So in a world that far too often these days is hallmarked by anger and hate, I wanted to take an opportunity to shine a light on a truly awesome and kind human being, who was nice and generous for no other reason than that's just who he is. Long before I knew him, I was a reader of Peter's, and among the many things I loved about his column was his "10 Things I Think I Think" section. Peter is a legend and certainly doesn't need any pub from me, but as I write the 14th annual 10 Lists of 10, I think about Peter. And he's gonna share that with stupid me? He spent decades building up contacts, experience and a massive stature in the industry. A 10-minute phone call would have been more than generous. What should he care? I'm not his problem. Let someone there invite me out and walk me around, right? Or not. While Peter is in a class by himself, in theory I'm a competitor, right? Certainly, is a competitor of Peter's (then) MMQB site and SI.com. Every GM, every coach, every scout, every agent approached him (not the other way around), and Peter, without fail, introduced me and made sure I was able to get a question answered and a phone number. No one knows who the hell I am, but they all know Peter King. When he found out I was there alone, he insisted I come to the SI/Monday Morning QB team dinner he was hosting.Īnd the next day, he invited me to walk with him as he went through the combine. We spent two hours together, and he gave me a crash course in what was useful, what wasn't and how to navigate the awesome but sprawling and confusing world of the NFL combine. He insisted we grab a beer the first day of the combine. I asked Peter if I could get 10 minutes on the phone to ask his advice on how to get the most out of the NFL combine. I knew Peter played fantasy football, so I took a chance and slid into his DMs. He's now at NBC with "Football Morning in America." I didn't know Peter very well back then, but we followed each other on Twitter. Peter, of course, is a legend in our industry and most well-known for his iconic "Monday Morning Quarterback" column that he wrote for Sports Illustrated for so many years. So there I am, new kid in school, with no idea what to do, where to go, who to talk to, how to just, you know, "combine." I felt out of place, awkward and intimidated, like the nerd who somehow had crashed the jocks' party and any minute they would realize I wasn't supposed to be there. I went there by myself, not as a part of ESPN's large NFL contingent, veterans of many combines. That has changed, as now there are a decent amount of folks from the fantasy industry, but the very first year I went, I saw no other fantasy folks.Įverywhere I went, people asked, "What's the fantasy guy doing here?" It is a great opportunity for networking, for information-gathering, for becoming immersed in the NFL for the upcoming year.įor years, the combine was for, you know, REAL FOOTBALL PEOPLE. Fans generally aren't allowed, so it's the one time a year when everyone is gathered, outside the pressure of the regular season, and can relax and visit. Almost every coach, executive, PR person, medical staff and team personnel from the NFL is there, along with all the agents, a crazy amount of media and many others. I've written about the combine before, but more than just a chance for pro teams to meet, watch and interview incoming rookies, it is, for lack of a better term, the annual NFL convention. So with the bosses' blessing, I quit baseball to focus on fantasy football in 2014.Īnd that meant, for the first time, I would get to go to the annual NFL combine. And my interest in doing fantasy baseball content went in the complete opposite direction. As a result, interest in fantasy football content during the offseason increased in a big way. My very first NFL combine was a scary proposition for me.īut over the years, fantasy football has become insanely popular and eclipsed all other fantasy sports by a significant margin. Still need a league? Sign up for free today! You'll find potential breakout players, bold predictions, fun team names and much more. Matthew Berry's 10 lists of 10 is as much a staple of fantasy draft prep as calling a caterer. The NFL season is nearly upon us, and it's time to shake the pandemic blues, bust out your tablets, do your research and plunge head-on into fantasy football on. You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browserįantasy football breakouts, sleepers, favorite team names and preseason buzz: Matthew Berry's 10 lists of 10įantasy football drafts signal the annual rite of fall.
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