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Viva Murillo!

Okay, last week I said it was too early to be thinking about your fantasy team, and I stand by that. It’s not too early, however, to be thinking about other people’s fantasy teams.

Right now there’s a guy in your league that is thinking about quitting. Maybe the game isn’t as fun as it used to be, maybe he has more children than a few years ago, or maybe he has more leagues than a few years ago. Whatever the reason, he’s kind of on the fence about the 2008 season. Nobody in the league knows it, of course. Maybe he doesn’t even know it himself right now. But he’s one of those shaky owners, the kind of guy who’s never really a lock to play the next season. Many leagues have them, and one of yours probably has someone like him as well.

You can’t really replace his team right now, but you can start looking for replacements. Rather than scramble on a Monday to see who might be available for your Tuesday night draft, why not use some of this down time to scout potential new owners several weeks in advance?

This is an opportunity to take your time and find guys who have the qualities to make a good addition to your league. I’m not talking about how many trophies they claim to have won, or how “hard core” they are about playing. I mean their personality, ability to be active and interest in getting together to watch games during the season. A good owner isn’t someone who has a ton of experience: With a little luck and some guidance (or an Internet connection), anyone can be competitive. A good owner is a friendly guy you can depend on to pay league dues on time, answer e-mail and follow his players. You can find a guy like that in six weeks.

But you can’t find him in 36 hours, and that’s the kind of notice your slacker owner is going to give you. The problem with these fantasy drifters is that they hold most of the cards. With just a couple of days until your draft, you need them more than they need you. If you don’t have anyone in mind to take his spot, you’re bound to find a fill-in who’s not much better than the guy you replaced. The season suffers, the league suffers, your enjoyment suffers ... and the loser just goes on his merry way. Is that how you want to kick off the 2008 season?

I suggest you start making a short list of guys you’d want to see in your league if there was an opening. You don’t have to offer him a spot; maybe everyone really is on board this year. But if you have someone in mind when an owner bails, you can move forward without missing a beat. To me, that’s a good way to spend your time right now.

Of course, you could do other things, like research and analyze what Mike Shanahan is saying about his running backs. In July. Two months before the first game. I’m sure that will really give you the edge you need to dominate your league, right? Seriously, don’t let an apathetic owner ruin your season before it starts. Consider replacements even before your league has an official opening.

YouTube Clip of the Week: It’s almost 20 years old, but I still get a kick out of this Sam Wyche gem.

You can reach Michael Murillo at vivamurillo@gmail.com..

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