[waialua359]

Originally Posted by Dave Flowerday

I assume you mean the field got tougher as a result of this decision... if that's what you meant then I might disagree.

The field only got tougher IF some of the HOF teams choose to reapply (and that's assuming they will still have quality entries). I don't know that it's a given that any will reapply. Personally (not speaking for my team), I'd rather not compete for the CA again and instead see someone else win it (I'm not assuming that we'd win again if we applied, but if we don't apply then I know we won't win, so I figure the odds of someone else winning if we don't apply are as good as or higher than if we do).

If our team ever re-won the CA, I know we'd be excited. But I think that, honestly, a team who never won it before would be more excited and more inspired, and I'd rather see that. It's just human nature that the first time you reach a milestone it's much sweeter.

Personally, I just don't see a problem here that needs fixing, but if there really is a problem, then I agree with a previous suggestion that creating a separate award that only HOF teams can compete for would be a better solution.

Dave,
actually I meant that since the time some of the HOF teams have won, the field now is actually tougher. Hence, I agree with some of your points.
I'd bet that many of the non-HOF teams are doing just as much if not more based on the fact that HOF teams in the past provided a benchmark of success and layed the framework for other teams to follow and exceed.