My Fantasies Are Over!

Yesterday was the last day of the NFL regular season. There were many games including a team that fought for playoff contention. It also means that this is “Championship week” for all the fantasy football participants.

Fantasy football is on online game in which you are in a virtual NFL league. Before the season, your league has a draft in which each person picks a certain amount of players, hoping to create a good team.

Once your team is drafted, you can make player transactions such as trades or acquisitions. I always get an approval from my uncle before doing any trades! Then, when the NFL season starts, your virtual team (that consists of players from various NFL teams) will have a game against another team in your fantasy football league. These games occur weekly.

If your players perform well in real life, and record good statistics, you will have a high score in your fantasy game. Like real life, if you have won several games, the possibility of a playoff berth is high.

Now, private and public leagues are available to all participants. I prefer private leagues, because you know who your opponent is, and you are usually their friend. And, for instance, I am in a league with my friends- that enables us to negotiate trades in person!

As I mentioned previously, yesterday was “Championship week”. That means different things for everyone. For example, in my league with nine of my friends, I hoped to accomplish two things in my Championship yesterday: pride and bragging rights.

However, other people in different leagues might be playing this fantasy football Championship for money, such as my uncle, who wins money every year by winning his league.

Now, is it worth betting money on fantasy football? When you bet money on fantasy football, you’re not betting on your own skill. I mean, yes, there is strategy involved in the process of preparing a good team. Except two weeks ago, my friend hacked my ESPN account and traded all my good players to his team! Luckily, I was able to receive my players back. But believe me, it took a lot of arguing!

However, when it comes down to Sunday, all you can do is pray that your players don’t have a disappointing performance. Even worse, they can’t hear me when I scream “C’mon!”

And that is what many people did yesterday, including me, as the fantasy football season came to a close. Unfortunately someone hacked my account again! They took three people out of my lineup. Those three people had 15 points combined, and I lost the championship by exactly 14 points! UGHhhhh.

So, on Wednesday when school begins, that unidentified hacker is going to have a serious problem! And believe me, I definitely still claim those bragging rights! Anyway, I hope all fantasy football participants had a good game to cap off the year, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Cold New York, Hot Knicks

The New York Knicks have had a great season so far, with a record of 21-8 without power forward Amar’e Stoudemire. The Knicks have been led by Carmelo Anthony, who is averaging 28.5 points per game.

Despite a tough loss to the Lakers on Christmas day, the Knicks came back strong with a 99-97 win against the Suns without Carmelo. J.R. Smith dropped 27 points, and hit a fade away buzzer-beater to give the Knicks the win.

It isn’t surprising that the Knicks are playing so well, given the talent they have. However, what has made them click into a hot streak?

Could it be the absence of Stoudemire? Or is it the addition of Jason Kidd, Raymond Felton, and Marcus Camby?

Maybe a combination of both, but I can assume that most Knicks fans are not looking forward to Amar’e Stoudemire’s return. Last year, with Stoudemire, the Knicks averaged less points per game than they do now without him.

Many ESPN talk shows have discussed the possible negative effects of Stoudemire’s return, and as a Knick fan, I hope Amar’e can prove them wrong. But for now, the Knicks are one of the top teams in the NBA, and definitely a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference.

Thanks for reading my first blog! Did you think it was fresh?

I’m going to be writing about sports, including my sports, college sports, and professional sports, and will periodically mention other topics as well. Please give me suggestions and tell me what you’d like to hear about in the “comments”.