Customer Reviews

Why Fantasy Football Matters: (And Our Lives Do Not)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Whether a veteran or rookie, you'd like to know how to improve a)your managing prowess and b)your ability to irritate other owners.

If you are a fantasy "widow", you're probably wondering why you receive only monosyllabic responses on Sundays from September through January

The answers are all here; a must-have before the '06 season.

This book by Max Handelman and Erik Barmack is hilarious! They give a great insider's view of what happens to ordinary people who have a serious obsession!! It's a great book for everyone to read because it's easily followed even if you have no clue what Fantasy Football is! I loved it and have shared it with friends who love and despise the game for various reasons! If you're a Sunday widow you should read this book and if you're a participant of this league, you should consider therapy! (when the season ends, of course). Have fun reading this funny tale of crazed wannabe's!

I hate the fact my husband's life often revolves around fantasy football but I gave him this book and he loved it! The perfect gift!!!!!

I bought this book for my fantasy football obsessed husband as a birthday gift. Just thought it looked cute - he doesn't need a how-to since he's been playing for a few years. This book is GREAT! Flipping thru, I was pleasantly surprised by how funny it is - very observant, smart, hip. Highlights are all the hilarious sidebars featuring funny quotes or pop culture references like a list of the most underrated muppets. The book is as much about football as it is about men more generally - the camaraderie, trash talking and competition that fuels them from puberty on. A fun, entertaining read for both sexes.

i bought it. i read it. i became obsessed w/ it and i don't even like football. my wife was like, why aren't you sleeping, it's 3 am, and i was like, I don't know, I have no idea why I am reading every page of this book, I don't know who any of these people are or what they are talking about, I just want to know what happens to them!!! it is a very unique book-- but it never tells us-- WHO WINS THE SUPER BOWL?! The Death Maiden, I hope. I need to know.

"Why Fantasy Football Matters (and our lives do not)" by Erik Barmack and Max Handelman

One word sums up this book best.

Captivating.

I picked up "Why Fantasy Football Matters (and our lives do not)" and finished it within two days. It was hard to put down because every new chapter takes the reader along the next adventure of a leagues FF season. If you play fantasy football you will enjoy reading this in-depth look at a typical fantasy football league by Barmack and Handelman.

I loved the references to movies and other cultural icons like Bill O' Reilly, Seinfeld, Wile E Coyote, Cool Hand Luke, the Muppets and even DR Seuss. Sure some of the lists were for issues that are not of particular importance to me; however, for the most part, they were an enjoyable look back into some iconic moments from my past.

I especially enjoyed Chapter 20 "Rage Against The Experts E-Mail". It has an excellent diatribe about "expert advice and analysis" and the sometimes stupid questions (and answers) FF columnists get and give. I think every fantasy fooballer has had these thoughts on one occasion or another. It was good to see them in print!!!

As far as criticism, do not expect too much fantasy football wisdom from this book. Just sit back, read it and enjoy the ride. It does have an occasional morsel of knowledge, but if you are into fantasy football these "tips" and "strategies" will be well known by you now.
Another albeit small criticism is that "Why Fantasy Football Matters" was published in 2006, so some of the references to the fantasy football season may seem a bit old to new readers. But this does not distract from the obvious humor in these references.

All-in-all, this is an entertaining book that examines the stereotypical thoughts and actions of a 12 man fantasy football league from pre-season through their post season blues. I guarantee something in the book will remind you of your league and make you laugh out loud. Along similar lines if you enjoy this book you will also love "Committed, Confessions of a Fantasy Football Junkie." by Mark St. Amant which I have also reviewed (and others have mentioned in previous reviews). It too is a humorous look at a fantasy football league's season and the World Championship of Fantasy Football (WCOFF).

Sam Hendricks, Author of "Fantasy Football Guidebook" and "Fantasy Football Almanac"

This book really makes you take a step back and examine your addiction to Fantasy Football. It is a must read for wives that just don't get the importance.

Hilarious!! I actually bought this book as a kind of a joke for my husband who lives for his Fantasy League during football season..... But as I was sitting around one day, I started to read it and found it totally entertaining, a great read for the Fantasy Football players and their football widow wives as well.

This is one of the most hilarious books that I have read in a long time. The clipped pace of the narrative could nearly double as a play. I could imagine it staged. Having no experience in fantasy football but having a lot of experience listening to peoples' fantasies, I can honestly say that Barmack and Handelman have outdone themselves in bringing the best of both together. It is a must read for those who have the addiction. It just might be a cure. Personally, it was a relief to finally learn where all those goldfish won at Purim carnivals throughout America, wound up - as fishy starters for the Draft Order Ceremony determined by a Brazilian, piranha. Do not miss this book because your life could actually matter.

I was hoping these guys would capture all the things that are so enjoyably absurd about fantasy football and after reading I can happily say they've done exactly that. The chapter on post-draft reactions was great (The Helter Skelter Reaction: Manger in four different fantasy leagues who can't remember which players are on which teams) as are the side bars throughout, guys we like in sportsbars, a prayer for torn ACL's, top five quarterbacks quickest to hook-slide, and anatomy of a guppy draft were all great.

It's a fun read. If you play fantasy football you are going to dig it.