Fantasy Football Takes Center Stage as "The League" Returns to FX This Thursday

Andre, Pete, Ruxin, Kevin and Taco return this Thursday in the show that's all about fantasy football.

Well, it's not all about fantasy football, but you get the picture.

The FX comedy wrapped their sophomore season last year to higher ratings and greater critical acclaim than they expected, so FX renewed the show.

With the NFL lockout this past summer, many people wondered how The League would handle the lack of football. However, that all went away when the players and owners reached an agreement—and thank god they did.

A season of The League with no actual league would not be good.

Every year, the group start off the season with their fantasy draft, which generally takes place at the previous year's champion's venue of choice. Pete chose Andre's loft, while Andre chose Vegas, even though Pete beat him to the suggestion.

This year, the reigning champion is the ever-so-annoying Rodney Ruxin, played to perfection by the ever-so-funny Nick Kroll. Last year saw what appeared to be an impending apocalypse when Ruxin claimed the trophy for his own.

Ruxin will no doubt customize the trophy in his own way as each previous champion has done. Andre even went as far as to put a miniature version of himself atop the trophy.

The prize, dubbed "The Shiva"—after a girl that the group went to high school with—represents the most important thing in these guys' lives.

That is, their fantasy football league.

Last year saw a few choice cameos by NFL stars, including always-in-the-public-eye Chad Ochocinco in the premiere episode.

This year promises to be even more grandiose as we have seen that Seth Rogen is guest starring as the porn-producing buddy of Raffi (Ruxin's brother-in-law) known simply as Dirty Randy.

We also got a glimpse of Ruxin doing his own version of "The Super Bowl Shuffle," called "The Shiva Bowl Shuffle."

You don't need to be a football fan to like this show, but it helps. Fans of comedy will love it, too, because it portrays something very real. That is, making fun of your friends.

Tomorrow night is the season premiere and it will no doubt be a hilarious draft as it always is.