There's a Woody Allen quote about how 80 percent of success in life is showing up. Or something like that. With the Internet, things get misattributed and misquoted so often that maybe it was actually someone else entirely who said nothing of the sort. But regardless, being in the right place at the right time counts for a lot.

In a slow-format dynasty draft yesterday, I happened to be on the clock at the exact moment the Cowboys acquired Christine Michael. The guy ahead of me had just drafted a kicker or a punter (seriously; this league uses punters for some mysterious reason, maybe to give the Titans or Raiders a top prospect each year). I was up, and I snagged Michael.

Now Michael might not do anything in Dallas. But then again, he might. I got him not necessarily because of my fantasy expertise or savvy, but because I happened to be there.

(As an aside, there's a report that the Cowboys view Michael as "insurance and depth." Well, what else are they going to say? "Our current running backs are terrible and this dude is way better and will be starting by Week 4." Even if that's the truth.)

It's a weekly occurrence in many fantasy leagues. Most of of the leagues I'm in have open waivers from the draft through the start of the season. Waiver wire locks when the weekly games start, and there's a Tuesday or Wednesday night waiver run, but after that, everyone is available for pickup, first come, first served.

Some leagues, especially big-money leagues, only let you acquire players through a blind-bidding process. I'm in one of those where Michael of course wasn't drafted. He won't be available until next Wednesday. The owner that gets him will be the one who bids the most; who says, This is a franchise running back who will go for 1,000 yards in Dallas, starting by Week 2 or 3. And maybe he'll be right, and maybe he'll waste money on Dallas' third-string running back.

James Jones, Terrance West and Josh Robinson are other players who were snapped up yesterday. Today and tomorrow, it might be some random running back or wide receiver the Patriots add. Some people will be ecstatic that they happened to be there at the right time. Others will complain: "I can't take a league seriously where just happening to have access to the Internet at the exact moment a player becomes a hot commodity can determine so much."

I can see both sides. To my mind, if you're investing a lot of money in a league, and standing to win a lot of money, you have a point that everyone should have equal access to every player. When news breaks at 1 a.m. on the East Coast I'm sleeping; Ian is just beginning his work night on the West Coast and can happily take advantage. Unfair!

But in many leagues, either the money is small, or we're talking about bragging rights only, or it's just for fun. Being first to a player who suddenly see his fantasy fortunes change is part of that fun. And all too often, the player you jump at ends up doing nothing anyway. I won't be at all surprised if the guy dropped in one of my leagues for James Jones yesterday, Dorial Green-Beckham, has a bigger season than Jones does. I may go pick him up right now.

Showing up, being there, is important in work, in friendships, in life. Unless people are betting the mortgage on their fantasy leagues -- please don't do that -- I see no reason why it shouldn't count for a lot in fantasy football too.