I just realized something — if I were playing fantasy football, the season would be coming to an end soon.
With the NFL in Week 13, many fantasy leagues will be coming to a halt soon — at least the regular season. Playoffs will be happening soon in these fantasy leagues, with all the excitement building to who will win it all.
<Yawn!>
Based partially on finances and partially on the reality that fantasy football has lost its zest, I stepped away this year from a fantasy league that I was a co-commissioner in. It’s a league I wanted to do more than a decade ago. I wanted to experience an auction draft and see what it was like. Another person jumped in with me and the Beer is Beautiful League was created.
Over the course of the years, we only lost or added a few times. For the most part, the league remained the same group of people. The draft was usually interesting and there were patterns that were often followed.
- The same owners would draft fast or slow
- The same owners would get nasty toward others
- The same owners thought their team was always the best
- The same phrases were usually tossed out
- I would always get Peyton Manning, and sometimes overpay
With Manning no longer on the Colts, this season seemed like the perfect time to step away. In all honestly, I had started to get bored with it a few years ago. The season dragged on. I hated making moves. Trades never seemed to work in my favor and I hated trying to beat people to free agents.
I had lost all interest.
And I just couldn’t stay away from Manning. Being he was my favorite player on my favorite team, it was hard to not overpay for him. Unfortunately, it often hampered my ability to make other moves because I’d spend so much on Manning.
Now, to be fair, the league was set up where quarterbacks could earn a ton of points. Still, you needed a good running back and receiver.
During the reign, I did win the league one time. I’m glad I experienced that because it would have stunk to not win it at least once.
That being said, I don’t miss it.
Not one bit.
I’ve been able to watch football this year in a different way. I’m not worrying about statistics or a called-back score or someone dropping a guaranteed touchdown. Missed field goals don’t bother me and a fumble won’t end my week.
I actually enjoy sitting down and watching a game again. And I’ve watched more college football this year, too, without worrying about what those kids might be like when they hit the pros.
The other good things is on any given Sunday, I might not watch a minute of football. And I don’t have to worry about checking statistics and such. I just see the scores of games and move one.
In that regard, it’s so nice.
Like many things in life, all good things come to an end. I had left the possibility that I’d return in a year or so, once I was employed and could afford to get back in it.
Nope.
This year has made me realize how much I enjoy not playing fantasy football.
I won’t say I’ll never play it again. Who knows. But I can say this — I don’t foresee me doing it again. I have no plans on playing this game again. It was fun while it lasted, but I’m over it now.
Still hearing people talk about where they are in fantasy leagues or the players who haven’t worked out and all the other little nuances makes me even happier about this choice.
It’s a funny thing when you take something out of your life that you thought was not replaceable — and then realize it is.
And it’s also nice knowing I won’t have to worry about ponying up a few extra bucks for free agents and stressing out about players million-dollar player performing so I can win a few extra measly dollars.
This choice was right for me, that’t for sure. I’ve definitely enjoyed life without fantasy football enough to know it was the correct decision.
The big picture also made me realize how right this was — my life right now is too real for me to worry about anything fantasy.
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