looking forward to in the offseason? What are they planning on doing? Training? Relaxing? Testing free agency? Whatever it is, let us know!
In the offseason my player will be training hard, doing a lot of strength training so he can bulk up and be much tougher for next season. That is what New England needs, more of a hard edged warrior who is willing to go to corners, battle for the puck, and play with grit and tenacity. I'm ready to build my pain tolerance and my endurance so I can give 120% on every shift and can make a difference in those key moments when the team needs a hero to step up and make the right play. I'll also be ready to stick up for my teammates if other teams start playing dirty and taking cheap shots, so that they will think twice about going after any of us or trying to take advantage of our lack of an enforcer. We may not have a true enforcer but I will not be fun to deal with, that is for sure. I'm practicing my punches and I will not be the least bit afraid to throw them at another player's face.
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6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
The SHL is taking a stand and trying to do its part in reducing its carbon footprint. One of the proposed ideas is to eliminate back and forth air travel during the Challenge Cup and Four Star Cup finals and instead hold all 4-7 games in one neutral, rotating location a la the Super Bowl. Are you FOR or AGAINST this idea? Why?
I am against this idea, fans love being there for home games and this would eliminate any points to the home field advantage, to being the top seed. We would still travel back and forth, and a lot more, in the regular season and the rest of the playoffs anyways, so what are you accomplishing with this move? It would simply not allow fans to experience that great playoff atmosphere, to have that special moment of being in the building as your team goes for the Cup and takes the ice in the finals. To get to cheer on your team after a long and tough season. It simply would not be a good move for the league.
03-04-2020, 04:32 PM(This post was last modified: 03-04-2020, 04:32 PM by bluesfan55.)
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
This reality is just one of infinite realities existing alongside this one in parallel. Take us over to one of those realities in which everything is the same but these S52 playoffs have unfolded differently. What happened in that reality's playoffs and who's in the Challenge Cup over there?
Welcome to the reality known as "San Francisco pulls a San Francisco", where the Pride do NOT make the run they do in this reality. Instead, they do what they do best: losing in the first round despite being hyped as a possible championship team. It happens every time and none of us are shocked with this one. In this reality, the New England Wolfpack decide not to let the worst team in the league into the playoffs, sweeping Hamilton in the Conference Finals (take that you cheating fucks) to play the resurgent New Orleans Specters, who decide not to pull a New Orleans: they actually win a game 7, beating the Edmonton Blizzard in this reality's Western Conference Finals. It's a great finals matchup that should be close and high-scoring. Much better than the one here to be honest, as the Wolfpack and Specters are arguably the two best teams in the SHL and were unlucky to not make the finals (NOLA) or make the playoffs (NEW you bums).
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2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
You're put in charge of making the casino odds on the Cup winner for next season. Whom are you giving the best and the worst odds to, and what's your reasoning?
Well I'm not good at doing odds. I don't bet, I've never paid attention to gambling (fairly sure it was illegal in the Netherlands but I don't know), and I sure as hell do not think I'd win money if I ever bet on an SHL-related thing. I'm just too virtuous. However, if I was in charge of making the casino odds (my guess is this casino is located in the Atlantic City strip, a truly horrid place), I would be giving the New Orleans Specters the highest odds to win the Cup next season. Sure, I may be biased as a Specters prospect, but this is a team stacked with SHL talent. You've got a forward core of Nicholas Williams, DeMaricus Smyth, Jimmy Slothface, Michael Fox, Mika Mayfield, Lil Manius, and Joe Kurczewski. A young defensive core of Kaspars Claude, Charlie Serpe, Sean Stevenson Jr., Darnell Johnson, and Lyle Odelein III. Not to mention one of the best goalies of all time in Aleister Cain. This is a quite frankly stacked team that won't get fucked over by Simon anymore so they'll be favorites for sure.
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3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
By now, you're probably familiar with the attributes on FHM, and you likely have some sense of what type of build you're going to be aiming for with your player. What one attribute are you going to focus on most? Of all the attributes in the game, what is your player going to strive to be the absolute best at? Why are you picking that specific attribute above all others?
I am going to focus on speed. I want to make sure that van der Heijden is a speedy little son of a bitch who can use his natural speed to skate away from anyone, big or small. While I am planning on making my player well-rounded and good at pretty much everything, speed is going to be one of my highest attributes (around the 14 mark I think), and I think with the new sim high-speed players will be valued more, making my player a SMJHL god. Well-roundedness may be the key to my build, but, as previously mentioned, speedy players may have an upper hand, hence why I plan on making it one of my highest attributes.
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4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
The Most Generic Prompt of All Time - what is your player looking forward to in the offseason? What are they planning on doing? Training? Relaxing? Testing free agency? Whatever it is, let us know!
I'll be preparing for my final SMJHL season with the Amchorage Armada, which is bittersweet. I've spent my whole career with the Armada and have been luck enough to have won a Four Star with them, but I also have been wanting to go up for a while now. However, that urge doesn't mean I won't leave it all on the line this season. The Armada will most likely be my team, with me as the best player, primary scorer, and maybe captain. So I'm brushing up on everything. I'll be on the rink every day to make sure that I won't miss a beat when I return to the ice with my fellow boats. I'll be spending time with my teammates to get to know them better and brush up on my leadership skills. Seeing as we lose Daniel Bischoff, and Augustus Wang, someone is going to have to fill that void both scoring wise and leadership wise. I intend that person to be me through the things I mentioned earlier, especially the teammates aspect. I need to get to know them inside and out if I want to be the best leader I can be, and always show positivity no matter the result. This season is arguably my most important: one last hurrah in the SMJHL. I need to go out with a bang.
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5. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
Which player from the Rage or the Pride would you bet on to win a regular season individual award in a future season? What player and what award? What makes you think they'll live up to their potential and take home the hardware?
Jonas Larsen is a Pride star. Let me just say the dude's been dynamite these playoffs. 7 hits and 1 point is nothing to scoff at, you know? In all seriousness, Dilk is building a great player who will blossom into a bona fide star with FHM. The dude works harder than most people on the site and really cares about his players. Oh, did I mention that he became Grape's co-GM within 3 seasons of being drafted? That's pretty fucking cool. I knew he was gonna be a star from the moment he joined the SFP discord (Lombardi was on the team back then). I expect Larsen to prove it over the next 10 to 15 seasons as he scoops up Dars (when CCII doesn't have them) every season.
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6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
The SHL is taking a stand and trying to do its part in reducing its carbon footprint. One of the proposed ideas is to eliminate back and forth air travel during the Challenge Cup and Four Star Cup finals and instead hold all 4-7 games in one neutral, rotating location a la the Super Bowl. Are you FOR or AGAINST this idea? Why?
I agree with the idea; we need to reduce our carbon footprint in order to enable a better future not only for us but for our children as well. Having the teams (in this case San Francisco and Manhattan) travel cross-country every two games hurts the environment because of the amount of gas released by the airplanes that fly them to and fro. So holding it in one location is easier. Instead of having to fly 2 or 3 times across the country and back, you only have to fly twice: once to the city where it's held and once back home after the series ends. There won't be a time difference struggle either, as the players will not have to change time difference every 4 days. They'll be able to adjust to the local time and get good rest. It's a great idea that the SHL needs to implement in order to better our future.
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7. Written, 1-2 TPE
Our poetry theme this season is a limerick! Write 1 SHL-themed limerick for 1 TPE or 2 SHL-themed limericks for 2 TPE.
there once was a lad named trella
he was a sick, dope little fella
he won a few cups
got caught with the mumps
he retires and sings a cappella
Jenny![[Image: thistidalwave.gif]](http://sig.grumpybumpers.com/host/thistidalwave.gif)
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FINN RHYS ![[Image: hockey__27674.1518661372.1000.1200.jpg?c=2]](https://cdn10.bigcommerce.com/s-ybi5u8mnac/products/732/images/1241/hockey__27674.1518661372.1000.1200.jpg?c=2)
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