It's Put Up Or Shut Up Time...

So I have long touted my knack for fantasy sports and love to, when I'm in the right mood, brag about how I "know so much more" than all the so-called fantasy experts out there. Well, now it's time for me to put somebody else's money where my mouth is.

I've signed a deal to write a weekly NHL fantasy column running from Feb. 1 until the end of the Stanley Cup Finals for RotoTimes.com. This came pretty much out of nowhere for me but is a welcome challenge/diversion. Their new managing editor had been scouring the web looking for writers to put on his fantasy hockey staff to kick off new coverage starting Feb. 1, and he liked what he saw over on Taking One For The Team (my hockey blog) and asked if I was interested. After trading some e-mails and a brief phone call the deal was sealed and the official contract arrived in my inbox on Friday. So I am now the newest Associate Editor for RotoTimes.com!

My editor (I get a kick out of saying that) says that there is an opportunity for a longer term and better paying gig with RotoTimes if things go well this season. Apparently the company that owns the site owns some TV and radio stations so there is possible exposure there in some way. He has also indicated that he wants to get them to do a full print NHL Fantasy Draft Guide this summer, so I could get to write for that if they decide to do it. Could be cool.

Overall I'm just looking at this as a chance to get some more exposure and maybe increase my TOFTT audience. It would also be really cool to have a nice side-career as a fantasy writer. The modest amount I'm getting paid to do this is really just a bonus to me. I probably would have done this for free since it's not much of a departure from what I was writing for TOFTT anyway, except now someone's paying me for it. It's pretty much a win-win no matter what happens as far as I'm concerned. Anyhoo, I'll try to post updates on how things are going here, and I'll link to my articles both here and at TOFTT, so they shouldn't be hard to find if you want to read them. Though I wouldn't blame you if you don't. Fantasy hockey isn't exactly the "cool kids table".