This is a situation in my league. I am a player involved, so I'm looking for unbiased opinions.
A team (second to last) dropped Tony Gonzalez last week to pick up another TE for his bye. I (second place) was able to pick him up off the waiver wire today as the #2 position. My current TE is Bennett. My commish just texted me that he will be overriding the move. This is a money league. The only similar precedent this season is Ryan Matthews was dropped September 6th. Someone grabbed him off waivers. This was allowed.
Here is what the Commish posted to the league:
Note 1: I was just checking the transaction history and noticed that Ben dropped Tony Gonzalez for the Packers 2nd string TE the other week, presumably because Gonzalez was on bye. I'm probably going to override this move, and will likely do so unless I hear a compelling reason not to. Gonzalez is the #1 TE in the league by games played, and "Josh" had Jacob Tamme sitting on his bench at the time of the transaction. Serving notice here. I'll be making the move later in the day, after people have had a chance to offer input. -"Commish"
Note 2: Also, I should use this chance to make a PSA about transactions: Please review your moves carefully. We've already had a few borderline drops, and this one was particularly egregious. If you make a move in error, let me know and I can correct your roster for you. Otherwise, please just check on the logic of your moves. Don't drop top-tier players because they're on bye, especially when you've got scrubs sitting on your bench who can easily be dropped. You don't need to drop a player of the same position (you can drop a kicker to pick up a tight end, for example). I'd like to be as laissez-faire about transactions, if possible. So please don't go nuts. -"Commish"
Should the commish take action? Should the drop and pickup be allowed to stay? Opinions on how to handle this?
No, the commish you should not intervene. Playing Fantasy football is just not about drafting, playing your best players, etc. It also involves managing your team when there is a bye, player injury, player benching, etc. It is the OWNERS responsibility to navigate through all these possible scenarios, and make decisions for his team for the short and long term. If an Owner makes a move that affects his lineup, good or bad, well, that's his call. We may laugh at his decision, but in his mind, it may very well be a good move. That's his opinion. We shouldn't be trying to control other owners lineup or transactions. One of the main strategy in winning in fantasy football is to pounce on opportunities that were missed by other owners.
I think the commissioner is over stepping is powers. Was it stupid to drop Gonzales? Sure, but that's his right as an owner. Having said that, if there was any evidence of collusion, then the commissioner has the right to stop it. As long as there is no collusion, then he shouldn't intervene.
I tend to believe there should be leeway given to people trading or adding/dropping players. That being said, when you talk about evidence of collusion, sometimes the only evidence a commissioner could possibly find for collusion is circumstantial evidence.
Like in this case: If the guy has the no.1 TE in fantasy football and is dealing with bye week issues...AND has Jacob Tamme on the bench, he should be dropping Tamme for Green Bay's 2nd tier TE. The fact that he didn't doesn't necessarily mean that there was collusion, but it is reasonable for a commissioner to see that and say "no one is that stupid."
IMO, dropping Matthews in early September was a little dumb, but I don't think he'd even played a game at that point. Even when he came back there were a couple weeks of questions (including the possibility of Battle taking snaps from him). Gonz is the unquestioned starter and a top 5 TE, almost certainly. If the guy was in a serious bye week problem, he either (a) plays Tamme, or (b) drops Tamme for the Pack's 2nd tier TE. He does NOT drop the no. 1 TE in fantasy for a backup TE and keep Tamme.
I think that's fair commish intervention, not necessarily to protect the team manager who made the stupid decision but to protect the rest of the league from another team getting a windfall from a roster move that is just too stupid to let go (if it isn't outright collusion).
im almost always a no intervene commish...thats how i always answer the "do i veto" threads in commish forum. but this one smells funny.
i would have first called the guy who dropped tonyG to see whats up. if he is new and just f'ed up, id lean towards giving tonyG back to him. honest mistake.
like others have said, he cant be that dumb especially if he has another TE on his roster. something is up with this one.
please get back with us if the dumb owner says anything. im interested to hear what he says
Cafe Home
Fantasy Baseball
Fantasy Basketball
Fantasy Hockey
by FormerlyADog » Wed Oct 24, 2012 6:35 pm 
