Fantasy Football Argument — Am I Right or Overreacting?

[Webster]

For the last ten years or so, I’ve been in a fantasy football league with some guys in my town. I’m not particularly close with more that one of the players — they needed a 12th when they started it up and I figured why not.

For the most part, the league has run reasonably well, a couple of nonsense arguments, but nothing more than normal. The one thing which pisses me off is that every year, they draw the draft positions when a few of the players get together for drinks and I am only told after the fact. I’ve repeatedly asked to either be present, have it done at the draft or do it by a random generator. I’ve drafted between 9th and 11th the last 6 years. This year, I said that if I wasn’t present, I was dropping out.

Got a text a few nights ago from the commish — “Sorry dude. 10th.” I asked why the did the draft without me and the commish said that a couple of the guys came over to his house for drinks and they decided to do the draft order. I said I was quitting, he couldn’t believe that I accused him of cheating and things devolved from there, including nasty texts from a few of the players and the wife of the commish.

I don’t think that I did anything wrong asking for transparency, but am I way off base? I realize that draft position isn’t the biggest deal, but I don’t like the idea of someone getting one over on me and I fully believe that they are capable of changing my draft position. Mrs. W says that I’m right but that it isn’t worth burning acquaintances/friendships over.

 

[MTM]

You are right and Mrs. W is also right. It isn’t worth burning acquaintances/friendships over.

Our commissioner always makes sure there are at least two witnesses for the draw and records it for those who may have questions. It is sketchy that you are always at the bottom of the draw and the fact your commissioner got so pissed instead of being apologetic makes it more so. If you're not enjoying the league you should quit. I'm quitting one of my baseball leagues because it's not fun and there have been some questionable things.

 

[qtlaw]

I'm not saying anyone is cheating but hell, it sure does raise questions of impropriety. They're basically saying you're at the mercy of what they say. I could see if it was random but you always at the bottom (although if its a zip draft (reverses on 2nd round) at least its not as bad.)

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Tell him you’re not quitting because he’s cheating. You’re quitting cuz he’s an asshole.

 

[dixiehack]

How much are we talking? For something like a $10 buy in I might have dealt with it and then quit after the playoffs. If there’s real cash involved, then I can see pulling the plug now.

 

[Justin_Rice]

You're overreacting. If you've got a bunch of guys who you can't trust to do the draft order ... why are you even playing with them?

It smells like sour grapes that you're drafting 10, and I'll bet your cries for transparency would be more muted if they told you you were picking first.

And whatever ... I've won leagues drafting early. I've won leagues drafting late.

 

[Matt1735]

You do this for fun. If you aren't having fun, don't do it. You owe them nothing. In fact, you specifically asked to be notified of the draft, and you weren't. How do you know trades aren't handled the same way.

 

[JC]

Is @Songbird and @Vombatus in this league?

 

[Machine Head]

IMO you are not off base, they're jerks.

You're right, draft position is a crap shoot.

But ..

You asked to be involved more than once. That request was ignored.

I'd walk.

 

[Captain_Kirk]

I don't think you're off base here. Something smells really fishy when you've drafted 9th - 11th for 6 years. Sure doesn't seem like random chance at work there.

If it's pretty much the same guys in the league year after year, why not just go to a draft based on the prior year's results: worst record gets first pick, champ goes last. That's worked just fine in the league I've been in for three decades now.

 

[outofplace]

You're overreacting. If you've got a bunch of guys who you can't trust to do the draft order ... why are you even playing with them?

It smells like sour grapes that you're drafting 10, and I'll bet your cries for transparency would be more muted if they told you you were picking first.

And whatever ... I've won leagues drafting early. I've won leagues drafting late.

The entire process is shady and he told them he would quit if they chose the order without him again, but they did it anyway. It was absolutely reasonable for him to quit under those circumstances.

 

[outofplace]

For the last ten years or so, I’ve been in a fantasy football league with some guys in my town. I’m not particularly close with more that one of the players — they needed a 12th when they started it up and I figured why not.

For the most part, the league has run reasonably well, a couple of nonsense arguments, but nothing more than normal. The one thing which pisses me off is that every year, they draw the draft positions when a few of the players get together for drinks and I am only told after the fact. I’ve repeatedly asked to either be present, have it done at the draft or do it by a random generator. I’ve drafted between 9th and 11th the last 6 years. This year, I said that if I wasn’t present, I was dropping out.

Got a text a few nights ago from the commish — “Sorry dude. 10th.” I asked why the did the draft without me and the commish said that a couple of the guys came over to his house for drinks and they decided to do the draft order. I said I was quitting, he couldn’t believe that I accused him of cheating and things devolved from there, including nasty texts from a few of the players and the wife of the commish.

I don’t think that I did anything wrong asking for transparency, but am I way off base? I realize that draft position isn’t the biggest deal, but I don’t like the idea of someone getting one over on me and I fully believe that they are capable of changing my draft position. Mrs. W says that I’m right but that it isn’t worth burning acquaintances/friendships over.

If they don't use a random generator, how is the order chosen?

 

[Justin_Rice]

The entire process is shady and he told them he would quit if they chose the order without him again, but they did it anyway. It was absolutely reasonable for him to quit under those circumstances.

So he (and you) think he was cheated.

Why would you even play in a league where you think your "friends" would cheat you? Why would those people even be your "friend"?

 

[DanOregon]

You do the draft order ahead of the draft? Why? Also, I assume you're doing a snake draft right?

 

[outofplace]

So he (and you) think he was cheated.

Why would you even play in a league where you think your "friends" would cheat you? Why would those people even be your "friend"?

Don't your questions support the idea that he should leave that league? If he doesn't trust the people running it to be fair, quitting is the right call.

It's possible he wasn't cheated. Maybe he has just been very unlucky, but he told them he was quitting if they chose the draft order without him and they did it anyway. That was pretty ****ty on their part.

 

[Justin_Rice]

Don't your questions support the idea that he should leave that league? If he doesn't trust the people running it to be fair, quitting is the right call.

It's possible he wasn't cheated. Maybe he has just been very unlucky, but he told them he was quitting if they chose the draft order without him and they did it anyway. That was pretty ****ty on their part.

If you have to tell people "don't choose the draft order without me there [because I think you're cheating me]," you shouldn't have been signed up for the league in the first place.

 

[playthrough]

I don't think you're off base here. Something smells really fishy when you've drafted 9th - 11th for 6 years. Sure doesn't seem like random chance at work there.

Yes. Roll a pair of dice six times and see how long it takes to get a set all between 9 and 11. I think you'd be there a very long time.

 

[Vombatus]

Yes. Roll a pair of dice six times and see how long it takes to get a set all between 9 and 11. I think you'd be there a very long time.

That’s not the same as drawing 12 random numbers from a hat. dq would explain.

 

[dixiehack]

That’s not the same as drawing 12 random numbers from a hat. dq would explain.

I remember a college math class where I was doing mediocre at best until we got to the chapter on dice probability. Suddenly I was a savant.

 

[Justin_Rice]

It's been a little while since I took discrete, but odds in a 12-team draft picking in the bottom five for six straight years is about 0.5%.

And don't fall for the fallacy of "I keep picking late in the draft. I'm due for a better pick!"

Every year is an independent draft, with a 41-percent chance you're picking in the bottom five. "I'm due!" is not actually a thing.

Badly need @doctorquant to come correct my math.