I've written this column for 21 years now, and the question gets asked every year, every week, every column.
What's with the long intros?
When I started at RotoWorld, editors asked me "What's with the long, personal intros?"
Years later, when my own website/blog was bought by ESPN, my new ESPN editors had the same question. "Seriously, what's the deal with the long intros?"
To this day, search my name on any message board or any social media platform and you will no doubt see some people complaining about the long intros.
"Just tell us who to start and sit, fantasy monkey."
That's the nice version of the complaint.
There are a lot of reasons for the long intros, but here are three.
1. People like them. A lot. When I run into fans out and about, they never ever say "Thanks for loving Jalen Hurts this year." "Thanks for Austin Ekeler and Mike Williams." "Thanks for Darren Waller two years ago or Logan Thomas last year or your little Cooper Kupp, or having Elijah Mitchell, Damien Harris, Mike Gesicki or any number of players on last week's "Love" list, or really any player call I've nailed. Seriously. They never mention any calls I've made.
They do mention the column. "I loved the story about your daughter breaking her arms" or the "story about Jack Attack" or "the heart attack column" or so on and so on. For many, many people, the open is their favorite part.