Massive Fraud

[John]

The way I see it, the LRS is only as ruined as the LRS community decides it is. In other words, you guys get final say on if/how the integrity of the league has suffered. I'm not an LRS GM so I don't have any say in the matter. But if I were a GM, I would say, "I'm not going to let Charlie Cooper break my toys."

Baseball history is littered with bad actors who have besmirched the integrity of the game. The gamut runs from individual players seeking all manner of illegal ways to improve their performance to owners committing large-scale fraud or using their clubs as virtual holding companies for other business interests. Yet Major League Baseball has endured for over a century, and if the recent Miguel Cabrera and Mike Trout extensions are any indication, it's only getting healthier.

I imagine there was plenty of hand-wringing done over "Shoeless" Joe Jackson and the 1919 Black Sox, a team that deliberately threw games. Those in charge of running the league kept things moving forward, though, and the fans eventually recovered and returned. If you want a closer analogy to Charlie's actions, I'd point to the numerous GMs and owners who have gutted their teams for reasons unrelated to future competitiveness. If MLB can survive Jeffrey Loira, the LRS can survive Charlie Cooper.

It does come back to what I said at the start. The situation is as bad as the community decides it is, and the community will ultimately determine how to handle it. Recovery certainly is possible if the community decides to pursue that course. I have done my share of recruitment. There are people out there who will look at a Kure or Kawaguchi and say, "Sign me up for the opportunity to restore these franchises." Heck, if I was joining a league right now, I would specifically ask for such an opportunity. Give me a challenge. Let me put my mark on a franchise and maybe earn some camaraderie with GMs thankful that I helped restore integrity to their league. I know there are people out there who would jump at that chance.

I can only speak for myself when I say that I wouldn't even dream of disbanding the LRS over Charlie Cooper. I'd view that as allowing a bully to have his way with me. Also speaking for myself, I'm not going to look back at the 2019 season and think "The Season of Charlie Cooper." I'm going to think "The Season of Shin Seiki Dominance." We just witnessed one of the greatest single seasons in PEBAverse history, masterminded by a real GM. Charlie Cooper can go soak his head; I'd rather celebrate Kevin Veil.

[roncollins]

Yes. To state current preferences:

1. Keep LRS as it is and find new owners, perhaps look at helping Kure and Kawaguchi with a small energy boost of some kind. This may take some time.
2. Contract the LRS to keep it's LRS-ness, then expand again as we can find owners.
3. Merge LRS teams into PEBA and let us take our lumps as we grow
4. Put vacant teams on computer control
5. Disband LRS and have interested LRS owners grab PEBA expansion franchises as they become available

#5 should only happen if all others are just not workable.

[Maulers]

We're still trying to get a handle on what exactly has happened here and just how much damage has been done. I don't think that we are going to be able to offer an obvious way forward for the LRS until this initial taking-stock period is closer to completion.

[Borealis]

Part of running KAW to the ground was the $7.5M (I believe it was) transfer fee foe Takeichi Yamasaki. Charlie approached me about acquiring Yamasaki and once Mark and the Dragons got involved in the bidding, and the price began to escalate over $1M, Charlie came to me and said Shannon was taking over the bidding, and then he'd make a deal with KAW for Yamasaki (which, of course, happened immediately. Yeah... I found that a little odd, so I think calling it a community failing may be fair - though we shouldn't need to be on the lookout for sleaze balls! We are here for the competition and the comradery and we've created a 'world of trust and goodwill'. Why would we think one of us would stoop so low?

[Evas]

I agree that we are still in assessment mode. The damage that was done was extensive. Hopefully some of it can be undone. I am just grateful that Matt caught this before the coup de grâce at the WM. I think there were massive changes in store there.

Thanks for the kind words, John. I agree that the teams that are open present great opportunities. For all the bad that was done, HYA and SEO are positioned well to win soon. KAW and KUR are smoldering craters, but they present their own challenges and rewards.

Personally, it comes down to recruitment. As long as we can get good GM's in place, the LRS will be fine. We were vulnerable to this fraud because of the many openings we had last off season.

What the LRS really needs is an all out recruitment effort. I am going to reach out to some people I haven't before. I would ask every single person in the PEBA-verse to do the same. We need good people that the good people here know.

There are several people here who have had success recruiting in areas other than on the OOTP website. I was recruited off of LetsGoTribe. Maybe we need to try that sort of thing again.

[John]

What the LRS really needs is an all out recruitment effort. I am going to reach out to some people I haven't before. I would ask every single person in the PEBA-verse to do the same. We need good people that the good people here know.

There are several people here who have had success recruiting in areas other than on the OOTP website. I was recruited off of LetsGoTribe. Maybe we need to try that sort of thing again.

This is the very best thing that we can do to move past Charlie's shenanigans. If each of us reaches out to a few new people, we'll get those great GMs we need. I was thinking of posting on Let's Go Tribe, myself, and I'll search for other avenues, too. It would be wonderful if you all did the same.

[roncollins]

I reached out last night to a gent who I know is of the highest character and has been in the OOTP community before--though stepped out some time back. I'll let Matt know what response he gives.

Also, if it would help recruiting, I would be willing to give LUP up to someone coming in an take over KAW. That was my group back in my first pass, and I have a soft-spot for the franchise. I could also probably spin some interesting fictions from it.

No issues, either way. Just sayin'.

In that light, would Jim come back and take Lupin?

[John]

I reached out last night to a gent who I know is of the highest character and has been in the OOTP community before--though stepped out some time back. I'll let Matt know what response he gives.

That's awesome, Ron. A character recommendation from you or any of our current members goes a long, long way. Much appreciated.

In that light, would Jim come back and take Lupin?

That's a very good question. This might be a fine time to approach departed members who served with distinction. I doubt I'd be alone in welcoming back Jim with open arms. And I'd pay a small fortune to keep Mike on with us!)

[Morris Ragland]

Just finished reading through this thread. I am saddened, but hopeful.

Personally, I don't believe there's anything wrong with the LRS that can't be fixed by what's right with it.

I'll echo Ron's sentiment from earlier. If it would help with recruiting, I could give up the Shisa and take over one of the distressed franchises.

I think I'll let the dust settle a bit more before putting in my full two cents worth.

[Denny]

I can only speak for myself when I say that I wouldn't even dream of disbanding the LRS over Charlie Cooper. I'd view that as allowing a bully to have his way with me.

This is exactly how I feel as well. I also think the league is more resilient than it appears in the immediate aftermath of the debacle. All we need is to find a few (not even that many!) good GMs and the LRS can pick up where it left off, and this whole incident will be behind us. Even after a stone is dropped in the water, it's not long before the ripples have vanished and the pool is calm again.

[Nigel]

Just caught up on this, shocked is an understatement. I had winter meeting deals pending with Charlie too but I'm glad that Jonas has been exonerated.

Going forward I would be prepared to go back to the LRS (for those of you that don't know I started with Kuwana) and give up London to take over one of the wrecks if it helps the LRS. It would probably be easier to recruit a GM for London than one of the wrecks.

My other suggestion would be a sort of hybred PEBA expension. Four teams of the LRS join with London and three expansion franchises to form a world league arm of the PEBA, the LRS teams could keep their four gaijin restriction and if we can get enough European players into the league via a draft, creation or feeders the European teams could perhaps have to have a number of Europeans on their roster ?

[Coqui]

I just skimmed this. Wow.

I would volunteer to take a LRS team on in receivership until a permanent owner is found. Of course, if this is part of the solution, PEBA/LRS trades (and maybe posting/selling) should be suspended for the interim period.

[Transmitters]

So, it looks like the LRS will merely have to fill in two spots (HYA and NII) and PEBA one. I don't think that will be the real issue, we will find people. PEBA is a well prestiged OOTP league and I don't see any reason this should lead to the cancellation of the LRS. I think a valid question to be asked is what will we do about Hyakujuu's ill gotten gains?

And thanks for Matt for delving into this issue! Even though I was intially accused of not being me, i'm glad Matt did all he could to discover the truth!

[Matt]

It's actually 4 vacancies in the LRS.

Kevin got an admission from Charlie that he was also running Seoul and Kure. David from Gloucester gave me some info late last night that kept me suspicious. I couldn't find a smoking gun though. Charlie's admission solved it. And I also got a reply from the other commissioner that I was dealing with this morning about what aliases Charlie was using there, and it turns out he was using the same alias there that he was using with Seoul.

Teams that need filled:

Kure
Seoul
Hya
Ghosts


In the PEBA:

Charleston

[Transmitters]

Oh wow, I still think we'll recover, but, that'll be alot harder... How does one even get satisfaction doing this? Honestly I think most of the fun comes in trying to improve your team (Even if that means losing) rather then simply winning.

Edit: And thats ridicolous how determined he must've been. To keep creating personalities to run the LRS. I really liked him too...