I'm not exactly what you would call a "sports guy." I don't sports very often, and the sports I do sport all involve frisbees. But around this time of year, when everyone around me is sportsing as hard as they can, there is one aspect of being a "sports fan" that I am slightly envious of.
I am, of course, referring to the fantasy leagues. Where everybody gets together to put together their own "dream team" with all their favorite players, and see if they would theoretically win vs. everybody else's team.
And considering that the only sport I follow that's running right now is disc golf (a traditionally difficult sport to form a team in), I started looking around for another area where I could form my own dream team to compete against everyone else's. The answer was obvious.
Some of you may not be familiar with Celtic Woman. Celtic Woman is a musical show made up of female vocalists of Celtic (mostly Irish) origin. The lineup consists of four or five women (sometimes six) who tour and perform a stage show for audiences world wide. The roster has changed several times over the years. All of the league players are listed on their website, which I would refer you to for more information. So without further ado, here is my lineup for the first annual Celtic Woman fantasy show league.
Team Captain: Lisa Kelly
Every team needs a leader. Football has a quarterback. Basketball had that MJ fellow. My team leader would be Lisa Kelly. Lisa is better qualified than anyone else for a number of reasons, not least among which is the ability to take the usually inane lyrics that David Downes writes and make them sound emotional and moving. As an example, see her performance of The Voice versus literally anyone else.
Lisa has been with the league for a long time, and she has proven her ability to capture audience's imaginations multiple times. She performs any style or tone of music flawlessly, and her skills as a soloist and member of a harmony are unmatched. She's simply unbeatable.
Power Forward: Alex Sharpe
Alex was not an original member of the league, but she made an impact when she joined. Her skills are focused, in pop or musical theater genres, but within those areas, she will hold her ground. She has a great power to tell a story that evokes a wealth of emotion with her voice, and she carries a richness to her sound that will fill any space with unmatched vigor.
Energetic and full of vocal strength, bred for heartwarming and powerful solos, Alex fills a clearly defined necessary role on the team.
Defender: Lynn Hilary
Lynn and Alex joined the league at around the same time, and their skills could not compliment each other better. For all of the raw emotions Alex brings, Lynn has a vocal dexterity and precision that is simply unmatched. Lynn's voice has a delicacy that solos well in only a few situations, but given the backing of a chorus, she will lead in blending their voices into something frankly miraculous.
Unassuming, reserved, and delicate, Lynn may not appear a superstar at first, but under the right circumstances, and with the right team, Lynn will fill the holes nobody knew were there. And then, at just the right moment, she will throw down a solo so precise and so heartfelt that audiences won't know what hit them.
Hotshot: Hayley Westenra
Hayley is the plucky foreigner from New Zealand who joined the league for a short time, making an enormous impact while there. She can flow into an ensemble with flawless ease, and she can hammer out an immaculate, articulate, and emotional solo without any trouble. But she doesn't always do that. Sometimes she has a hard time blending, and sometimes her solos aren't quite there.
But she is immensely skilled, and requires only the proper team and proper motivation to stay focused. Every team has a show-off. In many cases, the desire to showboat is a detriment to overall team goals. But hotshots are also the ones you look to to pull an impossible victory out of seeming defeat. Motivated by pressure, performing best under less than ideal situations, that's where Hayley comes in.
Special Teams: Maíréad Nesbitt
Of course any Celtic Woman team requires a fiddler. And there's only ever been one fiddler in the league. But this isn't settling for the only choice. This is picking the finest contender. Maíréad is able to play as part of an ensemble, leading or simply blending, as she has demonstrated on stage dozens of times. But her true value lies in her ability to solo with unmatched vigor and excitement.
Audiences will find themselves unable to remain still when confronted with a fiddle solo by this master. Enthusiastic, skilled, and an unparalleled performer, there's a reason why Maíréad has never been traded away.
That is my all-star Celtic Woman dream team. If I could get an album featuring these five performers, I would stake my reputation as a "sports fan" on that being the best Celtic Woman album ever made. That is the team I would want to see live on tour. So how about you? What would your dream team be?
I am, of course, referring to the fantasy leagues. Where everybody gets together to put together their own "dream team" with all their favorite players, and see if they would theoretically win vs. everybody else's team.
And considering that the only sport I follow that's running right now is disc golf (a traditionally difficult sport to form a team in), I started looking around for another area where I could form my own dream team to compete against everyone else's. The answer was obvious.
 |
| Obviously. |
Some of you may not be familiar with Celtic Woman. Celtic Woman is a musical show made up of female vocalists of Celtic (mostly Irish) origin. The lineup consists of four or five women (sometimes six) who tour and perform a stage show for audiences world wide. The roster has changed several times over the years. All of the league players are listed on their website, which I would refer you to for more information. So without further ado, here is my lineup for the first annual Celtic Woman fantasy show league.
Team Captain: Lisa Kelly
Every team needs a leader. Football has a quarterback. Basketball had that MJ fellow. My team leader would be Lisa Kelly. Lisa is better qualified than anyone else for a number of reasons, not least among which is the ability to take the usually inane lyrics that David Downes writes and make them sound emotional and moving. As an example, see her performance of The Voice versus literally anyone else.
Lisa has been with the league for a long time, and she has proven her ability to capture audience's imaginations multiple times. She performs any style or tone of music flawlessly, and her skills as a soloist and member of a harmony are unmatched. She's simply unbeatable.
Power Forward: Alex Sharpe
Alex was not an original member of the league, but she made an impact when she joined. Her skills are focused, in pop or musical theater genres, but within those areas, she will hold her ground. She has a great power to tell a story that evokes a wealth of emotion with her voice, and she carries a richness to her sound that will fill any space with unmatched vigor.
Energetic and full of vocal strength, bred for heartwarming and powerful solos, Alex fills a clearly defined necessary role on the team.
Defender: Lynn Hilary
Lynn and Alex joined the league at around the same time, and their skills could not compliment each other better. For all of the raw emotions Alex brings, Lynn has a vocal dexterity and precision that is simply unmatched. Lynn's voice has a delicacy that solos well in only a few situations, but given the backing of a chorus, she will lead in blending their voices into something frankly miraculous.
Unassuming, reserved, and delicate, Lynn may not appear a superstar at first, but under the right circumstances, and with the right team, Lynn will fill the holes nobody knew were there. And then, at just the right moment, she will throw down a solo so precise and so heartfelt that audiences won't know what hit them.
Hotshot: Hayley Westenra
Hayley is the plucky foreigner from New Zealand who joined the league for a short time, making an enormous impact while there. She can flow into an ensemble with flawless ease, and she can hammer out an immaculate, articulate, and emotional solo without any trouble. But she doesn't always do that. Sometimes she has a hard time blending, and sometimes her solos aren't quite there.
But she is immensely skilled, and requires only the proper team and proper motivation to stay focused. Every team has a show-off. In many cases, the desire to showboat is a detriment to overall team goals. But hotshots are also the ones you look to to pull an impossible victory out of seeming defeat. Motivated by pressure, performing best under less than ideal situations, that's where Hayley comes in.
Special Teams: Maíréad Nesbitt
Of course any Celtic Woman team requires a fiddler. And there's only ever been one fiddler in the league. But this isn't settling for the only choice. This is picking the finest contender. Maíréad is able to play as part of an ensemble, leading or simply blending, as she has demonstrated on stage dozens of times. But her true value lies in her ability to solo with unmatched vigor and excitement.
Audiences will find themselves unable to remain still when confronted with a fiddle solo by this master. Enthusiastic, skilled, and an unparalleled performer, there's a reason why Maíréad has never been traded away.
That is my all-star Celtic Woman dream team. If I could get an album featuring these five performers, I would stake my reputation as a "sports fan" on that being the best Celtic Woman album ever made. That is the team I would want to see live on tour. So how about you? What would your dream team be?
Love it! Your idea is definitely original, and you write so well. Thanks for the education!
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