Allow me to introduce myself, as well as my credibility. My name is Peter Newitt (aka Petey Bubba). I once wrote a freelance sports column for the West Chester Daily Local News. The column was called "Pete's Picks". It was quite taboo, back then in the early 1980s, to mention point spreads and Vegas gambling lines in print.
But, a progressive sports editor allowed me do just that. My weekly column focused on college football. Dan Marino was at Pitt at the time, John Elway was at Stanford, and Villanova's gridiron stand out was future NFL HOF defensive end Howie Long. Brian Westbrook wasn't yet born.
"Pete's Picks" had some early success vs. the Vegas Line, and the sports editor enjoyed my light, yet informative style. The good news was a job offer for a full-time sports writing job. The bad news was at half the pay I was receiving at my post office job, and without the job security or benefits.
My wife was pregnant at the time, so I painfully turned the offer down. I have regretted that ever since. So, now I'm taking out some more of my journalistic frustrations on this web site. My " Fantasy Football Gone Wild" blog will relate to FFB, America's #1 autumn disease.
FFB has contaminated every office, every work floor, every computer, every campus, every neighborhood in America, polluting our work space, our cyberspace, our minds, our homes and even our most well-intended relationships.
At the post office in the early 1980s, we indeed played FFB... Perhaps we even invented it. It wasn't called FFB, but it was our humble beginning. There were no FFB computer sites, no Fantasy magazines, no cheat sheets, no ESPN mock drafts, no FFB geeks or gurus to lean on....just our passion for NFL football.
It began with 11 bored postal workers and a commissioner who was chosen to be honest and benevolent. Our Commish held neither of those qualities, but I won't bore you with that. The Commish would at least check the Philly Daily News back pages on Mondays to see how we did. It was strictly touchdowns only, and kicking points... no yardage, no points for receptions, carries, sacks, fumbles or interceptions. If our receivers or running backs gobbled up chunks of yardage up and down the field, it never mattered. It only mattered if they crashed into the end zone for 6 points. Stud fullbacks were worthy!
I have played some form of FFB annually for over a quarter century now. That should qualify me for something. Just ask my wife., Valerie.. 2008 will be my 27th year, and yet we're still married.
I have graduated from dingy, smoke-filled, beer-soaked back room drafts to my 2007 draft in a posh, smoke-free, environmentally safe, state-of-the-art home theater, (also beer-soaked) from the cheesy Monday Daily News NFL box scores to CBSSports.com, game centers, real time play-by-play.
But, I always look forward to my weekly Sunday/Monday tilts with my "friends"… I am battle-tested, defending 2007 Champ, ready, and chafing at the bit (like Big Brown was before his dreaded Belmont), to entertain and inform any unlucky reader out there who, by their misfortune, stumbles upon this blog.
You all know who you are. Every year you insist on tormenting yourself with this FFB stuff! You can't help it! I'm here for all of you who run up your credit cards for online services that provide endless mock drafts, injury reports ad nauseam, useless strengths of schedules, pseudo player rankings, worthless player predictions. These are harsh economic times! .. I'm here to help you get the cutting edge on that obnoxious co-worker who nipped you in your FFB playoffs last year, or cleaned your clock in a mid season trade.
And, if I can't help, I just happen to have my sports psychologist right here at my side, to help all of us get through the grinding football season. Who needs a dog when you can have a trustworthy sports psychologist by your side? When you swim with sharks, you really need one..( I swear his hourly fee of 150 bucks could really help fill my gas tank these days, but I'm not that smart)
I have maintained all these years that you really need just TWO vital and crucial elements to capture your FFB League and Trophy:
1) You must work diligently and very hard just to get to
2) BLEEP, BLEEP, BLEEPING LUCK! How about Cedric Benson going before Tom Brady at my 2007 Draft? Or, one of my league's rookie coaches stealing WR Randy Moss in the 6th round, and then WR Wesley Walker in last year's 11th round? His team was called the "Philly Cheesesteaks" . I haven't eaten one since. He was so obnoxious...They make me sick...."Wit' or "Witout."
You can't make this stuff up! I can't predict injuries, nor can I ever hope to heal them, but if you read this, you will smile through your angst. The best humor always slithers out from under some pain. "Fantasy Football Gone Wild" will weave politics, (in this surreal election year), names in the news, police blotters, sports, current entertainment, the economy, humor, culinary arts, the kitchen sink...you name it.. into a huge, twisted, tormented ball of irresistible nonsense. But, it will also be truly FFB informative. Just wait and see!
It may even help you steal a game or two from your obnoxious co-workers. Please tag along for the ride! I think you’ll enjoy it… plus it’s totally FREE, and free is ALWAYS in the budget. (By the way, my sports psychologist says hello….)
Feel free to comment… much appreciated! All abuse, however, will be carefuly screened and monitored under the N.E. Patriot Act, and most likely round-filed by my aforementioned shrink).