The eye roll, the bored looks, the looking away from our eyes, as if having some other place to be is what we're usually left with.
And that's ok.
We don't expect them to understand.
My wife, bless her heart, sometimes forwards items or articles relating to fantasy baseball. Most, are things already read or known, but some are worthwhile.
During the season, she asked if I had received the last article.
I told her I had and also let her know that it was written by an NFBC friend and Hall of Famer.
"Hall of Famer?" she replied.
I said yeah and explained that the NFBC has a Hall of Fame for some of our players and that Dave Potts had reached that level.
"You're playing against Hall of Famers? How could you ever win?"
It was one of those questions that made me laugh and ponder at the same time.
In my mind, fantasy baseball drafters all bring something different to the table. Each one of us approaches the game a little differently. For some, the approach works wonderfully.
All the Hall of Famers in the NFBC have had a great run of years.
Jokingly, I told my wife that I wished they would make everybody a Hall of Famer, but me.
No Hall of Famer has won an Overall Championship AFTER being named to the Hall of Fame.
We all have goals.
Some try to win more money than paid in each year.
Some go for the gusto and nothing else.
Some just enjoy the 26 week grind.
Some will pay the money and give up after it is thought that they can't win.
Initially, for all of us, the goal is to WIN.
In our own minds, we think or know that we are better than the 14 others sitting at the table.
It's why we're there.
But to the public, we are 15 nerds at a table, mostly talking a language that they can't grasp.
Or want to grasp.
My wife enjoys going to the draft room in Las Vegas for a few minutes before she leaves and does what wives do in Las Vegas.
She stays for a few minutes because she is amazed that there are other people like me.
Before going to Las Vegas, she thought I had to be the only one in the world who would constantly study baseball through guides and online.
Make and receive phone calls and talk about just one player in baseball for over an hour.
In making our first trip to Vegas, my wife likened our draft to a 'Trekkie Convention' or 'Comicon'.
"I can't believe there are so many nerds and geeks just like you!"
It hit me that folks dressed up like Spock or Wonder Woman are better understood than fantasy baseball players.
It also hit me that others just wouldn't understand unless seeing it for themselves as my wife has.
Since then, I limit explanation of our hobby.
I can't go into the passion, study, and work of our hobby.
I try to tell them that we are like an episode of the Food Channel's show 'Chopped'.
Instead of three contestants, there are 15.
We all start out with the same ingredients and after six months, we try to have the best dish of the 15.
And yes, that doesn't get the point across as to the hard work and dedication and grinding that we all do over a long period of time, but they seem to be happy with the short explanation.
I began drafting in the PreMature League last week. It is one of my favorite leagues. Nobody is criticized for a pick.
There is no ADP. No Forecaster. No experts. And unfortunately, no Hall of Famers
Just 15 trendsetters who maybe a little too passionate about our hobby.
Last night, while supervising at the local softball park, I received an email that I was up in the draft.
I took out a notebook to look at my choice for the fifth round.
An umpire asked what I was staring at so intently.
"Fantasy baseball names, I'm up in our draft."
"WHAT? THE PLAYOFFS JUST STARTED!?!?"
I said, "Yeah, it's a great time of the year isn't it?"
He looked at me and just shook his head.
I may as well have been dressed like Spock.
