Official England EurOpen Team at Cardiff and beyond

[Podfrey]

I personally try to avoid posting opinions in discussions on TE where I can, but I have a couple of thoughts.

It's good to see the discussion moving forwards. With less than 5 months before the Euros it might be worth focusing on a decision for this year only as a temporary solution and, in November, review how that worked and decide on what we want as a more permanent solution. Test & Learn!

Given the current captain's opposition to having a single TE EO team, perhaps all Teams should be eligible for this year only (see above about temp vs perm)? The only criteria is that each coach in the team has to buy and wear a shirt. That way we get to see whether people still feel special for being official or jaded that they haven't "earned" it. How would we differentiate? Possibly adding "TE:" to the start of the team name?

On this issue of numbers I, and several other EurOpen players, have "cap numbers" already. Under the system that Mark proposes would we have a two tier cap system? This would also need considering in reverse (i.e. a "TE EurOpen" coach is involved in the EB8 team in a subsequent year). Perhaps it might be simpler just to adopt a single "cap number" record for all?

[Leipziger]

[quote=“Podfrey”] Given the current captain's opposition to having a single TE EO team, perhaps all Teams should be eligible for this year only (see above about temp vs perm)?

The only criteria is that each coach in the team has to buy and wear a shirt. That way we get to see whether people still feel special for being official or jaded that they haven't "earned" it. How would we differentiate? Possibly adding "TE:" to the start of the team name?

On this issue of numbers I, and several other EurOpen players, have "cap numbers" already. Under the system that Mark proposes would we have a two tier cap system? This would also need considering in reverse (i.e. a "TE EurOpen" coach is involved in the EB8 team in a subsequent year). Perhaps it might be simpler just to adopt a single "cap number" record for all?[/quote]

Geoff I don’t think Dave is opposed to a single team, I thought Bren was saying Dave didn’t feel he should pick it?

I think Nippy’s prospective plan is definitely the way to go this year. Get teams put forward, let the community decide, and away we go.

Re: caps, they’re not the same competitions so having a separate EO cap makes sense IMO. Bringing the two things under one classification waters down the value of the Eurobowl caps.

[Nippy Longskar]

Yeah as far as I know Lycos supports the one EO TE idea, but doesn't feel he is the one to choose it (fair enough, it is not part of the captain's responsibilities at present).

We now have two clear options for 2018:

1) a single team, picked from interested teams by process of a hidden community vote (i.e. results are not visible during tge voting)

2) a set of Europen team englands, in an 'open to all' format.

Lets pick between those two before making a call on cap numbers.

Can everyone who's interested please weigh in with which option they prefer (and why if you like).

Thanks everyone!!

[Pipey]

Not sure whether Lycos agrees in principle or not. He said he didn't want to pick that's for sure.

I'll vote for Nippy's #1. More important will be the opinion of those who are playing EO.

[besters]

I'd go with Nippy No 1 too!

[Leipziger]

Option number 1 for me too.

[Wobert]

Only just read this . . . . now Maverick's PM about do we want Team England shirt's makes sense! I have nothing against the TE chaps but I thought Maverick was asking if I wanted a shirt on that said Lycos or someone else on the back and I'd look like a right fanboy. I said no before . . . . but now I get it. I'll talk to my team mates . . . . Maverick is of the right calibre, I suspect the poor dumb fools he has saddled himself with may pull down the team average

My 2 pennies worth . . . . .

I think this overall is an excellent idea, I like the idea of having a Team England in the Open as well. Just a thought, but do you want a very slightly different TE shirt? One that is minus the stars as Team England haven't won the EO yet? Following their inevitable triumph this year the shirt gets a different colour star? I dunno, may not work.

For this year it makes sense that either a vote or a choice by Lycos would make sense for who it is. I guess if the coaches knew what team they were going to play then even the team with the highest combined NAF rankings could take it . . . . a bit more hassle though to work out.

Personally I wouldn't want a TE just for the sake of having one. I want one because I earned it i.e. I made it on to one of the teams. If that happens I'll happily pay for the shirt (and the scarf, and the socks and the underpants!) but not until then.

Ok . . . maybe I need to stop playing stunties and actually focus on a proper team without any foolishness . . . . . oh dear.

[Pipey]

I don't think you can have two sets of numbers. If I played EO for England I don't think I'd want a new number, I already have one. Doesn't make much sense to have two. There are 25 people (and counting) who have played for England and might be in the same boat going forward.

For me the solution is to stick with only the EB 8 getting cap numbers. The EO Team England would have "Team England EurOpen" on their shirts under the logo, EB Team England have "Team England Eurobowl" on theirs. Any other English participant wanting to wear a shirt wouldn't get this extra line.

I think every England shirt should have the same logo, same stars.

Again I'd argue for another symbol below the logo (stars above) denoting EO wins if we manage to win one. A silver diamond (or silver star?) alongside the gold stars?

Question to Nippy and all - do you envisage this system could be used going forward so 2020 onwards i.e. community votes for one of the registered three? I feel it could work. Do you agree it would help if we brought forward the naming of the EB 8 to March or April to allow people a little more time to organise themselves for EO?

[Podfrey]

#2 for me Nippy (but "TE" status is optional for each eligible team, not mandatory)

[speedingbullet]

Option No. 1 for me.

With respect to cap numbers, I feel these should be for EuroBowl team members only.

[mawph]

Of the two options, option 1 would be my preference (being someone who isn't going at all, but is weighing in with an opinion)

My complicating question is: "why one EO team only?"

A free for all doesn't feel quite right, but should it only be the one team representing in EO, seems as though its an arbitrary number which may leave some (should they not fall the right side of the line) feel more disenfranchised than currently.

[Sandwich]

I'm not going to EB/EO this year, and most years for the foreseeable future it won't be happening due to clashing with birthdays.
But I think a question is in future years, would there be one "official" team England for the EO?

In my opinion, anyone who has put themselves forwards for the EB (meeting the various criteria etc), but not been selected for the team, should be offered a place in the Team England EurOpen fold. I'm fully aware that some people might want to form their own teams if not selected for EB (hence saying they should be "offered" a place), but what reason is there for people not being part of Team England?

For this year, I think it follows on from an answer to that. If there will only be one TE EO team in future, then keep it to one for now. If not, then why not have more?

[speedingbullet]

...... But I think a question is in future years, would there be one "official" team England for the EO? In my opinion, anyone who has put themselves forwards for the EB (meeting the various criteria etc), but not been selected for the team, should be offered a place in the Team England EurOpen fold ....

I've never been to a EuroBowl or EurOpen but am going to Cardiff. One of the reasons I'm going is that it is close which makes that judgement call around family / time / money that much easier. But like lots of people, I still have an opinion even though I won't always attend.

My "instinct" for want of a better word is that the EuroBowl is the serious part of the competition, the only competition in Blood Bowl between national teams. It would be a shame if the EurOpen, which could perhaps be viewed as more of a celebration of Blood Bowl alongside the international competition, became dominated by national teams. Having just one representative England team in the EurOpen feels like the right balance, particularly as other nations appear to be doing the same. It could in the future (subject to the on-going debate) be used to bring coaches into the national set up for possible future selection for a EuroBowl. It allows other teams (clubs or friends) to test themselves against a team of top coaches. But the EurOpen retains its flavour with the majority of the teams being more informal groupings of coaches.

[Nippy Longskar]

I'm not going to EB/EO this year, and most years for the foreseeable future it won't be happening due to clashing with birthdays.
But I think a question is in future years, would there be one "official" team England for the EO?

In my opinion, anyone who has put themselves forwards for the EB (meeting the various criteria etc), but not been selected for the team, should be offered a place in the Team England EurOpen fold. I'm fully aware that some people might want to form their own teams if not selected for EB (hence saying they should be "offered" a place), but what reason is there for people not being part of Team England?

For this year, I think it follows on from an answer to that. If there will only be one TE EO team in future, then keep it to one for now. If not, then why not have more?

Hiya Sandwich...I think your thinking is in line with where option one is going...anyone who wants one can have an England shirt and be 'in the fold', but only one of those teams of three are the actual EO TE with cap numbers of some kind.

Am I representing your thinking accurately...or are you actually more in favour of option 2?

[deeferdan]

I'm certainly in favour of an option 1 approach. It's about calrity of communication and not watering things down for me. Option two feels both a bit (potentially) confused and also takes away from the achievement of being picked.