Week 5: Around the NFL

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

Andrew Brandt is tweeting some interesting stuff that relates to ESPN's 30for30 "Broke"

https://twitter.com/adbrandt

Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
Had a Packer player whose homie kept getting him in trouble. I brought the kid in and said "What do you do? You need to leave."
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4m Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
I got to know the Repo man in Green Bay very well; came to Lambeau to seize several cars over the years.
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8m Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
Not happening. RT @TheMajestic9 Twitter needs the Favre stories from you.
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11m Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
Rison got a car in exchange for tickets. When he left GB, he just left the car at the airport and got on a plane. Never left word.
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14m Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
Andre Rison created some interesting stories during his short time in Green Bay, can imagine what he did elsewhere.
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15m Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
One of biggest problems is their crews. These hangers-on would often be the ones getting in trouble more than them.
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18m Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
Players talk to each other mostly about two things: women and money, in no specific order.
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22m Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
Always tell players: "It's not what you make; it's what you keep." Few listen, most do not.
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25m Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
Saw a player's credit card bill, had a $3500 charge to a pet shop. He said he "had to have the air-conditioned doghouse."
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29m Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
I remember telling a young player to write a check. He had no idea what I was talking about, had never written one. Taught him how.
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32m Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
One of big problems is people think $1M means $1M. After taxes, agent fees, taking care of family/friends, looks more like $300,000.
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35m Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
Will be tweeting along with @30for30 "Broke" on experiences dealing with athletes losing money from both sides.

[humanrefutation]

MOAR BRANDT:

Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
Once made a player see me to get his check. It was zeroed out due to garnishments, child support. Told him he had to change. He did.
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1h Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
There are horror stories but there are positive stories of players who have their first nickel. Ultimately it's self-discipline.
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1h Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
Saw a former player at Super Bowl this year. Played ten years in NFL, made Pro Bowl once. Was 400 lbs and broke. So very sad.
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Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
Always tell players that football is just a head start on life, a way to make some money before jumping in years behind their class.
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1h Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
I have many funny stories, but left with sadness. The music always stops and the money runs out. Players have to prepare, few do.
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1h Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
Had couple players always wanting salary advances; I wouldn't do it. Told them I was trying to help, they would go to agents for loan.
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1h Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
Problem for NFL players is injury rate of 100%: every player gets hurt, decreasing future earnings. Have to be prepared post-career.
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1h Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
Once had a Packer player excused from practice for the birth of his child in two consecutive weeks. Busy guy.
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1h Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
Now subject is women. Yikes. Watched players spend way too much time balancing different women, tickets, location, rooms,etc.
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1h Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
First indicator of potential financial problems is # of people in the picture at the Draft. More people, less future money.
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1h Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
Most young players, beyond top first round picks, don't have enough to invest to begin with. Should just save. Period.
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1h Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
Was flattered when Packer players asked me to represent them or manage their money, but told them that was a bit of a conflict:)
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1h Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
Problem for agents is that when they tell players they can't buy what they want, they end up as their ex-agents.
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1h Andrew Brandt ‏@adbrandt
Would bring in money managers to meet players, without endorsement, and present. Very few players showed up.

[MickeyDavis]

VERY cool for Brandt to tweet that, I bet he has tons of great stories.

"Broke" was very interesting, if ESPN reruns it I recommend it.

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

I wasn't able to catch it but I have it on DVR. Looking forward to checking it out. A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to hear Brandt speak with a bunch of agents and scouts in Chicago, it was an extremely interesting experience, lots of stories similar to the tweets above.

[trwi7]

Luckily the Packers will be playing during the crappy early game that we get which is the Giants and Browns. Milwaukee and Green Bay get Denver and New England while it looks like Madison is right on the border between that game and Titans and Vikings.

[Kerb Hohl]

Just pony up the $8/month for redzone channel.

[MickeyDavis]

http://www.the506.com/temp11.html

[El Duderino]

Just pony up the $8/month for redzone channel.

Time Warner finally got the NFL Network and i see that Redzone channel available for 6 bucks a month in a package with other channels. What is on that Redzone, i had never even heard of it before?

[BUCKnation]

Just pony up the $8/month for redzone channel.

Time Warner finally got the NFL Network and i see that Redzone channel available for 6 bucks a month in a package with other channels. What is on that Redzone, i had never even heard of it before?

Its the best channel for football ever.

All it does is go back and forth between games showing games where a team is in the redzone. It can go multiple screens as well when more than one team is in the redzone, along with showing highlights.

[trwi7]

Redzone channel seems kind of stupid to me. I wouldn't pay the money for it.

[bucks59]

The Redzone channel is awesome. It's seven hours of continuous football without commercials. They just constantly switch between games. You're in a football coma and you never want to leave. After the late games are over, they show every touch down from the day. It's amazing. It's a bargain for six bucks a month, especially since you also end up getting NBA TV and the NFL Network.

[humanrefutation]

The Redzone Channel is absurdly awesome. I don't know how Scott Hanson does it, but the man looks like he's going to keel over trying to cover and switch to every game.

[ReasonablySober]

I had no idea you could get Red Zone without the NFL package.

[Kerb Hohl]

Redzone channel seems kind of stupid to me. I wouldn't pay the money for it.

I forget if you're a fantasy guy but it helps. Even if you don't play, it's no commercials.

We had Sunday Ticket 4-5 years ago. By about week 3, never watched an actual out of market game, just DirecTV's version of Redzone.

Outside of the Packers playing, I get almost angry watching Sunday games not on RZC.

I had no idea you could get Red Zone without the NFL package.

Yeah, DirecTV has their own version and the cable companies and other satellites have one. If I was marketing manager for the NFL, I'd make this a bit more known. Comcast has had NFL Network(and therefore RedZone) since I've lived here and I can't tell you how many times I've gone to a friend's house with Cleveland/Oakland on and they had no idea that if everyone there paid 3 bucks they could pay for an entire season of the channel.

[trwi7]

I'm not a fantasy guy and even if I was, I still wouldn't care. If I'm going to watch a football game, I'm going to watch the whole game, not just when a team gets in the redzone or scores.

[Kerb Hohl]

Just pony up the $8/month for redzone channel.

Time Warner finally got the NFL Network and i see that Redzone channel available for 6 bucks a month in a package with other channels. What is on that Redzone, i had never even heard of it before?

Its the best channel for football ever.

All it does is go back and forth between games showing games where a team is in the redzone. It can go multiple screens as well when more than one team is in the redzone, along with showing highlights.

This is a good description but I'll add that it doesn't arbitrarily do it (for those considering it). There is more of a science to it. They focus on the main games on that day. Obviously if it's KC/Cleveland and 35-0 they won't show it at all if KC gets into scoring territory. They'll just give a quick replay of someone scores. They show big injuries, big plays, etc.

The best is at the end...do not change off the channel to catch the end of a close game when there are 3-4 close games, they are incredible at flashing around. 2 weeks ago we saw every meaningful part of those close finishes.

You described it well but I think that's the reason people (including myself before I watched) thought it was a channel that just arbitrarily switched to teams in scoring position.

It's 7 hours of constant football with no interruptions, and they always have the most relevant plays on screen.

[ReasonablySober]

Part of the reason why I tolerate watching football is the breaks in the action. Scoring play, get a drink. Change in possession, use the bathroom. Halftime you take the dog for a walk or browse the net. Or walk to another bar. I couldn't possibly care less about seeing every scoring play. I can always get scoring alerts on my phone and on the 2% chance it's remarkable I could watch it later online.

FWIW, last week was the first I didn't watch any NFL or read any analysis. Didn't miss it at all. I really still despise the league as a whole.

[Kerb Hohl]

I'm not a fantasy guy and even if I was, I still wouldn't care. If I'm going to watch a football game, I'm going to watch the whole game, not just when a team gets in the redzone or scores.

Yet you're complaining about what games might be on...that means the channel is for you.

You'll see mostly Denver/New England. When it goes to commercial? Guess what, the Vikings/Titans tied at 14 in the 3rd is flashed on. Justin Blackmon scores a 60 yard TD? They'll cut away from the Pats running out the half and show it basically live.

2 games down to the wire? Split screen for a bit, then they flash back and forth so you see every play of both games.

It's not just some camera fixed on teams inside the 20. It's 7 hours of commercial-less NFL, with anything you'd care to see.

[trwi7]

I'm not really complaining. I'd like good games on every week but if they aren't good games, I just won't watch. Besides, how exactly am I going to watch good games by only getting part of the game on big plays or plays in the redzone?

[Kerb Hohl]

I'm not really complaining. I'd like good games on every week but if they aren't good games, I just won't watch. Besides, how exactly am I going to watch good games by only getting part of the game on big plays or plays in the redzone?

Just trust me, you will. Like I said, they'll focus on the big games. You're not going to get flooded with the Cleveland game over New England/Baltimore unless the scores dictate. The channel name is a bit misleading, it should be "exactly what you want to see for 7 hours with no commercials channel."

I feel like a marketing guy for the NFL right now but it's incredible. I agree, sometimes I'd like to be productive on a Sunday, but if I'm going to watch football, I'm watching this ****.

Go back to the around the league thread from week 2. There were 4 games ending regulation/overtime as nailbiters in a 15 minute span and I think we saw every single play live. Of course, some people would like to see Tom Brady run the 4-minute offense while up 30-14 because it's the local TV game, but I'll settle for the other thing.