How do you guys feel about "Table Talk" at your draft? (1 Viewer)

[Mr. Know-It-All]

last year I had a guy look on my sheet and take Arian Foster - the next guy I was planning to take. Needless to say I was less than happy as the season played out. At the time I wasn't mad because who would have guessed he'd go as nuts as he did. Equally bad are the comedians who throw out names of guys retired for 15 years - real funny....the first 300 times.

 

[Raider Nation]

Equally bad are the comedians who throw out names of guys retired for 15 years - real funny....the first 300 times.

I get back at these guys. I bring my laptop with me and play

EVERY time they make a pick.

 

[ChromeWeasel]

A lot of guys are making legitimate points here that should actually be addressed when discussing rules in the offseason.Rascal has every right to be absolutely livid. He's also right that he doesn't want to start a fight during the auction. Raider Nation is right that Namedropping shouldn't be allowed. He's also right that he doesn't want to be "that guy" right in the middle of the draft.Some of the owners in my main league have gone to our commissioner during the rules suggestion period in the offseason and have had these issues put on the agenda to discuss as rule changes during our predraft organizational meeting where we address possible rule changes. We've got the league to vote into the rules an owner has announced a selection it is official." "Owners may not offer advice to other owners during the draft." You usually have better discussions when you're not in the heat of the draft and those that are "namedropping" can hear why it's bad and hopefully understand.

The only thing you need to legislate against is collusion. Owners shouldnt get bent out of shape when other owners talk in the draft. Again, this isnt a battle between enemies. The draft is a fun time and should involve buddies. It sounds like there are some miserable spoiled owners in this thread.

 

[Raider Nation]

The only thing you need to legislate against is collusion. Owners shouldnt get bent out of shape when other owners talk in the draft. Again, this isnt a battle between enemies. The draft is a fun time and should involve buddies. It sounds like there are some miserable spoiled owners in this thread.

Being "buddies" is fine. This is my 21st year in my main league, and I would give any of them a kidney if they needed one.But we are also competitive to the death. Picture that show on FX called "The League"... now multiply their passion by 100.

 

[tenaka]

Unless its a high-dollar league settle down, have another beer and stop worrying that someone had advice on their 13th round pick.

 

[rascal]

My auction draft last night the commish in the middle of an ongoing bid for Best, who I was about to get for a real bargain, said, "rascal about to get a steal here because nobody wants to bid"Price promptly doubled and I didn't get him.

Before you leave you should take his laptop when he's not looking then send him a text an hour later saying "I still got a steal".

I'm unsure of what i should do at this point other than #####ing about it. I was livid at the draft, but having anger issues the last thing I wanted was a fight so I said it was BS and left it at that. He didn't do it again, but i'm still pissed.

Well, on a serious note, if you don't like the style of your draft then I'd leave the league after this season.Is it your first year in this league? If not then has the commish done this before? If he has then there's probably no changing the situation. If not then maybe he just effed-up. Talk with him about it and let him know that it bothered you. Be polite but let him know that you don't really feel comfortable in a league where The Commish helps low bids become higher - especially if there's real money involved.If you don't feel comfortable approaching your Commish like this then maybe that's a sign you might want to shop around for a new league next year.Either way, talking with him about it is the way to go. Like I said in an earlier post - each league has it's unwritten rules and they are very different sometimes. Find out if what the Commish did is "OK" in your league or not. From my point of view the guy running the show (the commish) should be as neutral as possible. I'd tend to be on your side in this one.

It's the 7th year we've had this league, but the first time we've had an auction. He has been the commish every year and this is the first I remember of such an incident happening. We are also good friends. I'll talk to him about it, but that is it.

 

[Mister CIA]

A lot of guys are making legitimate points here that should actually be addressed when discussing rules in the offseason.Rascal has every right to be absolutely livid. He's also right that he doesn't want to start a fight during the auction. Raider Nation is right that Namedropping shouldn't be allowed. He's also right that he doesn't want to be "that guy" right in the middle of the draft.Some of the owners in my main league have gone to our commissioner during the rules suggestion period in the offseason and have had these issues put on the agenda to discuss as rule changes during our predraft organizational meeting where we address possible rule changes. We've got the league to vote into the rules an owner has announced a selection it is official." "Owners may not offer advice to other owners during the draft." You usually have better discussions when you're not in the heat of the draft and those that are "namedropping" can hear why it's bad and hopefully understand.

The only thing you need to legislate against is collusion. Owners shouldnt get bent out of shape when other owners talk in the draft. Again, this isnt a battle between enemies. The draft is a fun time and should involve buddies. It sounds like there are some miserable spoiled owners in this thread.

Why legislate against collusion? It's not like this is a battle between enemies. You sound like a miserable, spoiled owner that does not know how to have a good time.

 

[datonn]

With everything going on in the world, this is the kind of stuff that gets guys' undies in a bunch?!

We name-drop in our leagues all the time! And these are very competitive leagues where the dues are high enough to sting if it becomes just a "charitable contribution" to another owner. We name-drop for two reasons:

1. To drop the names of players we want guys drafting before we're OTC to consider drafting...so they'll leave the guys we really want alone, and

2. For the guys who need to "lighten up, Francis," it gets them thinking about their anger management issues and how to get back/even with us instead of focusing on their own draft boards, the deals they might have made to move up in the draft, etc.

Seriously man, if you can get other owners thinking about ANYTHING other than their draft boards, you win. Bring snacks, bring booze, bring pron. Whatever you gotta do to get the guys you're playing against to spend as much time as possible NOT thinking about their next moves. HTH.

 

[munnzoid]

we have a $1 fine for each name called out... Really keeps the owners in line. The money goes into the pot. The fun part is trying to get someone to say a name

We will say " who's QB for The Niners this year?

 

[Daywalker]

Used to be in an auction league where the commish, who was in the league, was the auctioneer. We were big rivals. Needless to say whenever I was top-bidder his closing off of the bidding was villian-WWF-referee style. Going once? Anyone? Going twice?............................................Sold.

Infuriating. But finding a non-owner schlep to run the auction was something we could not make happen in our circle.

Name-dropping is a no-no amongst most of our owners but not something in our constitution. When it happens someone, me, will say take it easy guys. Usually by end of draft it's common-place in order to finally finsh and attempting to shutup the drunks is not worth attempting.

 

[Daywalker]

Auctions are kind of a different animal IMO. Dropping names is not cool but hyping players as bidding commences is fair game in my book. Price-enforcing. Many times I'll hype a guy during bidding and be serious about it to the point where I'll jump in the bidding if it's too low. Was I doing myself a disservice? So I think that type of talk is gamesmanship especially when I blow my cap on two studs early on. I'm usually hated by end of draft but being the foil is fun for everyone.

 

[GregR]

I was guilty of this today.

Heard about Foster leaving the game and said something about it during the draft as I was still in the "Oh ####" mindset as a Texans fan. About 2 seconds after I hit return in the draft chat window I facepalmed for having talked about something that would impact players still on the board (Tate and Ward). :(

 

[Hoss Style]

Why legislate against collusion? It's not like this is a battle between enemies. You sound like a miserable, spoiled owner that does not know how to have a good time.

Getting that worked up over someone else's preference for their draft on a forums board? You sound more miserable than any of the owners you're trying to describe.I'm really of the mindset that whatever way someone's league works is fine - strict or relaxed. To each his own.But you're really telling me that you'd be fine with 2 owners getting together and one of them saying he didn't feel like playing this year, handing his team over to his buddy, keep it secret and then later in the year the one owner just making trades to suit his team each week? You'd really be fine with that? Even if your league was a fairly large money league?Really?If so then I'm pretty sure you're waaaaay more laid back about your league than most here. Myself? I enjoy a good fun game of anything but it sure does take the fun out of it if someone's cheating. Competetive games are more fun for me.

 

[griff321]

I suggest the other owners in the league bring you a box of tampons at the next draft.

 

[Hoss Style]

I really find it amusing that some of the posters are calling the OP names, saying he's miserable or telling him to get tampons because he prefers a certain style of draft. We are soaked in irony here, friends.

:whoosh:

 

[Daywalker]

My auction draft last night the commish in the middle of an ongoing bid for Best, who I was about to get for a real bargain, said, "rascal about to get a steal here because nobody wants to bid"Price promptly doubled and I didn't get him.

Before you leave you should take his laptop when he's not looking then send him a text an hour later saying "I still got a steal".

I'm unsure of what i should do at this point other than #####ing about it. I was livid at the draft, but having anger issues the last thing I wanted was a fight so I said it was BS and left it at that. He didn't do it again, but i'm still pissed.

Exactly. That stuff right there is total BS. I would have come across the table at that guy.

And you'd be completely out of line IMO. The commish is a fellow owner I assume. Trying to prevent other owners from great bargains is called competing in my book. Once a player is nominated everyone has the opportunity to hype up or throw out misinformation. Fellow owner got another owner to pay a premium price and prevented you from a bargain. He didn't help anyone but himself. Part of the fun of the auction. Whole league acts as the auctioneer in hyping the players.Think it's completely different then dropping names during a draft which is unacceptable.

 

[Four Horsemen]

I'll also take up for the OP here.

He said that a situation that affected the competitive balance of his draft bothered him. And he's right for it to bother him.

And he handles it correctly. He doesn't break a beer bottle and go for somebody's throat. He doesn't start screaming and cursing and threaten to quit the league mid-draft.

He comes on a fantasy football message board and brings up a topic about fantasy football. The horror.

Yes, he takes fantasy football seriously. We ALL do. We all paid to subscribe to join a fantasy football site and participate in a fantasy football forum. So let's not be hypocrites here.

Again, it bothers me, too. I've never said anything about it during the draft, but I hate the unprepared guy that asks for advice about "who's available?" or "is so-and-so hurt?" in the middle of the draft. They end up getting a player that somebody prepared should have got.

As far the loser that suggested the OP bring a box of tampons... I bet you'd NEVER say that to somebody's face. But you talk like a real tough guy behind the safety of a keyboard.

 

[LAUNCH]

My auction draft last night the commish in the middle of an ongoing bid for Best, who I was about to get for a real bargain, said, "rascal about to get a steal here because nobody wants to bid"Price promptly doubled and I didn't get him.

Before you leave you should take his laptop when he's not looking then send him a text an hour later saying "I still got a steal".

I'm unsure of what i should do at this point other than #####ing about it. I was livid at the draft, but having anger issues the last thing I wanted was a fight so I said it was BS and left it at that. He didn't do it again, but i'm still pissed.

Exactly. That stuff right there is total BS. I would have come across the table at that guy.

And you'd be completely out of line IMO. The commish is a fellow owner I assume. Trying to prevent other owners from great bargains is called competing in my book. Everyone has the opportunity to hype up or throw out misinformation in my auction. Fellow owner got another owner to pay a premium price and prevented you from a bargain. He didn't help anyone but himself. Part of the fun of the auction. Whole league acts as the auctioneer in hyping the players.Think it's completely different then dropping names during a draft which is unacceptable.

Hyping up players and trash talking other owners into bidding more is what an auction is all about. When you get two owners getting into a pissing match and you have all the other owners going crazy and jumping up and down getting into it is what really differentiates an auction vs a regular draft. The way we run our draft it is as much an exercise in psychology as it is in draft preperation..maybe more.

 

[Four Horsemen]

My auction draft last night the commish in the middle of an ongoing bid for Best, who I was about to get for a real bargain, said, "rascal about to get a steal here because nobody wants to bid"Price promptly doubled and I didn't get him.

Before you leave you should take his laptop when he's not looking then send him a text an hour later saying "I still got a steal".

I'm unsure of what i should do at this point other than #####ing about it. I was livid at the draft, but having anger issues the last thing I wanted was a fight so I said it was BS and left it at that. He didn't do it again, but i'm still pissed.

Exactly. That stuff right there is total BS. I would have come across the table at that guy.

And you'd be completely out of line IMO. The commish is a fellow owner I assume. Trying to prevent other owners from great bargains is called competing in my book. Everyone has the opportunity to hype up or throw out misinformation in my auction. Fellow owner got another owner to pay a premium price and prevented you from a bargain. He didn't help anyone but himself. Part of the fun of the auction. Whole league acts as the auctioneer in hyping the players.Think it's completely different then dropping names during a draft which is unacceptable.

Hyping up players and trash talking other owners into bidding more is what an auction is all about. When you get two owners getting into a pissing match and you have all the other owners going crazy and jumping up and down getting into it is what really differentiates an auction vs a regular draft. The way we run our draft it is as much an exercise in psychology as it is in draft preperation..maybe more.

But not if you're the commissioner conducting the auction. It's your responsibility to be as neutral as possible. And, yes, even if the commissioner is in the league he's held to a different standard than the other owners during an auction.

 

[Dr. Awesome]

My auction draft last night the commish in the middle of an ongoing bid for Best, who I was about to get for a real bargain, said, "rascal about to get a steal here because nobody wants to bid"

Price promptly doubled and I didn't get him.

But not if you're the commissioner conducting the auction. It's your responsibility to be as neutral as possible. And, yes, even if the commissioner is in the league he's held to a different standard than the other owners during an auction.

How was he not being neutral? Maybe Best WAS going for a bargain and he was shouting it out anytime anyone was about to get a steal. That would be screwing everyone equally. What if he was shouting it out for every player? Because one idiot owner bit on his remark he should be blamed?I'm the auctioneer and commish of my league. I do that stuff with nearly every player. Sometimes the person is actually getting a steal. Most of the time I'm trying to drive the price up on every single player. Yes, even for my own guys. It's part of the fun. It's up to the individuals to take whoever they want at whatever price they want.

RN and others has some anger issues.

 

[Four Horsemen]

My auction draft last night the commish in the middle of an ongoing bid for Best, who I was about to get for a real bargain, said, "rascal about to get a steal here because nobody wants to bid"

Price promptly doubled and I didn't get him.

But not if you're the commissioner conducting the auction. It's your responsibility to be as neutral as possible. And, yes, even if the commissioner is in the league he's held to a different standard than the other owners during an auction.

How was he not being neutral? Maybe Best WAS going for a bargain and he was shouting it out anytime anyone was about to get a steal. That would be screwing everyone equally. What if he was shouting it out for every player? Because one idiot owner bit on his remark he should be blamed?I'm the auctioneer and commish of my league. I do that stuff with nearly every player. Sometimes the person is actually getting a steal. Most of the time I'm trying to drive the price up on every single player. Yes, even for my own guys. It's part of the fun. It's up to the individuals to take whoever they want at whatever price they want.

RN and others has some anger issues.

How can I or anyone else debate sterling logic like that?

No wonder you call yourself Dr. Awesome. You're not dealing with any compensation issues whatsoever.

 

[Shermanator]

My auction draft last night the commish in the middle of an ongoing bid for Best, who I was about to get for a real bargain, said, "rascal about to get a steal here because nobody wants to bid"Price promptly doubled and I didn't get him.

In an auction it is common to jack up the price of a player. There is nothing wrong with it. it is relatively the same as bidding up a player so he goes for more money even if you dont want him.If Best goes for more money by doing that, then the winning owner spent more of his budget, thats sound strategy for the other owners. You should get over it, because it will happen many, many more times.

 

[griff321]

Honestly, why didn't you just call the person a dck and order them to buy you a beer.

Sulking on a message board, is more of an anger issue compared to doing something about it.

 

[Dr. Awesome]

My auction draft last night the commish in the middle of an ongoing bid for Best, who I was about to get for a real bargain, said, "rascal about to get a steal here because nobody wants to bid"

Price promptly doubled and I didn't get him.

But not if you're the commissioner conducting the auction. It's your responsibility to be as neutral as possible. And, yes, even if the commissioner is in the league he's held to a different standard than the other owners during an auction.

How was he not being neutral? Maybe Best WAS going for a bargain and he was shouting it out anytime anyone was about to get a steal. That would be screwing everyone equally. What if he was shouting it out for every player? Because one idiot owner bit on his remark he should be blamed?I'm the auctioneer and commish of my league. I do that stuff with nearly every player. Sometimes the person is actually getting a steal. Most of the time I'm trying to drive the price up on every single player. Yes, even for my own guys. It's part of the fun. It's up to the individuals to take whoever they want at whatever price they want.

RN and others has some anger issues.

How can I or anyone else debate sterling logic like that?

No wonder you call yourself Dr. Awesome. You're not dealing with any compensation issues whatsoever.

As long as the commissioner is being consistent I fail to see the problem. But by all means, continue with the insults.

 

[Funkley]

Its part of the fun in live in-person drafts...

Buncha nancies up in here.

S,

 

[Daywalker]

My auction draft last night the commish in the middle of an ongoing bid for Best, who I was about to get for a real bargain, said, "rascal about to get a steal here because nobody wants to bid"Price promptly doubled and I didn't get him.

In an auction it is common to jack up the price of a player. There is nothing wrong with it. it is relatively the same as bidding up a player so he goes for more money even if you dont want him.If Best goes for more money by doing that, then the winning owner spent more of his budget, thats sound strategy for the other owners. You should get over it, because it will happen many, many more times.

What would we owners of R. Rice and Calvin Johnson have to do then to thwart the evil plans of cap-horders who plan to slay middle-earth in the second stage of the auction? Should we not be allowed to spew homophobic rants at fellow owners as P. Harvin (.5PPR) is about to go at $8 when we have Calvin at $38?

 

[pantagrapher]

Very bush league thing to do. Razzing people about their picks, throwing ridiculous names out there and stuff like that is fun. But someone providing other owners with specific recommendations while they are on the clock is extremely bad form.

 

[Dr. Awesome]

Very bush league thing to do. Razzing people about their picks, throwing ridiculous names out there and stuff like that is fun. But someone providing other owners with specific recommendations while they are on the clock is extremely bad form.

I would have a serious problem if someone said "You should draft player ______, and here are the reasons why..." What's wrong with throwing out names?

 

[Ghost Rider]

I agree that it is bush league to do that in drafts, and the people who usually do it are usually dopes who know they aren't gonna win and just want to prevent good owners from getting a steal or immature idiots who probably think farting at a girl on a first date is okay to do.

As for auctions, that is definitely annoying when someone starts yapping if someone is about to get a steal and then people start bidding again, but that could be gamesmanship. It could be a player you really want, but you don't want everyone to know that, and if you are the one that keeps bidding, then everyone will know it, but if you can open your mouth and then get someone else to get the bidding going again, you can always jump back in suddenly and nab him.

 

[rascal]

Well he wasn't consistent in that he did it once, and it was against me.

I'm not sure how talking about it here in a calm manner is having anger issues.

 

[pantagrapher]

Very bush league thing to do. Razzing people about their picks, throwing ridiculous names out there and stuff like that is fun. But someone providing other owners with specific recommendations while they are on the clock is extremely bad form.

I would have a serious problem if someone said "You should draft player ______, and here are the reasons why..." What's wrong with throwing out names?

"Throwing out names" is vague. Like I said, throwing out ridiculous names has been a part of drafts since time immemorial. I think giving another owner a specific recommendation while he's on the clock is bad form. And now I've basically repeated my initial post.

 

[crnerblitz]

Lighten up Francis. Its a $20 work league. Getting into a fist fight with the HR director over Delone Carter is not a goot career choice.

 

[LAUNCH]

My auction draft last night the commish in the middle of an ongoing bid for Best, who I was about to get for a real bargain, said, "rascal about to get a steal here because nobody wants to bid"Price promptly doubled and I didn't get him.

Before you leave you should take his laptop when he's not looking then send him a text an hour later saying "I still got a steal".

I'm unsure of what i should do at this point other than #####ing about it. I was livid at the draft, but having anger issues the last thing I wanted was a fight so I said it was BS and left it at that. He didn't do it again, but i'm still pissed.

Exactly. That stuff right there is total BS. I would have come across the table at that guy.

And you'd be completely out of line IMO. The commish is a fellow owner I assume. Trying to prevent other owners from great bargains is called competing in my book. Everyone has the opportunity to hype up or throw out misinformation in my auction. Fellow owner got another owner to pay a premium price and prevented you from a bargain. He didn't help anyone but himself. Part of the fun of the auction. Whole league acts as the auctioneer in hyping the players.Think it's completely different then dropping names during a draft which is unacceptable.

Hyping up players and trash talking other owners into bidding more is what an auction is all about. When you get two owners getting into a pissing match and you have all the other owners going crazy and jumping up and down getting into it is what really differentiates an auction vs a regular draft. The way we run our draft it is as much an exercise in psychology as it is in draft preperation..maybe more.

But not if you're the commissioner conducting the auction. It's your responsibility to be as neutral as possible. And, yes, even if the commissioner is in the league he's held to a different standard than the other owners during an auction.

If the commish (which is me in my league) is in the bidding then another owner who isn't in it just takes over saying going once..going twice..gone. We try to maximize the money spent on players and I couldn't imagine doing an auction where the other owners sat there like they were in church. What is fantasy football if not trash talking and goofing on each other?

 

[Dr. Awesome]

Well he wasn't consistent in that he did it once, and it was against me.I'm not sure how talking about it here in a calm manner is having anger issues.

Yeah, if he only did it once and it was a deliberate move to screw you that's some bs. The anger comment was directed more at the comment that mentioned coming "across the table at that guy."

 

[two_dollars]

Just get them back and do it to them.

 

[mbuehner]

You've got to be kidding me with this thread.

 

[elmanx]

I don't know what kind of guppy leagues you guys play in where this is an actual problem.

In my leagues pretty much everyone is knowledgeable and knows who is still on the board. All of the "table talk" that owners do is either a joke or in some way designed to advance their own agenda (i.e., talking up a player they don't want, so their real target slides or sucks away auction dollars from the field). I think this is part of the game.

 

[Jersey35]

In some ways I compare it to folding your hand in a poker game, then walking around the room, looking at other players' hands and making "suggestions" to other players. If you aren't in the game, you shouldn't affect the outcome. If it isn't your pick, you aren't "in" the game, and you shouldn't affect the outcome.

In my league this year, we had an auction for IDP players (our first year doing IDP and we are a cap league). After one owner had filled his roster (he was one of the first) he proceeded to start recommending players for other owners to put up for bid and telling people players were going for too little. As some owners had clearly intentionally passed on high-profile players early to save money to grab value late, I, as commissioner asked the owner to stop - since he was out of the running for players and shouldn't be affecting the outcome.

He refused. Other owners asked him to stop. He refused - claiming that he was only trying to even the playing field - stating that he could tell some owners hadn't done their research and they needed help against others who had a clear "unfair" advantage because they had done their research. Additionally he said that he believed some owners intentionally bid up players early so they could grab guys cheaper later, and it was only fair that he work to prevent that. After asking him to stop 5 times and his repeated refusal, I changed his password, effectively booting him from the auction chat.

I've since reinstated him - after an apology of sorts - but I still don't believe he thinks he did anything wrong.

What do you think?

 

[datonn]

I don't know what kind of guppy leagues you guys play in where this is an actual problem.

In my leagues pretty much everyone is knowledgeable and knows who is still on the board. All of the "table talk" that owners do is either a joke or in some way designed to advance their own agenda (i.e., talking up a player they don't want, so their real target slides or sucks away auction dollars from the field). I think this is part of the game.

Maybe this is a better way to say what I was trying to say in my earlier post in this thread. I stopped playing in leagues where this kind of stuff would actually help/hurt other owners probably 6-7 years ago. Shooting fish in a barrel is easy. And boring. So instead of playing in leagues where you've got piles of candy around you after all the toddlers and pre-schoolers in the neighborhood have been out Trick or Treating, I play in leagues where I can actually go 4-9 or 3-10 (and where winning means something)...because FFL isn't a source of income, it's a source of entertainment. And stealing candy from kids (AKA pocketing money from people who will draft their PK in the 4th round) isn't entertaining. It's theft.So with that in mind, someone can say "wow...I can't believe Ray Rice is still on the board at 1.06!" With me sitting in the 1.08 hole. And you know what?! The guys at 1.06 and 1.07 already know this. So then a guy like me can chime-in and say "I know! I can't believe Jamaal Charles hasn't been selected yet either!" I want Rice, and am PRAYING he falls to 1.08...but:

A. Everyone in the league already knows he's fallen further than he should have...because 1-2 other owners drafted a couple guys they love too high, since they wouldn't be around in the 2nd, and they couldn't afford the prices to move up to acquire a second #1, and

B. I'm not drafting names, I'm drafting value. If Rice goes at 1.06 or 1.07, he goes. He should have been gone at 1.03-1.04! So if I really, REALLY want him? I make an offer to the 1.06 owner to move up two spots, or I sweat it out and be okay with "Charles" or ??? as my consolation prize if the planets don't align and I don't get my guy at 1.08.

But if you're playing in a league (depending upon scoring system, of course) where Rice still being available at 1.06 is going to be something where dropping his name is going to get 2-3 dumb###es to think "oh yeah! I forgot about him. Man, he's still available?!," then maybe it's time to see how many fish are starting to rot in your "barrel," or if you need to go on a diet after eating all of those neighborhood kids' candy.

 

[mbuehner]

In some ways I compare it to folding your hand in a poker game, then walking around the room, looking at other players' hands and making "suggestions" to other players. If you aren't in the game, you shouldn't affect the outcome. If it isn't your pick, you aren't "in" the game, and you shouldn't affect the outcome.

That analogy only makes sense if the guy is looking at other peoples cheat sheets and talking about them. Otherwise this is like getting bent out of shape about people talking about poker in a poker game. If you dont want to be around people talking about the activity you are engaging in, play online and shut yourself in your basement. Nobodys sharing hidden or privileged information here.

 

[ponchsox]

I could care less about table talk. I focus on my draft sheets and who is available when I pick. If a player gets selected before me because someone opened their mouth, so be it.

 

[Raider Nation]

But if you're playing in a league (depending upon scoring system, of course) where Rice still being available at 1.06 is going to be something where dropping his name is going to get 2-3 dumb###es to think "oh yeah! I forgot about him. Man, he's still available?!," then maybe it's time to see how many fish are starting to rot in your "barrel," or if you need to go on a diet after eating all of those neighborhood kids' candy.

Yeah, that is exactly like my scenario with the 10th round sleeper.

 

[Raider Nation]

My auction draft last night the commish in the middle of an ongoing bid for Best, who I was about to get for a real bargain, said, "rascal about to get a steal here because nobody wants to bid"

Price promptly doubled and I didn't get him.

But not if you're the commissioner conducting the auction. It's your responsibility to be as neutral as possible. And, yes, even if the commissioner is in the league he's held to a different standard than the other owners during an auction.

How was he not being neutral? Maybe Best WAS going for a bargain and he was shouting it out anytime anyone was about to get a steal. That would be screwing everyone equally. What if he was shouting it out for every player? Because one idiot owner bit on his remark he should be blamed?I'm the auctioneer and commish of my league. I do that stuff with nearly every player. Sometimes the person is actually getting a steal. Most of the time I'm trying to drive the price up on every single player. Yes, even for my own guys. It's part of the fun. It's up to the individuals to take whoever they want at whatever price they want.

RN and others has some anger issues.

How can I or anyone else debate sterling logic like that? No wonder you call yourself Dr. Awesome. You're not dealing with any compensation issues whatsoever.

As long as the commissioner is being consistent I fail to see the problem. But by all means, continue with the insults.

Effin priceless!

 

[datonn]

But if you're playing in a league (depending upon scoring system, of course) where Rice still being available at 1.06 is going to be something where dropping his name is going to get 2-3 dumb###es to think "oh yeah! I forgot about him. Man, he's still available?!," then maybe it's time to see how many fish are starting to rot in your "barrel," or if you need to go on a diet after eating all of those neighborhood kids' candy.

Yeah, that is exactly like my scenario with the 10th round sleeper.

A lot more similar than you might think. As when half the guys you're playing with are on the FBGs payroll with their position-by-position rankings in redraft/dyansty posted on the FBGs website, it's pretty hard for them to hide the fact that they like "Denarius Moore" way more than your average eekspurt does. Not to mention when they are personally listed against other eekspurts on sites such as: www.fantasypros.com. And everyone in the league sees that they are the guy ranking Cam Newton as the QB19 in the NFL, while most other guys in the league are placing Newton more around QB 25-30. You want to really have some fun? Play in a league where most of your owners' cheatsheets are publicly available for everyone else in the league to see...as the draft is going on. Kinda makes the idea of table talk and getting upset because someone happened to mention that "Jacquizz Rodgers" is still available around two rounds after his ADP seem kind of trivial/silly.

 

[pantagrapher]

But if you're playing in a league (depending upon scoring system, of course) where Rice still being available at 1.06 is going to be something where dropping his name is going to get 2-3 dumb###es to think "oh yeah! I forgot about him. Man, he's still available?!," then maybe it's time to see how many fish are starting to rot in your "barrel," or if you need to go on a diet after eating all of those neighborhood kids' candy.

Yeah, that is exactly like my scenario with the 10th round sleeper.

A lot more similar than you might think. As when half the guys you're playing with are on the FBGs payroll with their position-by-position rankings in redraft/dyansty posted on the FBGs website, it's pretty hard for them to hide the fact that they like "Denarius Moore" way more than your average eekspurt does. Not to mention when they are personally listed against other eekspurts on sites such as: www.fantasypros.com. And everyone in the league sees that they are the guy ranking Cam Newton as the QB19 in the NFL, while most other guys in the league are placing Newton more around QB 25-30. You want to really have some fun? Play in a league where most of your owners' cheatsheets are publicly available for everyone else in the league to see...as the draft is going on. Kinda makes the idea of table talk and getting upset because someone happened to mention that "Jacquizz Rodgers" is still available around two rounds after his ADP seem kind of trivial/silly.

Or you could just save time and autodraft.

 

[RhymesMcJuice]

The only thing you need to legislate against is collusion. Owners shouldnt get bent out of shape when other owners talk in the draft. Again, this isnt a battle between enemies. The draft is a fun time and should involve buddies. It sounds like there are some miserable spoiled owners in this thread.

Being "buddies" is fine. This is my 21st year in my main league, and I would give any of them a kidney if they needed one.But we are also competitive to the death. Picture that show on FX called "The League"... now multiply their passion by 100.

Yeah, but do you do post draft interviews?

 

[Daywalker]

I don't know what kind of guppy leagues you guys play in where this is an actual problem.In my leagues pretty much everyone is knowledgeable and knows who is still on the board. All of the "table talk" that owners do is either a joke or in some way designed to advance their own agenda (i.e., talking up a player they don't want, so their real target slides or sucks away auction dollars from the field). I think this is part of the game.

Maybe this is a better way to say what I was trying to say in my earlier post in this thread. I stopped playing in leagues where this kind of stuff would actually help/hurt other owners probably 6-7 years ago. Shooting fish in a barrel is easy. And boring. So instead of playing in leagues where you've got piles of candy around you after all the toddlers and pre-schoolers in the neighborhood have been out Trick or Treating, I play in leagues where I can actually go 4-9 or 3-10 (and where winning means something)...because FFL isn't a source of income, it's a source of entertainment. And stealing candy from kids (AKA pocketing money from people who will draft their PK in the 4th round) isn't entertaining. It's theft.

So the main reason you play fantasy is for self-esteem and not staying in touch with friends nor winning money?

 

[datonn]

I don't know what kind of guppy leagues you guys play in where this is an actual problem.In my leagues pretty much everyone is knowledgeable and knows who is still on the board. All of the "table talk" that owners do is either a joke or in some way designed to advance their own agenda (i.e., talking up a player they don't want, so their real target slides or sucks away auction dollars from the field). I think this is part of the game.

Maybe this is a better way to say what I was trying to say in my earlier post in this thread. I stopped playing in leagues where this kind of stuff would actually help/hurt other owners probably 6-7 years ago. Shooting fish in a barrel is easy. And boring. So instead of playing in leagues where you've got piles of candy around you after all the toddlers and pre-schoolers in the neighborhood have been out Trick or Treating, I play in leagues where I can actually go 4-9 or 3-10 (and where winning means something)...because FFL isn't a source of income, it's a source of entertainment. And stealing candy from kids (AKA pocketing money from people who will draft their PK in the 4th round) isn't entertaining. It's theft.

So the main reason you play fantasy is for self-esteem and not staying in touch with friends nor winning money?

Staying in touch with friends is what it's all about (guys who were strangers at first, but who I've gotten to know well personally over the past several years). Sprinkle in a little trade talk, in amongst asking about that new job, or how they are handling a recent divorce, or a child's illness or ??? Heck, my best league I play in has league dues of $0. It's a cap/auction IDP 16-team league with 53+5 rosters. Guys give more time and effort to that league than any league I've ever played in (about 10-11 of them could be reading this post right now)...and winning that title means more to me/us than just about any other league title I've ever won. Because when you win it, you know you beat some very active, very skilled owners.

 

[The Doctor]

Its part of the fun in live in-person drafts...

+1

 

[datonn]

But if you're playing in a league (depending upon scoring system, of course) where Rice still being available at 1.06 is going to be something where dropping his name is going to get 2-3 dumb###es to think "oh yeah! I forgot about him. Man, he's still available?!," then maybe it's time to see how many fish are starting to rot in your "barrel," or if you need to go on a diet after eating all of those neighborhood kids' candy.

Yeah, that is exactly like my scenario with the 10th round sleeper.

A lot more similar than you might think. As when half the guys you're playing with are on the FBGs payroll with their position-by-position rankings in redraft/dyansty posted on the FBGs website, it's pretty hard for them to hide the fact that they like "Denarius Moore" way more than your average eekspurt does. Not to mention when they are personally listed against other eekspurts on sites such as: www.fantasypros.com. And everyone in the league sees that they are the guy ranking Cam Newton as the QB19 in the NFL, while most other guys in the league are placing Newton more around QB 25-30. You want to really have some fun? Play in a league where most of your owners' cheatsheets are publicly available for everyone else in the league to see...as the draft is going on. Kinda makes the idea of table talk and getting upset because someone happened to mention that "Jacquizz Rodgers" is still available around two rounds after his ADP seem kind of trivial/silly.

Or you could just save time and autodraft.

Aah, but that's where it gets fun. Guys will use the opportunity to try out some new drafting strategies which makes those cheatsheets more of a distraction than "State's secrets." Going a bit QB heavy, or drafting based upon perceived opposing NFL offensive/defensive SoS and match-ups, etc. Going 1/1/3/2, or 1/2/3/1 in a flex with appealing, weighted TE scoring in a PPR. Drafting to get you to a meaningful Week 14 game then rolling the dice! Drafting with more of an emphasis on Weeks 14-16, taking your chances that you'll be good enough to at least sneak in as a wildcard. Etc. If it's 1/2/3/1 or offense only, then yep. Probably put it on auto-pilot. For at least the first 4-5 rounds, anyway. But when you introduce flex positions, IDP, and different strategies to the mix, it's actually a lot more fun. Like watching poker on TV and seeing what's in everyone's hands, then watching how they play that hand. Versus everyone being all hush-hush and nobody knowing if the guy who won the pot getting another guy to fold was bluffing or not.