The quintessential autumn aesthetic.
This blog, coincidentally, will be published on the first day of autumn.
Autumn, in all her glory, ushers in romantic images of knit sweaters, warm hues of red, gold, and everything in between, caffeinated pumpkin spice drinks, often sickeningly aromatic candles, cozy, fog-filled days, string lights, etc. Think Rory Gilmore circa early 2000s.
This year is different. Gone is sweater weather, instead replaced by lingering 80 degree days. The trees remain sheathed in verdant green, even yellow remains a stranger. I tried Dunkin’s Pumpkin Spice cold brew. I did not enjoy it.
One change, however, is welcome: Fantasy Football. With the advent of September, so came football season, in all her equal glory.
Starting a Fantasy football league was not my idea – I have never been into sports. The extent of my football knowledge consisted of the rudimentary explanation of the rules my Dad would give me every Super Bowl season. Then, I’d forget it all by next year, require reexplanation, and thus, the cycle would continue. I am sure that, if a friend had not proposed it, I would have remained oblivious to the epic highs and lows of high school (fantasy) football for many years to come. I shudder to think of my life in past years, devoid of such pleasure.
Regardless, thirteen of my friends and I, all of whom have no prior knowledge of football, formed a league. The premise of fantasy football is simple: every person in the league acts as a manager of a football team. They draft individual NFL players to fill positions on their team based on the anticipated performance of the player. Call it socially acceptable gambling, if you will.
Two weeks into the season now, I am in an unimpressive 12th (out of 14th!) place. Although one of my wide receivers got a concussion during week one and just last week, my quarterback, heartbreakingly, broke his ankle, ending his season, this number could matter less. I am having a blast.
At a time in my life when it feels like everything is at stake, between looming threats of college applications and constant math tests, it feels good to invest energy into something where there is literally nothing at stake. Fantasy Football is a reminder that even in our darkest moments, there is light.
In a bizarre twist of fate, I find myself enjoying watching football. There is a distinct energy in cheering on your players, in celebrating their victories and mourning their mistakes. When I watched the Neuqua Vs. North game with friends last week, being able to understand what was going on made watching Neuqua absolutely annihilate North that much more enjoyable.
Neuqua v.s. North.
I am swept up with the roar of the crowd, and I will not resist the current.
Meanwhile, last Sunday, I watched the Bears vs. Packers game with my Dad. At a time when both my Dad and I are so busy that our interactions are limited to passing (no pun intended) conversations, it was a rare opportunity to spend time together. As we watched my tight end, Cole Kmet, score zero points for the second week in a row, I couldn’t help but feel thankful towards the catalyst of it all, Fantasy Football.
At its core, Fantasy Football is just that – a fantasy. Just as a part of me knows that I will never get my romantic autumn reverie, I know that if I were to rank all my priorities in order of importance, fantasy football would be sequestered neatly at the bottom. Yet as the number of days left in my senior year slowly dwindles down, spending time with my friends and family, whether catalyzed by fantasy football or not, is at the top of my list.
Wherever life brings me next fall, I hope that I, in turn, will have brought Fantasy Football with me.
Sitting in Homeroom with Ivy, I keep finding new funny lines to show her. Your voice is hilarious in such a natural way. I’ve never tried the quintessential pumpkin spice drink from either Starbucks or Dunkin- am I doing something wrong? Since you’ve posted, the weather has quickly chilled. When I pick my outfit in the morning, my choice of clothes is primarily motivated by an overwhelming sense of cold. Sweater weather is on its way if it’s not already here.
I’m grateful to you for joining my far-flung fantasy league and for wholeheartedly embracing it. I started it in pursuit of the feeling you described: the roar of the crowd and the excitement of the game. I haven’t had the chance to watch any games yet, but I feel a similar attachment to my players. While doing my homework yesterday, I kept checking the results of the Cowboys and Giants game; it was the last game of the week and my opponent (Ashley) and I were within a few points of each other. Players from both of our teams were playing, and the game ended with her beating me by 3 measly points. (How could my defense only get one point…?)
Sore football feelings aside, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and hope everyone else appreciates how funny it is too. 😀
Evelyn, I love how you think of fall. That specific aesthetic, with everything orange and the smell of pumpkin and cinnamon, is actually coursing through my veins in anticipation of the leaves turning red and gold. I have been seeing a few leaves here and there, but the realization that the idea of “fall” is changing in 2022 is hard to accept. I think that’s why nostalgia, especially TV and movies from the 90s and 2000s is so powerful – it represents an ideal world where we can enjoy the outside instead of enjoying the YouTube videos playing on our screen. I think football plays into that too. It is such a quintessential American thing. Being under the “Friday Night Lights” and cheering for a common cause is definitely associated with fall and the start of football season. I remember the first time somebody told me about Fantasy Football, I genuinely thought it was about Quidditch. What you said about Fantasy Football being the only low stakes thing in your life is really relatable. At least for me, every passing day where a looming assignment or test takes priority over a college essay is another day of stress added to my plate. I think having a fun outlet that you can enjoy with your friends and learn along the way is a great way to combat that. I’m more of a homebody, so my no stakes outlet is the free Microsoft Solitaire app – I spend way too much time on it, but it’s a nice way to think about something other than school for a change.
Evelyn — I really loved reading your blog post! From the picture you paint of fall to your description of watching the Neuqua v. North game, your writing is rich with vivid details and humor. Devastated to hear that the Dunkin Pumpkin Spice cold brew fell short of expectations; I might have to try it for myself.
I appreciated your reflection on how fantasy football has served as a foil to the constantly high-stakes, high-stress other activities of senior year. I’ve found a similar love for fantasy, and an appreciation for the act of immersing myself in a world I know absolutely nothing about. I’m also really enjoying the community that has formed, and watching our friends evolve from being initially unable to even name what player positions exist to now passionately arguing the merits of a proposed trade.
I think it’s amazing that you and your dad watched a game together! As I grapple with my second loss in a row and look to the upcoming weekend’s matchup, this has been a great reminder to find joy in the simple pleasure of spending time with loved ones.
Hi Evelyn,
“Socially acceptable g******g” (this site did not let me post with the full g-word, I guess it’s taboo) is a very apt way of describing this crazy game. Football is such a huge part of American culture, and I feel like fantasy sports have helped to democratize that sporting space for many. Fantasy football leagues are commonplace in so many workplaces these days, and I think it’s because they provide such a convenient entry point into the world of sports. You can enter a fantasy draft without any knowledge of the rules of football, and still get a kick out of watching primetime games.
Although I am expressly prohibited from soliciting my advice, I will offer my praise. I love what you guys have done with this league, and setting it up as something with no stakes, and only fun. It’s refreshing to see folks reading waiver wire and start-sit articles during lunch, or designing trades on the ESPN app. I hope everyone maintains their raw curiosity, willingness to learn, and playful competitiveness.
I have invested an inordinate amount of my weekends building spreadsheets to help me model and predict wide receiver breakouts. I have been up at 3 am in the morning to check my waiver claims and if I’ve landed the stud runningback of the week (thankfully I was able to get Jamaal Williams this week). But, at the core of it all, I agree with you — it’s just a game. We’re not out on the field catching passes or making tackles. Fantasy just enables us to have a small emotional investment in the pros that are.