here's the thing... it's been done this way for 39 seasons.  I've won 6 (six - has anybody even won more than 2?) ODL's this way (and had the best record in one of the two others I played in), and at least 2 of them had the 2nd best team in the league in my division (this past season - nc7... another time it was 'heel).  Was it fair to them?  Yup.  Random is fair.  It was unfortunate - I know exactly how frustrating it is to have the 2nd best record in the league but not get the bye (see: the prisoner league.  I have by far the 2nd best record in the league but dh's team is 7 ahead of me) - but it is fair.  Those two seasons were also the MOST challenging I've had in ODL.  It really gives the rest of the league a better shot if one or two other elite owners are in my division... when I can cakewalk through a regular season and get a bye, I'll cakewalk through the playoffs.

But yes - please - institute this where I can draft my division.  That would be incredible.

(Mostly the issue isn't with the 4 guys that would do it... it's with the commish.  The reason it takes so long is because the commish is slow as hell at setting up and continuing leagues.  Whether that's because he runs too many leagues or just doesn't care, I don't know.  Glen's a good guy, but he also resists change like a politician resists actually helping anyone out who can't return a favor.)


ps - you're welcome to join an OL with me at any point if you want to be snide towards those that play in OLs.  I don't do it to "pad my win %" ... I do it to better understand sim mechanics and gimmicks and so that I can apply that knowledge to theme leagues.  I've gotten quite a few rings from OLs... but I've also got a significant number from themes (at least a third - which is more than many owners here have total - I could break the top 25 with just my theme rings).

ash, the REAL question is: what the heck happened to you the 6 or 7 times you missed the playoffs in your 125 some odd seasons?????

Progressives for the most part.  I've missed the playoffs eight times.  Six of those were progressives.  The other 2 were in the funk52 league (now referred to as the ncih 52 league).

Any thoughts from ncih on this idea?

ash, what's goin' on with you? u used to be a pleasant guy. now, it's all about self-inflation and ranting. dude, i don't know how much money you have saved, but i wish you'd get on a plane to china and let mia and i take care of you for a week. haha.

we'll arrange some barefoot massages for ya, a chef for special dishes, take you to hainan for some beach time, put you on a kawasaki 900 and let you air-it out for a few hours in the pristine countryside of yunnan province. and then take you to a shenzhen opium den and let the girls fill your pipe while you study the colors of the south china sunset. i mean this. this is what mia does. she arranges things like this for a living.

she'll send you a form by email. you fill out the form. answer the questions. trust me, you'll enjoy the questions! haha. her miracle services will be on the house. just get your ranting self on a jet and fly to hong kong. mia will meet you there. something is seriously wrong in your life right now. let her find your chi once again. peace, bro.

(Mostly the issue isn't with the 4 guys that would do it... it's with the commish.  The reason it takes so long is because the commish is slow as hell at setting up and continuing leagues.  Whether that's because he runs too many leagues or just doesn't care, I don't know.  Glen's a good guy, but he also resists change like a politician resists actually helping anyone out who can't return a favor.)

Thanks, ash. 

Glen cares.  These leagues would be dead if Glen did not care.

Glen works 12 hours a day six to seven days a week plus tries to occasionally play golf and get laid (but not at the same time).

Glen also does not normally refer to himself in the third person.

I am very much a traditionalist and like to keep league rules the same because I think it is important to have consistency in life.

I would be willing to put it to a league-wide vote and I will abstain.

Have everyone post here either random or draft.

For the record, I run four leagues (ODL, $52M Draft, UPL, and a baseball league).

I am also in the PCL, HDP, and ZPL basketball leagues and am currently inthe WISC baseball tournament.

Also, at least 13 people must vote and draft must win for the rule to be changed.

Thanks, put up a new thread to capture the vote, appreciate you considering this. I know its a little more time consuming, but some change really is for the good, and I think this is one change that makes the league as a whole more realistic.

@scud - I get a little miffed by people that haven't been around coming in and wanting to instantly change the way things have been done, especially when we're talking about a league that's fixing to start it's 40th season.  As for the self-inflation... probably related to an ungratuitous work issue.  I've had to start documenting all the bullshit I do for other people because I was being told I was "unwilling to help others" and even got in trouble for it, which was absolutely ludicrous, and so I guess that habit of documentation has manifested itself a bit to my hobbies.  I'll try and tone it down, but I have been thinking about asking glen to change the name of the ODL to the ADL (Ash's Draft League) since I seem to own it =p 8 tries, 6 rings!  By the way, I'm NOT serious about the name change... it's to poke a little at everyone.  I also get irritated when people bash OLs... especially inexperienced owners.  Yes, themes are superior, but OLs aren't a joke and if you think they are, then you don't understand the sim.

@glen - man, I'm sorry I said what I said.  I know you run a lot of leagues... and in my opinion, the fact that you do with all the other stuff going on, not only slows down the pace of those leagues, I feel like it might actually inhibit your fun... but I stand by what I said about you resisting change... though I totally respect the reasons for it (and I share the traditionalist aspect of most of it and have always supported the decisions you made even when I disagreed: for instance, I would really like to see the odl choose your draft slot philosophy in the funk52, but you've said no, so I let it stand).

Ash,

I was not aggravated or offended. 

I agree completely with what you said.

We are cool.

She is getting touchy again

ash, I'm sure the slave owners in the South "got a little miffed" when their way of life had to change as well. All change is NOT bad, yea 39 seasons and it has worked, but that does not mean it can't be made better..... If we do end up with "random" maybe a little karma will kick in and you'll end up in the same division as 5 super-strong owners....maybe then you'd change your tune....

Posted by 98average on 8/17/2012 9:01:00 AM (view original):
She is getting touchy again

98ave are you 100% sure ash is not really a woman??? He/she sure changes his/her mind like one. Case in point:

8/16/2012 12:01 AM

The two points coincide.  There's no changing of the mind there.  But if you actually read instead of taking a single sentence out of context, you might understand it.  Instead, you're just a noob who just jumps in and before he even plays in the league once wants to change it.