Volume 2 Issue 59 October 1999
FROM COMMISSIONER SCOTT ELLIS, 2ND AMER. BASKETBALL LEAGUE
Who's trading?
Galactic sends Harrington to McLean for Coleman and McLean's 1st
Druids trade their 1st pick to Deerfield for Deerfield's 1st and Finney's 1st
POST DRAFT - Please make the adjustments below to your league file immediately:
Dazzlers send J.R. Reid to Bettendorf for Clark. (This is already on your league file.)
1. Bettendorf trades K. Thomas to East Asia for L. Johnson & M. Bryant. Bettendorf cuts J. Robinson. DELETE J. Robinson from Bettendorf.
2. East Asia trades K. Thomas and his 2nd pick to Holcomb for Ben Wallace
Print out your schedule to see what's what
The best way to understand how our SABL schedule works is to print it out and study it. Then you'll know what you have to do when. I suggest doing that ASAP and highlighting your team's games. Here's how to get to it: Click on General Manager Functions, then League Management, then Schedule League Games, then Print Schedule.
You can play anyone anywhere on defense
While you can't play anyone out of position on offense, thanks to the "Assign" function in our computer basketball game, you can assign anyone to cover anyone else on defense. This means that you could assign Shaq to cover Muggsy Bogues. I don't know why you'd want to do this because it would leave a mismatch somewhere on the court, but you could.
This has always been the way we've done this in the SABL, but it has never been spelled out until now. I've added this language to the constitution to cover it: "While playing defense, players can be assigned to cover anyone at any position."
A word of caution, however: Like a lot of other things in this game, the Assign function doesn't always work correctly. Sometimes the computer game will refuse to assign the player where you want them to go. Ditto for the Double-Team function. Have fun.
Official SABL League Disk Corrections
On the Akron Blimps, immediately delete Tracy Murray from the team and clone Zydrunas Ilgauskas of Cleveland onto the Blimps' roster. This is an officially authorized deletion and cloning - I've tested it, it works, so we can do it, but don't do any other deletions or clonings unless instructed.
New schedule more compact, check it out
Our 1999-2000 SABL schedule is even more compact this year. Everyone finishes their regular season games by March 1. The playoffs start April 1. This also affects our trading periods, too, so check out our 1999-2000 Schedule Of Events link for the details.
1999-2000 SABL league disk is online!
I must be on acid this weekend (OK, I'm an old hippie, man), but our OFFICIAL 1999-2000 SABL league disk (sabl.exe), with all your draft picks, is already on our website and ready for you to download at this link: 1999-2000 League Disk. YOU MUST USE THIS OFFICIAL DISK TO PLAY ALL YOUR SABL GAMES. IF YOU DO NOT, ALL THE GAMES YOU PLAY ARE INVALID AND YOU WILL BE THROWN OUT OF THE SABL IMMEDIATELY.
It's a self-extracting file, so all you have to do after downloading it is double-click on it (or single-click, depending on how you have your W95/W98 configured) and it automatically installs our SABL league (labeled "1999-99 S") into your SOM game for you. No muss, no fuss, just start your game, it'll be there.
A couple of things: I would've labeled our league "1999-2000 S", but the game's programming would not accept "00" in the proper field. It will accept "01", however, so next year, it will look semi-normal.
Also, it is your responsibility to keep up with all trades from now on yourself during the season. Watch our website for the trades, look on the instructions you get to see who your opponent is playing, and make the changes via the TRADE function in the computer game.
NEVER, AND I MEAN NEVER, USE THE DELETE A PLAYER FUNCTION OR CLONE A PLAYER FUNCTION IN OUR OFFICIAL SABL LEAGUE.
For those of you new to our league, please trust me on these restrictions. SOM's basketball game is a programming mess and it's not at all like the baseball game, where every manager can create their own leagues and stats can be easily added and deleted. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY IT CAN WORK IN AN SOM BASKETBALL PBM LEAGUE EFFICIENTLY. I have reprinted a ton of material from our past newsletters below on the proper ways to do things in our league, but if you have any questions, please phone me or email me.
The proper way to make trading adjustments on your official SABL league (the "1998-99 S" league) is this:
1. All trades made by everyone in the league, from now until Nov. 7, should be immediately made by each coach on his SABL league file. After that, no adjustments should be made until Dec. 31. Teams making trades should not adjust their rosters until all their games prior to January are played. Also, the trading teams cannot send out any game plan (disk) instructions for any games from Jan. 1 onward, until their rosters are adjusted and until all their games prior to Jan. 1 are played. This is for SABL league statisitical reasons. TRADING TEAMS, YOU'LL HAVE TO BE ON THE BALL OR IT WILL CAUSE ME AND EVERY OTHER COACH IN THE SABL EXTRA WORK! YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN, NOT ME. CONTACT LATE COACHES TO GET THE JOB DONE. LET ME KNOW IF THEY AREN'T COOPERATING. THIS IS THE PRICE YOU PAY TO TRADE DURING THE SEASON.
2. DO NOT DELETE OR CLONE THESE PLAYERS! YOU MUST USE THE TRADING FUNCTION TO MOVE THESE PLAYERS FROM ONE TEAM TO ANOTHER. IF YOU DON'T IT WILL MESS UP OUR OFFICIAL LEAGUE DATABASE AND COULD MESS UP STATS OR GAME PLAN INSTRUCTIONS AN OPPONENT WOULD SEND TO YOU OR THOSE YOU WOULD SEND TO AN OPPONENT. IT WILL ALSO CAUSE ME A LOT OF EXTRA WORK AND COST YOU PENALTY POINTS.
You can send game files to me anytime!
Just because the constitution says you should send stats to me once a month doesn't mean you can't send them earlier. In fact, if it's more convenient for you to email me results at the same time you email results to your opponents, go ahead! That would be great!
Instructions, results
These are excerpts from our SABL Constitution with regards to when instructions should arrive at your opponents's place. If you are a week late, you get penalty points unless you have a darn good excuse.:
"INSTRUCTIONS
Every time a manager is late with instructions, he incurs one penalty point. For each three points that are incurred, that coach will drop down one place in the draft order. Accumulation of 21 points means expulsion from the league.
Coaches should follow mailed instructions to the best of their ability and when instructions are unclear, to manage the team as they think their opponent would wish it to be managed. All computer coach vs. computer coach games will be played under the "Neutral Court" and "Static Fatigue" options. All instructions must have the team’s active roster and the real-life NBA team he plays for by his name. Failure to do this earns an opposing coach 1 penalty point.
30 days late, autoplay opponent's team
If any coach is 30 days late with either instructions or results, autoplay their team, play the games and get me the game files (.gfl). Before doing so, however, try and contact the offending coach twice. If he has not, or cannot get you the goods before the 30-day deadline, autoplay the games and send the coach and me the game files. Please let the commissioner know if the games are autoplayed.
SCHEDULE
Instructions should reach a coach by the day the games are scheduled to be played.. If they don’t, coaches must phone the opposing coach to find out what’s happening. If no instructions are received a week after that, the coach should contact the commissioner, who must notify the coach within another week on how to proceed. Every time a coach is a week late with instructions, he receives one penalty point. Accumulation of 21 points means expulsion from the league.
If a coach gets a month behind schedule, unless a special circumstance exists, he will be expelled from the league. The commissioner must authorize autoplayed games or whatever it takes to keep the SABL running on time. It is the responsibility of coaches to inform the league and commissioner of circumstances which may cause lateness. It’s not the responsibility of the commissioner to nursemaid coaches."
Timely and easy-to-understand instructions are what makes play-by-mail leagues go round. If instructions and results are late, then a league becomes sluggish and managers lose interest.
We won’t be late in the SABL. Every coach needs to send on time strategies and results to their opponents. Instructions should be in opponents hands by the dates indicated on the schedule. Results should be in opponent’s hands a week after the schedule date.
Paper box scores and exported game files onto floppy disks should be sent to every coach following every series. For one of our coaches, Paul Bennett in Thailand, there is only one option - you have to email him instructions and results. That means for the few of you that are not emailing your results, the time has come to start.
Roster watching
Now that you have your official SABL league disks installed, you will be responsible for keeping track of trades on your own machines and trading players where appropriate.
Make sure you are playing against your opponent’s correct roster and make sure you let coach’s know, via your instructions, who is on your roster. Include the players’ real life NBA team on your roster list, in every instruction set.
Check our website for the latest rosters.
Statistical reporting
I must have your team stats in my hands by the 1st of each month. Don’t wait for other coaches who are late sending instructions or results to you. Send what you have or you will be penalized. Check our SABL Constitution.
Each coach must send box scores and exported game files of every league game to the Commissioner by the first of the month. Our first stat reporting deadline is Jan. 1, 2000.
Make sure you have the game file and box score options selected when you play league games or you will cause your fellow coaches and Commissioner a lot of extra work and we will hate you.
Fatigue & rest modes
When you play league games, do with with "No Auto Rest," or else the computer will not follow your lineups. Also use "Static Fatigue."
How to import game plans & files, etc.
For all our new coaches, here's brief instructions on how to import & export game files & plans:
TO SEND INSTRUCTIONS AND RESULTS:
Step 1 - Attach the file to an email message. Your email program should have a paper clip
icon or words that say attach or insert file. Look in your SOMBK\LEAGUES directory for
files that end in .gfl and .gpl. GFLs are game
files (box scores/stats) and GPLs are game plans (computer instructions).
Step 2 - Send them to your opponent and send the game files only (box scores and stats) to the commissioner (ME).
TO IMPORT GAME FILES AND PLANS FROM OPPONENTS:
Step 1 - Save the attached gfls and gpls to a floppy disk.
Step 2 - For .gfls, start the SOM game and go to Statistical Functions, then Process Game Files, then Import the game file. For .gpls, start the appropriate League Game and then import the game plan under your opponent's lineup.
WARNING! Don't delete players!
When folks get traded during our season this year, USE THE TRADING FUNCTION TO TRANSFER PLAYERS FROM ONE TEAM TO ANOTHER. DO NOT DELETE PLAYERS OR YOU WILL MESS UP EVERY GAME PLAN (gpl) AND GAME FILE (gfl/box scores/stats) THAT YOU SEND OUT FROM THEN ON. IT WILL COST THE LEAGUE A LOT OF TIME AND ME A LOT OF EXTRA WORK AND YOU MAY GET PENALTY POINTS FOR IT. IF I IMPORT A MESSED-UP DISK FROM YOU INTO OUR LEAGUE STATISTICAL DATABASE, IT WILL MESS IT UP AND I'LL HAVE TO REDO EVERYTHING MANUALLY!!! IF YOU SCREW IT UP, I MAY BE LOOKING FOR A COACH.
Send players up and down by the series
You can only have 12 active players on your roster, per series. You have to let your opponent know who is on your roster via your instructions. Include player names and real-life NBA teams. If you send a computer game file, of course, all this stuff is already on it and you don't have to send written snail or email instructions with it.
You can send players up and down by each individual 2, 6 or 8-game series, but you can't do it by individual games.
Program your team to win!
As you examine our league disk, you'll notice that all the players on your team are exact clones of their NBA counterparts. Strat programs players and NBA teams to try and ensure that they finish about the same as they did in the previous real-life season. If you decide to let the computer run your team, to make your team play better, you'll most likely have to rearrange the minutes played so it will substitute players as you wish. You can even program in how you want your players to shoot and whether or not to shoot on the fastbreak.
Just remember - you can never play a guy out of his carded positions and you can never add more total minutes per game to his profile.
1999 draft over, let the trading begin again!
Check out our 1999 Draft Results link to see how it went! It's over and it was completed in a record 3.5 hours. We are now in our post-draft trading period which lasts until 11:59 p.m., Nov. 7. At that time, our post-draft rosters will freeze for all our games until Dec. 31. Any trades made from Nov. 8-Nov. 30 will go in effect for our Jan. 1-31 games.
Thanks to all of you for a smooth operation.
Bonzi Wells is mine, he's all mine, mine, mine . . .
Rosters frozen, no trading until after draft
And that draft begins at 1pm EST on Saturday, Oct. 23. Be ready by the phone or email or snail mail me your draft list now! I'll attempt to reach everyone at their home phone unless you notify me otherwise. I know that the amazing Feeneys are planning a draft party on that day, with Tom Jargo in attendance, too, so that will be fun.
Here at draft central, my nemesis Steve Walters and I will be driving each other nuts as usual. Please be ready to return my "two rings", or I will draft for you if you don't call me back.
Check out our 1999 Draft Results link to see the draft order and who owns what pick. I will be updating this list in "real time" so you can check it out between rounds to help plan out your picks! Just hit the "Refresh" button on your browser. LET'S HAVE FUN ON DRAFT DAY!!!!
Deerfield Kings have new phone number
Deerfield King Coach Doug Crandall has a new phone number: 316-426-2532.
Wilt Chamberlain was NBA's greatest
A moment of silence for the greatest NBA player ever - Wilt "The Stilt" Chamberlain, dead at the age of 63.
Bulldogs' Tom Jargo is moving, too!
Can't you guys stay put? Now Miles Coach Tom Jargo has a new mail address: 400 North Section Ave., Spring Valley, MN 55975. His new phone number is 507-346-7142. His email stays the same.
Richmond's Rowley has new addresses
That wandering Hoosier Frank Rowley has a new home for his Richmond Raiders. Frank's new email address is row58@webworks2000.net. His snail mail address is now 308 South Gray Road, Connersville, IN 47331.
1999 SABL Drafting Instructions
If a coach cannot participate in the annual SABL phone draft, he can send a paper or email instruction sheet to the commissioner or let the commissioner (that's me) draft for him. The commissioner will ring your phone number twice and hang up. If your line is busy, he’ll try twice more. If he can’t get you by then, he’ll draft for you.
When you call him back, he’ll read you the list of players that have been taken since
your last pick. You’ll have 10 seconds for each player chosen to make your decision.
If you don’t pick anybody by then, the commissioner will hang up and pick your player
for you.
Trade deadline and freeze is approaching
There's only one week out of the year that we cannot trade in the SABL and that week is fast approaching. On Oct. 17 at 11:59pm, all pre-draft trading stops and rosters freeze in preparation for our annual draft at 1 pm EST on Saturday, Oct. 23. When the draft is completely over, trading begins again. The draft usually lasts about 4 hours.
So, get those final trade offers out now!
Our new web address is:
Our new website address is http://sabl.tripod.com. I think our old address will work, too, but to be safe, you should change your bookmarks to point to this shorter, easier to remember address.