Twitter has long been an excellent source of instantaneous news and wide-ranging opinions. We ran a series of interviews two years ago to help users new and old get to know some of our favorite tweeters.
Our series is back for 2014. Today we interview writer Rich Hribar. Get to know him below.
I'm pleased that I somehow worked D'Wayne Bates into an article this offseason. I can now retire at peace.
— Rich Hribar (@LordReebs) July 3, 2014
Who Am I?
Name: Rich Hribar
Twitter handle: @LordReebs
Tweeting since: February 2012
Number of tweets: Nearly 37K. Around 36K fantasy football related. 1K covering ‘90’s pop culture.
Follower count: Far more than I deserve to have.
Hometown: Lorain, Ohio
Day job: Hydraulic Seal Product Manager (as fulfilling as it sounds)
Family life: Married to my wife, Jennifer for seven plus years now. We have a nine year old son, Brayden and a year and a half year old daughter named Emma. It took the entire eight year gap between children to recharge our parental batteries.
Quick bio (who you are, site(s) you represent, etc.): I’m just football guy, just like you and all of your readers. Denny Carter (@cdcarter13) was following me on the tweet machine and for some reason beyond my knowledge, maybe just following back, I’m not really sure. Shortly after, he asked me if I’d like to try my hand at writing for SportsJerks.net, which is now XN Sports. I write re-draft content still at XN, cover dynasty for The Fake Football, where I co-host a dynasty podcast with Chad Scott (@chad_scott13) called The Faked Goods and I do odds and ends pieces covering whatever is on my mind at the time over at RotoViz. I’m also working on two special projects, one is RotAcademy lead by Jonathan Bales and many other great writers. The other is Draft Consultants, Inc. led by Denny Carter. If you haven’t noticed, I enjoy fantasy football.
What is something unique about you that few would know about? I’m not even saying this for effect, but I am the greatest Stratego player that has ever breathed.
What you do for fun during the football offseason: When I’m not busy with the kid’s extracurricular activities, I do what most normal guys do. Me and wife will clear the DVR, go to tons of movies, enjoy an adult beverage of six, and play video games. All of that stuff. I’m still a weekend warrior myself, too. Hanging on, I’m still active in flag football, softball and even adult kickball.
Favorite NFL team(s): 49ers, gold blooded through and through.
Favorite NFL player(s): All-time is Jerry Rice. Current favorite Niner is Frank Gore and non Niner is Dez Bryant.
Give us your “must follows” on Twitter: I’m all about shaking hands and kissing babies, so I’ll take the easy road in attempt not to leave anyone out, but all of my follows are must follows.
What do you like most about Twitter? I love the soundboard it allows for the fantasy football community. I’m a firm believer in having an agnostic approach to the game. Even bad ideas, whether they be stats, tweets, whatever can set you on the path of finding good ideas and conclusions.
Years playing fantasy football: Going on 20 years. I remember being younger and making Pick ‘Em sheets for my friends and their parents and gathering up $5 a sheet for games that weekend, similar to what you see on many DFS sites now. Somehow through all of this, I convinced a lady to marry and procreate with me.
How many leagues, typically? Usually in the neighborhood of 15. Six dynasty leagues, about a half dozen industry re-draft leagues for the challenge, and four main home leagues that I use to line my pockets.
Ridiculously small sample, but per PFF, Lance Dunbar was pretty elusive who he touched the ball last year. pic.twitter.com/6jwvXXM7Vy
— Rich Hribar (@LordReebs) June 29, 2014
Inside the Guru’s Studio
What is your favorite fantasy word? Game Flow.
What is your least favorite fantasy word? Game Flow.
DC Comics or Marvel? Being the incredible nerd that I am, I do love both. There are so many great Batman stories. A Killing Joke, Dark Knight Returns, Year One are all strong enough to push me to the side of DC as a whole. Plus, Watchmen.
What is your favorite film? Fluctuates with mood, but Big Lebowski, Fear and Loathing are up there. I’m a sucker for just about anything that was released from 1982-1992.
What is your favorite book? Like I alluded to my Marvel or DC answer, I’m a huge comic head. My all time favorite is Y The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan. Even if you don’t get down with comics, that’s a must pick up, trust me. I read more nonfiction than fiction when I don’t have my head in a graphic novel. Boys Will Be Boys by Jeff Pearlman is a must read for any sports fan that followed the ‘90’s Cowboys for the Charles Haley content alone.
Cake or ice cream? I don’t really get down on sweets, more of a salty snacker myself. Give me a mean Queso and chips and we’re golden.
Star Wars or Star Trek? The Wars, but only on the strength of episodes four and five. The others, including Jedi and its rehashed plot can go. I watched the Clone Wars cartoon with my son, and that was pretty strong.
What sound do you hate? The alarm on a Monday morning.
What sound do you love? I have a very peculiar taste in music. I grew up on late ‘80’s, early ‘90’s hip hop. I try and start as many days as I can with Geto Boys “Damn, it feels good..” but then I’m a sucker for classic rock power ballads. I mean, guilty feet have got no rhythm.
Film or Stats? For fantasy analysis, I’m all about the stats. I prefer to side with probability as much as possible and narrow down my predictions to as many truths as possible. I do watch a decent amount of film because I enjoy football and want to learn more, but there’s so numerous more people who’s acumen is far more vast in that field than my own.
*Opens Dynasty David Wilson Lemonade Stand*
— Rich Hribar (@LordReebs) June 19, 2014
Predictions and Advice
Favorite fantasy style or combination of styles of play (Dynasty, Redraft, Auction, Best Ball, Daily, Survivor, etc.): Yes, please.
Studs ‘n Duds or Value Based Drafting? We all want value. That’s the name of the game. I’m one who finds VBD based drafting inherently flawed because the baselines at each position really don’t incorporate ADP. If the baseline player at RB or WR is going eight rounds ahead for the baseline QB or TE, there’s a massive opportunity cost you’re forgoing by following your board strictly. It has its place on the tool belt, but it’s used a crutch far too often. I prefer my value based approach centered around on my set of projections incorporated of where I can acquire players. I want to pinpoint the latest spot where I can grab the players I believe are this season’s difference makers.
What's the biggest mistake you see fantasy players make? Accepting cumulative data as it’s packaged. Fantasy football is a weekly game of 13 to 14 fragmented seasons that you need to win. This time of year can endorse the upcoming season and prior seasons that have already happened as bulk products. This is pretty much the Chris Johnson Rule. You may believe you’re buying the third highest scoring player at a position, but how he is getting those points for you to win your individual seasons? Consistency is huge in our game, especially attached to modest ceilings. Ask the owner who invested a mid round pick in Cam Newton a season ago how they enjoyed only the six weeks he finished as a top 12 quarterback. Looking back on his fantasy output, it appears he was one of the best options. I do projections and rankings because it’s my job, but I caution anyone from using big picture expectancy when incorporating them into your draft strategy.
How much of fantasy football is skill? How much is luck? There’s definitely a short term fortune factor, but to have long standing success, you need to consistently make sound decisions. Trust your process, but if your process is lacking to begin with, you’re not going to enjoy even many fortunate weeks.
Go out on a limb—give a wild prediction about the 2014 season that would shock the world if it happened: Denard Robinson rushes for more yards than Toby Gerhart.
Super Bowl XLIX Teams and Score: Detroit 27, Cincinnati 24. (Secretly, I just want to see the aftermath of either Stafford or Dalton winning the Super Bowl)
2014 Fantasy MVP: DeMarco Murray. Dallas appears to have a heavy schedule early, but his efficiency has been off the charts when healthy. Add in the PPR wizardy of Scott Linehan, and Murray is a great buy at the first round turn that could return top 5-6 value attached to an early round WR.
2014 Fantasy Most Improved: Robert Griffin. It’s a layup given how last year went, but factor in what Jay Gruden has done for Andy Dalton, the added weapons that make them a complete offense inside, outside, underneath and over the top, while also full year removed from his ACL injury and he’s a guy that could return to the top half of the QB1 pack.
2014 Fantasy Bust of the Year: Vernon Davis. Has always been the third wheel with Kaepernick when the Niners have two healthy bodies at receiver. Combine the low volume passing attack, the depth they’ve added at receiver with Davis’ high ADP at a position that carries so much opportunity cost; you’ll be very sad on a lot of fruitless Sundays.