GM Participation and Involvement

[Jerry]

A league is only as good as the GMs involved.

Your involvement is key to everyone's enjoyment. So please get involved or allow us to bring in a new GM that is wanting to prove him/her-self.

Mike has provided us with a GREAT website that interfaces the sim to the web. There are great options here for communication with the rest of the league. There is the messages, the forum, chat, articles and Away Notification. So use these options.

You aren't expected to sit by the computer every hour of every day. But daily or at least every other day please check your mail to see if the league or other GMs are trying to contact you.

IF YOU ARE UNAVAILABLE the please fill out the GM AWAY option and let us know the dates you will be away from the league. That way we can plan around your time away.

Please review the rules as there are several that pertain to involvement. The specific ones to observer are found in Section 1.2 ...
-GMs are expected to respond to ALL e-mail directed to them within 48 hours. If you will not be available to a computer for a certain amount of time, please edit your Profile on the website to indicate when you will be available.

-GMs are expected to notify the league of any absences that will cause the GM to be unable to answer their email within 48 hours

-GMs are expected to participate in any league voting by the deadline stated.

-GMs are expected to send in lines after any injuries to your team or after any trades made
(some GMs go months without a line change - that's not involved enough)

If you will not be available for over 48 hours, please notify the league in advance so we can document your absence.
Folks, the rules were put in place to ensure all GM's have a good experience when dealing with other GM's.
We don’t expect you to be glued to the computer waiting for emails.
We just hope that you do reply with at least simple “yes” or “no” answers. There is nothing more frustrating than sending out a trade request and not getting an reply.

If you have a problem with a GM not being involved with you - then email the commish and it will be dealt with.

[Devils GM]

10-4 commish!

dean
osh

[coltsgm]

I have a tough time getting on and i dont update my lines as much (partially because i don't want to mess with a winning formula which my team has been playing above 500 which is all i can ask considering the lack of depth) But it is difficult with 2 jobs and college, as well as scouting ohl games but I have been here a month and i can say that i only involve myself in well run leagues, (two others which are NHL based) and i can definately say this is one of the best leagues i've seen around, and hope everyone stays involved. If injuries etc. come up i do my best to submit lines ASAP and hope everyone stays competitive, because it's been intresting so far!

[Jerry]

I've taken a closer look at league involvement.
The participation chart is a starting point but not a definitive look at GM activity.

I took into account the polls we've had, the free agency bidding we've had and setting lines. All pretty important aspects of league involvement.

Two teams stand out, for lack of activity - Belleville and Sault Ste. Marie. Neither team has voted in the polls (not even joined the forum), bid on free agency or recently set their lines. I will be sending emails to these GMs to find out if they are still interested in our league.

Four teams have never set lines in the last couple months (according to the participation chart) - Erie Otters, Saginaw Spirit, Sarnia Sting and Soo Greyhounds. I find it hard to believe that an involved GM would go this long without a line change, but providing the roster is functional and they are doing reasonably well, then there's no rule saying you have to change your lines.

If anyone knows a friend who could be interested in joining, and they would be involved, then please get them to get themselves on the waiting list - and use you as a reference.

[Jerry]

I have tried to contact both the Sault and Belleville.
No response yet.
I will have replacement for the Sault by Monday, if I do not get a response.
And Belleville will be later this week, if I don't hear from Will.

[Jerry]

I have heard from Belleville. He is very busy with school and not sure he has a lot of time to dedicate to the team.
So if we can find a good owner then Will says to go ahead and let him/her run the team.

[67s]

i am sorry i have been really busy and stressed and i havent had ANYTIME to check the site or anything i am very sorry but i will be back on a regular base and continue to build the ottawa 67's into a memorial cup contender that we can be

[Jerry]

I've been in contact with Will for Belleville and he says he will be back from the end of this week on.
I've managed to motivate the Sault to sign a goalie but that's about it.
I will have to make a decision with this team - by the end of the weekend.

[Jerry]

I'd really like to make some guidelines for how often a GM checks the site for the latest league information and how often a GM uploads new lines.
This would confirm that GMs are actually active.
I suspect that some GMs are simply looking at trades and saying yes or no; and then never entering lines or even checking the site.
This simply isn't involved enough for a sim league like this.
I don't think it'd be unreasonable to ask GMs to check in once a week and submit new lines at least once a month.
Some GMs haven't sumbitted lines in months and haven't been on the site in weeks - I really question that lack of involvement.
Your thoughts???

[Andrew-Moncton,Guelph,MooseJaw]

Hey,

I think that each GM should log into the website at least every two days and upload their lines at least once a week. I know there is the option to set your lines for 10 games...but if there is an injury, the lines get screwed up. I am not saying that GMs should always be in this site...but be resposible for their team. This is a league that is supposed to be fun for everyone involved...its not supposed to be a chore. If a GM sees this league as a chore, then they shouldn't be in this league.

This league is only getting better ever since Jerry has taken it over from me because he has more time to give to it than I had to give with being the Commish in three leagues...but I would hate to see all of Jerry's hard work and effort wasted on a league that isn't very active. There are a lot of GMs in this league that are very active...and as a GM in this league, I appreciate it and that is what makes this league fun. So let's all just make this league as good as we can and have fun doing it.

By the way...Go Guelph Go!!! hahaha

Andrew (Storm GM)

[Devils GM]

here yee here yee Andrew, i will second your sentiments!

Dean
OSH

[BramptonBattalion]

I don't see the need for uploading lines every week, I'm not going to change my lines every week, so why would I take 3 minutes to upload them when they are exactly the same. Checking the site, I can agree with that, and am guilty of not doing that, but lines are a different issue, I've won other leagues without touching my lines all year because I liked the way they were.

[Jerry]

I think injuries, trades and constant evaluation would dictate that changing lines at least bi-weekly would be responsible.
If nothing else is would show that you are still in touch with the league. Just letting the sim change your lines and adjust your roster isn't being an active GM. I can let the computer run all 20 teams, but the point is for everyone to be involved in running their teams.
If it is a burden to run your team, then you probably shouldn't be in the league.
If your team doesn not make deals, have injuries or suspensions and you happen to always have the best lineups possible - then it wouldn't take more than a few minutes to submit the same lines.
Effective immediately all teams must log onto the site at least once a week and sumbit new lines every two weeks.
Failing to be in compliance with either one will result first in a warning and then removal as GM for the second offense.
Failing to respond to other GMs trade offers within 48 hours will still result in either a warning or expulsion as well.
Missing two polls in a row also constitutes grounds for a warning or removal.
This should put an end to the grey area of what is considered 'an active GM' and let us move forward.

[frontenacs]

I think the new "GM Requirements" are good for the league. For the guys that are consistently on the forums, and active in the league, these requirements have already been implemented. There are some teams out there that I still do not get responses on e-mails in regards to trades,inquiries, and it is annoying.

[Jerry]

I will be starting a new thread today, called 'GM Warnings and Probation List'

This will be a transparent list of GMs that have been issued a warning about violations to the participation requirements of the league.

A GM will be first warned and then put on the Probation list for 3 months. After three months a GM will be removed from the list. (I will check for violations once a week, so if you are on the probation list and are in violation of the participation rules then you will immediately be removed from the league.)

This allows GMs up to 4 times a year that he/she can fall behind and be reminded to check in and stay involved. I think this is reasonable as many of us have things outside this league that may cause us to get preoccupied, and a reminder will be all it takes to get you to quickly check in.