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Originally Posted by Nittany Dodgers
I'm bumping this thread, and my post in particular. I now feel we have a clear cut instance of tanking.
I'm getting extremely frustrated with the way seasons are ending up around here. Last year, due to the activities of a certain owner no longer with us, we had lengthy discussions about ways to adjust the rookie draft due to perceived "tanking." I know I was one of the owners, who after time had passed, no longer felt a tinkering was necessary. Well, I now deeply regret that change of heart. This year, in my opinion, is setting up to be worse than last year with apparently two teams trying to secure themselves the #1 pick, while games are still being played that will affect teams in the playoffs, as well as the seeding.
I greatly hesitate to call teams out, but I am starting to feel obligated for the sake of the league. I really think the Frenzy is starting to slide downhill, and I love the league setup, and enjoy the comraderie of many of the league members so much I feel something needs to be done, or at least needs to be said. There are two teams in particular I felt made decisions this past week that cannot be contrued as being competitive, and can only be interpreted as trying to secure the #1 overall pick for themselves: The Bay Area Bloodsucking Insects and the Amish Rake Fighters. The lineup decisions I cannot understand:
Insects:
Eli Manning over Matt Hasselbeck. This is not the most egregious decision, but I would think most owners would start Hasselbeck over Manning. This one by itself isn't all that bad, but taken in the full context, it is highly questionable.
Warrick Dunn and Kevin Jones over Derrick Ward and Shaun Alexander. Warrick Dunn has been ineffective almost all season. Jones has never had success against Minnesota, and Minnesota has shut down just about every running back this season. Derrick Ward was the announced starter. Shaun Alexander was known to be coming back from injury.
Brandon Jones over Donald Driver. While some of the other decisions may be defender, this one to me is the most blatent that Frank is apparently trying to throw the game. Driver is Franks best receiver by far. If he wants to get Jones in the lineup, why not at the expense of Curry? Doesn't make sense to me.
Some of these calls can be defended (though I think if you look at the whole picture it is pretty obvious), but it is nothing compared to the Amish Rake Fighters:
David Garrard over Peyton Manning. Huh? This is indefendable. You're out of it, fine. At least put your best lineup forward, and your best lineup included the best quarterback in the game over the last several years.
Ron Dayne and Lamont Jordan over Ernest Graham and Willie Parker. Ron Dayne? Fine, he was the announced starter, but at the expense of Ernest Graham and Willie Parker? OK, so the field conditions in Pittsburgh might be bad, but then Ernest Graham? AND Lamont Jordan?
Marvin Harrison over Jeremy Shockey and Calvin Johnson. While neither Shockey or Johnson were great options, it was well known that Harrison was not going to play. OK, lets say for the sake of argument Joel thought Harrison would play. Doesn't that make Manning a good start then? He's getting his #1 back? Nope, I guess not.
This is just rediculous for a free league. My enjoyment of this league seem to decline every year with the antics that seem to be increasing each year. Absentee owners, disinterested owners from day one, and now cheating. Yes, I'll call this cheating. This, in my book, really sucks.
If this is the way teams out of contention play, I really think the rookie draft order should start with the highest rated teams not to make the playoffs and go down. Teams should be rewarded with Adrian Petersons pulling crap like this.
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Well, I won't go near so far as you on this Brian, but I do agree there were certainly some questionable decisions. That said, I'd rather we have Frank and Joel explain themselves on this 1st, before letting things get out of hand.
I believe I was in support of a weighted lottery last year, and I remain that way today. To me I'd prefer to see a system like the NHL or NBA, where all non-playoff teams have a % shot at moving up, but no team can move up more than say 3-5 spots (depending on their rank). Additionally, you weight the percentages to greatly increase the chances of the teams with the worse records to move up.
With this system, no team drops more than 1 spot, but the 8th worst team can jump as many as 5 spots into the top 3 if they get drawn, the 7th could also jump 5 spots to to the 2nd pick, the 6th best team could jump say 4 spots, also to the 2nd, the 5th best team could jump 3 spots (again to the 2nd), and teams 4 to 2 can move up to the 1 seed.
Basically, if their name is drawn:
8th worst team moves up to #3, teams 3-7 drop 1 spot.
7th, 6th and 5th worst teams move up to #2, teams 2-7 drop 1 spot.
4th, 3rd, 2nd worst teams move to #1, while team 1 drops to 2, and 2 and 3 drop as necessary.