I have been blogging for over 5 years. At one time, I had three blogs going at once and I was posting 6 days a week in some combination on those three blogs. My book blog is the more consistent of the two I have currently - I post three times a week, every week, and some weeks I hit 5 posts because I have been reading a lot lately. That is the more popular of the two, probably because of the clear focus/purpose for the blog, and the consistency.
My husband started a football-related blog several years ago but had trouble keeping up with it. Recently he started blogging again, focusing on the new football season and on fantasy football in particular.
I'm not sure when the stat wars started, but it was not long after he started posting again. I think he was enjoying the popularity of his second post about Peyton Manning. To date, it has been viewed 51 times. Of the seven posts he's written since re-launching, the smallest number of views has been 7, but most posts are running in the high teens.
Yesterday I posted my 986th post on Bring on the Books. I don't know if anyone has read the first seven posts besides me. It's only been this year that I have seen any sort of "traffic" on my blog.
I was teasing my husband about his quick "success" compared to my years and years of posting and he said, "Consider the topics - how many people play fantasy football and how many people read books?"
I laughed at his teasing, but unfortunately it is true. This time of year, a lot of folks are looking for football news. In fact, one of my more popular posts on this blog lately was the one titled "The BenJarvus Green-Ellis Incident!"
There's a small part of me that is jealous that my husband is seeing such quick success. Earlier this year, though, I wrestled with my blog stats and wondered if I should just stop blogging. It's a lot of work if no one is going to read it. But then I thought about what my life would look like without it. Even if no one reads it, I have to have a forum to tell the "world" about the books I read. I know there are a few families who stop by when the kids are looking for a new book. I want to be there for them, and I want to generate content regularly so they have things to choose from when they do come by. So, even if it is only three family members and a couple of friends whose kids are readers, so be it. I'll keep blogging no matter who comes by to read.
Showing posts with label Fantasy Football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fantasy Football. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Thursday, September 12, 2013
The BenJarvus Green-Ellis Incident
Our family is crazy about football. Because of our great love of the game, we have played fantasy football for years. This year, my son "fired' my husband as his co-manager and picked me up as his helper instead.
The main reason for this personnel change was the draft philosophy.
My husband is a by-the-book drafter. He follows the recommendations of the "experts." In my son's league, my husband was drafting for one of the kids who couldn't make the draft. He picked three running backs and then three wide receivers. He didn't panic and jump out for a QB just because other folks were picking them up. He followed his plan, picking the best player available at each round.
My philosophy is that I want players on my fantasy team that I actually LIKE. As a Packers fan, I will NEVER draft Adrian Peterson, even if I have the first pick in the draft. I won't bother with players in the NFC North unless they wear green and gold. I've been in leagues where I picked Aaron Rodgers "ridiculously early" by the expert's advice. But I knew that if I left that draft without Rodgers, I would not be looking forward to playing fantasy football. So, when my son wanted Jimmy Graham in the second round, I said "Go for it." He had Graham two years ago and loved having him on his team, but he missed out on him last year. When he wanted Reggie Wayne in the third round and Andrew Luck in the fourth, I said, "Sure!" What's the point of playing fantasy football if you can't root for some guys from "your team?" The other, older players in the room kept their scoffing to a minimum and my husband kept his comments about our picks to himself.
Then, in the 5th round, my "go ahead, pick with your heart" philosophy hit a snag when my son said he wanted to draft BenJarvus Green-Ellis. With the 43rd pick in their draft. On our list, Green-Ellis was the 36th ranked running back. There were still lots of better-ranked RBs available at this point in the draft. My son's not even a Bengals fan or anything. I have NO CLUE why he latched onto this player! This was going to be his last pick for 14 picks! But he was adamant. And it was ultimately HIS team and HIS draft.
This early in the season, it remains to be seen if this will be a good pick for my son, or if it will always be referred to "The BenJarvus Green-Ellis Incident" in our home. What I do know is my son left his draft happy, looking forward to playing fantasy football this year. And that's all that really matters to me.
My husband read me this article over the weekend about fantasy-football expert, Matthew Berry's experience of drafting with his son. I'll let you decide based on my story and his which is a better draft plan - follow the plan or follow your heart. But I imagine he will hear about "The RG III Incident" at his house for years to come.
The main reason for this personnel change was the draft philosophy.
My husband is a by-the-book drafter. He follows the recommendations of the "experts." In my son's league, my husband was drafting for one of the kids who couldn't make the draft. He picked three running backs and then three wide receivers. He didn't panic and jump out for a QB just because other folks were picking them up. He followed his plan, picking the best player available at each round.
My philosophy is that I want players on my fantasy team that I actually LIKE. As a Packers fan, I will NEVER draft Adrian Peterson, even if I have the first pick in the draft. I won't bother with players in the NFC North unless they wear green and gold. I've been in leagues where I picked Aaron Rodgers "ridiculously early" by the expert's advice. But I knew that if I left that draft without Rodgers, I would not be looking forward to playing fantasy football. So, when my son wanted Jimmy Graham in the second round, I said "Go for it." He had Graham two years ago and loved having him on his team, but he missed out on him last year. When he wanted Reggie Wayne in the third round and Andrew Luck in the fourth, I said, "Sure!" What's the point of playing fantasy football if you can't root for some guys from "your team?" The other, older players in the room kept their scoffing to a minimum and my husband kept his comments about our picks to himself.
Then, in the 5th round, my "go ahead, pick with your heart" philosophy hit a snag when my son said he wanted to draft BenJarvus Green-Ellis. With the 43rd pick in their draft. On our list, Green-Ellis was the 36th ranked running back. There were still lots of better-ranked RBs available at this point in the draft. My son's not even a Bengals fan or anything. I have NO CLUE why he latched onto this player! This was going to be his last pick for 14 picks! But he was adamant. And it was ultimately HIS team and HIS draft.
This early in the season, it remains to be seen if this will be a good pick for my son, or if it will always be referred to "The BenJarvus Green-Ellis Incident" in our home. What I do know is my son left his draft happy, looking forward to playing fantasy football this year. And that's all that really matters to me.
My husband read me this article over the weekend about fantasy-football expert, Matthew Berry's experience of drafting with his son. I'll let you decide based on my story and his which is a better draft plan - follow the plan or follow your heart. But I imagine he will hear about "The RG III Incident" at his house for years to come.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Retirement
Earlier this year I retired from Fantasy Football.
For the last several years I had a team in a 12-team league my husband started with some folks from our church. And I enjoyed it. It gave my husband and I a hobby to enjoy together, it gave me football knowledge about more than just "my" team.
But for me, fantasy football became too much work. Last year, once I started teaching, I didn't have the energy or the desire to research who to play each week. I feel like I "phoned it in" for the last season I played. So, when the season ended, I retired.
The others in the league have been very gracious, saying they are sorry I won't be playing this year. And I will miss the camaraderie because our group is hilarious!
But I feel free now.
Free to come to the draft without pressure of who to pick first or dread that the player I want (Aaron Rodgers) won't be available when the pick gets to me.
Free to enjoy the banter without pouring over cheat sheets to figure out who to take with my next pick.
Free to root for my team and against all the others without feeling divided loyalty because I drafted someone on a team in the same division.
Time will tell if I'll miss it and regret my choice to retire. But for now, I am enjoying the freedom of retirement.
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