This is my first ever fantasy football season, and after one game I am convinced it is slowly destroying football as we know it.
I know most of the sporting world would disagree. The NFL has seen a popularity boost with the advent of fantasy football, and people who have never watched a game in their lives will be glued to the TV or computer to watch their star running back rack up yards.
It’s fun and gives football more meaning, right?
But where are the fantasy points for a good block? For a solid tackle? For teamwork? Where are the intangibles? The raw emotion?
ESPN spends more time talking about the fantasy impact of each game than the actual impact.
Fantasy owners no longer want close games; they want blowouts so they can gloat in their defeated fantasy opponent’s face.
Not all fans get caught up in the fantasy aspect of the game, and I’m not saying the NFL is in some kind of danger.
On Sunday, I found myself rooting for Donald Driver but against Aaron Rodgers. Since when do I watch the Packers?
And that’s when I realized how skewed fantasy really is.
Good thing they don’t have fantasy hockey. Wait…
Reach the reporter at Elijah.Grasser@asu.edu
