thrillist

These days there are so many new and strange sports that are tough for Jews to take part in, like competitive pulled pork sandwich eating, or hockey. Finally giving The Chosen a place to get on top: Major League Dreidel.

Started in the house of the founder's parents following a "Vodkas and Latkes" party, country-touring MLD's now on its way to Denver for the first time, updating the 2nd century game by substituting skill (...sort of) for luck by awarding wins based on duration of spin, meaning they're hopefully checking the more jacked dudes for cycling. After selecting a hilarious pun-handle (past examples include Spindiana Jones, The Gentile Giant, and Oscar de la Menorah) and establishing order via a gelt flip, contestants let their tops whirl (while being measured by an official "spinometer") inside a walled, Star of David-shaped battleground called a "spinagogue", also a zone Bill O'Reilly won't enter for a number of reasons. Rough first tries can be erased by a stronger second spin (though that score then becomes final no matter what), with a good one lasting around 14 seconds and up, and the best ever recorded clocking in at 17.88 seconds, though frankly that's just an average shift for Brian Scalabrine, yawn.

The 120-person qualifying tourney's still a couple of weeks away, but MLD's now hawking a sanctioned, spinagogue-included game set on which to practice in the hopes that you might be able to roll over opponents like the Avalanche you could never join. Actually...Forsberg??

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