No ANONYMOUS Slow Draft Signups After Feb. 15th

[Greg Ambrosius]

Our Slow Draft Leagues have already far exceeded our expectations. This is a new phenomenon that I never saw coming, but I'm happy that these drafts are working out well and that everyone is having fun. We will continue taking signups for these through the first week of March and then we'll re-evaluate everything. I don't want to start these too close to the live events, so I'd say our last signups will be in early March. Then it's time for the Satellite and Online Championship season.

As most of you know, we have allowed owners to use an ANONYMOUS posting for these Slow Drafts if they didn't want everyone to know their identity for one reason or another. Truth be told, only three owners have used ANONYMOUS this year and I felt in each case their reasons for it was legit. Nobody in January or early February is scouting others' picks; they just want to draft anonymously, see where players are going, and compete for the league and overall prizes.

But I could see where having an ANONYMOUS drafter closer to the live drafts would be too advantageous for that unknown drafter than the other owners whose picks are exposed. So after Feb. 15th, I will not allow any ANONYMOUS drafters in the Slow Drafts. Everyone will be identified so that there is no "scouting" of others' picks even if it's not intentional.

I am pleased with the way all of this has worked so far in the Slow Drafts and now there are no aliases without the knowledge of everyone in that league. And for these Slow Drafts that are done much closer to the live events, everyone will be known and there shouldn't be any problems there. Everyone has now been forewarned.

Thanks all for understanding our position here. It's worked well. Good luck to everyone and I have a feeling this next month will be very busy when it comes to the Slow Drafts. Please use the One Round Que button to keep things moving at night and enjoy your time in these drafts. They are a lot of fun. Thanks for taking them to a new level and we will announce the new increased overall prize pool when all signups are done.

[ALL-IN JD]

I'm sure Mark will understand!

[Glenneration X]

I think this is a good decision Greg and obviously works for the vast majority of your customers. Please clarify though, is this ruling just for the Slow Drafts or for the satellites and Online Championship drafts as well as all the live & online Main Event, XII, and big money drafts?

Also if there were only three anonymous users, besides the obvious who were the other two?

[whipsaw]

Also if there were only three anonymous users, besides the obvious who were the other two?

I believe they were Amber Korrs and Kramer Robs.

[Greg Ambrosius]

I think this is a good decision Greg and obviously works for the vast majority of your customers. Please clarify though, is this ruling just for the Slow Drafts or for the satellites and Online Championship drafts as well as all the live & online Main Event, XII, and big money drafts?

Also if there were only three anonymous users, besides the obvious who were the other two?

This is just for the Slow Drafts. Obviously all of those other drafts are held after Feb. 15th and I've never heard anyone say they were "scouting" me in a satellite league. But we're not going to have final Slow Drafts with anonymous owners as we close in on Draft Day.

[Lobbyist999]

Our Slow Draft Leagues have already far exceeded our expectations. This is a new phenomenon that I never saw coming, but I'm happy that these drafts are working out well and that everyone is having fun. We will continue taking signups for these through the first week of March and then we'll re-evaluate everything.

Several posters here have brought up the eminence of the online game. However, it continues to be treated as "prep" for live drafts.

Until the NFBC's approach changes, those playing online will be stuck with inferior prize targets, as I understand it, which is not fair. There is strength in numbers and the sheer multiplicity of online draft adherents should be a sign that this is where a lot of players want to be at.

Not everyone wants to travel, spend money on hotels etc. when we could put the same money into several online leagues. Just because some of us don't feel like doing live in-person events, doesn't mean we should be relegated to a secondary role. Online players are just a different market, not an inferior one, nor a farm system for your other formats.

Just look at how many online leagues were signed up for last year, despite the late start. That alone indicated to me that there is a lot of demand for online leagues.

Also consider that even this year was started late on account of those States that prohibit their residents from entering NFBC-type leagues.

As I suggested in another thread, there are a multiplicity of online games that can take place even after the season has started. If you would consider a few experimental formats to gauge interest, you might well be able to foster year-round registration for NFBC baseball.

Just my 2 cents.

As most of you know, we have allowed owners to use an ANONYMOUS posting for these Slow Drafts if they didn't want everyone to know their identity for one reason or another. Truth be told, only three owners have used ANONYMOUS this year and I felt in each case their reasons for it was legit. Nobody in January or early February is scouting others' picks; they just want to draft anonymously, see where players are going, and compete for the league and overall prizes.

And therein lies the problem. So long as the online game will continue to be devalued, viewed as inferior and as a "prep" to something else, you will get these types of secret agent stealth requests.

Both online games and live in-person games can thrive at the same level in my view, so long as both products have viable cash prize targets and so long as both games are treated as stand-alones and kept distinct from each other. Online players are just as competitive, sophisticated and knowledgeable as live in-person players in general -- and that could be easily put to the test, if anyone wants to challenge it. And no, I'm not referring to myself, but to the quality of owners I have had the priviledge to compete against both last year and currently.

[DOUGHBOYS]

Lobbyist, I don't see your problem.
Every game that is offered live is offered on line.
In fact, with slow drafts, I would think there are tons more leagues online than off.

Are you offended at these being called 'preps'?
If so, this could be your World Series and somebody elses prep, what does it matter?
It is still the same game.

The growth of slow drafts helps everybody. Whether it is one's significant league or one's prepratory league, it still drives up the cash for the winners.
Everybody is a winner.
Who loses?

[Captain Hook]

And there ARE online leagues for the main event in addition to the Online Championship

I think the confusion is perhaps that the only leagues drafting right now are the Slow (online) Leagues and he sees the commentary about those.

[Lobbyist999]

Truth be told, only three owners have used ANONYMOUS this year and I felt in each case their reasons for it was legit.

Begs a Top Ten list.

Top 10 reasons NFBC online players opt for "anonymous" identities:

1. They are already living under an assumed, FBI-generated identity.

2. $150 is a lot of money to spend on fantasy baseball.

3. Industry writers need cheap material for their "guess who is being taken early in drafts" column.

4. Greg and Tom want to play in our leagues too.

5. They're using Roto magazines for draft prep and Drew Butera is seriously flying under the radar.

6. They have been known by their other two-word moniker for years, the one that begins with "Alcoholic".

7. They are running a SUPER PAC focused on elevating Greg and Tom to the status of "job creators".

8. Their 2012 draft list ended up with the Iranian secret service and was subsequently sold to the Chinese.

9. Doughboys is on their case, already barked "I don't see your problem".

10. Impending divorce and no prenup -- NFBC winnings could take a hit.

[Lobbyist999]

Lobbyist, I don't see your problem.

Is there really a need to begin a post in such an accusatory manner?

[Lobbyist999]

And there ARE online leagues for the main event in addition to the Online Championship

I think the confusion is perhaps that the only leagues drafting right now are the Slow (online) Leagues and he sees the commentary about those.

You are correct. I am relatively new to the NFBC -- I am not all that familiar with the other types of online games.

I'll stand corrected any time, so long as it's not via a negatively judgmental post. Let's face it -- it's not as if all of NFBC's products are outlined in an orderly fashion, nor are their product names evocative of their parameters all the time.

I admit, I don't know enough about online leagues outside of the online slow drafts I have enjoyed to date. Have no opinion on these other online products as I have not taken the time to learn about them. So yes, my bad on that.

However, the rest of my comment stands re the emerging popularity of online leagues, as I see it from my limited, subjective standpoint as a participant in multiple leagues but without the benefit of longstanding play with NFBC.

And no, I don't like seeing online slow drafts being referred to by names that evoke a lesser product -- which, I don't believe it is, unless someone can show me otherwise. Always willing to learn something new.

[DOUGHBOYS]

Lobbyist, I don't see your problem.

Is there really a need to begin a post in such an accusatory manner?

But, I didn't see your problem...
I'm not a sugar coater, fact is, I still don't understand.
I'm sorry if you took my words as accusatory.

Do you want the NFBC to promote the slow drafts as heavily as the more expensive games?
Is it the prep bias?
I'm not trying to be accusatory, negative, or trying to be a pinup on the post office wall of your 10 most wanted criminals.
Truth is, I really don't see the problem.
Next time, I'll bury the lead.

EDIT- I get it, I just saw your top 10 list. You thought I was 'barking'. Sorry, I was asking in a much more gentler tone on the key pad, by the time you read it on your monitor, it had gotten to the 'barking' stage.
My apologies if you read it as 'barking', it was mere questioning.

[Lobbyist999]

Lobbyist, I don't see your problem.

EDIT- I get it, I just saw your top 10 list. You thought I was 'barking'. Sorry, I was asking in a much more gentler tone on the key pad, by the time you read it on your monitor, it had gotten to the 'barking' stage.
My apologies if you read it as 'barking', it was mere questioning.

Actually, there was an error on the concept.

Aren't the rest of us supposed to be in a DOUGHBOYS top 10 list and not the other way around?

I broke with accepted protocol, so I can see how some lines may have been crossed and a pushback may have been in order.

Thanks for your edited comment DOUGHBOYS and wish you well.

p.s. after what I have seen Greg and Tom go through last year, hanging in by the skin of their teeth and never stopping to believe, even on the bleakest of days, I would never suggest anything adverse to their product and image. My comments were only meant in terms of giving slow draft online players their due, not taking away anything from other formats.

[DOUGHBOYS]

No problem at all, Lobbyist

I'll have to have a dough, er dog barking at you in one of the future 'Fantasy Camps' though

[Lobbyist999]

No problem at all, Lobbyist

I'll have to have a dough, er dog barking at you in one of the future 'Fantasy Camps' though

Here's the worst part -- I don't even know what a "Fantasy Camp" is.

There is so much insider stuff in here, esp. with so many of you having contributed to this site for so long, that anyone with less site experience who remotely tries to make assumptions, is really looking for trouble.

[Captain Hook]

No problem at all, Lobbyist

I'll have to have a dough, er dog barking at you in one of the future 'Fantasy Camps' though

Here's the worst part -- I don't even know what a "Fantasy Camp" is.

There is so much insider stuff in here, esp. with so many of you having contributed to this site for so long, that anyone with less site experience who remotely tries to make assumptions, is really looking for trouble.

Not really just roll around and look and read and you will find gems like Doughboys' Fantasy Camp column

http://nfbcforums.stats.com/viewtopic.p ... 8&start=25

[Ryan C]

No problem at all, Lobbyist

I'll have to have a dough, er dog barking at you in one of the future 'Fantasy Camps' though

Be careful Dan - everyone wants to get into "Fantasy Camp". If you don't watch it we're all going to start pissing in your Doritos just to get into class

[Lobbyist999]

No problem at all, Lobbyist

I'll have to have a dough, er dog barking at you in one of the future 'Fantasy Camps' though

Be careful Dan - everyone wants to get into "Fantasy Camp". If you don't watch it we're all going to start pissing in your Doritos just to get into class

I just realized what it was all about.

Jeez DOUGHBOYS, I was playing with fire and wasn't even aware.