Last Place Wisdom: Week 4 - The importance of a hook
The importance of a good hook can't be overstated. Rappers have created entire careers simply out of singing a few catchy lines for other artists that have the effect of bringing people in and having the song stick in your head for hours. I'm sure 50 cent would agree with me on this, as "In Da Club" was selected as the #10 greatest hook by FUSE TV. Often being the first thing you hear, they have the responsibility of setting the stage for everything that is to come.
In many ways, writing a blog to me is the same way. When I look at the fantasy football experts that I like to read (Mathew Berry and Adam Rank being at the top), they go out of their way to set the stage by with a story or hook that usually has nothing to do with fantasy football. Now, I'm sure I don't need to hook all of you in the league, since my audience is pretty limited and consistent, but to keep things interesting I try and to something similar whenever I write. This has taken a lot of different forms over the years, whether it's a full season of Arrested Development jokes (I may have to do some rewatching in order to reach my yearly quota), putting in Tom Petty songs, or writing an entire post based on quotes from Bane (my all time personal favourite blog post), these give the blog it's flavour and make it interesting.
The hook also ends up taking the longest to write, and I never know what might inspire me from week to week. Often times it's a tweet, or something I've read that week. Sometimes they just pop into my head when I start thinking about what to write. Other times, I never really come up with anything and I end up spending 3 paragraphs writing about the importance of hooks rather than actually giving something interesting. Regardless, as long as I'm writing this blog I will continue trying to come up with new and interesting ways to present things. You all can help by keeping active, as inspiration often comes from things that are posted in the league forums throughout the week. The league has been especially active so far, which I appreciate, and it just dawns on me that I could've taken inspiration from Mike and done something relating to his excellent Simpsons related post this week, but until I start getting paid to do this, I'm not going back and rewriting anything. You'll just have to take what I've given you and enjoy it.
Well That Surprised Me
That Wouldn't Surprise Me
Aaron deserves some credit here for picking up Karlos Williams in Week One. I'm a little sad I scored so many points the first week, as it got rid of any shot I might have at getting him. Time will tell if turning Williams into TY Hilton was worth it.
I want to highlight Mike's pickup of Sean Lee. Defensive players are a bit of a crapshoot, but if Lee can stay healthy he might be very, very good this year. Here's another situation where if Mike didn't get him I would have.
I can't put myself here for my pickup of Andy Dalton yet (especially since I didn't start him last week), but it could have big implications. Dalton has looked good so far, he was a top 5 QB in 2013, but the possibility of bad Andy showing up keeps me from truly trusting him. Dalton could be my team's saviour if Brees cant get things on track, or he could let me down when I need him most. Time till tell.
In many ways, writing a blog to me is the same way. When I look at the fantasy football experts that I like to read (Mathew Berry and Adam Rank being at the top), they go out of their way to set the stage by with a story or hook that usually has nothing to do with fantasy football. Now, I'm sure I don't need to hook all of you in the league, since my audience is pretty limited and consistent, but to keep things interesting I try and to something similar whenever I write. This has taken a lot of different forms over the years, whether it's a full season of Arrested Development jokes (I may have to do some rewatching in order to reach my yearly quota), putting in Tom Petty songs, or writing an entire post based on quotes from Bane (my all time personal favourite blog post), these give the blog it's flavour and make it interesting.
The hook also ends up taking the longest to write, and I never know what might inspire me from week to week. Often times it's a tweet, or something I've read that week. Sometimes they just pop into my head when I start thinking about what to write. Other times, I never really come up with anything and I end up spending 3 paragraphs writing about the importance of hooks rather than actually giving something interesting. Regardless, as long as I'm writing this blog I will continue trying to come up with new and interesting ways to present things. You all can help by keeping active, as inspiration often comes from things that are posted in the league forums throughout the week. The league has been especially active so far, which I appreciate, and it just dawns on me that I could've taken inspiration from Mike and done something relating to his excellent Simpsons related post this week, but until I start getting paid to do this, I'm not going back and rewriting anything. You'll just have to take what I've given you and enjoy it.
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| You gotta keep helping me out. Ole' Keith needs some inspiration. |
Well That Surprised Me
- The ultimate result of all of Dawson's trades has not been what I have expected. Fitzgerald has looked far better than Megatron, Luck has looked worse than Taylor and is now possibly injured. Cobb has been the only trade that has worked out, and that's the trade that I was the least positive on. Of course, none of it has mattered since Dawson is outscoring everyone else in the league by at least 50 points, but still. The one weakness I identified on the team was the 2nd RB position, and then Freeman goes and has the best game of the season. The only thing that might slow Dawson down is injury, which is why I was surprised to see him drop DeAngelo Williams, who is one of the best RB handcuffs in the league this year.
- It's not very often that you can have 2.7 points from your QB but still pull out the win, which surprised me big time this week. After rolling with Luck all last season, I'm not used to having a question mark at QB, and I don't like it. It's probably telling that in the other league I'm playing in, I took Rodgers and Gronkowski 1 and 2, as QB and TE are the two positions I like not having to worry about.
That Wouldn't Surprise Me
- I think both Mike and Curtis get in the win column this week. As I'm write this column, John and Aaron are getting bad games out of Flacco, Smith Sr., Williams and Mosley. Aaron doesn't have Brady or Blount, John might be starting Bortles, Arian Foster's health is up in the air, and Curtis might be starting the Seahawks starting RB. I might be wrong, but this is as good of a week as any for both of them.
- I don't think Aaron made a bad trade by any means, but it wouldn't surprise me if in the long term he comes to regret the trade that he made. I was very high on Karlos Williams, I have a previous week's post as proof, and he is finally getting his first start with McCoy's injury. Watkins hasn't done much in his career, but he still has all the talent in the world. He did get TY Hilton, who I do like and isn't old, as well as Dorsett who the jury is still out on. To me, it just seems like this is a bit of a win-now move for Aaron, and I'm just not sure if that's the type of move Aaron should be making at this point in his team's development.
- If my team struggles as long as Roethlesberger is out. But Keith, you might say, you don't have Big Ben, and you'd be right. I wouldn't be surprised if this hurts Brown more than anyone however, and a slow start to the game tonight has me worried. I would argue that Antonio Brown is the most "sure-thing" player you can have in fantasy, just narrowing out Aaron Rodgers, and without that sure-thing player on my roster it might be tough for me to compete with the top of the league right now given the rest of the question marks I have.
Aaron deserves some credit here for picking up Karlos Williams in Week One. I'm a little sad I scored so many points the first week, as it got rid of any shot I might have at getting him. Time will tell if turning Williams into TY Hilton was worth it.
I want to highlight Mike's pickup of Sean Lee. Defensive players are a bit of a crapshoot, but if Lee can stay healthy he might be very, very good this year. Here's another situation where if Mike didn't get him I would have.
I can't put myself here for my pickup of Andy Dalton yet (especially since I didn't start him last week), but it could have big implications. Dalton has looked good so far, he was a top 5 QB in 2013, but the possibility of bad Andy showing up keeps me from truly trusting him. Dalton could be my team's saviour if Brees cant get things on track, or he could let me down when I need him most. Time till tell.
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