My sister just forwarded me the link to Design Within Reach's All Weather Foosball Table. It's only $3,998. I joke "only" because that's nothing compared to the $73,000 table I wrote about previously.

So what do you get for $4K? A foosball table designed by someone that clearly never played foosball. (Or at least never played seriously.)

Check out the feet of the men. Literally... feet. Not one standard stub like every other table I've ever seen or played on. I'd imagine it would be infinitely harder to shoot off of a pass with these guys. And would a push or pull shot even be possible? While you probably could swap out the men, you shouldn't have to do that for $4,000.

I'd like to see DWR's darts without flights and their pool cues with points for tips.

Please, nobody ask me what I'd like for my birthday this year. Just surprise me. If a couple of you need to go in together, I'll understand.

From the http://elevenforty.com web-site (which you need to check out) :

...Harnessing th latest in computer-aided design technology, each table is hand-crafted in etched glass, stainless steel, and a choice of stunning woods....Every table is constructed to order, so no two are alike. Our sophisticated and patent-pending Doppelganger technology enables us to micro-cast 3-D heads from photographs, bringing lifelike realism to the faces of the friends and family you want in your dream teams...

Hmmm...I've always thought about what foosball table I'd buy, but I've never given thought to who I would have the foos-guys look like. I'd probably start with those in my personal foosball hall-of-fame, which come to think of it, I've never given thought to either. How about, for starters, I'd send a photo of my Dad, my cousin Scott, and Pez...the only people I know that I recall losing to. Maybe one for Uncle Eddie who's got the fastest slide shot I've ever seen. I'll put Jay Stevens head on one of the defenders in honor of his tenacious D. I'd throw Mr. Connoly's likeness on one of the men in thanks for teaching me about foosball sportsmanship ("Don't tell a brother you're going to bagel him.") Of course, no customized foosball table would be complete without a foosman honoring Big Guy for his infamous 800 MPH gangly-wrist-wrap-around shot that's literally only stoppable by tackling him and breaking his arm.

So, if you got this foosball table as a gift, whose faces would you put on the men?

As some of you know, and some of you have experienced first hand, I'm pretty good at foosball. While I don't play nearly as often as I used to, I still take note of the presence of a foosball table in a bar and occasionally read-up on the game on the internet.

A couple of minutes ago my friend Pez, a great foosball player himself, forwarded me a link to some blog that talks about a new foosball playing robot. I wonder how good the 'bot actually is, but even if mediocre it would probably still be fascinating to play against.

Scott P.- maybe you should buy one and set it to "beginner" so you can relive what it feels like to win a game! ;)