Player Moves and Management

I'm not a guy for an endless list of do's and do not's, nor am I a guy who feels that the creation of rules and regulations is an answer to society's problems. In fact, I usually am filled with Fear and Loathing when I see the laundry list of ridiculous rules which govern our league. I strongly believe that this is the type of flag football the Nazi's would be playing if the Third Reich was successful. What happened to the days of grade school football where trees marked first downs, and the "10 Alligator" rush count was in effect? However, due to Akdiesel's emigration from Sparta, it's clear that NOVAFFL will have no choice but to legislate its way out of this problem.

Time and again, I like to remind everyone that we're some of the strongest and smartest men in the area, who get together once a week simply to enjoy throwing the football back and forth. We are a generation raised by television to believe we'd all be millionaires and movie gods, but we've realized that we won't. So, for a few hours every Saturday, we can disregard that advertisements have us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate to buy shit we don't need. Hell, most of us don't even know one another's real names. It's very much like Fight Club or Project Mayhem...

"But in Project Mayhem, we have no names..." "His name is Robert Paulson...."

All that said, this latest move has clearly shown that we are lacking structure, organization, and leadership. We are three weeks from playoff weekend, and Akdiesel, 'Quest, and apparently our league officers have all decided that this move is allowed. 300 will receive no compensation, no "player to be named later", no money, nothing. They are now short a lineman, and nobody is coming to bat for them. I disagree with Cap 9 times out of 10, in fact, I find is overuse of rules and his views of football rather elementary. But in this situation, he's clearly in the right.

Akdiesel... what's your rationale here? Sparta may battle for their victories, but you're clearly not at the bottom of the league. Did you dislike your role in Sparta? Was Sparta not using you to your full potential? You do realize you're leaving a team which needs you, and going to a team with 3 stellar O and D linemen, right? You're going to be the 3rd best at O and D line. With Sparta, you were their Hercules... they welcomed you with a parade, and sacrificed 300 bulls in your honor.

Commissioner Gentili, I have always looked at you with respect. You took our little sand lot league out of the basement, and gave it a name, logo and created something other leagues in the area envy. Your work to bring organization and order to a bunch of sad misfits should never be overlooked. But where are you on this situation? The silence from your office speaks volumes. This is a chance for you to show leadership, and assert some authority over these types of infractions. I encourage you to veto this move.

Here are some of our more interesting rules. We're not allowed to jump, we're not allowed to touch the quarterback's arm regardless of the intent, we're not allowed to stiff-arm, and we can only huddle once every 4 downs. But yet it's okay that we a player to leave one team to join another, without any trade or compensation. Unacceptable.

Now, I want all of you to alter this situation a bit... Let's say that some guy in the league named Straw who plays for some team called the Cutters approached Akdiesel, and asked that he come play for his team. Akdiesel then accepts, and no trade or deal is struck between 300 or the Cutters. Now, wouldn't all of you be shitting in your designer jeans? Athar, you can't tell me that you wouldn't have unleashed a mountain of un-intelligible logic and banter as to why the Cutters were the biggest bunch of assholes in NOVAFFL. Wait... wait... Oh the Cutters did "steal" players, and most all of you whined and moaned like little girls. AND THIS WAS BEFORE THE SEASON STARTED. Where are all of you now? Three weeks before playoffs, and none of you are batting an eyelash about this situation. It's disappointing to say the least.

In light of the lack of any leadership, and the endless debates which plague our league on the message boards and on the field, I forbid Akdiesel to join 'Quest until Season 4. Akdiesel can continue to play with 300, or he can sit on the sidelines, but he may not play with 'Quest or any other team.