The Top 75 Dynasties of 2005

[The Funk]

Dale becomes Jewish?!

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Dale And Eli's Dad

Did you finish it yet, Y0DA?

Ellison IS too good as a player and it's for a reason that I hope people will keep reading long enough to understand.

And I hope readers will stay with the twists and turns that are planned for Dale. (I have about five seasons of the off-field drama outlined...we'll see how the game results twist where that goes!)

Let's just say as I wrote the outline I was surprised with where the story seemed to be driving itself. And I saw Dale making decisions that I didn't like him making but couldn't stop him.

I'll let you decide what that means.

I might have to give this one a look, too. Sounds like a good read.

[Jason]

Originally Posted by The Funk

Dale becomes Jewish?!

No, but he does discover a really good deli.

[Y0DA55]

First, I agree with what spuds wrote. No need to quote it.

Originally Posted by Dale And Eli's Dad

Did you finish it yet, Y0DA?

Ellison IS too good as a player and it's for a reason that I hope people will keep reading long enough to understand.

I'm close to finishing it. Possibly today, maybe tomorrow, or maybe the day after that.

And yeah, I am wondering where this "Ellison is too good" storyline may go.

[Y0DA55]

#21 – “(1901-Present) Historical Replay”

Started by: cshigh

This one is a very simply yet effective dynasty. Literally, it takes four posts to get through a year. cs does a preview of the upcoming season with some questions about what we should look out for or whether or not a team/player will do something like break a record or repeat as champions.

The next post is the summary of the year. Who won, who put up some big numbers, and he also gives us some snippets from the year.

Then he posts the NL and AL leaders.

The end.


This one is a good one if you like following historical dynasties with very little fanfare between years. It just gives you what you need to know and moves on to the next year. It’s a pretty convenient read.

Worth a Look Score:

[Jestor]

We're just about to the Top 20! A lot of great dynasties listed so far.. It'll be interesting seeing where some of the others will fall.

[Jestor]

Bump cuz it needs it.

[Y0DA55]

Yeah, this desperately needs a bump from me. But this isn't it. I've got a big meeting with work this weekend and have been swamped at work (meaning I actually have to do stuff) and am taking off tomorrow. It probably won't be likely that I update it before next week, but I very well could as I am prepared.

Jeez, we need to get to the top 20.

[The Funk]

Then update you bastard.

[ndinardo76]

I like many of the dynasties, but the rankings do seem to be out of whack a bit. Some of the dynasties you list at the beginning are much better than the chaff in the middle.

[Y0DA55]

Originally Posted by Dale And Eli's Dad

Did you finish it yet, Y0DA?

Yep! I finished probably a week and a half ago (before work really kicked in). I look forward to where this one will go.

Originally Posted by ndinardo76

I like many of the dynasties, but the rankings do seem to be out of whack a bit. Some of the dynasties you list at the beginning are much better than the chaff in the middle.

That's the way it happens sometimes. Much like any popularity contest, the best stuff doesn't always rise to the top (exhibit A: Chris getting voted off American Idol). Readers don't always read good stuff. Maybe there was a hook that got people to check out the thread and post.

Also, the crash hit these rankings hard. I really wonder what the rankings would be like had the crash not hit.

[Y0DA55]

#20 – “The Northwest League”

Started by: ifspuds

The Northwest League. Honestly, I should be more interested in this than I am. It’s very well written (as most of spudsy’s stuff is) and it takes place on my turf, the Northwest. I think the reason why I am not getting “into” this one is because of the lack of story (I seem to be hooked on the story dynasties right now… which is providing me with plenty of reading). This one is straight up Sports Magazine style.

On a much smaller level than some other “Let the Board Members Play” dynasties, this one allows board members to “play” in the league. It just adds another twist, and also gives the league a built in fanbase.

This makes it through 2 solid years and flitters out at the beginning of the third. It’s updated “once a month” (although, occasionally its updated every two weeks), so the fans get their stats fix.

Well written, but it ended a little prematurely.

Originally Posted by hayesb26

I like the way you've been doing it. A nice mix between the game generated stats and your own creative writings. Nice and refreshing to read.

Worth a Look Score:

[ifspuds]

Wow. How in the world did this end up so high?

Yeah, it ended prematurely, and I can tell you exactly why, though none of these are particularly good reasons:

1. The league is too big. Too many stories to follow, too many teams, just too much. I should have gone with a smaller league, maybe 16 teams, 4 from each state (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana) instead of 6.

2. I don't have the energy to run a "create-a-player" dynasty. As more and more players got added in, I found that I didn't enjoy keeping track of all those players.

3. Round about the time the third season got started, I got a new computer to go with the laptop I already had. I'd planned to move everything to the new computer (which stayed at home) and run sims at night. Bad idea: I had more time to write at work than I did at home (new baby along with new computer) and as time went by, I found that I wasn't all that energized to get back to it.

4. Like you enjoy reading story dynasties more, I enjoy writing them more. I couldn't get the stories going in this one. This was just too calculated: I wanted a fanbase, so I thought the best way was to do create-a-player. I wanted to place on the countdown, so I set out trying to get a high post-to-view ratio. I wrote it for the wrong reasons.

Bottom line is, I enjoy smaller leagues and being able to decide on the stories I think are the most interesting, rather than having an obligation to keep people updated on their created players. I'm much prouder of the Outpost League for just this reason. Story of my life: I hate being told what to do, even if I bring it on myself, which I usually do.

But in any case, thanks very much for the 4 popcorns, Y0DA. I think it's too generous on your part, but I certainly do appreciate it. And who knows, maybe I'll get up the motivation to start it again. I definitely did enjoy the league: the 2nd season pennant races and playoffs were really exciting, and I enjoyed a lot of the players and teams I kept tabs on. My ideas for the league are better suited for the upcoming version of OOTP, so that's likely to add some motivation as well.

[GForce]

Two of Spudsies were in my top 10 in Vris' countdown. Quality stuff, always. Well done!

GH

[Y0DA55]

Originally Posted by ifspuds

But in any case, thanks very much for the 4 popcorns, Y0DA. I think it's too generous on your part, but I certainly do appreciate it. And who knows, maybe I'll get up the motivation to start it again. I definitely did enjoy the league: the 2nd season pennant races and playoffs were really exciting, and I enjoyed a lot of the players and teams I kept tabs on. My ideas for the league are better suited for the upcoming version of OOTP, so that's likely to add some motivation as well.

I agree with most of what you said. However, the numbers don't lie. People were reading this (which is what you set out to do). Bottom line though, is that you really have to write these things for the right reasons, because people have a sense for what is driving a writer to write.

For example, I don't want to rush Tib writing his Short Hop dynasty because then it would just be rushed and not the quality I have come to enjoy. Sometimes you can't have your cake and eat it too.

I know the pressures that are on writers to make something that people will read or talk about. Heck, that's the reason this dynasty is here. If no one were to read this, I would just stop writing because it wouldn't be worth my time. One of the only reasons that I am still writing about 2005 dynasties is that people want to read about them (along with advertising lesser known dynasties and what I say below), otherwise, I can totally find other things to do (the weather is really really nice here at the moment). But that's the reason why I am writing this. It's clear and defined and my motivation to write. Although, honestly, the other motivation is that I set out to finish this, and I can't leave it unfinished.

---------------------------

As of now, I can't say I am a big fan of the new dynasty section. I can see why they are doing it, but I really didn't like having to scroll all the way down to find the dynasty section. I'm not a big fan of change, but my first impression of it is not a good one. Although, I'll give it a shot.

[Y0DA55]

#19 – “Join the WWBA”

Started by: Jazzmosis

When I first looked over this one as I was creating the countdown, I totally skipped over this one thinking that it was in the wrong place on the board. “This should be in the Online Leagues forum,” I thought. Luckily, I opened it up. Otherwise, it would have missed the countdown, and I would have missed a really good read.

This is another one of the “If you sign up, I’ll put you in the game” hooks. I find that the sign-ups kind of get in the way of the reading, but cest la vie, as Jazzy writes very well and more than makes up for the the sign-ups.

If you haven’t read Mark Jazzington - a managerial career, I suggest you do so as it is still going strong, unlike the WWBA which bit the dust in January. His writing is very similar to that, so if you are fan of Mark Jazzington, then you will enjoy this one too.

One thing that I really like about the WWBA dynasty is the way it ends. Yes he abandoned it for 6 months, but he gave it a proper burial in January (the last two posts of the thread) which I think are the most entertaining part of the entire thread.

Worth a Look Score: ½

[ifspuds]

Originally Posted by Y0DA55

As of now, I can't say I am a big fan of the new dynasty section. I can see why they are doing it, but I really didn't like having to scroll all the way down to find the dynasty section. I'm not a big fan of change, but my first impression of it is not a good one. Although, I'll give it a shot.

I'm not a big fan of the idea either, and I've posted as such in a thread in the OOTP2006 Discussions forum.

I'd suggest that, if you (not just Y0DA, but anyone reading this) don't like it either, add your voice. Craig has already done so.

[ifspuds]

Oh, and Join the WWBA was terrific. Very sad to see that one die, but it was lots of fun while it lasted.

[Jazzmosis]

Wow, 19th? Generous. I find the whole thing amusing cause Mark Jazzington is still going, and the board's first ever 5 popcorn rating, and it finished 23rd on the '04 countdown (or '05, or whatever).

Alas, the WWBA died... mostly. I still have the league file, and it's something like 2048 in there, and all I know is Doc Watson finally retired. Sad to say, he stumbled to something like a .056 average in his last seasons. But when I pressed the wrong button, I killed my will to continue. I've considered throwing it back up, since I have all the notes, the file, everything still in tact, but I just know it'd be a tease and I'd forget about it again. Besides, Jazzington's got like 35+ years to go. And that'll take ALL of my time.

I'll drink to WWBA.. and we'll say that the league got shut down because of illegal prostitution rings.

[Y0DA55]

Originally Posted by ifspuds

I'm not a big fan of the idea either, and I've posted as such in a thread in the OOTP2006 Discussions forum.

It's resolved now.

Originally Posted by Jazzmosis

Wow, 19th? Generous. I find the whole thing amusing cause Mark Jazzington is still going, and the board's first ever 5 popcorn rating, and it finished 23rd on the '04 countdown (or '05, or whatever).

Alas, the WWBA died... mostly. I still have the league file, and it's something like 2048 in there, and all I know is Doc Watson finally retired. Sad to say, he stumbled to something like a .056 average in his last seasons. But when I pressed the wrong button, I killed my will to continue. I've considered throwing it back up, since I have all the notes, the file, everything still in tact, but I just know it'd be a tease and I'd forget about it again. Besides, Jazzington's got like 35+ years to go. And that'll take ALL of my time.

I'll drink to WWBA.. and we'll say that the league got shut down because of illegal prostitution rings.

Last years countdown and this years countdown are two different beasts. One, there was a huge crash that happened that sucked the life out of the dynasty section for a couple of months. Two, I used a slightly different formula to compensate for said crash. And three, it was just a different year. It's kind of like comparing apples to pears (not exactly an apples to oranges difference).

You also started Jazzington semi-late in the year in 2004.