Quote:Tier 1: Long Form Tasks (800+ words)
Choose ONE for 10 TPE.
5) Write 800 words or more on something that interests you. It could be related to statistics, to a league issue you take seriously, or a niche part of history that doesn’t fit neatly into either of the above categories. This must be directly related to the league, so don’t wax 800 words about your team’s Werewolf server. Be warned that freedom comes with risk, and this category will be judged especially stringently for anyone trying to spew complete nonsense.
These last few seasons, when it comes to the Ultimus task, I always like to write about the previous season. It’s fresh in my mind and it’s a nice way to put a cap on it. Many times, when I was a GM, I would reflect on my own decisions, but since leaving that role, I’ve come to instead reflect on my own experiences as a player. As a GM, I think the key to success is connecting with your players and keeping them happy. But the irony is that you get so buried in budgets and depth charts that it can become quite easy to see everyone as just cogs in a machine. It takes an effort on the GM and co-GM’s part to keep themselves grounded, so they don’t forget what made them successful in the first place, the players. I think I did a good job of this, but in the process, I lost sight of what I wanted for my own player.
I have, at times, questioned my continuing interest in the league. Not because of anything anyone else has done, but simply because it’s been three years and it’s easy for things to lose the magic after a while. As I often do in real life, within the league, I tend to dedicate myself to others and here that means putting the team first. And I will always consider myself a team player, but I’ve also started to see the magic fade and the excitement of logging in daily just isn’t there anymore. I remember a time when I would read every article, review every transaction, and wait for news within the league with bated breath. This league is a community and the story of the league is driven by the players. But time can dull even the most exciting things.
It was with great reluctance that I tested free agency last season. In doing so, I felt like I was letting my team down, but I already had spent an entire career in one place and I was left questioning if this was the place where I could do the most good. I’ve talked before about the decision to head to Chicago and I don’t want to rehash too much of that because I’ve talked about it before, but I would like to talk about what happened AFTER I joined the team.
The players were engaged and the locker room had a positive atmosphere. The team was in a tough spot, but they were absolutely determined to turn it around. Right off the bat, I could feel a level of energy that made me excited about the league again. I didn’t fully know what role I would play as a player and a teammate, but I was optimistic and looking forward to the opportunities that lay ahead.
The season started out tough. We took several losses early on, including a few that we thought we had a good chance of winning (as many teams often feel, I suppose). But what impressed me the most was that people didn’t let it defeat them. The energy in the locker room didn’t dissipate; it was a challenge, of course, but people found ways to stay focused on the long term goal. We were determined to keep improving for next season even if we couldn’t compete this season. But then, it all started to turn around. We found ourselves slowly getting back in the hunt. The right pieces fell into place and this team that was updating with S25 in mind found that they still had a chance to make the S24 playoffs. It was a long shot and getting past the wild card round would be difficult given that the Colorado Yeti and Sarasota Sailfish were practically juggernauts this season, but even making it to the wildcard round would be a massive step forward for this team. In the end, that was where our journey ended for the season, but we went down fighting in a play-off game that looked like it could go either way. If we only had a few more seconds on the clock, maybe we could have turned it around. That’s not to undercut Sarasota because they played well this season and earned their spot, but to us, it showed the rest of the league that we belonged with the best.
I’m so appreciative to everyone in the locker room. I don’t always talk and sometimes my feedback is rather minimal, but that doesn’t mean I’m not listening. The energy of my team’s locker room keeps me going. And, as a former GM, it makes me proud to see the kind of team spirit that this group has. I haven’t been as active as I usually am; real life has been chaotic and the league comes behind a lot of other things, but my heart is still in it and that’s not something that I knew would be the case at this point. Had I picked the wrong team or ended up somewhere that didn’t motivate me to stay engaged, I could easily be inactive right now. Again, that’s more on me than the league itself as you guys are growing and doing amazing things as a community, but time wears us all down. Nonetheless, I know now that I did pick the right team and I’m so thankful to you guys (and gals) for accepting me as one of your own and bringing back that spark to the league for me. Even if I hadn’t been the max earner I once was, I hope that the player I’ve developed can continue to help contribute to the team and I’ll do my best to keep him relevant going forward.
We made the playoffs this season. Let’s go to the Ultimus next season! Come on, butchers! It’s time to show the rest of the league how the chicken nuggets are made.
987 Words
Thanks to Jangorhino for the sig.