2010 ENHANCEMENT: Would you use...

[Royce R]

I started trying to draft out our league once. But so many trades were happening I just gave up.

How did it pan out for you?

[Goodell]

Also, a couple of things I would like to see discussed for the upcoming season are -
- holdouts & contract disputes
My understanding now is that we assume our league to be an alternate reality where contract issues & holdouts don't take place. I'm inclined to think it's more realistic to keep it real. I'd just like to see what everyone else has to say about it.
= seperate blocking/receiving skills for tight ends, etc.
The Algee Crumpler problem, where he's not even a decent receiver, but if he's blocking, you couldn't ask for a better TE... I'm pretty sure madden on ps3 has 2 separate grades for pass blocking / run blocking, so I think this one is doable, and worth pursuing. Maybe an average of the 2, so we could have 1 'blocking' grade. I'm sure some of you guys have a better idea we can run with.

Good thoughts.

In our first few years (before you joined) we talked about holdouts and contract disputes, and though it hasn't ever been enforced we did have some provisions for insanely unfair contracts toward a player and reserving the right to institute holdouts. I aim to take subjectivity out of it (or else I'd just have all the NFC top teams have their players holdout to help my squad), so mostly haven't found the right way to incorporate that into the system and no real blatent examples have come up related to that end. We do aim to keep it real, and have some understanding that we have had past discussions and supportive polls in cases of extreme contracts, but because that really involves subjectivity and human reaction it's not something easy to add just yet on a consistent basis. We can certainly revisit that and try to find a fair and systematic way of doing that (perhaps based upon some formula for contract value versus grade, etc.)

I think we also talked about separate blocking/passing grades for TEs, and as a start going down that road discussed and implemented a TEWR position for primary pass catchers while the TEs mostly blockers. I think there are probably grades for blocking separately as you mention that we could use instead of the overall grade for all TEs, but then some difficulty comes up during the season when grades are updated and perhaps a TE's overall grade gets a boost but no mention in that published report of blocking specifically so we'd have to ignore that grade boost if only giving a grade based upon blocking to that set of blocking TEs. If the whole database of all grades was always publically available that would help with that.

Some complications there but we've started down that road of separating receiving and blocking TEs as they apply to either WR or OL grades (but not both) and we could go further toward using a blocking grade only or some other type of average of blocking and overall grades. Grade updates take a long while to update (and at times come every week early in the year) so adding another level of complication for one position only is another factor there to consider and probably why we haven't done anything more complex there with grades. Eventually I'd like to one day break away from that grading and move into something more custom (that brought in objective opinions also like that game) where we could do more with rankings perhaps but we're a ways away from that.

Those definitely make sense and have received support in off-season discussions before, but the tricky part is usually finding an efficient way of incorporating change.

[RebelFan]

I started trying to draft out our league once. But so many trades were happening I just gave up.

How did it pan out for you?

It was indeed very difficult to keep up with all of the trades & also dealing with having to create players not already in the game and get all of their attributes straight. I'm only using ps2, with no internet hookup for it, so I never could get updates or anything. After the trade deadline it was pretty much smooth sailing, just the draft took forever... Thought my girlfriend was gonna break up with me before I got done, haha.
Hopefully before next season gets underway I'll have upgraded to ps3 & be able to get updates from the internet without having to do everything manually.
All things said and done, it was worth it just to actually see my team fleshed out and on the field together.
Saints won the superbowl over the Chargers by the way...

[Dan R.]

One thing not on the list (the last option would be the only one that qualifies) is the incorporation for more of a role by the defense.

Right now, the defense exists only to deter the offense. There are interceptions and fumbles, but IIRC, no scoring is possible on these. I think it would make things a lot more interesting if we could get the best defenses here scoring like the ones in RL.

[Goodell]

One thing not on the list (the last option would be the only one that qualifies) is the incorporation for more of a role by the defense.

Right now, the defense exists only to deter the offense. There are interceptions and fumbles, but IIRC, no scoring is possible on these. I think it would make things a lot more interesting if we could get the best defenses here scoring like the ones in RL.

Yeah. Mostly not mentioned directly because it's been an off-season vote in past years and positively supportive and I mentioned then an intention to get defensive stats into the game (mostly sacks, interceptions, but also defensive scores possibly) but just haven't been able to incorporate defensive stats yet. Know it's supported, have tried before, but hopefully can get defensive stats in next year. I think we eventually got an improved way of uploading offensive game update stats that could allow defensive stats being uploaded that same way possibly, as the amount of work for also doing weekly defensive stats was the biggest reason why it hasn't been added yet.

[Dustin S.]

how would hiring off/def coords and head coaches work?

[Goodell]

how would hiring off/def coords and head coaches work?

Someday could maybe be more involved even going down to the personal coach (a database of coaches like players)... but for now, possibly just offensive/defensive strategy leanings that could impact play calling in netural game situations. Or maybe if choosing to play a more aggressive defense grabbing more sacks (especially if the updates to back that) but also possibly give up more big plays.

If there's time for some of that, probably fairly basic and maybe more on the offensive side of things toward where you want your playcalling to focus more when situations don't call for specific action.

[TylerW]

Have we talked about adding in Individual Defensive Stats to where if a safety or corner had a pick in real life it increases the chances of the QB throwing a pick in the sim?

[Goodell]

Have we talked about adding in Individual Defensive Stats to where if a safety or corner had a pick in real life it increases the chances of the QB throwing a pick in the sim?

It was polled and passed in a previous off-season and intended to be in last year, but I didn't get a chance to before our season started.

Hoping to get defensive stats in this year, but as I think came up in those discussions then wouldn't be more imporant than the QB's own numbers. As examples at the time, if a CB has 3 picks against Jamarcus Russell, that doesn't mean if he faced Peyton Manning in the sim Peyton should throw a couple picks too. It would probably be a slow start to that where defensive stats primarily helping fill out the play-by-play, as well as probably contributing in areas that didn't effect our QB stats directly like sacks more than picks. Sacks are a bit random right now, but defensive stats would add more weekly meaning to the generation of defensive pressure. But positive events on the defensive side could also be used to tilt the odds on critical downs toward the team with a strong defensive update.

[Goodell]

These have been discussed before and intented to be included in the game before (but not finished in time for last season), but wanted to make sure these were known to all again before the draft. For next year's game simulator hope to include:

- Defensive individual stats. Probably initially helping most with sacks generated being based upon something more tangible each week, but a real sack won't necessarily mean a sim sack against a very strong sim OL. As noted above, if your DB has 3 picks against the worst QB in the game it won't mean that DB will have 3 picks in the sim against Peyton Manning who threw 0 picks in reality that week. The QB will primarily still drive his production with supporting cast grades adjusting it.

- Big Plays. Like returns currently, we'll hopefully add LONG play individual stats. I currently upload box scores from yahoo sports format and last year they listed long play for RB and WRs in addition to returners, so if that remains the case and I can work it in will probably try to incorporate more long plays for those updates. That may not necessarily be great for teams with big play players as opposed to last year because arguably might be better to get seven 10-yard runs versus one 60 yarder and ten 1-yarders, but incorporating the big play will be more realistic.

- Expansion of the Depth Chart. Based upon new stats upload method at the end of last year I think I can get more player updates in with less work (upload entire box score for each game), which would mean we'd have to do less individual by individual entry. That could probably mean bringing in more than 4 WRs eligible to catch the ball, or only 3 RBs to touch the ball. I don't know if we'll expand the depth chart entry page, but could have the game simulator look to other players on your roster during the game generation if those designated depth chart players have used up most of their update already and bring in some other players to get involved also on the team.