Viva Murillo!
So you really want to start your rankings, even though it’s still June? Okay. Go ahead, but don’t evaluate players yet. Coaches will be doing that in camp over the next month or so. Let them do their job first.
Instead, go ahead and rank your fantasy leagues, since you probably have a few that could use an evaluation. If you have a good idea of what’s on your plate, you might be able to tighten up your “roster” of leagues and have more fun this fall. You can even rank them like players, which might help you take action against those that don’t measure up, and appreciate the ones that do.
Most folks have a LaDainian Tomlinson League. It’s your first choice, a dependable, reliable favorite that you wouldn’t miss for anything. You schedule your vacations around the draft and consider moves in that league before any others. This is a natural keeper and you’re glad to be a part of it.
A Marques Colston League is a new league you joined, but has already shown potential. You had more fun that you thought you would, and you can’t wait to see how it goes this year. It’s too early to tell if it will become an annual favorite, but you definitely like what you see so far.
A Michael Vick League isn’t terrible, but hasn’t really met your expectations. You want it to be an important league, and you go in each year hoping to see something special, but it doesn’t really live up to the hype. It might have good friends in it, and it might have a good scoring system, but something’s always missing. For whatever reason, it’s just not as great as it should be.
Many people also play in a Brett Favre League. Contrary to what my fellow columnist (and Favre fan) Andy Richardson might think, a Favre league is not a mature league that remains a top contender and keeps shining strong year after year. No, a Favre league is past its prime. It’s not nearly as fun as it used to be, and every year you wonder if it will even be around next season. It still has occasional flashes of brilliance -- maybe the draft is always memorable or getting together one Sunday reminds you of better times. But in the end, this league is going downhill and probably should be put out to pasture.
Once you figure out what kinds of league you have, it’s time to hold a little “draft.” Which leagues are keepers and which ones need to hit the waiver wire? If you put a lot of time into your hobby, you should be willing to evaluate each group and make sure it’s worthy of your effort. You can’t really do that in late August, but you can in late June. If you find yourself with a lot of Favre or Vick leagues on your schedule, it’s time to let them go -- now, when they can easily find a replacement for you. You’ll have more fun if you decide to play only in top-tier leagues.
Also, please notice that how well you do in the leagues is not a consideration. Winning titles and making money are not reasons to keep playing. You might think the money is worth it, but you’re degrading your own skills and turning something fun into a money-making “job.” Even if you’ve never won a championship, a fun league is a keeper. If you win money every year, a boring league is still a loser. Period.
Plus, there’s another reason for ranking your leagues and making changes: The Adrian Peterson League. This a new league with a lot of potential, and you might end up with a keeper. These could be newer friends, a work league at a new job or just a dynasty/auction/defensive player league with features you’ve always wanted to try. If you want to make room for this league -- and give it a real chance by being an active participant -- you need to cut the dead weight. That means ranking your leagues right now, and deciding which ones measure up and which ones fall short.
Michael Murillo isn’t sure who should retire first: Brett Favre or Michael Vick. You can reach him at vivamurillo@hotmail.com.
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