A long-standing progressive had the end of its season delayed until today while WIS ruled on accusations of tanking games with evidence that suggested collusion among at least three owners.

In the case of two owners, the hard evidence showed that one owner had consistently benched Cobb, Gehrig, Lajoie and Trammell every time the other owner started either Dutch Leonard or Warren Spahn, which he did repeatedly against that team. This was despite the fact that Cobb, Lajoie and Gehrig had the highest OBP against lefties on that team. It was further noteworthy that the benefitted owner did not routinely start Leonard or Spahn against most other teams. In one instance, the tanking owner not only benched the same four key players but brought Gabe White out of the bullpen for a starting appearance (which he dutifully lost).

There was considerable other circumstantial evidence, including the facts that the suspected owners joined WIS at the same time (within two days), all had only the one active WIS team and all had played zero exhibition seasons.

And, as far as I can tell, none of the suspected owners has posted one word to argue about the suspicions. In the league forum, since the accusations were posted, not one of the five suspect owners has posted a single word. (One has now informed the commissioner that he will leave the league.)

Now I don't know exactly what the commissioner (Inshoots) passed on to WIS, but today he reported that WIS found no cause for concluding that the owners colluded or violated the standards of fair play.

It appears to me that WIS has therefore sanctioned tanking games.

I am assuming they do not want to get involved. They figure it will work its way along. Otherwise they may constantly be involved in every argument. It is not good for the customer.

Sounds familiar:

whatifsports.com/forums/Posts.aspx

let me say it please......I told you so. they only care about receipts...there is zero integrity.

if they cared about receipts they would update the damn game!

They have set a precedent - the right one, in my opinion - of staying out of rules as much as possible.  If the Commish were to take the lead and say 'these guys colluded; WIS, here is what I want you to do" WIS would do it.  It's all on the Commish.

Posted by pinotfan on 6/18/2015 3:34:00 AM (view original):
They have set a precedent - the right one, in my opinion - of staying out of rules as much as possible.  If the Commish were to take the lead and say 'these guys colluded; WIS, here is what I want you to do" WIS would do it.  It's all on the Commish.

agree with the above. It's the commissioner's ruling which he then instructs WIS to execute.

doubletruck's issue arose in a prog that was always (to put it mildly) suspicious.  Anyone remember the user annakourn?  Used to start leagues with complicated and rather incoherent rules (all posted in a very excitable writing style) and then all these user names you'd never heard of before, who didn't play in any other leagues, would sign up...using the same excitable writing style.  

I was always surprised when regular, non-annakourn owners would sign up for those leagues.

I looked at that league...I never saw any of those names....looks like the ringling brothers circus.

Oh, one more thing about the annakourn leagues.  Someone (I forget who -- it might even have been me) posted about how dodgy-looking all those user names were that were signing up.  A few hours later all the different user names had deleted their posts.  

Update: At this hour, the owner who received the most benefit from his pals' tanking their games got into the WS by edging my team in 7 games, and is now tied 2-2 in the series. He and his cohort have not been invited to stay in the league next season. And I am praying the sim gods will not let him walk away with the championship...but the sim gods often disappoint.

Good news. Edlayne, one of the good guys, won the WS, 4 games to 2.

Posted by doubletruck on 6/27/2015 1:20:00 AM (view original):
Update: At this hour, the owner who received the most benefit from his pals' tanking their games got into the WS by edging my team in 7 games, and is now tied 2-2 in the series. He and his cohort have not been invited to stay in the league next season. And I am praying the sim gods will not let him walk away with the championship...but the sim gods often disappoint.

Good news. Edlayne, one of the good guys, won the WS, 4 games to 2.

Proving there is a God, or at least a sim god.

I always took the WIS God to be an angry god... At least in my experience!

Posted by hersheybear on 6/27/2015 3:16:00 PM (view original):
I always took the WIS God to be an angry god... At least in my experience!

That SHE is!