Why do we subject ourselves to this torture each year?

[twiley]

I was #1 seed and #1 in total points - the #8 team beat me so badly it wasn't even funny. I posted my worst week of the season. Dayuuuuum.

[Shorttynaz]

I always wondered what "big money" is. Now I know.

For me it's big money. I'm not about to drop $500-$1000 on a fantasy football team like some people here do.

[Shorttynaz]

Yep, for the first time I've actually considered giving it up. Two playoff losses this weekend, and now I'm done. I'm just not sure its worth the effort anymore. It's difficult to enjoy just watching football because I'm calculating fantasy points after every play. Instead of cheering for my Packers, I'm pissed that the RB I had playing against them didn't score. It's just losing the fun. But I know I'll miss it come next August.

I'm in the same boat year in and year out. Want to watch the Colts games, but I usually end up picking up a few Colts players and then getting pissed off when (I own Manning and Wayne) and Addai runs for a TD. Or like yesterday when I needed Manning to hook up with Wayne, but he found just about everyone else BUT Wayne. Good to see my team win but it's frustrating that I can't enjoy the win.

 

Just like the Cardinals game yesterday. I'm a Cardinals fan as well for they're my "home" team. I was glad to see them win and secure a playoff spot, but I'm here to tell you I was NOT in the best of moods yesterday when DRC picked off Bulger and took it back 99 yards to the house. If I weren't playing FF or against the Card's D for that matter, it would have been sweet!! Oh well..

[whomper]

Damnation! You bunch of mewling Nancies need to quit & take up a fantasy knitting league or something. For Christ's sake, things don't go exactly your way & you're here on a FF board - how ironic is that? - crying like a little school girl. Take up a hobby that doesn't challenge your delicate disposition and where everything works out just the way you like it. Grow a pair or go away.

 

 

Hold me

[Bier Meister]

Hold me

 

 

you'll have to get i'llseeya to let go first.

[Bronco Billy]

Hold me

 

All of you or just a specific area?

[Gopher]

I'm finding a lot of parallels between my two favorite hobbies... FF and golf.

 

Both are very addicting.

 

Both can be painfully frustrating.

 

The difference in both between winning and losing can be one last-minute decision (Driver vs. 4-iron or Colston vs. Welker).

 

Both can be affected significantly by weather.

 

I enjoy the variety that both provide... Different types of courses (links, tree-lined, etc.) and different types of leagues (redraft, dynasty, keeper, PPR).

 

The more I play, the more frustrated I get (at times). In other words, they're both hobbies where you don't necessarily get better the more you play.

 

You can definitely "overthink" things in both. You're better off just going with your initial instinct and don't think about it.

 

Other than the obvious (seasons they're primarily played in, etc.), the only glaring difference is this:

 

In golf, I tell myself every year that I'm going to find time to play more than last year. In FF, I tell myself every year that I'm going to cut back and make more time for myeslf.

[whomper]

All of you or just a specific area?

 

 

[malta69]

I've got the best one yet.

 

Week 12 is our trade deadline. Sitting at 7-4, I was virtually a lock to win my division and get a first round bye as all I had to do was win one of my next two games, and I was facing a 3-8 squad one week and a 4-7 team the next. My QB's were Cutler and Schaub, and the waiver wire was absolutely bleak, so I decided to trade for a backup QB in case Cutler went down. A guy fighting for a wildcard spot with a pretty heinous team was looking for a WR #3, so I traded him Mark Bradley (who was playing well at the time) for Jason Campbell and Reggie Brown. When the other guy asked for a throw in player I gave him Schaub, since I was only going to drop him anyway. Virtually EVERY fantasy football website/publication expected Schaub to be out until AT LEAST Week 16, so what was the point of keeping him?

 

Long story short - I lose BOTH of my week 12 and 13 games by a combined total of 11 pts (3 one week, 8 the other) and end up "sneaking" in the playoffs as a #4 seed wild card, only to end up playing the guy whom I had made the Schaub deal with. For some reason, the guy with Schaub decides to get cute and sit his starting QB, Eli Manning for good ol' throw in Schauubie!!!

 

Any guesses how that turned out???

Edited December 8, 2008 by malta69

[MikesVikes]

Earlier this season we were talking about the possibility of winning all of your matchups in multiple leagues. I would trade a few of those good weeks for a few extra wins the last two weekends.

[Bill Swerski]

The older I get and the more other responsibilities that I incur, the less I see a point in putting the time and money into an activity that's 90% luck. It's like going to Vegas every year, but only making money every third or fourth visit, no scantily-clad ladies, and no free beer at the nickel slots.

 

Sometimes, I'd rather just be an NFL fan.

[MikesVikes]

I got knocked out of the Ladder league when either Hines Ward or Witten failed to make one more catch than they had. Romo's overthrown pass to Witten that went for a pick six sealed it for me.

[tazinib1]

I'm finding a lot of parallels between my two favorite hobbies... FF and golf.

 

Both are very addicting.

 

Both can be painfully frustrating.

 

The difference in both between winning and losing can be one last-minute decision (Driver vs. 4-iron or Colston vs. Welker).

 

Both can be affected significantly by weather.

 

I enjoy the variety that both provide... Different types of courses (links, tree-lined, etc.) and different types of leagues (redraft, dynasty, keeper, PPR).

 

The more I play, the more frustrated I get (at times). In other words, they're both hobbies where you don't necessarily get better the more you play.

 

You can definitely "overthink" things in both. You're better off just going with your initial instinct and don't think about it.

 

Other than the obvious (seasons they're primarily played in, etc.), the only glaring difference is this:

 

In golf, I tell myself every year that I'm going to find time to play more than last year. In FF, I tell myself every year that I'm going to cut back and make more time for myeslf.

 

 

 

except when you make a bad pick, as apposed to golf, you can't grab your monitor and break it in half over your knee. Boy I miss golf.

[malta69]

The older I get and the more other responsibilities that I incur, the less I see a point in putting the time and money into an activity that's 90% luck. It's like going to Vegas every year, but only making money every third or fourth visit, no scantily-clad ladies, and no free beer at the nickel slots.

 

Sometimes, I'd rather just be an NFL fan.

 

 

I think this is the ultimate sign of the "veteran" Fantasy Footballer. Being a 12+ year FF vet and having recently gotten married, I find myself in the same exact predicament this year. It's almost as if the "thrill" that used to come with draft day and setting lineups on Sunday mornings has all but vanished. Setting my lineup has practically become simply part of the Sunday morning landscape whereas in the past it was a highly anticipated ritual. But that's the strange thing about it. No matter what responsibilities we incur or how our lives may change, at the end of the day, you and I both know we'll be back for more come next year! lol

Edited December 8, 2008 by malta69

[Gopher]

 

except when you make a bad pick, as apposed to golf, you can't grab your monitor and break it in half over your knee. Boy I miss golf.

Golf (after a bad shot) - Curse, throw your club, and grab the beer sitting in your cart.

 

Fantasy football (after a bad play) - Curse, throw the remote, and grab the beer sitting next to the couch.

[Chargerz]

I think I'll always want to be in my local because of the relationships I've developed over the years. It's a good group of guys, and draft day and the awards party are really fun. The people I've met at WCOFF makes that an enjoyable experience too. The Both leagues are tougher to continue because it's all on the internet and lacks some of that personal touch. For that reason if I had to cut back on the "torture" I'd probably drop a BOTH league.

[Wolverines Fan]

It's almost as if the "thrill" that used to come with draft day and setting lineups on Sunday mornings has all but vanished. Setting my lineup has practically become simply part of the Sunday morning landscape whereas in the past it was a highly anticipated ritual. But that's the strange thing about it. No matter what responsibilities we incur or how our lives may change, at the end of the day, you and I both know we'll be back for more come next year! lol

 

I totally agree.

 

The part of it that has been a drag for me this year is sitting at the computer Tuesday or Wednesday evenings and putting in waivers requests, especially after a long day at work. I like to scroll through the entire list at the positions that I need players, because sometimes somebody will screw up and cut a decent player, but it takes time to look. Yes, I check the transactions list, but I still like to look around. You never know what you'll find.

 

I did 11 leagues this year, and it was way too many. I had tried to cut back heading into 2008, but I was begged to return three leagues because an owner had either dropped out the day before or the day of the draft. I've gone through this every year for the last three years, I vow to cut back, and the drafts roll around, and heck, who can pass up the excitement of a draft? I've really go to cut down next year.

[gilthorp]

I'm becoming a bigger and bigger believer in awarding a significant chunk of a league's prize money (approximately 50%, give or take) to the top 3 points scoring teams with the rest of the money based on the traditional fantasy bowl champion. I understand that head to head is part of the game, but I hate to see one bad week and the most deserving team walks away with little to nothing for an otherwise great season. this way, a hot team at season's end gets rewarded, but also the most consistent, best team gets their fair share as well.

 

My local is a deep spread it out league, and at first I was against it, it keeps it interesting.

 

1st, 2nd, and 3rd best record after week 13: 100-50-25

1st, 2nd, and 3rd most points after week 16: 100-50-25

$5 a win (H2H)

$10 weekly high points

$5 weekly 2nd highest points

$5 weekly burn (pay back) for the slaughter (highest pt. differential)

 

8 teams make the playoffs: $25 week one playoff win, $50 week two playoff win, $150 Championship.

 

We then award $ for the two highest positional players after week 16. QB, RB, WR, TE, K, DL, LB, DB

 

The money for the positional payouts is drawn from the waiver pool we have. This year, we've had $665 spent in waivers (which is $2.50 an add, and $2.50 a drop). This is important as we split the $665 & the $65 in slaughter, giving us an extra $730 this year to play with. We'll take that $730, and put $365 into the positional payouts (roughly $30 top player and $16 for second highest), and the other $365 gets split into our party.

 

We have the party on the Conference Semifinals-2nd week of the playoffs. The $365 goes like this ($100 for quarterly payouts on squares for the first game, $100 on the first 10 scores "extra points count as changes" of the second game, and $165 for food).

 

Since there are also quarterly total points pools going (usually $3-30 and $5-50) going, there is another $720 up for grabs just for gambling, and if you have to put in an extra $72 for some chances, you can do terrible in the league for the year, but at the party, you have a chance to walk away with some extra cash.

 

So, of the $1500 that is in there all told from the start, rarely will the BEST team walk away with any more than $400 before the party starts. If a team has been that good, they have to make 10-15 waiver moves, and that takes money away to be spread back to the league in one form or another.

 

I understand this only works for local leagues, but the winner take most format is for a few guys to get extra hot, or extra lucky at the right time. We put an end to that many years ago.

[gilthorp]

I was #1 seed and #1 in total points - the #8 team beat me so badly it wasn't even funny. I posted my worst week of the season. Dayuuuuum.

 

In the local stated above...two of the last 3 years had the 8 seed winning it all.

 

I was one of those 8 seeds. Last year, I was the 1 seed, and got thumped.

 

I got lucky this year, and was again the 1 seed. 8 seed had a bad week, but I would have lost to the 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 seed if I played them.

 

Also would have lost to a few teams in the toilet bowl.

[Rovers]

It's still fun no matter how it plays out. In my BOTH league, I had the highest point total on the year, but failed to get a bye. First round of the playoffs, DeS Jackson gets me a big fat 0 this weekend. Satrted him over Cotchery who also bit one. Couldn't play M Barber. Got a HUGH lift with the Pitt pic-6... then got burned with the late D Mason TD. Now I have to hope S Smith gets held to 19 points tonight in a 1pt PPR system. The ups and downs... it's fun.

 

Once you set your line up, it's like rooting for an NFL team. You are on the edge of your seat... close game... the next snap could spell disaster or glory! (not to mention some cash!). That's what it's all about. If you don't enjoy the excitement... why play?

[MTSuper7]

I saw the analogy to golf earlier, which I can relate with, but the analogy I relate with more is a poker tournament. You can make a lot of right moves yet still get unlucky in both, and you can make a dumb move on occasion but still luck out. It is impossible to win either without some luck. It is also no coincidence that there are some people who consistently finish well in poker tournaments and fantasy leagues. There are skills that get you through the fantasy season / poker tournament in a position to contend for the championship, but you just never know when you're going to get hosed when your opponent flops a set of sevens to beat your pocket kings (i.e. Matt Schaub, Vincent Jackson, and the Cardinals' D just blew away your squad with Brees, Forte, and Reggie Wayne). Hell, we even tell bad beat stories the same way...

[Shorttynaz]

The older I get and the more other responsibilities that I incur, the less I see a point in putting the time and money into an activity that's 90% luck. It's like going to Vegas every year, but only making money every third or fourth visit, no scantily-clad ladies, and no free beer at the nickel slots.

 

Sometimes, I'd rather just be an NFL fan.

I hear ya - I'm thinking I'm going to be just a fan next year!

[SheikYerbuti]

I got knocked out of MSHB II because I read this blurb:

 

Broncos WLB D.J. Williams (knee) has resumed practicing without limits and is on track to start this week.

Williams, the best player on Denver's front seven, should immediately regain his full-time starting role from Wesley Woodyard. Woodyard was decent in Williams' absence, but D.J. offers more big-play and run-stopping ability.

 

Had I not stumbled on it, I'd still be playing. He was declared inactive less than half an hour before gametime.

 

*sigh*

[Seahawks21]

Football is just for the football junkees looking for added entertainment, not for the fantasy purists. Fantasy football is a lot of fun when you're getting lucky and winning, but baseball and basketball are much more pure forms. Informed owners usually make up the playoffs in those sports. I'm in a work league where the four teams in the playoffs are me, a lady who didn't know who Peyton Manning was before the season, and two 17 year olds from the shipping department that had never really watched any football at all before this year.

[tazinib1]

Football is just for the football junkees looking for added entertainment, not for the fantasy purists. Fantasy football is a lot of fun when you're getting lucky and winning, but baseball and basketball are much more pure forms. Informed owners usually make up the playoffs in those sports. I'm in a work league where the four teams in the playoffs are me, a lady who didn't know who Peyton Manning was before the season, and two 17 year olds from the shipping department that had never really watched any football at all before this year.

 

You may have a point here. I am in a 16 team dynasty baseball league that has been in existence for 10 years. We have a rookie draft plus a college draft each year. There is no way in hell 2 17yr old shipping clerks and a chic that doesn't know P.Manning would ever make it out of the bottom 5 in this league if they did not know what they were doing. Which is why I only participate in 1 FB league....its way too much work.