After months of planning and research, many football fans can finally take a sigh of relief.

No, I am not talking about those who are taking road trips to see their favorite NFL teams. I am talking about the beginning of the NFL and fantasy football seasons.

Today, team owners will finally set their teams after weeks, and maybe months, of trading, negotiating and constantly staring at the ESPN bottom line looking for injuries, trades or anything else to give them an advantage going into regular season play. No longer will we have to sit on the edge of our seats when John Clayton and/or Chris Mortensen comes on the air twice a day to tell us if our starting quarterbacks or wide receivers are going to be a game-time decision this Sunday.

Although there are many who watch six to seven pro football games each week to watch their hometown team and keep an eye on their fantasy status, there are those who are morally opposed to playing fantasy football. Sure, there are those who do not believe in the gambling aspect of many leagues. But, there are also some who are morally against it for the sake of team loyalty.

In no other setting will you see a Jets fan cheering as Tom Brady throws his third touchdown of the game or an Eagles fan smile as Tony Romo hooks up with Terrell Owens for the 10th time of during the game. Fantasy football may increase the bonds between friends living across the country, but it tends to shatter any loyalty anyone may have for their home team.

There are ways of not showing any disloyalty to your home team without having to give up any prime picks during your fantasy draft. You could simply avoid anyone playing for your division rival or your most hated team. Also, it is possible to draft a highly rated player from a disliked team and use them as trade bait. Either way would still give you a good chance at achieving fantasy success without trading in your loyalty for your team.

However, there are those who are simply against anything having to do with fantasy football. They believe fantasy takes away from the enjoyment of any given fall Sunday and want to enjoy everything involved with the game. These hardcore fans love the hits, the catches and the sweet theme song from “Monday Night Football.” They believe fantasy sports detracts from the enjoyment of a good day of watching football.

Most of all, these football purists hate watching football with the hard-core fantasy players. I have spent many Sundays watching football with people who do not like fantasy football. Whenever I am cheering for someone on my fantasy team, I constantly get a dirty look. Whenever there is a close game and I am cheering for a team to make the spread so I can cash in on my “pick ’em” league winnings that week, my friends tell me to shut up and watch the game.

What I do not understand is why those who do not like fantasy football feel it detracts from the game. If anything, it adds to people’s interest in football. Before fantasy sports existed, there was very little reason to care how many passing yards Carson Palmer had last year or who is the backup running back for the Baltimore Ravens is. The only people who knew these kinds of stats were coaches and sports writers.

Now there are many people who have began playing fantasy sports that have become more interested in the game. They watch several games every weekend not only to keep up with how their players are doing but for the enjoyment of the sport. Sure, they may be forced to cheer for some of the most despised players in the league, but at least they are watching the game and taking in all it has to offers.

Fantasy sports also serves as something more important than a way to make money or give you weekly bragging rights with your buddies. All over the place, groups of friends use fantasy football leagues to keep in touch with their friends from across the country. Every year, I join a league with friends from high school who have lived everywhere from New York to Iowa. My dad is part of a weekly “pick ’em” league with guys who he grew up with. In both cases, fantasy sports give us something in common and a way to keep up with friends across the country.

So when you are trying to convince your buddy to play in your fantasy league even though he is already in five, remind him it is about more than the money. Tell him it is about the love of the game and the smack talk you can give out over the glorious 17 weeks of NFL football.

Ben is a senior majoring in journalism and history. If you would like to join him for fantasy detox, email him at [email protected].