2004 Championship Statement Well, what can I say. I just completed my 11th championship in 17 years, finishing 2nd 5 times and 3rd once.  Unfortunately, due to my dominance combined with too much expansion, I have been forced to relinquish my team. This is the greatest honor an owner can receive, more than any of the championships I have won.  To be recognized as so great that nobody feels they can compete. I thank you all for this acknowledgment. This last and final season was very rewarding for me, besides destroying the entire league and playing with Dan (not even making moves), I was able to build my team to where I believe I would not have been touched for the next five years. I had established studs throughout my infield (Thome, Helton, Rolen) and young guns (Giles, Furcal, Rollins). My outfield was also in pretty good shape with Burrell and Sosa with some great veterans in Alou, Burnitz and Finley (oops I forgot Abreau). My starters were entrenched for years in Wood, Prior and Peavey and my bullpen was ridiculous in having 8 closers….YES I said 8 closers….one of which is Lidge, who I kept in the minors. Another toying of Dan, keeping a 500 point closer in the minors. Not to mention I had the best prospect around in Ian Stewert….  I think we will all agree that Dan was on the way down, he mortgaged everything to try to win and he had a team that was as old as Johnnie Lomot. All that being said, I do think this move will make for a much better league, I do think it would have been better if Dan kept his team, it was not necessary for him to do the same. I understand why though, he tries to think he is in my class and doesn't want to think he was given an unfair advantage. The truth is the league would not care if he kept it. I hope the league makes him reconsider his move, it will give more meaning to the up and coming teams to atleast know they could beat one of the original teams. Unfortunately, Mike and Bill's team were hurt most by this entire thing, they were on the cusp. Unfortunately we had too many bad teams. As a parting to do, as I move on to my next organization, I look forward to competing and hope to regain my prowess as soon as I can.