Commissioner problems

[pmorrow]

So a league I am assistant commish in has a commissioner that just went rogue.

I am competing with them for the final playoff spots in h2h.

This week I am playing an absent team and was on track to win probably 12-1 or 13-1. Friday the commish emails me asking 'when are we going to do something about Team X?'. Then half an hour later, they take over the team facing me, make several moves to ensure I don't have a blowout win. I email them to ask him who took the team (as they used what I assume to be his wife's email) and he just says "the new manager". The absent team then emails him and I and demands they get their team back and he gives it back to him the next day.

So he's cost me points and it will also cost teams competing him for the playoffs points (2 of the final 3 matchups the absent team has are against teams fighting for a playoff spot). Worth noting, he has already played the absent team twice and bagged his points with 8-5 and 12-1 wins. I am not against replacing absent teams, but seizing a team for your own benefit is not the way to do it.

I have yet to say anything as to do so right now probably ruins the league for everyone as I would probably get kicked out immediately which changes the competitive balance for everyone else. At this point it is not about me but about the league's future.


What would you do? Wait until the offseason and create a replica league without him? Start from scratch with most of the group?

On Yahoo, I think I could upload our league's history so we can maintain the All Time tab and info, right (assuming he does not kick me out of this year's league)?

I think I know what to do, and I am partly just here to vent. But if you have any thoughts or advice on how to deal with this I would appreciate it.

[Daydream Nation]

So many questions:
Why do you think you'll get kicked out if you question the commissioner? Your concerns are completely valid and you should be able to bring them up without getting kicked out of the league. What else has this commissioner done? How many of the rest of the league would want to start a replica league and kick out the commissioner? The owner that had abandoned his team- how long was he absent when the commissioner played him winning 12-1? Was it obvious the manager wasn't updating his lineup?

[pmorrow]

Good questions, I'll elaborate. Was trying not to bog people down with too many details at the start.

Why do you think you'll get kicked out if you question the commissioner?
- He's a bit of a loose cannon and I'm not sure how exactly I would ask "so why did you intervene in my matchup?" without him losing it

What else has this commissioner done?
- Nothing at this level, but he and I have not gotten along over the years, disagreeing on rule changes. It's been a difficult relationship.

How many of the rest of the league would want to start a replica league and kick out the commissioner?
- The vast majority of the league would join the new one. I have talked to half of the teams and they are on my side in this. I assume other than him there might be one or two other people who drop out at most. I run the league despite being the assistant commish. I run the draft, I do keepers, I recruit new teams, etc. He is the 'head' but basically just sits back while I do everything. I can simply tell him I'm resigning, re-open our offline draft page on Fantrax without him, bring everyone who wants to join us in, and decide whether to keep keepers or start from scratch.

The owner that had abandoned his team- how long was he absent when the commissioner played him winning 12-1? Was it obvious the manager wasn't updating his lineup?
- The absent team has been gone for a few months. When the commish beat him 12-1, he was absent. He lost his goalie categories due to insufficient starts. Which makes it even more hilarious that he felt the need to take over the team to ensure it got enough starts. I don't disagree that the manager needed to be removed, but taking over the team yourself in a way that benefits yourself, without running it past me, is over the line.

[hockeyrobot]

Yep definitely approach the commish. That is a brutal way to do things.

[senryu]

Make a written record to the commish as to the bad behavior. Keep his response, which is likely to reflect poorly on him. Use that email exchange to the other owners (or at least the ones whom you feel would be amenable to a new league) and confirm whether they would like to create a mirror league that keeps things the same, apart from dumping the commish, the inactive team and anyone else who does not want to come with. See about obtaining owners for existing teams; contraction draft if you can't replace all absent owners.

Sorry this happens, not much worse in our hockey world that a blatant misuse of power like this one.

[tweetdrivr]

I’m in this league as well. I dropped out for a short period previously over the same commissioner vetoing trades whenever he felt like it with no input from the league. Pete talked me into coming back. In this instance, several GMs posted messages in the league asking what was happening with the team in question as, once the commissioner had taken over, he rattled off 4 or 5 transactions. It was asked if the GM had been replaced without notification or what was up. These comments and questions have been ignored. I agree that we need to move forward next season without him.

[ericdaoust]

Don't worry about consequences. Go nuclear now. Otherwise...

[PrairieDog]

I'm with Eric, just get out. It's not going to get any better.

[Daydream Nation]

So a league I am assistant commish in has a commissioner that just went rogue.

I am competing with them for the final playoff spots in h2h.

This week I am playing an absent team and was on track to win probably 12-1 or 13-1. Friday the commish emails me asking 'when are we going to do something about Team X?'. Then half an hour later, they take over the team facing me, make several moves to ensure I don't have a blowout win. I email them to ask him who took the team (as they used what I assume to be his wife's email) and he just says "the new manager". The absent team then emails him and I and demands they get their team back and he gives it back to him the next day.

So he's cost me points and it will also cost teams competing him for the playoffs points (2 of the final 3 matchups the absent team has are against teams fighting for a playoff spot). Worth noting, he has already played the absent team twice and bagged his points with 8-5 and 12-1 wins. I am not against replacing absent teams, but seizing a team for your own benefit is not the way to do it.

I have yet to say anything as to do so right now probably ruins the league for everyone as I would probably get kicked out immediately which changes the competitive balance for everyone else. At this point it is not about me but about the league's future.


What would you do? Wait until the offseason and create a replica league without him? Start from scratch with most of the group?

On Yahoo, I think I could upload our league's history so we can maintain the All Time tab and info, right (assuming he does not kick me out of this year's league)?

I think I know what to do, and I am partly just here to vent. But if you have any thoughts or advice on how to deal with this I would appreciate it.

Sounds like you'd be best off starting a new league next year without him. It's unfortunate when commissioners apply rules differently in order to benefit themselves. Good luck.

[Belexus75]

yeah i dont think you can fix this..i now many suggest talk to the Commish but if he is doing stuff like that he knows is not right...talking wont accomplish anything im afraid but i guess does not hurt to try...not good situation, i wish you GL with this.