Spela hasn't logged in since the last round of the regular season matches, but the challenge for our PO match is sent and I'm only waiting for them to accept it.
These are awkward situations, that we have faced earlier too (unless my memory fails me, that was the case on Season 3 Playoffs as well with him, but on that Season that Playoff match got organized nevertheless, even though not 100% within required time frame).
Many things make such situations awkward, such as the fact that no clear penalties have been defined for missing the match organizing/accepting deadline (partly because it's pretty hard to prove whose fault it is
if both managers have been logging in, and besides I really wouldn't want to make this a 'prove it by screenshot or it didn't happen'-type of league.
So again in here it boils down to two things:
Should strict timeline be required to be followed by both teams in Playoff match organizin , producing penalties if not being strictly followed, and if yes, who would then commit to be in BB in exact time each and every Round, to ensure matches are organized. Plus, there's this afore mentioned "proving" problem (unless clear no login-situation). Note, that there are already mentioned in the rules when one is supposed to accept Playoff match at the latest.
Secondly, fairness aspect.
This is also a multi-faceted thing. I try to view it so that managers have been given reminders to set reminders on important times of HGL Season, as Seasons' full schedule is known months before.
Therefore, while I could send reminders as BBMails to each manager before each Playoff Round, I guess it's necessary to draw a line somewhere. There needs to be a certain amount of commitment and willingness to do the basic amount of work (when participating to HGL as "a regular manager"), so this is also where it's tested. I have occassionally, or actually many times sent even BBMail-reminders to teams who seemed to be at risk of missing their Playoff match organizing windows. It's fine and all, but at the same time some could say that I should then do it in all cases, to be fair to all. Again, that's something I feel like drawing a line into (everyone needs to take that amount of responsibility for functioning of the league), if at all possible.
Also, connected to this, it's not ideal to bind myself into too many things that require access/presence in BB
always at exact given time at worst (if matches are not organized before that), such as verification whether or not match has been organized in time.
(And again, we'll reach the possible "proving/faulty manager"-problem here; now let's assume for the purpose of example a situation that has not happened: imagine that HB would've logged in quickly today without completing his HGL duties/tasks/match organizing, and I wouldn't have logged in since 23rd. I do not doubt what LA-LennuK. said, but "technically" it could become word vs. word (if HB denies it's his fault match isn't organized).
So in here we face a dilemma: will the opposing manager (in this case LA-LennuK.) "tolerate" the possible later acceptance of the match, and therefore shorter time to set up lineups for the match? Or does he require "standard" match organizing window to be followed, as stated in HGL rules? If he does require standards/rules to be followed in this (or forthcoming) case(s), how is thar proven? And what kind of standards should there be in place for such situations - would it be required for manager to send forum message after match organizing deadline has passed, if he concludes that his opponent hasn't accepted match offer in required time for instance, and would it automatically cause a forfeit loss? Again, there is no intention to make this "a screenshot league" (proving). And, as also mentioned, if something requires my presence in BB at the very exact time each and every week, I try to avoid such scenario/way to handle things.