For some reason the massive urge to blog took hold of me, and as i had a spare moment i thought, what the hell...

I feel we are at a turning point in humanities evolution. I'm not talking about the X-men (although i am one - keep it quiet to protect my secret identity), nor am i talking about the imminet change in leadership of Britian from Shiny Golden Tony (boo) to Dour Bronzed Brown (er...boo also). No, the precipice on the edge of which we currently stand affects us one and all. The Switch to National Leagues...

It's not often this blog actually relates in any way to the game in which it sits, but sometimes we must pay respect to our roots. So i shall do so. The talk on the forums, usually a decent capture of ML public opinion (although this is usually in the form of a series of "Nice one (tup)"s and simmilar - on that topic, i have started to simply disagree with what the general tone is, just for kicks. Not once have i had a response. I think i just get ignored on the forums! - god this is a long bracket tangent - i feel like Victor Hugo (please tell me if you got that reference), time to bring it back home) is, pauses for breath, that this is ultimately a good thing.

Is anyone nodding? Do i see one person at the back gesturing for me to give my two pennies? I believe i do...

My feeling is, and i'll put this upfront, is that it is obviously essential to the development of the game that National Leagues come into play. Taken to a logical extreme, The pyramid league system, which is fine for a certain number of teams to be involved in, becomes unrealistic at the larger numbers of players. It would be very unweildy to keep tagging on another division when the one above fills up, especially as each time its four times bigger than the one it feeds into! Too much trouble.

No - in the grand scheme of things, the National league move is the right one, and given that it comes (i think, dividing 24 by 12) two years after the game started it is the right time.

But, and this i admit is a massively selfish view to take, i have a few downsides that i feel i must get off my chest!

1. Division 3/13, where i have been in a spiritual sense, if not by league position, for a good number of seasons, feels like home. We have an active forum, good cameraderie and we usually get rid of the div 2 reject by sending him back where he came from. It's a tight knit bunch, and i know when Adib stupidly got promoted, he missed us.  But we know our days are numbered. The move to the national league will split us up good and proper! I would like to know, were i to move across to the national league, that the guys from my div who are coming too will be dropped into the same division, if only for company!

2. I am very aware that, for the first season at least, there might be a greater chance at glory in the National League. Chances are they won't be filled up rapidly, so a middling team in one could well go far, at least for a season or two. This looks tempting, certainly - but there is a logical alternate plan to this! Those who stay in the international league will slowly find their opposition leaving, making their chances of success greater by staying where they are, as time goes on! This is such a dilema for those middling managers like myself! Down which path does the best chance at glory lie, as both paths cannot be travelled!

3. (completing the tryptich) erm... no actually, it's just the two above.

Ultimately, I am leaning towards an instant move to the National League (England, if you are interested). It's a new, fresh challenge and one i think Banditos are ready to attempt (especially as relegation beckons this season. I hope some friendly rivals come too, but it would be good to know that we won't be randomly scattered across the English league. Ideally, as my team hails from a small corner of South America Known as Patalonia (not to be confused with Patagonia) if there was a Patalonian league, i would be delighted to join it, although obviously lonely. Maybe some friends would come join me...

That said, part of me wishes there was some kind of system whereby we could "buddy-up" for a move to the National League. We could take a few friends across too. It would be like the end of Cocoon where all the old people go together. I am so not being the one left behind! Why on earth would you stay! Eternal youth is on offer.

Nevertheless, the extra competitions and the possibility of (i hope) being elected to NAtional Manager status is too much to risk for the sake of continued contact with rivals. Sod you all - I'm going for the GLORY!

(Please note - Eternal Youth is NOT on offer in the National League. I'm not getting sued over that one again...)

In other news...

Spinner continues to hinder my movements through London's multifaceted transport system. I think he dropped his free paper at the bottom of the Escalator at Bond Street last week, and instead of leaving it, turned around to try and pick it up, oblivious to the moving line of people behind. This is a unique variation on the scenes mentioned in my last blog. I'd link to it here, but i can't be bothered. You can use a computer, i'm sure you'll find it!

My Organised Cups are still open for the Weekend. Copa el Banditos VI and VII are for teams in div 4 and below. Join up if you like!

So thats that, a mid month blog for the first time in ages. It feels good to break the chain. Do i have anything else? Actually yes, but i'm going to put it in another entry, just for kicks!