A Reverse Thanksgiving
Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 9:29 am
I was wrong.
Dead wrong.
The Main Event and other live events going on in Las Vegas wasn't like Christmas at all. The only thing it had in common with Christmas was the presents we got in our players.
Las Vegas was so much more.
It was more like a reverse Thanksgiving. As males, we love the football and eating at Thanksgiving, but most of us can do without the external families. We put up with these folks because it is Thanksgiving. The women in our lives seem to enjoy the angst that comes along with cooking and bringing familial strangers into homes. There are reasons why we don't have much contact with these folks the rest of the year. We can, and will get along without seeing them for another year.
Las Vegas was the opposite. The next person I met was nicer than the one before. I didn't get nearly enough time to meet and talk to everyone as much as I wanted. I wanted more time! Sooo much more time.
I laughed so hard while meeting some of these folks and was brought to tears when getting a hug from Roger Martin's wife. In mere hours, I had met all the required emotions that Jim Valvano had spoken of in his ESPY speech.
I had laughed, I had cried, and during the drafts, I had to think.
Greg and Tom had their boss there, so they were running around like chickens with their heads cut off trying to assemble everything so it would be perfect for each drafter. I kid. They'd be doing this, with boss or no boss. Greg and Tom have an inner need for perfection when it comes to live drafts. They want each draft to be the ultimate experience for drafters, and as far as I can tell this weekend, they succeeded. Thanks Greg and Tom. And sorry Greg if I undercut apparel sales.
Those shirts and hats are nice fellas, and you really ought to get one as a momento.
I do want to thank Andy Nolan for putting up with me most of Saturday. Andy is one of the most unassuming guys you'd ever want to meet.
I don't know what Andy found more amusing, my total lack of knowledge when using any form of electronics or how he would be 'put on hold' as well wishers and friends would introduce or re-introduce themselves to me.
We made for a dynamic partnership at the draft table though.
And a unique one.
Besides breaks, Andy and I hardly exchanged a word during the draft. We would pick up a notebook and each of us would use that as our 'Que' for the coming pick. Then point at the names most interested in when our turn was up.
And I'll let you in on a secret. Andy and I are both in the top 10 in the KJ rankings right? (No brag, just fact)
Despite this, there were two times during the draft when we were undecided.
The first was when we needed a Closer. Most of the 'usual suspects' had already been taken. At this point, my bias leaned towards Jim Johnson. Andy's, towards Joel Hanrahan. So, with $10,000 on the line for each drafter, we did what any red blooded American partnership would do.
We flipped a coin.
This brought laughs from a few folks in the room. Drafters with this much on the line, flipping a coin. But, it worked for us. Now that Jim Johnson won the toss, I'm hoping he has a better year than Hanrahan.
Near the end of the draft, we had to have a middle infielder to prevent us from using faab for an eligible starting lineup.
In looking at the names left, Andy said his kids like 'Barney'. So Darwin Barney became a member of our team.
Two top 10 drafters and two picks made for us by way of coin flip and kids preference.
Now you know what I mean when I say there are really no 'experts' in fantasy baseball
Thanks Andy, it was a kick.
And thanks Kent Stermon for putting us together.
I'm continuing the vacation in California this week. So, I may not be as 'Daily' as usual.
But I am hoping in the next post to name all the great folks met in the Live Events Friday and Saturday.
Truly, a reverse Thanksgiving.
Dead wrong.
The Main Event and other live events going on in Las Vegas wasn't like Christmas at all. The only thing it had in common with Christmas was the presents we got in our players.
Las Vegas was so much more.
It was more like a reverse Thanksgiving. As males, we love the football and eating at Thanksgiving, but most of us can do without the external families. We put up with these folks because it is Thanksgiving. The women in our lives seem to enjoy the angst that comes along with cooking and bringing familial strangers into homes. There are reasons why we don't have much contact with these folks the rest of the year. We can, and will get along without seeing them for another year.
Las Vegas was the opposite. The next person I met was nicer than the one before. I didn't get nearly enough time to meet and talk to everyone as much as I wanted. I wanted more time! Sooo much more time.
I laughed so hard while meeting some of these folks and was brought to tears when getting a hug from Roger Martin's wife. In mere hours, I had met all the required emotions that Jim Valvano had spoken of in his ESPY speech.
I had laughed, I had cried, and during the drafts, I had to think.
Greg and Tom had their boss there, so they were running around like chickens with their heads cut off trying to assemble everything so it would be perfect for each drafter. I kid. They'd be doing this, with boss or no boss. Greg and Tom have an inner need for perfection when it comes to live drafts. They want each draft to be the ultimate experience for drafters, and as far as I can tell this weekend, they succeeded. Thanks Greg and Tom. And sorry Greg if I undercut apparel sales.
Those shirts and hats are nice fellas, and you really ought to get one as a momento.
I do want to thank Andy Nolan for putting up with me most of Saturday. Andy is one of the most unassuming guys you'd ever want to meet.
I don't know what Andy found more amusing, my total lack of knowledge when using any form of electronics or how he would be 'put on hold' as well wishers and friends would introduce or re-introduce themselves to me.
We made for a dynamic partnership at the draft table though.
And a unique one.
Besides breaks, Andy and I hardly exchanged a word during the draft. We would pick up a notebook and each of us would use that as our 'Que' for the coming pick. Then point at the names most interested in when our turn was up.
And I'll let you in on a secret. Andy and I are both in the top 10 in the KJ rankings right? (No brag, just fact)
Despite this, there were two times during the draft when we were undecided.
The first was when we needed a Closer. Most of the 'usual suspects' had already been taken. At this point, my bias leaned towards Jim Johnson. Andy's, towards Joel Hanrahan. So, with $10,000 on the line for each drafter, we did what any red blooded American partnership would do.
We flipped a coin.
This brought laughs from a few folks in the room. Drafters with this much on the line, flipping a coin. But, it worked for us. Now that Jim Johnson won the toss, I'm hoping he has a better year than Hanrahan.
Near the end of the draft, we had to have a middle infielder to prevent us from using faab for an eligible starting lineup.
In looking at the names left, Andy said his kids like 'Barney'. So Darwin Barney became a member of our team.
Two top 10 drafters and two picks made for us by way of coin flip and kids preference.
Now you know what I mean when I say there are really no 'experts' in fantasy baseball
Thanks Andy, it was a kick.
And thanks Kent Stermon for putting us together.
I'm continuing the vacation in California this week. So, I may not be as 'Daily' as usual.
But I am hoping in the next post to name all the great folks met in the Live Events Friday and Saturday.
Truly, a reverse Thanksgiving.