The Five Stages of Veto Grief

[Laimbeer40]

So your trade got a veto vote...

I know this can be a very trying time in your life. You may be experiencing some feelings that are foreign to you. After all, you have spent several minutes/hours/days trying to find the perfect trade partner only to have them ripped away from you in your time of need. In order to understand what you're feeling you should probably read this helpful guide written by a real doctor.


The Five Stages of Veto Grief
Written by Dr. Trade King

Stage 1: Denial
- This stage is usually accompanied by a feeling of shock from seeing that first veto vote. The subject getting the best end of the trade will proceed to minimize the assets that they are trying to acquire. Statements such as "Player A isn't even that good" or "Player A has a terrible track record of injuries" are common in this stage. Conversely, the subject will also exaggerate the abilities of the player they are trading away with statements like "Don't look at last season, look at 2007 when he averaged 15 ppg" or "Just watch, this 7th round rookie is going to lead the league in rushing"

Stage 2: Anger
- This stage sees the subjects move away from justifying their own trade. The focus now shifts to lashing out at the people who placed the veto. Usually this is accompanied by attacking a Trade Committee member's voting history or perhaps trades that were made by the vetoing party several months/years ago. In acute cases where the subject is particularly butthurt you may also see some personal attacks. There have been a rash of these cases originating in Orange County for some unknown reason.

Stage 3: Bargaining
- This stage sees the subject getting the better end of the deal say they don't know what else they could do to make the deal pass. They will then offer to throw in one of their worst assets "if it will help". Generally they will post some LOL's and passive aggressively say they don't even care about the trade while at the same time fighting tooth and nail for it to pass.

Stage 4: Depression
- This stage sees the subject getting salty after realizing the trade is not going to pass through the trade committee. Any number of things could happen here. The most common cases see people go quiet, suggest rule changes in the future (usually to abolish the trade committee), or even post that they are putting their team up for sale. You will assuredly tell people to do their research because apparently they have not found the magical site you seem to be referencing for your trade values. Everyone is wrong but you.

Stage 5: Acceptance
- Congratulations for reaching Stage 5. It's not easy to admit your trade sucked but you have finally come to grips with it. Now get back out there and find that rebound trade partner. They may not be as pretty as the one you lost but at least maybe this one will let you trade to completion.

[pandoval172]

A+ laimbeer. Great stuff. 

The best/worst part is cringing in recognition at the parts of this that I've done myself on more than one occasion.

[Slippin_Slou]

Dr. Trade King has spoken! Love it!

[Dr. Trade King]

Trust me, I am a doctor

[VolsRaysBucs]

Everyone is a Mr. or a Mrs. before they become a doctor...