Ethics Question

[bstyle]

I wanted to get some feed back from the fantasy owners here at the Cafe on a situation in one of my leagues. We are a money league $50 for the year and $2 for every FA pick up. We also start two QB's which is why the following is causing some problems.

One owner has been on a FA frenzy this week with all the Qb's being hurt. He has picked up Wallace, Romo, Garrard and has had Walters and Green on his bench. He starts Palmer and McNabb so none of these guys will ever play. He basically picked them up to block others from getting them slash force trades to make his team better. The problem is he already has the best team as he is in first and has a monster lineup. Some of the owners are grumbling that this is an unfair practice. I am okay with it (just wish I would have done it myself) as it is within the rules of the league.

My question is would any of you have a problem with this practice?


Thanks for the help, leave a link and I will try to return the favor.

[Matthias]

Y'know, whenever someone starts a thread here entitled, "Ethics Question" it's always someone doing something unethical.

Clearly, this owner is being a dink.

Is it permissible? Under most league rules.

Is it ethical? No.

Is it advisable? Probably not. All he's doing is pissing off his league mates.

It's your league. You make the call. I would tell him to cool it. And that he should win with the team that he has rather than worry about the team that everyone else could have. If he wants a backup QB for insurance or whatever, fine. But if he's just hoarding them to prevent anyone else from having one, he might want to question what all of his victories mean.

On the bright side, he's sweetening the pot for everybody else.

[Ditka in '04]

I actually see no problem with what the guy is doing as long as it is within league rules. Thats why our league caps you at 2 QBs, 4 RBs, 6WRS, 2TEs, 2Ks, 2Defs to protect from this problem. But if it is in the league rules, then he has all the right to do it ethically as well

[Atog]

Personally I don't think it's a problem. If he wants to drop half of his team to pick up a bunch of QBs, then take whoever he dropped (he must have had to drop somebody worthwhile). It's only a short-term gain for him.

[Purple Allegiance]

A waiver system cures all ails in a situation like that.

[Plindsey88]

I wanted to get some feed back from the fantasy owners here at the Cafe on a situation in one of my leagues. We are a money league $50 for the year and $2 for every FA pick up. We also start two QB's which is why the following is causing some problems.

One owner has been on a FA frenzy this week with all the Qb's being hurt. He has picked up Wallace, Romo, Garrard and has had Walters and Green on his bench. He starts Palmer and McNabb so none of these guys will ever play. He basically picked them up to block others from getting them slash force trades to make his team better. The problem is he already has the best team as he is in first and has a monster lineup. Some of the owners are grumbling that this is an unfair practice. I am okay with it (just wish I would have done it myself) as it is within the rules of the league.

My question is would any of you have a problem with this practice?


Thanks for the help, leave a link and I will try to return the favor.

As long as he isn't picking them up and dropping them just to put them on waivers, I think this is perfectly legal... The fact is, he has to drop other players from his roster to implement this strategy, and if he's willing to risk getting stuck with useless players, I'm fine with it... My rule of thumb as a commish is that if the guy picks the player(s) up and holds them through the Monday night game, I'm all right with the blocking strategy... If he's simply "churning the wire," though, then it becomes unethical...

[Infidel]

That's why my main league has a long standing WW policy. Works as follows: As Commish, I do all WW trx on Thurs night. WW is then closed. IR trx are still allowed at any time. Owners need to rank multiple PU's. Players are assigned on a Worst to First basis. If an Owner gets his first choice he will not get his second choice if anyone else also wants that player.

[matmat]

perfectly fair, unless his intention is to drop them immediately before the game just so others can't get at them anymore b/c of waivers.

if he's holding on to them trying to get trades, there is nothing wrong there.

[beanoX3]

I don't really see this as a ethics question. It's a legitimate practice if there are no rules in place that limit roster moves. And like others have said, he's hurting his own team by having to drop depth players to hold onto QBs.

FF is a competition. Denying your opponents an advantage should not be an ethics question. At least in this case, IMO. I kinda see this more as a sportsmanship issue than ethics.

[Matthias]

But if it is in the league rules, then he has all the right to do it ethically as well

From the definition of ethics at Merriam-Webster.com:

2 a : a set of moral principles : a theory or system of moral values <the present-day materialistic ethic> <an old-fashioned work ethic> -- often used in plural but sing. or plural in constr. <an elaborate ethics> <Christian ethics> b plural but singular or plural in construction : the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group <professional ethics> c : a guiding philosophy d : a consciousness of moral importance <forge a conservation ethic>

Putting aside the fact that there's no such thing as, "a right to do something ethically" (you have a right to do something or you do something ethically but the idea of having a right to doing something ethically is, quite simply, nonsensical) there's a difference being able to do something and whether doing that thing is actually ethical.