I think more people try to use their favorite players in real life than you guys may be accounting for, even veterans. I am not saying a smart veteran like myself will choose all my favorites but I will try to incorporate at least a couple into my teams.
I would say they don't, and using favorite real-life players who also rock in SOM (e.g. Miguel Cabrera) doesn't count. All veterans of SOM and SOM on-line know player cards do not accurately correspond to those players' actual seasons. So most, if not all, are
not going to construct their team out of their favorite players. Most new players learn that very quickly or become league fodder. Sure, some players incorporate a few sentimental favorites into their teams. However, unless those players are poor, which is unlikely, they aren't enough to account for a team's failure.
If you have substantial evidence to prove otherwise, which I doubt, please share.
I think a lot of Strat veterans who are new to the on-line game struggle maybe because they never had to build teams around stadium or various other reasons.
I completely agree with this, and it would be a definite likely factor in a new on-line SOM manager's failure. It could also be a reason for some average or below average veteran managers' failures, as they are slow to learn how to adapt a team to a park. Almost
all of us are continually improving at that.
Of course this is not the Mystery League area but how much would this discussion change if we tried to figure out things in those leagues. I love the mystery leagues and now seldom play anything else.
It would obviously mean even more possibilities for explaining a team's failure. However, I think that's a topic best addressed in the Mystery League Forum. I'm sure you could host an excellent thread on the topic.