Are You Ready For Some Football?!?!

Fantasy football that is.

Yahoo! had 4 million people playing fantasy football on its website in 2009. That’s crazy! According to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association, it’s estimated that 27 million Americans play fantasy sports. That’s right, I said 27 MILLION!

I’m one of those 27 million people playing fantasy sports, are you?

The Draft

I started playing fantasy football in 2010. I had absolutely NO IDEA what I was doing but I wanted to see what all of the hype was about. I had my boyfriend set up a draft online where I would be playing with random strangers (and himself). I had him help me the entire draft! If it was up to me, I would have drafted a quarterback first. (Which I found out is bad).

I can’t believe how many people go out and buy magazines that tell them who to draft. People do research online and read article after article on who to draft.  And the draft parties that go on are insane!! I went to my boyfriends draft that lasted three hours! Are people really that serious about fantasy football?

My First Fantasy Football Experience

I named my team Believeland and tried to figure out fantasy football. I started out on a pretty terrible losing streak. I wanted to prove that I wasn’t a stupid girl who didn’t know sports but I wasn’t off to a good start. I lost at least four games in a row. Everyone was probably sitting behind their computer screens laughing when they would play me. They probably thought it would be an easy win and for many weeks it was.

If I remember correctly, after I lost my first week I said I was giving up on fantasy football. Despite my words, I stuck with it through thick and thin. I dropped players and picked new ones up to get the whole fantasy football experience. About halfway through the season Tony Romo (my fantasy quarterback) broke his collarbone. I thought life was over but I was already sucking.

Somehow, I went through three quarterbacks and started winning my games. I was moving up the rankings list. I was taking people out one by one. Before I knew it, I was playing for the championship!

Believe it or not, I WON!!! (I beat my boyfriend which was my main goal!)

Proof that my team, Believeland, won my fantasy football league!

My PeRspective

I’m trying out fantasy football again this year. I drafted my players all by myself. (I payed attention during my boyfriends three hour draft). And I’m proud to say I made good decisions that my boyfriend even agreed with and made for his own money league team

I’m not sure I could be in a competitive league though, or play for money. It’s all too serious for me.

I love what fantasy football does. It brings people together for some friendly competition. It makes people turn on their televisions to watch numerous football games. (Which helps advertisers by more people seeing their product). I know I watch more games now than I ever did before. I also love the reactions players give on social media sites like Twitter. Some tell Twitter followers to draft them and others ask how many fantasy points they got in someones league. It’s all in good fun.

I’ll see how my 2011 fantasy football season goes and maybe I’ll consider 2012.

On a completely different note: GO BROWNS!