> SOUTHERN INDIANA — Last week was the start of the high school football season in this part of the world. I haven’t been to a game in person since my son graduated high school back in 2008. Before he was a member of the Charlestown football team I had seen only a handful of games since I graduated from high school myself. I still followed the box scores each week and was excited when my alma mater the New Albany Bulldogs won.

I started to follow my high school’s football team a little closer when one of my classmates was named head coach before last season. Charlie Fields started off his second season as head coach of the Bulldogs with a big win over the Providence Pioneers last week. I hope they continue to have a successful season and I look forward to following them a little more closely than I have for the past several years.

What makes this year different than other years? Knowing someone that is involved with the team gives people the chance to feel like they are involved. When you feel like you are involved you feel like you are vested in the outcome. It gives you the feeling of belonging to a group without a whole lot of work on your part. It is similar to the feeling that people get from playing fantasy football.

Fantasy football, for those who haven’t had the pleasure, is where a group of people get together and form their own “league.” Then the league has a draft whereas they pick players from around the NFL to form their own teams.  Then when the NFL season begins, each week your players earn points for certain accomplishments on the field. You are awarded points based on the results of the active players on your roster. Each week you go head to head with another team in your league and the team with the most points at the end of the week wins that game.  

Each league sets their own rules on points, but most of the rules are pretty straight forward. Quarterbacks get points for passing yardage and touchdown passes, running backs get points for rushing yards and touchdown runs, kickers get points for field goals and extra points and defenses get points based on points allowed, fumbles recovered and interceptions.   

One of the side effects of the proliferation of fantasy football is people are now interested in the outcomes of some games that in past years may have not gotten any attention. On more than one occasion last year I found myself watching a Monday Night Football game of two teams I wasn’t really that interested in because I had a player on one of the teams and my weekly game was hanging in the balance.

In past years I would just follow a couple of my favorite teams. Now, as a fantasy football “head coach,” I can enjoy the accomplishments of other players throughout the league. This can also cause problems for someone who plays with their heart instead of their head. Some people try to draft players that they hope will do well instead of proven talent that may play for other teams. A fan of the Indianapolis Colts would never under any circumstances draft Tom Brady as their quarterback even though he always puts up great numbers.

Last year I was playing with my heart when I drafted Peyton Manning as my quarterback. Most years this would have been a pretty safe bet since Peyton had usually been one of fantasy football’s most prolific scorers. As you know Peyton had been on the mend during the off-season but was still planning on playing when I drafted him.  Just before the season was to start he had another surgery that eventually led to the end of his season and ultimately his time as an Indianapolis Colt as well as put my fantasy football season in jeopardy.

I was able to salvage a somewhat decent season last year and finish with at least a winning record. This year I have joined the same league with the same people as I played against last year and another league with another co-worker. My wife has also suggested that we get into a league with some friends of ours also.

Most people have little interest in NFL football games outside of the teams that they follow. By joining a fantasy league of your own it adds a little more excitement to your boring Sunday afternoons. A little friendly competition between friends, co-workers or even total strangers could make your life just a little more interesting.



Matthew Nash is not one of those fanatical Fantasy Football players, but you might check back after the Super Bowl. He can be reached at dmatthewnash@gmail.com.