Realistically, the chance of climbing more than a few spots is unlikely. However, it won’t stop me from playing and trying to improve my team. This sounds obvious for most people since we enjoy this game, but at times it could be disheartening when things aren’t going your way. But the main reason why I would never been as disappointed as I could be is because I love this league. This league is by far the best I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing in. Here are a few reasons why:
Quality of managers: As touched on briefly already, the quality of the league is a big reason why it’s such a joy to play in. These guys know their stuff and I’m hoping that they can hang around for a while. This is a league that if you finish last you can’t be too disappointed given the competition. Somebody has to lose.
Challenge: Linked to the above reason, I’ve never been involved in such of competitive league that it’s impressive to see how people manage their teams using different strategies, many of which are successful. However, when everyone is a quality manager, some of these strategies work better than others. It’s an interesting mix of talent on display.
Activity: This is also a very active league so rarely do you see rosters being left unchanged for a significant period of time. We have had some unfortunate situations in the past of managers becoming more inactive for one reason or another, but so far this league is right up there with activity and involvement, which always makes for a better league.
Sportsmanship: Combined with the competition, these guys are quality managers in terms of how they conduct themselves. I’ve only encountered one individual who was deliberately disrespectful and he’s out of the league. These guys are all class so we can compete fiercely with one another, but at the same time do it with respect. This includes friendly and constructive trade negotiations.
Trust: In my opinion, having trust is a key component to being in a successful league. Firstly, as commissioner, it’s never easy to come up with a system that will please everyone. What’s important is that you keep everyone involved and ensure the league is run as smoothly as possible, without getting too involved. One way I accomplish this is I create a feedback thread every year to gauge everyone’s thoughts on the league. They can comment on anything, including settings, how I run the league, general suggestions, what they like most, etc. This way, they are given a voice, which makes it OUR league rather than MY league. I’m always willing to consider changes if it suits the majority.
Trust also plays a part regarding trades and that dreaded word: veto. In the past, we’ve pretty much allowed all deals (with a small processing waiting period) and only if managers had concerns then it could lead to further investigation. Recently, we decided that the waiting period was unnecessary as we trusted each other to make deals in order to improve our own teams. Will there be perceived unbalanced deals? Of course, but that shouldn’t be a reason to disallow a deal agreed in good faith. Now, there is no longer a waiting period and all deals upon acceptance are processed immediately and the players will appear on the new rosters the following day.
Friendship: In being in such a league, you get to know your fellow managers a bit better, which could build friendships even if you have never met or never will meet. It’s that community feeling like on this forum. You recognise people, you chat more and you increase your respect for one another. This league is no longer a group of strangers but a group of friends. This can help make playing the game much more enjoyable.
Pride: Although I feel the league belongs to everyone, this is still my baby. It's good to feel proud of something that you created turning out well, and based on feedback, others agree. It’s always a risk creating a new league since you really don’t know how well it will be received. Are these guys going to remain active? Are they different when playing the game versus how they are on the forums? Would they get more involved or is this just another league? Will it last longer than a year? Fortunately for us, we’re on four years and counting.
The future
It’s been a great run and I look forward to it continuing for many more years. Hopefully, my life allows me to remain active enough to continue running this league. We have a great group of guys so I also hope they are also able to remain active enough to enjoy the experience of playing in this league. Of course, life goes on and people’s priorities change. There will be turnover, but as long as the qualities remain, it should have a bright future.
Final thoughts
Let’s go back to my current situation of being in last place. Although it’s been a struggle, it hasn’t lessened my enjoyment of playing or my determination to improve. It will be a major challenge, of course, and whether I can make a difference in the second half of the season remains to be seen. I’ll give it a shot because I love this league.
Now, if you excuse me, I have some baseball prep to do.