The Best Mancation Fantasy Camps
Here are some sports fantasy camps that offer very real experiences.
By:
Paul Pabst
The concept of a sports fantasy camp has always made me cringe. I picture middle-aged guys (like me) trying to relive their glory days against similarly-aging former pro athletes. Getting my weak jumper blocked by former Bulls’ center Will Perdue at some random gym didn’t seem like something I wanted to drop a lot of coin on.
A quality sports fantasy camp provides insider access and a true physical component. I can go to a batting cage to hit baseballs, but if I’m paying good money I’d rather have an at-bat against Fernando Valenzuela at Dodgers’ Stadium.
Here are some sports fantasy camps that offer very real experiences.
I chose the 40-lap experience. A personal instructor took the lead 3 car lengths ahead of the campers. As your driving improves, the instructor picks up the pace. On my first lap I reached speeds of 112 mph. I reached 150 mph on my final lap, which was my fastest and by far the most comfortable. Driving so fast in a real NASCAR Cup car on a real NASCAR track didn’t feel like a simulation or a pretend experience. The walls were real, as was the danger.
Paul Pabst is the executive producer of DIRECTV’s The Dan Patrick Show and works out of the show’s “ManCave.”
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