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It’s that time of year again! Summer is winding down, cool weather is on its way, the leaves will soon be changing colors… and football is back, baby! We are a football household. When we first met in college in Texas and were surrounded by Dallas Cowboys fans (whom I love dearly), my husband and I bonded over our mutual love of the New England Patriots, and that shared interest helped our romance blossom. Since then, Sundays at our house have been filled with friends, food, and a full day of football. And I love it!

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However, I realize this is not the case for many women. Sundays are a day of dread as their televisions play nothing but football from 1 in the afternoon until 11:30 at night — not to mention the pre- and post-game coverage. This was absolutely the case for several of my closest girlfriends. They would complain to me about the fact that they lost their houses — and their significant others — to football every single Sunday in the fall. When they would bemoan their situations, I often suggested they try playing fantasy football. I had been playing fantasy football for over 10 years, eight of which I was in leagues with my husband. And based on my own experience, I knew fantasy football would help them begin to understand the sport and make it less of a chore — or headache — to watch.

It took several years, but eventually these girlfriends formed a girls-only fantasy football league with other women in their area. Most of them had no clue what they were doing, several only drafted players whom they knew from reality TV, and they competed for a Sephora gift card. And you know what? They had a lot of fun. Last year, when my friend Heather from the Houston Moms Blog wrote her post “Fantasy Football 101” and spoke about how much she enjoyed fantasy football, I gave myself a big, fat pat on the back. I mean, I practically bruised myself.

So if you’re also dreading this upcoming football season, here are three reasons you should give fantasy football a try:

1. You can learn more about the sport.

I’ve been playing fantasy football since I was a senior in high school, and it helped me to actually understand the sport. I enjoyed watching football, but before fantasy football I pretty much understood that the players needed to get a touchdown or kick a field goal. That was about it. (And that’s all you need, right?) Once I started playing fantasy football, I began to understand the details of the game and pay more attention to nearly every single play. I understood the difference between rushing and passing and turnovers — and it made watching the game so much more enjoyable and exciting.

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Me and one of my fantasy football ladies, one of the most adorable Cheeseheads ever.

2. It brings people together.

Fantasy football is a great way to keep in touch with friends across the nation. My husband and I are in one league that has consisted of his childhood friends, our college friends, and my family; we are Patriots, Cowboys, Texans, Steelers, Ravens, Broncos, and Packers fans. As we all have gone our separate ways over the years, this particular league has spanned four continents, including Europe, Australia, and Africa. Thanks to fantasy football, we communicate more often in the fall, exchange a bit (or a lot) of smack-talk, and are able to close the distances between us.

3. It’s fun!

Or, at least, it should be! Don’t join a league where people take themselves too seriously or are way too competitive. Feel free to draft players from the hometown team or because you think they have a funny name or because you think they’re cute (that’s why Wes Welker was on my team for five seasons straight). Don’t worry about poring over stats. Just enjoy some friendly competition… and the fact that you now have a reason to turn on any random football game.

If you’re feeling frustrated and tired of losing your significant other to football during the fall, round up a couple friends, form your own league, and give fantasy football a try! The season starts September 10, so you have plenty of time to get your teams together. If you need help setting up your league, feel free to e-mail me. Hopefully, you’ll have as much fun as I do!

Go Patriots!