If you have two X chromosomes
As some of you may know, about two weeks ago, I was approached by someone for whom I previously had a high opinion of and asked to join a game of fantasy baseball.
Perhaps "asked to join" is incorrect. I wasn't approached and asked "Hey, YY, would you like to play fantasy baseball with us?" I was approached and asked "Hey, we need another person for our league to have an even number, can we use your account as a dummy?" (everyone watch that high opinion soar out of the ballpark...and sink pathetically into the bay)
In response to this flattering invitation, I said yes.
My friends' responses to my saying yes, have varied between, a slightly stunned
"Haha! You're kidding...right? right?!"
a bemused
"Please, tell me this league isn't playing for money?"
"Do you know what baseball is?"
a despairing
"You're so screwed."
and last but not least
"That's it, I'm not talking to you anymore."
Slightly offended, I decided to at least check out this whole baseball thing.
The result of my checking out this whole baseball thing is left as an exercise for the reader.
However, I did decide to write a PWR paper on the subject, which lead to me, awake at 2:31 in the morning, reading about fantasy baseball, to write this entry.
If you have two X chromosomes, you will likely not be able to bend your brain around that. Huh? Play pretend baseball? WHY?
But if yours are the XY set, you think: "Sign me up!"
I have two things to say to you XX types:
First, fantasy baseball is big. About 3 million to 5 million people play it, Walker estimates, in all kinds of leagues, from workplace ones to online ones. And yes, about 98 percent of them are men, according to a University of Connecticut sociologist who looked into it.
But what's really amazing is the industry of baseball statistics that fantasy baseball has spawned. Grown men make good livings deciding just how to weigh a pitcher's days of rest or whether singles or walks are more predictive of wins, and by how much. Really: Read "Moneyball'' by Michael Lewis if you don't believe me.
Second, fantasy baseball is perhaps the universe's perfect convergence of the twin male obsessions: the memorizing of trivia and the keeping of score.
It truly is a wonder that it hasn't replaced politics. Yet.
My first reaction upon reading this article was amusement, "Huh? Play pretend baseball? WHY?" captures the dominant opinion in my friends set perfectly. In fact, even "Play baseball WHY?" or "Watch baseball? WHY?" would come close.
And in fact, mere days ago, K's friend had expressed the exact same sentiment in the exact same words followed by a pained "it's not even real, I might understand if it was actual baseball...but...."
The second was utter disbelief at the patheticness of the two things he had to say to "us XX types"
First, that's nice, I'm glad fantasy baseball is big, unfortunately the "everyone else does it" argument got old centuries ago and isn't true in this case anyway, and I suppose if people can make a living selling nonexistant MMORPG items on ebay, making a living off of pretend baseball is just as acceptable...whatever floats your boat.
Second, sure, a good memory, especially for trivia, and a sense of scoring is a good thing. But I'm not sure an obsession is something to be particularly proud of.
And the true wonder is why women haven't thrown up their hands in despair and formed a matriarchal society. Yet.
I'm not saying that the game lacks any redeeming qualities, and as a hobby goes, it's probably better than say...collecting human skin or ritualistic drinking of sheep blood on the third hour of the first friday after each new moon. However, as an article trying to make a case on why it's acceptable for a man to spend $20,000 playing pretend baseball or why those of the XX chromosome set should suddenly take up the pastime, it falls slightly short.
I mean, I love you all.
Perhaps "asked to join" is incorrect. I wasn't approached and asked "Hey, YY, would you like to play fantasy baseball with us?" I was approached and asked "Hey, we need another person for our league to have an even number, can we use your account as a dummy?" (everyone watch that high opinion soar out of the ballpark...and sink pathetically into the bay)
In response to this flattering invitation, I said yes.
My friends' responses to my saying yes, have varied between, a slightly stunned
"Haha! You're kidding...right? right?!"
a bemused
"Please, tell me this league isn't playing for money?"
"Do you know what baseball is?"
a despairing
"You're so screwed."
and last but not least
"That's it, I'm not talking to you anymore."
Slightly offended, I decided to at least check out this whole baseball thing.
The result of my checking out this whole baseball thing is left as an exercise for the reader.
However, I did decide to write a PWR paper on the subject, which lead to me, awake at 2:31 in the morning, reading about fantasy baseball, to write this entry.
If you have two X chromosomes, you will likely not be able to bend your brain around that. Huh? Play pretend baseball? WHY?
But if yours are the XY set, you think: "Sign me up!"
I have two things to say to you XX types:
First, fantasy baseball is big. About 3 million to 5 million people play it, Walker estimates, in all kinds of leagues, from workplace ones to online ones. And yes, about 98 percent of them are men, according to a University of Connecticut sociologist who looked into it.
But what's really amazing is the industry of baseball statistics that fantasy baseball has spawned. Grown men make good livings deciding just how to weigh a pitcher's days of rest or whether singles or walks are more predictive of wins, and by how much. Really: Read "Moneyball'' by Michael Lewis if you don't believe me.
Second, fantasy baseball is perhaps the universe's perfect convergence of the twin male obsessions: the memorizing of trivia and the keeping of score.
It truly is a wonder that it hasn't replaced politics. Yet.
My first reaction upon reading this article was amusement, "Huh? Play pretend baseball? WHY?" captures the dominant opinion in my friends set perfectly. In fact, even "Play baseball WHY?" or "Watch baseball? WHY?" would come close.
And in fact, mere days ago, K's friend had expressed the exact same sentiment in the exact same words followed by a pained "it's not even real, I might understand if it was actual baseball...but...."
The second was utter disbelief at the patheticness of the two things he had to say to "us XX types"
First, that's nice, I'm glad fantasy baseball is big, unfortunately the "everyone else does it" argument got old centuries ago and isn't true in this case anyway, and I suppose if people can make a living selling nonexistant MMORPG items on ebay, making a living off of pretend baseball is just as acceptable...whatever floats your boat.
Second, sure, a good memory, especially for trivia, and a sense of scoring is a good thing. But I'm not sure an obsession is something to be particularly proud of.
And the true wonder is why women haven't thrown up their hands in despair and formed a matriarchal society. Yet.
I'm not saying that the game lacks any redeeming qualities, and as a hobby goes, it's probably better than say...collecting human skin or ritualistic drinking of sheep blood on the third hour of the first friday after each new moon. However, as an article trying to make a case on why it's acceptable for a man to spend $20,000 playing pretend baseball or why those of the XX chromosome set should suddenly take up the pastime, it falls slightly short.
I mean, I love you all.