AND THAT'S NOT IT.  I HAVE FEW THINGS TO SAY.  FIRST OF ALL, I THINK IT'S CLEAR I COULDN'T GIVE A **** ABOUT THIS LEAGUE ANYMORE.  CORRECTION, I DON'T GIVE A **** ABOUT THE DRAMA IN THIS LEAGUE ANYMORE.  I STILL LIKE PLAYING AND GETTING SOME EXCERCISE YADA YADA YADA.  BUT, I THINK IT'S RIDICULOUS HOW UNFAIR THE COMMITTEE CONTINUES TO BE.  ELTON, YOU'RE A GOOD GUY IN GENERAL, BUT IF YOUR'E GONNA BE THE COMMISSIONER, WHICH BY THE WAY I STILL SAY YOU SHOULD GET A FREE ENTRY EVERY YEAR CAUSE YOU DO MORE THAN ANYONE, YOU HAVE TO BE FAIR TO EVERYONE.  EXAMPLE, NOLAN COMES IN AND PLAYS A COUPLE GAMES THIS YEAR.  SURE, ONE OF THEM WAS THE LAST GAME OF THE SEASON AND DIDN'T MATTER, BUT THE OTHER ONE DID.  THERE'S NO CONSISTENCY IN THAT.  AND THERE'S DEFINATELY NO CONSISTENCY IN LETTING MARVIN IN THE LEAGUE OVER A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A FEW YEARS TO GET IN.  NO OFFENSE TO YOU MARVIN, YOU SEEM LIKE A GOOD GUY, BUT THIS ISN'T ABOUT YOU.  IT'S ABOUT GETTING PEOPLE IN ON FAVORS INSTEAD OF GETTING PEOPLE IN WHO HAVE BEEN WAITING.  NICK'S ONE OF MY CLOSE FRIENDS, BUT HE'LL BE THE FIRST ONE TO AGREE WITH ME.  I DON'T BLAME HIM EITHER.  IF HE CAN GET SOMEONE IN AND THE COMMITTEE LETS HIM, THEN WHY NOT?  IS THERE REALLY A WAITING LIST?  IF SO, WHERE IS IT?  WHO'S ON TOP?  I GUESS MY POINT IS **** SAMER.  START THE GAME AT 9 LIKE EVERYONE HAS BEEN READING IT ON THE WEBSITE FOR A WHILE.  IT'S NOT ABOUT EGOS.  I KNOW IT'S NO BIG DEAL IT'S ONLY 30 MINUTES BUT IT'S ABOUT PRINCIPAL.  SOMETHING THE COMMITTEE HAS SEEMED TO LACK.  OH, ONE MORE THING.  WHEN I GET TWO TECHS AND GET THROWN OUT OF A GAME.  YOU GUYS ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO STICK TO THE RULES AND SUSPEND ME FOR THE NEXT GAME.  "RULES ARE RULES, RAY, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THEM", BUT YOU DON'T FOLLOW THEM IN ANY OTHER CASE.  WHY DON'T YOU GUYS SUSPEND PEOPLE FOR DIRTY PLAY LIKE NATE WAS TALKIING ABOUT, INSTEAD OF YELLING AT SOME STUPID LOSER REFS WHO DON'T EVEN REF FOR US ANYMORE.  I HOPE ABOONA MIKE'S TEAM SMOKES SAMER'S TEAM.  I WILL BE CHEERING FOR DR. KEJBOU TO GO OFF FOR 40 POINTS.  GO ALTAR BOYS, DEATH TO SAMER. 

Ray, ease up on the ALL CAPS, at least do half and half, that sh!t hurts my eyes...and you already know that I don't see that well to begin with.

Anyway, Nolan did play in two games, but they were both in Week 10 (seeding and playoff matchups had already been decided). 

Alex played in a game for me too, and Emil in a game for Nick...bottom line, none of those games had any impact on who was getting into the playoffs and neither one affected the standings.  The only thing that was in limbo all season up until week 8 was the fourth seed.

Anyway, your point is enforce all the rules all of the time...My point is enforce the ones that matter when they matter.  "Hey Ray it's not the NBA, just go out there to play and have fun"...does that sound familiar?  Ask Fadi, he'll tell you.  Even though I think we're very competitive, it's still a friends' league, if you had to step out a season and came to a game and we needed a sub, I'd put you in too...so breathe in, breathe out and relax.

As far as stuff that happens in a game, it's up to the refs to call.  If you blew up and got two techs, that's your own fault.  Penalty is a 1-game suspension.  Just like getting six fouls means you fouled out, those rules are like commandments, they don't change. 

As far as the dirty play, the refs have to call the game the right way, and in reality, it's playoff basketball, people do things as long as they can get away with it.  Some people lack skill so they try to use other means, what do you want me to tell you?  For me, as long as you're not trying to hurt somebody, and you don't play like a jackass, and the refs don't call it, then it's fair game. 

Do you see what I'm saying?  I can't give somebody a suspension for pulling on my jersey when I'm going for a rebound, I know people do it (Zeke, DP, John B, Ray, Dani, Tony J, Dave "you know" Dave Dally), yeah it's messed up, but sometimes people get away with it.

By the way, it's not about principal...the playoffs and finals times are there as general guidelines.  We have the entire three hours to use.  Sometimes things come up, like if Mike called me for his playoff game, I would have asked them to hold off for a few minutes longer.  Granted, Samer posting the message with out confirming with Mike was rude, but when accommodations can be made we try to make them.  The whole reason I made the champ games at 9 in the first place instead of 8:30 was so that the guys that close up shop at 8pm can make it in time to warm up etc...

Anyway, you owe me a drink for making me respond with this long ass post, and if you actually read through the whole thing, I'll get you one too.