bench rice to lose on purpose?

[kickureface]

i guess i am talking about strategy to win the whole thing, even if it means costing myself a game. im a lock to win playoffs, but i control who makes the 6th spot.

 

should i bench ray rice to lose on purpose to face a potentially easier matchup for playoffs? i am facing team A this week13, can either win with rice in or lose with rice out to plan for the future.

 

wk 14, starters and (bench player in parenthesis)

team A:

flacco vs det (mcnabb @ nyg)

wayne vs den (breaston @ sf)

andre vs SEA

hester vs GB

LT @ DAL (benson @ minn, mccoy @ nyg, barber vs SD)

maroney vs CAR

witten vs SD

crosby

cinci D

 

team B:

rivers @ dal (garrard vs mia)

vjax @ dal (nate washington vs stl)

sidneyrice vs Cin

braylon @ TB

chris424 vs STL (slaton/reggiebush/derrick ward)

thomas jones @ TB

zachMiller vs wash

tynes

chi vs GB (ari @ SF)

 

standard scoring.

 

if i lose on purposely, i face team B. if i plug in rice and beat him (down 3 with rice and he has crosby) then i face his team again (he makes playoffs then) and i face team A next week all over again.

 

what would you guys do?

[Swashbucklers]

My opinion, you play to win. Crazy things happen in FF and the team you thnk is the weaker team has just as much ability to beat you next week. If you choose to lose, you are doing a disservice to the team that should make the playoffs. Plus next week, you will be beating yourself up for allowing the team that beat you to make the playoffs. I say win this week and let the chips fall where they may!

[delusions of grandeur]

So you're asking if you should risk any dignity and respect you might have from the league by purposely losing to an "easier" team (while of course knowing that any team could get hot one week)?? You're asking if you should cheat and manipulate rather than playing the game the way it's supposed to be played?? You're asking if you should give yourself a slight advantage so that you can cheat your way into the championship??

 

And just so we're straight here, you're asking if you should lose to a team so that you can play them again in another game that you're not guaranteed to win??

 

Just as long as we're clear on that: Ya, I think you should do this... I see no way this backfires, and it will help your league to realize which players they don't want in the league next year.

Edited December 7, 2009 by delusions of granduer

[delusions of grandeur]

Do you really see this as cheating?

 

No, you're right (and I'm not being sarcastic this time). In the sense of being against the rules, it isn't cheating, but trying to control who gets into the playoffs by tanking is pretty disgraceful to me.

 

Considering all of the discussions about honor in FF lately, I see this as a direct contradiction to what the game is supposed to be about, and this is actually an unspoken rule in one of my leagues. The commisioner will change a person's lineup if there is evidence of tanking (whether intentional or unintentional) that has an effect on the game and further, on the league and playoff-race. It's not just about one person, it's about how it unfairly effects the rest of the league, which is what a commisioner should be concerned about.

 

I actually just read this topic in the other forum, and I believe you're one of the people who agree, however, that you play to win, not to try to control other's fates.... No, I don't think someone should have the championship or playoff spot taken away for doing this (especially if there's no rules to prevent it), but I know I wouldn't be playing in a league with him the next year.

[nuke'em ttg]

i bet this guys own hand hates'm

[kickureface]

interesting thoughts. bumpathon, is the other thread you are talkin about in the general forum?

[delusions of grandeur]

Yes, in the general FF forum, right here.

 

BTW, not trying to be rude in my comments to you or in there, especially since you asked, rather than just assuming it is okay as some others have.... But like I said in there, this isn't the NFL where winning is all that matters. The game is supposed to be about starting the best lineup in your eyes.

 

Of course, I might not recommend allowing commisioner control without some guidelines, or without heavily suspecting tanking, as it can be difficult to determine if someone is tanking or merely being ignorant.

[King Tut]

My opinion, you play to win. Crazy things happen in FF and the team you thnk is the weaker team has just as much ability to beat you next week. If you choose to lose, you are doing a disservice to the team that should make the playoffs. Plus next week, you will be beating yourself up for allowing the team that beat you to make the playoffs. I say win this week and let the chips fall where they may!

 

I agree with Swash, don't tempt the Fantasy Football gods the wrong way. If you do throw the game and lose to the "weaker matchup" team. You'll wanna shoot yourself. I had an amazing team last season, a juggernaut and almost lost to the lowest seed in week 15 when I was favored by 31.

[Claven]

Yes, in the general FF forum, right here.

 

BTW, not trying to be rude in my comments to you or in there, especially since you asked, rather than just assuming it is okay as some others have.... But like I said in there, this isn't the NFL where winning is all that matters. The game is supposed to be about starting the best lineup in your eyes.

 

Of course, I might not recommend allowing commisioner control without some guidelines, or without heavily suspecting tanking, as it can be difficult to determine if someone is tanking or merely being ignorant.

 

 

What if someone throws a game but all playoff spot are taken and win or lose, he will not effect people getting bye weeks. In my league the 6th place person threw the game against the 4th place manager because he didn't want to play the guy in 3rd place since he always loses to him.

[CarbonThief]

Now that you have read all these posts and replies, go back and read your initial question. Can you see how much of a worry wart bag question it was. This site is designed to help people win because you ALWAYS play to win. Trying to manipulate the seeding is bush league.

 

I guess I have to give you credit for asking out loud before actually doing it. If not, next week your post would have read...

 

"I tanked my final week and benched one of the best fantasy players in attempts to play a weaker team in the 1st round of the playoffs. Now my league wants to kick me out for cheating and being a worry wart. Do they have any ground to stand on? Or am I a worry wart?"

[bpieszak]

not cheating at all. you're looking out to see who u want to play in playoffs, the main goal is you winning without breaking the rules, not winning a meaningless week 13 game.

[Steel Sharks]

You play to win every game, thats the way the game is played. Nothing pisses people off more than someone trying to manipulate the game by BS trades, no rosters or incomplete rosters. If everyone is not committed than it ruins the league and people won't want to be in the league. Put up your best roster and hope for the best.

[electricrelish]

You play to win every game, thats the way the game is played. Nothing pisses people off more than someone trying to manipulate the game by BS trades, no rosters or incomplete rosters. If everyone is not committed than it ruins the league and people won't want to be in the league. Put up your best roster and hope for the best.

 

 

I disagree. Tony Dungy rested his players and lost NFL regular season games. His goal was to win those games with his backups, but his real goal was to rest his players to better prepare them for a run at the Super Bowl. However, that didn't work out so well when he used that strategy. But it doesn't mean the strategy was wrong. He could have won those games and still not made it to the Super Bowl. Jim Caldwell says he's going to use the same strategy, which I don't agree with, but it's certainly not cheating. It sure as hell isn't giving the fans who pay to see those games, their money's worth.

 

If you think losing is a better strategy, there is nothing wrong with it. So what if you try to control who gets in or doesn't? If you won enough games, and you've looked at the match ups for that particular week, and think that gives you the best shot at winning, then go for it. This strategy is no different than picking up player you don't need off the waiver wire, just to block another player from getting them. For example, if you had Peyton Manning, and you knew your opponent had Kurt Warner when he was hurt, and you picked up Matt Leinart before he could pick them up, that's just fine. It's a strategy move.

 

Trying to control what happens is a choice. I say if you can beat a team when you face them, you should go ahead because you never know if it could come back to haunt you. Still, I don't think there is anything ethically wrong with using this strategy in FF.

[CarbonThief]

I disagree. Tony Dungy rested his players and lost NFL regular season games. His goal was to win those games with his backups, but his real goal was to rest his players to better prepare them for a run at the Super Bowl. However, that didn't work out so well when he used that strategy. But it doesn't mean the strategy was wrong. He could have won those games and still not made it to the Super Bowl. Jim Caldwell says he's going to use the same strategy, which I don't agree with, but it's certainly not cheating. It sure as hell isn't giving the fans who pay to see those games, their money's worth.

 

If you think losing is a better strategy, there is nothing wrong with it. So what if you try to control who gets in or doesn't? If you won enough games, and you've looked at the match ups for that particular week, and think that gives you the best shot at winning, then go for it. This strategy is no different than picking up player you don't need off the waiver wire, just to block another player from getting them. For example, if you had Peyton Manning, and you knew your opponent had Kurt Warner when he was hurt, and you picked up Matt Leinart before he could pick them up, that's just fine. It's a strategy move.

 

Trying to control what happens is a choice. I say if you can beat a team when you face them, you should go ahead because you never know if it could come back to haunt you. Still, I don't think there is anything ethically wrong with using this strategy in FF.

 

I can see your side. You make a valid point relish. I guess the bottom line is...if you want to tank a game, cock block on a waiver wire move, use your top waiver pick to take an opponents need or whatever else you can do that is strategic in nature, you should just do it and no say anything. Unmasking your true intentions blatantly only raises eyebrows.

Edited December 10, 2009 by CarbonThief

[wildbluefan]

You play to win every game, thats the way the game is played. Nothing pisses people off more than someone trying to manipulate the game by BS trades, no rosters or incomplete rosters. If everyone is not committed than it ruins the league and people won't want to be in the league. Put up your best roster and hope for the best.

 

 

If you "tempt fate" the way you are proposing, you can damn well bet that the fantasy gods will 'return the favor" and blow your plan out of the water...just BEWARE !