New Goings On

SmallBall Football Simulus package:

Here's the deal: you train your expired team to 7* and the team will be unlocked for you forever. If you don't want to buy it, well... earn it! Here is how to do it. Post here your team id and a link to your team page. Train your team until you get 7 stars. Contact Nraider or the Commish to let him know you did it. Then soon after that you will find the team unlocked. Its that simple. This deal will remain in effect until further notice and the rules are subject to change.

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Moody Little Guys

by The Fanatics

Reprinted from HPN,June 02, 2005

There are many, many different training methods utilized when training a team. I have heard most of them in conversations with fellow owners. The one method that I have never heard anyone speak of is the method that I always have used, training that is dictated by a particular players mood. Most people never look at the mood sort after their players have reached the happiest face. This in my opinion is a big mistake. From the day I started playing this game I have always used the mood sort to find out what each of my players want, creating an individualized schedule for each player. The following are some examples of how I used the mood sort list.Before I trained any of my players I sorted by mood. I started out with my highest rated (on the mood sort) player. For example let's say I was going to practice this individual in the power cage. When the first piece of pie is used up, if my player stayed the same (remember he was on the top of the list) on the mood sort list I considered this to be acceptable and marked it down on that individuals schedule. I would continue to practice this individual in the power cage every day until the time came that he did not want to bat anymore. I determined that my player did not want to bat anymore when after the first piece of pie was used up he plummeted to the bottom of the mood sort list. I wrote down the number of consecutive days that this player wanted to bat. The next practice I tried a different skill for this individual, lets say catching. Again I sorted by mood before practicing. Usually the next day after a player plummets to the bottom of the mood sort list they rise back up some before the next practice and are no longer at the bottom of the list. After the first piece of pie is used up I check to see if the player went up, stayed the same or went down on the list. If he went up or stayed the same I noted this as part of his schedule. If he went down I tried something else the next day. Lets say he liked catching practice and I noted this as part of his schedule, the next day I would try batting again. I would always try to go for batting practice over all others and if the player shows me that he doesn't mind more batting, I will bat him until he shows me that he doesn't want to anymore. After a while it was clear to me that each player on my roster had his own unique training schedule that was repeatable time after time. By sticking to each player's schedule I knew that I would never do anything to harm their moods. I also found that not all players had the same length of schedule before I could restart to the beginning of their schedule again. I have players that have as little as a nine day schedule and others that have up to a seventeen day schedule before starting the schedule over. My best player from the NASCAR Fanatics had a schedule that went- bat, catch, bat, bat, bat, run, catch, bat, bat, throw, bat, bat, bat, bat, catch, run. When I finished this schedule I started it over again. I have another player that is much more simple, his schedule was- bat, bat, catch, bat, bat, run, bat, catch, bat, throw. As you can see the two schedules aren't even close to each other, customizing each schedule to the player. The only players I did not do this with were my pitchers. My pitchers pitched EVERY day, very rarely practicing anything else, but that's another subject.This form of practice did very well for my teams, and was the most influential part of my training schedules. It took me up to three months to finally settle on every player's schedule. Remember, every player on your team is a unique individual. Practicing the entire team the same way practice after practice will help your team become good, but practicing them as individuals will help make them great. There are a few other little things that helped influence how I trained, but for now these influences I will keep to myself. Hopefully this will enlighten some of you fellow owners. While there is an infinite number of ways a team can be trained, remember this…They are moody little guys.

FanaticsOwner of:

Nascar Fanatics (retired) 18455

Dirty Deeds (retired) 18915

Seems Like Yesterday

When I started SmallBall Footy I never had the thought I’d be able to play against the greatest players in the game. I was very fortunate to find myself in a league that was filled with them. Now that I am here, I have now had the privilage of introducing the greats of the game to a whole new generation of SmallBall trainers. I hope to be able to bring you a whole new level of appreciationg for a game these great trainers have dedicated themselves to for such a long time with great success.

The idea for this interview started with a simple quote –

“It seems like yesterday, but in fact it was 5 long years ago, when my good friend Chuck introduced me to a fledgling game called "Smallball Football." It was an exciting time when there were over 300 competing football teams in the pros and leagues were so abundant, a person had to sit back and think carefully about which ones he or she wished to join. Greek Wizard's Smallball Forums were the hub for all that was Smallball but just as popular was the "Smallball College Leagues." A thriving venture with both baseball and football contained under one roof. A venture where you could not help but trip over all the greats of the game. It was the place to be.”

When I read this quote, I knew that there was a disconnect that had taken place and we needed to reconnect with what was then and what is now. I pm’d the man who made this quote a few questions and hope you will enjoy what he said. So without further adiue, I bring to you the man who made this quote. I hope you enjoy my short interview with Barbarian.

JtB - When and why did you start SBFB?

Barbarian - In April 2004, my long time friend Chuck (Steel Dog) invited me by way of asking me to help him out in administration his Scottish & Irish Leagues. Once I had viewed what Smallball Football is all about, my reaction was, "You got to be kidding me," followed by roars of laughter but I bit and here I am almost 5 years later still plodding away. I retired from the game December 31st but I have been lured back mostly on an organizational basis although I play weekend league games and the pros only. Now I am considering cutting back to one team only, just in the pros, mainly due to the hardline position my wife is taking. Wife vs Smallball and me in the middle!!!! Any bets on who will win that battle?

JtB - What has been your greatest accomplishment in SBFB?

Barbarian - Getting past my initial reaction! Actually, my greatest accomplishment, as far as I am concerned, and that is all that matters, is that I had the priviledge of being Steel Dog's partner running the Scottish & Irish leagues, for 30 seasons, through Smallball good times and bad times. No other Smallball Football League can come close to the 5 year 30 season record we achieved there.

Jtb - Why do you think you have had so much success in SBFB?

Barbarian - If you are looking for me to pat myself on the back, then you have come to the wrong place. I have had the privilege to know and change ideas, thoughts, etc., with some of the greats of the game like Master Moody, Fluffymatt, Tim's Dodgers, Solipsta, Rolandolen, to name a few, and from it, I listened and learned. Truth be told however, to me, the best of the best, an unknown to many, was Steel Dog. He taught me this game and provided me a training program and a 3 part theory on how to win. The results I have achieved have been due to his guidance. The league I am involved with has managers who in total have over 70 PL 1 titles, which include 62 of the last 73. I know many of them, like myself, took to heart the SD guidance, training & theory.

JtB - What would you like to say to the new person thinking of trying SBFB?

Barbarian - Believe it or not, I would not say much. I think a few pieces of simple insight and advice would surffice for a long dialogue which more often than naught leads to confusion. Simply advise him/her that success and glory cannot be achieved over night and that it will take dedication and time to be able to consistantly compete at a high level. The road will be frustrating at times but one must never give up.

JtB - Do you have anything else you'd like to add?

Barbarian - The road back to the glory days of Smallball Football is probably an unattainable dream but it does not mean it cannot grow significantly and establish new standards. The current problems are many but I will only comment on a couple.

Viable and efficient organization is vital if things are to move forward. To many, the Commish is expected to solve everything. I say, leave him alone. He has provided us with a product as well as continual updates of it and it is up to us, the participants, to make it grow in popularity. We, the participants, basically split off into two groups. 1/ Organizers and 2/ Players.

For those of us who really enjoy the game and have the sincere hope it will flourish, big league and pro league games are not the answer. We require leagues which can only be realized through dedicated organizers such as Bryce with his NHL and Gerald with his K~10 or John the Baptist with his K~12. These guys are dedicated to affording everyone with a well conceived efficiently organized venue to participate in, not like the many who have come, set something up and then disappeared into the sunset. We need more individuals to step up and be as dedicated as Bryce, Gerald & John.

One thing which is sorely lacking is one individual, dedicated solely to Smallball Football who can chart, plan and organize the future of Smallball Football, at its central gathering place, currently the Smallball Forums. The individual would have to be willing to roll up his/her sleeves and get to work, with a basic motto of, "less talk, more action."

There is only so much which can be done externally to promote and sell the game. A major way to increase the interest is through word of mouth, so talk up the game with friends etc., and peak their interest so they will at least give it a try.

Let the journey begin ~ END

I want to thank Barbarian for taking his time to answer these questions. He has a heart for this game and is one of the people who understand what it takes to be succesful. I hope that as you learn more and more about the best trainers of SBFB it will peak your interest in this game. Please give SBFB a try and take these great trainer’s advise to heart. I look forward to bringing more to you in the near future.

JtB