A blanket THANK YOU back to everyone for your comments here! I'm a little under the weather on Black Friday and reading your kind words is giving me the energy to try to contextualize the Matt Eberflus experience. I love being able to do this and connect with so many of you who became readers over the, gulp, decades.
Thank you, Mike. You're in the vanguard of a kinder, gentler internet. Too Deep Zone is what I used to wish Sports Illustrated would be - smarter, less kiss-arsy, more conscious of the immediate narrative. And I couldn't even talk to friends about an SI article because discussion would devolve into "the stupid refs are crooked" or "huh, the Browns suck so hard." [I grew up near Cincinnati. People were jealous and dumb.] The comment section here has become exactly the conversation I wanted, among intelligent and diverse fans. Thanks to all.
Good morning Mike and Happy Thanksgiving. Part of what makes your writing something that I look forward to is knowing that this level of introspection lies beneath. While your experience with The Collapse of the Media ™ is almost too personally impactful to imagine, remember that some of what was so brusquely torn away was crushing your soul, your wry humor, your insights… even you. I found salvation in self-employment, too. Onward. Ever onward.
The best thing about Football Outsiders was being part of a group that had a private language. These shorthand forms of communication are part of a happy life, and since FO got started in the early years of the Patriots Dynasty (the First Reign of Tom the Great) I was a true believer from the beginning. I remember a column where one of the writers defended punter Ken Walter, briefly released in the 2003 season, then brought back to the roster. He was disagreeing with Aaron Schatz about an acutely fine detail, and lamented that contesting anything about the Pats with Aaron was like correcting Suetonius on the details of the Roman Empire. Read. Learn. Enjoy. Repeat. An opportunity to grow. #DVOA_4_ever !
An education is what’s remembered after the test is graded, and this is what you do. There is no SEO optimization, monetization of clicks, or pushing of pop-up ads than can replace it. Too Deep Zone is the best part of Monday morning.
I found you on bleacher report and actively searched every new place you went. Great to know you've got a permanent home where I can enjoy great insights and plenty of snark! no one combines the two better! thank you!
I am thankful that I started reading Gregg Easterbrook's Tuesday Morning Quarterback columns on Slate. Easterbrook was a great proponent of Football Outsiders, and many of the precepts, such as "stop punting on 4th and 1", and "Dan Snyder and Jerry Jones are idiots".
I am thankful to have had the chance to experience the professional yet witty work of FO's staff and learned much from it.
I am thankful that Mike Tanier and the best of FO have survived the disgraceful ruin of one the best football analytic sites by incompetent rentseekers. Sportsbooking is the bane of serious sports reporting.
Not much new I can share here that hasn't already been said, but still; just like so many others, yours is the only substack or similar website that I have ever paid for (and right away at that). Ever since you wrote that "How to Interview a Head Coach Candidate" for B/R in 2014 (yes, I remember the exact article that got me hooked) I've actively searched for your articles either there or elsewhere.
I look forward to your articles every time because I know there will be at least one thing that makes me laugh out loud, at least one thing that gets me right in the feels (as a Baltimore-area resident, your writeup of Joe Flacco in the Greatest Ravens QB's article hit hard), some that manage to do both, you name it.
Happy Thanksgiving, Mike. I hope you and your family have a great holiday, and I can't wait until Monday when you give your reaction to whatever the f*** happened to Mike Eberflus's brain at the end of the Bears-Lions game today.
I appreciate your perspective, Mike. In my opinion, you're at your best when you're helping us see the NFL from different angles and question what's being put in front of us (whether that's conventional wisdom or analytics wisdom). That's the heart of a great teacher.
I like that you're not writing out of some perceived responsibility or to satisfy your own ego (at least, not always). That's important to me as a writer, so I like seeing it in others.
I could personally do with a little less snark toward players/coaches/execs...and by "a little less", I mean "make the first joke and the second, but maybe not the third, fourth, and fifth". This isn't because the jokes make me uncomfortable--it's because of diminishing returns. There comes a point when the jokes interfere with the analysis and the teaching that I value from you. But that's just my opinion; I'm sure that others feel differently.
I'm grateful that you've found a way to continue doing something you enjoy and are very, very good at.
Reading about your personal saga, I was reminded that life can get pretty bad and very frightening sometimes; and it doesn't always turn around, but when it does, it's worth taking the time to acknowledge and appreciate. And one of the things I appreciate very much is your writing, which gives me a lift every time I open my email and see a new article you've published. Thank you for all the pleasure your work has given me over the years.
Oh, hey, “too” deep instead of “two” deep. I just got that. Just kidding, but while I really enjoy your football insight, the humor is great, two. Er, to. No, too. One (2?) of those.
A blanket THANK YOU back to everyone for your comments here! I'm a little under the weather on Black Friday and reading your kind words is giving me the energy to try to contextualize the Matt Eberflus experience. I love being able to do this and connect with so many of you who became readers over the, gulp, decades.
By the way: MAILBAG next week!
Thank YOU for being the last bastion of actual NFL writing, at least for me. Go Birds.
Danged Seahawks fan…
Thank you, Mike. You're in the vanguard of a kinder, gentler internet. Too Deep Zone is what I used to wish Sports Illustrated would be - smarter, less kiss-arsy, more conscious of the immediate narrative. And I couldn't even talk to friends about an SI article because discussion would devolve into "the stupid refs are crooked" or "huh, the Browns suck so hard." [I grew up near Cincinnati. People were jealous and dumb.] The comment section here has become exactly the conversation I wanted, among intelligent and diverse fans. Thanks to all.
Good morning Mike and Happy Thanksgiving. Part of what makes your writing something that I look forward to is knowing that this level of introspection lies beneath. While your experience with The Collapse of the Media ™ is almost too personally impactful to imagine, remember that some of what was so brusquely torn away was crushing your soul, your wry humor, your insights… even you. I found salvation in self-employment, too. Onward. Ever onward.
The best thing about Football Outsiders was being part of a group that had a private language. These shorthand forms of communication are part of a happy life, and since FO got started in the early years of the Patriots Dynasty (the First Reign of Tom the Great) I was a true believer from the beginning. I remember a column where one of the writers defended punter Ken Walter, briefly released in the 2003 season, then brought back to the roster. He was disagreeing with Aaron Schatz about an acutely fine detail, and lamented that contesting anything about the Pats with Aaron was like correcting Suetonius on the details of the Roman Empire. Read. Learn. Enjoy. Repeat. An opportunity to grow. #DVOA_4_ever !
An education is what’s remembered after the test is graded, and this is what you do. There is no SEO optimization, monetization of clicks, or pushing of pop-up ads than can replace it. Too Deep Zone is the best part of Monday morning.
A wonderful writer and community here. Mr. Stanley has said everything that I think, better than I can say it.
Happy Thanksgiving Mike!
I found you on bleacher report and actively searched every new place you went. Great to know you've got a permanent home where I can enjoy great insights and plenty of snark! no one combines the two better! thank you!
Same here! I always scoured B/R for Mike's articles and when he disappeared I feel like did almost daily Google searches to see where he ended up.
I am thankful that I started reading Gregg Easterbrook's Tuesday Morning Quarterback columns on Slate. Easterbrook was a great proponent of Football Outsiders, and many of the precepts, such as "stop punting on 4th and 1", and "Dan Snyder and Jerry Jones are idiots".
I am thankful to have had the chance to experience the professional yet witty work of FO's staff and learned much from it.
I am thankful that Mike Tanier and the best of FO have survived the disgraceful ruin of one the best football analytic sites by incompetent rentseekers. Sportsbooking is the bane of serious sports reporting.
Gregg was a big part of FO's early success. I learned a lot from reading him.
(I also learned that you cannot wait until Tuesday to file in the 21st century!!!)
Been 20(!)-ish years since this Brit stumbled across FO, and I've reading across various "ancient empires" ever since...
Happy Thanksgiving
Not much new I can share here that hasn't already been said, but still; just like so many others, yours is the only substack or similar website that I have ever paid for (and right away at that). Ever since you wrote that "How to Interview a Head Coach Candidate" for B/R in 2014 (yes, I remember the exact article that got me hooked) I've actively searched for your articles either there or elsewhere.
I look forward to your articles every time because I know there will be at least one thing that makes me laugh out loud, at least one thing that gets me right in the feels (as a Baltimore-area resident, your writeup of Joe Flacco in the Greatest Ravens QB's article hit hard), some that manage to do both, you name it.
Happy Thanksgiving, Mike. I hope you and your family have a great holiday, and I can't wait until Monday when you give your reaction to whatever the f*** happened to Mike Eberflus's brain at the end of the Bears-Lions game today.
Gratitude os a two-way street. I am thankful I have the chance to read you on the regular. Top Deep Zone is one of my best investments.
Thanks to you too, Mike. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. And to all the regulars in the virtual tavern.
I freeload off so many Substacks. Yours is the only one I pay for and I never feel short-changed. Thanks Mike.
I get great value for payment rendered so thank you in return.
I appreciate your perspective, Mike. In my opinion, you're at your best when you're helping us see the NFL from different angles and question what's being put in front of us (whether that's conventional wisdom or analytics wisdom). That's the heart of a great teacher.
I like that you're not writing out of some perceived responsibility or to satisfy your own ego (at least, not always). That's important to me as a writer, so I like seeing it in others.
I could personally do with a little less snark toward players/coaches/execs...and by "a little less", I mean "make the first joke and the second, but maybe not the third, fourth, and fifth". This isn't because the jokes make me uncomfortable--it's because of diminishing returns. There comes a point when the jokes interfere with the analysis and the teaching that I value from you. But that's just my opinion; I'm sure that others feel differently.
I'm grateful that you've found a way to continue doing something you enjoy and are very, very good at.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I hear you! It's tricky to strike the balance and not be too mean. TankWatch will remain my primary source of heavy snark.
I'm looking forward to your thoughts on the ending of the Bears-Lions game, and the now unemployed Matt Eberflus. ;-)
Chimay Cinq Cents is a great choice.
Reading about your personal saga, I was reminded that life can get pretty bad and very frightening sometimes; and it doesn't always turn around, but when it does, it's worth taking the time to acknowledge and appreciate. And one of the things I appreciate very much is your writing, which gives me a lift every time I open my email and see a new article you've published. Thank you for all the pleasure your work has given me over the years.
Oh, hey, “too” deep instead of “two” deep. I just got that. Just kidding, but while I really enjoy your football insight, the humor is great, two. Er, to. No, too. One (2?) of those.