Where Did All the TPE Go (and Where Is It Coming From)?

[Gustav 6,407]

I'm on the update train early this week, because I'm the usual mix between bored and unwilling to do anything productive with my life, so I figure it's better to put out an article than to sit around staring at the wall. At least that's a better unproductive thing to do.

 

Looking at my TPE, and what I have now, and what I'll earn by the end of my career, I'll be able to fight off depreciation just about completely by the time the trade deadline rolls around, and my build will be exactly what I want it to be at that point. But, that will come with less TPE than I thought I'd end up with.

 

My last player, Jerry Garcia, retired with 1541 TPE, after being created as a first-gen immediately before the VHLM draft, before our present catch-up TPE system existed. I was on welfare for my first two weeks, and ended up being drafted with 284 TPE. Since that point, the VHLM graduation bonus (which was usually around 15-20 TPE, depending on how well you did) was nuked, career PTs were reworked (though total TPE payout didn't really change), and donations were reworked so a donation could get you 11 TPE per season rather than 17. But aside from the graduation bonus, this was mostly inconsequential for me--I only donated once with Garcia, and I don't remember doing much else different. Based on my career arc with Jerry, I'd expect myself to be well over 1500 at this point given the head start I had with Taro.

 

And it was a pretty darn good head start, too--I donated in each of my first 4-5 seasons, wrote a couple HoF articles while still in the minors, and have never missed even a single week of earning 12 capped with Taro. Aside from briefly sitting below Cabe McJake (who blew all his money on extra TPE in the player store without accounting for depreciation and later had a thing for getting banned), I've always been on top of the TPE ranking in my draft class, which is where I was on draft night when I had...309 TPE. 

 

Compare that to recent classes--most recently, DeGroot at 372 and Lamb at 369 (I think) are far ahead of where top-of-the-class was in S75. And even comparing it to past classes, I'll probably have a tough time earning 90-something TPE to even get to where I was with Jerry between now and the deadline. Yes, we can point to some measures that were taken to combat TPE inflation a while ago, and I suppose those can be partially blamed for Taro having "only" 1500 or so at retirement. But as far as I know, not much has changed between then and now. Players are earning more, though, so why? Are seasons taking longer? I do remember feeling like our offseason was really short at one point, but I doubt that accounts for a 60-TPE difference. So what's happening recently that's letting players earn way more than they could a career ago? I genuinely don't know, and I'm torn between thinking it's an issue because of inflation and thinking it's good for allowing a few players who don't need to be in the E to skip it. I guess I'll find out what's changed later this season!

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

REVIEW: Nice 555 word media spot!

 

10/10

[Gustav 6,407]

27 minutes ago, Fire Fletcher said:

REVIEW: Nice 555 word media spot!

 

10/10

 

Yeah, I think I have a problem. I don't want to write unless I find it interesting, and if I find it interesting I tend to go off about it...at least no one has to make sure I'm hitting the word counts