YBL Board Convenes amid talks of Schedule Shortening.

If you haven't been here in a while, no need to worry – nothing has changed. There have been no aesthetic changes to the Yawkey League News and Action blog.

But now, in the doldrums of February, with snow blanketing our splendid playing surfaces and the bitter cold freezing nipples at an alarming rate, there is news coming from the bowels of the YBL. As many of you probably already know, the West Roxbury Devils and Cambridge Spinners have been contracted and are no longer a part of the YBL schedule. At the time news broke, League President David McKay said "more [contractions] may come," but at this point, the number of teams still stands at 15.

As a result of this, the Board of Directors is convening on Sunday, February 8 to discuss chopping as many as six games off the season schedule, bringing the total down to 26 games.

I know last season in the comments section of this blog (where many a feeling was hurt), there were rumblings of players who advocated the contraction of teams and a trimming of the schedule. Well, now those rumblings have come to fruition, pretty much, and I'm happy about it.

I think the YBL had become slighty watered down over the last two seasons, and since the number of games forfeited went up last season (not just the weather-related ones), the contraction and possible schedule-trimming will be a good thing. My only gripe will be if the number dips as low as 26 games, because 28 are needed if there are going to be 15 teams in the league. A 28-game schedule would give very team a chance to play the other 14 teams twice – once at home, once on the road.

Also, some of the impact players from the Devils and Spinners can reintegrate with other YBL teams, bumping up the overall talent of the league.

Count me in. The Board of Directors gets my vote.