Is Fantasy Football Destroying Loyalties?

Ever since its conception 1962 fantasy football has been looked at with disdain by many while being adored by countless. The obsession that’s has driven countless fans to curse and hate their own team because their opponent had a player on that team fills many sports analysts with disgust. As an illustration, Bryan Burwell, a sports writer, stated it simply “fantasy football is evil.” He describes himself as a Washington Redskins fan who engaged in a fantasy football team with his friend. They drafted Emmitt Smith and Michael Irving, both Dallas Cowboys (who are rivals with the Redskins). When Dallas played Washington he realized that he was secretly rooting for his fantasy players to score and he threw out his values as a Redskin fan.
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This same situation has happened to millions of players. There are about 14 million fantasy football players throughout the US and Canada. With the successful players drafting simply on talent/potential and not by team affiiation or moral charcter. No drafter cares if Terrell Owens is having issues with his coach as long as he gets the ball. And no one cares when Chad Johnson gets a fine for doing too elaborate of a touchdown celebration.
Fantasy players are all about the stats. Additionally, almost every one of them drafted a player that will play against his or her “team.” Well when their player strolls into town whom is the fan going to root for? His player or his team? I encountered this same problem this past Sunday. My brother, a die-hard Jets fan, was playing against Thomas Jones in his fantasy league.
He was actually getting mad that Jones was playing well and helping move the Jets down the field. This made me realize that fantasy football divides loyalties.
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For all of its flaws, fantasy football has still had some positive affects. Most players with fantasy teams can name every starting receiver, quarterback, and running back for every team. Resulting in name recognition that helps players become known through commercials and sponsorships. But most players hate fans with divided loyalties. Retired NFL QB Jake Plummer stated, "I think it's ruined the game." Tiki Barber, ex Giants running back, also stated thathere's an incongruity in the wants.” So there is only question to ask yourself when “tconsidering playing fantasy football; when you have Chad Johnson and he is playing your beloved Steelers, do you want to root for your team to lose?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy_football_%28American%29