*Major FF4W Announcement*
First of all, I've never had a major announcement on this page. Personally, sure. When I got married. When my kids were born. Perhaps that time I dreamt I was attending an academic lecture on the cultural significance of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince’s “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” (Yes, I really dreamt that earlier this year.)
So yeah, what I'm sharing now is pretty important. As most of you know, I started this blog nearly a decade ago to help sell more copies of my book. I wrote that book because my wife and I moved to India for two years, and I wanted to leave there knowing I'd written something; I chose fantasy football from several options, kind of randomly. I insisted on calling it "Fantasy Football for Losers"--a riff on the "________ for Dummies" series. My wife and my publisher wisely pushed me in a more positive direction.
And I chose that fantasy sports topic, in part, because in 2003 I was bored one day and decided to sign up for a national Sporting News fantasy baseball tournament. More than 300,000 people entered, and somehow I won. I started entering more tournaments, usually finishing in the top 1% and often finishing in the top 60. In 2008 I won again. Fantasy sports had a rhythm to it. Some factors were more predictable than others. I got hooked on the competition and the pursuit of excellence, and the process I used happened to work better than most people's processes.
I never imagined I'd win national tournaments, just as I never imagined writing a fantasy book, or starting a blog, or sitting here today--nearly 1,500 columns later--communicating with all of you. I've gotten to "know" more than a thousand of you over the years, and some of you I've gotten to know really well, all things considered. We talk fantasy. I share advice. You challenge me. We all get better. And all of it is sprinkled with talk of family and jobs and the rest of real life. This community wasn't part of my plan. None of it was. But it happened because it happened. And here we are.
I feel truly fortunate to feel connected with all of you. My wife has told me more than once that I need to make more friends. I remind her, "But I have my fantasy friends." I'm half-joking, of course. But I'm also half-serious. I've taken a strong interest in your fantasy worlds, and you've taken a strong interest in mine. That's powerful.
Last week, Pro Football Network hired me to serve as their fantasy football director. Yesterday was my first day. I haven't pursued fantasy football jobs before. But when I heard PFN was hiring, I jumped at the opportunity. If you've read their mission, based on what you know about me, it should be clear why:
"To passionately deliver purposeful, captivating, and exceptional football content that goes beyond the field where hardcore and casual fans come and have an engaging conversation about the sport that we all love."
"Passionately." "Purposeful." "Captivating." "Exceptional." "Hardcore and casual fans." "Engaging conversation." PFN believes what I believe. Its DNA aligns with FF4W's DNA. It's a place where thoughtful content, accuracy, and community matter.
In the coming weeks, this page will be tweaked to reflect PFN's brand: new logo, new colors, etc. But I'll still be here, joined by other PFN writers and backed by an organization invested in this community. Quality, contrarianism, and communication will remain at a premium.
As I do multiple times a year, but particularly now, I want to take a moment to thank the five FF4W commenters for their service--for selflessly investing their time and sharing their expertise these past five years: Aaron Weaver, Joel Verzosa, Matt Weavil, Robbie Lange, and Tommy Barnett. All of them are dads. All possess incredible fantasy minds. All care deeply about your success.
And of course, thank you to all of you. As I say every year, this page exists because of you. Your donations, your positive feedback, your constructive criticisms, your trust in me, your forgiveness when I'm wrong . . . all of it has helped make this community what it is. And I'm looking forward to working with the PFN team to continue building it with you.
See you tomorrow, as always.
First of all, I've never had a major announcement on this page. Personally, sure. When I got married. When my kids were born. Perhaps that time I dreamt I was attending an academic lecture on the cultural significance of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince’s “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” (Yes, I really dreamt that earlier this year.)
So yeah, what I'm sharing now is pretty important. As most of you know, I started this blog nearly a decade ago to help sell more copies of my book. I wrote that book because my wife and I moved to India for two years, and I wanted to leave there knowing I'd written something; I chose fantasy football from several options, kind of randomly. I insisted on calling it "Fantasy Football for Losers"--a riff on the "________ for Dummies" series. My wife and my publisher wisely pushed me in a more positive direction.
And I chose that fantasy sports topic, in part, because in 2003 I was bored one day and decided to sign up for a national Sporting News fantasy baseball tournament. More than 300,000 people entered, and somehow I won. I started entering more tournaments, usually finishing in the top 1% and often finishing in the top 60. In 2008 I won again. Fantasy sports had a rhythm to it. Some factors were more predictable than others. I got hooked on the competition and the pursuit of excellence, and the process I used happened to work better than most people's processes.
I never imagined I'd win national tournaments, just as I never imagined writing a fantasy book, or starting a blog, or sitting here today--nearly 1,500 columns later--communicating with all of you. I've gotten to "know" more than a thousand of you over the years, and some of you I've gotten to know really well, all things considered. We talk fantasy. I share advice. You challenge me. We all get better. And all of it is sprinkled with talk of family and jobs and the rest of real life. This community wasn't part of my plan. None of it was. But it happened because it happened. And here we are.
I feel truly fortunate to feel connected with all of you. My wife has told me more than once that I need to make more friends. I remind her, "But I have my fantasy friends." I'm half-joking, of course. But I'm also half-serious. I've taken a strong interest in your fantasy worlds, and you've taken a strong interest in mine. That's powerful.
Last week, Pro Football Network hired me to serve as their fantasy football director. Yesterday was my first day. I haven't pursued fantasy football jobs before. But when I heard PFN was hiring, I jumped at the opportunity. If you've read their mission, based on what you know about me, it should be clear why:
"To passionately deliver purposeful, captivating, and exceptional football content that goes beyond the field where hardcore and casual fans come and have an engaging conversation about the sport that we all love."
"Passionately." "Purposeful." "Captivating." "Exceptional." "Hardcore and casual fans." "Engaging conversation." PFN believes what I believe. Its DNA aligns with FF4W's DNA. It's a place where thoughtful content, accuracy, and community matter.
In the coming weeks, this page will be tweaked to reflect PFN's brand: new logo, new colors, etc. But I'll still be here, joined by other PFN writers and backed by an organization invested in this community. Quality, contrarianism, and communication will remain at a premium.
As I do multiple times a year, but particularly now, I want to take a moment to thank the five FF4W commenters for their service--for selflessly investing their time and sharing their expertise these past five years: Aaron Weaver, Joel Verzosa, Matt Weavil, Robbie Lange, and Tommy Barnett. All of them are dads. All possess incredible fantasy minds. All care deeply about your success.
And of course, thank you to all of you. As I say every year, this page exists because of you. Your donations, your positive feedback, your constructive criticisms, your trust in me, your forgiveness when I'm wrong . . . all of it has helped make this community what it is. And I'm looking forward to working with the PFN team to continue building it with you.
See you tomorrow, as always.