Baller

I actually did play the essay game, and happened to come across a topic that I thought would make for an interesting essay. Fantasy Basketball. Not only is it an engaging hobby for millions of bored and lonesome men around the world, but it is also a profession. Official fantasy basketball analysts are constantly providing its users with notes and official news that gives them the edge to win in a tight head-to-head league match-up with their longtime rival from across the street. What I found interesting in the hobby was how people disregard personal values for numbers that allow them to boast to their friend about how Stephen Jackson from the Golden State Warriors “dropped 18 points, 7 assists, 3 steals, and four rebounds” all after entering the game at halftime because of a court appearance where he recklessly fired a gun several times outside a bar. People become engrossed in not the players themselves, but the numbers that each player produces. I admit that I am guilty of such bragging as I have become completely involved in the game too. For the past few months, it has been one of the most discussed subjects among friends as we discuss players and brag about who is “hot” and mourn over our injured players. I once read a great quote on a forum that said fantasy basketball was the sport of nerds. A person responded by comically agreeing with him. Although I don’t agree completely with his claim, I do agree that many people who do become involved with fantasy basketball are nerds. In fact, the sport, if you can even call it one, does require traits that are most commonly found in nerds. A successful fantasy team takes lots of hours of research and planning. The fantasy game is filled with many different possibilities, so it is important to take many things into consideration when creating a team. Each statistic is taken into category (percentages, rebounds, points, and even more obscure stats such as technical fouls), creating a complex and multidimensional game. What is also taken into consideration is a player’s salary, with fantasy owners having to deal with the problem of salary caps. I think that this would make for a very unique and interesting essay topic because fantasy basketball effectively simulates the problems and methods of real managers and coaches. The game isn’t perfect, but still provides an abundance of fun and has helped me to avoid boredom numerous times.