So I am on two recruits.

The same user is on both guys. One account per recruit. He is within the rules on distance, so not in violation of the site rules; both teams are in the same division.

Is this fair to me as a coach?

Probably not. If you’re sure (Or have verifiably good suspicion) it’s a double, I’d report. General rule is that you can’t double scout an area. So unless it’s a top 100 guy, they’re most likely in violation of FPG, IMO.

ETA - other possible exceptions, maybe, include D1 internationals for D1 teams; D2 internationals for D2 teams (since you say both teams are same division). If it’s an international, and they’re recruiting same-division pool, might be a gray area; but I think the “don’t double-scout” rule still applies, and the burden falls on the user when they choose to carry two teams.

I'd say if the recruits are in different states (i.e. he didn't scout the same state with both teams) it's borderline fair because he's not pooling money across the two teams to double up on his scouting. The only "advantage" he has is that he knows how much is being spent against you on both recruits - which is a small but not insignificant advantage. Outside that, it's not unrealistic for two random coaches to discover you're on multiple kids, etc. and use that strategically in recruiting.

I'd also say if he leapt on one of the recruits in a later cycle, that would be more suspicious to me as well. If he's been on both since the beginning they were likely just respective targets for his programs which imho, again, gets a little murky, but doesn't sound to me like it violates the FPG.

Posted by sol_phenom3 on 9/13/2020 9:17:00 AM (view original):
I'd say if the recruits are in different states (i.e. he didn't scout the same state with both teams) it's borderline fair because he's not pooling money across the two teams to double up on his scouting. The only "advantage" he has is that he knows how much is being spent against you on both recruits - which is a small but not insignificant advantage. Outside that, it's not unrealistic for two random coaches to discover you're on multiple kids, etc. and use that strategically in recruiting.

I'd also say if he leapt on one of the recruits in a later cycle, that would be more suspicious to me as well. If he's been on both since the beginning they were likely just respective targets for his programs which imho, again, gets a little murky, but doesn't sound to me like it violates the FPG.

Ok, I misread OP that the same user was on both recruits, as in was also recruiting both of them with both teams. If it’s one and one, and if this is done with no double up in scouting, as noted, then I agree with SP, it could be completely legit. I also agree the key factor in FPG here is likely if these were targets from the start, or if one of them was a late jump to suck your resources. Using a second account to make you spend money is an explicit violation of FPG.

i think the reality of this game is that the cost of going from 99% fair play to 100% fair play is just unduly high. especially now that session 2 recruiting happens so much after session 1, making post-session 1 recruiting banter roughly impossible at the 100% standard. can this situation be guaranteed to be exactly fair - of course not (i do think he's compliant with the rules based on the comment, but that isn't the same thing). as someone mentioned, if he was roughly on both recruits the whole way, i think its more or less the same outcome you'd get if those teams were independently coached, and i would think that would be what is important - and good enough.

my personal take is this coach would be foul of 'real' fairness standards (as opposed to whatever the official line may be), if he jumped on the second recruit later. i always felt that as the coach of 2 teams in a world, i had a responsibility to manage perceptions a little. if i was battling a coach for 1 recruit with a team, even if i had planned to jump the other recruit the next cycle with the other team - once i saw the conflict - i would have backed off. its just too impossible for the other coach to know i wouldn't have been ganging up on him intentionally. i also personally would struggle to battle the same coach in the same season on both accounts even if it was all set in motion in cycle 1 - but there's room for reasonable disagreement there i think? if the coach ends up battling you on both, its probably worth sitemailing him to let him know your perspective - in a friendly way or whatever - he may decide against it in the future.

obviously if the coach was intentionally ganging up, that would be a blatant violation, IMO probably more severe than that dude who threw the NT game against himself a week or two ago.

It's lame as hell for one person to have two teams at the same level in the same world. There's just no need for it, there are 10 worlds. It's a wimp move and looks dirty.

But the 1000 mile rule exists. If you comply with that, you're complying with FPG.

“But the 1000 mile rule exists. If you comply with that, you're complying with FPG.”

Definitely not that simple. From Fair Play Guidelines:

“Collusion includes any act that supports bad, deceitful or illegal behavior agreed upon by two or more users or attempted by a single user....

• Discussing the pursuit of a recruit with another coach, including who is pursuing him and money that might have been spent....
• Sharing Future Stars Scouting (FSS) information between multiple teams ....
• Specifically targeting another coach is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, focusing on recruits a particular coach is pursuing in order to steal them or force the coach to overspend.”

Any or all of these could be accomplished using 2 accounts complying with the 1000 miles rule, and depending on specific circumstances could fit this scenario.

So the coach just made his move on one of the recruits. He’s at very high and knocked me to moderate. If I spend money to catch up it gives him an advantage on the other recruit.

Seems extremely unfair.

Posted by beachhouse on 9/13/2020 5:24:00 PM (view original):
So the coach just made his move on one of the recruits. He’s at very high and knocked me to moderate. If I spend money to catch up it gives him an advantage on the other recruit.

Seems extremely unfair.

This is basically the reason I decided to retire my other handle for good, even after moving the other up to D1. Along the lines of what gil said, I was basically handicapping both teams every year trying to avoid the appearance of bad behavior. Like I said before, if you’re going to have two teams in a world, especially in the same division, I think that’s the price you have to pay. Send a sitemail if you’re feeling extra civil, I guess, but you’re not obligated to do that. I wouldn’t hesitate to get this on CS radar. Even if the other coach was and still is playing it legit, and was on both from the start, they have an unfair advantage now. Still in violation of the spirit of the FPG, even if they didn’t get there intentionally.

I should also mention that the user has 3 teams in the same world.

2 are in D2 and 1 is in D3.

There's no way this guy doesn't know. Does he have a team in every world on one of the handles? If not you should get ****** at him.

Posted by shoe3 on 9/13/2020 7:30:00 PM (view original):
“But the 1000 mile rule exists. If you comply with that, you're complying with FPG.”

Definitely not that simple. From Fair Play Guidelines:

“Collusion includes any act that supports bad, deceitful or illegal behavior agreed upon by two or more users or attempted by a single user....

• Discussing the pursuit of a recruit with another coach, including who is pursuing him and money that might have been spent....
• Sharing Future Stars Scouting (FSS) information between multiple teams ....
• Specifically targeting another coach is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, focusing on recruits a particular coach is pursuing in order to steal them or force the coach to overspend.”

Any or all of these could be accomplished using 2 accounts complying with the 1000 miles rule, and depending on specific circumstances could fit this scenario.

Fair point.

I'm generally in favor of seble enforcing the FPG much more harshly than he currently does. But the rules you're quoting seem tough to enforce, since proving a single user is behind multiple accounts can be difficult.

Can someone explain why coaches do two handles besides if they maxed out and wanted to do more than 10 teams?

Posted by cbryant31 on 9/14/2020 2:04:00 AM (view original):
Can someone explain why coaches do two handles besides if they maxed out and wanted to do more than 10 teams?

This is a great question. At different times in HD they run promos and some coaches like to jump on a free season or two. If a coach did that a CD picked a good team and say they made a F4 or beyond..... they're off and running with credits.

But the best answer overall..... none. It's a bunch of crap! There's no reason to be signing in and out of profiles, when you can have 10 teams as is. I wish they could block IP addresses from using more than one profile. Every situation is different, and people will have various reasons if they care to talk about them. But overall, I hate the idea.

there's no reason for me to be topdogggbm, topdogg25, topdogg123, and bigcat6. Haha

1 world with all three profiles.