(S2) - Weekend PT #5 - Team Bonding

[Kristy95]

Team bonding can be a very important thing but it is hard to generate naturally. Often times it can feel forced and therefore not have the best effect. For our team, we managed to get a really natural way of achieving that bonding moment.

To create some bonding moments, our team went to an amusement park together. We started out going on various roller coasters together and that was lots of fun. Some of the guys weren't huge fans of that though, so they sat out that activity and waited on us. Some of the roller coasters were really crazy and scary.

Afterwards, we spent some time in the calmer areas of the amusement park. We had some great trashy food and got to binge on food that normally we have to avoid (except for maybe the Offensive Line).

After food, we went to some of the smaller areas of the amusement park and spent some time driving go-karts and bumper cars. It was especially great to see different position groups mixing and getting closer, because on the field it can sometimes be easy to just stick with your own position group.

It was a really nice time out and going back to the hotel felt really good and I felt like I had new friends on this team.

[jordan327]

In San Jose, the atmosphere among teammates is especially close, especially between position groups. Every group has their own passtime: for the receivers it is chess, for the defensive backs its water polo, for the linebackers it is cooking competitions. For the lineman, it's dodgeball. Players divide into teams of anywhere from 3-15, depending on how many players are attending that day, and battle it out with rubber balls. Players start behind a line then must run to the middle to pickup a ball and throw it at the other team. If you get hit, you're out and must go and stand on the sidelines. If someone catches your ball, you are out and their team gets to bring in a player who was out before. The game continues until one team no longer has any players. Typically, teams are divided into offensive vs defensive lineman. The defensive lineman typically are more elusive, while the offensive lineman are slower but can throw better. Currently, the defensive lineman have the edge with a 57-55 game lead. The offensive players have been working to improve though; some have taken to hiring pitching coaches in order to improve their throw speeds and nail those pesky defensive lineman.

[Muford]

Something that San Jose has done amid their 4 game losing streak is that they brought the team together very well through team bonding. To help with team bonding, Vincent Sharpei has bought everybody their own gaming PCs and they are set up in an off room connected to the locker room, the teams “man-cave” if you will. Especially after tough losses, a few of the guys go in there and start playing different games to help with team building exercises and stress relief. It isn’t the best thing, but soon enough they will start throwing giant lan parties and run some EVE online, or other MMOs like that. Since they are struggling on the field, the team is going to take it to space and become some of the best space pirates known to man. Another game that the team is looking to get more involved in, is World of Warcraft, just to get the creative juices flowing and become one of the best raid groups in the world. Such high expectations are held for San Jose not just on the field, but also online, that they have to live up to it. San Jose is going to win somewhere or another, and when they do WATCH OUT!

(209 words)

[Esa77]

Arizona is a pretty close team to begin with, they won the Ultimus Trophy as league champions in season 1 which was an incredible bonding experience. However, management likes to keep things fresh and always is looking to find ways to create even stronger team bonds. What better way to do that then with Boobs and Food! During the off-season Arizona Outlaws went on a road trip to all the Hooters restaurants in the south. They chose the south for this trip because it's know to have the women with the biggest boobs. Every single member of the Outlaws took part in this bonding trip, it was mandatory attendance and who would want to skip it anyway. It turned out to be a great time, hundreds maybe thousands of chicken wings and burgers were consumed and probably the same amount of women were leer'd at. We'd speculate at least 6 children were conceived on this trip, 3 by Reg Mackworthy himself. We're hoping there's no repercussions of this during the season but so far so good. This was a great bonding experience for Arizona, coming together to have some fun, eat some food and check out some boobs.

[bovovovo]

Unfortunately, and this may come as a surprise to many people, there isn’t actually a whole lot to do up in Yellowknife, Canada. But the players on the Yellowknife Wraiths make do with what they can… board games, video games, sledding, barbeque cookouts, showing up to community events, the usual “normal” team bonding shenanigans.

The exception, of course, is team trips to the Giant Mine Town Site. Giant Mine, located just a few miles from Yellowknife, is an abandoned mining town that is infamous as a haunted ghost town. Wraiths players have made it a yearly tradition to have a camping trip in the abandoned town, where they explore the abandoned and haunted buildings and mine shafts. Several players swear they have seen ghosts on this trip, and while some take the role of “ghost hunter” deathly seriously, others use the trip as an opportunity to play pranks on their teammates. This year, players locked a few rookies in one of the abandoned mine shafts for about an hour. When the rookies finally emerged, they swore they had heard the ominous “woo’s” of a ghost (little did they know, those “woo’s” were actually coming from star receiver Josh Garden yelling down an airshaft).

(203 words)

[Hypodynamic]

Every tuesday, all members of the Colorado Yeti gather in a team members house, or a predetermined destination that everyone has agreed upon to partake in an activity that we call "complete team portraiture", which is a deeply emotional team bonding exercise. It it a rotating cycle that every single player- bar none- participates in. To begin the weekly gathering, the player whose turn it it to be the team star stands on an elevated podium in the middle of the room. Then, all members of the team paint that team member, in the nude. Yup, you heard me right. We paint the big (or small) man wearing nothing. They are completely birthday suited up. Then, at the conclusion of the session, the player who every player has painted has a chance to take a look at all of the paintings of him, and choose the best one. That is the one that he gets to keep. Well, what do we do with the remaining paintings, you may ask. We burn them. And hey, yeah I know that it is a little weird, but I didn't start it, and it seemed to work for the Yeti last year so I figured: why not?

[SwagSloth]

Despite not having a lot to do in Yellowknife, the Wraiths have found ways to enjoy the colder Canadian climate and bond with local fans in the area. However, no matter what town you find yourself in, every town can find its share of residents frequenting the local bar scene. And, as a former college campus party boy, Eric Kennedy has a hard time escaping that reputation. Teammates typically rope him into a night on the town and, despite his first attempts to fight it, he’s given in. The Wraiths have come to know Kennedy as being one to hold his liquor well, but still make those nights as memorable as possible. The coaches are not very fond of the party lifestyle, but Kennedy and his more rowdy cohorts have adapted the age old manta of “work hard, play hard” and it’s faired okay so far for them, although some local fans aren’t excited to see a pack of Wraiths players in the bar at 2:00 AM given the results of the last few games. Still, Kennedy wouldn’t risk jeopardizing his performance with the Wraiths and he always makes it a point to ensure that the players that go out with him always give their best in practice the next day or they won’t be allowed to attend the next outing. Ultimately, it comes down to a case of burning the candle at both ends and, even if it isn’t affecting performance yet, one has to imagine that these wild nights will begin to take their toll at some point. Perhaps the offseason will give the players a proper chance to recuperate, but for now, the “work hard, play hard” manta continues to be the way of life for these young renegades.

292 Words

[PointGod]

The last Madden 17 Tournament held by the San Jose Sabercats was a whole lot of fun. In fact, it was the five offensive linemen who took part in the action. Ben Longshaw was the winner the last time they did this, so he sat out until the finals. The winner of the bracket would have to challenge Ben for the crown, a title which he relished.

Sammy Walters chose the Seattle Seahawks, as they are a team he always used even back in the old days when they employed Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander.

Braden Sharp used the Carolina Panthers, as he enjoys spamming long throws and QB draws with Cam Newton, probably the best mobile QB in the game.

Vincent Sharpei chose the Cleveland Browns because, well, I actually don't know why he chose them. He was damn good with them though.

Finally, Jordan Yates picked the Chicago Bears in order to try out rookie QB Mitch Trubisky and see how his ratings are in the new game.

In round one, Sammy Walters beat Jordan Yates 27-14. I guess the Bears aren't that good after all. And Vincent Sharpei, using the Browns, actually beat Braden's Seahawks squad.

Walters went on to beat the Browns, though, and it was now time to face off against Longshaw and the Falcons.

This guy is damn good at Madden, and he wiped Sammy off the floor, beating him 35-10. I guess Ben is still the champion and Sammy will have to wait until the next tournament to challenge him again!

[Molarpistols]

The Orange County Otters are a close-knit group of men, dedicated to the fulfillment of their goal, to win the Ultimus Cup.

They weren't always so tight however. Early in the inaugural first season of the National Simulation Football League, the Otters faced struggles. Even in Season Two, the Otters have struggled from time to time. When things truly get rough, the Otters take a weekend trip into the countryside and set up camp.

At this camp, they do many team-building activities, they make smores together, sing campfire songs and enjoy nature.

What many outside the organization don't know, is that at 3:00 am on the last day they are at camp, they go out to an even more secluded part of the woods to small clearing.

In this clearing, a crude statue of an Otter can be found with a small altar beneath. The team forms a procession past the statue and each player leaves a blood sacrifice at the feet of the Otter statue. Once each player has made it past the altar, the Master of Ceremony conducts the final stage of the team-bonding exercise.

Much like in biblical times, a sacrificial animal is laid upon the altar, each player chants in unison, "Otters, Otters, Otters onward to victory. We make this sacrifice to ensure the Otters do not fall." Once the chant is complete, the sacrifice is offered.

Without a word, the Otters return to their camp, filled with the spirit of the Otters.

Code:

248

[YoloSwag420]