Managerial Power: The Rise and Struggles of a GM

Part I

Authors note: I followed Mr. Ezell for a week to see what happens when a player is moved up to General Manager status in the BHL. This will be a series of events that happened when I was allowed to shadow him. Everything here is uncensored and the names have not been changed.
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The stars shined high above St. Paul, Minnesota on this frigid winter’s night. The city was busy with eccentric night life. The Color of Purple brought in many at the Ordway Theater as Park Square Theater hosted Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The Bethel University Knights men's hockey team packed the Bethel University Arena to capacity, 10,000 strong, as St. John’s University came to town. The nightlife in St. Paul was buzzing, people were getting ready to go clubbing, sports and theater was underway, but in the middle of it all, there was only the sound of a pen tapping against a heavy, wooden desk.

The light from the city shown in through the large glass panels that encased him in his office and delicately mixed with the three lights that hung from his office ceiling. He sat there, head down, examining the roster that he built with months of trades and signings.

How can I make this better? What can I do to improve this team? These were the thoughts that plagued his mind day after day as he went through his daily routines. Suddenly a crackle of the intercom speaker broke his concentration.

“Mr. Ezell, I am heading out for the day, is there anything else you need from me?” The voice sweetly asked.

“No thank you Katelyn, have a good weekend.” He said, clearing his throat in the middle of the sentence.

“Ok, you too. Don’t stay here all night, go home.” She said as he brushed her comment off and clicked the intercom to the off position.

Go home? This was his home since he became the General Manager of the now Minnesota Warbirds. He can’t go home because home doesn’t allow him to make trades. Home doesn’t watch film. Home doesn’t scout upcoming players. This is his home now.

His dedication was set into question just months ago when he made a public announcement stating he wanted to be traded. The public, and most importantly the players, didn’t understand his desire to play elsewhere. He was their defensive leader, their big Basher, he was the face of Warbird hockey and yet, he wanted to leave.

‘Do they still question my dedication to this franchise?’ Constantly races in his mind as he speaks at press conferences, as he writes autographs, as he poses for pictures. Nothing can conquer these questions as he has laid his path in the snow already.

Shaking out the frustrations, he tosses his pen across the office. After putting his papers into his desk and shutting down his computer, he walked to the door. He had one thing on his mind:

GRATIFICATION.