Fantasy Football Time!

But not the kind you’re probably thinking of. I just joined a fantasy football game that someone at work organized. But he’s from the UK. So football = soccer. And this is only the biggest game in the world, hands down (the World Cup in case you missed that, which only happens every four years). I just finished picking my team. I’ve got Gianluigi Buffon from Italy guarding the goal and well, honestly, I don’t know the rest. The only football player I know is David Beckham and I know enough to know he’s out of any serious playing – torn ligament or something. I started just randomly picking names but there were so many countries and players to choose from that I realized my odds weren’t that good. So I spent 5 minutes of quick googling and feel like I’ve got a half way decent team. It’s the best combination: a little research by someone who has no clue about the subject = the surprise victory. You’re close enough to catch those left field curve balls (to throw in an American sports double metaphor).

I’ve done work related sports pools before but usually the other kind of football – where they throw the ball (sometimes, depending on the game). The first job out of college I came in part way into the football pool and did decent, but didn’t really ever win – always came close. So the next year, Ben and I, who both did well but never won, restructured the pool so that there was a running tally of your score from each week. I won the next two years in a row. Who knows how long the streak would have been as I went back to grad school the following year. Granted I had my brother help me in the team selection and point allocation, but looking back it all – way to work the system. If the system isn’t working for you – change it. I make a killing. Instead of walking away with $15 a week which most folk used to buy the office bagels, I walked away with $200 at the end of the season (minus the cut for bagels).

This is structured differently, first off no money to play and you pick your players, not just the winning team. You can make up to 30 trades during the World Cup which is interesting and good to know you don’t get stuck with an injured player. It’s something to look forward to and be a part of such a global event. It reminds me of the match in 2002. I was just starting grad school (again) in Michigan and was subletting an apartment that summer, waiting to move into my new house I just bought. My roommates were these 2 (or 3, I was never sure) French guys and they were crazy into the World Cup watching it at 3 or 4 in the morning (it was in Korea). The energy was wonderful. And it was funny hearing them complain how tired they were, but not from late nights in the lab working but from staying up to watch the games.

Well, as the countdown states on the World Fantasy Football page, only 29 days, 20 hours and 45 minutes and 12 seconds until kickoff!!!