Fantasy Sports: Keep the Integrity Alive
Matt Libs
Issue date: 11/3/09 Section: Sports
I've been playing fantasy sports now for a couple of years. Anyone who has ever participated in the "sport within the sports" knows the positive side, but lately I've found some problems with the fantasy sports world that I would like to address.
See, I have a feeling that most of these pet peeves of mine have surfaced because I just started being the commissioner of my fantasy football league this year. Going through the process of organizing and setting up a fantasy football league is not an easy task. Add in nine other guys who all have different schedules and personalities, and you get one hell of a preseason headache.
I still think that some of these problems follow the motto of "common courtesy". So often are most of the commissioner's problems caused by stubborn players. Sure, the easy fix would be to make sure everyone in your league is reliable, but let's face it; sometimes grandpa needs to be put in his place.
Here are a few simple guidelines to follow if you choose to participate in a fantasy sports league. If you don't want to follow any of these, then simply don't join. As much as people say they're "desperate" to find another owner, they would probably rather cut the teams down than deal with the drama you are about to put them through:
(Side note: Not able to take the stress of worrying that your star player will get injured during the first game and be out the rest of the season? Some websites are not offering fantasy "insurance" on your top prospects. I can't make this stuff up, try searching for it.
Don't team up and try to combine teams through trading. Not only will this probably never happen as long as your league has an owner veto system set up, but it's shady. You weren't intended to get two picks in the fantasy draft, so why should two people be able to combine teams in order to win? In some leagues, teams are allowed to have two owners, but they still only get one pick in the draft.
Play consistently. If you don't adjust your lineup and want to basically give away the entry fee, that's fine, just keep it that way throughout the season. Don't listen to your sneaky friends who tell you to adjust your lineup because you're playing someone who's right behind them in the standings. Play the same way throughout the season and play your way.
Pay what you owe on time. Usually commissioners give teams around two months to get the entry fee to them. Even $100 - which is much more than most leagues entry fee is - split over two months is about $10 per week. If you look ahead two months and can't see yourself having that much money by then, you probably shouldn't be playing. This is simply personal spending principals. Winning is not guaranteed - don't spend the money if you aren't going to be able to lose it.
If you're going to dish it out, learn to take it too. Everyone has their own level of comfort when it comes to dishing out and taking "smack talk". If you're one who loves to talk and run his mouth about how awesome your one day or week was, be ready and willing to take it back once your team levels out. All sports seasons are long. If you had a good week and talked a bunch about how awesome you are, don't make excuses when your team fails the next week. You didn't lose because your opponent's kicker scored twice as many points as he was projected as much as you try to tell everyone that.
It's still all for fun. Just like the games they steal stats and numbers from, fantasy sports are games too. Losing doesn't mean it should affect your whole day and winning doesn't give you bragging rights for more than a few days. Playful banter is always acceptable, as long as everyone still finds it that way. Nobody likes "that guy" that takes fantasy way too seriously. Lighten up!
Let's keep the integrity of the games intact. I agree that fantasy sports should never overshadow the games themselves, but there's nothing wrong with having some fun while watching sports. Keep these things in mind the next time you join your friend, family member or coworker in their fantasy league. Because while you may only compete on a fantasy playing field, your actions are still happening in the real world.
See, I have a feeling that most of these pet peeves of mine have surfaced because I just started being the commissioner of my fantasy football league this year. Going through the process of organizing and setting up a fantasy football league is not an easy task. Add in nine other guys who all have different schedules and personalities, and you get one hell of a preseason headache.
I still think that some of these problems follow the motto of "common courtesy". So often are most of the commissioner's problems caused by stubborn players. Sure, the easy fix would be to make sure everyone in your league is reliable, but let's face it; sometimes grandpa needs to be put in his place.
Here are a few simple guidelines to follow if you choose to participate in a fantasy sports league. If you don't want to follow any of these, then simply don't join. As much as people say they're "desperate" to find another owner, they would probably rather cut the teams down than deal with the drama you are about to put them through:
(Side note: Not able to take the stress of worrying that your star player will get injured during the first game and be out the rest of the season? Some websites are not offering fantasy "insurance" on your top prospects. I can't make this stuff up, try searching for it.
Don't team up and try to combine teams through trading. Not only will this probably never happen as long as your league has an owner veto system set up, but it's shady. You weren't intended to get two picks in the fantasy draft, so why should two people be able to combine teams in order to win? In some leagues, teams are allowed to have two owners, but they still only get one pick in the draft.
Play consistently. If you don't adjust your lineup and want to basically give away the entry fee, that's fine, just keep it that way throughout the season. Don't listen to your sneaky friends who tell you to adjust your lineup because you're playing someone who's right behind them in the standings. Play the same way throughout the season and play your way.
Pay what you owe on time. Usually commissioners give teams around two months to get the entry fee to them. Even $100 - which is much more than most leagues entry fee is - split over two months is about $10 per week. If you look ahead two months and can't see yourself having that much money by then, you probably shouldn't be playing. This is simply personal spending principals. Winning is not guaranteed - don't spend the money if you aren't going to be able to lose it.
If you're going to dish it out, learn to take it too. Everyone has their own level of comfort when it comes to dishing out and taking "smack talk". If you're one who loves to talk and run his mouth about how awesome your one day or week was, be ready and willing to take it back once your team levels out. All sports seasons are long. If you had a good week and talked a bunch about how awesome you are, don't make excuses when your team fails the next week. You didn't lose because your opponent's kicker scored twice as many points as he was projected as much as you try to tell everyone that.
It's still all for fun. Just like the games they steal stats and numbers from, fantasy sports are games too. Losing doesn't mean it should affect your whole day and winning doesn't give you bragging rights for more than a few days. Playful banter is always acceptable, as long as everyone still finds it that way. Nobody likes "that guy" that takes fantasy way too seriously. Lighten up!
Let's keep the integrity of the games intact. I agree that fantasy sports should never overshadow the games themselves, but there's nothing wrong with having some fun while watching sports. Keep these things in mind the next time you join your friend, family member or coworker in their fantasy league. Because while you may only compete on a fantasy playing field, your actions are still happening in the real world.
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