Sunday, November 9, 2008

Welcome to the Assumption Blanket - It's just not worth it

What a week. The world has changed, and I've decided to start my blog. I'm sure all of two people will read it on a regular basis. Care. But this is the thing that prompted me to start it up: my favorite sports writer, ESPN's Bill Simmons, writes this week about how Fantasy Football might not be worth all the agony. This from the guy who lives and breathes for his "league of dorks", as his wife likes to call it. Finally, I'm vindicated in my choice not to play anymore. Of course, I have a much bigger reason, which I'll explain in the next post, but for now, his words sum it up pretty well:
My big epiphany: Really, the fantasy football season isn't fun. Winning is OK; losing is agonizing. You constantly feel awful about your choices and your bad luck; it's the only exercise that causes arguments with friends you normally never would argue with; and you spend roughly a kazillion hours managing your team for the 10 percent chance that you might win your league. There's just not a ton of upside. It's almost like smoking cigarettes -- it started out with good intentions, and it's something to do, and it can be fun in the right moments, but ultimately, there are an inordinate amount of moments when you find yourself leaning out a window in 20-degree weather to puff out a quick cig as your nose gets frostbitten, or bumming a cig from a group of horrible girls and then feeling obligated to talk to them, or waking up in the morning and coughing up your right lung. Really, it's more harm than fun. And yet, we continue to do it. And love it. This entire paragraph made me want to smoke.

There we have it: Fantasy Football - almost as fun as the cancer sticks. I can sleep better now.
Cheers,
mike d