In the late 90’s and early 2000’s, the QFL auction was an anchor on my August calendar. Things were moved around, efforts were made to ensure the time was reserved, free from interruption. The auction was not quick. Rather, as we all know, it was an unwieldy, sometimes double digit hour affair. Who can forget Hans demanding on the phone, “I want to speak to someone sober!!!” and and the unintentionally perfect response by Dan, “I am Sober.” (of course, the story is hilarious if you know that Dan’s nickname was in fact Sober).
Immediately after the auction, a night of drinking. Even though we had just spent hours with these people, there was somehow room for drinks, and plenty of them.
Moving on the season, each week was a milestone. Shit Talking was par for the course, with Seth’s website the perfect vehicle to convey lengthy dissertations on QBC’s suckiness. As much as Seth’s penchant for sensationalism was lamented by the QFL, I doubt any one in the league missed a story. Whether it was true or not, was not as important as the fact that a closed group of 12/13 people had stories written about them. It was the first blog we all cared about. You’d undoubtedly be lying if you didn’t read the weekly hot takes and rankings. If you were lucky enough to be caught doing something stupid, you were guaranteed at least two sentences.
Back then there were real rivalries. Ted and Seth come to mind. Rudy and Paul too. Every year Jay or Shades would win the first pick…at least that’s how I remember it. Sauri was always in the winner’s bracket and seth for some unknown reason was a fantasy sports
It was awesome.
Well, we’re about 5-6 years removed from the QFL’s peak. There has been a slow slide downhill. We haven’t met up for a while for the auction. Yeah, we’re in different locations, we have family obligations, and technology is better than ever. But, the importance of the auction as a social event has never been lower. Seems almost like a chore to some.
Week to week, there’s very little on QSN. It’s about a popular a site as geocities (as some may remember the original host domain for QSPN). I am partially to blame here. I haven’t done much. But there hasn’t been anything from anyone except for the random two line post by Seth.
I am not saying the QFL is not fun, but it is no longer THE league. This year Shades was really dominant. He might win it all (jinx). But, I haven’t read one thing about it.
Maybe we have all moved on. Maybe social media has replaced the social component of the QFL.
I am hoping that we can bring back some of the magic. Let’s get together for an auction. If not in a year, maybe in 2-3 years. make it an event if you have to. Bring the family. Where? Vegas, Minneapolis, Dallas, Western Chicago Suburbs, NYC, DC, and even MD’s eastern shore.
Talk smack on social media, fantrax, and QSN. Seth can figure out how to integrate with social media if that’s easier.
Send weekly emails/updates about the Skins, FA pick ups, etc.
Let’s commit to something better in 2017
Shades
I think if we want to revive the social aspect we need to look in different places than we have traditionally.
• Creating content for a viewership of 12 takes a lot of time and a certain level of commitment in your down time most of us dont have anymore. The content was amazing and I miss it. But I also don’t have the time to create it and its unfair to ask that of Seth. The site is here, the logins can be granted. If you want to blog the QFL, the forum is here.
• The auction is the core essence of the QFL as a league, but it brutal process that continues to take way too long. We made some improvements last year, but unless we go to unlimited keepers, its always going to be a 4-5 hour event. My opinion is that it is really difficult to mandate or attract owners to burn one of the last summer weekends with their families to attend this event. The timing is horrible and its tough enough just to agree a time. I think we need to continue to strive to improve the process but look elsewhere to create a new tradition of getting together.
o My suggestion would be a late Sep/early Oct QFL wide convention in Vegas. Attract more people, strip out the auction necessity, and build it around enjoying real football, gambling, golf etc. Most of us have extended connections in the parallel leagues. More invitees means the event could start from a good base of attendance and build from there. But again, this takes some serious organization. Volunteers? Id certainly be on a committee to look at it.
• I have no idea why the fantrax chat has never taken off. I literally have the site up all day every Sunday – Ill shit talk with you next year.