Views

Many people think I’m living the dream. I’m often asked how I got into doing what I do. There are a lot more details to this story that you probably wouldn’t believe and I’m not ready to tell. This isn’t Barbara Walters.

The best place to begin is that I came to the realization nine years ago that I was as far away from what I wanted my life to be like as I could get.

I had a reasonably successful career that served me well for many years, but I got into it because like many people in life, I had knots to untie. Some of those knots took a while figure out.  One of them was arriving at the realization that if I could work my ass off and do a good job for other people in something that I didn’t care for, what if I focused on something that mattered to me?

Writing was part of that realization. My first football columns weren’t for anyone in particular. I wrote them as an exercise of self-encouragement – an active, conscious step in the direction I wanted to go and having faith that the Universe would respond in kind.

It did. The first three columns at the bottom of this page where written before I even thought to freelance for a site. In fact, The Gut Check was the column name before it even had a home for me to write it.

Although the opportunity came to me more than I actively looked for it, I took that first step and embraced the equal and opposite force. It hasn’t been easy. It isn’t happening fast enough. And like everyone else, I have bad days, but my life is a lot different now – and the road ahead is worth the adventure.

This isn’t the living the dream lifestyle some believe, but it’s my conscious choice. It’s my passion. And I now understand those who first inspired me in some part of life meant when they said, Don’t go this path unless you can’t do anything else. 

Technically, I could do something else if I had to. But I think I’d be a shell of who I am for a while if forced – possibly until I keeled over. So while I take pride in something like the testimonial you’ll see below, I want to express my appreciation to you for helping to support where I’m heading by reading what I write.

While I’d do it even if no one read what I write – it’s that important to me. To say I have an audience is a special thing.

I’m sharing this because if one of you reading this is out there trying to figure out how to change the direction of your life, I think it’s important to hear someone say that you can do it. Understand that once you make one major change several other changes you didn’t anticipate often accompany it. Be prepared for a marathon rather than a sprint. And be willing to reassess what is important to you often so you don’t gain the world and lose your soul.

Thank You

“BTW – Best pre-draft scouting report on every conceivable guy [at the skills positions] is by @MattWaldman. Very good read – mattwaldman.com”

–Chris Brown, author of Smartfootball.com and Grantland contributor

I learn something every time I read Chris Brown’s work. So when  guy who teaches me things feels good enough about it to share what I do, I’m proud of it.

The Rookie Scouting Portfolio alone isn’t going to help you win your fantasy league. It’s not going to have perfect rankings. And it doesn’t have pretty pictures (yet). However, it makes a winning difference for fantasy football owners in dynasty and re-draft leagues for the past eight yards. It gives you quality information that backs up my assessments. And readers tell me every year that they heard about the RSP, but until they downloaded one they really didn’t know about the RSP.

If you want a comprehensive pre-draft and post-draft guide for one price that gives you rankings, overrated and underrated players, skill breakdowns and ratings for each position, player comparisons, and play-by-play analysis, then look no further.

For those of you who have bought the RSP or buy it every year – thank you.  As I just mentioned, your support makes a tremendous difference my life because it gives me more time to focus on something I love – writing about this game.

If you’re new to the RSP blog, I write this type of post most Friday’s. It’s my chance to link to other fantastic football and non-football content. Most of all it’s a chance to thank you for reading the blog or downloading the 2013 RSP.  Remember, you also get the post-draft update the week after the draft and 10 percent of each sale goes to Darkness to Light, a non-profit that combats and prevents sexual abuse in communities.

If you haven’t bought the RSP before, do yourself a favor. Once you do, you’ll understand why it is becoming a Rite of Football Spring for those who want the goods on skill position players entering the NFL draft.

Views (RSP Demonstration)

The fish is Russell Wilson in the third round of last year’s dynasty drafts, the two with the poles are your competition. What comes next is you with the 2012 RSP . . . (audio NSFW)

Sometimes a visual helps . . .

Listens – MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, Starring Football Outsider Aaron Schatz

Fascinating panel. Worth a listen and coming back to as you have time.

Football Reads

• D’Brickashaw Ferguson and How Tackles Age – A Chase Stuart jam.
• Quanterus Smith Scouting Report – A Sigmund Bloom production.
• Historical Draft Efficiency: Best and Worst Drafts – A Football Outsiders operation.
• Lance Zierlien talks offensive line with Mike Mayock – A Sideline View.

Non-Football Reads

• A great comic about Mantis Shrimp – They have super powers compared to the rest of the living beings on this planet. 
• Izakayas – I want to go to one, drink saki and beer, and talk football and life with many of you.
• Serenity Amidst a Sea of Haze – If you need to some mind travel as a substitute for the real deal, this blog will help.
• The Beauty of Letter Press – I make a lot of my living writing for print and the Internet. Some of my Web brethren take a dismissive tone with the state of print publishing. I say respect and honor what came before you.

Listens

Beautiful and sad music. Life is sometimes this way. Nothing wrong with embracing that on occasion.