I enjoy reading fantasy and sci-fi novels if they're well written, and some of the most interesting books and themes from those books are those that examine reality. A couple of recent movies suggested that what we think is reality is a facade, and that evil aliens and corrupt regimes actually let us think we live lives of free choice. Hah! Perhaps we really are just puppets on a stage, or as the Bard suggested, that the world is but a stage and we are the actors in a play. It's a common theme, and who's to say that life as we know it is not simply a dream of some superior being? Do we ourselves create worlds and planes of existence simply by thinking of them?

But this is not about life and existence, it's much more important that that. Recently the good folks at Jazzhoops.net got me interested in playing fantasy basketball, NBA style. The way the Jazz are looking this year, I figured I might as well have a chance somehow to win a championship, with the circus of Carlos Boozer and the free agent extravaganza mudding the waters around Jazzland. Lately the hoopla and the way the Jazz are running the team remind me far too much of how the Jazz run their summer league entry. Folks, I'm scared to death of what could happen this year. If somehow the team gels, maybe we can put it together, but Mabel......I'm not counting on it. Hope I'm wrong.

But I'm getting the chance to be my own general manager and owner, and I'm loving it. So far it's been almost as much fun as the Deron Williams draft, and I hope this year with the NewYork pick will be the same kind of excitement. There are over thirty other NBA fanatics playing in the two Jazzhoops Fantasy Leagues, and so far it's been about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on. For a NBA geek like me, pouring over rosters and position rankings, worrying about if my guy is going to be drafted by the evil GM before me, and then finally having MY guy fall to me....Why, that's a little bit of heaven right here in River City.

It's my chance to prove I know talent when I see it, or know when a player changing teams is a good thing or a bad thing for that player and his stats...

It's also about being lucky or unlucky, just like we are in life. Sometimes, you just fall down and hurt yourself, and somehow you either live with it or you might as well sit down and cry. Get some stones, big guy or smart girl. If one of your players gets hurt, then by golly you better have drafted someone who can step right in and carry on.

I got my feet wet in a big way right from the start in this fantasy gig, as my first pick was down far enough I didn't get a shot at the big guys in fantasy basketball, so I looked at who was available, and took an awful chance at the #1 pick from last year actually playing like he was worth the money. Blake Griffin, I've been saying all along you're one of those very special players who come along once in a great while, but in reality, no one really knows how he'll play when the regular season starts. If I don't get 30 fantasy points a game from this guy, doled out for points, rebounds, steals, blocks and assists, with turn overs and tech's subtracted, I've messed up right from the beginning, and I'd better start treading water now. I think he's a solid 20-10 guy, but we'll see. Then, I got cautious and started filling in my roster with solid players with what I hope is a good chance to improve over their last season stats, but we'll see about that too.

But this isn't about draft strategy, it's about having fun.

If you haven't played Fantasy Basketball or Football, then you're missing out if you love the sport. It just makes it that much more fun to read the boxscores and watch the guys you sweated over either tank it or play well enough to get you really pumped up.

I can't tell you how much it's excited me about the start of this season, and how excited I am about the fate of 12 guys who are now playing for me, and I don't even have to pay them a cent.

We haven't even started the season yet, and already I'm completely hooked, and ticked at myself for not getting in on this sooner. You actually have an emotional investment with each day of NBA play as you follow your players, watch their growth and hope like crazy they don't get hurt.

But whether I win or not, I'm a winner already. I can follow my team, the Jazz, and hopefully watch them go to the playoffs, but I now have another team of my own device to root for and follow during the season.

Instead of betting money and getting an emotional investment that way, I've put my pride and self esteem on the line with my OWN team, and I didn't have to pay them a cent.

If that isn't a win-win situation, I don't know what is. Fellow JazzHoopers and fans out there.....Join a fantasy league, do it right now. It's a hoot. Take it from a scoffer who wouldn't play something silly like fantasy sports of any kind.

I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.