Send Message
Add Friend
Block UserI love fantasy sports. It's empowering in a sports world of egregious egos, bad contracts, horrible decision-makers, questionable calls and frustrating finales. No longer do I need to rely on others for my sports fulfillment or feel the need to be consoled for days after a terrible loss. I can control my own destiny. Idiotic management or coaching doesn't solely determine my happiness in the sports world.
| In fantasy, no Padres like Steve Garvey loom over you, saying "Who's your daddy?" Rick Stewart/Getty Images |
Sporting failures can slam a young fan's world. When I was 13, the Cubs lost to the Padres in five games in the playoffs after a 2-0 lead. They should have had home-field advantage in the last game. But the city wouldn't let them have lights for night games, even though they earned the right to play the last game at home. In fantasy, you earn what you get. Whoever you decide to play, that's who'll you receive. In the fair fantasy leagues, everyone is on a level field playing by the same rules, and other interests don't interfere.
I don't need to have a cheesy Rod Stewart song, "Some guys get all the luck" bite me like it did in 1984. A Leon Durham soaked glove won't determine my fantasy fate. Unfortunately, it helped shape my fortune as a Cubs fan that fateful fall. And Cubs fans still haven't gotten the breaks. But, though I'm a hard-luck Cubs fan, I, like anyone else playing fantasy, can create my own fantasy luck and get all the breaks for a title season. Wet gloves don't destroy dreams of fantasy championships.
No longer does my sporting world hinge on a general manager's whims. When the Cubs failed to sign Greg Maddux for the 1993 season because of a comparative measly few dollars based on principle, that move set them back for another decade of futility. Feeling helpless is frustrating as a fan. Though the signs were there for Maddux to be a great pitcher, other reasons clouded the decision-making. Signing soon-to-be bust Jose Guzman to a big contract to replace Maddux didn't help. He lasted just two years and was highly paid for another two years. I guess a "true" fan would follow blindly, say the Cubs didn't know any better and leave it at that. Hope isn't reality when bird brains are running the show.
| Fantasy owners, unlike fans, won't find themselves at the mercy of a bust without their say. John Ferry / Getty Images |
In fantasy, though, I can make decisions on who I want on my team. When the Bears traded their No. 1 draft pick in 1997 for Rick Mirer, the Bears were the laughing stock among insiders. That's the equivalent of trading Anthony Wright for a No. 1 pick in today's fantasy world. What smart fantasy owner would do that? Of course, Mirer was released by the Bears after one season. What knowledgeable fan would draft future busts like Rashaan Salaam, Curtis Enis and Cade McCown as their No. 1 picks? As a fantasy player, you run your own organization, deciding which players will give you the best chance to win.
When your "real" team does win a championship or wins consistently, you can appreciate the many sound decisions and great players who came together to help win a title. For me, that occurred with the '85 Bears and the '90s Bulls. It was fun watching the team develop into championship quality after enduring tough losses and learning from them. However, in fantasy, you don't need to wait for that "magic" to occur and hope the decision-makers in the organization know what they're doing. You can create your own magic in any fantasy season by using your wit and knowledge of sports. You can make the solid choices that lead to a title. Someone else doesn't determine your happiness in the world of sports. You don't need to be bitter or jaded. You can create your own team!
And if your favorite "real team" wins, then you can enjoy their ride as a fan. If your fantasy team wins, then you receive the immense satisfaction that you helped create it. And that's not a bad deal at all. You can be one of the lucky guys.