Ben Franklin proposed that Continental Congress fantasy league uses yards as well as TDs in scoring system

PHILADELPHIA, PA—Ben Franklin has long been remembered for his efforts in the War for Independence and for his many inventions improving quality of life in colonial America. Now, however, many sports fans will remember him for something else entirely—his revolution of fantasy football.

Recently unearthed documents from the First Continental Congress indicate strongly that the man responsible for the radical changes was in fact Franklin.

“My fellow delegates, the time has come whereupon we must make revolution on two fronts—against the tyranny of George III and the stifling boredom of the current fantasy football scoring system,” a document signed by Franklin read.

Before Franklin’s time, fantasy football(at the time played on pen and paper)’s scoring system revolved mainly around time of possession and injuries inflicted during the course of play. Franklin, however, after weeks of effort, devised a system to allot points incurred by individual players to fantasy teams.

“My system will be one of beautiful simplicity,” a transcript of the Congress read. “If in real life a player scores a touchdown or gains mad yardage, points will be allotted to his fantasy owner. Injuries are all well and good, but it is time that the fantastical mirrored the realistic.”

It appears that Franklin’s proposal was met with widespread enthusiasm among the Congress who voted to adopt Franklin’s changes 50-6.

This revelation marks a watershed moment for historians, who had long struggled to learn just who had been responsible for devising the modern scoring system.

“This is amazing, I never thought I’d live to see this day,” said an ecstatic Steve McFoote, prominent football historian. “One of the great mysteries of our time has finally been put to bed.”

The discovery is also sure to rile up actual historians who will now be forced to wonder why the governing body of our nation during the Revolutionary War was playing fantasy football instead of running the country, a tradition currently being carried on by President Bush.

“It appears to me that our nation’s leaders had the resources to end the war a few years before Yorktown but were too busy playing fantasy football and fantasy basket-weaving,” snapped an irritated David McCullough, author of John Adams. “Disgraceful. I had always carried this image in my head of the Founding Fathers being extraordinary men in an extraordinary time. Now I find they have more in common with my neighbors than they do with Caesar.”

It’s going to be tough for this sport to sweep any nations, but it’s still pretty frickin’ cool!