Immoral, Illegal, or Fattening? (1 Viewer)

[ponchsox]

Tanking is BS especially when teams are trying to make the playoffs. Nothing worse then a team I am fighting for a playoff spot with gets a break because his opponent doesn't start his best players.

 

[jackdubl]

What if there is a playoff for the high draft picks, so tanking doesn't guarantee you anything. I don't feel my team is good enough to win the championship. Can I tank to go to the losers playoffs where I think I have a good chance at winning a top pick? It'd be more fun for me, that's for sure. Plus with my keepers, I'm set up for next year but not this one. Kosher? By the way, I'd be one of the bottom teams to get into the playoffs, so if anything I am letting in another team, not costing a strong team a spot. Just giving up my own.

 

[shader]

I think it's fine to tank in dynasty leagues, if you do it in a proper way.

1. Never start players on bye weeks or that are injured. That is just wrong, imo.

2. Ridiculous starts (Tyler Palko over Aaron Rodgers) should be avoided.

3. However, an effort to make your team worse in the "current year" through trades is completely acceptable.

Last year, I got hit with a string of horrible things in one league. I hit 0-6 and said "screw it" and completely sold out. I traded Big Ben for Romo (who was injured), traded as many vets as I could for first rounders, and traded for as many injured players as possible. I was rewarded with Mark Ingram, (although that isn't looking like much of a reward).

Still, I was able to acquire 3 or 4 first rounders and really set myself up for a big jump this year.

So "legal tanking" is very smart. But starting illegal lineups and benching studs seems a little wrong to me.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

I don't think what Shader describes is tanking. That's rebuilding. Totally a place for that in dynasty.

A team that specifically sets out to help another team win in redraft is flat out cheating IMO.

 

[jackdubl]

What about my idea, tanking to not make the playoffs? Is it most people's thoughts that if I'm gonna make it, I'm obligated to go for it?

 

[Raider Nation]

I'm surprised so many view this as a good strategy. I would never want to be in a league where tanking was a legit strategy.

And I would never want to be in a league where I'm TOLD who my starters will be. Go ahead and find another owner.

 

[habsfan]

I say "immoral" as opposed to "illegal" but I would not want to be in this league i don't think. It's a good way to turn competitiveness into grudges.

You do this to me this year and I will be looking to pay you back in kind at some point down the road.

That said, if hard feelings are not an issue, go to town.

 

[Underachievers]

"You play to win the game!"

You play to win the championship, and if that involves losing to get the best possible playoff matchup, then so be it.

 

[HurryUpSundays]

i had no idea there were so many little school girls amongst us.

your team. your money. you do whatever it takes to get to and win in week 16.

period. the end.

 

[Drop]

It's similar to a situation that occurs in the card game of Hearts. Everyone is playing for themselves, but at certain points in the game it may be beneficial for a player to allow another player to "shoot the moon" in order to increase their own chances of winning. This is called implicit collusion, there is no agreement discussed by the teams involved and they are both acting in their own best interests to win the game in the end. This explains how certain alliances can form in competitions without it being cheating.

 

[TheFootballJesus]

i had no idea there were so many little school girls amongst us. your team. your money. you do whatever it takes to get to and win in week 16. period. the end.

In a league where everyone follows ff seriously, you do what it takes for your team to win.

 

[SWC]

if i ever found out about coluson i would probably go ape crapper and people would end up in the hospital maybe me because i stink at fighting but i can take a punch to the face because hey im probably not getting any uglier or dumber but all the same you can tank ifyou want to but if you conspire then its go time take it to the bank

 

[LittlePhatty]

No offense, but it's hard to believe there's THAT many weasels in this hobby.

I just don't get these "morality" type questions. That shouldn't factor into it at all.It's a game and it has rules. You are either breaking the rules or you aren't. The only reason people continually bring things like this up is because every league has different rules (and some don't have enough to cover these situations).

The only answer is: if your league has rules against it, then you can't do it (and you should be penalized if you try it). If your league doesn't have rules preventing such a thing, then it is fair game. You can do it, but so could anyone else in the league. And if owners don't like it they should push for an addition to the league's rules.

The last thing I'll say is that there's no such thing as a "gimmie" in FF. It's mostly luck. Any team can beat any other team. Remember last season when Aaron Rodgers was knocked out in Week 14 with a concussion? I'm sure there were a ton of really good teams knocked out of their FF playoffs due to that bad stroke of luck. So I say go with the flow because picking your opponent is more of a coin-flip than you realize.

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

Is anyone else sincerely surprised by the voting results? Maybe people are just clowning around with their vote. I hope so, LOL.

No offense, but it's hard to believe there's THAT many weasels in this hobby.

I'm surprised that we have at least 12 people (and counting I am sure) who are either mornic or illiterate and are voting that this would be illegal in spite of being told explicitly that there is no rule against it. These people would make wonderful activist judges. I am willing to bet that most of them are also the ones who like to veto 'patently unfair trades'.

I didn't vote, but actually, the OP said no such thing. The only caveat was that it was a legal starting lineup with no byes, injured players, etc. In fact, he goes on to say that those who believe it's illegal, what's your reasoning, etc.The OP never said it was legal or illegal to tank, he was looking for opinions.

No offense, but it's hard to believe there's THAT many weasels in this hobby.

I just don't get these "morality" type questions. That shouldn't factor into it at all.It's a game and it has rules. You are either breaking the rules or you aren't. The only reason people continually bring things like this up is because every league has different rules (and some don't have enough to cover these situations).

The only answer is: if your league has rules against it, then you can't do it (and you should be penalized if you try it). If your league doesn't have rules preventing such a thing, then it is fair game. You can do it, but so could anyone else in the league. And if owners don't like it they should push for an addition to the league's rules.

The last thing I'll say is that there's no such thing as a "gimmie" in FF. It's mostly luck. Any team can beat any other team. Remember last season when Aaron Rodgers was knocked out in Week 14 with a concussion? I'm sure there were a ton of really good teams knocked out of their FF playoffs due to that bad stroke of luck. So I say go with the flow because picking your opponent is more of a coin-flip than you realize.

Then they must be omniscient, as without being given the rules of the league in the OP, they know that it's illegal.

I have less of an issue with guys who think its immoral/weak-assed move etc, than those who would say that it is illegal absent a rule such as was instituted in my league above. I think it's more akin to a guy in oker tournament raising big into a pot (usually at the end of a tournament) when 2-3 other players are also in the hand to eliminate a low-stack who is all in. It's am move that many will disapprove of and vocally berate him for, but it's his right to try to win it all within the confines of the rules. If you pay the entry fee, it is your right to win at all costs within the confines of the rules.

 

[Instinctive]

i had no idea there were so many little school girls amongst us.

your team. your money. you do whatever it takes within the rules to get to and win in week 16.

period. the end.

fixed - then I agree

 

[Dentist]

you avoid this by minimizing the affect that record has on people qualifying for the playoffs.

in my league:

12 teams - six make playoffs

3 division winners (top 2 get a bye)

#4 Seed - next highest record

#5 seed - highest power ranked team not to qualify (on CBS - power ranking is record + total points + breakdown of their total record if they played every team every week)

#6 seed - highest power ranked team not to qualify

it's a little rare, but we've had years where a 5-8 team qualified over a 7-6 team.. and that's the way it should be.

head to head matchups in FFL are completely overrated.

In addition you can avoid this by having a significant prize for top scorer of the year total points in week 1-16.

that's the best team anyway.

in my league - 30% of the prize pool goes to the top points scorer - this eliminates tanking.

If you have the appropriate rules in place you'll never have to think about tanking

 

[astew90]

I intend on doing just this during the last week of my league's regular season. It is an 8-man league, top 4 get into the playoffs. Right now, I already have first place locked up at 10-1. There are two teams at 7-4, and four teams fighting for the last spot at 5-6.

I play the worst of those four teams in week 14. We're talking 15-20 points per week less than the other three teams. If he still has a shot to get in, you bet I'm throwing our matchup and hoping to face his shlt squad the next week.

 

[astew90]

you avoid this by minimizing the affect that record has on people qualifying for the playoffs.in my league:12 teams - six make playoffs3 division winners (top 2 get a bye)#4 Seed - next highest record#5 seed - highest power ranked team not to qualify (on CBS - power ranking is record + total points + breakdown of their total record if they played every team every week)#6 seed - highest power ranked team not to qualifyit's a little rare, but we've had years where a 5-8 team qualified over a 7-6 team.. and that's the way it should be.head to head matchups in FFL are completely overrated.In addition you can avoid this by having a significant prize for top scorer of the year total points in week 1-16.that's the best team anyway.in my league - 30% of the prize pool goes to the top points scorer - this eliminates tanking.If you have the appropriate rules in place you'll never have to think about tanking

Why are your rules appropriate over mine or anyone else's? Not knocking you, it's great that you found a system you like, but that doesn't mean everyone needs to use a system like this.My league is a pure H2H, 4-teams make a 2-week playoff, winner takes all, and I wouldn't change a thing.

 

[The Comedian]

It's a hypothetical question, we don't need to deal with how you would KNOW that the owner is tanking or not.

Tanking is not okay, ever, in my opinion.

 

[Dentist]

you avoid this by minimizing the affect that record has on people qualifying for the playoffs.in my league:12 teams - six make playoffs3 division winners (top 2 get a bye)#4 Seed - next highest record#5 seed - highest power ranked team not to qualify (on CBS - power ranking is record + total points + breakdown of their total record if they played every team every week)#6 seed - highest power ranked team not to qualifyit's a little rare, but we've had years where a 5-8 team qualified over a 7-6 team.. and that's the way it should be.head to head matchups in FFL are completely overrated.In addition you can avoid this by having a significant prize for top scorer of the year total points in week 1-16.that's the best team anyway.in my league - 30% of the prize pool goes to the top points scorer - this eliminates tanking.If you have the appropriate rules in place you'll never have to think about tanking

Why are your rules appropriate over mine or anyone else's? Not knocking you, it's great that you found a system you like, but that doesn't mean everyone needs to use a system like this.My league is a pure H2H, 4-teams make a 2-week playoff, winner takes all, and I wouldn't change a thing.

That's a great question.I just feel this is the correct and better way to do things.Head to head results are amongst the most meaningless stats in all of FFL.If you're ok with frequently not rewarding the best FFL team, then by all means stick with your system.By awarding some playoff spots based on power ranking, and having a decent chunk of prize money set aside for the top scoring team, you eliminate tanking altogether and minimize the randomness.I think we can all agree that in any FFL playoff structure that more often than not some random crap team will end up winning the title.Have a points title reward makes the game have value... it means the person who actually won the game of having the best FFL team is rewarded... sure you can still have a stupid playoff structure... and reward that winner too... but it should be widely known that just isn't as valuable.