MOX (Misfits and Outlaws) League Commissioner (1 Viewer)

[Concept Coop]

I know this is the wrong forum and expect it to be moved. I just hope to catch a few eyes that might know what’s going on before it does.

The MOX (Misfits & Outlaws) commissioner is AWOL. I know he’s usually late with payment, but this is excessive. By my count, he’s in possession of around $25,000 worth of winnings which haven’t been paid yet. I know the league finds it’s owner from this message board, so I am hoping some have info. He has not logged in 100+ days and is not responding to e-mails. I’m hoping there is a valid explanation. I am not accusing anyone of anything at this point. I understand that life happens, and hope he’s well. He’s been a good, honest commish and paid out everything, up to this point.

Anyone know anything?

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

I just resigned all 4 of my MOX leagues on Monday. I did get paid out (back in February). But IMO he dont have time to properly commish these leagues anymore. Im sure he will have some excuse of computer or sick family member or something.

Im OUT

 

[Concept Coop]

I just resigned all 4 of my MOX leagues on Monday. I did get paid out (back in February). But IMO he dont have time to properly commish these leagues anymore. Im sure he will have some excuse of computer or sick family member or something.

Im OUT

I am thinking the same, and will likely be dropping my two leagues as well.

 

[DevilDog919]

He didn't pay out until March or April last year either, but of course had an excuse for it. A 2nd year of bad payouts is scary though, I'm most likely out as well...and I'm in 4 of them.

FWIW, I did get paid in February too...but I believe only because I sent him emails and PM's daily asking where my $1200 was.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

He didn't pay out until March or April last year either, but of course had an excuse for it. A 2nd year of bad payouts is scary though, I'm most likely out as well...and I'm in 4 of them.

FWIW, I did get paid in February too...but I believe only because I sent him emails and PM's daily asking where my $1200 was.

Me too, I usually start harassing him after Xmas, squeaky wheel gets the grease.

This is a yearly occurance.

 

[rustycolts]

I know this is the wrong forum and expect it to be moved. I just hope to catch a few eyes that might know what’s going on before it does.

The MOX (Misfits & Outlaws) commissioner is AWOL. I know he’s usually late with payment, but this is excessive. By my count, he’s in possession of around $25,000 worth of winnings which haven’t been paid yet. I know the league finds it’s owner from this message board, so I am hoping some have info. He has not logged in 100+ days and is not responding to e-mails. I’m hoping there is a valid explanation. I am not accusing anyone of anything at this point. I understand that life happens, and hope he’s well. He’s been a good, honest commish and paid out everything, up to this point.

Anyone know anything?

He logged into one of the ones I'm in 14 days ago.He has been late getting payments out the past few years but as far as I know he has always made good on payments eventually.

 

[Buckna]

I've been in 2 of these leagues for 9 years and never had a problem. Payments did come later than usual last year. Would suck if these leagues folded.

 

[renesauz]

Been wondering about that league also. One of my favorite setups though (in a superflex), so haven't really made up my mind.

 

[moderated]

I bailed last offseason fearing something like this, I know others did too.

It's a Ponzi scheme, there is a post from last year about it. It lasted because many carried over winnings to future years and he would wait for new deposits to pay out a lot of people.

Sorry to those who got scammed.

 

[Ernol]

He didn't pay out until March or April last year either, but of course had an excuse for it. A 2nd year of bad payouts is scary though, I'm most likely out as well...and I'm in 4 of them.

FWIW, I did get paid in February too...but I believe only because I sent him emails and PM's daily asking where my $1200 was.

Three years of late payments in a row I think, but I too was able to get my $1000 this year in March.

 

[Bruce Hammond]

He didn't pay out until March or April last year either, but of course had an excuse for it. A 2nd year of bad payouts is scary though, I'm most likely out as well...and I'm in 4 of them.

FWIW, I did get paid in February too...but I believe only because I sent him emails and PM's daily asking where my $1200 was.

Three years of late payments in a row I think, but I too was able to get my $1000 this year in March.

I too was paid in March, $650. I too am concerned about what has become a pattern of late payments the last 3 years (March is not acceptable) and the fact that payment occurs only after requesting it more than once (squeaky wheel issue).

I don't believe there is a designed Ponzi scheme going on here. I do believe he is disorganized, and I don't think he fully understands what this is doing to his reputation in terms of defections, greater difficulty in finding new recruits, and his becoming less respected by those who stay. Threads like this each year spread the word to the general FF community and hurt his rep beyond the leagues he runs as well.

That's disappointing because I've always known the commish to be a kind and decent man, and I've known him 10 years now.

If he does disappear one day with people's money I suppose I won't be completely shocked, for people I don't expect surprises from sometimes do get into financial trouble and do desperate things, but I will never believe this was a pre-designed sinister plot to steal from league members.

I just hope the commish sees this thread and figures out that he's killing his rep, sets his mind to righting the ship ASAP, and gets his affairs in order so that he can pay within a month of the end of the fantasy season all those who want their winnings every single year without exception, as any responsible commissioner does.

 

[beef]

pretty obvious this guy spent the money and uses current year league fees to pay last years winners.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Sent a note to my leaguemates letting them know about this thread, and suggesting if anyone knows the Commish personally now might be a good time to nudge him. Got this back...

I forwarded the email to him rob. I got an email from him about a week ago saying his pc had died and had gotten a new one. He said he was going on vacation for a week and then would knock out things...

 

[teamramrod]

This thread is being brought to you by League Safe....now back to the show.

Peace

 

[JohnnyU]

I was in one of the original leagues but had to leave after ~4 years or so. The leagues are 14 teams and I started doing the math. At the time the league was a $100 buy in with $10 for MFL fees. Quick math will tell you that he was collecting $130 to run the league on MFL but the site only charged $40-$50 (at that time) for its use. He began to create more leagues with much the same set up. He was playing fantasy football for free and collecting good money.

Invest in low interest accounts and play for free = pocketed money.

sorry if he does disappear and to those who "lost" money.

I named the league Misfits and Outlaws and was an original member, but quit after the 2009 season. I didn't like that the commish insisted on keeping the setting turned on where the commish could see pending transactions. I also didn't care for the TE=WR concept. I only played in the original league.

 

[Hear-the-Footsteps]

Hey everyone, sorry to hear that this has happened.

I was in MOX-IV and MOX-VII for several yrs. One of them I won 3 or 4 yrs in a row. And I recall it was ALWAYS an issue getting paid. Maybe the first time I got paid he asked and it came (I really don't remember). But then it got to the point where I had to ask him for it each year. I would finally get paid, but not until several attempts by me to reach out to him. (Definitely not the way it should be.)

I kept staying in b/c I'd believe his excuses.

-- One time he told me he flat out missed me, had paid everyone else, and had no idea how he simply overlooked me. I figured fine - as long as I get it.

-- Another time he made it seemed like I had asked too early. He said something about how he was literally going to the Post Office that very day. Fine, whatever.

-- But then one yr I was emailing him again asking for it (after season was over). I don't recall exactly, but it was something like: emailed him in Jan - no response. Emailed him in Feb - said he was about to get it out. Emailed him in March to ask what happened - told me he had been in hospital twice the last week. I guess I believed him b/c I cannot see lying about being sick or hospitalized. But it made me realize, even if he was in hospital in March - what happened in Feb when he said he was about to get it out. (And why am I chasing him every yr to get him to do his job...months after season would be over?)

Anyway, got my 2011 winnings (finally) and quit both leagues. (Btw, on top of the payout issue, I also did not like that he kept adding new leagues. It is one thing to play in many leagues. But to be a good solid credible commissioner, you can't really commish 15+ leagues. He was barely checking in, barely responding to emails, rarely addressing issues/questions on the message boards, etc. Always seemed like a nice guy. But between the payout issue and spreading himself too thin issue - I felt it was safer to get out.)

So that's my story. And I feel for all of you. As to my suggestion...

Create a new email address. Send him an email saying you have heard great things about his MOX leagues and you want in (after all, sounds like there are about to be lots of vacancies). Take it from there. Ask for an address to send a check (b/c you don't have a paypal account). From there at least you have an address so you have a little leverage.

Best of luck.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Sent a note to my leaguemates letting them know about this thread, and suggesting if anyone knows the Commish personally now might be a good time to nudge him. Got this back...

I forwarded the email to him rob. I got an email from him about a week ago saying his pc had died and had gotten a new one. He said he was going on vacation for a week and then would knock out things...

This sounds like pretty lame excuse(s) to an outsider.

I don't mean to step on any toes here but when a guy is running so many leagues and collecting so much money it seems inevitable that something like this would happen.

Good luck, I hope everything works out for anyone that is still owed money.

 

[alonegunman]

I found him to be more responsive at this email address: stevemaher@mmpapers.com

He communicated it was the new league business email last year, but never updated the email on the website. I agree with some of the comments above that this is more a guy "biting off more than he can chew" than pre-planned scheme to rip people off....and he seems like a good guy in the communication that I've had....and I was always paid, although late like others in this thread.

 

[Ariakis]

I have been in several MOX leagues for many years and he's always been a very standup (and nice) guy.

I have always been paid (eventually) but lately it has taken more proactive prodding. Therefore, I have been asking for full payouts and waiting for league fees due before paying again.

I have for awhile been very concerned and suggested many times that he adds atleast one helper since he appears to be encountering more and more priorities outside of fantasy football.

I am concerned he hasn't weighed in yet and encourage owners to not all quit and ruin all of these established leagues as this is NOT an owner running a Ponzi scheme or running away with money. I think we may need to prod the Commish to agree to receiving management assistance.

Also note that he takes discounts to take over bad dynasty teams which I think is where a large portion of this 'extra' money goes. I really don't think he's making much money out of doing this if each league has atleast one bad team turn over and the new owner does not pay full price.

He needs to make it a priority to pay out sooner ... but also to collect prior to our league draft! He is slipping on both ends and that is a bad sign but one solved if he adds help.

I really hope this doesn't fold and I think people are overreacting ... we'll see.

 

[Concept Coop]

Also note that he takes discounts to take over bad dynasty teams which I think is where a large portion of this 'extra' money goes. I really don't think he's making much money out of doing this if each league has atleast one bad team turn over and the new owner does not pay full price.

Very good point. He gave me two free years to take over a bad team, despite the fact that the other owner didn't pay for them. I don't think he is pocketing anything.

 

[Mimo]

Really contemplating leaving FF all together. FF has become "bigger" and its appeal has broadened but it has gotten worse. It's hard to find good leagues it seems. The more leagues formed it seems the more inactivity there is. As the mass appeal of this game has grown the more scamming and schemes we see. A pretty good game is being ruined. Seems everyone is playing this game now.

 

[moderated]

while i wrote above it was a Ponzi scheme, i don't think it was intended to become that, but as he got in over his head it turned into one.

I mean the guy kept starting leagues every year to bring in new money and every year delayed payouts even though a big percentage of the fees kept getting carried over. So he never had to pay out much more than 50% of fees yet still struggled to do it.

To one of the posters above who said for everyone to stick it out and remain in the leagues, that sounds exactly what people who get caught up in Ponzi schemes say.

Last ones out get nothing. maybe the league goes on another year or two but don't be the sucker holding the bag when the leagues go bust, which i'm 99% sure will happen in the near future.

 

[massraider]

I do two leagues with guys I don't know personally.

They both use League Safe.

What the heck are you guys doing?

 

[ravnzfan]

hey guys, still here!

my apologies to those impacted by the length of time it's taken to handle your payouts (most of which have been paid out, contrary to OP's mention of "by my count, he's in possession of $25K worth of winnings that haven't been paid yet"...this simply isn't accurate)

for anyone that's emailed and hasn't heard back, the hotmail address has been sending too many to the 'junk file' and I've been missing them...PLEASE...contact me on my work email:

stevemaher@mmpapers.com

which goes directly to my Blackberry...most anyone that's used it can tell you I get back pretty quickly on any emails to that addy

once I have all the sites up to speed, I'll have that address included so we don't have this issue moving forward

finally, I'll be looking to reduce the number of leagues we have, as 18 are clearly too many to run properly and you guys deserve better---I'll be updating the remaining sites after I get home from work starting tomorrow so all leagues will be on '13 sites---and will have owners check in so we know where we stand on some of these open teams

Steve

 

[Concept Coop]

(most of which have been paid out, contrary to OP's mention of "by my count, he's in possession of $25K worth of winnings that haven't been paid yet"...this simply isn't accurate)

I didn't intend to mislead anyone. Didn't realize that other leagues were paid.

 

[JohnnyU]

hey guys, still here!

my apologies to those impacted by the length of time it's taken to handle your payouts (most of which have been paid out, contrary to OP's mention of "by my count, he's in possession of $25K worth of winnings that haven't been paid yet"...this simply isn't accurate)

for anyone that's emailed and hasn't heard back, the hotmail address has been sending too many to the 'junk file' and I've been missing them...PLEASE...contact me on my work email:

stevemaher@mmpapers.com

which goes directly to my Blackberry...most anyone that's used it can tell you I get back pretty quickly on any emails to that addy

once I have all the sites up to speed, I'll have that address included so we don't have this issue moving forward

finally, I'll be looking to reduce the number of leagues we have, as 18 are clearly too many to run properly and you guys deserve better---I'll be updating the remaining sites after I get home from work starting tomorrow so all leagues will be on '13 sites---and will have owners check in so we know where we stand on some of these open teams

Steve

No offense Steve, but we're 4+ months since the end of the FF season, so how could you not have paid EVERYONE by now? If you have the money you pay within two weeks after the league Super Bowl. So, by waiting 4+ months to pay it gives the appearance you don't have the $$$ to pay everyone.

 

[moderated]

I think the only way for people to feel safe is for ALL fees to be paid out and then people can decide if they want to pay for the new season depending on what leagues stay alive.

 

[Lash]

i dont think Steve takes next years fees to pay last years winnings because as stated above people are getting paid late but they ARE getting paid in Feb Mar Apr ... fees arent due until june/july i believe

Steve also "eats" some money every year, I am in all the regular MOX (1-8) and one of those teams was so bad I got it free for a year and half price the next

count me in the "not worried" camp about getting 2012 winnings

Rocky Top

 

[fsufan]

played in MOX 3 and 6. Steve also played in my dynasty league for a few years. always felt he was a good and trust worthy commish/guy.

 

[el centro]

I'm in multiple MOX leagues, and you can count me on the "I think Steve is a "good-guy" camp". I also agree with FCP that I believe the Commish has acquired a little too much to handle in 18 leagues, and is having a difficult time maintaining all of them. I've tried to pitch-in by helping calculate the draft order & Playoff lineups when I can, but there's still a lot more administrative duties to do. Perhaps he can sign-off 8-10 leagues to someone else to Commish.

 

[Craig_MiamiFL]

League Safe. League Safe. League Safe. (And put payouts to "League Majority Vote" so you're not putting anything solely in commissioner's hands)

There's absolutely no reason folks should be waiting 4+ months for payouts. No reason folks shouldn't get an email response.

Rip off / 'too busy to commish' reason doesn't really matter. That folks even have things like this even going through their mind is ludicrous.

 

[salmonstud]

Wondering how the payouts are coming this year in 2014? Combine is almost here. I bailed on this leagues years ago after it took 2 months of requesting to get paid the last year I was in. Different excuse every year why the payments are late. My final year was he had a sick brother or sister in law & had to give them money to help them out.

 

[False Start]

You have to question why people will not use a tool like Leaguesafe if they have it. If such a great tool exists and a person chooses not to use it, you can call him a thief since there is no excuse not to.

 

[Tau837]

Still not paid in MOX VI.

 

[Paulymaggs]

Still not paid in MOX VI.

How can he pay you when he hasn't gotten the cash from 2014 league dues yet?

Use some common sense, PLEASE!

 

[Childress]

I've spent time in an M&O league and had a blast. Got paid in a timely way as well. It's hard enough to commish and handle funds in one or two leagues, any more than that is just too much.

 

[False Start]

I've spent time in an M&O league and had a blast. Got paid in a timely way as well. It's hard enough to commish and handle funds in one or two leagues, any more than that is just too much.

Thats cool and all, but that's why you don't commish that many leagues and that's why you use Leaguesafe. Problem solved, no reason to make excuses for a guy not paying INSTANTLY. Its not his money to pay when he wants, its the leagues money to be paid to the winner in a timely fashion.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

Still not paid in MOX VI.

seriously? thought this was all handled and you would be paid promptly this year?????

Which of his family has an emergency this year?

Glad im out of these leagues

 

[Craig_MiamiFL]

League Safe. League Safe. League Safe. (And put payouts to "League Majority Vote" so you're not putting anything solely in commissioner's hands)

There's absolutely no reason folks should be waiting 4+ months for payouts. No reason folks shouldn't get an email response.

Rip off / 'too busy to commish' reason doesn't really matter. That folks even have things like this even going through their mind is ludicrous.

Yearly Bump

LeagueSafe he's not having to handle the finances at all (since he's seemingly overwhelmed with it every year). I don't buy ANY reason not to use LeagueSafe. (And I've heard them all by now). I left several years ago as well. Not worth the hassle to have to contact half a dozen times to get paid. I don't think he's done this by design. He's simply taken on way way way more than physically capable. And I understand commish has probably eaten money (free teams, etc...). I think he should just say that and no one would blame ya if you said 'This has become too time consuming & not worth my time'

Bruce Hammond's post above is spot on. He's killed his rep here and there will come a time where he simply won't be able to fill leagues (if it hasn't happened already).

 

[Soulfly3]

It's 2014 and some of you still have no issue handing large quantities of money to people you dont know w no way of recourse?

un-#######-real.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

just for giggles went and looked on the league sites, same as it ever was from MOX HP3:

Sun Feb 16 9:11:00 a.m. ET 2014

Anything goin', Commish??
No response. No monies...

 

[salmonstud]

League Safe isn't something that is needed when you know & trust the commissioner. However - when you don't know the commissioner or there have been countless issues in getting paid timely it's a good idea.

When you are the commissioner & you are handling the league money it's not yours to spend (don't care if your family needs money) or invest as you say fit. It is only yours to hold & pay out the week after the League Super Bowl barring a medical issue that keeps you from doing so. When I was told I had to wait because he was helping out a family member with paying their bills...I was cordial to make sure I got my $$$ and promptly got out of the league.

 

[LinusMarr]

just for giggles went and looked on the league sites, same as it ever was from MOX HP3:

Sun Feb 16 9:11:00 a.m. ET 2014

Anything goin', Commish??No response. No monies...

I won one of those leagues, got paid finally and bailed on the 2 leagues I was in. Too frustrating for me...

 

[Concept Coop]

I had my League Safe balance disappear last week. When I opened a ticket, I was told; paraphrasing: "We don't know what happened. Here's a credit." It kind of raised some red flags for me.

I've also had a member "sell his team", be paid for it via PayPal, then bail and withdraw his fees from LS. Teams can draft then bail and LeagueSafe grants a refund as long as it's before a LS instituted deadline, which the league has no say in.

LeagueSafe obviously has a track record that a single commissioner can't, but I don't know how much safer it is, from a functional standpoint. We're still trusting people we've never met, who have only a vague legal obligation to return our money and no federal insurance.

And if you don't know the other owners in your leagues--it only takes a majority vote for them to take your money from you, with LS's blessings.

It's all a gamble, so I won't be playing with more than I can afford to lose.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

League Safe isn't something that is needed when you know & trust the commissioner. However - when you don't know the commissioner or there have been countless issues in getting paid timely it's a good idea.

When you are the commissioner & you are handling the league money it's not yours to spend (don't care if your family needs money) or invest as you say fit. It is only yours to hold & pay out the week after the League Super Bowl barring a medical issue that keeps you from doing so. When I was told I had to wait because he was helping out a family member with paying their bills...I was cordial to make sure I got my $$$ and promptly got out of the league.

I was in a league with steve ingman (singman on a few boards) and one year he didn't make the payouts late into the offseason with no contact to anyone, finally showing up months later with a sob story about having some health issues, he and his wife losing their jobs, etc. and how given the choice of feeding his family and paying us out he made the choice "that we all would make".

Most people were sympathetic, and while I was of course sympathetic to his hard times (if they were indeed true) I had no sympathy for him stealing/borrowing our money. It wasn't his to touch.

I equate it to a friend showing up to my house with serious financial issues. If he asked to borrow money, I'm sure I would lend a hand, but if he stole $300 off my kitchen table when I was in the other room I'd want nothing to do with him again, despite undertsanding his desperation.

Anyway, he paid some of the money back slowly (never all of it though) and tried to get the league going again for the next season. People stupidly sent him more money (I was playing for free since I had money coming to me from the previous year, so I stayed in as well). The following season he disappeared keeping all of our money. This dynasty league had been in existence for over 10 years so there was a reason to have some trust level so can't totally blame people for sending him more fees.

 

[Mario Kart]

There are currently 18 Misfits leagues on MFL. I think each league is over $100 to join. So, he is spending $2000 or so of his money for his teams. I also think each league has 14 teams... that is roughly $1500 x 18. He is roughly in charge of $27,000 each year. Had he invested that money last year alone, he would have easily gained at least 10% if not more.

But, knowing that one guy is in charge of that much money should raise some flags. One league or two leagues, fine, but 18+? I used to be in one league but dropped due to some, what I felt like were ethical issues before. Been awhile though. I'd like to think I would be more responsible than Steve but just look at those numbers above. Its a small fortune.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

we are almost two months from the end of the fantasy season, and two weeks from the end of the superbowl.

How a commish hasnt paid up by now, to everyone is beyond me. unacceptable

And it seems like MOX commish, always puts the onus on the owners the hunt him down/harass him.

I commish a dynasty league and it has several innernet owners, I paid out via leaguesafe on Christmas day for crying out loud. No excuses

 

[Bruce Hammond]

Hey gang, I've been out of the SP awhile because my work and other stuff have had me very busy, but I came on today and saw that this thread has been revived recently and I thought a couple of things could use some clarification.

I used to be in 6 MOX leagues but have pared it down to 2 over the last few years, so I can only speak for MOX VI and MOX HP3, but in those two leagues, at least, it is true we have not been paid. It is not true in those two leagues that the Commish holds funds though.

After mass defections following 2012 across all MOX leagues, the Commish consolidated his 18 14-team leagues into something less (I don't know how many leagues there are now), and the two I'm in are now 10- and 12-team leagues. In these leagues LeagueSafe was used for the 2013 season as a condition of league survival. I can't speak for what was done in the other surviving MOX leagues, though I guess I assume this change was across all leagues.

I haven't used LeagueSafe in the leagues I commish so I don't know exactly what payout involves. It appears our Commish just hasn't made the time to allocate LeagueSafe payments two months after the end of the fantasy season. I know that our Commish posted payout amounts on the HP3 league message board on 1/26 but nothing on payments has been done on LeagueSafe so far, and in VI there has been no comment at all by Commish as far as I know, and nothing done on LeagueSafe. Disappointing. As I said, I've been super busy with more important things since 2014 began so I haven't taken the time to ask what the reason for the hold up this year might be, but it is not because he holds money.

 

[ConnSKINS26]

It takes about 5 minutes to set up the payouts. That's just downright disrespectful to every single one of his owners, that he finally makes the switch to Leaguesafe and STILL refuses to pay out. That guy is a #####.

 

[JohnnyU]

Hey gang, I've been out of the SP awhile because my work and other stuff have had me very busy, but I came on today and saw that this thread has been revived recently and I thought a couple of things could use some clarification.

I used to be in 6 MOX leagues but have pared it down to 2 over the last few years, so I can only speak for MOX VI and MOX HP3, but in those two leagues, at least, it is true we have not been paid. It is not true in those two leagues that the Commish holds funds though.

After mass defections following 2012 across all MOX leagues, the Commish consolidated his 18 14-team leagues into something less (I don't know how many leagues there are now), and the two I'm in are now 10- and 12-team leagues. In these leagues LeagueSafe was used for the 2013 season as a condition of league survival. I can't speak for what was done in the other surviving MOX leagues, though I guess I assume this change was across all leagues.

I haven't used LeagueSafe in the leagues I commish so I don't know exactly what payout involves. It appears our Commish just hasn't made the time to allocate LeagueSafe payments two months after the end of the fantasy season. I know that our Commish posted payout amounts on the HP3 league message board on 1/26 but nothing on payments has been done on LeagueSafe so far, and in VI there has been no comment at all by Commish as far as I know, and nothing done on LeagueSafe. Disappointing. As I said, I've been super busy with more important things since 2014 began so I haven't taken the time to ask what the reason for the hold up this year might be, but it is not because he holds money.

Why would he not allocate funds to the winners if the money is in Leaguesafe? That seems about as ridiculous as it gets, or as mean as it gets. I honestly don't understand this at all. Please, someone enlighten me.