During the middle of the 2006-2007 Utah Jazz season, I came across utahjazz.com and the myJAZZ Fantasy game.  I began participating in the fantasy game by myself.  At the time, Jamee, my wife, and I were looking for a way for me to develop a better relationship with my 9-year-old son, Andrew.  After a few weeks of participating in the fantasy game, I mentioned the game to Andrew.  He immediately was interested in participating with me.  We started making our picks together after discussing which Jazz players were on hot streaks and who was injured.  We began to get to know the Jazz players better by knowing their strengths and weaknesses.  The myJAZZ Fantasy game made us more involved Jazz fans.

At the end of the 2006-2007 season, I was offered two tickets to the Western Conference finals against the San Antonio Spurs.  My original intention was to take Jamee with me to this game.  However, when Andrew heard about the tickets he immediately wanted to go the game.  Andrew began campaigning to his mother, listing reasons why she should give her ticket to him.  Among his reasons was he is the bigger Jazz fan, after all, she didn’t even have any Jazz posters in her bedroom.  Because of this fact (He did have three Jazz posters to my wife’s zero), Andrew felt that he should get to go to the game with me.  Jamee saw the passion Andrew had developed for the Utah Jazz and conceded that he was indeed a bigger Jazz fan.  Andrew and I had a great time watching the Jazz beat the Spurs in game 3 of the Western Conference Finals.

Unfortunately, Andrew and I began participating in the myJAZZ Fantasy game too late in the 2006-2007 season to win any prizes.  However, we were determined to start the 2007-2008 myJAZZ Fantasy game at the beginning of the season.  When we logged on to my Jazz connection, we discovered some changes to the game for the current season.  First, four additional statistical categories were added to the game.  In addition, rather than one prize for the entire season, the winner at the end of each month receives a basketball autographed by the entire Jazz team. 

Andrew and I started the season with a renewed resolve to do well in the myJAZZ Fantasy game.  I especially wanted to do well enough to win one of the autographed basketballs.  However, more important than winning was playing this game with my son and strengthening our relationship.  As a result, I did not want to dictate what our picks would be for each game.  Whatever picks we made, we wanted to make those picks together. 

Numerous times, Andrew has insisted choosing a player for a category even though I thought he was crazy.  However, he has been right more often than not.  For example, after Mehmet Okur (Memo) hurt his back and missed a game, I did not think that Memo was going to play very much when he returned.  I didn’t think we should pick him to lead the Jazz in any of the statistical categories.  Andrew, however, was quick to point out that the Jazz were playing the Miami Heat and that Shaquille (Shaq) O’Neal would be guarding Memo.  Andrew felt that we should pick Memo for the most three pointers because Shaq was too slow to guard Memo beyond the three point line.  I thought he was wrong.  But again, not wanting to dictate who we choose, I conceded to Andrew.  Memo proceeded to go out that night and hit four three point baskets to lead the Jazz in this category.

We generally make our picks before I go to work on the morning of the game, but occasionally I have to leave before Andrew is awake for the day.  He will call me at work to ensure that we have our picks in on time.  We will watch the pre-game programs and listen to the radio to make sure of any injury changes that need to be made prior to tip-off.

More important than how many points we score is the strengthening of the relationship Andrew and I have experienced as we have played this game.  It truly has brought us closer together.  It has also turned my son into not only a huge Jazz fan, but a big NBA fan as well.  He is learning the competition and developing other favorites throughout the NBA.  Andrew’s knowledge led us to a first place finish in the month of November and one of those coveted autographed basketballs.  Andrew earned the autographed basketball that we won.  My reward is the improved relationship with my son.

Play myJAZZ Fantasy with your own family and friends starting March 1!  Accumulate fantasy points by predicting Jazz category leaders for every Jazz game this year. The fan with the most cumulative fantasy points in a calendar month will win an authentic Utah Jazz autographed jersey. Play now.