This afternoon we grabbed lunch with some affiliates at the Sports Deli at the Rio.

Football Fanatics has checked into their room at the Rio. We are about to head down to the lobby to network with affiliates. Find us by the sportsbook and win a free $25 Football Fanatics gift card.

Follow us on Twitter to find our location and win gift cards: @FFanatics and @JasonRubacky

Here are some shots of the view from our room.

Congratulations Brian!  Brian recently was announced the winner of the Fantasy Football League here at FF.  In the finals he battled against Megan F. 

If you see him in halls, be sure to congratulate him on his BIG win!

Posted on December 16th:

Playoffs were scheduled this past weekend for the Fantasy Football League here at FF.  Owners of the teams playing on the gridiron were Megan F. against Jeff C., and Brian O. battling Dylan M.  The stakes were high, as the four played for spots in the Championship game, which will be taking place this upcoming weekend.  The champion will receive ultimate bragging rights, endless trash-talking privileges, and much respect around here, for at least a couple of days. 

So which owners will be advancing to the big game?…Megan F. and Brian O.  Congratulations you two, and good luck.

Let us know the winners and losers of your league.  Share updates on your Fantasy Football Leagues below.

Posted on December 10th:

Another exciting weekend of NFL games has passed which means there are some new leaders and losers in the FF Fantasy Football League.  Here is the latest -

Brian O. beat Zeke 91-90…oh so close, but not close enough (Sorry Zeke).  Brian O’s big win advanced him to the semifinals where he will be challenged by Dylan.  The game between Megan and Stephanie was also pretty close.  Stephanie was down by 20 on Sunday, although her player had a great performance on the field Monday night, earning her double-digit points, Megan will be going on to the semifinals to face Jeff. 

So that’s Brian against Dylan, and Megan against Jeff.  All four teams are playing for a spot in the Finals.  Check back later to see who will win the title! 

Posted on December 2nd: 

Fantasy Football leagues are created all over. And the turf at Football Fanatics is no exception. For those of you who are just getting into the Fantasy Football loop, I’ve done some research to fill you in.

It is a fantasy sports game in which participants (“owners”) are arranged into a league. The league is created by the commissioner, who also keeps track of the owners’ scores. In the beginning of the season the owners draft real-life NFL players. These are players that they believe will be praised on SportsCenter highlights for their outstanding statistical on-the-field performances, ultimately gaining the owners points, which is how scores are determined. Each week, teams are randomly chosen to play other teams. At the end of the season, the teams with the highest scores advance on to Playoffs (yes, there are playoffs folks – crazy huh?). So that’s it in a nutshell.

Here is the 411 on the Fantasy Football league here at Football Fanatics.

The owners: Jeff C. (also the commissioner), Dylan M., Mike C., Tom A., Steve T., Stephanie F., Mike H., Tony T., Jorel M., Brian O., Dave C., Zeke A., Richard P., Megan F., Mike M., Jason R.

First place: Dylan M.

Dead last: Jorel M.

Be sure to check back to see the results of this league, and most importantly what the winner will receive. There is a lot of talk about a tall, shiny trophy!

The time is now! What am I talking about? Joining the Fanatics Rewards Club; members receive great benefits and savings as soon as they sign up. Benefits like Fan Cash back, free shipping, and email alerts on new product from your favorite teams, are just a few.

Before completing your next purchase, sign up and receive instant deals such as getting 10% of your purchase in Fan Cash deposited in your Football Fanatics account to be spent on any future purchases. Also free shipping eligibility. Members receive free shipping on all orders over $75 at any time.That means you don’t have to wait for sporadic promotion offers.

It’s so easy to join, and it’s FREE!Just click here to sign-up now and your membership benefits will begin immediately!

The Oklahoma Sooners and Florida Gators both won their respective conference championship games on Saturday. Last night during the BCS Selection show on FOX, it was announced that the Gators and Sooners will be playing in the BCS National Championship game on January 8, 2009. It doesn’t get any more exciting for fans of these schools.

If you’re planning a trip to Miami, FL for the game, or you just want to support your school as they go for the title, now is the time to stock up on BCS National Championship bound gear. Football Fanatics has a variety of t-shirts, hats and sweatshirts for sale.

Check out just a sample of our featured products:

“Going Green” is a popular trend happening across the globe. “Going Green” means taking steps to reduce one’s negative effect on the environment. Odds are you’ve already incorporated some green methods into your household, so today let’s look at tips on how we can turn your office green. Depending on the physical and employee size of your office, you may have to make special adjustments.

1. Cut Down on Transportation – Carbon dioxide is the number one contributor to the greenhouse effect, and cars produce about 30 percent of the nation’s carbon dioxide emissions. Offer your employees incentives for carpooling or riding a bike to work.

2. Monitor Lighting Usage – According to a US Department of Energy (DOE) end use study from 1995, lighting accounts for about 29 percent of the energy use in a typical office. Replace your old lightbulbs with new energy efficient fluorescent bulbs. Also, make sure lights are turned off in non-working space and during non-working hours.

3. Monitor Paper Usage – A ton of 100 percent recycled paper saves the equivalent of 4,100 kWh of energy, 7,000 gallons of water, 60 pounds of air emissions, and three cubic yards of landfill space. Several ways to monitor your paper usage include: making hard copies only when needed, use double-sided printing, and buy recycled paper.

4. Monitor the Thermostat – Heating, cooling and ventilation accounts for 39 percent of the energy use in a typical office. This tip not only helps the environment but also means big savings on your electric bill. Try using automatic setback thermostats to adjust the temp during non-business hours. Also, keep the blinds closed in the winter time to conserve heat.

All offices can “go green” by following the simple tips above. The best way to get things rolling in your office to to put one person incharge of “going green.” He or she can monitor thermostats and paper usage, help set up carpools, and turn off the lights before leaving the office.

We Are Fanatics is the official blog of Football Fanatics. In short, we sell an endless assortment of sports merchandise for all major colleges and professional teams. To learn more about Football Fanatics, visit the about us page.

This blog was set up to provide an outlet for Football Fanatics employees. We are all fanatics and love talking sports! You will notice several categories set up below: Inside FF, Sports, Featured Products, Fashion & Celebs, and Around the World. Be sure to visit all categories to get a complete taste of what this blog has to offer.