Be Good, Do Well, Have Fun

In 2010, my stock picks beat all the stock market averages.  I was feeling good.
In 2010, my fantasy football team made the playoffs for the 4th year in a row and I made it to the finals.  I was feeling really good; and cocky.

In 2011, my stock picks lost to all the stock market averages.  But hey, at least I did not lose; much. (I basically broke even).
In 2011, my fantasy football team made history; I failed to make the playoffs for the first time; ever.

So why the discrepancy?  Like all “experts” I correctly guessed predicted profitable stocks and fantasy football players.  Then, like all “experts” I failed to correctly guess predict when bad news and, in the case of fantasy football, bad injuries would happen to said stud fantasy players and stocks.

I actually was up nearly 20% with my picks by July.  Then the Euro crisis hit. . .

So, in reality, I could say within 18 months my stock picking prowess netted over 60% returns!

And now, again like all experts, I am rationalizing and taking snippets of information and manipulating them to make me sound; well, like an expert.  This is exactly the point I was trying to make with my blog post regarding an email I received from Jim Cramer and company.  What I never would have predicted in a million years is that post would be read by Jason Zweig, an editor from the Wall Street Journal, and that he and I would exchange correspondence regarding marketing gimmicks; and that he would be super kind enough to reference my blog in a Wall Street Article.

These series of events were enough to make that one blog post one of my top 10 viewed posts for 2011.
Another prediction I would never had made is that a video I posted  would generate over 10,000 hits.
I’m actually less proud of the Dance video than I am of the Jim Cramer post.  I can only hope that I can be equally successful in 2012.
You can check out my current Top 10 lists further down this page below my post listings.  Over time, they will, hopefully change.

But, I am not going to make that prediction nor am I going to even put that on my New Years Resolutions for 2012.
Why?  Because, just like the experts; you never know what is going to happen.
Nope, for 2012 I am going a much more important and fundamental route to success.  Something that is more along the lines of a motto I have used in this blog many times.

Be Good, Do Well, Have Fun.

If I can accomplish 2 out 3 of those, my bet is that I will be doing OK.  And who knows, probably end up better off than all those so called experts out there.
So, for 2012 I am going to give you some expert Fumbled Returns advice.
Be Good, Do Well, Have Fun.
I am going to concentrate on the following:

• what is important
• what is necessary
• and something new and different

all the while keeping my motto in mind.

Family (This is the important one)

• Parents
• Wife and Kids
• Daughters College

Career (This is the necessary one)

• I need to re-energize my career in some way.
• Not that it is bad. I have a good job that allows me time for Family. Good Pay. Good Benefits. But, at the moment it is just that. A Job.
• OK, so now that I have actually put that down on virtual pen and paper, it doesn’t sound so bad. In fact, considering today’s economy, it sounds pretty good.

So I think I will put more emphasis on Family and my next topic.
Something New and Never Done Before (at least by me)

• eBook

I’ve always wanted to try writing a novel and I probably will, eventually, but I think I will start off with a short ebook just to get my feet wet.

So if anybody has any comments, suggestions or helpful hints, I would be greatly appreciative. Thanks.

Oh, and I will be updating my Fumbled Returns NFL portfolio returns and changing the format of this blog a little for the New Year.  So, If anybody has any suggestions or wants to help contribute please feel free to contact me.

I hope everyone had a great and wonderful 2011 and; if you want the best in sports and stocks for 2012 !!!   Well, you know where to find me 😉

Until next year and my next post . . .

Be Good , Do Well , Have Fun !

Happy New Year and Top Ten of 2010

First of all: I hope everyone has had, is having, and will have a Happy New Year!

Reflecting on what has happened over the course of 2010, one of the things I looked at was my blog.

I have been keeping Google Analytics running on for this site for quite some time and I also noticed that blogger itself has started doing the same thing.

I love looking at statistics. People think they are unbiased, but they are not.
I look at them kind of like quotes. You can use them to point out or prove just about anything you want.

But what struck me as interesting about both Google Analytics and Blogspot Stats is both the similarities and differences. This was especially interesting because I thought Google bought out Blogger. I would have thought they would use the same methodology for collecting statistics. But obviously they do not.

So in the spirit of sports, more specifically the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll and the BCS Poll, all of which I often find equally baffling; here is my Top 10 Fumbled Returns Posts.

First, Google Analytics Top Ten

Rank — Page ————————– Views
1) —- The conditioning test ——— 3035
2) —- Dog Gone Spies —————- 261
3) —- Three Cheers for Health Care — 104
4) —- An Educated Investor ———- 89
5) —- Impersonation —————– 85
6) —- Leap Frog Commentary ———- 84
7) —- NFL Stocks ——————– 72
8) —- Ready Set Go —————— 63
9) —- Mutt Madness —————— 58
10)—- Last but not least ———— 57

Second, Blogger Stats

Rank — Page ————————– Views
1) —- Conditioning Test ————- 3,920
2) —- Leap Frog Commentary ———- 416
3) —- Dog Gone Spies —————- 357
4) —- Impersonation —————– 266
5) —- An Educated Investor ——— 181
6) —- Last but not least ———— 132
7) —- NFL Stocks – Revisited ——– 110
8) —- New Plays ——————— 65
9) —- Randy Moss, Brett Favre and Jenn Sterger – 55
10) — I want ———————— 45

Obviously I have to thank Fat Albert Haynesworth and the Washington Redskins for the inspiration and SI.com Extra Mustard for accepting my submission. They are the real reason for the surge in views for that particular post.

All the expert Bloggers say quality is better than quantity when it comes to blogging but, as we all know, a viral video or two doesn’t hurt either.

These stats can be pretty good for looking at key words and where the viewing traffic comes from; Like some of my referring sites Snot Bubble Football, Life with Dogs (blog hop), Networked Blogs, Facebook; but I’d also like to ask anybody who happens to be reading this if their favorite post is listed and what they like most and least about my blog.

So go ahead, let’er rip, I can take it.

I’m actually contemplating some changes and my asking here helps with my decisions and my upcoming soon to be posted 2011 goals.

Thanks for helping make my year of blogging fun and interesting and hope you all stick around for 2011.

As always, be good, do well, have fun.

AFL New England Patriots and Elton John…

At first glance, and viewing of the New England Patriots home page, you see a variety of relevant, sports and football related items such as:
– A special event featuring Hall of Famer Andre Tippett
– News and video of training camp and rookies and contract status
– 50th Anniversary
– Team blogs
– Tickets and promotions

All nice and clean and easily clickable.

So, why did I mention Elton John?

Well, if you click on the team blog link, you will find a story about the Billy Joel and Elton John concert recently held in the Boston area.

During his show with Billy Joel at Gillette Stadium Saturday night Elton John dedicated “Tiny Dancer” to Patriots Owner Robert Kraft and his wife Myra. A longtime friend of the Krafts, John (hey, kind of looks funny when you only use his second name!) also called the Patriots his team and said he’d be serving as New England’s honorary captain for its game Oct. 25 against the Bucs in London.

That should get the brits out to the game and give the networks plenty of topicality.

Clicking on the top display bar, or most of the other links, will get you past the initial splash screen web page and into the meat and potatoes of the site.

Here you will find an interesting assortment of 50th anniversary links and plenty of ways to increase fan involvement over the web.

You can download any number assortment of widgets such as:

The Calendar:

or

Patriot News and Blog updates:
if (WIDGETBOX) WIDGETBOX.renderWidget(‘d9a2e5c4-81ce-465f-83b9-8ab366bd603e’);Get the Official Blog of Patriots Football Weekly widget and many other great free widgets at Widgetbox!

The 50th anniversary part of the site is different than any other teams which I have viewed to date.

They do not have a “all time” team page or pick you best player page.

Instead, they have a pick your all time greatest top 10 moments in Patriots History.

One can even leave comments on the selections.

Pretty Cool!

There is also a section on commemorative license plates and if you want a “low” number jersey plate, you can go online and bid for you favorite Patriot number in an auction.

Proceeds go to the Patriots Charity Organization.

So with a good clean web page, relevant material, unique 50th anniversary pages and promotional products and, oh yeah, a decent retro uniform….

Two thumbs up to the New England Patriots.

Next up: The New York Jets!

And you can view all the 50th anniversary team uniforms here and cast you own vote at the top left hand side of the post.

Cheers!