That's right! Today I signed up for ESPN's BASS Challenge Fantasy Fishing. I have to admit I signed up because it sounded completely wacky, but it looks pretty cool. It's no different than Fantasy Golf - you basically pick a team of pros and their tournament performance determines your score. You can change anglers at any time (except during tournaments) if you've got a poor performer. Unfortunately, I signed up late, so I'll be missing the first tournament. The boat above belongs to Kevin VanDam, the star of my team.I'm still trying to decide if fishing is a sport, and I could be persuaded either way. There's real elements of skill involved, fierce competition, specialized techniques and equipment, big money and sponsorships. On the other hand, there's no high school or NCAA fishing teams (at least as far as I know) so it's kind of an insider's game. You don't have to be physically fit (outside of having enough muscle to lift the fish) and honestly -- couldn't I have a good day and feasibly do just as well as these guys?
I guess it all comes down to the audience. No one wants to watch someone else do something they could do just as well, and these events draw big crowds and lots of viewers. These people have to respect the talent and skill of the competitors, or they wouldn't watch. So the jury's still out.
Anyway, you can get your own Fantasy Fishing team here. If you want to join my group and compete against me, type "fish on!" in the search bar or click here. See you at the lake!
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