'What's That Guy Been Up To?' with Adam Duffy

Fourteen years have passed since we first sat at Snow Hall and learned the 1st Battalion of the 158th Field Artillery regiment was being called up for service in Iraq. A lot has changed during that time, so let's take some time to catch up, this time with Hangovers manager Adam F. Duffy.

Are you still in the 158? If, not when did you get out?

DUFFY: No. I moved to Wisconsin in January 2012. I transferred to the Wisconsin National Guard and spent some time initially in a Public Affairs unit, only to transfer and re-class again in 2015. I’m now in a Transportation Company as an 88M.

What did you do post-deployment?

DUFFY: In Iraq, I got sick and was ultimately diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. This caused me to miss the subsequent deployments with the 158. I did manage to stay in the Guard, as I mentioned. I divorced, moved to Wisconsin, married Cliburn's wife's best friend, had two more children, and now work for a transportation company based out of Mondovi, Wisconsin. My wife’s parents and grandmother ended up moving here to God’s Country also, so we pooled our resources and bought a big house south of Eau Claire. That’s it in a nutshell, although there was certainly a lot more that’s happened since the deployment.

Where are your from and how did you make it into the 158?

DUFFY: My parents are from Eau Claire, Wisconsin. My dad was active-duty, so I grew up in Lawton. We always called Wisconsin “home” though. It was only a matter of time before I ended up moving back; however, to finance school, I joined the Oklahoma Army National Guard. My dad was an enlisted artilleryman, so the 158 was the natural landing spot to begin my military career. I picked 13P for the enlistment bonus and G.I. Bill kicker. I ended up loving the MOS. I miss it. I don’t miss Oklahoma at all, but there’s a long list of people I miss, and the 158 was where I got to know many of them.

What are your hobbies outside of FF?

DUFFY: I play guitar and banjo and spend a lot of time doing yard beautification, talking politics, and listening to NPR.

What is your fantasy background? How long have you played FF? How many different leagues? 

DUFFY: The OIL was my first fantasy football exposure. It was not, however, my first league. The OIL had already drafted, and I missed the boat that first season. I heard Cliburn talking about it, and I became interested. Hillier heard one of these conversations and invited me to play in his shitty league. It sucked; I sucked . . . man, it was bad. I eventually got in the OIL, and I still sucked. I just didn’t understand how a team could be good without any Packers. After talking shop with Cliburn at work, and doing the Dead Ball Foul Show podcast with Cliburn and Josh Hastings, I graduated to a better level of understanding. I dabbled in some public leagues, but the OIL platform was always superior. When I moved to Wisconsin, I got into some good leagues with different scoring systems and auction drafts, and I started playing fantasy baseball (which I actually like better than fantasy football I think). So, to answer the question, I've played 13 seasons now over several different leagues.

How many championships have you won? How many have you finished second in?

DUFFY: I have nothing to brag about as far as the OIL goes, but I’ve won three championships and came in second a couple times in my other leagues. My other leagues are all money leagues, and I’ve won over $3,000 since I moved here.

What is your general strategy in FF?

DUFFY: I’ve tried multiple strategies. In our league, I think I like to go hard at WR first. Take best-available in middle rounds, and try to scoop up sleepers and handcuffs toward the end. I should mention that even though I go into every draft with a strategy, I usually abandon it at some point. That’s probably why I suck every year.

How much preparation do you do before each season? 

DUFFY: Usually around August 1st, I stop listening to NPR and only listen to sports radio and fantasy podcasts. I mock draft so much I can almost predict every pick through the sixth and seventh round. It seems pointless though since the guys in our league have their own agenda, which is different than what the mock drafts say will happen. 

Do you find you draft better with the guys or at home online?

DUFFY: At home. I drink too much with the guys. It’s really hard for me to make it to the drafts in Oklahoma anyway.

Will you be at the draft cabin next year?

DUFFY: I hope so, but I won’t know until this summer.

What is the best move you've made in FF? 

DUFFY: Nothing spectacular comes to mind. My overall record reflects that.

What is your favorite FF memory? What is the pinnacle of your FF career?

DUFFY: 2015. The reunion; the draft at AT&T Stadium; the Yahoo story . . . that was a special year. I will also never forgive ESPN for causing me to cut Michael Vick in 2010 and propel Cliburn to greatness.