NFFC Message Boards

I thought it would help if I put some last minute reminders here for everyone competing in the NFFC main event on Saturday, Sept. 4th. Hope this answers some questions:

1) Registration booth: In each city, you will still need to check in with Krause Publications staffers even though you've already registered online. At that station you will need to:
a) Sign the contract with the new prize structure.
b) Pick up your name badge to get into the draft room.
c) Take all your goodie bags, magazines, drink tickets and everything else you're getting from us.
We will have this staffed well in each city and it should go smoothly, but leave yourself a little time and come early if you can.

2) Starting on time: We start EXACTLY at the top of the hour in each city and I will be on a cell phone with Tom in New York and Rocky in Chicago to start the countdown to the draft. We don't wait for anyone in any city, so if you're not there the draft goes on without you. That's just the way it is and everyone knows that ahead of time. It's better to be there early than late.

3) No-shows at the draft: If someone fails to show up on time, a KP staffer will go off the latest Fantasy Sports Magazine online Cheat Sheet and pick directly off our Top 200 at each turn of his/her draft spot. The owner will pick up whenever he/she arrives.

4) One minute time limit: We will instruct every draft facilitator to start the one minute time limit when the sticker is fully placed on the draft board. In baseball, we tried to be very efficient and keep things moving and may have pushed it along too fast. We realize it takes time for everyone to cross off the names on their lists or find those players on the spreadsheets, so we will be diligent about this rule. One minute starts once the sticker is placed on the board.

5) Past the one minute: If someone fails to make a pick in one minute, we pass his/her turn to the next person and then come back to him/her for the next pick, giving that owner another full minute to decide. If someone picks a player who has already been picked previously, we allow 15 additional seconds and a mulligan. In baseball, a few owners needed two mulligans and we allowed it, since golf rules are applied freely here in Iola as well. Three mulligans might be stretching it, though.

6) Full rosters. Remember that we are picking 18 players in the NFFC and you have 10 starters each week. There is no FAAB pickups between the draft and Week 1 because of the Thursday game, so make sure you have at least one player at every starting position when you leave the draft. We will watch for this carefully in each league and we ask that everyone pick at least one defense/special teams and kicker. You will not have an illegal lineup if you leave without a certain position, but it's a guaranteed zero from that spot in Week 1, that's for sure.

7) Cell phones: You can be on a cell phone during the draft, but I ask that you be courteous of the people around you. In baseball, some guys were a little loud with their partners on the phone and we asked them to tone it down. It makes it tough for those sitting next to you to concentrate. So please understand that we are allowing you to use cell phones, but we trust you will do that wisely.

8) Laptops: You may use a laptop, but we will not allow your own extension cords for plug-ins. Bring a strong battery and you will make it through the draft that way.

9) No smoking: We do not allow smoking in the draft room, but we will take a 15-minute break after Round 9. We hope to have concessions available as well and there will be a bar in each city for soft drinks, water and even alcoholic beverages. We have enough confidence in our NFFC owners that they will drink responsibly during the draft to allow alcohol. Don't let us down.

10) After the draft: MVP Sportsbook.com is providing a couple of drink tickets to each owner as a way to introduce themselves to NFFC members and you are welcome to stick around afterwards to check out the other draft boards and talk with other NFFC owners. It's an informal party brought to you by one of our partners, so stay if you'd like or rush out if you need to go.

11) Autographs: Someone asked if they could get an autograph from O.J. Anderson or Napoleon McCallum or Dan Jiggetts after our Welcome Receptions. As a collector myself, I'd say go for it. I doubt these guys would mind, but you never know. In this informal setting with a small group, I'm sure all of them would be willing to do it and probably would be honored to do it.

12) Open doors: I know some other events close the draft room floor until an hour before the start of the draft or something like that. I believe our doors will be open 2-3 hours beforehand, so don't be afraid to come early and have some coffee and donuts with us. There is no countdown to opening the draft rooms in each city and we'd rather have you there early and comfortable in your spot than have everyone rush in at once. So we'll see you there early and let you in.

13) Lineups entered: All of us will convene on Tuesday morning and finalize everyone's lineup with STATS, Inc. If you can offer an Excel document of your league's draft to us, that will expedite the process. But either way, all league and team rosters should be input and available to each of you by Tuesday night, Sept. 7th. Since there is no FAAB bidding that week, you have 5 minutes before game time to finalize your Week 1 starting lineup.

At that point, let the games begin and may the best team win. This should be a GREAT contest with so many serious players in this event. I'm pumped and I'm not even competing. Thanks again for all your support and I look forward to staying in touch with all of you through the year. Be safe in your travels and we'll see you in the draft room in six more days!

Greg, any notes for DM or Auction that you'd like to share? This is good stuff.

Yeah, good idea, Dyv. Let's start with the Draft Masters Leagues:

1) Remember that the starting time is 1 p.m. locally for everyone. Originally it was listed as 2 p.m., so make sure you are up to date with the starting time. The one New York-Chicago combined league will force Chicago owners to get there at noon CST.

2) The draft is 24 rounds long with 14 teams per league. Have deep depth charts.

3) We will take a 15-minute break after Round 8 and another 15-minute break after Round 16. With 336 picks being made, this will likely be a 4+ hour draft, but everyone will come prepared and I bet the early rounds cruise.

4) Serpentine draft: 1-14 for the even rounds, back up 14-1 for the odd rounds.

5) You can take as many players at each position as you'd like and you can take them whenever you want. If you want to take 8 running backs with your first eight picks, go for it. You do not have to fill out your starting roster of 10 first, obviously. If you leave the draft with 10 wide receivers, so be it. I would just make sure you had backups at each position as remember that with the bye weeks you'll need a backup defense/special teams for at least one week. But that's your call.

6) There is no trading and no free agent pickups after Draft Day. You just let the computer pick your optimal scoring lineup after Draft Day.

7) No head-to-head, just cumulative scoring and you'll be ranked in your league accordingly. The team with the most points at the end of 16 weeks wins $4,000. Plain and simple.

The rules on laptops, cell phones, smoking, drinking, scoring and everything else are the same as above. This should be painless and simple. If someone doesn't show up, we'll cruise through the cheat sheet as best we can, but everyone's credit card has been charged for these leagues so there's no reason for a no-show.

I can't think of anything else. There will be one draft facilitator walking up to each owner who is on the clock and letting him know how much time remains for his pick and one facilitator putting the stickers on the boards. We have plenty of facilitators who want to work on Friday in each city, so this definitely won't be a problem. All is good, so have fun.

Okay, now for the Auction Leagues:

1) Everyone is seated in their draft order and we go 1 through 14 in every round. This is not a serpentine event.

2) The first player can throw out any player for open bidding that he wants. It could be Marc Bulger and he must state the opening bid. So you go "Marc Bulger for $15."

3) At that point, every owner can chime in at anytime with a higher bid. The auctioneer will determine who got the bid in in time and will have final say on that, and bitching about it won't be allowed.

4) All increases in bids must be in increments of $1. No 50-cent increases!!!

5) There will be one auctioneer per draft and one facilitator putting on the stickers. That facilitator will write down the winning bid for that player on the sticker and will keep a running tally of each owner's remaining money on that sticker as well. That will be done throughout the draft.

6) There are no scheduled breaks for the Auction Leagues. We will leave it up to each league and the auctioneer to agree to the breaks. If it's after the first 6 rounds to do a money check and take a break, fine. If it's after 5 rounds or 7 rounds, fine. You guys will know when it's time for a break and we'll do it at the end of one of the rounds. Same later on. Money checks will be done then just to make sure everyone's math is correct.

7) This is 20 rounds and players have $200 to spend on 20 players. You MUST leave with 20 players. You can not spend $200 on 17 players and hope to pick free agents later. It's $200 on 20 players.

8) There is no FAAB pickups between Draft Day and Week 1 because of the Thursday game. What you leave on Draft Day with is what you have for Week 1.

9) Same scoring rules and FAAB procedure are in effect for the Auction Leagues as the NFFC. Same thoughts on smoking, drinking, etc. at the draft table apply as above too.

That should do it. Remember that we have two divisions and that six teams make the playoffs. You receive a first-round bye for winning your division and $4,000 goes to the league champion. Good luck everyone.

Greg, you said "Three mulligans might be stretching it, though". Dyv had three mulligans in the baseball auction draft. I don't think the term stretching it would apply.

Greg....with the Auction League, will you be stating the Division splits prior to the Auction?

Yes, the odd-numbered teams are in the Eastern Division and the even-numbered teams (at the draft) are in the Western Division. So if we could just fill up this last Auction League team we'd pick the order of the New York league and at least know the draft selection order and the divisions.

C'mon, Sack, you must know one person that wants that final spot, don't you?

I'll allow three mulligans in an auction league where you're just throwing out final players for a buck. Knowing Dyv, he was just messing with you and he probably got that $1 guy after all of you guys lost hope in him.

Greg, if possible, I will need for you to let me know where the booth is going to be Friday at the Flamingo. I will be coming from the airport and will not have a lot of time to hunt. Gerard and I already have the game plan down as to who has the bags and who starts the draft.

Originally posted by TamuScarecrow:
Greg, if possible, I will need for you to let me know where the booth is going to be Friday at the Flamingo. I will be coming from the airport and will not have a lot of time to hunt. Gerard and I already have the game plan down as to who has the bags and who starts the draft. I hope you don't mind my sticking my nose into this conversation...

Perhaps you should give Greg a list that covers the first couple of rounds, just in case.