So listen .... now that we don't work, there is still this tremendously overwhelming urge to control something. Here's an idea ..... FANTASY FOOTBALL! Yep, it's the solution to one of our retirement delimas, something to do that makes us feel useful and in charge. For those of you who are not totally familiar with this multi billion dollar enterprise, that's right I said billion .... I'll try to summarize so you get the idea of the origin and beginnings of .... ' FANTASY FOOTBALL'. As far back as 1984 .... hey wasn't that the same year George Orwell wrote about? ..... Kind of funny when you think about it, 'Big Brother' .... watching and all, but I stray from my story. It seems that one day these absolutely fanatical fans came to a conclusion, that because their teams were so bad, they weren't going to be able to maintain their intrest for an entire season, especially if the team they cheered for was eliminated from Super Bowl contention in the first month. Hence, they came up with this solution. What if they could use the best players in the league from all the team's, and compete against each other .... 'for fun and bragging right's' .... This would keep them interested in every NFL game's outcome. They would track the statistics and see how the weekly games affected their newly formed Fantasy Team's. Now mind you .... only Quartebacks, Running Backs, Wide Recievers, Kickers, and Team Defenses would make up these Fantasy Teams. Each teams owner would choose their starting roster, to include .... a Quarterback, Running back, Two Wide Receivers, a Kicker, and a Team Defense. Then they assigned point values using statistics from weekend games, and hence create a competition. There it was, the perfect armchair FOOTBALL league, a league where fanatically frustrated fans could manage a team the way they thought it should be. It was brilliant .... a way to stay relevant in a world of irrealencecy. The next step was really the genius of the new plan. They would get together just like the real NFL and draft players from all the team's. They would determine a draft order by a blind draw, and then proceeded to draft two quarterbacks, two running backs, four wide receivers, two kickers, and a team defense. Oh, and one more thing, names, yeah they needed team names .... that's when the fun really started. They chose team names that identified with what was going on in the world at the time. Some of these names were out there, and the further out, the better. A couple early examples .... "Imelda Shoes" .... "The California Rasins" .... and how about this one .... "The Wee Wee Rubber Sheets"! Yep, they were having fun, probably never thinking thirty three years later that this crazy idea would be played around the world for fun .... and BIG MONEY. That's right .... kick off weekend this year, one company .... 'Draft Kings' .... is offering a billion dollars if you can draft the perfect team through the first weekends games. Crazy! .... but true.
Okay, now maybe you can see where I'm going with this idea. Let's say you're feeling a little out of the loop, not having a purpose, needing to get that control element back in your life that you enjoyed when you were working. This is it! Your the boss again .... in control .... making decisions .... heck maybe you could even make a few bucks, if you end up playing in a MONEY league. But think of it, something to look forward to every weekend .... and during the week determine how you can improve your team, by trading players or picking someone off the waiver wire. You have so many option available, and you can choose what leagues to join. There are local leagues or leagues from many locations from any where in the world. Heck you could join multiple leagues, surely that will fill some of those retirement hours, and you won't even have to get off the couch. One thing though, you are going to need to know a little about computers and programs that these leagues now use to keep track of statistics instantly. That is one area that has changed since the creation of 'Fantasy Football' thirty some years ago. Back then points were compiled manually using the Monday morning sports pages. Today, using a phone, tablet, or computer, you are kept up to date as the action takes place during any game. You know .... I'm guessing that the popularity of the NFL can be attributed to many things, but probably none more so than FANTASY FOOTBALL.
I leave you with this final thought .... if you are feeling left out, bored, displaced, or just wanting something to do, check this out. It maybe the answer you've been looking for .... That chance to take control of something again and be the .... BIG BOSS!
No comments:
Post a Comment