League History

2024: Challenger Approacing

This year, our league experienced a shift in leadership. With Seth’s unexpected departure, we needed someone to step up and take his place. Thankfully, Matt Alves was the perfect fit and joined the league as our newest owner, ready to take on the competition.

Continuing with our new tradition of drafting where the NFL Draft is held, the league made its way to Detroit this year. After a weekend packed with camaraderie, a generous amount of beer, and plenty of laughs, we’re all geared up for another thrilling season of fantasy football. The stage is set, and we’re more excited than ever to see how this year unfolds.

2023: A Tradition is Born

A new year has begun, and with it, a brand-new tradition for the Gentlemen & Scholars Fantasy Football League. Starting this season, we’ve decided to hold our drafts in the same city where the NFL Draft is held. This year, that took us to Kansas City, the host of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Surrounded by the unmistakable aroma of Kansas City barbecue, we gathered to draft our teams while enjoying some of the best food the city has to offer. It was the perfect way to kick off this new tradition, blending the thrill of the NFL Draft with the flavor and spirit of KC. This marks the beginning of something special for the league, and we can’t wait to see where future drafts—and meals—take us.

2022: 10 Years, Vegas, Articles, and a Website

A decade of fantasy football has flown by, but it feels like just yesterday we were playing for a humble $20 buy-in. Knowing this was a milestone year, we decided to make it truly special. The stakes were raised, and the buy-in jumped to $250. Even more exciting, we chose to hold our draft in the perfect setting—Las Vegas.

Tyler, always full of ideas, pitched something new this season—a weekly league newsletter to keep the competition buzzing. He brought the idea to Andrew, and soon enough, the newsletter was born. Each week, the league received a fresh dose of articles and updates, making this season feel even more connected. Halfway through the season, they upped the ante again by introducing video recaps, with plans to close out the year with a final video breakdown.

But Tyler wasn’t done yet. In an effort to preserve the league’s rich history, he also launched this website, ensuring that all of our stats, stories, and memories would be stored forever. Now, no matter how many seasons come and go, we’ll always be able to look back and relive the moments that made this league what it is today.

2021: Four New Members? 12 Teams and a Trophy

This year, we decided it was time to take our league to the next level by getting an official trophy and our very own custom fantasy draft board. The trophy made its grand debut at the draft, and as the reigning champion, Andrew had the honor of keeping it for the year—at least until the next winner was crowned.

We also made another big change this season, expanding to a 12-team league. We welcomed back Ryan Camara and added new faces with Matthew Braley, Chandler Jardin, and Justin Freitas. With more teams, the competition was fierce—drafts were tighter, free agency was thinner, and every roster decision felt more crucial.

However, in what became one of the league's most embarrassing moments, our championship matchup featured two of the newcomers—Chandler and Justin—humiliating the rest of us veterans by making it to the finals in their very first season. Chandler ultimately took home the title, making league history as the first rookie champion and leaving the rest of us wondering how we let this happen.

2020: Andrew Finally "Wins"

COVID-19 swept across the globe, forcing everyone into lockdown. The world as we knew it changed overnight, and suddenly, our once-vibrant college lives were replaced with endless Zoom calls and a lot of time stuck at home. But even in the midst of a pandemic, the league marched on—providing us with much-needed distraction and a sense of normalcy in the chaos.

As if the world wasn't turned upside down enough, Andrew finally did the unthinkable—he won his first championship, putting an end to one of the league’s longest-running memes. Naturally, the win came with its own controversy. Many questioned whether this championship even counted, since it was the infamous 'COVID year.' With players opting out of the season or constantly missing games due to the virus, some argued that Andrew’s victory had a giant asterisk next to it.

Still, if we had to lose one meme, we were more than happy to replace it with a fresh one—debating whether Andrew’s win was legit. Pandemic or not, he got his ring, and while the arguments continue to this day, the league wouldn’t be the same without a little drama.

2019: Seth Finally Wins

As most of us entered our senior year of college, the pressure of starting our professional careers loomed on the horizon. But even with all that real-world responsibility creeping in, one thing remained constant—winning the fantasy championship was still a top priority. Some of us were chasing that elusive first ring, while others were looking to add mre hardware to their growing collections.

This season, though, belonged to Seth. After years of near-misses and enduring the dreaded 'second-place curse,' he finally broke free. Seth captured the championship he’d been chasing for so long, proving that persistence—and a little fantasy football luck—can finally pay off. The curse was lifted, and Seth finally got to wear the crown.

But as the season wrapped up and we all celebrated Seth's long-awaited triumph, little did we know that everything was about to change in the world. What had been a carefree, competitive distraction from our college lives would soon be overshadowed by the upheaval to come.

2018: Caleb Ties Championship Record, Tyler Comes In Last

After securing back-to-back championships, Tyler was riding high, fully expecting to complete a legendary three-peat. But as the saying goes, pride comes before the fall—this would turn out to be his worst season yet. Instead of chasing another title, Tyler found himself at the bottom of the standings, finishing dead last.

In true league tradition, Tyler had to face a punishment. Fortunately for him (and his legs), it wasn’t a grueling run this time around. Instead, he was sentenced to a public humiliation of sorts—standing on the median of a busy street in town, dressed in a Luigi costume, holding a sign declaring his ineptitude at fantasy football.

But for Tyler, this wasn’t so much a punishment as it was a chance to bask in the spotlight. Known for being an attention seeker, he embraced the role wholeheartedly, even managing to turn heads and make a local news group post. The Luigi stunt became more of a spectacle than a sentence, leaving everyone else shaking their heads at how Tyler somehow made the best of a bad situation.

Meanwhile, the season belonged to Caleb once again. He claimed yet another championship, tying Tyler for the most titles in league history. While Tyler was busy hamming it up in costume, Caleb quietly cemented his place at the top of the league, setting the stage for a new rivalry between the two.

2017: Tyler Wins Back-To-Back and First Official Punishment

Tyler once again pulled off his playoff magic, sneaking in and, for the second time, knocking out Seth by a razor-thin margin—just two points! With Seth’s curse still intact, Tyler celebrated his victory in true champion fashion, driving around with Alec and Andrew to personally collect his winnings from everyone’s doorstep.

But the real headline this season? The first-ever punishment served up in full! Instead of paying the buy-out, Alex opted for the challenge—he ran a half marathon as his punishment. It was nothing short of a spectacle. Alec and Tyler made it a whole event, setting up lawn chairs at the track to watch the action unfold.

However, the night before the race came with a twist. There had been a feast, and Alex may have partied a little too hard. By race day, he was hungover, dragging himself through the course with visible pain. To top it off, he couldn’t quite hold it together and ended up vomiting several times after crossing the finish line. Despite all that, we had to give him credit—he powered through and actually completed the punishment. It was the kind of league moment that we’d be talking about for years to come.

2016: High School Graduates

Fresh off the excitement of high school graduation, we were all heading into new chapters—most of us beginning our first year of college, while others ventured down different paths. With all the changes, there was a moment of doubt about whether the league would survive. But despite the chaos of freshman year and adjusting to our new lives, the league stayed strong, with everyone still just as committed as ever.

This season had its fair share of surprises, none bigger than Tyler’s playoff run. After barely sneaking into the postseason, Tyler pulled off a shocking upset against none other than Seth, who by this point seemed forever cursed to finish second. Once again, Seth’s championship dreams were dashed, reinforcing the ever-growing legend of his second-place streak. Meanwhile, the rest of us watched in awe, knowing that in fantasy football, anything can happen.

2015: A New Commissioner?

With the league in an uproar and Andrew dethroned as commissioner, we faced a crucial decision—who would step up to lead us in our senior year? Ironically, the choice was none other than the man who conspired with Andrew during the infamous trade scandal. At least this time we were getting someone with official leadership credentials—our very own class president, Alec. And just like that, Alec took the reins, and a new era for the league was born.

The league’s name? Well, creativity took an interesting turn here. ESPN didn’t allow emojis in league names, so we settled on the iconic, yet hilariously simple name: insert black santa emoji here. Innovative, right?

Thankfully, this season sailed smoothly, drama-free. And while the controversy was behind us, a new force was emerging. Caleb cemented his place in league history by claiming the championship that year, marking the beginning of his reign of dominance. The league was evolving, and this season set the stage for the epic battles yet to come.

2014: The League Adds New Members + Odellgate

It was our junior year of high school, and for many of us, Fantasy Football became a much-needed escape, especially if you had the pleasure of having Whinnem as a teacher. While the data from the first three seasons of our league has been lost to time, there’s one thing we know for sure—this was the year Tyler joined the ranks, adding another competitor to the mix.

This season, however, wasn’t without its drama. A scandal shook the league to its core, involving none other than our former commissioner, Andrew, and our current one. It all started when Andrew accepted a trade from Ryan, but soon after, he was offered a better deal by Alec. Rather than honoring the original agreement, Andrew and Alec decided to cancel the trade with Ryan and push through their new arrangement, assuming it was all fair game.

Naturally, the league was up in arms. The uproar was so intense that it was decided Andrew could no longer continue as commissioner. But since it was midseason, he was allowed to finish out his duties for the year. Meanwhile, Ryan, after being snubbed in the trade debacle, channeled his frustration into dominating the rest of the season, ultimately taking home the championship in poetic fashion. It was a turning point in league history, and the echoes of that scandal are still whispered about to this day.