Fantasy Football: No Longer a League of Their Own

Feb 2, 2011 by ShanteHaymore

Until recently I thought that Fantasy Football (FF) was a past time mainly enjoyed by men and their friends.  The assumption is that if you are really into football, what would be more fun than having your own “team” and competing against other teams for the duration of the NFL season?  I thought that Fantasy Football would be hard to play, difficult to follow, and overwhelmingly time consuming.  But that doesn’t have to be the case.  FF is played and maintained through online sites whose goal is to provide analysis, tips, rankings, news and for the FF online community.  There are different types of leagues that vary by rules, entry fees, and scoring methods.

 For the premiere episode of Sports.Peace.Love. (formerly known as Te’s Sports Chat (TSChat), I researched the topic of Fantasy Football leagues and stumbled upon a gold mine, Girls Guide to Fantasy Football .  A GGFF is a female run league that transforms and challenges the traditional stereotypes of FF.  Jordan Zucker, GGFF creator, takes a unique and fun approach to FF turning it into a complete sports entertainment experience with the combination of the most appealing social aspects of football and female socialization.  As an actress and comedian, she integrates humor and personality with her passion for cooking and entertaining in her weekly blog, Facebook page, and YouTube account.  She creates weekly menus that are comically themed for each Monday Night Football matchup.  Jordan also posts detailed weekly roundup videos that provide tips for upcoming match-ups and proves that FF is no longer a man’s game.  She is taking the Fantasy Football game to the next level and she is bringing the ladies with her! 

Fantasy Football participants Jordan, Mike McCabe, and Michele Rauter shared their perspectives on FF.  Here are three reasons of why women should play Fantasy Football:  Get Flirty, Easy, and Fun!  

1. Flirty Fantasy Football: It is hard enough to meet guys and spend quality time with your significant other, especially during football season, but all 3 of my guests agreed that joining a FF league is a great way women can create a common interest and meet guys in a social setting.  You can learn more about the sport you will be able to follow along when he’s watching the game instead of being bored or annoyed.  Even if you don’t really care about FF but have a mate that does, acknowledging his FF hobby can bring you two closer together and add a new dimension to the relationship.  I can’t promise what will happen when you beat him at his own game though.  Just make sure you have a wager on the line that can benefit you both

 2.  You can do it! So you may not watch Sports Center, barely know the positions, the rules and only a handful of players, but you can still play FF and do great…(or at least ok).  There are many levels of participation that you will surely find the one that suits you best.  Mike, the token guy on the show, takes his FF leagues super seriously.  He uses resources from magazines, tv, and over 10 websites to analyze his players and effectively “coach” his team.  Jordan suggests using your leagues host website as a good source of information.  And if all else fails, feel free to pick your players by rankings of hotness, cuteness of uniforms, alma maters, and who cares if you jump on a bandwagon based on pop-culture celebrity importance (reality show stars, celebrity girlfriends, endorsements, etc).  As long as it keeps you interested and engaged in your team.  According to Jordan, “…with a little practice, you can be a pro by the end of week two!”

3.  Party Time: The name of the game is F-U-N!  Football and sports are a chance to create a common bond with others and have fun.  This is where the use of Jordan’s unique food and drink recipes comes into play.  Some of the recipes on the GGFF website are: CaraMalcolm Floyd Popcorn, Marian Barber Q Cornbread, Bluberry Blintze Young, and Mike Pimms Cup Walker.  The draft party is Jordan’s and Michele’s favorite part of each season.  A draft party, is when everyone in the league comes together and picks their teams before the start of the season.   Fantasy Football is a great way to have a team to route for, hang out with friends, meet new people and maybe win some money too. 

I’ve decided that next season I’m going play Fantasy Football.  I’m not sure how well I will do, what my strategy will be, but I’ll figure that out later.   So next fall when someone asks, “Are you ready for some football?” I’ll say, “BRING IT!”