The Scott Fish Bowl (SFB), the largest fantasy football tournament, kicks off every summer, pitting industry professionals, content creators, celebrities, and fans against each other for the ultimate title. This year, SFB14 has over 4,000 teams vying for the coveted championship. However, this article focuses on the man behind the curtain, Scott Fish himself.
In this 5th edition of Breaking Bread, The Undroppables go behind the scenes with Scott and his son Ian to discuss football, the origins of his fantasy life, and his passion for his family. Chalk and I had lunch with Scott and Ian before last year’s SFB13 LA Live Draft at Trophy Smack HQ, which featured “Restaurants” as the 2023 theme. Fittingly, we dined at Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles, known for its hefty portions of crispy fried chicken and plate-sized waffles. On the eve of the SFB14 LA Live Draft, we present this latest edition of Breaking Bread. Thank you for joining us; your seat is ready at the table.
The Scott Fish Bowl
The Scott Fish Bowl, now in its 14th season with a movie theme, updates its scoring system annually. Last year, with a food/restaurant theme, the bowl had bonus points for carries, catches, first downs, and a Superflex kicker option. Jed Barson won among 3,324 teams in 277 12-man leagues.
SFB is unique, with a standard-style redraft league and head-to-head matchups in the regular season. However, trades are not allowed, making the draft crucial. Rostering studs and drafting late-round sleepers is essential, as the waiver wire has slim pickings in 12-man leagues with 22 roster spots.
Individual leagues compete head-to-head, with win/loss records mattering more than points. The playoffs become a Best Ball tournament, with only the highest scores advancing. Making the playoffs is an accomplishment, while reaching the semi-finals and final round requires strategy, skill, and luck, especially when competing against thousands of opponents, including industry experts.
Plate 1: The Carol C. Special
A simple but exceptionally well-cooked plate of crispy, juicy chicken breast. I’m a fan of dark meat, but there’s one thing this breast is: moist, which may be the only appropriate time to use the word “moist” to describe something and not get the ick. This breast is thick and juicy, with a thin yet crispy crunchy outer coating. There is plenty of meat on this breast to fill your belly. Perfect for tearing off chunks of meat and dunking it into your side of syrup.
The chicken breast is served with a side waffle, as are most of the dishes at Roscoe’s. But this waffle is not your typical Belgium-style thick boy. The waffle is thin and made with a batter with a hint of cinnamon that gives it a hint of sweetness. It is topped with a dollop of butter and served with a side of old-fashioned syrup. This is a perfect combination of sweet and savory, and it is my wife’s personal favorite. If you’re trying to watch your calories, this may be the one dish on the menu.
Scott as a (Fantasy) Tot
Scott, a Minnesota native, started playing fantasy sports with his dad in 1989, participating in a unique fantasy Big Ten college basketball league. This experience, along with his involvement in a dynasty fantasy football league in 1992, laid the foundation for his future in the fantasy sports world, particularly in the Devy (developmental) fantasy football genre.
Known as the “Godfather of Devy,” Scott was the first to create content exclusively targeted for Devy, thanks to his father’s influence and his own passion for coding. His coding skills, which he initially developed as a teenager to create an online fan page for the band No Doubt, have been instrumental in the success and smooth operation of the Scott Fish Bowl (SFB) over the years.
Plate 2: Country Boy, aka The Obama Special
If you’re a fan of dark meat, the Country Boy is the plate for you. This is my favorite at ‘Scoe’s, and in my gluttonous years, I would’ve ordered double, six wings and two waffles. But now the ‘normal’ order of the Country Boy is plenty, especially when paired with the delectable sides. This plate has three wings, cooked to crispy perfection and served with their famous waffle. I like to slather the wings in hot sauce before cracking the bones to split the wings in two. Of course, a quick dunk in syrup is required before savoring every morsel of this crispy, juicy goodness. Rumor has it that this is former President Obama’s favorite meal at Roscoe’s, hence the nickname “The Obama Special.” This plate is fit for a president as it’s my perfect combination of sweet and savory with just enough of both.
Behind the Games
The Scott Fish Bowl, the largest fantasy football tournament, has grown from a reader league for the FFOasis site to a massive event. When FFOasis closed, the tournament was renamed and found a new home. Scott Fish, the founder, introduced themes in Year 3 to engage participants, and by Year 4, the tournament had grown to 480 participants. Despite initial concerns about managing the growth, Scott has handled it well, thanks in part to a growing team. Ryan McDowell joined in Year 7, and now in SFB14, the team has expanded to over 30 members.
3 – Sleeper coordinators
3 – MyFantasyLeague coordinators
20 – Designers (SFB Avi Makers included)
3 – Video editors
4 – Merchandizing (purchase your SFB14 merch here)
Running the actual tournament has become the “easy” part, it’s managing all the things that go around the SFB that has become the hard part and where the help has been needed. Mainly thanks to guys like Chalk, who is one of the people helping make everything work for those who play on Sleeper, which is now the preferred platform for 2/3 of the participants. SFB was initially hosted on My Fantasy League (aka MFL) for years, thanks to their customization with code. But regardless of what platform you play on, the whole point of the tournament is to raise money for kids in need.
Plate 3: The Jeanne Jones Omelette
The omelet is not standard during a late-night trip to Roscoe’s, but it is one of the more underrated meals on the menu since most people opt for the ‘standard fried chicken.’ However, if you’re feeling unique, try the Jeanne Jones Omelette. This omelet is chock full of diced chicken breast and cheese. If you’re feeling adventurous, I would try it topped with chicken chili. The combination of chili, cheese, and chicken wrapped in a 3-egg omelet is a delectable meal for those seeking extra protein. I’ll be honest: I don’t usually order the omelet, but for BB5, I had to add this plate to the order to sample all the best Roscoe’s offers. It was exquisite with the chili on top. And for my Hawaiian food-loving readers, it’s almost as good as the chili cheese omelet from Zippy’s.
Fantasy Cares
For those participating in the SFB, the charity aspect of this tournament is broadcast far and wide. It’s the whole point of the thing. Their Mission Statement as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization has inspired people to bring a charitable element to their fantasy leagues. And in that, they’ve been successful. SFB has inspired others to donate a portion of league dues or volunteer locally for global impact. Fantasy Cares is making an exponential change by empowering fantasy players globally, not just through donations and merch sales.
Traditionally, Fantasy Cares has supported several charities, relief efforts, food shelters, and dog rescues, but it uses most funds to buy kids’ toys at Christmas. Fantasy Cares has partnered with Toys for Tots to receive donations across the U.S.. Chalk and I felt honored to participate in the local Orange County, California, purchase to donate $1,000 worth of toys with the help of the Marines.
Despite the limited purchasing for Toys for Tots in the latter stages of SFB, the charity aspect has benefited immensely from the explosion in popularity, with over 4,000 participants and industry giants promoting it. In 2022, Fantasy Cares raised over $80,000, with Rotowear contributing $12,000 in merchandise sales and Matthew Berry donating $11,000.
SFB has been fortunate to have everyone in the industry, content creators, and fans participate, promote, and contribute to its success in many ways, as that’s what has kept it running for so long. The passion for the game comes from the people who play it, the same passion that drove Scott to code a No Doubt fan page and start SFB in the beginning, and it’s what will keep SFB going into the future.
Plate 4: Roscoe’s Original Chicken Tenders
Of course, Scott’s son Ian had to go with the Chicken Tenders. It’s a classic meal for the kiddos. They’re all white meat chicken breast tenders that are breaded, fried to perfection, and served with French fries. These golden crispy tenders are perfectly juicy, just like the chicken breast, with an assortment of spices that give these tenders a little salty, slightly spicy kick. It took everything in me not to ask Ian for a bite of his tenders. Not only are they good enough for adults, but they are 100% kid-approved. Drizzle honey over the top and dunk them in hot sauce for extra spice.
The Most Important Game
SFB, the fantasy game that impacts the most people, pales in comparison to Scott’s real-life game: Dad Life. Scott strives to be a great dad, just like his own father, and has introduced his son Ian to fantasy football early on. Ian plays in a 12-man league of SFB, and Scott has joined to compete with his son. Scott is even considering expanding SFB to include a kids-only division.
Since the age of 7, Ian has enjoyed fantasy football and other sports, as well as soccer, drama, and writing scripts and plays. These skills could prove useful if Ian decides to pursue a career in fantasy content creation. Ian has already co-hosted a live draft with Scott at the Minnesota State Fair, podcasted in front of hundreds of people, and made a guest appearance on Sirius XM radio, accurately predicting 4 of the top 5 picks in the 2022 NFL Draft. Scott’s pride in his son is evident, a sentiment that Chalk and the narrator, both fathers themselves, can relate to.
Drinks and Sides
Besides the chicken and waffles, no meal at Roscoe’s is complete without the side dishes, which some consider their favorite. ‘Scoe’s offers classic sides expected from a southern hospitality restaurant. We chose cornbread, candied yams, collard greens, and mac and cheese. Your southern grandma used to make these sides with love. The cook prepares the greens perfectly, sweetens the yams just right, bakes the cornbread crumbly and moist, and creates the mac and cheese with a roux, not making it overly cheesy.
These sides are perfect for individuals or groups. To wash it all down, we sipped on a sunrise (orange juice mixed with lemonade) and a sunset (fruit punch mixed with lemonade). These sweet drinks cut through the savory sides and main dishes, making Roscoe’s unique.
SFB in the Future
SFB14 drafts are underway, with some completed and others yet to begin. Chalk and I will be at the LA Live Draft at Trophy Smack HQ, a summer tradition and mini Fantasy Football Expo. Scott aims to expand the tournament and attend every live draft, a challenging goal given SFB’s growth.
Scott would love to include all 30,000+ applicants, but managing such a large tournament would be a huge task. However, don’t be surprised if he makes it happen one day.
To enter next year’s SFB, give back through Fantasy Cares, organize league charity, or promote SFB. If you don’t make the main tournament, a concurrent satellite tournament lets you donate, contribute, and win entry into the following year’s SFB. What matters is giving back to kids and those in need.
I thank Scott and Ian for having lunch with The Undroppables and for everything Scott has done for the community. I hope you donate to Fantasy Cares and give back to your community in any way possible. We appreciate your time reading Breaking Bread 5 and look forward to you joining us next time.
