[josh242]

Originally Posted by CFL-fan

The old I-League used to list the "Limited Schedule" teams as a group in the standings. If the game counts for one team then the other team and their record should be included in this format.

I like that idea for the PASL provisional teams, I just hope that group does not grow during the season!

[NSL2004]

Originally Posted by CFL-fan

The old I-League used to list the "Limited Schedule" teams as a group in the standings. If the game counts for one team then the other team and their record should be included in this format.

I hate it when the total number of wins does not equal the total number of losses when looking at final standings.

But I hate it even more when all the teams haven't played the same number of games.

[Blastnut2]

I'm not trying to be snarky or anything, but what is the point of provisional teams? Should not both parties, ( the team and the league),have completed their due diligence as far as the viability of joining the league? Also, if there is a point, why do they play established teams instead of a truncated schedule against each other? I could see a potential value for the provisional team, but for the fans of the established teams I think I would feel somewhat cheated in paying regular prices for a practice game. As a fan of the Blast I suffered through watching the ineptitude of the Storm, Cougars, Sharks and Twisters over the years and it was not always fun when those teams were new as the games typically were blow outs and became chippy. At least there I was watching professionals, who were part of the league and part of everybody's schedule. I don't know how I would react to watching my favorite team play a group of guys from West Virginia( or anywhere) that are on a field trip.

[CFL-fan]

I do not have a problem per se with provisional teams. That being said, they should follow play an organized schedule of games. One of the things that bothered me last season was the NISL with 5 teams playing 18 games. With a single table set-up every team should have at least played every other team the same amount of time home and away. Thus a 16 or 24 game schedule. If Mass had been a provisional team (which they should have been). I would have opted for the 18 game season for Philadelphia, Baltimore Rockford and Monterrey (play each other 6 times) and an 8 game season for Mass. (play everyone else home and away). That way each of the teams would have played everyone the same number of times instead of some teams having a fifth game against Mass.

Meanwhile the XSL played 20 games when 18 or 24 would have made things equal.

I do have a problem when (this is an example, I am not sure of the facts and don't feel like looking them up when I'm sure Syd will respond) say the Detroit Waza plays games against West Virginia and everyone else in Detroit's Division does not play the same amount of games against West Virginia.
This harkens back to my "bum of the month" concept to fill out the schedule and seems to be an M.O. of semi-pro leagues.

[NSL2004]

I see a lot of benefits as well as the negatives cited.

When Cincinnati beat West Virginia 19-6 that wasn't good for anyone. But Springfield actually beat Detroit one game and Detroit eked by West Virginia in OT in another game.

It was convenient for travel expenses.

It gave Springfield and West Virginia a chance to work on their operations on and off the field and to gauge themselves against higher level teams.

If you wanted to join a league, but maybe weren't ready to put together operations for a full season this is a good live simulation.

At the same time, if the games don't count then they're even a tougher sell.

Before the season Detroit and Cincinnati had reservations about how competitive they would be, so the lighter schedule helped establish parity. The NFL schedules are weighted according to how you finished the year before. In this case it turns out Cincinnati didn't need any help.

College football doesn't play any kind of balanced schedule and some teams could go undefeated and still not qualify to play for the championship.

The important thing is to make it "part of the plan" and then to follow through. It wasn't the greatest that Detroit and Texas were in the same division and never played each other. But it's not the greatest that no indoor league plays a legit playoff format either. It is the way it is because it's more practical to do it that way.

I wasn't happy with the rescheduled games and opponents, though, and I'm not happy when things don't happen the way they're supposed to or expected to.

[parkers3]

Originally Posted by NSL2004

College football doesn't play any kind of balanced schedule and some teams could go undefeated and still not qualify to play for the championship.

I was thinking the same thing... Example: the Big 12 Conference teams and the Sun Belt Conference teams, yet they are both in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

[Blastnut2]

Originally Posted by FireMLS

ineptitude of the Storm?
The team made the playoffs in 3 of their 4 MISL seasons and played the Blast tough.
The Blast swept the Storm in the final year of the MISL but the Storm evened that out by taking 4 out of 5 from the Blast in the Storm's first year. That comment makes no sense.

I believe you are missing the point of my post, that as a fan you accept seeing new teams struggle and are OK with paying to see the games because the new teams are part of the league and everyone's schedule. I said I did not know how excited I would be about seeing what would be essentially a practice game. The teams I picked to illustrate my point were purposely picked to represent teams from the PASL-Pro, XSL and NISL to avoid stepping on anyone's toes. Obviously I overestimated the thickness of people's skin. BTW, the season you reference where the Blast was so bad, the team had so many injuries that the head coach had to sign a 14 day contract (twice) so the team could feild a squad. Also, I would hardly hold up a record of one winning season in five as a paragon of excellence.

[skipper60601]

Originally Posted by Blastnut2

I believe you are missing the point of my post, that as a fan you accept seeing new teams struggle and are OK with paying to see the games because the new teams are part of the league and everyone's schedule. I said I did not know how excited I would be about seeing what would be essentially a practice game. The teams I picked to illustrate my point were purposely picked to represent teams from the PASL-Pro, XSL and NISL to avoid stepping on anyone's toes. Obviously I overestimated the thickness of people's skin. BTW, the season you reference where the Blast was so bad, the team had so many injuries that the head coach had to sign a 14 day contract (twice) so the team could feild a squad. Also, I would hardly hold up a record of one winning season in five as a paragon of excellence.

While it's no big deal, you were wrong to equate the Storm with the Sharks and the Twisters. The Storm was a respectable team on the field in each of its seasons. The Sharks and Twisters were awful on the field. My suspicion is that you mentioned the Storm along with those other teams because of their difficulties off the field which is understandable.

[NSL2004]

Originally Posted by Gareth

I don't think anyone doubted the Storm's ability to perform on the field.

Now their ability to perform in bed that was a different story.

[CFL-fan]

Originally Posted by FireMLS

I think the team without getting one ounce of help from thr TV people in Chicago did ok. it is amazing how better anything can be with a little help from the media and some advertisement would have helped too.

The media will not cover you unless you draw and you can't draw if the media does not cover you. Which goes back to one of the things Syd says that I agree with.
You need a staff of people selling tickets.
You have to make the media cover you, they will not do it unless you give them a reason. They are in the business of making money and their sponsors do not want to see highlights of sparse crowds unless there is something else going on like a crazed axe murderer or zombies in the stands or a Tornado bearing down on the filed.