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*The Arizona Rebuild - SwagSloth - 03-12-2019 [div align=\\\"center\\\"][/div] Newly appointed GM Victoria Danvers has made an unprecedented series of moves, trading away cap space and several of the team’s veteran members in exchange for future draft picks and younger players. Though Miss Danvers addressed reporters directly after taking over the role toward the end of S13, she finally broke the media silence that followed her into the off-season and sat down earlier today for an interview. Miss Danvers has requested that we avoid discussing the upcoming S14 Draft due to its sensitive nature and close proximity. However, all other topics were put on the table. Interviewer: Thank you for speaking with us. Obviously, you’ve been very busy since taking over the role. Victoria Danvers: Well, I didn’t step into this role to just continue with business as usual. I’ve said before that I have a vision for this team and I’ve been working hard to make that vision possible. I: People are already calling this season the Arizona rebuild. Are you comfortable with that term? VD: I don’t know why people seem to think of “rebuild” as a dirty word. To some, I guess it’s an admission that the current direction isn’t working, but let’s be honest… it hasn’t been working. In management, you make decisions and you take risks. Sometimes, decisions don’t go the way you expect them to go. Or the way anyone expected them to go for that matter. Quite frankly, a lot of people expected Arizona to take off after their incredible S11 draft, but it didn’t pan out that way for a multitude of reasons. Now, three seasons later, the rookies from that class are left questioning what’s going to change. And it was important for me to show them and the rest of the league that, indeed, big changes are coming. I: It’s been a long time since Arizona has made it to the play-offs. Were you aware of that coming in? And do you attribute that lack of play-off contention to former GMs? VD: Well, yes, I was aware. I don’t know what kind of job candidate I would have been if I weren’t educated on the team’s history. It has been a long time. More specifically, this team hasn’t made the play-offs in 6 seasons. Whether or not any person in particular is to blame is certainly subjective, but regardless of whether this could be been predicted or prevented, we’re still in the situation that we’re in. But my job is to find a new way forward, not to dwell on things that happened in the past. I: To tackle a rebuild of this magnitude, you must have felt that there were several obstacles that couldn’t be overcome with the most recent line-up. Was it a lack of faith in the team’s more established players? Or was there something bigger at play? VD: I don’t think that’s fair to the men who have put their hearts and souls into this team. When I think of men like Bucky Barnes, Viggo Squanch, and Balthazar Crindy, I see men who have left an impact on this sport. Even Alex Selich, who is still a young player, did an incredible amount for this team in his short time here. The truth is that there are a lot of factors that have impacted the team’s success in recent years, things that have already been touched upon countless times. One that I doesn’t get mentioned enough is the dominance of the Otters and Sabercats in recent seasons. There have been several times when we came close to a winning season, only to be faced with the reality that we could have gone 8-6 or 9-5 and still missed the play-offs. It’s important that we analyze past situations in context and I think that, right now, we’re seeing those two teams play at a level that is practically historic. So, it’s not as simple as just putting together a winning season. Timing is everything. And the timing made sense for us to shift directions as quickly as possible. I: Fair point. Regardless, you clear have a bold new direction mapped out for the team. With these recent moves in mind , what are your goals for the next few seasons? VD: Honestly, I know this is going to come across as very pretentious, but I want to be the GM that puts together the blueprint for a rebuild. A lot of people give credit to the New Orleans Second Line for their S5 rebuild, but it still took 4 seasons for the team to become competitive. Personally, I’d like to do that in 2 or 3 years and I think this incredible draft class that’s coming up in S15 is going to give us the opportunity to do exactly that. Specifically, I’d like to be a contender for the play-offs in S15 and possibly even compete for the Ultimus in S16. I: That would be an unbelievably quick rebound. Some would call it impossible. VD: No one ever made waves by being predictable. I’m making big moves because I have big plans. You can call it a rebuild. Maybe the term realignment might be more accurate. But this team has a lot of room for opportunity and I see the building blocks of success already in place. It just requires a leader with enough faith in this roster to take the bigger risks that other teams aren’t willing to take. [div align=\\\"center\\\"][/div] I: With some drastic change taking place, how has that affected locker room morale? Word going around the league has been that the past few seasons have deeply affected morale for many of the players. VD: Well, that’s only natural. Over the past few seasons, unexpected obstacles and personality clashes have done a lot of damage. And that type of damage can cause players to doubt the team’s direction. My desire to shake up this organization didn’t come out of nowhere; it came from conversations with team members and staff. I looked at the way this organization was viewed both from the inside and out and I saw a need for real changes to take effect. And I’m not holding anyone here that doesn’t want to be here. If a player thinks that there’s a better opportunity for them out there, I’m more than happy to give them a chance elsewhere as long as there’s a sensible deal within reach. Now, as far as the current locker room, everyone that’s here is very positive. They’re aware of not only the magnitude of the changes taking place, but also the logic and intent behind the moves that we’re making. These guys are all in on the current strategy and they’re looking forward to heading out onto the field this season to play hard and entertain our fans. In fact, I’m proud to point to many of the re-signings and extensions we did this off-season, including Slim Shady, Steven Moore, and Raymond Vans. All three possess not only incredible talent, but the type of integrity and character we look for in our players. And I think they’re each going to be a big part of this team’s future. I: One name that is starting to receive a lot of buzz is Hike Mughes, who is reportedly doing very well in OTAs after a slump season last year. VD: I’m so proud to see Hike making the type of progress he’s made so far in training. The sophomore slump can be a real thing, but he’s extremely motivated and I think he’s ready to impress a lot of people this season. I’m also proud of Jeffery Murphy, who we’ve brought up from the DSFL to join forces with Hike. These two make a fantastic duo and I think they’re going to develop really well together. I: Finally, I know you don’t want to discuss the S14 draft with it being so close, but I’m sure everyone will be anxious to hear you talk more about it afterwards. That said, you did speak highly of the following draft class. Any more more thoughts on the S15 rookies? VD: Obviously, it’s still too early to name names, but the early scouting reports are very positive. This is the largest draft class we’ve had since the start of the league. That presents some challenges and it’s going to take a lot of work for team scouts to identify the best targets out there, but this is clearly a strong talent pool. We wouldn’t be taking the direction that we’re taking if we didn’t see the stars of the future in this draft. But I’m confident that, not only will this class have a massive impact on the future of the league, but I’m just as confident that Arizona is the right destination for the very best in this class. And I think it’s the team that we’re going to be in S15 is one that many rookies are going to want to be a part of. I: Thank you for speaking with us today. I certainly hope that it won’t be the only time we hear from you this off-season. VD: No need to worry. In fact, I’ve actually got a big announcement lined up soon, but I think it’s important that we keep the focus on the S14 rookies over the next few days. This is a draft that possesses some strong first and second-round talent. And I’m not looking to take the spotlight off of them during their big moment. 1727 Words *The Arizona Rebuild - karl - 03-12-2019