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If you’re looking for ways to enhance your fantasy sports league’s performance, or just some insight into how fantasy sports works in general, then AJ Mass suggests you go to Jesus, Shakespeare and Darth Vader for advice. No, really. These are just some of the figures Mass, an ESPN Fantasy Analyst, looks to for inspiration in his upcoming book, How Fantasy Sports Explains the World.
Mass offers readers a unique perspective of the fantasy sports phenomenon which has captivated millions of fans and left just as many people scratching their heads, wondering what the big deal is. That’s precisely what I was doing while reading the first chapter. In it, Mass talks about his days as an Atlantic City casino dealer, which had me thinking this book couldn’t end quickly enough: discussing the odds of winning certain wagers and making certain moves while playing blackjack and Three Card Poker isn’t exactly leisurely reading.
However, once my eyes stopped glazing over the sections where he discussed probabilities and paid tribute to sports heroes I’ve never heard of, I came to appreciate Mass’ anecdotal take on fantasy sports skills and how they relate to the skills needed in every day situations. He incorporates a variety of seemingly unrelated people to demonstrate that winning fantasy sports advice – and important life lessons in general – can be learned from individuals throughout history if you’re paying attention. This includes everyone from America’s founding fathers to physicist Stephen Hawking, even reality show fan favorites like Survivor’s Yau-Man Chan.
Who would think that the moral of Star Wars is to strive for continuous improvement, instead of sitting back and gloating about all you’ve achieved? (Definitely not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the Dark Side, right?) Or that there are 12 distinct personalities every fantasy league should have in order to do well, just like Jesus had his 12 disciples? (A bit controversial for some, but have you ever considered 12 to be a magic number?) Furthermore, would you be surprised to learn you probably channel Sylvia Browne’s psychic abilities whenever you take a gamble on anything? (I still have chills after reading that chapter!)
These are just some of the thought-provoking scenarios Mass introduces to challenge our established ways of thinking. This is also why his expertise is in such great demand: it’s obvious he knows what he’s talking about, but more importantly, he has a knack for getting people to listen. His in-depth analysis of the essence of sports, a la the Bard’s famous “What’s in a name?” quote, not only showcases Mass’ passion for his work, but also allows us to see past the field stereotypes of “dumb jock” athletes and their “couch potato” fans. His psychological explanations behind the decisions we make are eerily accurate. Along the way, you forget he’s discussing fantasy games and start seeing it more as a metaphor for what each of us does in this high-speed information age on a daily basis.
Truly innovative and intellectually stimulating, How Fantasy Sports Explains the World is an entertaining read fans and non-fans alike should pick up.
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