Thinking of Champions
I started playing fantasy football in much the same way that I became a military spouse. A guy I really liked asked me a question, and I said, “Yes.” He had to ask about fantasy football more than once—big deal. At least with that, I had an inkling of what I was getting into.
Across my almost five years as a military spouse and my three seasons as a fantasy football contender, some of the lessons I’ve learned apply to both experiences and, well, let’s just go for it—life in general.
Here are a few of my takeaways:
1. Some things will always make you aware of your obliviousness.
When you don’t know you don’t know something, it’s really kind of fabulous. When you repeatedly find out that you don’t know things, it’s also kind of fabulous. At first, maybe it’s like, “What do you mean second string? Like I picked someone who might not even play?” or “So, I have to know your social security number instead of my own?”
It’s okay though, because at some point, you stop becoming shocked by what you don’t know. When that happens, you can go straight to, “Well. New nugget of knowledge for me. Sweet!”
2, Some things will always remind you to be positive.
In fantasy football, one of the best things is the sarcastic trash talk all spoken in fun. Even if you’re the best trash talker around, the day will come when your team loses, and all you can say is, “Good game.”
In the same way you really have no control over what happens with the football players you drafted, as a military spouse there are lots of things that you have to accept you have no control over. Once you accept it, it’s so much easier to put on your “good game” face and find something to be happy and laugh about—sarcastic undertones or not.
3. Some things will always have their own vocabulary.
Did you know ESPN has a fantasy football glossary published on their website? I might just read it before next year’s fantasy draft. Seriously. It has more than thirty terms with detailed explanations. You know what, though? Over three seasons’ time, I picked up on some of those terms and their meanings without having to consult a glossary. Some, not all.
Similarly, over the last five years I’ve learned some of my military alphabet soup, too. Some, not all.
4. Some things will always have automatic inclusion.
When I said that yes, I would play in my husband’s family’s fantasy football league, I wasn’t looking forward to it. I actually planned on losing. Somebody has to! Do you want to know what I found out? Nobody in his family cared that I didn’t know anything about football. Everyone was there, doing this thing together, and that’s all that really mattered.
When I said that yes! I would marry my husband, I was looking forward to everything so much! My enthusiasm and anticipation still didn’t change the fact that I didn’t really know anything about being a military spouse. I found out the same thing as I did with my new family-in-laws. Everyone is here, together, and that’s all that really matters. There will be spouses to show you understanding and share insights. There will be spouses who might look to you for help someday.
5. Some things will always have champions.
Last season, my husband won the family fantasy football league. This achievement comes along with a champion’s belt—like a wrestler’s winning belt—but for fantasy football. We both made it to the playoffs this year. I’m not even going to lie, I was really excited for my own chance to win that belt!
I promptly lost my first ever playoff game and said, “Good game.” My husband has also lost his playoff game this year. He’s always going to be my champion though.
As military spouses, with all the lessons we may learn, I think we’ll all be just fine as long as we keep thinking of our service members as our champions.
