The Backyard Banter Podcast

Episode 34 brings us Field Yates of ESPN and former NFL front office employee. Field shares his experience in getting to the NFL and then transitioning out into the media side. He shares a wealth of information through his journey, and especially in the latter years as he currently wears multiple hats with ESPN.

?Highlights from this episode include:

- How Field initially got connected with NFL teams as a young person working at the camps as an intern.

- What turned him off about working for an NFL team and his eventual departure from that life.

- The itch to cover football once out of the league and starting as just another guy with a blog.

- Bringing some of his scouting background to his work at ESPN but also realizing he's not the authority on the matter.

- What's changed in Field's perspective now that he not only does fantasy football, but also is a TV personality.

No matter your place in life, episode 33 with Chris Heil will speak to you. Chris contacted me at the show's onset about doing an episode detail his rise and ultimate exit from the fantasy football industry. What started as a love for the game and podcast grew sour with trials and time spent trying to become a better writer. Chris is now in a fine place personally after leaving the industry, and re-captured his obsession as a fan. His message is surprisingly one of inspiration and realistic encouragement that anyone looking to find a place in this community needs to hear.

Highlights from this episode include:

- Chris' background as a Cleveland fan with years of sadness but a current high ride.

- What sparked his initial foray into podcasting and all the fantastic opportunities and success that came with it.

- How trying to become a better writer slowly began to turn him off from the pursuit of a career.

- The feelings of self-doubt and crippling workload that are silent killers in the fantasy industry.

- What Chris' true message it to aspiring writers and why he's not here to discourage anyone.

Episode 32 brings a special appearance as one of my longtime supporters in the industry, Sal Stefanile, joins the show. Sal is legitimately one of the nicest people in the industry and makes a point to support new and unknown writers. He tells his own story on breaking in and also the season where he had to step away to regain control of his personal life. If you're an upstart writer tuning in, you'll find an ally with motivating words in Sal.

Highlights from this episode include:

- How Sal took his first steps into football and one of the more unique stories on falling in love with the game.

- What made Sal gravitate to the 2QB niche and how it got him noticed quickly.

- What's the reasoning behind his giving nature when it comes to giving other people exposure?

- Sal took a year off from the industry to focus on his personal life and tells us why he did so and what brought him back.

- A key final word on how to get noticed in a welcoming but crowded space.

Episode 31: Adam Levitan - Accept an alternate lifestyle by Matt Harmon

Episode 30 brings us Matthew Freedman, the editor-in-chief of Fantasy Labs and the producer of RotoViz Radio and the Fantasyland Podcast. Freedman took a unique path to his full-time spot in the fantasy business, starting out as a Ph.D student before shifting gears. He talks about how that perspective still influences his work in fantasy sports to this day and some ideas it brought into action. Finally, we dig into the ground-breaking Fantasyland podcast and where the show might be headed.

Highlights from this episode include:

- How a fortunate start to NFL fandom and fantasy sports got Freedman rolling towards an obsessive path.

- Matthew's background as an academic and what pushed him from that into the world of football analysis.

- Finding a community you belong in and your avenue to still stand out in that group.

- Why Freedman approaches fantasy sports and football from a numbers only approach, and whether he believes that is the only way.

- The origins of the RotoViz podcast network and how that led into their newest program, Fantasyland.

One of the fantasy industry's best kept secrets, DLF writer George Kritikos, joins the podcast to cover a bevy of topics. George and I spin the wheel to bring about a discussion that hits on all fronts possible. As an expert in data and analytics, George sounds off on his opinion of the numbers side of football. Additionally, he welcomes several queries about his personal life that you can't afford to miss.

Highlights from this episode include:

- How George was drawn into the football world and his favorite part of the fantasy game.

- ?George and I dive into the boring war that is the film vs. numbers debate and how one of his podcasts looks to bridge that gap

- A discussion about kids and why George and his wife have decided to pass on having any, for the time being.

- Your passion and love for your work is reflected in the content you put out there, and the absence of it also is just as noticeable.

- George's story regarding his relationship with his parents and how that shapes his worldview.

We finally complete the NFL Fantasy Stronghold circuit as Marcas Grant joins the podcast for episode 28. It seems that Marcas tried his hand at just about every facet of the industry, from play-by-play commentary to radio analyst, before settling into the gig he has today. As such, he brings a wealth of perspective for anyone with aspirations of getting into the sports media industry.

Highlights of this episode include:

- Marcas' winding backstory through broadcast media school, to being the voice of a minor league baseball team and finally to landing as an analyst on NFL Fantasy live.

- Whether Marcas actively crafts the persona you see today or whether it comes natural.

- What dream would TV's Marcas Grant be chasing if the NFL collapsed tomorrow?

- Marcas' thoughts on being a black non-athlete analyst in the industry and how race/identity influence our space.

- The importance of keeping content accessible to the casual fan as the fantasy industry continue to evolve.

Episode 27: Steve Palazzolo - I understand the questions that come by Matt Harmon

Episode 26 brings us Matt Miller the lead NFL analyst for Bleacher Report. One of the most well-known but down to earth figures in the business, Miller brings a wealth of valuable information to aspiring writers. Just about every ground gets covered in this episode: from personal life changes altering your career, to rising up through a big company and even how to navigate the social media world. Perhaps most interesting, Miller dives into a behind the scenes look at Bleacher Report as their "cockroach" and the controversial NFL1000 series.

Highlights from this episode include:

- Miller's background as a player, coach and eventually his move to the scouting portion of the game.

- How having a child at 17 changed his life forever and actually was the quiet catalyst for his career.

- Moving from the hobby approach at New Era Scouting to catching on with Bleacher Report at the beginning.

- What took place at B/R to change the brand of the site and how he stayed on through all the movements.

- Miller's tone on social media and why he might not really fit into the person you see on Twitter.

We've laid out a lot of strategies for getting started as a football writer, but Graham Barfield stops by episode 25 to bring a real life example. He exemplifies several of the key pillars of this podcast: not an asshole and has a unique piece of content developing. Graham delves into his new series Yards Created and how he wants to make his mark on the fantasy industry.

Highlights from this episode include:

- Where Graham sees himself in the fantasy industry and where he wants to go.

- Graham explains Yards Created in detail and why he believe the series is necessary.

- We discuss the difference between objective and subjective data, and why we should embrace the subjective nature of our realities.

- How we can improve our debating on Twitter and as an industry as a whole.

- Graham shares a small portion of the "both best and worst moment" of his personal life, and the perspective he gained from it.