According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, the sense of belonging is the third-most basic human need on the pyramid. This falls right behind safety and physiological needs in importance, meaning we cannot survive as a social mammal without peers and the drive to seek a partner.

In today’s world, humans are better connected than ever before. Organizations comprised of like-minded individuals span the globe and transcend any and all differences in race, religion, gender, or any other characteristic marker. With all of this inclusion going on, it’s quite odd to come across a person or organization who uses those differences to exclude parties interested in a common cause. While this is all too common when referring to religion, I’ll stay clear of that mess. The task at hand is to address gender inequality where it presents itself. Men and women are equal, even if they aren’t the same.

I found purpose with my love of food and sports. There are certainly ties that bind the two interests together and I hope to use that connection to better myself. Women are ostracized to this day in kitchens, despite the fact that their is absolutely zero god-given advantage for men that help them cook better. Some of the greatest chefs throughout human history were women, yet they constantly face a steeper incline to reach their career pinnacle. People of all ages and walks of life can learn to cook and develop their understanding of what we use to nourish our bodies. I couldn’t fathom telling my grandma I didn’t want to learn how to make chicken and dumplings from her because she was a woman, yet here we are.

Football is played by men and women across America. Our beloved sport is gaining popularity around the world and women are one of the fastest-growing demographics. With fandom comes knowledge of the game, ranging from passive to religious obsession. None of it is exclusive to one type of person. There are countless examples of men and women who are paid to analyze and create content for football fans who have never buckled a chinstrap or put on shoulder pads. It isn’t required, nor is it even preferred, if the person’s knowledge of the game earns them an opportunity to extend their love of football to the masses in a digestible way. Never mind the inevitable difference in opinions, everyone is invited to present theirs any way they want to. If a person finds a sense of belonging in the football community, it is our duty to nurture that sense and welcome them in with open arms; for the good of the sport.

I felt it prudent in this, my last spicy installment of the fantasy football season, to thank the women who have supported my passion for food and football. I will jump at the chance to talk at length about either of those two things (or both) with anyone who will humor me. There’s no room for misguided prejudices in today’s world. Though it might be terrifying to some to see someone different from them liking the same things, it is not (and has not ever been) a zero sum game. It’s high time we stop the gatekeeping and open our arms and ears to anyone who extends the same courtesy to us. This is not a hot take.

For the fantasy football championship round, the mindset is one of pushing all of our chips to the center of the table emptying the clip for the best chance at glory. I will never be daunted when it comes to projecting my love for football into the most outlandish and improbable predictions in the industry. Nor should anyone find it daunting to form their own opinions on these matters. Cheers to an awesome 2023 season. Stay spicy, my friends!

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Fantasy Football Hot Takes

Cole Kmet is the Bearer of Bad News to Arthur Smith With 80 Yards and Two Touchdowns; Bears Shred Poorly Coached Falcons for 400 Yards in 10-Point Rout

To the surprise of absolutely no one, the Falcons have dangled by a thread in the playoff chase through the play of their defense. Unfortunately, they draw a very motivated Bears team on Sunday afternoon with eyes on snuffing out the last flicker of hope in Arthur Smith’s eyes. Justin Fields is as fun to watch as any player in the league and has leaned hard into his big TE Kmet.

The Chicago defense has been quite good since acquiring Montez Sweat from Washington. They have also enjoyed exemplary play from their young corner Jaylon Johnson. The Falcons offense under Smith gives me that same twitchy-eyed feeling I get when people order a bunch of good food and let it go to waste. For these reasons, I expect the Bears to stomp the fraudulent Falcons in convincing fashion.

Puka Nacua Breaks All the Rookie Receiving Records with One More 20-Point PPR Performance; Matthew Stafford and Rams Score 40 on Tyrod’s Giants in the Meadowlands in 65-Point Shootout

Yes, the Rams have two more games to play this season. Rookie phenom Puka Nacua only needs nine receptions for 147 yards to break both the rookie receptions and receiving yards record in the NFL’s modern era. I think he breaks both in East Rutherford this Sunday. Los Angeles has become one of the teams nobody wants to face in the playoffs. Nacua and Cooper Kupp have been stellar this season catching passes from Matthew Stafford, who has proven he is an upper echelon QB when healthy. Even former Chiefs WR Demarcus Robinson has caught fire, with touchdowns in each of the last four games.

The Giants have not been as good. The whole Goodfellas charade with Tommy DeVito met its demise last week. Tyrod Taylor is a serviceable NFL starter and has an opportunity to hit some big plays down the field where the Rams have been more than generous this season. If the Giants can score enough points to keep this game relatively close, I have a lot of confidence that the Rams will reach the lofty marks I expect of them.

Cincinnati Runs Through Arrowhead with 200 Rushing Yards; Joe Mixon is a Top-5 RB in Bengals Road Win Over Impotent Chiefs

The Raiders were the worst rushing offense in the NFL entering last week in Kansas City. They ran the ball so well on the Chiefs (157 yards) that they were able to win the game by six points without a single completed pass after the first quarter. Joe Mixon and Chase Brown are quite a bit more effective than Zamir White and Amir Abdullah. The Bengals are also keen on establishing the run to stay ahead of the chains and avoid the third-and-long blitz packages from Steve Spagnuolo. Mixon is the key here, both as a runner and receiver from the backfield. Brown adds the lightning element and I can definitely envision him breaking away for a big play or two.

Kansas City has regressed mightily since their strong start. Patrick Mahomes is having a hard time finding open receivers and the running game has been hampered by injuries to Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon. Andy Reid would be wise to “get back to basics” with a power running game and play action, similar to when Alex Smith was at the helm with putrid WRs a few years back. The Bengals are not a strong defensive unit and might also be just as likely to wake up this sleeping giant. To go with the recent pattern of performance, I’ll stick with the team who just had a winning streak snapped instead of the one who seems to be handling their first bout of turmoil very poorly.

Packers Defense Continues to Implode Under Joe Barry; Jaren Hall is a Top-10 Fantasy QB and Vikings Annihilate Their Division Rivals by Two Touchdowns on Sunday night

Perhaps no other organization has handled their player personnel more poorly than Green Bay since Brian Gutekunst became general manager. With nearly all of the team’s top picks going toward fortifying the defense, that side of the ball has been awful this season. Much of the blame has been pointed at defensive coordinator Joe Barry. The fan base is nearly unanimous in their venomous wish to have him canned. Whenever a defense has allowed so many big games to less-than-stellar QBs, I see this as a window of opportunity in fantasy.

Jaren Hall was far from a flawless prospect, but some of his tools as a passer were very desirable entering the league. Between talented RB Ty Chandler to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison on the outside, Hall is not lacking weaponry this week against the Packers. To add insult to injury, Gutekunst suspended superstar cornerback Jaire Alexander for standing in as a team captain in his hometown of Charlotte last week without “prior permission.” Green Bay’s bleak playoff hopes are furthermore waning without the only man who has done a somewhat decent job covering Jefferson in the past. I expect heads to roll in Title Town this offseason, with a humiliating loss in primetime lubricating the process.