First off, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to compete in Lucky Dog Cup and Busch this year.  I have found it to be interesting and a different type of format from the other fantasy racing games I currently play and have played in the past.  Fantasy sports are something that I didn’t have much interest in until my brother encouraged me to play.  I particularly enjoy the competition between my family and myself, but I am also perfectly content just watching the race.

 This season I have not participated in any chats on the message board.  I’m luck to get my picks done for this league and the other 6 that participated in.  In addition to fantasy racing I work 2 full-time jobs, have attended 10 weddings since the start of the year from one coast of the US to the other (My fiancé and I have also been in 7 of them), and have been planning my own wedding, a very time consuming event I might add.  So I have not had much time to comment on the forum.  I think the premise of the forum is a good one,  the idea of permitting those playing the game to communicate with one another and allowing people with like interests to create friendships.  However, from the few times I visited the forum, it seems that this idea is not what some people have in mind.  It is very sad that some people use the forum to belittle and berate other’s character.  I work with young children and find it sad that we teach our young to cooperate with others and not to say anything if they can’t say anything nice, to ignore others when they bother you, etc.  But adults on the forum can’t just let someone’s comments go without commenting on them.  It’s called ignoring the situation; one should not keep it going to make a bigger deal out of the situation than it really is.  I personally was not involved with any of the situations so I am looking at it as an outsider. Since I was not personally involved I am not taking anyone’s side because I don’t know what really happened and choose not to listen to hearsay. 

 I do feel however, that the council was established for a reason and that when the president makes decisions without them it negates the purpose of a council.  I also feel that when one member has the power to control others without being responsible to anyone you run the risk of having a dictatorship.  These are just some of the issues I noticed reviewing the forum postings.   I just feel that it is very sad that adults can’t get along for a season to play a game!!!  That is what Lucky Dog is, a game. It isn’t life or death it’s a game.  I think all of you need to take the off season to look at yourselves and reevaluate the kind of information you post, the purpose of a message forum, and how you look at playing a game.  I am sorry that I will not be returning next year, but hope for the good of the league that the issues that happened this year don’t repeat themselves and that some of the issues that arose maybe addressed during the off season.  I wish you all luck in the last race of the season and next year for all who are returning.  I know I wasn’t much of a contender, but enjoyed the competition.

Sincerely,

Molly “Speedrace Mo” Riney

 I want to wish Nathan Helton good luck this week.  He has been great competition in the race for Rookie of the Year.  It has been lots of fun no matter who wins. To me that is what racing leagues are all about, having fun with other NASCAR fans.

I like playing in racing leagues online and have considered Lucky Dog Cup and Busch to be a valuable learning experience.    I know many of you have read my previous post       (Oct 13,2006 2:28 p.m. ) regarding the lack of professional conduct on the forum.  I wish I could say that it was taken seriously.  Name calling and personal attacks should have stopped.  Unfortunately, it has continued

I suppose many of you read Will Riney’s post (Posted Nov 15, 2006 10:27 p.m.).  Well, I am the one that called one of the items to his attention.  As a mother of three, I never liked it when children were upset and they threatened to take their toys and go home.  When such a remark was inferred by the president, (Posted Sept. 15 11:40 p.m. )  I discussed with Will that I didn’t want to participate in a league with that kind of behavior.  He encouraged me to stay as he felt things would cool off and get better. And I was having fun and that’s what it’s all about isn’t it? 

When I posted (Oct 13, 2006 2:28 p.m.) asking for more responsible behavior the president remarked how he would never live it down if his wife did better than he did

(Posted Oct 13, 2006 2:43 p.m.).   I don’t know about the rest of you but I consider all of you great competition.  Not just the men or not just the women all of you!! 

So despite the fact that I consider most of you loyal and fun loving NASCAR fans, I will not be returning to play next year. Thanks for the opportunity to compete and good luck to all of you in your future endeavors.

DixieLee