One fun thing about the NFL draft is the live shots of each team's war room. If you watch old video of previous drafts, it's amazing to see how they've changed over the years. They used to be a room with a few guys and a stack of papers, a telephone and random cups and mugs strewn about. It looked like a police station in those old 70s television shows.
But not now. It's a high-tech experience, with several areas in a large suite designated to specific tasks and on-the-fly research. Everyone is making the most of their time, and the celebrations are on hold until after a pick is in. Then it's right back to work.
It's usually an effective, organized system that reflects a commitment to preparation. Even the clownish franchises have their act together on draft day, and I think you need to have yours together as well.
I'm amazed at how many fantasy managers give almost no thought to what their draft area actually looks like. Form? Function? Forget it. A spot on the couch, a laptop and/or phone will suffice for a lot of people. Maybe even a spot at the dining room table or a section of an office desk if it’s available. As long as they don't spill any drinks and the television isn't too loud, it's a successful draft.
It's even worse when the draft is in person. For plenty of managers it's "have phone will travel." If there's a pen or paper involved, they often get lost at some point in the evening. But who cares? The website has your roster and the draft order. What else do you really need?
Imagine asking that question to NFL coaches and executives. Suppose the camera panned to your favorite team's war room and it was just a guy with a beer in his hand scrolling on his phone. Or someone on a laptop with ear buds listening to music while they check their draft position. As a fan, would you feel confident in their preparations? Since you're your team's only fan, it's up to you to get the setup right on draft day.
So what does that mean? If you're drafting online, choose a quiet, designated space. If it's a desk, clear it before the draft so you have plenty of room. You need good lighting and you need to be able to work quietly. Anything from televisions to toddlers can be a distraction, so do your best to remove them. The distractions, I mean. Be careful with toddlers. In any case, if you spend just 20 minutes on the physical setup it will be about 20 minutes more than your opponents will. I consider that an advantage.
If you're drafting at someone's house or at a sports bar, a lap desk can be rather helpful. If your space is a wet corner of a table, you're not doing yourself any favors. And if your league uses one of those draft boards, sit close to it. You ever see managers chatting away and have to be told it's their turn to draft? They're usually sitting at the end of the table, far from the board.
Next, make sure all electronic connections are set up with convenience in mind. That means no internet connection surprises, all websites are logged in and you have the tabs open you need during the draft. Those tabs could include a message board, news sites, weather, stats, anything. But don't go scrambling for what you need during the draft. Set it all up beforehand. And please, make sure you have all necessary passwords just in case you get logged out for no reason. Believe me, it happens. You don't want to be searching for a password while your team gets an auto draft player you hate. Prepare in advance.
Finally, don't forget analog tools. Pen and paper worked in in the 90s, and they won't hurt you now. The worst that happens is you don't use them, but you might be surprised how valuable they are. You can jot down a thought, a player to keep in mind later, or just write out your roster as it fills out so you don't have to keep switching between screens to see it. (If you want weekly or team schedules at a glance, they're on page 31-33 of this year's Fantasy Football Index. ) And I mention this every year: Have the commissioner's phone number handy. If everything goes wrong and you lose power or you can't get back on the site, a quick phone call can let them know so they can pause the draft and let you get up to speed. It's something you don't need until you really need it.
When I see a busy, organized draft room on television, I tend to think positively about that franchise. I'm well aware those awesome war rooms can produce awful draft choices, and the same clubs somehow remain bad year after year. But the successful teams aren't exactly winging it, either. They take great care to make sure everything is set up for their player selection. Are there funny stories of managers who walked in with a soggy cheat sheet and won the league? Sure. But that's the exception, not the rule. Don't tempt fate. Be prepared on draft day.
What's your draft day setup like? Any rituals or habits that contribute to your success? Share your thoughts below.