The interesting thing about writing a column for nearly 25 years (wow, that's a strange thing to type) is finding different topics to cover. The game changes, our perspectives change, and the best way to approach fantasy football has changed over time. Part of the fun is analyzing the different trends and approaches and finding the right methods to enhance the gaming experience.
That being said, there's one topic I've covered frequently over the years, and will continue to do so, because it's always good advice no matter how much the game changes: You need to congratulate your league champion. Your season isn't really complete until you do it.
I don't know who won your league, but I can assume a few things: They're active, they took the league seriously and they wanted to win. Those are the ingredients every league needs from its members. How many times have you played with managers who lose interest, don't care, don't bother to do even basic research, and ruin the competitive balance as a result? Eventually you wonder why you should bother to play in that league. It only takes a couple of these useless pieces of driftwood to take the fun out of the game, so it's important to make sure your ownership group is as strong as possible.
Well, odds are your league champ is one of the better ones. They pour over data, go back and forth over who to start and dive into the numbers to put their best options in the lineup. Just like you do. They probably pay attention to the waiver wire and respond to communication, whether they be message board posts, texts, or email. Just like you do. In short, they make the league worth winning in the first place. Just like you and all the other good members of the league.
It's okay to be disappointed if you didn't win it all. You might have fallen short in the playoffs or failed to even get that far. Maybe your players left a game early at the most critical time. Maybe you ran into CeeDee Lamb or Lamar Jackson (or both) at the wrong time. Maybe Brock Purdy had a very bad game at a very bad time for you. But the reason you're disappointed is that the level of competition in the league is high enough for you to care about doing well in it. And your league champion is one of the managers that keep the competition level high. So, from one good manager to another, you should acknowledge their success.
And, in my opinion, posting "Grats" on a message board isn't enough. That's like a coach giving a weak handshake after a game and not even making eye contact. Using that analogy, you should be the coach who takes a couple seconds, puts their hand on the other coach's shoulder, and offers some genuine words of congratulations. It takes very little time, costs you nothing, and it's the right thing to do.
But if those reasons aren't enough, keep in mind that you might be the only manager to actually do that. If you're the only one who shows that level of sportsmanship, how could that possibly hurt you? You might create a friendship with a stranger, you might make someone's day who's struggling in other areas of their life, or you might set the stage for them to do the same to you if/when the roles are reversed. Have you ever won a league where nobody really acknowledged your victory, except maybe some money appearing in your account? It definitely takes away some of the fun. I was in a league where I won multiple titles, and I eventually left. It felt like I was playing with bots, even though I'd congratulate them the years I didn't win. Sometimes they didn't even respond to my congratulations.
Now that I think of it, maybe they were bots. That would be a better explanation than not having 30 seconds to offer congratulations or acknowledge when I recognized them. The point is, I won a fair amount of money in that league, but I've never regretted leaving. There's more to it than the competition during the season. You should try to be part of what makes the league fun, and worth the time you spend trying to win it.
So I would encourage you to send a private message or text and really acknowledge their accomplishments. Maybe they got lucky, but that's also part of the game. They either selected good players or picked up the necessary talent on the waiver wire. They started the right people at the right time, and they deserve to be recognized as last team standing. And if you actually know the person, this is going to sound weird, but you can make this thing called a "phone call." You can actually talk to the person! If you have their number, and you consider them a friend, maybe you're overdue for a call, anyway. And maybe it's a really good time for them to hear a friendly voice. You never know what’s going on with someone.
By the way, if you did win your league, congratulations! Please remember the managers who took the time to acknowledge your accomplishment. They're good people. And when you find yourself in their shoes in a future season, be sure and congratulate the winner. They'll deserve the accolades as well.
While football is my favorite sport, I really respect the way hockey players line up after a playoff series ends. Everybody lines up and shakes hands, including the coaches. It's not about being happy that you lost. It's just the way things are done. It's expected. Fans also applaud their team if they lost on their home ice. They're disappointed, but they understand that this level of competition is what makes the sport fun. I hope you do the same.
Do you acknowledge your league champion? Is there a valid reason to avoid doing so? What do you think of managers who simply disappear after they're eliminated? Share your thoughts below, and congratulations to Albert Murillo and Johnny Bell for their championship victories this season.