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 1st, 2nd or 3rd…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.
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