Okay, I thought that before I tee up the next classified ad, I'd ask the returning owners their opinions on league rules as they stand.

Here's the standard WOT rules

Cap: 90M
AAA: 6/2 Average (but, you may only use 3 of your AAA players... i.e. only 3 may have a PA or IP)
Trades: Yes (AAA only)
WW: No
Clones: Depends upon the theme
DH: No
Random realignment

Last season I forgot to add a limit to live play restricting it to "the current series'... so that will be back on the board.

So, if anyone has any issues about the Cap or the AAA or any of the standard settings, here would be a good place to pipe up. FYI, I won't change anything unless I get at least a 2/3 majority with little to no rabid dissent.

More importantly...

The major issue facing this league is the "fairness" of the themes handed out. I do my best to police such things, but there have been complaints. We can continue on this way, or we can try a major overhaul. The big change would be this...

Every owner would have to sign up for two teams, they would then play a team with the theme they were given, and a team with the theme they gave.

That ought to mollify the "put your money where your mouth is" people.

If we go with this idea, here are a couple of other issues up for debate.

Do we expand the league to 30 teams (since we will only need 15 owners)?

How do we divide the leagues? All given themes in one league all own themes in the other? Or should owners be in direct competition with the themes they gave?

In order for me to go to the 2 team format I would need pretty much unanimous agreement from you, the returning owners.

So, mainly, this is a vote for whether or not we go to 2 teams each, plus a forum for discussion of (and perhaps voting on) the other theme rules.

My opinion?

Having to take 2 teams could cause the league to fill slower... although we will not need as many owners.

I'd say yes... but unless everyone else is on board, keeping it at 24 teams. I also think that owners should have both their teams in the same league (AL/NL-wise).

Personally, I am happy with the standard rules, as they stand... although in the event that we move to 2 teams each, "random realignment" would (IMHO) have to be taken off the table.

Thanks for your time,
evm


Sitemail: bbondsmvp; ejstockman; RWHAY; dorkster; mosesherzog; mllama54; jvt87

Voting Zone

2 teams policy:

eastvanmungo: yes
dorkster: yes
bbondsmvp: no
mllama54: yes
jvt87: yes
RWHAY: yes
ejstockman: np
mosesherzog: yes


Additional...

Most of us seem to be in favour of having a 30 team league (ie 15 owners).

Consensus seems mixed on other rule changes to the extent that, at this moment, they will remain the same as they were.
Strong opinions still appreciated.

I really like the idea of each owner having two teams, competiting in a 30 team league. I believe it would go a long way in making the themes that are handed out a little more "fair". Additionally, in previous seasons, I would like to have fielded a team w/the theme that I came up with.

As far as alignment goes, if it is possible, I'd like to see the identical theme teams in the same division. But if not, then in the same league.

The 90M cap has worked well, and keeps the AAA guys at the right value.

The rule of using only three AAA is a unique and interesting one. It adds some strategy to building and managing the team. In both of my seasons I've played I wished that I could have used one more of those players. If the limit were raised to four, I'd be happy with that.

I have another owner I can bring in if we go the route of two teams per owner.

Either way, I'll be back for Season V.

I'm not as excited about the 2 teams idea. I would say an alternate fix would be everyone submits a theme and then the themes are handed out randomly. I would also sometimes like to create a team with my own theme. Maybe one league with your theme and a second league with an assigned theme.
Keep the AAA Rule. Allows for strategy and trading.

First of all I am back for another season no matter what we do. Personnally I would eliminate the AAA players and raise the cap to $100M. As far as the two teams I would welcome the idea. I would like to build a team based on my theme criteria as well as another one. Raise the limit to 30 teams as I think at least 15 owners will return. Have one division with your own themes and the other division with someone elses.

And I agree with everybody.
That is, I support the 15-owner, two-team idea as a useful and fun improvement.
But if there are skeptics, bbondsmvp's suggestion of randomly assigning themes might be even better. It offers the advantage of simplicity and the ability to keep 24 owners and 24 teams.
I really like mllama's proosal to eliminate AAA and go to $100 million. Random AAA is the Achilles heel of WIS and at $100 million there's no real need to introduce that element of luck.
So to recap: yes, yes, yes.

I am also back regardless of how the next league shapes up. I have no problem with the 15 owner concept and having two teams as I have taken two squads in every season except this one. I would prefer to keep the 90 mil salary cap though as it forces you to look at players who you might not otherwise use. The use of the AAA with three callups seems to add a unique strategy and I hope we also keep this option. I don't think you can totally eliminate AAA though because some theme ideas call for its presence. My only concern is that this season seemed to take on more themes that were similar in terms of ideas such as the case with the use of two similar themes using 1968 and 1930 players. There is an endless amount of theme ideas out there that we can keep themes as unique as possible. This league continues to be one of the best I have taken part in so whatever the comish comes up with it will be fun and challenging!

Glad to have your interest in another season jvt87.

As for the idea of randomly distributing themes... I dunno... it's a good idea, but the major drawback (and I think, deal breaker) is that no one would know what theme they got until we had filled the league. No one could start tinkering, and I wouldn't be able to post the league until every owner had joined. Too much room for people losing interest, IMHO.

We just need to hear back from ejstockman and mosesherzog (and any other owner who also wants to chime in... but, ejstockman and mosesherzog at the very least) and then we will be able to to come to a final decision of how WOT will continue.

Reminder SM's have been sent.

I have no real preference. I've had a couple of themes that enabled me to compete pretty well, and one that was tough but not unfair. I would join the league with either approach.

two teams per? yes.

expand to 30 teams? no preference.

i say we don't worry over how teams are aligned. i don't mind being aligned against myself. as long as there's no trading with yourself.

Okay, all the interested owners have voiced their opinion and by a vote of 6-1-1 we are interested in changing the rules so that owners now take 2 teams each and play one squad with the theme they get and one squad with the theme they gave

Consensus also seems to dictate that we expand the league to 30 teams (15 owners).

I am going to put all the teams who had their themes given to them in one league and all the original theme teams in the other league (hopefully that made sense). I think I will also try to have all the divisions in both leagues to have same owners (i.e. if you are in your NL division with dorkster, you will be in your AL division with dorkster). I will use random.org to decide the order/alignment. If any of you have a problem with this idea please let me know.

The rest of the rules regarding Cap and AAA will remain unchanged.

Since all of you have all expressed interest before the Classified ad has been placed, when I do fire up the classified ad, I will use random.org to decide your initial order of entry. I will be #1, of course.

bbondsmvp, since you are the odd fellow out in the voting, I understand that you may no longer be interested. Thank you very much for your playing along and for being involved in the decision making process. Please let me know asap if you are still going to participate.

Once I have bbondsmvp's reply, I will fire up the classified ad.

evm

Quote: Originally posted by mosesherzog on 1/11/2010two teams per?  yes.expand to 30 teams?  no preference.i say we don't worry over how teams are aligned.  i don't mind being aligned against myself.   as long as there's no trading with yourself 

No... there will be no trading with yourself.