The actual inaugural season of the Euchre Circle was in 2010, but we didn’t know what the hell we were doing and I’m not 100% sure Yahoo even allowed us to renew the league in 2011. One way or another, it has been lost to the sands of time.

Our champion that year was the league villain, the Sheriff, my dad, Mark Romary. My clearest memory of that first year was my desire to get into this thing called Fantasy Football that all my friends were talking about so I rallied a small group of us to get it going, many of them against their own will. The one person who resisted the most? My dad.

“Fantasy football goes against everything I love about football!” “You mean I have to pick players outside of the Browns and the Bucs and I have to root for them?” “I don’t feel like figuring out all this internet shit, I just want to watch football,” …said my Dad probably. He really didn’t want to play, but I eventually wore him down and he joined.

…and so a monster was born.

Now we are continuing on to our 11th season and the guy who once resisted the idea is now the most obsessive manager in the group and in charge of this brand new chapter called The Grill Zone.

Some highlights that come to mind from years past:

• Kevin D always a top team and never snagging the championship, until the final season!
• My one championship, which had nothing to do with my sleeper 6th round pick of a young QB named Mahomes
• Aaron Zarle’s back to back titles in 2016 and 2017 before a politically motivated retirement once the kneeling thing became a topic of debate
• Browcaneers with 4 titles including the undocumented inaugural season
• Brett R winning two championships in 4 years, then going off into the sunset with an early retirement — and now his epic return!
• Schrute Farms winning the first documented championship then clawing back year in and year out with a total of 4 podiums
• Scotty D’s notorious bad luck driving him to an early retirement
• And of course, the great memories we had with my two favorite uncles, Uncle Wayne and Uncle Tom.

As you all know, at least for me, this is about so much more than trying to crush each other’s spirits and rubbing it in each other’s faces — it is about staying connected and creating memories within our clan of family and friends.

I am excited for the fresh start and truly believe this is the best group of guys & gals we have ever had in the league! I love all of you and I can’t wait to take a shit on your fantasy football team’s chests!

For preservation and archival purposes, below is a brief history of champions from the Euchre Circle: