OTHER SPORTS with Mike Hook

What's up friends?

First off, i got crushed yesterday with a capital CRUSHED. Volleyball, whether indoors or on the sand was absolutely brutal. But that's not why i'm writing this.

I am writing this for the simple fact that i want the record set straight. I wear my heart on my sleeve. With that comes a passionate guy who works his ass off, but at the same time can come off as a bit of a negative. This has been proofed many times by all of my family. I've stated many times how both sides of my family follow my work closely.

Anyways, it's time for me to stop posting OTHER SPORTS. Why now? Simple. After yesterday my YTD will be in the NEGATIVE, which means it's perfect to stop now. I will include whatever result today's other sports contains as well, and that's it.

There are many reasons why i'm quitting with posting other sports.

1. For the last few years i was told that i would be SELLING other sports. I know Pregame has alot going on, and i think the new pregame radio is top freakin notch. I also know with football starting, that any more work on my other sports package simply isn't going to happen.

2. I'm tired of the negativity. This literally could be #1 and trump every other reasoning. For 5 years here i've given away 99.999% of all my OTHER SPORTS plays for free. This year, more than any other, i've had a tremendous amount of negativity attached with it. Yet again, i know why. It's because i kept OTHER SPORTS in my YTD record. After being asked too for a few years, i finally relented and did so. One of the reasons i did so was because of my belief that an OTHER SPORTS package was literally right around the corner.

By putting out OTHER SPORTS in the fashion i do now, i actually work harder to post in the places necessary for people and clients to get them than i do a regular play. I know that gets old for me, and most importantly, i know of followers and clients that are simply tired of it too. They simply want to pay for the picks, and move on. But we don't have that yet here. I'm a forward thinker. Every play i put out is a premium play. Every single play, PERIOD. I don't group my plays into 1,2, or 3 unit ratings or different names. A play is a play, and they all count, PERIOD. All of us that sell at pregame have our own brand and own way of doing things. That's awesome, because we are all different from each other. But quite simply, i'm tired of seeing and being told that i'm "chasing units" That's a crock, and couldn't be further from the truth.

3. Lately i've integrated TENNIS into my OTHER SPORTS portfolio. I reached out to who i consider to be the best tennis bettor there is. I PAID HIM to see his work and learn more from who i think is the best out there. I did this because i want ANY potential OTHER SPORTS PACKAGE subscriber to have all the VALUE possible with his purchase. I paid this guy, who chooses to remain nameless, because i was told i was "2" weeks away from an OTHER SPORTS PACKAGE.

4. My work on the DRAFTS. I've done quite a few of them over the years. As much as i've dominated, and as close as Pregame now is with ESPN (brilliant work by RJ and company by the way) there simply is NO REASON for Mel Kiper, Todd McShay, and Jay Bilas NOT TO KNOW who i am. Why not? Because i've beat their ass every single time there's been a draft.

5. We recently added CFL to the list of sports we can sell. I realize a MAJOR reason for that is because of the ROTATION number they have. I don't know everything about computers, but i do know how to test the marketplace. CFL is great, and i'm happy it's available to sell, and i know my clients and i have made some solid money together. Point being, if CFL is now considered a PREMIUM SPORT, there's no reason TENNIS, GOLF, MMA, etc. shouldn't be sold. The bottom line is this: There is a WANT for this. This just isn't me making up some crap.

6. NEGATIVITY. Yeah, i had to say it one more time. I'm tired of what i see, hear, and am told. I'm over it, and it's just not worth it to me anymore to post it. I was branded the name HOOKAPEDIA by RJ. I agreed to it, because i really do have a wealth of knowledge in so many different sports. But everyone has a breaking point, especially when they see negativity from people that simply don't know the whole story. Especially from people that they respect.

Thanks to all of those that read my thoughts. CFB is literally weeks away, and it's my favorite sport. I'm more than ready to go. I'm also ready for the NFL, as i'm going to be in the HILTON CONTEST this year. Can't wait. Once football does start, specifically CFB, i can't wait to share my knowledge on PREGAME RADIO. It's a first class show, and i happen to love the way it sounds as well.