Did you want a weekend edition? Hey, here at XNSports, you got it! This is one that may take multiple parts but for Sunday, we have four things you must absolutely not do at a draft. Some of this is common sense and some are downright outlandish. A funny thing about fantasy hockey is simply that unlike the other fantasy sports, it requires a unique nut so to speak.
That’s right! Face it….we’re just wired differently. There are pet peeves and no-no’s that just drive us crazier than others. Here is the start of this week’s posts and hopefully we do not offend too many people.
Four For The Road: Hockey Draft Pet Peeves
1. Commissioners who cannot make a draft at a decent time again and again.
Truer words could never be said. Nothing is more frustrating than being in a league that you like but cannot make drafts because of your goofy schedule. Probably you are not the only one either. It happens so often that you sit. Picture being the Sidney Crosby or Tuukka Rask of your fantasy hockey leagues. Nobody likes having your chances ruined because of the unreliable auto rankings. This is not hard. Smaller leagues especially is where this should never happen and yet it does year after year. Some will say leave the league. The problem is that it is not that simple. Hopefully this does not happen to you for your drafts this upcoming season.
2. Oh god, it is the autopick (Blame internet, platforms, less the drafter.)
This was almost number 1 and maybe in some ways it should be. However, and this goes especially for 16, 20 and up leagues, the platform almost always seems to freeze for some at the most inopportune times and that should not happen in this day and age. ESPN, Yahoo, and so many just always seem to fail bandwidth wise at least several times during an average draft. The platform blames your internet connection and your internet usually blames your platform. That is just how it works. Honestly, the platform has to allocate a bit better as the tilt of blame is more on the platform. With a little over a month ago, I hope the engineers have made some adjustments for the 2014-15 season.
3. The advanced stats vs. old school debate……
Yes it has spilled over into draft strategy. If you look throughout fantasy hockey and especially Twitter, this is a hot button issue that keeps boiling over. I could go on and on about it but for the record I use a mix of the two sides honestly to the point where it is more alternative stats than anything else. Old school writers have probably gone too far with this and advanced stats proponents probably have too. When it gets plastered all over during draft time, it just leaves an even more sour taste. Maybe someday there will be a happy medium….someday.
4. The draft takes too damn long.
At least this has a pretty easy solution but it just seems like drafts take longer and longer to complete. People would have to agree to this but how about a standard of no more than 30 seconds per pick no matter what. Most should be prepared to a point with broadband connections that this should not be a problem. Hopefully. Please do not set your pick time limit to 60 seconds or more. It does more harm than good. Thank you.
So what are your biggest fantasy hockey draft pet peeves?
