Slow Draft Etiquette 101

[DOUGHBOYS]

I've been asked by some to put this post on the top line. It's from a couple of weeks ago, but some thought it would be good timing to put it here now. It's been edited a bit, the full context can be found on the fourth subject line....

We are less than two weeks away from the slow draft season. Two weeks till we hear the calls of something being wrong with a draft.
A fellow may be too slow.
Another may not pick during daylight hours, strategically waiting for updates.
Another may not use the one round auto when it would move the other 14 drafters along.
Another may cry foul about receiving a player not selected.
It all happens and more.

When entering these drafts, there is one word above all that should be used.
We learned it in school, but some of us forget it. The word is 'courteous'.
If you're courteous when it's your turn and patient while others pick, the drafts should go great.
That said, somebody in some draft will not be courteous. There'll be one or two bad apples. Book it.
They'll do one of the things listed above or something else that makes 14 drafters miserable.
It happened in a draft I was in last year.
A drafter took the full time limit on almost every pick. At first, he made excuses about health, and then this and then that.
He was reported to Greg and he may have changed his ways for one or two picks and then went back to his sun dial way of drafting.
Finally, the 14 drafters were just worn down 'yelling at him' and we just resigned ourselves to the fact that he was going to take all the time.
It was frustrating.
The act of using the full clock on most picks is now called 'Marcelling'.
Don't Marcel a draft.

Singlehandedly, I found that one drafter can make a draft an unhappy experience for 14 other drafters.
Through messaging, find out early if someone doesn't know about the one round auto or maybe he is new to the system and needs help.
Give him the benefit of a doubt first.
If continuing to be a pain, let Greg know.
If it continues after that, resign yourself that it is going to be a long draft and remember this fellows name so that you don't enter a draft with him again.
I know I'll never knowingly draft with the fellow from last year.

By the way, I ended up winning that league in a close race.
The fellow that wanted to think about his draft picks all day?
He finished 13th.
To this day, I never think about the outcome of that draft as much as the frustration felt during the draft.
Taking more time to think about one's picks does not make them better picks.
It may ease one's mind a bit. While uneasing 14 others. Take a few minutes if you're at the keyboard and ready to pick. Not hours.
Be courteous.

[BK METS]

I tend to be a very fast drafter, rarely do I take up more than 30 minutes... but last year, during two of my slow drafts, I broke my ankle and had to be taken to the hospital. While I was being taken to the hospital, I made my pick in one league in the car. I was not up in the other league, so it had to wait. When I got back from the hopsital, I was deep into my time slot. I came into the room with people coming at me from all directions. I explained my situation, but to no avail. I was the "slow" drafter.

"Courteous" also goes for people being understanding that things do happen. Not everyone drafts as fast as you and know that not everyone who is taking up a lot of clock, is doing it purposely. Not one slow draft failed to be completed prior to the season. In fact, they almost always were completed in a matter of a week or two.

Yes there are many people who take their time strategically and those people deserve the heat. But, you may also be in the situation I was in last year and have a real emergency, and I think you will want to have people be respectful and understanding and not attack you. Just saying...

[DOUGHBOYS]

I guess I shouldn't have edited
If you'd like, read the whole post on the Daily Stuff.

I agree. Understanding and being courteous goes both ways.

[Midfield Thinkers]

If a player has unusual circumstances and requests understanding from the other drafters, I am sure few will have any objection. This is a competitive yet compassionate crowd in my experience. Communication is all that is required as in many of our daily activities. The irritation comes from those who choose to abuse their rights to the extreme without any advantage to themselves.

[hot and cold]

the point being .don't be in a hurry .i have been in one where one guys wife had twins.another one guy was taken to the hospital .another power going out . so if you sign up remember this is a SLOW / SLOW DRAFT .

[Money]

Some how, some way, like minded drafters need to be paired to draft together. I'm not sure how to do this but there has to be a way. A very small minority get a perverse pleasure out of making other players miserable.

A slow/fast draft that is completed in 14 - 17 days is not unreasonable. That's 3 - 4 rounds per day. If you cannot commit to that then you enter a different type of slow draft, we'll call it a (take 8 hours if you want even if it's not night time) draft. No need to offend anyone, just let everyone participate at a pace that they are comfortable with.

Waiting on spring training information and not communicating when you cannot draft is unacceptable to most in this community. Why not create a slow draft format that the masses will embrace?

[joshguy]

It would be interesting to see what would fill faster: 1 hour slow draft, 4 hour slow draft, or 8 hour slow draft. There is a 60 second draft champions league, could we try another option too?

[hot and cold]

i'm all in for a 4hr one .only if we can stop the clock from 2am till 6am .

[fwicker]

Which time zone?

[ToddZ]

A slight contrarian view...

To me, the single best aspect of these slow drafts is the interaction and camaraderie in the chat room. I was involved in one of the longest ones last spring and was sad when it ended.

As has been mentioned in the past, communication is the key. It keeps the mood light and the chatter a blast.

I honestly believe if all you do is check into the room, make your pick and leave, you are missing out on a great perk of the experience.

I realize we all can't be forum rats and cyber-hang out, but I did want to note that not everyone is interested in making these go by as fast as possible.

That said, I also did one of the 60-second drafts which was also a blast but for different reasons.

[Greg Ambrosius]

Some how, some way, like minded drafters need to be paired to draft together. I'm not sure how to do this but there has to be a way. A very small minority get a perverse pleasure out of making other players miserable.

A slow/fast draft that is completed in 14 - 17 days is not unreasonable. That's 3 - 4 rounds per day. If you cannot commit to that then you enter a different type of slow draft, we'll call it a (take 8 hours if you want even if it's not night time) draft. No need to offend anyone, just let everyone participate at a pace that they are comfortable with.

Waiting on spring training information and not communicating when you cannot draft is unacceptable to most in this community. Why not create a slow draft format that the masses will embrace?

I have no problem creating special signup threads for those owners who want to be in "faster" Draft Champions Leagues. When we set up each league, we can change the time between picks. The only way to do this, though, is to have a signup thread on the Message Boards and then have us sign up everyone when it's full. We can do that.

So yes Joe, if you want to start up a "faster" Draft Champions League, let me know and we'll create the thread. If folks want to create an East Coast league or a West Coast league, let me know. Again, each of those would have to be generated through verbal signups first and then have us create the league. Right now the system is set up to automate full leagues when we have 15 signups. So mixing in signups won't get it done. Tom and I would find a way to fill up those leagues.

This request is no different than when we created Fast/Slow Drafts last year, and we'll do those again this year as well. If folks want to do a Draft Champions League in one night with 60 seconds per pick as the time, we can do it. We just need to create those leagues manually after we've filled them up through the Message Boards. Fair enough?

I'm cool with all of this.

[Lobbyist999]

I was in the league where an owner showed up late at our draft on account of his wife delivering twins. As the draft ensued, he kept providing us with news about his kids. I don't remember his name, but if he's reading this, I hope all is well with you and your family.

One suggestion I'd make is sending an email to all of your co-drafters, whenever you select a player who is not in the data base.

This will have a dual purpose. It will also serve to help you trace who you drafted.

Last year, I had selected an obscure player near the last portion of a draft. I announced the selection repeatedly on the in-draft message board but not via email.

Much later, when the rosters were made available, the player I had chosen was so obscure that even I could not remember him, lol. Turns out no one could help me trace him since the contents of the live in-draft message board was no longer accessible.

[Dak]

Slow draft etiquette 101A: KNOW when your draft starts!!! In one of the slow drafts...........EVERYONE but ONE has been in the draft rm since 2pm.

[KJ Duke]

the point being .don't be in a hurry .i have been in one where one guys wife had twins.another one guy was taken to the hospital .another power going out . so if you sign up remember this is a SLOW / SLOW DRAFT .

A SLOW draft means that you have more than the usual 90 seconds - it does not mean waste people's time if you're physically able to make a pick.

[Baseball Furies]

the point being .don't be in a hurry .i have been in one where one guys wife had twins.another one guy was taken to the hospital .another power going out . so if you sign up remember this is a SLOW / SLOW DRAFT .

A SLOW draft means that you have more than the usual 90 seconds - it does not mean waste people's time if you're physically able to make a pick.

You f!@#ing tell 'em, Duke!

[orangemen90]

i'm pretty fast at picking ,....

the rules show and error from my league page.... does anyone have a link that shows the rules...thanks...

[Greg Ambrosius]

i'm pretty fast at picking ,....

the rules show and error from my league page.... does anyone have a link that shows the rules...thanks...

The green navigational bar has a link called Contests above. Click on there and pull down to any of the Contests. The Rules are on the first page with a blue button that you just have to click. For Draft Champions, here is the link to the rules:

http://nfbc.stats.com/baseball/leagues/ ... =1188-1189

[orangemen90]

thank you got it...

[Lobbyist999]

i'm pretty fast at picking ,....

Some people pick fast, but decide slowly.

[orangemen90]

as for me.. after the second round..i.ll know what you will pick.. never having met you,,,,,try that one...

[Bronx Yankees]

In the coming weeks and months, there probably will be a few or more posts complaining about certain slow drafts, and how one or more participants are being unreasonably slow, spoiling things for everyone else. I did several slow drafts last year and know how one or two folks - and overheated reactions to them - can ruin or at least damper the experience.

That is why I wanted to weigh-in now with the complete opposite experience. I am in Slow Draft #1 and have to say that it has been going great. Everyone has been attentive, courteous and patient. I am enjoying it immensely. We also seem to be making very good time. I'm pretty sure we started at 3 pm on November 30th and we now are in the 38th round, an average of about four rounds per day. I would happily join another draft with everyone participating in this one. In fact, my only complaint is that there are no dummies in my draft and seemingly every player I target and stick in my queue is "stolen" from me before I pick again.

Mike

[Money]

In the coming weeks and months, there probably will be a few or more posts complaining about certain slow drafts, and how one or more participants are being unreasonably slow, spoiling things for everyone else. I did several slow drafts last year and know how one or two folks - and overheated reactions to them - can ruin or at least damper the experience.

That is why I wanted to weigh-in now with the complete opposite experience. I am in Slow Draft #1 and have to say that it has been going great. Everyone has been attentive, courteous and patient. I am enjoying it immensely. We also seem to be making very good time. I'm pretty sure we started at 3 pm on November 30th and we now are in the 38th round, an average of about four rounds per day. I would happily join another draft with everyone participating in this one. In fact, my only complaint is that there are no dummies in my draft and seemingly every player I target and stick in my queue is "stolen" from me before I pick again.

Mike

Each year it gets a little better (I think). My theory about these early drafts is that their full of die-hards who can't wait to draft. You have like minded drafters in one place. Come February the masses will be jumping in and the degree of commitment will not be what you're experiencing now. Enjoy it while you can!

[BK METS]

In the coming weeks and months, there probably will be a few or more posts complaining about certain slow drafts, and how one or more participants are being unreasonably slow, spoiling things for everyone else. I did several slow drafts last year and know how one or two folks - and overheated reactions to them - can ruin or at least damper the experience.

That is why I wanted to weigh-in now with the complete opposite experience. I am in Slow Draft #1 and have to say that it has been going great. Everyone has been attentive, courteous and patient. I am enjoying it immensely. We also seem to be making very good time. I'm pretty sure we started at 3 pm on November 30th and we now are in the 38th round, an average of about four rounds per day. I would happily join another draft with everyone participating in this one. In fact, my only complaint is that there are no dummies in my draft and seemingly every player I target and stick in my queue is "stolen" from me before I pick again.

Mike

Complete opposite happening currently in slow draft #2. We started at the same time as you, Mike, but we are in Round 26, and the same people each round are the issue. Yesterday, a day you would think would be pretty good.... less than 1 round completed. That being said, there are a few that are using the auto 1 nearly every round. So, good and bad. But, its ok. Just frustrating, as trades are happening and news is coming out..

[Baseball Furies]

In the coming weeks and months, there probably will be a few or more posts complaining about certain slow drafts, and how one or more participants are being unreasonably slow, spoiling things for everyone else. I did several slow drafts last year and know how one or two folks - and overheated reactions to them - can ruin or at least damper the experience.

That is why I wanted to weigh-in now with the complete opposite experience. I am in Slow Draft #1 and have to say that it has been going great. Everyone has been attentive, courteous and patient. I am enjoying it immensely. We also seem to be making very good time. I'm pretty sure we started at 3 pm on November 30th and we now are in the 38th round, an average of about four rounds per day. I would happily join another draft with everyone participating in this one. In fact, my only complaint is that there are no dummies in my draft and seemingly every player I target and stick in my queue is "stolen" from me before I pick again.

Mike

Complete opposite happening currently in slow draft #2. We started at the same time as you, Mike, but we are in Round 26, and the same people each round are the issue. Yesterday, a day you would think would be pretty good.... less than 1 round completed. That being said, there are a few that are using the auto 1 nearly every round. So, good and bad. But, its ok. Just frustrating, as trades are happening and news is coming out..

All the more reason to know thy fellow drafters. No such problems in SD $375 #1 and SD $150 #3. Always good to get as many cell numbers from everyone and circulate them around for texting purposes.

[Coach JP]

This is my first time slow drafting on the NFBC, had a couple of questions as I don't want to rub people the wrong way.

1) What is the etiquette for the 8 hour clock on weekdays? I work, so I don't really expect to be sitting in the chatroom all day waiting for my pick. Is it expected you make a pick right away?

2) If I recall, the NFFC had an 'autodraft 1 round' option. Is this what people usually do when they know they'll be at work and can't access?