Sunday, September 12, 2010

Owner Communication and Responsibility

First a rant, followed by a number of questions for everybody’s consideration.
Each year I hear a number of complaints from different owners about a lack of communication from other owners - especially with regards to trade proposals.  Often an owner will send an email to a fellow owner and may or may not get a response.  There are other instances where similar lack of, or delay in, response also occurs.

So my question to everyone is: what is an owner’s responsibility to the league when it comes to the communication with the commissioner and other owners?  Other questions I would like everyone to consider:
  • What is an acceptable response time for an email?
    • Does it depend on the time of year?
  • What can / should the league do about owners that do not respond to emails?
  • What can we do to encourage more participation by owners?
  • What is an owner’s responsibly to the league for paying attention to his team after Bidding Day?  
    • If an owner allows players to remain inactive when injured players are currently active, should there be an recourse?

5 comments:

  1. Tough one - Especially H2H leagues, if one roster spot is empty on one team, standings can be effected. I have no idea as to how to solve this.

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  2. I think we need to add facebook or twitter to the corespondence. Some of us, me included, use twitter on a daily basis. This is the easiest way for me to stay informed, and i like how i can have a twitter client ie tweetdeck that organizes my tweets according to groups. I think the google thing is good for archiving and a go to for our pool, but i think the immediacy of twitter is what our pool is lacking. Heck even Bob MacKenzie tweets.

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  3. I think it's reasonable to reply in a couple (2) days, even if its just to say you're busy at the moment and won't have time to look at it until such and such a time. Just don't keep the other owner waiting and wondering. Writing a couple lines saying your busy or thinking about it is not too onerous to ask.

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  4. As for an owner leaving an injured player active, while a healthy player is available to switch in, I have a couple ideas:
    1)If the injured player remains active for 2 consecutive weeks with zero games played, then the commish should have the authority to activate a healthy player starting the 3rd week, going with whomever has the highest pt total if there is more than one option. If the injured player then comes back, it is the owners responsibility to re-activate him, not the commissioner. If the owner thinks the foresaid injured player could come back in that 3rd week, he should provide a reference to a knowledgeable source to the commissioner that mentions the players return is possible.
    2)If Dave does not want to take the responsibility of switching players out (and I can understand if he does not), then another option would be a fine. Again if a injured player remains active for 2 consecutive weeks playing zero games, while a healthy players sits, then starting in the 3rd week, the team should be fined $1 per injured player each week they continue as active. this fine should be deducted from any winnings or added to league fees owing for the following year. Again should the owner provide evidence from a knowledgable source that the players return is possible in the 3rd week, then no fine should be levied.

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  5. All I can think to say is "Suck it up, buttercup"

    Various issues here:
    Non-payment: Not paid on time? Either (a) you have a clear and iron-clad payment schedule worked out, which should have you paid within a month of the season start (that's 2 paychecks to carve out $65...who can't do that?), or (b) to start you are unable to make player moves or signings. Should the agreed upon schedule see the owner default or non-payment lasts beyond 1 month, the team forfeits it's games. Should the non-payment situation last two months? The team is taken into receivership and a new owner is found. Simple as that.
    Incommunicado: I realize that people have jobs, kids, wives, dogs, and such but seriously? You don't have time to say "Sorry, not interested at this time" in an email? And if you say you will get back to the person...maybe you actually should. Don't be a douche. Otherwise the Sun has a pool for you...click and forget about it.
    Neglect: Tougher. All kinds of issues can be wrapped up in this. I do not think that the race for last place can/should be tolerated. Intentionally submarining your team should be expressly forbidden. If it is just out of your own laziness/inattention/stupidity that a guy has been injured/in the KHL/dead and you have a ready substitute well....I don't know how Dave feels about this...I will ask...but what about requiring owners to at least confirm their rosters every third week? If you haven't emailed Dave within 3 weeks to make a change or to at least say "No changes here" then someone comes after you with a pointy stick.
    Time of year: I think for the most part, the playoffs and then up to the NHL draft should be an exclusionary time where for the most part we take a break from each other. That's what, 2.5 months? July and August I am unsure, but basically I think some decent courtesy in required. Just don't be a douche. I can't say that clearly enough.

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