It’s that time of year again – preparing for the drafts in my fantasy football leagues. And yes, that’s leagues with an ‘s’. This fall marks my 16th season of playing fantasy football and for the last six years, I’ve played in two different leagues.
In recent years, by the end of the season, I’m usually convinced that I won’t participate the following year – that it’s too time-consuming or too stressful. But then late August rolls around and I’m lured back by that old familiar siren song.
I’ve no idea how many years my husband has participated, but I know that he did for many years prior to our union. It’s amazing how into sports one gets when their partner is a huge sports fan. One April during our courtship many years ago, I watched the entire three-day NFL draft with him, never once complaining. In fact, I got so into it I even suggested that we needed spreadsheets and should consider that for the following year’s draft. He’s said many times since, that that weekend was when he knew I was “the one.”
The NFL draft became a ritual for us, something that we put on our calendars and planned our schedules around. For many years, the ritual also included me preparing a nice dinner to enjoy prior, although that has kind of fallen by the wayside in recent years with us opting to just “graze” instead, usually on cheese and crackers, or pretzels, or nachos or sausage wraps that Hubby has prepared.
Fantasy football was something he had enjoyed for years, although I was not familiar with it at all prior to becoming involved with him. As time passed, however, it wasn’t unusual to find me hanging over his shoulder, eyeing the computer screen as he made moves on his roster, with the plays and resulting points being documented before our eyes. Over time, I became so into it that I would often suggest players to play or bench and maybe even question him regarding his choices and strategy.
While he was thrilled with my interest, I think he finally reached the point of frustration with my incessant suggestions one day when he said, “I think next year we’ll create your own team for you.” Cool. Sounded good to me.
That following year, because I wasn’t truly familiar with the players or their strengths and weaknesses, I opted to auto-draft. And it actually worked out well. The year was 2009 and my auto-draft resulted in a pretty decent roster. I ended up with Donavan McNabb and Kurt Warner for quarterbacks; Steven Jackson, Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts for running backs; Devin Hester, Vincent Jackson, Larry Fitzgerald and Hines Ward for wide receivers; Greg Olsen and Marcedes Lewis for tight ends; and Nate Kaeding and Matt Prater for kickers.
I truly don’t remember where I fell in the rankings at the close of that first season. I do know that I had a blast, really enjoyed it and could barely wait for the next year to roll around.
That first year was the last time I auto-drafted. Every year since, I’ve studied, done my homework, read the works of Fantasy Football Guru Matthew Berry as if my life depended on it and made my own picks – good and bad – during the draft.
I’ve had successful seasons, as well as seasons that just plain sucked. And I’ve even been the league champion a few times. I had thought I wouldn’t participate this year, but when commitment time rolled around, I was like “Heck yea, I’m in.”
Our respective drafts have been scheduled and are on the calendar. One is at 5 p.m. today (Sunday) and the other is slated for 7:45 p.m. on Sept. 3. The fantasy football drafts are always a lot of fun and there’s never a shortage of smack talk. I’m already studying the rankings and the depth charts and will probably participate in a mock draft or two or three, just to see if the people’s choices coincide with the rankings.
Okay, so I’m hooked. And by the way, don’t even think of trying to reach me tonight or on the evening of Sept. 3. I’ll be otherwise engaged, drafting my teams.
