Under v4.2 it was more free and easy. We all knew the deal.

You were Gunslinging in the Wild West and the goal was to out-last the other QB....tire him out, win the game.

Complaints then would be if someone PA Streak'd you over and over to attain a win. Game has become much more difficult from then to now to create offense + move the ball vs. golden days turnstile TDs accumulating points.

My THEORY

We went through several version changes rather quickly before landing on this version which has been in play for well over a year.

It took a good 3-6 months in real time for most to adjust to the lack of deep (long) passing options, new player weights and style of successful play.

The next 6 months saw things balance out in leagues as owners either knew what worked and won or those that didn't and lost.

Somewhere during this 2nd 6 months in this version, owners started to experiment with speed in various situations which led to "the punt block era" which was followed by "the return of the sack era" as undersized speed demons starting blowing up games.

The bottom line is we have been in this version way too long. It takes time when a new version hits for everyone to figure out what works and what doesnt....once the best owners get locked in, it takes some time before everyone sorta catches up and then the real digging in starts to happen which exposes the flaws in the game.

We need a new version to land so everyone has to hit the restart button.

Agreed with the summation.

Although we'll be behind a) Beta MFN-1 and b) Victory (Admiral's League) which operates off of the Beta MFN-1 sim engine. I never want to mess up my thinking by dipping into two pools at once.

Dude,

I dont care if I go 0-16 in the new version....its time for something to change.

nods

I see where it's going. We'll see what the fall-out is. If peeps like Ray and Admiral get their way too much we may never again see a break away touchdown.

#speeddiminished

Example: Goal-line defense, Run key vs. FL Hitch which should = touchdown - WR catches and goes quickly but then suddenly putters akin to what we've all been discussing.....the CB @ RB rusher whom goes 5 yards and then halts.

Speed needs to be diminished. It has become the "end all...be all" in this sim.

Goto the welcome Tribewriter thread in the forums. He is a solid owner but even he says the roster makes no sense to him with players rated in the 40's and 50's on the roster who shouldn't be there.

Thats the problem, roster management/building takes on 2 different meanings. You can build a realistic roster with depth everywhere and have to fight to win versus owners who build with SPEED wins as the mantra and have a dozen WRs and CBs with speed playing RB, FB, TE and LB either through the depth chart or using overrides.

Speed needs to be diminished so EVERY OTHER ATTRIBUTE actually matters.

Tackle should matter more
Break tackle should matter more
Pass catch should matter more
Pass rush should matter more
Route running should matter more
B&R avoid should matter more
Pass block should matter more
Run block should matter more

Everything should matter more while speed matters less

I build my rosters utilizing every attribute and then when I slot them in....I enhance the speed in a risk vs. reward way. You're not going to get stupid up in the trenches and speed enhance to get steamrolled. You want the majority of the starting or all the starting LBs to have bulk to halt runs.

There's a position by position analysis. I snatch my players for their attributes, considering speed initially for nearly all positions sans the trenches (basically) and then enhance the speed to survive. I'm not tossing out there improperly empty rated TEs whom can't block etc. I lock in position by position and fortify....

Have to be careful, though. If you pull a game up to view and the chance at an excitement play becomes to a point where 'yeah, not gonna happen' will you want to continue playing?

If everything landed in a certain zone, no break aways, nothing standing out.

Memphis is the top team by just about every measure.

Look at some of the players.

LDE William Downing
Default rating 46/50

77 speed
79 acceleration
27 tackle
10 strip ball
28 pass rush
26 run defense

Leads the team with 4 sacks and has played 356 plays.

WR Numbers Zielinski
Default rating 50/51

93 speed
27 ball carry
6 break tackle
78 avoid fumble

7 rushes for 64 yards (9.1 average)

WLB Tommy Seymour
Default rating 21/37

74 speed
83 acceleration
9 tackle
10 strip ball
8 pass rush
5 run defense

171 plays and has 4 tackles 2 sacks and 3 hurries.

CB Paul Gordon, Edward Morrison, Marshall Brewer
Default ratings 43/43 50/53 28/47

Speed 96,91,91
M2M 28,41,46
B&R 48,29,56
Tackle 45,40,58

Combined for 21 tackles, 1 INT

CB Stephen Ramsey
Default rating 28/52

Speed 88
Acceleration 70
Tackle 15
M2M 41
B&R 14

6 starts at SS with 30 tackles, 7 knockdowns 2 INT and one a pick 6.

I could keep going but these are all seemingly useless players on rosters who cost next to nothing salary wise who have just one redeeming value.....SPEED!

I have the answer and we'd all have to adjust....