Calling all football-loving mommies! Football season is upon us, and last year I didn't partake in a fantasy football league, due to becoming a new mama. But this year, since I'm a "pro" at this whole mommy thing (LOL!), I was hoping my old coworker would be hosting one again. To my dismay, he was unable to secure enough players.
(this is my son as a newborn and his "Uncy J" got him that outfit--see they're a Redskin-loving family)
I got into fantasy football purely "by force". I've always enjoyed watching the game. Growing up during football season, my dad made sure we went to the earliest Mass on Sunday morning and that our weekly grocery trip was done in haste, to make sure we made it on time for when the 49er or Raider games were on. Even car trips became a haven for football. Tuned into the AM station, we'd all sit in the car listening to the play-by-plays. Sometimes it felt like football season lasted forever. I couldn't wait til my sister and I had control of the t.v. again. But football was meant to be a part of my life.
My husband is an AVID football fan (along with the rest of his family). He is a Redskins fan who truly bleeds burgundy and gold. He has been doing fantasy football for the past eight years. I'm talking serious fantasy football. Once a year, come mid-August, he and his bazillion college buddies go to a chosen location, usually within the U.S. (they did go to Montreal one year), and for a weekend, behave like frat boys and perform an actual football draft. Yeah, you heard me right. They do a "mock" draft of football players for their "fantasy football team". Shhh...they even hire draft girls to put the players that have been drafted on a draft board. Did I use the word 'draft' enough? The winner gets the cash, bragging rights, and the coveted, cheap-looking, engraved trophy. This is serious stuff ladies. Lots of planning goes into this yearly event. And the excitement on my husband's face is akin to a 12-year-old boy looking at a dirty mag for the first time.
And once the season is over, there is a sadness that laments in our household, until those fantasy football magazines start popping up on newsstands, and the excitement builds. I'm talking strictly about Mr. Fliz. Anyway, when I first learned of these elaborate draft weekends, I couldn't help but laugh my a$$ off. I mean, they actually spend major mula and time on this. My husband creates excel spreadsheets. You heard me, spreadsheets. And he's not alone, that's the scary thing. Many men are afflicted with this. But I shouldn't be one to judge, because fast forward a few years later, and I'm hooked.
Mr. Fliz and I had just started dating (we met at work) and we got invited to join a fantasy football league by one of our coworkers. I had a vague understanding of it at the time. Of course, not wanting to be rude, I responded, "Sure. Maybe." What? Call me noncommittal. My coworker had set a date and time for the "draft". Well, one unfortunate (or was it) afternoon, after having spent a long day at work, I went to Mr. Fliz's pad (he was my boyfriend then). I was ravenous. As I patiently waited for him to change out of his work attire, he came out with his laptop in hand. "We don't have time to check email right now. I'm super hungry. Let's eat, " I said. He responded, "Aren't you doing the draft? You said you would. It's going to start in like five minutes."
I said, "I was just being polite. I'm not really joining the league." He refused to go and eat until I did the draft. Mr. Fliz, being so conniving, and knowing that food is my weakness, promised me he'd take me anywhere I wanted to eat so long as I took 10 minutes to do the draft. What can I say? I have my weaknesses. That year, I won. The rest is history.
So began my love affair with fantasy football. I became addicted. It's also helped that I've won twice since my first time five years ago. During that time, I've learned a lot about football and the players. I even got into reading The Sports Guy, and am a huge fan of "Hard Knocks". Now, I'm not a die-hard fan and paint my face when I attend Raider games or know the stats of my favorite players (sorry Jerry). But I am happy to accommodate my husband's wishes of going to church on Saturday evenings (unless the Redskins are playing), and having Sundays (though it maybe a beautiful, warm day) spent indoors watching nothing but football all day. That's what the second tv is for; so I can remove myself from the constant bombardment of hearing, "five yard penalty, first down!"
The other day, in an effort to cheer me up since I was having a rough morning with Micro, Mr. Fliz sent me this from SFGATE.com. I was cracking up reading it.
Are there other football-loving mamas out there? If so, let me know. If by next year there's still no league for me to join, I'm starting my own.
No comments:
Post a Comment