Point Cap Proposal

[Steve-LA Chargers]

The intent of this points cap is to help Rich accelerate his achievement of a league with a balanced points system, so he doesn't have to keep reducing the new season allotment by 1 point for 10 more seasons.

I can't reason with your obstinance so I'll focus on convincing the rest of the league.

[Justin-Chicago]

Reality is that the points system is already balanced. There has been significant turnover at the top of the "points leaderboard" the past few seasons. There is no points hoarding going on. The numbers are going to vary a bit from season to season, but that is evidence of true balance. One season an owner may spend more conservatively, one season more aggressively. That's how it should be. New owners are at a different spot than the perennial playoff teams, they should be able to have a different approach, and build for the future. Kudos to a new owner from a few seasons ago prioritizing first getting into a better points situation, and then making the playoffs last season. It can be done. Don't punish him. If you're always out of points the problem is not the system, it's you.

This proposal is a solution in search of a problem.

[Dean-Atlanta]

The trading of points opens more possibilities and ways for GMs to manage their resources and maintain and build their rosters. I think we should keep that with or without having a rollover cap on points. The trading during this off-season illustrates that. I think points trading SHOULD be here to stay.

As for the cap, I would be interested in seeing what Rich thinks about that.

[Steve-LA Chargers]

Justin, your attempt at subtly questioning how I (“you” as you tried to infer towards me without literally saying my name) manage my points is hilarious. You have no idea how I got to this point. You don’t know what I did to spend my points unless you intentionally monitored what I did. You would arguably do the same if in my situation but arguably slightly better because we all know what you do. But you are arguing that the league is balanced when it comes to points when you have NINE times as many points as me (and coaches like Shawn). At this point I can only say F U. You are being an absolute shithead to say that. It’s not accurate and it’s clearly a deliberate dismissal of reality so you can keep manipulating the crap out of other coaches to build unrealistic super teams. If you had said anything to support my proposal you would have kept my respect but you lost that with your obvious self-aggrandizement and subtle condescension. Don’t worry though. I left the league. I’m just making sure the league has another perspective before I go. I know you will attack me and debase me somehow in reply or other ways, but you can’t remove this dagger I sent your way. It will be there for good.

Jerry nothing against you. Been great debating with you.

[Neil-Raiders]

Note: I wrote the following last night but declined to send it after reading Justin's post. However, after reading Steve's post I think it should be said whether he ever reads it or not.

1) This is not a points cap. A 'cap' limits the amount that can spent, this is the opposite. You're suggesting a points floor. If you want a points cap in terms of limiting the number of points that can be spent per season (similar to the NFL) I would be open to it, but that's an entirely different discussion.
2) Per https://en.as.com/nfl/2024-nfl-free-age ... plained-n/ there is a floor built into the NFL salary cap, but it's there so that NFL owners can't hoard the money that the teams generate, they have to spend a percentage on player salaries. "Teams do not have to spend all the allowed money, but they must spend at least 89% over a four-year timespan". In other words, there is no equivalent to a yearly 'use it or lose it' in the NFL so there is no reason that it should exist in the P(ure)NFL either, (especially since the PNFLPA hasn't voiced any concern
3) Besides, there is already a built-in penalty for teams that just hoard. The penalty for not spending enough is that a team will eventually be unable to keep or acquire players that are good enough to compete with the better rosters in the league. That is true in the NFL (money) and in the PNFL (points).
4. "Beginning next season"...No. Non-starter. Unless it's something like the removal/editing of illegal plays that affects all teams equally, significant league-wide changes shouldn't be implemented without giving teams time to adjust. I spend a lot of time on roster/points planning because the GM role is my favorite part of the game and I'm not willing to alter everything that I've been doing over the past (literal) couple of years just because someone wants to change things up. I'm willing to listen and potentially adopt new ideas if given the chance to plan accordingly, but 'beginning next season' = NO for every big change idea, not just this one.
5) "The intent of this points cap is to help Rich accelerate his achievement of a league with a balanced points system, so he doesn't have to keep reducing the new season allotment by 1 point for 10 more seasons." Rich seems like a pretty capable guy. I don't think administering a 1 point reduction per season is overly taxing for him.
6) Steve, the fact is you've leveraged your team to the hilt. But congratulations are due because in the process you took a risk and earned a championship using a very realistic NFL strategy. However, that strategy also has a downside in that once the bill comes due a team will usually have to purge and rebuild. On more than one occasion you've mentioned your intention to do a complete rebuild but have failed to do so. And that's fine, it's completely your choice on how you run your team. However, stopping the point reductions and forcing teams to burn through points haphazardly is of benefit to you, but not to the teams that have been more fiscally frugal and taken a long term approach.

To (wildly) paraphrase Benjamin Franklin, a point saved is a point earned. I took over a team that was pretty talented (more so than I realized at the time), but that had also been ‘fiscally’ mismanaged. I realized that the only way to be competitive over the long term was to blow up the team and build primarily through the draft and then to augment through trades and FA. I’m finally getting to a point where my team is competitive again and I have a decent point reserve. Next off-season will be difficult because I have a lot of contracts that are up for renegotiation and I will have to make some tough decisions regarding who to keep and who to potentially let test free agency, and that's fine, that's part of the PNFL challenge that keeps me interested in the league. However, I (and the other financially competent teams) shouldn't be forced to completely change our strategies just because you can't balance your books...

[Justin-Chicago]

My apologies Steve, I did not intend for my statement to be hurtful. It was not directed at anyone in particular. It was hastily typed and I only intended to call out the feeling we all get when we spend points wastefully. Each of us. Myself included at times.

My condescension is borne of frustration from perpetual calls to change things up. The league is healthy. It's fun, there's lively discussion. The same guy wins most of the time, but it's close. Let's enjoy it. All the focus on changes that don't cause or even correlate to success detract us from the end goal.

If it was up to me, we'd have a salary cap. Transition the points to bonus money in year one. Simple.

But points don't win championships. I'd like to match up and play football.

[Matt-Jacksonville]

Forget a cap, just say no carry over of points and I think we are good. However, something has to be put in place to not punish those who spent time accumulating a ton of points. Maybe a gradual step down over the next five seasons. Year 1 80% of what you have can carry over, Year 2 60%, Year 3 40%, Year 4 20%, Year 5 0%.

I do agree with Jerry that rule changes need to be very limited for a little while to allow time for stuff we already implemented to work.

[Rich-League Officer]

Guys, there are certain topics in this league that are 3rd rail in nature. One was the salary cap and the next one is the points system itself. I certainly respect the passion you all have on these matters.

The fact is, we have been using points since the 2022 season and they have become ingrained in our PNFL existence.
So, I would ask that everyone relax and not get too heated or take things too personally over these matters.

As for the idea itself...this was something many of you might recall was discussed about 5 seasons ago. There was a time when we had close to 1000 points extra in our economy. It was too many. Some of us, myself included talked about capping the carryover and a plan to do it over a 5 season period. But, because of the magnitude of this change, many coaches balked at this idea and we moved on. There are times when an idea is just not ready yet. It's no different in politics where it can take decades before the population says it's time.

Steve's idea is a good idea but would require all 18 teams or near all 18 to agree. I do not believe we are there. My main goal to keep the peace and all 18 happy so that we play a next season. Many of you played in leagues 25 years ago and one of the reasons they no longer exist is because changes could happen weekly and it creates an instability in the ranks. I think it is great that Steve and so many of you come up with these ideas to improve the league. I can honestly say that the only reason I am still here doing this is because of the passion of so many of you. The more you guys seem to care and contribute, makes me want to keep going for another 48 seasons, God willing.

As for the current state of the points, as I said we had close to 1000 at one point. But, today that number has been cut in half. I have slowly taken the air out of the balloon and I like where we are and where we are headed. In my mind, teams are managing it quite well and other teams have managed to wiggle out of trouble with trades. And because of how we have gotten to this place (slowly) it allows me to get a feel for the future. It's become easier for me to forecast where the allocation lands and stops declining. Should we make wholesale changes, it becomes much more difficult to forecast where we are headed.

I think by now, you realize that I am not for big massive change all at once. I think it destabilizes the league. It's why I reject the idea to globally edit attributes. There are unforeseen problems that come with massive change like that. And, the same applies to the points system. Coaches are building their rosters based on the rules today and I can't blame any coach for acting in his teams best interest. One coach might have 100 points, another has 5, one coach has 130 contracts years locked up, another has 70. So, with all the varied situations, it becomes a challenge to expect all 18 to agree to a system change which will impact some teams more than others.

As I sit here today, I would prefer we stay the course on the points and you all allow me to continue to adjust the allocations as I see fit. Trusting that I am not trying to create a situation where you all have 30 free agent losses each season. 94% of you are having virtually zero issues keeping who you most want to keep. You have learned to become more efficient. Going from a very arbitrary 65 down to 52 has not impacted any of you to date. Some of you are not just managing but thriving.

On the eve of our draft, I hope the debates continue and that we can respect each others opinions. No idea is stupid. None are being rejected. Charlie and I read all of this and we talk on the phone about it. Many of you, Steve, Justin, James and others have come up with great ideas, some implemented, sometimes it's just an idea ahead of its time. But, keep it coming. The best way, is to argue (without arguing) and gain support from the other 17. Ultimately, it's your league, you are the coaches and if all 18 want something, who am I to say no.

[Dean-Atlanta]

Well stated by Rich. The discussion and debate over an issue like this, and exchange of ideas, is good for the league as long as it doesn't get like real life politics and we get polarized and tribalist about it. We are doing exactly the same thing right now in the PCFL about our Red Shirt rule, it's good for the league and improves participation.

Everyone ready for the draft?

[Steve-LA Chargers]

Apologies to Justin for the unkindness in my post and for attacking you the way I did.

I'm going to step back for a while and not partake in these kind of discussions going forward nor make any new proposals. I'll leave league matters to the commissioners.

Just going to focus on drafting, running my team and going after another title.