Tuesday Morning Hangovers

Brace yourself…this week, everyone gets a slap on the hand.  

Rave of the Week

I’ve spent the majority of this season oscillating around the concept of balance, especially when it comes to our league and life. Above is a copy of my calendar for the day. Honestly, I wouldn’t say this is an abnormal day or even the worse it’s ever been…it’s simply a Wednesday in my life in 2016.* I have to imagine the same is true for you all in your own various ways, too. Ironically, would you believe me if I told you that at this very moment, you will never be less busy? One of the 200 lessons I learned this year is that life isn’t about balance. That definition requires evenly distributing different elements in equal proportions. Imagine what would happen if you told your spouse, kids, teacher or boss: “I’m investing too much time into you.” In fact, even Jesus requires you hate everything else save Him. It’s because all of these require commitment in order to develop. Without growth, things perish and that can’t happen to this league. I realize a large part of this requires leading by example and I haven’t set an excellent example of that this season. Trump is President-elect, the Cubs and winners have been used in the same sentence…it’s been a weird year. As tempting as it would be to say, “I’ve been busy” the truth is I will always be busy. As hard as it is to process, you’ll probably be even busier this time next year…it’s how life evolves. The parable of the talents is a story of multiplication. Therefore life isn’t about balance, it’s about integration. How are you going to integrate that new thing in your life while continuing to nurture the other five? This is not a post about how the Elite should be a primary priority. It’s about integrating this platform of comedy, competition and comradery into your life in 2016. If this isn’t one of them, you owe it to the league to at least admit it. If you’ve reached the maximum of what you can manage in life, that’s fine, too. GMs have walked away to get their life in order and they’ve always been welcome to return, again. Today was a crazy day, tomorrow will be, too. Did I find a moment for the Elite? Yes. You can, too.  

Rant of the Week

Now that I’ve addressed my disengaged audience…it’s time to turn my attention to my engaged crowd. I’ve heard the murmurs, I’ve seen the hashtags, “make the Elite great, again.” I have zero tolerance for people who complain in life. I can respect the emotional state of disappointment, but I will not support attacks made against this league. The existence of this league is longer than every GM who is married, combined…life, standings, scoring and even seasons have highs and lows. Be grateful for the highs and patient with the lows. To look at life any other way means there’s a lot that life has yet to teach you.* This league has overproduced great seasons in comparison to abysmal seasons and I’m content with what I’ve seen for over a decade. This league has a history of being great more times than not and I have faith that’s the future, too. If someone feels they deserve better, quit. I’ve written and will continue to write weekly monthly post because I want to, but don’t contribute a picture with 140 characters and think you can have an expectation that this league is here to produce content for you. I’m concluding my lecture now. The season is almost over and then we go months without football. Let’s finish this season with as many roster set, posts published and fellowship shared…this is the only season we can currently experience.      

HBK

*If you’re curious dual meetings include both a cell phone, speaker phone and synchronize muting.  

**It’s not a jab nor what I had written at first, but it’s honest and we can talk about it if you want, too.   

Tuesday Morning Hangovers

We've reached the middle of the season...win or go home. #weeknine 

Rave of the Week

On Tuesday, I was sitting in a meeting behind a co-worker who was “working” when I looked up to see across his screen on ESPN, “Jamaal Charles returns to injury reserve.” Sigh. Charles has been one of my favorite players over the past five seasons. He’s one of the biggest reasons I had an undefeated season and won consecutive championships. I basically owe him one of my future kids’ names. Also, I’ve always felt that we have many similarities: both in the Midwest, close in age and a bunch of other imaginary things I’d like to think we share in common, too. I transcribe all of this because this represents a moment of change. His run at the top is most likely over. I don’t believe he’s done, but those dominant days are nothing more than statistics only myself and Chiefs (actual fans) will remember...the same is true for me.

Once you’ve won a fantasy championship, you know how to win. I don’t know how else to explain it. You just do. It’s not that the game becomes easier, you just know what you’re doing. A loss in week two or a win streak through the first 6 games just doesn’t mean much once you’ve won it all. I know exactly what level of commitment, effort and study it takes to win it all. There’s a price for anything we gain in life and I can no longer give that to this game. It was actually a post following my consecutive championship that I questioned if this is the level of effort I gave to a game, what would happen if I took that same drive and applied to fully to other goals in life? What else could I "win?"

There’s not a lot I can truly share about my professional role on a public blog, but it’s been a remarkable experience. Last week, I had the opportunity to write copy for a product that was delivered to 12 million people. Twelve. Million. Persons. 12,000,000 Humans. As much as I do love writing for you all, it doesn’t even compare. It’s very similar as both required me to finally select, “publish.” It was in that moment, I realized something, I won’t play this game quite the way I once did, ever again. Oh, don’t misread what I just said…I’m not going, anywhere. There’s no league, like the Elite, but we all have something we want to do in life and for me it’s always been about making an impact. I’ve had a taste of what it feels like (someone even told me they got it) and that means turning my attention to making that happen. Therefore, like Charles, my “era” of fairy tale pigskin success will also be just statistics lost in the archives. As I said, Charles and I share a lot in common. 

Rave of the Week II

I’ll be honest, I wrote this a week ago and came this close to just calling it a season after living in the nirvana of my Neverland moment that still had me in the clouds, somewhere...yet I realized it would be a direct contrast to my rave of the week. In life…I’ve never not been the best dressed person in any room. I drive car who makes the best engine. In my first four professional years, I was promoted three times. This league has held 12 seasons, I’ve finished been 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd…50% of them and have only missed the playoffs, once. Let me reemphasize: there is NOTHING in life, that I do not give my absolute best. Someone even told me today, my No Shave November beard looks great. I will not end the season like this. There’s still an entire second half of the season to be played, boys. I’m not giving this game my 90MPH fast ball, anymore but my curve ball is just as legit. Those 12 million individuals may never know about this little league, but there are nine people who do and I owe it to them to give it my best (and crush them, too).

See you, Sunday.