Let's dig in, shall we?An excellent summary, Matt, and thank you for the kind words. For those who are interested, here is the original LGT recruitment thread for what became the Planetary Extreme Baseball Alliance. The man with the idea for the league was Chester Banaszak, who went by the nickname "CarnegieAndOntario" on LGT. Chester actually disappeared twice during the formation of the league. The first time was very shortly after the concept was pitched. After some scrambling to save the league, Chester suddenly reappeared, ready to take over operations. Sadly, he re-disappeared just as quickly.Calzones wrote:Since John is a busy man, I will fill in a few details to get you started.
The original idea came about by a poster on the Let's Go Tribe forum. I was not a member of that forum, but John was interested in the idea, and John happened to be in a fantasy league I was in and pitched the idea to myself and Chris (Tempe) to come join this new OOTP league.
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For the record, I was to be the owner of the Evanston (IL) Invaders. I even had the whole Space Invaders logo picked out and everything. Somehow, I don't think we missed out too badly on that one.
That would be Andrew Spayde, who goes by the nickname "NickFantana" on LGT. Nice guy, as I recall.Coal Sox wrote:The original Charleston owner was an LGT regular who is no longer in the league - I know he was running the team when I made the Hu trade.
Depending on your perspective, you can't pin that on the original Kentucky owner (Josh Lehman, "bogey021" on LGT). I say that because he a.) never showed up for the draft, and b.) didn't bother to create a draft list. All those MR were OOTP's bright idea. Inexplicably, Mr. Lehman ended up being punished for OOTP's sins.Calzones wrote:I certainly remember how the original KY owner drafted. Duane came in and took over a team that had about 37 MR.
Peter Matulis ("Pmatulis" on LGT) was Florida's original owner. A very nice guy who had the courtesy to keep managing his team until a replacement was found after he had decided to depart. He stayed with us through the inaugural season. Jason Parker was his replacement for 2008. Jason never left a strong impression with me. You took over after Jason's departure, Kevin.Featherheads wrote:I believe I am the third owner of Florida. The previous owners left the team in a very good state. So I have to thank them for that.
For the record, that first owner's name was Eddie Paxil. I'll never forget him departing with the self-assured warning that the PEBA would be a failure. Now the exact number of NJ owners depends on how technical you want to get. I tend to not count the "gone in a blink of an eye" guys, but if we're counting them, then Michael is actually owner #6 of the franchise. Here's the entire list:Calzones wrote:I think your the third NJ owner. The first owner called the team the Gothic Knights, drafted a pretty good team, then tried to tell John how to run the show. Yeah, that was the wrong answer.
The second owner came in just before the playoffs of the first season and got to enjoy a championship from a team he did not build. Then he proceeded to run the team into the ground with bad contracts before throwing up his hands and walking away.
- The aforementioned Eddie Paxil - I hope his punk rock career panned out.
- Nicholas Pickard - Official tenure with the PEBA: 10 days. No, that's not a record.
- Jim Garrity - This is who you were referring to, Matt, when you were talking about the second owner who reaped the benefits of Eddie's good drafting (Eddie did do a fine job of drafting). Jim was a very nice, well-spoken fellow. I was sorry that family business in Ireland forced him to step down from the team.
- Andrew Swift - You probably know as much about Mr. Swift as I do. I'll say this for him; he's very aptly named, as he swiftly departed our league after joining.
- Matt Fuller - Matt was an outstanding person who did a wonderful job working with the team.
- Michael Czosnyka - I'm not blowing smoke when I say Michael is one of the most amicable, upbeat and involved owners I've had the pleasure of working with.
Badgers wrote:By the way, was the Lets Go Tribe forum about the Cleveland Indians?
Nailed it!Calzones wrote:The Let's Go Tribe forum (LGT for short) is a Cleveland Indians forum. I've never been there, but from what I can tell it's full of highly delusional people who have non-stop hallucinations that the Indians are a real team that might actually win a championship someday. Like THAT could ever happen in Cleveland.
Actually Bob, if you're interested, check the place out. LGT is certainly populated by some bright baseball minds.Fictionally, the LRS is under the financial umbrella of the PEBA, which purchased the league after its 2009 season. In the real world, yes, the LRS is a 100% autonomous league. LRS owners have been very stable and are extremely passionate about their brand of baseball, and it's a very different brand of baseball, to be sure. There are a number of rules and styles of play unique to the LRS. I love the quirks of the league. If I were ever to return to being an owner (and I won't), I would return as a LRS owner.Badgers wrote:So the LRS is a completely independent league from PEBA? Can an LRS owner transfer to PEBA if there were an opening or is that not the real intention? I am not really sure of what rule differences there are (in real life) between the Japanese major Leagues and US MLB, but in our universe, does the PEBA and LRS play the "same" type of simmed baseball or are there rule differences.
The PEBA has always been comprised of 24 teams. I don't see that changing soon, if ever.Badgers wrote:So did the PEBA face expansion at some point or did it always have the same number of teams?
Correct. That would be Bobby Furhman. Bobby wanted to get into the league, but his attention was divided between us and another league he had participated in for a long time. When he ascended to running that league, he no longer had time for the PEBA.Featherheads wrote:I think the KAL team is the only team to have an owner join once... leave... join... only to leave again.
The league wouldn't be the same without you, Duane. That goes for Bill, too.Thoroughbreds wrote:I am still surprised that PEBA made it out of the first season intack. I took over this dismal team and discovered that I was in the red for having 2 5 million dollar players. I could not get fans, I could not raise prices, I had to literally give players away (prospects along with a salaried player for a late round pick). I was stuck in a small market and boy did I give John a hard time about it. And I was only 1 person - he was getting an ear full from so many directions.
CHEERS to John for sticking through and shouldering the pain and agaony.
I know Bill is drinking to that as we speak
Yup, gone as of the start of the 2011 season. I still have the as friends on Facebook, too. Very nice fellows. I hope Jared is feeling better.Thoroughbreds wrote:All of the Dobneys are gone?
I have them as friends on Facebook
You are the technically the third owner of the Bureaucrats, Dan. Greg Hurst ("dctribefan" on LGT) kicked things off for the then-All-Blacks, and though he was with us only very briefly, he did a fine job with the inaugural draft. His replacement was John Whitacre. John was a nice guy who worked very hard on the team, but as you say, Dan, he wasn't up to the challenge when things turned south for the franchise. Now you've gotten things moving in the right direction. See, it only takes a little sticktoitiveness!Bureaucrats wrote:I think I'm either the second or third owner of Arlington. I know they were originally called the "Arlington All-Blacks", but changed their name to "Bureaucrats' after the initial draft and before the first season started.
Correct on all counts. No team has changed locations since the first PEBA regular season began in 2007.Calzones wrote:PEBA has always been at 24 teams, in their present locations. A few teams were in a different location prior to the first season, but if those owners were replaced prior to that season starting they were allowed to move. I think one or two teams early on moved, but all teams have been in their present location since the first pitch was thrown.
I'm glad to hear that, Bob! It's fascinating to watch people join the league with the caveat, "I've never been much of a writer," and then watch them discover the joy of creativity and blossom through their participation. I experienced the same phenomenon, and it's been a life-changing experience for me in many ways. For instance, the creative energy in the PEBA and my increased confidence in my ability to express myself in an interesting, creative manner has prompted me to begin a private-time project that I fully intend to pursue to completion. Maybe nothing comes of it, but I just happy to be going through the process. I could be sitting on a couch watching TV every night. Instead, I'm creating something. That's what this league is all about, and if members are inspired to start creating outside the bounds of the PEBA, more power to them.Badgers wrote:I am finding that the writing portions of league involvement are actually very stimulating and fun.
Marketing is one of the more interesting skills I've had to learn and develop thanks to my involvement with the PEBA. I remember posting a question a long time ago on the OOTP forums to online league commissioners about what criteria they used to vet applicants. I'm not familiar with the commissioners who responded or their leagues, but I sure do remember what they had to say. Each and every one of them was horrified at the idea that I would want to vet applicants at all. "You will never get anyone to join your league!" I can understand where they were coming from; it's not like we have a very big pool to draw from, after all. Still, I've discovered that there are two ways to go with recruitment:Badgers wrote:The "Marketing" of this league (in the OOTP forums) is like none other and the vetting process that John put me through was very intimidating. It was a huge challenge to to be accepted into the league.
- Beg for applicants. Advantage: Vacancies quickly fill; you don't have to go through the tedium of the interview process. Disadvantage: You're at the mercy of fate as to whether your new members are worth anything; Leagues that don't show respect from themselves tend not to be respected.
- Vet your applicants. Disadvantage: Be prepared to suffer through extended vacancies as you search; what was that I said about the tedium of the interview process?
Advantage: Look in the mirror... all of you are the advantage.
That's as accurate a description as you could make. While I look for as many opportunities as possible to poll group opinion, I've learned over time that the best results come from having a clear vision, sticking to a plan and avoiding wishy-washiness. That philosophy doesn't exempt me from listening to opinions, and politely expressed thoughts (especially when delivered in a one-on-one private setting) can and will influence me. We recently saw that with my well-intentioned yet ill-conceived attempt to introduce overly complicated rules protecting players from below-market salaries. Have a vision of where you want to go, yes, but listen up when your owners speak to you.Nutmeggers wrote:John's a "benevolent dictator" commish. He listens, takes suggestions, looks out for the best interests of each member, and when he decides, his decision stands.
All I can say is, "Bless you, Matt." The day I stop listening/caring is the day it's time for me to step aside and let someone else take over. May that day never come.Calzones wrote:Something the new owners should know, and will come to realize in time, is that John will listen to what you have to say. Sounding off publicly won't exactly help your cause, nor will making demands or ultimatums, but John will let you make your case to him privately. Not every decision is going to come down your way, so be flexible and go with the flow. In the end you will find that John is flexible, as long as your willing to be flexible. Simply state your case or your complaint, and let John hear it. Then listen to what John has to say about it. I think over time you will realize that whatever decisions are made are done so with the best interest of the league at heart. Sometimes a certain problem can't be rectified right away, but you'll later learn that John was working on a solution in the background.
