It can be sobering and scary when you see a player get hurt on the field. Forget about the fantasy implications; these guys can get seriously injured. When the "good news" is that they have feeling in their extremities, you know it was a bad day.
But you know what might be worse? Seeing a coach go down. You know they probably didn't get the wind knocked out of them, or twist an ankle. This past weekend two coaches were missing from the sideline due to serious medical situations. When Texans' coach Gary Kubiak had to be taken to the hospital at halftime of last week's game against the Colts, people wondered if it was a heart attack or stroke. He's out of the hospital now, but we don't know how long it will be before he returns to the sidelines. And Denver's John Fox had an aortic valve replaced; he missed the game against the Chargers and will be out several weeks.
Here's my disclaimer: I'm not a medical professional, I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn and I don't know their medical histories. But watching both teams play with interim coaches Sunday made me think about about how stressful the game can be. I can't say that the rigors of coaching in the NFL brought on these problems, but I have a hard time imagining how it could help. Fox has a great team, but they could be anything from the top seed in the AFC to a wild-card playing their games on the road. This might be their last, best chance to win a title with Peyton Manning at the helm. And Kubiak has raised expectations in Houston, meaning this season is especially disappointing. At this point, a trip to the post-season -- considered the bare minimum for the team -- looks next to impossible. These guys deal with a lot of stress, and they deal with it in the public eye.
I know the "stress" of running a fantasy football team is a tiny, tiny fraction of what those guys endure, but I also know real people who feel the weight of that stress. If their fantasy team loses, they're more than disappointed. Their whole day is ruined. They barely even watch the games, preferring to follow stats as they come in and gauge how they're doing against the competition. A victory only brings momentary relief, because they're obsessing over the next weekend by Tuesday morning. But a loss lasts quite a while, and often they end up nitpicking over a scoring discrepancy, cursing players and coaches and lamenting over their historic bad luck.
But sometimes it's even worse than that. They snap at spouses, retreat to their computer and either stew in silence or blow up like Phil Hellmuth after a bad beat in a poker tournament. In extreme cases, things can get broken: Televisions, friendships, relationships. There might only be a few dollars and a trophy on the line, but some fantasy owners bear a heavy burden if they're not successful.
Does this sound silly to you, or do you see someone you know in that description? Some might even see a bit of themselves. In any case, those owners are out there, and as we finish up the season they'll have to deal with being knocked out of playoff contention or losing an elimination game. I hope those owners think about the real coaches who are dealing with health issues this season. If the stress isn't worth it at the professional level where they earn millions, it's certainly not worth it in your hobby.
This week, teams with records from 6-4 to 4-6 are feeling different levels of pressure to make the playoffs. Some need at least a couple of victories, and others must win out and win tie-breakers. The pressure is on. Many will fall by the wayside, ending the season in frustration.
Now, I expect every season to contain some of that frustration and disappointment, a bit of bad luck and a couple of hair-pulling moments. But if that's all you focus on, this game becomes a chore. There are also great wins, trash-talking, camaraderie, weird plays and bounces that go your way. It's all part of the game, and believe it or not, that's what makes it fun. As maddening as it can be, it's a big part of why we play.
No matter how things play out this season, please remember that it's a game. You're not making millions like the pros, but you're not hated by a city full of angry sports radio listeners, either. So if you lose, don't yell at the commissioner if you drop a close game due to a scoring quirk that your league didn't cover. Don't get angry at another owner if they won't make the trade you want. And if your best players seem to take a week off at the wrong time, try to take it in stride. A loss in the next week or two can ruin your fantasy year. Just don't let it ruin the rest of your year as well. Good luck this week.
Have you ever taken the game too seriously? Know anyone who has gone to extremes when things didn't go their way? Share your stories below.