The Commissioner Checklist

  Posted 8/12 by Cecil Lammey, Exclusive to Footballguys.com

p>The life of a fantasy football commissioner is one of long hours, little pay, and even less sleep. When training camp starts nearly everyone in your league starts to get the itch. We all know it. It's the itch that makes us check out the Shark Pool every day, and watch NFL Network religiously. So before you know it, the questions start rolling in from other owners in your league. When is the draft? What time? Where? How long is it going to be? And those are the easy ones!

There are several types of owners in fantasy football. Some owners never stop watching football, and pour over their roster every day like they actually own an NFL team! Then there are the owners who may actually have a life outside of football. These dastardly souls actually have the audacity to think that you - the commissioner - know every roster move from last year by heart. You'll get questions like; didn't I trade for Randy Moss? I thought your were giving me an extra first round pick because Travis Henry got suspended? What's the url for our league website? Do you know my username and password? There are even a few fantasy cavemen around. No, not the ones from the hilarious (sarcasm) Geico commercials, but the owners who rarely if ever use a computer. Yes, they do exist although you're more likely to find Bigfoot before you run across one of these Neanderthals. Their questions might be the most frustrating.

Commissioners have to be like boy scouts - they must always be prepared. That doesn't mean that a commish must have all the answers all the time, but you have to know where to find them. Sometimes, as a commissioner, I think I must be some sort of glutton for punishment. Signing on to be a commissioner is in some ways like becoming a parent. If you wait until you're ready to have kids, then you'll never have kids because you're never truly ready for what's to come. Being a father is the greatest thing in the world as you love and nurture your child throughout the ups and downs in this thing called life. Being a commissioner is like being the father of 11 or so grown men - who act like children - AND NEVER LISTEN TO YOU. If I haven't scared you off, here's a checklist of things you'll need so you're "ready".

Make a rulebook

If you're in to fantasy football enough to be a commissioner then you probably are familiar with some standard rules. Always be looking to better your league by browsing message boards and seeing what other people do to maximize the fun factor. When you have decided on your league rules it's always good to draw up a document, or rulebook, with everything you can think of. If an owner comes to you with a tough question it's better to consult a rulebook then say "because I said so!"

Again, be prepared for anything and your rulebook must reflect this mantra. Every year there is at least one weird play that has fantasy owners screaming, and fantasy software recalculating. Know how you're league is going to score a TD pass from your kicker to the holder on a muffed snap. Do not for one second think that it won't happen. As a commissioner your rules have to be concrete for legitimacy. If you're making up things as you go along, then your league will suffer.

Have a trade approval committee

Trades are bound to happen, and it's your job as commish to make sure that they are fair. But what about when you're the team that's involved in a trade? To prevent someone from crying "foul!" you need to have a trade committee. This way your own team will be able to wheel and deal with the best of them without the worry of having someone question your ethics.

The owners in your league should respect the committee, and maybe even vote on members each year. Remember, a fair league is a fun league. The trade committee can overlook all trades to ensure that there are no owners getting over on their fellow leaguemates. No one feels good after getting taken advantage of, and a bad reputation in fantasy leagues will kill a team. Once a guy is marked as a bad/dishonest trader his team is like a ship without a sail.

In my league that I've commissioned for 14 years, The Colorado Pigskin League, we actually have a blue book for player's value. We are an auction league so each player, each contract has a value. When making a trade, the committee makes sure that the values are within a close range of each other. It's like purchasing a new car, there is new value and trade value. We don't make it like the NBA where contracts must match evenly, but we do make sure that the value is very close and that both parties agree to the terms. As an auction league, not only players have value. There is always future money that can be added/subtracted to a deal, and our practice squad (rookie) picks are always coveted by owners.

Promote your league / Seek replacement owners

Every league has turnover. Some more than others, but inevitably it happens. During your tenure as commissioner you need to shoulder the responsibility of keeping your league alive. Even if you have a full league complete with committed owners, you should still take it upon yourself to seek out back up and alternate owners should someone duck out due to unforeseen circumstances in future seasons. Because the Colorado Pigskin League is a complex system we actually have a minor league system in place. It's not an auction, but a redraft league full of CPL hopefuls. The scoring system and roster sizes are the same, so guys get used to our way of fantasy football. That way, in case of emergency - or an owner just changes his mind about playing - we can go to the minor leagues for our best, and most ready, owner.

Handle/collect money

It seems like a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised how many rifts can be caused by misplaced/mishandled money. Fantasy football is supposed to be fun, but no matter what the entrance fee a commissioner must always have clean books, and he should be very open about the league's treasury. A good commissioner must also make sure to collect everyone's money, hopefully before the draft. We have a rule in the CPL, no money, no auction. It's simple, yet effective. During the season if you have guys kicking in money for waiver wire picks then a commissioner must be on top of that as well. DO NOT make other owners go after their winnings at the end of the season. I am still owed about $250 from a league that I took 2nd place in about 4 years ago. The commissioner told me that, let's call him Spencer, never kicked in his entrance fee and that all I had to do was call him and get my money. I told him to piss off, and that was not my duty, but in fact his. Needless to say I don't play in that league anymore. Fantasy Football is fun, but make sure everyone's money is on your mind.

Concluding thoughts

Always be prepared, and the best mantra for a commissioner: ALWAYS DO WHAT IS BEST FOR YOUR LEAGUE. You want everyone to enjoy their experience playing fantasy football your way. Be the best person, the best friend, and the best commissioner you can be. Keep all the books up to date, and make sure the trading and transactions are fair. And finally, have fun yourself! It's a big thing to be a commissioner, and it can be a grind. But I can tell you, after 14 years of being the commish of the most elite league in Colorado, I wouldn't change anything if I could!