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The Greenbears FAQs
Here are some of the frequently asked questions (FAQs) about our association and its history:
Q1. Who are the Greenbears?
A: The Greenbears are a group of sports fans, mostly from Indiana. Although we like to talk sports and sometimes we go to sporting events together, we mainly compete in fantasy league competitions. We don't play for money. We just like to compete, and to follow the players and the game closely.
As the years have gone by, the competition has improved. We've created our own traditions and history, and we have our own record book. Finally, our Commissioner put it all together on this website.
For more details, read our history page or our record book.
Q2. How do I join the Greenbears? What is required to play in a fantasy league?
A: For now, you must know one of the Greenbears personally, if you want to be invited to join (and enter our leagues.) This gives our members the chance to screen out the whimsical and the bewildered types, to some extent. In the past, we've had some people who weren't serious or knowledgeable enter our leagues, and it didn't work out too well for any of us. Don't join a league if you're not a big sports fan.
An entry fee and an e-mail address are also required to play in a league. You have to submit your player moves by e-mail to our league address.
Q3. How much does it cost to join?
A: Membership is unofficial, so that's free. Entering a pro fantasy league obviously costs money to have the stats done, whether you're paying the Commissioner or someone else to do them. That cost is based on how many owners that league usually has, and how hard or expensive statkeeping is. It's usually $10 to $15 per league. In 1998, we began using FSPI for the software and stat downloads, which cost a small amount. College contests are free, but those are usually limited to regular owners in at least one pro fantasy league.
Q4. When did the Greenbears begin?
A: The first league was in 1990, which was called the Late Night League. In 1997, the name Greenbears was first used for our group and the fantasy leagues. During 1999, we will celebrate our 10th season.
Q5. If you guys are bears, why did you have a bird as your mascot?
A: Things change. When we had Late Night Leagues, an owl was an obvious symbol for us, so our mascot was Biff the Fighting Owl. When we officially became the Greenbears in 1997, we changed the mascot to Brandon the Bear. In 1998, we changed the logo, too.
Even though we now have a bear mascot, Biff will be in our league somewhere, regardless. He disappeared for a year or so at one point, but his presence on newsletters, stat sheets, etc. had been such a tradition, that we brought him back to stay.
Q6. What does the name Greenbears stand for? Are you fans of the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears? Or are you ex-Green Berets?
A: The name has nothing to do with football or the Army. It's an acronym. Greenbears stands for The Grand Roundtable of Eloquent EcoNomy Baseball Esteemed Alumni and Respected Sportsmen. The Commissioner came up with it, trying to start with the words, Economy Baseball Alumni. (Some of the founders started there.) "Graybears" would have also worked, but it makes us sound too old.
Q7. How is the Commissioner chosen?
A: The Commissioner is the league's founder. He will probably remain as Commissioner indefinitely since nobody else really wants the job (or shows any predisposition to keep up with the stats on a weekly basis, and organize events and leagues.) There is no process for choosing a new one. The appointed Deputy Commissioner would fill in, if necessary.
Q8. Is anyone banned from the league?
A: There is currently no one under suspension. Three of the original seven owners have left the group, due to the continuing cost of dues and/or lacking the free time to keep up with stats and be competitive. We would likely reinstate their membership if they asked us to, and if they met the e-mail requirement. As previously mentioned, there were a few owners who only played for a year, didn't do well or weren't serious, and we lost touch with them. They probably would not be invited to come back.
Q9. Who writes the rules?
A: The Commissioner. He asks the other owners each year about ideas for rules changes, takes the most popular ones, and finds ways to implement them.
Q10. How long did it take to make the website?
A: It slowly evolved over a year or so, beginning in late 1996. It began like a young tree with a couple of branches, and then sprouted more branches, and then the branches grew leaves. Once established, the site was redesigned in early 1998 for easier navigation and quicker page loading. Finally, a new design was planned with a spectacular new look, and it debuted at the end of 1998. The Commissioner is entirely responsible for designing the site and writing the pages.
Q11. With a website this detailed, are the owners worried about giving away information about themselves?
A: There's always some concern about information issues on the Internet, so we take steps to guard our owners' privacy. In the past, their last names have not typically been used on the main pages of our website, or in the record book -- just their last initials. That is changing today.
We have an owners page, and the only information on that page is the owner's name, photo, e-mail address, and the answers to a few sports questions -- nothing vital. Owners who have dropped out prior to our creating a website have had their names changed to an alias in the record books.
Fantasy leagues have become legitimate enterprises. In the early days, they were sometimes associated with gambling. Then, it might not have been such a good thing to say that you were in one. Now every newspaper, sports magazine, and sports website has a fantasy league contest going, most of them offering big prizes. Is it gambling? We don't play for money, so that's not a question for us. Our fees only go for statkeeping.
If you have questions about our group or our leagues, e-mail us, and we'll try to answer it...and it may even end up on this page!
Send the Commissioner e-mail at: thegreenbears@hotmail.com.
All information here is ©Copyright 1999, by The Greenbears!
This page was last updated on: 9/19/99
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