It’s time for something nice on the off topic. There are so many things worth discussing that doesn’t ruffle feathers. How about this one?

It’s been mentioned before, but I’ve found that a lot of people who are drawn to handicapping are sports fans with an interest in statistics and simulations. Some get into war games. I’m one who is into sports boardgaming.

I play Strat-o-matic baseball, basketball, and football. I prefer cards and dice over computer because I like keeping stats by hand and when I play the board game, it feels like a real game, not just another computer game. I like playing the current seasons and set up elaborate tournament style seasons that I can play fairly quickly and still get realistic results and relive great moments in sports.

I also occasionally play old seasons and older teams which can really bring back memories of youth. Sometimes my strat-o-matic games that I play are more real to me than the ones I’m watching in real life!

There has to be something cool about a game when a guy in Texas can be at work and look forward to tonight’s matchup between the Padres and Rockies or an NBA clash between the Raptors and Warriors! Suddenly a game I would probably NEVER watch on TV takes on some meaning and I might even tune in when those teams do play on TV next time.

I do not think of any game as that much better than the other. The one you first tried and grew up with is probably the one you consider the best. Strat-o-matic has a rabid following as does APBA, Replay, Dynasty and many lesser known games. I am interested in trying out Thomas Mink’s pro basketball game which is a combination of board game and computer game.

The computer handles all the stats. I’ve heard some good things about this game.

Sometimes the realism is uncanny. During the 05 NBA finals, I played a strat basketball game between San Antonio and Detroit. The Spurs had upset the Lakers in my season and made the finals of my 04 season replay while in real life they were in the finals against the Pistons. Robert Horry Bigshot Rob hit a 3 pter in my game to beat the Pistons 95-94 to win MY NBA championship. That night in real life.

Robert Horry big 3 pter sank the Pistons in Game 5 of the real life finals.

Anybody else out there play sports boardgames? If so, which ones are your favorites?

If you’ve never played a sports boardgame before, check it out, it is a fun hobby in between picking horses and whatever else you like to do. Also. the games greatly enhance my knowledge of the sport and add to the enjoyment of watching the real life games.

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