Return Again Of The Desert Island Draft (2026)

[Capt. Factorial]

We all had a great time (I hope!) with the renewed TDOS Desert Island Draft last year.

While I know that there actually *is* stuff to discuss up until the NBA draft perhaps this year we should get a head start on things, for instance, to potentially run two drafts if we can be on the ball about things.

I know that there is a decent bit of groundswell for a "wrestling" draft. I don't know exactly what that would look like (would folks be drafting for just collections of individuals, or putting together some sort of team, or some other concept...?) but I think it's about time to indulge that particular itch if a quorum can be had for it. Note: I will not run or participate in a wrestling draft so I would encourage anyone who wants to be the ringleader on that to split off and start recruiting!

For a regular TDOS draft, we should probably gauge interest with a poll. Please throw some suggestions out there for draft ideas/formats - especially something we've never done! - and once we've got a good list I'll throw up a poll to see what people would like to do.

As for last year, I'm going to nominate a "music video" draft - a sadly declining art form worthy of more respect...

 

[Warhawk]

Note: I will not run or participate in a wrestling draft so I would encourage anyone who wants to be the ringleader on that to split off and start recruiting!

For a regular TDOS draft, we should probably gauge interest with a poll. Please throw some suggestions out there for draft ideas/formats - especially something we've never done! - and once we've got a good list I'll throw up a poll to see what people would like to do.

As for last year, I'm going to nominate a "music video" draft - a sadly declining art form worthy of more respect...

Same here on the bolded.

I'll be down to lose a different kind of draft, depending on what it is. A few thought provokers:

• Favorite elements of the periodic table?
• Best potato / snack chip?
• Whether the dress is blue or black?
• Is that Escher painting REALLY impossible in real life?
• Picking a word at random from the 4.4+ million in the Wheel of Time book series and seeing who can guess what it is?

 

[hrdboild]

Same here on the bolded.

I'll be down to lose a different kind of draft, depending on what it is. A few thought provokers:

• Whether the dress is blue or black?

I think I know how this one is going to go...

"It's blue and black!"
"It's white and gold!"
"It's blue and black!"

Etc...

I have actually seen the dress in person. The USC Institute for Creativity Technology purchased the exact same dress in the picture and had it in a display case at one point as it was a handy example to explain cognitive perception bias. So I know for a fact what the actual colors are....

And I'll never tell!

 

[whitechocolate]

Music videos
Songs
Musicians
Paintings
TV shows

 

[Capt. Factorial]

Music videos
Songs
Musicians
Paintings
TV shows

Paintings is a good one I had never considered!

 

[Capt. Factorial]

Same here on the bolded.

I'll be down to lose a different kind of draft, depending on what it is. A few thought provokers:

• Favorite elements of the periodic table?
• Best potato / snack chip?
• Whether the dress is blue or black?
• Is that Escher painting REALLY impossible in real life?
• Picking a word at random from the 4.4+ million in the Wheel of Time book series and seeing who can guess what it is?

There was a "snacks" suggestion at one point I think...

 

[pdxKingsFan]

I love wrasslin but I don't think I'd participate in such a draft. Music is really the only thing I'm passionate about that I'll force y'all to endure my obscure takes these days.

 

[Löwenherz]

Might have to wait another half decade for Movies and Albums to be fresh again. Although, I’m down for both. Think I have one more go of each in me before retirement.

-Positively LOVE the Paintings idea.
-Think we’re overdue for a Novels draft.
-Happy to do Cap’s Music Video one, but would need some clarity on a few things.
-We’ve had both TV shows and Songs before, but I’ve never taken part in either. I dig it.

I seem to be the only one championing a Wrestler’s draft anymore, which I imagined as either a team of wrestlers to take on opposing drafters’ teams together, or building a promotion to compete for viewers. Either way @pdxKingsFan suggested a bidding format, which would be a cool way to mix things up. Could work as a straight bid format or hybrid with a traditional draft component.

Beyond that, sky’s the limit. But best to keep things simple.

 

[Insomniacal Fan]

Some interesting ideas there, could do best recipe, favorite garden plant, most popular bird, etc

 

[Capt. Factorial]

Bumping this, any other ideas before I start a poll?

 

[Sluggah]

I was really looking forward to a food/snack/candy type draft, but paintings is an epic pull. Don’t think anything’s topping that for me. For the sake of fleshing things out, I’ll throw out an inventions/scientists/discoveries type category.

 

[hrdboild]

I thought one way to narrow down a broader category such as albums, books, movies, and so on which have been done before or at least talked about a lot already would be to require everyone to draft one selection each from a number of popular genres. Everyone has to take a Western, a Sci-Fi, a Biopic, and so on.

Then I thought we could draft people (alive or dead, fictional or real) who we would want to share our summer vacation with. Then I thought maybe we could build our ideal summer vacation resort. A locale, some entertainment, some notable guests, that kind of thing.

Or maybe something like a "build your own story" draft where everyone has a collection of elements (main character, setting, villain, key object, surprise or twist) and at the end you have to take all of those and make a story out of them. And maybe to make it more interesting, everyone drafts for the person after them rather than for themselves.

Then I thought I probably don't have time to participate this year anyway and deleted everything. But I guess it doesn't hurt to throw some ideas into the mix whether or not I'm going to participate.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

OK, I've put up a poll with 7 options (in alphabetical order) - pick up to three. Please only select options that you intend to participate in - don't vote people into a draft and then not show up!

I've taken @hrdboild's advice and suggested that album/book/movie drafts be subject to TBD category restrictions. Those particular topics have been hit up multiple times (I think I've participated in at least 5 drafts on those three topics already) so having a bit of spice for those would be optimal.

I've taken the suggestion of "paintings" and opened it up more generally to visual arts.

Obviously we will have to work out the details for any draft, be it one with TBD restrictions, "what qualifies as visual art?", etc. but I think that we should be fine picking broad categories and then once that's decided have the drafters come to final conclusions.

Top category wins! Second place would be reserved for a second TDOS draft if we have time.

Go vote!

 

[pdxKingsFan]

I'd be for a decades (or post-y2k) music draft. I think that's about all though. We'll see. I don't know how much of the past drafts were classic or at least 90s and before, I'd have a fun time limiting myself to mostly modern stuff.

 

[Löwenherz]

TV Shows and “Visual Art” are leading and I’m excited for either one.

Never thought I’d be into a TV Show category, but I’ve built up a nice selection of favorites over the last decade.

 

[Sluggah]

Obviously we will have to work out the details for any draft, be it one with TBD restrictions, "what qualifies as visual art?", etc. but I think that we should be fine picking broad categories and then once that's decided have the drafters come to final conclusions.

But I want to be pedantic now

 

[Warhawk]

I voted for movies, TV shows, and visual arts. Mainly by process of elimination.

• I'm never competitive in the music drafts; my tastes are too pedestrian for this crowd.
• I might be down for books, but my tastes generally run to fantasty/sci-fi and non-fiction. I have the feeling that the category restrictions would hammer me for this one.
• I grew up without watching MTV/VH1 (in the country - no cable). I'd be absolutely horrible with a music video draft.
• Snacks might be interesting, depending on how that's done, but again my tastes are likely a bit pedestrian for most.

In contrast:

• I won a movie draft, and those are fun, so sure.
• I could probably find some fun TV shows to choose.
• Visual arts is so broad, maybe it would be OK?

Overall, as long as it isn't music or music videos, I might be in depending on the format/restrictions.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

But I want to be pedantic now

There is so much time. Be patient, pedant-uwan.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

The trouble with a wrasslin' draft is that there are only, like, five legitimate wrasslin' fans on this message board, and any other participants would be "nostalgia-maxing" (I think that's how the kids are saying it these days?). I might participate anyway, for the hell of it, but I'm not interested in running it.

The only other draft that's been suggested that I'd be interested in is the TV shows one.

 

[Löwenherz]

How long are we planning to have the poll open? While Slim didn’t actually vote, his endorsement gives TV shows a comfortable lead.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

How long are we planning to have the poll open. While Slim didn’t actually vote, his endorsement gives TV shows a comfortable lead.

The poll closes tomorrow night. I'm not sure whether Slim intends to participate if it's TV shows, but I hope so.

 

[SLAB]

I voted for snacks, but I’ll join in for TV!

 

[Capt. Factorial]

TV Shows takes it!

I'll start up a thread to properly plan this out when I get a chance, hopefully tomorrow or Tuesday.

 

[Warhawk]

I’ll participate if you need a player but I’m heading out on vacation Saturday for 2 weeks. Participation may be spotty. Just let me know one way or the other. Happy to be on the sidelines for this one if you have good bracket #s already.