Issue #237: Merry Christmas!
By Derrick Ernst
December 25, 2025
Prelude
For those that are new, the Christmas issue is the only recurring issue of TDF. Why? Because it’s tradition and you’ll understand in just a sec. For the third year in a row and with your best Cousin Eddie impression, I present you with…
The Gift That Keeps On Giving
Why do we play fantasy football? A few things come to mind, but the one that sits above the rest is the fact that every year is a new opportunity. No matter what took place last season, whether you won or lost every game, the season in the here is now is a fresh landscape to re-write the story. The longer you play the game, the more chances you have for the story to fall in your favor. I’ve said this before and I hope one of the things you’ve begun to recognize over TDF’s existence is that fantasy football is really only a function of a handful of items. Identifying these doesn’t always yield results hoped for, but does make for more seasons on the right side of .500 than not. So why is it that we keep coming back year-after-year? Because for a few months out of the year, we get to experience winning in a way that is unlike any other facet of life and it’s often winning against people in our inner circles. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.
There wasn’t another time throughout the year better than the holidays as a kid. No school. Friends and family. Good food. And PRESENTS. No matter how full our sock drawer was, we all were on the receiving end of a few pairs from an aunt or two. We put on a face and powered through because we knew that if we could get through those gifts, the “fun” ones would be all that was left. Santa always knew how to bring a smile to my face — funny how that works. Childhood gifts are like a fantasy football roster: not every player is going to work out. We’re going to have our duds (socks), but also a few studs (fun gifts) to keep us afloat. Some years we’re gifted more socks than usual, just as much as other years we’re on the receiving end of the cream of the crop. But that’s why we come back, right? It’s a gamble not knowing, but the unknown is an opportunity to make the most out of the gift that keeps on giving.
There is a point in our lives where the “kid” in us starts to disappear and the holiday’s start to have a different meaning to them. But despite this, there’s no denying the energy that is in the air this time of year that keeps us going — it’s something to look forward to for reasons that are different for us all. It’s the same for fantasy. The end of summer approaches and we find ourselves itching to dive back in. While age is just a number, fantasy keeps us young whether we realize it or not. It’s one of probably a handful of things in our adult lives that allows us to escape from reality and channel our adolescent years. And where we’re all trying to stay forever young, fantasy isn’t something some infomercial will include in its regimen to keep us striving to look our best self.
While the holidays might be more for the kids, it doesn’t have to mean that the kid inside of us is gone forever. Let it simply be a reminder that we have the gift that is fantasy that challenges us, humbles us, and keeps us longing to come back for more year-after year. Just like the holidays, fantasy isn’t going to be perfect. We’re not going to know it all and there’s simply too many outside factors going against us. But, we can dream of perfection, can’t we? So just as we as kids dreamed of living out the holidays year-round, we can dream of that perfect season with that perfect lineup. Life is an entertaining ride and one that shouldn’t be taken so seriously. It’s a gift. Find enjoyment in it at every turn. Laugh at the mistakes. Cherish the memories. Be the gift to others they never knew they needed. Just like fantasy is to us.
Snow Bowl
Source: OzarksFirst.com
Taking place on Dec 10, 2017, the Bills hosted the Colts to the snowiest game in NFL history. 17” of snow accumulated throughout the day with 8” falling during the game alone. BUF eked out the win in OT, 13-7, with LeSean McCoy leading the way with 156 rushing yards. Here’s a worthy recap of the game:
Comments