CSL - Ensuring a Safe and Entertaining Sport

The Galactic Sports League this week released a statement of response in light of officials complaining that players and owners were abusing their position by “talking trash” towards GSL officials and their role within the Colonial Shockball League.  The GSL statement, which The Shocker obtained a copy of, warned of the following:

“Over the past recent weeks, the abuse towards Galactic Sports League personnel has reached a level where we will no longer accept the attitudes that players and owners take towards our officials.  We acknowledge and accept that in the game, players have to be brutal at times towards their opponents in order to win, sometimes this is characteristic of a particular player who the fans can associate his or her attitude to that player.  However, we would like to remind everyone that their attitude is kept in check outside of the match.  The Galactic Sports League will not tolerate any such more abuse and will enforce punishments to teams for not being able to control the attitude of their members.  Punishments will come in the form of points being deducted from the team league table, suspending players found guilty or exacting fines upon the teams in question.”

A spokesperson for the Galactic Sports League emphasized that this statement was only a reminder after complaints were made by GSL officials.  All investigations will follow procedure through the League Marshall’s Office.

Fans Want More From Players; Shockball Responds

There has been a growing demand by the fans of the CSL to see more interviews with their favorite players, according to some polls.  In response, reporters have been talking to various players within the CSL about their teams, their goals and what it’s like to play in the CSL.  Our newest report, Azmatha Secura was thrown in at the deep end when we asked her to bring us an interview with a player.  Thinking this could be a difficult task, we were pleasantly surprised when she turned up at the editor’s office after having caught up with Sigbjoem Obie, Winger for the Ranger:

Azmatha: So, can you start off by giving us a bit about what you do for your Shockball team, the Corulus Rangers?
Sigbjoern Obie: Well, I’m a wing, typically I play right wing but occasionally I’ve been called upon to play other positions.  I also help the Rangers out by observing our performance and observing areas in which we can improve our game.
Azmatha: And what do the Rangers need to improve on?
Sigbjoern Obie: Well, we really do need to do something about all the drones taking over for our players. Like in our recent match against the [Lothbo] Rancors, we really struggled there at the very end of the game when we had loads of drones on the field.
Azmatha: Well, the Rangers’ record this season is 3-3, it’s not exactly a stellar record but it is solid, and you could have a much better record by the time the season ends.  What are you planning to do to improve that record?
Sigbjoern Obie: Well, we’ve really been trying to see what play style suits us, and hopefully we’ve found it by now, and I hope that in turn will allow us to put more wins on our scoreboard.
Azmatha: Next season, there are quite a few new teams that will be competing for the first time. What advice would you give to the owners of the new teams to help them succeed?
Sigbjoern Obie: I think really the key to victory and excellent ownership is knowing your players.  When to switch them, when to sub them, what skills they might need to improve on, and that sort of thing.  Owners who are more engaged with their players have much better records than those who don’t.
Azmatha: And how about brand-new players?  What advice would you give them?
Sigbjoern Obie: Well, I suggest that they just take a close look at their performance and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses and see whether they ought to be more or less aggressive, and just to talk with their team owner and try to augment the team with your skills.
Azmatha: OK, I’m sure they’ll all appreciate the advice.  Moving on, lately the Shockball scene has been dominated by the alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs.  One player has already been ruined by the use of said substances, and we at The Shocker would like to know whether you suspect other players might be using such drugs, and if so, who?
Sigbjoern Obie: Well, as far as I’m aware, there aren’t any rules against the use of such substances, so I do think that there might be users here and there.  Also, Locago [Locago the Hutt, owner of the Lothbo Rancors] might be forcing his players to use those drugs, I’ve never really trusted the Hutts much.  But as I said I don’t think there are any rules against it.
Azmatha: Well, thank you so much for the interview!
Sigbjoern Obie:  My pleasure.

Results From Investigations Confirmed

Last week’s investigations were opened by League Marshall Maryk Dreikyn after several complaints were lodged regarding results of several matches played.  During the week the League Marshall has been conducting these investigations with what the Marshall’s Office has described as ‘due diligence in order to close these cases swiftly and release its findings.  In a statement to the Galactic Sports League Governing Body, the League Marshall reported his findings in the following statement:

“In the investigation into the tremendous defeat by the Pelentar Flares last Sunday in which they only scored 7 points, the investigation was to determine: how the team failed; if illegal substances were used; and if they had not disclosed the proper information about absent players during the week which may have contributed to their loss.  The conclusion to this investigation is as follows:  The League Marshall found no illegal activity happening within the team. 

Disorganization and weekly changes to the lineups coupled with administrative difficulties have seen the team suffer each week in their game play.  It is believed that this is the cause of their losses, not, as it had been claimed, due to harmful substances being used by players to try and boost performance, which may have had a negative reaction.”

The next results in investigations conducted by the League Marshall were over an anonymous tip that Jeff Dread of the Rancors had intentionally thrown the match in favor of the Rangers which saw the Rangers come back to steal victory against the Rancors.  This investigation was of prime importance to the League Marshall's Office as it was an allegation of match fixing which would not have only affected the teams but also the gamblers.  The resulting investigation into this matter was concluded in the same report to the Governing Body:

“The game between the Lothbo Rancors and Corulus Rangers had been investigated after an anonymous tip-off claimed that Jeff Dread of the Rancors had thrown the match in favor of the Rangers.  The investigation shed light on the clear rivalry between Locago the Hutt, Owner of the Lothbo Rancors, and Troon Kebris, owner of the Corulus Rangers.  Mr. Kebris denied the claim that he paid Jeff Dread, claiming that he had no need to ‘pay off players of an inferior team’ confident that his team was going to succeed regardless of the way in which Jeff Dread played.  Jeff Dread also claimed publicly in The Shocker, the weekly news magazine of the Colonial Shockball League that he was indeed paid to throw the match but had not received his money. 

…The League Marshall's Office believes that the claim to match fixing was false, there was insufficient evidence to support the accusation and it is also believed that the claim made by Jeff Dread was nothing more than a publicity stunt which only hampered the progress of the investigation into this accusation.  We find both the Lothbo Rancors and the Corulus Rangers innocent of foul play.  However, due to the actions of Jeff Dread and his inability to comprehend the impact he made into the investigation, we hereby fine the Lothbo Rancors the sum of 3,000,000 credits for the actions of Jeff Dread.”

Representatives for The Galactic Sports League were unavailable for comment, only stating publicly that their policy is to always use the recommendations made by the League Marshall and should the findings be seen as faulty to those involved, appeals against the decisions can be made with the Governing Body itself and the case will be reviewed and decided upon as a final ruling.

The Future of Sponsorships

As the Colonial Shockball League continues to attract attention from spectators, team investors and players, it also attracts companies who wish to advertise their wares to the millions upon millions who watch, play and who in many different ways participate in it.  Sponsorship in this first season was done through canvassing - finding companies who might be interested in putting money in to sponsor the games, the league, the conferences and the teams.  To make all these options fair to everyone the GSL has announced this week that it plans to look into ways in which auctions or sponsorship bids might help even the playing field for corporations looking to get their brand names and products out there to everyone within the CSL.

This idea may tie in with the prospect of the GSL’s own internal market.  This market would allow team owners to bid for players, allow players to look for teams, allow all aspects of the CSL to have bids made for sponsorship and finally to allow teams to look for sponsors.

It's not an easy life in the CSL.  Sometimes it can be quite long for teams who are down on their luck.  However the GSL wishes to allow them to keep their experiences positive by giving all teams the chance to enjoy part of the shared revenue that is only unique to the CSL.


RESULTS

The Lines Are Clear

It's been no secret as of late that the Outer Rim Conference teams have a higher win rate than the Core Worlds Conference teams.  There’s not really any reason for this other then the training that seems to give the Outer Rim Conference the edge.  Although perhaps it’s just luck, or maybe it’s some trade secret only shared between the Outer Rim teams.  Whatever the reason, the wins are clear with most Outer Rim teams having 5 wins whilst the highest Core World team has managed only 3 wins.

Could this effect the bets at the end of the season when the best of the Core Worlds and the best of the Outer Rim go head to head for the grand prize?  Perhaps.  However, with last week’s matches in the Core Worlds Conference, teams have shown that despite being the clear underdogs for the grand prize even the least of them can pull a Krayt out of the bag and steal victory.

Yes of course we are talking about the Calivir Crushers match against Endor Supernovae.  The Crushers have been struggling over the past few weeks in their matches with a string of losses problems with their blocking.  Somehow though they managed to turn the game with Endor around and make it a win.  It’s no surprise that people who bet on Endor did so knowing the track record of the Crushers however despite the odds on their past matches being against them, the Crusher played well, they played hard, and they won.

Crusher’s player Jiddo was heard in the locker room during the mid-match break as telling his team to ‘lay the smack down’ on the Endor players.  This might show that their game play was as much about blocking and tackling as it was about scoring.  With the constant changes between Maryk Dreikyyn, Sephi Trammer and Lucian von Schreider for blocking, it seemed that before the 3rd period most of Endor’s team was out and drones were in to make up the numbers.  Could this new intense training be paying off for them?  It seems so.

When asked about the way in which the Crushers played, Jiddo said “The guys played great.  We had a balanced effort by everyone.  We got people spitting blood from the start and then hanging on there until the end.  Teenek went out flat and cold, and he was up and playing a few moments later.  And he got a masterful 4 pointer while hanging on with his bare teeth!  …And horns!

“We had our attacking guys hit as madmen and do the dirty work needed to nail this one down.  For the first time we were in control of a game, not of a single period.  We gave them the second (2nd period) but it was more them hitting some cross-sector shots than anything else.  We passed, we hit hard, we ran, we defended!  Hell yeah, I’m proud of these guys!”

Could this aggressive style of defense be the way forward for teams who are struggling?  The Crushers have certainly staved off being at the bottom of the Core Worlds Conference with this win.  Now they focus their attention on the Meerec Wildcats, a team whose track record of winning have made them a team to be feared by the less-victorious teams.  Maybe the Crushers can pull it off again, maybe it was just luck.  They have at least shown to the rest of the teams that even the best of the Conferences can fall foul to the underdogs.

Outer Rim Highlights

Kabal Onslaught showed why they’re on a string of wins when they scored the weekend’s record win-out of all the matches’ played by beating the Pelentar Flares 68 - 24.  Although a win against the Flares is usually expected, such a score certainly has boosted the morale of the fans who support Onslaught.  Their 54% possession throughout the game made it only easier for them to ramp up the points in their favor.  The Flares on the other hand have been going from bad, to mediocre, to bad and then to worse with the recent shut-out.  It is unclear as to why, but after an investigation by the League Marshall concluded it was down to their line-up changes each week.  Despite their attempted changes with their team, they seem to have been getting no rest from the constant aggressive game play of their opponents each week.

Will this affect the Flares next season?  With Archon Romanus moving to own the Dolstan Destroyers some of the fans have speculated that maybe the bad luck and track record might go with him, putting the blame squarely at his feet for the way in which the Flares have been playing as of late.  Maybe the hopes of the Flares getting a break next season are what is keeping them going but with results that showed Onslaught tackled three times more than the Flares and 101 blocked asses by Kabal passes whilst Flares only blocked 21.  There does seem to be a definite need for Flares to pick their gaming up and come back fighting.

This match has placed Onslaught firmly at the top of the Outer Rim Conference whilst the defeat to the Flares have pushed them to the bottom of the Core Worlds Conference as the Calivirs won, ensuring that the Flares have to work even harder now to take third-place in the Conference.




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Credits:  Written by Maryk Dreikyn.  Contributing Reporter, Azmatha Secura.  Edited by Fenn Drayson for the State Wireless Network.  Brought to you by the Colonial Shockball League, The Labor Union, and Auvasa Corp.