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Anyone ever want to walk away from fantasy football?


MTSuper7
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I'm at a place in my life where fantasy football just isn't as fun as it used to be. I don't have as much time for it, and it all seems like a ton of work to be competitive... So much so that it feels more like an obligation than a game. I have thought about walking away completely before, but really, truly think this might be my last year (or at the very least I will take next year off to see how much I really miss it). It has been a long time since I watched a regular season game without caring which guy scored or how many yards so-and-so has... Anyone ever walk away for a year and find it helpful to rekindle your interest?

 

I am 3-3 in 3 leagues at the moment, and quite frankly don't really care all that much about what happens to my teams. In fact, I have a couple offers out right now to try to pick up guys like McGahee and Decker so I can enjoy Bronco games even more... And I am starting Tebow in two leagues. He is probably going to break my heart, but it's the most excited I've been about my teams this year.

 

I scaled back from 5 leagues to 3 this year, and even that wasn't enough. I really wish I'd have quit them all except my main local. It's the only one I really manage closely, and I'm just not throwing offers around Opie-style like I used to... Those guys in LLD know I was as active an owner as you can be when I was in the league. But at some point, I feel like if I can't give it my all to mold the best team I can, then I don't really even care about having a team. Sorry for the rant, but just curious if others have gotten to a point like this and if you took any time off...

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I'm at a place in my life where fantasy football just isn't as fun as it used to be. I don't have as much time for it, and it all seems like a ton of work to be competitive... So much so that it feels more like an obligation than a game. I have thought about walking away completely before, but really, truly think this might be my last year (or at the very least I will take next year off to see how much I really miss it). It has been a long time since I watched a regular season game without caring which guy scored or how many yards so-and-so has... Anyone ever walk away for a year and find it helpful to rekindle your interest?

 

I am 3-3 in 3 leagues at the moment, and quite frankly don't really care all that much about what happens to my teams. In fact, I have a couple offers out right now to try to pick up guys like McGahee and Decker so I can enjoy Bronco games even more... And I am starting Tebow in two leagues. He is probably going to break my heart, but it's the most excited I've been about my teams this year.

 

I scaled back from 5 leagues to 3 this year, and even that wasn't enough. I really wish I'd have quit them all except my main local. It's the only one I really manage closely, and I'm just not throwing offers around Opie-style like I used to... Those guys in LLD know I was as active an owner as you can be when I was in the league. But at some point, I feel like if I can't give it my all to mold the best team I can, then I don't really even care about having a team. Sorry for the rant, but just curious if others have gotten to a point like this and if you took any time off...

 

The only time I thought walking away from fantasy football is when it would ruin two or three days of my week when I would lose. Typically when picking the wrong guy. My wouldn't appreciate it either.

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A couple years ago I went down to one, low money, fun, redraft league. I now enjoy fantasy football again and enjoy the NFL more than I used to. When it gets to the point that it is more work than fun, you're missing the point. I'll never play in a high stakes or any kind of keeper league again.

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This is actually my first year with a second league, and I'm not sure I want the second league again next year. Personally, I like your idea of scaling back to your one main local. Sucks to hear you're (getting) burned out, and it's not fun any more. Sometimes... less is more. GL with your decisions.

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Well, I can honestly say that the more leagues I am in, the more chances I have to win again......Keep it rolling.....also, sometimes when you care less, you tend to win....and that really pisses off the other people in the league that you beat...... :wacko:

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I felt the same a few years ago. I was in 4 leagues. I did well, but I was getting burned out. I never understood how anyone can be 8,10 leagues and enjoy it or be successful.

 

I got burned out. I eventually dropped three leagues so I could enjoy my personal league more.

 

It worked out for me. I enjoy playing again and I can enjoy my young family and other activities.

 

I've always said I'll do anything until it's not fun anymore.

 

You just need to prioritize stuff and decide what's important. If I were you, wouldn't quit altogether(heck, you owe it to the league to play through to the end).

 

Just think about what you want to get out of FF.

 

If it's not fun anymore, step back.

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I actually said that last year but for some reason I keep coming back. The excitement of the new year is what gets me every time.

 

One thing I have noticed in playing for over 15 years now is how annoyingly commercialized it has gotten. I feel exactly the opposite about your comment it's too hard to be competitive, I think it is way too easy now for a team to be competitive. Half of these online leagues practically draft for you. What fun is that? It becomes gambling more than a game of strategy. I liked it better when you had to go to the newspaper and get the stats out of that every week on Monday. Also you had to score your own games which was sort of fun too.

 

I think this ESPN, CBS, NFL online fantasy crap has ruined the game of FF. Sure you get news quickly but sometimes it was better if you had to go digging for it yourself and you got that "nugget" of information and felt pride in getting it.

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I was thinking during the labor strife that not having football for a year would be awful, but missing a year of fantasy football might actually be kind of nice. My main local is a group of guys I've known for decades and our league was founded in 1993, so there's no quitting that one until it goes away. I feel like I'd be letting them down.

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I actually said that last year but for some reason I keep coming back. The excitement of the new year is what gets me every time.

 

One thing I have noticed in playing for over 15 years now is how annoyingly commercialized it has gotten. I feel exactly the opposite about your comment it's too hard to be competitive, I think it is way too easy now for a team to be competitive. Half of these online leagues practically draft for you. What fun is that? It becomes gambling more than a game of strategy. I liked it better when you had to go to the newspaper and get the stats out of that every week on Monday. Also you had to score your own games which was sort of fun too.

 

I think this ESPN, CBS, NFL online fantasy crap has ruined the game of FF. Sure you get news quickly but sometimes it was better if you had to go digging for it yourself and you got that "nugget" of information and felt pride in getting it.

 

I agree with you actually, so let me clarify my position. In order to field a championship caliber team, you have to take time to invetigate the best possible ways to do so. Exploit certain trade-friendly people in your league. Grab a guy a week before he is on everyone else's radar. Jackie Battle this year is a perfect example. The huddle had a thread on the guy leading up to his breakout game, and in past years I would have grabbed him, but this year I didn't. He went unclaimed going into his week 5 game vs. Indy. A few years ago I grabbed Miles Austin on a hunch when Roy Williams got hurt, and Austin busted out with a 10-250-2 stat line. My league mates think I just luck out on guys like Austin. So my comment is a direct reflection on the amount of time investment it takes to truly stay a step ahead of everyone else, and the fact that information is so readily available makes it that much harder to do.

 

I went through an online poker phase several years ago where I played about as much as I could - any free moment I played. It kinda goes back to Slugs' comment about "the more leagues I'm in, the more chances I have to win". I had spent quite a bit of time studying the game, read countless books on the subject, and was actually moderately successful relative to my starting bankroll. I financed golf league fees for a couple years among other things. But there came a breaking point with it, where I had to make a decision, and I got out. I don't miss it at all - the extra pocket money wasn't worth it - it was sucking the life out of me. And now when I do get the chance to play poker at someone's home game, I really enjoy it. So I agree with Slugs in theory, and that's why being in multiple leagues can be rewarding on some level - because if you do the research in the first place, you might as well spread the wealth, so to speak.

 

13ers, I don't plan on quitting mid-stream. I wouldn't do that. I'll see it through to the end.

 

ETA: STLFan, I had thoughts about the labor strife being a good thing as well... That being forced to take a year off from fantasy football might be just what I need. See, if I was having those thoughts before the season even started, you know my current state is not born of frustration over my current teams. I felt that way before I even had teams.

 

Opie, I appreciate your comments, bro... I've dropped about 50 pounds in the last 4 months and ran in my first ever 5k two weeks ago. I'm feeling great, and I just got a promotion at work as well. Knock on wood, but things couldn't get much better in my personal life right now. I have had an epiphany of sorts this year on what it takes to find true happiness in life. I'm not there yet, but I feel like I'm kind of "getting it" right now, and fantasy football just feels like a distraction or diversion from the path I want to be on. Also, from one Bronco fan to another, win or lose, I am excited to see what they can do with this young core of Tebow - Decker - Thomas (if he can stay healthy). I'd rather just watch as a fan with zero conflict of interest, but here I am likely starting two Dolphins against them. I'm actually trying to swing a Brandon Marshall - Eric Decker trade right now before this weekend, and even though I'm probably taking the short end of the deal I proposed, I think I'd prefer a team I want to root for.

Edited by MTSuper7
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I feel fantasy football's best use besides having a blast is staying in touch with old friends - I ran into your dilemma a few years ago when I had 3 leagues and it was just ridiculous. I scaled back to one low dollar league, $100 bye in, with 11 good friends I have known a long time - we all lived local at one time but now are spread through the country and its fantasy football that keeps the bros together. With just one league with good friends and low dollar it fit into my life very easily because it helps give family and friends I high value as well as not taking nearly as much time away from other things in my life.

 

Working out is key in life and excelling at home and at the job is key - keep it up.

 

Even though your a donkey fan I got love for ya.

 

Chargers!

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I only play my one main local, and I go through up and down years where I'm ahead of the curve on scouting, and years where I just don't care as much. Lately I've been much more into it and care much more about my fantasy team than my real team (Vikes). I just don't bleed purple like I used to, but my interest in the league overall is much higher (although with much less emotional investment.)

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I've thought about giving it up over the last couple of years. I say I'm going to scale back, but what ends up happening is that I leave a league or two and then I sign up for another league or two right away. :wacko:

 

I might go the way of Atomic sometime soon here. We'll see.

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Sounds like you have hit bottom my man. You need to step away from the game, move to a tent in Australia, grow a beard (or a less groomed one), and make Sensimilia a top priority in your life. Maybe you can exchange stories with the locals about a bloke named Ricky Williams who used to live there. Man, he could fish the hell out of that ocean! How many points do you get for a Marlin? What if he caught the Marlin, then fumbled with it? -2 I suppose....

 

This conversation is very heavy. I get the 12 step feeling.....

 

I felt the same way this year, and then I got the call from my local. "Are you in man? Yeah, you know your in!" It was like the dealer showing up on my door step again. I didn't even hesitate. Here I sit typing on a FF Blog site, when there is work to be done (Now get back to work!). Every week is like walking up the same mountain I went up last week.

 

I thought I was cured after winning the friggin' thing last year. I guess not.

 

"Every time I try to get out............... they pull me back in!"

 

Hopeless in Detroit... Money.

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Another year, another "I am sick of FF" thread.

 

Just drop back to where you're comfortable. I'm in seven, it's comfortable for me during the season (all hail the tabbed browser), I know how good I am at FF (f'n terrible), my expectations are set so I'm not disappointed / frustrated and it doesn't cramp anything except in August trying to get slow drafts done.

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I'm at a place in my life where fantasy football just isn't as fun as it used to be. I don't have as much time for it, and it all seems like a ton of work to be competitive... So much so that it feels more like an obligation than a game. I have thought about walking away completely before, but really, truly think this might be my last year (or at the very least I will take next year off to see how much I really miss it). It has been a long time since I watched a regular season game without caring which guy scored or how many yards so-and-so has... Anyone ever walk away for a year and find it helpful to rekindle your interest?

 

I am 3-3 in 3 leagues at the moment, and quite frankly don't really care all that much about what happens to my teams. In fact, I have a couple offers out right now to try to pick up guys like McGahee and Decker so I can enjoy Bronco games even more... And I am starting Tebow in two leagues. He is probably going to break my heart, but it's the most excited I've been about my teams this year.

 

I scaled back from 5 leagues to 3 this year, and even that wasn't enough. I really wish I'd have quit them all except my main local. It's the only one I really manage closely, and I'm just not throwing offers around Opie-style like I used to... Those guys in LLD know I was as active an owner as you can be when I was in the league. But at some point, I feel like if I can't give it my all to mold the best team I can, then I don't really even care about having a team. Sorry for the rant, but just curious if others have gotten to a point like this and if you took any time off...

I think a lot of this depends on your age and at what stage of your life you are in. I have gone from five leagues to just one. In that one I share the team with my 12 year old son. He loves it. He gets to go to the draft with the big boys and actually knows plenty about the players. We have a nice debate each week on who to start. If it wasn't for him, I would be out.

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it was 2 years ago, I had a monster team in a big money league and it was the playoffs. had my typical game, 150+ points and a big lead, almost unbeatable, almost..., then along came Brandon Marshall. He proceeded with a 20 catch game and record fantasy numbers and the other guy's team beat me by merely a point. It was at that time that I realized this was a game of luck and that there was a possibility that one day I may get tired of this crap and quit all together. That year I was in 5 leagues ... this year I am in 9 :wacko: (of course, I split 4 of those with Scoob, and yes, she is in just as many leagues as I am)

 

Welcome to the diary of a madman ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg7V0fvEmYE...=watch_response

Edited by Scooby's Hubby
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I think for the first time I'm in too many leagues. I thought I could handle it, but with 2 small children there just isn't the time. I completely missed the WW a few times and it's killing the chances of those teams really amounting to much. I'm fairly sure that next year I'm pairing it down to one or two teams at most. Less to keep up with, and I'm only going to play in leagues with scoring rules that I prefer (too many things get twisted and valued differently makes it an extra PIA to keep up). I'd suggest going down to one league. Pick your favorite league and only worry about one 15 man roster and it might help.

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I took 2009 off because I was in something like 8 leagues before that and got kind of burnt out. I was spending too much time on FF sites and also there was an incident with a shady commish that put a bad taste in my mouth. I didn't miss it at all, just enjoyed watching the games. I played in 2 leagues last year and had a great time, even though I put off my draft prep until the last minute and got my ass handed to me in both leagues where in the past I was obsessive and almost always made the playoffs. This year I'm doing 4 leagues, which is just about right. I picked a good mix of different formats to keep it interesting and they are all competitive. I've stopped overanalyzing every WW pickup so I'm not online for hours neglecting the rest of my life. It's all about balance.

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i have always been a one league guy. I started a league with my close friends as a way to stay in touch after everyone moved all over the country. Some guys have dropped out and we've added a few, but there is a good core. I actually laugh with one of my longtime friends that we talk once a month between February- August and 5 times a WEEK from Sept - January. And mainly its going over fantasy stuff and in between conversations about Arian Foster we talk about our kids. That is one reason I would not leave. It is a reason to talk to old buddies.

 

I came to this determination after last year when I took a deep breath and thought about leaving only because I had the best team I ever assembled and lost in the first round. We're talking stars alligned with Vick, Foster, Bowe, A Johnson. This a culmination of scoring the most points for 3 years in a row and not winning. I thought maybe I will never win..and was pissed and I ain't gonna lie I was thinking about taking a year off. By the time fall came around I was back to talking with my buddies and going over scenarios and having fun again.

 

I could never be more than a 1 league guy. I would suggest playing in your primary league only next year, and if after that you arent really enjoying it. Take some time off.

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I agree that I have to invest more and more time every year to stay ahead of other owners. Today, even the dumbest of owners can't help but trip over thousands of web sites, ESPN TV shows, radio programs or specials, newspaper articles, etc. detailing which players are about to break out, which players are declining, who to trade, who to trade for, which players are great stash and hope guys, etc. In the past, I would do my own statistical analysis to figure these things out for myself. Other owners, unwilling to make any additional investment of there time simply would miss out on all of this insight because mainstream print, radio, and web media simply did not do a deep analytical dive - I had a huge advantage as an educated, invested owner. Today, any newbie owner has critical information and fantasy football insight spoon fed to them by countless media outlets. It is getting harder and harder to stay ahead of any owner willing to scan a few web sites, listen to a podcast, or watch ESPN's dedicated fantasy shows.

 

I credit thehuddle.com and this message board as a few of the key sources of information I have that still allow me to keep an incremental advantage over owners reading/watching/listening to mainstream fantasy sources. The problem is, I am investing even more time than I did in the past for a much smaller advantage over other owners. This issue is only going to get worse as the popularity and availability of fantasy information/advice continues to skyrocket.

 

Even with the additional time commitment, I will continue to be "all in", finding new ways to gain advantage over the competition. I am a true addict.

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I think everybody goes through this at some time. For many it is because of too many leauges, or personal issues that reduce the time needed. Or the glut of information available that makes it easy for noobs and casual fans to easily do well.

 

I've gone through this a couple of times, but usually it starts with getting out of my co-commissoner role in my league (for its nearly 20 years).

 

It usually does boil down to the "if it isn't fun quit it", or at least re-evaluate what you're doing.

 

My first suggestion to anybody that is going through this and is in more than one league is scale back (I've never been in more than this long time local league and find the prospects of managing multipe teams and watching multiple scores with potential conflicts to be too much.)

 

As far as not having fun watching the games, I've started to just turn off the PC when I watch the games and ignore the scores. Of course the scoring updates run all afternoon and you see who is doing what, but I try to ignore those as much as possible until the SNF game.

 

Good luck in making your decision.

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I work full time, taking one class a semester towards my MBA, two kids and coach my sons hockey team. I am down to one league and even at that I have barley anytime for it. I still enjoy it though and try to have a few Sundays each year where I can watch football for most of the day. I think that makes me enjoy it that mucn more. But its tough. I am 5-1 but mostly because of the huddle.

 

But I def feel where you are with this. I have def thought about walking away before.

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