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What's In Store For Spring 2007 League


Evan

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Hey guys,

Well I thought it would be time to give everyone an idea of what's to come for the next season. Expect the time between seasons to be substantial since we'll need time to organize, create, adjust, and tweek.

SEASON START TIME AND SIGNUP

As of now, we're estimating the Spring 2007 to start sometime in March. More importantly though, we're going to have signups for the Spring 2007 season hopefully sometime in January. This will give us plenty of time to setup the leagues as per number of guys signed up to play. The signup form will be updated, and we're hoping returning users won't have to enter much other than their current username and password. Also, the next season will NOT use first come, first serve signups. We're going to get the coaches in leagues first, and then select teams afterwards (with a method not known yet).

(Note: Please take a look at the Online Players List (Gens or Snes) through nhl94online.com to make sure your info is how you'd like it.)

ADMIN TEAM

The Spring 2007 season will be the first with an official Admin Team. The Admins will assist Schwartz, Jacob, and myself in keeping the league running smooth. Each Admin will be helping with either the GENS Leagues or the SNES Leagues. They will make sure coaches are playing their games in the given timeframes. There WILL be written rules of when a coach is considered inactive. When a coach becomes inactive, it will be the Admin's duty to replace them.

Admins WILL have the ability to make coaching changes right on the website themselves. This will allow our leagues to make coaching changes right when it's necessary, not after it's too late. There will be a set process the Admins will follow. The details of the process to come later.

NUMBER OF REG SEASON GAMES

We're leaving this up to you guys. You've seen the polls. We're taking the most popular game counts into consideration when making the schedules. Next season will not necessarily be divided up by skill, but moreso by dedication and time to play NHL94. You can imagine that the leagues with the highest game count will probably have some great players since they usually are the ones who want to play the most.

The leagues might be called GENS 50, SNES 40, etc instead of A, B. Or maybe we'll think of some funky names instead.

PLAYOFFS

The playoffs for next season will also be adjusted. This will be on a per league basis, but here's the thinking behind the playoffs:

For the higher game count leagues, we will want around 40% of the teams to make the playoffs. These leagues should be highly competitive, so we need the playoffs to become a challenge to get into. For the lower game count leagues, the overall feeling should be more relaxed, so we would allow more teams to get into the playoffs in these leagues. So, the higher the regular season game count, the less teams will make the playoffs. The lower the regular season game count is, the more teams will make the playoffs.

DNPS and FFs

Our favorite topic. We suspect there actually won't be many of these next time. Why? Because of all the rule modifications and changes listed above, we feel this will become a very small part of the game. Since Admins will be actively checking in on coaches making sure they are playing, there shouldn't be any lingering coaches that are never around. There will be written rules on DNPs and FFs to come soon.

Also, if a coach has over a certain amount of FFs/DNPs they will NOT be eligible to participate in playoffs or receive awards. This number of FFs/DNPs will be very low, possibly no more than 4.

=======================================================

That's the update for now, I hope this excites guys in the hopes that next season will be our most successful season yet. There will be absolutely no tolerance for forum abuse, insults, poor attitudes, and sore losers. We have plenty of good, fun players here. There's no reason to keep negative assets around. Comprende?

-Evan

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Just want to know if there has been any changes to the dates set and when we might expect a league to get going... I'm already getting the itch to start playing again!!

Also...

I'd like to see team drafting based on a weighted lottery.

I like that idea too actually. I think if you take all the returning teams from last year, and weight them according to their finish and then have Evan randomize it, that would be great, just like the NHL. (Obviously we'de have to trust Evan, but I think he's proven he's fair and unbias by now)

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I like all the stuff you're implementing. Hopefully I can get a shot at joining Gens B, and not end up getting relegated after just one season :P

EDIT: Filled out an application and sent it in. Hopefully that's the way I had to go about signing up for the next season's league. If not, just ignore it :)

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Hey guys,

We're still looking at sometime in January to start taking registration forms, but more likely mid to late January. Hang in there guys, it will be worth it.

Also, just to remind everyone... the leagues won't be divided by skill (A or B etc) but by game counts. So, in essence, we kind of lost the promotion and relegation part of the league for now.

-Evan

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... the leagues won't be divided by skill (A or B etc) but by game counts.

Evan - Has this been set in stone already? I'm not sure this is the best idea. I just really hate the idea of a newb or a less skilled player getting pounded into early retirement.

Also, I am guessing there are players out there that would like to match up against others of equal calibur.

Just some thoughts...

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Not dividing the leagues by skill is a bad idea.

I don't want to join a league and end up get pounded to death every friggin' game. Kinda' takes the fun out of playing when you're losing 10-0 every night.

If anything, we need a "C" league, for total rookies, and terrible players. At least then those guys could win the C league, then jump to B and get destroyed, and guys who finish low in the C league don't get relegated out altogether, thus always giving them a place to continuously hone their skills until they either get good, or give up due to frustration.

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Not dividing the leagues by skill is a bad idea.

I don't want to join a league and end up get pounded to death every friggin' game. Kinda' takes the fun out of playing when you're losing 10-0 every night.

If anything, we need a "C" league, for total rookies, and terrible players. At least then those guys could win the C league, then jump to B and get destroyed, and guys who finish low in the C league don't get relegated out altogether, thus always giving them a place to continuously hone their skills until they either get good, or give up due to frustration.

I agree with this. As a newbie wanting to get in on a Spring league I don't want to get my @$$ handed to me every game- I am something like 2-7 in exhibition games. Set it up like the European Elite Leagues- where the top best "C" teams move up a level, and the two worst "B" teams drop down.

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Are the skill levels so diverse where an actual C league is needed? I believe league commitment may be a problem if you diversify the talent too much. You might find that only small fraction of the C league teams will be available to play games on a regular basis.

It looks like the talent level for B league this year was appropriate for online beginners. The more leagues you develop, the less dependable players in any league.

Yet, I do not know how many individuals are interested in signing up... judging by all the new people who visit the message boards, maybe a C league will be necessary anyways? I'm intereste in knowing about that.

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My sticking point is any promotion/relegation that is implemented. Rookies who join the B league and get shelled will be one and done. The last thing the league needs is to discourage players who, like me, suck, by throwing them right into the fire with good players for them to get shelled 9-0 night in and night out.

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A promotion / relegation system has potential to be a solid idea. How would you work it out though? Would you automatically swap the bottom 2 A leaguers and top 2 B leaguers every month? If so, would someone who is dominating the B league want to leave that success behind to be a bottom tier A leaguer? Does anyone want to leave the NHL 94 team they had ownership of?

- I'm just playing devil's advocate, hoping to hear some well thought out ideas.

p.s.

For the most part Magus, you have been facing lower to middle (and some higher) tier A league competion in the draft league. So I have no worries that you or anyone who is familiar with the game would be able to put up a fight in the B league game. The only people that might get trounced night in and night out would be people relatively new to the game, or casual gamers that have only played against the computer. If that is the case, maybe that type of player does need a separate league, like an exhibition league for beginner players.

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A "C" league is exactly for that...casual players, new players, and terrible players.

The problem with the low-tier players in the draft league is that most of the time they're getting thrashed. They're basically fighting among each other not to be the worst. Games between them are good, and I'm not throwing anyone in there, just some matchups in general. The lower players like me have only scored upsets a few times this season, I believe. Players like me, I don't think could hang with high B players. That's why I'm pushing for the C league. I don't want to see anyone give up this great game due to being thrashed night in and night out ;)

As for the relegation/promotion...every season, the leagues draw new teams, no? The promoted players would get first pick in A. The relegated players would get first pick in B, then it'd go by last season's standings from the bottom up. The champs get the last pick. If they can win the league with some middle team, they can do it with a low-tier team.

I'm very passionate about the need for a "C" league. I don't want to see players like me feel embarassed about how bad they are and how they would want to quit because they're getting outclassed on a nightly basis. All I'm essentially looking for is a fair shake for my rookie bretheren :P

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Guest BSDaemon

I dont see a need for a C league. The B league players ranged from very good to very bad. A C league is just a league filled with bad players. How are you going to get better playing against people who are no better then you are?

I picked OTTAWA in the winter league because I needed to have everyone better then me, so I could get better. The unforunate side of that is that I have to deal with a lot of bad goals going in (through my goalie, etc) that wouldn't happen with a better team... but it still makes my play much better by playing people better then me.

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Playing competitive games is what the spirit of competition is all about. If the players are of equal ability, then it's going to be a very competitive game. There's nothing competitive about a game that's over 3 minutes into the first period because the better player has already scored 4 or 5 goals on an incredibly lesser player. There's no challenge for the elite player who plays against cupcake opposition and scores 20 goals against them. Grouping players by skill allows for more competitive games instead of some of the ones you see in the draft league (most of them involving me).

Understand where I'm coming from in all of this. I still consider myself an awful player, and I don't want players like me to get mangled and embarassed on a regular basis. These kinds of players need to play competitive matches to boost their spirits. Don't you think a player of my ability would want to play if they knew that they had at least a fighting chance to win, instead of knowing that they're going to get smashed?

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This has nothing to do with any league format, but I just would like to inform you Magus that:

you won't get your butt kicked in the B league. You have this perception that you are the scum of the NHL94 earth, and it is not true. BSDaemon makes a great point; if you join the C-league and go 40-0, you will not get any better. You will continue to flounder against A-league players. But if you are in a league like the B-league where most games will be tight, and you may only win half the games at first, you will improve your play. From what I am hearing, this is what you desire to do.

Take advice from people who have been at this for a while, they know what they are talking about. And for God Sakes man, quit trying to make it sound like you are a mentally retarded one-armed pirate that can barely pick up a controller! Having played you plenty of times, it is my personal guaruntee that you are fine for the B-league.

now... continue with your discussion ;)

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I'd like to think I'm an advocate for the players of lesser ability, but I feel like I'm getting silenced in this arguement. What most people do not understand is that I'm not talking about myself among the terrible players. I meant awful in the sense that I'm not going to do enough damage in B to satisfy my relatively high standards. ;)

My concern is for those guys (or gals, if they ever come in here) who are going to play in organized leagues for the first time. Their first league experience, unless they are already very good, will be that of many many losses. That's not good for the psyche and confidence, I can attest to that.

However, since my points are not being understood, I'll just stop trying to plead my case. Do whatever you want *shrug*.

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Hey,

I just wanted to give my feelings and update about the Spring Leagues.

For the most part, the guys in the higher game count leagues (about 40-60 games) would generally be more committed and willing to play. This usually goes with being pretty good since they play lots of games. It's rare that someone plays tons of games and remains a low-skilled player.

Looking at the bigger picture, the killer from past leagues was guys not playing their games. It wasn't the skill factor. Eventually guys can compete with most others when they play enough and understand the general methods of scoring.

This is why we've made the decision to have leagues broken out by game count. When you guys sign up, you will specify which league you'd like to enter (maybe the choices will be a 20 game league, a 35 game league, and a 50 game league as an example.) The real game counts haven't been finalized yet.

Just trying to give some guys reassurance that it's not going to be lop-sided leagues.

-Evan

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I believe you Evan. Sorry if I caused a bit of an uproar because of my concern for low-ability players. I just don't want players feeling the same way I feel sometimes after getting my ass handed to me. I don't want players to be overwhelmed.

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I believe you Evan. Sorry if I caused a bit of an uproar because of my concern for low-ability players. I just don't want players feeling the same way I feel sometimes after getting my ass handed to me. I don't want players to be overwhelmed.

Scott, I (and I'm 100% positive, others as well) hear what you're saying. I think it's a totally legitimate concern. I think there are a couple of competing and yet somewhat complimentary concerns - making the leagues competitive by breaking them down by skill level, and making the leagues competitive by breaking them down by commitment to play games. I think if there are dramatic mismatches in either case, the league doesn't work as well (newbies getting trounced 12-0 every game isn't fun, nor are people who really struggle to play 1/2 of their league games because of busy real lives, frustrating the other players).

I think that by and large, the people who play in the heavy-games leagues will probably be the better players, and the people who play in the lighter-games leagues will probably be more relative newcomers. But I like that it's not a rule, and there's no explicit "stigma" attached to playing in one league or another.

Also, if a player is so worried about being on the short end of a lot of embarrassing blowouts that might make him quit, it's probably also the kind of guy who will try to get his feet wet in a lighter-commitment league so he can find out where he stacks up. I'm hoping it works out so that everyone finds their niche.

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