Knowing your First Class Mogul - Mike

Mike, Thank you for agreeing to do the next part of the knowing your First Class Mogul Series. Tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Micheal Sweet. I’m from a small town in Ontario Canada. I’m 26 years old and endgaged to my beautiful fiance Chantal. I’ve recently graduated from the Radio Broadcasting program so I’m hunting for jobs in that area while working at Giant Tiger which is a retail store. I’m pretty big into sports especially football. I never go a week without watching at least one game during the season.

You have been a part of this league for awhile now, do you remember what/who brought you into FCM?

I was in a league (can’t remember the name now). It was ran by a guy named Asdrubal who used the Mortal Combat symbol as his avatar. It folded so I took a couple months off then I looked on the sportsmogul forum and saw FCM had an opening. So I came there, signed up and here we are.


Mike, it always seems like you are always in the playoffs or in a spot to win the AL Central. What team was your best team in FCM and can you talk a little about that season?


It’s hard for me to really remember old teams but in recent memory 2045 I thought I had a really good shot at winning. I don’t ever recall feeling more confident that I could legit finally win a WS ring here. Everything seemed to be going my way. No major injuries, people weren't dropping. Then for me to just get swept in the WS that was a heart breaker for sure.


You have a rather unique style of handling your team. You always run at a higher budget, get extra cash and rarely have a deep farm. Can you talk a little about your style and thought process behind it?


Back in the early days of FCM I was not a very good drafter. I never had been at that point in any other league either. I wasn't horrible, but I could do much better just taking those picks and dealing them for known talents. So that was the reasoning behind that. I've also always been very good at managing my money and where to spend it and when. I generally don’t carry a bench that costs much more than the league min for example. I also never spend on WB as I feel the money is much better spent bringing in more talent to my team rather than hoping for a good dice roll. As far as recently my thoughts have been that 5 or so seasons ago and even to a point still, people seem to go gaga over draft picks. So I took advantage of that and traded away picks for guys who were but still young or at the very least on the good side of 30. That trend has died down a bit so now it’s time to keep most picks and do it that way. I’m actually very good at drafting now but circumstances in this league have pretty much always made it better to trade most of them away. I think some people that didn’t notice my rebuild back in 2020 where I kept draft picks are going to be in for a big suprise at how well I can draft and how deadly a team I can make that way, as I’ve also had lots of practice employing that strategy in other leagues to help hone my craft.


Mike, I have to be honest, you have me utterly confused this offseason. I see a block that you are rebuilding, you move big pieces off your team in trades. Now it appears you are building it back up by throwing money around in FA and acquiring players in trades. Can you describe your decision process on how you are reshaping your current roster?



To be honest I’m only doing it because I have the extra cash and I think for at least this year I can still win the division. On the same token I needed to get value for some guys before they might possibly started declining. So the FA’s are basically me just hoping I can win since I Have the money anyway. As far as making trades go I saw value in SP Hagen. I only had to give up a late 2nd rounder and some cash for him. He’s 24 and has been underperofrming. I can either keep him and he will still likley be around after the rebuild or hope his stock improves and at the very least trade him for what I paid and he will help this year so I figure wasn’t much risk involved for the value. That will likley be the only guy I give up picks for during my rebuild though.



Everyone has their arch enemy or rival. For me it was DJ in the NL Central. Then Andy when I got in the AL. Do you have a team that you view as a rival that the games against that individual mean a little more?


There is a natural rivalry between me and Corey’s New York Mets. As some may know we are real life best friends, so it’s always nice to get wins against him for bragging rights. At the end of the day though I hope I can face him in the WS (and win of course).


Everyone has their own method of looking and evaluating players. Can you take me through your process of what you look for when you look at an individual player?


Pitching, pitching and more pitching. I tend to go for guys with high control and movement but hope to find guys who are great at all three. Once I have that out of the way I start to find guys who are good at the job I need them to do. That’s the name of the game with me. Everyone has a job. If I need you to get on base. I don’t care whether you hit homers or quite frankly how you get on base, as long as you do. If I need you to hit homers I don’t care if you have a crappy on base. Granted it depends on where you are in my lineup but I think that gives you an idea. As far as when I’m drafting I look at the player build. I wouldn’t say I’m an anti-stats guy but imo they are pretty useless. If you fit a certain mold I’ve just grown a custom to know what molds will work out and which usually don’t. For example if a pitcher has high endurance and high health. Good chance I’m not drafting you.


Ok, this is a question I have asked everyone Mike, giving you the ability to take any player from the history from our file and compile a team. Who are you taking and putting on that team for yourself?


C Gabriel Gamora
1B Steve Miller
2B Sean Vogel
3B Marv Eason
SS Peter Conwell
LF James Aitkenhead
CF Jacob Johnson
RF Jorge Vasquez
DH Tim Vandyke
SP Donovan Pace
SP Brett Hunter
SP Corey Bosworth
SP Josh Lindblom
SP Demont Williams
RP Alan Jackson
RP Brett Cloyd


Mike, I know you are a big wrestling fan. Go through some of the big names of owners or players of FCM and give them the name of a wrestler that you think portrays the individual. For example, DJ and Roddy Piper because of the correlation between his old radio shows and piper's pit. Or Donavan Pace and the Ultimate Warrior because he was a monster. etc etc. You don't have to give a reason why on each set, I was trying to help paint the picture on my bizarre question

Andy – Triple H – He’s the boss and just that damn good at making teams.

DJ – Vince McMahon Sr. – He’s the one that started it all.

Peter – Nature Boy Ric Flair – Dirtiest player in the game. His trades nuff’said.

Matty – The Miz – Cocky loudmouth but in the bad kind of way not in The Rock kind of way. It’s ok though I still love you anyway.

Scotty – Ed Ferrera – Hate his guts for geneuiley making fun of JR, just like I hate Scotty for likley cheating in FCM.

G$ - The heel rapper John Cena – Thinks he’s black with that name haha.
Sean – Big Show – Can get it done but is a softy at heart.

Corey – Bobby the Brain Hennan – A pure genious despite never scouting.

PR – Billy Gunn – Best used as a tag team our in our case a co-gm.

Hokey – Sheamus – He’s pale and a ginger just like Sheamus.

Me – Paul Heyman – I get the most out of my guys. Bring out the positives. Hide the negatives.

Lets say I was able to put you in a division with 4 other owners (current and past). Does not have to be the most successful owners of FCM, it could be the people you get along with the best or could be owners that you would like to compete against. Who are those owners that you are putting in your division and why?

Andy
Hokey
Sean
Matty

All for the same reason. You guys are the best hands down in FCM and I’m all about playing against the best. It’s why I’ve always come back.


Any final words?

At the end of the day I like everyone here. Some people might tick me off or get on my nerves at times but afterall it’s a game (despite the fact I spend way too much time on it) and a pretty chill place to just shoot the shit. I hope this league never has to see it’s death and thank you Andy and the crew for running this league. It’s a thankless job so every now and again you desreve to hear it. So once again thank you for doing a great job.