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ATD2025 Draft Thread

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Professor What said:
Anyone ever had performance anxiety with a draft? I was telling Hitru earlier that I feel pressure to improve this year.
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That's normal. And I can only speak for myself here, but I kind of had to get my ass kicked and underperform before becoming extra motivated to take that next step to reevaluate my views on team building. I thought I had a decent ATD start in 2018, 2019 and then with Van in 2020 before taking a noticeable step back in 2021. Wasn't my best performance. Took a year off in 2022 and came back in 2023 extra motivated and along with TC built a gameplan that turned into a championship. Sure it's all just a silly little game but we all love hockey history and we're all competitive in our own way.

So yeah, there may be a little bit anxiety to perform for some of us but its still just a game honoring hockey history. Sometimes you have to lose quite a bit before taking that next step. And sometimes its just the luck of the draw. Sometimes a top 5 team will bow out round 1 simply because of their insane division. But in the end, just try to enjoy the process. This is fun as all hell.
 
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Habsfan18 said:
That's normal. And I can only speak for myself here, but I kind of had to get my ass kicked and underperform before becoming extra motivated to take that next step to reevaluate my views on team building. I thought I had a decent ATD start in 2018, 2019 and then with Van in 2020 before taking a noticeable step back in 2021. Wasn't my best performance. Took a year off in 2022 and came back in 2023 extra motivated and along with TC built a gameplan that turned into a championship. Sure it's all just a silly little game but we all love hockey history and we're all competitive in our own way.

So yeah, there may be a little bit anxiety to perform for some of us but its still just a game honoring hockey history. Sometimes you have to lose quite a bit before taking that next step. And sometimes its just the luck of the draw. Sometimes a top 5 team will bow out round 1 simply because of their insane division. But in the end, just try to enjoy the process. This is fun as all hell.
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Yeah, don't get me wrong. It's definitely fun. I think what's getting to me is that I feel that we have steadily improved in the recent years, and then we won the side draft last year. So, it feels like we should take a step forward this year, and I'm afraid of the disappointment I'll feel if we don't. It's probably taking it too seriously, but as you say, I do have a competitive streak in me, and I love the history. I think there's also a desire to want to honor it.
 
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Professor What said:
Yeah, don't get me wrong. It's definitely fun. I think what's getting to me is that I feel that we have steadily improved in the recent years, and then we won the side draft last year. So, it feels like we should take a step forward this year, and I'm afraid of the disappointment I'll feel if we don't. It's probably taking it too seriously, but as you say, I do have a competitive streak in me, and I love the history. I think there's also a desire to want to honor it.
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Sometimes it's just about how the cards fall. There's a little bit of luck involved sometimes, IMO.

But yeah, I'm probably guilty of taking it all a bit too serious the year before I took my year long ATD break. Sometimes it's humbling experience when you think you built a decent team and everyone rightfully didn't feel the same Lol. So I told myself to stop taking it so serious, and just enjoy the process for what it is. But you best believe I also wanted to come back and prove to myself if anything that I was better than that lol.

But you guys are fine. Don't feel extra pressure that you normally wouldn't feel. Just go with the flow and keep doing what you're doing.
 
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Professor What said:
I feel like I've improved, but it's been slower. And honestly, I think I work better in a tandem. Having someone to bounce ideas off of is very helpful to me.
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I prefer workin in tandem as well. Didn't work out this year as the closer the ATD got I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to participate. But I had a list of people I hoped to work with one day.

So yeah, if anyone reading wants to work together one year keep me in mind and maybe we can make it happen lol

My son is 6. The ultimate plan is for him to become my annual ATD co-pilot some day lol
 
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Habsfan18 said:
I prefer workin in tandem as well. Didn't work out this year as the closer the ATD got I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to participate. But I had a list of people I hoped to work with one day.

So yeah, if anyone reading wants to work together one year keep me in mind and maybe we can make it happen lol
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I would love to partner with you next year.
 
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Habsfan18 said:
I think most of us do. But you were one of the few who seemed to get a hang of this real quick.
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Sturminator taught me how to win this thing and I was open enough to learn from him, instead of being stubborn and pig-headed. This fast-tracked me. I am also competitive by nature, which doesn't hurt. I love making the big moves too, it cost me some drafts but won me some.
 
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BenchBrawl said:
Sturminator taught me how to win this thing and I was open enough to learn from him, instead of being stubborn and pig-headed. This fast-tracked me. I am also competitive by nature, which doesn't hurt. I love making the big moves too, it cost me some drafts but won me some.
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I respected a very ballsy move you made a few years ago even though it didn't work out. I didn't feel like it was a great move all considered, but admired the fact you took that swing. Nobody wants boring in the ATD.
 
spitsfan24 said:
Can't wait until someone pulls a Babcock and forces you to read this in front of us all one day.
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Full transparency, I've been working on my "hockey books brother" @seventieslord to try to get him to come out of retirement to work together for years now. I know i'm not the only one. So far, no dice.

Nah, but I'd love to work with anyone. Working in tandem with a co-GM is great. Working with Van 2 separate years with pages upon pages of team planning and shooting the shit about our personal lives, I had a blast.
 
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Habsfan18 said:
I respected a very ballsy move you made a few years ago even though it didn't work out. I didn't feel like it was a great move all considered, but admired the fact you took that swing. Nobody wants boring in the ATD.
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Don't know which move that is, but yeah, I made some terrible gambles over the years :laugh:
 
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Habsfan18 said:
Full transparency, I've been working on my "hockey books brother" @seventieslord to try to get him to come out of retirement to work together for years now. I know i'm not the only one. So far, no dice.

Nah, but I'd love to work with anyone. Working in tandem with a co-GM is great. Working with Van 2 separate years with pages upon pages of team planning and shooting the shit about our personal lives, I had a blast.
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I tried to get him to co GM too.

My wife is due in 2 weeks so I would have loved to have someone to help out during the craziness. I might miss a pick but I'll bounce back.
 
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Habsfan18 said:
Full transparency, I've been working on my "hockey books brother" @seventieslord to try to get him to come out of retirement to work together for years now. I know i'm not the only one. So far, no dice.

Nah, but I'd love to work with anyone. Working in tandem with a co-GM is great. Working with Van 2 separate years with pages upon pages of team planning and shooting the shit about our personal lives, I had a blast.
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I wish he would come back.
 
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jigglysquishy said:
I tried to get him to co GM too.

My wife is due in 2 weeks so I would have loved to have someone to help out during the craziness. I might miss a pick but I'll bounce back.
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Hey congrats man! That's awesome. Will it be your first child? Enjoy the moment and take it all in. It all happens in a flash. I blinked and my son just turned 6. And most important of all, be as present as possible for your wife. Their lives are impacted much more than ours.
 
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