25th Hour Ideas

Adam Harstad is a phenomenal thinker. Over the past couple of years I've seen him distill complex ideas from several disciplines and apply them to fantasy football. This episode covers interesting frameworks that transcend football, including risk homeostasis, second-order thinking, resource allocation, and many more. You can find a collection of his writing here.


Timestamps

(2:12) How to figure out what to write about

(5:12) Risk homeostasis

(19:21) Future of quantifiable stats, and measuring second-order effects

(40:47) Probability

(53:24) Danger of a plausible narrative

(1:01:37) Consistency in fantasy football

(1:10:45) Strong opinions, weakly held

(1:19:37) Twitter

(1:25:57) How to choose a GM, and how to manage draft strategy

(1:45:03) Principal-agent problem in football

(1:54:58) Measuring rates of change

(1:59:06) Resource allocation

(2:03:54) Zero-sum games

(2:13:15) 25th hour


If you enjoy the podcast, writing a short review on Apple podcasts would go a long way in attracting a larger audience and more fantastic guests. 

Where to listen, subscribe, rate, and review:

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Thank you for listening!

Adam Harstad is a phenomenal thinker. Over the past couple of years I've seen him distill complex ideas from several disciplines and apply them to fantasy football. This episode covers interesting frameworks that transcend football, including risk homeostasis, second-order thinking, resource allocation, and many more. You can find a collection of his writing here.


Timestamps

(2:12) How to figure out what to write about

(5:12) Risk homeostasis

(19:21) Future of quantifiable stats, and measuring second-order effects

(40:47) Probability

(53:24) Danger of a plausible narrative

(1:01:37) Consistency in fantasy football

(1:10:45) Strong opinions, weakly held

(1:19:37) Twitter

(1:25:57) How to choose a GM, and how to manage draft strategy

(1:45:03) Principal-agent problem in football

(1:54:58) Measuring rates of change

(1:59:06) Resource allocation

(2:03:54) Zero-sum games

(2:13:15) 25th hour


If you enjoy the podcast, writing a short review on Apple podcasts would go a long way in attracting a larger audience and more fantastic guests. 

Where to listen, subscribe, rate, and review:

Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Newsletter
Blog
Twitter

Thank you for listening!

Canaan Severin is not only one of the greatest WRs in UVA history, but he's also a film writer and director. He just released his first film "Lean In" earlier this month. 

Since graduating from Virginia, Canaan spent time in the NFL with the Steelers and Giants. In this episode he shares stories from his football career about systems, habits, the importance of people, and the power of believing in yourself.  This is a master class on persistence and designing systems built for success.

If you haven't already, writing a short review on Apple podcasts would go a long way in attracting a larger audience and more fantastic guests. 

Timestamps:

(2:09) Canaan’s one handed catch against Miami coming full circle

(9:46) How you do one thing is how you do everything, and applications to recovery

(15:40) The importance of nutrition

(22:25) Current goals and systems

(27:00) Mentors at UVA

(34:15) Compartmentalization in football

(41:20) Culture and people

(53:55) Canaan’s ideal 25th hour

Where to listen, subscribe, rate, and review:

Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Newsletter
Blog
Twitter

Thank you for listening!

Canaan Severin is not only one of the greatest WRs in UVA history, but he's also a film writer and director. He just released his first film "Lean In" earlier this month. 

Since graduating from Virginia, Canaan spent time in the NFL with the Steelers and Giants. In this episode he shares stories from his football career about systems, habits, the importance of people, and the power of believing in yourself.  This is a master class on persistence and designing systems built for success.

If you haven't already, writing a short review on Apple podcasts would go a long way in attracting a larger audience and more fantastic guests. 

Timestamps:

(2:09) Canaan’s one handed catch against Miami coming full circle

(9:46) How you do one thing is how you do everything, and applications to recovery

(15:40) The importance of nutrition

(22:25) Current goals and systems

(27:00) Mentors at UVA

(34:15) Compartmentalization in football

(41:20) Culture and people

(53:55) Canaan’s ideal 25th hour

Where to listen, subscribe, rate, and review:

Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Newsletter
Blog
Twitter

Thank you for listening!

Henry “The Hammer” Coley was a leader of the 2014 Virginia Cavaliers. I’ve always wanted to ask him about leadership, his approach to learning the game, and how his skills have translated to life after football. 

Since graduating with his Master’s, Henry spent time in the NFL before becoming a consultant and entrepreneur. Henry is a leader everywhere he goes, and this conversation is filled with important lessons.

If you haven't already, writing a short review on Apple podcasts would go a long way in attracting a larger audience and more fantastic guests. 

Timestamps:

(1:50) Lessons on leadership

(9:09) Dynamics of a football team

(11:13) Leadership role at UVA, and the concept of a living resume

(19:34) Memorable moment following a 2014 win

(25:45) The difference between NFL and college football

(31:33) How to study game film

(38:45) Life after football and an important lesson I learned from Henry

(45:18) How Henry would use a 25th hour

Where to listen, subscribe, rate, and review:

Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Newsletter
Blog
Twitter

Thank you for listening!

Henry “The Hammer” Coley was a leader of the 2014 Virginia Cavaliers. I’ve always wanted to ask him about leadership, his approach to learning the game, and how his skills have translated to life after football. 

Since graduating with his Master’s, Henry spent time in the NFL before becoming a consultant and entrepreneur. Henry is a leader everywhere he goes, and this conversation is filled with important lessons.

If you haven't already, writing a short review on Apple podcasts would go a long way in attracting a larger audience and more fantastic guests. 

Timestamps:

(1:50) Lessons on leadership

(9:09) Dynamics of a football team

(11:13) Leadership role at UVA, and the concept of a living resume

(19:34) Memorable moment following a 2014 win

(25:45) The difference between NFL and college football

(31:33) How to study game film

(38:45) Life after football and an important lesson I learned from Henry

(45:18) How Henry would use a 25th hour

Where to listen, subscribe, rate, and review:

Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Newsletter
Blog
Twitter

Thank you for listening!

Nicholas Conte, specialists coach at VMI and decorated former UVA punter, teaches a masterful lesson on mindset and achieving high performance. This transcends football.

Our conversation spans the mental side of playing and training, the role of specialists in games and practice, proper nutrition, and Conte’s journey from UVA to VMI and one day soon the NFL.

If you haven't already, writing a short review on Apple podcasts would go a long way in attracting a larger audience and more fantastic guests. 

Timestamps:

(2:47) Why special teams is unique, typical practice for specialists

(7:38) Pre-game warmup and common pitfalls

(16:52) Punter’s role during the game

(24:50) Process oriented thinking

(34:50) Mindset

(39:08) Training methods

(46:26) Role of student managers

(52:43) Nutrition

(56:04) Our mutual admiration for Trent Corney

(1:02:17) Conte’s ideal use of a 25th hour

Where to listen, subscribe, rate, and review:

Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Newsletter
Blog
Twitter

Thank you for listening!

Nicholas Conte, specialists coach at VMI and decorated former UVA punter, teaches a masterful lesson on mindset and achieving high performance. This transcends football.

Our conversation spans the mental side of playing and training, the role of specialists in games and practice, proper nutrition, and Conte’s journey from UVA to VMI and one day soon the NFL.

If you haven't already, writing a short review on Apple podcasts would go a long way in attracting a larger audience and more fantastic guests. 

Timestamps:

(2:47) Why special teams is unique, typical practice for specialists

(7:38) Pre-game warmup and common pitfalls

(16:52) Punter’s role during the game

(24:50) Process oriented thinking

(34:50) Mindset

(39:08) Training methods

(46:26) Role of student managers

(52:43) Nutrition

(56:04) Our mutual admiration for Trent Corney

(1:02:17) Conte’s ideal use of a 25th hour

Where to listen, subscribe, rate, and review:

Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Newsletter
Blog
Twitter

Thank you for listening!

Alex is currently working towards his Master's in Data Science at the University of Virginia. Not only has he been working for the UVA football team in an analytical capacity, but he also presented his own research at the NFL's Big Data Bowl in 2020.

I came across his paper and was eager to reach out to him. Our discussion covers the deficiencies of traditional box scores, judging information in context, predicting individual vs team performance, and how all this work will go from behind the scenes to on the field.

Links mentioned:
ESPN analytics survey
Virgil Carter - Operations Research on Football
Pulling the Goalie: Hockey and Investment Implications
Data, Decisions, and Basketball with Sam Hinkie
Inside Football Podcast with Bill Polian

Transcript
Newsletter

Timestamps:

1:51 Alex’s time at Big Data bowl and his direction for research

4:56 First exposure to data analytics

6:52 Traditional box scores

9:44 Analytics and fantasy sports

12:19 Judging information in context

15:52 Player vs team modeling

19:38 EPA vs WPA

24:38 Increasing variance as the underdog

30:02 How does this work go from behind the scenes to on the field?

35:44 Unpopular roster management decisions

38:42 Individual performance, success rates, and tracking data

40:48 Adopting analytics, communication

44:05 Spin on 25th hour question

Where to listen, subscribe, rate, and review:

Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Newsletter
Blog
Twitter

Thank you for listening!

Alex is currently working towards his Master's in Data Science at the University of Virginia. Not only has he been working for the UVA football team in an analytical capacity, but he also presented his own research at the NFL's Big Data Bowl in 2020.

I came across his paper and was eager to reach out to him. Our discussion covers the deficiencies of traditional box scores, judging information in context, predicting individual vs team performance, and how all this work will go from behind the scenes to on the field.

Links mentioned:
ESPN analytics survey
Virgil Carter - Operations Research on Football
Pulling the Goalie: Hockey and Investment Implications
Data, Decisions, and Basketball with Sam Hinkie
Inside Football Podcast with Bill Polian

Transcript
Newsletter

Timestamps:

1:51 Alex’s time at Big Data bowl and his direction for research

4:56 First exposure to data analytics

6:52 Traditional box scores

9:44 Analytics and fantasy sports

12:19 Judging information in context

15:52 Player vs team modeling

19:38 EPA vs WPA

24:38 Increasing variance as the underdog

30:02 How does this work go from behind the scenes to on the field?

35:44 Unpopular roster management decisions

38:42 Individual performance, success rates, and tracking data

40:48 Adopting analytics, communication

44:05 Spin on 25th hour question

Where to listen, subscribe, rate, and review:

Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Newsletter
Blog
Twitter

Thank you for listening!