A MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FANS OF TWIFS
Figment sports is entering a new era - literally as FABL, the AFA, the NAHC, the FBL and the college leagues are all fast forwarding a couple of decades. It is a decision that while, in some ways tough to swallow, was necessary and ushers in a new chapter in the Figment Sporting Universe that I hope any of you who have been reading this will be excited for.
Our commissioner revealed there are some major issues with the baseball file ratings, especially power numbers, of many players plus a real talent glut and, if unchecked, they will create big issues in the coming seasons. No one knows exactly why it happened: whether it is tied back to originally using feeder leagues and switching 20 seasons or so ago, edits to select draft class players each season, or simply because the league has gone from OOTP18 or 19 all the way through to 25 and could not handle it especially with all the ratings system changes in version 25. But the bottom line is the need to do mass edit to a number of elite hitters (which rightly the commissioner considered would be unfair to the GMs of those clubs) has helped the commissioner decide the best course is a hands-off period and a fast sim to January 1, 1969. This will allow him to make the necessary edits with impacting individual GMs and retain the entire history of the league will also letting us "watch" the next two decades unfold.
*** This Means Expansion, and Your Chance to Join the Best Multi-Sport League Around ***
A side-benefit is it will be almost a brand-new Figment Baseball (and other sports) Universe complete with expansion teams (both in 1962 and 1969) so there is an opportunity for you to join the league if interested. We are also making a change from stats-only to visible current ratings (1-5 scale I believe) but potentials and stars stay hidden. The idea is it might make this league, with all of his rich history and multiple sports, more accessible for potential GMs who might have felt intimidated by the time that stats-only can require to learn your team.
It is a big change, to quickly over the next month or so go from 1952 to 1969 and there are pros and cons to this for both the GMs and you the reader.
The cons are our General Managers will now have to be content to simply be fans for the next two decades of game play. We no longer have the ability to make an impact on our teams but hopefully all will enjoy cheering on the successes of our favourite players. The other con is I expect it will take a number of weeks to get from 1952 to our final landing point in 1969.
The pros in my mind far outweigh those cons with the biggest one being that the issues get hopefully solved and the league (and your favourite online dynasty newspaper) will continue. During this "fast-forward" period TWIFS will go to an annual year in review format designed to keep you informed on all the major happenings in the Figment Universe and be up to speed when we land in 1969. At that point TWIFS will go back to the same weekly format we have used for nearly the past decade and a half of gameplay.
I am very excited to see how the careers of the many great young talents across our universe play out and it will happen quickly over the next month or so. We will see how long Quarterback Pat Chappell and the Kansas City Cowboys dominate the AFA. Will Luther Gordon become the greatest player in pro basketball history? Will John Stallings of the Chiefs, Carl Potter of the Dynamos or Adrian Czerwinski of the Foresters make a run at 300 wins? Will a new home run king that can rival Mighty Mo or Bobby Barrell arrive on the scene? How many more Challenge Cups will Quinton Pollack and the Toronto Dukes win? There is so much that would have taken a couple of years in real time to play out that we will see unfold over the coming month or so. And what new stars will crop up in the coming seasons?
Plus when we resume football will be an online league as well instead of a solo project so all four major team sports will have human GMs and there will be expansion in each.
As touched on above there will also be a fundamental change in baseball that we will no longer be fully stats only. The learning curve for new GMs is very stiff and, as some of our GMs pointed out stats-only does not fully mirror real life. Potentials are unknown but scouts have a great knowledge of current skills beyond just stats so upon resumption FABL will have current and other (running/fielding) ratings visible but stars and potential will remain hidden.
There will also, of course, be expansion so if you have ever considered joining now is the perfect time. League files will be provided each year so you can pick your team and then follow along allowing any new GMs to have a some great knowledge of their organization. And multiple sports too. There will be hockey, basketball and football league openings (with FHM, Fast Break Pro Basketball, and Draft Day Sports:Pro Football) so you can run multiple teams. If you weren't aware I am the GM of the Detroit Dynamos, Detroit Motors hockey club, Detroit Mustangs basketball team and will be in charge of the Detroit Maroons football team once we land in 1969.
Mixed emotions for sure as it is hard to give up control of my teams for the next two decades, but also plenty of excitement about what the next two decades will look like. A new chapter is coming in the masterpiece of a book that is the Figment Sports Universe.
By the way here is a sneak peak at what FABL is going to look like in 1969. (teams in bold are expected to be available for potential new General Managers
CONTINENTAL ASSOCIATION
EASTERN DIVISION
Cincinnati Cannons
Cleveland Foresters
Chicago Blues (1969)
Montreal Saints -
New York Imperials (1962)
Toronto Wolves
WESTERN DIVISION
Milwaukee Cougars (relocated from Chicago, 1965)
Dallas Wranglers (1962)
Denver Grizzlies (1969)
Los Angeles Stars (relocated from New York in 1950s)
San Francisco Sailors (relocated from Philadelphia in 1950s)
Seattle Kings (from KC in 1968)
FEDERAL ASSOCIATION
EASTERN DIVISION
Atlanta Firebirds (1969)
Boston Minutemen
Detroit Dynamos
New York Gothams
Philadelphia Keystones
Pittsburgh Miners
WESTERN DIVISION
Chicago Chiefs
Houston Oilers (1969)
Kansas City Eagles (from Washington in 1969)
Los Angeles Suns (1962)
Minneapolis Millers (1962)
St. Louis Pioneers
It may be a few days but keep an eye out as 1952 Figment Sports Year in Review will be arriving soon.