But the biggest change of all involves new ownership, and the departure of former management colleagues - who've decided for their own personal reasons, to get out of the trials and tribulations of owning an RHL franchise. For some its an easy choice as life continues and the "fantasy" must give way to the reality. After all, those of us who joined this incredible collective as teenagers are now husbands, fathers and slowly but surely approaching middle age. As frightening as that sounds, some of us still persist and try to relive our youth through our participation in This Game.
A while ago through a localized email discussion among the "west side" ownership group, some bits of nostalgia were raised, looking back at how we all got into this mess in the first place. And sure enough, the blame got solely placed on yours truly, the current owner of the Vancouver Olympians (and former RHL South Calgary Spartans, and St. Albert Spartans). For it all began almost seventeen years ago, when huddled in the basement of now Edmonton Eagles owner Chris Bourdeau's parents home, that I mentioned sheepishly that I was playing in a "fantasy league" on the internet. Now back in "those days", the idea of playing over the internet was still very much in its infancy. I can recall I was using a then state-of-the-art 14400 baud modem and 386-powered computer and using a very basic email software called PINE to read up on the latest results of my then FHL-based hockey club.
And when it spurned off to the RHL and the small renegade group was looking for more teams to fill, I approached my then group of school buddies and suggested they join me. How I convinced them to play a text based, no real live game play simulation while we were all engrossed over the then-mind blowing reality of Sega Genesis's NHL93, is still a mystery to me. Some joined the ride for only a short period of time, while Dave (through RHL17) and Chris (still alive and kicking!) are the longest holdouts. I think the pact that we made that one of us had to win the whole darn thing one of these times, is the only thing that is keeping Chris and I in the game. Now if the rest of your owners would just let us capture the trophy just once, I'm sure you will then have your easy pickings of fine young talent such as Kyle Okposo, Jonathan Toews, Jeff Carter, Jordan Eberle, and Mike Richards in a bountiful dispersal draft. :)
And now, its 2010. And I see that I've created a multi-headed Hydra. I think I got the time line straight, and here it is:
Great article, and impressive chart. :) There aren't that many of those trees around, and certainly none as large (or maybe I'm wrong?). I don't know if there are anyone else that are branches of the Myers-Robitaille Victoria tree; that would be how I entered, and I've done a bit of recruiting.. though none that I've known personally.
ReplyDeleteIt would be very interesting to see the tree for the east and mid-west guys (Ted, Mark, Walt, Adam, Jeff, etc).
I'm trying to remember. I started the Victoria branch; then recruited Paul. And I guess I got you aboard later on. But that's about it: we didn't really directly recruited anyone else we knew in Victoria; they all went in the FHL instead :)
ReplyDeleteThe FHL Climate Cartel... now there's a tree. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure there are various other trees out there, would indeed be fun to see them all.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember the specific conversation in my parent's basement that led to this whole thing Jun - perhaps I was still engrossed in the Habs 93 run or we had had too many Canada Coolers.
ReplyDeleteBut it's been quite the ride. This chart though makes me look very fertile... I have to admit it was all Howard who brought the other guys in. Somehow I knew he would enjoy being involved in something like this.
Chris and I were having farewell drinks with a Newfie friend of ours right before an All-Star ball hockey skills competition. The Newfie was showing the Chinese guy how to drink so of course I was slurring 30 seconds after the pitcher arrived. In my drunken state I was telling Chris about this computerized text based hockey simulation I was playing with (all AI) and he said well if you like that stuff you should see what I’m involved with, but with real people, so none of this NHL95 crap where you can trade a minor league guy for Gretzky. Needless to say both of us let down our geek guard. Since then I’ve been raving about it to whoever will listen, friends, co-workers, strangers, my 2 year old daughter, the mailman, etc.
ReplyDeleteI remember approaching Kos with the sales pitch, you can have Nash AND Ovechkin. Victor was totally stoked and needed zero convincing. I had to give Danny courage pills and we spent a month prepping his entry in the league strategy.