Official 2013 Big Soccer US Player Draft Organizational Thread

Discussion in 'USA Men' started by Mr Martin, Jan 11, 2013.

  1. Mr Martin

    Mr Martin Member+

    Jun 12, 2002
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The Big Soccer US player draft has been going on for many years. I took part last year for the first time and enjoyed myself. I think we are approaching that time of year, again.

    Last January 7, MLSNHTOWN kicked things off with the following thread asking who would like to participate, and including the rules and structure:
    https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/the-official-2012-us-draft-thread.1879420/

    Harper916 coordinated the proceedings, because MLSNHTOWN wasn't participating in 2012.

    We started the actual drafting on Monday, January 23, 2012. Four weeks later the 12 teams were complete, each with 18 US players. The post-draft voting/discussion thread began on February 25:
    https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/official-2012-us-draft-voting-discussion-thread.1905284/

    MLS SuperDraft is January 17, so we would surely like to be all set up and ready to draft some time after that, I presume.

    I'm definitely interested again. But I'm not interested in coordinating.
     
  2. soccersubjectively

    soccersubjectively BigSoccer Supporter

    Jan 17, 2012
    Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I would love to take part but also would like to not coordinate = /
     
  3. AutoPenalti

    AutoPenalti Am I famous yet?

    Sep 26, 2011
    Coconut Creek
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'd like to take part, Albeit, I'm a little new to this, but maybe a little help and understanding and I'd play.
     
  4. Hararea

    Hararea Member+

    Jan 21, 2005
    A complaint that's been expressed in the past is that sometimes people had to wait a long time between picks, particularly the people whose draft position was at either end of the round. What follows is a suggestion that I'd be interested in trying out for making the draft run more regularly. If you guys like the idea, I'll offer to coordinate and won't participate.

    Concept: Every team drafts one player every day. Apart from what's listed below, everything else about the draft would remain the same.

    How it would work
    1. Submitting picks

    Each day by 3 pm Eastern, each team submits a list of one or more players and receives the top player on their list who is available at their turn. This means that the team whose pick is first that day only needs one name. The team whose pick is second should list two names, in case their top choice gets taken before their turn. The team picking third should list up to three names, on the off chance that their top two are gone, and so on, with the team that picks 12th submitting up to 12 names. (After the first couple of rounds, teams shouldn't need to list very many names, since their top choices are unlikely to all come off the board one after another.)

    2. Announcing picks

    The full set of players who were drafted that day will be posted by 6 pm Eastern. The names of players who were listed but not drafted will be kept secret. After the draftees are announced, each team will be expected to post a picture of their player, preferably with some added comments.

    3. Make-up picks

    If a team needs to make up a pick, it may post its selection any time between the announcement of a day's picks and 6 am Eastern the following morning.
     
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  5. bmo180

    bmo180 Member+

    Jan 25, 2012
    I'd be down
     
  6. Mr Martin

    Mr Martin Member+

    Jun 12, 2002
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree with the benefit of trying to speed things up. Last year the 18 rounds took a month to complete.

    Your suggestion would require a lot of pre-planning, especially by those who draft late in each round. Plus, part of the fun is watching the picks drop one-by-one. Your solution would require one person not particiapting, to coordinate all the picks. And If I understand correctly, all selections each round would be anounced at the same time (???), once all the lists were received and the coordinator (you?) works through that round's selections. I think that would take some of the fun out of the process. Also, it would not be possible for a person to change his mind on a selection, if for example, a run on strikers occured early in a round.

    Shortening the time from 12 hours per pick to some other, lower number (6 hours, 8 hours, etc. per pick) is the obvious solution, but I know that with folks in different time zones and the issue of overnight selections, a shorter time can become a problem, too.

    How about this compromise for the length of time:

    1) Each selection is on a 6-hour clock; however

    2) Each team gets 6 "wild card" time slots of 12-hours. That is, your team may use up to 12 hours only 6 times out of the 18 rounds. Once your 6 wild cards are used, your team will be held to a strict 6-hour time limit.

    Early in the draft, we would end up waiting 12 hours many times, not knowing if a team was using one of it's 6 wild cards or not. But once a team has run out of wild cards, tough; you'll be stuck with only 6-hour windows the rest of the draft. It is in your best interests to save the wild cards and pick as quickly as possible, in order to save your wild cards for when they are needed (say, you know you have a business flight and will be away from the internet for 10 hours) .

    Obviously, we would keep track of and post the number of wild cards each team has used round-by-round.
     
  7. Balerion

    Balerion Member+

    Aug 5, 2006
    Roslindale, MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'll play again, in hopes of putting my mediocre soccer acumen on display again.

    I prefer Mr. Martin's plan of shortening the pick window but allowing everyone a set number of "get out of jail free" cards. Hararea's plan unquestionably does the most to move the draft along (and last year's edition was especially slow), but I share Mr. Martin's concern about the model's effect on strategy for those picking later in a round.
     
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  8. Harper916

    Harper916 Member+

    Mar 30, 2001
    Lake Charles, La.
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm in again, but I don't know if I'll have time to coordinate things.

    As for the allotted time each team gets, I wouldn't mind shortening it up.
     
  9. Mr Martin

    Mr Martin Member+

    Jun 12, 2002
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So what's a good time limit? I threw out 6 hours, but that is a lot shorter than the traditional 12. Maybe 8 or 10 hours per pick?

    And how many "get out of jail free" cards? I suggested each team be allowed 6 rounds where the 12-hour time limit can be applied. Does a different number make more sense?
     
  10. Mr Martin

    Mr Martin Member+

    Jun 12, 2002
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Interested so far:

    1. Mr Martin
    2. soccersubjectively
    3. AutoPenalti
    4. Hararea
    5. bmo180
    6. Balerion
    7. Harper916
    8.
    9.
    10.
    11.
    12.

    I sent out some messages to those who participated last year, except I can't message Susaeta for some reason. Apologies if I unintentionally missed anyone.

    I think having team partners does help keep things moving, too.
     
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  11. Balerion

    Balerion Member+

    Aug 5, 2006
    Roslindale, MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The only problem with 6 hour windows is that certain people can get screwed by the posting habits/times of others. For example, let's say I tend to get down to business at 11pm. If I'm always making picks at that time, the guy after me who goes to bed early won't even have a chance to pick on time.

    If it turns out that our group is all US-based, I wouldn't object to six-hour windows, but with a "blackout" period overnight where the clock isn't ticking. It all depends on the Posters Abroad situation, and even then this might get too convoluted.
     
  12. Hararea

    Hararea Member+

    Jan 21, 2005
    Yes, you've understood what I was proposing correctly. I can understand your preference and Balerion's, which are fine with me.
     
  13. Mr Martin

    Mr Martin Member+

    Jun 12, 2002
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Plus, wouldn't you prefer playing?
     
  14. Mr Martin

    Mr Martin Member+

    Jun 12, 2002
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yes, that overnight problem is a real factor. That's why I'm unsure about the short 6-hour window I threw out for discussion. If your team only gets stuck with two or three rounds that hit the overnight period, your 6 "get out of jail free" wildcards would easily cover that and give you the two or three 12-hour periods necessary. But some team might get caught with an overnight problem more often than that. Maybe that argues for 8 "wildcards" rather than only 6?

    Or, I suppose we could determine that, for example, midnight to 9AM Eastern US time zone (= 9PM-6AM Western US) is a blackout period in which the 6-hour period is suspended each day. As long as the participants are all based in the US, that might work.
     
  15. Hararea

    Hararea Member+

    Jan 21, 2005
    In all sincerity, I enjoy following the draft and kibitzing more than I enjoy participating. I didn't have a team until a couple of years ago, when I picked up the pieces after somebody dropped out in the middle of the draft. Depending how many people want to be drafters this year, I wouldn't mind opting out.
     
  16. MI-Soccerfan

    MI-Soccerfan Member+

    Jan 19, 2012
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I would be interested in being involved again. I appreciate Max Opt letting me join his team last year.. this year I would prefer to be on my own if possible
     
  17. MLSNHTOWN

    MLSNHTOWN Member+

    Oct 27, 1999
    Houston, TX
    Crap...totally forgot to start this thing this year as I've done it the last 6 or so years. Such is life though. Thanks to everyone for starting this up.

    I am not in, but will most definitely provide commentary.
     
  18. Mr Martin

    Mr Martin Member+

    Jun 12, 2002
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Updated interest so far:

    1. Mr Martin/deuteronomy (currently working on a team name)
    2. soccersubjectively
    3. AutoPenalti
    4. Hararea
    5. bmo180
    6. Balerion
    7. Harper916
    8. MI-Soccerfan
    9.
    10.
    11.
    12.

    We could possibly start on Monday, January 21, one week from today. That would be similar to last year's start on Monday, January 23.
     
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  19. soccersubjectively

    soccersubjectively BigSoccer Supporter

    Jan 17, 2012
    Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Team Name: Real Soccer FC

    ...please.
     
  20. Mr Martin

    Mr Martin Member+

    Jun 12, 2002
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Updated interest so far:

    1. Deportivo Vejete (Mr Martin/deuteronomy)
    2. Real Soccer FC (soccersubjectively)
    3. AutoPenalti
    4. Hararea
    5. bmo180
    6. Balerion
    7. Harper916
    8. MI-Soccerfan
    9.
    10.
    11.
    12.
    Maximum Optimal, Buzz Killington, and IASocFan have each indicated to me that they can't participate this year due to other time constraints. A handfull of last year's participants haven't replied one way or the other to my FYI messages.

    Four spots remain.
     
  21. Spursfan1

    Spursfan1 Member+

    Sep 7, 2010
    Atlanta
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This is a great idea martin. good stuff.
     
  22. Mr Martin

    Mr Martin Member+

    Jun 12, 2002
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm going to post the proposed rules of the 2013 US Player Draft. These are based on the same rules posted last year at this time by MLSNHTOWN in the thread I have linked in the opening post of this thread. My one proposed change is bolded and involves the issue of speeding up the draft:

    Proposed General Rules:
    1. Snake Draft
    2. 18 Rounds
    3. Only US eligible players who have not yet declared for another country or who have not been capped by another country.
    Rossi - Out. Subotic - Out e.g.
    4. 12 teams (maximum)
    5. Must draft 2 GK's
    6. Last year we had a number of teams with partners working together. The point of having a partner is so that all picks are made within the time limit (IF NOT SOONER), not to delay all of your picks until your partner gets in. Discuss things before it is your turn.

    7. There will be a 6 hour time limit for your pick, if you miss you can come in and pick at any time after your 6 hours has expired. Each team will have 9 "wild cards" during the 18 rounds which allow for an expanded 12-hour time limit (ie. up to 9 times in the 18 rounds you can use between 6 and 12 hours for your pick). Each team must keep track of and post how many of their wild cards have been used. Once a team's 9 wild cards are used, that team must stick to the 6 hour time limit. (Wild cards are intended to deal with overnight selections or sudden trips/activities that take a team away from Big Soccer for an extended time.

    8. A player list will be provided of people you can send your proxy too (I.E. have no life and are on here too much) and/or you can send your proxy to the next person who is drafting so they can come in and make your pick and their pick. (EDIT: Not sure about this rule ...)
    9. Rather than just posting "I select ___________." Try to provide some information on the player including pictures/videos/whatever you can find to educate us as to why you took him and as to what position you think he will play on your team. The more information, the better.
    10. Voting at middle of year (julyish) and in January of next year.
    11. We will start when we have a full list of no more than 12 teams and then we will do draft order and have a 1 day cushion before we get going. If you are late to this thread, post your interest and we will try to incorporate you into an existing team.
    12. After you pick, YOU MUST PM the next person!!!!!!!! It helps a lot.
    13. Absolutely no posting of players who should have been selected instead. You can say things like "I prefer other forwards still on the board", but stay away from "You should have selected Danny Cruz instead".
    14. Let's try to keep things friendly. No mocking of selections during the draft.

    Suggestions? Comments? Improvements?

    If anyone knows past participants and can send out invites, that would be nice.

    Also, I am willing to help coordinate, but there may be times when I cannot and a couple of others should be ready to help, too. The biggest coordination work appears to involve the initial setup and then keeping everyone updated with lists of the current players drafted. I've only participated one year, so I may be missing or forgetting things.
     
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  23. Mr Martin

    Mr Martin Member+

    Jun 12, 2002
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You interested in playing?
     
  24. MI-Soccerfan

    MI-Soccerfan Member+

    Jan 19, 2012
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I am out if there is a 6 hour time limit unless the time clock stops overnight. Far to many picks made late at night(due to tine zones) to have a 6 hour clock.

    For example west coast guy makes pick at 9:30 at night - next pick is eastern guy... he has from 12:30-6:30 to make a pick - and since he will be picking after the same guy and we tend to post around the same time.. half of his picks will go that way

    I have been in a lot of drafts on a lot of different sites and a month to go through 18 rounds is not bad... I don't see much reason to try to speed it up. But ultimately its not my draft. But for me the 6 hours will not work, I am just not on here enough anymore
     
  25. soccersubjectively

    soccersubjectively BigSoccer Supporter

    Jan 17, 2012
    Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    But I need to trash talk SOMEwhere...
     

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