[Dazooz]

Originally posted by Henry
After reading this at least 50 times, I'm begining to think the problem is a basic one...

In real life, what do you have? ...statistics. It is ALL you have. You do not have talent ratings, current ratings, potential, or anything else. You ONLY have stats. Any perception of who or what a player is - is based on stats, or some narative from a scout, or otherwise, that says "this guy is good".

In OOTP, you have TONS more data. you have stats, which everyone is used to using as a way to determine value, you have ratings which create the stats, and you have talent, which puts limits around what the ratings can be. Too much information - and we can argue forever as to which one is best or worst in the evaluation of a player.

I think that's why, in most of my leagues, I have set them to talent only. This gives me two measurements (1) talent which is the media, scouts, and bar room chatter about a player, and stats, which are the real measurement.

If your a manager, you go on stats and a gut feel of "talent" and that's it.

I think too few of us turn the ratings off and work at the talent level only... it's really what real life is like. In that mode, it doesn't matter what's happening to the ratings because you can't see them anyway. If a guy goes into a slump, you have about as much an idea in real life why - and the same if he gets hot.

I agree here Henry. I switched to talent only and it has been one of the best moves I have made in my league.

On that note, I wish that the player deveopment report would not say "Rodney Scott has lost a step. His speed drops to B..." It would be much more fun if your coach just advised you. "Rodney Scott hasn't been running well lately. He may not be as quick as we thought." Or something like that!