The fantasy insanity

What is it with men and their fantasies? Many females are probably intrigued with where I’m going with this, but the interest is going to die down quick with these next two words of mine. Fantasy football. Yes, fantasy football. It is absolutely absurd how addicted males, and some females, get every year when fantasy football comes around. I’m not ranting here though; I’m raving about this great game that possesses every player on Sunday afternoons.

For me, it took a while to get started in the craze but once I got into a league, I was hooked. I completely understood the madness it brings upon people. I was constantly revamping my roster by studying stats and the defense my player was up against that week. Whenever boredom hit, to the fantasy football website I went. Plus, it gave me something to do every Tuesday morning during class when it was time to select the new roster for the week.

But compared to others, my addiction is minimal. For anyone that has seen the TV series “The League,” there is no exaggeration there. The competitiveness that some bring to the fantasy table is a little alarming, if not downright scary. Just type in “fantasy football freak out” into YouTube and see all the videos that come up.

There is just something about it that makes even grown men go berserk if something doesn’t go their way, fantasy or not. The addiction changes people, whether it is a major or minor thing. Some players have literally gotten fired from their job for playing too much in the office. Others have run into marriage problems because of their insane obsession.

As for me, fantasy football has turned me into an errant fan on Sundays. I don’t even have an absolute favorite NFL team anymore. My favorite football team is the one on the computer screen where I get to pick my roster. I suppose I can say I’m still a big Vikings fan, but honestly, whenever Aaron Rodgers threw a touchdown against them, I snuck in a fist pump while the rest of my friends were cussing up a storm. Hey give me a break, that’s my quarterback and he just got four points for my team.

That is what fantasy football has done to too many other people. It is a craze that will probably never die down. Having a chance to choose your players onto a roster is almost a dream come true for guys. Fantasy footballers feel like geniuses when one of their players has a breakout season. And trust me, we all let the other league members know that we “had a gut feeling” the breakout year would happen. All men think they know more football than they actually do, and winning a league is their way of proving that. But it is just fantasy, right? It can’t mean anything. For many, it means everything. After all, fantasy is better than reality.