Reads Listens Views 6/11/2012

Matt Waldman

14 years ago

Film Study is a Dangerous Job

My life has been a whirlwind these past two months. In addition to writing the 2012 Rookie Scouting Portfolio here’s the rest of the past eight weeks:

Writing a 50-plus-page, RSP Post-Draft Edition
Penning three columns as a preview for my forthcoming Futures column at FootballOutsiders.com.
Contributing heavily to a centennial edition of the magazine that is my day job (finishing it today).
Working on values for the RSP Writers Project.
Compiling rankings, participating in mock drafts, writing web pages and articles for Footballguys.com and the soon-to-be released Footballguys iPad magazine.
Writing two full-length features for Fantasy Sports Publications.
Doing various radio interviews and segments broadcast in Seattle, Toronto, New York, Nashville, and nationwide with Sirius and of course the weekly, two-hour Audible broadcast.
Contributing to the New York Times Fifth Down Blog.
Contributing to PhiladelphiaEagles.com.
Contributing to Moving The Chains.

Of course this list doesn’t include the more personal elements of my life that make life a fun (sometimes) challenge. My wife was laid off in late March, which if not for her stellar financial management and planning of our household for a year in anticipation of this potential event that became a reality, our daughter’s college education could have been in jeopardy. Fortunately, she also found a much better job in a part of the state where we actually want to live. However, it means taking a flexible approach to everyday life and making some temporary moves so it all works out.

I also had to address my health. Six years ago, I got a full-time job writing and my life became 95 percent sedentary. That’s okay if I spent 8 hours a day writing. However, I spend 12-16 hours a day at a computer and often 18-hour weeks depending on the time of the year. So my weight went from Isaac Bruce to Lendale White during these past six years and it has been a yo-yo from Frank Gore to White for the past two years (Sorry Lendale, but I’m 42 years old and I can’t carry those kinds of pounds on my 5’11” frame).

This is me at my RB/FB ‘Tweener weight with my wife Alicia this winter

While my goal is to earn a full-time living providing analysis for the RSP and RSP blog, I want to be alive long enough to enjoy it. While he doesn’t realize it, meeting Wes Bunting this fall was a wake-up call for me. Wes is still a younger guy, but he makes it a priority to stay in shape and still watch a ton of game film. Granted, it is his only full-time job.

However, it helped me realize that sitting this long every day is one of the more physically damaging occupations a human being can have. It sounds weird, but it’s true. Doing what I do is a dangerous job.

So I decided to do something about it. For the past 50 days, I have done nothing but consume fresh fruits and vegetables and water. No sugar, salt, oils, butters, or artificial or processed foods. I try to consume the rainbow of colors each day with a heavy emphasis on dark leafy greens. I haven’t done any exercise beyond making it a point to get up and walk for a half-hour twice a day.

I’ve lost 36 pounds as of today, and I’m about 8-9 pounds from weighing in at Wes Welker dimensions. This is about the heaviest I want to be for the rest of my life and I’m beginning a more intense exercise regimen tomorrow. While I’m sure I’ll eat junk when I go on vacation or take trips to the Senior Bowl and/or Combine, what I’ve been eating (with a few modifications of healthy grains and legumes) is going to be a more permanent dietary lifestyle change.

I’m sharing this with you for several reasons. One, I’m proud of the accomplishment. Two, I want to keep the weight off and stay committed to having a healthier lifestyle so I can continue to research and write the RSP for many years to come. Three, seeing people make changes inspires me and I hope I can do the same for someone else. And four, I feel somewhat guilty that I haven’t been able to do as much with the RSP blog for the past 3-4 weeks.

However, I’m working on that one. I’ve been studying games earlier than ever this year and it should continue most of the summer. This will yield more work that you’ll see here in the coming week as well as the work I do elsewhere.

Football Reads

Jerry Sandusky Child Sexual Abuse Trial Begins – Easy to put this news on the back burner, but all the more reason not to.

Doug Farrar’s commentary on Peter King’s interview with Roger Goodell and why Farrar feels the commish is whiffing on the concussion issue. Interestingly enough, I know of a device developed by kinesiologists in my neck of the woods that can diagnose a concussion on the field within a matter of minutes. What I’ll be monitoring is how receptive the NFL will be to said device once it hits the market.

I know the player reaction will be mixed because they’ll fear the league could potentially check every player before they can retake the field at the beginning of each half. Imagine the bad PR that could happen if the NFL Players Association balks at that idea or the NFL refuses to implement technology that amateurs might have available to them.

Wes Bunting’s take on Marquess Washington, Washington State’s young receiver.

An excellent primer on personnel groupings and I.D.s for offenses by Matt Bowen. Here’s a related piece on what defenses look for when the offense breaks the huddle.

Football Writers

Here are some interviews by Footballguys.com’s David Dodds, who talks with football and fantasy football analysts that have established a heavy presence on Twitter. Good stuff:

The football writers community is filled with a fascinating cross section of skilled folks.

Listens

An oldie…This or That