David Yudkin
Footballguy
I play in several leagues that let you update rosters up until the start of each player's game for that week--so guys that play on MNF can still be swapped up until game time Monday.So here's the question.  If you had a player or defense still active going into Monday yet were holding the slimmest of leads going into the game (and your opponent had no one else yet to play), would you bench that player/defense if your league deduced for turnovers (for offensive players) or took away points from defenses based on points and yardage allowed?To the letter of the law, is this ethical?  The other team did not have a chance to pull their players or defense if they were ahead, why should you get the chance?I've had this situation happen to me last year AND the year before.  One time, my QB threw a pick on the first drive and was sacked, fumbled, and injured on the next drive for a grand total of -4 for the day.  The other time, a WR had only one reception and fumbled and tried a razzle dazzle pass play that was intercepted and also had -4 for the day.I suspect that in leagues with a lot of points taken away for poor defensive play that that would be a common problem as well.  I am in that same situation heading into tonight, and I'm trying to decide if yanking th TB defense is an uncool thing to do.
				
			 
	 
 
		 
 
		 
 
		 
 
		 
 
		 
 
		 
 
		 
  
 
		 
 
		 
 
		 
 
		 
 
		 
  
 
		 
 
		 
 
		 ; I'm not a programmer
  ; I'm not a programmer 
 
		 
  
 
		 
 
		 I can't think of a single reason for saying this is "unethical."If the rules allow it, it is good strategy, then it should be allowed.It's the same thing as burning the last two minutes of the clock by taking a knee.  Is it "cheap" to do that and now allow the losing team a chance to get the ball back?  Who the hell cares, it is perfectly within the rules and it is sound strategy.  You could make similar arugments for an on-side kick.  The first time a team did this it was probably viewed as "cheap", but it is within the rules and is good strategy sometimes.The bottom line is this - you have absolutely every right to do it - and you should.I posted some hypotheticals about this a couple weeks ago, and the only downside we could come up with are the following two scenarios:- In leagues where total points is a tiebreaker at the end of the year, it could come into play if you shorted yourself the 10 points or so.- If you have a very small lead (1 or 2 points), and there is some type of scoring change overnight which affects your point total (crediting a turonever to someone else, etc.), you might end up actually losing - and thus losing the game because you benched your only chance to make up the points on MNF.These are strategy calls, and anyone who considers this unethical is simply clueless.
  I can't think of a single reason for saying this is "unethical."If the rules allow it, it is good strategy, then it should be allowed.It's the same thing as burning the last two minutes of the clock by taking a knee.  Is it "cheap" to do that and now allow the losing team a chance to get the ball back?  Who the hell cares, it is perfectly within the rules and it is sound strategy.  You could make similar arugments for an on-side kick.  The first time a team did this it was probably viewed as "cheap", but it is within the rules and is good strategy sometimes.The bottom line is this - you have absolutely every right to do it - and you should.I posted some hypotheticals about this a couple weeks ago, and the only downside we could come up with are the following two scenarios:- In leagues where total points is a tiebreaker at the end of the year, it could come into play if you shorted yourself the 10 points or so.- If you have a very small lead (1 or 2 points), and there is some type of scoring change overnight which affects your point total (crediting a turonever to someone else, etc.), you might end up actually losing - and thus losing the game because you benched your only chance to make up the points on MNF.These are strategy calls, and anyone who considers this unethical is simply clueless. 
 
		 
 
		 
 
		 
 
		 
 
		