I have a confession. My girlfriend just beat me (and eight other male friends) at fantasy hockey.
Maybe I should be proud of her accomplishment and pleased that she took an interest in one of my favorite hobbies this year, but I’m not that mature. I’m a 10-year fantasy hockey veteran that has secured multiple championships, and I just lost to a (albeit very pretty) girl.
My competitiveness has blinded me to the positives of her accomplishment, and now I’m up at nights contemplating where it all went wrong.
Thanks to me, she’s been planted in front of at least 100 Rangers games since the start of our relationship. I’ve got her in agreement that Henrik Lundqvist literally cannot be beaten in the shootout, that Marian Gaborik is a lazy S.O.B., and that Brandon Dubinsky is an MVP in waiting. But in general, the depth of her current hockey knowledge is shallower than a frat guy at a happy hour.
To my delight, she agreed to participate in a league with some of my friends and teammates, provided I give her a moderate amount of help. I quickly convinced her that after my team dragged hers all over the “ice,” she’d owe me a…favor.
It didn’t turn out that way. Despite my still standing belief that I had the best team in the league, somehow it was my significant other that went on an improbable playoff run from the six-seed and won the title.
There’s only one good thing I’ve taken from this ordeal. My girlfriend’s victory will be my go to argument from now on when someone says that fantasy sports are for dorks and that casual fans shouldn’t waste their time. Anyone can play, and anyone can win.
That’s not to take anything away from my boo; as a fantasy rookie she guided her squad through the bumps and bruises of the regular season and pulled off a string of stunning upsets in the postseason that would have impressed Shaka Smart. But with just a little guidance, everyone has a chance to do the same thing.
The basic principles of fantasy sports are simple. For the preseason draft you can use any one of 6,432,019 guides on sports Web sites. Once the season starts all you want to do is add the guys whose numbers keep climbing and get rid of the ones who don’t.
Sorry to all the “experts” out there, but that’s really it. Find guys trending upward and get them on your roster while getting rid of dead weight.
Of course, it’s a little more fun when you actually know what you’re talking about. I have “my guys” that I must retain year after year, and I know which players I like and dislike in real life. My encyclopedic knowledge of NHL stats gives me an advantage, but it doesn’t always translate to victory
As my girlfriend will readily tell you, it’s pretty easy to get hooked on fantasy sports. Most red-blooded Americans are fierce competitors and no matter how nerdy they think fantasy sports are, they understand the concept of winning and losing.
If you’re a casual sports fan, or if you’re dating one and you haven’t played the biggest internet craze of the century, I highly suggest you sign up. Fantasy sports are not going away anytime soon, and you may find that mini weekly victories are quite fun to wake up to on Monday mornings.
As for me, I’m going to give serious thought to retiring from my friends and teammates league. I just don’t know if I can stomach playing with those dorks again.
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