In this installment of In The Driver’s Seat, I had the pleasure of speaking with B++, FM of the Spartans. B++ is a very busy man within the MLE, working in the Development Team, 4mans, Admissions, etc. Luckily enough, he had enough time to squeeze me in to his schedule, which resulted in a great conversation for you readers.

When did you join MLE?

Season 8 I believe, with the AL Foxes. I was their first-round draft pick and then I ranked out almost immediately so that was fun.

What has been your record as an FM?

The Spartans have had a team finish last in the league for 3 seasons now, so that gives you a good idea of what our record is. We’ve always just had one team that does not do well. But other than that we’ve been about even.

What is your go-to Rocket League car?

Typical Octane with all the white items I have, or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers decal.

Which is the better game mode, 2s or 3s?

I’ve always liked 3s but ever since I joined MLE I’ve liked 2s a lot more, and I have gotten much better at it. However, I still enjoy 3s.

What is the best nonstandard mode?

Has to be dropshot. That’s the only one I really play. But the worst one has to be hoops, I don’t know how anyone plays it.

What is your favorite MLE memory?

Probably my first win with the Foxes. It was in AL and it was me and Crossfire in our first week. Not only did Crossfire pop off, but I did as well. I think I had like three clip-worthy saves.

Do you have a favorite Hobby outside of Rocket League?

Definitely, programming, as I’m on the Development Team. But I have been playing a lot of F1 and Eve Online recently on the games side of things.

What is the best part of being an FM?

One, managing the team, I just really like managing teams. At some times it feels like a football manager sim, but you’re dealing with real people instead of a virtual Ronaldo being signed for millions of dollars. Also, I have just met so many people that I wouldn’t have met otherwise.

What is the hardest part of being an FM?

Keeping morale up if the season goes badly. For example, it got bad for FL last season to have them play their games and continue to function as a team when they had been eliminated from playoff contention so early. 

What is the best part of being on the Spartans?

We are pretty cool and we have a nice helmet. But in all seriousness, all the people we have are pretty chill, mostly because I’ve picked up players who are a bit more laid back. Everyone’s just super nice.

How has being so involved within MLE and 4mans impacted you personally?

Most of the things I do in MLE extend from 4mans. Fridge gave me the opportunity to be a session runner and I was able to just roll with it. From there I just tried to get involved as best I could in MLE, and my name recognition from 4mans helped out a lot there. Without 4mans, I don’t think I would be where I am now.

How has the experience of working with the Development Team helped you as a programmer? 

Joining the Development Team has helped me a lot outside MLE as I’m in college right now for IT. Soviet and Zach have been a tremendous help in helping me improve as a programmer since they’re both in the field. Specifically, the experience has helped me learn a lot more about Javascript.

There are a lot of people involved in making MLE run smoothly. Goldentornado17, as head of the stats team, is one of those people. But along with managing stats, Goldentornado17 manages the two-time MLE champion Hurricanes. KyleCornDog recently got to chat with this new Franchise Manager and find out a little bit more about them in this edition of In The Driver’s Seat.

We’ll start with a relatively easy question; When did you join MLE?

Ha! That’s not an easy one! The end of season 8, I think. I’m pretty sure it was after the season ended but before the start of season 9.

 What has been your record as a player and now as an FM?

As a player, Squanchy and I won the season 10 CL championship. As an FM, I haven’t been an FM super long, but I feel like this season is going pretty well so far. We’re in the top half of pretty much every league. Some of our teams are doing pretty good, so I feel like we’re off to a good start.

So this is your first full season as an FM?

I was interim FM/GM for the Bears last season and spent half the season with them. My friend Hershey became the GM of the Hurricanes in season 10 and I was just a captain. I did a ton of work with Squanchy and Hershey running the team. Then last season I was the AGM for half the season, then I went to the Bears, and now I’m back with the Hurricanes!

What is your go-to/favorite Rocket League car?

Oh man, I literally, today, played 3 different cars, because I wasn’t feeling it in the Octane, so I tried the Fennec and the Dominus. Probably, I play the Fennec more than anything else now. But I go between Fennec, Octane, and Dominus a lot. I don’t know if I have a main car, I kind of just play all of them.

Which is the better game mode, 2s or 3s?

3s for sure. I feel like 3s requires more teamwork, and 2s I feel like it is ball chasing and mechanics. 3s is a lot more about positioning and boost management. I think 3s is more strategic, and I enjoy that aspect.

What is the best nonstandard mode?

Um, probably Dropshot because I never play any of them, because I hate the other ones, haha. That’s pretty much it. I can’t even remember the last time I played Dropshot though. I played Snowday the other day and I hated it! I played one round of it and I was like “nope.” I guess Hoops is okay…Yeah, I don’t know, I never play them, so we’ll just put Dropshot.

What is your favorite MLE memory?

Winning the championship, definitely, and just that whole run. I don’t know if you know, but Squanchy and I are actually brothers, and it was so fun. At the end of the season, we got reverse swept by the Blizzard on stream for the final series of the regular season. We were just like, “…crap.” After that, we just worked our butts off and played so much together and practiced so hard and ended up winning the championship! That was really special and it was a lot of fun. I think we were the first brothers to win a championship, at least that we know of.

Do you have a favorite Hobby outside of Rocket League?

I like to do woodworking stuff. Wood is so expensive right now, I haven’t been able to do it in like 5 months. I got into carpentry and I built my computer desk, an end table, and some other things, but I haven’t been able to get back to it. I’m waiting for the outrageous prices of wood to come down before I start up again.

Wait, how expensive are we talking?

A piece of plywood here in Ohio used to cost $30; now it’s over $100. It’s nuts. It’s on the back burner for now, unfortunately. I’m not very good at it, but it’s fun. I like doing stuff with my hands and it’s a change of pace.

What is the best part of being an FM?

I think it’s a lot of fun to lead the franchise. I just like being able to work hard and get good groups of guys together and let them have fun and play Rocket League. It’s really rewarding to see them have success, and it’s a lot of fun to be a part of that.

What is the hardest part of being an FM?

Oh, definitely the scheduling. This season with doubleheaders is a lot. In the past, it was hard to figure out pairings. This season not having a pairing requirement has been so nice, but the pure volume of games has made it more challenging. It’s hard to get everyone’s schedule, get them to save replays, and to show up on time. It’s a lot to manage, even with staff, but it’s not too bad overall. Just requires a lot of work. Right now, Squanchy and I are in the process of teaching our captains how to do it all. It takes patience, and we’re mostly hands-off, but of course, there are deadlines that we have to meet.

What is the best part of being on the Hurricanes?

We have a small private server and it has a really good vibe, I love it. We have a lot of fun together. The Hurricanes since I’ve been here have built a culture that’s competitive and wants to win, but we can also joke around and be stupid together. We definitely have an expectation to make the playoffs.

What’s your favorite part of being on the Stats team?

I was actually just promoted to Stats team lead, and the team is great. It’s a bunch of people enjoying various projects such as Elo, community stats, Star of the Week, production stats, etc. I’m a bit more mathematically inclined, and it’s been fun to take that to Rocket League. Yeah, you could say I’m scratching my mathematical itch. I follow the NFL and there’s a lot of analytics and stats that are just really interesting. To take that type of data into a league I’m actually playing in is fun to have debates about players and teams, and looking at the different ways we can rank people. Of course, there are the more important things like Elo and really revamping that system. It’s been really rewarding to see how Elo has developed, and, in my opinion, it has been a wild success. We’re still monitoring it, tinkering [with] it, and improving it for the future.

What’s the next thing you’d like to see in MLE?

Oooh (dramatic pause). That’s a good question. After we feel like we’ve got a good sense of how to run Rocket League, I would like to see new games like Valorant or Apex Legends. It would be fun to take this community to other games. I would enjoy it from a stats team perspective as well, to dive into another game. It would be cool to be part of something new and build it up from the ground. Just to be clear, in future seasons, not tomorrow!

BroskiJazz… Upon reading his name I was expecting a spunky person with a lot of comedic panache. I found that to be true while also learning that there is so much more to his dynamic character.

Born in Virginia, BroskiJazz or Ben, showed an early inclination to music and, in particular, the piano. He was recruited into the Yamaha music program at a young age and his progression didn’t stop there. Through Yamaha, Broski had an outlet for his extensive creativity. At age 13 he wrote and performed a jazz composition for Yamaha executives. The company enjoyed the song so thoroughly that they told him to pack his things, he’d be playing for audiences region-wide, including the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants, or as he put it “The E3 of music,”) convention in LA. Now, as a Music Director for a church and a Resident Artist at a performing arts charter school, Ben is settled in Pittsburgh living a dual lifestyle of Musician and Franchise Manager for the Aviators.

We started the interview by talking about Broski’s journey into the realm of competitive Rocket League. I could hear the energy and trepidation in his voice as he recounted; “Towards the latter half of season 10, around April or May … when COVID hit, not to bring that up again, I decided to really figure out how Discord works. It started with a couple of other (Rocket League) leagues and I dove in … but people said ‘You gotta check out MLE, It’s the place to be,’ so I said ‘Okay… I’ll give it a go.’ And ‘give it a go’ he did, becoming FM within a year of joining the league. 

Prior to applying and succeeding in getting a Franchise Manager position, BroskiJazz was drafted by Elite where he played a single match on stream and proceeded to rank out of the Academy League. In a fit of clairvoyance before the match, Ben jested; “This team will not win a championship because we’re all gonna rank out.”

Beyond the short stint with the Elite in early season 11, BroskiJazz found himself looking for a spot on a new team. After ranking out of the Academy League and becoming a reserve on the Champion League Elite, he admitted to himself the “stacked team,” probably wouldn’t be looking for his help any time soon. So, after opening up to the General Manage, Kro, about his desire to “Actually play this season.” he cut ties and parted ways. Soon after, He was brought into the Pandas franchise. “It’s a religion over there, man.” He told me, and it immediately felt like home. When he was picked up by the pious team, the season was looking to be a mediocre one at best. With his arrival, Ben and the whole squad turned things around. The Pandas won the Tropic division by season’s end.

One of Broski’s most treasured memories in MLE was that first playoff series. A 5-game head-to-head against the Demolition. “I was on stream for the Pandas with DonkeyKong and MLE got raided by RocketStreetLive … at one point we were playing in front of 14,000 viewers! That was a really cool memory from last season.”

Besides his overarching expanse of music experience, which Broski doesn’t exactly consider a hobby he says “Hobbywise, I love board games.” And as many of the fellow board game fanatics out there will reflect, “I’m sad that I haven’t been able to play them during the pandemic.”

“I do like both … they have unique personality traits that make them so good.” Broski told me when I asked about his favored playlist, “You should play 1s, 2s, and 3s because they all teach you a little about how to be a good Rocket League player.” He finished, adding a healthy dose of pluralism. I was about to continue on and ask the follow-up question; “What is the best non-standard mode?” before he found his telepathic gift again and divulged; “Secret option E … Hoops, I really love Hoops!” So, if you ever see the Fennec-loving Ben in a match of Hoops, beware.

The Franchise Manager position is not for the faint of heart and Broski is anything but. He told me he enjoys the prospect of facing tough decisions; “The hardest part about being an FM is kind of the hardest part about being a leader in general … To be able to step back and assess situations on a more wide scale.” Ben is keen on his team’s atmosphere and “stimulating all the different personalities,” this makes him fit and fine to take the reins this season.

It’s not all blue though, being an FM, Ben tells me that there are wonderful aspects to the responsibility; “It’s the community building. I take joy in seeing other people have a lot of fun.” “Seeing people playing and getting excited and just fully taking in the experience. I also enjoy watching people grow.” He says he has a “Hippy mindset” when it comes to Rocket League, “it applies to real-life … there’s a lot of lessons and personality traits you can learn inside Rocket League.” Things that you “can apply to become a well-rounded person.” His wisdom does not stop there, he echoes this old adage to his leadership core; “Work smarter, not harder.” 

With Ben’s fervent adoration of the Aviators, I would be remiss to not ask him what his favorite aspects of the role are; “You’re a superstar!” Broski jested. “The best part is something I’m hoping to build on this season.” He continued, “I want the Aviator tag (AVI) and Aviator server to be sought after by everyone. I want the players to feel some sense of pride, to take themselves seriously but not too seriously … In a way enough where they feel empowered, you know? like; ‘I’m on the Aviators’.” 

He extends an invitation to anyone; “If you want to be on AVI nation, you can be on AVI nation.” And speaking as an objective viewer of their server, I would highly suggest it. Things such as movie nights happen quite frequently and if the people are anywhere near the caliber of Broski then it’ll be a great time. I believe there are two sides to becoming a sought-after person or group; one is to become incredibly secretive and exclusive and the other is to accept all who arrive just as they are. The Aviators, under Ben’s guidance, have taken the latter approach. The server has a spot for anything and anyone, from music lovers to try-hards trying to get the best clip for the highlight reel or people who simply want to show off their beautiful mugs.

Speaking of music lovers, for anyone who wants to hear Broski’s 13-year-old performance, with his permission, we have included the song below. Please enjoy! 

Recently, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with the Foxes Franchise Manager, Fallen. My interactions with Fallen previously have always left me wanting to hear more of his wit and charm. Our entire conversation was a great dive into the Brit’s personality, and I hope this glimpse into our discussion shows the humor and draw that I had wanted to hear as we go in the driver’s seat with this interview.

When did you join MLE?

One of the first Reddit posts prior to season 9. It was about 3 days before the draft and I remember doing like 8 tryouts… I was up until 4 in the morning which is more normal to me now with all I have to manage. I ended up getting drafted by the Hawks, who I hadn’t even tried out for.

What has been your record as an FM?

Moderately successful… which is somewhat surprising. I came in the middle of last season to replace Thunderballs (now known as ThunderB).  We had a pretty successful start in CL, where we made the playoffs, but were unfortunately bounced out early. Our Academy team had an incredible turn around. We were down a player, had little cohesion and still almost made the playoffs. We missed out by only one game. Our PL team did well considering the quality of talent that’s up there. Then our ML team was just such a fun group of guys. Overall we were completely positive in terms of wins and losses.

What is your go to/favorite Rocket League car?

For the longest time I was an alternative player. I played with a car called the Nimbus, which was this import car I picked up and used throughout seasons 9 and 10. Back on Xbox I used to play a lot on the Skyline because I love that car to death. When I moved to PC, I impulse bought a crimson Fennec and have stuck with it ever since.

Which is the better game mode, 2s or 3s?

3s when it flows. From a gameplay perspective, 3s is such a good game. When everyone is cohesive on the field, it’s almost like a work of art. It feels like a real team game. 2s is very stagnant in its gameplay. It is much more simplistic. It doesn’t feel as much like a game mode, rather it feels like a series of constant 1v1s happening over and over again.

What is the best nonstandard mode?

Rumble is awful. Full stop, anyone that likes it… get out. Hoops, however, is god tier. That is a fundamentally good 2s game mode. Snow Day is okay. It’s not great, it’s just okay. Now, Dropshot might be my favorite. I don’t like it at all, but I also kind of love it. It just works. It shouldn’t work, but it just does.

What is your favorite MLE memory?

First game of the season, I’m on stream playing alongside Sadomi. It was my final game in CL and I am just on a tear that series. It may have been my best set of games in Rocket League ever. I was laughing for like 80% of the game because Sadomi is just that funny, and it was helping my play as well. Everything just clicked for us that series.

Do you have a favorite hobby outside of Rocket League?

There are a couple. For college I’m a writer, and I take that as a hobby on top of everything I do. There is of course playing other games in general. Specifically I’m hooked on Doom Eternal right now. Then there’s the commentary side of things, and that’s it’s own category. At first I tried to get into streaming, but it wasn’t for me. But then I tried commentating and that has just been  my calling. I’m very glad Sleegi pulled me aside and put me in.

What is the best part of being an FM?

Probably meeting other people and trying to build a team. Although, it’s a horrific experience in the preseason, with all the rank outs, retention drama, and terrible draft lotteries (thanks Leachy).

What is the hardest part of being an FM?

It’s that mid-season lull. Trying to keep everyone consistently on, consistently working, staying eligible on top of being active enough to compete in these matches. It feels like there is so much going on, but after a while it starts to feel routine.

What is the best part of being on the Foxes? 

You could arguably say Sarge (sgt50mcall) is his own reason, so we’ll start with that. That team, especially with Sarge, had such a great back and forth, it was just great fun. Honestly, my favorite part is just the cool colors. But in all seriousness, the fact that I came into such an established community was what really set it over the edge.

How did you get into casting?

I would watch the broadcasts and I knew that was something I was interested in doing. I reached out to Sleegi and he was able to have me join as a commentator. I went into my first match with no practice. Jordak and I were paired, but almost immediately his PC dies and I’m forced to solo cast the first game, but Sleegi ended up joining for the remainder of the games. That was one of the best experiences of my life because I was able to make a good enough first impression that I became a mainstay within a season.

How has the experience casting RLCS SAM helped you grow as a caster?

The terror of casting South American Rocket League is so frenetic. It encapsulates everything I love about 3s going right. Just like how Brazilian soccer is the most beautiful and flashy version of soccer, South American Rocket League is the same way. It can be incredibly difficult to cast, but it just helps me grow so much seeing some incredible plays. 

It might be easy for some to imagine MLE council members as serious, official types who are somewhat removed from the community itself. But with leaders like Stovvadz, that’s far from the truth. Stovvadz has developed a reputation for not only training champions while being a GM and FM of the Outlaws but also helping to develop and encourage new leaders within the community. Rolo recently got the chance to chat with Stovvadz and find out more about the man behind the Outlaw’s success.

WHEN DID YOU JOIN THE LEAGUE?

I joined in the offseason after season 5, before season 6, which was November 2017. That was when Minor League Esports (Minor League Doubles at the time) ventured into Champion League and there was a “bubble rank”, in which Diamond 3 players could play in Platinum League or Champion League. Needless to say, bubble ranks never happened again.

In season 6 I was drafted third overall to the Demolition in which we almost made the playoffs my first season. Little disappointed on that one, for we had an excellent team. Season 7 I was drafted to the Flames second overall and was aiming for first overall season 8, but that is when I became General Manager of the Outlaws and went non-playing. The Outlaws in their first season had a Foundation League team and I did not have a Premier League team initially.

What is your favorite car?

I am an octane main for sure. I also have to rock the sacred boost and the chick magnet antenna too.

Do you prefer 2s or 3s?

I prefer 2s and rather suck at 3s. I am currently 50/50 on whether I want to be on the roster or not for this upcoming season. I am leaning towards putting [myself] as a deep roster spot then if I need to play I can put myself in.

What is the best non-standard mode?

My favorite is rumble for it does not deviate from standard as much. Hoops is scary because of the nets and the puck moves in insane ways in snowday. I am starting to like dropshot more, but still, rumble is my favorite.

What is your favorite MLE/MLD memory?

The obvious answer would be when we won two championships in one day. Academy League and Foundation League Outlaws both won a championship in Season 8. I was stressing for the first series, but as soon as we got that first series win, whatever happened after that I was okay with. But then we won both and it was a complete victory for the Outlaws. One of the most stressful days as a Franchise Manager.

As a player, would be when I was drafted third overall by the Demolition. I did not know the captain of the Demolition at the time and was picked up due to a recommendation from a different player already on the Demolition. I was caught totally off guard, but I am glad they took the chance on me. Sough was the captain then and I am still friends with him to this day.

What is the best part about being a part of the Outlaws?

Having a really stress-free environment on the Outlaws I feel makes us unique. I do not put a lot of external pressure on our players, saying they have to practice a certain amount, or what have you. Instead, they develop at their own pace, develop friendships at their own pace, and the consequence is that they want to play Rocket League with each other and improve. I do replay analysis with my players frequently during the season, but even then, that stress-free environment helps with our success. We have a culture where I want them to succeed, and they all want to succeed too. Having a happy team creates happy results. So far, this low-stress environment has provided great results where seven out of eight teams the last two seasons have made playoffs.

That sort of playoff success does not happy solely from your leadership. Who else has had a major role in supporting you and the Outlaws?

 Last couple of seasons I’ve had TheevilIisback as my right-hand man, which has been great. I can rely upon him whenever and it helps knowing I could leave for a week and know everything would be taken care of. FLaMEz, who is now the Flames Franchise Manager, and Jacobjtl were both captains last season and they performed wonderfully. They were big leaders for our squad and they hit it out of the park. I did not have to worry about scheduling half the time, for they had it covered. Big shout outs to those three.

What is your favorite hobby outside of Rocket League?

Aside from gaming, I am a huge sports fan. I religiously watch hockey, football, and most baseball games. Big Leafs, Red Sox, and Packers fan. Been fun watching the Leafs top the North Division so far this season.

What is the best part about being a Franchise Manager?

Seeing improvement for my players in two different ways. Seeing them develop and watching Foundation League players move onto Champion and Master League is incredibly rewarding. Also, watching people advance in the League itself too. Seeing TheevilIisback go onto a higher up in 4mans, and I alluded to Hershey earlier and their success. Now Flamez is getting their shot as well. Knowing I have had a say in helping to develop other Franchises, in a way, fills me with pride. It is also rewarding having former Outlaws who would still classify themselves as Outlaws, even to this day.

What is the hardest part about being a Franchise Manager?

I tend to keep my first-round draft picks, for I like having that option open. Which means having hard decisions and conversations around retentions during the off-season. Those are tough to have and it is tough to let people go. This being said, it opens up opportunities for others. Like Hershey for example, they leave the Outlaws and go on to win with the Hurricanes as General Manager. However, those friendships we make do not stop simply because players change teams, which is reassuring.

How has your role on council transitioned over the last several seasons? What’s been the most rewarding aspect of being a council member? What’s been keeping you to stay on council for as long as you have?

When I came onto Council, there was a batch of three community coordinators transitioning up: TyTy with Events, Kiimmiiii with Admissions, and myself with Moderation. Fridge and Cloud were both stepping down then as well. The more difficult transition was taking on more responsibility within other departments, like League Operations. I wanted to help out and support, but not also step on other team members and make my opinion the last say. I wanted to provide my perspective in other areas and finding that balancing act for perspectives was challenging at times.

As for staying around on Council, I want to see the League succeed. I also would love to take on more of a Leadership role one day too. That keeps me going, constantly pushing myself and helping out wherever I can. Currently, my focus is on improving relations among staff members and relations between staff and the community. I want to continue to break down those barriers and help build trust among everything within MLE. I also feel I do a good job in Crisis Management and de-escalating tense situations, so I wish to continue that work as well.

I am also incredibly excited with the prospect of expansion into other games for MLE. That is a little bit on the back burner currently, however, I will be bringing my breadth of knowledge of other games into those conversations.

Where do you see yourself in 2-3 years?

If I am still in MLE at that time, would love to push towards Board/Leadership. I want to support MLE in its expansion into other games and being on the Board for something like that would be exciting for me. Regardless, I want to continue to keep the core community values of MLE going. When I first joined MLE, we had around 500 members, and we are now around 2000. I want to keep the reason for that growth at the core of everything that we do.

Outside of MLE, once the pandemic calms down, I would like to go back to school! Still deciding on what I would want to take.

I have had the absolute pleasure of getting to sit down with General Managers Adi, Kunics, and CHASER over the last several weeks and getting to learn more about them and their teams. It has been incredibly enlightening and my latest conversation with Ripperr, General Manager (GM) of the Jets, has been no different. I could not think of a better man to lead and represent this franchise and you will see why. So please enjoy our latest installment of “In the Driver’s Seat.”

When did you join Minor League Esports (MLE)?

I joined a while ago, on June 11, 2018, to be exact. I joined four days before the draft and was only able to do two tryouts. So obviously, I did not get on a team. I took a bit of a break after not getting drafted and last season was my first season [being] really involved with MLE. I was drafted into Academy League for the Knights and was their Assistant General Manager for a moment until I ranked out before the season even started. I was then picked up by the Champion League Wolves and was their captain for the rest of the season. I then ranked out during the playoffs and now sit in Master League.

What has been your overall record in MLE? As a player and as GM for the Jets.

The Champion League Wolves went 56-14, which I was super proud of. The Jets so far this season are doing quite well, being top 5 across all leagues; Master League are 23-17, Champion League 30-15, Academy League 27-18, and Foundation League 22-8.

Sometimes your record does not indicate the quality of your draft picks, but this season, that is very much the case. Our success has been dependent upon all squads playing games with one another. It is important to play against higher-ranked players, which helps with development.

What is your favorite car in Rocket League?

I have a love/hate relationship with the octane. When we lost to the Hurricanes in the semi-finals, switched it up to the fennec. I was able to hit Grand Champion in the fennec and felt good with it. It has just been within the past week or so that I have switched back to the octane. I feel like I shoot better with the fennec but dribble better with the octane.

Do you prefer 2s or 3s?

I would consider myself a 2s main.

What is the best non-standard mode in Rocket League?

Definitely snowday. I was able to get to Champion 3 but could not find enough games to get Grand Champion, unfortunately.

What is your favorite MLE memory?

Finding out that I became General Manager of the Jets. I figured I had a decent chance, for some of the folks in Admissions were saying I had a good shot. Otherwise, I really had no clue if I was going to get it or not. Was incredibly excited when I found out! Knew at that moment too that Maple was going to be my Assistant General Manager, which made me even more excited.

What is the best part about being a Jet?

The players. The community that we have is so good. Everyone knows everyone, we play games with all the teams, do in-game tournaments together, playing League of Legends with everyone too, etc. It is a great atmosphere. I was also able to bring in Grand Master Papi, a friend of mine that I met in grade 9 in air cadets. We have been playing Rocket League together for a while now and as soon as I became GM, I knew that I wanted to bring him onto my team.

What is your favorite hobby outside of Rocket League?

Flying. I am currently a pilot for the Canadian Forces. My dad was a pilot too and I could fly a plane at 15 before I could even drive a car. Fun note: Lars Newt and Grand Master Papi are both pilots too, so it is fun that the Jets have three pilots on the roster.

What is the best part about being a GM?

It is nice having the players look up to you for guidance, for coaching, etc. It is rewarding to invest in their development and watch them grow as players and people. I really wanted a Foundation League team for that reason, to be able to have a say in their development when they are just getting into Rocket League.

I also love watching my players play. I had no idea I would get more nervous watching them play than if I were to play myself. You develop such a deep connection with your team.

What is the hardest or most difficult part in being a GM?

A difficult part, which I previously mentioned, is watching your teams play on stream. It is the best but is also difficult for my nerves. It is also tricky to manage correspondence and scheduling matches. By far the hardest part though is making tough roster decisions. Players are not pawns, they have feelings obviously, so being respectful of that fact while also making tough decisions is difficult.

What made you want to be a GM in the first place?

Being a captain of the Wolves was awesome and I wanted more of that. Maple is the owner of a discord server called “MiddleAge Noobs” with over 3500 members. I am a manager there, which would be the equivalency of Council/Coordinator here in MLE. Anyways, I know Maple well from that server. Eventually, Maple became more involved in Admissions and subsequently League Operations. With his knowledge of the League, and me knowing him personally, I knew we could create a unique and fantastic team environment. So the prospect of creating that really motivated me to apply for a GM spot.   

Where do you see yourself in two to three years?

I should have my training completely done and my degree done with the air force. By that time I would be living at the airbase full time, so I will eventually need to drop myself as GM. This being said, I hope to stay on as GM for as long as possible. Or if I cannot be a GM, I would love to be involved with the Jets in a player/captain role. If I were to step down, I would hope Maple could take over, for he has been a great Assistant General Manager for me this season.

Any last comments before we finish here Ripperr?

FreeSleegi

In my latest interview for “In the Driver’s Seat”, I had the absolute pleasure and opportunity to chat with CHASER, the General Manager of the Bulls. CHASER became General Manager after the start of Season 11 for Minor League Esports (MLE). Not too often do members of MLE become a General Manager during the course of a season. I was interested in knowing how the transition has been in taking on his new role and more about him as well.

To start, what has been the most difficult aspect of being a General Manager? Inversely, what has been the best part? Have there been any difficulties in transitioning into your new role?

The transition has been pretty seamless, really. Taelo did a tremendous job in setting me up for success. We talked before he ultimately stepped down and shared with me all his insights. I of course was understanding of him needing to step back from being the General Manager too. He needs to take care of himself and he’s always welcomed back to become a Bull, if that’s in the cards.

The most difficult part so far has been learning all of the ins and outs from a League Operations (LO) perspective. E.g. learning how to use the new replay bot. I am thankful that I have prior experience with being a General Manager for Baltimore in United Rogue, so that helps in understanding LO related matters.

The most rewarding part has been seeing all of the hard work we have done in the offseason pay off during the regular season. Our Champion League squad may be the best we have ever had and we have had three rank outs with Academy League too. Hard to see our players rank out but it is super exciting to see and I’m happy for them and their own development. It is so rewarding to seeing that type of success. Rainbownoms has been great as our Assistant General Manager and the Master League and Premier League teams have been wonderful to have around. Our drafts across all four teams went perfect and our success so far this season really vindicates our draft decisions.

When did you join Minor League Esports?

I have been in the League since [season] 5 or 6 (I cannot exactly remember when), but I first got on a team in Season 9. Before I got into the League, I was doing a lot of work with Boost Legacy including moderating, casting, administrative work, etc. When the community organizations were picked for the RLCS qualifiers several seasons ago, Boost Legacy was not picked. I saw that Minor League Doubles (MLD) was picked and I wanted to see what their production value was like. I tuned into an MLD stream and saw InanimateJ and Curtis casting, wanted to join immediately because of them. I also felt that MLD made every play and every player special and I wanted to be a part of that.

I gave a lot of effort in season 8 to be on a team, but unfortunately, I did not land on a team. I was a 13.5 [salary player] at the time and felt like I could bring a lot of value to a team but still was not drafted. For season 9 then, I really doubled down my efforts and went fully in on tryouts, participating in them nonstop for a month. I would stay up late and attend multiple tryouts a day just to improve my chances of getting on a team. That effort paid off as Rainbownoms selected me 6th overall for the season 9 draft. I did not expect to get selected that early, so it was rewarding that all my effort during tryouts paid off.

What has been your overall record as a player?

I have gone 48-37 overall, including playoffs. I was around 500 two seasons ago and had a winning record last season.

What is your favorite car in Rocket League?

The octane, my titanium white octane specifically. When I first started playing Rocket League I was a paladin main. That was before I knew anything about hitboxes and the like. Then once I started getting better and took the game more seriously, I switched to cars more popular within the scene.

What is your preference, 2s or 3s?

I would say 3s, just based on rank. I peaked at 1476 at the end of last season. My goal is to push for Grand Champion and would like to hit it, but we will see what happens. I would love to win an MLE Championship too.

What is your favorite non-standard mode?

It would have to be a toss-up between rumble and hoops. I like the aspect that anyone can beat anyone in rumble due to the power-ups. I also like how beneficial hoops is to my aerial pay and I can really practice my reads in hoops.

What is your favorite MLE memory?

I have three MLE memories that really stand out. The first being when I got drafted for the first time. I was in a call with my friends during the season 9 draft and they knew how much I wanted to be on a team. We were all watching the draft together on stream and it was incredible to be able to celebrate with them when I was drafted.

My second memory would be getting to play with Vandy during season 9. We had such great chemistry and it was super deflating when he ranked out the day before the playoffs started. We brought in our reserve Rook to start for the playoffs and we, unfortunately, did not have the same chemistry due to a lack of playtime together. We played against the Bears and did not like our chances due to our recent roster changes. We battled through and brought the series to a deciding game 5, but ultimately lost. Super proud of how we played considering the circumstances and I am left wondering how Vandy and I would have done if he had not ranked out. I feel like we would have had a great shot at the Orange Conference title.

The last memory I want to share is our playoff series last season against the Dodgers. Season 10 as a whole was a lot of fun with the Champion League squad. Anyways, we lost the playoff series in Game 5, in overtime, and it was super deflating. It was made extra tough for I felt like it was really my fault that we let in the series-deciding goal. However, my adrenaline was at an all-time high during that moment. I messaged Furphy afterward and it was heartwarming to share a mutual respect for one another. Both teams battled so hard for the win. It was the best series of MLE I have ever played in. The playoffs are a totally different experience.

Please watch the Dodgers and Bulls series in its entirety here!

What is the best part about being a Bull?

I would say our comradery and our chemistry is our most unique attributes of being a Bull. We all want our teams on the Bulls to succeed. It’s awesome to see each squad improve over the course of the season. For example, seeing our Academy League squad go 16-9 with no 12.5s is exciting and inspiring. I should say though, a lot of the franchises in MLE have their own special communities too.

What is your favorite hobby outside of Rocket League?

Really into iRacing right now. It’s not quite a full simulator, but close, with my Logitech wheel and pedals. It is a bit expensive to get into, but the enjoyment pays for itself. You can work on building your safety rating and track rating and you can also choose between rally car and Formula1, for example. Also, I enjoy cornhole too.

What made you want to take on that responsibility of being a General Manager? You could have always said no when that opportunity was presented to you.

I know Taelo would not have brought up that possibility with me if he felt like I could not do it. Taelo helped to mold me into the leader I needed to be, he trusted me, which means I could trust myself. Along with my experiences in United Rogue, I know I could handle it. Especially with the amount of hard work we did in the offseason, I had trust in our team as a whole. I thought about applying for a General Manager position in the next offseason too, so the process just became expedited a bit.

How did you get your discord name?

It’s simply a variation of my last name, a nickname of sorts.

Where do you see yourself in 2-3 years?

For right now, would love to stay on as General Manager of the Bulls going into next season. Perhaps another team calls for me, you never know. However, I am loyal to the Bulls and in debt to them for taking a chance on me.

Outside of MLE the wife and I are looking to buy a house soon and start a family.

Any last comments or words before we wrap up here?

MLE better watch out for the Bulls, for we have 4 teams to fear. Fear the stampede, charge on.

In this installation of “In the Driver’s Seat”, I had the absolute pleasure and opportunity to sit down with Kunics, the General Manager of the Spectre. It was wonderful and insightful hearing all about his extensive MLE experience, as well as getting to know him more as a person. Spoiler: Kunics is a fantastic human being.

We’ll start off with a fun bit of trivia, that some people may not know, which is that I almost became a Jet in Season 6 instead of yourself. Please explain how that entire scenario went down, even I am not aware of the whole story.

I played my first season of MLE [then Minor League Doubles (MLD) ] on a laptop, for it was far better than the Xbox that I started playing on. However, during Season 6 the charger port on it died, so I was unable to recharge my laptop and became a reserve because of this. Blackwatch was Captain of the Jets at that time and was wanting to bring me on as a starter. Kracerlink, who drafted the Platinum League [the league that predated the Academy league] team, works in IT and therefore had an extra PC for me. Blackwatch had an extra GPU and there we go. They generously came together and got me a computer to use. You, Rolo, were the backup plan in case they were not able to make that happen.

When did you join the League?

Technically I joined in Season 4 during the Grand Finals, but my first season was Season 5 with the Jets. I found out about MLD through Springy, a player on the Elite at the time. I joined the Ascending Champion Esports discord server, through a recommended post on Twitter. I recently got on PC and was looking to make PC friends to play Rocket League with. Springy randomly asked me to sign up for a tournament with Badger Milk, so I said yes. Springy brought up MLD during the tournament and got me to sign up. That Season 5 Jets team consisted of me, Springy, Dur, with Blackwatch as coach.

What has been your overall record in MLE?

As a Jet I went 44-53, so slightly negative. I was on the Demolition for Season 9, went 16-9, therefore 60-62 overall. Since being General Manager of the Spectre, our teams have gone 161-146, with our Premier League team making playoffs last season. I am currently maintaining a spreadsheet that is tracking the Spectre record overall, as well as individual and team records.

What is your favorite car in Rocket League?

Currently the Fennec, but I have played many vehicles up to this point. When I first played Rocket League, I mained the Backfire, with sacred boost, rat rod wheel, and the cavalier topper. Please do not ask me why I remember that. I eventually switched from the Backfire due to the turning radius.

What is the best non-standard game mode?

Hoops, easily.

What is your favorite MLE memory?

 My first season, Season 5, we made the playoffs as a wildcard. There we played the Sharks and it was the most intense series ever. Arguably [the] top 5 series of all time within MLD at the time. We ended up losing the series in Game 7, after being down 3-2 in the series, but it was such an adrenaline rush. My hands were visibly shaking afterward.

Of note, the VOD is on YouTube, so please watch! However, what you will see is that my name was Sith Droid during Season 5. I quietly switched to Kunics during the offseason between Season 5 and 6.

Sharks vs. Jets, Season 5 Wildcard

What is your favorite Rocket League memory, generally speaking?

When we made Top 128 for RLRS play-ins a couple [of] seasons ago. Back then I was still Champion 2 and was super excited and proud to make it at that rank. I played with Mateo, who was high Champion 3, and Rox, who was Grand Champion. We did not do too well during the actual play-ins, for we had little warm-up beforehand. The experience itself though, qualifying by beating a full Grand Champion team to make it, was awesome.

What is the best part of being a Spectre?

The best and worst part is that as soon as you become a Spectre you score those most insane own goals and it happens too frequently to be a coincidence. I was given the nickname “Boonics” and it is my alter personality, one where I score the nuttiest of own goals. Unfortunately, “Boonics” has spread throughout the franchise.

What is your favorite hobby outside of Rocket League?

As per my old name, I am a Star Wars fan, as well as a sports fan. I cheer for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Penguins (please do not be mad at me for that). Really into the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well.

Currently, a university student studying statistics. I started in Animation then switch to 3D Game Design. I unfortunately did not have the same motivation for it as others in my program. Therefore, I took a year of exploratory courses to see where my interests lied. I know I am a very logical person, so I decided to take a major that fits with my interests and suits my strengths, and landed at statistics.

What is the best part of being a General Manager?

Helping everyone on the team improve. I view myself as a coaching General Manager and I make sure to review one replay each week with each squad from their previous series. And of course, hanging out with the team and making new friends throughout each season.

What is the hardest part of being a General Manager?

Dealing with players that are not responsive or are not working well with the team, and potentially needing to make the tough decision to drop them or not.

What made you want to be a General Manager in the first place?

For a little bit of context, MonsterJamers was the General Manager of the Spectre in Season 8 and Legend was the General Manager in Season 9. After season 9, I was encouraged to apply for a General Manager position, but I really did not see myself getting it. I applied anyway and was hoping to create a stable team environment. I have been on some wonderful, stable teams since Season 5 and I wanted to emulate that on another franchise. I could not be the General Manager for the Jets so I wanted to be the General Manager for the franchise with the best and worst color combo in the Mystic division.

Where do you see yourself in 2-3 years?

In three years, I hope to be finally done my college degree and I am really looking forward to being done. I hope to move out and have my own apartment/place in that timeframe too. I am sure life will eventually take over, but I hope to be the General Manager for the Spectre for as long as possible. And I really hope to be involved with MLE generally for as long as possible too, for I probably would not be playing Rocket League if it were not for MLE.

Anything else you would like to add before we are done here?

During the offseason between 5 and 6, I played in a fun tournament with Ninjarider, a former caster, as Sith Droid. Then during season 6, he was casting one of my games, and my name was Kunics then. He had no idea who I was and one of his lines was, “Who’s this Kunics guy, I really like this Kunics guy.” That phrase is now one of my twitch notifications.

 Kunics’ teammates coming together and getting him a new PC so he could play, is a moment that I think exemplifies why MLE is so special. Since that time, Kunics has forwarded along that same level of support and dedication to his teammates and players. From creating a database to keeping track of all Spectre records to providing replay analysis for each League, “Boonics” gives back to MLE as much as he can and has done so for several years. Thank you “Sith Droid” for being such a stand-up and genuine person of this community.   

In this installation of “In the Driver’s Seat”, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down and chatting with Adi – General Manager of the Sharks. I have had minimal interactions with Adi up until this point and was looking forward to getting to know him more. After our 40 to 50-minute conversation, it was quite apparent to me why he was given the responsibility of the Sharks franchise for Season 11. Hopefully, the following interview leaves you with the same impression I was left with.

when did you join MLE?

My first season was Season 8 with the start of the Foundation League. I was unable to do tryouts at the time due to my scheduling with school, so I was doubtful that I would get picked up. At the time I was on Xbox and CaliforniaDays (a player for the Blizzard) saw my Rocket League clips on Xbox and was impressed with what he saw. So I was a bit of a dartboard pick in the third round based on my clips. Even to this day, I am still really great friends with the players from that Season 8 Blizzards team. We were all going to meet up in Austin this past April but then Covid-19 happened, unfortunately.

What has been your overall record since being in the MLE?

As a player I have gone 41-34 across two teams, the Blizzard and the Sabres, which is not too bad at all! I was not aware of what my record even was before the question. Being my first season as a General Manager, we’ll have to see how my teams do this season. But I will say this, I do remember my first ever match in MLE and just how nervous I was. I remember my hands were visibly shaking to start.

What is your favorite car in Rocket League?

I would consider myself an Octane Main. I was a Venom Main when I first started playing Rocket League.

Do you prefer 2s of 3s?

I prefer 2s far more than 3s. 3s feels like you drive as fast as possible and you hit the ball as hard as possible and it does not feel as enjoyable as 2s. In 2s, you need the skill to beat out that first man and I enjoy that test of skill.

What is the best non-standard mode?

Heatseeker – for the demos.

What is your favorite MLE memory?

Taking down the undefeated Wolves last season with Andy. The Wolves were a different roster by the time we faced them but were still a dominant squad. We went down 0-2 to start. At that point, we decided to just relax and just go for it. We readjusted and came back with the reverse sweep. We hung out in voice chat with the entire team during the game and had an absolute blast during the series and celebrating afterward.

What is the best part of being a Shark?

The best part is that we have a really great group of people on the Sharks. I draft teams based on personality. I value chemistry over mechanics and that is evident with how the players interact with me and each other. Just this past weekend, the Premier League Sharks beat the Flames 3-2. After the series, Tunloink messaged me saying that he felt like he slacked during the week in preparation for the match and that he would pick it up moving forward. Getting that message, even after the win, was heartwarming and reaffirms that we have “buy-in” from all the players. More importantly, though, we are all having fun playing Rocket League with one another.

Another fun thing we have with the Sharks is “Shark Bait of the Week”. Where if you play in scrims, participate in the Franchise Cup, and play in series, you earn fish. If you end up with the most fish at the end of each week, you get admin permissions in my server, where you can change up names, add fun channels, and give that recognition of those really investing into the Franchise. This idea was from BigC and my time on the Sabres, so all the credit for it goes to him.    

What is your favorite hobby outside of Rocket League?

I would consider myself a big-time sports fan, with me really getting into Formula 1. My meet up, with my friends from MLE in April, was us going to Austin to watch the United States Grand Prix. We had everything booked in February too but again, COVID changed our plans. I also play tennis a fair bit in my free time.

What is the best part of being a General Manager?

Getting to see the players grow as people and players. For example, Kkube [player for the Champion League Sharks] was super nervous to start the season and went 0-5 in their first series. Tonight, on the mainstream, he went 4-1. It’s wonderful to see that development and growth between series. On top of that, being able to hang out with the boys, have movie nights, and supporting them throughout the season.

What is the hardest part of being a General Manager?

Managing players that are not as active as other players. This is an issue for some players [who] are more introverted, which is fine. It means that I need to support them and strike a balance in their management. I need to find a way to encourage those players which includes working with captains to troubleshoot and solve problems.

Of course, there is also scheduling…but it has been made easy with Hobo as my Assistant General Manager.

What made you want to be a general manager?

My first season was okay but my second season with Helly I started to play more Rocket League in order to have fun with my friends. During that time, I ranked out from Academy League and was picked up by the Sabres. I had a similar experience on the Sabres as I did on the Blizzard. I was having a wonderful time and I wanted to get better at Rocket League with my friends.

While on the Blizzards and Sabres, I took a year off from college to work. During that year off, I saw all of my IRL friends graduate. When I came back to school, those friends were gone, and I lost some of that interaction. But in what I lost I also gained legitimate friendships with players on both the Sabres and the Blizzard. I am quite grateful for that and being a General Manager, I wanted to foster that community and build friendships as well. I wanted to follow the lead that Helly and BigC set out for me.

You mentioned you took a year off from college; what was your degree in?

Computer Science and Stats Major. I now work for a Federal Contracting Agency. During my year off I worked full time with the Environmental Protection Agency. Specifically, front end and back end stuff for their pesticide program. It was incredibly rewarding to work and I want to continue to work in fields that benefit society.

Where do you see yourself in two, three, or maybe five years?

I plan on pursuing a master’s in business administration. I am interested in using data analytics to help solve social issues.

Speaking to analytics, during Covid-19, I have developed a quick little “cheat sheet” for the Sharks. It shows the player’s all of their statistics from the season, shows the statistics of their upcoming opponents, and all of their matchups thus far. I wanted to create something to help them before each series and I hope to expand upon that document.

I am also in the Alpha testing phase of an app that I have created. It is sort of like Tinder, but for local restaurants. You and your friends input all your food preferences and the app produces restaurants based on that input. You “swipe right or left” on these restaurant profiles and it helps you and your group find where you should eat. So I would love to see where this app comes to in the next several years.

Lastly, I hope to be the Sharks General Manager next season too. I want to continue to grow those relationships that make MLE so special.

From “Shark Bait of the Week”, to trying to meet up with his friends from MLE in Austin, to the Xbox clips that landed him a roster spot. Adi from the Sharks is the epitome of what a General Manager is and what the face of a franchise should be. His constant focus on relationship building and personal development is something we can all strive for, not just in MLE, but in our day to day lives.