Odd dilemma with owner in my league

[Squintz82 45]

I'm the commish of a 12 team $200 buy in league in it's 2nd year. Most of us came from another friends league who doesn't have time to be commish anymore, so I sort of took it over and changed it up a bit. This season, we had an owner drop out, so another owner recommended a "guy he knew" to fill the spot. Considering it was difficult to find a replacement to shell out $200 last minute, we accepted him. We're all friends and adults in this league, so there was no need for etiquette rules, but that might have to change

 

First isssue: He ended up drafting Rodgers and Stafford, along with 7 RBs and only 2 WR's. When Colston went down for the first few weeks, he ignored requests from several teams including myself packaging some decent WR's for Stafford. After bugging him numerous times via email, he said that he'd look at them, but never responded to anyone for a few weeks (he picked up Donald Driver as his WR2). Finally, he responded to an offer of Finley and Steven Johnson for Stafford (seemed lopsided in his favor), but he REJECTED IT. Then he has the balls to counter with Nick Folk for Megatron (WTF?). I finally had to call him and tell him to knock off the ######, and either accept or reject trades. But ridiculous counters like that are just going to piss people off.

 

Second Issue: This is a very talkative league, and a lot of us go way back. So there is a decent amount of trash talk, however it's tasteful and usually funny. This guy comes out and starts calling one of my good friends childish insulting names. To the point they got in a heated verbal fight that I had to stop. It was really odd, and makes me think this guy has the mentality of a 12 year old.

 

Third Issue: I mentioned this guy drafted 7 RB's. He ended up with guys like Fred Jackson, Peyton Hillis, Demarco Murray (drafted), BJGE, Cedric Benson, and a few others. He has way more RBs than he can even start. Last couple of weeks, he was picking up more RBs (had 10 last week), and couldnt' even field a team for the week since he didn't have space for a TE, or 2 of the 3 IDPs. He would wait until Sunday morning, then drop a bunch of RBs (including legit starts) so he could field a team last minute. I contacted him about it, and mentioned that while it's not a "written rule", it's really in bad taste to block players. I don't mind owners picking up more guys than they need, then making decisions as the week rolls on. But when you already have several startable RBs, and pick up others just to block them from other owners repeatedly when you can't fill your roster, that's just being an ######.

 

Now, I know that since I don't have rules or roster limitations for some of his antics, I can't do much. However, I've never had to deal with someone in any of my leagues that would pull this kind of stuff. I've already received complaints from several teams about him not responding to trades, and just being a jerk. But his behavior is starting to really effect the league. I'm definitely not inviting him back next season.

 

I'm not a fan of making up new rules after a season has started, especially since everyone paid $200 to join. But what can I do at this point to keep the league fair and competitive with this kind of owner?

[O'ky 0]

Why do you get to decide how he runs his team? He paid his money. He is starting a full team each week? But how many running backs he has shouldn't matter to you. He isn't churning the wire either, just holding and forcing people to use a waiver claim if they want players. There's no requirement for players to respond to and accept trades, nor should there be.

[JtmoneyJag 25]

Confronting him is the only thing I can think of whether that is talking to him over the phone or in person. Other then that, not much you can do since it isn't in the rules. You wish you didn't have to make rules for everything, but maybe you have learned a valuable lesson here. Obviously the guy is a total douche bag and even worse that he was invited into the league by a friend. In fact it may be better to talk with the guy who invited him and have him talk with the guy.

[JtmoneyJag 25]

Why do you get to decide how he runs his team? He paid his money. He is starting a full team each week? But how many running backs he has shouldn't matter to you. He isn't churning the wire either, just holding and forcing people to use a waiver claim if they want players. There's no requirement for players to respond to and accept trades, nor should there be.

 

I think it is a combination of what the guy is doing. Verbal fights on the board, hoarding players, sending obnoxious trades, etc... He has the right to be a tool too which he is apparently exercising.

[O'ky 0]

The being a jerk in the trashtalk I could definitely see getting mad at. But it's also possible he is a socially awkward kind of person, and saw everyone else trash talking and thought that was the thing to do, not realizing usually you need to know the other person well to say things (without them being taken seriously). Just trying to give him the benefit of the doubt.

[We Tigers 71]

The guy sounds a little weird, but not at all out of line. I can't tell if you're more bothered by him trying to get in on the trash talk or the way he manages his team; if it's the former, just don't invite him back next year. If the latter, well, tough. It doesn't sound like he's actively churning the wire, so if you want to make the players he claims and then drops available, make those guys immediately hit FA after a drop when you change your rules next year.

 

Don't confuse the issues, though. Not liking the guy doesn't make his moves any worse; it just means you probably shouldn't be hanging out with him.

[Jarvis Basnight 119]

If you don't have a certain list of rules in place, the guy is free to do what he wants.

 

Since when do you have to respond to other teams who want to trade with you?

 

Why would any grown man in a FF league be put off by some other doosh calling him childish names?

 

Deal with it this year. If the league is so close, get together and put together a system of rules. Then get someone else for next year.

[Love My Lions 1]

This is a lesson in setting some ground rules. What is a reasonable maximum number of RBs?

 

As far as trades go, as the Commish, I took the right to veto away from the owners years ago because their basis for vetos was always the fact that it might actually make two teams better and cause them to lose. That's childish! People in fantasy football can be childish.

 

You really cannot control this guy without the rules in place. You cannot make him trade. And you cannot stop him from making the stupidest trade offers.

 

Simply said, being the Commish sucks sometimes because you have to implement rules that protect all the owners of the league.

[lod 0]

Besides being a tool bag, what is this guy's record? Seems like he can't be doing that well and he is donating his money to the rest of the league. Just let the season go by and not invite him next year. Or have the friend that invited him talk to him if the whole league is put off by him. And who cares if he doesn't respond to trades? Why should he be required to?

[clarkevii 0]

There is nothing wrong with how that guy is playing. Trash talk is fun and part of the game. If he hoards RBs then he is smart. I only drafted 2 WRs too. Y'all need to chill out. It's just a game man!

[jgcrawfish 232]

I'm the commish of a 12 team $200 buy in league in it's 2nd year. Most of us came from another friends league who doesn't have time to be commish anymore, so I sort of took it over and changed it up a bit. This season, we had an owner drop out, so another owner recommended a "guy he knew" to fill the spot. Considering it was difficult to find a replacement to shell out $200 last minute, we accepted him. We're all friends and adults in this league, so there was no need for etiquette rules, but that might have to change

 

First isssue: He ended up drafting Rodgers and Stafford, along with 7 RBs and only 2 WR's. When Colston went down for the first few weeks, he ignored requests from several teams including myself packaging some decent WR's for Stafford. After bugging him numerous times via email, he said that he'd look at them, but never responded to anyone for a few weeks (he picked up Donald Driver as his WR2). Finally, he responded to an offer of Finley and Steven Johnson for Stafford (seemed lopsided in his favor), but he REJECTED IT. Then he has the balls to counter with Nick Folk for Megatron (WTF?). I finally had to call him and tell him to knock off the ######, and either accept or reject trades. But ridiculous counters like that are just going to piss people off.

 

Second Issue: This is a very talkative league, and a lot of us go way back. So there is a decent amount of trash talk, however it's tasteful and usually funny. This guy comes out and starts calling one of my good friends childish insulting names. To the point they got in a heated verbal fight that I had to stop. It was really odd, and makes me think this guy has the mentality of a 12 year old.

 

Third Issue: I mentioned this guy drafted 7 RB's. He ended up with guys like Fred Jackson, Peyton Hillis, Demarco Murray (drafted), BJGE, Cedric Benson, and a few others. He has way more RBs than he can even start. Last couple of weeks, he was picking up more RBs (had 10 last week), and couldnt' even field a team for the week since he didn't have space for a TE, or 2 of the 3 IDPs. He would wait until Sunday morning, then drop a bunch of RBs (including legit starts) so he could field a team last minute. I contacted him about it, and mentioned that while it's not a "written rule", it's really in bad taste to block players. I don't mind owners picking up more guys than they need, then making decisions as the week rolls on. But when you already have several startable RBs, and pick up others just to block them from other owners repeatedly when you can't fill your roster, that's just being an ######.

 

Now, I know that since I don't have rules or roster limitations for some of his antics, I can't do much. However, I've never had to deal with someone in any of my leagues that would pull this kind of stuff. I've already received complaints from several teams about him not responding to trades, and just being a jerk. But his behavior is starting to really effect the league. I'm definitely not inviting him back next season.

 

I'm not a fan of making up new rules after a season has started, especially since everyone paid $200 to join. But what can I do at this point to keep the league fair and competitive with this kind of owner?

 

First issue: There's nothing that says he has to make a trade. It's also why all trade offers should be made with a deadline attached or pulled before the start of the players involved that week (separate topic, I know). But he wants to ride with Driver as his #2 WR, so be it. Guys should just be happy because he's more than likely losing.

 

Second issue: some guys just don't know how to trash talk. In fact, in the leagues I'm in, nobody does. When I'm actually playing a sport (which ever sport), I'm typically quiet and don't talk much, if at all, because it's not part of the game. But FF isn't a sport, it's a hobby...and trash talking is implied because realisitically there isn't a DAMN thing your opponent can do about it. He's going to score what he scores, you're going to score what you score and neither of you affects the other's outcome. It's the same thing I tell my kids. If someone is bugging you, ignore them and they'll more than likely go away. But continuing to bicker with them just gives fuel to their fire.

 

Third issue: Unless you have positional roster limits, or rules indicating that players picked up must stay on the team's roster for a full week, there's no rule against it. What it tells me is that he's actually better at working the WW than most of the guys in your league OR your waiver process sucks. If he's able to beat people to three RB's every week, there's 11 other guys doing stuff wrong. I have a fairly strong team and go thru 1 or 2 RB, 1 or 2 WR's and occasionally a DST. I have about 3 spots on my roster that I keep available for the "flavor of the week". However, if there are 3 flavors of the week, I should really only be able to get maybe one if everyone else is doing their homework. If I'm getting all 3, it just means everyone else is sleeping on the job.

 

Look, some people are just abrasive jackasses (Flahawker comes to mind). Some guys will push the rules in any league. Some guys aren't very skilled socially. It sounds like you just got lucky and found one guy who hit the trifecta. Deal with it for a year then jettison his ass for next year and address the holes in the rules in the offseason.

 

[cmh6476 767]

I apologize I will quit doing it

[R8RMick 242]

When you're playing for money, especially with strangers, you'd better have bylaws that are rock solid. Our league has twelve pages of rules.

 

Unwritten rules are for guys who play in Yahoo leagues. Just kidding of course.

[Pavlov 0]

I'm currently sitting on 7 RBs, 3 WRs, and 1 QB in my biggest money league--partly for matchups and partly as a hedge against Blount and Best not coming back 100%. Nothing too unusual there. (Although not responding to trades promptly is a pain in the ass--I wouldn't invite him back next year based on that).

[Squintz82 45]

Thanks for all the quick feedback, really appreciate it.

 

Seems like you are all on the same page as I am, and there's nothing I can really do through league rules at this point. I have learned my lesson and unfortunately will have to make some etiquette rules next season, and perhaps some more roster limits. I just have to get the rest of the league to calm down because pretty much everyone hates him.

 

He's currently 5-3, and in 2nd place in his division, but only 1 win ahead of a few others.

[shutdown 40]

Not sure what you can do this year since he paid and his actions, while annoying, don't seem to be grounds for immediate expulsion.

 

Do I like owners that don't response to trades, no, but there's no rule against it.

Do think it's a good strategy to have 7-10 players at 1 position, no, but I wouldn't make a rule against that either.

 

Unless he starts making stupid trades or dumping players to upset the competitive balance of the league I think you have to let this play out this year as long as he's making a reasonable effort to field the best lineup he has.

 

I have booted an owner and the end of the season just for his mouth, but because he was playing competitively I didn't do it mid season when he physically threatened another owner who "insulted" him with a bad trade offer.

 

Suffer through this season with the guy as long as he's not ruining your league's competitive balance and boot him at the end of the year.

[rdrs4life 0]

New guy comes in and starts dominating. League gets butthurt.

 

Popcorn.gif

[ru93 0]

When you're playing for money, especially with strangers, you'd better have bylaws that are rock solid. Our league has twelve pages of rules.

 

Unwritten rules are for guys who play in Yahoo leagues. Just kidding of course.

 

My main team is in a yahoo league! But our commish uses custom settings that we have went by for years and its for money

 

Your right though, when playing for money you better have rules. Did you have a rule in play at the start of the year that said how many players you could have at one position? If not you can't complain there. As far as the trades go you should make it where if he don't accept or reject with in 3 days then it goes away.

 

The only reason you have to confront him is the insulting trash talk. If he is not in your friend circle of the league then maybe what is insulting trash talk to you is friendly trash talk to him.

[Squintz82 45]

New guy comes in and starts dominating. League gets butthurt.

 

Popcorn.gif

 

I'm 8-0, and 2 others are 6-2, but nice attempt at trolling

[jgcrawfish 232]

Do think it's a good strategy to have 7-10 players at 1 position, no, but I wouldn't make a rule against that either.

 

Suffer through this season with the guy as long as he's not ruining your league's competitive balance and boot him at the end of the year.

 

You bring up an interesting point. I'm a serial RB hoarder. We start two and can flex one and I'll hold 6-7 of them if I can. Two years ago the commish made rule changes that set roster limits for them at 5 (where it was previously 7). While he was at it, he set WR at 5, QB at 2, TE at 3, DST at 2 and K at 2. It was aimed at me, as the commish and I have something of an icy history. However, since we have a Flex position, it also has a limit, of 4. So now I can (if I feel inclined to do so) put 4 RB's as "flex" on my bench and still carry 9 of the little suckers if I want to (I don't, I have 5). What he didn't realize is that the rule change has hurt the league. The 2 QB limit has affected several people in the last two season, me being one when Andy Reid couldn't make up his mind between Vick/Kolb last year and Roethlisberger was hurt at the same time. I ended up having to drop Kolb and Roethlisberger because I couldn't roster a 3rd one to get past the injuries. I got lucky on Vick retaining the job, but I ended up giving Roethlisberger away to a team that had WW priority, for nothing, all because of some petty rule changes. It's happened to two other guys this year. Over legislating the league can take just as much fun out of it as a guy who constantly looks to bend the rules.

[Squintz82 45]

Over legislating the league can take just as much fun out of it as a guy who constantly looks to bend the rules.

 

Very true

[mobb_deep 919]

I'm 8-0, and 2 others are 6-2, but nice attempt at trolling

 

I don't want to be a jerk, but the guy does have a point... I don't know you, but the way you wrote the initial post comes off a bit arrogant and self richteous. You seem to have a bit of a napolean complex.

 

He really isn't doing anything wrong. He paid his money and is operating within the constraints of the rules. You're entitled to feel the way you do and live by what you consider ethical, but it isn't reasonable to place that same code of ethics on someone else. If he doesn't feel he needs to respond to trades then don't offer him trades anymore. If he wants to horde RB's until Suday morning and then drop them, put in a WW claim, so he can't pick them back up again the following week. As for the trash talk, I'd guess it's probably getting nasty because he's sick of everyone jumping all over him. It just doesn't make sense that some guy would start getting ugly with everyone, for no reason. I have to think something was said/done that made him feel he needed to go on the attack. Don't discredit his feelings... He's entitled to them just as much as you're entitle to yours.

 

Just my .02.... Hope it all works out for you guys.

 

 

Over legislating the league can take just as much fun out of it as a guy who constantly looks to bend the rules.

 

+1

 

This is kind of what I was getting at. Guys just don't generally like being told how to act by other dudes. if I'm following the rules, leave me alone. I manage my team and you manage your team.

[Stewburtx8 67]

Over legislating the league can take just as much fun out of it as a guy who constantly looks to bend the rules.

 

 

Agreed. I think making positional limits is completely unnecessary and pretty stupid actually. Why should anyone have to carry a 2nd defense, kicker, or tight end if they don't want to? Why should someone not be able to have 1 QB or 3 QB's? If someone is able to hoard 7-8 usable RB's, then that is the rest of the leagues fault in my opinion for not working the wire correctly, or letting him draft RB after RB.

[Squintz82 45]

I don't want to be a jerk, but the guy does have a point... I don't know you, but the way you wrote the initial post comes off a bit arrogant and self richteous. You seem to have a bit of a napolean complex.

 

He really isn't doing anything wrong. He paid his money and is operating within the constraints of the rules. You're entitled to feel the way you do and live by what you consider ethical, but it isn't reasonable to place that same code of ethics on someone else. If he doesn't feel he needs to respond to trades then don't offer him trades anymore. If he wants to horde RB's until Suday morning and then drop them, put in a WW claim, so he can't pick them back up again the following week. As for the trash talk, I'd guess it's probably getting nasty because he's sick of everyone jumping all over him. It just doesn't make sense that some guy would start getting ugly with everyone, for no reason. I have to think something was said/done that made him feel he needed to go on the attack. Don't discredit his feelings... He's entitled to them just as much as you're entitle to yours.

 

Just my .02.... Hope it all works out for you guys.

 

 

Pretty much went out of my way to make sure I wasn't coming across that way because I am generally far from arrogant (for some reason I can't post Emoticons on here). But, if that's how you interpreted my initial post, I appreciate my thorough personality complex diagnosis. You are making a lot of incorrect assumptions about the situation, so I'll clarify. I discredited his feelings when he started calling other owners and friends of mine childish names, which started before any of the other owners said anything. Not to mention countering with a ridiculous insulting trade. Hence why I thought it was odd because it came out of nowhere. Aside from that, I just posted what 8 of the 12 owners of my league are complaining about.

 

My goal is to keep the majority of the league happy while not breaking any rules, which is what I felt my last sentence in my initial post reflected.

 

Either way, thanks for the feedback

[bugzy 1]

Wow that sounds like a really bad situation. I'm surprised by all the guys here defending the obnoxious owner. Clearly he is socially inept. I would say as commissioner you have the right to do whatever you want for the good of the league, including to change the rules mid season to prevent ww abuse and to take away his posting rights. You are in total control of the league, everyone agrees to that when they sign up.

[Pavlov 0]

Wow that sounds like a really bad situation. I'm surprised by all the guys here defending the obnoxious owner. Clearly he is socially inept. I would say as commissioner you have the right to do whatever you want for the good of the league, including to change the rules mid season to prevent ww abuse and to take away his posting rights. You are in total control of the league, everyone agrees to that when they sign up.

 

He's a jerk and doesn't deserve to be invited back next year, but he's paid his $200 and changing the rules mid-season to punish him is a much bigger transgression than unimaginative/crass trash talking. If he's found something in the scoring system that values RBs more highly than they normally are, make a note of it and change it next year.

[PackYourNut 47]

Bad trades, ignoring trades, ridiculous counters? - This is FF... it happens all year, every year.

Calling someone childish names? Dude, pick up your string... That's some weak Sh!t to complain about!

Hoarding players? Oh snap! You got to be kidding... Whatever! Sounds like sour grapes!

 

You guys wouldn't last 10 seconds in my league... it is full of a$$holes like this guy... And frankly, it's fun! =)

[rdrs4life 0]

Agreed with pack. I gave the "trolling" response as you choose to call it because this thread is a joke. This new guy knows how to play real fantasy football and you guys do not. Plain and simple.

 

What you guys want to play I'd more accurately describe as fantasy flag football.

[jkil22 1]

Bad trades, ignoring trades, ridiculous counters? - This is FF... it happens all year, every year.

Calling someone childish names? Dude, pick up your string... That's some weak Sh!t to complain about!

Hoarding players? Oh snap! You got to be kidding... Whatever! Sounds like sour grapes!

 

You guys wouldn't last 10 seconds in my league... it is full of a$$holes like this guy... And frankly, it's fun! =)

 

 

I agree with the above poster. Having a couple doushbags around a league can make it more fun, at least when you aren't on the end of the doushbagery. But roll with the punches when you are and sit back with some popcorn and enjoy the show when you aren't.

 

The only problem might be the hoarding, but if he's not adding and dropping right away just to put players onto waivers and it's legal per the rules so be it!

[Truck Jackson 0]

You say there is a lot of trash talk, so why is his any different. And if he's following rules, I don't know why you're mad about who is on his roster.

[Portis26 0]

You say there is a lot of trash talk, so why is his any different. And if he's following rules, I don't know why you're mad about who is on his roster.

My thoughts as well

[Squintz82 45]

I agree with the above poster. Having a couple doushbags around a league can make it more fun, at least when you aren't on the end of the doushbagery. But roll with the punches when you are and sit back with some popcorn and enjoy the show when you aren't.

 

The only problem might be the hoarding, but if he's not adding and dropping right away just to put players onto waivers and it's legal per the rules so be it!

 

Personally, I'm not involved with any of the issues so normally I wouldn't care. But again, as commish the majority of the league has come forward complaining about this particular owner. So I wanted to see what others would do.

 

It's difficult to just sit back and watch it happen when I'm trying to retain paying owners of this league for the future. Especially when we're all friends and no one really knows the offending owner.

[Squintz82 45]

You say there is a lot of trash talk, so why is his any different. And if he's following rules, I don't know why you're mad about who is on his roster.

 

I don't recall being mad about anything. But having someone in my league looking for ways to blatantly piss people off while not breaking rules isn't cool or fun. It's understandable that it's not the type of league that some people in here have mentioned they play in, most of these owners have been together in other leagues for years with no issues

[Desk 0]

Who cares how many RB's he has.

 

I'm first place in my division and I drafted 8 Rb's 2 wr's 1 qb' NO DEFENSE, NO KICKER, AND NO TE.

 

The Gm told me that this would not be allowed next year and there will be positional reqs.

 

I'll draft as many running backs and hoard them all.

 

Sorry your 3 rb strat didnt work out.

 

Many of us knew players would be dropping like flys with the lock out. We were prepared and now you wan't to make rules against it for next year?

 

Come on dude....

 

Guys #2 wr is donald driver and and hes in second place! Wish I was in your elementary league.

[Truck Jackson 0]

I don't recall being mad about anything

 

Finally, he responded to an offer of Finley and Steven Johnson for Stafford (seemed lopsided in his favor), but he REJECTED IT. Then he has the balls to counter with Nick Folk for Megatron (WTF?). I finally had to call him and tell him to knock off the ######,

 

mad

adj \ˈmad

 

a: completely unrestrained by reason and judgment <driven mad by the pain>

b: incapable of being explained or accounted for <a mad decision>

 

Now you can use that when people ask Why you mad bro.

[Busted by the Feds 9]

In this day and age of the RBBC, I can understand an owner carrying 7 RB. I myself, only drafted one of each QB, TE, K and Def at first and loaded up on RB and WR for the rest of my team. You never know who's going to be hurt, out for the year, or promoted due to performance. The extra RB are his lottery tickets.

[Stewburtx8 67]

Personally, I'm not involved with any of the issues so normally I wouldn't care. But again, as commish the majority of the league has come forward complaining about this particular owner. So I wanted to see what others would do.

 

It's difficult to just sit back and watch it happen when I'm trying to retain paying owners of this league for the future. Especially when we're all friends and no one really knows the offending owner.

 

 

If you and the rest of the league don't like the guy, don't invite him back next year. That should keep all the "paying owners" in the league for the future. For THIS season, there isn't really much you can do unless he is breaking the rules. Hoarding RB's shouldn't be an issue. A lot of people use this strategy. If some people don't like what he is saying on the message board, ignore him. As far as trade offers go, I assume your trade deadline is approaching soon, so this will become a non-issue.

[philmckracken 3]

I'm serious when I say that this guy you're talking about is fantasy league gold. I wish my league had a clown like that stirring things up. You might not like what he is doing, but he certainly is keeping things interesting. Enjoy his idiocy. In the long run you guys will all look back and laugh about him and currently he's great fodder for discussion over beers.

[O'ky 0]

I'm serious when I say that this guy you're talking about is fantasy league gold. I wish my league had a clown like that stirring things up. You might not like what he is doing, but he certainly is keeping things interesting. Enjoy his idiocy. In the long run you guys will all look back and laugh about him and currently he's great fodder for discussion over beers.

 

I agree with this!!! Entertainment and easy $$!!

[wild_and_crazy_guy 5]

If this owner drafted 7 RB's, this would seem to mean that ( a ) this owner is extremely weak in all other positions, and ( b ) the other owners in your league have the same problem with finding good RB's (parity). If the guy is playing his best lineup every week, then you and the other owners should stop whining and try to beat him!!