After 25 years, it can be a challenge not to write about the same topics over and over. I try to keep things fresh, and find new things to discuss during the season.
But there's one topic that I'm glad to revisit every year, because I think it's that important. When the season's over, you still have one piece of business left: You need to congratulate your league champion.
In a 12-team league, 11 managers end the year disappointed. Only one accomplished their goal. It would be easy to simply fold up your tent, forget this season ever happened and look toward next year. But you shouldn't sign off on 2024 without showing some good sportsmanship and saying congratulations to the manager who won it all.
A fantasy league is only as good as its members, and odds are your champion is one of the good ones. They were prepared for the draft or auction, played the waiver wire, started their best guys, paid attention to bye weeks and injuries, and stayed active the whole way through. They're one of the good managers who make the league worth winning. If your league was full of apathetic managers who faded away once their record looked bad, it wouldn't be fun and you'd probably bow out after a year or two. So, it's appropriate to take a moment and acknowledge the manager who won it all this season.
Now, we all have different ways of acknowledging a victory. You could just post "grats" on a message board and leave it at that. I would compare that to a coach giving a dead-fish handshake after a tough loss and not even making eye contact. I recommend you do the equivalent of the sincere handshake with a few warm words and a hand-on-the-shoulder greeting in the middle of the field. Maybe that's a text message and offering a personal congratulations, or it might be a real throwback move with an actual phone call. It depends on how well you know the person. But however you do it, I'm sure it will be appreciated. You'd want the same done to you if/when you're the one claiming a title.
But that doesn’t always happen, of course. I once co-managed in a league that we won multiple times. We never once got so much as a “congratulations.” Just money sent electronically. Looking back, I should have left that league before I did. The money was nice, but it wasn’t really fun. You can help make it more fun for the winner by simply acknowledging their accomplishments. You know, like a real human being in a real league.
And I always like to point out that this habit has some selfish benefits as well. Let's say you're the only person to really acknowledge a manager's victory. If you want to make a trade next season, do you think they might be more willing to listen to you? Will they be more likely to congratulate you when you win the title? A show of respect reflects well on you, and it will likely come back to you as well. That isn't why you do it, but it's a potential bonus for doing the right thing.
You’re not obligated to congratulate anyone, of course. But it’s kind of like the old shopping cart test: You don’t have to put it in the pen after you put your groceries in the car. You could just leave it in the parking space and drive away. There’s no reward or punishment. But people take the time to do it anyway. Why? Because it’s the right thing to do. Same thing here.
So before you close the books on this fantasy season, do the right thing and congratulate your league's winner. Even if you’re the only one to do it. Next time it could be you waiting for some acknowledgement, and you’d deserve it as well. Congratulations to all champions this season.
Do you take the time to congratulate your league’s champion? Have you ever won and had nobody really acknowledge it? Share your thoughts below.