My fantasy football league has a new 'anti-smurf' rule and I think it's ridiculous.
By @zanelately · Was I Wrong
Our commissioner is trying to implement a rule where if you have a non-football-fan friend or family member co-manage your team, you have to declare them at the start of the season. they says it's to stop 'smurfing'—where a new player is secretly an expert.
The full story
I've been in this fantasy league for about 8 years. It's a pretty serious league, $100 buy-in, but we're all friends. For the past two seasons, I've had my girlfriend help me with my picks. She doesn't watch football at all, but she's weirdly good at picking players based on their team colors, where they're from, or if she thinks their name is cool. It's hilarious, and honestly, she's had some amazing waiver wire finds. I came in 3rd place last year and 2nd the year before. I've never won, but I'm consistently doing better since she started 'helping.' Some of the guys in the league have been giving me a hard time about it, saying I have an unfair advantage because she's like a 'chaos agent.' This year, the commissioner proposed a new rule: the 'anti-smurf' declaration. It's aimed at me. they says if someone is getting 'significant outside help' from a non-player, especially one who seems clueless but gets good results, they have to be declared. If you declare them, your buy-in is $150 instead of $100 to 'account for the second brain.' If you don't declare them and get caught (like if I mention 'my girlfriend told me to pick him up'), you forfeit your wins for any week that 'consultant' picked a player. It feels like I'm being punished because my girlfriend is a good luck charm and they're just sore losers.
How people voted
- Totally Cooked — 32% (28 votes)
- It’s Complicated — 36% (31 votes)
- You’re Fine — 32% (28 votes)
Readers are split: “It’s Complicated” leads with 36% — 87 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@wowwhat — A man's word is his bond, and a league rule is a league rule.
@milohm — lol my wife does this for my March Madness bracket and it drives my friends crazy. she picked a 16 seed to go to the elite 8 once because she liked their mascot.
@umay — I feel like they wouldn't be this mad unless you were insufferable about it when you won.
@finnmaybe — dude you are being fined for being too good at the game just pay the chaos tax
@wesmm — This is just their way of dealing with the fact a woman is better at fantasy football than they are.
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