Trading The Gator - Draft Day

Today, for the 31st time in history, the owners of the CFCL gather for what they collectively acknowledge is the Greatest Day of The Year:  Draft Day.

I'm sure Rich will be recapping the events of the day, as well as the celebrations that took place to recognized the CFCL's 30th Anniversary.

For now, though, let's take a look back for an in-depth examination of Draft Day and what it means, courtesy of Trading the Gator.  This clip from the film documents the draft of 2002.

Trading the Gator: Draft Prep

Spring Training has begun, and soon teams in Arizona and Florida will begin playing preseason games.  Elsewhere, all around the world, fantasy baseball owners are shaking off the cobwebs of winter and starting their research and preparation for the Greatest Day of the Year - Draft Day.

Draft Day prep can involve many facets - from reading every bit of news you can get your hands on and watching spring games - live or on television, to arts and crafts and ensuring you have the right foodstuffs with you at the Draft Table.

See all that and more in this latest clip from "Trading the Gator," the fantasy baseball documentary that featured the CFCL (read that story in this earlier post).  You'll see CFCL owners Kelly Barone, Eric Lamb, David Mahlan, and Jason Grey, Paul Zeledon, plus Walter Shapiro of the American Dreams League discussing their pre-Draft routines and strategies.

The CFCL Owners of 2002

[Picture from left]:  Steve Olson (Steve's Stones); Eric Lamb (Eventual 2002 CFCL Champion Lambchops); Paul Zeledon (Da Paul Meisters); David Mahlan (David's Copperfields); Matt Grage (Hard Hats); Jason Grey (Reservoir Dogs); Kelly Barone (Six Packs); Rich Bentel (Dem Rebels); Nick Hansen (Nick's Picts); Matt Bentel (DoorMatts); Bruce Ellman (Tenacious B).  [Not pictured but represented by the white speaker in Rich's had - Dave Holian (David's Ruffins)]

2002 was the year the world learned about the CFCL.  Or more accurately the 2002 season was when the wheels were set into motion.  To start, we had a completely new owner join us and a former co-owner branch out on his own.  Jason Grey and the Reservoir Dogs replaced the Maulers.  Jason not only brought his Mastersball fantasy baseball experience with him, he also brought a film crew.  Jason was approached by the producers of Trading the Gator to see if he knew of a local, dedicated, maniacal fantasy baseball league and he said "Funny you should ask.  I just joined a Chicago-based league."  The poles you see behind Matt Grage and Nick Hansen's head are part of the equipment used to film scenes of the draft for TTG.

Bruce Ellman was a new old owner.  For two years he co-managed the Witzke a Go-Go.  In 2002 his co-owner resigned and Bruce unveiled the Tenacious B.

After 13 years in the league, the Lambchops finally found the magic and captured what would be the first of consecutive CFCL Championships.

Once again drafting in the opulence of the Oak Brook conference room, we had the technology available to us for the Ruffins to draft remotely.  In years previous and post the Ruffins would communicate via computer screen or earpiece with Rich Bentel, but since we were going Hollywood and didn't want to miss the Ruffin wit, he was placed on speaker so the film producers could directly capture any Ruffin communication.

The CFCL Owners of 2003

Picture from left: [kneeling] Rich Bentel (Dem Rebels); Steve Olson (Steve's Stones); [standing] Matt Grage (Hard Hats); Jason Grey (Reservoir Dogs); Paul Zeledon (Da Paul Meisters); Nick Hansen (Nick's Picts); Eric Lamb (eventual 2003 CFCL Champion Lambchops); Matt Bentel (DoorMatts); Kelly Barone (Six Packs); David Mahlan (Copperfields); Bruce Ellman (Tenacious B); [not pictured but represented by the skinny white microphone - Dave Holian (Ruffins);

As with every year, there are some interesting nuggets.  The Lambchops would capture their second consecutive CFCL title.  The dynasty Copperfields, who never finished lower than 4th since 1984 would finish in 11th place.  We didn't have any new owners in 2003, but unfortunately we would be saying good-bye to the Six Packs and Tenacious B at the end of the season.

Again we drafted in the Oak Brook corporate room complete with internet connection so the Ruffins could draft remotely.

The CFCL Owners of 2004

Pictured from left: [Front Row] Paul Zeledon (Da Paul Meisters); Rich Bentel (Dem Rebels); Nick Hansen (Nick's Picts); Eric Lamb (Lambchops); Teddy Scott (Teddy's Splendid Splinters); [Back Row] Kenn Ruby (By Kennen); Steve Olson (Steve's Stones and eventual 2004 CFCL Champion); Matt Grage (Hot Sludge Sundae); Jason Grey (Reservoir Dogs); Matt Bentel (DoorMatts) David Mahlan (David's Copperfields); [Not pictured but represented by the skinny white microphone, David Holian (David's Ruffins).

2004 saw a couple of firsts.  The Stones captured the first of their two CFCL titles.  This was also the first year for both Kenn Ruby and Teddy Scott.  Kenn named his team "By Kennen" before changing it the following year.  "By Kennen" doesn't make sense?  Well if you are a "Seinfeld" fan and specifically enjoy George Costanza, it does.

We were again able to draft in the Oak Brook training room, complete with technology that allowed us to communicate with the remote drafting Ruffins.

The CFCL Owners of 2005

Seated [from left]: Rich Bentel (Dem Rebels), Kenn Ruby (Kenndoza Line); Standing: Matt Grage (Hot Sludge Sundae), Eric Lamb (Lambchops), Steve Olson (Steve's Stones), Jason Grey (Reservoir Dogs), Paul Zeledon (Da Paul Meisters), Nick Hansen (Nick's Picts), Matt Bentel (DoorMatts), Teddy Scott (Teddy's Splendid Splinters), David Mahlan (eventual 2005 CFCL Champion David's Copperfields).  Not pictured, but represented by the skinny white microphone in the center of the table - Dave Holian (David's Ruffins).

As with all seasons, there are some interesting items.  Most notably, this would be the 11th and final CFCL title for David's Copperfields.  This was the last season for the Resevoir Dogs.  They would resign after four seasons in the CFCL.  Eventually they would end up doing some scouting work for the Tampa Bay Rays.

2005 was also the end of a failed two year experiment wherein Matt Grage named his team Hot Sludge Sundae (don't ask, don't ask).  Speaking of name changes, that can only explain the insane look and gesture of Kenn Ruby.  You'll notice that DunnKenn is not in the picture.  But Kenn did rename his team "Kenndoza Line", oozing with baseball reference.  So he must have been extra proud of his franchise name to elicit such an expression.  Either that or he knew he was about to nail down his first "money finish" as he ended up coming in third in 2005.

Once again we were drafting in the corporate opulence of Oak Brook.  That allowed us all sorts of technological opportunites, including having the Ruffins draft remotely from North Carolina.  We communicated with him via microphone and NetMeeting on the computer.