Login

Kraagenskul · 12-01-2021, 10:41 PM

Part 1 Here

    Being new to the SHL, the end of the season wrapped up with Championship Week is a bit of a firehose. Fill out this, fill out that, write a bunch of mini-essays, and then be depressed that you did not make a single milestone because your player is a scrawny punk who could not hit the ice if he fell on it. I tried to stay excited about the SMJHL playoffs, but my heart was not in it anymore because my player was not in it anymore. I still checked into the locker room daily (I sit at a computer all day anyway), figured out how to win lots of money in the Discord blackjack channel, and did check the scores each day to see how the other teams were doing.
    I also started to look at a few parts of the forum I had not explored before. I delved a bit into the history of the assorted teams, checking out all the uniforms and what not. I discovered the Punishments section and daaaaaaayum that is a gold mine of a comments section. While most of it is sarcasm and fun, some of it is pure venom. Y’all need to remember there are other people on the end of the computer, none of which are paying or making any money from this, and you can be critical without being a total asshole. If you are angry, write a retort and do not send it immediately. None of this is worth getting so fired up you end up on Discord talking like that twelve year old kid who fucked my mom after I showed him what was what in Doom. The original, not one of the remakes, I told you I was old. Best part was it was a LAN party.
    Ah, the draft. I am not going to pretend that being drafted by an SHL team gives you the feeling of being drafted by an NHL team, but there is definitely an anticipatory aspect to the experience. I was contacted by several teams, including Calgary, New England, and Atlanta. I will not lie, there was a part of me that was hoping the Wolfpack would grab me. I grew up just outside of Boston and thought it would be fun to be part of the “hometown team.” As for everyone who thought I was a redneck because I used “Y’all” in the last paragraph:

     Anyhows, I was pretty certain I was going to get drafted by Atlanta, mainly because the GM told me straight out that if I was still around in the second round he was taking me, and we had quite a few conversations. Somebody did a rough translation of rookies from FHM to a visual game, let the AI play, and did commentary over it, which was pretty cool. They could not decide if it was pronounced Leavitt as in “level” or “leave”; it is “level.” It is actually an old family name and the real Zebulon Leavitt is my great-great-grandfather.
     Ok, this is getting more autobiography than retrospective, but fan fact: they pay by the word, which is why I never use contractions! That shit adds up! Well, except for “Y’all,” but that was to set up a shitty joke.
     I figure I will still be around in round 2. I was active in my first season but there are SHL veterans with literal years of experience and tons of money in the bank that are sure bets, and my player was a defensive defenseman, not exactly the flashy type player a team goes for early. Sure enough, the night of the draft the second round rolls up and I have not been taken yet. I was at a small dinner event (outside and socially distanced!) and occasionally checking in, waiting for Atlanta to take me. Oh, look they pick next, I will jump on and listen to my name get called and my name is most definitely not Michael Withecheck???
    Instead I see my name two picks later next to some bird. I had not really followed the SHL much and had concentrated on the minor league so I was not savvy with all the teams yet. “Must be another shitty Hawk name.” Just kidding Hamilton, everybody loves ragging on the winners.
     I was drafted by the Baltimore Platoon, a team I had not heard a peep from, with their first pick in the draft. Cool! They contacted me after the draft was over, turns out my former Whaler teammate @DELIRIVM talked me up and they pulled the trigger on me. I had a brief conversation with them, they added me to the locker room, signed a contract and that was that! I talked to the GM of Atlanta as well, he told me he was surprised about Withecheck being available and could not pass him up. I understood and was certainly not angry about anything and wished him well -

AND HEY, LOOK WHICH TEAM IS IN FIRST PLACE IN THE ATLANTIC RIGHT NOW IT IS NOT ATLANTA IT IS THE PLATOON AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, BAP FOREVER!!!

      I kid, I kid, it is all part of the process and actually made me realize that this league can be realistic sometimes. Not being drafted by a team promising to draft me because of a player they never expected to be available, getting drafted by a team I had not been contacted by, and being talked up by a former teammate are all events that happen in real sports leagues. @sakrosankt 's Michael Withecheck is having a great career and has more TPE than I do, so the Inferno certainly did not pick incorrectly. The simulation part of the name is being lived up to.
     Looking back, the draft is easily one of the best parts of the entire process. I know the Home Office peeps and the GMs put a ton of effort and work into them and it shows. I was genuinely excited about getting drafted (I do not get out much) even if I knew it would be a few more months before I got to even play in the “show.” I have not been able to attend many of them because of family commitments during the weekends, but in my opinion they are one of the shining accomplishments of this league. My hat is off to you all. If I was actually wearing one, this isn’t 1950.
     And yes I know that is a contraction.

Part 3 to come soon!

*Zoone16* · 12-02-2021, 09:07 AM

suavemente · 12-02-2021, 12:48 PM

Another great one from a BAPPER

Navigation

Extra Menu

About us