Tier 1 - Prompt 1
I’ve told this story a few times since it happened, but I was hesitant to mention it before the game had been played. The Ultimini this year meant a lot more to me in the greater context of my sim league journey than casual observers would ever know. So, let me provide some context.
I was drafted by Minnesota over 18 months ago. The GMs at the times were @CLG Rampage and @Dewalt27. They had just taken over after the team saw back to back Ultimini victories in S19 and S20. They had to take on the daunting task of scouting and drafting the ginormous S22 class. I was lucky enough to end up under their wings and was absolutely thrilled! I was drafted by the back2back champs! I’m gunna come in and help continue their winning ways! My balanced linebacker build would surely blend all the best attributes and I’d slot into their roster somewhere. But the season started 3-2 followed by a 5-game slide that put us out of contention. Throughout the early part of the season, I reached out a few times to team leadership about ways I could help? What was I doing wrong? Eventually, Dewalt came to me and asked if I’d be interested in joining the War Room. That day set me on the path to the present day. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Minnesota finished the season 6-8 and missed the playoffs. I took it a bit personally, mostly because I didn’t understand the roster turnover that happens in the DSFL yet. I was determined to come back and help get the ducks back on track in the next season, but San Jose had other plans. In the following season, I helped Minnesota scout and the GMs taught me more and more about the league. That next season, the Ducks returned to the playoffs, but were snuffed out in the Conference Championship. The next few seasons were a bit a blur as I fell into a sort of malaise as far as the DSFL was concerned. I had applied for the GM position a couple of times but was passed up (for better candidates). The War Room had filled up with more great minds and scouts and I started to get lost in the shuffle. I certainly wasn’t participating as much as I used to. If I had continued down that path, I know for a fact I wouldn’t be in the place I am today. Enter one very unlikely savior; @TheCC.
One fateful day, CC DMed me and gave me a dose of his world-famous straight shooting. He said he had noticed that I had fallen off, but he knew I had the juice to do more. There were more words shared, all with the same sentiment. That conversation deserves all the credit for getting me back in gear, and ultimately proving to him that I had what it takes to be his Co-GM. We worked together only for a season, but he gave me the tolls I needed to be confident enough with my new partner in crime, @Crodyman. Together, we pruned some things and built upon a strong War Room. Scouted some incredible users, and began building what would eventually become a championship roster, with the best Locker Room in the league. I even got to draft both of the GMs that drafted me! The night of the S29 Ultimini, the team was in a VC to watch the stream together. It was easily the most hype I had ever been in my time as a player or GM (and I had won 2 rings with SJS by this point). We dominated the game and came away with a ring. And THAT is when the thought popped into my head.
I had considered passing on the GM torch after the following season and possibly pursuing a HO role. There was also a small chance an ISFL GM job was going to open up and I would have applied for that. In either case, I knew the following season would be my last as GM of the Grey Ducks. So when we won the S29 Ultimini, a faint thought crossed my mind about what would be the perfect, storybook ending to my time. What if I left the ducks exactly how I had joined them; as quack-to-quack champions. We got incredibly lucky with the lack of callups and had some sleeper agents activate on defense that helped us manage there. All of the pieces fell into place, and Crody’s brilliant sim mind put them where they needed to be to dominate. And dominate we did. 13-1 is the best season Minnesota has ever seen. And we rode that high into the playoffs. I had accepted the San Jose GM position, so I was officially stepping down at the conclusion of the season. This would be my last chance for the fairytale ending. It was within my grasp. We won the Conference Championship and thought for sure we would end up playing Dallas in the big game. But Tijuana pulled off the upset and set the stage for an Ultimini rematch. In a much tighter affair, the Ducks managed to hold the Luchas off and bring my story to the most satisfying conclusion imaginable.
I think about this often and how incredibly perfect it all is. Now, I’ve got my sights set on trying to bring some of that magic to San Jose and create a new chapter in the story.
I’ve told this story a few times since it happened, but I was hesitant to mention it before the game had been played. The Ultimini this year meant a lot more to me in the greater context of my sim league journey than casual observers would ever know. So, let me provide some context.
I was drafted by Minnesota over 18 months ago. The GMs at the times were @CLG Rampage and @Dewalt27. They had just taken over after the team saw back to back Ultimini victories in S19 and S20. They had to take on the daunting task of scouting and drafting the ginormous S22 class. I was lucky enough to end up under their wings and was absolutely thrilled! I was drafted by the back2back champs! I’m gunna come in and help continue their winning ways! My balanced linebacker build would surely blend all the best attributes and I’d slot into their roster somewhere. But the season started 3-2 followed by a 5-game slide that put us out of contention. Throughout the early part of the season, I reached out a few times to team leadership about ways I could help? What was I doing wrong? Eventually, Dewalt came to me and asked if I’d be interested in joining the War Room. That day set me on the path to the present day. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Minnesota finished the season 6-8 and missed the playoffs. I took it a bit personally, mostly because I didn’t understand the roster turnover that happens in the DSFL yet. I was determined to come back and help get the ducks back on track in the next season, but San Jose had other plans. In the following season, I helped Minnesota scout and the GMs taught me more and more about the league. That next season, the Ducks returned to the playoffs, but were snuffed out in the Conference Championship. The next few seasons were a bit a blur as I fell into a sort of malaise as far as the DSFL was concerned. I had applied for the GM position a couple of times but was passed up (for better candidates). The War Room had filled up with more great minds and scouts and I started to get lost in the shuffle. I certainly wasn’t participating as much as I used to. If I had continued down that path, I know for a fact I wouldn’t be in the place I am today. Enter one very unlikely savior; @TheCC.
One fateful day, CC DMed me and gave me a dose of his world-famous straight shooting. He said he had noticed that I had fallen off, but he knew I had the juice to do more. There were more words shared, all with the same sentiment. That conversation deserves all the credit for getting me back in gear, and ultimately proving to him that I had what it takes to be his Co-GM. We worked together only for a season, but he gave me the tolls I needed to be confident enough with my new partner in crime, @Crodyman. Together, we pruned some things and built upon a strong War Room. Scouted some incredible users, and began building what would eventually become a championship roster, with the best Locker Room in the league. I even got to draft both of the GMs that drafted me! The night of the S29 Ultimini, the team was in a VC to watch the stream together. It was easily the most hype I had ever been in my time as a player or GM (and I had won 2 rings with SJS by this point). We dominated the game and came away with a ring. And THAT is when the thought popped into my head.
I had considered passing on the GM torch after the following season and possibly pursuing a HO role. There was also a small chance an ISFL GM job was going to open up and I would have applied for that. In either case, I knew the following season would be my last as GM of the Grey Ducks. So when we won the S29 Ultimini, a faint thought crossed my mind about what would be the perfect, storybook ending to my time. What if I left the ducks exactly how I had joined them; as quack-to-quack champions. We got incredibly lucky with the lack of callups and had some sleeper agents activate on defense that helped us manage there. All of the pieces fell into place, and Crody’s brilliant sim mind put them where they needed to be to dominate. And dominate we did. 13-1 is the best season Minnesota has ever seen. And we rode that high into the playoffs. I had accepted the San Jose GM position, so I was officially stepping down at the conclusion of the season. This would be my last chance for the fairytale ending. It was within my grasp. We won the Conference Championship and thought for sure we would end up playing Dallas in the big game. But Tijuana pulled off the upset and set the stage for an Ultimini rematch. In a much tighter affair, the Ducks managed to hold the Luchas off and bring my story to the most satisfying conclusion imaginable.
I think about this often and how incredibly perfect it all is. Now, I’ve got my sights set on trying to bring some of that magic to San Jose and create a new chapter in the story.
![[Image: pot1.png]](https://i.postimg.cc/gkK39ckq/pot1.png)
