Fantasy Football Punishment: Flex Rankings Week 11

By Dan Mattiello | Nov 12, 2014

No matter where in the world you play fantasy football the goal is the same for everyone. Win the championship. That’s it. One goal. If you can complete that then you will earn respect and admiration from your friends and family. The reason fantasy football was invented is so you can prove that 1) you know more about football than your friends 2) you are better at something than your friends and you can now gloat about it.

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Before 2009 this was the only thing you thought about in fantasy football. That was before a little TV show came out and put a name to something that was always there, but ignored for so many years. Yes, I am talking about

The League

. A show on

FXX

that follows a group of friends as they battle each other on the virtual gridiron.

In 2009, the shows second season they introduced a new character by the name of Sacko, or Sacco. The Sacco is a trophy depicting.. Well.. A pair of bull testicles. This symbolizes the bottom of the league. It’s also something nobody wants to display in their house, but must in order to remain in the league. The show and its antics has inspired a slew of other Sacco punishments across the country.

Many of you have heard about the Tattoo League where the loser of the league has to get a tattoo of the winners choosing. That’s is a little extreme if you ask me. There’s many leagues who make the loser where something embarrassing like a dress or a sign explaining their bad play in fantasy. If you’re a professional like a lawyer or a school teacher or just someone who has kids you probably don’t want to have something this come back and haunt you.

I believe that fantasy football should be fun. Getting tattoo’s and wearing dresses aren’t fun to me. I don’t care if you’re league does that sort of thing, but mine won’t. I will concede that there should be a punishment. A punishment for last place virtually insures that everyone will be playing the entire season. Not just if they’re winning. Everyone playing until the end gives your league more integrity, thus keeping a lot of chicanery from occurring.

Players won’t tank their season, or drop random players from their squad because they don’t care anymore. I have developed a system that keeps people from being publicly embarrassed but will still punish the Sacco giving motivation to not become the Sacco.

We are using a standard 10 team league where the top six make the playoffs.

The first step is implementing a draft lottery system for your fantasy draft. This isn’t exactly like the NBA system but it works just the same. Each player will be given a specific amount of ping pong balls in the lottery. When each players name is selected they will then be allowed to choose their draft position based on when they were selected. If your name is called out first, you would have first choice for your draft spot.

The amount of ping pong balls each player earns is based on their finishing order. The playoff teams will receive 20 ping pong balls. No matter who wins the championship, all playoff teams get 20. Then, the seventh place team (or Consolation Bracket winner) will receive 15 ping pong balls. The eighth and ninth place teams will receive 10 ping pong balls. Tenth or Sacco will receive one ping pong ball.

The odds of getting your name called out first as a playoff team is only slightly better than a non-playoff team. The real disparaging difference lies with the last place team. In 50 test runs the 10th place team was left for last all but once.

This does two things for your league. Again, it adds integrity to your league and it gives draft day some more flair and strategy. This is something we implemented in my Super Big Time League and, so far, so good.

Leave me a comment about the Sacco style punishments you all have in your leagues. Who knows, their might be a better idea out there.

Here are your Flex Rankings for Week 11. Enjoy!

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