DISCORD Channel link: The No Bollox League on DISCORD - chat room
This is a place you can talk to other members of this league and me - the commisoner - in real time all year round (in or out of season) and is hosted on my BLM Fantasy Games server where I have seperate channels for differnt sports and seperate fantasy draft type leagues I run.
THE NO BOLLOX LEAGUE - XVIII
Keeper Deadline Date:
28 July 2022 (Thursday)
Live Draft Date:
Saturday, 30 July 2022 at 3:00pm EDT / 8:00pm BST
(Snake style draft)
Full NBL settings can be viewed here: The NBL League Settings
BACKGROUND
I first set this league up in 2005 as I wanted to play Americans at their own game and show British peeps could be just as good - if not better at their fantasy football.
I was also fed up with owners giving up or not playing out the season - hence the leagues name (born out of frustration). Over the years I have replaced owners that didnât set line ups and modified my internal rules to create what has become a very competitive league.
The key element being a 50/50 make up of team coaches from the UK & USA (8 Americans & 8 Brits). It makes for a rather nice added rivalry as we all still compete to beat one another but as a side bar whoever wins the Super Bowl also wins a title for their respective nation.
TEAM NAMES
As part of that USA v UK aspect of the league it is a league rule to display - USA or - UK after your team name (as part of your team name) to show what side of the pond you represent.
NEW OR NOTABLE INTERNAL RULE CHANGES
Any sections boxed and bolded like this paragraph are to bring attention to new or amended internal rules for the forth coming season (as my league is developing year on year) and helps returning team GMs to quickly find whatâs new or changed from the previous season.
PAST MAJOR CHANGES
From season 8 this league introduced IDPâs (Individual Defensive Players instead of the traditional block Defense) along with draft pick trading and keepers that kicked in from season 9. Keepers come from your finishing squads as they were the end of the previous season - so worth long term planing and taking note of the following keeper rulesâŚ
KEEPERS
Each owner/team will be allowed to keep up to a maximum of 2 players however only one from each side of the ball (Offense/Defense). So in effect if keeping 2 players one has to be an IDP. You do not have to keep any players if you so wish, each owner has the choice each year - 0, 1 or 2 players. There will be a keeper deadline before the next years draft so it is each owners responsibility to look out for that deadline as no changes to selection(s) can be made after it.
Anyone who does not follow the one from each side of the ball Keeper Rule and tries to keep 2 Offensive players or 2 IDP players will find they only have 1 keeper. The 2nd Keeper choice whoever it is will be over-ridden prior to the draft and be changed to âno keeper selectedâ.
Keepers will cost you the draft position they were drafted in the previous season (regardless of who drafted them). Only exception to this is when the player was also a keeper in the previous season (thus now becoming a keeper in consecutive seasons) - in this scenario the player shifts up one round (regardless of which team kept them the previous season) - unless he was a first-round pick/keeper - for obvious reasons. Any player kept that was undrafted the previous year will count as a last round selection.
You can find the previous seasons draft results within the league itself (here is a link): NBL 2021 Draft Results
Due to a miss-interpretation of the rules regarding keepers that happened in this years (2022) draft I feel I need to try and make the Keeper rules more precise and offer clarification on how I apply them. If you are ever in doubt about how a rule will work or be applied please contact me - the best way is to message me on Discord but other ways are available.
My keeper rule was originally thought up to put some strategy and skill in to finding or lucking out with rookie gems or players that fell way below normal ADP (Average Draft Position) due to injury or suspension etc., the year you drafted them (or someone else did) that you could then keep at great value for season after season with them just raising by 1 round a year if you continuously kept them (and now just if they are a keeper in back to back consecutive seasons).
It is not about free agents you pick up during the season but completely undrafted players - so just those players that went undrafted in the previous seasons draft will count as last round selections under the keeper rule. All other players no matter if you drafted them or picked them up later in the season off the waiver wire or traded for them matters. In those circumstances their actual draft spot in the previous draft determines their rank (the draft round they will be awarded against if being selected as a keeper). The rule is this way because is it something that is tangible and previous seasons draft results can always be accessed on NFL.com via the history section - for past years. So I am able to go back through every round and see when a player was drafted, in what round or if they were not drafted at all.
Another caveat is if you have traded away your original draft picks during the previous season (or prior to this seasons draft) and no longer have your original draft pick for the round a keeper you selected is due against then the keeper will go against the next highest pick you have going up from where your ORIGINAL PICK should be. If you donât have a higher draft pick then you can not keep that player and I will override said player selection to âno keeper selectedâ after the keeper deadline. So people need to be aware of this when draft pick trading and planing their keepers for the following season. Just having a pick in the correct round might not necessarily be good enough as it needs to be a higher one from your original pick in that round (not lower) if you donât have your original pick anymore.
DRAFT ORDER
For those teams that make the playoffs proper (teams finishing 1st-6th), there draft order will be a reverse of the previous years finishing positions as decided by NFL.com - so the previous years champion will still draft last in round 1 (*16th) and the team finishing 6th (*11th). [*excluding draft pick trading]
However I noticed in the dead rubber games some GMâs had a tendency to tank in order to get a more favourable draft position the following season. So to address that from the end of the 2014 season the following changes took affect regarding draft spots from the consolation play-off games.
If you were not in the running for the title (i.e. in the playoffs proper), there was nothing to play for except next years draft position - and the way it was, the worse you did in the dead games, the better your draft pick position the next year. This encouraged GMâs who were out of the playoffs not to try and win, actually often hoping to lose by starting their worst players (just to avoid falling foul of the strike rule, as thereâs nothing else riding on those results).
So to correct that anomaly is why I introduced this rule change - making the so called dead rubber games un-dead. Each of these consolation games are now worth winning because your now playing for a higher draft spot. As this part of the draft order involving the 10 non-championship playoff teams is inverted - to reward their post season wins, however pointless they may seem at the time.
So the 6 proper playoff teams will still keep their draft positions (16th - 11th).
However the rest (consolation playoff teams) will now go like thisâŚ
The team finishing 7th (i.e. best of the non-qualifiers) would have pick #1
The team finishing 8th (2nd best non-qualifier) would have pick #2
And so on, down to the team finishing 16th (worst non-qualifier) would have pick #10
I think this will be good for the league as now tanking for a better draft spot will not fly as the dead rubber games have something riding on them. I feel this should also help with the also ran GMâs trading away their better players with late round draft picks to the playoff bound GMâs who are willing to sell their next seasons chances on winning this year by agreeing to trades involving their bad players but with higher round draft picks from the following season - which is skewing the integrity of the league imho.
IDP Scoring Adjustments occurred in 2019 to keep the NBL a whole point scoring league (Non Fractional)
It was talked about a lot in the 2017 season how imbalanced IDP scores were and how any given week an IDP player could score you anything from just a few points to many tens of points and the spectrum was to much. For this reason for the 2019 season onward I adjusted the IDPs points down but unfortunately NFL.com did not round down so the half point given for Assisted Tackles made this league end up with fractional scores - which I did not want as the NBL has always been a non fractional scoring league. So for this reason I have had to adjust the Assisted Tackles category up to a full point (from half a point) to insure that does not happen.
So the NBLâs IDP scoring is as follows:
STANDINGS TIEBREAKER
In the 2017 season a poll was conducted during the post season to see what standings tie-breaker we should use going forwards as some GMâs did not like the default option of âHead to Head Recordâ and the following is the result of that poll which is why we use âPoints Forâ as the Tiebreaker from 2018 onwards:
STRIKES RULE
Starting from last season (2020) strikes will also be issued for not being seen to vote in an official poll posted within the league on NFL.com . Itâs been the hardest thing for me as a commissioner to get people to engage with me on rules and proposals to do with the league like having a trade deadline, expansion etc., so now itâs mandatory to partake in polls and to be seen to have voted.
I am not sure how you do this on the phone app but to do this via the standard internet using a browser - which can also be done on a smart phone - you scroll down the leagues home page to the message board and to the right of this you will see the latest poll. To the bottom right of this poll box you will see a link that says âMore Polls >â click this and it will open the poll with its message board below it. Here (you may need to scroll down) you sometimes will find more information about the poll and is also the place you type âVotedâ to show you have voted after you have done so in that particular poll. To the top right of the poll you will see an arrow < and that will let you navigate back to see older polls and where you should check you have voted in each one and posted below each one to say you have Voted as if you have not voted or forgotten to post you have voted and not everyone has voted then anyone I canât be sure did vote will pick up a Strike after 28 days of the Poll being posted. I hate having to do this but for many many seasons people have just not been engaging enough to help me shape the league by voting in polls so felt I had to do this so I can weed out and replace non committed GMâs with ones who buy into the ethos behind this custom keeper league.
There is no Trade Deadline in the NBL
This is because during the 2020 season a poll was made for this and the result was the majority did not want any trade deadline:
2022 POLLS
THE NO BOLLOX LEAGUE (NFL.com) Struck Out & Permanently Banned List
Annual Reorganising of the Divisions for 2022âŚ
There will be 2 US and 2 UK teams in each Division. Once Divisions are drawn whichever one I am drawn in will become the North (as a little gift to myself as I am a Lions fan and they are in the NFC North) it really makes no material difference to the fantasy season whatsoever as the teams drawn with me are still the same teams just they to will be in the North division.
WEEKLY STRIKE COUNT 2022
WK1 - 3 strikes (Bradley Rose x2 & Shane Whitehouse x1)
WK2 - 5 strikes (Bradley Rose)
WK3 - no strikes issued
WK4 - 1 strike (Shane Whitehouse)
WK5 - 4 strikes (Shane Whitehouse)
WK6 - 2 strikes (Gary Thorpe)
WK7 - no strikes issued
WK8 - 1 strike (Gary Thorpe)
WK9 - 4 strikes (Gary Thorpe)
WK10 - no strikes issued
WK11 - no strikes issued
WK12 - no strikes issued
WK13 - 1 strike (Thomas Chitty)
WK14 - no strikes issued
WK15 - 1 strike (Michael Korman)
WK16 - no strikes issued
WK17 - 2 strikes (Amir Blackmon x1 & Michael Korman x1)
Link to previous years table: WEEKLY STRIKE COUNT 2021
Additional Strikes (for not voting in polls):
18/7/22 Bench Slots Poll = 1 strike (Bradley Rose) issued 23/8/22
Confirmed as back in for 2022 (Season 18)
UK
- Noel Symonds* / The British Bulldogs - UK
- Rikki Dell / Chark Attack - UK
- Lee Pearce / London Falcons - UK
- Andrew Pearce / Woodford Warriors - UK
- Carl Fisher**** / Play Your Cards Right - UK
- (New GM) Shane Whitehouse / Blue Devil Danny Dimes - UK
- Douglas Hay / McBears Bears - UK
USA
- Brian Lassiter* / DarKnights - USA
- Amir Blackmon / WhodatMailman - USA
- Michael Korman / Georgia Bills - USA
- John Moody* / The Ranger of Outcomes - USA
- David Landers* / Darth DILinator - USA
- Rick White / Ricks Rampage - USA
Okay our first poll of the 2022 Season has resulted - all 16 GMâs have voted and the majority have opted for an early draft. A Doodle poll has now been created with a choice of dates and times between 16 July and 31 July inclusive. A link was sent to each GM by e-mail to be able to go and vote in the poll on Doodle. The poll will be called when all 16 GMâs have voted on it or on July 14th (7 days time) whichever is the sooner. Not voting on Doodle does not incur a strike - you just lose your chance to try and get your prefered draft date/time.
Our second poll of the season needed to go to a run off poll which has now had all 16 GMâs cast their vote and the result is to stay at 6 bench spots. 3 Weeks into this new season I now understand this result more as itâs so hard to find viable replacements for injuries in Free Agency as it is, without giving 16 teams an extra slot or more to hoard players - there would be no one left to fill slots you need cover for.
Okay over 7 days have elapsed so I have ended the poll on Doddle. We have a majority date and time so that will be our live draft date/time for this season. Surprisingly to me only 13 of the 16 GMâs bothered to register their preferences?
Those three who didnât bother to cast their votes have zero recorse to be unhappy and those of you that did not get a time to suit - you should be pissed at them for not voting as they may have changed things had they cast votes.
So if any of you who canât make the live draft want to leave the league rather than auto draft that is fine - just please let me know ASAP so I can find a replacement. I can re add you to the waiting list to get back into the NBL in the future when others leave or get struck out.
Okay its been over 28 days since our second official NBL poll of 2022 went up and sadly 1 person has not voted and the out come is a tie:
For this reason Bradley Rose / Arian Foster Care - USA picks up a strike for not voting. Also as the poll was a tie a re-run of the two tying options will now take place.
Week 1 Strikes (x3)
Sad to report the following strikes are awarded for NFL Week 1:
Bradley Rose - Arian Foster Care - USA x2 for:
x1 Started WR - DeAndre Hopkins - (ARI) - SUS
x1 Started LB - Deion Jones - (ATL) - on IR
Shane Whitehouse - Blue Devil Danny Dimes - UK x1 for:
x1 Started LB - Antonio Brown - (TB) who was ruled out before his teams actual game day.
(LC) A really disappointing start to the 2022 season. I donât like the time it takes checking teams and issuing strikes but it is the only way I have found to effectively police my free leagues to make them fun for those who do put the effort in and play seriously. The strikes rule is clear, applies to all and offers me a way to weed out non attentive players who quit on the league or give up as they have nothing invested, donât like their team or any number of other reasons for flaking etc.
Alas I had a suspicion Bradley had quit on the NBL without informing me as he replied to zero e-mails in the off season, was not present at the live draft, did not select a keeper this season and never voted in the polls put up (which so far already garnered him 1 strike). So with these 2 additional strikes taking him to 3 Strikes heâs lost his spot for 2023. However I rather suspect he wonât be setting his team and will pick up more Strikes over the next few weeks to get a permanent ban form the NBL and be at the required level to be replaced in season. So first on the USA waiting list is defo in next year should they want the spot and quite likely will be invited to jump in this season should Bradley pick up another 3+ strikes. Itâs quite clear to me that Bradley has quit on the NBL sadly. Would of be courteous to have just replied to me in the off season and ask me to seek a replacement for him!
As for the other strike given to Shane - just needs you to look at your team a bit more indepthly buddy - read the players information card when you see little symbols next to them on ya team page to keep up to date with the latest news and act accordingly. If you can always good to look at the Active/Inactive list on NFL.com that get released about 45mins before games start.
Week 2 Strikes (x5)
Sad to report the following strikes are awarded for NFL Week 2:
Bradley Rose - Arian Foster Care - USA x5 for:
x1 Started WR - Keenan Allen - (LAC) - OUT / was ruled out before his teams actual game day.
x1 Started WR - DeAndre Hopkins - (ARI) - SUS / suspended for first 6 games of 2022 season.
x1 Started K - Harrison Butker - (KC) - OUT / was ruled out before his teams actual game day.
x1 Started LB - Deion Jones - (ATL) - IR / on injured reserve.
x1 Started DB - Jayron Kearse - (DAL) - OUT / was ruled out before his teams actual game day.
(LC) A really disappointing but not unsurprising Week 2, 5 strikes issued, all to the same guy - Bradley Rose - USA who has clearly quit the NBL without letting me know. Thereâs always the possibility he has died or such and Iâd never know this which is why in the off season I ask people to confirm if they are coming back for the new season. He was one of 3 who did not (and the other 2 did actually return). But this is why next year if anyone does not confirm they are returning when I ask people to I will look to replace all unconfirmed returnees as I donât want this situation to repeat. So for those of you who read my notes if you do like playing in this free league and plan to return each year then in future always confirm youâre returning when asked to - or you could find yourself replaced!
I will now start the hunt to find a replacement American - so if any of you know on the US side of the pond know any friends, family or work buddies you think would pay this league the respect it deserves and like to join us please holla at me.
I will actually until a replacement is found set this failed teams line ups - but will not make any Adds or Drops. As for Bradley he will now be added to my permanently banned from this league list for picking up 6+ strikes.
