Fantasy football is a way of life. Once a football fan gives in and starts playing fantasy football it will forever change their lives. Sleepless nights and restless days spent setting and resetting your lineup, looking for free agents on the waiver wire, researching stats, adding and dropping players. Oh man! What a joy it is.
This is all done while your significant other watches you pull out your hair stressing over every move made, beat yourself up for not playing the sleeper, or even celebrating a hard fought victory that means absolutely nothing to them. Do you really think fantasy football doesn’t have an effect on your relationship? I beg to differ, my friend.
I started playing fantasy football in 2011 and I have been hooked ever since. Ok… ok… hooked is an understatement. I am full blown addicted! Every year I crave the fall, not for the weather, not for the end of summer, not for the beginning of school, but the fantasy football draft! The draft marks the beginning of a hard fought, highly thought about 17 weeks of fantasy football.
That’s right 17 weeks of fantasy football,baby!! Once the draft is complete each team reviews their players, top to bottom and bottom to top. How’s my team stack up to others? Who had the best draft? Text messages sent and received, “How do you think the draft went? How’s my team looking?” If you’ve played fantasy football you know all about the excitement.
Ok, before I get too excited and continue on about fantasy football let’s talk about how amazing our significant others are for putting up with us through these 17 joyous weeks. My girlfriend and I have been together for a little over two and a half years and thankfully she supports my fantasy football addiction, but here’s some advice that I’ve learned over the last few years…
ADVICE #1: DRAFT PLAYERS FROM YOUR GIRLS TEAM!
My girlfriend is a Seahawks fan and I sucker her into fantasy talks by talking about her favorite team. She is very passionate about her Hawks and will talk about them anytime. This being the main reason as to why I always make sure to draft at least 1 to 2 Hawks players. Not only does it give me brownie points, it also gives me reason to ask for fantasy advice. Fellas this works, I’m telling you it will help your girlfriend understand fantasy better and give you something to talk about other than shoes and clothes.
ADVICE #2: TAKE HER RECOMMENDATIONS WITH A GRAIN OF SALT!
“Babe, babe, babe, who should I start this week, Emmanuel Sanders or Brandon Marshall?” Yeah we all do it, sometimes it’s too difficult to make the decision alone and any advice that can help lead a decision is good advice, even if they have no idea who you’re talking about. Besides, who better to ask than the one that loves you most, right?
Until they make that random guess of who to start and you end up losing your matchup that week. Ahh, the questions start to build, “Why did I side with her? Did she even know who that player is? Wait, is it her fault for me trusting her statistically incorrect advice?” Sweet babe, I may not make the playoffs now and it kind of… sort of… may be your fault! Just kidding, but really.
ADVICE #3: NO PLANS ON SUNDAYS!
I wake her up every Sunday morning, not with a kiss, not with breakfast plans, but instead with a tap on the shoulder and my phone in her face asking, “Who should I start today?” (remember from advice #2, follow your gut)
Sundays in the fall are strictly football days; they are the day every fantasy player looks forward to from week to week. Sundays consist of TV, couch, game day grub, fantasy football app, and a cold beer. No chores, no errands, no brunch and no distractions. Thank you for your understanding… love you babe!
ADVICE #4: SHOW THIS BLOG TO YOUR GIRLFRIEND
Do it and thank me in the fall!
By: Carsen Hopfauf