Title: Why Fantasy Football Matters (and Our Lives Do Not)
Authors: Erik Barmack and Max Handelman
Why Fantasy Football Matters is Barmack's and Handelman's fictional, yet based on real experiences, account of a fantasy football league called the Bush League. I haven't played fantasy football in a couple years but I am well acquainted with the geekmacho atmosphere. The Bush League has the boys-in-a-clubhouse feel one would expect: no girls allowed. Except there is one woman in the league and, of course, she routinely beats the pants off of the rest of them.
The book is very funny, plenty of laugh out loud moments. The Bush League has a few eccentric quirks. For instance, they set their draft order by selecting goldfish and seeing which ones survive the longest in a tank with two hungry piranhas. The book was written in 2006. The hobby, already popular, has exploded since thanks to the Internet. The Bush League in the book is totally offline which seems downright archaic now. I enjoyed the book, though it's not as well written as Mark St. Amant's Committed, reviewed here.
The book has rekindled my own interest, but only to a point. I was quite an avid fantasy player for a few years and even blogged about it. But the other day, Orangeman asked me how my fantasy baseball team was doing and was surprised when I told him I didn't have one this year. He seemed keen to try again sometime so maybe football this year? One reason why my interest waned is that the social aspect of the hobby was unsatisfactory. There was loads of banter during the online drafts but little to none for the rest of the season. If we could combine fantasy football with watching actual NFL games together as the Bush League does, that might be more fun. Maybe. Or maybe I really am better off with other hobbies.
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| via Simon & Schuster |
The book is very funny, plenty of laugh out loud moments. The Bush League has a few eccentric quirks. For instance, they set their draft order by selecting goldfish and seeing which ones survive the longest in a tank with two hungry piranhas. The book was written in 2006. The hobby, already popular, has exploded since thanks to the Internet. The Bush League in the book is totally offline which seems downright archaic now. I enjoyed the book, though it's not as well written as Mark St. Amant's Committed, reviewed here.
The book has rekindled my own interest, but only to a point. I was quite an avid fantasy player for a few years and even blogged about it. But the other day, Orangeman asked me how my fantasy baseball team was doing and was surprised when I told him I didn't have one this year. He seemed keen to try again sometime so maybe football this year? One reason why my interest waned is that the social aspect of the hobby was unsatisfactory. There was loads of banter during the online drafts but little to none for the rest of the season. If we could combine fantasy football with watching actual NFL games together as the Bush League does, that might be more fun. Maybe. Or maybe I really am better off with other hobbies.
Please join us and share your own review of your best read from the past month. This month's link list is below. I'll keep it open until the end of the day. I'll post June's tomorrow. Meetings are the last Friday of each month. Next gathering is June 24th.
I must admit I know nothing about fantasy football but if it involves the sacrificing of goldfish, I'm going to have to pass...Poor goldfish!
ReplyDeleteSadly I'd probably pass on the book, too, as I'm not a big sports fan. Glad you enjoyed it!
I did enjoy it but I can't imagine anyone who doesn't like fantasy football would.
DeleteI have never played fantasy football or baseball... I am more of a baseball fan, but still don't see myself spending time playing, but I am intrigued about how people get so involved in it.
ReplyDeleteI don't play anymore but it's a fascinating hobby.
DeleteI know nothing about fantasy football, either, and try as I might to understand it, I can never wrap my brain around it. Perhaps this book can explain it to me...But I'm not okay with that goldfish thing. Just draw numbers out of a hat or something!
ReplyDeleteIt would be a stretch to describe the league members as mature adults.
DeleteIt's been a while for me having any involvement with Fantasy Football. That said, it's a fun topic. I think it could be a fun read, but you're right that the tech is clearly dated, with all the apps people now have for tracking their teams.
ReplyDeleteStill, guys trash-talking and bantering about their teams is something that seems to be a part of our "culture" for the foreseeable future, so I can see the appeal of this book.
Thanks for sharing!
V:)
The cultural perspective is an interesting one. Again, the St. Amant book is better.
DeleteIt sounds like a fun read, AS. Never heard of Fantasy Football!
ReplyDeletePerhaps the fantasy craze hasn't hit Australian sports. If so, that is probably a good thing.
DeleteI can see how Fantasy Football with get togethers to watch at least some of the games would make it more fun. I have never done FF- but I know lots of people who have. :)
ReplyDelete~Jess
Part of the problem for me is that I really don't like football that much. I do enjoy the fantasy game and watching together would at least make it more social.
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