In fact, I finally got the phone back to life on Saturday and noticed 20 text messages. One of them said "why the f--k won't you answer my texts?" After reading that text I tried to text back but it died again.
Okay, so now you know the morale of the story: It's tough to run an Internet business when your iPhone acts up. It's the damndest thing and it got crazier last night.
So here's the full story for anyone who wants a roller coaster ride. My iPhone 6 Plus is with me more than my wife or anyone else in my life. It allows me to follow everything happening on Registration, in the draft rooms, on the Message Boards and life in general. I used to eat supper next to the computer; this at least allows me to sit at the table (although I get nasty looks when it dings continuously with emails). It's been a life-saver for running this business.
I can even admit that I didn't have a cell phone for the first two years of the NFBC. I was given a Track Phone from Krause Publications when I went to the live events, but that was it. I ran to the office most nights to check voice mails and to get email. I finally got my own phone in 2006 and have had this iPhone 6 Plus for a few years.
I love it, but something started to happen in Phoenix at the AFL. It froze up and I saw a gray bar across the top. I could turn it off and back on to get the gray bar to disappear, but it continually got deeper into my phone the last two weeks. Finally last week it just froze for good. I went to the Geek Squad and they knew what it was right away. They said it was a software issue and that I should call Apple.
Call Apple? You can do that?
Sure enough and their Customer Support team was great. I restored the software and nothing changed. It still became frozen. They scheduled a visit to the Apple Store an hour away, but not until Monday because of the holidays. I made it through the holidays without the phone and even tried to Restore the software again on Friday night. It worked for a bit, but after responding to those text messages it froze up again. Done for the weekend.
I went to the Apple Store last night and they again knew what it was right away. They said this is common with the iPhone 6 Plus as the software is loaded into a small area and sometimes the wires rub against the battery. He showed me where to press on the top area to make it worse and make it better. He said even fixing it wouldn't guarantee that it would last 5 minutes or 5 months. But he did get it to the point where it works more often right now.
I went to buy a new phone as I decided I couldn't possibly continue on like this and run a business in multiple sports. But when I went to Verizon they said I had one more month left on my two-year contract. I could get a new phone on Dec. 20th at a great price and a reduced monthly rate or I could pay $850 now and have a higher monthly bill. Extending my contract would be expensive, but recruiting me on a new plan would be the best option. So I asked what he would do and he said if you can make it 22 more days to wait for the contract to run out.
This all took about 4 hours as two Verizon stores closed and of course my Google Maps wouldn't work on the phone that is dying to find the new store!!!
But at the end of the day I have a phone that works sometimes, a plan that is almost running out and I can use Tom's phone when I'm at the office!!!So don't be pissed at me if I don't answer your calls or your texts. It means my phone is dead today. If I turn it off and back on again numerous times I can get it back on life support. But it doesn't work all the time, so for 22 days be patient with me.
Sorry, but I'll be good as new on Dec. 20th. Well, not me, but my iPhone.
At least I hope.
, I found it to be even more hysterical on so many levels than I had originally realized, but I'll keep it all to myself. Very far be it for me to make a joke on here at Greg's expense. 
