Fantasy : FF GURU interviewed: A MUST READ!!! : Dear Fantasy Doctor X.

As promised, your Fantasy Doc interviewed a Fantasy Football Guru that could help all of us fantasy owners in making better and wiser decisions in the future.

I thank Paul Hickey, the mystery Guru, for conceding me the privilege of chatting with him.
Below is the interview in its entirety for you to read, before your attention span vanishes amid my rather long introduction.

Paul, what is your connection with the fantasy world of sports?

At the core, I’m a fantasy football freak. I’m addicted to the strategy, the camaraderie and the excitement of owning fantasy football franchises and competing in fantasy football leagues. I know it may seem hard to believe, but I don’t partake in any other fantasy sports – only football.

Tell us a little bit about your background.

For six years, I’ve worked for the Detroit Pistons of the NBA. I currently work in their community relations department and handle all media and publicity for the Pistons off-the-court and community efforts.
I started www.nooffseason.com, for a few main reasons.

First of all, despite the plethora of fantasy sports sites on the web – and increased popularity – there is a lack of QUALITY information and analysis available to true fantasy heads.
Too many fantasy sports outlets talk about the same old things and don’t delve deep into the strategy.
In fact, I’m of the belief that the lack of quality analysis is so great, that many fantasy owners who are truly looking for strong content have actually started to turn away from fantasy specialists, and listen to guys that break down the game of football.
We try to make our readers understand the football behind the fantasy – that way owners can truly see the value in our information, vs. that of other fantasy sites.

Secondly, 99% of fantasy football sites don’t update their content during the NFL off-season…WHY? It’s horrible.
There is so much going on in the NFL off-season that THERE IS NO OFFSEASON in fantasy football, especially if you play in dynasty or keeper formats.

Lastly, more and more leagues are moving away from the traditional scoring formats and team defense leagues. No-Offseason specializes in giving advice to all kinds of fantasy owners – especially IDP (individual defensive player) and PPR (points per reception) formats.

“Boy, Oh Boy, was that a book you just wrote? Lol…You surely gave me enough material with that answer. I said a little bit.”

I see you have your own website and I am one of its many avid visitors; would you describe it for our readers?

No-Offseason.com is a 365-day resource for obsessive fantasy owners who eat, breathe and sleep fantasy football...While the site appeals to all fantasy heads, there is a special emphasis on dynasty formats and individual defensive player leagues.

What is the greatest satisfaction you get from giving out advice?

Helping people simplify their decisions. Too many people put too much thought and worry into their draft and line-up choices. Strategy is simple. Email me and find out – phickey@no-offseaon.com

Tell us about that one time that your advice was “money” in helping people win some fantasy championships.

We were the first to inform people that Marques Colston was someone to grab last year.
We wrote about him in mid August. In fact, we have a few people on our message board under the user name “ThanksForColston”. Also, I threw out Justin Griffith in week 15 last year as a sleeper – he had two receiving TDs against Dallas that week.

There’s many more of course – He-Man… But no, seriously, I did predict a horrible statistical season for Shaun Alexander in 2006, and that came to fruition as well.

“I wish I would have known you last year before my drafts as I chose him in 2 of my teams.”

Now, what was the worst piece of advice you ever gave, that you regretted about?

There’s nothing I regret when it comes to fantasy advice. I go out on a limb quite often and sometimes I’m wrong.
I ALWAYS admit when I’m wrong, because if I don’t, people are always quick to point it out.
Readers lose respect for you if you sugar coat something or try to tell them you made the right call when you really botched something.

My worst call ever? Probably saying that Chris Perry was the next Larry Johnson.

“Yep, that was a pretty brave thing to do.”

How many years of experience do you have in the field?

Four.

What is your take on today’s “Blown” economics of sports?

Sports is a serious business, but the people who still manage to have fun – athletes, coaches, business staff and media included – are the ones who end up having the most success.

Which one is your all-time favorite sports movie?

"Major League" is my favorite. Honorable mention goes to "Above The Rim".

What is your greatest ambition as a sports writer?

To always have at least one person benefit from each of my articles.

Where do you see your website in, let’s say, ten years from now?

With a greater readership than Rotoworld and other notable fantasy sites, except a more consistent and loyal readership.

“I wish you the best of luck in accomplishing that feat, Paul.”

What’s your favorite NFL team?

I’m a metro Detroiter – so I have to say the Lions, even though we all know how pitiful they are…come to think of it, maybe that’s why I’m such a fantasy football freak.

Who’s your favorite, current or from the past, NFL player?

Barry Sanders. Everyone knows how good he was on the field, but not everyone has had a chance to spend time with him off the field.
He is one of the nicest, most genuine human beings I’ve ever known, and he truly cares about people. Barry is a great person and deserves all the accolades in the world.

“I envy you right now!”

Who’s your early favorite to win the Super bowl next season?

My early favorite is the Chargers. My long shot sleeper is the 49ers.

Now, let’s talk about what our readers are interested most in: 2007 football tips.

Who is your sleeper/s candidate for 2007?

I’m going to define my sleepers a little:

Sleepers to become superstars: Braylon Edwards, Mark Clayton, Marion Barber, Vince Young.

Sleepers to become fantasy-worthy: Brandon Marshall, D.J. Hackett, DeAngelo Williams.

Sleepers to have great bounce-back seasons: Edgerrin James, Chris Chambers.

Sleeper to come out of nowhere: Ronald Curry.

Who is your Bust candidate/s for 2007?

Larry Johnson and Shaun Alexander.

Who is your top rookie this year?

Without knowing their teams yet – Adrian Peterson on offense and Amobi Okoye on defense.

I would imagine that you play fantasy football as well; what criteria do you use to build a solid squad?

My rules of thumb:
Superstars win fantasy leagues.
Always start your studs.
Stay ahead of the curve by reading as much as possible.

Chances are you will win your fantasy league this year, if you’ll draft these two players…

LaDainian Tomlinson and Steven Jackson…  Kidding, of course.
You need to draft strong with every pick in order to win, and winning takes making good trades during the season, so you cannot really honestly answer this question.

On the other hand, your season will be a nightmare if you’ll draft these two players…

Rudi Johnson and Shaun Alexander.

What type of fantasy leagues do you like the most and which ones do you dislike?

I love fantasy leagues that are innovative and cutting edge…examples include:

Dynasty leagues.
Deep Keeper leagues.
IDP leagues.
Leagues with creative payout systems.
PPR leagues.
Salary cap/contract leagues.

I dislike “standard” leagues with “standard” scoring and team defenses. Who is EVER excited to draft a team defense?

“I agree. Not many people, really.”

What are the differences and advantages (if any) in playing on a H2H type of league versus a roto type league?

Obviously, in head-to-head leagues, you only have to beat one team every week to improve your
record, but on the other hand, you could be the second leading scorer in your league that week and
still end up with a loss.

Do you like keeper leagues or dynasty leagues better?

Nothing is more fun or competitive than a dynasty league.

What are the advantages of being part of a dynasty league?

Get in a league with nine of your closest friends and build something special.
You all communicate more throughout the year, so it builds great morale between friends (or acquaintances).
Knowing who your players are allows you to make trades 365 days a year, meaning the fantasy season never ends!

THERE IS NO OFFSEASON! Playing in a dynasty league is the closest thing to being a real NFL General Manager.

Also, playing in a dynasty league can help you win seasonal leagues. Dynasty owners are always one or two steps ahead of seasonal owners because they’re always analyzing a broader scope of players, trying to find who the next great performer will be.
If you play in a dynasty league, chances are you’ll be able to anticipate things weeks in advance from typical seasonal owners.

Is a dynasty league suited for everyone?

Yes, absolutely. Everyone should try playing in a dynasty league. If you think you love fantasy football now, try a dynasty! However, be prepared to spend less and less time with your significant other. 

“So, it would be more suitable for singles, I take it. Lol…
Are you suggesting that the already alarming divorce rate in the U.S. may actually increase? Don’t answer that, please!”

What can you tell us about your own dynasty league format? Why should we join a “no-offseason” dynasty league?

The No-Offseason Ultimate Dynasty Experience offers fantasy owners a chance to play in a complimentary league, hosted by www.myfantasyleague.com- normally a $60 charge.

Join the most competitive, high-strategy league you’ve ever played in – sign up with nine friends or individually and get placed into one of our premium leagues.

Visit this link for more information – www.nooffseason.com/dynastyexp.html

“I have already joined one of your dynasty leagues. It seems very interesting.”

I see you’re one of the writers for your site. What do your columns bring to the table?

First and foremost, I try to hit on fantasy subjects that other people aren’t addressing.
I try to talk about players that other people aren’t talking about.
Anybody can advise you to draft LT number one, Steven Jackson number two and LJ number three…
It’s the guys that can help you with picks four through 404 that make your drafts successful. That’s what www.nooffseason.com always keeps in mind.

Having solid beef and not much fluff is important to me, because each reader’s time is important to them. I’m bold and I go out on a limb, but I’m confident with my predictions. My fantasy insight is based upon solid football strategy and research.

How often are your columns and NFL news updated in your website?

Every day! The most important thing in building a loyal readership base is having updated quality content every single day – even in the NFL off-season.

"Well, I thank you again Paul and I’m looking forward for that dynasty league to get under way."

Thanks to you too, Dr X, it was a pleasure.

Well people, what are you waiting for?

Check www.no-offseason.com out at once as you have a lot of catching up to do and it’s never too early to get an advantage over your fantasy rivals.

As Paul would say, there is NO OFF-SEASON in football.

Email me at fantasydrx@yahoo.com with any questions you should have.