Any Interest In Starting A Sim League?

[R. Rich]

I'm involved in a sim league on BillsZone that has just started. It's a lot of fun, @ least I think it is! It's different from a regular fantasy league in that you act as a GM, meaning you draft an entire team, set rosters, work the waiver wire, deal w/ injuries, hire coaches, pick a stadium to play in, and all that. It did take some time to do the innaugural free agency draft to stock our teams, but it was fun. We're into Week 2 of the regular season now. We've decided to do our league in the offseason so that we have some kind of football to pay attention to.

 

If there's enough interest, we could think of starting a league up here. The costs are very minimal (I think we all chipped in for the software needed to simulate the games) and I do think it's fun to build a team from the ground up and monitor it.

 

So, what do you all think?

[Fezmid]

I'm involved in a sim league on BillsZone that has just started.  It's a lot of fun, @ least I think it is!  It's different from a regular fantasy league in that you act as a GM, meaning you draft an entire team, set rosters, work the waiver wire, deal w/ injuries, hire coaches, pick a stadium to play in, and all that.  It did take some time to do the innaugural free agency draft to stock our teams, but it was fun.  We're into Week 2 of the regular season now.  We've decided to do our league in the offseason so that we have some kind of football to pay attention to. 

 

If there's enough interest, we could think of starting a league up here.  The costs are very minimal (I think we all chipped in for the software needed to simulate the games) and I do think it's fun to build a team from the ground up and monitor it. 

 

So, what do you all think?

375444[/snapback]

 

What software are you using?

 

Something like this was discused in this thread (but never really went far):

http://www.stadiumwall.com/index.php?showtopic=25547

 

CW

[R. Rich]

What software are you using?

 

Something like this was discused in this thread (but never really went far):

http://www.stadiumwall.com/index.php?showtopic=25547

 

CW

375449[/snapback]

 

I think it's called Action! PC football or something like that. I didn't set this league up, so I'm not 100% sure.

[Fezmid]

I think it's called Action! PC football or something like that.  I didn't set this league up, so I'm not 100% sure.

375458[/snapback]

 

So you don't actually make the moves in the software yourself and then submit everything to a commishioner?

 

CW

[R. Rich]

So you don't actually make the moves in the software yourself and then submit everything to a commishioner?

 

CW

375467[/snapback]

 

 

Yeah. I believe there's talk of everyone ponying up the $$ so that we can do head to head type games for the next season, but nothing has been established as of yet.

[Ramius]

i know i'd definitely be interested, provided it doesnt take too much time during the week...but i love the GM feature on madden and wouldnt mind joining a league where i can be the GM and compete against a bunch of you guys...

[R. Rich]

i know i'd definitely be interested, provided it doesnt take too much time during the week...but i love the GM feature on madden and wouldnt mind joining a league where i can be the GM and compete against a bunch of you guys...

375538[/snapback]

 

The only thing that really was time consuming in the sim league I'm in on BillsZone was the stocking draft, which was about 55 rounds or so. That took us about a couple weeks to get done, but we tried to schedule it where people were given time slots to make their pick. If they were online, they could just make the pick; if not, then they had a makeup period @ the end of the day where they could make the pick. They also had the option of sending in a list of potential players to draft, so that they didn't hold up the entire draft.

[The Avenger]

So it simulates weekly games to see how your players did? I'm a bit confused...

[R. Rich]

So it simulates weekly games to see how your players did? I'm a bit confused...

375593[/snapback]

 

The way we use it, it does. You can also have head to head games via an internet connection, but that involves having everyone purchase the software to use. I kinda like the way we're doing it, because I don't have to do a whole lot of work inputting all the necessary data (rosters, lineups, tendencies, etc.). I can just submit my lineups weekly and wait for the simulated results.

 

 

BTW, my team lost again 35-23. We're 0-2 now, and I've lost my only bright spot on offense, RB Julius Jones (256 yds, 1 TD in 2 games on only 39 carries), for the next 6 weeks to an injury.

[Ramius]

keep me posted if we decide to do this or not...i'd be in, provided it doesnt get too expensive...

[Chilly]

I'm game

[R. Rich]

keep me posted if we decide to do this or not...i'd be in, provided it doesnt get too expensive...

376587[/snapback]

 

The software costs about $50. That's it. If we do decide to do this, we can just sim the games for the first year and then decide if we each want to purchase the software so that we can have head to head games over the internet. Personally, I like having the games simulated; it gives me something to look forward to.

[R. Rich]

Just to give you some idea of what's involved:

 

1.) In our league, the first thing we did was get our volunteers. Our league has 20 teams (may add more later, but for the first year, it's 20).

 

2.) The next step was to have a lottery to pick the venue our teams play in. Most everybody wanted cold weather places and hardly anyone wanted domes. Go figure. Well, I ended up w/ the top pick in our lottery, so you can probably guess which stadium I picked.

 

3.) After that, we set up a draft order to do our free agent draft to stock our teams. This was the longest part of what we've done, as it took over a month to do. We did our draft online and did 2 rounds per day, giving each person 15 minute time slots in which to make their picks. If they missed their slot, we tried to be pretty lenient, but if it went too late, they'd have a makeup period of 1 hour @ the end of each round where they could make up their missed pick. Trades were allowed, which made it more interesting and challenging. I traded out of most of the teen rounds and ended up w/ about 25 picks in rounds 20-30, where I did most of the stocking of my team.

 

The thing to keep in mind for the drafts is that you have to mind the salary cap and players are given a $$ value based on which round they're taken in (1st round picks were $10M, 2nd/3rd round picks $7.5M, etc.), which also makes it tough to stock a solid team. I traded out of the first round and then down into a later 2nd round pick and still got the player I wanted w/ my first choice: LT Jonathan Ogden.

 

4.) Next, we went on to the rookie draft. Now, rookies are inactive for the first season, same as any player who was on the IR for the previous season, as the computer ranks players by the previous year's stats (no stats=no rating). In our rookie draft, I traded up into a 2nd pick in round 1: I took LB Derrick Johnson of Texas w/ my #2 pick and then took LB/S Thomas Davis of Georgia w/ my additional pick I traded up for.

 

5.) After the rookie draft, we had to set our depth charts and then set up our lineups to submit to the person who entered everything into the computer for simulation. We had to give our basic formations (split back, single back, I formation, etc.) and any variations (3/4/5 wide, goal line/short yardage, etc.) before the games were simulated. We had 2 preseason games (my team lost both), and are now 2 weeks into the regular season (same).

 

So, that's about what we'd be looking @ if we decide to have our own league here. If there's enough interest, I'll purchase the software and then we'll set up the league (stadium lottery, free agent stocking draft, rookie draft). As for the rules, I could just use the ones for the league I'm in and, once we get established, we could add to/change them accordingly.

[Ramius]

Just to give you some idea of what's involved:

 

1.) In our league, the first thing we did was get our volunteers.  Our league has 20 teams (may add more later, but for the first year, it's 20). 

 

2.)  The next step was to have a lottery to pick the venue our teams play in.  Most everybody wanted cold weather places and hardly anyone wanted domes.  Go figure.  Well, I ended up w/ the top pick in our lottery, so you can probably guess which stadium I picked.

 

3.)  After that, we set up a draft order to do our free agent draft to stock our teams.  This was the longest part of what we've done, as it took over a month to do.  We did our draft online and did 2 rounds per day, giving each person 15 minute time slots in which to make their picks.  If they missed their slot, we tried to be pretty lenient, but if it went too late, they'd have a makeup period of 1 hour @ the end of each round where they could make up their missed pick.  Trades were allowed, which made it more interesting and challenging.  I traded out of most of the teen rounds and ended up w/ about 25 picks in rounds 20-30, where I did most of the stocking of my team. 

 

The thing to keep in mind for the drafts is that you have to mind the salary cap and players are given a $$ value based on which round they're taken in (1st round picks were $10M, 2nd/3rd round picks $7.5M, etc.), which also makes it tough to stock a solid team.  I traded out of the first round and then down into a later 2nd round pick and still got the player I wanted w/ my first choice:  LT Jonathan Ogden.

 

4.)  Next, we went on to the rookie draft.  Now, rookies are inactive for the first season, same as any player who was on the IR for the previous season, as the computer ranks players by the previous year's stats (no stats=no rating).  In our rookie draft, I traded up into a 2nd pick in round 1:  I took LB Derrick Johnson of Texas w/ my #2 pick and then took LB/S Thomas Davis of Georgia w/ my additional pick I traded up for. 

 

5.)  After the rookie draft, we had to set our depth charts and then set up our lineups to submit to the person who entered everything into the computer for simulation.  We had to give our basic formations (split back, single back, I formation, etc.) and any variations (3/4/5 wide, goal line/short yardage, etc.) before the games were simulated.  We had 2 preseason games (my team lost both), and are now 2 weeks into the regular season (same).

 

So, that's about what we'd be looking @ if we decide to have our own league here.  If there's enough interest, I'll purchase the software and then we'll set up the league (stadium lottery, free agent stocking draft, rookie draft).  As for the rules, I could just use the ones for the league I'm in and, once we get established, we could add to/change them accordingly.

376815[/snapback]

 

Sounds good to me...i wouldnt mind throwin in a few bucks to play in the league...for the software, i'd say go with the simulations like they do in your league and not worry about having to play head to head over the 'net...another wauestion...do we each pick an NFL team? or do we name our own?

[R. Rich]

Sounds good to me...i wouldnt mind throwin in a few bucks to play in the league...for the software, i'd say go with the simulations like they do in your league and not worry about having to play head to head over the 'net...another wauestion...do we each pick an NFL team? or do we name our own?

379673[/snapback]

 

In our league Ramius, we came up w/ our own names. My team is named the Erie Assassins.

 

Check out our forum if you want to see how it works.

[Ramius]

In our league Ramius, we came up w/ our own names.  My team is named the Erie Assassins.

 

Check out our forum if you want to see how it works.

379700[/snapback]

 

thanks for the link, its insightful...one problem i have is with the draft salary structure...the cap is at 85 mil, but drafting 1 player per round puts you at 91.9 mil in salary...thats wrong, a team should be able to draft 1 per round, without trades, and still be under or very near the cap limit...

[R. Rich]

thanks for the link, its insightful...one problem i have is with the draft salary structure...the cap is at 85 mil, but drafting 1 player per round puts you at 91.9 mil in salary...thats wrong, a team should be able to draft 1 per round, without trades, and still be under or very near the cap limit...

379761[/snapback]

 

Agreed. It would be something that, if we were to do a league here, would be worked out.

[R. Rich]

Just thought I'd bump this up again, to see if there's any interest in it.

 

Even though the two teams I have (yeah, I'm in 2 sim leagues) both suck, I love going through the whole process. It can be time consuming @ first, to get things started, but once that's done, it really is a blast.

[slothrop]

I would do it! Let me know if it gets started.

[Oneonta Buffalo Fan]

cool.