[Strick9]

Just wondering what others opinions were on the actual challenge of the game. I know I've run across a few posts here that griped that the game was too easy without house rules, but I'm not finding that to be the case at all.

I'm just playing as GM of a team from the original 16-team startup leage included with the game, and now in my 13th season of managing the team. Aside from that 1st year (with default rosters and personnel) I've never even had a winning season. I went thru 3 seasons when i actually had the worst record in the league, over 100 losses each year. With this last season I finally feel like I'm pulling myself out of the hole record-wise, though I had to spend quite a bit on a few big-name free agents to get there and I'm probably going to have to retool with prospects to make my next run at the playoffs. Not that I've even made the playoffs, yet. Also my fan interest tanked, and has just been slowly, steadily increasing over the last 3 seasons.

This is playing in Commish mode, but I rarely trade--and even more rarely do those trades involve one I've started myself, over the years there have been several i've accepted from the AI but i found it too easy in commish mode to just force the trade so I really just refrain from starting any. So some may consider that a house rule. Otherwise i'm playing with coaching and scouting on, and full financials, and i'm finding the challenge of the gameplay to be rewarding. I remember playing OOTP4/5 and going thru a span of 23 years were i made the playoffs every year but one.

Anyway, I just wanted to throw this out there and get anybody else's feelings on the challenge, or lack thereof, to OOTP2006. I guess there's always the possibility that I just bite at being a GM, but I'm hoping not.