Sitting on the Sidelines — No Stone Left Unturned

One of the things that I enjoy doing is playing in a fantasy football league. The first year that my friends invited me to play I passed. I am an avid Denver Broncos fan, but I wasn’t familiar with the players on any of the other NFL teams. Tracy did take them up on the invitation.

The following year they once again invited me to join. I only relented because Tracy mentioned that it was something that we could do together. What Tracy and my friends didn’t realize is that they created a monster.

I am a bit on the competitive side. We play in an ESPN league. You can choose to let ESPN auto draft your team. I decided to draft my own team. I drafted an unknown Patrick Mahomes to be my back-up quarterback. He had only played in one NFL game at the end of 2017. After the first game in 2018, I took him off the bench and he became my starter. Mahomes threw 29 touchdown passes in his first 10 career NFL games, more touchdown throws than any quarterback in NFL history in their first 10 games.

I had also drafted Christian McCaffrey as a running back. I didn’t know a thing about him, except he is the son of Ed McCaffrey, one of my favorite players on the Denver Broncos. McCaffrey was fantasy’s number 2 scoring running back in 2018.

My other starting running back was Todd Gurley II. I drafted James Conner because I liked his story, be beat cancer and was able to come back and play in the NFL. He was in my flex position. He had a great year. Some of my other players included Mike Evans, wide receiver and Eric Ebron, tight end.

I won the first season I played. There was definitely a great deal of luck involved that year. But I also did pay close attention and substituted players when my starters had a BYE week or an injury.

In 2019 I finished in 8th, in 2020 I finished in 3rd, and this year I am in the hunt for the play-offs. In fact, I am listening to the Monday Night Football game as I write.

Yesterday I was listening to football while I was making candy for Christmas gifts. The pre-game show was highlighting a story called “My Cause My Cleats”. This week the NFL players showcased custom cleats that represent the causes they support. Week 13 is the only week where players can wear shoes that are not team specific and within the NFL’s uniform rules.

My interest was piqued because I heard the broadcaster talking about Corey Linsley of the Los Angeles Rams and his wife, Anna. His cause is CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). Corey and Anna became passionate supporters of CASA of Brown County, Wisconsin in 2017 while he played for the Green Bay Packers. The two became involved in the organization when they applied to become advocates to help make a difference in the lives of children under court protection due to abuse and/or neglect.

The Linsley’s completed CASA’s pre-service training and were sworn in to advocate for a sibling group in 2018. They have continued their support of the CASA program in Los Angeles.

If you’ve been following my blog, you know that the CASA organization is near and dear to my heart. I have been a CASA in Larimer County, Colorado since June of 2015.

I decided that I wanted to learn more about the “My Cause My Cleats” campaign. I know that some of my readers do not support the NFL for various reasons. Many of the players are impressive men that make a difference in the communities where they play and live. Hundreds of charities are represented by NFL players giving of their time and money.

The cleats are designed to represent the cause of the player. All players have the option to donate their cleats to the NFL auction, with the proceeds from the sales going to the respective charities selected.

The players various causes include: impoverished youth, disadvantaged children, empowering youth, underserved youth, youth mentoring, youth health and wellness, at-risk kids, inspiring youth, less fortunate youth, pediatric cancer, youth education, juvenile justice system, homelessness, substance abuse/addiction recovery. domestic violence, adoption, juvenile diabetes, child literacy, food insecurity, adoption, human trafficking and military appreciation/support.

The organizations represented include: Special Olympics, Best Buddies, Autism Speaks, STOMP Out Bullying, Easterseals, The National Suicide Hotline, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), Open Door Mission, Down Syndrome Association, Muscular Dystrophy Association, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Kicking the Stigma, Project Healthy Minds, The Dyslexia Foundation, GiGi’s Playhouse, Organization for Autism Research, AdoptUSkids, Born this Way Foundation, Mark 10:14 Program, Head Start, Boys & Girls Clubs, Big Brother/Big Sister, Habitat for Humanity and Ronald McDonald House.

Here is a list of number of players participating per team:

Arizona Cardinals 16, Atlanta Falcons 37, Baltimore Ravens 10, Buffalo Bills 15, Carolina Panthers 34, Chicago Bears 12, Cincinnati Bengals 10, Cleveland Browns 17, Dallas Cowboys 15, Denver Broncos 66, Detroit Lions 15, Green Bay Packers 17, Houston Texans 13, Indianapolis Colts 39, Jacksonville Jaguars 43, Kansas City Chiefs 17, Las Vegas Raiders 29, Los Angeles Chargers 22, Los Angeles Rams 35, Miami Dolphins 43, Minnesota Vikings 53, New England Patriots 27, New Orleans Saints 10, New York Giants 10, New York Jets 22, Philidelphia Eagles 23, Pittsburgh Steelers 16, San Francisco 49ers 33, Seattle Seahawks 28, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 53, Tennessee Titans 14, Washington Football Team 34.

Well, that gives me one reason to be proud of my 2021 Denver Broncos. They have the most players participating! They can win a participant’s trophy this year. Lol!

Why am I highlighting all the teams? Because I have readers across the nation! I am proud to tell you that according to the analytics provided by my web host, I have readers in 49 states and 36 countries! How exciting is that?

The holiday season is a good time to support your favorite charity. If you are at all interested in bidding on a pair of cleats that represents your favorite charity or favorite team for yourself or for a gift go to www.nflauction.nfl.com. If nothing else it’s fun to see the designs and the amounts being bid!

If you’re looking for a great cause, please consider CASA of Larimer County. Tuesday, December 7th, is Colorado Gives Day. Colorado Gives Day is an annual statewide movement to celebrate and increase philanthropy in Colorado through online giving. Per www.casalarimer.org, “This one day event is one of the largest one-day giving movements in the country”. Just go to the website and click on Colorado Gives Day.

If you’re unable to make a donation of money to a charity, consider making a donation of your time. Don’t just sit on the sidelines.

“I could be sitting on the sidelines, in blissful ignorance of the brokenness that surrounds me. Enjoying the whole-ness of a sweet and sheltered life. Missing out on the beauty of breaking off pieces of my heart and my life to make another whole.” - Jamie Finn, Foster the Family