Football is at the core of my being.  I'm a middle school teacher and assistant Varsity football coach.  I've watched football since before I can remember.  No one loves a group of people that they've never met more than I love my Seattle Seahawks.  I love football.  I love football players.  I love football strategy.  I can't get enough of it.

My fanhood of the NFL used to be exclusively a "Seahawks thing".  I would watch the early game to get to the Seahawks game.  This is still true to a point, but fantasy football has changed that for many of us.  It has raised all of our interests in all teams, players, coaching styles, etc.  All things football are now in our collective conscienceness because of our new passion, Fantasy Football.

I've been playing fantasy for eight years now.  I've learned so much about different players and coaches that my fanhood has been taken to a whole new level.  I'm now a Seahawks fan and an NFL fan.  I used to be just a Seahawks fan.  I now watch the Eagles with passion (McNabb owner), as well as the Rams (Torry Holt owner) and other teams that my players play for.  Don't get me wrong, my fantasy interests never come before my Seahawks interests.  Translated:  I always want Torry Holt to recieve for 150 yards and 3 TDs in a high scoring Rams loss! 

I truly believe that fantasy football has made all fans more aware of other players and teams.  I know that it has helped the awareness of my own Seahawks.  Shaun Alexander was known to the fantasy world well before he became mentioned in the upper echelon of NFL backs.  WIthout fantasy football, would Larry Johnson already be a household name with only 9 or so career starts?  Would Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown be considered such strong "breakout" candidates for the 2006 season?  Would NFL Sunday Ticket sales be what they are?  Would so many week 16 matchups with no playoff implications be so intriguing? 

Simply put, fantasy football is the best thing to happen to the NFL since the forward pass.  Nothing has captured the imagination of the fan more.  Nothing has ever expanded the fans interest to so many teams.  Nothing has ever linked the fan to the player more, especially in a league that tries so hard to market the league over any one player.  The NFL is by far the most popular sport in the U.S.  They're are many reasons for that, but don't make the mistake of leaving Fantasy Football off of that list.