Greg Will Do Live Chat Today At 3 P.M. EST

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 4:14 am

Okay, today is crunch time for the NFBC. The KDS deadline for all NFBC drafters is noon CST today. We announce the draft spots for the Ultimate Leagues and the Super Leagues tomorrow. Then we announce the main event leagues and draft positions on Friday morning. This is like Christmas Eve for everyone, with Christmas a week away!!

It's a busy time here for Tom and I, but I know everyone has a lot of questions about the NFBC events, how we're getting along on 4 hours of sleep per night, how the LABR Auctions went last weekend, and more. I'll join everyone on the Message Boards today at 2 p.m. EST today to answer your questions for an hour or so. Then it's back to the madness.

As if life isn't hectic enough, the Iola boys' basketball team qualified for the Wisconsin state tournament and play tomorrow at the Kohl Center in Madison. I'd love to go down there, but it's not feasible. If they win on Thursday, they play for the state title on Saturday and I'll go then. So you're lucky I'm working hard because draft spots were almost delayed one day because the local boys are pulling a "Hoosiers"!!!

Iola went to state for football this year and lost in the state title game, so we're having a good run here in sports. Not bad for a town of 1,200.

So get your questions ready and I'll bring my LABR Cheat Sheets with me. We're going to sell this out this year and announce the picks on Friday. Ask away and I shall answer. And remember, Corona's are just a week away!!!

[ March 05, 2008, 12:06 PM: Message edited by: Greg Ambrosius ]

Top Dawg · Post by **Top Dawg** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 4:22 am

Greg - Out of curiosity, will the 151st guy in Vegas get shut-out if you get the remaining 8 guys you need to fill full leagues or is he guaranteed a spot (meaning he will remotely help fill one of the remaining 8 spots)?

Pete

751542 · Post by **751542** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:02 am

GA.... tip of the hat to ya...sorry its such a sad day in packerland but it looks like you have plenty on your plate to keep ur mind of bretts retirement...u have come along way bro 195 to 390 and all the sat leagues are amazing..business is looking up with some of these "other" high stakes fantasy leagues not being able to pay out...scary!!! i am emphatic in that krause pays their winners and quickly. i know from personal experience. so, if anyone is on the fence today sign up and join the "family". thanks again for all krauses hard work and see you in a week!!! man, am i gonna ring up a tab at the flamingo pool!!! your bald little buddy and 2008 main event champ..RT

DOUGHBOYS · Post by **DOUGHBOYS** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:02 am

Is everyone in Wisconsin wearing black today?

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:07 am

Did you keep the carrier pigeon that we used to send messages while our email was down for a week? I kept mine. His name is Lou.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:18 am

Originally posted by Top Dawg:

Greg - Out of curiosity, will the 151st guy in Vegas get shut-out if you get the remaining 8 guys you need to fill full leagues or is he guaranteed a spot (meaning he will remotely help fill one of the remaining 8 spots)?

Pete He's from Pennsylvania, so we're trying to redirect his flight to New York.

Obviously, we're reaching out to him to let him know what the situation is and as everyone knows we have a chance to fill perfectly in every city. He's in if New York, Chicago or Orlando come up one team short and then we'd accommodate him. He has a spot in the NFBC main as long as we can figure out the best way to do it.

Hard Heads · Post by **Hard Heads** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:22 am

Greg,

Nick Markakis is a player I have seen drafted anywhere from early 3rd round to early 4th round. Having lost Tejada(what little protection he still may provide) and posibly losing Roberts somewhere down the line, do you think he can return any kind of value being drafted in that range with the lack of weapons around him?

Hard Heads · Post by **Hard Heads** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:34 am

Non NFBC question, but since you do a trading league here it goes. 13 team Mixed 5x5 $260 cap, 14 hitter, 9 pitcher keeper league where you can keep up to 8 players. Been offered a $13 Hanley Ramirez in exchange for my $27 Rollins and $13 Papelbon. Currently we have 3 players vying for the final roster spot, Haren-$17, Byrnes-$18 and Markakis-$14 so 2 get left out. Would you do the deal knowing now that you could keep one of the 3 odd men out in essence making the deal Hanley $13 and say Markakis $14 for Rollins $27 and Papelbon $13? If you agree with me the deal should get done then could you call my co-manager and talk him into it?

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:36 am

Originally posted by RoundTrippers:

GA.... tip of the hat to ya...sorry its such a sad day in packerland but it looks like you have plenty on your plate to keep ur mind of bretts retirement...u have come along way bro 195 to 390 and all the sat leagues are amazing..business is looking up with some of these "other" high stakes fantasy leagues not being able to pay out...scary!!! i am emphatic in that krause pays their winners and quickly. i know from personal experience. so, if anyone is on the fence today sign up and join the "family". thanks again for all krauses hard work and see you in a week!!! man, am i gonna ring up a tab at the flamingo pool!!! your bald little buddy and 2008 main event champ..RT Yeah, I'm extremely sad today about this. Brett played so well this year and he certainly has a lot of football left in him. After the Seattle playoff game, I never would have imagined this scenario. But he played the Giants' game like he knew it was up to him to get us to the Super Bowl and one more miracle just wasn't there. Even the Packers played like they knew Brett would pull it out, failing to run the ball at all. And you know what? He's not Superman. He can't pull out a miracle finish every time.

And I think the pressure of that and coming back to another young team where he'd have to play just a little bit better to get us to where we were last year was just too much for him to handle. It's sad to say that because it's a rough reason to retire from the NFL. I wish he would have come back, but if he's as tired as he sounded on Chris Mortenson's voice mail, then be done with it and live your life. The pressure to live up to Brett Favre's legacy finally got to him, so it's time to move on.

I can live with it, but I think once the NFL season starts he's going to regret it and you'll hear rumblings that he wants to come back. He won't make a comeback and the Packers under Teddy Thompson will never take him back, but I trust he will get bored on the farm and wish he could play again. But he's made his decision and it's over.

Now for my biggest decision: What Packers' jersey do I buy for the upcoming season? My Favre jersey is a dozen years old and worn out from all my home games and I need to buy a new player to wear during game days. I can't wear a Favre jersey anymore to Lambeau. People wore Starr jerseys until around 1988 and I hated that. Hmmmm, maybe A.J. Hawk or Ryan Grant. We'll see.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:37 am

Originally posted by DOUGHBOYS:

Is everyone in Wisconsin wearing black today? Yes, but that's because the Iola Thunderbirds wear orange and black and everyone has the high school spirit today!!!

DOUGHBOYS · Post by **DOUGHBOYS** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:44 am

Todd suggested that your daughter had built a miniature micro brewery at the Science Fair last night. Thus explaining your absence for the rest of the night. Correct?

Hard Heads · Post by **Hard Heads** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:49 am

Do you think that Corey Patterson will do enough to earn the starting job in CF in Cincy?

751542 · Post by **751542** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:54 am

having known RT for 5 years, there is alot of speculation that he cannot handle "all" these leagues that he is participating in. what is your opinion?? do you think he embarrasses himself or is he a mainstay at the top?? can i get and over/under on 2008 winnings please. keep in mind i am in 15 leagues(do you love me or what??)..thanks RT

rockitsauce · Post by **rockitsauce** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:55 am

greg, i'd go w/ the hawk...he'll be anchoring that d for yrs to come...grant, just not sold on him.

i know this will prob get me labeled public enemy #1, but i feel that favor was overrated. i recall a 6 int playoff game against the rams, and countless passes that were just stupid. if a young qb threw some of the passes brett did, he is ridiculed, but brett is somehow considered a risk taking gunslinger. totally unfair, and i don't know who madden will slobber over now...prob hines ward!

brett def hof'er, but he's not top 5 imo.

Captain Hook · Post by **Captain Hook** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 6:11 am

Greg - back to the draft tables at LABR...

What is with this "..closers - who cares" attitude?

And even if you adopt that, why not get some relief pitchers who might be in a position to get some saves and get you a point or two? You guys bought three $15-16 SP in the NL when you could have had two of them and one decent secondary closer for the same money.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 6:14 am

Okay, I have to delay my original speaking time at least an hour. The shipment of NFBC Charter Member hats, jerseys and other goodies arrived and I have to get these on the pallets for the four cities today. I'll try at 3:00 to get this live chat going.

Hard Heads · Post by **Hard Heads** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 6:22 am

Too piggy back on Captain's comments, if you havent won with the closer who cares attitude, try the other way and be the guy who has saves and can deal them later to build on your team, isn't it time to switch it up a bit?

JohnZ · Post by **JohnZ** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 6:34 am

Originally posted by Captain Hook:

Greg - back to the draft tables at LABR...

What is with this "..closers - who cares" attitude?

And even if you adopt that, why not get some relief pitchers who might be in a position to get some saves and get you a point or two? You guys bought three $15-16 SP in the NL when you could have had two of them and one decent secondary closer for the same money. That is true, we could gain 3-4 pts in saves, and then we would have lost 3-4 pts in W and K's for a net loss. We went over that before the draft and it just never worked out. K Wood at $4 was the shot at those 4 points AND we win W and K's.

Captain Hook · Post by **Captain Hook** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 6:37 am

I asked Greg - not you John - of course you still didn't answer the question(s)

JohnZ · Post by **JohnZ** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 6:40 am

Originally posted by Hard Heads:

Too piggy back on Captain's comments, if you havent won with the closer who cares attitude, try the other way and be the guy who has saves and can deal them later to build on your team, isn't it time to switch it up a bit? Not at all. Others have won with no closers. It's a matter of execution, and we think we got the NL right this time. In the AL, we will have plenty of SB's and SP's o trade for whatever needs we have at the AS break.

The thing is, we actually want closers, but not at the prices paid. They came down a tad again this year, but not enough...

JohnZ · Post by **JohnZ** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 6:41 am

Originally posted by Captain Hook:

I asked Greg - not you John - of course you still didn't answer the question(s) wow... please explain how the questions weren't answered.

p.s. your "quote" was my comment, not Greg's, so I have every right to answer.

p.s.s. I just switched $15 Lilly with $15 Isringhausen and our score went down 3.0 points.

[ March 05, 2008, 12:50 PM: Message edited by: UFS ]

Hard Heads · Post by **Hard Heads** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 6:53 am

Originally posted by UFS:

quote:Originally posted by Hard Heads:

Too piggy back on Captain's comments, if you havent won with the closer who cares attitude, try the other way and be the guy who has saves and can deal them later to build on your team, isn't it time to switch it up a bit? Not at all. Others have won with no closers. It's a matter of execution, and we think we got the NL right this time. In the AL, we will have plenty of SB's and SP's o trade for whatever needs we have at the AS break.

The thing is, we actually want closers, but not at the prices paid. They came down a tad again this year, but not enough... [/QUOTE]Others have won, but I would leave to see the percentage of teams winning drafting no closers compared to the ones that start with at least 1. Sorry I am just not a firm believer in punting a category only to chase it later on. To each his own and you guys thought it out and discussed it obviously, but it isn't working is all I am saying. Screw your execution not working, your 0 for how many years now?

Captain Hook · Post by **Captain Hook** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 6:54 am

Originally posted by UFS:

quote:Originally posted by Hard Heads:

Too piggy back on Captain's comments, if you havent won with the closer who cares attitude, try the other way and be the guy who has saves and can deal them later to build on your team, isn't it time to switch it up a bit? Not at all. Others have won with no closers. It's a matter of execution, and we think we got the NL right this time. In the AL, we will have plenty of SB's and SP's o trade for whatever needs we have at the AS break.

The thing is, we actually want closers, but not at the prices paid. They came down a tad again this year, but not enough... [/QUOTE]Which ones were too expensive?

Hoffman $15

Lidge $15

Capps $17

Marmol $ 9

B. Wilson $10

Izzy $15

C. Cordero $13

Lyon $9 (Pena was $7 so both for $16)

Gregg $12

Hard Heads · Post by **Hard Heads** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 6:56 am

Originally posted by Captain Hook:

quote:Originally posted by UFS:

quote:Originally posted by Hard Heads:

Too piggy back on Captain's comments, if you havent won with the closer who cares attitude, try the other way and be the guy who has saves and can deal them later to build on your team, isn't it time to switch it up a bit? Not at all. Others have won with no closers. It's a matter of execution, and we think we got the NL right this time. In the AL, we will have plenty of SB's and SP's o trade for whatever needs we have at the AS break.

The thing is, we actually want closers, but not at the prices paid. They came down a tad again this year, but not enough... [/QUOTE]Which ones were too expensive?

Hoffman $15

Lidge $15

Capps $17

Marmol $ 9

B. Wilson $10

Izzy $15

C. Cordero $13

Lyon $9 (Pena was $7 so both for $16)

Gregg $12 [/QUOTE]I can asnwer, NONE

JohnZ · Post by **JohnZ** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 7:02 am

Originally posted by Captain Hook:

quote:Originally posted by UFS:

quote:Originally posted by Hard Heads:

Too piggy back on Captain's comments, if you havent won with the closer who cares attitude, try the other way and be the guy who has saves and can deal them later to build on your team, isn't it time to switch it up a bit? Not at all. Others have won with no closers. It's a matter of execution, and we think we got the NL right this time. In the AL, we will have plenty of SB's and SP's o trade for whatever needs we have at the AS break.

The thing is, we actually want closers, but not at the prices paid. They came down a tad again this year, but not enough... [/QUOTE]Which ones were too expensive?

Hoffman $15

Lidge $15

Capps $17

Marmol $ 9

B. Wilson $10

Izzy $15

C. Cordero $13

Lyon $9 (Pena was $7 so both for $16)

Gregg $12 [/QUOTE]All of them. Take out any of our "$15-16" SP's and replace with one of these, and we lose points in W and K. Why can't you comprehend this?

We already have TWO points in Saves (over Rotowire), why give up all those W and K's out of Lilly for 2 more points?

Take out Lilly and we go from 45 to 42 P points. Lose 5 in W, 4 in K, gain 5 in SV and 1 in ERA