Like it or not, verbal sparring is a big part of fantasy sports. Most of us like it, until it goes too far, and some of us are better than others at doling it out. Smack talk can be entertaining, but it can also give you a psychological advantage against the other owners in your league, especially on draft day. It has become so popular that there are even Smack Talk apps available for your phone. So let's take a brief look at the art of, and advantage gained, from talking smack.
Smack talk is a slang term that generally refers to the use of threatening or intentionally inflammatory language. In sports, and particularly fantasy sports, smack talk refers to inflammatory comments made by a person in order to insult, anger, or annoy opponents. And, any time you can get inside the head of another fantasy owner you gain an advantage.
I've seen owners thrown completely off their draft strategy after some well-timed smack talk was aimed in their direction. And, I've seen owners coerced into making some awful trades following a barrage of smack talk from another owner.
The first key to effective smack talk is keeping it short and sweet. The second is timing. You have to think fast on your feet. Smack talk is far less effective if you deliver it to yourself on the drive home from your draft. In short, smack talk should be a perfectly timed one liner that is witty, articulate and spontaneous and, most of all, adds fuel to the fire of competition. But, also remember that smack talk should be respectful and allow the recipient to give a little back to you.
By far, the most common smack talk is offensive smack, probably because it is so simple to deliver. The unwritten rule is that certain subjects are taboo, i.e. mothers, and every league has its own rules about acceptable posts on their message board. Talking yourself up is archetypal smack talk. After all, if you want everyone else to believe your team is the best in the league you had better think so yourself. Just be careful, as this is a sure-fire way to get everyone else in the league to direct smack talk back at you. I'm a numbers guy, so I am a fan of using statistics to make a point about how my team is better than another, or Player A is worse than Player B. Numbers don't lie, so long as you only use the stats that support your case.
Most owners talk a good game on draft day, but some turn it into an art form during the season. The difference is that this smack talk is not delivered in person, but rather through the league chat or message board. Just remember that the other owners cannot see you when reading your smack talk posts and must insert their own interpretation of tone and inflection. Often, it is this smack talk that gets taken out of context and leads to fighting among owners, and no smack talk is worth taking your league down.
Of course, the most effective smack delivered is the kind that is backed up in the standings.