Trends:
The first Designated Players were utilized. Juan Pablo Angel and Fredy Montero of the C.D. Gunners have been doing well. Landon Donovan of Gateway United hasn't scored goals, but leads the league in assists. Omar Cummings of Montgomery County has been struggling.
The new rules of 2010 seem to be working. Yellow and Red Card rules have changed the scoreline in only 2 games so far, but mostly due to operators placing the wrong players in the #9 position. On the average 1 game per week has a BSL roster with more than 2 yellows in their starting lineup. The Reserve Rule has allowed many BSL owners the luxury of picking up players off the transfer market like Henry. Before this rule, it would have been almost impossible to pick up a player months before his arrival on the pitch. The addition of the BSL Network has been a success allowing team operators more flexiblity to express their independence and creativity through their club sites.
The new teams have come to play. Would anyone have guessed that the St. Louis Cure would still be without a loss. Would anyone have guessed that the 2009 BSL Cup Champions would be in 7th place. The fact is if the season had ended today, the playoffs would include two new clubs and Union S.C., which did not qualify for anything last year. The second half will begin in 3 weeks. Majors Cup qualifying also begins and if it's anything like last year, it is bound to bring some surprises. For those of you who don't know, a 6th place losing club qualifyed in 09'
Its no secret that with all the early success that the BSL has enjoyed as a fantasy league, there has been a common (and expected) challenge that all fantasy leagues must endure. How do you keep struggling operators interested. Its fun to win, but in order to win, someone must lose too. Did the returning teams from 09' come back because they won? 3 of the 4 veterans made the playoffs. The one that did not reach the playoffs is owned/operated by the Commissioner. 2 of the 4 also made the Majors Cup. In 10' the New York Greeks got off to a horrid start and haven't been heard from in weeks. The Greeks owner doesn't appear interested in the 2nd chance Majors Cup offers, as did Motor City and Gaithersburg City from a year ago when they got off to similiar bad starts and bailed before Majors Cup qualifying started also. The goal eventually is to find a core group of players who will be involved regardless of wins and losses.
The Future:
Nothing is decided yet, but the plan is to expand to possibly 10 teams in 2011. With Philadelphia this year, Vancouver and Portland next, and then Montreal in 2012, there will be even more MLS players to choose from and thus the ability to absorb another 2 BSL rosters safely.
What is official is the league will be adding another Designated Player in 2011. (Just like the MLS did) The rule will sound familiar. Each BSL team can keep up to 2 DP's (not required) or trade them away. However, a BSL club is allowed a maximum of 3 DP's (like the MLS) so if you plan on trading away both DP slots, you'll have to do it with 2 different BSL teams.
I've got a proposal for a new scoring category. I've run this by the commish and I think I've got everything covered, but if I missed something or someone's got a question, let me know.
ReplyDeleteNew Goal Keeper Scoring Category
Rule : For every X number of saves a goal keeper makes, he earns a point for his team. The actual number of saves that's counted for a point will be voted on later, but I would propose it be somewhere between five and seven. So that there is no conflict on what is counted as a save or not, we will use the box scores on the MLS website. Since the website doesn't actually tally saves made, we'll use the corresponding opposite stat of shots on goal. For every X number of shots on goal by the opposing team, the goal keeper will earn one point for his team.
The main reason behind this proposed rule is that it will give goal keepers a little bit more importance and make their value a little bit more even with the positional players. While goal keepers can earn points through clean sheets, it's only a select few that actually do so on any consistent basis. Which is why I've always consider a clean sheet more of a bonus than actually trying to rely on it. They can also score goals and assists, but that's even rarer when a goal keeper is credited with either stat. I think by adding another scoring category for the goal keepers, it would motivate owners to put more thought in to the position. I believe it's very often that an owner will simply keep the same goal keeper in their lineup regardless if he's even playing or not.
A second reason is looking a bit towards the future, and if we ever are able to expand the league with new teams. There's going to be a point where a team is going to have to select a goal keeper on a team that isn't very good defensively, and is chances for a clean sheet are very low. By counting the number of saves, it gives these owners who selected those keepers a chance to actually get some value out of them. In addition, it would be one less reason for a new owner to abandon their teams in season.
If this rule were to pass, for the immediate future while we have eight teams, I might also suggest increasing our rosters by one spot by including a third reserve. This roster spot would specifically be for a reserve goal keeper, and like our other two reserves, would have no impact on the current match. This spot would also carry the further restriction that a goal keeper can only replace a goal keeper, so to prevent an owner from either starting two keepers or putting the second keeper on their bench. With this rule an owner can have a reserve keeper without giving up a positional player spot, and they would not have to drop their first team keeper who is usually too valuable to drop.
I'll get back to you once I do some research.
ReplyDeleteFirst I want to say "I love this league". It is the best fantasy league I have ever been a part of. In most leagues you have no rivalries and most players don't know what they are doing. But you guys are knowledgeable. These online ones could learn a thing or two about how it should be done.
ReplyDeleteNext I want to say that this MC Cup second chance is a great idea. When I first read it I thought it was brilliant. Let the fair weather players go. Who needs them. The true warriors will fill in the gaps in due time.
Finally I like this Goal Keeper rule. A GK should be rewarded for making a ton of saves. I don't think we need to add another reserve lot for it but a third one is okay if you guys want it. I give it a thumbs up yes. I say 5 saves= 1 point would work.
I check a lot of box scores. Here is what I think. I LIKE THE IDEA. I would change it to SAVES, not SHOTS ON GOAL. The best number would be 4 Saves= 1 point.
ReplyDeleteThe average goal keeper saves in the MLS over the last 2 months is 3 saves. So making it 5 would be too hard. Based on what I see, if you make it 4 saves for every point you'll have it happen enough times that its fun but not too often where it has no meaning.
It is saves, but the box scores on MLS's website doesn't accurately count saves. The number they give to saves next to the keeper's name is the number of shots the other team has on goal. So a player could completely miss the goal, and the box score will give the goalie credit for a save.
ReplyDeleteThat's why I suggested shots on goals because these are shots the goalie would've had to have actually blocked.
I'm fine with four saves. I want to make it a bit of a challenge to reach but not impossible.
Lets take a look at the Seattle/DC game yesterday.
ReplyDeleteHere is the Boxscore:
SEATTLE 2.................DCU 3
_______________________________
SHO: 20...............SHO: 6
SOG: 8................SOG: 5
SVS: 2................SVS: 6
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Neither keeper had a clean sheet. so that's easy.
The question is how do you want to count the next stage?????
You have to count the SVS. Otherwise you give credit for goals scored on the keeper.
ReplyDeleteUsing 4 as the magic number....
In this match DCU keeper earns a point. He had 6 saves. Keller only had 2 saves so he gets nothing.
If you look at the box scores for the last 2 months 4 saves is where it will happen enough to care but not often enough. If you want to make it 5 it will be okay but even more rare.
My point in all this is..... SVS is where its at and 4 or 5 saves is the optimal number.
1. Best fantasy soccer league I've been in. Thanks commish for all your work.
ReplyDelete2. Love expansion idea.
3. New keeper rule sounds good too.
4. GO YANKS
Blogger has new templates that are very cool. Lots of upgrades.
ReplyDeleteI saw that too.
ReplyDeleteWell Well, new look !
ReplyDeleteNice Commish, very nice.