Crazy? Idea

[Steve-LA Chargers]

If you all want a deeper FA pool without a salary cap that has teeth the only way is to drastically reduce points so teams will not be able to re-sign all their starters to contracts. It will increase the value of rookies too. Like the NFL.

Yes then people wouldn't have points to bid on FA which again defeats the purpose. The issue isn't the amount of points. It is that #1 QB cost 2 points per year and so do the 3rd string HB

So maybe the true solution isn't via a salary cap nor point reductions. It's about a restructuring system that factors in an extra cost for high impact players/starters and a discount for being in physicals age or a retiree.

Maybe we use the league's player stats at the end of the season to create tiers which categorize roster players across the league as tier 1 (league leaders), 2 (decent impact players), 3 (minimal to no stats). Rich can set the parameters

Tier 1: + 3 signing bonus required AND - 1 from bonus for each year of contract if 4+ years
Tier 2: + 1 signing bonus required AND - 1 from bonus for each year of contract if 3+ years
Tier 3: subject to normal restructuring costs.

Retiring = 1 point restructure always (let's motivate coaches to keep them) / no bonus
At the 'physicals' age = half price on restructuring but bonus applies
Not at the 'physicals' age yet = bonuses purely based on the tiers outlined above / full restructuring costs apply


Something like this. This is just one possible way.

[Mitch-Oilers]

@Steve - I think you are onto something here.

Attack the situation from both ends of the equation:

- reduce point allocations
- increase cost of restructuring "star" players

Instead of player stats, I believe Rich could tier the players easier by the ratings. Top rated players require more points to retain their talent.

[Barney - Vikings]

Guys, this is too complicated. Let’s make things simpler. Each team retains 40 players for the new season. The rest of the players are thrown into a free Agent pool. We hold a snake Draft for up to 23 free agents per team. We then hold the regular draft. We do TC and we are done. No need for points or contracts. No need for anti-aging. No need for restructuring. We could set auto-retirement age eg. 15 for QB, 12 for Lineman etc.

[Dean-Atlanta]

You guys have an extensive imagination, however I'm the new get off my lawn guy.

There's enough mystery and complexity to the game outside of the X's and O's.

None of these discussions on changes will increase the enjoyment level. I don't think anything needs to be fixed or radically changed with hopes of making it better.

If you're looking for some additional excitement, get in the play editor and create an Innovative PML play.

I echo and support Shawn's last point especially. I have 6 new PML plays ready for this season. I urge everyone to work on some new plays.

[Steve-LA Chargers]

Guys, this is too complicated. Let’s make things simpler. Each team retains 40 players for the new season. The rest of the players are thrown into a free Agent pool. We hold a snake Draft for up to 23 free agents per team. We then hold the regular draft. We do TC and we are done. No need for points or contracts. No need for anti-aging. No need for restructuring. We could set auto-retirement age eg. 15 for QB, 12 for Lineman etc.

Way too drastic. The league has had the point systems for over a decade. They won’t abandon it. The physicals system is ingenious and should remain. One of the most fun parts of this league are the FA bidding wars. An additional cut down to 40 after cutting down to 53? I like the intent but maybe in another way.

If you really want simple then we place a limit on the number of restructures allowed. Only 5 restructures allowed. This creates hard decisions, means more long contracts and tags become important. There would be some great FAs to bid on. If i could only keep 9 players that currently don’t have a contract, I definitely lose someone good to FA.

[Steve-LA Chargers]

I have 15 players without contracts. If i was limited to 5 restructures and the 4 tags, I would lose 6 players to free agency. I would have to make some hard decisions and be ready to bid for anyone I cut that I liked. This is certainly an option I think would work. It’s simple and works with the system we have.

[James-Eagles]

If you want to fix the Salary/contract system do something similar to what I suggest for the Anti-aging/retirement system make it easier and almost no effort on the owner.

My suggestion would be just do away with it. Points are used to sign free Agents only once on your team they are signed until retired or cut.


The reality is every minute you focused on taking time away from the ability to work on PPP and plays. You are only increasing the gap of skill between you and the top coaches of the league. If you want to close the gap cut down the non PPP work coaches have to do . No matter what system you come up with Top GMs will have it broken in days. Part of the reason AA/retirement isn't as broken is because it is simple and the person that usually breaks shit wrote it. I still think transfers is broken and I plan on abusing the crap out of it in a few seasons. (may be if you put a salary cap in I won't retire I will just ffer Justin my services as a assistant GM.) Justin is usually the one who is an expert at abuses PPP rules.

Free Agency isn't ever going to be a thing in PNFL it hasn't been for decades and if you come up with a system to make it work. You will only increase the gap. This league will really become 3-4 teams that have a shot at the Super Bowl and 9-10 teams with a shot to make the playoffs the other 8-9 teams will be staying home every year. The reality is most of the below average coaches are bad GMs, too.(Sorry not a sugar coater) To be clear the Sharks in your old leagues are guppies in this one. Every coach in in this league was one of the ones winning championship in old leagues and most likely dominatings. If your name isn't Jerry, Justin, or Thomas and may be Mitch. The above is directed at you. You should be not worrying about making life harder in yourself.

What you should be doing if you are bored instead make life harder for yourself

1. Complete plans and profiles build for every team you will play

2.Looking at top defense and Offense plays and finding plays that work against them or designing plays that break them.

3. Sim sim sim if you aren't set up to do 100+ sims in a day you might want to work on your set up(I currently can't do this either lost my set up a decaded ago) I know Rich at one point had more than one computer doing sims. If you have modern PC look at virtual machines you can have more than one computer on your computer.

4. Trying to complete a database of how plays work against other plays (this is the holy grail) If you know how a play works against every other play Rosetta stone for PPP.

The point I am making is if you aren't working on your PPP stuff now you are behind. Jerry, Thomas, Mitch, and Justin have a system so locked in they get to take off seasons off. The problem for you is your are decades behind so you need to catch up. If you are happy with being one of the teams that might make the playoffs every few years and losing in the first round then keep doing what you are doing. If you happen to beat Justin, Jerry or Thomas during the season it means nothing. They might have submitted that PPP weeks ago. Even Rich admitted that if the game didn't matter he would submit and old PPP. It also could ahve been a rogue game.

I will keep saying this until I am blue in the face. This might sound like I am talking down to you but I need to do all this stuff, too. My name isn't Jerry, Justin or Thomas. I am just as guilty of not putting enough in to my PPPs.

[Mitch-Oilers]

Guys, this is too complicated. Let’s make things simpler. Each team retains 40 players for the new season. The rest of the players are thrown into a free Agent pool. We hold a snake Draft for up to 23 free agents per team. We then hold the regular draft. We do TC and we are done. No need for points or contracts. No need for anti-aging. No need for restructuring. We could set auto-retirement age eg. 15 for QB, 12 for Lineman etc.

@Barney - I like this idea too. It reminds me of the old NWFL process I was apart of years agao.

Apparently, I like all the new ideas. Ha!

[James-Eagles]

Guys, this is too complicated. Let’s make things simpler. Each team retains 40 players for the new season. The rest of the players are thrown into a free Agent pool. We hold a snake Draft for up to 23 free agents per team. We then hold the regular draft. We do TC and we are done. No need for points or contracts. No need for anti-aging. No need for restructuring. We could set auto-retirement age eg. 15 for QB, 12 for Lineman etc.

Way too drastic. The league has had the point systems for over a decade. They won’t abandon it. The physicals system is ingenious and should remain. One of the most fun parts of this league are the FA bidding wars. An additional cut down to 40 after cutting down to 53? I like the intent but maybe in another way.

If you really want simple then we place a limit on the number of restructures allowed. Only 5 restructures allowed. This creates hard decisions, means more long contracts and tags become important. There would be some great FAs to bid on. If i could only keep 9 players that currently don’t have a contract, I definitely lose someone good to FA.

What FA bidding war? The only time that happens is if there is a fluke boosted player that is off the charts. That happens may be every few years. I think you need to accept those are gone for good. Also most of the bidding wars I have got into over the years I was just driving up the price so the other team had less points when it mattered. You might find them fun the reality of FA bidding wars is the winner of them almost always lost.

I say make it simple cut points down to 20 a season they and you can carry over half your points to the next season. Points are used to bid on Free Agents. Every player on a roster has a life time contract with the team. We do away with transfering rolls on retirement. Trust me this can so be abused if you build your roster right. Extend the offseason give 2-3 week preseason where coaches can set up scrimmages where two teams who both agree send in a PPP to Rich and both get back log files. If RIch is willing he might even sim it a few times. I will leave that part up to Rich.

I know Jerry is one of them that hold contrants matter but contracts don't matter. The above system only hurts my team and competitive advantage. The reality even if you cut points down to almost nothing than Free Agent bidding wil really come down to first come because you won't have the points for a bidding war. Do we really want to be setting alarms and managing our schedule that we all have to be on the forums at a certain time to get that first post in. My players on my current roster can be signed until they retire. Trust me if I get a hint of Steve like system my players will be fully signed before it goes into effect. I will instnatly have an advantage. I understand the desire to hold on to a dead system but it is a dead system. It hasn't matter for the over a decaded I have been back unless you are a bad GM. Yes if you are running out of points and are struggling to resign people. You are failing there is a reason certain teams can amase tons of points because it is easy to do if you don't waste them.

[James-Eagles]

I have 15 players without contracts. If i was limited to 5 restructures and the 4 tags, I would lose 6 players to free agency. I would have to make some hard decisions and be ready to bid for anyone I cut that I liked. This is certainly an option I think would work. It’s simple and works with the system we have.

Yea but I can tell you right now a team built right should be losing about 7 player a year off their 53 man roster and none of them will be worth a bidding war.