Clearly under the influence of some kind of mind-altering chemicals, Adam had this to say about our waiver system:
If it's not broke, don't fix it. Waiver system has worked fine for years.
At least one other owner has seconded this notion, and after pondering things for a couple of days, there really seems to be only one reasonable response:
Of course, it's possible that this is just a simple difference of opinion. So I decided to do a scientific test recently.
My daughter is in the 10th grade, and is on her high school dance team. Next weekend, they're holding their invitational dance meet, which is their major fundraiser for the year. As part of the dance meet, they're holding a blind auction of various goods and services.
So, during the planning of this event, I went to the moms in charge (it's a dance team; of COURSE the ones in charge are the moms), and I proposed handling the auction a different way. I suggested that everyone who wanted one of the auction items should stand in a long line, and then we would randomly choose one of the auction items and give it to the first person in line.
Of course, that person might not want it, and if they didn't, they could offer it to the next person in line --- and if they didn't want it, they could offer it to the next person, and so on. As soon as someone decided they wanted an item, they would have to go to the back of the line before we brought the next item out.
Also, we wouldn't tell anyone what the items were ahead of time. That way, when people were deciding whether or not to keep an item, they would have no way of knowing whether something better was available. I explained that while this wasn't really an 'auction', at least this approach still included the 'blind' element.
I assured all of the moms in charge that this was, indeed, the fairest and best way to run the blind auction --- but the moms weren't buying it.
So, I tried my best, I really did. But it still seems pretty obvious to me that FAAB is the better way to handle waivers. I do agree with Adam on one point, though. Since auction is the best way to handle waivers, we should also be using auction for our draft as well. But I know better than to propose an auction draft to this league.
Anyway, just because we draft the wrong way doesn't mean we need to handle waivers the wrong way! Heed the wisdom of the dance moms!
(Full disclosure: I lied about the dance moms. I didn't suggest handling the blind auction differently, because I didn't even go to the planning meeting. I went last year, and I know that they really don't want me to participate in the planning; they just want me to show up to the invitational and sell stuff.)
If my compelling and made-up dance moms story hasn't persuaded you, then go back and
read my original essay championing the rule change, because I think I made some good points there. Then go vote for the rule change!
Remember: The only real change is that when you put in a waiver claim, you would also include a dollar amount (which can be $0), and the decision about who gets a player is based on who bid the most, and not who happens to be first in line that week. Nothing else would change.
One thing I didn't lie about is the dance invitational on January 12. I really will be at the high school helping out most of the day. So let's say this poll closes at 9:00 PM EST on January 12.
P.S. Wondering about other rule changes, like scoring and superflex? Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about them. Just wanted to start cleaning up the discussion a bit.
P.P.S. One other angle I considered for pitching FAAB is that our current waiver process makes us wait in line, like they did in the old Soviet Union under communism. So I was going to make outlandish charges about Adam hating America and so forth, and say that our current waiver system is 'slavic', but it didn't really feel organic. But if it helps you decide to vote for FAAB, then great!
