Fantasy Football is a serious business.
Or at least it is for the players who don't grow disillusioned and give up all hope after about six weeks, having been full of enthusiasm at the start of the season.
There are, of course, a few ways of ensuring that interest in the competition lasts for longer than those initial few weeks and that the competitive spirit lasts until the end of the season.
Cold hard cash is the best way, of course, while the head-to-head means that a manager can taste success without having to be at his or her best throughout the season, as long as they pull out a few results when required.
One group of mates in Dublin have a far more interesting way of maintaining competitiveness, by determining forfeits for the worst-performing manager at the end of every month, with the Daddy of all forfeits then being inflicted on the worst manager come the end of the season.
They've kept track of all this season's forfeits, which you can see
here.
Last year, you might remember the loser of this
particular league having to travel to the UK in a Pink "My Little Pony" Jumper and a leopard-print skirt and complete various tasks during his stay, which can be seen
here.
Last year, they managed to raise in excess of €300 for the Irish Cancer Society and they have announced
Bumbleance, the national children's ambulance service, as their charity this time around.
The victim of that forfeit, Bernard Nolan, has been in touch to let us know that the punishment has been extended to the three worst-performing managers this season and it appears as if what awaits them this weekend will put what he had to do in the shade.
This Saturday, June 17, all of the three gentlemen pictured below will be sent to an EU destination (they won’t know until they get to the airport) on their own in an outfit their colleagues have selected and all will compete in a race against time to complete tasks and get back to Dublin and meet their fellow managers in the pub.
Whoever loses the race back – the ‘overall, overall loser’ – will then be subject to an additional special forfeit, which isn’t likely to be pretty as those determining it will likely have a few pints on board by that stage.
Already this season, forfeits have included leg waxes, solo fancy dress outings and solo Christmas carol singing so the ultimate forfeit is going to be no laughing matter.
As was the case last year, the whole episode will be documented via the #journeyofshame hashtag on Twitter; be sure to tune in to register your support/ridicule where appropriate.
Cheers to Bernard Nolan for sending this our way. Got a story for JOE? Hit us up on Facebook or Twitter, send it to our WhatsApp number 087-4001102 or mail editorial@JOE.ie.
