BRM Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 I am in a 10 team ESPN custom free league. Current scenario... despite leading the league in scoring I need a team to lose to make the playoffs this week. I win easily. The team I need to lose is up 12 points and his opponent has Jimmy Graham tonight. His opponent is already in the playoffs. I think I have a chance. After Monday Night Football starts I log in. The guy BENCHED Jimmy Graham!! The fantasy game is now over. He has "empty" for TE. He loses, the other guy wins (a relative of his), I am out of the playoffs. Benching Jimmy Graham with your game on on the line to lose on purpose in freakin' free league!! Maybe i can understand a pay league, but a free league? We are playing for fun, not to stab each other in the back, and throw a game to a friend or family member. I feel sick to my stomach. Way to ruin a whole season of weekly pickups and moves and cheat the league and play to lose soooo obviously on the last Monday night of our regular season. Wow, benching a starting player on Monday night to lose on purpose. If the owners actually had any rights he should be banned from the playoffs. In my 20+ years of playing I have never seen anything like this. So obvious and so blatant. Heck, i can't even enjoy MNF now. Way to ruin a season and a good NFL game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millworkguy Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 wow, sorry to read this. your commish should step in, that is collusion 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorcher Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 That was a shi$$ty move on the Graham owners part as well as out and out collusion. You should raise hell! If nothing is done kiss your "friends" goodbye!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Collusion. This is why many leagues do not allow you to submit incomplete lineups. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wubammer Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 You shouldn't be upset, you should be wild. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Endzone Is Near Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 I am in a 10 team ESPN custom free league. Current scenario... despite leading the league in scoring I need a team to lose to make the playoffs this week. I win easily. The team I need to lose is up 12 points and his opponent has Jimmy Graham tonight. His opponent is already in the playoffs. I think I have a chance. After Monday Night Football starts I log in. The guy BENCHED Jimmy Graham!! The fantasy game is now over. He has "empty" for TE. He loses, the other guy wins (a relative of his), I am out of the playoffs. Benching Jimmy Graham with your game on on the line to lose on purpose in freakin' free league!! Maybe i can understand a pay league, but a free league? We are playing for fun, not to stab each other in the back, and throw a game to a friend or family member. I feel sick to my stomach. Way to ruin a whole season of weekly pickups and moves and cheat the league and play to lose soooo obviously on the last Monday night of our regular season. Wow, benching a starting player on Monday night to lose on purpose. If the owners actually had any rights he should be banned from the playoffs. In my 20+ years of playing I have never seen anything like this. So obvious and so blatant. Heck, i can't even enjoy MNF now. Way to ruin a season and a good NFL game. No offense, but on earth would you understand if it were a pay league??? If someone did that in a money league, there should be physical harm at least threatened. A free league? Still a dick move, but really who cares??? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRM Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 You are right about the pay league. Not sure what I was thinking. I guess I was thinking doing anything for a payday, but for free/ nothing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coolhandsean Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Thats weak sauce bro! I definitely wouldn't be in that league next year regardless if it is free or not. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildTurkey Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 man that's bogus. do you know these people in real life? what a bunch of pansies. I'd just point it out like hell on the league message board and besmirch their names as much as possible. Point out what these buttnuts did. That's right I said besmirch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilthorp Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Free Leagues Suck...playing with folks that will pull d!ckhead moves like that is even worse. Points mean nothing. I know this for a fact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahawks21 Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 My first thought was collusion, but I found a l.little bit of grey. What if he would rather play the other team in the playoffs than yours? If he's trying to help a relative, it is collusion, if he is trying to help himself, it is shady gamesmanship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WashingtonD Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 bullhonda. Plain and simple. BS. More shameful because it is a free league where people seem to care than a pay league. That owner is probably a communist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delicious_bass Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 My first thought was collusion, but I found a l.little bit of grey. What if he would rather play the other team in the playoffs than yours? If he's trying to help a relative, it is collusion, if he is trying to help himself, it is shady gamesmanship. Doesnt matter to me. Garbage move either way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexgaddis Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 I am going to set up a free league next year just to pull something like this on someone... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WashingtonD Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 I am going to set up a free league next year just to pull something like this on someone... FICTION - you'd have to be in position to get in the playoffs to pull something like this on someone. We all know that's not possible. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRM Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 I understand. Its a cheap move. Heck, Jimmy may not have won the game for him anyway, but by winning he would get the 1st seed, I get 4th seed, and he was likely too scared of playing me he tanked at the last minute. I completely understand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahawks21 Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Can I ask how old you guys are? I would have contemplated pulling off something like this in my younger years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BA Baracus Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 I am in a 10 team ESPN custom free league. Current scenario... despite leading the league in scoring I need a team to lose to make the playoffs this week. I win easily. The team I need to lose is up 12 points and his opponent has Jimmy Graham tonight. His opponent is already in the playoffs. I think I have a chance. After Monday Night Football starts I log in. The guy BENCHED Jimmy Graham!! The fantasy game is now over. He has "empty" for TE. He loses, the other guy wins (a relative of his), I am out of the playoffs. Benching Jimmy Graham with your game on on the line to lose on purpose in freakin' free league!! Maybe i can understand a pay league, but a free league? We are playing for fun, not to stab each other in the back, and throw a game to a friend or family member. I feel sick to my stomach. Way to ruin a whole season of weekly pickups and moves and cheat the league and play to lose soooo obviously on the last Monday night of our regular season. Wow, benching a starting player on Monday night to lose on purpose. If the owners actually had any rights he should be banned from the playoffs. In my 20+ years of playing I have never seen anything like this. So obvious and so blatant. Heck, i can't even enjoy MNF now. Way to ruin a season and a good NFL game. If it were a money league, I would be driving to his house to kick some cheating ass. Hopefully your commish has some balls and will make this right. He should add Graham's points back into his lineup. He should also kick this jerk out of the league for next year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevegrab Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 You are right about the pay league. Not sure what I was thinking. I guess I was thinking doing anything for a payday, but for free/ nothing? Exactly cheating in a money league (especially if some serious $$ is on the line) could result in violence. Still a hondaty move in a free league. Its also hondaty (IMHO) for somebody to bench a player to ensure a win (avoid negative points) in an MNF game like a thread that ran here recently. Submit your complete and best line-up every week. No players on bye, nobody you know is out, etc. No Davone Bess instead of Calvin Johnson. Play to win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MustOfBeenDrunk Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Money league or not it is BS ,, I remember playing a card game with " Friends " for only bragging rights & caught one cheating As a group we just said ba bye , hit the road and he was never invited back for any gatherings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Endzone Is Near Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 You are right about the pay league. Not sure what I was thinking. I guess I was thinking doing anything for a payday, but for free/ nothing? Ah...I see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Endzone Is Near Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Exactly cheating in a money league (especially if some serious $$ is on the line) could result in violence. Still a hondaty move in a free league. Its also hondaty (IMHO) for somebody to bench a player to ensure a win (avoid negative points) in an MNF game like a thread that ran here recently. Submit your complete and best line-up every week. No players on bye, nobody you know is out, etc. No Davone Bess instead of Calvin Johnson. Play to win. So if you play in a league where defenses consistently score around -9 or so on bad days...you think it's unfair to bench your D on MNF if you already have the game won? I'd say it would be pretty stupid not to, actually... Your team has already outperformed the other team....you deserve the W. This is a great strategy, and really just thinking outside the box. As I believe someone already said, it's not much different than a QB taking a knee because the coach doesn't want to allow a careless turnover when the game is already won. Starting players on a bye belongs in a completely different conversation, though. That's nothing other than negligence, and it pisses the whole league off that the opposing team gets an easy victory while everyone else fights tooth and nail to get closer to playoff contention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 You can't do anything. Don't join leagues like this again, problem solved for the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorcher Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 (edited) I have only been in one free league and it was a disaster. One guy during week 9 dropped his whole team into the WW and quit. The commish said none of the payers could be drafted. Week 11 he had picked up the 4 best players. This was a work league where I had only worked there for 6mos. when the league started. During the season I had to terminate 3 of the people, 2 of which were the commissioner and his wife. She later sent out a rant basically at me which was extremely incoherent, I suspect a PUI. Never again at work, never again free. Edited December 3, 2013 by Scorcher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BA Baracus Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 So if you play in a league where defenses consistently score around -9 or so on bad days...you think it's unfair to bench your D on MNF if you already have the game won? I'd say it would be pretty stupid not to, actually... Your team has already outperformed the other team....you deserve the W. This is a great strategy, and really just thinking outside the box. As I believe someone already said, it's not much different than a QB taking a knee because the coach doesn't want to allow a careless turnover when the game is already won. Starting players on a bye belongs in a completely different conversation, though. That's nothing other than negligence, and it pisses the whole league off that the opposing team gets an easy victory while everyone else fights tooth and nail to get closer to playoff contention. I agree with this. Sitting your own defense if you are already up in order to secure the win is still in the competitive spirit of fantasy football. The move is designed to win the game. Sitting players to tank games in order to manipulate playoff participants is a totally different situation and is something that should get you booted from the league. The difference between these two moves is that one upsets the competitive balance of the league and the other does not. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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