Once a year, there’s a phenomenon that brings friends and family together to talk trash, eat pizza, and pretend we actually know more than the suits in the NFL big house.

We Are The Champions!

It’s called fantasy football and this league has been dynamic since 1995. You can tell how long we’ve been together by our team names … they aren’t as eye-catching as some of the newer team names like “Turn Your Head and Coughlin” or “Butt Fumblers” or “The Walking Dez”. For example, I’m just TD.  Short, sweet, simple, and ultimately, when you win the league, you are just called champion!

This year is different … I’m the defending champion. I can stand a little taller and walk a little slower to the draft board, humming Queen’s iconic anthem. I’ve earned the right. Nobody mentions that it’s been since 2004 since I’ve been able to take that slow walk, but we live in a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately society.

Morning weight 171. Not too bad since I ate at an Indian Buffet yesterday. Maybe it had something to do with the fact I also ran 11-miles.

Life lesson #76 – 1 1/2 buffet plates and 11-miles equals .05 pounds. If you are on a weight loss program, would you rather run 11-miles or have a shake?

Today’s Meals:

• 7am – Herbalife Morning Shake.
  • 8 oz of Healthy Balance Apple Juice
  • 2 Scoops of Herbalife Protein Powder
  • 1 Scoop of Herbalife Formula 1 French Vanilla
  • 3 Costco Frozen Pineapple Chunks
  • 2 Costco Frozen Strawberries
  • About 5 Costco Organic Blueberries
  • 1/2 cup of spinach
• 12:20pm – Round 12 of the Draft, the pizza arrives! Last year winner pays, but it is the best $100 I’ve ever spent.
  • 5 slices of Round Table Gourmet Veggie
• 3pm – Homemade Peach Galette. I Googled it, Galette ultimately means they can charge 40% more than calling it a pastry. Thanks to the Midnight Baker — you are an amazing baker! 1/4 slice.
• 3:45pm – Homemade Ghetto Nachos – microwave goodness!
  • Lay’s Original Chips (15 chips)
  • Tostitos White Corn Tortilla Chips (7 chips)
  • Sargento 4 cheese mexican (1/4 cup) just spread over the chips
• 6:30pm – Japanese Noodle House
  • Vegetarian Broth Ramen – Mabo Tofu (2 cups)
  • Veggie miso soup
  • Veggie tempura (1 1/2 servings)
  • Veggie Dragon Roll
• 9:50pm – Peach Galette revisited, but a la mode.
  • Homemade Peach Galette 1/4 slice
  • Crystal Vanilla Ice Cream (1/2 cup)
• 10:45pm – Herbalife24 Restore

Meal 2

Meal 2.1

Meal 2.2

Meal 3

Meal 4

Today’s Activities:

• 9am – 1:30pm – 18th Fantasy Football Season Draft Day! Good luck to the fellas and the line of the day, after the draft was over, “See you next year.” Been playing with these guys for almost 2 decades, but only see them a single day every year. Oddly, I could walk right by one of them without recognizing them if I bumped into them at the mall. But, this is my most competitive league and it is always good humored fun. We don’t have the stereo-typical, “Fantasy Football Guy” and we don’t draft at Hooters. I could put up with FF Guy, but not a Hooters draft. Too cliche and not my idea of a good time.

Saturday, 08-24-13