Or does joining multiple leagues divide your attention, and the overral fun of "rooting" for your players?
I remember when i embraced this activity as my sole-hobby, taking something people did in casual fun, and disecting the ins and outs, the excitement combined with anxiety and impulsiveness got the better of me. About 2 years ago, i think i purchased a 3 team package from ESPN, as well as joined a money league on CBS, along with 3 free yahoo leagues with different groups of friends. Drafting was probably about the only fun I had that season, I tried to be fair to my opponents, keep the comradery and activity equal in all 10 or so leagues...but it was just to much, i did finish competitively in the leagues, but having so many teams completely destroyed the fantasy season. I didn't even know, or frankly didn't care who did well. I went into every weekend lost, with a handful of players i wanted to succeed, but since those same players were on my opponents teams in 7 of my other leagues, i wanted them to fail as well. Kind of like fantasy baseball, when you have a starting pitcher going up against a team where you also have 2 batters starting.
Needless to say, ever since that season, i ditched the idea of multiple leagues. I dont even play in 2 leagues, I join one league, completely learn and disect team by team, and get completely warped and involved in it. Not only does it make me a much better player, but adds about 100x's the importance on draft day, knowing your going to war with these select group of players this years season, and your gonna live or die with them. That competition takes your competitiveness to another level.
I can't tell you how many jerseys ive bought, and how much ive learned about certain players, just from them being on my team. I embrace them like family, and follow them to the end. Also, certain rivalries brew...as that same RB that you never get lucky enough to draft--always finds a way to put up 30+ points against you--single handedly shoving a big L up your backside every 7th week you face the lucky bastard who drafted him before you... this is what makes joining 1 league and 1 league only, a million times better then anything else. I only join one league every season now, across all 3 major sports (basketball, baseball, football) and it just makes the hobby or in my case way-of-life more enjoyable.
Whose with me on this?
I see so many people here talking about 2 or 3 leagues they've joined, and still seeking membership in more leagues. how the *(&*( do you do it?
I agree with you fiend. I think participating in only 1 league is probably the best way to play fantasy. However this season i'll probably be in about 3.
1) Normal free yahoo league with my buddies.
2)Keeper League
3) Dynasty League
Despite this, i still believe participating in only 1 league is the MOST fun, since you live and die by your teams performance that week. Like you said you put all your effort into doing as well you can in that one team. It can get a bit wierd if you have too many teams, for example if you have Culpepper in one league but are up against a team that has Culpepper in another league do you want him to do well or not?
Usually people who participate in a lot of leagues try harder in some than they do in the others. This can be viewed as unfair to the other teams in the league that you're not trying as hard in.
Imagine participating in only one league and it's a dynasty league, you would really feel like you "own" the players and you would root for them all the more.
Having gone on my little "one team is best" tirade i would just like to say i will never participate in just one league, my thirst for FF is too much for one league to be able to quench.
I'll be in about 15-20 leagues this year. I actually turned a profit last year with 15 teams. But I'm retired so I have more time than the average guy.
I think aussie inadvertently makes a good point with his list of leagues.
If you participate in more than one, but they are of different types (re-draft, keeper, dynasty), then your approach to each must be a little different. Subsequently, you should be able to maintain a unique interest in each.
Unless you plan on drafting from only one NFL squad, your loyalties will be divided no matter how many leagues you participate in...sooner or later, your FF defense or hometown favorite is going to go up against a player on your roster. That's just the nature of the beast.
"Life's battles don't always go to the stronger or faster man. But sooner or later, the man who wins is the man who thinks he can." - Vince Lombardi
is it where you pick a certain teams WR Corp. another teams RB Corp. ... etc?
or does the league play like the NFL fantasy...where you pick position by position?
i know due to licensing, you can't get the college players names, but you can do a # and position...kind of like the video games.
The one I saw was a position by position (Zealot Field). I really liked the setup. You picked your main school and automatically got 10 keepers from them plus their defense/ST (it was a 45 man roster). It used the names so apparently they don't worry too much about the licensing. I'm sure if there was a crackdown they would just use the numbers as you mentioned. I almost signed up but it seemed like a ton of work compared to the NFL leagues that I can run with one keyboard tied behind my back.
I also agree with the above statements that different types of leagues help. I find that I enjoy managing my struggling dynasty team (that I took over - I would never have drafted such a team ) more than I do my keeper teams that are solid (LT/Portis and Vick/LT/Moss).
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by fantasyfiend » Tue May 18, 2004 4:51 am 
