Here’s what could be a good thread – with your input – as suggested by Townsman Andyr. Let’s begin setting up the thread and see what we can do with it over the course of the coming week. Check it out…
If you could play GM of a Fantasy League Rock Band, who would you target for your band? Don’t answer yet! How ’bout we actually start our own Fantasy League Rock Bands and draft talent? What we do with these efforts following that is another matter, but see if these parameters work, and start thinking about how you want to approach this in today’s thread:
1. Are you in?
- If you want in for the Fantasy League Rock Band draft, let us know by Monday, March 12.
2. Choose your band personnel needs – any genre of music (focus on the personnel needed, not the style of music):
- Power trio
- Standard 4- or 5-piece band (drums, bass, 2 guitars, vocals)
- Standard 4- or 5-piece band with keyboards
- Powerhouse, expanded outfit (including horns, backup singers, strings, etc)
- Band with gimmicky, odd configuration (eg, 3 synths and drum machine; 2 basses and cello)
3. To help determine eventual draft order, pick a 3-digit number between 1 and 999. I have written down and sealed the number that will ensure the first pick in the draft. Draft order will be determined according to the closest picks higher or lower than the predetermined number.
Next week we will announce draft order and begin making our picks. In today’s discussion, feel free to point out what other initial guidelines I might have missed. For instance, we should prepare for ways to trade up or down in the draft. Let’s get it on!
Count me in. I’m going to be looking to construct a 5-piece band including keyboards. Whatever number I pick will be the one furthest from the one I’ve sealed, ensuring that I get the last pick in the drafting order. That’s fair and big of me, right?
Count me in too! So are we just supposed to choose 1 of the selections? I’ve only ever done fantasy hockey drafts, but it was never like this!
I’m in for the Expanded Orchestral Wankfest-type band. Now, how do we get our draft numbers to you?
Just send me your number – you can do it right here in the Comments field. I’ll tally up all this stuff early next week, and then we’ll get ready to roll!
And yes, Townswoman Sally, choose one style of band. We can’t allow 2 franchises under one owner.
Can I have a power trio with an additional singer?
Sammy asked:
I don’t know how that’s gonna work. What do you want, something on the order of X? Sure. Make sure you send me your 3-digit number. Thanks.
Aargh. This is such a tough decision, but I think I’m in for the following:
I have my number – but I’m confused by your last bullet point and have to put on the pince nez when I ask you to clarify the following:
So does this mean that the numbers between “1” and “99” are out? No one take my number!! Also, does this mean that you’ve chosen a 3 digit number for the first pick?! 😉
My last point: Andyr should be involved in the pick of the first draft since this was his idea! Mad props to Andyr!
p.s. will Look be a considering factor in Fantasy League Rock GM?
Sally, you are correct, 1 through 99 are out. Also, to be a real editorial ween about this, because I said “between 1 and 999” the endpoint, 999, is out. So, choose number from 100 to 998.
Townsman Andyr already knows too much about how my brain works. He’s got to earn that first pick like everyone else.
Very well then: my number is 540.
Yours ever so truly,
Hrrundivbakshi
Yeah, like X or The Who. duh. My number is 228.
333! FOR ME!
I’m in. My draft number is 666
I think we should be able to keep our band structure a secret until the draft. I don’t want tip my hat. Building a band through the draft is key.
I’m willing to deal though. I’m not afraid to say to that I must get percussionist Ray Cooper .
Unfortunately I’ve never understood how this fantasy league stuff worked. Don’t you need a ‘season’ so you can plug the players’ current performance into some formula? Which brings up the question, are only living musicians available to be drafted?
I’d want a quartet with bass, drums, guitar, and keyboards, because my fantasy band backs me (gtr, v) up. But I’m player/manager, and I have a no trade clause in my contract.
If I can figure out how to play, my number is 666. It’ll come in handy if my band plays death metal.
Ok, Andy beat me to it. I’m changing my number to 789.
Tony Williams is MINE, that’s all I’m willing to divulge.
Andyr wrote:
For cap reasons, it’s vital you provide us with your band structure by Monday, March 12, before the draft begins.
BigSteve asked whether dead musicians were eligible for the draft. Yes, dead musicians are eligible.
I may put together a big pool of talent from which to select. It will consist of musicians from the rock era, which will minimize the chances of smartypants like Townsmen Hrrundivbakshi and The Great 48 picking the likes of the vibes player in some obscure 1946 swing band. However, to allow for full fantasies, players outside the talent pool will be available to be signed as FREE AGENTS with the condition that the GM who selects a FREE AGENT forfeits his or her pick in the following two rounds. So, choose wisely.
Following the draft itself, the likelihood that we’ll be able to do anything with this fantasy league is minimal. I can see a few days of people claiming that their fantasy band is better than someone else’s, but until our old friend and bandmate Mike perfects Strat-o-Matic Rock ‘n Roll, I don’t see us being able to simulate actual recordings and live performances by our bands.
What?! It’s a sham!!! 🙂 Still all seems fun to me:D
I’m in this sabremetric dance as long as Dave Edmonds plays it. I don’t have enough horn players on my rolodex, so I will do the 4/5 member deal. Let me think about the keys aspect.
I wonder if you will have enough teams in each category to do real comparisons or make the drafting strategies equal. It’s like having an auction, serpentine draft, and head to head draft all at once.
I will say 643 since that is most often the loveliest baseball scoring number. Closely beats out the iconic 714 or 755 for me.
Singles? Power? Speed? Perfect pitching? I know who I want on bass.
Just don’t call this the Human League.
Keep those Fantasy Rock League team entries coming! I want to see some competition for talent. Make Andy sweat over that Ray Cooper selection.
Put me down for a power trio. I want to best utilise my cap space. My number is 477.
Charlie sez:
Just don’t call this the Human League.
I say:
Ha!
… and furthermore, since Massimo seems to be hiding in the dugout under his rally towel, perhaps *you* would like to comment on the American Idol thang? Don’t tell me you haven’t seen it, ‘cuz I *know* Michelle makes you watch!
since this is the sports related thread….
just wanted to say:
Vook: r.i.p. buddy. You were a baseball “lifer” and one of my faves.
art
I’m in. I’ve got may selections ready. Make my number 511.
Keep ’em coming, Townspeople. We’ve got enough talent to stock at least another 10 bands.
By the way, RIP Vuke! Stay tuned for an open thread on all things baseball in the coming days.
RIP Vuke for sure. Great baseball man, and from all I am hearing, an equally good guy.
Put me down for a five-piece band – two guitars, bass, drums, keyboards. And oh, do I have a band in mind.
My number? 666. Mwahahaha…
Sorry, Scott, 666 has been taken. Let me know if you want a number 1 higher or lower than that, or something else altogether.
Ah, yes, I see. I could have read the entire thread.
Is 311 still available?
i want number 777 (or 555). and i want a guitar / drummer combo (NO BASS).
art
777 is free. You’re gonna have to take a cap hit for going without a bass!
slade wrote: You’re gonna have to take a cap hit for going without a bass!
based on what logic? your bias against such combos?
where’s the fairness in that? does a band configured like the jon spencer blues explosion take a cap hit for having no bass? they’ve got 3 guys.
if i want two people to carry the load, then they each have more load to carry, and i should be able to spend as much money as anyone else.
we need an owner’s meeting to solve this dilemna, and i know, going in, that i’m playing against a stacked deck because of all the oldhead bias around here against the recent rash of bass-less bands.
you old farts make me wanna puke.
Re: the cap hit Art’s band will take
I forsee Andy serving as our league capologist, but roughly, I think I’m safe in stating that there’s both a cap on maximum spending as well as a minimum amount you may spend. This encourages a level playing field and prevents against bands trying to underspend by not including bassists. You will have to spend the league minimum on your talent, whether you have a bassist or not. This has nothing, if little, to do with any oldhead bias.
Art, I think the commissioner will be scrutinizing the future habits of your band members should you NOT involve a bass player. It seems to me they will need “performance-enhancing” drugs to make up the difference.
If Art wants to go in with a cigarette and a blindfold without a shooter, and is fighting for it – shouldn’t we let him? I wanna know who this fantasy duo is! (although, I have to state for Mr. Mod that it’s not in the original written criteria – unless you count it for the Band with Gimmicky configuration category, although I could seriously argue that the “duo” is de rigeur nowadays as well – death from above 1979, white stripes, cibo matto, although they added sean lennon, ummm – the evens) Did the bass that was added to White Blood Cells by Steven McDonald really make that album better?
charlie, you’re crackin’ me up.
but if i opted for a “team picture” size lineup (along the lines of a 70s funk act), would the proclivity for performance enhancing drugs be any less? bands configured that way should be tested as regularly as mine.
slade, as long as you’re worried about me spending the minimum then i think we’re square. believe me, my worry was that i’d be given LESS money to play with. i’ll blow the minimum out of the water.
thanks for the support, ms cinnamon…i think.
your characterization of my chosen configuration as “gimmicky”…i dunno…it kinda hurts.
we will rock your face off with good songs and great grooves.
if people overlook this, but still like us because they are charmed by our lack of bass, that’s THEIR problem, THEIR mistake, and popularity on these grounds is not OUR intention.
in fact, we are firm believers that this is the most serious of all rock and roll band configurations, and there is nothing gimmicky about it. bass guitar is necessary in bands where people don’t know how to play guitar.
if you really know how to rock, you don’t need bass, horns, keys, a second guitarist…that’s all window dressing…that’s all…gimmick.
all you REALLY need to rock is a good song, a drummer with an ear, a six stringed instrument with a nice wide frequency range, like, say…a guitar (!!), and someone who knows how to play it. of course, both band members must know how to howl and yearn and sing, too.
respectfully…art
Sally wrote:
Since when should I be held to such standards?
Art, I’m glad we’re clear now on the potential cap hit. Sorry for the confusion and anxiety this must have cause your front office.
mr. mod wrote:
Since you um, wrote them? Dork.
Oh yeah, I’m fully in support, I was just lookin’ through the criteria up above! 🙂
btw: i meant that in the funnest poke in the ribs way mr. mod. no ripping on me, i gotta leave for work now! and art, to reiterate, i don’t think it’s gimmicky, i’m just interested to see who these two musicians are (together at last!)
I’m becoming more and more hypnotized by the porn-stache Lou Reed video. Would it be possible for me recruit that ensemble as is, in tact, with staches?