…it’s a funny thing.
For someone who appears outwardly extroverted, I’m actually quite the opposite. As a school teacher, caddy, father, husband, and friend (I hope), I’ve had, and continue to have, many opportunities to be in front of others. Dare I say, as a sort of “go-to” person.
And yet, I love nothing more than being alone.
It’s why I don’t mind my 50 minute commute (each way, I might add…did someone say Apples and Ginos Podcast please?) to and from school everyday. And why I still enjoy walking around a golf course and “looping” ((What’s this putt doing, Mikey?…You like 7 or 8 iron?…Let’s hit the 8. You sure? Hundred percent…(fingers and toes crossed and to myself, ‘please let him pull this shot off'”))…
It’s also why I spend my evenings standing and obsessing in front of this computer (The kids, ya know. They grow up so fast.) with one tab open to Yahoo’s StatTracker and another tab open to do this stuff.
Call it my own zone entries. And exits. That was for you, Mr. COTC.
So what does all of this have to do with fantasy hockey?
Aside from the fact that hockey and golf are way more connected than people might think (and how do you know how I think Professor?). I kind of see it this way: As in golf, hockey involves a lot of misses. And it’s how we handle those misses that make the difference.
My Guy
Looking out the window of my bathroom the other morning, a thought came back to me. My grandfather once told me that golfing legend Jack Nicklaus had a coach. And that got me thinking, “Well, if that’s the case, then why isn’t that guy playing?…”
Isn’t that sort of why we’ve come here in the first place?
Little did I know…
When You See a Chance
(Headphones at the ready please)…
And don’t you wonder how you keep on moving?
In the hallway of my school one morning, I turned to a colleague and said, “I just did something spontaneous. I was listening to a fantasy hockey podcast the other day and was so captivated by the chemistry amongst the hosts, that I emailed the Creator of the Zero-G Draft Strategy and asked if I could somehow be a part of it….And, guess what? The guy just back to me and was like, ‘Sure. I’m always interested in adding someone to the team who can add value to the brand.'”
Now what do I do?
That was about 250 episodes ago.
Adds and Sums
This past summer, Nate reached out and asked if I would be interested in being part of Apples and Gino’s first preseason Draft Guide. You know, in an editing/proofreading/revising role. It was a jump first, ask questions later proposition for probably all of us, and I agreed to do so.
During the most recent warmer months of my discontent, my job was to review the articles that Nate, Josh, Blake, and Ryan put together. I would get up every morning, before “achieving total consciousness,” and review the pieces written by these dedicated writers and, if I may be so bold, colleagues and long-distance friends.
I’m taking the time to recount this process because I think it might be of interest to all of our dedicated readers, listeners, and subscribers because this is the sort of thing that has always intrigued me. How do these things get done? What goes into an undertaking like this?
The amount of time and effort that these gents put into that product and all of what they (we?) do is noteworthy in a world which appears at times to be unaware of what transpires behind the curtains.
Each morning, I eagerly awaited the most recently submitted piece for my review and felt fortunate to have an inside peek at their creative processes (“PROcesses“) beforehand. It still astounds me how much work they put into this collective labo(u)r of love. These beauties are all younger than I am with many still deep in the throes of raising young families and forging their professional careers in their other lives. How this all came to be is a testament to their passion and hopefully, it brought you all some value.
Beam Me Up Captain
At the time of this writing, we’ve all just completed the first full week of the fantasy hockey season (longest week ever!). There isn’t too much for me to bring to you in the form of what to do and or how to do it.
I’ve often maintained in these pages that the expertise and insights of Nate, Blake, Josh, and whoever else is standing in, are the true measure of what makes Apples and Ginos such an invaluable resource for so many of us. I’ve personally witnessed my success with fantasy increase many times over by putting into practice the strategies promoted here. My part in all of this is to hopefully add my own twist on fantasy and the roads we travel.
…Mr. Spock had an idea…
“A series of articles loosely connecting life experience stories with fantasy hockey and hockey in general. “
This will be the first in that series. I’ll leave the heavy lifting to the gang.
On these pages I’ll mix in some old school pop culture, a little music (mostly R&B stuff, sorry, not sorry), and a wee bit of classic film to potentially add some context to our fantasy hockey seasons.
And I’ll do it all in or around 1200 words.
Should take you about seven to ten minutes to get through and I’m pretty sure…
1983
As a sophomore from Jersey at the University of Florida, a new team came into existence in the NHL. So I proudly found some way to buy a Devils hat with some misappropriated student loan money and began wearing it around campus much to the chagrin of these unknowing pre-Lightning/Panthers denizens (don’t worry, you’ll get yours. And more). The New Jersey Whats?
You see, growing up in New Jersey, most of my friends had been Rangers fans. The calls of “Espo from Stemmer!” (of course pronounced “Stemm-uh” by the NY announcers) during Ranger broadcasts back in those days are forever ingrained deep into my hockey consciousness.
However, as a budding contrarian, I began rooting for the Islanders, just because. Besides, they had the same colors of my alma mater. Of course it didn’t hurt that they were also in the midst of their ’80s dominance, right? Call it fair-weather contrarianism. Nevertheless, once this new team came along, I was all in with the GREEN and red of these new Jersey Devils.
And so it began.
Circling Back
So here we are.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “If we are related, then we shall meet.” So we have.
…oh, and btw, so much for Sam Reinhart being due for a regression!….and no, I don’t have him on my team. Again!
Thanks for reading.
The Fantasy Hockey Professor
Apples and Ginos 