Fantasy Football. Help me understand it.

Unlike what my portly blogger friend told you, I don’t feel like I’m better than people who play fantasy football, and I don’t feel like it’s below me.

I just don’t get the fascination.  I mean it.  Everyone I know, damn near everyone I know, follows/plays fantasy football like it is their job/career/life.  Shit, even FX is putting a show together that is wholly based around the concept of guys playing fantasy football.  Part of the Sunday Ticket package is to follow “your players’” statistics. It’s literally, I’d say, as big as the game itself now.

That’s fine, I don’t have a problem with it.  It doesn’t get in the way of my watching football, and it usually leads to some pretty entertaining (yet petty) arguments among my friends that I get to watch from the stands.  However, I just don’t see the appeal.  In my mind, and I swear to God, I don’t mean this in a demeaning way, it’s like Dungeons and Dragons.  A bunch of guys create a fantasy scenario where they "own people” and based on stats of events outside of one’s direct control, the game is played out.

Being so disconnected from fantasy sports, I really have some questions that I’d like answered.  Again, this isn’t to demean anyone who plays fantasy football (everyone), this is really just for me to try and understand why it’s so popular.

Brooks over at SBB has put something similar up, so I’m just going to borrow his questionnaire.

• Why do you play fantasy sports?
• To keep up with my favorite players
• To stay close with distant friends
• To make money
• Everyone else does it
• Other
• How has fantasy football affected your relationship with your significant other?
• No change
• Helped
• Damaged
• Not applicable
• How has fantasy sports affected your relationship with your favorite teams?
• Added to my love for my favorite team
• Diminished my love for my favorite team
• No change
• I’m a bandwagon fan, so it doesn’t matter
• Has fantasy football been good for the NFL?
• Yes, it has increased interest
• No, it’s just perverted fan allegiances
• No change
• Fantasy football _____
• is here to stay, so you might as well get on board
• is a fad, and isn’t going to last forever
• isn’t for everyone

Unlike what you might normally think I’d do, I’m not looking to shit on fantasy football because it’s popular…like I do with Twitter and music.   I agree with Brooks in that I think it’s gotten big not because of people, but because the media embraced it…like betting lines or anal.

By the way, just answer the questions or share a quick comment or two, don’t write a fucking essay response like I’ve asked you about you thoughts on the political climate of the United States. (Yes, Bear, I’m looking at your long winded ass)

the 2nd turnbuckle

As we here at the Big and the Brown love all things sports, fake or real, we know that we don't have all the knowledge of some of our peers. We gladly move aside when someone who is an expert in a certain field wants to put his/her two cents in. With that said, here is what should be a "weekly" post about wrestling from our wrestling guru.

I admit I did not watch 'Mania.

I'm ok with that because it didn't turn out as I expected, at least as whole.

I didn't watch much of March's other big event. The NCAA basketball tournament.

I'm ok with that, too. I usually don't watch it.

I figured if I put both halves together I might have something. Kind of like a Mavs game.

I am making my all-sports entertainment based basketball team.

I am attempting to fill out a full 12 man roster. I will be, as Joe Namath might say "struguhling" to fill it out. Karl Malone and Dennis Rodman are not allowed since they had time in "Nooba" as Saleh might say in "The Air Up there".

C-Paul "Big Show" Wight. He did play some college hoops, mostly in D2, before the dreaded knee injury. Could you imagine him backing someone down. I mean anyone, Shaq at his biggest wouldn't be able to hold him.

F-Mark "Undertake" Callaway. He's quick on his feet. He can walk on the top rope so he's got pretty good footwork. Hit him down low and he could throw it down with some authority.

F-Kevin "Diesel, Big Sexy, Oz" Nash. Another big man with college experience. At Tennesse of all places.

G-Shelton "The Gold Standard" Benjamin. He's Black (Norm voice). He's also a tremendous athlete. I see him driving to the basket and producing a lot of offense. He's a very move-forward type of guy so I don't know that his defense would match up well, but his offense would keep him on court

G-Stevie "Who's this guy" Richards. He almost had something with Al Snow and the Job Squad. He's "still hangin' around as many people know" just not in Dallas(anyone? anyone?). I see him as the teams distributor. Much like he was in the ring he'd be unselfish and do what was best for the show. He'd probably be up there with another Stevie in the Association.

Bench:

Kenny Dysktra-Pure Athlete, lots of potential. Give him a few years. Anytime the 'Taker is struggling fans will want to see Kenny on the floor.

Kane-Another force down low. He'd have no problem bumping around and getting rough. He also looks kind like white Barkley without eyebrows.

Brian Kendrick- This little guy has a lot of heart. The WWE really wants you to adopt him and take him home. He's so little and likable. I like him in hoops enough to put him on the bench, but not be a starter.

Norman Smiley- He looks like basketball. Or at least the '83 3A state champs coach. Think of him as the bizzaro AC Green. Mustache-Check, Generic black guy haircut-Check, Abstinence-wait a second.

Still-Alive Eddie Guerrero- Because he worked hard and people thought he was a dirty player and his name is also Eddie. He's this clubs Eddie Najera.

Koko B. Ware- He might be Vinnie "The Microwave" Johnson's long lost brother. I'd have him on the roster just to pay him so he can go and buy a real parrot.

Rey Mysterio, Jr.- J.J. Barrea with a mask. Also sitting at the end cursing the coach under his breath in espanol.

You're welcome. Glad I could help put off something for 8 more minutes