Ask Your Fantasy Football Expert: Clint Chugg

"Denver is asking for a 2nd round pick for Kyle Orton, but will likely only get a 3rd round pick and some shaving cream and a razor since Tebow will use that stuff and Orton won't."

Find previous Ask Your Fantasy Football Expert interviews.

His name is Clint Chugg and he means business. One site is not enough to contain this ball of fantasy football energy. He runs his own site, You Heard It Here First, and writes for Razzball's fantasy football section. He also makes a mean fried calamari. OK, I made that part up. He doesn't do that because he's too focused on football.

All fantasy writers name-dropped will get a link to their Twitter feed. We'll keep with the theme of my questions/comments in Titan blue and Clint's in black.

How did you get into fantasy football writing?

While in prison writing to my mistresses, I really developed a knack for writing about fantasy, if you know what I mean. And I think you do. Once I got out, I decided to incorporate football in with my stellar fantasy writing skills and the love child was fantasy football writing.

Seriously though, I was tired of reading fantasy football stuff on the internet and losing as a result of taking their advice (thanks for nothing, Matthew Berry). If I was going to lose, it was going to be with my own advice. My wife actually talked me into starting the YHIHF blog, and the rest is history. I don’t think either one of us knew it would get as popular as it has become and I’m doing a great job of losing with my own advice so it’s working out really well.

When did you begin the glory that is YHIHF? What made you choose the acronym name?

The blog started in November of 2009. It was sort of a spur of the moment thing. The You Heard It Here First name comes from a group of work buddies. We'd always make ridiculous predictions like "Adrian Peterson will rush for 300 yards and 4 TDs against the Lions today. You heard it here first!" Our lame and nowhere close to realistic predictions were always followed by a "You heard it here first!" and we'd all get a laugh. I just had to name my blog that.

What makes your site cooler than the rest?

Well, "cooler" isn't the word I would choose, but what I think sets it apart from the others is the to-the-point analysis of it, as well as a little bit of humor (or at least what I think is funny) that we try to mix in. Nothing is worse than a not-very-entertaining writer taking 2,000 words to make one point. Over-analysis is devastating to my ADHD and really drives me nuts.

Tell me about your real-life NFL rooting interests.

I grew up in a house where my parents were die-hard Denver Broncos fans. So, naturally, I had to be an Oakland Raiders fan. I was a Raiders fan up until my mom passed in 2006. Ever since then I pull for the Broncos in her honor. She LOVED her damn Broncos.[Zach note: Hard to vote against the mom-inspired rooting interest, but two Broncos fans in a row? I'm almost missing the Steeler guys. Almost.]

Where do you live?

Utah, where there isn't a professional franchise within 500 miles. It's spectacular. Oh, and I only have one wife. Just for the record.

Tell me about your day job.

I'm a Comcast customer service representative. I work in the video and billing departments. So, if you're pissed off that your cable TV isn't working or pissed off that your promotion expired, I’m one of the guys you yell at. In other words, my job pretty much sucks and I’m looking for something else.

Do you have long-term goals with your fantasy football writing?

Not really. It’d be nice to earn a little bit of dough for all the hours I put into this stuff, but I’m not holding my breath. I just love writing about fantasy football and enjoy the hell out of playing it. I just kind of let the opportunities come as they may.

How do you deal, as an in-demand fantasy expert, with all the league requests? Do you have a limit on leagues?

I limit it to 10. I can't do more than 10 and be active. It's just too hard. That number may decline in the coming years as well. I hate turning folks down who invite me, but sometimes you just have to do what you have to do. It's nothing personal and I hope nobody ever takes it that way.

The spouse question: Does your wife/gf/sig other have any issues with your obsession?

My wife, bless her heart, is unbelievably supportive. I spend an unGodly amount of time on this stuff, and my wife doesn’t mind. The only thing that really bothers her is how frequently I check my Twitter feed. I check it a LOT. [Zach note: I can vouch for that.] I want to stay on top of all the football news. My blog is named You Heard It Here First after all, even though by the time I deliver the news you've probably heard it 479 times already. I may change it to You Heard It Here 479th.

Football or sex: which do you think of more?

Football. Seriously the amount of time I spend reading/researching/writing about football is absurd.

Tell a story about a fantasy regret. Bad trade, bad draft pick, move you thought about making but did not, something on that realm.

In 2004, I drafted Kellen Winslow in our rookie dynasty league draft. Another owner offered me Andre Johnson and Tom Brady for him. I was set at receiver and Daunte Culpepper was my QB. I turned the offer down and holy Moses do I regret that. [Zach note: I never get offers like this.]

Tell a story about a fantasy win. Great trade that worked out.

In 2006, I traded my 8th overall rookie dynasty league pick for Tom Brady (to the same owner in the previous question). He used that pick to select Chester Taylor (who was available since he wasn’t on a roster). Taylor was starting for Minnesota that year, so it seemed fair at the time, but obviously things worked out well for me in the long run.

Where are you on the usual football Sunday? Is there a man cave?

My arse is firmly planted on the couch in my living room with my eyes glued to the NFL Red Zone channel. Sometimes we have friends/family over, but now that everyone is starting families of their own, that’s becoming more and more rare.

Tell me about a hobby/interest outside of football.

I’m an avid Texas Hold ‘Em poker player. We (friends and family) have tournaments all the time. I’m also a big music buff, having gone to over 50 concerts. I also enjoy doing yard work. Go figure.

Which fantasy writers are on your must-read list?

Damn. That's a tough one. There are a lot of great writers in this industry. I read almost everything Chet Gresham writes (about fantasy football). The guy's humor is fantastic and his fantasy advice is even better. I also enjoy reading Dave Richard's stuff. Ryan Burns doesn't write about fantasy football as much, but I think he's a fantastic writer as well. I would say those three guys are the three I read the most, but I read a lot of other people's stuff. Too many to name.

Better fantasy experience: Long-term league with friends or fantasy "expert" league?

With no disrespect to the fantasy experts, I have to go with friends. It's just more fun to play with guys you grew up with. It's a brotherhood of sorts. Even if they move out of state, you can always keep in touch and have an awesome fantasy football season.

Tell me about any plugs that you'd like. Podcasts, sites that you write for, expert leagues, anything.

You Heard It Here First is the site I own and write for, and Razzball is a site I've started writing for recently. Phil Gentile of iHateJJRedick [Zach note: Never heard of him.] and I plan on doing a few podcasts in the next few weeks. Of course you can always follow me on Twitter, and YHIHF needs a lot more love on Facebook. [Zach note: Never heard of it.]

Be sure to check out YHIHF's new writers, who are Eye of the Gator and Jimmy Nall.

Thanks to Clint, more Eastwood than Howard, for answering my questions. Follow him on Twitter.

Read previous Ask Your Fantasy Football Expert interviews.

Andy Miley

Jim "Taz" Day

Chet Gresham

Bryan Fontaine

Eric Yeomans

I Hate JJ Redick

Fantasy Douche

Eric from DL Football