mlball77
Footballguy
I will try to keep this relatively brief, but I am often verbose (warning). I am the Commish this league that Tom C. (Twisted) was kicked out of (by me). Tom is a very competitive and knowledgeable owner and I told him I appreciated that fact. Tom put together a very respectable team, I won't argue that. The issue is his behavior. The league policy is that rule changes are up to the Commish's discretion, but that the Commish will allow some major rule changes to be put up to a vote (not always decided by a simple majority though). That said, I have many issues up for vote in the offseason and I FREQUENTLY ask for input and suggestions from the league. Tom brought up the idea of increasing keepers going into next season. I had long considered this idea already, but explained to Tom that it wouldn't be done in this offseason, but that we could vote this offseason to increase the number of keepers taken from 2005 into 2006. I told him this one season buffer was necessary for this type of rule change because of two reasons. 1 - Some teams have already structured their teams around the amount of keepers we currently have. To change this would hurt their teams drastically in some circumstances. 2- Some teams have traded away some of their talent already because they are 0-5 or whatever and have started to stockpile draft picks for 05. If we were to increase keepers now for next season, these already struggling teams that stockpiled picks would have it even rougher because the picks they thought they were getting would now be moved back a round or two based on the number of additional keepers the league would add. --- This change would hurt the integrity of the league crush the already weakened teams that are not deep as is or teams that traded for picks with the assumption that they would have more available to chose from in the 2005 draft. I also let Tom know that I simply would not let every issue that every owner brings up be voted on. This threatens league integrity and makes the league more about rules and voting than fantasy football. I am the administrator of the league… I'll take care of the administrative issues (but asking for input on many issues), the other owners can simply enjoy the league without all of the work I put into it… if they don't like the league, they are able to exit just as they were able to enter. Let me make clear a few things:1. This league cost me $60 to start at Fanball. I only ASKED for $5 from each owner to help cover this fee and told them that if they were unable or unwilling to send me $5 that I would be happy to keep them in the league. I got a total of $30 dollars… five of it from Tom… and I thanked he and every other owner that WILLINGLY pitched in. That said, I will be returning Tom's $5. 2. The thread I started in my league where this incident started, was asking the league for their input on playoff structure and division structure for future years. I was getting some input on those issues. Tom gave some input on those issues than brought up the issue of increasing keepers. I explained to him how it would be counterproductive and how this league did not operate in a simple majority fashion. I told him that its not a democracy… even though I will put some issues up for league vote. I explained that when he joined the league, he entered my fantasy football kingdom, in which I ruled. I try to be very fair and even handed with my approach… as all of the other owners in the league are saying currently. Tom just didn't get it. His concern was with immediately increasing the number of keepers because he wanted to keep "his WR core together."3. My team was 14-1 in the regular season last year and is 4-1 thus far this season. I have a very deep team and am considered on of the front-runners in our league. Increasing the number of keepers immediately would HELP ME. But its bad for the league… I explained this to Tom… but he was concerned with keeping his WR core together.4. There have been several complaints about Tom's behavior from folks in my league over the past two seasons and Tom has been in a few verbal skirmishes this season already. I have given him every benefit of the doubt to get along with the rest of the league, but it seems he is incapable. 5. I told Tom why his issue wouldn't be voted on and asked him to drop the issue if he generally liked the league and wanted to stay in it. He kept pushing the issue. He then started with the name calling and insinuations…. Which seems to be commonplace for him. I asked him to stop with such behavior again or I'd have to remove him from the league, but that I greatly preferred to keep him on board. He replied to tell me that, "e threats are for punk kids" and made a couple of other rude comments toward me. I then removed him from the league. Our league policy states that owners may be removes for poor conduct. Tom was rude to me and others on many occasions.6. I kept all of my comments to Tom relatively respectful and straightforward. Tom at many points of this ordeal resorted to namecalling etc. I responded with more professional behavior… of course, Tom was rude again. Tom left me little choice and had become counter productive to the league. After I let him go and informed the rest of the league, I promptly received 5-6 responses saying that it was the right thing to do… and this was within 30 minutes of letting him go. Sorry this ran on so long… its been a bunch of drama that I really wanted to avoid, but Tom was concerned with keeping his "great" team together. We disagreed on how a league should be run and he couldn't let it go. So I was forced to remove him. Maybe you think I went overboard, but many of you haven't had to deal with Tom in a league. Its not pleasant. Ask the other members of my league. He is a hard guy to deal with.I mean no real offense to Tom here. Like I mentioned before, the guy is active and knowledgeable… he knows his stuff. He is simply rude and abrasive. I think its better for both he and the league that he is no longer in it.Thanks for your time.Matt
Oh God, my side hurts 
