S16 Interim GM Rep Election Stage 2 -- Voting round 1 (deadline 3/27 6PM EST)

[GM Dazz]

Sorry, I just thought of another good candidate. I nominate Metro. The only GM who can sell you a bad deal and make you feel like he did you a favour. Perfect skillet for our rep.

[GM Rebel]

Kirk was my choice. So, I'll abstain.

[GM Dario]

I'm abstainin' at this time. I got plenty to deal with now in KC, thanks to this Summit EFFUP.

[GM Eli]

While I have no personal issue with Kirk I think the idea of someone who purposefully sabotaged the previous GM Reps efforts because of a desire to see the good teams "hurt" is not an acceptable option for someone who will represent the HIFL GM's collectively.

[GM Kirk]

I don't know where you got that idea from. I want to see all HIFL teams succeed. That can only happen by putting the PFL in their place. The PFL are like viking raiders of old. Raising a danegeld might buy peace for a time, but it only guarantees that they will be back for more. Crush them now and teach them that it's not worth bothering our shores and they will stay away for good. That's good for all of us.

[GM Kirk]

And to be clear, I didn't do anything until after Gates resigned and the meeting collapsed. If you're looking for someone to blame, look at the people in that room.

[GM Eli]

There's plenty of blame to go around and your negotiating with, and signing of a PFL player while player poaching was the central issue at hand did nothing but exacerbate the problem. It's simply the sort of reckless behavior that isn't needed in a situation like this.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to put together the pieces of Gaga Rockefeller being informed a HIFL GM was trying to poach her player, and then said player from her roster ending up as a member of the Charlotte organization.

[GM Kirk]

There's no problem in my view except that we've been too passive with the PFL. Show them poaching is a two way street. My proposal, if elected, is simple: Give each HIFL team 5 emergency amnesties, $50million bump in cap starting this week and a list, from the agents, of every PFL player open to negotiations. If the PFL even hear about that, they will beg us to sign any deal we want.

[GM Eli]

The GM Rep doesn't have sweeping authority to make changes to a collectively bargained agreement between the league, owners, GMs and players. These ideas are great if you're playing with monopoly money but that's not the case here.

[GM Kirk]

You think the league, owners, players and agents wouldn't be on board with that? The cap's going to have rise by at least that much in the offseason anyway and you can even send that $15million you wanted to gift the PFL to the HIFLPA instead, to insure anyone who loses their job.

[GM Eli]

I've had no part in the negotiations so you need to turn your attention elsewhere when making claims about who wants to do what with whose money.

[GM Kirk]

You seemed pretty well informed about who said what and when just a minute ago, but now you weren't involved in nothin' guv. What's your plan for solving the issues facing us? Is it grovel and beg for mercy, by any chance?

[GM Eli]

I'm informed about who said what because someone on the inside live streamed the whole thing. I know you didn't miss that stream, did you Kirk?

My plan is simple. The owners want to see the cross league signings brought to a close, not exacerbate it further. Therefore, my proposal would be as such.

The PFL is given the 5MM that GM Rebel contributed to the GM Fund as recompense for the hassle of this all.

Given that there has been further cross league signings on the parts of both leagues (you signing Colby Toledo, the PFL signing players from Salt Lake) and that is the end of it. Had the continued poaching not occurred I would have given consideration to the expansion draft format that GM Oldfield and GM Wayne both suggested early on. But as the situation has progressed from there I think it is too complex to try and figure out which teams should be able to draft players from which where it would have been simple enough early on to allow Rebel to protect his starters, and to let the Vegas and Boise organizations select a player from Rebels bench much like he did to theirs.

[GM Eli]

And for the record, no I don't think the owners would be on board with an unexpected, added 50MM to their budget plus the expense of 5 player amnesties as well. We could be talking about well over 100MM dollars of added expense in some cases. I'm sure you remember that the amnesty clause doesn't negate the owner paying the player, it simply removes the figure from the budget limitations.

[GM Kirk]

That's a worse deal than Gates offered. Why would the PFL take that? Plus you are just showing them that they can take HIFL players and get paid for it.

I think there's a pretty clear division here. If you're a cheese eating surrender monkey and want a continuity GM rep who will tell us to bed over for the PFL, Eli is your guy. If you want a general who will end this nonsense for good, I'm your guy. If you're a fence sitter, go for Pancho. I don't know Pancho's platform, but I imagine it sits somewhere between the smell of napalm in the morning and spreading our legs.

[GM Eli]

If you want someone with delusions of grandeur, you'll vote for Kirk.

Paying them for stealing players? That's laughable when the first three mid season thefts occurred at the hands of HIFL GMs.

If you want someone who is going to bring the cross league signings and poaching to its end you'll vote for me. Or perhaps for Pancho.

[GM Black Death]

It not that hard...we are in the position of strength. In the end they are fighting to keep there players because they know the truth , there players want to be in this league, issue is not them poaching us, is us going in taking everything and wiping them out.  Best move would be to shut them up, make them think they matter and let them know they can exist. Because long term we are going to win , but it does not help us because they can be good fucking resources. We need all resources we can get. But guys always want to abuse that shit.  So at moment just need to give a little and we get everything.  This not that hard

[GM Kirk]

The PFL has been stealing our players for years. This idea that we drew first blood is nonsense. Besides, we took 3 players for a combined $2.75 million. If the PFL are this financial juggernaut with huge pull with players, why couldn't they stop 3 cheap players from defecting? I signed a player from NY to come to Charlotte for half a season on a league minimum contract. It was the easiest deal I ever negotiated. It's a clear indication of where players really want to be and how much loyalty PFL money buys. Cross league signings works in our favour if we're more proactive. The PFL knows that, which is why they puffed out their chest at the first evidence of that fact.

[GM Gates]

We have also actively traded a lot of players to the PFL to get out of big contracts. So in some cases players might not want to deal with us because they know some GMs see them as expendable. Add in extra amnesties and that amplifies.

Did it ever occur to you that the PFL didn't keep those three players from leaving so that this type of war and poaching could start? They want our players, they just needed a reason to start it. We gave them that opportunity.

[GM Oldfield]

Can no rep be an option?

[GM Black Death]

He right... they want to survive,  cross league promotion works if we have rules in place , none of this needed to happen, because we seen it in the past,  most of the guys will abuse this resources if they get the chance. Sometimes we need to play the game and humble ourselves little bit, we don't mean it but who cares , because of this war shit we got worry about this not winning games. It a distraction.  Reason I want to get elected is because I got nothing but time to think about this , no other distractions but this , can you say that

[GM Gooch]

Can no rep be an option?

The last time we went with no rep as an option it went really, really bad for us.

[GM Pancho]

If you want to make god/mod laugh ... tell him about your plans.

[GM Gates]

Sometimes the most obvious solution is the best solution.

[GM Dazz]

Eli's approach is absolutely the wrong one and it's that kind of spineless approach to the PFL that has them acting like they have all of the leverage when in fact they have none. The thing I'm annoyed about is that this has all kicked off over 2 players who probably won't play anyway and a punter, all on small deals. To then offer $15m if the media are to be believed, or even Eli's $5m, is just ridiculous and all of this bending over for the PFL and begging their forgiveness... for those 3 players... is nothing short of embarrassing. Particularly when they've poached plenty in their time. Their poster boy QB Huerta was stolen off my roster at the start of S14 but you didn't see me kicking up a fuss or demanding reparations. I went and found a much better QB instead. If we scrapped the cap, and I'm not suggesting we should, then the PFL would have nothing to offer. If they want to pay some of my bench players $20m to be stars for them while we can sign their better players on team friendly deals, then I'm all for cross-league poaching. Kirk's approach is, unsurprisingly, far too extreme of course which is why I'm hoping Pancho will be a somewhat more moderate version. If the choice ends up the Kirk way or the Eli way then I'm going the 3rd way: do nothing and just deal with the PFL counter as it comes. I'm perfectly capable of working with a budget and building a team around players who want to win rather than the mercenaries the PFL will attract.

[GM Black Death]

Doing nothing will make doing business harder... We would players take your first offer, when they now can go over to PFL.  If your willing to walk way from players you want because they now want bigger deal or they move on  fine. Rookies wanting bigger salary because PFL does not have rookie pay scale.  You pay me this or I don't play. Yeah we can live with , work around it, but why when we don't have to.

[GM Dazz]

Let's not kid ourselves here, whatever truce is made will just be broken by the PFL anyway or one of you lot will break it through carelessness... or spite. The PFL are already offering for our players as we speak. Remember, players already had the option to sign for the PFL in the off-season and the rookies could have declared for their draft instead of ours. These doomsday scenarios you speak of are already possible and yet the players consistently choose the HIFL.

Kirk is right about at least 1 thing: if you pay them off now they'll just be back with their hands out again next season.

[GM Storm]

I don't know anyone well enough to nominate or endorse them but bickering like children over what the best solution is is enough to make me not choose either Kirk or Eli when the time comes.

[GM Storm]

In case it needs to be stated clearer. I abstain.

[GM Black Death]

Only people who would break truce is us...your main argument is you don't want to pay them off. It not even your money, rebel made the error, he would have to pay to them

[GM Jon]

GMs that have either nominated, endorsed, or abstained:

Powers
Lucas
BD
Eli
Franchise
Fosters
Wayne
Big Dog
Jon
Bone
Stark
Gooch
Bennett
Pancho
Digger
Gates
Cory
Evans
Doug
Kirk
Metro
Rinaldi
Justin
Oldfield
Wrong
Dario
Dazz
Rebel
Storm


GMs who haven't:

Strike
Josh

UPDATED

[GM Josh]

I'll second the nomination for BD

[Talon]

NOMINEES
Alabama - GM Pancho (3) (NOMINATION SUCCESSFUL)
Cancun - GM Eli (3) (NOMINATION SUCCESSFUL)
Charlotte - GM Kirk (3) (NOMINATION SUCCESSFUL)
San Antonio - GM BD (2)
Michigan - GM Fosters (1)
Cleveland - GM Wayne
Lincoln - GM Rex Evans

[Talon]

With all GMs accounted for -- it is time to submit your votes.

PM ME with the subject title "Interim GM rep vote"

In the message post only the candidate you are voting for.

Your choices are:

• GM Pancho
• GM Eli
• GM Kirk
• None

There is no write-in option, you either vote for one of the three candidates, or you abstain and vote for no new rep until the off-season.
A Majority is required (17/32)   

If a majority is not reached, a new round of nominations and voting will begin from scratch.  This process will cycle until a new interim GM Representative is elected.

Discussion is locked until votes are cast.  Deadline for auto no-vote will be Monday at 6 PM Eastern Time (24 hour voting cycle)