Star Wars OPEN Elite League Limmie

Pirates Headlines

• With the 3rd pick of the 296 Elite League Limmie Draft the Carratos Pirates select Fysen Dyshkava, Half Forward, Bar'ton LC [Carratos].
• The Ralltiir Starkillers are on the clock

TAG: @Runjedirun

 

IC: Ty Allin Jr.

I jog around the block, push open our front door, take the steps two at a time and leap onto the sofa next to Anna, “Did I miss anything?”

“You stink,” she says making a face. I always stink after work. Being a busboy isn’t a glamorous job, but it’s honest work. “You have plenty of time to shower, Starkillers aren’t until the 4th pick, right?”

“You still have 6 minutes before the Miners are even on the clock,” I hear my brother’s rational voice explain from the kitchen. An unwelcome reminder that I got married and moved back in with my mom a few months ago. I should be in the lounge at my college dorm watching the draft with my friends, not in my parent’s house with my kid brother constantly hovering.

“Okay, I’ll shower,” I quickly walk down to the basement where Anna and I have our own space. There’s a main bedroom for the two of us and off to the side where my father’s weight room used to be is the beginnings of a nursery. I avoid the room like the plague. Having a baby scares me. I’m not ready. That’s why I pushed so hard for the opportunity to play with the Sandskimmer’s on Tatooine. I don’t want to change diapers or make a house. I’m almost 19 and I want my freedom. That’s not what I tell my family. I tell my family it’s the best opportunity for me to make decent credits. Which is true, it’s just only part of the reason I am so insistent that I want to play so far from home.

I know I’ll miss Anna, but it’s only a few months that I’ll be away. Besides she can visit. This way I’ll have more time to get used to the idea that I’m married, more time to adjust to being a father. The baby is coming in a few months and I’ll have a few weeks to get to know her, before I leave. I pull some fresh clothes out of my closet and hop in the shower. I’m back upstairs sitting on the couch just a few minutes after the draft begins.

I reach out nervously and put my hand on Anna’s protruding belly. She smiles warmly and puts her hand on mine. She moves my hand lower and I feel the baby kick. It takes everything I have not to recoil. “She’s excited for the draft,” Anna says.

Excited certainly isn’t how I feel about the draft this year. Nervous is a better way to describe how I’m feeling. Everyone the Starkillers draft tonight is just my competition to get a job that I’ll look foolish if I don’t succeed in getting one day. There are analysts who think I’m ready for the ELL now, but my father didn’t think so and he knew Limmie. I trust his judgement and I hope one year in the LFL will prepare me for success in the ELL. My father hoped I’d play at least 2 more years of college. We never discussed an alternative to college. Truth is my father hoped I stay long enough to get a degree. He said he always regretted not having one.

That’s another thing I try not to think about. Which is nearly impossible. The memory of my father is everywhere. Knowing what he wanted and expected of me is a hard thing to forget. Mostly I just try to concentrate on Limmie. Whether I want this baby or not, she is my responsibility. I am going to get better at Limmie. I will play for the Starkillers. And I will give her the best life any little girl ever had. I just need one more year to make myself good enough.

My thoughts are interrupted by the Miners first round pick, Revos Lib. I sigh in relief. Top forward is off the board and at least for now she’s not my problem. Hopefully someday I’d face her on the field, then she’d be my problem. A different kind of problem. The kind of problem I could handle, easily.

I take my hand off Anna’s belly and put my arm around her. My feet hurt from being on them for the last eight hours while I bussed tables. I prop them on the caf table while I wait for the Senators pick. My mom’s at work and my sister is out with friends. Meanwhile Ezra is busy making something in the kitchen. I think he’d call them Nachos, but that’s not what I’d call them. He’s into this all plant diet and nothing he makes tastes like it’s supposed to taste. “They’re ready,” he says excitedly as he pulls them out of the oven.

As if on cue my brother’s boyfriend, Diego, knocks on the front door. “Did I miss the sports thing you wanted to watch?” He asks when my brother answers.

“The Ell Draft,” my brother says. “No, you only missed the first pick.”

The Senators pick a Wookiee from a local Coruscant college and the Pirates also take a local to their planet. They take a forward. I’d say this does me another favor, but I know the Starkillers need forwards. They’d be crazy not to take one first. I take deep breath, put my feet back on the floor and sit up straight as our new head coach walks across the stage to make the Starkillers first overall selection.

With her Teaspoon carries a small translator. She roars the pick and the automated voice says, “The Ralltiir Starkillers select Kitte Sot, Druckenwell Technical University.”

I shrug in reaction as if the pick doesn’t phase me. I look over at Anna and she looks back. She’s tense and that’s my fault. I give her a kiss on the side of her head and put my arm back around her. I feel her tension ease a bit. She’s pretending too. She doesn’t want me to leave her here with a baby, in my house, without me. We both pretend this situation is ideal and it’s all going to work out. No, scratch that last part. We are pretending we agree how this first year of our marriage is going to play out. Someday we won’t have to pretend, we will get along and it will all work out.

Tag: @Bardan_Jusik

 

OOC: Many thanks to my daughter who picked this season's opening music for the Rancor Pitt.

​

IC: The Rancor Pitt

"LIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE! On location from the ELL draft on Coruscant! Welcome on into the Rancor Pitt, here on your wave home of the Mando'ade Mercs. I'm Randy the Rancor, he's Justin Pitt. Liz back home on the boards, with Kitterich keeping her company and oh baby are we going to have a lot to talk about today!"

"Draft day baby!

"That's right, draft day here under the bright lights of Coruscant, and frankly I can't think of a better place anywhere to hold this year's draft."

"Mostly because the commish would be killed stepping foot almost anywhere else."

"Hey, I agree with him, got to give the fans what they want..."

"Which means no NPC teams!"

"...and they wants more Mercs...along with a few other teams."

"Can't have a league without those other teams."

"True enough Justin, true enough."

"You're right though, the fans are going to love these home and home games this season, a chance for in season revenge for a team that loses the first game, and a long off season of either pain or joy for the teams that either win or lose both games of a double set with their rivals."

"Going to be interesting, that's for sure. Not sure I like getting rid of the conferences though."

"I don't think any fan from a Skywalker conference team is going to like that, I mean, talk about dominance."

"The age following the Beskar age of limmie might as well be called the Skywalker age."

"I never would have believed that one conference would be so dominant over the other, and of course it was capped off by another Galactic Cup win by a Skywalker team, even if it was the hated Strugglers."

"Now, no more conferences though as with just six teams there simply won;t be enough to justify splitting the league."

"And I get that, I understand the changes, but man... yeah I get the anger out there too."

"That will subside once the season starts I am sure."

"And it starts right here with the draft!"

"Oh, nice segue."

"Thanks, I thought so."

"No, the guy over there has one of those little one man repulsor segues, quite practical I think...what did you think I meant?"

"Never mind."

"K."

"Anyway, the season starts right here with the draft, who do you think the Mercs are looking at?"

"Well, Mercs don't have many holes to fill this offseason..."

"Backup Half back"

"...so I think they will go for best available through..." Justin paused. "Yeah backup halfback, but they can pick that up anytime in the draft, and I'm sure they will, but really they can afford to just grab the best talent and then hold on to that going forward."

"Think we could see some trades from Vizsla tonight?"

"Oh sure, we all knows how much the Mercs front office likes to wheel and deal and this year is no exception. The need isn't there though, which may affect the sense of urgency that often accompanies a trade."

"So we may not see a trade then?"

"Maybe, maybe not, I am sure the desire will be there though."

"Have to find a willing partner too."

"True that, my man, true that."

"So which teams do you think...wait hold on now, here is comes the first pick."

“...Revos Lib, Forward, Norrand University!”

"Oh isn't that adorable!"

"Classy move from an organization rife with front office turmoil right now." Justin took a more cynical look. "Used this as an opportunity to build some goodwill with the fanbase and took an excellent player to boot."

"Revos Lib, I don't know much about her other than she was the highest rated forward on the board."

"Yeah she was, and I know the Mercs thought very highly of her too, highly enough that she was the top rated pick overall for them as well."

"Oh wow, really?"

"Yeah, odd for a team that has no need at offense right now, but from what I understand she interviewed very well, which combined with her obvious skill set made her a no brainer choice at number one."

"Interviewed well?"

"I can't say whether it was the deciding factor for the Miners, but the Mercs were impressed with her pre draft interviews, could have been their little known cultural hatred of lying..."

"Though who knows if that's the case here with Lib."

"...but the Mercs considered her the most honorable of the bunch and a potential "glue player," in addition to her exceptional skills."

"So Mercs missed out here."

"Well they didn't so much as miss out as the Miners didn't miss on their pick. Something they couldn't afford to do, this year more than any other."

"Makes sense, but what about..oh wait hold on here are the Senators with the next pick.

"...select Veedrr, Full Back from the Coruscant Polytechnic Institute."

"Number 3 defender coming into the draft, hometown Wookiee at a position where size is valued."

"Some say over valued."

"I don't think so, you want a big body out there in front of the net helping clear away forwards from in front of your 'keeper, and big bodied fullbacks are the best at out muscling their opposition."

"Unless they get out finessed."

"Which won't be the case with a 'back like Veedrr. He has size, strength and enough agility for the position. All in all a good pick, not splashy, but solid."

"That brings us to Carratos next, what do you think they'll do?"

"Something that will ensure you keep on hating them." Justin laughed.

"Naturally, but do they go offense here? Defense?"

"They could go either way really..."

"And I hate them for that."

"...but one thing I think we can all be sure of given their history, they'll take someone homegrown."

"With the 3rd pick of the 296 Elite League Limmie Draft the Carratos Pirates select Fysen Dyshkava, Half Forward, Bar'ton LC..."

"See!"

"Yeah, well it didn't take a Jedi to predict that..."

"Still, they got the third highest rated forward on the board, and of course someone who knows what it is to be a Pirate."

"It's to be hated by Randy."

"Time will tell whether it was a good pick or if they could have waited and gotten her in a later round, but in the end that's a front officer that doesn't care about such things so long as they get their man or woman."

"OK. so what about the Starkillers now?"

"Right, they have the next pick and the one after the Mercs as well."

"So who do they take with the first of their two first round picks?"

"Well they need offense and defense..."

"Ranked fifth in both last season."

"So I would guess they address both the forwards and backs here with those first two picks, but whether they go offense first or D first is anyone's guess."

"The Ralltiir Starkillers select Kitte Sot, Druckenwell Technical University.”

"So they go offense first, not a bad idea given Sot's ability..."

"She that good?"

"From a proven winner, though they did lose in the GCAA finals, but DTU always has a good program and Sot is pro level ready..."

"That brings us now to the Mercs, I know you mentioned their needs at defense, but the offense could use some youth too..."

"Sure, sure."

"So where do they go?"

Spoiler

"I have no idea..."

OOC: Folks going to let this percolate for the next 24 hours, I'd like to trade out of the pick if I can so if anyone has any offers, now is the time to make them.

 

OOC: Writing this story a little backwards this season Trying something different

GM Approved!



Character Sheet
Name: Wes Rian

Gender: Male

Birth year: 235 ABY 

Physical appearance: Average build, 5'10''

Homeworld: Nar Shaddaa

Relation to Team: Fan



Brief Biography:


Wes Rian is your quintessential Smugglers fan. A blue collar worker who made his living in the steel mills. A beer lover. An ardent lover of the Nar Shaddaa Smugglers. A father. A former husband. A man with many friends and even fewer enemies. A man who would give someone in need the shirt off his back and always help those in need.

Wes is a season ticket holder for the Smugglers. His son, Niall Rian, is the star forward of the squad and it was a proud day when Wes saw Niall hoist the Galactic Cup for the second time in his career against the Rydonni Prime Monarchs. For a moment the Rian's reigned supreme.

Then during the 296 ELL season Wes' health began to decline. He struggled to make it to his son's games. He struggled to pay his bills. He was let go from his job and struggled to make ends meet. The loss of his job and his declining health took their toll. Ultimately Wes passed away at the conclusion of the 296 ELL season a broke and defeated man save for one treasure that he could always point toward in difficult times and be proud: his son.

This is his story.

 

IC: The Rancor Pitt

"I have no idea..."

"Well here is hoping Vizsla does, because here he comes with the pick."

"With the fifth pick of the 296 Elite League Limmie First Year Player Draft, the Mando'ade Mercs select Cert Kess, Half Back from the University of Onderon..."

"Oya, oya, oya!"

"OK, good pick, good pick. Might be a bit of a stretch there at five, but Kess can play the halfback position fairly well, and the Mercs biggest hole there on the roster right now is there at backup halfback, so...I get it."

"...the Ralltiir Starkillers are now on the clock."

TAG: @Runjedirun

 

IC: Ty Allin Jr

The Starkillers should have another pick in just a moment, but the Mercs take seemingly forever with their pick. In order to avoid the spectacle that is my brother and Diego feeding each other plant based nachos I close my eyes and lean my head back. “Ouch,” Anna says.

“What happened?” I ask.

“Baby kicked,” she says. I think back to the day she finally told her parents about the baby.

Several Months Ago

I’m in the room for support. Out of sight. Anna says I shouldn’t be here at all. Curiosity maybe, just as much as support has my attention glued to her data pad. Her mother appears on the screen. “Anna, how are you sweetheart?”

“Um okay I guess,” she says nervously.

“Anna, what’s wrong? Do you miss him? It was the right thing to do. His father was nothing but trouble. You’re going to find someone better. Trust me.”

I realize immediately why Anna didn’t want to tell her parents about the baby. They don’t like me. They never even met me and they don’t like me. They didn’t like my father and they never met him either. I try to suppress my anger. I see tears falling from Anna’s face. I start to go to her, but she shoo’s me off.

“Shut up, Mom,” this is a side of Anna I’ve never seen before. By the look on her mom’s face she’s never seen it either. There’s a long silence. “T.J. and I are still together. I’m having his baby.”

“That’s the craziest idea I’ve ever heard,” Anna’s mother says dismissing the news.

Anna ends the call. She turns around and looks at me. “Now you see why I didn’t want to tell them,” she breaks down in tears.

Present Day

Teaspoon walks back out on the stage awakening me from my trance. She gives a powerful roar and her small droid translates, “With the final pick of the first round in the 296 draft the Ralltiir Starkillers pick Han Soto UC Bella Vistal.”

My brother and I both cheer. This will be a surprise around the league, Soto was ranked 16th among the forwards in this draft. My father had been watching Soto since he was in Junior High and he believed there was something special about him. The pick meant a lot to me, even if he was my competition for a roster spot.

Tag: @Trieste

 

GM Post

HSN Headlines

• BBC Sports releases Bak10 preseason rankings:

1. University of Bakura, Cape Suzette Blue Birds
2. University of Bakura, Gesco City Cubs
3. University of Bakura, Telaan Valley Pioneers
4. Prytis College of Natural Sciences Rangers
5. Tiarest University Burgundy
6. University of Bakura, Salis D'aar Golden Bears
7. University of Evenvale Archers
8. Bakura Fleet Academy Ensigns
9. College of Deredith & Millicent Colonials
10. Atalanta University Titans

• HSN analyst: “I’ll eat my hat if UBCS actually wins a Bak10 championship. Seriously, what is the BBC thinking?”
  • “Sure, if Glencross took a job with them I’d accept that ranking, but there’s no way that the Blue Birds break through in a power conference like this. They’re a D1 team, yeah, but not a power conference D1 team.”
• BBC sees the reigning champions becoming a bottom half team without stalwart defender Weave Evans.
• HSN analyst: “The recruitment of Olivar Kirt to PCNS definitely looks to have influenced their ranking.”

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik

 

GM Post

HSN Headlines

• HSN analysts at draft discuss non-draft prospects.
• Most prominent among them is T.J. Allin, signed to Starkillers organization.
  • HSN draft analyst: “I’d probably put Allin 15th if he were in the draft.”
  • On why ranking so low: “He’s coming into the draft with just one year of college. That’s a hard adjustment for a player to make. It happens, sure, but it takes a really special athlete to be successful so early. If he’d done four years, I think he could have zoomed up the rankings.”

TAG: @Runjedirun Sorry for not thinking to include TJ earlier!

 

IC: Jed Starkrimson
Coruscant

​

“So are you going to buy season tickets?” Ronnie asked.

The four were waiting for the next pick by the Miners. There’d been some momentary excitement for the group when through Cady when the Starkillers had chosen Kitte Sot and Han Soto, but otherwise they hadn’t been that tuned in to the other picks. Sometimes they discussed whether a given player was someone the Miners might have liked to have had available for the first pick of the second round (like Cert Kess, the top half back going into the draft, a position the Miners needed to fill). However, when it came to choosing “adult children,” as Jax called scholar-athletes, there were few sure bets. Sometimes it felt more like getting lucky than anything else, even with all the scouting that teams did.

“It’s tempting,” Jed admitted. For the first time in his adult life Miner season tickets were available for purchase. Ever since he started making enough money to afford them, there’d been a waiting list in the four digits, sometimes as high as five. With what was now the smallest stadium in the ELL, there was always demand for the Miners--until last year when the Miners were just plain bad and fans had given up their season tickets in protest. “But come on. It’s too far to Salis D’aar. It’d take how many hours just to get there and then that same amount back? Plus all the time to get to the Gardens from the transit hub…. Why deal with all that when we can sit at home and watch on the holoprojector?”

“Weren’t you complaining a few years ago about how much you’d like to have Miner season tickets?” Cady pointed out.

“Yeah, but I didn’t actually think I’d have the opportunity to buy them,” Jed rebutted. Cady just rolled her eyes.

“Well you better decide soon,” Ronnie said. “With all five home games in the first six games of the season they’ll be gone before you know it.”

“I probably won’t,” Jed sighed. “It’d be cool, but it’s just not practical.”

Shay Dionne returned to the lectern, leaning against it casually with one elbow. “Well, I think there’s only one thing to say after that pick,” she said and paused.

“Oonta goota, Soto?”

Jed, Ronnie, Jax, and even Cady bust up laughing. They had no idea why that was funny--it just was. It didn’t even make sense, but sometimes the funniest things made no sense.

“But seriously, let’s talk about the fact that my former team--”

“SMUGGGGGGGGGLERS!” someone shouted behind the quartet.

“--decided to trade their first round pick. And good on the Starkillers for taking advantage of them, by the way,” Dionne continued.

“That’s right!” Cady called out. “Woo!”

“But giving up a first round pick...why it’s almost like Addison Karr doesn’t know what to do at the draft without her longtime chief scout,” Dionne said, now with a smile.

“Low blow! Low blow!” somebody objected behind Jed.

“Man, this is not your Cundertol style of drafting,” Jax commented.

“Dionne really likes working the crowd,” Jed agreed.

“But that’s almost certainly not true,” Shay continued. “After all, you’ve got to be tough to hack it on Nar Shaddaa. I’d know. I was there longer than Addison.

“No, I think it’s really because Addison Karr knows what I know: which is that she and the Smugglers can’t handle the player that the Miners are going to pick. They wouldn’t know what to do with a player so talented that they could play almost any position on defense.”

“Oh here we go!” Jed shouted.

“A player who’s so good that Leigh’s going to convert them from full back to half back,” Shay said. “A player that’s ranked as the best defender in this draft. A player who’s going to show every team that passed on them--which, I’d like to remind everyone, is every ELL team--what a critical mistake they just made.

“Addison Karr, you didn’t take this player because, as we like to say from where I’m from, you ain’t woman enough to take my man!”

“Oh snap!” Ronnie yelled, cupping her hands to the side of her mouth and throwing her head back so her words carried.

“With the seventh overall pick of the 296 ELL Draft and the first selection of the second round, the Bakura Miners select…”

Spoiler

“...Hallie Kendriick, Ralltiir University!”

“That’s right!” Cady shouted. “Ralltiir all the way!”

“Dude, that’s the top forward and top defender from the draft!” Jed yelled over the Miner fan celebrations.

“Big risk by Dionne to convert them to half back though,” Jax said.

“They’re so good they’ll be fine!” Cady said. “Ralltiir for the win!”

Kendriick accepted their jersey from Dionne and Cavanaugh. As a being who didn’t have a traditional gender identity, Hallie used the pronouns they, them, and theirs. Hallie was a good enough player that when they asked to be referred to in that way, beings did so.

“All right, that’s enough fun for now,” Dionne said. “The Coruscant Senators return to the clock.”

TAG: @Jedi Gunny and @Vehn because yes I went there--see you in Week 2

 

The Coruscant Senators select Lady Ann Weatherby, Full Forward from Roon College of Sciences

Tag to @galactic-vagabond422

 

As the Miners and the Sens selected humans off the board, boos and chants of 'Let us play.' rang out from the crowd. It seemed the protests weren't quite done yet. Polenta came walking to the stage as the crowd calmed down.

"The Carratos Pirates select Pat Lintra Coner Back, University of Carratos." Another non-human, another Carratosian. It seemed things were returning to average for the Pirates. Maybe it was time to return to them after coming so close and yet so far from anything. "The Ralltiir Starkillers are on the clock."

TAG: @Runjedirun

 

​

"Hi I'm Ken Kitterich with your five by five sports update brought to you by Merr-Sonn, Fill you enemies with primal fear, fill their lungs with fire, Merr-Sonn."

"The sun is out, summer is in the air, college limmie is getting set to start..."

"Oh yeah!"

"... and that means HSN's pre season rankings are out, let's take a look."

"Last year's champions Chadrilla A&M start out the year defending their titile from the top spot..."

"I don't see them holding on to that all season..."

"No? They look pretty good on paper."

"Sure sure, they return a lot of starters, but man there are just too many good teams for them to run the table."

"Meanwhile Justin's StarBucks round out the top five..."

"Two S16 teams in the top five, two from the KAAC..."

"Yeah those two conferences are looking stacked this season."

"University of Bison representing the Big 20 is your number ten team."

"They get a lot of hype, but I don't think they deserve a top ten spot."

"While the consensus pick to win the Bak10, the UBCS Blue Birds, are that conference's highest rated team while the Cubs of UBGC round out the top 25."

"I think those two will flip during the season, the Cubs are pretty decent but I think the Blue Birds are totally over rated."

"I'm Ken Kitterich and this has been your five by five sports update. I'll be back with you next hour at five after the hour but until then more of the Rancor Pitt, right here on the Fandalorian!"

TAG: no one/everyone

---

Pre-season HSN Top 25

1. Chandrila A&M University
2. University of Csilla
3. University of Kashyyyk
4. Wookiee Forrest Institute
5. The Ord Sabaok University
6. Keldabe Military Institute (Mandalore)
7. Cloud City University, Bespin
8. Vertical City University, Nar Shaddaa
9. Republican University
10. University of Bison
11. Coruscant Polytechnic Institute
12. Ralltiir University
13. Eriadu Technical institute
14. Nessem University
15. Gilles College
16. Zehava College, Melida/Daan
17. University of Bakura, Cape Suzette
18. Yag'dhul A&M
19. University of Rattatak
20. Garqi State University
21. University of Zeltros
22. University of Sanbra
23. Cambrielle College, Ralltiir
24. Grand Vulptur System University
25. University of Bakura, Gesco City

 

IC: T.J. Allin

It’s mid second round when the Starkillers are on the clock again. There’s a number of holes we could be filling with this pick. Anything from keeper to midfield. Two forwards in the first round made me doubt we’d chose another tonight. Teaspoon walks back up to the podium and gives a mighty roar, “Ylaine Del Donna Ryloth Ag and Tech University,” her droid translates.

Tag @Bardan_Jusik

 

IC: The Mando'ade Mercs

"With the 11th overall pick of the 296 ELL first year player draft, the Mando'ade Mercs select...Wingo Tella Corner Back out of Coruscant Polytechnic Institute."

"Oya, oya, oya!"

"That team from Nal Hutta's moon is now on the clock."

TAG @Vehn

 

GM Post

HSN Headlines

• Draft day updates: Shay Dionne asked about "let us play" chants in draft hall in light of Bakura's history on non-Human rights.
• Dionne: "I won't apologize for taking the best player available with our pick. Species had no influence in that decision, just like it had no influence with our first pick. It'll have no influence on our third pick."
• With just one pick ahead of the Miners, Dionne was asked if the Miners' top two players remaining include any non-Humans.
  • "I'm not telling you. Addison's not going to get my scouting for free."

TAG: @galactic-vagabond422 @Vehn

 

There was a disturbing silence without Shay Dionne manning the scouting department for the Smugglers. In fact, to the casual observer it looked like the Smugglers were doing absolutely nothing.

“With the 12th pick Nar Shaddaa selects Pippi Knotts Corner Forward, University of Agamar!”

The Crew grumbled. Why hadn’t the Smugglers gone local?

Tag: @Trieste

 

IC: Jed Starkrimson
Coruscant

​

“Looks like Addison Karr needed some bacta after that burn that Dionne delivered at the start of the round,” Ronnie said. Shay’s old team had gone right up to the limit in their time on the clock.

Jax high-fived Ronnie over the joke. “Nice one.”

“Well, well, well,” Dionne said, surveying the draft hall, “round three. The round nobody cares about. The round where beings turn off their holoprojectors.

“Wrong!” she declared.

“Round three is where you make or break your draft, and every one of you here knows that! That’s why you’re still here, the diehard fans!”

Jed, Jax, Ronnie, and Cady yelled an affirmative response that didn’t resemble words. Yes, the draft had been long, but it had been more fun than they could have possibly imagined.

“Round three is where champions are made,” Dionne continued, “and that means the Miners.

“With the thirteenth pick of the 296 ELL Draft, the Bakura Miners select…”

Spoiler

”...295 GCAA champion and HSN’s top-ranked goalkeeper of the 296 draft, Ahona Va, Chandrila A&M University!” Dionne announced triumphantly.

Jed, Jax, and Ronnie jumped up and down with incoherent babblings of joy.

#1 forward.

#1 defender.

#1 goalkeeper.

The Miners had gotten them all this draft.

“You know you still have to, oh, I don’t know, win games this season, right?” Cady pointed out with crossed arms, but she was still smiling. This very well could be the high point of the entire season for the Miners and her friends should enjoy it while they could.

“The Coruscant Senators are on the clock now,” Dionne said, the jersey presentation ceremony with Cavanaugh finished. “See you all on the field.”

---

“BEST. DRAFT. EVER!” Jed hollered inside the crowded bar.

The draft concluded, the four had left, unwilling for such an awesome--no, legendary--day to be over. Other fans seemed to feel the same way, for the bar was packed with jerseys and team apparel for all six ELL teams. If Jed hadn’t shouted, it’s doubtful that even his friends could have heard him with so much going on in the bar. It was going to be a good night for the proprietors, proof that the draft brought an economic boom to the host world.

“We need to celebrate,” Jax insisted. “Hauling down number one ranked players at three positions? No team’s ever done it before! The Miners hands down won this draft.”

“Not if they just tank it again,” Cady pointed out. She was pretty happy with the Starkillers’ work this draft season. They’d pulled in some players who looked like real champions, potential MVPs and record-setters. “Drafts are only as good as the results they bring.”

“But this one also brings shots!” Ronnie declared, hopping over to the table, precariously carrying four shot glasses with liquid oscillating back and forth from the journey between the bar and their table.

“Oh come on. Shots?” Jed groaned.

“Shots are perfect draft celebration drinks!” Jax argued.

“And how are we going to have a nuanced discussion of how every team did,” Jed protested, “whether they overlooked critical gaps in their rosters, if—”

“Blah blah blah blah blah,” Ronnie interrupted. “That’s boring stuff for HSN to do tomorrow morning. Tonight’s about celebrating being at the greatest draft in Miners history!”

“Yeah, that’s your problem Jed: you think too much. In fact, you overthink things sometimes,” Jax pressed.

“Hey, hey, hold on,” Cady stepped in. “That’s not true.”

“Thank you Cady,” Jed said.

“Jed overthinks things all the time,” Cady said. “Come on! Lighten up! Enjoy the night! In fact, I think you should do all four shots right now.”

“Come on, I’m not in college anymore,” Jed said.

“Drink, drink, drink!” Ronnie started chanting.

“Back in college I could only do three shots in a row,” Jed continued.

“Drink, drink, drink!” Jax joined in.

“So clearly I could do all four shots now!” Jed finished.

“Drink, drink, drink!” Cady added into the chorus.

Jed took the first shot. “See, you’ve all gravely miscalculated.” Jed took the second shot. “This brain is not an average brain.” Jed took the third shot. “This brain cannot be stopped.” Jed took the fourth shot. “This brain—”

And that was the last thing that Jed remembered.

TAG: @Jedi Gunny @Runjedirun @Vehn

 

“The Coruscant Senators select Yorl Falso, Half Forward from Cho’fin Tech.”

TAG: @galactic-vagabond422

 

GM Post
Coruscant

"As we wait for the next selection," Lokensgaard said, coming out between the Coruscant and Carratos selections, "I think now is an appropriate time to make an announcement about the coming season. As you know, the structure of our awards will look different this season." There were some boos from fans unhappy with the change. One large part of that number were the Coruscanti who thought that Jipoly Numifolis's legacy was being disrespected by the elimination of the playoff MVP award that bore his name.

"As part of that restructuring, we found ourselves with a new award: one that would honor either a head coach or a general manager. Over the years, there have been several beings who have carried both titles. One, however, in particular, came to mind. Someone with a legacy in the ELL akin to Martin Vigo: one of the great beings ever associated with the game.

"It is my pleasure to announce, here on Coruscant, that the award honoring either a head coach or a general manager to be awarded at the end of this season will be..."

Spoiler

"...the Gark S'rily Award."

Above the cheers that followed, Lokensgaard continued. "Before taking this step, we spoke with Mr. S'rily himself. It can be a tricky thing honoring a living legend and we only wanted to take this step with his consent. I look forward to presenting the first Gark S'rily Award in advance of the Galactic Cup later this year."

TAG: @Jedi Gunny

 

GM Post

HSN Headlines

• Excerpts from BBC Sports’ interview with Shay Dionne, her first after the 296 Draft.
• “I’d call it an unqualified success. We got every player we wanted.”
• “These are the players that, with our call ups from Cloud City, Leigh and I think are going to be able to execute her system.”
• “I’ve heard some outlets saying that our draft grade is A++. I’ll take it.”
• When asked if Marnie Blake’s job is in danger: “It’s Marnie’s job to keep. But if she loses it, Va’s going to get her shot.”
• On what she feels is a realistic expectation for the Miners this season: “Ask me after training camp.”

TAG: None

 

As Knots was drafted by the Smugglers more boos erupted, more chants of 'Let us Play' rained down. This was not a draft to be taking humans, even if they were the best choices in the draft. Though it was speculated that if you looked to where the chants were the loudest you would find burgundy and olive. The same colors worn by the protestors that were a constant fixture at Miner's, Smugglers, and Starkiller home games. Many would point to the Pirates as a model, going for the local players and not worrying about whether they were the 'best', they were the best for the team. The Pirates had won three rings do that. The fact that their top player was born and raised on Denon doesn't seem to phase them. She was Carratosian, in her heart.

Polenta walked to the stage one last time a smile on his face.

"With the fifthteenth pick of the 296 ELL Draft the Pirates select...Sy Jaxston Forward, Norand University." Another local another non-human, a statement made. With the massacre over the offseason, and now these picks it was clear it was a course correction. A return to Go Local, a team that better represented the planet they played for. Because despite everything, all the trappings of being a sports franchise, it was really Carratos LC.

"The Ralltiir Starkillers are on the clock."

TAG: @Runjedirun

 

IC Ty Allin Jr

Anna and I are exchanging yawns but determined to see this draft through. Third round pick will likely be a teammate on Tatooine, after all. For the final time Teaspoon walks across the stage and shuts up those annoying chants for at least a moment with another bold roar. "Ariel Power, Ackbar Air Fleet College," her Droid translates to basic.

Not a surprise, Lawco the Starkillers longtime midfield partner of my uncle Tomas has an expiring contract at the end of next season.

"Can we go to bed now?" Anna asks.

"Only two picks left," I say. "I'm gonna see this through."

Tag: @Bardan_Jusik

 

IC: The Mando'ade Mercs

"With the 17th overall pick of the 296 ELL first year player draft, the Mando'ade Mercs select...Bajai Brirs, forward from Keldabe Military Institute!"

"Oya, oya, oya!"

"That team from Nal Hutta's moon is once again on the clock."

TAG: @Vehn

 

“With the 18th pick of the 296 ELL draft the Nar Shaddaa Smugglers select Jayne Sommers Forward, VCU!” Addison Karr announced and then added, “We take care of our own on the Smugglers Moon. We may be all human but we are definitely all victorious when Nar Shaddaa wins!”

The Crew, many of them non human, cheered. They didn’t care if their team wasn’t diverse. All they cares about was winning.

TagTrieste

 

Starkillers Headlines

• Tomas Vigo announces the birth of daughters Madeline and Lucielle
• Starkillers and T. Vigo agree to a 3 year 270 million credit contract
• GM Richard Vigo comments on his brother's contract "When you have the best midfielder on the market you have to pay him." And on the new additions to his brother's family. "My nieces are beautiful. We are all blessed by their arrival."

Tags: none