I've started to write this blog many times, not sure how it goes and how it ends. It starts with the understanding that my wife is awesome. She understands that I love fantasy sports and that isn't going to stop anytime soon. It also helps that in my hometown league where I guaranteed her a check six years ago when we got married (today, 7/30 is our anniversary), I won the league while we checked the computers in Aruba on our honeymoon. (Check out the tiny Dunkin' Donuts, while you're there and save money for lunch and dinner.)
Fast forward to today. I'm lucky enough that both Jeff Erickson and Chris Liss have asked me to do multiple things for the site. Liss actually was the first to hire me (h/t to SP) to do my basketball column. I've now grown to do a football, baseball and basketball column while doing various other aspects for the site.
A few months ago I decided to join the Twitter group. This was a great opportunity to follow people/reporters who would give up to the date information. As soon as I joined, I grabbed a bunch of faithful Rotowire followers.
Since then I've Tweeted what I've thought is pertinent information. I'm not always right (trust me – ask the wife) but I do my best. I often link my columns, appearances on both my Twitter account (@KCPayne26) and Facebook. Oh and you can always reach me at KPayne26@aol.com.
So this brings me to today. I went out for a nice dinner with the wife for our anniversary and I came home and checked my Twitter account. Nothing too big, (after all I'm Kevin Payne) but I did notice something after the wife went to bed:
A taste of Seattle! Sampling the best of Seattle wines and appetizers tonight.
My response to Evan:
KCPayne26 Kevin Payne
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@Evan3Longoria Another hitless day, sporting a career-low .787 OPS and you're boozing it up. #Brilliant! #StartsellingFriedman#ByePlayoffs
Immature? Maybe. Spot on for a .231 hitter? Maybe. We have many friends here on the site that are big backers of the Rays. Do they have a championship (banners fly forever)? No. Did I get pummeled worse than Fedor vs. Danny Hendo? Yes. Let's see what Twitter had to say about me:
rbaly79 Roberto Baly
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LOL RT @Evan3Longoria Hows your OPS? RT @KCPayne26: @Evan3Longoria Another hitless day, sporting a career-low .787 OPS and you're boozing it
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JustinJSteiner Justin Steiner
Best zing ever @Evan3Longoria "what's your OPS?" to @KCPayne26..@Evan3Longoria is the best third baseman in the game it's science @MikeEfff
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djfakey Jonathan Nguyen
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@KCPayne26@Evan3Longoria yeah maybe .231 against your preschoolers' pitching. It's easy to be a critic on the couch.
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HuskerDave8 Dave Grandt
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@Evan3Longoria@KCPayne26 I have the feeling that must of the guys who bash u on here. More than likely didn't play higher than JV baseball
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DurdenCounty Durden
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Nice! RT Hows your OPS? #YDYJIDMRT@KCPayne26: @Evan3Longoria Another hitless day, sporting a career-low .787 OPS and you're boozing it up.
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Itzdmyers David Myers
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DCBlueStar ★DC Blue Star★
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DCBlueStar ★DC Blue Star★
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ears4you Ben Lazar
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curtab7 Curt Abercrombie
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ears4you Ben Lazar
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@apatter4@evan3longoria@kcpayne26 I'm sure he's a rays fan too. I just hate when people mix off field w onfield actions.
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nickgagliano nicky gagliano
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@KCPayne26 easy to criticize others from your couch ...I should come to your work and give u a review ..#showsomerespect
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manderella13 mandiface ♥
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apatter4 Anthony Patterson
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@ears4you@Evan3Longoria@KCPayne26 Wow didnt know me being a Rays fan had anything to do w/ sone idiot talking abt Evan.
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JBo|UNDER|87 Jason Scott
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@Evan3Longoria@KCPayne26 no wonder the wants leave here.. no one shows up to games but we get mad when he doesn't sho.That seems right? NOT
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NicholasNoyen Nicholas Noyen
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laurennrene Lauren Rene
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Guertez Gerry Geurts
@KCPayne26 It's people like you who are causing players to quit Twitter.... Matt Laporta, Gordon Beckham considered it. Grow up!
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RCorySmith Cory Smith
#shotsfired Hows your OPS? #YDYJIDMRT@KCPayne26: @Evan3Longoria Another hitless day sporting a career-low .787 OPS and you're boozing it up
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ears4you Ben Lazar
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@Evan3Longoria@kcpayne26 I'll give Evan a break here. Tampa fans are the worst. Your fans couldn't sell out an alcs game for goshsakes #ugh
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Guertez Gerry Geurts
@KCPayne26 Don't be such a dick. Players like @Evan3Longoria open their personal lives up, do you think he doesn't deserve some downtime?
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xLindsay46 Lindsay
Ha RT @Evan3Longoria: Hows your OPS? @KCPayne26: @Evan3Longoria Another hitless day, sporting a career-low .787 OPS and you're boozing it up
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AuroraJays4 Peter G
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Hows your OPS? #YDYJIDMRT@KCPayne26: @Evan3Longoria Another hitless day, sporting a career-low .787 OPS and you're boozing it up.
Other than AuroraJays4 Peter G I was slammed.
First off, I like Evan Longoria. He seems like a nice guy. Why he's sipping wines in Seattle rather than waiting until the offseason when he can schedule Napa is beyond me. And if Evan wants to come to the Finger Lakes and do the holiday trail, I'll buy his ticket and hotel room, next to me. That probably holds no value unless I email him a pic of my wife. It could happen after that.
I was blasted in the comments in case you didn't read them. First – the preschool comments were about my workings as an OT – an occupational therapist. You can look online on the New York State site and see I'm registered as an Occupational Therapist and am in good standing as an OT in Buffalo (and have been for six years). Therefore I know Evan wouldn't do this but to the peeps that questioned me, the parents of the kids I work with love me. I work with developmentally disabled preschoolers in Buffalo and love what I do; there are no red marks against me. Sports-wise? I've scored 30 goals playing division-three soccer (yes, that sucks) but my next youngest brother was inducted into Fredonia State's HOF as an All-American and my youngest brother tapped out a guy against UMASS as a breast-stroker at St. Bonaventure to win a A-10 championship. I never drank before a game and neither did my brothers. The night of the game, that's a different story. But why you're drinking with a game the next day is puzzling, especially if you're sampling. That typically implies you're not having just one drink. Hence my calling-out of Mr. Longoria.
Am I a part-time fantasy writer? I love fantasy sports and it's an addiction that's not about to stop. Unfortunately for the haters, I'll probably have a column in year-round sports respect for quite some time. Onto me.
As for me, I take the summers off to spend with my family, blah, blah, blah. Those brothers have a constant invite to the Payne compound and we have too much fun if you're in Buffalo. We head to Toys "R" Us and Uncle Kevin has an open checkbook.
At the end of the day, I work in Buffalo. I write for Rotowire.com. You can look up my license. It wouldn't be tough to find my address (beware my Beagle!)
I'm a Yankees fan. I still like and respect Evan Longoria. I just hope he takes his job more seriously. He has from October until March to drink and explore this great country. And yes, I'm still a fan of him. I've seen too many of his home runs fall just short when watching him this season.
Evan – you've got 60-plus games, let's see what you can do my friend. Prove me wrong.