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Old 09-18-2019, 10:56 AM   #1
Big Six
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Sunshine and Snow: a tale of two athletes

Hello, everyone!

I don't think too many of you know me. I suppose you could call me a veteran dynasty writer from back in the day. I haven't been very active on the boards for a while, and when I log in, I always see a number of users whose screen names don't ring a bell. Hopefully I'll be around more often now, and I'm hoping to get to "know" some of you.

I've been playing OOTP since 2003; it was my introduction to the world of sports simulations, and this forum was where I first started to write about the universes I created through the games I played. Six years ago, after a trip to England and Scotland that turned my entire family into soccer fans (and in the case of my kids and me, soccer players), I discovered Football Manager, which is another terrific game. In fact, for the past few years, I've played FM more often than OOTP.

The other day, I had an intriguing idea.

What if I created a dynasty story based on BOTH games?

I'll be playing OOTP 20 and Football Manager 2015, which is still my favorite version. My story will follow the careers of a young baseball player and a young footballer, or perhaps a football manager (I haven't decided which my FM character will be). This way, I'll get to play and write about both of my favorite games.

Who knows? If they happen to meet a hockey player along the way, I might bring Eastside Hockey Manager into the story, too.

I'll use my fictional Keystone League, set in Pennsylvania, for the OOTP corner of my world. As usual, I'll enhance the look of my league with the fantastic logos and uniforms of txranger.

My football story will begin in one of the lower leagues in England. I use an edited database that lets me play as far down as the 10th level of English football, where amateurs with 9-to-5 jobs and careers ply their trade.

Both the baseball and football worlds will be populated by fictional characters. That way, I can create their personalities, making them good guys or jerks, as I see fit, without potentially mischaracterizing a real person.

I'm in the process of setting up my leagues, etc., and once I'm done, I'll be back to introduce you to my protagonists. I think I'll have a lot of fun with it.

My kids are now old enough to contribute story ideas, etc., and I'm sure they will add some twists to the plot along the way.

I hope some of you will enjoy following along. Please feel free to comment anytime--I don't mind readers posting in my threads. In fact, I find it flattering and inspiring.

Now, let the games begin...
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My dynasties:

The Base Ball Life of Patrick O'Farrell: 2014 inductee, OOTP Dynasty Hall of Fame

Kenilworth: A Town and its Team: fun with a fictional league
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Old 09-18-2019, 11:16 AM   #2
Sizeman21
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Two of my favorite PC franchises to date in one dynasty report! I have missed your writing Six! Eagerly waiting for updates!
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Old 09-19-2019, 10:47 AM   #3
jparker2112
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ohhhhh yes! this sounds amazing!!!!!
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Old 09-20-2019, 11:37 AM   #4
Big Six
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Prologue
December 1995


It was unusually mild in the Philadelphia suburb of Elkins Park on the morning of December 4, 1995. Jay Johnson didn't even bother with a jacket when he drove his wife, Chris, to the hospital to deliver their first-born child. They named their little boy Nathan James, and began calling him Nate the very first day. When he was only a few hours old, little Nate Johnson curled his tiny mouth into something that Chris swore was a smile. As the boy grew up and his personality developed, it became easy to believe Chris's story was true.

Three weeks later, in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, England, the Snow family--David, Julie, and their children: four-year-old Anna and two-year-old Matthew--received the most wonderful Christmas gift possible. That evening, Julie gave birth to a little boy. Jordan Thomas Snow kicked his chubby legs with a vigor that caused one of the nurses in the delivery room to declare, "That's a proper footballer, isn't it?" Proud father Dave, a resolute Chelsea supporter, grinned, and hoped the nurse's prediction might come true.

Separated by about 3500 miles, the two young boys grew up, strong, healthy, and active. Bright and inquisitive, Nate and Jordan both earned admission to selective schools. Both boys were polite, well-mannered, and affable, and they handled their success in school and sports with a refreshing humility.

Nate was tall, with a shock of dark brown hair and hazel eyes. His mom had been an excellent volleyball player as a young woman, and even as a child, Nate moved with an athlete's grace. Jordan was small for his age, blond and green-eyed, lively and quick. Dave Johnson had been a decent cricketer, and Julie won acclaim as a schoolgirl sprinter. Both boys were happiest when they were outside, playing all sorts of games until (and after) dark.

Jordan was especially close to his older brother. Matty was protective of him, but he let Jordan play with him and his friends, and Jordan soon proved he could hold his own with the older children. Nate was the older sibling--he had two younger sisters, Megan and Taylor--and, with the exception of a tendency to tease them relentlessly, he was a kind and responsible big brother.

Neither set of parents had more than a moment's worth of trouble with their sons. They weren't perfect, by any means. Jordan had a temper that could get the better of him. Nate had a tendency to be messy, leaving toys, books, and games in disarray all over his bedroom. Nonetheless, both families, Johnsons and Snows, had every reason to be proud of the boys they were raising.
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__________________
My dynasties:

The Base Ball Life of Patrick O'Farrell: 2014 inductee, OOTP Dynasty Hall of Fame

Kenilworth: A Town and its Team: fun with a fictional league

Last edited by Big Six; 09-20-2019 at 11:39 AM.
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Old 09-20-2019, 04:25 PM   #5
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Magdalen College School, Oxford, England
Summer 2010


Two boys walked along a wooden footbridge, chatting amiably as they went. One was tall and dark-haired; the other, blond and of medium height. They were dressed in athletic shorts and t-shirts, and they wore sneakers--or "trainers," as they might be called here in England--on their feet.

The taller boy turned to his new friend and spoke with an accent that coudl be immediately identified as American. "These three weeks have gone by really fast, haven't they?"

"Hard to believe you have only two more days to try to beat me in a race," the other boy replied with a grin. The taller boy playfully shoved him, and received an equally mischievous shoulder to the ribs in return.

Magdalen College School was one of the oldest, and most highly regarded, schools in Oxfordshire. The school offered a summer program that allowed boys from abroad to experience life in an English independent school for three weeks. The participants lived on campus, sharing a room with Magdalen boys who wanted to spend some of their summer vacation making friends from some far-off place. Most of the boys were American; a few were Canadian, and a handful came from other countries.

That's how the tall American boy with dark hair happened to be walking across the wooden footbridge at Magdalen School on a clear, cool July morning, sharing a bit of banter with his new English friend.

Jay Johnson had grown up poor. He never knew his father, who left his wife and three children under the age of seven one rainy morning and never looked back. His mother, Helen, worked three jobs to support her family. Jay was washing dishes at a nearby diner at twelve in an attempt to help out.

He'd done well enough in high school to earn a scholarship to Penn State, and he did even better there. He also fell in love with a vivacious blonde girl in his American history class, and by the end of the year, Chris Miller was wearing his fraternity pin.

Now, more than two decades later, Jay was a dermatologist with a busy practice. He and Chris had been married for sixteen years now. They could provide things for their children that neither of them could enjoy when they were growing up, including the opportunity to attend the William Penn Charter School and enjoy a summer program in England.

Nate Johnson had never been away from home for more than a few nights, and at first he was homesick and lonely. It felt strange for him not to wear a smile. Things got better once he connected with one of the Magdalen boys, a lad called Jordan Snow.

The two fourteen-year-olds had a lot in common. Both of them were good students; Nate was especially good at math, while Jordan preferred history and Latin. Both boys were shy around girls. They both listened to classic rock, and they both preferred their pizza simple--just cheese and pepperoni. And, both of them were very good athletes.

"I wish it was soccer season here," Nate said to Jordan as they reached the end of the bridge that led back from the Magdalen athletic fields. "I'd like to be able to go to a game."

"Football. It's football. Why can't you Yanks get that straight?" Jordan shook his head in mock frustration.

Nate laughed. "You do use your feet a lot more than we do back in the USA," he observed. "And what do you call it when a sucky team finishes last and gets kicked out of the league?"

"Relegation."

"It would stink to have your team relegated," Nate observed.

"My team doesn't get relegated." Jordan pointed to the Chelsea badge on his shirt with pride. "It can't work that way in American sports, can it?"

Nate shook his head. "Nope. It's like this. Major League Baseball teams have a system of teams in lower leagues. The players move up and down, but the teams don't."

"So the Philadelphia team can't find itself out of the top league?"

"The Phillies are in second place!"

The boys continued to compare the rules and traditions of the sports they played best: baseball for Nate, football for Jordan. Both boys enjoyed other sports in season; Nate was an very good basketball player and cross country runner, while Jordan was possibly better at rugby than he was at soccer.

Two days later, it was time to say goodbye. The van that would take Nate to the London airport was parked in front of the dormitory, and his things were loaded inside.

He reached to shake Jordan's hand. "This has been really cool, Jordan. I really hope we can stay in touch."

"I can email you for now. My mum and dad told me I could get a phone this summer, so when I get it, I can text you."

"I'm lucky I got my phone." Nate took out his new smartphone, looking down at it proudly. "I got it because Mom and Dad wanted to be able to keep up with me while I was here."

The two boys hugged, and then it was time for Nate to leave.


Photo of bridge at Magalen College School by David Hawgood, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9317624
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__________________
My dynasties:

The Base Ball Life of Patrick O'Farrell: 2014 inductee, OOTP Dynasty Hall of Fame

Kenilworth: A Town and its Team: fun with a fictional league

Last edited by Big Six; 09-30-2019 at 08:42 PM.
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Old 09-30-2019, 08:41 PM   #6
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Author's notes: The starting date for my story was determined by Football Manager. Since I'm using FM 15, my game will begin in the summer of 2014, as English teams are preparing for the 2014/15 season. I edited an existing fictional player to create the character of Jordan Snow.

When I created the Keystone League, I set its inception date at 2005. That way, I could establish a history for the league before Nate Johnson appeared on the scene as an 18-year-old member of the 2014 draft class. As I did with Jordan, I edited an existing player to create Nate's character.

Both Jordan and Nate have been given enough talent to have a good shot at a long playing career.



May 4, 2014

The boy standing on the pitcher's mound looked like an athlete, tall and lanky. He could pop the catcher's mitt with his fastball, and his pitches had life. He wasn't Keystone League material--the half dozen scouts sitting in the bleachers behind home plate had already reached that verdict--but he was talented enough to challenge the young man who was digging in at the plate to face him.

All the scouts had come to William Penn Charter School that day to see the batter. Nate Johnson was "long, lean, and athletic," as the OSA scouting report described him. He was considered one of the two best high school prospects in his draft class, along with a left-handed pitcher from Bethlehem named Randy Baba.

"I wish we could see him face Baba," one of the scouts, whose dark green polo shirt identified him as an employee of the Altoona Alleghenies.

"This kid's a lefty like Baba," another scout pointed out. "He's not bad. It's probably as close as we'll get."

"I don't know why you're here, Carl. No way this boy's still on the board when you draft."

Carl could afford to laugh, and he did. He worked for the Bethlehem Steelers, who had won 104 games and the Governor's Cup the season before. Carl was wearing one of the four championship rings he'd won.

The conversation stopped as Nate stepped into the left-hand batter's box. His stance was comfortable and balanced. The lanky lefty's first pitch was a fastball, high and away, and Nate took it for ball one. A Penn Charter runner danced off second base.

The next pitch was a very good one, a nifty breaking ball that went exactly where the pitcher and catcher wanted it. Nate whipped his bat through the strike zone with authority and made sharp, clean contact. The ball shot into the right-centerfield gap and skipped all the way to the fence. The baserunner could jog home, but he didn't dare; he'd been coached to hustle, and he did. Nate didn't stop running until he pulled into third with a standup triple.

"Now that was a piece of hitting." Carl turned to the scout beside him and nodded his approval.

The other man smiled and nodded. His red cap with the script L identified him as part of the Lancaster Red Roses organization. The Reds held the first pick in the draft, which would be held in just about a month.

"You think he'd look good in red, Matt?" Carl asked.

Matt merely smiled again. "He might, at that." If Matt knew whether or not his boss had made up his mind, he wasn't telling.

The scouts noticed the way Nate reacted to his RBI triple, which gave Penn Charter a two-run lead. He'd merely clapped his hands twice and grinned over at his teammates, many of whom were clearly more animated than he was. "I see you, Sunshine," one of them called out to him. His muscular build and the eyeblack smeared across his face might have marked him as a catcher even if he hadn't been wearing shin guards. Nate grinned even more broadly, and acknowledged his friend with a point of his finger.

Nate's favorite teacher and coach was the first to call him Sunshine. John Starnes coached Nate in junior varsity basketball. He noticed that Nate, a freshman at the time, responded to most situations with a smile. A tough loss might temporarily wipe it from his face, but before long it returned. Still, nobody ever accused Nate of flippancy, and nobody believed he lacked grit or toughness. His good nature did not diminish his competitive spirit.

Nate played shortstop that afternoon, like many young men who are the best players on their high school team. He displayed soft hands, a plus arm, and enough range that the scouts could envision him remaining there as a pro. His arm could also play in the outfield, and his speed might allow him to handle center field.

The Keystone League coaches left the field together, and walked to the lot where they had parked their cars. They shook hands, and wished each other well before they drove off into the warm Pennsylvania spring evening.

They knew they had seen a ballplayer that day.
__________________
My dynasties:

The Base Ball Life of Patrick O'Farrell: 2014 inductee, OOTP Dynasty Hall of Fame

Kenilworth: A Town and its Team: fun with a fictional league

Last edited by Big Six; 09-30-2019 at 10:42 PM.
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Old 10-02-2019, 02:49 PM   #7
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June 5, 2014

The Johnson home was a great place for a party, especially on a beautiful early June evening. The 2014 Keystone League first-year player draft provided the occasion.

It was safe for Jay and Chris Johnson to assume they would have reason to celebrate; Nate had finished his high school season in grand style, and he was almost certain to be drafted high in the first round. Despite being pitched around almost constantly, Nate hit .439 as a senior, with an OBP over .500. Seventeen of his 50 hits had gone for extra bases, and while some scouts downgraded him a bit because he'd hit only one home run, his potential as a hitter was as promising as any high school player in the draft.

Jay was in his usual spot at the grill, providing a steady supply of burgers and sausages for the crowd of ravenous teenagers who were gathered around the swimming pool. Chris was replenishing the drinks and snacks as needed, and Nate's younger sisters, Megan and Taylor, had been promised they could swim later if they helped out.

The Lancaster Red Roses held the first pick in the draft. They had scouted Nate heavily, and it was widely rumored that they would draft him. But Nate was a long way from being able to help a Keystone League team, and the Red Roses had needs they wanted to fill more quickly.

Their shortstop, Bill Jauch, had been a fine player for a decade, a seven-time All-Star. However, Bill was 36 now, and his skills were in decline. Villanova University's star shortstop, Chris Osso, had just graduated and, at 22, was considered ready for Keystone League duty. Osso was a slick fielder who hit for power, and the Reds might be tempted to call his name instead of Nate's.

Almost as soon as the clock began, the Reds delegation made their choice. They took the safe bet, choosing Osso, and immediately announced he would report immediately to Lancaster.

Next up were the Scranton Electrics. They had finished the 2013 season with a 61-93 record, the same as Lancaster's, and had lost the coin toss for the #1 pick. At first, their owner/general manager, Tom Victor, was disappointed with this outcome. But when he learned Lancaster had taken Chris Osso, it didn't matter anymore.

Tom Victor could get the man he wanted anyway.

Nate heard his phone buzz in his pocket, and he smiled. "Shhhh, everybody," he said, his voice betraying his excitement. "This could be it..."

"Hello, Nate? This is Tom Victor, from the Scranton Electrics. How are you today?" said the voice on the other end.

Nate nodded. His grin seemed to cover his entire face. "I'm just fine, Mr. Victor, thank you for asking."

"I'm calling to let you know that the Electrics have chosen you in the first round of the Keystone League draft. Congratulations, Nate."

This time Nate pumped his fist. He knew the Electrics had the second overall pick. "That's great! Thank you...so much."

When the call ended, Nate nearly shouted. "It's Scranton...number two overall." He was clearly delighted, and so were his friends and family.

His mom was the first to reach him, and then his dad. The three of them embraced warmly. Megan and Taylor were next, and then a very pretty brunette with sparkling green eyes. She was Emma Thorne, and she and Nate had been dating for almost a year now.

Then, Nate was swallowed up in a wave of his friends and former teammates. One boy wrapped his arms around Nate and lifted him off the ground before he set him back down and clapped him on the back. Nate wasn't easy to lift--he was up to 185 pounds now--but his friend lifted him as easily as if he were a child.

"SUNSHINE!!! Let's GO, boy!" he shouted, before his joyous laughter became too much to control.

Nate stumbled when his exuberant friend put him back down, and nearly ended up staggering into the pool. "Thanks, Pete. Next year, it's your turn," he replied. Nate shook his friend's hand and grinned broadly.

Peter Morris was a class behind Nate, and he had just enjoyed a breakout season as Penn Charter's catcher. Several Keystone League clubs had Peter on their radar now. If he didn't choose college football instead (he was an outstanding fullback and linebacker), he might very well receive a phone call like Nate's in a year or so.

Now that Nate had received his good news, the party could expand to include the pool. The air was filled with the sounds of splashing, shouting, laughing teenagers.

Nate briefly excused himself to go inside his house, where he could make a call more easily. He tapped at his phone and waited for an answer.

Across the Atlantic, it was nearly 10:00 PM. There, another teenage boy heard his phone sound its ring tone. He looked at its screen to identify his caller, and his face broke into a grin.

"Hey, mate." Jordan Snow greeted his friend.

"What's up, buddy?" Nate replied. He shared his news with Jordan, and the two boys chatted about what would happen next.

"I'll probably be assigned to the team at Chadds Ford," Nate explained. "That's the third level of their system, Class A."

"So you're a long way from Scranton, right?"

"Right now, yes. Most guys who get drafted out of high school start out in the Liberty League, though. It's all good."

"Yeah, it is," Jordan agreed. "I hope I have some good news for you this summer, too."

Beginning at age ten, Jordan had played youth football for an amateur club called Old Woodstock Town FC. He had progressed steadily through the club's ranks, and was winding up a very successful season with the Under 18s. Usually deployed as a central midfielder, Jordan was the heartbeat of the team, and he wore the captain's armband.

This summer, he hoped to take the next logical step: earning a spot in the senior team.

"When will you find out?" Nate asked him.

"Not until July. That's when training will start again. Until then I'll be working out on my own, that kind of thing."

The boys chatted for a few more minutes, before Nate made his way back out to join the party. It wound down fairly early--just a little past 9 PM--and, after Nate and Emma shared a sweet good night kiss, he went inside to chat with his family for a bit before he headed upstairs to bed.

It took Nate a while to go to sleep. The next day, he would begin his career as a professional baseball player.
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__________________
My dynasties:

The Base Ball Life of Patrick O'Farrell: 2014 inductee, OOTP Dynasty Hall of Fame

Kenilworth: A Town and its Team: fun with a fictional league

Last edited by Big Six; 10-02-2019 at 07:13 PM.
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