Committed: Confessions of a Fantasy Football Junkie (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Dude, I get more f***ing e-mails from you than from the girl I'm seeing!..." (more)
Key Phrases: Felon League, Super Bowl, Joe Horn (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Little boys fantasize about being NFL players, but grown men fantasize about owning them—drafting them, trading them and arranging them in starting lineups that compete against other "teams" based on the players' performances in real games. St. Amant quit his advertising job to pursue a fantasy football league championship and pen this boisterous celebration of the burgeoning pastime. He mixes hyperbolic commentary on his own travails with a recap of the hobby's origins, conversations with aficionados and pointers for neophytes. He depicts fantasy football as fandom on steroids; by placing the traditions of sifting stats, critiquing players and kibitzing strategies in a formal competitive setting, the essentially passive experience of watching football gains an imaginary dimension of control and mastery. In fact, watching becomes as grueling as playing ("My stomach feels as if it's been stopping cannonballs," St. Amant groans after one Sunday in front of the tube). The author writes like the life of the locker-room party, dishing out sarcastic trash talk and assaultive anal sex banter, but undercutting his macho bluster with self-deprecation. It's a fitting, if sometimes overbearing, tone. St. Amant's obsessiveness lacks critical perspective, but those who share his addiction will find his voice authentic.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Fantasy football is a game in which the actual statistics (touchdowns, yard passing, etc.) of real NFL players, who have been selected by fantasy team "owners," are used to create a score. The score is then matched up against another fantasy team's accumulation of points to determine a winner. It can become a consuming passion, as it has for the author, a former advertising copywriter who gave up his job to pursue his hobby and the writing of this book. Readers get three narrative threads for the price of one. There is St. Amant's personal story, in which he convinces his wife that quitting his job to play fantasy football and write a book would be a good thing. There's a history of fantasy football, which began in the early 1960s as a sideline among a few pro-football beat writers and gradually developed into today's Internet phenomenon. Lastly, there is advice on league formats, drafting strategies, and trade etiquette. An informative, engagingly written, and very funny guide to an often-misunderstood area of sports fanaticism. Wes Lukowsky
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Scribner (July 26, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743267575
• ISBN-13: 978-0743267571
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (59 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #319,563 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining but...., August 23, 2007

By	L. Housel (Cleveland, Ohio) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I liked this book but at times it dwelled to much on the authors own FF team from 2004. The stories about the FFL's he visited was interesting and there was some good technical information here and there, all with a humorous twist.

You know how it is when someone insists on telling you about their Fantasy Football team? What if it was their Fantasy Team from three years ago? That's where this book gets a bit cumbersome for me but if you are interested in what it's like to be insane about Fantasy Football this is a good read.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Football Book for Everyone!, August 30, 2004

By	M. Shearer - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Committed: Confessions of a Fantasy Football Junkie (Hardcover)

Information for the 'newbie', 'vet', and the 'FF Widow(er)'. Mr. St. Amant is witty, informative, inciteful, and sacrilegious throughout. An excellent read. If you are looking for a page turner, this is the one!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely hysterical. , August 29, 2004

By	Clint (Albany, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Committed: Confessions of a Fantasy Football Junkie (Hardcover)

Absolutely hysterical. I caught myself missing my subway stops because I was so involved in the book. I've never joined a fantasy football league before but have tons of buddies who play...and after reading this I can't wait to join my first league this year. The book offered some helpful pointers & strategies for rookies like me, but overall was a comical, informative look at the roller coaster ride people go through in a typical fantasy football season.