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***notorioustig*** · 12-19-2022, 03:00 PM

It feels like not too long ago that the Seattle Argonauts were an idea in my head, an arbitrary team branding on a Google doc I was playing around with over the course of about 6 months. There was a time where the Argonauts were my second choice for an expansion team behind the Montreal Olympiens, a concept I had fallen in love with before even setting my sights on an expansion job because @JSS made a mockup that I loved. Obviously the Greek history theme seemed to be a winner for me, and it was really once I developed the colour scheme, logo concepts, and meaning behind the designs that I started to fall in love with the Argonauts.

When I was named an expansion GM, I was going through a rough time personally after a pretty unpleasant breakup with my then-fiancee, so being able to sink my time into a passion project of building a team from the ground up was exactly what I needed. I remember the day @DrunkenTeddy sent me the first prototype of the Argonauts logo, and it all started to feel real. It wasn't just an idea anymore, especially not when @nour took the finished logo and slapped it on some of the sharpest jerseys in the league. Then the team expansion draft lists came out, and suddenly there was actual work to do.

With a lucky coin flip, we won the right to take @hhh81 1st overall in the expansion draft. The OG Argonaut, the captain of our ship through the days where the franchise needed him most. He set the tone for excellence and even though he didn't get to be part of our first cup last season, his fingerprints were all over it in the legacy he left behind. Other early stars of the team like @lilstifler, @NONAME, @jeffie43, @Gwdjohnson, @Trautner, and @reid all played pivotal parts in us developing past the leaner days of the early Argonauts.

Our very first entry draft also set us up to be the team that we are now. Our 1st pick, @grok, would be our inaugural Co-GM - our second time as a GM team together after we worked together with Detroit. Grok was an Argonaut through and through and it still hurts me that our big trade before last season that helped us win a cup made it necessary for him to go the other way. Next we took the great @ztevans, who ironically did not play a game for the franchise until his final season in the SHL, where he put up a career high in points and scored a series winning goal en route to our loss in the finals to the Atlanta Inferno. Next up was our current captain and lifeblood of the team, the man they call the Beeg Yosh, @"bdu754". He took the C from Darrow and has led the way without missing a beat as the ultimate locker room presence. Finally, in the depths of the draft, we managed to bring a crucial piece into the fold in @Salming, who has been a dominant two-way force and is the one behind our rallying cry, Vamos.

After strong finish to the career of Thomas Vanice post-expansion draft, we were able to bring @JuOSu back home to Seattle as Wendolene Ramsbottom, as well as my current Co-GM. To have someone stick with us from the very beginning like this across two players really means a lot, as it's the exact type of thing I'd set out to build the day I was awarded the franchise.

Another early draft pick that has become a staple is the one and only @Urq660. A late joiner who didn't let his TPE disadvantage get in the way of his enthusiasm even after having to take a short break early in his SMJHL career, and he's clawed his way from being way behind the pack in TPE to being a steadfast defender for us and one of the best LR people we could have asked to have around. I'm so glad you stuck it out Urq, Seattle wouldn't be the same without you.

Over the past several seasons, we've of course been a bit more aggressive in our player procurement. With the massive haul we received in the S61 draft of @efischermann, @"jay2233", and @Sebster setting us up for the future at every position, we needed high quality vets to surround them. @"lespoils" was the consummate leader and vet centreman we needed for a long time. @Tylar came in at the height of his career and set what were then franchise records, an offensive threat unlike what we'd had previously. @krazko and @notoriousTRON came in to give us a level of depth we'd never experienced, giving us some powerhouse seasons on both sides of the puck. We brought in @trashae to steady the blueline for us, and he did just that, giving us the double Murphy back-end.

A team is often only as good as it's goalie, and there's been one guy that's been a near constant for us in Seattle. I acquired @"feeler" from Buffalo and he came in and gave us literal years of service through some very lean years. Eventually he got a little older and we had Seb coming up, so he spread his wings to get some playing time elsewhere. But to have him come back and have him not just be part of the team again, but part of a cup-winning team means so much to me as a GM, as I consider him a pillar of the franchise.

We've had plenty of people come in and make contributions over the years, too many to list off, but I will shout out @Buster, who we selected but never signed in expansion. He made himself at home in the LR anyway, and now we can't get rid of him. If anyone knows a good exorcist please let the next GM know. He did play two seasons for us at the end of his career at least, that was fun.

Then of course we have the trades ahead of last season. Bringing in rivals in @retuperkele, @Festinator, and my long-standing power ranking nemesis @sve7en from LAP was a massive and complicated trade that nearly broke my brain. However, it's been more than worth it even if the new GM never gets to draft again. As well, we added @Mr. Finland from Atlanta, who had just beaten us in the final, and got to see him become a back-to-back Challenge Cup champion and a huge part of our incredible forward corps the past two seasons. I know changing teams is never easy, especially when you're leaving a great team you've had success with, but thanks for coming in and continuing to be incredible people and buying into what we've been doing in Seattle. We wouldn't be what we are without you guys.

To guys like @efischermann, @"jay2233", @Sebster, your time is now, you're the present, your time has come and you're leading the way alongside the vets. Thank you for coming in and being the shot in the arm we needed several seasons ago. @Marcul_le_depanneur and of course my good friend @adamantium, you're the future with all the time in the world left to become Argonauts legends.

It's been an incredible journey taking this team from an idea bouncing around in my head to what we've been able to accomplish together. In our first three seasons combined, we won 63 games. We won 54 this season alone. If you've ever talked hockey with me you probably know I highly value regular season success. Playoffs are chaotic, erratic, and even the best team only has a chance to win. Winning a the President's Trophy in the last sim of the season on my way out is an achievement I wasn't expecting, but hold nearly as dearly as the cup last season because if means that over a full season, we were the best. That's all I ever wanted for this team and to have it be a reality is a great feeling.

So now, at the end of the road for me, there's just one thing left as we get set for the playoffs. Being able to go out as a back-to-back champion would be incredible, and I'd owe it all to the awesome people who have made it possible. No matter what happens, I'm beyond proud of this team and what we've built over the past two and a half years. Thanks for letting me be your GM guys.

In the immortal words of @Salming... Vamos.

Argonauts

Sebster · 12-19-2022, 03:11 PM

good night sweet tigothy

retuperkele · 12-19-2022, 03:20 PM

Remember to feed that goldfish
Vamonos.

Salming · 12-19-2022, 03:44 PM

Beautiful text. Thank you for drafting me to so amazing organisation. Vamos.

notoriousTRON · 12-19-2022, 04:38 PM

\_\_\_

thanks for everything Tig. That cup run was unbelievable!

Sig Cred: Carpy, ML, RainDelay, Donini & Geekusoid

*Buster* · 12-19-2022, 05:03 PM

I’m never fucking leaving

<3

***Citizen of Adraa*** · 12-19-2022, 05:51 PM

12-19-2022, 05:03 PMBuster Wrote: I’m never fucking leaving

<3

we noticed :eye:

***Wally*** · 12-19-2022, 06:40 PM

Cale Amundsen just means nothing. Sad.

<3 Tig, you are amazing!

***notorioustig*** · 12-19-2022, 06:52 PM

12-19-2022, 06:40 PMWally Wrote: Cale Amundsen just means nothing. Sad.

<3 Tig, you are amazing!

I don't think there's been an Argos goalie season as good before or since. A huge part of the team that year, thanks for being part of the ride!

hhh81 · 12-19-2022, 06:53 PM

Argo gang forever! I was honored to have Darrow finish his career with building up Seattle. It was bittersweet when I left for Baltimore, but I'll forever be an Argo. Argonauts