Let's have a go

Bournemouth 3-4 Brighton

Arsenal 2-0 Nottingham Forest

Aston Villa 3-0 Crystal Palace

Everton 0-1 Brentford

Fulham 3-0 Wolves

Ipswich Town 2-2 Man United

Leicester City 0-3 Chelsea

Man City 4-1 Tottenham

Newcastle 5-0 West Ham

Southampton 0-4 Liverpool

As the partipcation bonus has paid out I can start again! ;-)

I think that this discussion has been vey polite and respectful.  I have nothing but admiration for the amount of time and effort spent compiling reports, writing jounals, etc etc.  It is not a personal criticism of anyone, other than my comment on the effect it has on the game,  my (and others) potential enjoyment of it, and a suggestion/wish to see it reined in a little.  If that measn slightly less content then I think that is a compromise I could take.

I have seen participation bonus rise and rise in my 40 seasons from the old e-mailled circular once a week in word format to the multiple opportunites now.   I accept that a bonus helps stimulate an interesting and chaaging site, and it is probably a necessary incentive to get to that point.  But there seem to be plenty who think there may be too much.

Personnaly I spend most days writing e-mails, statements and reading documents so that I am not really that interested in settling down to write more and don't want it to be a chore.  But I do like to think about how I can get 11 SL 35 players or make the value for an odd deal.  On Bios I always like a time out after each season and so forget/miss the Bio part until after the deadline. Actually the Bios are the bits I enjoy most, some are quite fascinating!

All what you say is true David, but the bonus is too much.  Hibs have 700K more than Raith.  The game is at the end of the day a resource management game - and as the main resource is cash -  is it right that the game be skewed by those who like writing?  I won't get extra cash in Monopoly at Christmas through my exellence (or otherwise) at consequences.  It is a balance, but I think there is too much money from Participation.  And I argue this each time the subject comes up without much success so I am at least consistent.

And while I have great acknowledgement for the mighty efforts the division reviewers go to, I am sorry to say I don't think I have read any more than the comments on Raith's games and the Div 1 summary, nor do I read any journals.  

(I also have little liking for betting, sponsorship and end of season awards!)

The challenge and enjoyment is the game, and that is what keeps me plugging away season after season with the increasingly forlorn hope of ever winning a league title.

I appreciate I am in the non vocal minority, so so be it.

I agree with both Matt and Paul.  After 40+ seasons my enthusiasm for blog posts and journal writing is non existent, having run out of ideas many seasons ago.  I also find it  frustrating that non writers are penalised in the game so severely.  I am around 700K down on some teams.  22 Managers have posted for less than 100K, so we are not a small minority, 9 nothing at all.  A 1K per 5 characters, still means 250 characters to produce 50K

Of course it is my choice not to post and disadvantage myself, and I have in the past enjoyed some of the discussions, but the participation bonus is out of kilter with the game itself.  I have always thought there should be other encouragements related to game play.  Early order bonus, number of posts on the transaction board perhaps.    

Maybe I will see what AI generation can do, seeing as no manager has ever offered to meet my inducement on the Team Needs page!

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