Life Lessons to be Learned in Fantasy Football
In 2015, I joined a Fantasy Football league. For anyone that knows me well, this would have probably been some extremely shocking news. Most people might have said to me, “Don’t you have enough football in your life already?” You see, my husband and son are avid football fans…of ALL football. My son played football at the time. My husband coached at the time. They’ve played Fantasy Football for years. Additionally, my husband used to occasionally play flag football with the church. They both watch…and watch…and watch…both NFL and college ball. So basically, football is a 7 day/week phenomenon at our house with all the practicing, playing, and watching. Thus, why I’ve come to despise it. I’ve often referred to myself as a football widow.
You might see then why joining a Fantasy Football league seemed counterintuitive. However, a friend somehow convinced me that it would be good for me (and my family), and for some crazy reason, I agreed with her! More or less, it’s a “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” philosophy. My choice to join them was based on wanting to be a part of something that they enjoy so much, even if it’s not an interest of mine. I hoped that I would also learn to love and enjoy it as they do (well, maybe not quite as much!). My friend promised me I would have fun, so I told her I was going to hold her to it!
Shared experiences
I also looked forward to the benefits that come from sharing experiences. According to clinical psychologist Dr. Willard Harley, recreational companionship is one of the top five needs for a man in marriage. In fact, he puts it this way, “The couple that plays together stays together.”[i]
Although I don’t necessarily agree with all of Dr. Harley’s insinuations that unmet needs are the cause of affairs, I do believe in the importance of shared or common interests and recreational companionship. Eric and I do this in other areas too. For example, we both love going to auctions and estate sales. We love being outdoors and on the water and enjoying a few other common interests together.
Now, football (or any sport for that matter) might not be my top preference, but it IS my husband’s and also my son’s. Therefore, because it’s important to them, I chose to make it important to me. Who was to say that I might not even really enjoy myself? I wouldn’t know unless I gave it a try. Don’t get me wrong though, I definitely still think there can be a ditch there. When our lives revolve around football, I think that’s really sad…and almost idolatry. For the time, though, I chose to be a part of the madness. And I figured I might as well get some good blog posts out of it as well! 😉