04-04-2022, 04:27 PMspooked Wrote:

04-04-2022, 04:14 PMACapitalChicago Wrote: I will concede that yes, the J is getting to a point where we're having this legitimate discussion that some people would rather be in the J than the SHL. In that regard, sure you can have a valid argument that the J is less about direct development instead of passive support resulting in more activity construed as development and that would be a fair point. However there is the existence of the inherent issue of there being only so much we can do to promote moving up to the SHL when people view it so undesirably, for whatever reasons they have. Maybe they don't want to get crushed by higher TPE players, maybe they don't want to leave a group they love, maybe they want a chance to flex their muscles, maybe they think there's more parity in the J, whatever it may be these are valid concerns. However this is also circling back to where some of the conversation started, and is bordering on redundancy. You do have a good point about the impossibility of balancing newer users against established ones in regard to TPE disparities, as we can't have our cake of letting good players be good and eat it too in making sure they're not too much better than those without that TPE.

The issue with the attitude was that SMJHL HO felt a sincere lack of respect or understanding in regards to how our systems operate or how decisions made would affect us. Numerous times decisions were made that appeared to be done so without a care as to how they would change things in the J, such as the tendies change, the update scale change, drafted-but-not-signed players change that was almost completely overruled unknowingly the season after we established it, and many others. On the specific topic of the drafts, if you really want to consider J GMs not wanting to draft prior to SHL GMs as based in competition, feel free, but that feels disingenuous at the least. J GMs don't want to draft after the SHL GMs because of competition reasons, they do it so as to have as best a wholistic approach to their team as possible to ensure the best possible experience for their team. Having a team only comprised of forwards for example compromises that, and risks our overarching goal of retainment. Yes, GMs can still change their roster, but that's besides the point and doesn't address the main focus here.

Yes the intent behind the update scale changes were admirable, but that doesn't change that the impact and breadth of said changes were not fully examined in multiple lenses. I understand the perception that there's no interaction between SMJHL HO & SHL HO, but things have since changed. Without throwing people under the bus, I would point primarily to a breakdown in communications between the primary point people that were supposed to facilitate cooperation between the HOs that caused that original perception. However, since then, both myself and Finn have been more active in each other's HO to provide context and insight when necessary. In addition, we've also created an All HO joint server for topics that affect both leagues so as to ease communication between us. I understand the perception may not have been favorable, but that is far from the reality currently. Honestly speaking as well, I think merging the groups is a terrible idea that would result in a loss of specialization and needless bloat that'll result in far more harm than good.

I'm not going to refute anything you said, I did say from what my experience was which is mainly limited to a few seasons ago, so fair enough. I am happy to hear more communication is happening, I think the main point I was trying to get to with the "merging comment" was that rather than the focus being on the SMJHL or SHL for the two groups, the focus really needs to be at the site-level at this point. The specialization will still be needed for day-to-day activities, but when it comes to initiatives or rule changes, or any other systems, I think the teams should work much much closer together than I had ever seen in my iteration of HO. It never felt like the two HOs were pushing in the same direction when I was in it, so I hope that can be the case cause without the J being fun the SHL will suffer, but if the SHL cannot be fun then the J won't keep up growth either cause not everyone is down for it either.

Entirely fair. Thank you for this conversation and for your perspective, I'm very glad to talk these things out. I think there's some interesting ideas present, but the execution and realization of them can be a very difficult process