Results Of The Constitutional Amendment (LONG, Please Read)

Discussion in 'Leaguegaming Hockey League (LGHL)' started by LG-McDonald, May 7, 2016.

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  1. LG McDonald

    LG McDonald Director of Hockey Operations

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    After a twelve to fourteen hour day dealing with questions comments and an overall debate in regards to issues related to a series ending forfeit in the AHL I finally have an outcome for the entire situation.

    Article Two vs Playoff Rules

    The main debate was in regards to conflicting rules whereby the current playoff rules have a section dedicated to game night procedures as well as claiming a forfeit. The unfortunate part was during season 22 we added a stipulation to the constitution's Article two to ensure there was NO forfeits during the playoffs when the captain lag issue was in full swing. That stipulation was not removed from Article Two, therefore giving us this great debate we have spend far too long on.

    Those members whom were around last season and struggled through the playoffs can contest to how beneficial but frustrating this rule was for last season. It provided the required safety net to ensure we could battle on while the EA servers caused us grief.

    The Owners who voted, voted about 88% in favor of having this issue amended.

    At the same token, the player's vote was also around 90% in favor of the ruling being amended in the Constitution.

    Amendment Process and Past Practices

    It wasn't that long ago whereby I was Commissioner in VHL with no real ability to think, use common sense or make moral decisions based on situations that actually occurred. The site staff there felt it was a requirement to ensure all "major" decisions were approved by them, even though they didn't play in the League and had such a strong disconnect to everything going on.

    That all changed when I came to LG. We have a section of Article One that allows the League Commissioner to poll the community and managers as well as draw on past experiences and practices to ensure that a decision can be made and made correctly benefiting the entire league.

    I've been apart of some amendment votes where even though I was about to institute change, there was no real moral relief based on how the process worked.

    I've also had a few situations where issues have arose here in LG where common sense, and moral decision making were a factor in what was occurring.

    We had an AHL team one season decide to claim a forfeit when they were home without even setting up the game lobby because the it didn't say they had to in the rules. That was amended to say "forfeits can't be claimed without a team putting the lobby up". That game was forced to be played.

    We had an AHL team recently have an invalid roster for nine games games in a row. That invalid roster would have resulted in 7 or 8 replayed games. Seasons before that based on the rules we watched teams like Providence and The Marlies have several games overturned for the same violation. The community agree that the level of an invalid roster did not merit games being overturned. Therefore the outcome was to amend the rules to state if an invalid roster did not directly affect the game's outcome, it would not result in over turned games. That amendment was made mid season, after a season whereby unfortunate things happened to Toronto and Providence. Both those situations didn't sit well with me, and it was voted on and determined the amendment made to the invalid roster would not really be retro active BUT would be applied directly to the current situation and moving forward.

    We have most definitely gone both way in regards to the amendment system.

    Overall the system whereby Team A abuses a loop hole that screws Team B, that then leads to a league wide amendment whereby the ruling is "Team A you will be the first and last time to use that loop hole, Team B thanks for finding it but you are still screwed" creates a toxic environment. A majority of moral and just people in management aren't looking for a stupid loop hole or wording error to take advantage of.

    A system where a loop is uncovered and determined by the community it requires an amendment should be applied to that current situation that has forced us into an amendment process and future issues. That system breeds honest, and a culture where we become proactive with this League rather than reactive where we continue to never take steps forward. We have rule reviews all the time where a TON of managers don't contribute anything. Some can argue that some managers look for loop holes to utilize at future days rather than bring them forward to make us grow better as a league.

    I've also heard some managers state that they want a competitive advantage and if they aren't using loops holes they aren't doing what is best for their team. Let's keep in mind a few factors first... Normally when you abuse a loop hole it rules in games NOT being played, which is something everyone can agree on goes against the entire reason we have a league. This is a free league. Contrary to popular belief I'm not paid to be here. I haven't made a cent from LG or VHL ever. So it is not in my best interest to rip you off or keep you here to line my own pockets. This is meant to be a competitive hockey website. Hockey in my eyes is the least political sport. There is no bullshit, and everyone on the cameras is professional. On the ice hell breaks loose and things said and done are acts of war. But at the end of the day every team that laces up and jumps onto the ice is at the same level with no real advantage. I don't see why LG needs to be any different.

    Utilizing a loop or error in our rules doesn't make you a better managers, it makes you detrimental to the entire organization we have established here for years. And for what gain? There is no salary bonus on the line for players, Tris isn't mailing out cup rings and Stanley Cup replicas for you guys to show your family for one day.

    In my eyes there is a better way to do busy where the best teams are the best teams simply because they are the best teams. The best GMs are the guys who put the work in, acted like class acts in the forums and chat and continued to grow this League and leave a legacy, rather than hide behind rules that CLEARLY don't apply and were ONLY meant to benefit us as a League during an unfortunate time.

    Milwaukee vs Stockton Debate

    First and foremost I think the level of disrespect shown towards both teams, the players, staff, and the overall issue is disgusting. I think it is almost the single most embarrassing moments I've ever been a part of. Some of the personal comments made towards each other and especially at staff members is beyond ridiculous.

    One thought everyone does not ever take into consideration when this issues become site wide and end up being dealt with by me is there are so many levels of break down that actually have to occur before it even makes it to me. I personally don't handle complaints, I review appeals and in situations when an issue becomes site wide, then as the Commissioner I step in and allow my staff to remain in the shadows as advisers. They all don't deserve the level of disrespect shown, and you honestly believe you can do what we do and are moral enough to be selected sign up. If not, then sometimes the best course of action is to shut up.

    That doesn't apply to those whom have challenged some of the decision made. We have some extremely intelligent players here with legal or professional back grounds that give them the ability to think outside the box. That information is what helps us grow, helps me grow so I can be better at my job here. I had a major house fire on Monday, and after a full 24 hours, the paperwork, investigation and everything was completed. I sat down with my chief and I said, "what could I have done better". His reply was "You did exactly what I would have done". That lead me to continue to seek feed back whether it be big or small so I continue to get better in my professional life. There will never be a point in time where you know everything, and do everything perfect.

    Right from the get go, this coming to me is going to result in someone screaming bias, or public outbursts about how the League fucked them. It is ALWAYS the case. We all forget that at the player's level some one didn't show up, or at the Manager level someone didn't communicate, etc. But hey this is why I'm "paid the big money" right?

    I always ask myself when I look at these issues, "What is the intent of that rule". Hell I should know, I wrote it. Sometimes I write parts into the constitution based on needs our managers feel are important. So overall when it comes to constitutional debates, I am a decent resource since I can basically tell you why each and every line is in the Constitution.

    The concern I have the most about this forfeit issue is we have a GM admit to us he knew all along that Article Two had the "no forfeit" rule in it, but yet the same GM is the first guy to comment on a correction for the playoff rules. But yet see no conflict between what he knows about Article Two, and what we sees in our playoff rules. I've heard all the excuses(doesn't say we have to communication, doesn't say forfeit, etc). Well it is titled forfeit, and it does say a request needs to be made which can only be done if you communicate.

    When you block out all the players, and the teams and the managers, and look at the Playoff rules, and look at the evidence to support the forfeit, there is little to no debate the player was late. Then if we go League wide and look at AHL team's whom HAD to use ECU's in game seven, who got ECUs during the ENTIRE playoff and followed the playoff rule it is very unfair for us to say well its okay one team can abuse it when fifteen others didn't.

    I don't even want to debate or comment on the claims made by Prust about what is going on in Alberta. I have buddies heading there to help with relieve and a bunch of us from work asked for special leave or additional vacation to go help as well but were denied. I already have heard how over 80,000 were evacuated, and over 1600 structures were torched. Those are numbers from days ago as well. I also no that Fort Mac was out on notice for evac last weekend when all this began. I'm not going to debate the legitimacy of statements made because I have faith in people to be moral and just. But I do know that if I was in that situation and I am a die hard LGer, I'd make sure every game I played an ECU is on standby. Hell I do that now when I am on call with my part time fire department. I always tell my GM, hey man, I'm on call tonight, if my pager goes off mind game, I am gone. I do it because I respect my team mates, and I do it because I respect my opponent I am playing against.

    A lot of members I spoke to are uneasy about the term "retroactive" but are pretty firm on their beliefs that if a situation draw enough attention to merit an amendment, then if the rule is amended, that current situation and future situations should be affected by the amended rule. Keeping in mind that above situation only negatively affects the team whom abused the loop hole in the first place, where an alternative system allows the one "one free pass".


    Personally like I said above, I don't feel a system where we agree something needs to change but tell the team who broke the rule its okay, here is your free pass, and sorry team that got screwed you are going to continue to get screwed is a good thing for our League. I don't think it helps us move forward as a community, or League. This League whether you want to believe it or not is the best and continues to set the bar and innovate. Therefore I think we need to continue that trend.

    The Owner's vote in the office was 4-6 not in favor of retro active. I also sent the vote out as a PM so I could reach out quicker. I had 8 replied that agree with an amendment should affect the current situation and future, two that did not, and two that were weird answers I didn't count as a yes or a no. The Owners also voted 88% that the rule needed to be amended.

    The player numbers are all public at this time. When you filter out the bias and hatred for Crass the vote in my eyes is about 52-48 in favor.

    Based on everything stated above, the voting process and the quality unbias opinions I received the determination to amended Article Two to remove the "no forfeit" rule and uphold the game six forfeit based on the proof provided was made.

    To everyone who contributed something valuable to this process thank you.

    To the players on Stockton, I do apologize it had to come to this.

    Closing Thoughts


    I am not going to lie, yesterday I had to have a long hard look in the mirror and ask myself if this was something I still wanted to do. Yesterday was a complete write off from the moment I got home until 7 Pm when I finally just turned my phone off and went to see Captain America(go see it!)

    I've done this for a long long time and have accomplished so much but after the lack of respect I've saw for each other and directed towards me, made me question if this was even worth it.

    What amazes me at times is how such a simple idea to put 17 random players on a team, give them 9 scheduled games a week where the winners play in the playoffs and the winner is crowned champion has turned into such a political drama festival. The League only requires an hour and a half a week of your time as a player. In the players if you are a third line grinder like me maybe only an hour.

    One of the biggest deciding factors for me is a few PMs I got where players and members truly believe I needed to do the right thing. So many managers who come here, dedicate their time, not break a rule, report errors they find and make their living off of being class act people. Those guys are the guys who want to see a right decision made because they all followed the rules, and do not take advantage of things.

    I think we need to take a long hard look and realize gone are the days of abusing the system, and finding loop holes make you a "good" "competitive" GM. All that does is breed a toxic environment where no one cares about each one another and the League as a whole suffers.

    By no means do I think Crass is a bad person. The guy puts together winning teams, and creates a competitive environment whereby beating him at times is more satisfying than winning the championship. Him and I don't see eye to eye on this issue, or any issue that causes staff and others days upon days of headaches because of a loop hole abused. I think respect needs to be shown to each other regardless of what occurred so we can continue to have a better environment to play in.

    Everything we do, and how we act directly influences the future of this League and Site. Until we realize how we need to act and treat each other we will continue to head down the wrong path.

    At the end of the day, it's just a video game, this is just a website organized by a bunch of hockey fans who wanted to give a bunch of die hard NHL gamers a place to call home and play scheduled hockey.

    Thanks for your time
    -Brodie





     
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