2036 Season Questions

[Charlie-49ers]

I am reposting this from another thread, as I would like some serious discussion ASAP.

Gentlemen, as Rich started this thread, we need to have a serious discussion about the League. YES, we have busted our butts over the many seasons to make the game as close to the NFL as possible, but we can never get there, as we all know. We have a Salary Cap, Anti-Aging, Un-retirement, and Free Agents; did I miss anything? The Draft Class is much better, all randomly selected attributes, very few super-stars, so you will need to make tough decisions. I cannot figure out how to do Free Agents unless we have some sort of currency for bidding purposes, but clearly we can eliminate the un-retirement aspects of the game. Likewise, we can eliminate the Anti-aging component, or limit it to one/two players per team. We are a slowly fading into oblivion, so lets have as much fun as possible until we give it up. A new season is upon us, how do you want to proceed?

My opinions are below:

1) Rich can tweak the Salary Cap to limit the number of teams in trouble, but we do needs some controls;
2) I can see eliminating the Un-retirement and let the game control the players;
3) If we do not screw around with the Salary Cap, the Free Agent process should be OK, as is; and
4) Anti-Aging seems to be the pivotal issue, which I would like to limit to two players (one on each side of the ball), this season.

I see restricting Anti-Aging will force Salary Cap decisions for less than optimum vet players as they age. This should increase the value of Draftees, Free Agents, and trading. If we continue to allow a lot of vet into years beyond where the game wants to age them, we delay the other issues I mention above. The reality is that my C1, going into his 10th year is not going to have the EN that he had in year 5-6, and my HB1 going into his 11th year is not going to have the SP that he had in his 6-7 year, and my T! going into his 12th year is not going to have the AC or AG that he had in his 7-8th year. We will all have our issues, some more than others, but this is reality in the NFL. Sure, there are exceptions at every position, thus my recommendation for one player on each side of the ball. Maybe next season we cut it back to just one player!

So, if we implement this restriction, I need to look for one or more replacements for this issue in the Draft, in Free Agency, or by trading. All these categories now become more interesting and valuable. Salary Cap aside, I strongly recommend your agreement in eliminating the Un-retirement provision, and also adopting a policy of Anti-Aging no more than one player on each side of the ball going into the upcoming season.

[Jerry-Redskins]

1. Everyone knows I want to drop the Dollar part only, but the cap amount needs to be looked. It appears we have several teams staying a ton below, I believe in owner choice, but with a cap if the lower salary teams do not participate in elevating their salary, it causes too much disruption. We likely either need a minimum or the the top needs to be a little higher than expected to account for severe under spenders. Why have a cap to spread talent and have management decisions if talent is ignored.
2. Retirement is already limited by increasing point cost of the anti aging and the salary will get progressively higher as well as players salry escalates every TC they go thru. . The Points and Cap will self police it. I believe let the owners have choice. No one is forced to anti age. Leave the rule as is. Plus, As much as I hated him. Having Locker be like Brady was cool.
3. Same as Charlie
4. Anti Aging is already limited by increasing point cost of the anti aging and the salary will get progressively higher as well. The Points and Cap will self police it. I believe let the owners have choice. No one is forced to anti age. Leave the rule as is.

[Dean-Atlanta]

I agree, eliminate anti-aging and un-retire only 1-2 players that require dice rolls, and still allow the un-retire of playikng that retire too early (e.g. the ones that are now auto-un-retire). Keep the salary cap and the points used to bid on FAs that seems to work well.

One idea to consider...maybe do this on just two FAs per season, where cleary a player has excelled in the NFL but sits in our FA pool with crapp[y ratings, upgrade 2 such players before FA bidding in off-season to cause them to be bid on and make active rosters in our league.

Dean

[Dean-Atlanta]

One idea that could increase participation in both leagues, and definitiely XFBS, would be if the graduating seniors from the XFBS become the draft pool for the next PNFL draft.

This might require Steve, Charlie and Jerry (and Rich too perhaps) to coordinate a bit on ratings ranges and how the players are created.

Dean

[Charlie-49ers]

I agree, eliminate anti-aging and un-retire only 1-2 players that require dice rolls, and still allow the un-retire of playing that retire too early (e.g. the ones that are now auto-un-retire). Keep the salary cap and the points used to bid on FAs that seems to work well.

One idea to consider...maybe do this on just two FAs per season, where cleary a player has excelled in the NFL but sits in our FA pool with crappy ratings, upgrade 2 such players before FA bidding in off-season to cause them to be bid on and make active rosters in our league.

Dean

Interesting idea, but would take a boat-load of research. What I intended to do was to do some random boosts of Free Agents, post-draft to have a few interesting players out there to bid upon.

[Mitch-Oilers]

Tough questions... I need to process things a little bit more before finalizing my opinion. Something that did come to mind is to limit the number of times a player can be "anti-aged" or "unretired".

[Jerry-Redskins]

Forgot to add that this will be the 3rd year of the new rules which included increasing the point cost of anti aging and applying the salary cap. Owners have been working strategies and developing the roster to live inside these rules. Keeping the cap and eliminating anti aging and unretirements would be a major adjustment. They would also instantly dump tons off salary of peoples roster as those players all become useless. Making the cap meaningless. The cap and point increase instituted with the cap system make it more expensive to keep older players. It will already lower the amount of older guys over time due to the much higher cost to maintain them.

[Charlie-49ers]

Good point Jerry! Seems like the more that we discuss these issues, the more that it seems like things are working, for the most part, and that we should leave things alone and focus on the requirements to get the next season going.

[Shawn-Giants]

I Agree with Jerry, leave it alone, Anti-Aging doesn't need to be touched, the balance it great.

If you want to field a team of senior citizens it costs a pretty penny and will force an Exodus of FA cuts eventually. I think by virtue of it's existence it translates the realism accurately.

We need some sort of cap system. Not sure what the answer to that is, whatever is convenient for League Officials to manage. Let's not water the strategy down in the name of simplicity.

I'm all for change if it's warranted, not sure any changes to the foundation will have the intended outcomes, the juice is not worth the squeeze IMO. (Can you tell I don't like drastic changes yet?)

My only request is to bring back Boosts so we can have some unique players and some players to covet.

Shawn
NY Giants

[James-Eagles]

I think anti-aging and unretirement was good. I think it was created with a balance the last time we went through this. Yes we might have some players but the Salary cap will fix it.

Salary Cap I am good with getting rid of it all, just the Salary portion, or leaving it the same.