Trader.
If we threw labels onto one another, I am sure I would earn this name hands down. Yet, I am sure everybody would agree that since draft day and the days leading up to it I have lacked my usual luster come trades. Well, let me take you behind the scenes. Five names: Murray, Forte, Foster, Lynch, & Bell. All five names sit a top the fantasy board as the top five in fantasy points. I have attempted to trade for all five of these players with their owning GMs. The problem with being labeled a trader is that it often comes with the assumption that I have a HUGE blockbuster deal that involves multiple managers; which, from what I have noticed, has been scaring people away. I can say for a fact that I would have Murray sporting the JB fantasy logo if it weren't for Adrian Peterson's legal follies. I'm pretty sure Justin would agree with me on this as well, considering the offer I had put on the table at the time. Another fact I must throw out is that each trade offer has been single, nothing attached. Yet again, trading comes with the amounting reputation that if you are great at blockbuster trading, you are great at manipulation and deception. One last fact; I have been transparent with every trade I have ever done, both incomplete and complete, this season. Do I type up this paragraph to attract GMs and ultimately show my desperation? Perhaps. But I will give one tip, even in my unsuccessful trading: text or call with a trade proposal before you make an official league trade proposal. For, no matter the trade history and the number of names some may have earned, the label of "sucka" doesn't exist in The Elite.
Traitor.
Take a moment and imagine if us ten GMs were all NFL team owners. First off, my wife would be utterly relieved because of all the financial security we would have. Second, back to the hypothetical. Honestly ask yourself, what would you do if you were an owner? In fact, I'll take it one step further. After all, we already deal in fantasy. Why not dream up a fantasy scenario? We are all owners and are all friends. Yet, what happens if one of us pulls a deceptive trade deal with another owner. I mean, isn't there this mutual respect between owners, GMs, & coaches that exists? This invisible respect that is always there between men that somehow gets disrespected at times by fools? And then, think back on some of the trades we've seen go down in our league that make us wary of other GMs. Would the same hold true for us as NFL team owners? All I know is that even with my label as "trader", I would hate to have the label, "traitor" as well. Because I am sure some real life NFL owners have actually earned that reputation. And for what? An NFL trophy? A fantasy football trophy? At what cost does the unreal become real? At what point does fantasy become reality when we think of each other's character?
Trainer.
Again, step with me into a twilight-type of zone where we all trained NFL players. Do you think our fantasy league would be even more elite? I mean, if each of us really had the inside look at which players injuries were really serious and which weren't from week to week, how much passion we knew certain players had...I'd like to think that each of us would have advantages over others. Then again, we'd probably all draft the players we trained. But training takes time and effort. And I would like to think that we all would absolutely LOVE our jobs. To be paid to interact with guys we may not always admire but respect and still be able to be a part of football and pay bills with that time spent...what a dream. But thus, I must bring this Pick 6 piece to a halt to say that none of us have any of these hypotheticals, even in our fantasy league. And hence, the whole reason why we are here: to get to know each other better as brothers in Christ whilst competing from our inner manhood God wired us with. Yes, so I did end this article on a cliche. So, what? You going to label me or somthin?
As for the games, some of you might have already been getting weekly emails with invitations to my NFL.com weekly pick'em. Half of you have responded and are a part of the group. The other half, take note:
Life is too busy to call Dan & ask for him to do the math on tallying up who has won what games each week. Besides, he'd give me the wrong total sums anyhow; seeing how ironic that is makes me laugh but such is life. Again, irony with labeling & stereotyping within this written piece just make it that much sweeter and that much more perfect and satisfying as I wrap this up. Sweet Moses, I love writing! And this is where I pass the Pick 6 torch to you. May you wear it well.
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