NFBC Message Boards

I always get attacked for pointing out websites that charge for services that don't deliver.

Well this one really sucks at this point. Mastersball/fantasy baseball.com. Why two names?

Well most of us signed up under one web site. This web site claimed it would respond to all web site board questions. This was the big selling point.But the problem was they had sold out to another web site. But the other web site hasn't figured out how to set up the one big selling point they bought. The new web site decided to start a new advise service with life experts.

Of course this cost more. And of course some times there is actually someone there. I wrote a question about this to the web site (sites). My response was from Todd Zola. "I respond to the boards as a bonus." Thanks Todd.

Originally posted by Walla Walla:

The new web site decided to start a new advise service with life experts. Sounds right up your alley. Please tell us what you found out about your life from the experts.

I'm going take the high road and assume there was a misinterpretation of what I wrote (as opposed to a purposeful misquotation).



After being accused of taking the summer off, what I said was



"Due to other commitments, my in-season responsibility has always been to watch the forums as much as I can. Anything I contribute by way of in-season content is extra and always has been."



I do not respond to the boards as a bonus. Responding to the boards is my primary responsibility, in large part because we promise a 24-hour guaranteed reply from a staff member. Now, if you want to complain I have not responded to posts within 24 hours, that is your right. It is not the case, but that has never stopped you from false accusations previously.



What is a bonus is any in-season content I can produce in the way of posted articles. I have never committed to a weekly piece as I know my schedule is such that I cannot always meet that commitment. To make up for my inability to contribute in this manner, my cohorts allow my chief contribution in-season to be the primary forum contributor.



As for the live advice, my shift is Sat and Sun night from 9PM - 11PM EDT, and other than one night I had Internet connectivity issues and one night I admittedly forgot, I have made each and every shift, often staying logged on after 11PM.



[ June 21, 2007, 01:42 PM: Message edited by: ToddZ ]

1st off- someone has cried wolf one too many times to take an accusation like that seriously.



My 2nd thought is the fact that you would rely upon Masterball for your info says a lot about your finish.



There is no nicer more stand up guy in this contest than Todd, and as hard a time as I give the Captain I like him too (not so sure he shares the same sentiments) but if you continue to seek advice from 2 people who's combined winning in main event leagues is zero in 7 or 8 attempts then you get what you deserve.

For what it's worth, we have integrated the sites and all content is now at fantasybaseball.com



The only thing we have yet to integrate are the message boards due to technical issues. We have two boards operating at the moment because the new one hasn't been working right. While I grant that has been very confusing and annoying in many cases, we felt it was better to keep our old one running so that subscribers still had access to getting their questions answered if they wanted, on a board we knew was functioning with no problems.



It would have been very easy to just scrap the old one and deal with a new one that had periodic problems, but we're trying to serve our subs needs as best as possible. We respond to all questions on the boards, that has never changed.



I will also point out, that you expressed a complaint to me back on March 28 and I offered you a full refund if you were not satisfied. You replied at the time: "I actually like all you guys. I signed up because though I don't always agree I enjoy your insights...As far as my account with your site I really don't want to cancel.

Sorry if I ruffled the feathers too much."



I offered a full refund and you declined. If you're unhappy, my offer still stands. While I would have preferred that you handle this with me directly so I could try to fix things, rather than put it in a public forum, my response would have been the same regardless.



Yes, we have had some challenges as it relates to merging two sites, but the reason it has taken longer than we would have liked is we have tried to do what has been best for the subscribers rather than what would have been most expedient for us.



For example, we did not want to try to complete changes and roll out things right in the middle of peak draft season in Feb-Mar. We have always tried to err on the side of not disrupting customers at key periods. If we have failed you in this regard, I personally apologize and my offer of a full refund still stands.



Side note: Yes- our staff has no wins yet in NFBC play, but our subs do and our staff has several money finishes...again for what that's worth.



-Jason Grey



[ June 21, 2007, 02:39 PM: Message edited by: Jason Grey ]

Originally posted by Jason Grey:

For what it's worth, we have integrated the sites and all content is now at fantasybaseball.com



The only thing we have yet to integrate are the message boards due to technical issues. We have two boards operating at the moment because the new one hasn't been working right. While I grant that has been very confusing and annoying in many cases, we felt it was better to keep our old one running so that subscribers still had access to getting their questions answered if they wanted, on a board we knew was functioning with no problems.



It would have been very easy to just scrap the old one and deal with a new one that had periodic problems, but we're trying to serve our subs needs as best as possible. We respond to all questions on the boards, that has never changed.



I will also point out, that you expressed a complaint to me back on March 28 and I offered you a full refund if you were not satisfied. You replied at the time: "I actually like all you guys. I signed up because though I don't always agree I enjoy your insights...As far as my account with your site I really don't want to cancel.

Sorry if I ruffled the feathers too much."



I offered a full refund and you declined. If you're unhappy, my offer still stands. While I would have preferred that you handle this with me directly so I could try to fix things, rather than put it in a public forum, my response would have been the same regardless.



Yes, we have had some challenges as it relates to merging two sites, but the reason it has taken longer than we would have liked is we have tried to do what has been best for the subscribers rather than what would have been most expedient for us.



For example, we did not want to try to complete changes and roll out things right in the middle of peak draft season in Feb-Mar. We have always tried to err on the side of not disrupting customers at key periods. If we have failed you in this regard, I personally apologize and my offer of a full refund still stands.



Side note: Yes- our staff has no wins yet in NFBC play, but our subs do and our staff has several money finishes...again for what that's worth.



-Jason Grey Jason your website may or may not suck- I do not subcribe, but I do want to say to you 3 things:



1) You can sell aluminum siding to me any day.

2) I think your skin tone is just perfect.

3) Stop making Perry Van Hook work so hard, this year he was booked from sun up to sun down every day in the month of March and we had to wait to draft.



some people see the glass half full, some half empty, some want to break the glass and chew on it and complain about how painful that is. The third category is Walla Walla.

Chest, Sam Walker did get me a sponsorship from Hawaiian Tropic...so at least there's that.

Fantasy information sites cannot turn someone into a fantasy winner. They can make you more informed, and they should help get you close to equal ground with what most other fantasy owners know. A fantasy site is like a brokerage firm's analyst report. Take their information, use it to help build perspective, but for god's sake don't take their "buy" rating literally.



Likewise, the most consistent fantasy winners tend not to provide their best information to others, and the skill that helps them win may not translate very well to useable information anyway.



My point is - whether Jason or Todd or Perry win it all this year, or if they all finish tied for 250th place, it really doesn't say much about the value of their information. Take the information for what it is, brain food. If you like how it tastes, keep eating, if not dine somewhere else. Or if you're Walla Walla, complain about the bad taste while you go back for seconds.



[ June 21, 2007, 04:34 PM: Message edited by: KJ Duke ]

You know John, I should probably leave well enough alone and take a page from other industry folk that get called out on these boards and just consider the source and ignore what is said.



But I like to think I'm not like other industry folk, or other folk in general. Not to mention, for as cheesy as this sounds, I'm part of the NFBC family. I may play the part of the creepy Uncle that everybody talks about when I get up for seconds in the dessert line, but a family member nonetheless.



In the spring I was accused of stealing work from an industry cohort. Now my site responsibities are being misrepresented.



I've never had a problem with criticism when it is deserved. Never. It is the orchestrated mistruths that **** me off. No one has to make crap up to embarrass me, as Chest has pointed out, I do that well enough on my own.



Criticize all you want, in the case of the functionality of the web site I represent, it is completely warranted.



But John, at least have the class to support your argument with facts and not what is really nothing more than a lie.

Hmm, I have to ask Sam if he knows any Slim-Fast people.

This is my feelings on their site:



www.fantasybaseball.com – "They do a great job of educating their customers on how to play fantasy baseball. For a more experienced player, you are able to find good information during the research period from February 1st to mid-March before most drafts."



I signed up before 2005 because Perry had signed on. I met and played against him and Todd in Vegas. I have no complaints. I'm looking for information. If I can find one player like Hanley Rameriz last year, it is worth is weight in gold.



As for John Crane, I've met him many times. I think he likes to stir the pot, but I think behind the scenes he is just having fun. He enjoys playing and plays hard through out the year. I think he is looking for more bang for his buck.



[ June 21, 2007, 04:30 PM: Message edited by: CC's Desperados ]

Originally posted by CC's Desperados:

This is my feelings on their site:



www.fantasybaseball.com – "They do a great job of educating their customers on how to play fantasy baseball. For a more experienced player, you are able to find good information during the research period from February 1st to mid-March before most drafts."



I signed up before 2005 because Perry had signed on. I met and played against him and Todd in Vegas. I have no complaints. I'm looking for information. If I can find one player like Hanley Rameriz last year, it is worth is weight in gold.



As for John Crane, I've met him many times. I think he likes to stir the pot, but I think behind the scenes he is just having fun. He enjoys playing and plays hard through out the year. I think he is looking for more bang for his buck.





I think I'll add my two cents Shawn: I like Jason, Todd and Perry A LOT and they've been great supporters of the NFBC and the fantasy sports industry in general. Their articles make me think twice about a lot of strategies and Jason's baseball knowledge is as good as it gets. He's also a tough one to beat in any fantasy league and I think I'm in about 3-4 with him right now. Nobody is denying they are great guys.



That being said, I'm sure they all agree the integration between Mastersball and FantasyBaseball.com could have been smoother and that the boards have inconvenienced some of their customers. Unfortunately, acquisitions in this industry have led to many bumps in the road and I know that first hand. I know there are frustrations on all ends here and Todd would be the first to admit it.



John says what's on his mind and doesn't mind stirring up the pot. Hell, I've been in that pot before!! His point was made, albeit in John's way. Still, I wouldn't be surprised if Jason and Todd reach out to him for further input as they continue to improve the customer experience on their site.

Response from Jason Grey,



Lisa,

Please remit a full refund to John Crane.



If I get it. Thank you.

Originally posted by Walla Walla:

Response from Jason Grey,



Lisa,

Please remit a full refund to John Crane.



If I get it. Thank you. Seems to me the "If I get it" is totally uncalled for and an indication of Mr. Crane's unreasonable attitude.



As for information sources, use them, but use them wisely and at your own risk. Being an analyst does not mean you are a good fantasy player, so results in big contests are irrelevant. If results meant that much to you, Mr. Crane, you should have researched them before you subscribed.



I hate baseball fantasy games because the season is so long and there are so many players to follow. Yet I played this year because I need my fantasy fix between football seasons. So what did I do for info, I went to the prevailing guru, Ron Shandler. I subscribed and based my draft on his projections. My results are as expected but I blame nobody... stuff happens.



Are Shandlers projections off (so far in the season) yes, I'm especially disappointed with Aubrey Huff and Carlos Quentin. But did I draft them too soon? Was my strategy flawed? Are using $ values inappropriate for ranking in a serpentine draft? Did I take too much pitching in the 1st 10 rounds? Maybe it's not possible to attempt to draft balanced rosters with 15 team leagues and a modified category dump is better.



Nah, must be Shandler's fault. That's the ticket, my team sucks because Shandler sucks.

If I get it. Thank you.Trust me, he'll get it



I cut my teeth on rec.sports.baseball.fantasy on usenet. I understand stirring the pot and speaking one's mind and trying to get a rise out of people -- I learned from the master, John Mosey (Greg -- I bet you never thought you'd see Mosey's name on your forums ) Believe me when I say no one, and I mean NO ONE here or on the NFFC forum has approached what used to go on at rsbf back in the day.



It is not the criticism of the site that bothered me, it is completely warranted and a source of considerable frustration and embarrassment for a certain someone who spent the spring pimping the site on these boards and up and down both coasts at the First Pitch Forums. What got me riled was the unwarranted questioning of my integrity for the second time in a public forum. My name is all I have that is truly mine. Well, that and a really nice laptop.



[ June 22, 2007, 03:57 PM: Message edited by: ToddZ ]

Originally posted by ToddZ:

quote: If I get it. Thank you.Trust me, he'll get it



I cut my teeth on rec.sports.baseball.fantasy on usenet. I understand stirring the pot and speaking one's mind and trying to get a rise out of people -- I learned from the master, John Mosey (Greg -- I bet you never thought you'd see Mosey's name on your forums ) Believe me when I say no one, and I mean NO ONE here or on the NFFC forum has approached what used to go on at rsbf back in the day.



It is not the criticism of the site that bothered me, it is completely warranted and a source of considerable frustration and embarrassment for a certain someone who spent the spring pimping the site on these boards and up and down both coasts at the First Pitch Forums. What got me riled was the unwarranted questioning of my integrity for the second time in a public forum. My name is all I have that is truly mine. Well, that and a really nice laptop. [/QUOTE]But, you call Framingham home and sweet Lou Merloni as your hometown hero!!

But, you call Framingham home and sweet Lou Merloni as your hometown hero!! Sweet Lou and I go to the same barber.



Not only that, then 16 year old, ex-NHL goon Peter Taglianetti was on a rival Framingham Colt League team and was on route to attack my coach (and Uncle) when he was knocked stiff with a right cross from one of my teammate's father with supposed mob ties.



Plus, I was on the stage crew for a Framingham North High School production of Hello Dolly and got to crouch down underneath none other than Nancy Travis as we pushed a train across the stage. She was truly a sweetheart.



Why do I think the first reaction most will have after reading this is "no way, you used to play baseball?"



[ June 22, 2007, 05:41 PM: Message edited by: ToddZ ]

Trust me he'll get it. Still waiting??