Just starting a thread to discuss what we’ve been chatting about regarding changes to our game(s) next season.
I’ve heard one or two great ideas so far (love Seans ‘full-draft but then 2 roster spot drop’ before the start) and I’d like to see a few other tweaks implemented in the Originals League, but I do take on board the Commissioners comment that wholesale changes should be avoided as its already quite complex due to the numbers involved and any newbies may find our league too complex to follow. I won’t bang on about WAB, you all know my thoughts on this (yes its exciting but so is crack-cocaine, supposedly).
I’d like the original 16-man game to remain as close to the original as possible and perhaps use a new League Two (Sunday Draft) as a different format. As Noel already has a waiting list of people to join, (and who wouldn’t its regarded as the best league by far). Just like to float this idea, assuming we get 20 players, two separate drafts of 10 guys and top 4 from each division make the play-offs. This way we’re utilising all the better NFL players and not relying on make-weights to win games. This may be difficult to set-up and better suited to online but its hard to accommodate so many players with so few decent QB’s, RB’s and TE’s to go around.
Whilst i’m pretty sure at 6 & 3 that I will make the Play-Offs, I think its not good that almost half the league is most likely eliminated at such an early stage.
It’s not that early, I mean it took until the end of week 9 and only 2/3 teams are mathematically out (maybe more realistically). It was probably about the same last season too. I know I was certainly 2-7 at this stage and the Feelers weren’t much better.
Losing teams can be for many reasons, injuries, bad trades, strategies that haven’t worked out or just bad luck coming up against big scores week on week. I think it’s wishful thinking that some teams wouldn’t be out after 2/3 of the regular season gone.
Regarding your suggestion though, for me, being in a 16 teamer last year was eye opening in terms of how stringed out your roster gets. In a way I had never experienced before playing in 12 team leagues.
I know we all want super teams with elite players and well… with 10 team leagues that’s pretty much what we’d get… but it doesn’t feel quite as satisfying for me. It doesn’t have the same edge or excitement of when you pick up a deep sleeper after having done your research or watched them in pre-season or collegeball. I don’t want to lose that.
Yeah - I don’t want to lose the ‘degree of difficulty’ winning this particular league brings. A sense of achievement and not just a wad of cash, is the main driver for all of us I think. (Most of us may never win this league)
Although I think the success lies in avoiding the doughnuts on Draft Day as much as finding a sleeper.
The Original League should stay as close to the previous year as possible, perhaps with a tweak or two. The Sunday game should be for experiments if Noel chooses to run with an additional game?
Loads to discuss in the off-season which is great for keeping the chatter going all year 'round.
I would give Sean’s plan a shot as I think he has some good idea’s and is a great LM in the waiting. Dean your idea does sound interesting too and I would consider just about any idea coming out of the originals league. That said I’m big on the idea of draft kings one day fantasy football… Its looking like its going to be a bit late this year but next year I see myself getting into that for a season.
I love Noel’s league because I like nothing better than meeting and talking football with others that know and love the game. If you guys are free try to join us on Sunday for an online chat, nothing serious, just football.
Just want to say, its no coincidence that things are more clear cut at this stage this year imo. We are not playing the handicap system this year and so slow starters or poorly positioned teams are simply not being granted an advantage on waivers. Its led to a less exciting finale to our regular season but (and this is where some will disagree) a fairer result.
Also, I do agree with Simon. While its nice to have studs all over the place I do feel that the skill factor is much more required in deeper leagues and much of the fun is in finding those lesser known players. An example would be Chris Givens. I had my eye on him for about a week now and intended on picking him up tomorrow when places on my current roster unlocked. Then I read some articles today where he was listed as a potential dark horse pickup. With his name now out on the street I had to drop a player I carried for weeks just to grab Givens today. Givens has always had great speed and hands but seemed to become demotivated with the rams. He lost a close friend in the winter which according to him is the inspiration he needed to have a good pre season. He was traded to the ravens in October and now finds himself with a chance of winning the top WR job in Baltimore. In recent weeks he has shown some chemistry with Flacco, the most competent one vision QB in the league and in a team that will be chasing most games due to a flakey secondary. Oh and the other factor that’s inspiring Givens this year? This money first guy is on a contract year ; )
Now that I said all that he may never play another snap. The thing is, with any potential sleeper pickup all we can do is put the facts together that support a pickup and then hope it turns out. Most of the time it does not for me personally but the fun of the research is just great. Anyway at this time of the year all we can really hope for is a solid contributor.
What’s my point? My point is that in 10 man leagues we have next to none of this research, hope, dashed hopes or chuffedness that trying to locate true sleepers can bring. While I love the 2 leagues with playoffs that your idea seems to offer Dean I just don’t know personally if I could get into a league of 10.
Finally Dean, bad luck this week in losing Lewis, picking him up was a great example of an owner picking up an underrated guy that some, including myself were not even looking at. He did great for you, good luck finding his replacement.
I think we should have a handicap system - keeping it a close race is half the excitement (hey, most video games do this for a reason!), however last years system was a confusing mess, no one really knew where they stood, just that if you did really badly you were probably near the top of the queue each week.
A persistent queue system that also gives some some compensation to losing teams could be nice - except everyone ends up at the back of the queue and disinterested at some stage.
That said, I don’t really mind this years bidding system. It kind of works - only issue is initially you have no real idea what to bid for a player, then you figure out exactly what you need to spend to get someone, so it doesn’t do much to help balance out teams. But it’s fun to see someone blow half their budget on some hyped up player who ends up being a total dud
One idea I would put on the table to run along side Noel’s originals league would be pairs, every team in the league needs to have 2 owners. Unsure how well this would run but there is potential for a lot of fun (poet). Taking that idea one step further would be pairs in an IDP league where defence can score as highly as offence. One member of a team manages the O while the other manages the D.
Great thread this guys and some great ideas - I pretty much am in the thinking of the ‘TFP Originals’ league should be kept fairly original but yes if I were to run a second league would really like a different experience to justify being in both so many things could be tried in that 2nd league every year and changes made to make it a very different experience so that if any GM’s were to be in both leagues they would get very different feels. I did get the entry fee wrong in my second attempted league that failed last year (being a degenerate gambler I like the buzz of a huge reward). So going forward I know for sure both leagues will have the exact same entry costs. I am also mindful of a closed shop people love the sound around my Originals league but can’t get in unless anyone drops out - which is unlikely. Also if I start a knew league I would love there to be much more connection between the two so we all become TFP friends - use the same what’s app to chat and even better people from both leagues stay over the Saturday night and join in a group night out. People wont like this but it was my desire to do a live face to face draft that in the end decided to risk some money and time and make it happen so feel I have a little licence to insist on some things. For me I am afraid NFL to me is about both sides of the ball so would not want to be in a fantasy league that was Offense only (sorry Sean). So for me I would be looking at Block DEF’s as is in the original and for the change up factor IDP’s in the new 2nd league. That would be enough of a difference to satisfy me. Also each league would be equal status and in a bid to get every one friendly with everyone else I would love there to be some churn between leagues… not sure best way to do that as yet but open ya mind as there’s other GM’s out there as dedicated as us that could increase our pool of NFL friendships and be a good melting pot of guys to enhance this TFP fantasy community that just missed the boat first year due to the date I set.
I have some ideas on how to mix the leagues up each year where everybody knows up front but need to convince you all it’s a opportunity to have a new challenge each year, something to be embraced and not feared / hated!
Any way I am missing the MNF game as 2nd half kicked off 10 mins ago so to be continued in Gordon’s (CitrusPlayer) proposed live Skype chat (or wherever the post season online chat is happening).
I personally like Keepers/Dynasty although gave up the one I joined this season because the system and LM were a bit flakey. I was put off by the £200 this year for Noels keeper league because I am still trying to buy a home but in other years I would consider it. However for me it would need to be drafted a ways away from the Originals draft as having these on the same weekend would just take the shine off the best draft day ever (originals).
Like your thinking Noel. I got into this league to meet fans of the sport and for that its been excellent.
Yeah I take your point Dene and reason I didn’t mention the keepers was I had mentally shelved that idea as a non starter after my experience last year trying to recruit for my second league. I like the idea but in a money league guess your right would be to hard to attract new people to pay entry fee in such a big stakes league to be at a handicap so alas in money ventures when big stakes needs to have a total reset. Though I do have keepers in my soccer (Premier League) live money draft and it works (puts a few off) but I do point out that it’s only for one year as if you return all future years you have the chance for keepers to. So I just assumed having only 1 or 2 keepers per team and most people returning would have been okay as there would still be lots of talent out there each year to draft from and all teams would have a decent keeper (on paper) to select from the previous year. Any one leaving all their players would be put back in the draft and rules could be made where new GM’s joining for first year could have first pick round 1 - as in they still draft in there allotted position but just that first round they go first (out of position) to make up for not having any keepers.
Any way I am really undecided if I even want the headache of taking on trying to get a second live league off the ground after all the hassle last year and it ultimately failing.
(yes its exciting but so is crack-cocaine, supposedly).
