I’m Retiring

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Not from blogging!  Yeesh, that would be a really short career!

No, I’m retiring from Fantasy Sports.

Here is the letter I just submitted:

Dear Fantasy Sports,

It has been no secret that our relationship has been somewhat rocky of the past few years.

Do you remember those years, where I played football, baseball, basketball (college and pro), hockey, golf and even NASCAR??  We had some great times, didn’t we?

You gave me the greatest hobby a high school/college/young professional kid could ever have: you allowed me to follow sports closer than I already did!  I don’t think I can ever thank you enough for the enjoyment you brought me.

I look back fondly on late nights of live-drafts with friends, debating over two players who would be PERFECT for my bench, comparing their previous season, but ultimately deciding on who had the better bye week.

I look back fondly on the days where I would follow 14 MLB games every night, just to make sure my 4th relief pitcher had a low WHIP.

I look back fondly over the hockey drafts where I literally knew 10 players in the entire league.  Now, because of you, I think I know 25.  Because of you, I enjoy hockey THAT much more.

My fondest memory, of course, was when a young Daunte Culpepper (right) led my team to the Columbia Fantasy Football League points championship.  Everyone laughed at me when I took Culpepper in the first round, and he was the best performer in the league that year.  Suck it, fellas.

Oh, we had some battles over the years.

Yao Ming and Richie Sexon never repaid my loyalty.  And I will NEVER forget that.  Ever.

There were so many weeks where I scored the 2nd-most points in the league…and lost to the highest scorer.

So many gambles never paid off.  And bad drafting position rendered the season moot.

Over the years, I pared down the schedule, focusing on a few sports and a few leagues.  As I got older, setting a fantasy sports lineup moved lower and lower down my list of priorities, until this year, the desire has just vanished.

I never thought I would say this, but, Fantasy Sports, I don’t love you anymore.  And if I don’t love you, I can’t put the time in to follow every team in every league, dissect box scores and statpacks, and actually root for players opposing my favorite (real life) teams.

So, it is with nearly 15 years of happy memories, a few electronic trophies in my Yahoo! Sports case and a tinge of sadness, that I submit my retirement from Fantasy Sports.

I’m moving on to other challenges and amusements in my life.

Will I ever return?  Never say never, but you won’t be seeing me anytime soon.

I wish you all the best in your future endeavors,

Mike

P.S.  NCAA Basketball Tournament Pools are NOT considered Fantasy Sports.  For the record.