Matej,

I was number 480 yesterday, and now I just checked and I'm 542. Blurgh.

QB Joe Philadelphia (lvl 4--Gyuri)

HB J.T. Stretch (lvl 10--Gyuri)
Tanvir Sene (lvl 8--Alex)

FB Zeke Montana (lvl 10--JtS)

WR Carmichael Harold (lvl 8--Gyuri)
Lucas Fire (lvl 8 -- JtS)

TE None

OT Bob Bob Jones (lvl 8--Matej)
Johnny Roach (lvl 10--Gyuri)
Pablo Garcia (lvl 9--Inca)
Plantain James (lvl 8--Inca)
Al Jackson (lvl 6--Alex)
Steve D'Abril (lvl 6--JtS)

G Jimmy Joyce (lvl 1--Gyuri)

C Casey Harries (lvl 1 - Etienne)

DEFENSE

DE Crush McNasty (lvl 9--Gyuri)
Edwin Van der Sac (Lvl 1 - Matej)
DT Kenny Hotz (lvl 5--Alex)

LB Jedidiah Cleveland (lvl 4--Gyuri)
Bob Blomstrand (lvl 8 - Etienne)
Jerome Henderson (lvl 9--Alex)
Knut Rheinhardt (lvl 4--JtS)

CB Neon Leon (lvl 10--Matej)
D.F. Wallace (lvl 5--Gyuri)
Taco Pakahara (lvl 8--Inca)

FS Lee O'Tolstoy (lvl 2--Gyuri)

SS Spenny Rice (lvl 3--Alex)

K Frigyes Karinthy (lvl 8--Matej)
K Ginger Yellow (lvl 7--GY)

P None

This is a good list of players already.

Right now, I we're only missing starters at TE, G (though I think we can easily repurpose one of our OTs), DT and P. We still need depth pretty much everywhere but OT, but given that we are a while away from getting a team, we're in good shape.

Meanwhile, I've been able to convince most of the owners of my player's teams to have a renegotiated contract on Day 1 of next season, so I'll be able to have my players free at the start of the following season.

Okay, that means that I am actually higher up the list than you. (By 12 at the moment.) I don't know if that's enough to make a big difference. Personally, I'd think you'd be a better owner as I can't dedicate 'that' much time to this. (and I don't have access to the game at work.)

One thing we'll have to deal with down the road is the fact that a lot of our players will be 'too good' for the eventual OTF team. In fact, if we're as far out from a team as it seems, we may actually be into '2nd generation players' by that point.

But I'd still like to see us able to pull this off.

I don't know if they'd be "too good". The only limiting factor is how much salary each player gets, and so long as everyone is happy to get just enough to allow them to train and equip as they move up levels, I think we'd be able to manage it.

Once you get to 30 days ownership, you should stop dropping down the list and start moving up.

There are over 500 computer controlled teams, if they make all of those human controlled after this season the wait might not be that long.

I read somewhere on the forums from the admins that the 30-day barrier on the waiting list is not rolling. In other words, people who were at 30 days when the list came out have preference, otherwise, everyone is in the same boat.

It's worth waiting to renegotiate contracts until Day 1 of the new season, just so we are sure that we are not going to be getting a team for next year. If we do, and can't move all of our players at once, then we can leave the team with crappy CPU players until we can move our players in. I'll keep four of my guys in the D-Leagues for now, so they'll be available whenever we get the team.

They changed the create player system a bit, now allowing quick "re-rolling" (trying to get better initial skill points). With a little patience, you can pretty good initial stats, so I created a new DT (who came with 18 strength and 20 agility), whom I've added below. I'm now done creating new players (and much the poorer for it). Also, the latest rumor is that they'll be adding nearly 600 teams, so there's a decent chance that we'll get one this time out.

QB Joe Philadelphia (lvl 4--Gyuri)

HB J.T. Stretch (lvl 11--Gyuri)
Tanvir Sene (lvl 8--Alex)

FB Zeke Montana (lvl 10--JtS)

WR Carmichael Harold (lvl 9--Gyuri)
Lucas Fire (lvl 8 -- JtS)

TE None

OT Bob Bob Jones (lvl 8--Matej)
Johnny Roach (lvl 11--Gyuri)
Pablo Garcia (lvl 9--Inca)
Plantain James (lvl 8--Inca)
Al Jackson (lvl 6--Alex)
Steve D'Abril (lvl 6--JtS)

G Jimmy Joyce (lvl 1--Gyuri)

C Casey Harries (lvl 1 - Etienne)

DEFENSE

DE Crush McNasty (lvl 10--Gyuri)
Edwin Van der Sac (Lvl 1 - Matej)
DT Kenny Hotz (lvl 5--Alex)
Tommy Twitter (lvl 1--Gyuri)

LB Jedidiah Cleveland (lvl 5--Gyuri)
Bob Blomstrand (lvl 8 - Etienne)
Jerome Henderson (lvl 9--Alex)
Knut Rheinhardt (lvl 4--JtS)

CB Neon Leon (lvl 10--Matej)
D.F. Wallace (lvl 5--Gyuri)
Taco Pakahara (lvl 8--Inca)

FS Lee O'Tolstoy (lvl 2--Gyuri)

SS Spenny Rice (lvl 3--Alex)

K Frigyes Karinthy (lvl 8--Matej)
K Ginger Yellow (lvl 7--GY)

P None

I've had the mother of all falling outs (well, he's benched me and I'm playing on relaxed) with my first player's team owner.

My kicker is now level 8, by the way. Missed my first extra point, though.

Gyuri, I can leave myself on the waiting list and (theoretically) make you GM if I get the team.

Otherwise, I can remove myself from the waiting list and use those flex points to fill in some of our gaps.

I'm pretty sure Bob Bob could get released to join a new team, but Neon Leon is becoming more and more integral to his team. Although on the other hand, his contract is huge, so the owner may be willing to let him go to drop wages.

I've just got myself a level 4 QB Chad Munchington
my FB is now Lvl 11; WR Lvl 9; OT Lvl 8; LB Lvl 4

[apologies for the long post]

Matej,

It may make sense to wait until tonight to see whether it makes sense for you to stay on the waiting list or not. Today is the 30th day of my account, so I should, theoretically, stop falling down the list. If we are close tonight/tomorrow, then it may make sense for you to drop so that you can recoup the flex points.

Also, the game changed the rules so it's now possible to sign short-term contracts (10/15/20 day) if you're lower than lvl 10, and to sign contracts that terminate at the end of the season. This will make it easier to make sure we are all available when we get a team (if it's at the beginning of next season). I'm still holding out hope that we will get a team this offseason, but that's just blind optimism

JtS, maybe try and get friendly again with your owner, as there won't be any more XP-related playing time this year (after today), and getting him to release/renegotiate you would be nice.

One thing we may want to consider (Matej, I PM'd this to you yesterday in the game) is trying to build our players to fit into our future team. For example, my nephew and I coordinated our DT and LB builds, so from now on I will make my DT more of an NT (stronger, run stopper), while his DT will be more of a pass rusher. Some ideas I have on this score (though please argue/ignore/suggest something else, as I'm just going off what I learned reading the forums):

FB--JtS, I can't see your FB's stats, but it would be great if you had him focus on run-blocking for awhile. Our HBs will be fairly high level (and so can handle the majority of carries), but will need blocking help as I'm not sure how good our guards will be at pulling in the short-term.

OT--My guy is a pretty good LT (pass blocker), as he hasn't given up a sack yet this season and will be level 12 later today. We should have at least two of our other OTs focus on run-blocking (it's the sexier position, as it gets the pancakes) so they can play at RT, and have at least one other OT be a pass blocker (to start/backup LOT). I don't know what your various stats look like, so maybe we should discuss here who would be better doing what.

G-Inca, I noticed that Plaintain James is a G and not an OT (I changed it in the list below). I don't know what your stats are, but if the strength and blocking has gotten fairly high, it would be great if he could focus on speed/agility (up to about 28-30), as guard pulling is important in freeing up elusive HBs. I will build my guard to eventually be able to pull, but he's a low level and it will take a little time.

DE--Matej, my guy is getting built as a pass rusher (RDE), it would be great if you could have your guy built as a LDE (pass rushing is still important, but he also has to have strength/vision as most running plays goes to that side of the field and he has to take on the ROT and the TE).

LBs--My nephew is altering his build to become a MLB (more strength, less speed), while my guy is an OLB. Etienne/JtS, I don't think it matters at this point whether you go OLB or MLB, as we'll need both. One thing I've read, though, is that putting points into all SAs is a mistake at lower levels (below 12). It's better, apparently, to concentrate on getting the basic skills up, so that the percentage boost from the SAs are operating off a higher base. Of course, this is just current theory, and there's no telling what is truly right or wrong. One thing I do know is that speed, agility and vision for LBs are all very (and, probably equally) important. The morale-destroying SAs apparently don't work much unless you have high confidence yourself.

CB-I think these builds all end up looking the same regardless of position. I just started a guy that I plan on turning into a reserve CB, starting PR/KR (I retired another HB that was going to do this, b/c I realized that the CBs have KR/PR-specific SAs. Matej, if your owner is willing to let you go when we have a team, that would be great. If not, you can always wait out your contract (or compromise by shortening it to a determined end date). One possibility, though I'm not sure we should start negotiations on this, is that I think our eventual team could agree to pay back a portion of the signing bonus (player-cash trade) if that helps. Would rather not have to do this, as money will be tight, but it's an option.

K-I'm not sure that two kickers will help us that much, but I'm wondering whether one of them can be play as a P. No idea what the out-of-position hit is. Any ideas.


Updated team list:

QB Joe Philadelphia (lvl 5--Gyuri)
Chad Munchington (lvl 4--JtS)

HB J.T. Stretch (lvl 11--Gyuri)
Tanvir Sene (lvl 9--Alex)

FB Zeke Montana (lvl 11--JtS)

WR Carmichael Harold (lvl 9--Gyuri)
Lucas Fire (lvl 9 -- JtS)

TE None

OT Bob Bob Jones (lvl 8--Matej)
Johnny Roach (lvl 11--Gyuri)
Pablo Garcia (lvl 9--Inca)
Al Jackson (lvl 7--Alex)
Steve D'Abril (lvl 8--JtS)

G Jimmy Joyce (lvl 2--Gyuri)
Plantain James (lvl 8--Inca)

C Casey Harries (lvl 1 - Etienne)

DEFENSE

DE Crush McNasty (lvl 10--Gyuri)
Edwin Van der Sac (Lvl 1 - Matej)
DT Kenny Hotz (lvl 6--Alex)
Tommy Twitter (lvl 1--Gyuri)

LB Jedidiah Cleveland (lvl 6--Gyuri)
Bob Blomstrand (lvl 8 - Etienne)
Jerome Henderson (lvl 10--Alex)
Knut Rheinhardt (lvl 4--JtS)

CB Neon Leon (lvl 10--Matej)
D.F. Wallace (lvl 6--Gyuri)
Taco Pakahara (lvl 8--Inca)
Joe Stoyevsky (lvl 1--Gyuri)--plan to make him PR/KR

FS Lee O'Tolstoy (lvl 3--Gyuri)

SS Spenny Rice (lvl 4--Alex)

K Frigyes Karinthy (lvl 8--Matej)
K Ginger Yellow (lvl 8--GY)

Neon Leon is a return specialist btw already, Gyuri.

I'd be worried about a Kicker functioning as a punter because I'd bet the Punters have special skills to put the ball into the corners.

Re: Neon Leon--That's good to know. I'll still build my guy this way, as Neon Leon will be our best corner, and it may be worth conserving some of his energy by having him only do either KR or PR, and not both. Maybe not, though, so I'll make sure my CB can actually play CB.

That's a good point about P's SAs. Although if we don't have a punter, it may be better to use a K than to play a CPU or overpay for a free agent (of course, if we can underpay for a free agent, that would be nice).