Post
by DOUGHBOYS » Sat Feb 13, 2016 1:19 pm
When signing up for a DC Draft, we all do it for one reason, we love fantasy baseball. We know that the next day, we will be drafting the players we covet and anticipate our draft position.
The similarities we share with other drafters ends there.
One of our draftmates may be a firefighter or bar owner or construction worker or office worker.
One may have constant access or little access till getting home or only access by phone or only access at certain times of the day.
On top of this, is our slow draft 'methods of choosing'. I know a certain firefighter who I kiddingly call, 'The Muller'.
He knows he is on the clock, but enjoys the process of deciding who to take for up to half an hour. This used to drive me crazy. My method is different. I usually have a plan and know who I want.
But, who am I to bust up his enjoyment?
He loves mulling each player in his mind before deciding. It makes the draft more enjoyable for him.
Nothing wrong with that.
I'm in a draft now, where a fellow, just on the clock, typed in the chat room that he would be gone for three hours because of family committments.
He could have chosen, but obviously, did not want to be rushed.
Because he communicated with the others, nobody griped.
I can't begin to tell you how much one little sentence in chat can mean.
Although he was on the clock and wouldn't draft for three hours, no matter what the personal reactions were of the 14 other drafters, we were all grateful that we KNEW we didn't have to check in for three hours.
There have been several suggestions about four hour, six hour, eight hour, overnight stoppages, our own clocks.
All, probably great suggestions. Unfortunately there is a problem with each of these solutions. The largest would be depending on IT to get it right. No offense, Greg.
And when moving it to four or six hours, we'll get the same gripes about folks taking too long. It'll just be that somebody timed out at four or six hours, still upsetting some folks.
I now believe that messing with the clock is not the right solution, even if supported by IT.
Anybody who has done a like minded draft or fast/slow have all been amazed at just how pleasurable they are. The eight hour clock is taken out of play. It is only used as a timeout during sleeping hours. I can't describe adequately how enjoyable this type of draft is. Perfect for those that are impatient and want to pick five or six times a day.
The problem being for some, that they can't devote that much time to a draft. Which brings us back to the regular DC's.
I'm in a slow DC now. We're averaging about two rounds a day. We don't have one drafter or two drafters taking a lot of time. Just a bunch of people who I suspect like to be 'mullers' or are busy and don't check in for an hour or two.
This would have driven me crazy when younger.
Now, I know they are enjoying themselves with the process.
Even better, is that most are posting in chat when the minutes will become hours.
THAT is the key.
I was in the draft that Bruce was in with Woj. He timed out and everybody was upset. The next day, he apologized and said that he liked drinking too much.
That meant the world. At least to me. It let me know that during evenings, I probably couldn't count on Woj drafting and go on with other things in my life. It also let me know that if he were to enter another draft, I would probably pass on that particular draft.
Communications is the key.
Chat is the heartbeat of each draft. If there is no chat at all, then it is probably not an enjoyable draft.
Take the initiative. Make a remark. No matter how stupid. Tell a joke. You'll be amazed how many others chime in after somebody starts chat. They want to have fun too.
As far as suggestions to improve these drafts, the clock is not the evil. It's like blaming John Wilkes Booth's gun.
That clock, really, is an alarm clock.
Some of us get up right away and pick. Some will hit snooze two or three times while mulling their picks. Some will just say screw it and turn the clock off and pick later.
The problem being that the other 14 drafters don't know and have to check in.
If IT could handle it, I would like to see a little 'out/in' by each players name. This would let us know that a drafter will be out till 7 pm or in by 7pm.
Why?
Because some avoid chat. This would allow communication without using chat.
I've enjoyed both slow/slow and fast/slow drafts this year. I envision myself riding in a clunker when entering a 'normal draft'.
A Corvette when in a fast/slow.
Actually, I enjoy the pace of both. We have to remind ourselves that 15 folks signed up for a draft, each with different approaches in their pace and picks.
Be cognizant that the 14 other drafters are all different.
In either, chat should be the pulse and star of the draft.
Edit-
One other thing to mention. Drafts would go a little smoother and at a better pace if we had an 'auto2' option.
Using 'auto1' in the one. two, three, 13, 14, and 15 draft positions is usually fruitless.
Some drafters have a full queue, but don't trust full auto in knowing that 30 players will be taken and their queue becomes a shambles by the time they are ready to pick again.
It seemed to me that the new draft room had this. I can't remember.
'Auto2' is a necessity.
On my tombstone-
Wait! I never had the perfect draft!
No, the solution is to 
Not to mention spot on...we should save this response to add to the same post that will happen next year. 
