Your favorite football team needs to get a stop in the final two minutes in order to win the game. You’ve been sitting on the edge of you seat for almost three hours trying to will your team to a victory. Which is exactly what I was doing earlier this season during the Steelers, Ravens game. Cheering my heart out for the Steelers so they could beat up on the rival Ravens. When the Steelers took a late fourth quarter lead I jumped with joy, knowing that the Steelers defense wouldn’t let me down. Taking a break from the action I took a peak at my fantasy football team, and my heart sunk.
It’s every football fans biggest nightmare. When you need your team to lose in order for your fantasy team to win. There used to be two types of NFL fans. Those who are die-hard and bleed their team’s colors and those who are bandwagon fans or who only watch the Super Bowl (usually just for the commercials). When fantasy football started to become popular it introduced a new breed of NFL fan, the fantasy football junkie. These junkies root for one team, “Fantasy Champ 3000” (or enter in any cliché fantasy football team name you want). These so called fans only care about their fantasy team and some of the most extreme junkies wish for their opponents star players to get hurt. Die-hard fans can also become junkies and sometimes they are forced to make a choice in which team they want to win this weekend, fantasy or reality.
My choice was forced upon me during the Steeler’s game. My opponent had Steelers defense and if they allowed a touchdown to the Ravens in the final drive, I would most likely win my fantasy game. I had always told myself I would pick reality over fantasy if it every came down to it, but it can be a little different when it actually happens to you. I stayed in the real world and wanted my Steelers to win, but they didn’t.
It was rough, but at least I could have a decent football weekend with my fantasy team winning, but they didn’t either. I call it a black weekend, when your fantasy team and your favorite team lose in the same weekend.
Fantasy football has made countless people huge fans of the NFL, but has it somewhat tarnished the game. Junkies only care about how many points their team has and all the fundamentals of fandom are thrown out the window. Fantasy owners need to be reminded that there is more to the game of football than fantasy.
I look it as kind of a win-win/lose-lose situation. It gives me more reason to pay attention to more players and more teams then I usually would.
ReplyDeleteThis season it doesn't seem to matt though, as my Chargers are on their longest losing streak in ten years, and my fantasty football team is at the bottom of the standings as well.
Oh well, there is always next year. Good story!
This is too true. I couldn't really get into the whole fantasy thing because I honestly only cared about one or two teams to begin with and I couldn't imagine having to stress over wanting them to LOSE over them winning. Gah, I'd be so torn!
ReplyDeleteLol, I totally feel your pain. It's a weird feeling when you want your favorite team to allow your fantasy players to score points, even though this may result in your team losing. I try to avoid looking at my fantasy team until Tuesday, that way I won't feel like I'm being disloyal.
ReplyDelete