OT: The FOFC Television Draft - Draft Thread

[Maple Leafs]

On the clock: 6.5 kcchief19

Team #1 - WSUCougar
1.1 Show, drama - MASH
2.10 Show, other - Star Trek
3.1 Moment, comedy - "As God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly." (WKRP)
4.10 Actor, comedy - Kelsey Grammer (Frasier)
5.1 Show, drama - The Sopranos

Team #2 - Radii
1.2 Moment, drama - Who Shot JR? (Dallas)
2.9 Performer, comedy - Bill Cosby (The Cosby Show)
3.2 Moment, other - Ali vs. Foreman, the Rumble in the Jungle (ABC's Wide World of Sports)
4.9 Show, comedy - South Park
5.2 Show, drama - Hill Street Blues

Team #3 - Crapshoot
1.6 Show, comedy - Cheers*
2.5 Performer, comedy - Henry Winkler (Happy Days)
2.8 Moment, comedy - Dick wakes up next to Emily Hartley (Newhart)*
4.5 Show, drama - The Wonder Years*
5.3 Performer, other - Walter Cronkite (CBS Evening News)

Team #4 - JonInMiddleGA
1.9 Show, drama - Gunsmoke*
2.2 Show, other - Hockey Night in Canada*
3.4 Performer, comedy - Dick Van Dyke (The Dick Van Dyke Show)
4.7 Moment, comedy - The brownie episode (Barney Miller)
5.4 Show, drama - Playhouse 90

Team #5 - ThunderingHERD
1.5 Performer, other - Johnny Carson (The Tonight Show)
2.6 Moment, other - Edward R. Murrow vs Joseph McCarthy (See It Now)
3.5 Show, drama - The Twilight Zone
4.6 Moment, comedy - Ellen comes out (Ellen)
5.5 Performer, comedy - Andy Griffith (The Andy Griffith Show)

Team #6 - kcchief19
1.3 Moment, comedy - The Outing (Seinfeld)*
3.3 Moment, comedy - Chuckles the Clown Dies (The Mary Tyler Moore Show)*
3.6 Performer, other - David Letterman (Late Night)
4.8 Show, drama - Perry Mason
5.6 Moment, drama - Love's Labor Lost episode (ER)

Team #7 - Maple Leafs
1.7 Performer, comedy - Lucille Ball (I Love Lucy)
2.4 Moment, other - Howard Cossell announces the death of John Lennon (Monday Night Football)
3.7 Moment, drama - Richard Kimble catches the one-armed man (The Fugitive)
4.4 Show, drama - Roots
5.7 Show, comedy - Monty Python's Flying Circus
6.4 Performer, drama - Keifer Sutherland (24)

Team #8 - Schmidty
1.8 Show, comedy - All in the Family
2.3 Performer, comedy - Jackie Geason (The Honeymooners)
3.8 Performer, drama - Patrick Stewart (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
4.3 Show, other - 60 Minutes
5.8 Show, drama - The X-Files
6.3 Moment, other - Kermit sings "It's Not Easy Being Green" for the first time (The Muppet Show)

Team #9 - Raven
1.4 Moment, other - The Beatles make their first televised appearance in America (The Ed Sullivan Show)*
2.7 Show, other - Sportscenter*
3.9 Moment, other - Johnny Fairplay lies about the death of his grandmother (Survivor)
4.2 Performer, other - Kurt Cobain (MTV's Unplugged)
5.9 Performer, comedy - Redd Foxx (Sanford and Son)
6.2 Moment, comedy - Moment, Comedy - Al 's dream sequence reliving his 4 TD game from Polk High (Married... with Children)


Team #10 - sachmo71
1.10 Show, comedy - The Simpsons
2.1 Show, comedy - Saturday Night Live
3.10 Show, drama - CSI
4.1 Moment, other - Ken Jennings loses in his bid to win his 75th game (Jeopardy!)
5.10. Performer, comedy - Jack Klugman (The Odd Couple)
6.1. Moment, other - "That would be in the ass, Bob." (The Newlywed Game)

*via trade

Shows that have been taken:
24
60 Minutes
ABC's Wide World of Sports
All in the Family
The Andy Griffith Show
Barnie Miller
CBS Evening News
Cheers
The Cosby Show
CSI
Dallas
The Dick Van Dyke Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
Ellen
ER
Frasier
The Fugitive
Gunsmoke
Happy Days
Hill Street Blues
Hockey Night in Canada
The Honeymooners
I Love Lucy
Jeopardy!
Late Night
Married... with Children
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
MASH
Monday Night Football
Monty Python's Flying Circus
MTV's Unplugged
The Muppet Show
Newhart
The Newlywed Game
The Odd Couple
Perry Mason
Playhouse 90
Roots
Sanford and Son
Saturday Night Live
See It Now
Seinfeld
The Simpsons
The Sopranos
South Park
Sportscenter
Star Trek
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Survivor
The Tonight Show
The Twilight Zone
WKRP
The Wonder Years
The X-Files

[Maple Leafs]

Welcome to the FOFC Television Draft.

How to play:
The draft will be conducted via the foum, in this thread. When it's your turn to draft, you post, ideally with a brief note about the reason for your choice. If you won't be around, you PM someone else your picks in advance to keep things moving. The draft is a serpentine draft, which is a fancy way of saying that the order reverses each round. Draft order will be determined randomly before we start.

Please note that this draft is marginally more complicated than previous attempts. Please read and understand the rules before signing up.

How to win:
The fun here comes more from the draft itself than from actually winning, but just in case it matters: Once the draft is done, we'll hold a vote and let FOFC choose the winner.

The teams:
You will draft a "team" of ten, filling three "positions" with picks from three categories.

Each team will consist ten picks, made up of:

Three selections from each of the following categories:
- Drama
- Comedy
- Other

In addition, your ten picks must include three selections from each of the following "positions":
- Shows
- Performers
- Moments

Note that you can mix and match however you see fit. For example, you could choose three drama shows, three comedy performers, and three "other" moments. Alternatively, you could choose one of each possible combination. It's up to you.

That makes nine picks. Your tenth pick is a wildcard, and can be any position/category combo.

When you draft, be sure to include the position, category, and details including the name of the show. For example "Show, drama: Thirtysomething", or "Performer, comedy: Bob Sagat from Full House" or "Moment, comedy: When Jesse OD'd on caffeine pills on Saved By the Bell".

The catch:
Each draft pick must have a show associated with it, and each show may only be used once in the entire draft.

The details:
"Shows" is just that -- a specific tv show (i.e. a series). Be specific. "The news" or "Saturday morning cartoons" would not be a valid pick. A regularly scheduled event that switches networks does not count as a show (note that this rule changed since the original version). Keep in mind that sometimes one show will last a long time, and may have multiple hosts and/or casts.

"Performers" are real life people who appear on a show (i.e. not fictional characters, but the actual on-camera performer). When you draft a performer, you must also name the show you are drafting him from. Any performer can only be drafted once.

"Moments" are specific moments from a specific show. For purposes of this draft, a "moment" can be anything from a few seconds to a full episode, although voters may penalize selections that are too vague. Many of the moments that are drafted will be obvious and well known, but please be as specific as possible. Note that you are taking a moment from a specific show. "The OJ Simpson Bronco chase" is not a valid selection unless you also include a specific show.

"Drama" and "Comedy" are self-explanatory. "Other", is everything else -- including but not limited to reality tv, talk shows, children's programming, news, sports, variety, etc. In cases where a show could fit into multiple categories, it's up to you to decide where to slot it. However, be aware that voters may not agree and may penalize you for your choice.

A few notes:
The draft is open to everyone -- observers are welcome. Discussion of picks is encouraged.

In general, it's considered very poor form to suggest picks during the draft -- the equivalent of being the guy who doesn't play poker but sits at the rail and shouts out to get attention. However, it will happen. If you're the sort of person who thinks you'd be really, really bothered by this, do yourself a favor and don't play.

In order for the draft to be fun, it has to move quickly. That means that if you will not be checking the forums frequently, you should send an advance list of picks to a partipant or observer to choose for you. If you are not willing to send a list for your picks to keep the draft moving, you should not sign up to play. Players who cause delays in the draft will be replaced.

What about...:
What constitutes a "show"? Does something qualify as a "moment"? In cases where clarification is needed, the final call will be made by the commissioner (that's me, genius). At any time, you may ask the commisioner to clarify a rule or category -- however, you must post the question in the thread. No PMing the commish for advance rulings, please.

If someone makes an invalid pick, the commish will explain why the pick doesn't work and that team will pick again. However, if other teams have already made their picks, those picks will count (in order to avoid having to redo stretches of the draft). So if you try to get tricky with your picks and get burned, don't blame me.

[Crapshoot]

Ready and willing to go - here's hoping my top choice lasts till 3.

[Maple Leafs]

The draft has started. WSUCougar is on the clock.

Please re-read the rules to make sure you understand how it works, and post any questions here.

There will be no time limit for now, but I reserve the right to institute one if needed. I've made the first line of the first post an "on the clock" notice, so that you could mouse over the thread any time and see who's up. But keep in mind that I won't always be around to update the thread, so if your turn is near please check in from time to time just in case.

I doubt we'll really get going until tomorrow. So if you won't be around during the day, please consider sending a pick to someone else (either me, another player, or any FOFCer who agrees to help you). We don't want to rush people, but the fact is that if we don't move quickly then interest will fade. If you cause frequent delays you may be replaced.

A note to observers: Please feel free to debate, applaud or critique picks that have been made. However, please refrain from suggesting picks unless you've been asked -- it tends to ruin the fun for the players, and you'll probably have more fun seeing how your draft list stacks up if you don't shout it out during the draft.

Good luck and enjoy!

[WSUCougar]

Yikes, 1st overall pick? No pressure or anything. Any chance the TV version of Eli Manning doesn't want to play for me so I can trade down?

Actually, I'm eager to grab my top choice, but the debate is which category to place it in. I'm sure this will be deemed controversial by some, but I think the depth in comedy shows will more than counter. So...

With the first pick in the 2006 FOFC TV Draft, Team WSUCougar selects:

Show, drama: M*A*S*H

Falls into the nebulous "dramedy" zone, and certainly a worthy comedy in its own right, but I think it was a powerful drama and it was clearly one of the best TV series ever. Let the debate begin.

[Maple Leafs]

My wife and I have had fights over whether MASH was a comedy or drama. I still argue to this day that laugh track = sitcom, end of story. But I think it works in either spot.

MASH was a slam dunk first round pick, although I'm a little surprised it didn't get used in the "moment" category, since the final episode was the most watched show of all time.

[WSUCougar]

Yeah, I think early on in the Colonel Blake-Trapper-Frank Burns era it would have been placed almost strictly as a comedy, but as it evolved it became a powerful drama sprinkled with humor (sometimes quite dark). As for the laugh track...ugh.

[Crapshoot]

Good solid no 1 pick IMO - peak value and career value. Hard to question this choice.

[Radii]

Mash is what I was going to go with if what I felt is the easy #1 was taken... give me a minute to come up with the best way to word it, since its a 'moment' and i'll make my pick

[Radii]

With pick 1.2, I'll take:

Moment, Drama: Dallas - Who Shot JR?

The greatest cliffhanger in television history. Some googling told me that the episode where the answer was revealed was the most watched show in history until the MASH finale a couple of years later. This was the first thing that popped into my head when I read the thread about this draft and it took me some serious thinking as I was falling asleep last night to come up with anything that I would consider a close second(I would have selected MASH, and was debating last episode/show as a whole as Maple Leafs mentioned above).

Crapshoot is up.

[WSUCougar]

Interesting selection.

From a TV history perspective, the impact of that moment is undeniable. However, from a qualitative view (mine, anyway ), I didn't think much of that show, so I feel this is a bit of a reach.

[Crapshoot]

engaged in a couple of trade discussions - will report back asap. I think my top choice might last...

[Crapshoot]

A trade has been agreed upon with KC:

Crapshoot sends:
1.3
3.3
4.7

KC Sends:
1.6
2.5
4.5

Here's hoping the gamble pays of for me!

[kcchief19]

Crapshoot and I have competed a trade -- I'm rushing out the door so I'll let Crappy complete the details -- but I'll move forward with my pick:

1.3 - Comedy, Moment: Seinfeld - The Outing

Probably the best done and best well handled Seinfeld episode of all time. The Soup Nazi is probably a bit more popular, but who here hasn't said, "Not that there's anything wrong with that?"

[WSUCougar]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

Here's hoping the gamble pays of for me!

Interested to hear the details if/when you can discuss them.

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

Interested to hear the details if/when you can discuss them.

Will do, after the 1.6 pick..

[WSUCougar]

Originally Posted by kcchief19

1.3 - Comedy, Moment: Seinfeld - The Outing

Wow...so Seinfeld gets removed from the draft with that, eh? Interesting.

[Raiders Army]

Originally Posted by Radii

With pick 1.2, I'll take:

Moment, Drama: Dallas - Who Shot JR?

The greatest cliffhanger in television history. Some googling told me that the episode where the answer was revealed was the most watched show in history until the MASH finale a couple of years later. This was the first thing that popped into my head when I read the thread about this draft and it took me some serious thinking as I was falling asleep last night to come up with anything that I would consider a close second(I would have selected MASH, and was debating last episode/show as a whole as Maple Leafs mentioned above).

Crapshoot is up.

Nice moment. It might have been available later, but it would be difficult to match J.R.'s shooting.

[rkmsuf]

The Contest in Seinfeld could have been in play as well.

[Maple Leafs]

Note to all -- I'll be away this afternoon. Draft can of course continue, but the list at the top of the thread won't be updated until some time this evening.

Anyone want to volunteer to make my picks for me while I'm gone?

Edit: So please don't send any advance picks to me for this afternoon.

[George]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

The Contest in Seinfeld could have been in play as well.

That's the first one that came to mind for me.

[vex]

Originally Posted by kcchief19

Crapshoot and I have competed a trade -- I'm rushing out the door so I'll let Crappy complete the details -- but I'll move forward with my pick:

1.3 - Comedy, Moment: Seinfeld - The Outing

Probably the best done and best well handled Seinfeld episode of all time. The Soup Nazi is probably a bit more popular, but who here hasn't said, "Not that there's anything wrong with that?"

Soup Nazi and many others would have been a better choice.

[Radii]

lots of seinfeld moments could have really, and its the rare great series where to many people the last episode is a negative thing so you couldn't go with that. Though I think the most value out of that show could have been gained in the Performer category.

This draft is going to be even more wide open than the comedy draft. There are obviously drastically different opinions on various shows/moment/characters. It looks like there are 3 or 4 "clear #1 picks" out there to different people.

[Maple Leafs]

The question of whether to use a show in the show, performer or moment category will be the key to the draft, I suspect.

[Johnny93g]

Originally Posted by Raiders Army

Nice moment. It might have been available later, but it would be difficult to match J.R.'s shooting.

I cant think of a moment that hasnt been chosen that would match, and i think top any other tv moment. Curious as to whether it will go at all. Ill be watching

[Maple Leafs]

The problem the we'll run into -- and it's intentional -- is that many of the most memorable moments in TV history won't qualify because you can't associate them to a specific show.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by Radii

lots of seinfeld moments could have really, and its the rare great series where to many people the last episode is a negative thing so you couldn't go with that. Though I think the most value out of that show could have been gained in the Performer category.

This draft is going to be even more wide open than the comedy draft. There are obviously drastically different opinions on various shows/moment/characters. It looks like there are 3 or 4 "clear #1 picks" out there to different people.

Agreed. I wonder how long it will take for my "obvious number one" to go. I would like drafting near or at the wheel on this one, because you might score two top of the top shows sitting there.

-Anxiety

[Maple Leafs]

Hi all...

Since it's still early, I'm going to make a rule change since it shouldn't affect anyone's strategy yet.

Original rule:
A regularly scheduled event is considered a show even if it switches networks -- e.g. "The Oscars" is one show

New rule:
A regularly scheduled event that switches networks does not count as a show.

Reason: After thinking about it, I think we open ourselves to an almost endless series of possible sporting event picks with the current rule. Someone will take the Super Bowl, then the Olympics, then the Indy 500, etc., until the draft partially morphs into a sporting event draft.

[Barkeep49]

Frankly if we're going for moments from Seinfeld, as opposed to episodes, I think there are many others that I'd pick above the Outing. While I think Seinfeld was a great pick I agree with those around here who are critical of how it has been used.

[Karlifornia]

M*A*S*H* got all preachy at the end, but I guess that's gotta go first round. The Seinfeld pick is sketchy, because there are so many great moments. I think I would have just taken it as a show overall, because it cannot be topped, IMO.

[Raven]

I agree, I would have taken Seinfeld as a whole.

Who Shot J.R. was a great pick, and was the first thing I thought of when I entered the game.

MASH - Though probably a great pick, I don't think it appeals much to the under 30 crowd.

I'm itching to make my pick and can only hope it falls to me at 1.9.

[ThunderingHERD]

MASH taken as a drama? A cheap, transparent attempt at gerrymandering genre borders which will, hopefully, be punished by the voters.

[Warhammer]

Actually, I thought MASH was a bit week as the #1 pick. I thought Seinfeld as a comedy show belongs there. J.R. at #2 is solid.

[Sublime 2]

I'm also in the Seinfeld #1 camp but then again i'm 20 years old and have maybe watched a combined 4 hours of MASH ever...though i still do understand it's importance and popularity.

[Maple Leafs]

JonInMiddleGA has been on the clock for six hours, and didn't send in an advance pick. I'm not going to penalize him now since it's possible he doesn't even realize the draft has started, but if he hasn't pick by tomorrow morning we'll replace him and move on.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I surely didn't realize the draft had started ... first day I'm away from the comp for any length of time since I don't know when, and (naturally) I hold up progress.

Heck, I didn't even realize I was "in", much less on the clock, so I'm really out of the swing I guess. Gimme a few minutes to absorb the thread & get caught up here & I'll make a selection.

[JonInMiddleGA]

With the fourth pick of the first round of the TV Draft, JonInMiddleGA selects:

1.4 -- Moment, Other, "Do you believe in miracles?" ... "Yes!"
(from ABC Olympic Coverage, Feb 20, 1980)


Of all the great moments in television history, few if any were more unlikely, more emotional, and became more a part of the American psyche than this one. No one who saw it is likely to ever forget the feeling.

[Maple Leafs]

As per my previous post, Olympics coverage is not eligible to be picked.

The Miracle on Ice is a great moment, but unless you can associate it to a specifc show (e.g. Wide World of Sports) then it doesn't qualify. I don't think there is a specifc show you can use here, although I admit I could be wrong if you feel like researching it.

Otherwise, definitely a first round moment.

[Raven]

Originally Posted by ThunderingHERD

MASH taken as a drama? A cheap, transparent attempt at gerrymandering genre borders which will, hopefully, be punished by the voters.

Does every post you make have to be so flamingly gay and pretentious? Do you really talk like that, or are you just another internet know it all?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

As per my previous post, Olympics coverage is not eligible to be picked.

I must have missed that somewhere along the way, and I even re-read the rule post (I thought) while I was deciding the pick. Of course, with another review, I see the post that I missed (or actually, misread as saying something else) down in the thread.

I thoroughly, wholeheartedly, and enthusiastically disagree with the ruling ... but that has nothing to do with why I picked in violation of it either. That was just a flat out flub-up on my part & I'll re-pick as soon as possible.

[Raven]

jon, ill give you my first and second, for your first and second?

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

I must have missed that somewhere along the way, and I even re-read the rule post (I thought) while I was deciding the pick. Of course, with another review, I see the post that I missed (or actually, misread as saying something else) down in the thread.

It was changed today. The original rules would have allowed "The Olympics" to be considered a show, but I just feel like I'm opening it up too much at that point. World events, both sporting and otherwise, will still have a place in this draft, but the idea is to focus on the shows, not the bigger, more general moments.

[ThunderingHERD]

Originally Posted by Raven

Does every post you make have to be so flamingly gay and pretentious? Do you really talk like that, or are you just another internet know it all?

I so want you to rip my clothes off and have your way with me right now.

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by Raven

jon, ill give you my first and second, for your first and second?

HEY!!!! I saw you on TV!!!!!

[JonInMiddleGA]

With the 4th pick in th ... JonInMiddleGA has traded the 4th pick in the 1st round & the 7th pick of the 2nd round to Raven for the 9th pick of the 1st round & the 2nd pick of the 2nd round.

[Raven]

Thanks, Jon.


February 9th, 1964.

The Ed Sullivan Show gives most of America their first introduction to a British band named The Beatles. It was the first time The Beatles performed in the United States, and an estimated 73,000,000 people were watching the show. 40% of America's population.


My first choice for this is Other, Performers. If that doesn't work within the rules, I'll take Other, Moments.

[cthomer5000]

Weak usage of Seinfeld, IMHO.

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by Raven

Thanks, Jon.


February 9th, 1964.

The Ed Sullivan Show gives most of America their first introduction to a British band named The Beatles. It was the first time The Beatles performed in the United States, and an estimated 73,000,000 people were watching the show. 40% of America's population.


My first choice for this is Other, Performers. If that doesn't work within the rules, I'll take Other, Moments.

You took mine. Now I don't know what to do.

[Raven]

Originally Posted by Schmidty

You took mine. Now I don't know what to do.

Originally Posted by Schmidty

HEY!!!! I saw you on TV!!!!!

So I wasn't your first round pick?

[ThunderingHERD]

Johnny Carson, for The Tonight Show (other).