Fantasy or Reality, We’re Fixated on the Two

You’ve probably been asked this question or have asked it of others - “Who do think will be the final two?” That is, the two teams to reach the World Series or the Super Bowl, the last two singers on American Idol, the last two house mates left on Big Brother, or the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees.

As fans and spectators, we love the anticipation of who will be in that final, head-to-head match. In many cases, the debate and predictions of who will be these final competitors is more entertaining than the final event itself. I can think of a number of Super Bowls where this was the case and I’ve had people tell me that they find the elimination process of March Madness much more entertaining than the outcome of the championship game. This speculation of the “2”, which we constantly see on message boards, overhear in sports bars and partake in at the water cooler, has become a unique form of entertainment and intrigue onto its own.

No one knows this fact better than broadcast producers and promoters. We are force fed commercial after commercial hyping every reality show season finale, the “Road to the Finals,” and every other final, “clash of the titans.” It makes for great drama and we are compelled to watch. The college football puppet masters, even with their stubbornness to implement a much desired playoff system, realize the value of pitting number one against number two. Hence, they gave us the BCS. Reality TV masterminds have taken it even further by allowing us to vote for the winners, proving to be smart, engaging and profitable.

One website has also embraced this sensation and has taken what promoters know in a slightly different direction. The developers of Last 2 Left have created a patent pending, game based on this final two phenomena. This one format is applied to many different types of events, ranging from popular sports and reality television shows to other high profile contests, including the 2008 Presidential Election. The object of the game is for players to correctly predict the final two competitors of a specific event. Believe it or not, predicting the overall winner is nothing more than a tiebreaker.

I’ve played all types of office pools – fantasy football, pick ‘ems, eliminators and even a game we made up for the very first Survivor show. The problem with many of these games is that they become a second job and make me feel that I constantly have a deadline hanging over my head. And God forbid if you miss a deadline! You’re either out of the game or you fall so far behind in points you might as well quit.

For me, this new, and did I mention free, Last 2 Left format is perfect. It requires very little time, I only have 3 deadlines at most and the site includes many different sports and reality TV shows. Simply put, it’s one format, in one place with many choices. The website offers players two game types – a public game in which I can sign up and not have to wait for an invitation to play and a private game, where visitors can create office pools exclusively for their friends. In case you were wondering, it’s not a gambling site but rather for entertainment only. The site creators expanded the Last 2 idea to include the top 2 finishers in events that don’t have a final head-to-head match up, like golf and NASCAR races. It’s not much of stretch on their concept and expands the games they offer.

So, for all of us fans who debate who should be at the final Survivor tribal council, or in the Stanley Cup or vying for the presidency, there is now a simple, online game. Go play, invite friends, and have fun. By the way, “Who’s your 2?”

Writer Harland Crom is an avid sports fan and reality TV voyeur who has has participated in and managed many types of office pools over the years. His Blog, discusses the relationship of popular sports, events and reality shows with fantasy games.