Filling Your Fantasy Draft Fix

Admit it, you're a fantasy football enthusiast. You are one of the millions of people who have spent more time this past week huddled over a computer reviewing stats and other information than you have with co-workers or that significant other.

Fantasy football has grabbed your undivided attention. The concept of building  a dream team of players can trace its origin to 1962. It now involves nearly 27 million "owners" who spend an average of nine hours a week reviewing or making roster decisions, according to news reports.

Many in this ever expanding fraternity understand the sacrifices made at the onset of the National Football League season, which officially kicks off Sept. 9, to secure an intangible - or financial - reward in December: bragging rights.

The process behind constructing that ideal fantasy roster can be agonizing. You will spend hours researching rankings data, overanalyzing preseason games, studying injury reports and ultimately lamenting the inescapable fact that you will not be able to draft everyone on your "big board."

But decisions will have to be made. Will you draft Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte out of loyalty and pass up selecting another player? Can you afford to bid an extra dollar on Bears wide receiver Johnny Knox? Should Bears play caller Jay Cutler really be your starting quarterback?

Seasoned fantasy players will acknowledge that how they draft is just as important as who they draft. Skokie Patch wants to add a new axiom -- it's where you draft  -- in searching out places eager and willing to fuel your fantasy fix.

Below are three area sports bars that will let you to follow your players on the wide screen and that make Skokie Patch's fantasy team:

This place at 7020 Carpenter Road in Skokie offers wings, beers and plenty of wide-screen football action in catering to its fantasy sports patrons. A full "Fantasy Draft Kit" awaits owners who can whoop it up in a private section of the restaurant that can handle eight or more. The package includes name tags, player labels, wireless Internet access and, of course, televisions to get fully immersed in the fantasy experience. Reservations are highly recommended by calling (847) 329-9333, and take advantage of the monthly beer special before the end of August.

The folks at this restaurant, 134 Old Orchard Shopping Center in Skokie, won't fumble the ball when it comes to knowing how to feed that fantasy addiction. They provide private press boxes featuring television monitors ready to take that draft experience to a high-tech level. Call (847) 673-4778 for reservations and aim for a Thursday draft when Champps serves up $2 pints of brewskis.

Seeking that customizable fantasy draft experience, then 7301 N. Western Ave. in Chicago is the place. The restaurant is not only home to its self-proclaimed "best bar menu on the North Side" but is the home of award-winning chicken wings.  Menu items aside, Mullen's is willing and able to tailor its space to the needs of draft patrons, including incorporating any kind of food or drink packages to go along with television hookups for online drafting.  Call (773) 465-2113 to start a new tradition for that fantasy league.

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If you are not able to make it to any of those establishments, you should not hesitate to call your favorite place and inquire whether it can accommodate your fantasy draft party. The Village Inn, Lucky Magee's Racino Grill, Curragh Irish Pub and Ozzie's Sports Bar and Grill are a few of the options that were contacted and said they were able to provide accommodations but had no set packages.

However, if you choose to experience the good and bad fortunes of watching your fantasy picks at home, Skokie Patch can only encourage you to find solace in numbers. After all, nobody knows misery more than the owner of a last-place fantasy team.

Happy drafting!