Fantasy sports: 'Worst trend of the last three decades'

We also need to vote on spnited's application to join our league

 

I started playing fantasy baseball in the early 90s, before the internet made it easy. It was a hell of a lot of fun back then.

I played every year since 1991. Added football about 10 years ago. Used to have teams in multiple leagues for each sport and I enjoyed it, so I get why others would enjoy it.

Three years ago I noticed that it was almost a chore to keep up with. So I decided to just try one league for baseball, one for football. Still didn't enjoy it that much, so last year I didn't do either sport and it was nice. It helped put sports back into proper perspective, too. Now I can enjoy a game and a beer and if my rooting interest doesn't pull through, it doesn't ruin my day or even my mood. I won't say never but I probably won't play again.

 

u-sports.com (it's through Athlon)

 

I love fantasy baseball because baseball is a team game determined by individual matchups. I think it translates well. Like Dick Whitman, I've been playing with a group of guys since college and I have an emotional connection to a lot of players because we play in a full keeper league with no draft. You build your team by signing prospects and free agents. Thus, I've had Albert Pujols on my squad since his 10th major league at bat. I was desperate for a third baseman, sick and tired of Vinny Castilla, and decided to roll the dice on a rookie who had three hits his previous game. I feel like I've followed his whole career as a result.

I play fantasy football, but I have less love for it because I think football is such a wonderful team game and I think fantasy football has penetrated our conscience so much, it distorts our view of quarterbacks. I feel like it has shaped some of the Manning/Brady debate with Manning coming out on top for years (until recently, when it has started to shift toward reality) because of Manning's stats.

I do think the letter writer has a point about viewing players as commodities or chess pieces, but its aslo way too crumudgenly.
This is true though: if there is sports talk radio in hell, it's nothing but caller after caller listing all the guys on his fantasy team and asking the host to grade his selections.

 

I am a fantasy baseball addict. Sometimes I wish I wasn't. Sometimes I love it. There is no doubt that it has kept my interest in baseball alive.

At one time, I wanted nothing to do with fantasy sports. I just wanted to follow my "real" teams. Then the Pirates quit, an event clearly marked by the departure of Barry Bonds and Doug Drabek in the same offseason as free agents in 1992. Baseball's system was set up to fail, combined with a series of penny-pinching owners and idiots in the front office. I just couldn't bring myself to care any more.

It is hard for me to follow a sport with no rooting, so fantasy baseball gave me a team (or teams) to root for again. I don't expect anybody other than another fantasy baseball player to want to talk about my team or fantasy sports in general, but I don't get the hate for it. It is a way to keep some people interested in baseball that might lose interest otherwise. How is that a bad thing?

 

Worst trend from who's perspective?

From the perspective of the leaders and owners of professional sporting leagues, fantasy sports is one of the best things to come along in the last 30 years. It brings customers with more passion and more of a vested interest in the product they are selling, and it sustains the interest level throughout the year when without fantasy, it would wane for a good portion of that part of their customer base.

 

Wow, that is just fascinating information

I take back my statement that everybody who plays fantasy sports is a loser!

 

I knew a guy who flunked out because of fantasy football, and even he would admit that.

 

Fantasy sports only help me get interested in sports I could care less about.

Case in point: my favorite league I do is an ACC/SEC basketball league.
I actually watched last night's Mississippi-Mississippi State game because I wanted to finally see if Renardo Sidney was worth keeping the rest of the season.

 

I played in my 20s for about 5 years. Was excited to have Magic Johnson on my team for the first time. Then, while driving to work, I hear a press conference . . . "I have contacted the HIV virus . . . "

Haven't played since and have no desire to. Outsmart my friends? You mean outwork them. And I'm just not willing to put in the time that you need to to keep up with everything.

 

Amen and AMEN!!

If I were to care about your fantasy teams, I would ask you about them. Please do not hold your breath...