2014 Dynasty Hall of Fame Ballot

NYY #23 · 01-11-2014, 03:14 PM

Over the years there have been 6053 threads on the dynasty forum from 2001 to the present. Some have been good, some have been bad, while others have been great. Quite a few of those never made it off the first page, while others have gone on for years, with thousands of replies.

The Dynasty forums have always been one of my favorite places since I discovered them, and while I always believe that you should create them for yourself first, many have done much more than that. I've been inspired by many dynasties over the years, as I know others have been too.

But after seeing a comment from Orcin calling Big Six's Pat O'Farrell dynasty 'Hall of Fame Inner Circle', and being that time of year where you can't really escape Hall of Fame talk I thought that this would be a fun little way to honor some of those great dynasties, even in a small way. So with that being said it's time for the voting to begin for our Inaugural Dynasty Class of 2014.

I have no idea how this will work out, or what the voting turnout will be, but I thought it was worth a try, and if this is successful this can be an annual tradition.

I've gone ahead and created the 2014 Ballot here:

I thought a Google form would be easiest. It shouldn't require a login and the results will be easy to tally. You are allowed to vote for up to 10 dynasties, and to put your forum name. Voting will last until January 26th with the results announced on the 27th, likely after work.

I put this out a day earlier because nominations have slowed down, and I have a potential conflict tomorrow. I'd rather get this out early than late. Since we went with the rule that active dynasties weren't eligible I added a bonus section at the bottom where you can put in your favorite dynasties from 2013. These aren't required, but a neat way to support some of the active dynasties.

I put together a brief little tidbit about the 21 nominees below. If anyone would like to say anything about any of the nominees feel free to share and encourage your fellow voters. Good luck to all the nominees!

NYY #23 · 01-11-2014, 03:17 PM

1) 2011 Toronto Blue Jays Redux by ryan008

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ays-redux.html

This dynasty lasted about a year and a half in calendar time and followed the Blue Jays from 2011-2021. Ryan008 started with the 2011 Blue Jays roster and built them into a World Series winner and annual contender.

Here's one of the comments from a reader "whooo, awesome! this is definitely one of my favorite dynasties"

Pasted from

2) The Base Ball Life of Patrick O'Farrell by Big Six

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...o-farrell.html

I believe that this one started before the countdowns, but there was an honorable mention in the 2004 countdown:

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ml#post1185850

A fictional player, Pat O'Farrell, inserted into a historical league, and is brought to life by Big Six. Before I read this thread I always thought why would I care about a fictional player, but the way Big Six brought him to life forever changed my thinking.

Here is a shorter history that Big Six put together:

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...l-dynasty.html

I think this comment from that thread sums things up pretty well "This Pat O'Farrell is one of the greatest fictional baseball players ever, just in terms of his story."

3) A Baseball House Divided - the South wins the Civil War by legendsport

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...e-divided.html

The first of two nominees by legendsport on the ballot, and my favorite one of his on the list. This was voted as the second most popular dynasty of 2006:

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ml#post2100261

The concept is pretty self explanatory from the title, the South wins the Civil War. It definitely looks like alternative history was popular in 2006, but another well written story by legendsport. One comment from the thread: "I found this through reading the PLAGUE dynasty (I missed out on a lot of things during my self-imposed hiatus from the game). This was excellent, Joe."

NYY #23 · 01-11-2014, 03:19 PM

4) Beane Counting: The Story of the Oakland A's by Hendu Style

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...oakland-s.html

This one made it's debut after the countdown threads in 2007, but I'm pretty sure it would have ranked at or near the top if there was a countdown.

The premise from Hendu's opening post: "The following takes place before the start of Oakland A's 2007 Spring Training in Phoenix, Arizona. Billy Beane is the famed general manager of the ballclub. His situation is unique to baseball. In 2005, as part of his agreement to remain with the A's, he was given a small stake in the ownership by majority owner Lew Wolff.

Beane has received acclaim (and resentment) for his portrait as a genius in the book, "Moneyball." But he's lost a bit of his luster in the last couple of seasons, as his magic formula for success in MLB hasn't quite added up. Now, for the first time ever, Oakland A's fans will get rare insights by Billy himself, as he blogs the daily goings-on inside the A's organization. Also included will be pertinent wire reports from the Associated Press.

Enjoy."

Hendu follows the A's from 2007 until 2010, until they were bought and headed to Vegas.

A comment from the thread:"Hendu, This is one of the most enjoyable dynasty threads I've come across on the boards. Very interesting and a great read. Not even looking at your almanacs, it gives a great sense of your team. Great job! You're inspiring me to load up Cubby's 2007 roster set and dive head first into a dynasty for my own team across the bay."

5) The Glory of the Gload by Ungrateful Dead

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ory-gload.html

The number 12 dynasty of 2004 follows the career of Ross Gload throughout his career. Read a little bit more about what Yoda had to say here:

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ml#post1134230

This was before my time, so I don't necessarily understand the 'Gload phenomenom' as Yoda calls it, but I read through just to see what it was all about, and it definitely was worth a read, and funny. One select comment from a reader "best.dynasty.ever"

6) The Greater Baseball Co-Prosperity Sphere by legendsport

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ty-sphere.html

This was voted the #3 dynasty of 2006 and here is what was said at the time:
http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ml#post2100246

I didn't read this one until it was nominated, but I have read others by legendsport, including the other on the countdown. I have to say that it was well worth it, especially if you are a fan of alternative history. There is much more history than baseball in this dynasty, but in my opinion it still works well.

Here is one comment from a reader: "Excellent work so far....

This dynasty*just*had it's first birthday and I think I finally see baseball on the horizon.

KUTGW!"

NYY #23 · 01-11-2014, 03:20 PM

7) Islandian Pro Alliance (Ruthlandia-Tycobbia) by Eugene Church

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...-tycobbia.html

One of the rules that I thought we should follow was to exclude active threads from the Hall of Fame. The current Islandian Pro Alliance thread is still going strong after it's start in 2007, and in my opinion that's a true first ballot Hall of Fame thread. It did receive at least a couple of nominations, but Eugene did something unique and created this thread back in 2006 that details the setup and background of the league.

But to call this a setup thread doesn't really do it justice. Team by team he lays out his fictional world, and brings these fictional places to life. These were both done by Eugene, and other members of the forum, and adds a lot to his world. The work that was done was definitely pretty impressive. One comment from a reader"AWESOME! Nice to see the progress, Eugene. It looks like this is gonna be the first thing I read when I get home from work everyday. Thanks for going for it even when you thought it wouldn't work at all. GO CRUSHERS!"

8) Joy in Mudville: A "Friendly" Baseball League Beginning in 1970 by Joy in Mudville

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ng-1970-a.html

Joy in Mudville began in 2007 and ran to 2009 before a problem with the league file ended it. The time frame within the game was from 1970 to 1977 with 9 guys controlling an AL and NL team each as what appears to be an online league. With over 49,000 views it ranks in the top 10 most views.

9) Laseron Baseball Association by Goody/Portlander/Dark Horse

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ll-weekly.html

LBA Summary

I tried to read through each of the nominations that I haven't read before so I could write something brief about each of them. While there was a brief dynasty thread it appears that the main focus was the website, which doesn't appear to be available anymore. Some are available through the archive link above, but he's a brief description from the archive:

"Laseron is a parallel world much like Earth. I have created it from my imagination over the years so that I could install leagues in sports simulations and not be held to pre-conceived notions and histories about the teams and players. The goal of Laseron is to create a baseball world which has its own history and is not connected with MLB that we know here in the real world.
Whether you have a healthy imagination, or you're into science fiction, or if you just want something different from your OOTP4 gaming, the LBA will work hard to be a fun and rewarding league to be a part of. For more information about the LBA take a look at the rules by following the link on the left or email the commissioner."

This is what Eugene Church had to say with the nomination "The Laseron Baseball Association had a great website with maps of all the cities, home-and-away uniforms, great logos. It was an online league, which meant the owners covered the league and wrote stories which were posted on the website."

Looks like it's a shame that more isn't available.

NYY #23 · 01-11-2014, 03:22 PM

10) Mage League Baseball by hawaiiansky

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...bloodball.html

A little about Mage League Baseball from the opening post - "Mage*League Bloodball (MLB) has been formed in Hysterika with eight founding races – humans, orcs, dark elves, dwarves, ogres, halflings, elves and goblins.*

There are two leagues in the MLB – the Hysterikan League and the Irrational League. Each league has eight teams, each filled with players from only one race."

Complete with a best of seven Weird Series, injuries such as "when he attempted to crack a bat over the head of an Unsporting News writer", and Sports Mutilated magazine.

Just on the first page it was described as interesting, fun, and great stuff. This is not like any other dynasty that I've seen before, but that's a good thing. One comment from a reader "Your wit and constant inventiveness are truly astonishing."

11) The Octopus League by Jestor

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...us-league.html

A description of The Octopus League by Jester - "Inspired by the collective genuises of Dagrims, Jazzmosis, and Tib with their respective dynasties, I've decided to embark on my own project that borrows elements in spirit from their tales. While the main focus of this particular dynasty will be on the trials and tribulations of one specific GM/manager, it is also my intention to make this a story about the growth of a league as well. Hopefully this one will draw the interest of people, and hopefully it will last"

This was #13 on Yoda's countdown http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ml#post1760160 and voted #7 in 2005 http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ml#post1441075

Jestor definitely had a way with words. There was one comment in Yet Another OOTP6… dynasty that mentioned that below, and another comment from a reader - "Remarkable depth of vision, Jestor. And truly an original voice. To me, it reads like a combination of Hunter S. Thompson and Jim Murray on peyote."

12) Orcin's Story by Orcin

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...n-s-story.html

Started in 2012 this appeared after the countdowns, but I think it's likely that this would have been a runaway winner. This was one I was lucky enough to be around from the beginning, and I have to admit that my first reaction was why should I care about the Louisville Cardinals, a fictional team in a fictional league. But Orcin brought the team and players to life and I started to care.

From 2001 to 2008 we get to follow Orcin's story with the Cardinals, and later as a BNN reporter, until his return to the Cardinals in 2014 and the end of original story.

One comment from the end of the thread "Just finished all 86 pages... Looking forward to catching up in the other thread now. Great story, Orcin!"

NYY #23 · 01-11-2014, 03:23 PM

13) The Pastime Baseball League by EMSoccerCoach

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ll-league.html

This is one that I remember well. Here is how the league was set-up:

The league features 16 teams who will stage an inaugural draft of 533 players comprised of the best players to debut*
a) before 1900
b) since and including 2000
c) 34 Negro League stars

Each year, players who debuted in a given 5-year segment from the 1900s will make up the 5-round amateur draft pool.

The league ran from 2009 to 2021 and did a really nice job of covering the entire league, and speaking for myself I really enjoyed following along, and miss this one being updated. One comment from a reader "Congratulations on making it through an entire decade, EM! That's a great achievement and it's been a pleasure to follow along with it."

14) P L A G U E !!!!! by metsgeek

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...p-l-g-u-e.html

The number one dynasty of 2006, and you can read what was said here:
http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ml#post2198578

Who would have thought the Haemorrhagic Flu could be so fun. Baseball returns after a 9 year absence with 20% of the population wiped out. A mix between fictional players, the surviving historical players, and some alternative history.

One comment from the thread - "So it has. This is my favorite dynasty of all time. So I'm bumping this for good luck. Kind of how athletes touch a certain icon before a game for luck. I'm about to start my own dynasty, and can only hope it's as well received as Plague was."

15) Robert J. (Bubba) Jones by dsvitak

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...bba-jones.html

I'm going to take the summary straight from the thread:
"This is the story of Robert J. (Bubba) Jones, a hard-throwing right hander taken in the second round, 18th overall pick in my fictional league.

The year is 1928. Bubba is from Hogs Wallow, Arkansas.

Bubba has attributes similar to another Arkansas fella, Jay Hanna (Dizzy) Dean, who once claimed he had all he needed, that being a strong back and a weak mind.

With apologies to Ring Lardner, and Alibi Ike, Bubba's story will be written as a series of letters home to mom, dad, and diverse other characters....including Ella May, of whom you will hear a great deal of later.

I do not know how this story will play out, Bubba has yet to play his first minor league game. Could he be a bust? Only time will tell.

Bubba isn't too bright, but he has a big heart."

I think this is probably the oldest dynasty on the ballot, and probably one of the first narrative dynasties. If you haven't read it yet, it's well worth it. A couple of select comments:

"I'm bumping this classic back to the top, because I've always considered the Bubba Jones story to be the inspiration for my Pat O'Farrell dynasty. I confess I really wanted to see those two threads together on the front page of the dynasty forum.

If you're new to the OOTP boards and you haven't read this, you need to fix that quickly. You'll be glad you did."

"You still owe for about six hours of lost work one Saturday afternoon when i discovered this dynasty ...

Seriously, this and Pat O'Farrell are the gold standard in my book for best single-player dynasty stories …"

NYY #23 · 01-11-2014, 03:25 PM

16) SHORT HOP - My Life In Baseball by David Driscoll by Tib

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...-driscoll.html

This one was before my time as well, but this was the #1a dynasty of 2004:

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ml#post1187581

From the into from Tib - "It was originally intended to be an exercise in writing a first person memoir, but quickly grew to become something more. Since there has been but few "career journals" entered here, I thought you all might like to read something a little different, a little more like a real novel. Nothing against the fine work or Mr. Mau et al, but I confess I always wondered how far this new genre of "sim-based fiction" could go. Would the depth of a simulation engine like OOTP and ITP be enough to produce a rich, novel-length story? Could it produce drama, comedy, suspense? You bet it could, as you will see."

Yoda had this to say in the countdown:""Short Hop" is far and away my favorite dynasty on these boards. There are great ones (as previously mentioned and of course the #1), but none really compare to this. It's like a book is being written before our eyes and I am always very eager to read the next chapter in David's life. Seriously, if you haven't read this one, read it. Take it little by little (as there is no way you can finish it in one sitting), and it will*totally*be worth it!"

I never knew there was an ITP dynasty forum when I found this, but when I found out a couple of years ago it was like finding a little gem.

17) Teofilo Stevenson Pro Simulation by professordp

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...imulation.html

First, I've never ventured into the TBCB area of the forum, so thanks to Kobeck for this nomination. Second, I really didn't know what to expect because I know nothing of the game, and only have a minimal knowledge of boxing. But I did try and follow the rule that I would at least try and read anything nominated that I haven't read before. I wasn't sure how that would work with this one, but I went in thinking that I'd give it a page or two and wouldn't like it.

But that didn't happen, at all. This is the career simulation of Cuban Olympic Gold Medal winner Teofilo Stevenson, following his 1976 Gold Medal performance. The reports were coming from Skip Bailey, who I quickly found out was a fictitious scribe. But I've spent the past four days going through 24 pages, and thoroughly enjoying the story.

I think that this comment from dragon29 sums things up nicely"For the past 2 days, I've gone from beginning to end of this universe and it's absolutely amazing. The research that went into this, the political (boxing politics AND Cuban politics) knowledge and knowledge integration into the uni, the imagination, the superb write ups, the introduction of new characters mixing fantasy and reality - it's been a very surreal experience. Please tell me that you are currently making money writing movie scripts and novels. If you are not doing it as a living, I hope an agent in the industry reads this and is as impressed as I am. Thanks you for putting as much as you did into the universe. I am now going to start "A Partial Eclipse of the Sonny". I have always been a big fan of "what if" unis and have done several of my own. Thank you for the continuing inspiration with this work of art."

18) Tiger Fan's Sporting News: A multi-sport dynasty by Tiger Fan

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...t-dynasty.html

This was the #2 dynasty of 2004:

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ml#post1184433

Once again I'm going to quote what Yoda had to say: "TFSN is the most in depth dynasty on this board. Each update is one full day. If you haven’t read or looked at this, then you’re probably thinking, “Oh, one day is nothing special.”*Then*you realize that each update is around 2,000 words and add in the fact that he covers multiple sports."

This was not only ambitious, but well done. A sampling of a couple comments:
"It isn't the year that draws us in, it is the quality of the writing.:

"I agree with what Seth said. When I sit down to read, I may as well be picking up the sports section of the USA Today."

NYY #23 · 01-11-2014, 03:27 PM

19) Time Warp Baseball by Matt from TN

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...-baseball.html

This was voted as the number 2 dynasty in 2004 and you can read what was said here:
http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...32-post25.html

And had an honorable mention on Yoda's countdown where he said this"What some would call the end all and be all of the dynasty forum. This one started out as Matt’s own league where he was just recreating history (with fictional players), and it turned into this HUGE thing. They (“they” meaning the people in the Time Warp league) have kept the league pretty confined to a few polls (for Hall of Famers) and a whole bunch of threads where the owners in the league go on about their teams. You could easily lose a few days going over all that is written about Time Warp. The original thread itself is 224 pages and counting. Then if you count the*Pirates,Tigers, and*Reds, then you add another 30 or so pages. Lastly, how could you forget about the*Website. There is something for everyone in this dynasty. But my advice would be to start at the end and if need be work backwards. There is just too much stuff to read there."

This has both the most posts, and views of any dynasty. I came around the forums after this was already wrapped up, and it's pretty intimidating due to the size, but it's hard to argue it's success and quality.

20) There's something brewing - A Badenian going America by Loeffle

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...g-america.html

Loeffle has this to say at the start of the thread "
This is my first try writing a dynasty. As I'm not a native speaker I hope you are able to get what I write. But on the other hand there are even some famous Americans who don't know the difference between Australia and Austria*

Reading the stories of*darkcloud4579, majormet, Purple Cowboy*and*Dauis*was a big inspiration for me. I adopted many ideas, but try to do this story my own way."

The journey begins in 2007 with the Milwaukee Brewers, and continues to 2013, with the last two seasons with the expansion Winnipeg Bisons. Based on thread views this is in the top 10 of all-time. It looks like people were able to get what he wrote.

21) Yet Another OOTP6 Dynasty: The Pale Hose by cknox0723

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...pale-hose.html

This one was before my time, but was the #1 dynasty of 2004:

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ml#post1190677

The premise is pretty simple, taking a 'craptastic' team and turning them around. In this case the White Sox, aka the Pale Hose. The thread consists of one season, with daily game recaps, but it's really the writing style that makes this stand out, in my opinion. I think Orcin said it best when he said "this is one of the best day-by-day reads on the forum".

Here's a sample of one of the comments from a reader:

'God I love having this back. With this and the Octopus League, I feel so inadequate with the English language. It can be such a beautiful thing.

Awesome job Craig. I'm having a hard time keeping up with your updates, but they are sure a lot of fun to read.'

NYY #23 · 01-15-2014, 08:31 AM

We've got 8 ballots so far, so just a reminder to get your ballots in.

Denny Lemaster · 01-15-2014, 09:33 AM

I've lurked around here for a looooong time. Good to see some of those gems from years ago be remembered. History on forums is usually measured in days and weeks, to be stretching back a decade(!) is amazing.

mirrf · 01-15-2014, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYY #23

Over the years there have been 6053 threads on the dynasty forum from 2001 to the present. Some have been good, some have been bad, while others have been great. Quite a few of those never made it off the first page, while others have gone on for years, with thousands of replies.

The Dynasty forums have always been one of my favorite places since I discovered them, and while I always believe that you should create them for yourself first, many have done much more than that. I've been inspired by many dynasties over the years, as I know others have been too.

But after seeing a comment from Orcin calling Big Six's Pat O'Farrell dynasty 'Hall of Fame Inner Circle', and being that time of year where you can't really escape Hall of Fame talk I thought that this would be a fun little way to honor some of those great dynasties, even in a small way. So with that being said it's time for the voting to begin for our Inaugural Dynasty Class of 2014.

I have no idea how this will work out, or what the voting turnout will be, but I thought it was worth a try, and if this is successful this can be an annual tradition.

I've gone ahead and created the 2014 Ballot here:

I thought a Google form would be easiest. It shouldn't require a login and the results will be easy to tally. You are allowed to vote for up to 10 dynasties, and to put your forum name. Voting will last until January 26th with the results announced on the 27th, likely after work.

I put this out a day earlier because nominations have slowed down, and I have a potential conflict tomorrow. I'd rather get this out early than late. Since we went with the rule that active dynasties weren't eligible I added a bonus section at the bottom where you can put in your favorite dynasties from 2013. These aren't required, but a neat way to support some of the active dynasties.

I put together a brief little tidbit about the 21 nominees below. If anyone would like to say anything about any of the nominees feel free to share and encourage your fellow voters. Good luck to all the nominees!

I'm sorry to see that none of your dynasties are on the ballot. You are one of the people who have the perfect balance of narration, updates, & stats. Every dynasty that you have made I've enjoyed, and your tenacity of the worst to first thread is legendary. I will write you in on my ballot. Keep it up.

Edit: On a side note, I think Tib's Short Hop (IMO) is the best dynasty of all time. Again, if you haven't read it, read it. It's buried in the ITP dynasty section, which nobody knows about. Whenever that thread gets bumped I get my hopes up that there's an update. More often than not its just a desperate plea to keep going, thats how good it is.

Orcin · 01-15-2014, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mirrf

I'm sorry to see that none of your dynasties are on the ballot. You are one of the people who have the perfect balance of narration, updates, & stats. Every dynasty that you have made I've enjoyed, and your tenacity of the worst to first thread is legendary.

I was going to demand that "Worst to First" be on the ballot, but he wanted the "must be retired" rule. So I thought it would be bad form to insist that he break his own rule. If he hasn't retired by next year's ballot, I am planning to demand the Lou Gehrig/Roberto Clemente waiver be used.

There's no question that "Worst to First" is a FIRST-ballot HoFer.

NYY #23 · 01-15-2014, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mirrf

I'm sorry to see that none of your dynasties are on the ballot. You are one of the people who have the perfect balance of narration, updates, & stats. Every dynasty that you have made I've enjoyed, and your tenacity of the worst to first thread is legendary. I will write you in on my ballot. Keep it up.

Edit: On a side note, I think Tib's Short Hop (IMO) is the best dynasty of all time. Again, if you haven't read it, read it. It's buried in the ITP dynasty section, which nobody knows about. Whenever that thread gets bumped I get my hopes up that there's an update. More often than not its just a desperate plea to keep going, thats how good it is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orcin

I was going to demand that "Worst to First" be on the ballot, but he wanted the "must be retired" rule. So I thought it would be bad form to insist that he break his own rule. If he hasn't retired by next year's ballot, I am planning to demand the Lou Gehrig/Roberto Clemente waiver be used.

There's no question that "Worst to First" is a FIRST-ballot HoFer.

Thanks to both of you for saying that. That means a lot.

But I do think Denny Lemaster said it best. There were a lot of gems over the years, and a lot of great dynasties that are well written, and worth checking out. Like you said about Tib's, it's definitely buried inside the ITP forum, and I remember the first time I read it, and definitely agree it's one of the best of all time.

I remember discovering OOTP, and becoming addicted, but discovering the dynasty forums, and reading some of the great stories took it to the next level. There have been quite a few that inspired me over the years to try something new, or learn something about the game. Or even just told a good story. So maybe someone will see this, discover one of these gems, and be inspired to post a dynasty of their own, and it'll turn into another Pat O'Farrell, or PLAGUE, or Orcin's Story, or something we haven't seen before.

Edit - and it looks like we've just about doubled the ballots today, so if you haven't voted yet keep them coming.

ghostrobot · 01-15-2014, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYY #23

I put together a brief little tidbit about the 21 nominees below. If anyone would like to say anything about any of the nominees feel free to share and encourage your fellow voters. Good luck to all the nominees!

As a new addition to the forums, you've given me plenty to do while I wait for school to begin again. Thanks for this.

NYY #23 · 01-15-2014, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghostrobot

As a new addition to the forums, you've given me plenty to do while I wait for school to begin again. Thanks for this.

Welcome. And I hope that you enjoy it.

Hurkman · 01-16-2014, 01:43 AM

I have been on these forums for over ten years now, spanning from my sophomore year in college through my professional life now. I have seen some great dynasties and been in a few of them, and I would like to say thank you for being the one to finally put something like this together.

I know we've had threads to rank end of year dynasties before, but if a Hall of Fame can be established on here for the best of the best, I would love it.

Also, your Worst to First dynasty is one of the best of the modern era in here. I'd love to see it get in soon.

NYY #23 · 01-16-2014, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hurkman

I have been on these forums for over ten years now, spanning from my sophomore year in college through my professional life now. I have seen some great dynasties and been in a few of them, and I would like to say thank you for being the one to finally put something like this together.

I know we've had threads to rank end of year dynasties before, but if a Hall of Fame can be established on here for the best of the best, I would love it.

Also, your Worst to First dynasty is one of the best of the modern era in here. I'd love to see it get in soon.

Your welcome, I'm definitely glad to do it.

And thanks for the compliment too.

NYY #23 · 01-20-2014, 03:07 PM

We've got less than one week to go for voting in case you haven't voted yet and intend to. We've got 18 responses so far, so thanks everyone for voting.

pgjocki · 01-20-2014, 03:43 PM

I went in and made my votes as I feel the dynasty reports are what has made this game amazing and keep me interested. I swear that I have learned more about the game, both in real life and OOTP, through this forum and being a somewhat newcomer I was drawn into Orcin's story and passion for writing that has inspired me work on my own fictional creation.

01-11-2014, 03:20 PM	#4
NYY #23 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 13,112 Blog Entries: 17	Nominations 7-9 7) Islandian Pro Alliance (Ruthlandia-Tycobbia) by Eugene Church http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...-tycobbia.html One of the rules that I thought we should follow was to exclude active threads from the Hall of Fame. The current Islandian Pro Alliance thread is still going strong after it's start in 2007, and in my opinion that's a true first ballot Hall of Fame thread. It did receive at least a couple of nominations, but Eugene did something unique and created this thread back in 2006 that details the setup and background of the league. But to call this a setup thread doesn't really do it justice. Team by team he lays out his fictional world, and brings these fictional places to life. These were both done by Eugene, and other members of the forum, and adds a lot to his world. The work that was done was definitely pretty impressive. One comment from a reader"AWESOME! Nice to see the progress, Eugene. It looks like this is gonna be the first thing I read when I get home from work everyday. Thanks for going for it even when you thought it wouldn't work at all. GO CRUSHERS!" 8) Joy in Mudville: A "Friendly" Baseball League Beginning in 1970 by Joy in Mudville http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ng-1970-a.html Joy in Mudville began in 2007 and ran to 2009 before a problem with the league file ended it. The time frame within the game was from 1970 to 1977 with 9 guys controlling an AL and NL team each as what appears to be an online league. With over 49,000 views it ranks in the top 10 most views. 9) Laseron Baseball Association by Goody/Portlander/Dark Horse http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ll-weekly.html LBA Summary I tried to read through each of the nominations that I haven't read before so I could write something brief about each of them. While there was a brief dynasty thread it appears that the main focus was the website, which doesn't appear to be available anymore. Some are available through the archive link above, but he's a brief description from the archive: "Laseron is a parallel world much like Earth. I have created it from my imagination over the years so that I could install leagues in sports simulations and not be held to pre-conceived notions and histories about the teams and players. The goal of Laseron is to create a baseball world which has its own history and is not connected with MLB that we know here in the real world. Whether you have a healthy imagination, or you're into science fiction, or if you just want something different from your OOTP4 gaming, the LBA will work hard to be a fun and rewarding league to be a part of. For more information about the LBA take a look at the rules by following the link on the left or email the commissioner." This is what Eugene Church had to say with the nomination "The Laseron Baseball Association had a great website with maps of all the cities, home-and-away uniforms, great logos. It was an online league, which meant the owners covered the league and wrote stories which were posted on the website." Looks like it's a shame that more isn't available.

01-11-2014, 03:22 PM	#5
NYY #23 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 13,112 Blog Entries: 17	Nominations 10-12 10) Mage League Baseball by hawaiiansky http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...bloodball.html A little about Mage League Baseball from the opening post - "MageLeague Bloodball (MLB) has been formed in Hysterika with eight founding races – humans, orcs, dark elves, dwarves, ogres, halflings, elves and goblins. There are two leagues in the MLB – the Hysterikan League and the Irrational League. Each league has eight teams, each filled with players from only one race." Complete with a best of seven Weird Series, injuries such as "when he attempted to crack a bat over the head of an Unsporting News writer", and Sports Mutilated magazine. Just on the first page it was described as interesting, fun, and great stuff. This is not like any other dynasty that I've seen before, but that's a good thing. One comment from a reader "Your wit and constant inventiveness are truly astonishing." 11) The Octopus League by Jestor http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...us-league.html A description of The Octopus League by Jester - "Inspired by the collective genuises of Dagrims, Jazzmosis, and Tib with their respective dynasties, I've decided to embark on my own project that borrows elements in spirit from their tales. While the main focus of this particular dynasty will be on the trials and tribulations of one specific GM/manager, it is also my intention to make this a story about the growth of a league as well. Hopefully this one will draw the interest of people, and hopefully it will last" This was #13 on Yoda's countdown http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ml#post1760160 and voted #7 in 2005 http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ml#post1441075 Jestor definitely had a way with words. There was one comment in Yet Another OOTP6… dynasty that mentioned that below, and another comment from a reader - "Remarkable depth of vision, Jestor. And truly an original voice. To me, it reads like a combination of Hunter S. Thompson and Jim Murray on peyote." 12) Orcin's Story by Orcin http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...n-s-story.html Started in 2012 this appeared after the countdowns, but I think it's likely that this would have been a runaway winner. This was one I was lucky enough to be around from the beginning, and I have to admit that my first reaction was why should I care about the Louisville Cardinals, a fictional team in a fictional league. But Orcin brought the team and players to life and I started to care. From 2001 to 2008 we get to follow Orcin's story with the Cardinals, and later as a BNN reporter, until his return to the Cardinals in 2014 and the end of original story. One comment from the end of the thread "Just finished all 86 pages... Looking forward to catching up in the other thread now. Great story, Orcin!"

01-11-2014, 03:23 PM	#6
NYY #23 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 13,112 Blog Entries: 17	Nominations 13-15 13) The Pastime Baseball League by EMSoccerCoach http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ll-league.html This is one that I remember well. Here is how the league was set-up: The league features 16 teams who will stage an inaugural draft of 533 players comprised of the best players to debut* a) before 1900 b) since and including 2000 c) 34 Negro League stars Each year, players who debuted in a given 5-year segment from the 1900s will make up the 5-round amateur draft pool. The league ran from 2009 to 2021 and did a really nice job of covering the entire league, and speaking for myself I really enjoyed following along, and miss this one being updated. One comment from a reader "Congratulations on making it through an entire decade, EM! That's a great achievement and it's been a pleasure to follow along with it." 14) P L A G U E !!!!! by metsgeek http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...p-l-g-u-e.html The number one dynasty of 2006, and you can read what was said here: http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ml#post2198578 Who would have thought the Haemorrhagic Flu could be so fun. Baseball returns after a 9 year absence with 20% of the population wiped out. A mix between fictional players, the surviving historical players, and some alternative history. One comment from the thread - "So it has. This is my favorite dynasty of all time. So I'm bumping this for good luck. Kind of how athletes touch a certain icon before a game for luck. I'm about to start my own dynasty, and can only hope it's as well received as Plague was." 15) Robert J. (Bubba) Jones by dsvitak http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...bba-jones.html I'm going to take the summary straight from the thread: "This is the story of Robert J. (Bubba) Jones, a hard-throwing right hander taken in the second round, 18th overall pick in my fictional league. The year is 1928. Bubba is from Hogs Wallow, Arkansas. Bubba has attributes similar to another Arkansas fella, Jay Hanna (Dizzy) Dean, who once claimed he had all he needed, that being a strong back and a weak mind. With apologies to Ring Lardner, and Alibi Ike, Bubba's story will be written as a series of letters home to mom, dad, and diverse other characters....including Ella May, of whom you will hear a great deal of later. I do not know how this story will play out, Bubba has yet to play his first minor league game. Could he be a bust? Only time will tell. Bubba isn't too bright, but he has a big heart." I think this is probably the oldest dynasty on the ballot, and probably one of the first narrative dynasties. If you haven't read it yet, it's well worth it. A couple of select comments: "I'm bumping this classic back to the top, because I've always considered the Bubba Jones story to be the inspiration for my Pat O'Farrell dynasty. I confess I really wanted to see those two threads together on the front page of the dynasty forum. If you're new to the OOTP boards and you haven't read this, you need to fix that quickly. You'll be glad you did." "You still owe for about six hours of lost work one Saturday afternoon when i discovered this dynasty ... Seriously, this and Pat O'Farrell are the gold standard in my book for best single-player dynasty stories …"

01-11-2014, 03:27 PM	#8
NYY #23 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 13,112 Blog Entries: 17	Nominations 19-21 19) Time Warp Baseball by Matt from TN http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...-baseball.html This was voted as the number 2 dynasty in 2004 and you can read what was said here: http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...32-post25.html And had an honorable mention on Yoda's countdown where he said this"What some would call the end all and be all of the dynasty forum. This one started out as Matt’s own league where he was just recreating history (with fictional players), and it turned into this HUGE thing. They (“they” meaning the people in the Time Warp league) have kept the league pretty confined to a few polls (for Hall of Famers) and a whole bunch of threads where the owners in the league go on about their teams. You could easily lose a few days going over all that is written about Time Warp. The original thread itself is 224 pages and counting. Then if you count thePirates,Tigers, andReds, then you add another 30 or so pages. Lastly, how could you forget about theWebsite. There is something for everyone in this dynasty. But my advice would be to start at the end and if need be work backwards. There is just too much stuff to read there." This has both the most posts, and views of any dynasty. I came around the forums after this was already wrapped up, and it's pretty intimidating due to the size, but it's hard to argue it's success and quality. 20) There's something brewing - A Badenian going America by Loeffle* http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...g-america.html Loeffle has this to say at the start of the thread " This is my first try writing a dynasty. As I'm not a native speaker I hope you are able to get what I write. But on the other hand there are even some famous Americans who don't know the difference between Australia and Austria* Reading the stories ofdarkcloud4579, majormet, Purple CowboyandDauiswas a big inspiration for me. I adopted many ideas, but try to do this story my own way." The journey begins in 2007 with the Milwaukee Brewers, and continues to 2013, with the last two seasons with the expansion Winnipeg Bisons. Based on thread views this is in the top 10 of all-time. It looks like people were able to get what he wrote. 21) Yet Another OOTP6 Dynasty: The Pale Hose by cknox0723 http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...pale-hose.html This one was before my time, but was the #1 dynasty of 2004: http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ml#post1190677 The premise is pretty simple, taking a 'craptastic' team and turning them around. In this case the White Sox, aka the Pale Hose. The thread consists of one season, with daily game recaps, but it's really the writing style that makes this stand out, in my opinion. I think Orcin said it best when he said "this is one of the best day-by-day reads on the forum". Here's a sample of one of the comments from a reader: 'God I love having this back. With this and the Octopus League, I feel so inadequate with the English language. It can be such a beautiful thing. Awesome job Craig. I'm having a hard time keeping up with your updates, but they are sure a lot of fun to read.'

01-20-2014, 03:43 PM	#19
pgjocki All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Maryland - just outside DC Posts: 1,576 Blog Entries: 1	I went in and made my votes as I feel the dynasty reports are what has made this game amazing and keep me interested. I swear that I have learned more about the game, both in real life and OOTP, through this forum and being a somewhat newcomer I was drawn into Orcin's story and passion for writing that has inspired me work on my own fictional creation. __________________ - - - World Series championships: 1926, 1931, 1934, 1942, 1944, 1946, 1964, 1967, 1982, 2006, 2011

01-11-2014, 03:14 PM	#1
NYY #23 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 13,112 Blog Entries: 17	2014 Dynasty Hall of Fame Ballot Over the years there have been 6053 threads on the dynasty forum from 2001 to the present. Some have been good, some have been bad, while others have been great. Quite a few of those never made it off the first page, while others have gone on for years, with thousands of replies. The Dynasty forums have always been one of my favorite places since I discovered them, and while I always believe that you should create them for yourself first, many have done much more than that. I've been inspired by many dynasties over the years, as I know others have been too. But after seeing a comment from Orcin calling Big Six's Pat O'Farrell dynasty 'Hall of Fame Inner Circle', and being that time of year where you can't really escape Hall of Fame talk I thought that this would be a fun little way to honor some of those great dynasties, even in a small way. So with that being said it's time for the voting to begin for our Inaugural Dynasty Class of 2014. I have no idea how this will work out, or what the voting turnout will be, but I thought it was worth a try, and if this is successful this can be an annual tradition. I've gone ahead and created the 2014 Ballot here: I thought a Google form would be easiest. It shouldn't require a login and the results will be easy to tally. You are allowed to vote for up to 10 dynasties, and to put your forum name. Voting will last until January 26th with the results announced on the 27th, likely after work. I put this out a day earlier because nominations have slowed down, and I have a potential conflict tomorrow. I'd rather get this out early than late. Since we went with the rule that active dynasties weren't eligible I added a bonus section at the bottom where you can put in your favorite dynasties from 2013. These aren't required, but a neat way to support some of the active dynasties. I put together a brief little tidbit about the 21 nominees below. If anyone would like to say anything about any of the nominees feel free to share and encourage your fellow voters. Good luck to all the nominees!

01-11-2014, 03:17 PM	#2
NYY #23 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 13,112 Blog Entries: 17	Nominations 1-3 1) 2011 Toronto Blue Jays Redux by ryan008 http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ays-redux.html This dynasty lasted about a year and a half in calendar time and followed the Blue Jays from 2011-2021. Ryan008 started with the 2011 Blue Jays roster and built them into a World Series winner and annual contender. Here's one of the comments from a reader "whooo, awesome! this is definitely one of my favorite dynasties" Pasted from 2) The Base Ball Life of Patrick O'Farrell by Big Six http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...o-farrell.html I believe that this one started before the countdowns, but there was an honorable mention in the 2004 countdown: http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ml#post1185850 A fictional player, Pat O'Farrell, inserted into a historical league, and is brought to life by Big Six. Before I read this thread I always thought why would I care about a fictional player, but the way Big Six brought him to life forever changed my thinking. Here is a shorter history that Big Six put together: http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...l-dynasty.html I think this comment from that thread sums things up pretty well "This Pat O'Farrell is one of the greatest fictional baseball players ever, just in terms of his story." 3) A Baseball House Divided - the South wins the Civil War by legendsport http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...e-divided.html The first of two nominees by legendsport on the ballot, and my favorite one of his on the list. This was voted as the second most popular dynasty of 2006: http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ml#post2100261 The concept is pretty self explanatory from the title, the South wins the Civil War. It definitely looks like alternative history was popular in 2006, but another well written story by legendsport. One comment from the thread: "I found this through reading the PLAGUE dynasty (I missed out on a lot of things during my self-imposed hiatus from the game). This was excellent, Joe."

01-11-2014, 03:19 PM	#3
NYY #23 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 13,112 Blog Entries: 17	Nominations 4-6 4) Beane Counting: The Story of the Oakland A's by Hendu Style http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...oakland-s.html This one made it's debut after the countdown threads in 2007, but I'm pretty sure it would have ranked at or near the top if there was a countdown. The premise from Hendu's opening post: "The following takes place before the start of Oakland A's 2007 Spring Training in Phoenix, Arizona. Billy Beane is the famed general manager of the ballclub. His situation is unique to baseball. In 2005, as part of his agreement to remain with the A's, he was given a small stake in the ownership by majority owner Lew Wolff. Beane has received acclaim (and resentment) for his portrait as a genius in the book, "Moneyball." But he's lost a bit of his luster in the last couple of seasons, as his magic formula for success in MLB hasn't quite added up. Now, for the first time ever, Oakland A's fans will get rare insights by Billy himself, as he blogs the daily goings-on inside the A's organization. Also included will be pertinent wire reports from the Associated Press. Enjoy." Hendu follows the A's from 2007 until 2010, until they were bought and headed to Vegas. A comment from the thread:"Hendu, This is one of the most enjoyable dynasty threads I've come across on the boards. Very interesting and a great read. Not even looking at your almanacs, it gives a great sense of your team. Great job! You're inspiring me to load up Cubby's 2007 roster set and dive head first into a dynasty for my own team across the bay." 5) The Glory of the Gload by Ungrateful Dead http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ory-gload.html The number 12 dynasty of 2004 follows the career of Ross Gload throughout his career. Read a little bit more about what Yoda had to say here: http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ml#post1134230 This was before my time, so I don't necessarily understand the 'Gload phenomenom' as Yoda calls it, but I read through just to see what it was all about, and it definitely was worth a read, and funny. One select comment from a reader "best.dynasty.ever" 6) The Greater Baseball Co-Prosperity Sphere by legendsport http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ty-sphere.html This was voted the #3 dynasty of 2006 and here is what was said at the time: http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ml#post2100246 I didn't read this one until it was nominated, but I have read others by legendsport, including the other on the countdown. I have to say that it was well worth it, especially if you are a fan of alternative history. There is much more history than baseball in this dynasty, but in my opinion it still works well. Here is one comment from a reader: "Excellent work so far.... This dynastyjusthad it's first birthday and I think I finally see baseball on the horizon. KUTGW!"

01-11-2014, 03:25 PM	#7
NYY #23 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 13,112 Blog Entries: 17	Nominations 16-18 16) SHORT HOP - My Life In Baseball by David Driscoll by Tib http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...-driscoll.html This one was before my time as well, but this was the #1a dynasty of 2004: http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ml#post1187581 From the into from Tib - "It was originally intended to be an exercise in writing a first person memoir, but quickly grew to become something more. Since there has been but few "career journals" entered here, I thought you all might like to read something a little different, a little more like a real novel. Nothing against the fine work or Mr. Mau et al, but I confess I always wondered how far this new genre of "sim-based fiction" could go. Would the depth of a simulation engine like OOTP and ITP be enough to produce a rich, novel-length story? Could it produce drama, comedy, suspense? You bet it could, as you will see." Yoda had this to say in the countdown:""Short Hop" is far and away my favorite dynasty on these boards. There are great ones (as previously mentioned and of course the #1), but none really compare to this. It's like a book is being written before our eyes and I am always very eager to read the next chapter in David's life. Seriously, if you haven't read this one, read it. Take it little by little (as there is no way you can finish it in one sitting), and it willtotallybe worth it!" I never knew there was an ITP dynasty forum when I found this, but when I found out a couple of years ago it was like finding a little gem. 17) Teofilo Stevenson Pro Simulation by professordp http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...imulation.html First, I've never ventured into the TBCB area of the forum, so thanks to Kobeck for this nomination. Second, I really didn't know what to expect because I know nothing of the game, and only have a minimal knowledge of boxing. But I did try and follow the rule that I would at least try and read anything nominated that I haven't read before. I wasn't sure how that would work with this one, but I went in thinking that I'd give it a page or two and wouldn't like it. But that didn't happen, at all. This is the career simulation of Cuban Olympic Gold Medal winner Teofilo Stevenson, following his 1976 Gold Medal performance. The reports were coming from Skip Bailey, who I quickly found out was a fictitious scribe. But I've spent the past four days going through 24 pages, and thoroughly enjoying the story. I think that this comment from dragon29 sums things up nicely"For the past 2 days, I've gone from beginning to end of this universe and it's absolutely amazing. The research that went into this, the political (boxing politics AND Cuban politics) knowledge and knowledge integration into the uni, the imagination, the superb write ups, the introduction of new characters mixing fantasy and reality - it's been a very surreal experience. Please tell me that you are currently making money writing movie scripts and novels. If you are not doing it as a living, I hope an agent in the industry reads this and is as impressed as I am. Thanks you for putting as much as you did into the universe. I am now going to start "A Partial Eclipse of the Sonny". I have always been a big fan of "what if" unis and have done several of my own. Thank you for the continuing inspiration with this work of art." 18) Tiger Fan's Sporting News: A multi-sport dynasty by Tiger Fan http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...t-dynasty.html This was the #2 dynasty of 2004: http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ml#post1184433 Once again I'm going to quote what Yoda had to say: "TFSN is the most in depth dynasty on this board. Each update is one full day. If you haven’t read or looked at this, then you’re probably thinking, “Oh, one day is nothing special.”Thenyou realize that each update is around 2,000 words and add in the fact that he covers multiple sports." This was not only ambitious, but well done. A sampling of a couple comments: "It isn't the year that draws us in, it is the quality of the writing.: "I agree with what Seth said. When I sit down to read, I may as well be picking up the sports section of the USA Today."

01-15-2014, 08:31 AM	#9
NYY #23 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 13,112 Blog Entries: 17	We've got 8 ballots so far, so just a reminder to get your ballots in.

01-15-2014, 09:33 AM	#10
Denny Lemaster Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 4,837	I've lurked around here for a looooong time. Good to see some of those gems from years ago be remembered. History on forums is usually measured in days and weeks, to be stretching back a decade(!) is amazing.

01-16-2014, 01:43 AM	#16
Hurkman All Star Reserve Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 760	I have been on these forums for over ten years now, spanning from my sophomore year in college through my professional life now. I have seen some great dynasties and been in a few of them, and I would like to say thank you for being the one to finally put something like this together. I know we've had threads to rank end of year dynasties before, but if a Hall of Fame can be established on here for the best of the best, I would love it. Also, your Worst to First dynasty is one of the best of the modern era in here. I'd love to see it get in soon.

01-20-2014, 03:07 PM	#18
NYY #23 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 13,112 Blog Entries: 17	We've got less than one week to go for voting in case you haven't voted yet and intend to. We've got 18 responses so far, so thanks everyone for voting.