Plankton to Predator: Growing up in the Tank Ben Ice, Fantasy Football Staff Writer Jul 6, 2004 | More

When first visiting the FantasySharks.com site, one is struck by the motto.  “There are two kinds of Fantasy Football owners: Sharks and Chum.  Which are you?” 

Any self-respecting owner will immediately think, “Why, shark of course.  I’m here to feed on chum.” 

A trip into the tank usually leads to a first and bloody encounter.  The rapier wit and razor sharp analysis of the multitude of sharks gives a whole new meaning to “school of sharks” and has sent many would be Great Whites home with their dorsal fin between their legs.  For those who dream of rising above the chum to take their place amongst the shark hierarchy, many return trips are required.

Such is the journey from Chum to Shark.  It is the leaving behind of homeristic philosophies.  The shedding of draft strategies heavy with personal favorites and last years one year wonders.  The calm decision not to draft the wide receiver who explodes from anonymity after four weeks to score two touchdowns, knowing that invariably that same player will fade back to the mediocrity from whence he came.

Along the way, if not eaten before it has a chance to advance past the chum stage, future sharks earn their teeth.  Some do so sooner than others, but all eventually learn the hierarchy.  Sand Shark, Tiger Shark, Blue Shark and so on up to the highly coveted Great White Shark...the most dangerous predator on the high seas, and in the game of fantasy football.

Some may argue that Great White status is a realm made possible only through the loss of life outside the tank.  In some cases, this might even be true.  But one can’t lose what one hasn’t had, now can one?

Still, the collective knowledge and experience wielded by the Great Whites, the Whale Sharks and other top breeds leave chum barely treading water, looking for that Coast Guard cutter to speed along and bail them out of certain demise.  For these there is no turning back.  Once out of the tank, they are cast aside, rejects, fish fungo, chumma  non grata in shark speak.

But for those brave souls who survive, whose flesh is not flayed to the bone by the circling denizens of the deep, comes clarity sought by many and found by few.  With scales toughened and entrance into the domain of sharkdom comes the dominance in fantasy football which cannot be rivaled...the fabled FantasySharks.com.  So powerful in victory, yet graceful while dining on their foe’s meager challenge.  Merciless in the draft boards and waiver wires, cunning in weekly matchups...unparalleled in player and positional analysis, sharks are spreading the gospel according to Tony (and Agenda, Action, Gballs and the many other “Chomp-ions” of the tank.)

The tidal wave is upon the fantasy world, and slicing through the unsuspecting waters of fantasy footballdom are the legion of Sharks.