The Muse's Corner
By the Philosopher of Arena Football
June 1, 2007
Ripeness is All
This week I have a puzzle for you:
Aaron Garcia. Kevin Swayne.
What do these players have in common?
Yes, of course they both play for the Dragons. But this is fantasy football,
and we care little for teams. And yes, of course I know they are both coming
off monster week 13s. But for the astute fantasy owner, these two player
represent one key virtue essential for the push to the fantasy playoffs:
Patience.
Like standing in line at the DMV, slow-cooking a Tuna Helper feast in a
crock pot, and writing a long letter in blood, sweat, and tears to AFL commissioner
Baker begging him to bring back my beloved Carolina Cobras to Raleigh, patience
is rewarded.
Good things come to those that wait. Fantasy owners, who not only drafted
Garcia and Swayne but who held on to them through all the weeks they rode
the pine waiting for their injuries to heal, have finally been rewarded for
their heroic patience. These players so long in the shadows now blaze forth
like hydrogen-bomb suns over the Los Alamos testing grounds.
I asked the Muse to sing on the power of patience. I waited an hour. Then
another hour. Then still another. Finally, as the night wore on and I was
about to give up, the rosy fingers of dawn brightened the cracked windows
of the basement of the Raleigh Train station and she sang thus:
“Ronnie Daniels, Travis LaTendresse,
Terrance Quattlebaum , Stoney Case--
Impulsive owners waived you down
Flavors of the week that are now a waste.
But
Stashed away in casks of ice
The healing warriors dream delight
In their spots upon the bench
Waiting for their owners to cast the dice.
There is forever a future time
For the long forgotten true studs to shine
To unfreeze these players who rest in the dark
Seek the draught of Patience, drink that bitter wine.
So take care to prepare to fight unkind fate--
Those also serve who only stand and wait.”
The Muse’s lesson? Careful preparation on draft day is crucial to
lasting the long season. But even more important is the patience to hang
onto your studs, even when they look their worst. Some owners are crying
now that they have lost Bobby Sippio just when they needed him most for the
fantasy playoffs. But not the owners who held onto Garcia or Swayne all season,
just waiting for the right time to unveil them. Patience is what keeps you
from dumping Swayne for a one week wonder like Quattlebaum or a dozen others.
The true studs will eventually shine, no matter how stormy things look. And
patience is a fantasy virtue that is always rewarded.
Paul Celmer, aka The Philosopher of Arena Football, is a member of the Arena Football League Writers Association and a founding member of Arena Football Online. Contact Paul at pcelmer@arenafootballonline.com
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