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Flashes burst and shutters clicked as Pittsburgh Keystones general manager Mark Quintaux stepped up to the podium.
The towering percheron/friesian cross cut an imposing figure in his sharply-tailored black suit, set off with a gold necktie that complemented his dappled dark gray hide while simultaneously making the equine a walking embodiment of his team’s colors. His striking and unusual blue-gold eyes looked out from beneath his trademark fedora that perched between his ears as he waited for the flurry of activity to settle.
“Well. What a summer it’s been,” he began. “When I took over this team, it was a mess. Second-to-last in the East. The management in shambles. Six players with contracts expired. Some saw a disaster. I saw an opportunity. This year is a new beginning for the Keystones.
“My decisions haven’t always been popular” – the trade of Crystal Davis (Cheetah, G) had been met with particular venom— “but I want you to know that everything I’ve done for this team has been with one goal in mind. To take Pittsburgh to the playoffs and beyond. I believe the team we have now has what it takes. The Keystones are a force to be reckoned with, and our opponents ignore us at their own peril.”
A half dozen players in Keystones jerseys entered the room to more flashbulbs.
“We have kept the team’s core—“
Randy Catcher (Bullfrog, G), still the league’s only amphibian, gave a nod; Alan Murphy (Kangaroo, F), a perpetual fan favorite, smiled.
“We have dealed and traded for talent from across the league—“
Silas Rand (Squirrel, G) looked uncomfortable to be suddenly in the center of attention, knowing that many Pittsburgh fans were still skeptical of the rodent who had replaced Crystal Davis; Sonja Tinker (Skunk, F/C) smiled winningly for the cameras, having chosen Pittsburgh’s smaller offer over Winnipeg for a chance to play on a team where she felt she could have a greater impact.
“And drafted for invigorating fresh talent—“
Wayne Kirkpatrick (Tasmanian Devil, F) preened, still high on the thrill of being picked #2 overall; Terrence Tolliver (Pronghorn, G) beamed, thrilled to be playing in his home state.
“But one piece has been conspicuously absent. I interviewed several candidates. I brought them to the players and watched how their chemistry. I have thought long and hard – perhaps too long,” Quintaux allowed himself a chuckle that was matched by the crowd, “and now, not a moment too soon, it is my supreme pleasure to introduce the new head coach of the Pittsburgh Keystones – Anton Schumacher!”
The Eurasian lynx beamed as he entered the conference room, surrounded by camera flashes as before, and took a seat at the conference table with his players and general manager.
---
“Mr. Schumacher, you stand here as the new head coach for the Pittsburgh Keystones. How do you feel right now?” said a reporter.
How did he feel?
For one, Anton Schumacher felt nervous. While he had almost four years of coaching experience in the Lexington Pioneers of the D-League, this was something that was completely at the next level, and he wasn’t sure how he’d do. However, he also felt excited. He felt that a roster full of new young furs from this year’s infinitely successful FBA Draft with infinite potential was a both a great challenge and opportunity for him to take on, which wasn’t completely unlike what he had to do in his time during the Pioneers: taking undeveloped players and helping them hit their full potential so that they could get a chance in the FBA.
Unlike in the D-League, though, results mattered more than development here.
The feline took a deep breath before answering.
“I actually feel really great,” he said. “I’m really glad that Mark has decided to give me a chance to coach his team, and I hope I can deliver to the best of my abilities.”
“We’re currently wondering why it took so long for Mark Quintaux, the general manager, to announce the new head coach. Do you plan on telling us your side of this story?”
Oh. THAT. He paused for a moment, glancing a bit at Mark who was sitting close to him near the conference table before resuming:
“…I think that we both thought that we might need some time to think before coming to a conclusion,” he said. “During that time, I’ve met with a lot of the players in the team before I officially accepted the position. I really liked the overall positive atmosphere within the team that was eager to make a change for the better, and…”
He stopped. He was about to say that “while I kind of thought that I might be too inexperienced yet to coach an FBA team yet,” but he knew that he couldn’t say that, not in his first press conference. It would be a sign of weakness to the reporters, and he knew the reporters would latch on to any kind of flaw.
“…I felt that I really wanted to be a part of this organization,” he continued. “And be a part of this great change.”
“Your team is currently one short of the 15-player roster. Do you have anyone in mind that you’d like to bring in?” said another reporter.
Anton took another slight glance at Mark, who encouraged him to go on.
“I actually do have someone in mind that I want to bring in,” said Anton. “I asked Mark about it, and he said that he would look into something, but we’ll have to wait and see.”
“Do you have any plans on bringing any of your former Pioneers players to the FBA?”
“…It depends,” he said. “I feel I had a few players there who I feel may be ready for the FBA soon, but I’ll have to wait and see on how they’ll be able to develop.”
“Finally, do you feel that your team is ready for tonight’s game?”
Tonight’s opener would be at the Santa Fe Whips. The Whips had been ranked #2 in Patrick Suarez’s preseason power rankings; the Keystones had been ranked #14. Although it was a clear improvement from last year’s league position, it definitely wasn’t a great ranking. While Anton felt that his team had many, many superb players in his team, he didn’t know if they were ready to take on such a challenge this early in the game. But being the pro he was, he swiftly answered:
“I feel that while we are going against one of the top rated teams in the league this preseason, I don’t think that they’re the only ones with good players on the team. I believe in my players and in their talents, and I feel that we do have a chance of an upset coming into this game.
I hope that every game that we play will slowly but surely become a keystone, a building block, for a great future for this team, and I hope to reward all of the Keystones fans out there today with a great game.”
---
So this is the story that introduces our new head coach of the Pittsburgh Keystones, Anton Schumacher (Eurasian lynx). The story is set on the Opening Night versus the Santa Fe Whips. Hopefully there's more to come in the near future.
Special thanks to
Kinto_Mythostian for providing me with the beginning part of the story (all the way up until he introduces Anton, in fact)!
Anton Schumacher belongs to me.
Mark Quintaux belongs to Kinto_Mythostian.
The FBA and its respective characters belong to
buckhopper.
The towering percheron/friesian cross cut an imposing figure in his sharply-tailored black suit, set off with a gold necktie that complemented his dappled dark gray hide while simultaneously making the equine a walking embodiment of his team’s colors. His striking and unusual blue-gold eyes looked out from beneath his trademark fedora that perched between his ears as he waited for the flurry of activity to settle.
“Well. What a summer it’s been,” he began. “When I took over this team, it was a mess. Second-to-last in the East. The management in shambles. Six players with contracts expired. Some saw a disaster. I saw an opportunity. This year is a new beginning for the Keystones.
“My decisions haven’t always been popular” – the trade of Crystal Davis (Cheetah, G) had been met with particular venom— “but I want you to know that everything I’ve done for this team has been with one goal in mind. To take Pittsburgh to the playoffs and beyond. I believe the team we have now has what it takes. The Keystones are a force to be reckoned with, and our opponents ignore us at their own peril.”
A half dozen players in Keystones jerseys entered the room to more flashbulbs.
“We have kept the team’s core—“
Randy Catcher (Bullfrog, G), still the league’s only amphibian, gave a nod; Alan Murphy (Kangaroo, F), a perpetual fan favorite, smiled.
“We have dealed and traded for talent from across the league—“
Silas Rand (Squirrel, G) looked uncomfortable to be suddenly in the center of attention, knowing that many Pittsburgh fans were still skeptical of the rodent who had replaced Crystal Davis; Sonja Tinker (Skunk, F/C) smiled winningly for the cameras, having chosen Pittsburgh’s smaller offer over Winnipeg for a chance to play on a team where she felt she could have a greater impact.
“And drafted for invigorating fresh talent—“
Wayne Kirkpatrick (Tasmanian Devil, F) preened, still high on the thrill of being picked #2 overall; Terrence Tolliver (Pronghorn, G) beamed, thrilled to be playing in his home state.
“But one piece has been conspicuously absent. I interviewed several candidates. I brought them to the players and watched how their chemistry. I have thought long and hard – perhaps too long,” Quintaux allowed himself a chuckle that was matched by the crowd, “and now, not a moment too soon, it is my supreme pleasure to introduce the new head coach of the Pittsburgh Keystones – Anton Schumacher!”
The Eurasian lynx beamed as he entered the conference room, surrounded by camera flashes as before, and took a seat at the conference table with his players and general manager.
---
“Mr. Schumacher, you stand here as the new head coach for the Pittsburgh Keystones. How do you feel right now?” said a reporter.
How did he feel?
For one, Anton Schumacher felt nervous. While he had almost four years of coaching experience in the Lexington Pioneers of the D-League, this was something that was completely at the next level, and he wasn’t sure how he’d do. However, he also felt excited. He felt that a roster full of new young furs from this year’s infinitely successful FBA Draft with infinite potential was a both a great challenge and opportunity for him to take on, which wasn’t completely unlike what he had to do in his time during the Pioneers: taking undeveloped players and helping them hit their full potential so that they could get a chance in the FBA.
Unlike in the D-League, though, results mattered more than development here.
The feline took a deep breath before answering.
“I actually feel really great,” he said. “I’m really glad that Mark has decided to give me a chance to coach his team, and I hope I can deliver to the best of my abilities.”
“We’re currently wondering why it took so long for Mark Quintaux, the general manager, to announce the new head coach. Do you plan on telling us your side of this story?”
Oh. THAT. He paused for a moment, glancing a bit at Mark who was sitting close to him near the conference table before resuming:
“…I think that we both thought that we might need some time to think before coming to a conclusion,” he said. “During that time, I’ve met with a lot of the players in the team before I officially accepted the position. I really liked the overall positive atmosphere within the team that was eager to make a change for the better, and…”
He stopped. He was about to say that “while I kind of thought that I might be too inexperienced yet to coach an FBA team yet,” but he knew that he couldn’t say that, not in his first press conference. It would be a sign of weakness to the reporters, and he knew the reporters would latch on to any kind of flaw.
“…I felt that I really wanted to be a part of this organization,” he continued. “And be a part of this great change.”
“Your team is currently one short of the 15-player roster. Do you have anyone in mind that you’d like to bring in?” said another reporter.
Anton took another slight glance at Mark, who encouraged him to go on.
“I actually do have someone in mind that I want to bring in,” said Anton. “I asked Mark about it, and he said that he would look into something, but we’ll have to wait and see.”
“Do you have any plans on bringing any of your former Pioneers players to the FBA?”
“…It depends,” he said. “I feel I had a few players there who I feel may be ready for the FBA soon, but I’ll have to wait and see on how they’ll be able to develop.”
“Finally, do you feel that your team is ready for tonight’s game?”
Tonight’s opener would be at the Santa Fe Whips. The Whips had been ranked #2 in Patrick Suarez’s preseason power rankings; the Keystones had been ranked #14. Although it was a clear improvement from last year’s league position, it definitely wasn’t a great ranking. While Anton felt that his team had many, many superb players in his team, he didn’t know if they were ready to take on such a challenge this early in the game. But being the pro he was, he swiftly answered:
“I feel that while we are going against one of the top rated teams in the league this preseason, I don’t think that they’re the only ones with good players on the team. I believe in my players and in their talents, and I feel that we do have a chance of an upset coming into this game.
I hope that every game that we play will slowly but surely become a keystone, a building block, for a great future for this team, and I hope to reward all of the Keystones fans out there today with a great game.”
---
So this is the story that introduces our new head coach of the Pittsburgh Keystones, Anton Schumacher (Eurasian lynx). The story is set on the Opening Night versus the Santa Fe Whips. Hopefully there's more to come in the near future.
Special thanks to
Kinto_Mythostian for providing me with the beginning part of the story (all the way up until he introduces Anton, in fact)!Anton Schumacher belongs to me.
Mark Quintaux belongs to
Kinto_Mythostian.The FBA and its respective characters belong to
buckhopper.
Category Story / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 50 x 50px
File Size 29.4 kB
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