The Things That Happen When Fantasy Sports Leagues Begin

As any sports fan knows this, fantasy football is fast approaching, with fantasy hockey, basketball, and baseball as well. I've been involved in fantasy leagues before, and let me tell you, they could possibly be the most intense things I've ever been involved it. It's rarely about the actual sport, it's more about trash talk, trades, and punishing the losers. Thanks to one of my favorite television shows, The League on FXX, and The Macarthur's, Taco, Pete, Dr. Andre, Rodney Ruxin, and Shivakamini Somakandarkram, I have successfully explained the next few months for those whose significant others/friends will be involved in fantasy sports. (Also if you're in college go watch The League on Netflix!!!) (Although this is based on football, it applies to all sports drafts.)

For starters, this thought goes through your head at least six times a day. After being taken advantage of in a trade, or your best player listed as "questionable", sometimes you need to take a breather. And you will reconsider who your best friends are.

Making trades are more legally binding than an actual contract. Unless you're in coercion with another player, of course. It happens more often than you think, trust no one.

The insults you get to bestow upon your friends after you beat them. You spend more time working on insults, team names, and comebacks than you do on your actual work during the season. Most insults aren't as "PG" as this one, though.

If you lose, the punishments are always majorly embarrassing, as was the loss. But really, if you lost to all other 7-11 people in your league, can you really blame them for this?

When you look forward to your draft more than you look forward to holidays, vacations, and sleeping. It becomes a holiday to your friends. You call out of work, leave your wife and kids, and go draft with your buddies. Never, ever auto draft.

Moving on, the message board. You don't really know a person until you see what they are capable of saying in the message boards.

Friendships will be tested. If your friendship can survive a fantasy sports season, that's a friendship for life.

It gives you a chance to spend time with your friends, and create memories and traditions for years to come. If you have the best TV, you will be hosting, so be prepared for that.

Finally, when you win, everyone will know it. You won't take it gracefully even if you came in dead last, last season.

And then there's the "Taco" of every group, are you the Taco?

Good luck drafting!