Championship Controversy

[avocado 0]

I am the commissioner of my league. During the last weekend, when our finals played out, I was away on vacation completely disconnected from email. I come back last night to see that one player barely won the match, despite the (now) 2nd place player having not fielded a Defense.

 

Looking at the transactions, he had picked up both a TE and a D (New England) about an hour prior to kickoff. He fielded his TE but not his D (he had dropped his other D to pick up New England, so it was not an issue of deliberation there).

 

Checking my email, I have multiple messages from the loser saying he had an issue with his defense, although further investigations revealed that this was likely an oversight on his part (he thought he had activated his defense when he did his TE, but he did not). He easily would have won if his D was active.

 

It's becoming a little ugly, with everyone taking sides, etc etc. Should the result stand?

[Gladiators 1,904]

If I HAD to choose, I'd say you have to keep it as is. If he was actually having issues getting the defense to start, he should have been calling/emailing you. Then you'd have proof that he was attempting to start the D. It sounds like it was just an oversite by him. For the championship, you better double check that you have everyone starting. Most of my leagues aren't real cut-throat, so I voted for the compromise to keep people somewhat happy. However, if it's big money, I'd say keep it as is.

[FlaHawker 24]

Anytime I make a lineup change I double check to see if it went through properly. That's called team management. He lost. But I am not sure how he was able to set a lineup minus a key component. My RTS site will not allow me to set a lineup if I do not have all lineup components met.

[msudavedawg 5]

I would lean towards including the defense in the final score. He only had the one. He clearly picked it up to play the juicy Buffalo matchup (BTW, how is NE Def on the fa wire?).

 

It's not like he's saying he meant to start one player and not another.

[redtodd 7]

If the emails are PRIOR to the deadline, then you should give him the points. If they are after, than sorry he screwed up. It is his responsibility to make sure his roster is all set, no one else.

 

If he had legitimate problems, he should have emailed you immediately. I am a Commish and I have had guys call me from vacation 10 minutes before kick off saying, "I can't remember if I played Patriots Defense. If I didn't can you activate them for me?"

[avocado 0]

To answer questions and comments:

- Emails are after the deadline.

- I was on vacation, no access to phone/internet.

- Yahoo allows players to set incomplete line ups.

- League is only $25 buy-in

 

Although it's a company league, there are a few members (including the guy who won) from a different company, which is creating most of the friction.

[RF7 0]

Let it stand. I mean if your are in the championship and you didn't take the time to double check your lineup one last time then you deserve what you get. Especially in the last hour before kickoff when he is doing an add and drop scramble to his lineup.

[Redstone 0]

To answer questions and comments:

- Emails are after the deadline.

- I was on vacation, no access to phone/internet.

- Yahoo allows players to set incomplete line ups.

- League is only $25 buy-in

 

Although it's a company league, there are a few members (including the guy who won) from a different company, which is creating most of the friction.

 

He screwed up and realized after the deadline. Something he's just going to have to live with. If the emails were before the deadline he'd have a legitimate case.

[mzf5c5 0]

As a commish also, I would agree with the others here. It is his responbility to post the correct lineup. Since the emails were after, his lose. I would not put in the defense.

 

It doesn't matter the other guy is from. If he was allowed to play and paid to play, that has 0 reasons for this. He did NOTHING wrong and should not be screwed out of the championship.

[TV's Frank 0]

I don't even understand why this is a controversy. If I had screwed up my lineup for the championship game, I would be kicking myself for being an idiot, not whining to the commissioner. I might be able to understand it if this was Week 1 and your league was using a new website or something, but he's been setting lineups on Yahoo! all freaking season. As a good friend of mine always says, "It pays to be smarter than the tools you work with."

 

If you file your taxes online, and forget to hit "send," does the IRS give you credit for thinking about it? Not so much. Tell him to start drinking after he's set his lineup next time.

[Puddleglum 0]

Yeah, emails after the deadline means he screwed up. It's his fault, let the result stand.

[surferskin 30]

If you don't know how to set your own lineup, then you can't be a champion.

[JT 137]

He screwed up. Nobody shares the blame. Unfortunate, but crying about this is simply sour grapes.

[SUXBNME 1,340]

If you don't know how to set your own lineup, then you can't be a champion.

Not only that, but as commish you should go punch him in the face in front of his wife and kids for being such a tard.

[MDC 5,902]

There is zero controversy here - the loser screwed up, end of story. The only reason to retroactively change an owner's lineup is if there was a legitimate technical problem with the site and he called or emailed before kickoff. Since neither of these things happened it's an oversight on his part that unfortunately cost him the championship - tough break.

[MedStudent 56]

He screwed up. If it was a technical problem and he had emailed you about it before the game or had left a message on your phone then that would be another case. But he obviously focked up and has nobody to blame but himself. I was in the championship game and I double checked my lineup continuously leading up to the games.

[truebigdog 0]

I'm not seeing the controversial part. He hosed himself.

Can he go to his own house and punch himself in the face in front of his wife and kids? That Sir, is the only real solution.

[Big Zeke 0]

If the emails are PRIOR to the deadline, then you should give him the points. If they are after, than sorry he screwed up. It is his responsibility to make sure his roster is all set, no one else.

 

+1 - this is how we've always done it in my league. E-mail or text to commish + one other person in league prior to deadline is always accepted.

[ER1CKSON 0]

Tough luck in my opinion. If you aren't diligent enough to make sure your lineup is set, then, I'm sorry, but, you don't deserve to win a championship (especially sine he didn't pipe up until after the fact).

[De Novo 0]

I might consider splitting the money (30/70 in favor of team who won according to the system). If I had to choose one side or the other, I'd let the result stand and say tough crap. It's a tough break.

[murf74 461]

Maybe he wanted to start his defense as a WR. I hear some leagues allow that now.

[PATSSOX 22]

To answer questions and comments:

- Emails are after the deadline.[/b]

- I was on vacation, no access to phone/internet.

- Yahoo allows players to set incomplete line ups.

- League is only $25 buy-in

 

Although it's a company league, there are a few members (including the guy who won) from a different company, which is creating most of the friction.

 

Yup he screwed up and only realized after it was too late

[Drizzay 647]

Anytime I make a lineup change I double check to see if it went through properly. That's called team management.

 

 

This

[SNZ11 5]

That is a tough way to lose, however, it is his fault and I would leave it alone. Starting the wrong guy, forgetting to set your lineup, and just plain not paying attention is no ones fault but his. I agree with the people that say this is part of team management.

[IAMWood 6]

Maybe there are different settings on yahoo, but every league I have done on there, once the week has started (Thursday), you can't do waivers for that week. If he did it prior to Thursday's game, he had plenty of time to insert defense. Not how your post reads, but he should have made his decisions long before 1 hr to kickoff just in case there is a problem like this. Lesson learned.

 

[chroniciguana 13]

I sorta see this one as a toss-up. On one hand the owner's intentions were clear. He dropped his defense, picked up another with the intent of playing it. Unless there is a reason to play without a defense.

 

On the other hand, the owner is responsible for making sure his lineup is set correctly. Especially in the championship game.

 

I am leaning towards the latter. But I guess this is why commissioners make the big bucks.

[Cara 0]

Anytime I make a lineup change I double check to see if it went through properly. That's called team management. He lost. But I am not sure how he was able to set a lineup minus a key component. My RTS site will not allow me to set a lineup if I do not have all lineup components met.

 

 

Agreed. I have seen multiple people lose the Title game because they didn't set their roster.

How can you make the Championship Game and NOT check your lineup prior to kickoff? Even when I know my roster is set, I still double check it. Poor management cost him the game.

[sirensong 111]

 

Checking my email, I have multiple messages from the loser saying he had an issue with his defense,

 

this is the salient point. if he had emailed prior to the game and said "there is a website issue", then i can see changing the result. but the very last thing every sane owner does 10min before gametime is to triple ch3ck that the lineup is set. so unless he's going to say that the website made an error, then he is admitting that he didn't check his lineup properly.

 

that's his fault, and not something he can complain about after kickoff.

[swirvenirvin 25]

Since emails were after then he loses sorry

[Adam 0]

Had something similar happen in my league this year. My policy is this: "Talk to your opponent. If he's cool with making the line-up change, then just send me an e-mail and copy him, and I'll change it."

 

The one time this came up this year the other owner actually agreed to the change. Didn't want to win that way. It's the only fair way to proceed. It also takes the heat off of you and puts it on the opponent. If they want to win that way, then that's their call.

[Beamers 0]

No change it for him. In fact give everyone in your league a Championship Trophy, because everyone is really a winner.

[tikigods 76]

If anyone gives you sh1t, show up to the draft with a gun. Make sure to aim for the femoral arteries.

[jpcdds 21]

If the emails came after the deadline then the results should stand unless the owner had picked up the defense minutes before the deadline and immediately started the emails minutes after the deadline... as this shows he was double checking his lineup immediately after the move. Usually when you cut a starter in your lineup... the pick up is inserted right in the vacant spot... that could have been a glitch of the site... and if recognized minutes after the move then consideration should be given IMO.

[jaxjag 43]

It isn't like he was trying to substitute one player for another. He only had one defense. And he just picked them up. His intentions were clear. I don't think it is right to screw him out of the championship based on a technicality. I've had web pages malfunction; using the back button or refresh, for example. I always make it a point to double check now.

 

As far as the timing of his emails, it doesn't surprise me they're late because he didn't realize the line-up wasn't submitted properly.

[Old School 360]

No change it for him. In fact give everyone in your league a Championship Trophy, because everyone is really a winner.

 

 

No Sh!t.

If you are making changes an hour before the game, but can't take the time to check & ensure your line up is correct, then tough sh!t

Bitching about it after the fact is a pretty douchy move.

 

Like the other guy said, let's just give a trophy to everyone and split the money with ALL the owners.

[remote controller 133]

There is zero controversy here - the loser screwed up, end of story. The only reason to retroactively change an owner's lineup is if there was a legitimate technical problem with the site and he called or emailed before kickoff. Since neither of these things happened it's an oversight on his part that unfortunately cost him the championship - tough break.

this is right.