Skip to main content

5 Things Lawyers Can Learn From Fantasy Football

By Mark Wilson, Esq. on October 29, 2014 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

I only just started playing fantasy football this year. I knew it was a thing people did, and they enjoyed it, so I thought I'd give it a try. I enlisted some friends and we created a league. Fair warning, though: I know almost nothing about football. I just know that fantasy football is fun.

And, truthfully, it turns out watching football can be fun. But fantasy football in particular carries a lot of lessons for lawyers.

What lessons, you ask? Here are five:

1. Don't Give Up After One Setback.

So what if Kansas City running back Jamaal Charles spent his first three games on the bench because he was injured? That doesn't mean it's over. And, truthfully, it wasn't. He came back to get a lot of points in subsequent weeks. So lawyers, just because your motion gets denied doesn't mean your case is over. Use your creativity and figure something else out.

2. Sometimes, It's Just Luck.

On more than one occasion, my star player -- upon whom weighs the burden of getting about 15 points in a game -- has been injured in the first quarter. Once a player starts playing, you can't substitute him, so I just had to take that hit. You just never know what's going to happen sometimes. It could be serendipitous, like the police officer doesn't show up to testify. Or it could be a vicissitude, like the judge who denied your motion because she was having a really bad day.

3. Other Times, Your Best Isn't as Good as Someone Else's Best.

Last week, I lost my matchup 213 to 221. It was close, and I had a lot of high-scoring players, like Tom Brady (54 points), Griff Whalen (30 points), and Baltimore Ravens defense (34 points). But my opponent also had a lot of high-scoring players, and his were a bit better. As lawyers, we're competitive by nature, and when you lose a case, you should have a slice of humble pie; sometimes, others just perform better than you, even though you did your best.

4. Have Confidence in the Professionals.

My quarterback is Tom Brady, who takes a little while to warm up every season. After consistently scoring about 11 points a game for the first four weeks (instead of the 25 that was expected), I'd had enough and switched to the Bengals' Andy Dalton, who consistently gets about 20 to 25 points. But then Brady got better; I really kicked myself the week he was sitting on my bench but scored 54 points. Keep in mind: Even if your boss, or opposing counsel, doesn't seem to be doing things right, they're professionals, so you should give them the benefit of the doubt.

5. It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over.

As my opponent slowly overtook me last Sunday, I lost hope of winning. That was, until Jason Witten made a touchdown on Monday. Even though I lost, I was within just one touchdown of beating my opponent. The truth is that, even when things look grim, don't despair until it's all over. So what if the plaintiff had a pretty good day at trial? You still get to present your evidence -- so do it with as much confidence and gusto as you ever would.

Has fantasy football taught you anything (other than that you should have drafted Demaryius Thomas)? Let us know via Twitter (@FindLawLP) or Facebook (FindLaw for Legal Professionals).

Related Resources:

Copied to clipboard