When fantasy sports first started to pop up years ago it, to me, felt like a bunch of geeks getting excited of Dungeons and Dragons. I’ll admit I was reluctant to join a league just because I didn’t want to have to use any Harry Potter spells to give an edge to the players I drafted. I played fantasy football for a few years and I lost interest when I was hired by the NFL to be a photographer for them. Now fantasy football has become unbearable and the fans who participate are even worse.
Fantasy Football Isn’t Even About the Actual Game
Can you imagine being a Cowboys fan back in the 90’s but rooting for Deon Sanders on the 49ers to get a pick six because you need the points? That is what fantasy football has down to fans. You can’t even call them fans anymore because all these people do is chase points like a junkies chases their next fix.
Incorporated into the pre and post game shows are talking points about fantasy points and fantasy leaders. They get so excited that Josh Allen scored 40 fantasy points, but the fact that the team lost and got eliminated from the playoffs has no effect on them. As a fan I would be devastated that my team would miss the playoffs, but today, with fantasy football, it’s all about the points baby!
Football Fans are Obnoxious but Fantasy Fans are Worse
Do you know how many times on the sidelines I hear fans yelling at a player that their dropped touchdown or missed sack cost them fantasy points? I rather see fans throw dildos onto the field, like in Buffalo a few years back, than listen to fans bitch and complain that this player or that player cost them a fantasy win.
I’m sure players hate hearing how their performance costs an average fan a win in their fantasy leagues. For players individual stats are great, but they’re playing for championships not for fantasy points. Yet somehow people in fantasy sports forget that.
I get that fantasy sports is inclusive. Hell you have porn stars who went from spitting out kids to spitting out fantasy stats on Sirius XM. Fantasy sports is for everyone, but it’s also a money maker and anything that makes money for companies or leagues is going to get shoved down the throats of average fans. And I’m sure porn stars are also use to having things shoved down their throats, but that is for another blog post.
Everything on the ticker during games is fantasy, fantasy, fantasy. Who to pick up, who to drop. Who plays well against this defense and so on and so on. It can’t be about the game. It’s all about the fantasy projections.
Social media replies to players isn’t about a good game, it’s about if you had caught 1 more pass I would have won the week. Message boards and forums are no better. Fans think these players are only playing for them to earn fantasy points. It’s obnoxious honestly.
How would these people like it if players went to their jobs and harassed them over fantasy points?
“Goddamn it Bob. I need you to type 45 words a minute not 40. You cost me fantasy points.”
Do I see fantasy sports slowing down any time soon? Unfortunately not. I just fear it’s only going to get worse with all the sports betting that is becoming legal now.
And I’m sorry if anyone had fantasy blog post points because I didn’t hit 1,000 words with this post. I’ll try to better next time.
