We interrupt your regularly scheduled work day with the ultimate distraction - fantasy football. You’ve heard of it and some of you my have played it but did you know that companies lose more than $16 billion in employee productivity due to fantasy football? With that, let’s learn all about the force that is fantasy football.
Going long,
The Last Night’s Game Team
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Five things to know about fantasy football
- The “sport” was originally developed in 1962 but modern fantasy football started in 1999 when Yahoo offered an online league.
- The concept is that a league (i.e. your group of friends all playing together) holds a draft where each general manager (i.e. – you) has a chance to pick the top player available to fill your roster. Leagues are ideally made up of 8-14 teams.
- During the aforementioned draft, general managers will fill their virtual rosters with actual NFL players. During the season, they will gain and lose points based on how the players on their rosters perform. Like a real team’s general manager, the roster is set each week and your team goes up against another team in your league. Trading, researching game day opponents and benching underperforming players are all part of the game (see loss in work productivity above).
- Betting websites Draft King and Fan Duel took in $3 billion in entry fees leading to $280 million in profit in 2015. Online betting such as Draft King and Fan Duel is still illegal in 10 states. Online betting was recently legalized in New York State. Critics say it’s so the government can tax the heck out of their residents’ winnings.
- Naming a team is half the battle. Yes, you can pretty much name it what you want and no, no one is intimidated by the Football Fairy Princesses. Like naming a baby, there are massive lists of names out there to inspire you. This year Pokemon and Game of Thrones themed team names are predicted to be big. Our favorites? Teddy Throwsevelt and Game of Throws.
- Interested in starting your own team? If so, make sure to check out our fantasy football 101 before drafting your team.
Summer Olympics
- Although we may never know exactly what happened that fateful night in Rio with Ryan Lochte, it is clear he handled the situation wrong and sponsors are bailing like he bailed on his teammates in Rio. Four major sponsors (Speedo, Ralph Lauren, Airweave and Gentle Hair Removal) have dropped Lochte due to events surrounding that night.
- The “Final Five” are making their media rounds after returning from Rio. Last night they joined Jimmy Fallon for an entertaining game of “Hungry Humans.”
Overtime
- It was revealed on the HBO show “Hard Knocks,” which follows the L.A. Rams through preseason prep, that defensive lineman William Hayes does not believe in dinosaurs, but he does believe mermaids are real. Tuesday his dreams became a reality when a real-life mermaid showed up to practice. Ariel, is that you? Where's Sebastian?
Sideline stat
- Kobe Bryant was arguably one of the most competitive players in NBA history, so if you thought he was going to sit on his couch all day in retirement, guess again. Bryant rang the opening bell Monday morning at the New York Stock Exchange, then announced he is starting a $100 million investment fund with partner and entrepreneur, Jeff Stibel. They will focus on financing technology, media and data companies. Bryant was quoted saying he’d “rather be known for venture investing than basketball.” Bryant made more than $300 million in his career in salary.
Coaches’ corner
- What is a grand slam in baseball? A grand slam is when a team has bases loaded and the player at bat hits a home run - all players score. It’s usually followed by elation and excitement. For Brandon Thomas of the Gateway Grizzlies (minor league), the post-grand slam excitement waned when he walked to his car after the game. The ball from an awesome grand slam he hit shattered the window of his own car. He said it was “totally worth it.”