Forum: foot
Page 5390
Subject: RIFC 2011: Qualifying Leagues


  Posted by: Guru - [330592710] Mon, Jul 25, 2011, 11:22

Now that the managers for the 2011 RIFC have been invited, it is time to start forming qualifying leagues.

Assuming there is ample interest, there will be two AAA qualifying leagues, and spots in those leagues will be reserved on a priority system. For those not eligible for a AAA league, one or more AA leagues will be formed, depending on interest and on finding commissioners.

As a preamble to soliciting interest in these leagues, let me recap the "expectations" that I sent out with RIFC Invitations this year:

1. You will actively manage your team throughout the regular season and the playoffs (if applicable).

2. You will regularly check the RotoGuru message forum to stay up to date on current league developments, especially during the preseason, but also during the season.

3. You will make your best efforts to keep the draft moving along. If you have conflicts during the draft that will delay your responsiveness, you will make active use of queues or designated pickers to ensure that you do not hold up the draft.

4. You will post a timely, written rationale of each pick. Rationales are typically several sentences long, and posted with a 2-round lag. (This is optional for Qualifying leagues)

5. You will provide an active email address to others in the league so that you can typically be reached daily. You agree to regularly check that email address during the preseason and the season, and to update league members if your email address changes. You will alert the others in the league if there are times that you expect to be unavailable or unreachable.

6. You will behave at all times in a respectful, cooperative manner.



All QLs will be hosted at myfantasyleague.com (MFL). RotoGuru will cover the cost of these leagues; however, participants are asked to contribute toward this cost, if possible. The approximate share of each managers cost is $5. No one will be denied participation if he/she cannot contribute - this is purely voluntary. All contributions will be treated as GuruPatron donations - see the GuruPatron info page for details on how to do this.) A decision on draft software has not yet been finalized.

Each league will have 14 teams, so we will need to fill 28 AAA slots. I recommend that the following priorities be used in filling those slots:

RIFC teams not returning to the RIFC.
All playoff teams from the 2010 qualifying leagues (excluding those “called up” to the RIFC)

These criteria produce 23 teams. To fill the remaining slots, I am selecting the winner of the consolation playoff bracket for each QL plus the top seed from each consolidating bracket. Although this creates a total list of 29 teams, there are typically some no-shows, so no priority list team should be declined (although if that’s not the case, the last team(s) to sign up will be out of luck. Here is that list of 29 teams:
(Note that in some cases, the 2010 team name is listed when the manager’s name was not readily apparent.)

Fugazi
Building 7
twilson
Smith32
Frick
Promize
mjd
taxman
toral
titans
slowhand
Jseth
beastiemiked
ocho cinco
GoatLocker
Da Bomb
jaydog
panchovians
deepsnapper
gurudan
TB
Boozer
astade
reeb
Yokel
Holt
juking safety
Ref
arnold ziffels

If there are remaining openings for a AAA league, those may be filled by any team which played in any previous year’s QL or the RIFC, first come, first served. If you wish to be on the AAA waiting list, please post your interest ASAP.

As a caveat, if there are interested managers who took last year off but would otherwise be qualified for AAA based on their 2009 results, please speak up quickly, and I will consider a special accommodation.

This thread will be for you to indicate your interest in participating. Please post your handle, an email address, whether you qualify for one of the AAA priority slots, and whether you are willing to serve as a commissioner. (There are no pre-qualifications for a AA spot.)

Before actually forming the two AAA leagues, I would like to have both AAA commissioners identified. Jseth333 has already volunteered to serve as one AAA commish, so we need only one other AAA Commissioner. Wolfer has also agreed to serve as a commish, but this could be for either AAA or AA. Once both AAA commissioners are appointed, the AAA leagues and AA league can begin to assemble – but not before then.

Please note that if you do not leave an email address, or if you leave one but do not respond to it when your league is organizing, you may be skipped when leagues are eventually filled. Every year there are a few people who express interest early, but then fail to appear “when the rubber meets the road.” It is the responsibility of everyone who is interested to stay connected to the recruiting process. It is not the responsibility of Commissioners to use extraordinary means to reach anyone. While there is no immediate urgency, once spots become limited, you must be responsive.

I do not have emails for many of the managers on the list above. As a courtesy, if you have addresses for anyone on that list (or can identify the manager based on team name), I encourage you to send them an email notification of this thread.

Have I forgotten anything? Perhaps those involved in last year's league formation process can suggest other guidelines for making the process run as smoothly as possible.

The first order of business is to get one more volunteer to serve as a Commissioner for either a AAA or AA league. Who wants to step up?
 
1 Nerfherders
      ID: 14382210
      Mon, Jul 25, 2011, 13:26
I was told to address this again come pre-season time, so here it is.

I came within 3 points of getting the 8th spot in AAA last year, but was down on record. I just wanted a clarification on the last few invites to AAA - is it based on points, on record, or on something else? It looks like the last few invites were based on Toilet Bowl finish. I'm fine with that, as long as it remains consistent, i.e. I know to concentrate on toilet bowl and try to win it. ;)

Either way, put me down for AAA waiting list. Thanks!
 
2 Promize@NewComputer
      ID: 58622514
      Mon, Jul 25, 2011, 15:03
Thanks,

I plan on being back.
 
3Guru
      ID: 330592710
      Mon, Jul 25, 2011, 15:33
[1] As I mentioned in the opening post, I based on both Toilet bowl winners plus top seeds in the toilet bowl - which I think were based on W-L record.

The tension between W-L and points is a classic one in fantasy football. Some think that W/L should be abandoned as too idiosyncratic and only points should matter. Some think that W/L is the essence of the traditional HTH fantasy football framework, and is part of its charm. Others lobby for some mixture of the two (e.g, award playoff berths based on WL, seed based on points, etc.)

There is no perfect system, of course, and every year there seems to be a team that runs into bad scheduling luck, putting up decent points, but still suffering a substandard W/L. In the RIFC leagues, we tried to balance this by awarding the 7/8 playoff spots based only on points among those who do not finish in the top 6 based on W/L.

 
4 Perm Dude
      ID: 5510572522
      Mon, Jul 25, 2011, 16:35
I would like to be put on the waiting list for a QL.
 
6loki
      ID: 5655229
      Mon, Jul 25, 2011, 19:46
I am reeling from terrible seasons in my Yahoo RIBC and Dirty Dozen baseball leagues, and as is said on TV, I am ready for some football.
However, Judy, I will miss you this year. Good luck in RIFC, but I expect to see you in RIBC AAA 2012.
 
7 damoose
      Dude
      ID: 181042723
      Mon, Jul 25, 2011, 20:57
I'm interested in AA again this year, if necessary, I will be commissioner
 
8Judy
      ID: 54203110
      Mon, Jul 25, 2011, 22:11
Geez loki,
Thanks for the vote of confidence!
 
9 Pancho Villa
      ID: 597172916
      Mon, Jul 25, 2011, 22:20
aka Panchovians

On vacation from 8/5 - 8/12 with no web access

Hopefully drafts will be set later in the month (season starts 9/8)

If so, count me in
 
10 deepsnapper
      ID: 186392521
      Mon, Jul 25, 2011, 22:40
For my part - congratulations Judy

I look forward to playing AAA.

ds
 
11GoatLocker
      Leader
      ID: 060151121
      Mon, Jul 25, 2011, 23:46
I'm in for AAA
 
12wiggs
      Leader
      ID: 04991311
      Tue, Jul 26, 2011, 01:34
I would like to be considered for AAA- I finished 1 game out of qualifying for the big league in 2009, then 2010 I was away during the draft so I decided not to play so I didnt have to have someone else draft for me. This season I will be back and ready to roll.
 
13 holt
      ID: 4623210
      Tue, Jul 26, 2011, 02:18
In for AAA.
 
14s R
      ID: 43647261
      Tue, Jul 26, 2011, 02:48
I'm in for AAA. (juking safety)
 
15 mjd
      ID: 23652139
      Tue, Jul 26, 2011, 03:03
AAA qualified
 
16 Toral
      ID: 5464267
      Tue, Jul 26, 2011, 08:04
AAA bound.
 
17 Joey - Ocho Cinco
      ID: 596512512
      Tue, Jul 26, 2011, 08:14
i'm in for AAA

i finished atop of the regular season standings.

thanks
 
18Frick
      ID: 5310541617
      Tue, Jul 26, 2011, 08:24
I'm in.
 
19Guru
      ID: 330592710
      Tue, Jul 26, 2011, 10:29
[12] wiggs is approved for AAA
 
20wiggs
      Leader
      ID: 04991311
      Tue, Jul 26, 2011, 14:13
ty guru
 
21 Da Bomb
      Donor
      ID: 487112814
      Tue, Jul 26, 2011, 14:36
In for AAA
 
22Guru
      ID: 330592710
      Tue, Jul 26, 2011, 14:44
Just realized the arnold ziffels are wolfer's team, so he should be commissioning a AAA league, too.

damoose - thanks for the offer. You can be the AA commish.

I'm returning from vacation tomorrow (Wednesday), so I'm going to wait until then (Wed night or Thursday morning) to get the leagues set up and to send final instructions to the commishes. Until then, just continue to use this thread to express your interest in a AAA or AA league.

In particular, if you are eligible for a AAA league and do NOT plan to participate this year, it would be very helpful to know that ASAP.
 
23Donkey Hunter
      ID: 441162516
      Tue, Jul 26, 2011, 15:23
Would like to play AAA if possible but looks like I only qualify for AA.
 
24 loki
      ID: 37337299
      Tue, Jul 26, 2011, 15:54
In for AAA.
 
25holt
      ID: 566231915
      Tue, Jul 26, 2011, 17:06
Pretty sure Fugazi is in for AAA. I'll call him.
 
26 taxman
      ID: 276162618
      Tue, Jul 26, 2011, 19:16
I'm in for AAA
 
27 Slowhand
      ID: 196131619
      Tue, Jul 26, 2011, 21:01
I'm in for AAA again
 
28 GoatLocker
      Leader
      ID: 060151121
      Tue, Jul 26, 2011, 21:19
Just adding my email.
Still in for AAA
 
29 Building 7
      Leader
      ID: 171572711
      Tue, Jul 26, 2011, 23:24
In for AAA. Thanks for the invite.
 
30reebbertxx
      ID: 37612287
      Thu, Jul 28, 2011, 08:18
In for AAA.
 
31Guru
      ID: 330592710
      Thu, Jul 28, 2011, 11:08
I'm in the process of updating the various QL leagues at myfantasyleague.com. If anyone receives an email from one of these leagues in the next few days, please ignore it.
 
32Guru
      ID: 330592710
      Thu, Jul 28, 2011, 11:27
I have emailed the three commissioners and asked them each to set up a separate league signup thread in this forum. Once those are started, you should each signup for the appropriate league. There will be two AAA leagues, but they should be essentially identical in setup.

Once those signup threads are started, I'll also send an email to each of last year's participants to remind them that the time has come.

jseth333 will commish AAA-1
wolfer will commish AAA-2
damoose will commish the AA league

Remember that you must be prequalified to sign up for a AAA league, but anyone can sign up for the AA league.
 
33 Kevin
      ID: 26352810
      Thu, Jul 28, 2011, 11:35
I'm in for any league
 
34 gurudan
      ID: 36272814
      Thu, Jul 28, 2011, 15:27
in for AAA
 
35 Kyle
      Sustainer
      ID: 052753312
      Thu, Jul 28, 2011, 16:51
My team was beset by injuries all last year and caused me to totally bomb out of AAA. I'm up for AA once the league gets going.
 
36Ref
      Donor
      ID: 539581218
      Sun, Jul 31, 2011, 13:05
I'll try to give it a go for AAA tho my time has been severely limited lately.
 
37 sarge33rd
      ID: 1964421
      Tue, Aug 02, 2011, 11:20
if not too late, I'd like to be on the waiting list for a QL
 
38Guru
      ID: 330592710
      Tue, Aug 02, 2011, 16:16
I note that Taxman, Da Bomb, reeb, and Ref have indicated interest in AAA above, but I don't think they have signed up for a specific AAA league yet. We need to remember to get them in one or the other.
 
40Guru
      ID: 330592710
      Thu, Aug 04, 2011, 12:30
I think this is where we stand.

One of the AAA leagues has 13 members, and the other has 8 (total 21).

Both Taxman and Ref have said above that they will participate, so they need to join (or be assigned to) a league. That makes 23 spots filled, and 5 to go.

The priority list for AAA still has 6 names of people who have not responded:
bmd
boozer
juking safety
Smith32
TB
twilson

I am sending them another email today asking them to make a decision, in or out.

Nerfherders is still the top name on the AAA waiting list. In addition to him there are 10 signed up for AA now. That leaves 3 AA openings (4 if Nerf gets advanced)
 
41Guru
      ID: 330592710
      Thu, Aug 04, 2011, 12:42
Smith32 just declined (pending birth of 1st child).
 
42Guru
      ID: 330592710
      Thu, Aug 04, 2011, 13:35
bmd just declined.

That opens a AAA spot for Nerf
 
43Guru
      ID: 330592710
      Thu, Aug 04, 2011, 13:42
Just realized that juking safety (s R) responded in post 14. Adding him to AAA-1

Three AAA spots left in AAA-1

Priority list is
TB
boozer
twilson
 
44TB
      ID: 5064720
      Sun, Aug 07, 2011, 21:12
Sorry for not responding earlier. Been real busy, but am excited for football season. I will go sign up in one of the threads.