[4/9/24] #49 - It's Not For Everyone
By Eddie Walls
[4/9/24] It's Not For Everyone
That was the last thing Mike Ras said before we hung up after I was offered a position with RAS for College football.
It didn't take long for me to jump on the offer. Maybe a day, maybe a hour but it was a celebratory moment for me.
Let's be clear. I thought of RAS as joining the Yankees and being called up from the AAA.
My suspicion was quickly verified right away. I remember working from February to August (same as always) on college football in my notebook and the first few calls were with just Jeff and Mike.
In the past partnerships I would explain what teams I liked and how I viewed them as a over/under or a back/fade team and the other (singular) person would say, I haven't really dug in yet.
It would be 2 weeks before week one and I would befuddled at how I was going to carry us.
That's basically the opposite of working with RAS. We have phone calls in June where I will be telling the group (5 or 6 of us on a call) and everyone has something to offer.
The group has guys working around the clock offering information about teams to the decision makers so I basically have to outwork those guys (diggers of info) and the Mikes, (Craig and Ras) Jeff, Travis and Ed who will make the final decision on what gets released.
While the world who is on vacation in July I'm rereading my notes on the smallest to the biggest schools and starting to form numbers knowing that I'm not alone, which is how a great group works.
We have a weekly call in the off-season going over every team from every conference.
I'll have access to the diggers so if there is someone who has a different opinion or information I'll be able to find out the why or what.
The biggest difference in working with RAS and different groups I have worked with or work with in NBA theres a constant communication Sunday through Saturday off-season to game day.
Also we are rooting for each other like no other team I've worked with. Close wins are celebrated on slack and congratulatory conversations are had and losses are met with feedback and more of what did we miss than doom and gloom.
The season... Here's what happens so I can give you a look of behind the curtain of just my experience.
We start every work week at 9 am Sunday. There's no time to review what happened last night or the past week.
I make my initial numbers for lets say week 5 on Wednesday off the top of my head numbers.
Thursday I'll refer to my base total and power number to get a real number and Saturday night after I grade the weeks results I'll tweak and remake a number off of what just transpired on Thursday to Saturday. I'll combine all three numbers for a final number that's ready for Sunday.
The first phone call of the week the entire group goes through the entire card and I give my number, a person will give their number and another person will give their number. A stronger consensus number is now in place. This call is a hour long on average going over all 50 games.
I'll then record every box score by hand and review anything that was crucial or also a one off. I want to make sure my strength and weakness charts for each team are adding up.
I get ready to bet Sunday night. I'll have around 20 plays between sides and totals ready to go before out the door Monday morning.
Chan who does all my betting is at the house at 8 am with laptop, phone, money carrier fanny pack and a notepad. Off she goes.
Second phone call is what I'm betting. Does anyone disagree with this play and if so why? Many times while we are on this call the releases are out to the clients or they've already received.
Many times injury reports will be hitting the wire will start pouring in and I have to pivot and text chan while the entire RAS team waits presumably pissed but they never make sure I know.
Another tidbit. I never have any idea what's going to be released or not. I root for my plays to make the finish line but I can't begin to tell you how many times a game that wasn't even on my radar gets released and I think how in the hell did I miss that? Those plays win far more than I can take credit for.
Tuesday morning I'll dm everyone in the group personally and ask if there's anything that they really love and give them notes on games I still have leans on.
I want to be a spring board but also use DM as I don't want to force opinions and vice versa. If someone wants a day off they can take it and turn off dms.
Wednesday I'll make my final push on this card. I'll review for the 5th to 10th time and see what I'm missing and what others liked. Releases are done by now and CLV is secured for clients. Ill grade my confidence level in each bet and see if I can extend more money to the best and occasionally take some money off of a bet, rarely happens... Let it ride!
I begin to make numbers for the next week that night. Receiving and sending more possible info on many games on the current card will take place Thursday-Sat.
I also try to make sure to compliment others in the group on any read on the current weeks slate that I wouldn't have seen without them.
Thursdays begin and it's sweat city for 72 hours straight. There's pressure for sure. I never want to let the group down.
I really want the service to thrive. If being transparent if that service didn't do well the year I bought it and pestered Ed with questions I'm not sure what my life would be like today.
Every year since I've been with RAS I feel we have gotten stronger and closer as a group. We do get into silly arguments over LSU overs and how good is KSU from time to time but all in all it's easily the best group experience I have had but there is definitely pressure to win and perform... It's not for everyone but I can gladly say it's for me.
Thank you for the space. Your friend, Eddie