Re: Career-ending injuries?
Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 1:04 am
I'm going to sleep on my decision and post it sometime during the day on Monday.
After much personal deliberation and reading the posts from this thread, I have decided to uphold the Vinny Lecavalier (and Chris Thorburn) career-ending injury and any subsequent CEIs that may occur in EHEC.
I realize that on some level, the notion of two career-ending injuries in one season is somewhat unrealistic. That being said, there are plenty of real-life incidents that EHM cannot possibly account for. Car accidents, disease, non-hockey related health problems, and several other scenarios that EHM could not possibly produce. I know that it may seem like a stretch to use that as a basis for an on-ice incident. But, for an on-ice incident, take the Trent McCleary case from 2000. McCleary blocked a shot in the throat, had to have an emergency tracheotomy, and barely lived. But, the injury left his windpipe 15% smaller and he was forced to retire as a result. He suffered a collapsed lung as well.
I have no way of knowing what the exact injury is to Lecavalier. My in-game response to a chest injury would be to what? Drop his endurance in to the 30s? Drop some other random attributes? If I downgrade Lecavalier's attributes because of an injury, at what point does he become useless to Justin, especially at his high salary? Further, at what point do I justify returning those attributes to their previous level, or even a more average level?
For those who wanted me to let the injury play out and then make a decision from there, what is the basis for my decision? A random number generator? How is that any different from what EHM does to produce the injury in the first place?
The software is limited, flawed, but yet provides us all with the opportunity to be here in this league today. What Parker said was entirely correct. Despite its flaws, this is our simulation engine. We can do what we can to fix the game's finances, to use the shootouts program to not have games end in ties. I can manipulate the schedule, manipulate the farm team affiliates, and manipulate the draft but, at some level, we have to let the game do its thing other than just simulation.
Overall, though, what it boils down to is that there are too many questions to answer by amending the injury to a long-term one. If I lessen his attributes, why don't I lessen all long-term injured players' attributes? Wouldn't Drew Doughty and his 6M injury affect him? How about Brendan Morrow's indefinite injury? To simply edit a player solely on the basis that his injury forced his retirement while a real-life knee 6+ month knee injury may eventually force the player's retirement within a year or two seems like a double standard.
There's a point where too much becomes too much. For me, this is that point. We're opening up all kinds of new questions and issues by taking this injury and making it something more than it is.
Justin, I apologize that the bad luck has fallen on you. I felt awful when it happened during my sim and I feel awful being the one who has to break the tie and make the final decision. But, the way you have handled it has been incredible and I commend you for it. It's very impressive and I hope it continues in light of my ruling. Lecavalier will be placed in your staff and you can put him wherever you wish. I will edit somebody out and make his coaching attributes based on the type of player he was and the fact that he was a captain at a young age.
Thanks for all the responses to this thread and for keeping it civil. I appreciate the discussion and the boost in activity. I wish it were as a result of different circumstances, but it is what it is.
Will Vinny be able to join the coaching staff for the Cup run or is he still in the in-game hospital hooked up to a respirator?
