Do you have a "League Buddy" that you strategize with? (1 Viewer)

[Rounders]

I was talking with a leaguemate today about the strategy for blind bids that are going to be processed on Thursday morning in one league, and it got me thinking, do other FBGs do this? Do you have a leaguemate that you talk some strategy with? Or another leaguemate that you are friends with that you vent/celebrate with?

Most of the time I never fully tip my hat about stragies, but more or less talk about different players or other owners. This was a unique situation since I have burned through my free agent dollars and I'm not able to get a player that I knew he wanted to get (A.Thomas). Since he had a ton more money than I did, I had no problem telling him how much I thought he would go for. We talked for about 5 minutes and he basically told me his strategy about what he was planning on doing for the rest of the year (he's 6-3 and looking strong heading to the playoffs). I found it interesting he would lay his plans out there. I can't really foil his plans (trading deadline passed, limited FA $, etc), but found it interesting nonetheless.

 

[Fear The Turtle]

This is probably much more prevalent in leagues with a divisional setup. I have a leaguemate that is in the other division from me and I check with him from time to time for his usually dead on advice.

 

[EdwardCat]

Yeah, I have someone in my league. He happens to be the commissioner. He pretty much runs every idea past me before making a league decision. He doesn't consider me the co-commissioner but rather the major contributor. On top of that, we talk about pretty much everything concerning our teams.

 

[elpasotexan]

"Never let anyone outside the family what you're thinking".

Don Corleone

 

[Monkian]

This is probably much more prevalent in leagues with a divisional setup. I have a leaguemate that is in the other division from me and I check with him from time to time for his usually dead on advice.

Spot on about the divisions. I play in a league with all friends, but i watch the games and strategize with only one of them. We are each currently owning our respective divisions and on a crash course to meet in the the SB. Don't if it's because of our discussion or because he owns LJ and i own LT.

 

[BassNBrew]

Collusion is cool!!!

 

[dirtyhalos]

mine is on the fbg staff......

 

[AcousticNut]

Mine is a work league, so we're often discussing strategy and the like at the office. I try to not to let too much information slip out, but I find that by sharing some pieces of information (i.e. who I think might be a good free-agent pickup if I'm not interested in them), I can build trust and use that to my advantage at certain points during the season. I've used this in the past to suggest that a WR might be a great pickup to someone ahead of me on the WW so that I would have a RB available when it's my turn to pick for example.

I also find that trading is easier amongst my "League Buddies" as well. I can get a feel for who they like and don't like on their team and what they're looking for strength-wise in return.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

I have a guy from one of my fantasy baseball leagues that I confer with about football-league matters -- we both play in FF leagues but aren't in one together. During baseball season, we'll talk a lot about baseball players and the league in general, but not usuallly about specific strategies/valuations.

 

[SuperJohn96]

If I don't talk about FF with my buddies in my league, what good is having the league?

 

[Pickle Rody]

In the one league I am most serious about, I have a couple of guys I strategize with. There is one guy that I strategize with more than the others. He just happens to be the one guy in my league that thinks like I do about 90% of the time. We differ slightly on values of certain players once in a while, and we have favorites or dislikes that contradict each other.

We basically think we are the cream of the crop in our league and love talking about how dominating we are and how lame the other owners are. We discuss how we wish they would get better so the league would be more competetive.

I enjoy it. Mostly because the conversations solidify my own gut feelings about my knowledge and strategy. Reason being, because I know after talking to him that I am not alone in my little fantasy world.

It's weird, but it has helped me to become a dominant force in this particular league.

 

[phowler13]

I do but we are in the same division and are the most active traders in our league so we often have a conflict of interest. He is great for discussion etc, but you dont know how much is bs vs his true thoughts. Which leads me to out last couple of days together. Trading deadline this week. He has a gaping hole at te and I happen to be solid all the way around (see sig). He wants gonzo and wants to give me McCallister and Romo ( a pretty good deal if he werent in the division and the trading deadline is Sunday) . I need neither and it would be a HUGE help his team who is just one game back in the division. I may not do it just for this reason, that it helps him this year more than me, and he is pretty stacked up with draft picks this year. I babbled sorry, but would you turn down a very good deal for your team if it makes a competitor that much better???

 

[dozer]

<--------

"Never let anyone outside the family what you're thinking". Don Corleone

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.Every owner in my league uses information to thier advantage. I talk general stuff with a few guys, but I always guard any talk about strategy. There is one guy who always gives me way more info than I give him. I don't know that its ever really helped me, but it might someday.If you can't spot the fish, its probably you.

 

[nittanylion]

Here's something I think is worth considering as sound strategy, which I practice in a few Leagues I'm in:

12 Teams, 3 Divisions of 4 Teams each - If you play a 13 game schedule, it's likely you face everyone in your division twice, and all other teams EXCEPT ONE, once.

As soon as the fantasy schedules are released, I scour them to find that guy. He's the guy you don't play head-to-head during the regular season. This is usually determined before the Draft, which comes in quite handy, in terms of in-draft communications and strategy. For example, if you are both 'handcuff minded', it's a way to accomplish things during the Draft, and work them out down the road.

I become staunchly allied with that guy as soon as I find out who he is. Once the playoffs begin, if we both make it, all bets are off, but during the season we communicate frequently, and if we can help each other, we do. Not collusively, mind you, but certainly if Divisional Rivalries prohibit you from being able to make trades for players you want, you're ally can deal to acquire those players, and vice-versa, and then you can deal with your ally to acquire players you might not otherwise be able to obtain, due to a reluctance with your Division Rivals to deal. Same goes with the waiver wire, if your League does 'worst to first'. Sometimes you, or your ally may be in a better position in the queue to obtain a player that might not make it down to you/him. You can work with this guy to get the player, and then deal for him after the fact.

Some may think this out of line, but I think it's a tactic that's quite strong if used properly...just something else to add to the strategy file.

 

[Doom]

Most of the time I never fully tip my hat about stragies,

Isn't tipping your hat typically done to be nice to women?

 

[Pick]

Some most may think this out of line

 

[newteech]

Collusion is cool!!!

I bet some of you guys also kick your friend under the poker table when you have Aces

 

[Wingnut]

We discuss how we wish they would get better so the league would be more competetive.

Careful what you wish for...once most of your league are sharks, you have to evolve into a super shark to keep ahead of the pack.I talk strategy with one guy in my league but neither of us tip our entire hand. When it comes to discussing weekly pickups, we both stay tight lipped.

 

[Lehigh98]