A Devise Perspective: Two Players Is The Right Answer [Reviewed]

[Devise 4,475]

Give credit where credit is due. During my last media spot I challenged a specific sub group of member to rise up and grab the league by storm. While that hasn't completely happened, an exciting World Cup, a solid off-season in regards to free agency/transactions in general, and of course a storm of debates. Most specifically, Molholt, a member who has truly taken over as a top tier member in regards to taken a more hands on approach in the league, deserves credit. His revival of an old idea, giving members the options of building two players at the same time is a thread that has 167 replies. It has been viewed over 1500 times. It spawned a poll in Fan590, submitted by greg which has a grand total of 32 votes. With a high disparity in favor of the option. It's clear, whether because this idea actually has some legs or because people are simply ready for something new in the VHL, that the two player option is one worth seriously considering.

 

The more I thought on the subject of two players the more I became in favor of the idea. Especially now. The reality is we have a plethora of problems. One of the things I stand behind the "old boys" in the BoG about is the notion that changes, whether big or small, need to feel and transition simply. The Player Store change may of nerfed the total amount of TPE players got, and been a big overhaul. But the purchase decisions that we implemented, and the entire structure of the store itself was done very simply. Subsequent changes, follow that same mentality.  if The two player option really is a smooth, and depending on how we execute it, simple compromise to a lot of issues currently going in the league. It allows us to create something new, something the league desperately needs without doing so just because it's "new." It allows us to re-prioritize the reward for PT users in the league versus welfare. Something that has gone from growing concern to legitimate problem. With this solution, welfare players would be better off sticking with one player while building a second player requires more input into the league. It's a system that should easily allow welfare players to continue making players of the same caliber, while still offering the incentive to the more active members in the league. It also gives us an influx of newer players, allowing us to potentially explore options such as expansion, four line teams; which in turn offers us the opportunity to look at sim switching something that has received some mild support. It really just opens the door. A lot of the extensions to the idea, don't have to be implemented immediately either. Baby steps. It's how the VHL has always done any type of serious change. We still dive in, to big ideas too, original expansion says hello in that regard. However if there is one thing we do probalby better than any other sim league it is in our commitment to constantly evolve the ideas we implement. Welfare came just after expansion as an easy answer to the growing number of aging members, and of course helped keep players to sustain those two extra teams. TPE inflation was briefly an issue, but various changes tackled that. And the VHLM has been through constant changes over the years, but most would argue the current incarnation works rather well. Even with welfare, as the issues currently surround it we have been open to making changes for the people frustrated with the system. It's just a matter of making sure those changes strike an even balance, a balance that maintains the fabric of what the league is, and staples that we'd like to keep. One of thos being welfare by the way, so as much as people harp on it I can confirm that a welfare system that rewards long time TPE earners with previous players is something that will likely stay in the VHL permanently. 

 

Anyway, I'll finish this off by saying I think the base two player idea is the right answer. How we implement it will get discussed over the coming weeks, something I'll do my best in the BoG or in the public we keep discussing. A role I often find myself in honestly. The biggest reason I believe the two player solution even at a base level is the right answer, it's very VHL. The VHL has never been about a large member base with varying degree's of engagement. Most of our welfare players have been in the league so long, they still do a lot of other stuff. Some are even GM's at the VHLM or VHL level. At it's heart, the VHL is a very core tight knit community that just enjoys playing sim league stuff. It's also one that is very serious about it's history. Not just in cataloging it, but maintaining it. O"Malley is the most recent example of someone breaking through the barriers of the past. It's why we've been so opposed to such wide sweeping changes. But the two player idea doesn't interfere with that at all. Sure some of us members will have more opportunity to build players that could break the record books, but the TPE available, the player build types and how they work in the current sim engine would be maintained. It really is just another option for players here. It's why I one hundred percent oppose the idea that any members two players shouldn't be allowed on the same team. If you have an elite level forward, and your team is missing that one cheap depth scrub defender, why is it such a big deal if some member just claims welfare/earns minor other things to fill that role? Again, the league has been at it's best in terms of sim results as we have maintained parity. Look at all the members/players in the last 10+ seasons that can say they are proud of their sim results. That number will astonish you. While certain players may get more treatment. we live in an era when someone as dominating as Lord Karnage still hasn't made a serious impact on individual awards despite the crazy stats. How is that possible? Parity. To me that is something truly has to be maintained. That is it for this week, and as a special treat for anyone who read this long, I present a challenge for future editions, a challenge for myself that is if anyone is willing. Send me a PM about something league related, could be a player, a member, something going on in the league, something days gone past, whatever. I'll write a Devise perspective on that topic in future weeks. 

[boubabi 4,725]

I havent made an impact on awards because of the domination of omalley during my era, but my all time stats are still very very good. Plus, beside that BS voting for the boulet, it would have been my 5th consecutive award, which is considerable. So not quite sure about your parity, because there's not much high end player in the league

[Devise 4,475]

14 minutes ago, boubabi said:

I havent made an impact on awards because of the domination of omalley during my era, but my all time stats are still very very good. Plus, beside that BS voting for the boulet, it would have been my 5th consecutive award, which is considerable. So not quite sure about your parity, because there's not much high end player in the league

 

That is the definition of parity. The Slobo winning forward didn't even get to the Continental Cup finals this past season. We've seen excellent rookie seasons from younger players, even in the goalie department. I mean is it that the top TPE goalies aren't that great as they used to be, or is it more that other goalies and teams also perform better. I choose to believe the latter. While we have seem some dominance as well, the ebbs and flows are real, which is actually the key in any real parity. It's how it is in the NHL for example. Ovechkin and Crosby are great but how many Cups are between them? O'Malley was an outlier, and it's important to prove that even in this climate that can exist. However you are seeing more and more the situation a player is in also plays a role in how they perform. Which means lines, and line chemistry also play a factor. It basically allows all the elements of building a successful team to have some level of impact, and even still, even if you build a "sure fire winner" the reality is, what does that sure fire winner even look like? One year a key elite forward could just tear it up on you in the post season, the next an elite level goalie on a weaker team could steal the show. But despite that we still saw a repeat with Helsinki. We pretty much have an entire mixed bag of everything a sim league can throw at you. 

 

Again some people won't like that. Some people want a clear distinct structure to how things unfold, and with it comes success. That way all they have to do is X to achieve it. But for me personally that is rather drab. I'd like an element of chance, and as the seasons roll on the numbers eventually reveal that if you build great players, great teams etc, eventually you'll be rewarded in some fashion. 

Edited May 19, 2016 by Mr. Power

[Higgins 3,618]

15 minutes ago, boubabi said:

I havent made an impact on awards because of the domination of omalley during my era, but my all time stats are still very very good. Plus, beside that BS voting for the boulet, it would have been my 5th consecutive award, which is considerable. So not quite sure about your parity, because there's not much high end player in the league

 

Born too early to win awards, born too late to win a cup, born just in time to get dominated by Thomas O'Malley

[Devise 4,475]

Also for what it's worth Boubs, you got robbed of Boulet this season, and I truly mean that. I have zero idea how that was even close much less Edwin winning the way he did. I don't see how 100+ points with nearly 400 hits isn't the clear definition of that award. With that award hits are more valuable than points because hits are really our only legitimate defensive stat. 

[boubabi 4,725]

Just in time to crush your tpe record

[Higgins 3,618]

1 minute ago, boubabi said:

Just in time to crush your tpe record

 

I'll take my 6 award and cup over Tpe especially since I had all 99 attributes anyway

[boubabi 4,725]

It just mean you take sim luck over things you can control

And pretty sure I have 7 awards atm

 

[Smarch 3,150]

#ConnerLowTho

 

Suck it

[evrydayimbyfuglien 600]

Review:

Great article. Content wise, all useful info. Grammar, I did notice one thing in particular. You said "may of" when it's actually "may have" other than that, great job and I hope we can set this two player thing up effectively.

[BOOM 8,744]

I've won some awards. They are overrated.