Fantasy Football – Truly Is the Best Time of Year
A lot of things are happening in my life right now, as I’m sure that is the case with a lot of you out there. Now for me lately those things are all fun and exciting, but you will understand why here shortly. This last calendar year has been filled with great experiences and some lessons learned.
That is what life is, though.
It’s about riding the waves of every day and making the most out of it. Just know that the tough parts are the points in time you will value as they make you better. I have tried to produce articles that are straightforward and presenting some facts with some general opinions. One thing I am going to start is to be a little more enlightening to who I am. Part of that is to create writing pieces that are a little more open let you learn about me through my writings. Cleveland Sports Talk has really provided me with a great opportunity for me to find a platform to express these thoughts and feelings with you. For this, I thank you and am excited about this journey.
Why the question now is why did that thought come to fruition?
Well, it’s because I have that giddy energy inside right now that I always seem to catch around the end of summer and start of the fall season. Being from Cleveland, Ohio, a lot of good things are taking place this time of year. We have beat the heat and the temperature is starting to break. We know the leaves are on the verge of changing. Kids are excited to be starting school again. There was never a more anxious moment then starting a new school year. Most importantly here in Cleveland, it means football is BACK! The excitement runs deep from local high school, down to the boys in Columbus and finally the Browns.
Fantasy football draft season is one of the big parts that I enjoy the most. It is the epitome of what this time of year holds. To sum it up in one word “hope.” The time of year brings a lot of hope. Some hope that the winter is not a bad one. Others might hope that their high school wins the state title, or the Buckeyes make the playoffs. Or lately, we just hope the Browns can win a game. There is no greater feeling of hope though then when you are preparing and then finally draft your fantasy football team.
Usually, when you are playing fantasy football it is in a league with people you are in contact with and/or could have lifelong friendships with. This means there is a lot on the line, beyond the cash buy-in. This is your pride, reputation and a year worth of bragging rights. For the fantasy players in leagues with stakes that are even higher this maybe avoiding a punishment that will stick with you for a lifetime.
I started playing fantasy football when seriously when I was in the 8th grade. I remember at the time I had a dream to work as a sports anchor, on SportsCenter. As a kid honestly, what would be better than sitting and talking about sports for the whole day? This led me to take a journalism class and asking my best friend Matt Shannon to take it with me. He did and he had been a fantasy player so for the first time he showed me what fantasy football was and what a draft was like – I WAS HOOKED!
I am lucky enough today to be able to have leagues filled with friends from different parts of my life. I owe a lot to fantasy football because it has allowed for me to keep relationships strong with those guys as opposed to just checking in every once and a while. For those that know me well, my communication via phone is the worst. However, I am always around for a chat about (Cleveland) sports and more importantly fantasy football.
For those of you out there say it’s just a stupid game that is not even real – YOU ARE WRONG! Well sort of, kind of wrong. While the game itself may seem silly, intimidating or confusing it offers so much more than just something for extreme NFL fans. It’s that new fall feeling of hope. It’s building relationships. It’s yearlong bragging rights.
If you are not in a fantasy football league yet – go find one. Go grab or find 8-12 friends and start a league! You won’t regret it. Best of luck to all of you this Fantasy Football Season 2018!
Image: Fantasy Football
