Double-Headers: League Discussion

[TheGrunt]

In my main league, one that I've been involved with since way back in my early high school/jr. high years, we are having a discussion about starting to use double-headers for next year during the regular season. I am arguing against bringing this new form of matchups in, while some might argue for it.

 

Arguments for double headers:

**This isn't based on necessity, but more so fairness. If teams play 17 games in a regular season vs. 13 games, there will be a less likely chance that a tiebreaker is needed to advance one team to the playoffs, while the other team doesn't go.

**It will offer a better outlook for which team is actually better, so that the wrong team doesn't go to the playoffs.

**Teams won't miss-out on, or make the playoffs due to a tiebreaker.

**The Power Rank is only used to break ties, but double headers compensate for the low number of head-to-head matchups.

**I'd rather go to the playoffs because a team has a better record, not because of a tiebreaker.

 

My arguments against double headers:

**We are in a 12 team league, so it isn't necessary to compensate only playing 13 regular season games by playing 17. If this were a 24 or 32 team league, then yes, double headers might be more important so that a majority of all teams play against each other.

**I like the more conventional style of play with comforming close to NFL standards and rules. In the NFL you won't - can't - watch one team play against two other teams. You play one opponent every week (head-to-head).

**Tiebreakers are a part of the game, if two teams in the same division are trying to make the playoffs but have the same regular season record, we have standard rules and guidelines for breaking ties, so that the better team makes the playoffs (i.e. Head-to head matchups, division record, conference record, power rank, etc.)

**Adding a few double headers won't improve overall indications enough to find out which team is more deserving of a playoff spot. In fact, using the Power Rank in MFL has the all-play record, which is probably the best tiebreaker method to show which teams should be better, or at least which teams would have won more games if the season were longer (or if they played every team on every given week).

**Implementing double headers for only 3 weeks of the year won't make things more fair, it will only make the importance of those three games that much more. Which means you have to get even more lucky (admittedly, fantasy football has a major portion of luck involved) and beat two teams instead of worrying about how well you will do against one team.

 

So I am pleading that you fellow Huddlers help us out here! What we need to know are just a few things.

 

Does you league play double headers throughout the regular season?

If so, how many teams are in your league?

Do double header really make things more fair?

Any other comments, suggestions?

 

THANKS ALL FOR THE HELP!

[isleseeya]

12 team league ...3 divisions of 4 teams ...we play it so each player plays their division opponent twice ( total 6 games ) , and then plays remaining players once ...double header allows us to get 14 games in 13 weeks and allows us to have our championship game by week 16

 

In our league 6 teams make playoffs with top 2 Getting a bye

 

I am cool with it and it does help make sure best teams earn the playoffs in my opinion

[whomper]

12 team league ...3 divisions of 4 teams ...we play it so each player plays their division opponent twice ( total 6 games ) , and then plays remaining players once ...double header allows us to get 14 games in 13 weeks and allows us to have our championship game by week 16

 

In our league 6 teams make playoffs with top 2 Getting a bye

 

I am cool with it and it does help make sure best teams earn the playoffs in my opinion

 

 

 

This is the exact reason we have a doubleheader and the same set up in my main local..In our league the guys that get swept in the doubleheader hate the doubleheader and say there is too much emphasis on one week..The guys that sweep or split are usually OK with it..Just make sure you set it up for the week that bye weeks end if you are only doing one.

[thecerwin]

Bye weeks end week 10 and if a double header is done week 11, 12, and 13 it will ensure that no players are on bye during the double headers.

 

The teams that haven't been plagued by mid season injuries will have the strength of all their players during the most exciting part of the fantasy season that means the most.

 

With three double headers it doesn't emphasis only one week.

 

Still allows for good head-to-head competition, and you can talk trash to two teams instead of just one.

 

I like the double headers.

 

ETA: 12 team league, 2 conferences and 4 divisions. Top 6 go to playoffs and top two from conference get first round bye.

Edited December 29, 2006 by thecerwin

[TheGrunt]

This is the exact reason we have a doubleheader and the same set up in my main local..In our league the guys that get swept in the doubleheader hate the doubleheader and say there is too much emphasis on one week..The guys that sweep or split are usually OK with it..Just make sure you set it up for the week that bye weeks end if you are only doing one.

 

This is definitely important.

 

12 team league ...3 divisions of 4 teams ...we play it so each player plays their division opponent twice ( total 6 games ) , and then plays remaining players once ...double header allows us to get 14 games in 13 weeks and allows us to have our championship game by week 16

 

In our league 6 teams make playoffs with top 2 Getting a bye

 

I am cool with it and it does help make sure best teams earn the playoffs in my opinion

 

Our league is similar, except it's a 12 team, 4 division league. So there are 3 teams in each division, each getting to play divisional matchups twice (just like your league).

 

6 teams still make the playoffs, with the top team in each conference getting a first round bye.

 

It seems like our league is very similiar to the one mentioned above, except having 4 divisions instead of 3 allows each division team to still get the necessary 2 games against divisional opponents.

 

So then it seems to me that by the very nature of how our league is set up (four divisions, two conferences) eliminates the need for double headers. Your leagues double headers allows you to play each division team twice, while we already have it set up so that each division team is playing twice.

[whomper]

This is definitely important.

Our league is similar, except it's a 12 team, 4 division league. So there are 3 teams in each division, each getting to play divisional matchups twice (just like your league).

 

6 teams still make the playoffs, with the top team in each conference getting a first round bye.

 

It seems like our league is very similiar to the one mentioned above, except having 4 divisions instead of 3 allows each division team to still get the necessary 2 games against divisional opponents.

 

So then it seems to me that by the very nature of how our league is set up (four divisions, two conferences) eliminates the need for double headers. Your leagues double headers allows you to play each division team twice, while we already have it set up so that each division team is playing twice.

 

 

 

Yes but im sure in a 4 division of 3 league there are teams that dont make the playoffs that have a better record then the winner of division 4 which is why we dont switch to 4 div of 3

[TheGrunt]

Yes but im sure in a 4 division of 3 league there are teams that dont make the playoffs that have a better record then the winner of division 4 which is why we dont switch to 4 div of 3

 

That would be sort of difficult, but I can see the possibility of a divisional leader having a worse record than a team in the other division (same conference, other division).

 

If the best three teams of each conference go to the playoffs, the divisions + conference's should look like this:

 

Conf. A

Division I

team

team

team (it would be very improbable for this team to have a better record than the division II winner)

 

Division II

team

team

team

 

Conf. B

Division III

team

team

team (it would be very improbable for this team to have a better record than the division IV winner)

 

Division IV

team

team

team

 

Let's say the bold teams make the playoffs. The winner of each division goes, then the team with the third best record in each conference go. For a team not to make it to the playoffs but have a better record than a divisional winner, they will have to be the third place team in one of the divisions with two teams going, and still have a better record than the divisional leader in the division that only sends one team. So far, this has never happened to us.

[thecerwin]

Improbable = possible

 

Double headers can increase the improbableness of it.

[The Wolf]

12 team league ...3 divisions of 4 teams ...we play it so each player plays their division opponent twice ( total 6 games ) , and then plays remaining players once ...double header allows us to get 14 games in 13 weeks and allows us to have our championship game by week 16

 

In our league 6 teams make playoffs with top 2 Getting a bye

 

I am cool with it and it does help make sure best teams earn the playoffs in my opinion

 

 

I've been trying to get my owners to vote this in to out league; same exact set up as yours and as it is, there's one team you don't play. Stinks for me when those two teams are tied...

[Cunning Runt]

Heck, if you're going to do doubleheaders, may as well go full steam ahead with it.

 

We play a doubleheader every single week for what amounts to a 26 game regular season.

 

You play a couple teams a time less than the rest, but IMO this gives a truer picture how you stack up against the league. And we do not break ties.

[slinger]

fair? humm, I played in a league that had the double headers during the regular season....6 make the playoffs and there was a difference of four wins that seperated first place from sixth place. So it wont necessarily advance the better teams with less tie breakers. Given the right season, the thing you are trying to avoid can and still will happen.

 

For me personally, I'm not sure if I'll stay in the double header league. It was interesting, but I'm not sure if I liked it. Although the competition in the league selected some strange picks and made for some very easy wins, I just may stay because of it. I'm still torn if I liked it or not.