In the "Lethal Weapon" movies, Danny Glover's character, Roger Murtaugh, is known for his catch-phrase, "I'm too old for this shit." But no one, even Murtaugh, is too old for fantasy sports.
My junior year in high school, my friends and I created a fantasy basketball league. Everyone followed their team, and because of the competitive nature, tensions grew high. We wrote angry posts and made belligerent call-outs throughout the season. Naturally, everyone joined again for a second season, and later this month, we will be commencing our fifth straight fantasy basketball season.
But why has this become such a global craze? It is not a raving sensation with just high school and college students, but also with adults. There are television shows dedicated to talking just about certain fantasy sports and fantasy junkies routinely tune in to see who is the rising player that they should add to their roster.
And if these shows that give advice to owners are not enough, there's a show on FX called "The League," which is based on five friends who are part of a fantasy football league, which basically runs every social, personal and sexual aspect of their lives. These five men are all adults who have families and "real" jobs a clear example of what I'm talking about, there is no age limit for fantasy sports.
Fantasy sports allow regular Joes to fall in love with a certain group of professional players just because we "own" them. We cheer them on every time they succeed, and curse at them when they fail. If a player on your team leaves a game because of an unknown injury, the chances of you not being able to eat that hot dog in your hand because you're worried sick are going to be pretty high.
College fantasy sports haven't been a hit because of collegiate regulations. There are also over 100 teams for every sport. But, for 10 minutes, let's say there were a collegiate fantasy draft. How would Dartmouth's football team be doing right now if you "owned" some of the players on the squad? Join me on a ride through the skill positions to figure out just how many points the Big Green has earned you so far this season.Quarterback Conner Kempe '12 Scoring 1 point every 25 passing yards, 4 points per TD, -1 per INT
Kempe has been pretty solid this season. He has accumulated over 600 yards passing and 6 touchdowns through three games. Although he has been intercepted twice, a 3:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio is not too bad.
With a total of 45 fantasy points, Kempe's performance thus far is somewhat similar to what New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning put up after three weeks. Brett Favre, although nearly 41 years old and close to retiring for the 84th time, scored 21 points for his fantasy owners after three weeks. At this point, Kempe is clearly a better quarterback.
Running Backs Nick Schwieger '12 and Dominick Pierre '14 Scoring 1 point every 10 rushing or receiving yards, 6 points per TD
After three games, Schwieger, as the every-down back, has racked up a whopping 51 fantasy points. Pierre has notched 27 points, 23 of them from the Sacred Heart game when he stepped up for a sick Schwieger and notched 110 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Schwieger's performance has been similar to any running back taken in the first round, while Pierre deserves a spot on your squad because of his potential.
Receivers Michael Reilly '12 and John Gallagher '12Scoring 1 point every 10 receiving yards, 6 points per TD
With over 230 receiving yards and three touchdowns through the first three games, Reilly is on pace to post huge numbers, la Miles Austin last year. With a total of 34 fantasy points, Reilly is someone you would definitely want on your team.
Although a tight end, Gallagher has been heavily involved in the passing game, racking up a mere 55 yards and an eye-popping three touchdowns. His activity near the goal-line has translated to 22 fantasy points. That is TE1 material.
Tomorrow, when you're walking from the tailgate at Psi U over to the game, start a game with your friends. Pick one of the players I've mentioned and track him throughout the game. Whoever picks the player with the most point, wins something like your friend's Playstation 3.
