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 Official Handicapper & New Races 
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Group 3 winner

Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:19 pm
Posts: 548
Location: Western Canada
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really sad to hear this as Steve's input has been marvellous lately
and extremely positive...

i can see his point to a degree but we all have the same chance
to gain the best stable possible

we all have real lives with real problems some more problematical than others..i have tried to assess h'capping myself after season 1 of NHC
and found it a minefield and in this league of ours would not work without dedication to an enth degree with many volunteers

the suggestions Steve made are quite feasible with a huge effort but i feel highly unlikely in our present member base...
we need more ppl involved who are doing this for a living with the various racing bodies in real life to point us the way forward..computer software would be a huge help but would be quite a headache to implement for programmers but once up and running im sure most ppl would be happy

i understand the frustration ppl have with no winners etc..as we have all been there at one stage or another..but u have to persevere as i have found through bitter experience..and i am far from elitist and are many other ppl running this league we are all volunteers and most of us work very hard behind the scenes for the only reward of giving ppl pleasure watching there long search for winners an outlet for their stables

This is truly the best racing game/simulation out there (in my mind no-one comes close) and for the money is a treat to anyone who loves racing

my only bugbear is along the lines of it needs to be more realistic to the real thing and i dont mean the racing side ..i mean the administrative side as it must be a huge headache in real life to organize everything day-to-day in all aspects of racing on all continents and they dont have volunteers to help them run it most are professionals something we are very unlikely to have in SOPL

but at the end of the day despite it faults its a First Class game and long may it reign

im very disappointed that ppl can blow-up over something that is difficult to implement especially when their input is magnificent

i hope that they can think about it and in the clear light of day reflect on their decisions

:cry: Paul


Sat Jul 11, 2009 5:31 pm
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Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2009 3:28 pm
Posts: 1132
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Hi Paul,

Thanks for your input.

Firstly, I find it strange that people think the league is 'on a level playing field' when people play starters orders in different ways.

Some players whizz through the seasons trying to find league horses whilst other players play the game in depth. I think Jason quoted recently that he never gets through more than one season per day. I dont get through a season in two months.

Secondly this is not about me (I don't have any horses in the league) it is about making the league more accessible for all players. I am quite prepared to do work if it was of benefit to different types of players - without having any personal racing involvement. Commentating, writing etc.

For example, group races and listed races favour the top players, as horses run off virtually the same weight. Obviously therefore the handful of players who have the best horses will win 95% of the time, especially on the flat. This was bourne out in week four of the UKRA when Jason won more than 50% of races.

In the NHC, the same player is behind and has again whizzed through season after season looking for horses to upload to make his stable more powerful. Absolutely nothing wrong with that except the fact that the race programme is biased in this kind of players favour.

A handicap system would make it far more difficult for players to dominate the leagues to the extent they are doing now and as a consequence make it far more interesting. A series of low to middle grade handicap say 75% of all races mean that the top players can concentrate on doing battle for the top honours grade one etc and do not impede other players picking up some handicaps further down the scale. Especially if a player had a cap on horses set at 15.

Surely the only thing that needs to happen is for the horses to start on a rating of 80 instead of 51, and a high proportion of races to be handicaps of varying quality. As this is unlikely to happen (I have been trying to get this to happen for about four years) I have decided to call it a day.

Writing the newsletter has given me an insight into the failing of the league set up. Writing about the UKRA would have been even more specific to three or four players.

Jason wanted me to write in a particular way using a particular software package. He has stated to me that when a new writer comes along who is willing to do this then I would be replaced on the website.

Again I find this kind of inflexibility strange. It is only because no one came forward that my writing has been integrated into the site.

I have no wish to argue with anyone, least of all the people who have done fantastic work to get starters orders league to where it is today, but I feel there is a definite need to implement change for the benefit of all starters orders fanatics.

I will concentrate on playing starters orders in my own way, and wish everyone the best of luck for the future.

East Pier Whitby (PNE, racingfanatic)


Sat Jul 11, 2009 7:13 pm
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Group 3 winner

Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:19 pm
Posts: 548
Location: Western Canada
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Thnx for your prompt reply....Steve

I am not a million miles from you on this subject...in fact a lot closer than you think..i have tried to get things implemented into the league mainly on the NHC side of SOPL.. but with Mark being a mostly one man band things are quite complicated and without having vast resources i can understand his point of view as i can yours

Mark has done wonders with this game with very little resources and it is a credit to him the game is so good

i would like to see handicaps brought into the league and this might be quite feasible if we worked on races being once a fortnight instead of once a week...i feel ppl would reject this out of hand purely from simply withdrawal symptoms...

and your idea of rating of 80 instead of 51 makes perfect sense to me at least and get rid of the restricted and banded races as they attract little interest and favour implementing lower rated handicaps..which would work very well with little or no need of applying limits i.e. 1 win or less
another way for this could be winners of one or two with a rating limit might be a way to go instead of limited wins

i understand why Jay wants to run his site his way...tho i may not agree with it...it is his baby and can do what he wants...
with a small member base things are complicated for write-ups etc

i wish you would get involved with SOPL Steve as we need players like you with ideas etc for the way forward...most ppl just want to race and play and that is fine but some of us want this game to stride forward and be the game we think and know it could be..

plz take time to reflect on your decision i know myself things can be obscured in the heat of the moment..we do certainly need players like yourself as we have lost too many ppl like-minded in the past

Paul


Sat Jul 11, 2009 8:04 pm
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Group 1 winner

Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2009 3:28 pm
Posts: 1132
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Hi Paul,

Thanks for your comments.

Okay, I will continue as before, but the newsletter will be available as a download from the main NHC site if Colm will put the link in.

If Colm wants me to continue with the commentaries I will do that too.

I know the league is close to your heart mate and I will do everything I can to make our proposals happen.

Regards

Steve


Sat Jul 11, 2009 8:17 pm
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Group 2 winner

Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2008 6:04 pm
Posts: 760
Location: Carlow, Ireland.
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Hi Steve,

I would certainly love to have you continue your work with the commentaries and the NHC newspaper. Your work so far has been greatly appreciated by all.

On the topic of handicaps, I'm not against them and we do need some more of them.

They were shunned in the past because of large amounts of fiddling which undermined the whole concept of the handicap system.

As I see it for the league, and the handicaps to work, the way they should be, the handicaps are a three part puzzle.

1. Handicap races and plenty of them
2. Proper handicapper
3. People to adjust the horse files

Previously, we only had Part 1. Now, with you volunteering, we have Part 2 also, but we are still lacking Part 3.

The main bottleneck for the league is that it is largely manual work, and depends highly on volunteers and their time. If we could get enough volunteers, we could grow this league to a level that does encompass everyone. And then a typical weeks league racing, would look much more like a typical race card that you would see in real life.

With enough volunteers, you could grow the schedule to 30 or perhaps 40 races per week, and balance the schedule to 25/75 or 33/66 in percentages for groups/handicaps.

We could modify the horse files, have that person split the races into two groups and send 1 batch to one race secretary, and batch 2 to the other race secretary.

These are the visions for the league, but without volunteers, alot of these great ideas, will either remain on paper, or will get tried but flop because of the lack of volunteers.

If we can get people in to cover Part 3 and perhaps another person to help you with Part 2, there is no reason why we cant achieve our goals.

Hope that shed some light on things for you.

Cheers..

Colm


Sat Jul 11, 2009 8:42 pm
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Group 1 winner

Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2009 3:28 pm
Posts: 1132
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Colm,

Thanks for your reply.

That would be fantastic. Great ideas.

I am more than willing to do part two either in isolation or with help.

The league is in good hands with you two guys.

Hope I can help integrate handicaps into the league.

Regards

Steve


Sat Jul 11, 2009 8:49 pm
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Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:26 pm
Posts: 1487
Location: Manchester, UK
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East Pier Whitby wrote:
Jason wanted me to write in a particular way using a particular software package. He has stated to me that when a new writer comes along who is willing to do this then I would be replaced on the website.
East Pier Whitby (PNE, racingfanatic)


This is utter b o l l o c k s. I said and you know I did that eventually I would like you to write in the SOPL Times and when we get more writers this will happen. I never said YOU would be replaced at all.

Mate I love your commentaries and your newsletter but think you are a complete d i c k h e a d. Attacking me because I have a good stable. The word jealously springs to mind. I do alot for this league and if you knew me, you would know that no one in the SOPL International encourages new players to get involved in the league more than me. Ask all of the trianers involved now. I have suggested adding more races like Sellers/Claimers and more low graded handicaps. I also love the new graded handicaps in USRA as it balances competition. We all want changes that will work. I have been a struggling trainer in the past like we all have.

Are you not a role model to children? Unbelievable!!!


Sat Jul 11, 2009 9:07 pm
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Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2009 3:28 pm
Posts: 1132
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I quit. For good this time.

Bye


Sat Jul 11, 2009 9:19 pm
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Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:26 pm
Posts: 1487
Location: Manchester, UK
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Just look around the forums before you start attacking someone.

Comments like this prove what I said.

http://www.startersorders.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1818

I remember you attacking Dave Fuller last year for similar reasons. Why dont you spend more time playing the game then attacking/arguing with people.


Sat Jul 11, 2009 9:26 pm
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Group 3 winner

Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:19 pm
Posts: 548
Location: Western Canada
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oh for flips sake...??

Jay has struggled in the past like we all have ..he has found a way to find winners for league races and good luck to him for doing that..

it is vital to get that start early as u can breed a monster yard from this

all it takes is luck and hard work.. trawling season after season

Jay has been good for the league always available to help or give advice

we all have done that in the past..executives of the league..

i myself have been unable to do that as my time is very short these days
to help ppl and give advice for reasons most of u know..if only u could have seen my schedule this past 8 days...it would try a saint
2 ops and 5 Drs appointments..the mind boggles

Mark must be tearing his hair out at me...i promised him action but had to put that off again this week

how i managed to write up the bookies odds and do commentaries this week is simply amazing???

i have done my best and i am satisfied
im out of this subject now my final word ergo has been said

Paul


Sat Jul 11, 2009 9:46 pm
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Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:26 pm
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Location: Manchester, UK
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Paul you are a top man and a credit to this league. You always do your best and help people despite your real life problems.

Its going to be very sad if you leave us.


Sat Jul 11, 2009 10:03 pm
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Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2008 6:05 pm
Posts: 504
Location: Torquay , South Devon
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just a quicky steve im new and staying here 4 ever win or lose like real racing u get great trainers who wins loads of group races its a game its great and the guys r doing a fantastic job if i av a problem they always help its fun thank u sopl . del


Sat Jul 11, 2009 10:23 pm
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ps jasons avin a great season and help me loads so its not all about winning thanx jay :D


Sat Jul 11, 2009 10:26 pm
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Group 3 winner

Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:19 pm
Posts: 548
Location: Western Canada
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ah well that is enevitable now Jay ..
just a matter of time.. im going to miss the game and u all

my Wife is a wreck over this and i dont blame her
as im very unhappy about the situation too..

not much i or anyone can do..
just have the best time i can with whatever time i have left

will enjoy my time on SOPL thats for sure

Paul


Sat Jul 11, 2009 11:16 pm
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Location: Manchester, UK
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I know bud. I was trying to be positive in what is a very sad situation. I cannot imagine how you or your wife are feeling. It must be very hard to deal with. Like you say enjoy the time you have left with wifey.


Sat Jul 11, 2009 11:18 pm
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