why I love Fantasy (capital F)

First of all, what the heck do people mean when they say "capital F?"

I've always thought that was kinda funny. Do they mean to simply devote greater gravity to whatever they are saying, as in "She is DRAMA, capital D!" or is it about equating some higher virtue to that which is Capitalized.

So you may be wondering, if I don't know what it means, then why capitalize the 'f' in Fantasy?

Great question.

I guess because I want to make difference between me sitting around fantasizing about, say, laying in a hammock sipping on a margarita on a hot tropical island (mmmmmmm) and the blossoming world of fantasy gaming. And no, I don't mean World of Warcraft. Not that kind of fantasy gaming.

I mean Fantasy Gaming (capitals F and G, boyeeeeee), as in Fantasy Sports. Fantasy Politics. Fantasy Celebrity. Fantasy Reality TV. You get it.

The truth is, anything can be turned into Fantasy. For so long Fantasy Gaming has been just about nerdy older one time jock dudes reclaiming some sort of glory days by drafting a team full of today's super athletes and then psychic mind melding themselves (at least their identities) with those players so as to refer to them as "we."

I like to call this Fantastic Identity Fusion. We all do it in a non-Fantasy way. Some cast their identity with their children. Some with the politician of the day. Some with sports stars, Hollywood celebrities, church leaders, cartoon characters, etc....

But when you own a player on a team of your own, especially when that player is doing well, OH MY GOD, they are your Best Friend Forever (capital BFF). You would text them after every great play, call them to wish them happy birthday, wash their car if you could without being jailed for stalking. But then, god forbid, they stop producing for your team. This love and adoration will turn to scorn so fast, all they will hear is your mouse clicking as you drop them from your squad like last week's garbage.

The Fantasy manager is a fickle friend indeed. This is not about team loyalty as it was known in the past. It's nothing personal. In fact it's not personal at all, for I've never met any of the players I've "owned." But oh man, my love affair with Yunel Escobar, utility infielder for the Atlanta Braves, as he carried my team for the first two weeks of this season, was a sweet time for us both, to be sure. We were VERY close. A month later? Cut from the team. Under performing. Period. Bu-bye.

Besides the easy come easy go love affairs with random athletes and celebrities of your choice, what I really dig about Fantasy Gaming is that it gets you that much closer to your passions. You love baseball? Fantasy Baseball will make you crazy about baseball. You love the world of celebrities? Fantasy Celebrity will bring you a depth of knowledge and investment in that scene that you could never have previously imagined.

Anything that brings us closer to what we love is fine by me. Dominating your friends in a league based around that thing you love, well that's an added bonus. Talking SMACK on the league message board about how you're dominating said friends in said league, total icing on the cake.

Maybe the best reason to love Fantasy, even better than grooving in more depth on one of your favorite hobbies, is getting to know entire new genres of hobby that you didn't know you would love. I, por exemplo, never cared particularly for those trashy celebrity tabloid mags. But now having played in a couple Us Weekly leagues, well I just cherish the relationships I've made SO MUCH!

Speaking of which, right now I own Jessica Alba, Lindsay Lohan, and Jennifer Garner on my Fantasy Us Celebrity team, and I have to run because we are all going to get our nails did.

Be good, and keep Fantasizing!
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