Run-Off Ballot

We are down to two options that will determine how our expansion teams enter our league.

1) Expansion teams choose two keepers from the pool of players left after last years owners choose their two keepers. Forfeit picks in round after the keeper's projection.

2) Expansion teams choose no keepers but draft in the first and second slots throughout the draft.

Please put a 1 or a 2 in the comments section. We will need five for one decision to make it stick.

Back to school...

So the Commish and the Admiral are back to school...excellent. Hal9000 told me it halves their chances of making the playoffs from 1% to 0.5%.

The "Jeff Garcia Plan"

I want Bebo in this league. I'll get that out of the way quick. But just in case he is unable to perform the required duties involved with a live draft, we need to have a backup plan in place. As much as I want Bebo in the league, gut, instinct, intuition, and my half chub tell me this backup plan could become a reality. All the more important that its in place and ready to get off the bench and lead a fourth quarter scoring drive.

Use the comments below to suggest a back up plan in case Bebo pulls a ham.

An alternative plan...

Look, the expansion guys are definitely stifling some of the trade business and such. I welcome them fully, but people are afraid to gamble with players since these guys get free dibs on our VERY GOOD leftovers. What is even more troubling is the fact that both of these guys might end up with better keepers than people from last year and I just don't think that's fair. In fact, I'd say it's highly likely that they will end up with a better setup than most players in our league. However, if we let them draft 9 and 10 and the rest of us lose the pick in the actual round where the player is projected, this would make things a lot more interesting. Of course the other option is that they draft #1 and #2 this way, which is also fine with me if Jason and Taylor don't take much exception.
Here's why...
Say Jason, Taylor and I are keeping our first round talent, and Brandon decides that Westbrook isn't worth a 1st round pick. [[Now, some may say that this is not fair to Jason and Taylor because they might have to keep players whose value is less than the pick they have (e.g. Forte is probably not a #1 overall pick talent), but here's the beauty, my friends, Jason could keep A. Johnson and Brees and pick up Forte anyway. Or if Taylor has the same idea and puts Turner on the board, Jason may pick him up and Taylor could wind up with Forte. Obviously AP will stay in my pocket, as he is a value for me drafting from the 3rd position.]] Brandon might very well put Westbrook on the board in hopes of grabbing an LT, Chris Johnson, Steven Jackson, Randy Moss, (Deangelo Williams if Tyler feels the same way), etc. It could have a trickle down effect, and would open up more trading opportunities. A person's draft position now becomes much more important as well.

How the Wilson Rule Could Change Our League Forever

Leonard Peltier is a man of few words when it comes to this blog. Yet, he still has things to say. I was blown away by the idea that heretofore will be known as the "Wilson Rule", a tag I cannot take credit for, but one that was generated by the king of nicknames, our Admiral Sax. Last Sunday over Dr. Pepper and a 3 meat dinner, Leonard, The Admiral, and I discussed fantasy football of all things. Our discussion centered on how the current keeper system waters down the talent available in the draft. Though we are getting players a round later than projected, those players have little, if any more value considering that 20 very highly rated players will be off the board before the draft even starts. Essentially we will be drafting 3rd and 4th round talent with our first round picks. Where is the value in that? Digital, please figure out how or if there is any reward in our current system and report back to us.
Now for the "Wilson Rule". According to Peltier, if we truly want to reward smart drafting, then we should lose the pick from the round our keeper was taken the previous year. Talk about changing the game. I may be wrong about the following players, but I know I am close. Under the Wilson rule, Taylor and Scott would lose their last round pick for keeping Chris Johnson and Steve Slaton respectively as they were attained off waivers. I would give up my 15th and 16th round picks for Pierre Thomas and DeAngelo Williams. Jason would be giving up a late rounder for Forte. I am not suggesting that this rule take place before this years draft. That would be a really bad idea. However, before we draft and decide who to keep, I think we should discuss and possibly put the Wilson Rule to a vote for next year. It is my personal belief that this would have a dramatic impact on who we keep, leave a ton of top notch talent still on the board come draft day, make the off-season much more interesting(which I didn't think was possible), give hope to non-playoff owners who drafted a couple of young studs and truly reward risk-taking and smart drafting. I can't wait to hear thoughts on this. Digital....do what you do and analyze these scenarios to see if it would make much difference in how we draft.

The Next Vote

So I believe we need to take a vote on the manner in which we are welcoming our newest teams to the league as well as any possible rule changes regarding scoring. It would probably be more fair to get Jim and Bebo officially in the league so they can have voices in the scoring vote. Your move, Mr. Commissioner.

One Month Left and Official Expansion Ballot

Fantasy friends and owners, there is only one month left for you to make your trades, get your Rotowire memberships, and prepare yourselves for what looks to be our most exciting draft day yet. I wanted to take the time before school starts again to give you a rundown on where we currently stand on certain issues.
* Everyone has signed up to be a member of the Gentlemen's Game II on Yahoo. That is great news. However, I know that Bebo will not be making the trip to Louisville to draft. He has said that it is very possible for him to draft online that morning. I will get a full commitment from him this week. If he decides that he cannot draft his own team online, then we will look for another 10th member. From conversations I've had with many of you, we don't want to auto draft for anyone unless there is some last minute emergency.
* The majority ruled that draft order would be decided by regular season finish for this year and all years to come. If that rule is ever going to be changed it needs to be done prior to the draft and take effect the year following.
* Taylor and Scott made quite a blockbuster trade where Calvin Johnson was shipped to Digital in exchange for Aaron Rodgers. I have yet to get any word from them as far as which draft picks will be swapped.
* The draft will take place at 11:00 a.m. (eastern time) Saturday September, 5 at Jason's House in Louisville.
Official Ballot:Finally we need to determine how the new members of our league will join our keeper system. Below are the options. Please vote in the comments section. We will need 5 owners to approve of any decision. If we have a plurality rather than a majority, the top two options will be placed on a run-off ballot. You all know how this works. Here are our options.

1. Expansion owners choose two keepers after last years owners lock in their keepers. Expansion teams draft 9 and 10. Expansion teams lose picks in rounds immediately following the projected draft position of the keepers they chose.

2. Expansion owners choose no keepers. They will draft in the 9 and 10 slots and will make up the two players by choosing in all 17 rounds rather than sitting out rounds like the rest of us.


3. Expansion owners choose 1 keeper after last years owners lock in their 2 keepers. They lose a pick in the round immediately after their keeper was projected and they make up the other player by drafting in all other rounds.

4.All owners lose keepers in the round in which they are actually projected. Expansion owners choose no keepers and draft in the 9 and 10 holes.