First off, let me say, DAMN!!! As a commissioner of several 32 team leagues, this is by far the most aesthetically pleasing, and ridiculously detailed site I have seen. Now, you all know that, so the brown nosing can cease with that. I absolutely love the pennants, the linkage to overall winnings, specialty field graphics, the team names and colors. My sites are far less graphically expansive due to my ineptitude in the area, but my Fantasy Football addiction and performance is definitely on par to fit right in.
Now, to answer the questions and give a little insight into who exactly Gambrinus843 is.
1 Tell us about your fantasy football experience, including the types of leagues you play in and where they are hostedI am an addict. I have been a FF owner for the past 17 years and have played in every format imaginable (Redraft, Dynasty, Keeper, Auction/Contracts, Salary Cap, IDP, PPR, Devy.
Redraft hasn't been able to do it for me in years, but I still run a local league with some of my old hometown friends every year on NFL.com. This is by far my least competitive league as my buddies are fish in a barrel who have nowhere near the addiction I do. We host on NFL.com for their sake and to keep it free (just a small 10 team non IDP league most years).
The bulk of my current leagues are run on MFL software..
I am an owner in the following 32 team dynasties:
Criminals, Traders, and Cheats-
http://www11.myfantasyleague.com/2014/home/62745#0Rockers-
http://www9.myfantasyleague.com/2014/home/18434#0Liquid Gold-
http://www23.myfantasyleague.com/2014/home/29145#0I am an owner in the following auction/contract leagues:
USA Battlegrounds-
http://www12.myfantasyleague.com/2014/home/70253#0I have also created and am Commissioner of the following 32 team IDP/PPR dynasty and Auction Contract leagues.
Gridiron Gods-
http://www12.myfantasyleague.com/2014/home/39964#0Gridiron Fantasy AC-
http://www12.myfantasyleague.com/2014/home/39367#0Zealots Field AC-
http://www17.myfantasyleague.com/2014/home/35389
2 Why do you want to be part of RW, what drew your interest?I want to be a part of RW because it is clearly a highly active and enjoyable group of owners. The time and dedication put into the site, and the message board indicate a group of like minded Fantasy Football owners who will provide the level of competition that keeps me excited about competing in a league. Far too many leagues turn into a battle of the haves vs the have nots, when half the league is inactive and can not match the high activity level of the upper tier owners who will fight and claw to get that WW claim in 2 seconds after FCFS opens, or send 40 trade offers and counters to make a deal. I am one of those owners. I do not get offended by bad offers, I do not expect every offer to be a take it or leave it bottom line. I will negotiate, sometimes to maddening extents. I love to talk football in any manner (Its what I make a living doing actually) and I love competition. The post in MFL forums today drew my interest, but the site itself hooked me in for good.
3 How much time in a typical week do you spend on your fantasy football hobby?I fear if I actually put this number in print, and publicly out on the internet, my wife may leave me lol. But, in all honesty I spend more time than any human being should on any hobby. The sad part is, I still do not feel as though Ive reached a point at which I dont have more time to spare. I am afforded the luxury of having an abnormal amount of free time due to being a career Football coach and stay at home dad. I spend roughly 14-16 hours with either access to my computer, laptop, smartphone, or Ipad, and check my emails for trade offers, WW claims, player drops, etc... like I imagine a heroin addict checks to make sure their stamp bag is full. During football season I will check in during water breaks via my phone, or spend countless hours in the coaches office with my sites open on the computer. I only sleep about 4-5 hours a night, and will have my computer with me for the majority of the other hours. Breaking down game film for work, and FF open on the side. I love chatting with other owners in my leagues, and have made some very good friendships through such chats.
4 Talk about a favorite memory or crazy fantasy football related storyMy favorite memory, is and always will be my first FF championship. It was not for the most money, nor the toughest league, and by all accounts its a small blip on a lengthy FF career in the stat sheets. But, as a 16 year old boy in my 2nd year of playing FF I made it to the Championship game in a hometown league vs my very own father. Now, grant you, my father is not the type of guy who allowed his sons to beat him at anything growing up. If you were going to win, you had to earn it. So, I reveled in the fact that after a 2 win season in my first year playing, I was going to get a crack at the old man. We had a 12 team league that consisted of My Father, Uncles, some of their friends, and the kid who nobody thought had any idea what was going on. The championship prize $100 and a case of beer from each of the losers (which I couldnt even legally have) My rag tag group consisted of Steve Beurlein, Stephen Davis, and Olandis Gary and we wiped the floor with the old man. Best day of my young life lol.
5 What do you think members of your other leagues would say about you as an owner?I would think they would say Im a very active owner, fair commissioner who does whats best for the league even when its directly against my teams best interest, and a pain in the ass with my trade offers lol. I am a very highly active trader and I love to negotiate. Im long winded, and love to talk football, give you my honest take on players values in trades whether it be my guys or the ones Im trying to acquire. I think they would say Im a top competitor, and as an example. In my Gridiron Gods league (Greek Mythology team names theme) I am Zeus' Illegitimate Children. The league has adopted the phrase "Zeusing" for any trades in which one team appears to have fallen under the spell of my charm lol.
6 Anything else you would like to add?Im a FF addict. Im loyal to my leagues and love to be a part of highly active and competitive leagues. I am an offensive line coach by trade and love to talk football, evaluate rookies, and just shoot the shit with other football fans. I feel I have a legitimate advantage over most owners due to my ability to evaluate players as a coach (although its neutralized at times by my FF impatience) typically I would advise owners to mirror my drafting, but hold the players a year longer, as I am always chasing the next big thing, and have an unnatural love of drafting, so I am a pick hoarder. I hope you all are having a great New Year, and would love to talk football, and shoot the shit with you guys while trying to win a RW title for years to come!
Blake