The completion of the NFL draft in April, your favorite NFL franchise (most people around Bowling Green follow the Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts, and the Cincinnati Bengals) going through OTAs and then training camp, and the enigma of Titans’ running back #28 Chris Johnson (will he or won’t he rush for 2,000 yards again this season) can only indicate one thing: It is time to finalize your plans to participate in a fantasy football league this season.

Fantasy football is more real than any reality program currently on the air.  It is one of the nation’s fastest growing hobbies thanks to the popularity of the sport and dynamics of the game.  With the growing popularity of fantasy football on internet websites (such as CBSSports.com and RTSports.com) and people involved in drafts at local sports bars and restaurants (such as Overtime Sports Bar and Grill), it seems that everyone is aware of what fantasy football is and how to play.   Many people in Bowling Green also watch NFL games weekly through the convenience of Direct TV’s NFL Sunday Ticket which exposes viewers to more NFL players and teams.

It is not uncommon for people to own and manage more than one fantasy football team due to the convenience of games being a “once-a-week” event on Sundays. But for many owners this is not just a hobby; it’s a job. These owners find themselves spending hours at work making trade offers and talking smack on the message board. What makes fantasy football great are the friendships and rivalries formed in each league.  Owners mingling on draft day make fantasy football more than just a game; it is a full-fledged event.  Fantasy football draft day is a lot like Christmas to owners; they can open 16-20 presents (drafting 16-20 players), and they get to show off their new “players” to anyone who will look at their rosters. 

This season the best fantasy football players will converge at the Hilton Garden Inn Conference Room in Bowling Green on Saturday, August 21, to compete with 48 total teams to take prizes in the largest fantasy football live draft in southern Kentucky.  The Southern Bluegrass Fantasy Football Championship (SBFFC), in conjunction with Overtime Sports Bar and Grill, will have owners competing to earn bragging rights as being the best fantasy football owner in Bowling Green and the surrounding areas.  You can find more about the SBFFC by going to http://www.sbffc.com.

The SBFFC will have four fantasy football drafts of 12 owners happening at the same time to build the fantasy roster that will hopefully lead them to a draft championship.  In addition, the best fantasy football owner at the end of Week 16 will earn the title “Southern Bluegrass Fantasy Football Champion.” One local owner, Luke Keith, said: “I can’t wait to add another trophy to my collection.”  Another local owner, Matt Krantz, said: “Seeing my friends’ faces are priceless when I win another league.  When people say I cannot win in fantasy football pushes me to prove everyone wrong.”

To win in the Southern Bluegrass Fantasy Football Championship, you must have strong weekly play from your quarterback who will throw for yards and touchdowns to score points for your fantasy team.  You must have several running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends to accumulate a lot of rushing and receiving yards, along with catches and touchdowns, to score points for your team.  And don’t forget picking a team defense or two which can help you get fumble recoveries, interceptions, sacks, touchdowns, and hold the opposing NFL team to the fewest points possible.  And when you get to about rounds 18-20 of your draft or the last rounds in your draft, select a kicker who will kick field goals and score extra points for your team.  Drafting a well-balanced fantasy football team, keeping a keen eye on the free agent market, managing your injuries, and having a little luck will get you into the playoffs.

Get into the action of Bowling Green’s live fantasy football draft on August 21, 2010, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bowling Green, across the street from Crosswinds Golf Course and the Sloan Convention Center.  For more information or to register visit http://www.sbffc.com.