Prediction League - new rules and format

[Brown Nose]

I've now (kind of) read the various threads in here but I remain somewhat confused by the format. It says a lot that I'm not even sure if I'm confused or not. Maybe I'm alone in this, if so apologies. My defence is the argument that this format is 'out there' in PL terms.

I'm supposed to pick 10 teams that play this weekend anywhere in the world (except friendlies) and PM the names of said teams to BM. Then lots of weird scoring goes on. The purpose is to select teams that, one, you think will win and, two, you think will win against supposedly better sides based upon finishing positions last season. And draws are good if you pick the worst team, but not if you pick the best. Is this basically the point?

We also have a cup thing in a few days so need to pick 10 more teams playing where/when(?) and send them to you too. When is the cut off for sending in team names and which games fall into which category? Do we need to only consider cup games for cup rounds? Maybe that's clear somewhere but I've missed it.

Isn't there a clear advantage in this for those anal sorts that know about far flung footy rather than those whose knowledge resides mainly in Blighty? Presumably the variation in the Mongolian 3rd Division is wider than in England. Some knowledge of the FA Cup equivalents in the world would be a clear advantage too. Just saying like.

We've also got to find the fixtures ourselves rather than have them spoon fed to us as Boc did. This is likely to result in lots more no-shows is it not?

 

[Blue Maniac]

I'm supposed to pick 10 teams that play this weekend anywhere in the world (except friendlies) and PM the names of said teams to BM.

Yes.

Then lots of weird scoring goes on. The purpose is to select teams that, one, you think will win and, two, you think will win against supposedly better sides based upon finishing positions last season. And draws are good if you pick the worst team, but not if you pick the best. Is this basically the point?

More or less.

We also have a cup thing in a few days so need to pick 10 more teams playing where/when(?) and send them to you too.

Yes.

When is the cut off for sending in team names

When their game kicks off. Or is that not what you're asking?

and which games fall into which category?

I'm not sure I understand this question.

Do we need to only consider cup games for cup rounds? Maybe that's clear somewhere but I've missed it.

No. Next week's cup matches will be Monday to Thursday. A thread will be started for that this weekend.

Isn't there a clear advantage in this for those anal sorts that know about far flung footy rather than those whose knowledge resides mainly in Blighty?

No. I'm happy to post ranking lists on request.

Presumably the variation in the Mongolian 3rd Division is wider than in England.

I have no idea, but anyone attempting to send predictions for such will be asked to find valid, verifiable league tables for the Mongolian fourth division.

Some knowledge of the FA Cup equivalents in the world would be a clear advantage too. Just saying like.

I expect not. On balance, I imagine points available from English games will be about the same as anywhere else. Perhaps more, in fact, because the Football League divisions and the Conference, at 24 teams each, are bigger than most others in the world.

We've also got to find the fixtures ourselves rather than have them spoon fed to us as Boc did. This is likely to result in lots more no-shows is it not?

I have linked to a site where fixtures can be found. If people would like me to, I can post Premier League / Football League fixtures in the relevant threads.

 

[Mawsley]

Toomanyfuckingwords

 

[spionfox]

We've also got to find the fixtures ourselves rather than have them spoon fed to us as Boc did. This is likely to result in lots more no-shows is it not?

My source is http://live.skysports.com/ScoreCentre/football.html

 

[FryattFox]

I have linked to a site where fixtures can be found. If people would like me to, I can post Premier League / Football League fixtures in the relevant threads.

I'm out until you post every fixture in every sport at every level.

And even then I'm doubtful.

 

[Blaarev]

I'm out until you post every fixture in every sport at every level.

And even then I'm doubtful.

we're all doubtful

 

[spionfox]

If a team you pick draws, you just score the ranking points. So if Everton draw with United, you get 5 points.

Hi BM. As you know I am having a "thick ****" day today, so bear with me.

When submitting predictions, isn't it going to make more sense to pick teams from the lowest league possible as their ranking points will be so much higher in the event of a draw than if you pick teams from the top levels?

E.G. if the bottom ranked team in the Prem gets a draw it is 20 points but the bottom team in the whatever lower league gets a draw it will be 278 points or whatever.

Is this right?

 

[Jeff]

Hi BM. As you know I am having a "thick ****" day today, so bear with me.

When submitting predictions, isn't it going to make more sense to pick teams from the lowest league possible as their ranking points will be so much higher in the event of a draw than if you pick teams from the top levels?

E.G. if the bottom ranked team in the Prem gets a draw it is 20 points but the bottom team in the whatever lower league gets a draw it will be 278 points or whatever.

Is this right?

If you pick a lower ranked team, a draw will earn you the ranking points difference between your team and their opponents. So you're not going to get 278 points.

 

[Blue Maniac]

Hi BM. As you know I am having a "thick ****" day today, so bear with me.

When submitting predictions, isn't it going to make more sense to pick teams from the lowest league possible as their ranking points will be so much higher in the event of a draw than if you pick teams from the top levels?

E.G. if the bottom ranked team in the Prem gets a draw it is 20 points but the bottom team in the whatever lower league gets a draw it will be 278 points or whatever.

Is this right?

Only when you're predicting cup matches between teams from vastly different levels, and then of course you run a high risk of scoring nothing.

Having only been playing as long as you, I believe the best tactic (in theory) is to pick a low-ranked team from a large league. For example, if you pick a newly-promoted team in Iceland or Wales to beat the champions, your maximum points for that pick will be 16. But if you pick Yeovil to beat Wigan, you can score 29.

 

[spionfox]

If you pick a lower ranked team, a draw will earn you the ranking points difference between your team and their opponents. So you're not going to get 278 points.

Told you I was having a "Thick ****" day.

Cheers

 

[Blue Maniac]

Oh, and to get to 278 I'd have to do ranking lists for levels 12 and 13, which is over 100 leagues and well over a thousand teams. Not happening.

 

[spionfox]

Oh, and to get to 278 I'd have to do ranking lists for levels 12 and 13, which is over 100 leagues and well over a thousand teams. Not happening.

Pah! Boc would have done it :icon_wink

 

[Blue Maniac]

I wasn't expecting this to come up this early in the season, so a small clarification after the events of this weekend.

In the event of an abandoned match, any picks from that match will be void. If this happens with one of your picks, I will PM you as soon as possible and invite you to replace them. Feel free to name an 11th team in reserve if you like, but in most cases I'll send you a PM within a few minutes of an abandonment.

 

[spionfox]

In the event of an abandoned match, any picks from that match will be void. If this happens with one of your picks, I will PM you as soon as possible and invite you to replace them.

Presumably with a team who aren't currently in the middle of their own fixture :icon_wink

 

[Blue Maniac]

Presumably with a team who aren't currently in the middle of their own fixture :icon_wink

I told Beaumont to **** off on Saturday because she tried to pick Fulham two minutes after they kicked off :icon_lol:

 

[OldGit]

So if the last fixture over the available dates is abandoned/ postponed at the last minute then ...er...??

 

[bocadillo]

So if the last fixture over the available dates is abandoned/ postponed at the last minute then ...er...??

Obviously then ...er ... **** off.

 

[Blue Maniac]

So if the last fixture over the available dates is abandoned/ postponed at the last minute then ...er...??

Then you've been very unfortunate.

 

[Jeff]

Wouldn't it be fairer to count the score at the time the match was abandoned?
That way the person who just happens to be online at the right time to make a new prediction won't have an advantage.

And once the pools panel starts up you should use their results for postponed games.

 

[Blue Maniac]

Wouldn't it be fairer to count the score at the time the match was abandoned?

No. Awarding points for half a game seems wrong somehow. Where do you draw the line? If a match is abandoned after five minutes, should that count too?

That way the person who just happens to be online at the right time to make a new prediction won't have an advantage.

I did think of this, but there was only one person who didn't replace their pick this time around. It's probably fair to take the chance that most people in the League either a) log in at least once a day over the weekend and will see the PM or b) will be keeping track of football news anyway, and will notice an abandonment.

And once the pools panel starts up you should use their results for postponed games.

I think that would defeat the whole point of the scoring system.