posted
08/31/11
Ah, the start of football season. Fresh-cut grass, pristine uniforms…and people totally freaking out about the relative fantasy value of Matt Schaub vs. Joe Flacco. Yes, it’s a special time of year, and who better to welcome it with than America’s favorite fantasy analyst, Matthew Berry? From a jumbo-sized Q&A, here’s the ESPN star’s candid advice on booze, women, work and what’s really important: the secret to acing your fantasy draft. (Hint: McGahee, dude. McGahee.)
MADE MAN: What item do you never leave home without, and why?
MATTHEW BERRY: My iPhone and my iPad. Also my keys. And clothes, usually. I’m almost always wearing clothes.
MM: What’s your go-to smartphone app?
MB: I use the ESPN fantasy apps, of course, for my fantasy teams. And I tweet almost exclusively from my phone, so I use Echofon for that. Big fan of Shazam, and I use Flixster all the time when I want to see movies. Call a Cab has saved me multiple times. I’m a Words with Friends player, and I have kids, so more often than not, they’re playing Angry Birds.
MM: What’s your drink of choice after a tough day?
MB: I’m a tequila guy and a Jimmy Buffett fan, plus I have the taste buds of a sorority girl. So usually a margarita.
MM: What grooming, style or fitness thing can a guy do in the morning to look and feel good all day?
MB: I’ve found showering is always a winner. Brushing your teeth usually brings good results. And, of course, I bench a quick 3 bills every morning just because I can.
MM: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received about women, and who gave it to you?
MB: My Uncle Lester. “Never chase a woman, a streetcar or a deal.” As I have often found in all aspects of life, the less you want something (or at least have the appearance of that) the easier it is to acquire.
MM: You made a big career change, going from working on Married with Children and writing Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles to becoming the Talented Mr. Roto. Any advice for guys stuck in a job they don’t love?
MB: The only thing that matters is happiness. When I decided to leave show business to make a go of a full-time career in fantasy, I was making a really good living in movie writing and my website was profitable—meaning we made more than we spent each month, but it was not a lot to live on. My thought was only that I wanted to be happy and if it meant a lot less money, so be it. As it’s turned out, I’ve made more money in fantasy sports than I ever did at show biz, but it’s in large part, I believe, because I didn’t focus on that. I only focused on getting as good as I could at what I was doing. Improving my writing, my public speaking, my analysis, the content of the site, everything. When you’re happy doing something, it shows in the work. And when it shows in the work, it’s good and when it’s good, they find you. Trust me, there’s no career in the world where they don’t want another person who is good at it.
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