Today I will be interviewing my former Minnesota teammate and OCO player shrub02, without further ado let's get into it.
1)Well let's start with a simple question, how do you feel after completing your first season at this level?
Shrub) My first season with the ISFL was a lot of fun. It's a lot more entertaining than I imagined it would be coming in. This is my first sim league experience so I really didn’t know what to expect. I honestly thought it would be something that I check in on once a week, look at my stats and move on. It turned out to be so much more than that. It feels great to have found a community of great people, especially given I recently moved to a different part of the state and don’t know very many people.
Response: that's good, it's great that you found yourself enjoying your time and you’ve been able to find a community as you’ve moved
2)You were drafted reasonably late in the draft, being drafted 43rd, how did it feel falling that late?
Shrub) Aw man, DSFL draft night was rough for me. Heading into it, I figured that earning skill points was the most important thing. So I put all of my energy into earning TPE and completely neglected the social aspect. In fact I completely ghosted every scout but London’s. And they still didn’t draft me! I actually didn’t mean to ignore everyone. What had happened was London invited me to their LR and I went in and hung out for a bit. But then I kept getting notifications for every message sent. So I muted discord entirely. Turns out other scouts were trying to hit me up too. Whoops. That tanked my draft stock entirely. But to answer your question - and stop my rambling - I was pretty let down. Round one turned into two, three, and four and I was beginning to wonder what I did wrong. It wasn’t until the person announcing the Ducks’ pick (I think it was CC) said that nobody knew who I was that’s when I realized I had messed up. Looking back, it worked out great though because I love being a part of the Grey Ducks.
Response: big brain times from you, and yes I also believed it turned out for the best as you’ve been a big presence in the locker room and I for one am glad you landed in Minn, it has been a great time with you around.
3)After the draft you presumably got to know your team, what was your first thoughts on Minnesota as an organization?
shrub) As you can see from my previous response, I had zero interaction with Minnesota before getting drafted. When I first got there it seemed like everyone had already found the niche. If you haven’t been to Quack chat you really have to check it out. I thought it was crazy. In a good way. I still feel like it's one of the more rowdy LRs. It's always a party up in there. So I lurked, observing, but not really saying much. It really wasn’t until Russ encouraged me to be more active that I started getting into it.
Response: and it’s a good thing you did! It’s great you’ve enjoyed yourself in the madness that is the quack chat, and you’ve been a big part of why it's so mad, and yes anyone reading should stop by.
4)Similarly to the last question, what were your thoughts on your fellow rookies just after you got drafted, and had that changed over the course of the season?
shrub) My first impressions of my fellow ducklings was that we had a great group. It seemed like everyone already knew what they were doing. That was actually a little bit intimidating to me. After I did a collab article with gragg and painted, I realized that I do fit in and went on to participate a lot more. I find it funny that we are known around the league as the Ducks trio (some say gragg’s trio but boo that name is lame). Having a group like that definitely helps in keeping activity levels high.
Response: Yeah it really feels like that everyone inspires each other, and that we don’t want to lose to each other, and you definitely fit in, I can attest to that.
5)Talking about this rookie class, you are a part of one of the biggest development rookie class in the league over the course of the season, was this surprising to you and how did it feel knowing that you were a part of and an integral member of such a great class in terms of development?
shrub) It is cool to think about being a part of such a solid class. Us ducklings put in a lot of work over the season and it paid off. You know we started off the season 0-4, and we finished 6-4, just barely missing the playoffs. That improvement was the result of our hard work. Not just individually but as a unit. So no it wasn’t really surprising to see our success the second half of the season. We encouraged each other to do what we can to purchase equipment. It even became a competition that really did fuel our success. I think this sort of activity level has become a part of the Grey Ducks’ culture and will last for seasons to come.
Response: Ducklings stronk, this class has really been special and I do hope we can influence the culture, and I can’t wait to see where we all reach in our careers.
6) You played as a backup last season, how did you feel about this?
shrub) It was hard coming into the DSFL as a backup. Seeing all of my fellow rookies gaining stats and making a difference on the field could’ve discouraged me from continuing on in the league. But for some reason it motivated me. I decided to try and take the starting spot. I didn’t succeed in that aspect but I’m really glad that I tried because it was one of the factors in me getting more involved. And I found out that I really enjoy everything about the league through those struggles. There’s probably some psychological theory embedded in there but we’ll leave that to the professionals.
Response: I’m glad it sounds like it was a positive thing then, other users really could've dropped off but I think we are all glad that you didn’t.
7)Are you hoping to nail a starting position now as you've changed position?
shrub) I definitely think that Bender will see the field a lot more this season. While TE is a pretty cut and dry position that doesn’t really have the need for a backup to rotate in, there are a lot of opportunities to play as a LB. I’m pretty excited about this. Plus I will already have more TPE than one Otters’ LB when the season starts. So I’m pretty optimistic about getting on the field and actually producing stats this season.
Response: That’s good to hear and we at Minn we are looking forward to seeing you taking the field as a starter and seeing what you can do.
8)As you said, Minnesota went 0-4 to start the campaign, how were you feeling after such a dreadful start and did you think then Minn could have turned it around?
shrub) I was a bit discouraged, I’m not going to lie. But I had also heard that things can change drastically over the course of a season in the DSFL if you get rookies developing at a quick pace. So we figured it was just a matter of time. I think if we would have lost game five then I would have doubted we could turn the season around. Once we got that first win, we knew it was on.
Response: Your confidence was well placed, and it just proves if you work hard who knows what will happen.
9)Minn turned it around after the bad start but ended the season 0-2 to just narrowly miss the playoffs, how did it feel to come so close yet just miss out on the postseason?
shrub) Oh man those last two losses were tough, especially knowing that all we had to do was win one game and we would have been in the playoffs. We had the chance to control our destiny and we gave it to Kansas City instead. They made the most of it. Credit to them, too, making it all the way to the Ultimini. Sometimes that’s just the way things turn out. It was a great experience just to be in that position given how poorly we started off the season.
Response: Yeah congrats to Kansas City, we failed at the last hurdle but its good to hear you took the season in such a positive way.
10)Talking about the season, what were the most memorable moments of the season for you, what moments really stand out looking back on your debut season, personal and team moments, on the field?
shrub) My favorite memories on the field come from the week 10 matchup against Portland. Both as a player and team. At that point in the season we were in the hunt for the playoffs. We needed a win against the best team in our division. It was the game of the week and all the experts predicted we would lose. We didn’t care. The Grey Ducks showed up to win. We were down by 4 heading into the fourth quarter, when we mounted an 8 minute long drive to take the lead. At one point during that drive it was 2nd and 15 or something. Negs dropped back and dumped it to Bender who ended ripping a 19 yard gain for a first down. That was a key play in the drive that secured our victory against the Pythons and legitimized us a true competitor in the DSFL. Also, it was literally Bender’s only good play all season lol.
What about in the locker room?
shrub) As far as the LR goes, there have been too many good times to pick just one. From the reaction chains to up-quack parties after wins, it's all good times. One of the more recent funny moments is when the counting bot died. Everyone in that channel was freaking out and I got blamed for taking the server down, even though my count was right lol. Minnesota’s locker room is just a great place. I definitely plan to stick around even though I’m moving up to the ISFL.
Response: That Python game was fantastic and Bender certainly made an impact in that drive, and it was your fault for the counting bot don’t try to deflect responsibility, smh some people.
11)The ISFL draft has just happened, how do you feel being taken 17th?
shrub) Man, it was a great feeling. I knew that I put in the work to go pretty high but also I wasn’t as active as some across all the discord channels so it was anyone’s guess. For most of the scouting season I was convinced that I would go to Berlin. It wasn’t until late in the game that I started to have a feeling that Orange County would take me. And to move up 26 spots just shows the effort that I put in over the last season. I was a steal in the DSFL draft and now I have expectations. I plan to fulfill them.
Response: the draft spot was deserved and I envision you will deliver on those expectations, and your jump in draft spots show how much you’ve grown into the league.
12)How do you feel about being an Otter?
shrub) I am truly excited about joining OCO. I’m there with my boy gragg and we about to tear it up. There is already a solid foundation in place and I think we will have what it takes to make it to the playoffs and possibly even more. Plus otters are just plain cute.
Response: Otters are cute, and it’s good you are being ambitious, and you better bully gragg for me in OCO
13) And to end off, is CC really that tyrannical?
shrub) Common Cold really isn’t that bad (he threatened me with another beat down if I said otherwise). But no really, he's a cool guy. I didn’t really get to know him very well over the course of the season. I’m actually in the same fantasy league as Cheddar Cheese this season so I’m looking forward to interacting more. Hopefully the beatings go the other way this time.
Response: Criminal Cool seems like a good guy (he’ll kill me if I say different), and it’s good you can keep in contact directly with the fantasy league
Thank you for your time Shrub, I’ve had a great time being your team mate and I can’t wait to see how you do in the future, just play bad against my team pls.
70% - @shrub02, 30% - mango8154 cause he wrote alot
1)Well let's start with a simple question, how do you feel after completing your first season at this level?
Shrub) My first season with the ISFL was a lot of fun. It's a lot more entertaining than I imagined it would be coming in. This is my first sim league experience so I really didn’t know what to expect. I honestly thought it would be something that I check in on once a week, look at my stats and move on. It turned out to be so much more than that. It feels great to have found a community of great people, especially given I recently moved to a different part of the state and don’t know very many people.
Response: that's good, it's great that you found yourself enjoying your time and you’ve been able to find a community as you’ve moved
2)You were drafted reasonably late in the draft, being drafted 43rd, how did it feel falling that late?
Shrub) Aw man, DSFL draft night was rough for me. Heading into it, I figured that earning skill points was the most important thing. So I put all of my energy into earning TPE and completely neglected the social aspect. In fact I completely ghosted every scout but London’s. And they still didn’t draft me! I actually didn’t mean to ignore everyone. What had happened was London invited me to their LR and I went in and hung out for a bit. But then I kept getting notifications for every message sent. So I muted discord entirely. Turns out other scouts were trying to hit me up too. Whoops. That tanked my draft stock entirely. But to answer your question - and stop my rambling - I was pretty let down. Round one turned into two, three, and four and I was beginning to wonder what I did wrong. It wasn’t until the person announcing the Ducks’ pick (I think it was CC) said that nobody knew who I was that’s when I realized I had messed up. Looking back, it worked out great though because I love being a part of the Grey Ducks.
Response: big brain times from you, and yes I also believed it turned out for the best as you’ve been a big presence in the locker room and I for one am glad you landed in Minn, it has been a great time with you around.
3)After the draft you presumably got to know your team, what was your first thoughts on Minnesota as an organization?
shrub) As you can see from my previous response, I had zero interaction with Minnesota before getting drafted. When I first got there it seemed like everyone had already found the niche. If you haven’t been to Quack chat you really have to check it out. I thought it was crazy. In a good way. I still feel like it's one of the more rowdy LRs. It's always a party up in there. So I lurked, observing, but not really saying much. It really wasn’t until Russ encouraged me to be more active that I started getting into it.
Response: and it’s a good thing you did! It’s great you’ve enjoyed yourself in the madness that is the quack chat, and you’ve been a big part of why it's so mad, and yes anyone reading should stop by.
4)Similarly to the last question, what were your thoughts on your fellow rookies just after you got drafted, and had that changed over the course of the season?
shrub) My first impressions of my fellow ducklings was that we had a great group. It seemed like everyone already knew what they were doing. That was actually a little bit intimidating to me. After I did a collab article with gragg and painted, I realized that I do fit in and went on to participate a lot more. I find it funny that we are known around the league as the Ducks trio (some say gragg’s trio but boo that name is lame). Having a group like that definitely helps in keeping activity levels high.
Response: Yeah it really feels like that everyone inspires each other, and that we don’t want to lose to each other, and you definitely fit in, I can attest to that.
5)Talking about this rookie class, you are a part of one of the biggest development rookie class in the league over the course of the season, was this surprising to you and how did it feel knowing that you were a part of and an integral member of such a great class in terms of development?
shrub) It is cool to think about being a part of such a solid class. Us ducklings put in a lot of work over the season and it paid off. You know we started off the season 0-4, and we finished 6-4, just barely missing the playoffs. That improvement was the result of our hard work. Not just individually but as a unit. So no it wasn’t really surprising to see our success the second half of the season. We encouraged each other to do what we can to purchase equipment. It even became a competition that really did fuel our success. I think this sort of activity level has become a part of the Grey Ducks’ culture and will last for seasons to come.
Response: Ducklings stronk, this class has really been special and I do hope we can influence the culture, and I can’t wait to see where we all reach in our careers.
6) You played as a backup last season, how did you feel about this?
shrub) It was hard coming into the DSFL as a backup. Seeing all of my fellow rookies gaining stats and making a difference on the field could’ve discouraged me from continuing on in the league. But for some reason it motivated me. I decided to try and take the starting spot. I didn’t succeed in that aspect but I’m really glad that I tried because it was one of the factors in me getting more involved. And I found out that I really enjoy everything about the league through those struggles. There’s probably some psychological theory embedded in there but we’ll leave that to the professionals.
Response: I’m glad it sounds like it was a positive thing then, other users really could've dropped off but I think we are all glad that you didn’t.
7)Are you hoping to nail a starting position now as you've changed position?
shrub) I definitely think that Bender will see the field a lot more this season. While TE is a pretty cut and dry position that doesn’t really have the need for a backup to rotate in, there are a lot of opportunities to play as a LB. I’m pretty excited about this. Plus I will already have more TPE than one Otters’ LB when the season starts. So I’m pretty optimistic about getting on the field and actually producing stats this season.
Response: That’s good to hear and we at Minn we are looking forward to seeing you taking the field as a starter and seeing what you can do.
8)As you said, Minnesota went 0-4 to start the campaign, how were you feeling after such a dreadful start and did you think then Minn could have turned it around?
shrub) I was a bit discouraged, I’m not going to lie. But I had also heard that things can change drastically over the course of a season in the DSFL if you get rookies developing at a quick pace. So we figured it was just a matter of time. I think if we would have lost game five then I would have doubted we could turn the season around. Once we got that first win, we knew it was on.
Response: Your confidence was well placed, and it just proves if you work hard who knows what will happen.
9)Minn turned it around after the bad start but ended the season 0-2 to just narrowly miss the playoffs, how did it feel to come so close yet just miss out on the postseason?
shrub) Oh man those last two losses were tough, especially knowing that all we had to do was win one game and we would have been in the playoffs. We had the chance to control our destiny and we gave it to Kansas City instead. They made the most of it. Credit to them, too, making it all the way to the Ultimini. Sometimes that’s just the way things turn out. It was a great experience just to be in that position given how poorly we started off the season.
Response: Yeah congrats to Kansas City, we failed at the last hurdle but its good to hear you took the season in such a positive way.
10)Talking about the season, what were the most memorable moments of the season for you, what moments really stand out looking back on your debut season, personal and team moments, on the field?
shrub) My favorite memories on the field come from the week 10 matchup against Portland. Both as a player and team. At that point in the season we were in the hunt for the playoffs. We needed a win against the best team in our division. It was the game of the week and all the experts predicted we would lose. We didn’t care. The Grey Ducks showed up to win. We were down by 4 heading into the fourth quarter, when we mounted an 8 minute long drive to take the lead. At one point during that drive it was 2nd and 15 or something. Negs dropped back and dumped it to Bender who ended ripping a 19 yard gain for a first down. That was a key play in the drive that secured our victory against the Pythons and legitimized us a true competitor in the DSFL. Also, it was literally Bender’s only good play all season lol.
What about in the locker room?
shrub) As far as the LR goes, there have been too many good times to pick just one. From the reaction chains to up-quack parties after wins, it's all good times. One of the more recent funny moments is when the counting bot died. Everyone in that channel was freaking out and I got blamed for taking the server down, even though my count was right lol. Minnesota’s locker room is just a great place. I definitely plan to stick around even though I’m moving up to the ISFL.
Response: That Python game was fantastic and Bender certainly made an impact in that drive, and it was your fault for the counting bot don’t try to deflect responsibility, smh some people.
11)The ISFL draft has just happened, how do you feel being taken 17th?
shrub) Man, it was a great feeling. I knew that I put in the work to go pretty high but also I wasn’t as active as some across all the discord channels so it was anyone’s guess. For most of the scouting season I was convinced that I would go to Berlin. It wasn’t until late in the game that I started to have a feeling that Orange County would take me. And to move up 26 spots just shows the effort that I put in over the last season. I was a steal in the DSFL draft and now I have expectations. I plan to fulfill them.
Response: the draft spot was deserved and I envision you will deliver on those expectations, and your jump in draft spots show how much you’ve grown into the league.
12)How do you feel about being an Otter?
shrub) I am truly excited about joining OCO. I’m there with my boy gragg and we about to tear it up. There is already a solid foundation in place and I think we will have what it takes to make it to the playoffs and possibly even more. Plus otters are just plain cute.
Response: Otters are cute, and it’s good you are being ambitious, and you better bully gragg for me in OCO
13) And to end off, is CC really that tyrannical?
shrub) Common Cold really isn’t that bad (he threatened me with another beat down if I said otherwise). But no really, he's a cool guy. I didn’t really get to know him very well over the course of the season. I’m actually in the same fantasy league as Cheddar Cheese this season so I’m looking forward to interacting more. Hopefully the beatings go the other way this time.
Response: Criminal Cool seems like a good guy (he’ll kill me if I say different), and it’s good you can keep in contact directly with the fantasy league
Thank you for your time Shrub, I’ve had a great time being your team mate and I can’t wait to see how you do in the future, just play bad against my team pls.
70% - @shrub02, 30% - mango8154 cause he wrote alot