Why I Love July, Part Two

on 08 3, 2010

We talked about training camp.  And look, training camp rules.  It’s like the unofficial official start of football season.  But there’s something else that kicks off this wonderful time of the year that’s just as important as camp.

It’s called fantasy football.

Fantasy football is the best, most interactive part of football season for any football fan that doesn’t actually play football.  It’s amazing.  What other game literally puts you right into the NFL without you leaving your house?  You sit at your computer, you thumb through your stat sheet, you win money.  You win championships.

The thing I love about fantasy football is that this is a game that allows you to participate in football season without really doing any physical activity.  You become a part of the game.  And if you are good at: you can dominate your friends and nobody can question your knowledge.  You very rarely get lucky with fantasy football—lucky enough to win the whole thing that is.

My most serious fantasy football draft is September 5th.  I’m a pretty deep player and I play in usually three or four leagues a season.  It’s the best part of football season, especially when your team loses week after week.  Your fantasy football team is always there for you to improve.  You think you can be a great GM? Prove it.  You think you are such a perfect draft strategist?  Let’s see it.  You don’t hide behind curtains in fantasy.  It’s all out there.

The thing I love most about fantasy football is the comradery.  Remember that ESPN commercial a few years ago that had those guys in the car trip and they kept saying “We’re getting the league back together.”  It’s that feeling year after year.  Your league is back and ready to have their ass kicked by their champion (you).  So don’t let me down.  Beat your friends and take their money.  It’s what it is all about.

Fantasy is so great because it’s so easy if you are good at it.  It’s also easy to spot people who are not good at it.  You can see them from a mile away.   Poor drafting strategy, hilariously bad trade offers.  My friend always tries to get away with offering ridiculous trades that include four of his backups for my #1 running back.  AKA bad fantasy player.

One thing about fantasy football that makes me laugh is that it is a game designed for hardcore football fans.  Hardcore football fans are usually cool guys.  But most of the people who play fantasy football and are really good at it are not cool guys.  They are nerds.  Like me.  They buy magazines for studying up and they read article after article.  They gather and draft.  It’s not cool.  But that’s what makes fantasy football so great.  It’s competitive for the wrong reason.  Not because it takes physical skill.  You have to be smart.  You have to understand the game in a different way than most to be the best.  ‘Cause when you are the best—it’s awesome.

Look, fantasy football drafts are approaching.  I’ve been prepping and you all should be too.  Look out for my teams on the circuit.  I don’t mess around.

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