The Player's Tribune
This has been by far the most challenging few [days] in my [sim league] life. I understood cognitively that I was facing a crossroads in my evolution as a [dot] and as a man, and that it came with exceptionally difficult choices. What I didn’t truly understand, however, was the range of emotions I would feel during this process.The primary mandate I had for myself in making this decision was to have it based on the potential for my growth as a [user] — as that has always steered me in the right direction. But I am also at a point in my life where it is of equal importance to find an opportunity that encourages my evolution as a man: moving out of my comfort zone to a new [virtual] city and community which offers the greatest potential for my contribution and personal growth. With this in mind, I have decided that I am going to join the Austin Copperheads.
I’m from [Brooklyn] originally, but [Baltimore] truly raised me. It taught me so much about family as well as what it means to be a [dot]. There are no words to express what the organization and the community mean to me, and what they will represent in my life and in my heart forever [at least until I quit this, or get a girlfriend]. The memories and friendships are something that go far beyond the game. Those invaluable relationships are what made this deliberation so challenging.
It really pains me to know that I will disappoint so many people with this choice, but I believe I am doing what I feel is the right thing at this point in my [sim] life and my [sim] career.
I will miss [Baltimore], and the [one-season] role I have had in building this remarkable team. I will forever cherish the relationships within the organization — the friends and teammates that I went to war with on the [screen] for [four weeks], and all the fans and people of the community. They have always had my back unconditionally, and I cannot be more grateful for what they have meant to my family and to me.
On a serious note, this was a very exciting, but difficult week to handle. I was so happy to meet so many new people, but then that quickly shifted to nervousness as I had to debate which situation would be best for me and the teammates I were joining. Ultimately, I felt slight discomfort knowing I had to spurn multiple teams, teams I did wish I could play for in this career, that maybe I will down the line do to how upfront they were about how they viewed me.
But, my mission became to create the best mix of talent and open-minded discourse in the locker room. In that mission, I tried to bring other free agents with me to team up on the same team. I ended up getting a mix of what it’s like to be a gm, or any person with high rank, and the pressure builds quick. I’d like to thank each team that spoke out to me in the order they contacted me.
Arizona – I like how Arizona drafts, they stockpile talent. There are certain other trends that kept me reserved from jumping to the desert. The foundation just seemed too fluid at the moment and I wasn’t sure that my addition would correct those issues --- I’d be a band-aid. A lot of variables in play, so to speak, that I was scared to jump into. I’m positive the new GM duo will establish a solid structure and keep Arizona from always falling just short of glory.
New York – the location and logo is fantastic. If I had known more about Woelkers and BWestfield before, they would have been higher up my list. In the end, I let my bias of brand-new teams get the best of me. I don’t want to enter a team with a mindset of “how long before ‘x’ happens so I can get out?” Not saying I would’ve left right away, but I can’t trust everyone to have the same commitment as me on an expansion team.
Austin – one of the strongest pitches I received, I talked to almost half the team, hashed out some old dust-ups, and saw a collective agreement on how the locker room culture should be. I didn’t think I would find a team that would allow to coalesce seamlessly into what I strived for, but Austin has a great blend of flexible thinkers and energetic personalities throughout the roster.
Berlin – I’ve been wit HighHasch for 4 seasons, Dewalt for one, so I was excited to see them get a new team. Like wit New York, I’m positive that the team will become a steady unit within a few months, but I again was scared that everyone didn’t share the eagerness as me. The wounds of last season were still too fresh in my head to risk having a similar situation occur so soon. Not to say it would, but my bias against new teams is creeping in again.
I’d like to thank these teams again for taking initiative for reaching out early. I’ll never forget that for possible future encounters.
Colorado – you guys made this the most difficult out of everybody. The activity in the locker room is tremendous, Syl is great, there are so many quality users involved with the team. It came down to the team being loaded and possibly forcing incumbent players to move aside for me. I’d love to play for a loaded team, but not at the cost of creating dissonance over who gets precedence on playing positions. If I held higher stature in the league, I’m sure it would have been easier to accommodate me properly.
Sarasota – This will be short, not because I didn’t care but because I’ve been following Sarasota all season. Sarasota has talent, I like how they have progressed for a young team, I love how their team is set up everywhere……except the secondary. The Sailfish secondary was a little too light and suffering a little, and after spending a season in a secondary with no true elite defensive back, the memories of frustration were still too fresh in my head. I liked everything Sarasota had to offer, but I could picture my dot being mocked and cursed at(in secret and out of frustration, due to only being competitive) by others, teammates or not, based on all the drama this free agency has caused. I’m not ready to be a CB1 in my timeline just yet.
Philadelphia – simply put, two things had me stay away from Philly: an overloaded secondary that would require players to play out of position or take bench roles without changing the entire defensive philosophy. And Mori stepping down, Caius has been one of the best users period, since I joined, he has helped me several times behind the scenes and has always presented the most level-headed responses. I hope he is okay and stays around, I would not be this good without him.
Orange County --- I can’t lie and say that I was comfortable turning down Orange County, nor that I never had visions of playing there. But my player, myself as a user was too inexperienced to go there right now. My plan is to meet more people and use these next few months growing myself as an asset so that one day no team will not have any reserve trusting me to sit at the table of the franchise decisions. Going there right now I feel would have stunted my growth and made me complacent with just being a high earning user who could piggyback off everyone else’s contributions behind the screens. Laser and Rev were always the most cordial and class GM’s I’ve encountered, and Jeffie’s honesty and straightforward tone assured me that this is a team that not only cares about winning, but cares about how they manifest culture and their perception to others. That discipline and unwavering pride is definitely a plus and adds more motivation on my end.
I’d suggest to any new user that just wants to learn, or communicate and make your name heard, to play the free agent market. Maybe not during expansion seasons when the timeline is delayed and then compacted into a small window because of all the extra roster movement. But this was a great experience and I wish I could play for each team and not have to turn anyone away. The worst part is I got to grow with so many players in the DSFL, and now they are all at different ISFL teams. Like when your high school buddies all get recruited to different colleges and you’re trying to decide the order of which friends will be eliminated from your life for 8 months of each of the next 4 years first. But for now, time to make Dermot Lavelle Jr. look old.
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