Thursday, July 31, 2014

Trade deadline and Trampoline Dodgeball


 

2 things that really don’t go together at all, but have the same TD initials so decided to fit them into the same group.

Trampoline dodgeball is the newest combination of awesome, kind of like Cookies and Crème, Peanut butter and jelly, ice cream and cake, wanton soup and noodles (located at your neighborhood Costco outlet).

Basically it’s playing dodgeball in a trampoline pit, with all 3 corners (no ceiling) fit with bouncy trampolines that make one fly way up in the air, dip way down into the trampoline, or zoom across the pitch. It’s great for dodging and makes for a great TV show with the number of backflips, somersaults, and other fun in-air maneuvering one can do. Except for me, I’m not a very black-flippy kind of person (although I can do on on the trampoline), and I’m still a loyalist to dodgeball and catching, so I hardly ever jump around or make any sudden or long movements. I’m like the guy who goes all the way to a specialty ice cream shop to get vanilla ice cream, or goes all the way to Las Vegas to play cards with friends in the hotel room. I play dodgeball in the trampoline dodgeball pit, but it is still an effective game. I like the whole idea of things going crazy, the balls bouncing every which way due to the geography of  the pit. Call me a sucker, but just like WWE wrestling where different types of matches intrigue me (steel cage match, tables and ladders, inferno match), different styles of dodgeball (steel cage, trampoline, on a boat, etc.) also intrigue me.

I actually do think trampoline dodgeball has great potential to be a sensation in this country and gain some popularity, causing dodgeball to get on the map. That would be a huge boon for me, as I think dodgeball is very deserving to be recognized as a legit team sport with lots of strategy and athleticism involved. Dodge on!

 

The trade deadline refers to the artificial date set each year for major league baseball as well as fantasy baseball leagues as the last time teams can trade players before the end of the season, creating (usually) a flurry of activity before the deadline as teams know they have to get something done or know that other teams have to get something done and prey on their weaknesses/ desperation. It’s really a fascinating science as the leverage involved in trade talks shifts constantly based on what other players go off the market, who is available on the market, the stubbornness/ tenacity of the managers/ teams involved, etc. The major league trade deadline often ends anti-climatically and not that much information comes out regarding the negotiation process, all the possible deals that didn’t happen, etc. (after all, we are not in the War Rooms of any of these teams), but managing your own fantasy team can give you the fantasy (literally) of being a professional baseball general manager at the deadline, probably one of the best baseball-card-trading feelings in the world, except you’re dealing with million-dollar organizations with real people and real fans who you have to account for. It’s really an exciting feeling, especially with the clock winding down and offers on the table. There’s a lot of chatter and posturing going on during trade talks, but it’s when a deal is actually presented, the chips are down, do you finally realize how other managers value their players, as well as how you yourself value your own players. It can be really nerve-wracking and stressful but for adrenaline junkies and fantasy nerds like myself, it’s……..really satisfying.

 

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

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