I Completely Blew It
Getting invited on the Dog Walk Drafts is one of the most fun things for me to do around here. I genuinely enjoy all the Chicago guys, even that frumpy hairball White Sox Dave. Despite Dave coming up short (boom, roasted) in every possible category when compared to me in life, he is a good guy and now I'm done saying nice things about him for at least a year. Overall, these guys are such a solid crew so I jump at the chance to spend time with them.
Let's take a look at the draft
Coming out of this draft, I felt like I put together a strong festival despite not having Bruce in my lineup.
Taylor Swift - arguably the biggest pop star on the planet currently and a once-in-a-generation talent. Some people hate that fanfare but it is a fact.
The Gorge - widely regarded as one of the best outdoor venues in the world. I was surprised this didn't illicit more of a reaction but now I know a lot of people have never heard of this place, which is wild.
Eric Church - one of the very few artists who puts on a 3+ hour show and it is rocking from start to finish
The Killers - they've been at the top of the game for a long time now and I think most would agree have produced some all-time bangers that will stand the test of time
Nas - an absolute ICON of the rap game. I might've shown my age here a bit as well as my East Coast bias but this was a strong pick.
Here is a peak into my strategy to understand where I screwed up though - none of the other guys are huge Springsteen fans. I didn't think he would even be on the radar of any of the other guys. I placed a high value on venue because when doing an outdoor festival I though there was Red Rocks and The Gorge and then a massive gap so I had to secure a good spot. What I see now is that I overthought things and I got too cute. When it got back to me for my second pick I should've just taken my all-time favorite musician (regardless of what Kirk says about me) Bruce. I could've taken The Gorge at 3. From there I likely get my other two picks and have a much better showing.
Coulda, shoulda, woulda. I blew it but I'll move on and I'll be back.
"I think about now. I think about tomorrow. But I don't give much thought to yesterday. Yesterday is what eats me." - Rip Wheeler