Thank you to both you and Hadar for the additional stats. I knew this season was going to be a very difficult, but I'm surprised at how disappointing it is thus far. The HGL is very competitive and my starting team is so weak. I have recently mapped out the next two training seasons to get an idea of how the team might look and it is much more encouraging.[...]
Thanks! It is very competitive indeed, especially in the case of top teams (three highest top 8 salaries all above $520K, and 6 highest top 8 salaries over $301K). I'm glad to see you're not giving up though, and see this as a long project, which it is... It's frustrating to be weak in the beginning, but on the other hand, when you've had this kind of experience and then start to reach some success later on (and realize having done it on your own, not by buying players), you have a comparison point from this season in terms of results and how it feels to be beaten, sometimes badly. To compare it against this season results, you can see and feel the difference in concrete form after, like you said, maybe 3 seasons. You are an experienced manager who surely can work miracles by employing a good training program, so there is no doubt you'll be reaping the rewards of it rather sooner than later. :)
I'm enjoying the stats. I have many 'scouting' stats I keep (1st and 2nd teams and their leagues) so I can fine-tune my tactics each week, and recently started one for the HGL. While I could provide some statistics here on all the off/def tactics used by teams and their success rates, I don't think everyone would appreciate that! :)[...]Picking the tactics in a game is, when struggling like I am, the small win I get excited about even if I lose.
Yes, that's the challenge with that kind of scouting stats. For regular BB league it's somewhat "easier decision" to publish those as they are available through buzzer-manager anyway, but as B-M doesn't recognize HGL as a league, we'll likely never get any HGL related stats through B-M. If you want to publish something, I'm sure we can trust on your evaluation.. :)
And I totally agree; even if you wouldn't be able to win, it's enjoyable to be able to at least lose by less by picking the right tactics (and perhaps sometimes right predictions of opponent tactics)!
Here in the HGL this season, however, I almost have to just play patient each week just to minimise the differential damage! =P~
I know what you mean, but I'd like to mention that you don't need to worry about point differential too much, as it's not the first decisive factor, but instead match on May 16th will be very important for you, if you expect that teams with lowest salaries this season (your team and Big Chillers) to be fighting for similar kind of league positions.
Frankly that was one of the reasons (not the main reason, as I genuinely feel that in the case of same amount of wins it's better to award higher league position to a team who has won their regular season meeting) why this point differential is not the decisive method when comparing teams. I guess some of us get enough of that (playing patient or some other slow tactics in order to minimize ball possessions and therefore potentially get a smaller loss) already in regular BB league (including me!), and at least for me it takes some of the fun aspect of the game away, if I can't also have fun by making occasional peculiar strategy/lineup choices in a fear of losing to someone by a point differential (while mainly playing an optimal lineup and strategies). Still, keeps matches against lower salary teams reasonable, as I can't throw out any lineup to the match and expect to win any of you guys - if I'd do it, I'd risk the same fate as happened to me on season 32 cup competition (referred to earlier). (Speaking of that, MrJ, I'm sure you perfectly well remember what happened in our previous 3 meetings xD).