Tuesday, September 12, 2006

I am the best fantasy football player that has ever lived. I'm confident enough to say it. Of course I'd be confident enough to say it after winning every game in each of my five leagues on opening weekend. The fantasy football gods surely had to be on my side on this one.

All of this has got me thinking though... I read an article that ESPN's Bill Simmons wrote on fantasy football and about rules concerning playing in a co-ed league.

Do you think there are rules in general to fantasy football?

(edit)
Here are the top five rules that I believe that should govern fantasy football...

1. Anything that the computer or another player does not catch is fair game.
This involves all actions concerning putting players in past deadlines, picking up players from waivers, picking up free agents, etc... If the computer lets you pick up a player or change a player past deadline then so be it.

2. Any smack talk that comes out of your mouth can and will be used against you.
That's right... That guy who always opens his mouth after week one (see the above post) will ALWAYS end up eating crow by week 6. Unless his or her team is incredibly stacked, shut your mouth until around the playoffs.

3. In conjunction with #2... if you can't take it don't dish it out
If you can't handle the smack talk then you better not talk smack to other people. Just sit there, shut up, and change your players each week...

4. Don't be "that guy"
This rule extends to life as much as it does to fantasy football... In fact, this rule encompasses every other rule that was ever concieved in any other venue anywhere... You know... Don't be that guy who picks Reggie Bush in the first round. Don't be that guy who shows up to the draft unprepared. Don't be that guy who picks the guy who's on IR for the whole season. Don't be that guy who passes out at 9pm while Sunday night football is on.

In fact I think "don't be that guy" is the best advice I've ever recieved in life... Thanks Dad.

5. If you lose pay up
No one will ever want to invite you back to the league if you're this person. If you don't win, take your lumps and move on. There's always next year (or one of the other leagues you're in this year).

5 comments:

J-Delicious said...

Fantasy Football Rule #2

Don't talk to outsiders (those not in your league) about your fantasy team unless asked. It just isn't as exciting (as great as your team may be) to anyone else.

John Edwards said...

was that a shot at me??? hahaha

J-Delicious said...

No, JE, that was not a shot at you. I asked about your fantasy team by reading your post.

It is another part of being THAT GUY. This is the same guy that has to watch every game in which the players on his fantasy team are playing. Channel surfer extraordinaire. Even if his players are on opposing teams that day, he still roots for both teams. In a way is that cheapening or diluting the NFL experience?

John Edwards said...

Does he root for both teams or does he only root for the individuals on those teams. I have a friend who gets mad everytime someone on a team who isn't his player gets the ball. For example, if watching the San Diego game and LT doesn't get the ball, he's like well why didn't they hand it off to him?

In some ways I feel that fantasy football has both helped and hindered the NFL experience. Like anything, there's going to be people that take it too far (especially if they're in a gambling league). Some people feel that fantasy football is a good part of the whole NFL experience, and then there's some who think about it more than the NFL in general.

If you can be someone who plays fantasy and can enjoy themselves, then I don't think it cheapens the experience. Hell, I didn't want to be in five leagues, people just kept asking me. I think two or three is the limit for where it should stop. Any more than that and you 1. stop paying attention to some teams (don't be that guy) or it just stops being enjoybale.

J-Delicious said...

Too true. Yeah, I have friends who will get mad because the QB didn't throw to so and so. That really makes the games unbearable to watch with people like that.

I read an article last year about this time about computer nerds (dungeons and dragons folks--no offense) were all into fantasy football. If you think about it(and I may regret saying this)they are the same type of game. You look at the attributes of individuals versus their performance and base decisions off of those numbers. You have no control of the individuals. In the end you are at home alone on your computer.... gosh, they're fun!!!

It really has brought more people to the game, but in the end, is it the kind of interest the game needs? It almost encourages more me and less team.