Fantasy football The headlines were made on the Baseball When it is open, field will be available during the Memorial Day Weekend Tommy Pham Of the Cincinnati Reds Joc Pederson The San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Angels had an altercation over a matter in a league that they were playing in last season. Since then, we have learned that the Los Angeles Angels are star Mike Trout Pham was the commissioner of this league. threw him under the bus.
What does Trout have to do with this?
Trout's answer: “Everyone I know gets booed.”
What do veteran fantasy football players think about this story? To find out what this dysfunctional fantasy football league is all about, we turned to ESPN analysts who are most often fantasy commissioners.
What was your reaction as a fantasy football analyst to this story?
Mike Clay Fantasy sports wouldn't exist without drama. This is a difficult one because we don't have their rules. ESPN says Pederson was innocent, but Pham claims that the league had its own rules. It's hard to imagine that moving one player to IR in order to pick up someone off waivers would have a significant impact on league standings. So I'm just as surprised as Pederson to see this happen half a year later.
Matt Bowen: It's very simple. No one wants to be the commissioner of a fantasy league. You hear the same things in your home leagues about Trout as what is happening to Trout. It doesn't matter if it's the scoring structure, roster size or where you are located in the IR. Waivers, for example. There are always complaints. Ask Michael, who has managed our Chicago league for more than ten years. He will be pleased to hear from us all by Week 4.
Matthew Berry This is the perfect example of how leagues must have clear rules, and a strong comp. Trout did not do enough in this instance to give a clear ruling. Six months is still a reasonable time frame. Long Time to harbor grudges about a league that you quit (Pham quit the league halfway through). What's the point in being in a fantasy league, if you can't handle some trash-talk GIFs.
What does it tell you about fantasy football? It started this great story between professional players.
Berry: My favorite equalizer is fantasy. Politicians, rock stars, and children all play fantasy. Ball players are not only gifted, but have an extraordinary drive to succeed and outperform other players. Pro athletes are highly competitive in fantasy football, so it's not surprising that they are. But it won't lead to violence. Fantasy football is not for you if you are unable to handle the frustrations of fantasy football.
Clay: Everyone loves fantasy football. I was in Charlotte during NASCAR’s Memorial Day race weekend. I spoke with crew members and fans about fantasy football leagues as well as the drama that is associated with them. It's an engaging, challenging, and fun game with high-variance that will keep you on the edge.
Bowen: It is more than fantasy football and pro athletes. When I played for the Packers, there were some very heated moments back at the Green Bay locker-room — over backgammon. That was the game you played after practice or meetings. You could easily break the rules and things would quickly turn sour.
What is the most recent incident in your league that caused conflict between team managers?
Stephania Bell: Over the years, I have had the good fortune to be a part of many leagues and all disputes were quickly resolved. But, if there's a dispute, it seems that everything comes back to rules interpretation. Even though the rules are clearly stated in black-and-white, different interpretations may occur. This is known as “life.” This serves as a reminder to everyone involved in a league to make sure they review the rules before hand to avoid any after-the-fact disputes.
Eric Moody: Lopsided trades are the main cause of disagreement in my home leagues. Each person views players differently. If your perception doesn't match the others, it can lead to conflicts. Midway through the season, a fantasy manager was questioned and started trading away his best players. This didn't go well with the commissioner, nor the other league officials.
Eric Karabell While I can't claim that an injured reserve situation ever caused me to riff, it is common for us to see unbalanced trades between one team and another that causes friction and sometimes (and foolishly) ends friendships. It is shameful. It is hard to prove collusion.
Bowen: I used to be in a league that had this scoring system. I made up all the stuff. Exercisive plays, for instance, can lead to absurd points. You're playing against Derrick Henry, and he runs a 50-yard touchdown. Okay, now you're down 70 points. Brutal. The scoring structure was controversial and caused heated discussions about who was more likely to be on the roster. Yes, I no longer play in that league. I'm happy with simple scoring, or without scoring.
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Mike Trout speaks out on the fantasy football controversy between Tommy Pham (Joc Pederson)
How can commissioners help team managers who disagree?
Berry: You must act quickly and clearly. There was a podcast segment called “Hard Justice”, where we would discuss these types of cases. You can get feedback from the league, and then you can make a decision. That should be it. The matter can be discussed during the offseason. The league I play in has a competition committee of three people (which the commish isn’t part of). This is where people can appeal against the commissioner's decision. There's also an alternate member for the committee in the event of a dispute with the commish. I am happy with the league's long history and have no complaints about it.
Clay: A clear set of rules before the season begins is the best way to avoid drama. You can find an edge that does not violate rules, great for you. It's called gamesmanship. This is called gamesmanship.
Tristan H. Cockcroft: The The commissioner's most important function is to be fair and firm, as well as prompt with rulings. While you will never reach agreement on any rule-related matter, your leaguemates and friends will respect you more if you consult with both sides in the dispute (as well as anyone else who may be affected), make a rational decision, and then deliver it strongly.
How can you deal with a team manager trying to bend the rules?
Cockcroft Loopholes are sought by people all the time. If the rule is not in the constitution, I will make a fair judgement and amend it if necessary during the offseason. If it's another person in the chair of the commish, I make that recommendation. If you make a deliberate effort to break the rules, it is a zero-tolerance matter and you will be disqualified/out. People looking for loopholes are also advised that a 300-page constitution is not something they want.
Bell: Follow the rules, or you won't be able to play. It's not fair to make exceptions, especially if they are made by a sneaky team manager. Although there may be exceptional situations or circumstances (e.g., the health of a team member, a family emergency), these are unlikely to warrant rules modifications.
Moody: Transparency is crucial. Transparency is key. The commissioner should communicate with the league his or her observations and explain why certain rules are necessary and how they fit into the league's structure. Don't wait for problems to arise. It's better for a commissioner if it can be predicted.
Karabell: To close loopholes or ambiguities in the rulebook, update it. If a league gets out of control, you can join many other leagues. It doesn't matter if I don’t enjoy the league. It's not unless Mike Trout runs it. If that were the case, I would stay there forever.
Parting thought…
Karabell: There are many things to worry about in the world, including fantasy football. Enjoy it. It's there for a reason.
