Tips From the Champ - Building a BBKL Winner: Tip #3

[Scott]

Now, these may be a little controversial and some might not agree but I don't care. My 2 BBKL championships will block my vision (yes, stolen from Patrick Roy.. kinda ). I'm going to give tips on how to build a winner in this league to hopefully help some of you guys. These tips I will fully endorse and actual strategies I use myself. Use them if you'd like to and feel free to ask me on msn to clarify anything you do not understand.

Tip #3: Clip Your Coupons and Go Shopping

When you feel comfortable enough to move a certain player or you receive an offer that seems tempting enough to take, stop and think on it. Unless you know for certain that the package presented will be the best offer.. shop around. Starting a trading block is a good start but if you are not being pro active at the same time you limit your options. Hound people, send out 29 PMs so you can find out who is interested and who isn't, who is worth talking with and who isn't. I mean, why only listen to 1 or 2 GMs and have to choose from their offers when you could potentially have the entire league interested which would guarantee you the best possible deal. When I receive an offer or send you one I'm talking with a bunch of other guys at the same time to see if they want the player(s) or if they can beat your deal!

I know a lot of GMs use different tactics to try and get the deal done as fast as possible, me included. Actually, I'm probably the worst for this but unless that GM is adding significant pieces it doesn't make sense to not go out and search for a better deal. It really is how the shitty teams got shitty and the good teams got so good. Don't limit yourself no matter what anyone says.. again, unless you're hitting a homerun right off the bat. Sure, shopping might lead to the other GM making another deal and you losing out a bit but it won't happen that much. For the most part, responses from GMs happen fairly quickly and if those GMs are really interested in your assets they will hold off.

So in closing, only a fucking moron talks to one GM at a time when making a trade. I'm not talking about the "hey man, what do you think of this offer I received?" I'm talking about shopping around to find the best possible deal!

[MSP4LYFE]

99% of my deals are made without taking to anyone else but the party involved, I rarely if ever shop a player. Needless to say I don't think you need to shop to get the best deal, in fact I would argue that shopping hinders ones ability to get the best possible package. Managers make the biggest mistakes when they rush a deal, you can't rush a deal if you shop the package.

[hong57]

your 4th tip will be building a london knight and then sell them when price is right?

[Nick]

I hate the sell job around the league that people do when it comes to trading. Tired and on my iPhone so listing the reasons seems like a chore, but ....There is nothing wrong with a good deal for both teams, the need to include every manager IMO actually comes off rude, especially when the offer being discussed is out there to be matched. This find the best offer deal can actually get u f-Ed quiet often, as sometimes there just isn't a market for said player, so despite getting the best deal outta the 29 other gms, you still lost the trade, and it's a mistake made from the shopping. Ye brutal explanation, but shopping is a skill, time consuming, and not without faults... Making good trades when they are in front of you is as, or even more important IMO.