Hey, I’m here with General Manager of the Kansas City Coyotes - Matty. Now, surprisingly Matty has agreed to be interviewed by a member of the Norfolk Seawolves, so this should be a treat for you.
Now, your team lost to the Norfolk Seawolves during the Ultimini, tell us how you felt about that?
Well, it was a tough loss for sure. When I game planned for the game the week after the close win over the Royals, I knew it would be a tough game for us to come out on top in - especially after the loss we suffered in Norfolk territory during the regular season. However, I did honestly feel our team had the personnel to pull of an upset when it actually came to game time. The game we played did not come anywhere close to my expectations of the players that is for sure: the penalties we gave up through stupid mistakes were disgraceful, and ultimately made our job much harder than it really should’ve been. However, we’ve went through the game play by play and know if we get such a chance again we won’t be so undisciplined in the big occasions. Definitely a learning experience for everyone on our side.
Even with that difficult loss, however, you and your partner were able to take away the General Managers of the Year award for the 23rd season of the DSFL. Were you surprised by that result? What was your reaction?
I was blown away by both the result and the sheer magnitude of it. We had the first overall pick last season, so the storyline of going from there to the Ultimini in one season was a fun one to be a part of, and may have swayed some votes in our favour. But it is a story that has been seen so much in the DSFL in the past that I am not sure it has as much lustre as it used to. Ultimately, any of the GM tandems this year could have won the award and I would say they had deserved it, because they have been fantastic to work with this season full stop. I guess we were just in the right place at the right time, and I thank my fellow voters for giving me the award in what was undoubtedly such a tight race.
How does it feel as a General Manager to watch your babies grow up, be drafted, and eventually called up to the ISFL?
I would say the primary feeling I have when watching my players being drafted is that of happiness. I know that nothing beats draft time for them in reality, so hearing their name being called - after all the hard work we put in to make sure they are set up for success - is as cathartic for us in the front office as it is for them. These are the guys we put our faith in day-in and day-out to represent our team with pride whenever they pull on the uniform, and to see them get the recognition they deserve by being drafted into the big leagues - it’s special. Of course, on the other side of the coin, we’re always upset to say goodbye to our players when they make the step up, as they become part of our pseudo family of sorts. But they always know that we in KC will welcome them back with open arms to the Locker Room whenever they feel like they want to. If you’re once a Coyote, you’re always a Coyote; and that’s something that will stand long after I am gone from the team.
What is the best piece of advice you have for the Season 25 rookie class?
The biggest piece of advice I have for the rookie class, above all else, is to be an active member as much as you can. We as DSFL GMs love to win of course - there is a reason why we put the work in and do the job in the first place - and as such we would like good earners wherever we can get them. But we also want people who can add an intangible element to our team; that being, the act of adding to the locker room by being a part of it. When you go and look at teams who are fantastic at the DSFL, they are built on the foundations of active members who are there to help each other and make the league fun for themselves and others. It’s an asset that is decently simple in concept, and yet so vital to how players get the most out of the league.
Of course, I should note that I said “be an active member as much as you can.” Real life should always come first, and I’m not advocating for being in Discord 24/7. But the simple act of being there when you can be for your teammates and your GMs will make them extremely happy as the season wears on, and will only serve to make GMs even more thankful for your presence being added in the first place.
You’ve hopefully spent a lot of time over the years scouting a variety of players, what was the funniest answer you’ve ever received to a question?
Well, anyone who has ever been scouted by me knows that I don’t really like the whole questionnaire style of standardised questions used by some teams. It just feels so robotic to me, especially at the DSFL level when you really are drafting for Locker Room fit as much as anything else since you don’t really have a great picture of their actual earning from the season prior. So I tend to kind of scout prospects with an off-the-cuff, ‘touching certain bases’ style which leads to so many weird and wonderful conversations. My favourite answers from my time scouting however, has to be from after the great Strawberry Milk/Chocolate Milk fiasco in Minnesota (our DSFL alliance brethren). That fiasco is likely a story for another time. But for a season I made it my mission to always ask a person’s preferences between Chocolate and Strawberry Milk, and every time I would get a great reaction. Truly the type of question to get a feel for how a player interacts with others, that is for sure.
Alright, so speaking of milkshakes, where do you stand on the, “is a hotdog a sandwich” debate?
Oh so now we’re getting into the tough questions huh? I will stand with the British Sandwich Association on the point that a hotdog is in fact not a sandwich. Now make sure to go to the comments and shout about how I’m wrong and get in a big argument about it!
(I might also steal this for scouting purposes next season, but we will see)
A lot of prospects don’t always ask questions about the teams scouting them - what questions should prospects ask?
I honestly get why prospects don’t ask questions because I was the same when I went through a similar process in the ‘older times’. As a new player to the league, you don’t really know where to start when it comes to asking questions because you don’t know anything really about them. Heck, even now after years in the league I would still struggle to ask questions to GMs and scouts if I was to go back to being a prospect! I guess something simple I like as a question would be something that helps you learn more about the team and its history and shows you want to know more about the league as a whole. As said earlier, DSFL GMs love activity, so showing an interest in learning more about teams and people that make this league what it is will make GMs very interested in you as a player.
You’ve been able to spend some time in the elusive Norfolk locker room. What have you learned? Are you willing to give away trade secrets?
Listen, I don’t ‘guess pass’ and tell. I will not share anything past generic anecdotes about the Locker Room as that would be rude. They allowed me the chance to do something not many players outside of the Norfolk system get to do - in the name of charity too - and for that I am thankful. What I can say is that the people in there are absolutely fantastic. They have made their LR great for an outsider like me and I am glad I have the opportunity to experience it more over the coming season as new recruits are added and more fun times are had.
Are you going to make any changes to the KCC locker room with the new information you’ve learned?
Well, we already had little quality of life changes planned internally for the coming season as we continue to transition from the old ‘Starboy’ regime. I don’t know if I will borrow anything verbatim from Norfolk per say, because outside of those quality of life changes I touched on, I like our Locker Room style - it really is the DSFL home of copy-pastas and bots, and I am proud of having this niche belong to us currently.
Last question: If you only had to pick one anime to watch, for the rest of eternity - all others being destroyed - what would it be and why?
Ah dang, that sure is a tough question. So many good options (that I need to introduce to the good people of Norfolk over this coming season). It really comes down to a question of: do I want something of the best quality to watch forever, or do I wanna watch something that never ends… like One Piece. I would probably go for something on the shorter end of things as those are the shows that I mostly prefer. Since it honestly comes down to my mood at any given time, these are the 3 I would have a tough time choosing between right now to keep while everything else is destroyed:
>Seishun Buta Yaro (aka Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai, no I am not joking stop laughing) is a show that has absolutely nothing to do with bunny girls. Instead, it is an uncharacteristically witty, beautiful journey that has great character work all the way through. Also the theme song (“KIMINOSEI” by the Peggies) is a banger, and no one should ever disagree with this assessment.
>Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru (aka Run With the Wind) is my pick for a sports anime here. Now people would tend to go for Haikyuu over this and that show is probably the best bar none in modern sports anime. But my god, this show is just amazing. It might just have the best character work I’ve seen in all my years of watching shows, and it’s made by Production I.G so you know it looks amazing in every scene. But most of all - it gets you motivated to do work and exercise and all that fun stuff; and if there was ever a time we needed that it was now.
>Sword A- nope I can’t even type it without laughing. What I’m actually going to go for is probably my favourite full-on ‘Moe’/Slice of Life comedy show in K-On. I don’t know what to say about this show other than it is great and I will fight anyone who disagrees. Also the music is too good once you ignore that in-story it’s made by high schoolers who barely know how to pick up a guitar let alone play one. Also also it’s just great at making me happy, and again - there’s no better time for that than now.
There’s so much more that I could talk about here but sadly it’s not Wednesday when I am answering this question so I need to limit myself to just these 3. Also yes I know this is the longest answer of the interview, I’m just saying what needs to be said while I can.
Please give 90% to @Matty7478
Now, your team lost to the Norfolk Seawolves during the Ultimini, tell us how you felt about that?
Well, it was a tough loss for sure. When I game planned for the game the week after the close win over the Royals, I knew it would be a tough game for us to come out on top in - especially after the loss we suffered in Norfolk territory during the regular season. However, I did honestly feel our team had the personnel to pull of an upset when it actually came to game time. The game we played did not come anywhere close to my expectations of the players that is for sure: the penalties we gave up through stupid mistakes were disgraceful, and ultimately made our job much harder than it really should’ve been. However, we’ve went through the game play by play and know if we get such a chance again we won’t be so undisciplined in the big occasions. Definitely a learning experience for everyone on our side.
Even with that difficult loss, however, you and your partner were able to take away the General Managers of the Year award for the 23rd season of the DSFL. Were you surprised by that result? What was your reaction?
I was blown away by both the result and the sheer magnitude of it. We had the first overall pick last season, so the storyline of going from there to the Ultimini in one season was a fun one to be a part of, and may have swayed some votes in our favour. But it is a story that has been seen so much in the DSFL in the past that I am not sure it has as much lustre as it used to. Ultimately, any of the GM tandems this year could have won the award and I would say they had deserved it, because they have been fantastic to work with this season full stop. I guess we were just in the right place at the right time, and I thank my fellow voters for giving me the award in what was undoubtedly such a tight race.
How does it feel as a General Manager to watch your babies grow up, be drafted, and eventually called up to the ISFL?
I would say the primary feeling I have when watching my players being drafted is that of happiness. I know that nothing beats draft time for them in reality, so hearing their name being called - after all the hard work we put in to make sure they are set up for success - is as cathartic for us in the front office as it is for them. These are the guys we put our faith in day-in and day-out to represent our team with pride whenever they pull on the uniform, and to see them get the recognition they deserve by being drafted into the big leagues - it’s special. Of course, on the other side of the coin, we’re always upset to say goodbye to our players when they make the step up, as they become part of our pseudo family of sorts. But they always know that we in KC will welcome them back with open arms to the Locker Room whenever they feel like they want to. If you’re once a Coyote, you’re always a Coyote; and that’s something that will stand long after I am gone from the team.
What is the best piece of advice you have for the Season 25 rookie class?
The biggest piece of advice I have for the rookie class, above all else, is to be an active member as much as you can. We as DSFL GMs love to win of course - there is a reason why we put the work in and do the job in the first place - and as such we would like good earners wherever we can get them. But we also want people who can add an intangible element to our team; that being, the act of adding to the locker room by being a part of it. When you go and look at teams who are fantastic at the DSFL, they are built on the foundations of active members who are there to help each other and make the league fun for themselves and others. It’s an asset that is decently simple in concept, and yet so vital to how players get the most out of the league.
Of course, I should note that I said “be an active member as much as you can.” Real life should always come first, and I’m not advocating for being in Discord 24/7. But the simple act of being there when you can be for your teammates and your GMs will make them extremely happy as the season wears on, and will only serve to make GMs even more thankful for your presence being added in the first place.
You’ve hopefully spent a lot of time over the years scouting a variety of players, what was the funniest answer you’ve ever received to a question?
Well, anyone who has ever been scouted by me knows that I don’t really like the whole questionnaire style of standardised questions used by some teams. It just feels so robotic to me, especially at the DSFL level when you really are drafting for Locker Room fit as much as anything else since you don’t really have a great picture of their actual earning from the season prior. So I tend to kind of scout prospects with an off-the-cuff, ‘touching certain bases’ style which leads to so many weird and wonderful conversations. My favourite answers from my time scouting however, has to be from after the great Strawberry Milk/Chocolate Milk fiasco in Minnesota (our DSFL alliance brethren). That fiasco is likely a story for another time. But for a season I made it my mission to always ask a person’s preferences between Chocolate and Strawberry Milk, and every time I would get a great reaction. Truly the type of question to get a feel for how a player interacts with others, that is for sure.
Alright, so speaking of milkshakes, where do you stand on the, “is a hotdog a sandwich” debate?
Oh so now we’re getting into the tough questions huh? I will stand with the British Sandwich Association on the point that a hotdog is in fact not a sandwich. Now make sure to go to the comments and shout about how I’m wrong and get in a big argument about it!
(I might also steal this for scouting purposes next season, but we will see)
A lot of prospects don’t always ask questions about the teams scouting them - what questions should prospects ask?
I honestly get why prospects don’t ask questions because I was the same when I went through a similar process in the ‘older times’. As a new player to the league, you don’t really know where to start when it comes to asking questions because you don’t know anything really about them. Heck, even now after years in the league I would still struggle to ask questions to GMs and scouts if I was to go back to being a prospect! I guess something simple I like as a question would be something that helps you learn more about the team and its history and shows you want to know more about the league as a whole. As said earlier, DSFL GMs love activity, so showing an interest in learning more about teams and people that make this league what it is will make GMs very interested in you as a player.
You’ve been able to spend some time in the elusive Norfolk locker room. What have you learned? Are you willing to give away trade secrets?
Listen, I don’t ‘guess pass’ and tell. I will not share anything past generic anecdotes about the Locker Room as that would be rude. They allowed me the chance to do something not many players outside of the Norfolk system get to do - in the name of charity too - and for that I am thankful. What I can say is that the people in there are absolutely fantastic. They have made their LR great for an outsider like me and I am glad I have the opportunity to experience it more over the coming season as new recruits are added and more fun times are had.
Are you going to make any changes to the KCC locker room with the new information you’ve learned?
Well, we already had little quality of life changes planned internally for the coming season as we continue to transition from the old ‘Starboy’ regime. I don’t know if I will borrow anything verbatim from Norfolk per say, because outside of those quality of life changes I touched on, I like our Locker Room style - it really is the DSFL home of copy-pastas and bots, and I am proud of having this niche belong to us currently.
Last question: If you only had to pick one anime to watch, for the rest of eternity - all others being destroyed - what would it be and why?
Ah dang, that sure is a tough question. So many good options (that I need to introduce to the good people of Norfolk over this coming season). It really comes down to a question of: do I want something of the best quality to watch forever, or do I wanna watch something that never ends… like One Piece. I would probably go for something on the shorter end of things as those are the shows that I mostly prefer. Since it honestly comes down to my mood at any given time, these are the 3 I would have a tough time choosing between right now to keep while everything else is destroyed:
>Seishun Buta Yaro (aka Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai, no I am not joking stop laughing) is a show that has absolutely nothing to do with bunny girls. Instead, it is an uncharacteristically witty, beautiful journey that has great character work all the way through. Also the theme song (“KIMINOSEI” by the Peggies) is a banger, and no one should ever disagree with this assessment.
>Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru (aka Run With the Wind) is my pick for a sports anime here. Now people would tend to go for Haikyuu over this and that show is probably the best bar none in modern sports anime. But my god, this show is just amazing. It might just have the best character work I’ve seen in all my years of watching shows, and it’s made by Production I.G so you know it looks amazing in every scene. But most of all - it gets you motivated to do work and exercise and all that fun stuff; and if there was ever a time we needed that it was now.
>Sword A- nope I can’t even type it without laughing. What I’m actually going to go for is probably my favourite full-on ‘Moe’/Slice of Life comedy show in K-On. I don’t know what to say about this show other than it is great and I will fight anyone who disagrees. Also the music is too good once you ignore that in-story it’s made by high schoolers who barely know how to pick up a guitar let alone play one. Also also it’s just great at making me happy, and again - there’s no better time for that than now.
There’s so much more that I could talk about here but sadly it’s not Wednesday when I am answering this question so I need to limit myself to just these 3. Also yes I know this is the longest answer of the interview, I’m just saying what needs to be said while I can.
Please give 90% to @Matty7478
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