League brings excitement to Sunday morning games

Sept. 23, 2004
By Tim Musachio
Staff Writer

Imagine having Peyton Manning, Priest Holmes and Randy Moss all on your team. Picture a football team with nothing but All-Pro players. Sound impossible? Welcome to the world of fantasy football.

Fantasy football is a sports fan’s dream allowing you to create your very own team with players in the NFL. Fantasy sports have taken over sports entertainment. According to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association there are over 15 million fantasy players in the United States, a number which is growing rapidly. There are swarms of leagues on-line and in Las Vegas.

Even leagues here at St. Ambrose are popping up. SAU student Ryan Dillon runs his own league on campus.

“It’s just for fun. It gives us more of a reason to watch the games on Sunday and Monday night,” said Dillon.

There are many different rules for various leagues. But Dillon has his own way of running the league. His consists of ten coaches who are divided into two divisions.

Before the season started all of the coaches got together and held a 15 round draft. Players chose from running backs, quarterbacks, wide receivers, tight ends and kickers. One team defense is also selected in the draft.

A team must have a starting lineup of seven players and a defense before the first game of the week kicks off. Teams are required to start a quarterback, tight end, kicker, two running backs and two wide receivers.

Points are given based on each offensive player’s performance for that week. These points are based on yards, touchdowns, field goals and extra points.

Points are awarded differently for defense. Sacks, interceptions and touchdowns given up determine the scoring.

Each week teams go head-to-head to battle it out. The team that scores the most points wins. Margin of victory doesn’t carry over to the next week. Teams start fresh each new week, and a running tally of wins to losses is kept.

At the end of week 13 the fan tasy playoffs begin. The teams with the best record in each division get a bye week. Head to head records and division records are the tie breakers to make the playoffs.

Unlike most on-line fantasy leagues which compile all your stats for you, Dillon accumulates all the points himself. Taking up to an hour per week Dillon doesn’t mind the work.
“It doesn’t take that much time,” Dillon said. “It keeps me up to date on all the stats around the league. I think it gives me a bit of an advantage.”

League player John McKenna is just one of the many who enjoy playing fantasy football.
“I’m very satisfied with the way the league is run,” McKenna said. “It is just for fun but it can get pretty competitive among friends.”

Fantasy football has become so popular in the last decade and shows no signs of declining.
ESPN reports that Fantasy Football may become a professional sport in the years to come. Whether that happens or not, sports fans will continue to play for the excitement and competition.

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