Recently I had a good friend point out the reasons that he chose not to play fantasy football. Check out the full article here: Finding Manhood
As soon as this article was written, another friend called me and asked if I had read M&M's blog and my thoughts. While I admit that fantasy football is by far not the coolest thing to do, I felt the need to explain why I play fantasy football. So here goes:
1.Camaraderie- Guys need to hang out with other guys. Typically I am not a guy that will just call up a friend just to chit chat, I need to have a reason. What better reason than to discuss last weeks fantasy football matchup which either you annihilated him or vice versa. Fantasy football is a great starting point for a conversation and a good reason to talk with friends. With that said I think there should be some guidelines for fantasy football, such as always play with people you know or have met personally. This will cut down on real trash talk when you have to see that person eye to eye.
2.It Keeps the Boring Games Interesting- I love football, my wife can attest to this. As soon as the season turns to fall I literally get giddy. There are some games that I just cannot get into. Unless you live in Jacksonville or Tampa Bay no one wants to see the Jags take on the Bucs. Its a boring matchup. Almost every week there is at least one stinker game that no one cares much about. Fantasy football gives me the opportunity to stayed tuned in somewhat to a game that I previously would have turned off. A good case and point of this would be a few years ago I drafted Marshawn Lynch. Since I grew up as a Cowboys fan I was already inclined to not like the Buffalo Bills. I started tuning into the games b/c of Lynch, but I kind of started to enjoy watching the Bills. Even if Lynch had an off game I still enjoyed watching the Bills try; they usually got beat but they always competed. To top it all off they have an awesome team name. Me and another guy named Bill could be their mascot.
3.Don't Knock it Until You've Tried it- I freely admit that fantasy football is not for everyone. I am not sure it is fair to say that you don't like it though without trying it. This would be the equivalent of me saying I don't like anchovy pizza without having ever tried the topping. Our natural predisposition is to say we don't like it b/c most all of us have heard anchovy pizza is disgusting. I had the same thought and never ordered the pizza. Recently the pizza guy delivered the wrong pizza to my house. He brought an anchovy pizza, so I ate it. I didn't like it at all, it was like drinking salt. Not tasty to me. But I tried it and so now I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that topping is not for me. Some people like anchovies though, why else would it be a topping?Fantasy football is an anchovy pizza, not all people are going to like it, but you'll never know if you do until you try it.
4. Football is a Team Sport but... Can you honestly tell me that the Vikings would be the same team without Adrian Peterson? Although this is one individual and I freely admit that no one person can do everything, there are certain individuals that a team cannot do without. Before the season even started this year the sports analysts were claiming that with Brett Favre on the Vikings squad they were a team that could be right back in the mix to be a Super Bowl contender. Without Favre the Vikes would be lucky to get to the playoffs. I agree that football is a team sport, but there are certain positions that you have to be good at. Just like real football I would much rather have Favre on my roster than Tavaris Jackson when it comes to fantasy football.
5. Fantasy Football Never Supersedes Real Football- Although some of my fantasy football brethren may argue with me on this point I think this is a major Fantasy no no. Being a Favre fan I want the Vikes to win every time they step on the football field. I don't care if the other team is chalked full of guys that are on my fantasy team. Fantasy football should always come in 2nd to real football. For me it just makes the tough losses a little less tough. As I stated before I grew up a Cowboys fan, therefore I could never wholeheartedly cheer for the Giants, Redskins, or Eagles. I drafted Desean Jackson this year. Chance are good that he will get in the end zone at some point. When this inevitably happens the first thought that will run through my head will be pure disgust followed by oh well at least I got points for that. Allegiances should never change with fantasy football
More to say on this topic coming soon....
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Surgery - 10 weeks later
8 years ago
