Why My Fantasy Team Is My New Favorite Team
It’s that time of year again: the time of year when analytics go head-to-head with gut checks. The time of year when that one friend guarantees that the running back he drafted in Round 7 will be Top 10 by the end of the season. The time of year when, according to an interview with ESPN, a soldier in Afghanistan drafted his team with RPGs raining down all around him because it was the only place that had a decent WiFi signal. Yes, it’s fantasy football season, and that means copious amounts of wasted company time, trade collusion among significant others and weekly bragging rights sprinkled in throughout.
But, pathetic though it may be, I love fantasy football. I'm part of a league in its sixth year of existence. It’s a fourteen team, auction draft, keeper league that has shifted and evolved throughout its existence. I’m the commish for the first time this year as well, giving me another level of involvement. I, more than anybody, know how mind-numbing it is to hear someone else drone oooonnn and oooonn about their team, so I’ll spare you. Just know that I executed my draft strategy to perfection. From now on, you can refer to me as Ender (I sincerely hope you get that reference).
Fantasy is probably my favorite thing about football outside the sport itself and the direct effects of it (i.e. fan camaraderie, atmosphere, sportsmanship, etc). It takes a sport that, for fans, is inherently passive and makes it active. Obviously, I would rather go to a game and cheer on my team. But, considering who "my team" is, that often (read: always) proves impossible for an out-of-state college kid like me. So instead of sitting on the couch staring at the TV, I’m a deeply engaged spectator with a horse in every race.
I’ve been a Vikings fan my whole life – that will never change – but over the years, I’ve come to realize that I care more about my fantasy team than the Vikes. Don’t get me wrong, when Walsh shanked that 27-yarder in the playoffs, I sat on the couch for about 20 minutes staring in disbelief. It sucked. It was an extreme insult to injury after this happened. But seriously, I don’t follow the Vikings as much as I follow my fantasy team. When I choose an NFL game to watch on Sunday afternoons, I’d sooner pick the game with my QB1 in it than the Vikings.
Fantasy adds another level of participation in the game, in my mind. From a fantasy player's perspective, virtually every game is important. I can turn on the TV at any point on Sunday, Monday or Thursday and watch either someone for my team or someone from my opponent’s team. This means that I’m automatically invested in one team for those three hours. It simply makes the season more interesting.
Before fantasy, my Sundays consisted of sitting on my butt eating potato chips and flipping between channels. Monday through Saturday, I read maybe an article or two on major breaking news stories, but that’s it. Now, I’m sitting on my butt, eating potato chips, flipping between channels on Sundays and constantly monitoring stats, keeping up-to-date on all my players and any potential waiver wire pick-ups, considering and proposing trades and overseeing the league Monday through Saturday. (Much healthier, I know!) I’ve become much more involved in the sport, even if it doesn’t affect the game directly.
On top of that, Fantasy Football is fun! It’s pretty much a video game. I never played Madden, but back in the day, NBA Live ’05 had this Dynasty Mode (quick shout-out to Damon Stoudamire and the Charlotte Bobcats, back-to-back NBA champs...you already know) – I’m sure Madden had something of the same sort. That’s what Fantasy is: you’re a GM, you’re a coach, you’re Head of Personnel. You build a team to compete against your peers, and it’s even cooler because it follows real-life action! Fantasy gives me a chance to exercise strategy, implement research and bring virtual glory to my own personal team. That is why, this season, I’ll be cheering most passionately for The Stupendous Men to take home the ‘ship.