Since Harry just made it public, I guess I can address it from my perspective. He warned me of a mutiny last night where "many" other GM's had privately discussed with him starting a new league that doesn't involve me.
I wasn't sure how to take that, because it was similar to comments BFM made (in between insulting my mother or accusing me of being in a graphic homosexual relationship with Roy Hobbs). He claimed that at least 6 members of the league wanted me gone. He never gave me names and I was a little puzzled by it.
The reason I'm puzzled by it is because unless the majority of the league is two-faced, it doesn't make a lot of sense. I've continued to have productive and friendly conversations with essentially every member of this league. I've had trade discussions with every member of this league this summer aside from 1 GM (ChampKind) who specifically asked me to stop sending him offers. Members such as Gainsville and Harry have told me that I need to do a better job of keeping track of my trade offers... so I've taken steps to do just that. I'm absolutely willing to avoid sending offers to anyone who requests that.
If there's specific issues about me that you guys want me to change, please tell me so I can take steps to fix that behavior. I genuinely feel I've been unfairly criticized in a number of ways, though. Harry, yesterday you suggested:
You are consistently at the core of every problem that occurs in this league.
That's simply not true. THere were slapfights and vetoes well before I joined the league. THere were were flame wars regarding members of this league before I was even recruited. I acknowledge that I'm generally involved in every discussion in this league, but it's because I'm arguably the most public, vocal and opinionated person here. That kind of spreads to CelticsBlog in general. I have 14,000+ posts to prove it. I'm always around. I am enthusiastic about this league and extremely engaged in what's happening here. What we have here is somewhat a self-selecting bias. Of course I'm "involved" in every of drama, because I'm "involved" in literally everything to do with this league. It would be like blaming the league itself as the common denominator in league issues. This goes for trades as well. I've pulled off 100s of trades in this league. 18 of the 39 trades this summer have involved my team. Law of averages suggests that I have better odds of pulling off a trades that upsets people simply because of the amount of trades I'm pulling off. ChampKind, who has made literally 2 trades in the past 2 seasons, is very unlikely to make a trade that upsets people. Bada Bing, who seems to only visit these threads once a month, is very unlikely to be at the center of any league drama. I'm here and I'm active.
Harry, you say:
Their complaints range from being bullied, manipulated, harassed , continuously offended and deceived, and this continued behavior has taken all the fair competitiveness and enjoyment out of the league they love.
Bullied: I'm not sure how that's possible if generally my opinion is in the minority. This thread is a great example. I suggested a couple rules regarding vetos. It was unanimously shot down by eja, rondo2287 and harry.
Manipulated: Can we clarify what you are talking about? If it's in regards to trades, that's completely unfair. The whole point of this league is to pull off trades and improve your team. I've long suspected that BFM turned on me after the John Wall trade. Of course he'd never admit that. He gave me his top 2 projected pick, Otto Porter Jr and Terrence Ross for John Wall. I then succeeded in trading away his pick before BFM managed to trade away his dozens of picks and shoot up the standings. I also managed to move Ross for Nerlens Noel and a top 10 projected pick... a move he protested. It can be argued that I "manipulated" him into giving me players with a perceived lack of value and then cashed them in for more. Others could argue that I "manipulated" them into trading away high draft picks. But if this is your reason for leaving the league or throwing me out, you're literally trying to remove me because I'm succeeding at the game.
Offended: I generally treat everyone I talk to with respect. Trade discussions can get heated, but I'm never personally insulting anyone. I should admit that I was suspended 10 days for a specific comment I made in the old thread. It was a fair suspension and I agreed with it. I can't remember any other time I've made a personal insult. If we're talking about my valuation of players... like my half-joking comments last month about Parsons being worth a 2nd rounder, we should specify that. If lowball offers or undervaluing of players is what you mean by "offended", there is a fair point here. I've sent lowball offers. I've publicly and privately undervalued players. That's part of the game, though. I encouraged adding a rule yesterday that would prevent public comments on opposing team's players, but the suggestion was shot down quickly.
Harassed: Anyone who would like me to stop sending them trade offers, just let me know. I assume that's what you mean by "harassed". I have that agreement with ChampKind. Beyond that, I don't know what you could be referring to.
Deceived: Again, is this in regards to me pulling off trades? Are the members who supposedly want to quit literally quitting, because they don't like me pulling off good trades? This is the equivalent of throwing over the monopoly board after your annoying little brother acquires Boardwalk and Park Place. Yes, my team is likely a championship contender next season. Do you want me removed because of it?
Fair Competitiveness: I don't get that one at all. Are you saying I'm too good at the game and shouldn't be allowed to continue playing in this league, because it's unfair?
Enjoyment: ChampKind stops by every once in a while to point out how little fun he's having. I don't know how to really deal with that. These threads aren't mandatory reading. The league is as active as it's ever been. I still find this game pretty darn entertaining and I know others do as well.
In addition to those, I'll point out the other concerns that BFM privately said to me.
Lying: Specify what you mean by this. If it's in regards to player value, I always provide real stats or real fantasy values. If I refer to Alexey Shved as a potential future star based on his end-of-month stats and then he ends up in Russia, I understand your frustration... but are you accusing me of being a liar now? Literally every good GM in this league participates in some form of "pimping". This is a practice that long predates my involvement.
COllusion: A couple people seem to privately allude to some kind of secret handshake agreement between myself and Fitz. Guys... Fitz was part of this league before I joined. I was recruited by BFM to join this league. Fitz is some dude who lives in Austrailia. Some people think he didn't know what he was doing... fine.... but he traded away Kevin Durant before I joined this league. I wasn't involved in that drama. What are you suggesting?... that Fitz and I are the same person? That we are related? That I was dropping subliminal hints on Celticsblog manipulating BFM to send me a private message to recruit me into a league I had my good buddy Fitz in already?
Cheating: He never explained how he believed I had "cheated". If someone believes I have cheated, they should point out how. There was a time last year where someone suggested me as a candidate for the commish position. I would never take over a commish position for this very reason. In every league I join, I tend to pull off trades that inevitably upset people. I wouldn't want people thinking that my involvement as a commish gave me an unfair advantage. If some are suggesting I "cheated" by pulling off a trade with the new guy... it should be pointed out that Diggles was a member of this league for a couple months before he finally made a trade. He turned down numerous offers from me (and others) for Melo, Bledsoe and Teague. Others had communicated with him... I just happened to be the first to succeed in a trade.
I'll offer up a couple more of my own.
Over Enthusiasm: This is true and if resolving this just requires me to stop making so many comments and lengthy posts, I'll do my best to have less opinions and be less involved. This thread is a good example... it's a thread about rule discussions so I suggested some rules we could discuss. Did my amount of suggestions anger anyone?
Too many trades: In general, my team is reaching a place that I wanted it to reach. I was aggressive in trying to put together a contender and I have accomplished that. My team might be the favorite this year. I imagine you'll be seeing far less trades from me heading forward simply because there's less work to be done with my roster. When I joined the league, it was believed it was impossible to ever put together a team that could contend with Pitts/Utah. I set out with the goal of disproving that. I'm sorry if my over-enthusiasm turned people off. I've tried to adhere to any personal requests to stop sending trades.
Everyone, I want to do everything I can possibly do to be a part of this league and adhere to whatever guidelines you guys need me to follow. But it's hard to know who I'm speaking to when there's a secret mutiny organization made up of people who privately seem to get along with me. I can go down the list of 20 GM's on by one and try to apologize for whatever I suspect you are unhappy about.
Pitts: I talk to him all the time. I can't imagine he's part of the mutiny.
Ubuntu: We were involved in trade discussions yesterday that went south. He's given me good advice and I appreciate it.
Juggs: I talk to him online occasionally about trades. We've made multiple trades this summer.
Ya'll Hate: I talk to him all of the time about trades. We seem to get along fine.
Tyrion's Team: Eja didn't like my method of dicussing trades with him so I've taken steps to improve our communication. From my perspective, we seem to be getting along far better.
Bada Bing: I talked with him about a trade yesterday. It seemed to go fine.
Utah Flash: He's given me good advice privately. I haven't heard from him for a while, but he said he was closing shop for the summer.
DD: N/A... but if he's your source, I think you should reconsider your source.
Birdman: We made a trade a couple days ago. I've asked him multiple times to let me know if my many offers bother him, but he seems to encourage me bidding against myself.
ChampKind: He's asked me to stop sending him trades so I have.
Webskins: We talked about a trade yesterday. We seem to get along fine.
Brahma: We've made two major trades this summer. He disappears for weeks at a time. I would be really surprised if he was part of the mutiny group.
Kwhit10: Talked with him about a trade yesterday. We seem to get along fine.
Lucky Strikes: Talked with him about a trade a couple days ago. He said he reads the threads, but just has been busy. I've never had a problem with Indeed and would be shocked if he was part of the Mutiny.
Dirty Digs: Talked with him about a trade yesterday. We seem to get along fine.
Jackalopes: byennie obviously isn't part of the mutiny
Bellevue: I'm obviously not involved in the mutiny
#lovetotrade: I see Kevin as my greatest rival in this league, but any time we butt heads, I take as good-natured competitiveness. We seem to get along in private conversations, though I need to do a better job of not wasting his time with trade offers.
MMSB: I talk to MMSB all the time about trades. Would be very surprised if he was part of the mutiny as he has never voiced any concerns directly to me.
Toines Boys: Harry, a couple days ago you started speaking on behalf of BFM and now you are quitting. We've always gotten along fine. If there's something I have specifically done to you, please let me know so I can address it. I've done my best to give you clarity into what happened here last month. I hope you reconsider about your resignation.
I'd prefer not to leave this league right on the cusp of my team becoming a contender. If there's a way to resolve these concerns beyond removing me or all-out mutiny, I'm very willing to adhere to whatever you guys collectively require. If it's simply about silencing my voice in the forums, that an easy thing to fix. I'll shut up and stop making public comments. If it's about me making good trades, what do you propose the solution for that is?
Topic: CBPL Offseason 2015 Rules Discussion (Read 43082 times)