Fantasy Football: Here's a Tip, Get the Ladies Involved!

A number of years ago there was an episode of the "Cosby Show" that introduced to the collective public an interesting riddle.

Theo asked his dad, "a man is driving his son to school. They get into an accident and the man dies. The son is rushed to the hospital and when he arrives for emergency surgery the doctor says, 'I cant operate on this boy, HES MY SON!' How is this possible?"

Hilarity ensues and old Heathcliff completely misses the point of the riddle, which Claire rightfully points out "it's the kid's mother!"

The riddle has been used a number of times on a number of different levels, but it is meant to point out how sexist we are a society, and the role of gender inequality in popular culture (or something like that).

The reason that this comes to mind is because with fantasy football season right around the corner, I was confronted with a similar "duh" moment a number of years ago myself.

It was about a month before our yearly fantasy draft was conducted when my girlfriend Sara pulled me aside and lobbied for a place at the table.

At first I kind of laughed it off as her football knowledge was limited at best. I figured she would forget about it in a week so I just said "sure."

Little did I know that seed of apathy would sow a monster!

Not only did Sara not forget about it, but got really focused.

I had no idea what to expect, so I went over a few of the rules with her, and just focused on the broad strokes. I feared that some of my league-mates would assume this was just my clever way of getting a second shot at the money pot. I am also the commissioner of our league, so any impropriety could sully the good name of the organization.

I gave her a fantasy preview magazine and printed off the rules for her. I then gave her a little bit of a preview of what to look for and a few different types of strategies to look into using. I didn't tell her exactly what to do, but I told her what other people in the league had come up with strategy-wise.

That was all it took. Sara became obsessed with putting together her strategy and began mulling over lists of players.

On the day of our draft, she was incredibly smart to avoid drinking too much (a tip she learned from one of the magazines), and refused to share any type of insight with anyone. She was in full-blown competition mode.

Needless to say, she ended up doing incredibly well, placing in the final four, while I floundered and missed the playoffs entirely.

Regardless, she was hooked. In subsequent years, she has struggled somewhat but has not lost the fire and competitiveness that she initially unearthed.

Over the years, our league has expanded, and as a result, the number of women in our league has expanded as well. So why are women still considered a rarity in fantasy football?

First off, the myth that women are not into football is incredibly false. Some of my closest female friends are some of the biggest football fans you will ever meet. Typically, this comes from a young age and a need to bond with their father.

Face it, most of us men are not known for our communication skills, especially back in the Midwest where I hail from. On Sundays, we park ourselves in front of the tube and watch our favorite team. For a little girl that likely only sees her father for a handful of hours during the week, sitting on the couch and watching football with Dad is the best way to spend time with him.

If she actually takes a true interest in the game and makes the connection with specific players, her dad likely gave her positive re-enforcement. For my friend Katie, the connection she made when liking Brett Favre made her a favorite of her dad's.

In other cases, it was a family trip to the game that made a little girl love the sport. For my friend Emily, her family never missed a Lions game, and she still lives and dies for the team.

Regardless, in more cases than you would assume, the football seed has been planted.

The Advantages

First off, playing fantasy football together is a great way to strengthen a relationship between husband and wife (or boyfriend and girlfriend). This is a competition, and while men typically are unable to fully compete with their significant others on the sports field, in fantasy football all bets are off. Any physical advantage a man may have is neutralized in fantasy, and it truly becomes a battle of wits.

Secondly, it completely removes any type of guilt that may be in the back of a guy's mind when he instinctively commandeers the remote and puts on the game. In some cases, it also lessens the guilt that may exist for spending a lot of money on satellite subscriptions and extras that may be included. In fact, one year my girlfriend actually got disappointed when I didn't sign up for NFL Sunday Ticket.

Thirdly, if she develops a love for a particular team, you just automatically opened up the possibilities for gifts. How often have you been dreading her birthday or the holidays because of a fear of what to get her. If she becomes a big fan, the growing catalog of women's football clothing and accessories will make the gift season a lot easier. (Incidentally, you will be surprised how sexy your girlfriend will look in those Indianapolis Colts sweat pants!)

Additionally, women provide an excellent dynamic in the group. You have no idea how much they add to your draft until you have them around. You can still have your inside jokes about Artose Pinner going number one, but now you get the added benefit of having beautiful women contributing to the room.

Lastly, if your significant other brings home the pot, you can always weasel your way into getting a present or vice versa. While you are not on the same team, who can resist sharing their winnings with their significant other?

Disadvantages

Overall, the pros generally outweigh the cons with women in fantasy. But in some cases, problems have been known to arise.

If you have a hyper-competitive girlfriend and she does poorly, this may make for a long Sunday with a sore loser. There have been times when Sara was so distraught by the plight of her team, that her entire week was ruined. Of course on the flip side, if she is a sore winner, it could make for a long season for you!

Additionally, if you are not a secure man, getting spanked by your girl may leave a mark. I have known couples that have been strained due to her chiming in on his picks and second-guessing his choices. As long as you treat each other with respect, this is not a strong possibility to put any kind of undue strain on a relationship.

Bottom Line

Overall, women are becoming a welcomed addition to the fantasy football universe, and this trend will only continue. 

If you are smart, fellas, don't let them sleep on their passion and ability. Just remember how dumb you felt when you realized the answer to the riddle.

"Of course it was the woman!"