Hanging up the fantasy cleats

In his final column in the Sept. 12 edition of the Regional Optimist, former sports reporter Sean Macey wrote about the roller coaster of emotions that comes with being the general manager of a fantasy football team.

After finishing a season with three football teams, two basketball teams and three hockey teams, it’s time to hang up the fantasy cleats, sneakers and skates.

This is my official retirement from fantasy sports.

I’ve been playing fantasy sports since I was in middle school, but took a break through most of high school. When I got to university in 2002, the itch needed to be scratched again as I found more people interested in pouring over statistics and debating who was going to be a better sixth defenceman in a 12-team league.

Over my career in fantasy sports, I’ve had my share of success. I’m not leaving this world because of bad seasons, but because something that has become a joke in my family.

We call it “The Brett Jinx.”

No matter the season or the sport, something will go wrong with players on my team. I know everyone has injuries on their teams, but my results have been eerie.

I caught on to the phenomenon in the summer of 2003. Prior to those seasons, anything negative to happen to a player I drafted was chalked up to the regular injuries or down years of production.

Enter Michael Vick. In 2002, Vick threw for 2,936 yards, added another 777 yards on the ground and led the Atlanta Falcons to a 27-7 upset of the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in the playoffs. 2003 was supposed to be the season where Vick took another step towards being one of the best and most exciting quarterbacks in the league.

So, I did what any reasonable fantasy general manager would do – I picked him first overall. A week after our draft, Vick fractured his right fibula in the Falcons’ second pre-season game. He played in the final five regular season games for Atlanta that season, but my fantasy season had already been decided.

Vick really had no chance. He also had to fight the Madden cover jinx, which has claimed NFL players’ seasons since the game started putting them on the front of the box.

The most recent example came from this year’s NHL season. It wasn’t even my choice to do it to the player in question. When you are involved in multiple leagues, you’re bound to miss a draft.

The victim in this case was New York Islanders captain John Tavares, who was on pace for a career year. Prior to the heading to Sochi for the Olympics, Tavares had 24 goals and 42 assists in 59 games this season. He was put on my team via an auto-draft.

Then, during the Olympics tournament, Tavares took a hit from a Latvian skater and tore his MCL and meniscus. He was lost to the Islanders for the rest of the year.

As for players I drafted, Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne needed hip surgery in the middle of the season, followed by a lengthy absence due to a post-op infection. Also in net, Jimmy Howard missed stretches of the season due to injuries to his knee and hip during the season. Both were key pieces that forced me to find goaltending help elsewhere.

There have been other layers to my jinx that fall outside of the realm of fantasy sports. Purchasing or receiving jerseys with players on them usually preceded a trade the following season. Names like former Blue Jays second baseman Aaron Hill, former Leafs defenceman Luke Schenn, who after his rookie season I thought might have been in line for the captaincy at some point, and former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Lee Evans come to mind.

Other theories for my fantasy sports failures include loyalty. I’m too reluctant to drop or trade a player I drafted at the beginning of the season. I mean, I picked them for a reason, right? They’re sure to turn around their season eventually. They never do.

But, like many players who have fantasy sports issues, it comes down to injuries. It’s become a habit for my parents to ask whom I drafted in the season to start to prepare for injuries to top players in the current season. My dad told me to stay away from any Toronto Maple Leafs this season, especially the goaltenders. And yes, I’ve had James Reimer and Jonathan Bernier at points during the season.

With the airing of my grievances, it is time to step away from the fantasy spotlight. Like any great athlete, I’ll probably have multiple comeback attempts that fail like Michael Jordan with the Washington Wizards.

One final message to professional athletes everywhere, you’re welcome. There’s one less jinx for you to worry about.

This column was originally published in the April 22 of the Battlefords News-Optimist. It was also posted to newsoptimist.ca.