Is Fantasy Football a hardcore game?

As we know Fantasy Football is a million dollar business, but is it a game?

Its coming up on my draft day and I see the same look in the eyes of my fellow team owners, we want to win.  It has nothing to do with teh money... well, a little to do with it.  But mostly its about getting to hold on to that plaque for a year.

I've been to teh Super Bowl teice in my league, I'm 1-1.  I also had a 1 win season, and that was awful.  I felt that anyone could run the team better and several times that year I was asked if I was still playing.

But what kind of game is this.  Is it casual?

Is it a sports game?  Seems like it to me. If EA can say that Madden is a sports game, than any fantasy football game is a sports game.

But is it a hard core game?

I'd define hard core as a game that most people would never play.  They'd look at it, and wonder why people bothered and what interest could it possible contain.  I think by that definition, its a hard core game.

But... had to be one of those around here somewhere, do you really play it?  My league gets togeether once a yerar to do a draft.  Its great fun for a few hours.  But after that, we really don't have much contact.  The same year that I went 1-12 I could have gone 9-3 had I just played other people that week. 

But "played" is the wrong word.  My scores are COMPARED to the other teams score and who has the high score wins.  I don't think you can call a game wher you only compare scored to be a hard core game.

Do you play fantasy football?  Fantasy any sport? (How they play fantasy golf is beyond me)

Mac