By Elijah Mckenzie
It’s that time of year again, when the summer winds down and the air turns crisp. It is the time when football stands out among all other sports. After all the statistics and player injuries have been accounted for, students at U of L begin to make their decisions and draft their teams because the 2009 fantasy football season has begun.
Not everyone is excited though. This is mostly due to the fact that there are still so many students who don’t know what fantasy football is, how it works or how they can get involved. And some people simply don’t understand the appeal.
Sophomore education major, Lynsie Ferguson, recalls the time when she was first introduced to the fantasy football universe.
“Before I got married, I had no idea what it was. But now, especially when football season rolls around, my husband, Rick, won’t stop talking about his draft picks.”
So what are fantasy sports? How are they played? To break it down, a typical fantasy football league is usually comprised of anywhere between eight to 16 fantasy teams. Each participant chooses their players from real NFL teams and is responsible for organizing a starting lineup before each game.
“I got started when a group of my friends wanted to form a league,” said sophomore secondary education major, Nick Guenther, on why he chose to get involved in the growing trend. “I’ve always liked sports and I thought fantasy football could give me a new way to engage in the sports I like.”
Fantasy players and teams are determined winners through an array of scoring methods. Teams are graded according to player performance, the manner in which the play is performed and if a team is on the offensive or defensive. But that’s only a general explanation.
Lucas Stoller, a sophomore mechanical engineering major, described fantasy football as a way for friends to compare knowledge and get more involved in the game.
“It’s an alternative league, created by fans, as a way of creating teams and earning bragging rights,” said Stoller.
What kind of things would the average fantasy football team managers research? Everything. From player injuries in the NFL training camps to trends in team practices, it all matters. Every bit of news indicates how a player will potentially be used in the season. So if a wide receiver gets a sprained ankle during summer practice, it could reduce his chances of being played in the fall.
When asked to explain the level of influence fantasy football has on the social lives of students, junior Jon Desonier said, “It puts the average NFL fan in the shoes of an NFL general manager, forcing them to make week-to-week decisions for their players.”
It’s quite an interesting phenomenon because, for most college students, maintaining good grades and working a job can become a burden, and eventually it leaves little time for other hobbies. So with the explosion of popularity in fantasy sports, it begs the question: Why do students spend so much of their precious time on it? What’s in it for them?
Charlie Sims, a 2005 graduate of U of L, explained that the main appeal of fantasy football comes from connecting with other people.
“It’s because of the camaraderie,” Sims said. “Several of my friends from college, and even high school, still stay in touch through fantasy football. It’s fun competition between buddies.”
Both Sims and Guenther are team managers in the same fantasy football league, titled Die-Nasty and hosted by ESPN.com. Among the other Web sites that host or support fantasy leagues are: Yahoo! Sports, CBS Sports and Fox Sports.
But fantasy football isn’t only for the guys. Representing the women who also love the hobby, Allie Loague, an exercise science major, was introduced to the activity this year. “It’s great because it broadens your competitiveness,” Allie said. “You follow the whole NFL rather than just one individual team.”
So now, with an understanding of what all goes into creating a fantasy football league, students can look on with a bit of appreciation when they see a group of guys, and sometimes girls, debating over statistics and player injuries. At least now those students on the outside will have an idea of what’s going on.
