Attention fantasy football players, we have more bad news.  If it wasn't bad enough that someone did yet another study about how our antics will cost the American economy $9.2 billion this year (LINK), now ESPN loudmouth Stephen A. Smith has dropped another bomb on us - at least those of us who are white.


He thinks we're nerds (LINK):


"But honestly, I'm not surprised to learn that so few blacks are among the 30 million people who participate in fantasy sports. I've always thought that a lot of these guys (and 96% of them are guys) are nerds desperately in need of more sociable leisure time activities. Leisure time for black folks historically consists of direct interaction, the kind of experience you get at a family barbecue or hanging out with friends. Sitting in front of a computer screen pretending to be Bill Parcells? Sounds like work to me...And the more I learn about the typical fantasy player, the more I think most minorities simply have better things to do."


That's right, guys.  If you play fantasy football, contrary to what you might believe, you are in fact a dork.  And not only that, but a dork who lacks interaction with friends and apparently doesn't care for barbeques.


Screamin A’s rant - while it forced a completely unnecessary racial angle - wasn’t entirely unlike one we highlighted two years ago from MSNBC loudmouth JT the Brick (LINK).


We mocked the comments appropriately at that time, but we never got a chance to really delve into the reasons why these media members fail to understand the appeal of fantasy football to the average fan.


For Stephen A. Smith, JT the Brick and any other talking head that just doesn’t get the national obsession with fantasy football, there was a small demonstration of its attraction on display this past Sunday in Philadelphia.


The St. Louis Rams.


Now, the Rams don’t exactly have a lot of top performers that have a fantasy impact (going to be a long year if you’re counting on Bulger or Holt) so their influence isn’t based in the need for people to watch them.  In fact, it’s the exact opposite.  The Rams offer up a perfect example of why people like me are interested in fantasy football.


It’s literally the only thing I can look forward to when it comes to the NFL.


As naive as it may make us, Rams fans inevitably had a sense of anticipation as the NFL season approached.  Sure, we’re not expecting them to win the Super Bowl, but maybe the team can put together a run and squeak into the playoffs – who knows, right?  Like fans of all teams, we were anxious to see all the supposed changes that have taken place, the new draft picks, free agents, the new offensive “genius” in Al Saunders.  Scott Linehan even shaved his sidespike for 2008.   Things were looking up.


Then they took the field in Philadelphia and within one hour it all went to hell.


It took just a half of football for every ounce of positive thought about the 2008 season to be sucked out of the average Rams fan.  Their defense was making second and third string receivers look like Usain Bolt hauling ass down the sidelines untouched.  Their offense was being captained by a quarterback who was looking more like a $60 million reincarnation of Tony Banks with every start.  All the while their head coach stared onto the field emotionless, like Michael Myers without the albino Shatner mask.


The NFL season started at 12:00 Central Time on Sunday and by 1:30, it became obvious that the only chance Rams fans had to see a winner this year was in their fantasy league.   While the Rams were getting waxed in Philly, I was able to turn my attention across the state and take some pleasure in watching Willie Parker cram three touchdowns down the throat of the Houston Texans.  I could legitimately get excited about Michael Turner’s breakout performance in Atlanta.  Despite having no emotional stake in the success of the Denver Broncos, I had a reason to watch Jay Cutler on Monday night that did not involve me donating copious amounts of money to my BetUs.com account.


Finding alternative ways to enjoy the NFL when your local team is horrible does not make you “a nerd desperately in need of more sociable leisure activities” as Stephen would have you think.


Although the fact that during Monday's game I flipped over to MTV to watch The Hills probably makes me one.