Claimed:Streetlight: A Beacon for Change

[scoop 3,432]

Streetlight: A Beacon for Change

 

More like Oceanlight!

 

Oh boy, what a week we've just had in the VHL, in a bad way. Between MF Percy Miller's retirement thread and gorlab's warning to new players, I think we had more unhealthy debate than the past several seasons combined.

 

I mostly ignored Miller's thread, but gorlab's grabbed my attention. I was one of his supporters in the thread, and I definitely was not alone. While I don't agree with his methods, he definitely drew attention to a subject that I now believe needs attention. To be fair, as I am mostly unaware of what happened in Miller's thread as well as an earlier gorlab thread with similar subject matter, it is possible that the issue was already resolved as far as it needed to be for now (in other words, the Board of Governors making a statement that they were discussing the issue). Once the BoG informs someone that they are talking about an issue, then there is no need to draw an excessive amount of attention to it.

 

However, and I cannot stress this enough: even if the BoG is discussing something and everyone is aware of that, respectful debate of the issue on the public forums should be very much welcomed and encouraged. The BoG, along with the commissioners, may make the final decisions, but that does not (read: should not) mean that our opinions are worth nothing. I also encourage everyone who has an idea to personally bring it to a member of the BoG. A list of members can be found here.

 

I like to think that I am someone who always looks for ways to improve the league. If I get an idea, I will bring it to someone. I have often talked to Victor about my ideas, Devise has been my recurring in to the BoG, and even a wild CoachReilly can prove to be a valuable target. I've brought up enough ideas that Devise got seemingly annoyed with me for always going to him.

 

As Kha'Zix would say, change is good.

 

I'd say that my most successful change was with the training camps. I take 99% credit for that change; it isn't a large change, but I feel that it is a positive change. The idea changed from my original idea due to a lack of support from the BoG aside from a couple members, but m overall goal was accomplished. First and foremost, I wanted to see the VHLM training camp changed from the apparently complicated setup we had before to simply giving them TPE. As boring as that is, it's better than having one-in-four new members incorrectly make a training camp claim only to have to be told that they made a mistake (full disclosure: that is a made-up statistic, but I would say a significant amount of members have misunderstood TC). My main argument was that new members, and this more particularly applies to people who are relatively new to sim leagues altogether, should not have to go through trial and error with something like training camp so early in their career. It could make them believe that the VHL as a whole is complicated and thus drive them away.

 

The idea that was initially shut down as a simple change to making all training camps work as nothing more than a 10 TPE claim. The five days of +1 X, +1 Y was pretty much just as stale as a +10 TPE system would be, as every team has the same options. There was no variety in training camp as it was, but the BoG and Victor didn't like the idea. In response to that, I came up with the system that is now in place where each team makes there own set of “days” that their players are allowed to train with. I think this allows for teams to set up packages that are better suited for what their players need and makes things ever so slightly more exciting. It's a relatively minor change, but tweaks like this are, in my opinion, nothing but good.

 

I don't only speak for minor changes, however. Something like what Miller and gorlab would like to see is a relatively major change, and I have been involved in my share of debates about bigger issues. Last season, I was a major character in the debate about extending player careers beyond eight seasons. I don't know if the BoG ever discussed this, but I sure hope they did; if they didn't, then I am highly disappointed in them. It's not because I feel so strongly about allowing careers extend beyond eight season (in fact, while I was arguing points in favor of it, I do not know if I would vote 'yes' if I had a say in whether or not it is implemented), but rather, I believe ideas need to be looked at further than a simple “don't change what isn't broke.” I also took a large part in defending Vasteras as a team in the league even though I would say I'm more in favor of them moving. I suppose I wouldn't so much say I defended Vasteras as I would say I defended logical arguments as opposed to a lot of the bullshit that was being spewed (by both sides).

 

I'm not new to this; I've gotten stuff changed in the past, although I'm not as proud of how I got it done. In the past, attributes used to get rounded up. So if you were at something like 70.5 or 85.66, they would be inputted as 71 and 86. I saw this being exploited by a few players, so I questioned sterling as to whether or not rounding the attributes as best; he said that he was going to continue doing it. With other players abusing the system, and no change forthcoming in spite of my bring it up, I chose to abuse it as well. I would get myself a couple extra attribute points by utilizing the knowledge that attributes rounded up. This did not please sterling, so he probably ranted about how terrible I am and ceased his rounding. Another incident, one that is similar but probably not as sinister, happened back when I was GM of the Americans around Season 23 or 24, and I don't remember all of the details, but it mostly went like this: playing players out of position had been allowed previously, and I asked a commissioner who said it was okay; I played Olivier Bergstrom out of position, and people got upset; the rule was later changed. When I asked the commissioner about it, I was of the belief that it shouldn't be allowed, but that wasn't going to stop me from doing it when I was told that it was. I don't so much take credit for this change happening as I do defend myself for my actions with Bergstrom, but I am glad that the change took place.

 

 

 

People seated around a table, much like the Board of Governors might do.

 

I was a member of the BoG at a time, but during that time, we got very little done. We voted for the Hall of Fame, but not much more was done than that. In time that I spent outside of the BoG, I've invigorated more change that I ever did while a part of this exclusive club that sometimes seems to believe (and has others believing) that they make the decisions for the league's future. While it may be true that the ideas have to go through them, we are free to have our ideas and they are obliged to listen. As a member of the BoG their ears eyes should always be open to what we have to say. And to the members of the BoG, if someone brings an idea to you, even if you don't support it, you alone do not make a decision on it. You may think some things are not worth bring up to the BoG, and if that's the case, then the BoG can quickly shut the idea down. So everyone, go blow up their chat and their PM inboxes; along with the power, they've also accepted the responsibilities of being in the BoG.

Edited October 10, 2014 by Streetlight

[Da Trifecta 1,899]

Content: 3/3 A lot did happen this past week. There has been arguments and discussions. It's good that someone wrote about this and made it public imo.

Grammar: 2/2 Didn't notice anything

Appearance: 1/1

 

FINAL: 6/6

[sterling 1,997]

Damnit, I didn't accept any responsibilities

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