Although our previous adminstration tended to rule with an Iron Fist, I prefer getting a little feedback from the group. That being said, I plan to re-write some of our rules for next year to make this pool a bit more exciting, interactive and fair. That being said, here are some ideas that I have for next year... let me know what you think, and I will take your thoughts under advisement.
THE DUFFER AWARD
Presented to the FPGPer who finishes dead last in the pool. Although the infamy of the award should be enough, the "winner" of this award will be refunded their $100 entry. Note: this award will only be given if we have 15 or more FPGPers this year. I think it would be nice to give someone like Fraser something to root for, but I don't want to take out 10% of the prize pool to do it.
THE GREG OWEN CANON
Named in honor of Jeff's trade pick, this rule will put a new front-end on the trade timeline. Jeff was able to take advantage this year by doing some early research and seeing a potentially decent player get off to a shaky start, and he pulled the trigger on a trade very quickly. It seems to me that you could do this with almost anyone, yet it represents no skill whatsoever. For example, let's say Jim Furyk finishes at #2 on the money list, but misses a cut and finishes barely in the money in his first two events. He could be something like 100th on the money list and eligible for a trade. Trading for him would represent no real "skill" in picking players; rather it is just an opportunistic trade. I'd like to implement something like a "trade time" which begins in March and ends at the end of May... that way the money list has stabilized somewhat, and the Greg Owen moves are less likely to happen. Another way to think about it is to not allow a trade unless the to-be-traded-for person has played in a minimum number of events.
THE LOREN ROBERTS CANON
This rule limits who can be picked as a "short pick" to those players who are only eligible for the PGA Tour. This year, Roberts was a clever pick if you realized that he'd be spending most of his time on the Senior Tour. Again, this doesn't represent any "I think this guy over achieved last year, so I want to short him this year" skill... The Bart Bryant and Olin Browne picks from this year clearly demonstrate that. Rather, the Loren Roberts pick represents some due diligence on the picker's part, but that due diligence is in regard to "I don't think they will play many events." This also means you'd need to make your short pick(s) from the list of players who finished in the top 130 on the money list or otherwise have full playing privaleges on the PGA Tour. I can imagine another "clever" pick whereby the FPGER looks picks some dude in the 131-145 range who also doesnt get his card back at Q-school, and as such, is relegated to the Nationwide Tour.
TRADES/SHORTS/NUMBER OF PICKS
I've noodled the idea that we should have more than 1 trade a year, but I am not sure it is a great idea after all. It seems that the 1 trade is a way to make up for a mistake, but allowing two would be too much. For example, with the exception of Fraser, there is probably not anyone in this year's pool who couldn't leap into the money by making just one more trade. Thus, I think the "one trade policy" is a good one.
Something else I've noodled is increasing the number of picks from 7 to 8 for the sake of diversity in picks, and also allowing 1 or 2 short picks. That is, you have to have at least one short, but if you want to short 2 guys, that is OK. As always, you can't trade out your short picks.
Let me know what you think...
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
I particularly like the Loren Roberts rule, the bread-and-butter "strategy" used by da Bandit in the pool. It's one that's easy on the head, just look up the age of the player and viola, it's automatic points. Although this simplistic approach backfired somewhat on Sizzles last year, it reaks and is not a worthy component of the FPGP. It kind of reminds me of da Rodent's strategy years ago when he mindlessly picked the last golfers in the standings. This lead to a FPGP change that incorporated earnings into our scores rather than just improvement from the previous year's standings. Bottom feeders always find the leaks in a system first!!!
By the way, what's up with the standings? It says "new leader" but Robbo is still ahead --- nothing new about that.
stevie v... see my comment under that post... jeff put the wrong update up. Everyone with scott hoch lost an additional 12 points, so you are currently in the lead 297 to 295 over Da Rodent.
Thanks for the input on the rule change also... what do you think about a "trade window?"
Thanks Steve. I like the trade window. If my memory is correct, I think we had a window under Philp's reign at one time. Either way, I agree that such a window would make certain tactics unavailable (like Jeff's), and the pool more fair.
"more fair"? My pick up of Owen at the time of the pick up was pure brilliance. Much like the pick up of David Duval by some of you out there. So should we too have a rule that since there is "no skill" in picking a guy who is likely to loose their tour card at the end of the year, unless they kick some butt and finish in the top 120, not allow players like Duval to get picked either?
Since when was there any skill involved in picking guys? We all must have "some skill", we all would have picked Tiger and most, if not all, picked up Els.
I'd be fine with a trade timeframe, since the cat's out of the bag, but don't think we should think that "skill" in involved. None of us, except possibly JG, will have hit a ball off a tee and have it mean anything in the way of points.
Pure brilliance? No... oppportunistic. Actually, your greg owen move is not heinous... but without resolving this now, I can see a situation like the one I described... you get a guy who finished in the top 20 who misses a few cuts, then makes one barely and is at 130 on the money list. now you want to trade for him? That is not in the spirit of making a good pick, it is just taking advantage of the system.
Taking advantage of an opportunity and capitalizing is closer to brilliance. Now there are cries of spilled milk. My 3 year old will tell you what I think of it.."too bad, so sad.".
Blah, blah, blah... you can still do that... I just don't want it done in the 3rd week of the pool. I feared that others would see the "genius" of your play, and it would be ridiculous. If the greg owens of the world are still fumbling around in march, they will be there... in fact, he didn't hit the points hard for you until about a month after you picked him anyway.
Post a Comment