End of the Road

         It's the end of the season and I've finished with a final record of 11-6 (11 wins, 6 losses). I am ecstatic to say that I was able to close out the year as the champion in one of my leagues. I was able to beat my uncle by a score of 148-111. As a recap of the season, I think I did really well. Starting with the draft, I was so confident in the players I picked. I knew this was a championship-contending team so I felt excited for the season. What made this year interesting however was that it was particularly abundant in player injuries. Players were getting hurt left and right. Each week a star player fell victim to injury. This created problems for me and the rest of the teams in my league. Matthew Berry says that injuries are a common obstacle in fantasy sports. The only way to really get past them is to scour the waiver wire and always look for the replacement players (229). I did exactly that and some of the players I picked up turned out to be vital to my team;s success. I was glad that I was able to cope with these issues by doing proper research and staying alert.

        Although I had a stellar season with my ESPN league, it wasn't so bright with my Yahoo league. I finished a mere 5-7-1, last place in the league. This league was with my dad's friends and I was the newcomer. These were the guys that have been playing since before I was born so they really knew what it was like. This league had different rules than my other one so I wasn't very familiar or used to them. The scoring also heavily impacted my players. For example, a player in my ESPN league would do great, while the same one in the Yahoo league will not live up to expectations. It's all because of the way the scoring is set. This cost me many games, but according to Matthew Berry, "One of the beauties of fantasy is that it's a microcosm of life. Highs and lows, surprises and disappointments, laughter and anguish. Fleeting interactions and lifetime relationships. The truest form of the good, the bad, the ugly" (257). I think this is a very accurate statement and really sums up what the season has been like for me. Other than the fantasy season, that statement also reflects what life is like. It's a roller coaster of emotions and experiences.

What experiences or activities have you done that had many ups and downs?

Berry, Matthew. Fantasy Life. Westminster: Penguin Group, 2013. Print