Fantasy Football

I am not really sure those two words should go together. I have a post brewing in the back of my head about the whole "meta" nature of so much we do now, and fantasy sports are so very meta-sports.

Really the whole fantasy sports thing is something I have had my fair share of disdain for almost as long as I have known there is such a thing. Really, now there are people who make their living supporting fantasy sports - tip lines, web sites, player guides. Isn't there something better for these people to do? But perhaps I am too harsh, or maybe specifically to harsh while generally being not harsh enough. Afterall the fantasy sports vendors are just another vendor like the t-shirt guy and the hot dog guy - oh, and don't forget the beer guy. I likely ought to be ranting about all the pomp & circumstance and MONEY in sports in general.

But that isn't what I started talking about, so I will stifle that urge for another post.

My new family, or more specifically my brother-in-law (that takes some getting used to), has had a fantasy league in a couple of sports for a while now. I begged off season after season, trying to do so without copping to the elitism that was fueling it. Finally, with the marriage and all, and with the thought of tag teaming it with the missus I agreed to take part - and lose big. Or at least that's what I thought.

So now I am the manager of The Pittsburgh Alloy in the Cut That Meat League.

After two weeks we're 2-0. I thought we had a pretty mediocre draft, but I guess most people do. Hard to get everyone you want, and really I think in this group I had it a little easier. Most of the others in the league are from Indiana, so Colts players were at a premium. I would have taken Peyton Manning had I had the chance, but really I was looking more for Pittsburgh players. Or rather, if I am to tell the truth here, I was just looking for the best player available at the time. I guess I took a few flyers on positions that really weren't being drafted yet, sacrificing attempts at more involved positions. As a result I think I got a good kicker, defense, and tight end, but didn't do as well at running back. We'll see if it works out well, truth be told I think that fantasy football is all about quarterbacks and running backs.

That puts my future in the hands of Michael Vick and on the back of Priest Holmes. So far so good, but I am not confident in the long run that Mr. Vick will hold up.

Which brings us to this weeks fantasy discovery. You really do have to pay attention to football if you don't want to make a stupid mistake. Every team, every week. In week one, somehow we won with two players we started not even playing. Dez White played, but didn't have any points. Jerome Bettis was my running back and was on the DL. So now I have to listen for news about all these players I ordinarily wouldn't care about - actually pay attention to sportscenter when its on or to the annoying sports guy on the radio. I didn't realize this would require my attention.

So now, all this week, on the top of all my other bothers and hovering somewhere above my stress noise floor of worrying about alien abduction I am wondering if Michael Vick is going to play this weekend, if Steve McNair would be a better play even if Vick is in, or if I should do some tweaking, maybe get Pennington from the Jets.

Are there people that really have time for this?

Still, it is a nice way to spice up the watching of the game. I had a real soul searching moment this week trying to decide if I am a fantasy player or a Steelers fan. I have the Steelers defense and something tells me someone that isn't a fan sits them this week. Turns out I am a fan. I hope they play well.

The old way people spiced up the game was gambling, or I should say other way. People still do their share of gambling. I guess if there are people that would have gambled to make the game more interesting playing fantasy football then in the balance of things it must be a positive.

At least until people start gambling on fantasy football.

METAmeta...

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go check the NFL Injury Report site.