Fantasy Football

When you work in an office dominated by women the water cooler talk is usually not about subjects I find very interesting. It’s not unusual for me to walk down the hallway and listen to conversations about babies, shoes, pocketbooks and celebrity gossip. Tuesday I walked into one of those discussions and proclaimed….”its time to talk fantasy.” The responses I received were not what I was looking for as I was seeking advice on whether I should take Larry Johnson or Joseph Addai with the 4th pick. What am I talking about?

It’s the time of year when us guys like to get together and play a game called Fantasy Football which many women I’m sure think is silly, juvenile and takes up way too much of our time. They are right but it’s also a lot of fun and allows for some much-needed male bonding. Simply put Fantasy Football is where you own a team of real NFL players and you get points based on how they perform each week. It’s become so popular that TV coverage of the NFL includes constant updates on how players are doing
because they know viewers are seeking the information.

Tuesday night the 12-team Luch Football League held its annual draft with about two dozen of us getting together for three plus hours and trading insults and occasionally compliments. Our league has been together for a long time and features a diverse group of teachers, coaches, professionals and retirees including our beloved Commissioner Ed “Luch” Sarluca who receives far too much criticism from my rival players.

We take turns picking players and when the evening is over have a team that hopefully will make our football weekends more enjoyable. Of course most of us left the draft thinking we did real well because we want to believe we know more than the other guys…that’s a male thing when it comes to sports.

Many of you don’t really understand this whole concept because when you play Fantasy Football you end up rooting for players who are not on teams you like very much. That’s why I don’t pick players like Terrell Owens….I just can’t bring myself to cheering for them.

So let the season of fantasy begin. Ladies you can have Brad Pitt…I have Joseph Addai and the Colts running back will lead me to the Promised Land.