The average male goes through his daily life juggling many relationships. There are the relationships with friends. There are professional and family relationships. There are relationships with significant others that enter and leave life. This should be the most complicated of the relationships, as feelings, actions and other variables constantly provide more explosions than a Michael Bay film and more drama than a weekly episode of One Tree Hill. However, ladies, you are not the most complicated relationship in an average male’s life. That honor resides with Fantasy Football. Fantasy Football, since its origin, has successfully pulled at the heartstrings of men at a rate unattainable to women. It has provided a brotherhood – although only through stalking certain NFL players on one’s roster – which the “man cave” would drool over. It also includes the male gender’s favorite activity, betting on things that are out of his control. I have just recently joined my first league. A very apathetic NFL fan, I entered the draft for two purposes: the aspect of competition and the desire to learn why it is so captivating. As the draft began, I learned my first lesson. One room, eight people and the anxiety on the faces around me suddenly morphed into a barbaric ritual as the draft countdown hit zero. Yelling and swearing commenced as players were selected one by one, leaving potential owners scrambling to find a suitable replacement. Friends were applauded on certain picks and harassed on others. “Why in the world would you pick Cam Newton?” You soon learn who the geniuses are – Newton is in the top five among fantasy quarterbacks. Lesson 1: Fantasy Football is a brotherhood. To this very week, my addiction grows. I constantly check my computer on Sundays, hoping for miracle performances and usually left in desperation. The week between Tuesday and Saturday is a constant repetition of checking ESPN projections, signing free agents, and proposing trades. Every day of the week promises a special slot for Fantasy Football. The endless cycle provides its share of drama as well. Rosters suffer injuries, providing the sad realization that one’s best player is out for the year. This is especially evident to the team who drafted Peyton Manning as their first-string quarterback. Underdogs overachieve and favorites underachieve, unless you have Aaron Rodgers. One can be favored by as many as thirty points, only to be left scratching their heads at the final results. Yes, that was personal experience. Thank you Ray Rice (three points) and Phillip Rivers (four points). Fantasy Football encompasses every emotion of the male gender and delivers them better than any Die Hard movie to date. Lesson 2: Fantasy Football is all the entertainment a male needs. The last lesson that Fantasy Football has taught me hits close to home. As a resident of the state of Alabama, I have never seen a use for the NFL. My perpetual bias towards college football and the Crimson Tide never allowed for it. College provides me with my first true glimpse of NFL fans. Mostly shouts of “Who Dat” or support of the Atlanta Falcons resides at the campus. Sorry Tennessee Titans, I have yet to believe you have fans. Still, I could not bear watching NFL games. Fantasy Football has changed that. Although I am still without a favorite team, I am knowledgeable of the progress of all those college players I grew up watching, and I have the opportunity to enjoy watching some good football. Lesson 3: Fantasy Football is a college fan’s saving grace.
