Hello all,
I got my degree, and a cozy-enough job this year, and I've been evaluating what to do with my life next year. As some of you know, I was considering Calgary and pursuing technical certification in my field of interest. But, I don't drive, and having escaped school, am not so keen to return to it.
Anyway, life without irony--or at least long-term circular logic--would not be life as I understand it. Way back when I was a wee paduwan of 16 or so, I was told by Bob that what I really needed to do was go and see the world a little. I didn't want to at the time, and scoffed at the notion, fairly certain that Toronto was all I needed.
Well, a decade has passed (Friday was my birthday, I'm 26) and, it seems, life has finally gotten around to putting me in a position of actually wanting to see the world, and proving Bob right. I need greater and grander things. My heritage qualifies me for a UK, and thus, EU passport... and London's Calling. (The Clash, 1979)
So this is my situation to the league.
1) I want to keep the Lost Boys and stay in the FUNHL. I've been pursuing a strategy for next year's draft (RFA's over PrDs), and have finally gotten my FPs to the point where I don't need to worry about them for another couple decades.
But:
2) How do people feel about GM participating on a 10 hour time difference? Calling me will be tough, and participating in 4 hour WDs that start at 10 p.m. is going to be rough. I also won't be able to show for the ED or PrD in any meaningful way. If I choose to travel frequently, routine access to my e-mail to submit line ups and the like will become difficult too.
So, options as I see them:
a) I participate from Europe, send my spreadsheets to the appropriate people to execute my drafts as best they can, trade through e-mail, and continue my blog-based snarkiness, just on a 10 hour time difference instead of a 2 hour time difference. My strategy continues unabated.
b) I get a co-GM to help manage the Lost Boys while I'm gone. This'll be someone who you can call about trades, will get line-ups in, and can participate in the drafts. This will also give the league an option of training a potential future GM without running a guppy pool. (I'm told this was done when someone... Collin?... went to Australia)
c) The FUNHL starts to look for a new GM to take over "Franchise 11." I stop offering PrDs for RFAs. Though... let me say if we go with this option: can I come back when I'm back on the continent?
My preference is option "a" but figured I'd throw it out to the league now for due judgment and consideration. If we go with "b" I have a friend in Toronto who really loves and knows her hockey, and deserves a pool of this calibre to splash around in, even if only for a year. Though, none of you know her, so that may prove an issue.
I may need to be persuaded from practicing dark magic on your FPs if you go with option "c".
Alright... now go ahead and opine. I don't leave until September.
Richard
GM of the Lost Boys.
(Happy to buy your RFAs, now, or in June)
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6 comments:
Hey Richard,
In general, the fact that you are willing to find ways to make this work makes me disinclined to favour option c - We like to keep our involved GMs, well, involved!
As for a vs b, I'd lean towards b simply because there is little more frustrating than a team full of players no-one can access b/c no trades can be discussed, but I'm happy to hear other's POV
On a separate note, I sent you an email (actually a couple) on variations to our trade talks (based on changes in the trade environment since we started talking weeks ago) - can you access your email from where you are?
Nope no e-mail access. Yahoo mail is banned to me at work. Blogs are not. Will be going home tonight though (Girlfriend is leaving town) so I'll get back to you in about 4 hours.
you can use other email accounts that probably will not be banned...
I think as long as you can commit to the ED you should stay in the pool. give someone permission to tinker with your lineups and supply them with WD picklists. trades can easily be done via email as imho not very many are done instantaneously on the fly. Although i am not sure if Bob can afford the long distance with all the trades you guys do :)
The ED is probably what I am most likely to miss Chris; if it happens at the end of September, I'll have just arrived overseas, may not have a computer/internet connection set up, let alone be ready for Hockey.
The most likely solution if I stay on as GM, is I will prepare my spreadsheets and instructions in August and mail them to appropriate people in the league to draft Lost Boys on my behalf.
Richard.
There are a couple of ways to handle this, and in each case the real decision is yours to make;
- It's your team, the fact that you are incommunicado for much of the year ain't no big thing. Sure its unlikely you can win being an absentee or very, very part time GM, but so what? Avoid the Herby, check out the Eurotrash, and bob's your uncle.
- Find a 'helper'. Someone not in the pool but reasonably hockey savvy. Give them authority to do anything but FP trades, and let them run your team in your absence. If things work out, they'll have the experience to be in line for a team should we ever need a replacement.
I should add that you are not the first GM to take a European vacation of extended length, so figuring out an appropriate solution shouldn't be rocket science for us.
Hey Richard,
Cyberspace will not make this that big a problem. Yes there is a time difference but if you can get hooked up with computer, you can keep up with the hockey world and keep up with us (well, all of us except Bob because he is much harder to keep up with).
As for the ED, it really would be preferable to have you participate directly (even if only remotely) but you wouldn't be the first person to have your team drafted off a list. For the ED in particular it might help to have a co-GM help you but as you have a spreadsheet draft strategy that may be less necessary than the few remaining cowboys in the pool.
All in all, the Lost Boys have been a very welcome addition to the pool and I for one see no reason that you can't continue to be an active and involved GM even if across the pond.
Hell, you will still have a chance to see a couple of regular season games in London!
Doug
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