Mid-Season Auction League

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 11:51 am

Last night I had to download a new Java machine to to "pass" FantasyAuctioneer.com prelimiary test (see below)...

Browser version Microsoft Internet Explorer 6

Good

Sun JVM 1.4 supported Yes Good

Firewall configuration Applets okay Good

Connection speed 775K Good

Now I just spent 45 minutes trying to pass their "full" system test. I get the following message, " Please wait a moment for the applet to load. If you see the Auctioneer running below, then your computer has passed our full test and you are ready to run our software. If you do not see it running, please click here. This window will automatically close in 90 seconds ."

The applet doesn't load, and I don't see anything "running". When I click on their link, I just get a "clank" sound and nothing happens. When I try and close the window, it locks up my pc. So I followed their suggestions of removing the Java machine I just downloaded yesterday and re-installing it again. Ran through the full system test again, and still nothing. Then I followed the second suggestion of downloading a new browser (FoxFire). When I clicked on the link, it just took me back to the main page on their website???

How disappointing. Why do things need to be so difficult? Now I'm up to 1 hour of wasted time that I could have been using on generating my auction values (which I haven't even started yet). I don't know where to go from here, other than rebooting and e-mailing their support people for help. No one (esp me) likes to waste time. If someone can offer help, please do so. I know I'm just a water delivery driver, but my whole head isn't full of rocks. Thanks.

[ July 13, 2005, 05:52 PM: Message edited by: Gordon Gekko ]

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 12:00 pm

I'll forward your e-mail to George del Prado now and he will get you set up. E-mail me a phone number where he can call you tonight. Hang tight, patient man. Oh, it's [email protected].

JohnZ · Post by **JohnZ** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 12:02 pm

Originally posted by Gordon Gekko:

Last night I had to download a new Java machine to to "pass" FantasyAuctioneer.com prelimiary test (see below)...

Browser version Microsoft Internet Explorer 6

Good

Sun JVM 1.4 supported Yes Good

Firewall configuration Applets okay Good

Connection speed 775K Good

Now I just spent 45 minutes trying to pass their "full" system test. I get the following message, " Please wait a moment for the applet to load. If you see the Auctioneer running below, then your computer has passed our full test and you are ready to run our software. If you do not see it running, please click here. This window will automatically close in 90 seconds ."

The applet doesn't load, and I don't see anything "running". When I click on their link, I just get a "clank" sound and nothing happens. When I try and close the window, it locks up my pc. So I followed their suggestions of removing the Java machine I just downloaded yesterday and re-installing it again. Ran through the full system test again, and still nothing. Then I followed the second suggestion of downloading a new browser (FoxFire). When I clicked on the link, it just took me back to the main page on their website???

How disappointing. Why do things need to be so difficult? Now I'm up to 1 hour of wasted time that I could have been using on generating my auction values (which I haven't even started yet). I don't know where to go from here, other than rebooting and e-mailing their support people for help. No one (esp me) likes to waste time. If someone can offer help, please do so. I know I'm just a water delivery driver, but my whole head isn't full of rocks. Thanks. There is crying in trying to use fantasy software.

I feel the pain.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 12:26 pm

Gordon, there's a reason for your problems tonight and I'll explain soon. George feels terrible as they were in the process of a server switch when you launched on. You hit it at the worst possible time. He said everything is good to go now and you shouldn't have any trouble loading everything back up. I know you've tested this out already and you liked it, but today's glitch was more a service glitch than a software glitch and George apologizes.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 12:47 pm

From George del Prado, who will monitor the auction tomorrow:

"First, let me aplogize profusely for the trouble you encountered today. We swapped our servers around this afternoon so that we can run our load and stress tests to ensure site stability for the upcoming football season. In doing so, there was a window of time when going to FantasyAuctioneer.com could have inadvertently directed you to our test servers and not our

production ("live") servers. It sounds like you hopped on exactly right at that time and were running things on our test site. We're still ironing a few things out with the server swap, so please focus on your value sheet this evening and try again tomorrow morning.

I'll be available at 617.543.4510 if you need any more assistance. I apologize again, but let me

assure you things will go smoothly in time for tomorrow night's auction. Thanks."

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 2:01 pm

i had to create another account, but this time i was able to get in. hopefully there won't be anymore issues. now i can get to the fun part...determining the auction values and drinking some brews. thanks greg and george for the prompt response.

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 2:24 am

As I told you when we talked on the phone yesterday, Gordon, the software on George's site is real sweet. We used it for our KP Experts Auction League for football and it was terrific. A lot of fun. You have to stay on your toes but the software is definitely top-notch.

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 12:41 am

sorry tom, but it was a disaster last night.

we started the auction. stopped it after multiple players were auctioned. started it over from scratch. stopped it again after multiple players were auctioned. and started it over from scratch again. this was mostly due to owners not being there on time. the AI on the website sucked. the real auction got started around 8pm, one full hour after it was supposed to start. at 11:45 I decided to give up and quit. i had only 12 players on my roster almost 5 hours after the initial auction was to start (7pm). i still had 18 players to go!!!

these rest of the evening contained numerous other problems, such as...

screen freezes for numerous owners. i myself froze up 3 times in the first hour and a half. one required a reboot. george did his best to stop the auction when he saw an owner get booted from the draft room, but i myself didn't get a chance to bid on numerous players. other owner faired the same too.

in the future, i won't be signing up for any of these extra leagues. i just wasted 4 hours on wednesday running numbers, took a half day off of work on Thursday and sat through 5 hours of the "auction" chaos. so once again i get a kick to the jimmy. not happy about this one at all.

[ July 15, 2005, 06:55 AM: Message edited by: Gordon Gekko ]

Bobby J · Post by **Bobby J** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 2:52 am

GG was actually being nice with his comments on the auction draft last night, it was more than a disaster. You guys, in my opinion, run the NFBC live draft like no other I have ever been involved in, but this week has not been favorable to the NFBC. Starting with Monday, but that has already been discussed in length. Last night was the worst of all. I have never had an issue with my computer locking up on any website, but at least a dozen times last night I had to exit the site and reenter, only to find players on my roster that I did not bid on, come to find out the computer bid on them for me, like it did for about a third of the draft last night. It took over 7 hours to complete, by 11pm it was too late to just quit, we had already put in 4 hours of our time, not counting the preparation. By 11:30pm, four team had quit drafting and left, this made things even worse since the computer was bidding up players left and right until they finally ran out of money. All we kept hearing all night was v 3.0 will fix all of the problems of v 2.0. Well it is alittle too late now. This was by far the worst experience I have ever had with an online draft. I am sure yahoo could have handled all of your needs flawlessly for these midseason drafts and would not have cost you a dime. At this point is embarassing to associate the NFBC with Stats or Fantasy Auctioneer and I would hope you would find other resources to run your leagues in the future, I know there are many out there

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 3:18 am

Yeah, your comments are justified. The online drafts on Monday had several technical flaws and last night's auction league turned into a disaster unfortunately. George apologizes as all of the rollbacks we had to make eventually caught up to the system. Too many guys were freezing up and obviously anyone who had dial-up service couldn't keep up, which forced the rollbacks.

Lessons learned and we'll refund everyone's money who wants it. The auction league was cruising last night and everyone was having a blast when I was watching it and then suddenly we had a bevy of computer problems. It was a shame and we will pay you back for all of the problems.

It's obvious that live drafts are the way to go, but I also believe that there are enough companies out there who can perfect the online draft system and I will continue to work with those companies to expand the NFBC in the future. Some of our loyal customers may be turned off by those online drafts after this week's experiences, but I feel strongly that in time we'll perfect this just like we have the live draft.

Again, George and I apologize for any inconveniences you guys experienced this week. It wasn't fun for any of us. We'll do our best to make it up to you and make sure this doesn't happen again in the future.

JohnZ · Post by **JohnZ** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 5:45 am

All of these drafts could be done via conference call with more fun and ease. JMO.

Bobby J · Post by **Bobby J** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 1:46 pm

Please recheck the email I sent you. Lineup is not what I emailed you this morning and are they retroing the stats to yesterday.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 5:54 am

Originally posted by Bobby J:

Please recheck the email I sent you. Lineup is not what I emailed you this morning and are they retroing the stats to yesterday. Yup, I have the e-mail. STATS should have that lineup correct now and Thursday's stats should be included. Sorry Bobby.

King of Queens · Post by **King of Queens** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 7:04 am

Originally posted by UFS:

All of these drafts could be done via conference call with more fun and ease. JMO. Agreed 100%. Auctions may be tough, but drafts can easily be done via teleconference. I used to participate in teleconference drafts in the early and mid-90's with a company called NFSL (National Fantasy Sports Leagues). Always worked just fine, no complaints.

For the amount of money being thrown around here, this really needs to be done right. While it may seem a little "behind the times," phone drafts are still be the best -- and certainly the most fail-safe -- method of conducting midseason drafts.

Please keep this in mind for basketball, Greg

MHO as well.

eddiejag · Post by **eddiejag** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 9:46 am

I love to do auctions, and have had great early successes in the NFBC AND MY HOME LEAGUES.Last year i won the NFBC AMERICAN LEAGUE auction, in NEW YORK BY MORE THAN 10 POINTS. This year after the allstar break i find myself in 2nd place.As much as i love auctions i had a funny feeling to do an auction like this would be very difficult.I see the pain with some of these guys and happy i made the right decision doing the 1000.00 dollar league and the 500.00 dollar league draft. The drafts in the future shouldnt be a promblem , they fixed the promblems on monday night and everything ran great tuesday and weds.AS far as auctions ,they have to be live. GOOD LUCK EVERYBODY IN THE 2ND HALF'S.