NFL Fantasy Football 2011

User Submitted Question: Is fantasy football good for the real game or not?




        One thing that immediately comes to mind , Maurice Jones-Drew infamous kneel down at the 1-yard line against the New York Jets on Nov 15 2009. The Jets were at a point where the only way they were going to get the ball back late in the game was letting Jacksonville's RB Jones-Drew score a TD, but to there dismay, Jones-Drew suddenly stopped at the one yard line and took a knee. This was very reminiscent to Brian Westbrook's kneel down against the the New York Giants in 2007, but this one was more obvious and way more strategic. Jones-Drew knew kneeling down would run the clock down allowing Josh Scoobe a chance at a chip shot that would put the game away, giving the Jets virtually no time to respond or have a chance at a comeback.

         This shows that athletes have zero or no attachments to fantasy teams and leagues, whether they love their fans or they themselves are partaking in a fantasy game. In a league as prestigious as the NFL, athletes number one priority is doing what's best in helping the team win on that given week and that's the way it should be. If the Jaguars needed a TD, Jones-Drew would have definitely been in the end-zone but the Jaguars need an opportunity to run the clock and still have a shot at a high percentage field goal to put the game away and Jones-Drew gave them just that. Yes, he did apologize to his fantasy owners and did rag on himself because he owned Maurice Jones Drew in his fantasy league, but it was all in good fun. No way was there any regret and or remorse and nor should he have felt that way.
        Fantasy football has been nothing more than great for the NFL. Jones Drew apologizing was a perfect example of fans and athletes interacting and having some type of connection or bond. Kenny Mayne and Maurice Jones Drew even did a parody on ESPN's "Mayne Event" about the whole situation, the kneel down basically gave ESPN a freebie at an episode for the "Mayne Event" and they ran with it. For athletes fantasy football games are all in good fun because not only could they draft themselves, they have the chance to draft teammates and other athletes around the league they may have played college ball with or have some sort of on going-friendly rivalry.
       For many fans, fanatsy football games finally gives them the opportunity to draft,manage,trade,make transactions and crucial decisions involving a team of professional athletes in doing what's in the teams best interest and ultimately winning the big one, whether it may be referred to as the "Shiva Bowl" or the "Wotless Championship",whatever your version of the Super Bowl may be, you want to win it all! A lot of fans have great insight and analysis of whats currently going on the league, especially when it comes to talent and production but have no where to put this knowledge to use. Fantasy football gives fans a chance to take the driver seat on managing a team an applying their football intellect. Many fans may have never been athletic enough to make it pass JV but have the brain power to command what should be done on the field. Fantasy football gives them the ultimate experience as to what it's like to manage and run a team/organization. A Giants fan may root for an Eagle because he/she drafted Micheal Vick, a Jets fan may root for the Patriots on Any Given Sunday because he/she drafted Wes Welker, for 15 minutes an historic rivalry is put on the back burner. This is what Fantasy Football brings to the table, an interaction between Fans, Athletes and the NFL that cannot be matched or duplicated.


-OneHop