Rich;<div> We started in this league on the same day, what, 24 years ago. We missed being founding members by only a couple years, but damn, it's hard to imagine a USML without you! And you're the go-to guy when it comes to constitution questions. I really hope that you'll reconsider now that March is only a couple months away - I'll promise to give you at least a week's heads-up before Draft Day!</div><div> Rick</div><div><br><br>On Friday, January 2, 2015, Richard Robbins <<a href="mailto:rerobbins@itinker.net">rerobbins@itinker.net</a>> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr">All of the kind words mean more than you can possibly appreciate -- especially from you Jeff.<div><br></div><div>I've really struggled with this one. For many months.</div><div><br></div><div>I do not want to put the league in the position of needing to fill a vacancy at the last minute, so I thought it best to go public now.</div><div><br></div><div>It's not my poor performance that bothers me. Hell -- I've done much worse many times over. What eats at me is how I approached the game last year -- which was with less respect and energy than is incumbent upon league owners. In that regard, I feel as if I let myself and each of you down in a significant way. I've always said that I trust each owner to do his (or her) level best to compete, if not for the current year, then with a view to building for the future. I'd take that to the bank. That's the underpinning that keeps the league together -- you've got to give a damn about your team. Last year I don't think I met that standard. I operated the Red-Hots without the fire in my belly that I've had since joining the league in 1991. I was ashamed that I had the draft day wrong, something that Rhonda pointed out to me the night before the draft. I let myself down. More importantly, I let each of you down. The league standings may say otherwise, and even the strength of retention rosters may say otherwise, but I know the truth -- I was indifferent last year. I can't reconcile myself to that simple fact.</div><div><br></div><div>So I will continue to reflect on all this -- but I don't think I'm going to change my mind.</div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Jan 2, 2015 at 5:22 PM, Jeffrey Winick <span dir="ltr"><<a href="javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','jhwinick@aol.com');" target="_blank">jhwinick@aol.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><font color="black" face="arial">I assume that an appropriate intervention is being organized. And I've been quiet both because I was hoping for a recantation and because I figured it was more likely than not that I'd just make it worse.
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<div>But it's been a full day and there's been no recantation, so I'm weighing in.</div>
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<div>The USML would never be the same without Rich. Not everyone knows it but there is a silent "r" at the beginning of "usml" that was added when Rich joined the league. You have to know the computer code to find it on the website, but its there. Rich claimed that it stood for "reorganized" but it obviously stands for "Robbins", the man who has maintained the constitution, managed the website and otherwise helped keep the league together all these years. So there literally can be no rUSML without the irreplaceable Mr. Robbins.</div>
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<div>And if a poor performance were the determining factor as to whether a team should remain in the league, I'm afraid I have dibs, Rich. I pissed away 2014 only to watch Myers go to San Diego, Profar hurt his shoulder AGAIN and Addison Russell become a Cub. I finished 35 points (!!) behind you. That's a mere 5 points more than the absolute minimum.</div>
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<div>And I'll take the liberty of speaking for the league here - the USML with a detached Rich Robbins is inestimably better than the USML without Rich Robbins. </div>
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<div>Please reconsider.</div>
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<div>Jeff<div><div><br>
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<div style="font-family:arial,helvetica;font-size:10pt;color:black">-----Original Message-----<br>
From: JOHN FRUIT <<a href="javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','jtfruit@msn.com');" target="_blank">jtfruit@msn.com</a>><br>
To: announce <<a href="javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','announce@usml.net');" target="_blank">announce@usml.net</a>><br>
Sent: Fri, Jan 2, 2015 5:08 pm<br>
Subject: Re: [USML Announce] Put A Fork In The Red-Hots<br>
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Rich, I'd suggest giving it more time and see how you feel come the opening of spring training. Seems the league wouldn't be the same without you.
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p.s. not sure why no one else has opined....perhaps they are still busy contemplating just how truly pathetic the Bears were this year.
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<hr>Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2015 15:50:16 -0600
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From: <a href="javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','rerobbins@itinker.net');" target="_blank">rerobbins@itinker.net</a>
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To: <a href="javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','announce@usml.net');" target="_blank">announce@usml.net</a>
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Subject: [USML Announce] Put A Fork In The Red-Hots
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After prolonged deliberation I have decided to step away from the USML.
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My years in the league have been amazing and I value my friendship with each of you -- something that I trust will endure.
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But the bottom line is that I find I lack the desire and energy to bring to the table what it takes to compete in our league. I am not proud of how I ran the Red-Hots last year -- I was simply too detached, and that's not fair to anyone. Rather than look forward to draft day I find that I am struggling to muster the energy to prepare. It's time.
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With a heavy heart and much gratitude,
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-- Rich
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