Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Smack vs. Skills - Fantasy Strategy 101

Yes, I love Fantasy Baseball. But I gotta say, sometimes I just wish I knew what the pitcher was saying to the catcher and manager and pitching coach during their little top'o'the mound pep talk sessions.

Are they talking smack about the batter? About the visiting team? Discussing what dinner spot they want to hit up later? Who they should each take in their upcoming Fantasy Football drafts I am beginning to feel as though there is SO much more than just the stats of the game.

Enter the NEXT generation of Fantasy.

Sure the objective stats are important.....the wins, losses, and in the case of Reality TV shows, the judge compliments or disses and the challenge victories/defeats. But oh there is so much more going on than just those must have, bare bones, "why we are here" kinds of things.

Ther is DRAMA!

Which brings me to todays Fantasy Strategy topic: Smack vs. Skills

When selecting the perfect Fantasy Reality TV team, there are really two categories of points scoring. There are, of course, the kinds of points that the really skilled people on the show will be scoring.

So for shows like American Idol, you know, it's the best singers. For So You Think You Can Dance, obviously, the best dancers will get lots of points.

But then there are the best Smack talkers. Smack and drama are really what many of us watch Reality TV for. There are a few shows where that is not totally the case, and where the singing and dancing and scenery are a big draw also. But then there are shows where the modeling or designing or whatever the "skills" are that people are fronting with are really just an empty canvas onto which they sling a highly entertaining stain of interpersonal smackdown.

Enter Stella from the current season (5) of Project Runway


We all know she is not the most skilled designer of the group. But man is she NUTTER BUTTERS. In order to score points you HAVE to get camera time. Better yet, make the most of that camera time and be crazy, dramatic, in-your-face, and whatever other entertaining things you can do to set yourself apart.

Producers love drama, audiences love drama, Fantasy points statisticians LOVE drama.

Smack and Skills are kind of the two extremes around which you must balance your team if you are to be truly successful in Fantasy reality TV. If you take only the "good designers," for instance, then when they have an off week, you will plummet. If you take only the "crazy smack talkers," then you'll miss out on great design points. It's about keeping some points rolling in with the consistent smack talkers and guessing right with the talented contestants in order to go big.

Good luck, may the SMACK be with you, and Happy Fantasizing.
Great smack and many skills to be had at Flooza.com!

2 comments:

Melanie Greenberg said...

i once met a pitcher (heath bell) and asked him what he was saying to the catcher. he said it was always about girls. of course, this was when he was with the mets and still sucked, and maybe that was why.

koala said...

haha, yeah Heath Bell, sounds like a Taco Bell product involving chocolate or something......he has been a lot better since going to San Diego, especially last year.....maybe the girls are just less distracting there than in NYC?