This is the time of year for me when a lot of quality reading that I usually get done - news, leisure reading, school reading - gets replaced with an obscene amount of statistical numbers and random names that results in something a lot of people can't quite understand: Fantasy Baseball.
For those unaware, fantasy baseball is a game - usually played amongst a number of friends in groups of 8-12 - where real players are "drafted" by single teams. They pick an entire roster and whoever drafts the best team (the team whose players have the best statistics) and keeps it up throughout the year wins the league, and usually a decent pot of cash that each team wagers at the beginning of the year.
So in the midst of the fantasy baseball season, I decided to throw myself a simulated Allston Fantasy Draft. I guess the only statistic the league would have would be "Allstonness," though the ambiguity of that term is scary. Define it at your own risk.
Based on the few months I've lived there, here's the first round of a mini 4-team draft. Subjects available to draft include people, places, and objects. (Almost included ideas, but then the concept of "Allstonness" gets really heady):
- The Linden Superette: The place I get my paper every morning.
- Guy behind the counter (during the day) never takes his right hand out of his jacket pocket, creating the illusion of holding a pocket pistol.
- Guy behind the counter (at night) will jokingly try to sell your girlfriend a $16 porn that comes with 2 DVD's. But he isn't joking.
- Woman who works afternoons chases the cat around the store with a roll of paper towels when it misbehaves.
- Children of the owners can sometimes be found sleeping on the floor behind the counter.
- The Paradise: Music club on Comm. Ave; threateningly close to B.U.
- Great place to see a show. The Brew is coming around 4/18. Be there if you like good live music!
- If you're really feeling "Allston" 16 oz. Pabst Blue Ribbons are $3.50 I believe.
- Stickers: Trite ways of expressing ones' self.
- Cars, street signs, electrical boxes, telephone poles, traffic lights, midgets...if it's under 6'4" and it's public property, someone in Allston has tagged it with a sticker.
- I guess Shepherd Fairey is onto something...
- With the #3 pick, "bumper stickers" could be an early candidate for pick of the draft.
- Marty's Liquors:
- Well with the recent accusations coming against Blanchard's, Marty's could be well prepared to have a huge Allston fantasy year in 2009.
- More often than not there's someone hanging around the entrance asking for change. This is usually annoying, but I saw one guy throw his plastic cup at someone for ignoring him when I was there last week. Not your average bums outside Marty's.
- Employees are knowledgable and friendly.
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