Not starting "best" lineup to manipulate seedings? (1 Viewer)

[Phenomena]

I'm not talking about benching players - you have to fill out a full lineup. But I have the option in one league to play bench players and give someone a win to get into the playoffs, whom has a much worse team than the current 7th seed. I've already locked up a bye.

This is well within the rules of the league but I feel like karma will come back to bite me if I do it ... how many people have done something like this and did it pan out?

I also feel like if I can do something not against the rules to eliminate a team getting hot right now (has Charles/Forte/Nelson/etc.) that I should be doing everything I can to take advantage.

 

[Jerry Curl]

This is the week of the year where people will call BS on a lot of things. Just like Week 16 and 17 in the NFL, sometimes they bench their players for bench guys. As long as you fill out a lineup with someone already on your roster it is OK. If you pick up a scrub to start him, its kind of shady. Circumstantial.

I have been disecting my matchups and at this point since I am clinched my job is now position myself for the best chance to win a title and will do that within the letter of my rules. If I want to start Harvin over Dez, I may.

 

[steveski]

karma will come back to bite me

 

[Amused to Death]

This is a heated debate every year. Follow the league rules; play to win your championship. That's why we pay our money. But always follow league rules.

 

[steveski]

For some reason it won't let me edit and add text unless I put it in the quotes so I have to make a separate post.

If I was the commissioner of your league and saw you benching players on purpose to throw a match...I'd be shopping for your replacement. No, it's not officially against the rules to bench your studs and put in duds, but it's not in the rules that I have to keep you in the league either. Throwing any match is a scummy move and should never be done if you have any decency.

 

[Jerry Curl]

This is a heated debate every year. Follow the league rules; play to win your championship. That's why we pay our money. But always follow league rules.

This. If someone is counting on you to win your game they should have done more to not put themselves in a position to need help. Just follow league rules.

 

[zamboni]

karma will come back to bite me

I'm not a believer in that, but you'll certainly piss off your leaguemates to no end. We have this issue every year - not for playoffs (we play total points straight through), but for draft position the following year.

 

[Jerry Curl]

For some reason it won't let me edit and add text unless I put it in the quotes so I have to make a separate post.

If I was the commissioner of your league and saw you benching players on purpose to throw a match...I'd be shopping for your replacement. No, it's not officially against the rules to bench your studs and put in duds, but it's not in the rules that I have to keep you in the league either. Throwing any match is a scummy move and should never be done if you have any decency.

So your answer to a guy not breaking the rules because you think it is shady is to be shady yourself? Throwing a match is scummy? The object is to win titles not please you, if he has fulfilled the roster and starting lineup requirements, it would be shady to bounce someone because you failed as a commish to include the rule.

 

[FUBAR]

I'm not talking about benching players - you have to fill out a full lineup. But I have the option in one league to play bench players and give someone a win to get into the playoffs, whom has a much worse team than the current 7th seed. I've already locked up a bye.

This is well within the rules of the league but I feel like karma will come back to bite me if I do it ... how many people have done something like this and did it pan out?

I also feel like if I can do something not against the rules to eliminate a team getting hot right now (has Charles/Forte/Nelson/etc.) that I should be doing everything I can to take advantage.

you're overthinking this. Play your best lineup, period.

I was slightly irritated to get an email Sunday at 8am telling me to re-set my lineup. I'm out of the playoffs in that league and hadn't taken Dwayne Allen out of the lineup yet. The email "you're playing two playoff contenders and need to play your best lineup!" just rubbed me the wrong way. FWIW, there is no benefit in not playing your best players as the draft order is set by total potential points and not record or actual points. Plus I always check my lineups at noon.

 

[Amused to Death]

I'm not talking about benching players - you have to fill out a full lineup. But I have the option in one league to play bench players and give someone a win to get into the playoffs, whom has a much worse team than the current 7th seed. I've already locked up a bye.

This is well within the rules of the league but I feel like karma will come back to bite me if I do it ... how many people have done something like this and did it pan out?

I also feel like if I can do something not against the rules to eliminate a team getting hot right now (has Charles/Forte/Nelson/etc.) that I should be doing everything I can to take advantage.

you're overthinking this. Play your best lineup, period.

I was slightly irritated to get an email Sunday at 8am telling me to re-set my lineup. I'm out of the playoffs in that league and hadn't taken Dwayne Allen out of the lineup yet. The email "you're playing two playoff contenders and need to play your best lineup!" just rubbed me the wrong way. FWIW, there is no benefit in not playing your best players as the draft order is set by total potential points and not record or actual points. Plus I always check my lineups at noon.

Totally different. I'm assuming the OP is in the playoffs. I'm in a league where I'm out of the playoffs, but I make sure I have my best lineup in. But if I'm in the playoffs and can help myself get a better match up, yup. Just follow the rules.

 

[steveski]

For some reason it won't let me edit and add text unless I put it in the quotes so I have to make a separate post.

If I was the commissioner of your league and saw you benching players on purpose to throw a match...I'd be shopping for your replacement. No, it's not officially against the rules to bench your studs and put in duds, but it's not in the rules that I have to keep you in the league either. Throwing any match is a scummy move and should never be done if you have any decency.

So your answer to a guy not breaking the rules because you think it is shady is to be shady yourself? Throwing a match is scummy? The object is to win titles not please you, if he has fulfilled the roster and starting lineup requirements, it would be shady to bounce someone because you failed as a commish to include the rule.

So looking for a replacement owner the following year is more shady than throwing a match-up that effects the integrity of the league? Even if it was a rule, how would you enforce it? There are always ways around it. For your example, I can't prove that you putting in Harvin over Dez is you being shady. You could just be an idiot. It's one of those things that's hard to prevent, which is why I don't want to play in any leagues with people that do it.

I get that the object is to win titles. I'd love to be rich as well, but I'm not going to go taking advantage of people (even if it's legal) to do so. I'd rather go through life with integrity. I win plenty of championships and I get to go to bed every night knowing that I don't have to do shady stuff to do it. It would bother me more than it's worth if I had to do shady stuff to win.

But everyone's different. People sue places if their coffee cup doesn't say it's hot because it's legal to do so. People fake injuries all the time for personal gain. It's all on you what kind of person you want to be.

 

[Raiderfan32904]

I'm not talking about benching players - you have to fill out a full lineup. But I have the option in one league to play bench players and give someone a win to get into the playoffs, whom has a much worse team than the current 7th seed. I've already locked up a bye.

This is well within the rules of the league but I feel like karma will come back to bite me if I do it ... how many people have done something like this and did it pan out?

I also feel like if I can do something not against the rules to eliminate a team getting hot right now (has Charles/Forte/Nelson/etc.) that I should be doing everything I can to take advantage.

you're overthinking this. Play your best lineup, period.

I was slightly irritated to get an email Sunday at 8am telling me to re-set my lineup. I'm out of the playoffs in that league and hadn't taken Dwayne Allen out of the lineup yet. The email "you're playing two playoff contenders and need to play your best lineup!" just rubbed me the wrong way. FWIW, there is no benefit in not playing your best players as the draft order is set by total potential points and not record or actual points. Plus I always check my lineups at noon.

This has never happened to me. But I'd be so annoyed if it did. Let's say I had every intention of setting my lineup at noon. I might just go mow the lawn instead.

 

[Jerry Curl]

I'm not talking about benching players - you have to fill out a full lineup. But I have the option in one league to play bench players and give someone a win to get into the playoffs, whom has a much worse team than the current 7th seed. I've already locked up a bye.

This is well within the rules of the league but I feel like karma will come back to bite me if I do it ... how many people have done something like this and did it pan out?

I also feel like if I can do something not against the rules to eliminate a team getting hot right now (has Charles/Forte/Nelson/etc.) that I should be doing everything I can to take advantage.

you're overthinking this. Play your best lineup, period.

I was slightly irritated to get an email Sunday at 8am telling me to re-set my lineup. I'm out of the playoffs in that league and hadn't taken Dwayne Allen out of the lineup yet. The email "you're playing two playoff contenders and need to play your best lineup!" just rubbed me the wrong way. FWIW, there is no benefit in not playing your best players as the draft order is set by total potential points and not record or actual points. Plus I always check my lineups at noon.

This has never happened to me. But I'd be so annoyed if it did. Let's say I had every intention of setting my lineup at noon. I might just go mow the lawn instead.

Playing guys on Bye or Out should be against league rules.

 

[lod01]

Pretty sure it would be in my best interest to lose this week but I always want to win every game. If I win, I'm about 90% sure my week 14 playoff game will be vs Aaron Rodgers. The best lineup will be in this week regardless.

 

[steelers1080]

You put yourself in a position where you don't need a win. You can take advantage of that to the fullest. There was an NFL game a couple years ago where Peyton was benched for Curtis Painter. The Colts lost to a much worse Jets team and because of that the Steelers didn't make the playoffs. I was super pissed, but the Steelers were hot and the Colts wouldn't want to face a hot team if they could avoid it.

You don't have the same excuse of wanting to make sure your stars don't get injured, but it's your perogative to make yourself have the best opportunity to win down the line. That said, I've seen 2 teams do this and both lost the first round of the playoffs, so Karma's a #####.

 

[steveski]

I'm not talking about benching players - you have to fill out a full lineup. But I have the option in one league to play bench players and give someone a win to get into the playoffs, whom has a much worse team than the current 7th seed. I've already locked up a bye.

This is well within the rules of the league but I feel like karma will come back to bite me if I do it ... how many people have done something like this and did it pan out?

I also feel like if I can do something not against the rules to eliminate a team getting hot right now (has Charles/Forte/Nelson/etc.) that I should be doing everything I can to take advantage.

you're overthinking this. Play your best lineup, period.

I was slightly irritated to get an email Sunday at 8am telling me to re-set my lineup. I'm out of the playoffs in that league and hadn't taken Dwayne Allen out of the lineup yet. The email "you're playing two playoff contenders and need to play your best lineup!" just rubbed me the wrong way. FWIW, there is no benefit in not playing your best players as the draft order is set by total potential points and not record or actual points. Plus I always check my lineups at noon.

This has never happened to me. But I'd be so annoyed if it did. Let's say I had every intention of setting my lineup at noon. I might just go mow the lawn instead.

Playing guys on Bye or Out should be against league rules.

Why should that be against the rules but benching your starters ok? I have a shallow bench dynasty league where the only 2 TE's I have are Julius Thomas and Tyler Eifert. I decided to take the 0 this past week rather than having to drop a player that I want to pick up some bad TE that will give me 3 points for a week or two. How is that worse than purposely benching your best players?

You put yourself in a position where you don't need a win. You can take advantage of that to the fullest. There was an NFL game a couple years ago where Peyton was benched for Curtis Painter. The Colts lost to a much worse Jets team and because of that the Steelers didn't make the playoffs. I was super pissed, but the Steelers were hot and the Colts wouldn't want to face a hot team if they could avoid it.

You don't have the same excuse of wanting to make sure your stars don't get injured, but it's your perogative to make yourself have the best opportunity to win down the line. That said, I've seen 2 teams do this and both lost the first round of the playoffs, so Karma's a #####.

This is the main goal of teams benching their starters. It makes sense to have your main guys healthy going into the playoffs. In the back of their minds it might be nice to alter the playoff teams to get a better opponent, but there is too much uncertainty with that. I'd believe that teams at the bottom of the league tank to get the #1 overall pick more than I do that teams going into the playoffs tank to get a different opponent. And from what I've seen, I don't think teams tank to get the #1 overall pick. Even the Colts almost lost it a few years ago with Luck by getting a win or two and they had their eyes on him since the beginning of the season. If they wouldn't tank, then nobody will tank. It's one of the things I like about the NFL most. For the most part, every team is out there trying to play their best and win every single week. Seasons are short and every game has an impact on a players or coaches career/future contract. It's not like baseball where they can sit out 30 games and still play in 80% of the season.

 

[Jerry Curl]

I'm not talking about benching players - you have to fill out a full lineup. But I have the option in one league to play bench players and give someone a win to get into the playoffs, whom has a much worse team than the current 7th seed. I've already locked up a bye.

This is well within the rules of the league but I feel like karma will come back to bite me if I do it ... how many people have done something like this and did it pan out?

I also feel like if I can do something not against the rules to eliminate a team getting hot right now (has Charles/Forte/Nelson/etc.) that I should be doing everything I can to take advantage.

you're overthinking this. Play your best lineup, period.

I was slightly irritated to get an email Sunday at 8am telling me to re-set my lineup. I'm out of the playoffs in that league and hadn't taken Dwayne Allen out of the lineup yet. The email "you're playing two playoff contenders and need to play your best lineup!" just rubbed me the wrong way. FWIW, there is no benefit in not playing your best players as the draft order is set by total potential points and not record or actual points. Plus I always check my lineups at noon.

This has never happened to me. But I'd be so annoyed if it did. Let's say I had every intention of setting my lineup at noon. I might just go mow the lawn instead.

Playing guys on Bye or Out should be against league rules.

Why should that be against the rules but benching your starters ok? I have a shallow bench dynasty league where the only 2 TE's I have are Julius Thomas and Tyler Eifert. I decided to take the 0 this past week rather than having to drop a player that I want to pick up some bad TE that will give me 3 points for a week or two. How is that worse than purposely benching your best players?

If you cant see the difference I dont know what to tell ya. You left a position unfilled, you cant see the difference?

I came across this myself in extreme circumstances one year, lets just say leaving a roster spot empty has major ramifications. Starting bad players is OK.

 

[FF Ninja]

This is a heated debate every year.

What this guy said. Just do a search. This has been beaten to death already.

 

[habsfan]

karma will come back to bite me

I'm not a believer in that, but you'll certainly piss off your leaguemates to no end. We have this issue every year - not for playoffs (we play total points straight through), but for draft position the following year.

Also don't believe in cosmic forces but people have long memories. It's only a matter of time before I'm on the wrong end of this.

 

[steveski]

I'm not talking about benching players - you have to fill out a full lineup. But I have the option in one league to play bench players and give someone a win to get into the playoffs, whom has a much worse team than the current 7th seed. I've already locked up a bye.

This is well within the rules of the league but I feel like karma will come back to bite me if I do it ... how many people have done something like this and did it pan out?

I also feel like if I can do something not against the rules to eliminate a team getting hot right now (has Charles/Forte/Nelson/etc.) that I should be doing everything I can to take advantage.

you're overthinking this. Play your best lineup, period.

I was slightly irritated to get an email Sunday at 8am telling me to re-set my lineup. I'm out of the playoffs in that league and hadn't taken Dwayne Allen out of the lineup yet. The email "you're playing two playoff contenders and need to play your best lineup!" just rubbed me the wrong way. FWIW, there is no benefit in not playing your best players as the draft order is set by total potential points and not record or actual points. Plus I always check my lineups at noon.

This has never happened to me. But I'd be so annoyed if it did. Let's say I had every intention of setting my lineup at noon. I might just go mow the lawn instead.

Playing guys on Bye or Out should be against league rules.

Why should that be against the rules but benching your starters ok? I have a shallow bench dynasty league where the only 2 TE's I have are Julius Thomas and Tyler Eifert. I decided to take the 0 this past week rather than having to drop a player that I want to pick up some bad TE that will give me 3 points for a week or two. How is that worse than purposely benching your best players?

If you cant see the difference I dont know what to tell ya. You left a position unfilled, you cant see the difference?

I came across this myself in extreme circumstances one year, lets just say leaving a roster spot empty has major ramifications. Starting bad players is OK.

The difference is I didn't have a guy at that position to start. It was better for my team to take the 0 for one week then it was to lose a guy for the rest of the year.

That's worse to you then benching Jimmy Graham to start Crockett Gilmore? I find it pretty funny that you are morally against a team having a position unfilled, but if they stuff that position with some scrub even though they have a stud on their bench, it's okay.

 

[Jerry Curl]

I'm not talking about benching players - you have to fill out a full lineup. But I have the option in one league to play bench players and give someone a win to get into the playoffs, whom has a much worse team than the current 7th seed. I've already locked up a bye.

This is well within the rules of the league but I feel like karma will come back to bite me if I do it ... how many people have done something like this and did it pan out?

I also feel like if I can do something not against the rules to eliminate a team getting hot right now (has Charles/Forte/Nelson/etc.) that I should be doing everything I can to take advantage.

you're overthinking this. Play your best lineup, period.

I was slightly irritated to get an email Sunday at 8am telling me to re-set my lineup. I'm out of the playoffs in that league and hadn't taken Dwayne Allen out of the lineup yet. The email "you're playing two playoff contenders and need to play your best lineup!" just rubbed me the wrong way. FWIW, there is no benefit in not playing your best players as the draft order is set by total potential points and not record or actual points. Plus I always check my lineups at noon.

This has never happened to me. But I'd be so annoyed if it did. Let's say I had every intention of setting my lineup at noon. I might just go mow the lawn instead.

Playing guys on Bye or Out should be against league rules.

Why should that be against the rules but benching your starters ok? I have a shallow bench dynasty league where the only 2 TE's I have are Julius Thomas and Tyler Eifert. I decided to take the 0 this past week rather than having to drop a player that I want to pick up some bad TE that will give me 3 points for a week or two. How is that worse than purposely benching your best players?

If you cant see the difference I dont know what to tell ya. You left a position unfilled, you cant see the difference?

I came across this myself in extreme circumstances one year, lets just say leaving a roster spot empty has major ramifications. Starting bad players is OK.

The difference is I didn't have a guy at that position to start. It was better for my team to take the 0 for one week then it was to lose a guy for the rest of the year.

That's worse to you then benching Jimmy Graham to start Crockett Gilmore? I find it pretty funny that you are morally against a team having a position unfilled, but if they stuff that position with some scrub even though they have a stud on their bench, it's okay.

Gillmore can score points, an inactive or player on bye cant. Seems pretty simple.

 

[Dondante]

Bunch of damn candyasses. Do anything and everything you can to win. Sometimes it bites you in the ###. Sometimes you win and people hate you for what you did (in the case of using a "B-Team" for seeding). If you can sleep at night it's not wrong.

 

[fantasy stud]

From past experience, be careful what you wish for. You may think you are better off with a weaker team in the playoffs. Then, week 15 comes around and you find yourself in the matchup you hoped for and that team has the week if their lives and eliminates you. Sometimes it's better not to try control fate.

 

[Skoo]

I hate when people do this in my dynasty league - for example, I'd have a shot at getting in the playoffs if the guy I'm competing against isn't playing the 2-10 team that has been tanking for over a month now.

If I run a redraft league and people do this or don't set their lineups, they won't be asked back next year. I'm not a huge stickler in general but this really hurts the integrity of the league imo.

And, as you said in the OP, if you try to make moves in an effort to play one team or another, you can be sure that team will have their best week all year and it will end your season.

 

[jtp1982]

I play to win ... the championship. If another team is depending on me to make it into the playoffs that's their problem. Anything within the rules is fair game. It's called strategy.

 

[Jedi Knight]

Best ball complete eliminates this. Just sayin...

 

[T with T]

I'm not talking about benching players - you have to fill out a full lineup. But I have the option in one league to play bench players and give someone a win to get into the playoffs, whom has a much worse team than the current 7th seed. I've already locked up a bye.

This is well within the rules of the league but I feel like karma will come back to bite me if I do it ... how many people have done something like this and did it pan out?

I also feel like if I can do something not against the rules to eliminate a team getting hot right now (has Charles/Forte/Nelson/etc.) that I should be doing everything I can to take advantage

Winners don't play fair, do what is necessary by the rule book to keep this guy out. Instead of #### block it's playoff block... LMAO, if your league is fine with that then why not make the ride Easier for you.

 

[msudaisy26]

For some reason it won't let me edit and add text unless I put it in the quotes so I have to make a separate post.

If I was the commissioner of your league and saw you benching players on purpose to throw a match...I'd be shopping for your replacement. No, it's not officially against the rules to bench your studs and put in duds, but it's not in the rules that I have to keep you in the league either. Throwing any match is a scummy move and should never be done if you have any decency.

So, you want to find a replacement for a guy that is trying his best to win a league, a guy that sounds like a very active and detailed owner. Sounds like you run a lot of great leagues.

 

[POTA]

And be careful what you wish for. I've never thrown a game for better playoff seeding. But I've certainly had years where I was headed into the playoffs thinking "Dang, I wish I was playing Squeaked-Into-The-Playoffs. Instead X and Y happened and now I'm up against Most-Points-Scored in the first round." And then first round comes and goes, and I beat Most-Points-Scored because his team pooped the bed and meanwhile Squeaked over there had a career weekend.

Set your lineup like it was a week you needed to win, every week, and let the chips fall where they may.

 

[msudaisy26]

For the record if you are doing what is best for your team and your team alone it should be legal. If it is tanking a game so an owner , with a very strong team. but has had some bad luck during the season, misses the playoffs, then do it. If it means starting a guy that is injured or on a bye because you have short benches and don't want to drop A.J. Green for Jason Avant just so you have a full active team that week then do it. Karma Shwarma, it never works out 100 percent of the time or everyone would do it that way, do what gives you the best odds. Sometimes it will work sometimes it won't.

 

[jamchamp1]

Not to diverge from the topic, but why is it the norm to do playoffs? In my two leagues, we play 17 weeks and the winner is the team with the best record at the end. This eliminates all of those issues about throwing games.

 

[msudaisy26]

Not to diverge from the topic, but why is it the norm to do playoffs? In my two leagues, we play 17 weeks and the winner is the team with the best record at the end. This eliminates all of those issues about throwing games.

No it doesn't, then owners that are 3 - 10 going into week 14 stop setting lineups or help their friends outs by starting scrubs.

 

[Amused to Death]

For some reason it won't let me edit and add text unless I put it in the quotes so I have to make a separate post.

If I was the commissioner of your league and saw you benching players on purpose to throw a match...I'd be shopping for your replacement. No, it's not officially against the rules to bench your studs and put in duds, but it's not in the rules that I have to keep you in the league either. Throwing any match is a scummy move and should never be done if you have any decency.

So, you want to find a replacement for a guy that is trying his best to win a league, a guy that sounds like a very active and detailed owner. Sounds like you run a lot of great leagues.

The argument is you try to win every week and in the end, good for you if you are lucky enough to come out on top. The flip side is, the purpose of playing is to win the championship. If we didn't care about it, we wouldn't crown a champ at the end.

Know the league rules, pick one that suits your preference, and play within the rules. There are those who just assume everyone knows the unwritten rules - don't assume. If you don't want certain things to happen, put it in the rules. But don't penalize those who play within the established rules.

 

[Bucky86]

Not to diverge from the topic, but why is it the norm to do playoffs? In my two leagues, we play 17 weeks and the winner is the team with the best record at the end. This eliminates all of those issues about throwing games.

This.

One of my leagues I was out around week 6. I am rebuilding and just had no way of making the playoffs. I was up against a guy that was out of town and normally would have no chance against his team, but he forgot to move starters where he had a bye. I purposely tanked in order to not win since we have playoffs and didn't want a cheap victory which could further hurt MY team if it made me lose out on a top 3 pick.

(theres no official rule)The LM complained and I said switch to a total points for league and this wouldn't be an issue.

 

[qimqam]

I'm not talking about benching players - you have to fill out a full lineup. But I have the option in one league to play bench players and give someone a win to get into the playoffs, whom has a much worse team than the current 7th seed. I've already locked up a bye.

This is well within the rules of the league but I feel like karma will come back to bite me if I do it ... how many people have done something like this and did it pan out?

I also feel like if I can do something not against the rules to eliminate a team getting hot right now (has Charles/Forte/Nelson/etc.) that I should be doing everything I can to take advantage.

It always backfires

 

[jamchamp1]

Not to diverge from the topic, but why is it the norm to do playoffs? In my two leagues, we play 17 weeks and the winner is the team with the best record at the end. This eliminates all of those issues about throwing games.

No it doesn't, then owners that are 3 - 10 going into week 14 stop setting lineups or help their friends outs by starting scrubs.

This doesn't happen. If you are out of it, and you don't set your lineup our rules allow the commissioner to plug in players if being negligent. We also offer money for getting the highest score in each week and we have other rules in place so there would be no reason to throw games.

 

[Amused to Death]

Not to diverge from the topic, but why is it the norm to do playoffs? In my two leagues, we play 17 weeks and the winner is the team with the best record at the end. This eliminates all of those issues about throwing games.

This.

One of my leagues I was out around week 6. I am rebuilding and just had no way of making the playoffs. I was up against a guy that was out of town and normally would have no chance against his team, but he forgot to move starters where he had a bye. I purposely tanked in order to not win since we have playoffs and didn't want a cheap victory which could further hurt MY team if it made me lose out on a top 3 pick.

(theres no official rule)The LM complained and I said switch to a total points for league and this wouldn't be an issue.

Or just set your lineup and let the commish worry about it. Maybe send him an email to point it out. But I'd still set my normal lineup.

Some people like the challenge of weekly lineup decisions. Personally I'd hate it if my main league went to total points. Seems too much like autopilot.

 

[hxperson]

For some reason it won't let me edit and add text unless I put it in the quotes so I have to make a separate post.

If I was the commissioner of your league and saw you benching players on purpose to throw a match...I'd be shopping for your replacement. No, it's not officially against the rules to bench your studs and put in duds, but it's not in the rules that I have to keep you in the league either. Throwing any match is a scummy move and should never be done if you have any decency.

I'm glad I'm not in your leagues. You play to win, not impress the commish.

 

[jamchamp1]

Not to diverge from the topic, but why is it the norm to do playoffs? In my two leagues, we play 17 weeks and the winner is the team with the best record at the end. This eliminates all of those issues about throwing games.

This.

One of my leagues I was out around week 6. I am rebuilding and just had no way of making the playoffs. I was up against a guy that was out of town and normally would have no chance against his team, but he forgot to move starters where he had a bye. I purposely tanked in order to not win since we have playoffs and didn't want a cheap victory which could further hurt MY team if it made me lose out on a top 3 pick.

(theres no official rule)The LM complained and I said switch to a total points for league and this wouldn't be an issue.

Or just set your lineup and let the commish worry about it. Maybe send him an email to point it out. But I'd still set my normal lineup.

Some people like the challenge of weekly lineup decisions. Personally I'd hate it if my main league went to total points. Seems too much like autopilot.

Another way to stop this is we have 4th through 12th place get picks 1-9 respectively for next years draft, 3rd-1st get picks 10-12 respectively. So if you try to lose, you will end up with a worse pick the next year. This gives incentives for trying even when you are out of it to help your draft position for the fugure.

 

[msudaisy26]

Not to diverge from the topic, but why is it the norm to do playoffs? In my two leagues, we play 17 weeks and the winner is the team with the best record at the end. This eliminates all of those issues about throwing games.

No it doesn't, then owners that are 3 - 10 going into week 14 stop setting lineups or help their friends outs by starting scrubs.

This doesn't happen. If you are out of it, and you don't set your lineup our rules allow the commissioner to plug in players if being negligent. We also offer money for getting the highest score in each week and we have other rules in place so there would be no reason to throw games.

You didn't say that in your first post, adding money for the highest score each week makes a big difference in tanking

 

[matttyl]

I've done the math - no matter what happens in week 13, I'll be playing that very same team again week 14 in round 1 of the playoffs. Maybe I'll finally have the stones to start Harvin again for this week.

 

[FUBAR]

I'm not talking about benching players - you have to fill out a full lineup. But I have the option in one league to play bench players and give someone a win to get into the playoffs, whom has a much worse team than the current 7th seed. I've already locked up a bye.

This is well within the rules of the league but I feel like karma will come back to bite me if I do it ... how many people have done something like this and did it pan out?

I also feel like if I can do something not against the rules to eliminate a team getting hot right now (has Charles/Forte/Nelson/etc.) that I should be doing everything I can to take advantage.

you're overthinking this. Play your best lineup, period.

I was slightly irritated to get an email Sunday at 8am telling me to re-set my lineup. I'm out of the playoffs in that league and hadn't taken Dwayne Allen out of the lineup yet. The email "you're playing two playoff contenders and need to play your best lineup!" just rubbed me the wrong way. FWIW, there is no benefit in not playing your best players as the draft order is set by total potential points and not record or actual points. Plus I always check my lineups at noon.

This has never happened to me. But I'd be so annoyed if it did. Let's say I had every intention of setting my lineup at noon. I might just go mow the lawn instead.

Playing guys on Bye or Out should be against league rules.

sure, but give the dude a chance before assuming he's either throwing a game or doesn't care enough to check.

 

[FUBAR]

Not to diverge from the topic, but why is it the norm to do playoffs? In my two leagues, we play 17 weeks and the winner is the team with the best record at the end. This eliminates all of those issues about throwing games.

I'm in one league like this. In theory it's cool. In reality, I'll be dropping that league. I like playing for a playoff spot even though you can't get the best record.

 

[BobbyLayne]

wait...

Nobody queued the Herm Edwards clip yet?

 

[ponchsox]

For some reason it won't let me edit and add text unless I put it in the quotes so I have to make a separate post.

If I was the commissioner of your league and saw you benching players on purpose to throw a match...I'd be shopping for your replacement. No, it's not officially against the rules to bench your studs and put in duds, but it's not in the rules that I have to keep you in the league either. Throwing any match is a scummy move and should never be done if you have any decency.

I'm glad I'm not in your leagues. You play to win, not impress the commish.

Lol @ the commy commish

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Problem solved:

Tanking is defined as failing to start your best lineup any week you have a H2H game. In other words, you are expected to try and win each individual game and to preserve the competitive integrity of the league. In the event tanking is suspected by a league member and the Commissioner concurs, the league will hold a vote. If a majority of the 13 "non-tanking" owners agree that an owner is tanking the Commissioner will levy a fine of $25. Tanking a second time will result in expulsion from the league.

 

[Jerry Curl]

wait...

Nobody queued the Herm Edwards clip yet?

Fixed

 

[T J]

For some reason it won't let me edit and add text unless I put it in the quotes so I have to make a separate post.

If I was the commissioner of your league and saw you benching players on purpose to throw a match...I'd be shopping for your replacement. No, it's not officially against the rules to bench your studs and put in duds, but it's not in the rules that I have to keep you in the league either. Throwing any match is a scummy move and should never be done if you have any decency.

So your answer to a guy not breaking the rules because you think it is shady is to be shady yourself? Throwing a match is scummy? The object is to win titles not please you, if he has fulfilled the roster and starting lineup requirements, it would be shady to bounce someone because you failed as a commish to include the rule.

So looking for a replacement owner the following year is more shady than throwing a match-up that effects the integrity of the league? Even if it was a rule, how would you enforce it? There are always ways around it. For your example, I can't prove that you putting in Harvin over Dez is you being shady. You could just be an idiot. It's one of those things that's hard to prevent, which is why I don't want to play in any leagues with people that do it.

I get that the object is to win titles. I'd love to be rich as well, but I'm not going to go taking advantage of people (even if it's legal) to do so. I'd rather go through life with integrity. I win plenty of championships and I get to go to bed every night knowing that I don't have to do shady stuff to do it. It would bother me more than it's worth if I had to do shady stuff to win.

But everyone's different. People sue places if their coffee cup doesn't say it's hot because it's legal to do so. People fake injuries all the time for personal gain. It's all on you what kind of person you want to be.

What a load of righteous crap. This is a game. You're playing this game to win. Period. If it's not cheating, do it. I understand why some may not go that route, but I personally think it's ok in a game scenario, which this is.

 

[justinl]

I had a situation where I had clinched the number 1 overall seed, and I was playing the team who had the last WC spot by 1 game in the last game of the regular season. The guy who was 1 game back had a scary team that just wasn't performing. I thought, lose and I would eliminate him from the playoffs before it even started. Win, and he might end up on my half of the bracket and I'll see him after my bye.

At one point I cleared my lineup, but then I rethought to myself that since I was the GM I should probably play this honestly. I ended up winning, and the guy I wanted to eliminate made the WC but lost in the first round. Coincidentally he was the highest scoring team in the semis and finals, but he was already eliminated.

----------

And I recall a moment last season when we were down to MNF in a Yahoo league and I was up by 1 point. My opponent had no QB (both of his shared their bye week) and only Geno Smith was left. I ended up securing my win by snatching Geno to lock up the 0. I'll admit that 3 people called me out on this, but ffs, I waited an hour before kick off to do this. The manager didn't even notice the next day that he was playing a QB on bye...

 

[chickensoup]

Not to diverge from the topic, but why is it the norm to do playoffs? In my two leagues, we play 17 weeks and the winner is the team with the best record at the end. This eliminates all of those issues about throwing games.

This.One of my leagues I was out around week 6. I am rebuilding and just had no way of making the playoffs. I was up against a guy that was out of town and normally would have no chance against his team, but he forgot to move starters where he had a bye. I purposely tanked in order to not win since we have playoffs and didn't want a cheap victory which could further hurt MY team if it made me lose out on a top 3 pick.

(theres no official rule)The LM complained and I said switch to a total points for league and this wouldn't be an issue.

Or just set your lineup and let the commish worry about it. Maybe send him an email to point it out. But I'd still set my normal lineup.Some people like the challenge of weekly lineup decisions. Personally I'd hate it if my main league went to total points. Seems too much like autopilot.

It's not autopilot whatsoever unless it's best ball format, you can have total points without BB. We use total points to reward the highest regular season guy with their money back. Most years it's the guy with the best record, this year as of right now it's a guy currently on the playoff bubble.

I'm in a similar situation as the OP. I play a guy this week who is on the bubble. I win, he's out. He wins, he's in and the total points leader (by 10 points above me)is out if he loses. I'm starting my best lineup this weekend because I can win the total points for the regular season. That's what total points added into a league can help with.

I've been trying to get the league to ok All-Play instead of H2H w/total points because it helps with this too. Unfortunately some think it'll take some of the fun out (I partially agree) and that's why we play. We're not in it for the cutthroat, win by any means necessary. This is a side hobby. Throwing games to get worse teams in the playoffs is anti-fun.