Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?!?

There are many people who will be quite perplexed by the title of this blog. Why? Because it is pretty common knowledge that I am noooo sports fan...especially not football. I have disliked football for as long as I can remember. 1- I didn't like how angry it caused people to be. 2- I didn't like how long the games were (and I thought they were boring). 3- I didn't like how the majority of the players paraded around the field, particularly after scoring a TD. 4- I didn't like how people would get drunk and watch the game, thus transforming into an angry rabid football fanatic.

So, you might wonder...why HAVE I titled a blog "Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?!?" Well, my friends, I am still not a football fan by any means. However, I have been roped into creating a Fantasy Football team for this Football season. Yes, my friends, I am in the Connell League...primarily for men.

If you know the history of the Connell League, you understand that it is a MAN's league, composed of many manly men related to my husband, my bro-in-laws and father-in-law. It is a place where the guys really know their players and make pain-staking decisions as they draft their players. A league of strategy, technique.... It is a league of much "heated" competition and "trash talk." It is not a place for a lady, especially one such as myself.

And yet...I have broken the mold, my daughter as my side-kick.

You see, I didn't plan to be a part of the Connell League. The plan was for MY brother (Brock) to join the league with a team of his own. And up until two hours before the Connell League draft...this was indeed the intent. However; Brock was in a pickle. His computer was broken and he could not even get online to join the league, let alone be a part of the draft. That left the Connell League with 9 teams...and they needed an even number.

So I made the sacrifice. I bit the bullet. I put aside my football phobia and pulled out my game face. For the love of my husband, my bro-in-laws, father-in-law and other Connell League relatives...I was willing to make this drastic plunge.

Thus...my team, "Connelladies" was born. I toyed with a few different names, even contemplated throwing a version of our daughter's name in the title just for kicks....but eventually settled on "Connelladies." It seemed the best name to sport in a league of many manly men.

Ben asked if I wanted to use his special "Fantasy Football" magazine to assist me in my draft picks. I declined. He also told me I should sit next to him during the draft so he could help me. Again, I declined. We ladies were doing this on our own: female fashion. I cared not to know stats and projections for the players and teams this season. I had a strategy all my own.

Who needs stats and all of that jargin when you have the guy's name and photo on the screen, after all?

As I read a few of the guys' names out loud, Ben began to correct me on a few of the pronunciations. DeAngelo Williams, Running Back (RB) for the Carolina Panthers, in particular. (Haha, I never even knew there was a team named the Carolina Panthers!) Ben said his name with the A as an "apple" sound. I said it with the A as in "on" sound.

I stopped reading the names out loud and quickly put together a list of my picks: all guys with cool, catchy names and happy, smiling faces. A happy team makes for a happy season, right? And before I knew it, it was time for the live draft.

Now, if you've never been a part of a Fantasy Football draft, let me just say it is quite intense!

The countdown began and I found myself getting all anxious as one by one, each team "owner" chose his first draft pick. And then? It was my turn.

I chose DeAngelo (DeONgelo) simply so I could pronounce his name the way I like. Turns out this was a wise decision.... Ben was immediately disappointed.

As the draft continued, I found myself trash talking with the rest of them. Getting all excited and "yelling" at the computer when one of "my guys" was snatched up by another team. And...dare I say it...having fun.

The draft ended and I assessed my team roster:

*Peyton Manning QB (the only one chosen by direction from Brock!)

*Marques Colston WR (chosen for his first name, one of two not smiling...but he has smiling eyes!)

*Dwayne Bowe WR (a happy looking guy, and also a KC Chief!)

*Mike Sims-Walker WR (he had the best name out of the WR's I was assessing...the second and final non-smiler)

*DeAngelo Williams RB (we discussed his name earlier :) Bonus- he has a great smile!)

*Beanie Wells RB (need I say more? I'd think it's obvious!)

*Visanthe Shiancoe TE (cool name, nice smile)

*Knowshon Moreno RB (he's a happy looking chap with a cool name)

*Devin Aromashodu WR (he also had a smiling pic and interesting name)

*Kenny Britt WR (such a friendly looking guy!)

*Clinton Portis RB (he has a kind smile as well...)

*Alex Smith QB (the only one smiling out of a group of guys for one of my last picks...)

*Bernard Berrian WR (this guy's smile even causes his eyebrows to smile!)

*Ryan Longwell K (quite a jolly lookin' fella!)

*Dallas Defense....(it's what was left....but Dallas is good...I think?)

So, those are my guys. My bro-in-law Chris has been pleading with me to do a few trades, but I'm not going to do it. I feel a kinship with my guys already. We gotta stick it out for the season together, win or loose. Plus I figure...if Chris, such a manly man himself, desires my players for his own team...they must be good, right?

Let's hear it for the Connelladies! We're going to have a great season, right boys!? :)

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