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Westeros Experts League 2018


Week

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40 minutes ago, Week said:

Also, I'm only doing voting in the Experts league if we vote as a shadowy cabal on skype while I have a scotch.

I'm going to have a sexy frenchwoman pre-record lines like in True Lies.

And it won't be cigar smoke obscuring my features.

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Even though this is an Expertatorship, not an Expertocracy, I'm willing to have current league members vote on who they think deserves admittance in situations where there isn't a clear cut qualifier (or when there's 2 for 1 spot like last year). The illusion of being able to have a say in their institutions keeps the plebians from massing with torches and pitchforks.

But seriously, I think it would lead to a better outcome in terms of who makes it to Experts than a mechanical algorithm based on points. Because we've had people who've bombed the league (Ser Paladin) or did nothing (Hugorfonics) or just the garden variety meh participators. Like Bronn, would rather go with safer bets where possible. I want this to be as fun and challenging of a league as possible. People who are engaged, who post in threads, who make or consider trades and those who don't give up on their teams when all looks lost.There's still the objective side - you gotta win a league to be considered (otherwise this is just another invite only league) - but I don't think we shouldn't be afraid of subjective evaluations when it's a close call. Though if objective results are your top priority, I would argue that's how you should vote.

I've seen a couple votes all ready and will tally 'em up in a bit. 

2 hours ago, Pony Queen Jace said:

As one who got superfucked by the Trade Rapes last year

 Huh? 

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20 minutes ago, Jaime L said:

But seriously, I think it would lead to a better outcome in terms of who makes it to Experts than a mechanical algorithm based on points.

I'm beginning to come around to this point of view, even to the point of believing that there should be no absolute guarantee feeder leagues.  The human and/or 'whatever the f*** Jace is' factor adds value, even if it also muddles simplicity.

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54 minutes ago, Bronn Stone said:

I'm beginning to come around to this point of view, even to the point of believing that there should be no absolute guarantee feeder leagues.  The human and/or 'whatever the f*** Jace is' factor adds value, even if it also muddles simplicity.

:lmao:

I vote alien space pony. 

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All valid points Bronn and I agree that the league is GENERALLY better without those types of activities.  I would not be in total agreement with the premise that activity level necessarily equates to owner interest. Take for example Mya, league champion who had only 11 roster moves all year and only 4 moves in Thunderdome yet finished 4th there and the runner up there only had 8 moves. Each owner has different philosophies, perceptions, strategies, fortune and even time that affect their activty level.  Some like to wheel and deal while others don’t see the grass as greener over the fence.  I’d wager that the vast majority of players, even those who have participated in Experts have at one time or another committed one or more of those transgressions due to circumstances beyond their control like life. Take for instance a recent owner’s situation that prevented them from responding to invitation and thus relinquishing his spot.  The timing of it happened to be in the lead up to the start of the season, but it could have just as easily occurred the day of the draft or shortly thereafter. I would hope and expect that they would take care of family way before being present for an auction draft and not hold that against them.  If they felt their attention needed to be focused on areas not related to Experts, I’m sure he would let the group know as promptly as he was able to and the league would find a substitute owner for the remainder of the season.  It sounds like TraderApe did not extend that courtesy though and it left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth....understandable. I don’t know for how many years he had played in Westeros leagues or what happened to cause his absense, or if he played in any leagues this year, but I would like to think that it if someone won a championship, the odds of that happening would not be great if he was the type of person that did not give a rat’s ass against other active owners.  Each league probably has varying degrees of activity and competition, but from what I’ve seen in the various leagues I’ve been a part of here is a genuine competitiveness and effort by most parties, even when fate seems to curse their team....most at least try to dig themselves out. I cannot imagine ever throwing in the towel no matter how much my team sucked due to pride.

i just don’t want us to stereotype all first time entrants into Experts as being slackers and uncaring because they are relatively new because everyone of us who has ever been fortunate enough to participate in Experts whether this year or 10+ years ago was a first timer at one point. If that is the fear though, I’d be all for having a prerequisite of “x” number of years participation in Westeros leagues before a feeder champion can be elevated to Experts.  Also, I’d be in favor of a penalty for abandoning the team without the courtesy of advising the league timely would be to be to re-earn respectability by serving “x” # of years probation before becoming eligible again.

i think combined performance and proven consistent attentiveness would greatly enhance the type of player you are looking for.  

As for the final spot, I’d lean toward BL as he also was runner up in Thunderdome despite my intense dislike for his historically preventing me from making the playoffs there the last 2 years. I finallly got my revenge this year though.

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On 1/4/2018 at 3:45 PM, Week said:

Contract to 8 teams and keep Pyro. :P

Seriously though, congrats to Jace and Lord Dracarys and welcome!

For the last spot, I would give a random tossup between BL and ME (assuming they both want to join). We have typically not used Keeper or Dynasty winners as those leagues are fundamentally different from re-draft leagues. 

The other option, again -- should they want it -- would be to bring back Groz or Bluray. Neither of them were "jaxomed", but they did step away for a year voluntarily (well, voluntarily-ish just due to timing, etc.).

Lol thanks man. Congrats to Jace and Dracarys on winning & entering the fold in Experts. As for my spot, I'm gonna throw my hat in for Groz, as I believe (correct me if wrong) that he was the defending champ coming into this season.

If anyone is interested next season I want to dust off the Defense league. Due to timing this year and my never having run a league before, it didn't get going. @Howdyphillip ran it year before last, don't know if he wants to give it a go again.

 

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It'll be fun to give Experts another shot next season and hopefully it'll work out better than my one and done season from a couple years ago.

@PyroclasticFlow I'd be interested in another go at Defense. Pretty sure that HP isn't going to be doing any yahoo based fantasy leagues for the foreseeable future based on previous messages he's posted. If we moved it to a different platform he might be interested, but the board seems pretty invested in yahoo.

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Thanks, @Dunknegg for noting that activity in moves/trades does not always equal participation. I was sent a good deal of trade offers this year that I didn’t accept, in both here and Thunderdome, because I didn’t agree with the value, and I wasn’t willing to wheel and deal. I still set my lineup every week, and am generally attentive, if not the type to firesale or agree to crazy trades. (The one time I traded Peyton Manning for Matt Hasselback notwithstanding.)  

I’d vote for BL or ME, and I’d actually rank BL over ME for the mere fact that I’ve played in leagues with him longer and I know him IRL, but their merits are equal as board players as far as I’m concerned. 

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All I care about is RESPONDING to trade offers. Rejecting them is a response. I think it is generally a good idea to include a sentence or two in a rejection but even that isn't essential. 

An active owner doesn't have to have transactions either. Just lineup moves when a player is injured or on bye. 

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42 minutes ago, Bronn Stone said:

All I care about is RESPONDING to trade offers. Rejecting them is a response. I think it is generally a good idea to include a sentence or two in a rejection but even that isn't essential. 

An active owner doesn't have to have transactions either. Just lineup moves when a player is injured or on bye. 

WJ and I get into animated negotiations on at least a bi-weekly basis. Doesn't always lead anywhere other than me making grand statements about how disrespected I feel by his fair offers, but it is activity under the above description.

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On 1/5/2018 at 3:42 PM, Jaime L said:

But seriously, I think it would lead to a better outcome in terms of who makes it to Experts than a mechanical algorithm based on points.

That is so Non-Accountant-like!

 

12 hours ago, Bronn Stone said:

All I care about is RESPONDING to trade offers. Rejecting them is a response. I think it is generally a good idea to include a sentence or two in a rejection but even that isn't essential.

Is there a mechanism in Yahoo to propose a counter offer without outright rejecting the initial offer to allow comparability? The only way I know of is to send a totally separate offer.  I have rejected numerous offers that were a close call but always felt like the simple fact I rejected left a sour taste in the other party’s mouth before they ever got the counter.

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1 hour ago, Dunknegg said:

That is so Non-Accountant-like!

I'm a tax guy. That basically makes me a lawyer that can do math. Everything is negotiable, baby!

Ok, Dracarys and Jace are in. 

I vote for ME. He's proven as active in the leagues and of course on the board. (So active he gets put in timeout apparently.) And because I can't think of a better way to troll Tywin. BL, haven't seen him much around in recent years though I do respect he's remained active in the various FFL leagues. 

Votes so far :
BL - 3 (Bronn, Dunk, Mya)
ME - 2 (WJ, me) 

 

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On 1/4/2018 at 0:27 PM, Jaime L said:

We'll hold that vote after we see who made it.

Ok returning Experts:

1) Mya
2) WJ
3) Bronn
4) Me
5) Week
6) Mudguard
7) Dunknegg

Primary Feeder Winners:

W-B - Dracarys
W-C - Jace

Secondary Feeder Winners

W-A - WJ
Thunderdome - Dunknegg

Other Winners

Keeper - Boiled Leather
Dynasty - Manhole Eunuchsbane
Survivor - Mudguard

That's weird. I don't see @Tywin et al. on this list. Someone check my work. He swore he'd make it to Experts so I feel like I messed up. 

Ok, so clearly @Lord Dracarys and @Pony Queen Jace get two of the spots if they're both interested. Congrats, guys. 

That leaves the third spot. There's no obvious candidate for this one. Three potential options I see:

1) @BoiledLeather gets the spot for winning Keeper. 
2) @Manhole Eunuchsbane gets the spot for winning Dynasty 
3) @PyroclasticFlow keeps his spot as the third Jaxomed team as there's no-one else "officially" qualified for Experts.

Keeper/Dynasty/Survivor were not seen as feeders as each use vastly different formats from Experts. However due to the dearth of qualified teams, think they deserve consideration this year.

Overall, I can see a case for any of these 3. To me, two steps from here:

1) Need those 3 candidates to confirm they are interested in consideration for Experts next year. 
2) Of those interested, who do the objective masses think is most deserving? Should we look to secondary considerations? What say you, board?

wow!  I never thought i'd see the door cracked to these hallowed halls again.  

 

if elected I will serve.  i appreciate the consideration and I'll repay with bribes at worldcon in my backyard (literally and figuratively) this year if required.  Since "deserving" is a criteria, let me put out a few key items on my resume:

I came in 2nd in thunderdome, gently ignoring Mya's collapse. (i believe that's my 2nd or 3rd top 3 finish in thunderdome - yes, I sucked int he finals, humbly asking you to overlook that) And I think I'm an old timer, with enough gray hair to qualify.  

 

thank you for your consideration.  

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23 hours ago, Jaime L said:

I'm a tax guy. That basically makes me a lawyer that can do math. Everything is negotiable, baby!

Ok, Dracarys and Jace are in. 

I vote for ME. He's proven as active in the leagues and of course on the board. (So active he gets put in timeout apparently.) And because I can't think of a better way to troll Tywin. BL, haven't seen him much around in recent years though I do respect he's remained active in the various FFL leagues. 

Votes so far :
BL - 3 (Bronn, Dunk, Mya)
ME - 2 (WJ, me) 

 

you just have to know where to look.

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