2006 Pre-Kickoff FF?

[Billfred]

It all started with this post, where I defined an elite team as one who you'd pick in Fantasy FIRST before Kickoff even happened. Someone (who can feel free to identify himself if he feels like it) PMs me, suggesting that a FF league based around that would be interesting.

So I'm going to give this a go. The working rules would look like this:

• The drafting period is the time between event signups close and Kickoff. No trading after Kickoff, as that would defeat the purpose.
• Drafting would be a team's average FF score across all regionals. (The alternative would be to draft a team's performance at an individual regional, such as 71 at Boilermaker or 1293 at Palmetto. Let me know your thoughts each way.)

Would there be interest in this?

[Jeff Rodriguez]

I'd do it.

[Steve Howland]

Sounds good but might be a little trouble comparing one team to another using average - teams at different size regionals would have a different number of matches. Also awards at larger regionals or Championships are harder to receive and there would be problems weighing each of them fairly. The alternative choice of individual regionals would probably be easier to deal with. Either way you decide to run it, count me in!

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by Steve Howland

Sounds good but might be a little trouble comparing one team to another using average - teams at different size regionals would have a different number of matches. Also awards at larger regionals or Championships are harder to receive and there would be problems weighing each of them fairly. The alternative choice of individual regionals would probably be easier to deal with. Either way you decide to run it, count me in!

I originally was leaning towards team-at-event, but I wasn't sure. After thinking more, that's probably how it'll work.

Unless Dave has something truly nuts under his hat for 2006, scoring will be done using the system we had going this year, since I really do not want to fiddle with this during the season if I can help it for a few reasons. Besides the spirit of the competition, I'll be slightly busy at the time doing other things.

(internal thought: this is going to be nuts.)

[Ian Curtis]

Sign me up!

[xzvrw2]

sign me up. this seems cool

[Alex Pelan]

I want in, definitely.

[Conor Ryan]

This will be VERY intresting, *raises hand*

also I like the idea of averaging the score of the regionals they attend.

[Jeff Waegelin]

I would be interested. I like the idea of averaging scores. We might have to play around with the scoring system to get this to work for teams going to multiple regionals, and regionals with different numbers of matches, but I'm sure there's a way to make it even and fair. I think that method would be preferable to selecting a certain team at a particular event.

[Lisa Perez]

I'm in

[Jeff Rodriguez]

Originally Posted by Jeff Waegelin

...We might have to play around with the scoring system to get this to work for teams going to multiple regionals, and regionals with different numbers of matches, but I'm sure there's a way to make it even and fair...

I figured that would be part of game.
You could pick a team that goes to one regional and wins, but I could pick a team that goes to three regionals and makes it to the semis at each.
I think those factors should just be part of the game.

[Travis Hoffman]

Sounds fun - I'm in!

Even after event registration "officially" closes, regional team rosters can be fluid during the drafting period and even after Kickoff. How would you handle teams dropping out because of lack of funds or teams dropping IN? How would the presence of these newcomers at an event influence the decisions of people who had already picked a team for that competition? Some of these newcomers tend to be rather well-regarded teams.

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by T. Hoffman

Sounds fun - I'm in!

Even after event registration "officially" closes, regional team rosters can be fluid during the drafting period and even after Kickoff. How would you handle teams dropping out because of lack of funds or teams dropping IN? How would the presence of these newcomers at an event influence the decisions of people who had already picked a team for that competition? Some of these newcomers tend to be rather well-regarded teams.

I think dropouts/ins will be handled pretty much like the rest of the leagues do it--the picker has a hole in their lineup and can immediately draft any other available team. Since the entire FIRST Robotics Competition is fair game, I doubt we'll have a lack of teams.

[Daniel Brim]

I'd do it.

[Billfred]

Well, since it seems there's enough buzz to get this off the ground, I'll ask a few questions of the group.

The first is the method of picking teams. Three options I can think of:
1) Team at event. For example, you wouldn't draft 1293, you'd draft 1293 at Palmetto. Simpler to assign points to, but adds another layer to drafting (as you're shopping regionals as well) and has a chance of backfiring as teams drop and add competitions.
2) Average score. Here, you'd just be picking 1293. Just what you think it is.
3) Some other funkified scoring system. If it's implementable, and seems fair enough to all concerned, I'm open to it.

Then there's the question of Championship vs. No Championship. After a bit of thinking, I'm in favor of it, even if it adds another layer of trickiness to scoring.

Finally, there's drafting methods. To keep with the spirit of things, all trades would naturally end at Kickoff. However, I've thought more about teams that drop out or in, and I think there's a few ways to play this:

1) Allow folks whose teams dropped to pick another team once event payment deadlines have passed. (GP would be in full effect.)
2) Have everyone create a list before Kickoff with their backups, several deep.
3) Pick from the List of Fate.

Thoughts?