Wagner wrote:
In my opinion this was one of the most impressive performances as of late demars (especially in terms of pre-game expectations), 4 point loss against still totally undefeated VPO from any other than, say, top3-teams is an excellent achievement, and makes me wonder if this is going to be your best HGL Season ever!
SventraCanestri wrote:
I want to say it now, but I already wrote it at the end of last season: my reign is unfortunately over.
My team is rebuilding, and I won't win the HGL this year. So the defeat isn't a surprise.
The real miracle came last season, where I won despite a third-place salary, if I remember correctly.
This season is even worse in terms of salaries, as my team has declined, while others have improved.
My winning prediction is KKS, which literally surprised me more than any other team last season.
I'm happy to leave the victory to someone else: being the best team and not having to lose a single match puts a lot of pressure, even if it's just a game :)
It's also so that you've many times predicted someone to beat you, yet nobody has even until this day managed to do so - few teams have been close though, for example KKS losing by 2 and now ED losing by 4.
And you've been an underdog in salaries on many Seasons (if my memory serves me, you haven't been #1 in HGL Top8-salaries in any of the Seasons - I could be mistaken though as I didn't check that out now), and for example Svätý Jur Snakers had about/almost the double top8-salary (at least in one given Season) compared to your team, yet you handled them somewhat comfortably each and every time.
So while I often like to make educated guesses/predictions based on Top8-salaries (and in many cases they prove to be accurate enough), in your case I've come to conclusion that it's best to give that only certain "weight" in your success predictions.
(To give another example on salaries, on Season 4 on the other hand, HB was I think 5th in top8-salaries, but were unable to reach Playoffs, so salary is useful predictor only to some extent).
I can only imagine (but easily do believe) that it does create lots of pressure, to have that kind of winning streak...
But even if your team has already entered to rebuilding stage (as you said it has), the "depth of the dip" (in terms of performance/success level during the rebuilding process) and how long rebuilding stage will last is not as easily predictable to rest of us, as you have tendency to sell and re-buy lots of players (and let them train them elsewhere) which makes it possible change your roster even dramatically in rather short period of time.
As mentioned in the latest Salary Benefit-post about your team status:
"21 players/Purchased players (own draftees): 11
(52,4% of all players; re-purchased players take up 58,9% of VPO's total top8 salaries)".
So this probably gives you possibility to shorten and/or lessen "the success dip" due to rebuilding stage, if you so choose to (given that your players elsewhere have been trained at least somewhat to your liking).
Anyway, you're right that many teams have now taken leap in salaries and it's bigger challenge for you than ever. However, you certanly don't have the advantage of (winning by) anyone taking your team lightly... :D
Last edited by Wagner at 5/9/2026 11:47:15 AM