1. That's How You Win a Fantasy League

"Zack" was working for the Florida Marlins in 2007 and towards the end of year, the Marlins were well out of the race. Zack's fantasy team, however, was very much alive. Playing for the title in a head-to-head fantasy baseball league during the last week of the season, Zack accompanied the team on an end-of-the-year road trip to play the Mets in New York City.

The night in question was Friday, September 28, 2007, and all Zack needed for his title was one last great starting pitching performance along with a win. From John Maine of the Mets. Who was pitching the next afternoon at 1:00 PM against the Marlins.

It was against this backdrop that Zack and his buddy arrived that Friday night to a bar with some of the team and shared a drink with a few Marlins players. And after they all hoisted a few, an interesting, if not exactly kosher, idea occurred to Zack.

"All we need to do is a get a few more of them drunk and my boy Maine should cruise through the lineup."

Fast forward to midnight. Zack continues, "Some front office staff, a lot of players, a couple of female sales interns, and myself meet up at a trendy bar. Drinks were flowing. The bullpen was buying..."

Note to self: Make friends with more relievers.

"... But I was buying more to make sure they got extra rowdy."

Apparently, the party was just beginning. Back at the hotel after closing, Zack says, "We proceeded to play 'Mexican Shotgun,' which was a game I made up on the spot. It consisted of shotgunning a beer and chasing it with tequila (courtesy of the minibar). The next morning, I felt like crap but I also felt confident in unleashing Maine as my last starter to grab a title."

Google the box score for the Mets-Marlins game on Sept 29, 2007. That day, John Maine went 7 and 2/3 innings, giving up just one hit, two walks, and the Mets cruised to a 13-0 win.

"The box score credits the win to John Maine, but deep inside I know that W was earned by me. I went on to win that final week of fantasy and the season, with the John Maine win and his sterling WHIP being the clincher..."

They say there are only three things in this world you can count on. Death, taxes and someone cheating at fantasy. Be it with technology (embedding a computer virus to steal the commissioner's password), social media (writing a fake tweet from football reporters like Adam Schefter or Chris Mortensen about player injuries and "retweeting" it to your league), or ladies using their feminine charms (yes, even that gets traded in fantasy leagues), there is no end to the lengths people will go to to win their league..

Which is shame. Fantasy sports are fun. That's why we play, that's the best part about it, and ultimately, a victory you had to cheat for isn't a real victory. But that doesn't mean people don't do it...

 

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-berry/how-to-win-at-fantasy-foo_b_3613378.html

 

Not sure if I buy this story, but it's funny if true

#ThatsSoMarlins

lmfao