Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Guys,

1st and foremost, this post is NOT a joke. For the past 3-4 months I've seriously contemplated whether or not I'm still enjoying FF, and the amount of time I put in to it. I've come to the conclusion that I am not, and regret the hours missed with my wife and kids due to FF.

I put a lot of effort into SACD, but frankly, it probably put me over the edge in time commitments. I love the idea of an IDP league with a salary cap and whatnot, SACD is going to be a great league, unfortunately, however, I don't think I can further commit the time to run it in 2006 and beyond.

Frankly, I'm totally burned out on FF. I'm not enjoying football at all this year (despite winning records in 3 of 5 leagues). I regret every hour I have to spend in updating apps, rosters, websites and whatnot.

I'm not certain what to do, I won't do anything mid-season, as that just wouldn't be right, but come 2006, I may either drastically cut the leagues I'm in, or completely take at least 1 year off. At a minimum I think I'm going to seek a complete drop in responsiblities for any league I'm in other than being a regular team.

I'm not 100% sure what I want to do at the moment, but I felt it'd be fair to give you all a headsup that Frenzy and SACD are likely going to need a new Commish, and possibly a replacement team. The same may go in the CDL. As for the NF-FFL, unless someone else steps up to the plate to run it, I might just kill off my 11yo local league.

I hate doing this guys, but I've got 2 kids and a wife who are tired of seeing Dad spend too much time on the computer, and they aint getting any younger. If I participate next year, it will be as a team only. I cannot see myself commishing any leagues in 2006.

FWIW, I really enjoy the board, and will continue to offer it up to any of you who needs it. PredsFF.com will continue to exist regardless of what I do from a FF perspective. The small community we've built is way cool, just not sure I care as much about the FF core it's built around as much anymore.

:Sorry

Mike

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Totally understandable Mike! You do what you need to. I am sure we'll all survive. Would be sorry to see you drop out for sure, but would agree wholeheartedly with your reasonings!!

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

totally understand the stuggle of balancing it all. keeping on top of 1 league as commish (CDL) is about all i can handle. thought about hanging it up this past off season but instead i joined SAC'D.

only request is that you stay in CDL until i beat your ass, of course, that may be a while :bag

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Wow. I won't even call this sad or unfortunate, as I think many of us can emphathize with you 100%. I know I will respect whatever decision you come to, but the selfish part of me does hope you simply pare down your responsibilities without going cold turkey.

I know I've been fighting the same thing for the past 2 years...the first 5 or 6 years I continually expanded the amount and difficulty of leagues I played in until I realized "whoa, this is a little overboard". I still would like to drop another 1-2 leagues (I think I can handle playing in about 4 while commissioning 1).

More to say, will get to it later.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Commishing 3 leagues is just killing me this year. I think that more than anything is just killing me. Plus keeping up with the apps and whatnot (even with the great help Frank has given me) is just a killer.

I think to play in 2006 I really want to eliminate the additional responsibilities. I'd hate to drop out of any of the 4 leagues here on the board, as they've all established some great history and rivalries... I just don't know what to do at the moment.

I know for sure I won't do any other leagues aside from them. My brother-in-law pulled me into a league with his new brother-in-law the night before the season started.. I knew I should have stayed out of it, but did it as a favor. I have absolutely no interest in my team there. Not surprisingly it's a struggling 2-3.

I've almost comletely lost interest in the local league I run, and that started before we even drafted. I went into this season totally complacent, I really didn't care even if we had a league this year. And that's coming off 3 straight championships. I've just felt really weird about everything. Just not caring, and easily dismissing it all together. Not a good thing from a competitive standpoint.

I just feel REALLY burned out. I've got the Sunday Ticket, but barely watch any games. 3 out of the 5 Sundays I watched no more than 10 minutes of football (though I was at games the 1st 2 weeks). The other 2 Sundays, I watched the 1pm games, and felt like I was completely wasting my time. And my players did well both times I watched too... I just didn't seem to care.

It's just so weird, I have a nice HD setup, got the ticket, everything a hardcore fan could want, and I don't feel like watching the games. Just not a good thing. I can't explain it off as anything other than being burned out.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

As we've talked, I can relate - as it appears the other guys who've replied can as well.

My advice, like that of others, is to take some time to think about it...even getting away a little (sounds like you started, by not watching football continually).

no need to apologize. family is most important and I don't think there's a guy here who would disagree.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Hey buddy,
I'm with everyone else here. If it is family that pulls you away, go for it.

I mean, come one, you're not THAT important... ;-)

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Yup, family comes first Mike. Sure that you will be missed but hey I'm sick of seeing your ever expanding signature.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Mike, I totally understand where you are coming from and have gone through the same thing you are going through a couple of times myself actually. I've seen a couple of guys go through it in our local league over the past couple of years. We all have to find the balance in our lives and when we have family, that easily tips the scales.

Good luck in your quest to find what the right balance is for you. It is a question only you can answer. I know for me, taking the wins and losses a lot less personally was a good first step. It works great for me most days except Mondays.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Actually it has nothing to do with wins or losses... I think I've made huge strides in that area. I've won my fair share of game sin all the leagues I participate in, winning or losing on any given week in any of my leagues has little impact on me emotionally these days.

For the past few months, I've struggled to get into FF, reading news stories does little for me, watching the games makes me feel like I'm wasting time instead of realxing. I've found myself doing anything but FF at FBG and even my own board.

I think my kids are why. I spend so much time on the computer that I could be spending with them, and I've decided I have to cut back while I still can. The reality of the situation came crashing down on me yesterday in an email I wrote to Rami... essentially I realized this:

My son turned 13 the other day, and my youngest turned 10 2 months ago. We been touring private high schools for the past couple weeks for my oldest son. Think about that, I'm looking at HIGH SCHOOLS now! Looking at colleges will be just around the corner! My kids are growing up fast, my oldest will be a young adult in 5 years, eligible to drive in 3. It's all just hit me like a brick in the face. It's just really hit home to me that I need to spend quality time with them while I still can, especially during there teen years when they truly need guidance. I want both my sons to feel comfortable to talk with me about anything, and to enjoy hanging out with their parents. For the most part, they both do, and they really enjoy the family time we do spend together, but they also hate when Dad's on the computer, or not completely listening because of the computer. They're right, and I know it, so I'm going to enact change for them. I want to increase the time I give them, and reduce time I spend on the computer, aprticularly at home. I told them my plans last night and both their faces lit up. I also have advised that Sundays we can make family days. I don't care if I miss seeing games, I'd rather hang with them.

The other problem is, I put pressure on myself. I really want to see the Frenzy, SACD, CDL and even my local league keep going, I just don't want the responsibility (and time committment that goes with it) to run any of them anymore. My biggest fear is that nobody else can/will step up and any of the leagues die. I just don't want to see that happen, but I know I can't continue on with the time I put in.

Maybe we should all pay for online services (though IMO they all suck). I just don't know the answer right now, other than I want to hang more with my kids. I feel pretty horrible about it all though as I really enjoy my internet friends as well, and don't want to see this part of my life die off either. I just have to figure out a way to balance it all I guess, I think the best way to do that is to not run anything but my board and see where it goes from there. Hopefully someone can step up to commish the Frenzy, SACD, and the NF-FFL, or maybe we'll go with an online service. Time will tell I guess.

Thanks for all the thoughts though guys.

PS... Ragers (Rich) - I shortened my sig months ago ;)

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

i guess that means i can stop blocking signatures now.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Hey, I just said it was a first step. :idiot

Seriously though, I totally hear you. My boys are only 3 and 2. Luckily, I can do most of my FF at work. They few times I actually try to sneak on my computer at home, one of them will come find me and I question myself why I am doing this rather than spending time with them.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Mike,
I know it's just a small part of the equation, and I know you really don't have a taste for it, but I've found that MFL.com has allowed me to spend minimal time "commishing" 2 leagues.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Of all the online services, MFL is probably the best. No surprise that it's owned by the makers of FFLM.

I hear RTSports is decent too, but I've never used it.

The problem is, I've yet to see an online site that can handle the complexities of cap/contract leagues well.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

FFLM can't handle the cap either. that is why we have the spreadsheet.

We could go with a combo of FFLM/Spreadsheet. That would lighten the load a little bit.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

I think you mean MFL. We'd still have to manually handle transactions though, so I don't think it'd be a huge time savor.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Where to start. Let's travel back in time, say from 1998 till 2001. I was a consultant who did a lot of travelling. I was engaged/married through much of this time, but my wife and I were strange in that we simply didn't spend that much time together, even when I was in town. I had tons of free time, and much of it was spent in hotel rooms and such, posting on the old cheatsheets.net and then footballguys.com. Heck, I was member #24 on the original board, and talked to Joe weekly. Crazy stuff. In 2001, I spent most of the summer at a client where they more paid me for support than for anything else, so my hours upon hours of FF research done at work was 'almost' justified. It was over this summer, I believe, when I met a few of you guys, like Skippy and Topes.

If I recall correctly...
I was in 1 league in 1998
2 in 1999 (began commishing my college friends league)
3 in 2000
5 in 2001
9 in 2002 (first year in CDL)

It was early in the 2002 season when I began to realize that I was burying myself. My consulting company was beginning to struggle and casualties were occurring left and right. I then applied for a job out here in Colorado before I became a victim myself. This began the acceleration into mayhem. Trying to sell a house, buy another, start a new job, etc takes up some time. On top of that, I signed up to compete in an Ironman. So, add in another 2 hours a day of commitment. Oh, and then I fell in love with online poker. As if I needed another hobby.

In 2003, 2004, and 2005, I've been in 6-7 leagues. However, my time commitment to them has diminished substantially. Where I probably used to spend a good 5 hours a week outside of work surfing, reading FF stuff, etc, I pretty much only am online at home on Sundays these days. If I ever get into a position/job where I can't get online while at work, I'm sure I'll have to drastically cut into my invovlement. Furthermore, my 1st kid is 6 months old. Since he's been born, I've given up the poker thing. I've cut down on the time I spend running, biking, etc. Now when I'm home, I'm changing diapers and reading Suess. And I love it. I've already got 2-3 leagues on my 'to drop' list for 2006, but I hope to keep this league along with jaWs($$$ dynasty), Ming($ dynasty), and my college buddy league. Mike can attest - I really wanted to get into SAC'D but kept saying no.

I'm not sure what the point here is...guess I'm just sharing my own 'struggles' to enjoy a hobby that I've been doing for nearly a decade now. Like many, I've definately been too involved at times, and while I still feel a little overcommitted, I think I've got it under control and getting back into a 'healthy' perspective. Surely it was out of control in the past.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

I think mfl is beginning to add this type of functionality. I know they currently have a limited bidding function for their transactions. The spreadsheet will have to stick around I think...but the more we can automate, the better. mfl is just a few features away from being able to handle it.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Yup, I remember the old cheatsheets.net days well, the beginnings of VBD theory, etc. It seems that much of what was cutting edge then is now so mainstream.

ol' yeller was enjoyable back in the day... it seems FBG has grown too big since, there is so much garbage to weed through (including all of FBG's own articles and whatnot) that it's become hardly worth the effort to even casually look at.

Thanks for sharing your story BTW... I think many of the hardcore guys here can share similar roots and stories.

One good thing I feel that's come out of all this over the past few years is that I have iFriends all over the country. I plan to meet up with many of you in the next couple years. Maybe a trip to Vegas needs to be planned as a central meeting point ;).

Skip, I still have to figure out a way were Columbus won't be driving too far out of the way lol. You're like in the middle of nothingness lol.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

I started out on Dodd's site MrFootball.com. His site pointed me to Cheatsheets.net and I thought those sites rocked.

FBG boards are so overrun now. No fun. I hardly ever go to the sharkpool and never post. I read the FFA, but only post occasionally. It's just not the same.

I'm not in the middle of nowhere...o wait, yeah i am.

We will have to figure something out sometime.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

I've driven through Columbus twice in my life (well 4 times if you count both directions). Both times were 10-15 years ago when I was driving to Memphis to visit my brother. He lives in Buffalo now, so I haven't had any reason to go back since.

I do recall that your downtown core looked a heck of a lot nicer than Buffalo's (more modern)... but I never saw much of the city itself aside from the highway cutting through it.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

BTW - the turning point for me was 3 years ago with FBG.

[my story]
About 4 years ago I wrote an app that was basically a dynamic drafting tool. It rocked. I started selling it online and I didn't make a ton of money but it paid for my FF Leagues and a little extra. Had a ton of inovative/cool features for the time. I sent a copy of it to Joe and David and asked if they wanted it - they said no.

3 years ago FBG released the "Draft Dominator" which competed directly with my app. I downloaded it to check it out and they had stolen a TON of the cool ideas I had had for how to calculate dynamic VBD, etc. They also refused to let me buy advertising from them even though they had let me in the past. I had a link to my app in my sig over there and had it changed on me by the powers that be and then when I changed it back, I got banned from their boards. After some emails back and forth between Dodds and myself I got myself unbanned, but had to remove the link.

Dodds had been a real PITA via email and really just turned me off to FBG in general. Joe was cool, but he lets David run most of the crap.

Still visit the FFA, but haven't paid for the service since.

[/my story]

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

YES! YES! YES!

My wife and I are going to Vegas next summer. I was there for a batcherlor's party this past summer, and the only condition was that we go sometime in the not so distant future. So, we are going no matter what. We are flexibile on the date, so if we can get a group going at the same time, I'd be in.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

My jaWs league is planning on hooking up there during the first weekend of May 2006. I just barely received permission to go to that one. Schedule the preds one for the same weekend and I'm rockin'.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Wow, Skip. I didn't realize it went down like that. Sucks. And yes, there are simply too many people on the fbg boards to find much use there anymore. There are guys who post 100+ times a day, just to post.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Noah,

I remember going over your betas on that app with you. FBG totally ripped off your ideas... of course, Henderson will say that he came up with them on his own :rolleyes:

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Did I hear Vegas!!!!!!!! Let's plan it boys!!!!

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Is it this or is that the Freedom finally beat you in the Frenzy? Of course, I will probably not win another game all year but whatever.

Seriously, I totally can relate and appreciate what you are saying. Family and many other things come before FF.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

LOL, when you beat me week 1 I actually felt good for you!

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Pity is a strange emotion is it not?

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

ROFLMAO

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Wow, the expertise on this board is bigger than I thought. I only "found" FBG's a few years ago and always thought the boards sucked as they are just so full of waste to be worth any good to anyone. It's like wading through sewage.

Also, a little reminder, Preds. A trip to Philly would kill two birds with one stone. And I'm sure you'd find the area a little more inviting (just don't where that TB jersey, ok?).

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

There are several VERY knowledgable guys on this board (FF and otherwise).

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

I know the religion is in another thread, but it's interesting how having kids really gets people thinking, doesn't it. I can't tell you the number of people I know that had no interest in church and then had a kid and all of the sudden it's like, "Hm, maybe I should really get things in perspective, and maybe mom and dad weren't all that wrong..."

Not being preachy here, just making an observation. Having kids can really bring out that thirst of balance. It's like you go through the married stage of having to reel things in, of having your wife "civilize you," and then the kids come and you keep going in that direction. You're not responsible for yourself anymore. Glad to hear you are answering the call, Mike. Quite honorable.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

LOL. my answering the "call" to my kids has nothing to do with religion. I still have zero desire to go to church, read the bible (or any other religous manuscript), or pray to some form of God.

Having morals and family values is not related to being a religous person IMO... but we won't go there in this thread, as I believe it's been hacked to death in the other thread!

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Ya. Most of the guys in my local league think I'm crazy with the amount of time I put into FF, but this board makes me feel like an amateur.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Oh yeah, I wasn't making the point it's a religious anything, just that having kids always seems to get people rethinking their priorities (or balance in life as has been discussed). Easpecially boys, they need their pop. Dads are so underrated, but you can't underestimate your influence on them.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

:) I haven't had any time for kind words or such in the other thread so I might seem like I hate you, but definately am enjoying the talk. Just thought it was important I let you know that.

As for the priorities...I can't say any of them caught me by suprise. I 'predicted' it would be this way when I found out my wife was pregnant, and I was welcoming it. Obviously, expecting all these overwhelming emotions and actually experiencing them are two totally different things.

The thing I'd like for my son is community. Churches offer that. But they also offer a ton of other things that I simply don't believe in/agree with/etc. So unless I begin to attend Unitarian services, I would be committing a hypocracy that I'm not willing to commit. Strong words for what I'm trying to say, but you get my drift.

The desire to shift one's desires and aspriations from oneself to their family is one of the truly amazing aspects of human life. RL, you and I would disagree as to what they are exactly (miracle vs. phenomena or whatever) but I think we both find it equally beautiful and amazing.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

:GoodPost

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

It was important, and thanks. I've been enjoying it also. Hope I get you thinking.

Yeah, I understand about not wanting to being a hypocrite (even Jesus reserved his stronger critizism for them, you know http://predsff.com/forums/images/icons/icon12.gif), your boy will appreciate it no matter what the decision is. Honesty is key for a dad.

I have a 3.5 year old daughter and one due at the end of this month (so I'll miss the father-son thing). And I am learning and getting counsel on realigning my priorities. If I let it, FF does tend to take over. Just have to put it in it's rightful place.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Hey Mike!

Its symptomatic of the last 18 months that I am a little late on this thread. I too am over my original infatuation with FF and I am in a contraction phase. Despite the suckiness of my team (for now) the CDL will be that last to go. I left my only re-draft league last year (despite winning it 2 yrs out of 3), it had gotten too much, was too difficult to do from over here and most importantly the atmosphere around the league had gotten way too intense.

My advice would be to pull back slowly to a level where you can be comfortable, my kids are 5 and 2 and I love them to death, but they ARE hard work and consume a lot of time (at least that's what my wife tells me j/k). What I would miss is not having a slightly more intellectual pursuit to think about while I'm reading Thomas the Tank Engine (its a UK thing) or watching Teletubbies.

Family is the number one priority and FF should come way down anybody's list but have along think about where you think the best long term balance is.

p.s. I'd come here even if I didn't have a team. Its one of the few online communities I've come across where mutual respect is maintained no matter what.

p.p.s That doesn't mean I don't think RL is talking out of his nether regions on the moral relativist thing.

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

:D

Re: Preds contemplating FF retirement...
 

Mike,

I've been on the Big Island for the last 3+ days, and just getting around to reading things. I understand where you're coming from... and can't even imagine how you manage to handle all the things you do (FF-wise) now anyway! What a gift to be able to recommit time to your wife and boys! I hope that we'll be able to remain (friendly) competitors in the Frenzy, but will support whatever decision you make 100%.

I, too, had to re-examine my involvement in FF over the years... and have intentionally curtailed my participation so it doesn't interfere with my family. Difficult decision in one way (because I love football), but really easy in another.

Not sure I'll be able to make it to Vegas (try passing that by the family!), but you always have a room (or 3) available when you make that trek to the islands!

JIM

PS. Skippy, so sorry to hear how things shook down with FBGs... terrible. Thanks for being upfront with that.