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League Management: Sandbagging Owner


fantasyfreak
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Hey everybody....I would like to hear what you all think.

 

I am in an ESPN league "for fun" where every team makes the playoffs. We draft 16 players at the beginning of the year and then are able to add players by Waiver Wire with the worst teams getting priority (i.e. best players). We have one owner in our league who has a pretty good team but he's had a few injuries to his studs (i.e. Westbrook and Colston) as well as draft busts (Grant). I noticed he was playing bye week and injured players or none at all in his starting lineup while picking up players off the WW for several weeks in a row in an attempt to get better WW players. I called him out on it and he didn't think there was anything wrong with it. Granted, there are not rules against doing this but it disrupts competition since other teams get easy wins against him and he gets the best WW players (rewarded for losing). He proceeded to whine about and call out other teams for "hoarding" all the good players on their benches "for insurance" and proposed "shortening" the benches. Keep in mind, this guy did not bother handcuffing Westbrook with Buckhalter even though he was available, showing a lack in strategy. I've complained to our Commish, but he's turned a blind eye.

 

What do you guys think? Since there are no rules about losing on purpose to improve your team, do you think its good strategy? Or is losing on purpose sandbagging and dishonorable? Do you think a Commish should get involved in a case like the?

 

I think it is dishonorable and will not be playing in this league next year if all teams make the playoffs.

Edited by fantasyfreak
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Bagging or Tanking is never good.

 

At the very least, the commish should bump him down to the bottom of the waiver-wire. Any further action would probably be moot since you said all teams make it into the playoffs anyway, and it doesn't sound like you're in a money league. If possible, try to find a new owner for the team.

 

If the person tanking games is upset over hoarding...well he should have drafted better.

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The guy is an idiot. Is he trying to win the award for best WW pick-up artist? Let this be a lesson for you...free leagues get you idiots, morans and jerk-offs.

 

 

Well, last time I checked, there are no awards for best WW pick-up artist. He has managed to work himself into last place so he always gets first pick. He will have the benefit of the best players that emerge late in the season. When Colston and Westbrook are back at full strength during playoff time, he'll have a great team.

 

For me with this being my second year in fantasy (though I'm very into it now), I appreciate the feedback about what's reasonable strategy and how much Commish's should step in.

 

I think you are right in the money leagues are the way to go if you are planning on being very competitive about it.

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The guy is an idiot. Is he trying to win the award for best WW pick-up artist? Let this be a lesson for you...free leagues get you idiots, morans and jerk-offs.

 

exactly, it's a free league. What ever rules there are, will be stretched and abused/used however a person sees fit. You may not agree, you might not do the same, but in the end - there is no money on the line, the prize is not relevant, it really doesn't matter. I equate it to playing hold 'em/poker for fake money, you can go all in on every hand with no retribution. You're spinning your wheels to even try make this an issue.

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There are several issues here.

 

First, you said it's a "for fun" league so I'm presuming that it's free. If that is the case, you get (the competition) what you pay for. There is no incentive NOT to do something like this in free leagues in general as you aren't risking anything.

 

Second, everyone making the playoff is silly. What is the point of any regular season game if you are guaranteed the post season? Limit the post season to the top X players eliminates teams tanking from still making a run at the playoffs.

 

Third, it's not in the spirit of the game, but if it's not in the rules, and he still has a viable team and is using it as a strategy then more power to him. There isn't anything that prevents an NFL team from constantly sucking on purpose (see references to Detroit) to get higher picks. And just because they always get a high draft pick (or in your league's case, waiver wire pick) doesn't mean who they are picking up are fantasy gold. The guys on waiver are usually there for a reason...no other team wanted them. Sure you can find someone that exceeds expectations or a backup to an injured player who's value increases...but you usually find just serviceable players with similar other players still available if you don't get top priority. Manage your own team and don't worry about how others manage theirs. If the league as a whole doesn't like the strategy, close the loophole in the offseason.

 

Forth, find a better league. :wacko:

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Third, it's not in the spirit of the game, but if it's not in the rules, and he still has a viable team and is using it as a strategy then more power to him.

 

This is the way I see it as well. I don't know how the waiver rules work, but if he's honestly using it as a strategy, there is some kind of logic (even if bad logic) that makes it a viable strategy, and he thinks it is his best chance to win, well, I don't see anything terribly wrong with it. I mean, you guys chose to have a big playoff at the beginning of the season, and even in small playoffs teams with worse records win the crown by gaming the system a bit.

 

On the other hand, if he's just pouting because he has a bad team, I'd treat it as a dead team and have the commissioner take control of the roster if possible.

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complaining about bad owners in a free league is just pointless, but based on ALL teams making the playoffs your rules invite this type of behavior.

 

The only thing dumber than complaining about the behavior of an owner in a free league is competing in a free league and being surprised when the owners do dumb things.

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complaining about bad owners in a free league is just pointless, but based on ALL teams making the playoffs your rules invite this type of behavior.

 

The only thing dumber than complaining about the behavior of an owner in a free league is competing in a free league and being surprised when the owners do dumb things.

 

 

Point taken......Rookie mistake on my part.

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You're doing fine. Live and learn. At least you don't have money tied up in it. Play your game and finish out the season as strong as you can and come back in the offseason here and find a BOTH league to join. This place is loaded with vets with FF experience longer than some others around here have been alive. I dropped all "other" leagues for a few BOTH leagues and haven't looked back. Quality owners, good people around here.

 

Hopefully, the commish steps up and makes it right, but if not, like I said, finish it off and get out next year.

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I always thought sandbagging was playing below your level to get easy wins. Like if Roger Federer showed up to play the tournament at the local tennis club?? :wacko:

 

Anyways, you've got plenty of replies on this. The guy's an a-hole, but it's not necessarily unexpected behavior in a free league.

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I always thought sandbagging was playing below your level to get easy wins. Like if Roger Federer showed up to play the tournament at the local tennis club?? :wacko:

 

Anyways, you've got plenty of replies on this. The guy's an a-hole, but it's not necessarily unexpected behavior in a free league.

 

That is one example. :D In golf, it'd be Tiger Woods playing bad in practice rounds to get a 20 stroke handicap, and then playing in amateur tourneys where you get to subtract your handicap from your score.

 

This guys playing bad now to get better players for the playoffs.

Edited by fantasyfreak
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You're doing fine. Live and learn. At least you don't have money tied up in it. Play your game and finish out the season as strong as you can and come back in the offseason here and find a BOTH league to join. This place is loaded with vets with FF experience longer than some others around here have been alive. I dropped all "other" leagues for a few BOTH leagues and haven't looked back. Quality owners, good people around here.

 

Hopefully, the commish steps up and makes it right, but if not, like I said, finish it off and get out next year.

 

 

This is where your skill and determination needs to go to the next level. The people I compete against that make me go :woah: are the ones who pick up the waiver wire gem BEFORE they get hot. They seem to magically know what is happening way before the fools at CBS or ESPN even think of it. That comes from getting good information and doing the research. :wacko:

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I personally want to win every game, but that said, it does seem like the guy has his "eyes on the prize" meaning a league championship in the playoffs. For this year anyway, I think ya gotta roll with it and then maybe make some rules governing this kind of think next year.

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This is where your skill and determination needs to go to the next level. The people I compete against that make me go :woah: are the ones who pick up the waiver wire gem BEFORE they get hot. They seem to magically know what is happening way before the fools at CBS or ESPN even think of it. That comes from getting good information and doing the research. :wacko:

 

 

Like Ryan Torain, for example...... :D I think we could use another Ryan Torain thread :D

Edited by fantasyfreak
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It seems to me that this guy IS trying to win, the point of fantasy football. I suspect that if not every team made the playoffs, he would be trying to win as many regular season games as possible and try to sneak into the playoffs. Clearly he has decided that tanking for now is his best strategy for the chosen rules.

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