[USML Announce] USML 2006 - Kick-off memo

[MBBlocker at aol.com]

Gang: 
USML 2006 is  now just weeks away!  This year will mark our 18th consecutive 
season of  play.  Because there has already been some discussion of league 
planning  before my annual kick-off e-mail, I will get right to the matters that 
need  attention. 
Draft  Day:  It appears from early returns that we have do not have a 
consensus as  to a draft day.  In fact, as in past  years, it already appears that 
accommodating everyone?s schedule will be  difficult.  Below is a grid with the  
current unavailabilities that have been reported in e-mail thus far.  I would 
appreciate if all those who have  not weighed in would please do so and for 
all of those who have commented, let  me know if there are any other dates we 
need to avoid.  Once I hear from most people, I will  circulate a revised grid 
with some suggestions/inquiries.   
Draft location:  We have a decision to make here.  Sidley?s new conference 
center is very  nice and we could hold the draft there again (right across the 
street from our  old offices downtown).  However, two  league members have 
approached me about having the draft at a more kid-friendly  site so that children 
of league members could attend, but could drift out of the  draft room at 
their leisure.  I am  interested in the views of the league on this issue. 
There are  several additional topics we should also address promptly.  Here 
they are. 
1.  Web  site:  Unless I not hear any strong groundswell of support for 
changing  websites, we will stay with TQ Stats.  One drawback of TQ Stats in the 
past is that total team salaries are not  reported on a page that is readily 
available to the league.  I am not certain that alone warrants a  change, but I 
note the issue. 
2.  Draft Day  rules:  To avoid some debate, I propose that, in the event we 
end up  drafting pre-opening day again, we use the same draft day rules that 
we used  last year, i.e., rules dealing with slotting and rookie eligibility to 
account  for a pre-season draft.  I cannot recall if we had grated those 
rules into  our current constitution, but if we did not do so, we should.   
3.  New  rules:  If there are any amendments to our current in-season rules 
(in  other words, proposing to amend our constitution and not just a rule 
dealing  with pre-season drafting), please circulate those soon so we can debate 
them and  vote.  If you are among the minority that does not enjoy the rules 
debates,  please just ignore the e-mail traffic relating to the new rule topics.  
I would prefer to see proposed  amendments circulated by mid-February, but 
there is probably no need to set a  hard deadline. 
4.  League  size:  We currently have 11 teams.  In the past there have been  
suggestions to increase the league size to 12.  I'd be interested in  hearing 
peoples' thoughts on this topic again, although I personally have grown  
accustomed to 11.  Obviously, a willing new owner would be critical if we  decide 
to expand. 
5.  League trophy:  To show how self-less I am, I will raise  a topic that 
has no likely significance to me in the future: a traveling league  trophy 
awarded to the USML champion.  My recollection is that Jeff or Andy was looking 
into this, and perhaps  an update is in order. 
That is it for  the moment.  Another update will follow shortly.   
-- Mark  B. 
Draft Day Grid  (unavailability) 
Mar. 17-19:  Red Hots (18th only), Bombers  (negotiable) 
Mar. 24-26:  Red Hots (?) 
Mar. 31-02:  Nukes (Dance). Red Hots (31st  only) 
Apr. 7-9:  Calamari (Vegas) 
Apr. 14-16:  ---- 

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