Tuesday 22 March 2011

Happy Birthday Blog


This blog has now been running for three years, with a total of 1,003 posts before today. Not all have been hugely interesting admittedly, but the other 1,000 have been...

There're not too many of us who have been around for three years in blog world, but my first two commenters are still around - Graeme Dand, who courtesy of The Portfolio Investor and the comments section is alive and well and doing very nicely right now:

And finally, what news of Graeme Dand - The Football Analyst - who was tantalisingly close to the jackpot in the 'Racing Post's' Cheltenham Festival competition? Well, the lad done good, as they say. Just not quite good enough! (but darned good all the same). He finished second, just five points off the winner. Gutted for him to be honest but he wins a decent sum for his efforts. If you're reading this Graeme, hard luck, mate - now get back to work with those footie systems and whatever it is you've won, dare you to stick it all on the next System 8-22 selection. You know it makes sense.
The second comment I received was from Mark Iverson, who still blogs and three years ago wrote:
It's nice to see a new blog out there.

I'll be interested to see if your writing style changes over the next 12 months as it's not as easy as it looks (at least to me anyway!)
It's not for me to judge whether my writing style changed in the first 12 months, or even in the first 36 months, but if pressed, I wouldn't say it has. I've certainly had more positive feedback than I have negative over the years, and being thick-skinned, or just thick, helps.

Has writing a blog helped my discipline as some people seem to find writing a blog does? No - absolutely not. Pre-blog, I had 5 losing months in 31. Post-blog, 6 in 36 (barring a disaster in the next few days), but it's not just that. Since the majority of my profits come from trading in-play, the last thing on my mind in the heat of the moment is my blog, and besides, discipline is not a concern anyway. At the end of the day, if you're the sort of person who has problems with discipline, you're unlikely to honestly report all your bets anyway.

And so a fourth year begins with no plans for anything too different. I'll continue with a mix of topics that for the most part have something to do with trading and betting, and which seem to be reasonably well received. The total hits should reach a quarter of a million in about three months. Not too shabby.

Just to make sure you all come back, in the next post, I'll have a strategy for the final part of the football season that showed an ROI in excess of 15% last season in the EPL.

9 comments:

TO said...

Well done, Cassini. Most blogs disappear very quickly but you are one of few to have stamina. I will get to my 1000th post in the next few months - so there are a few of us dinosaurs...lol. Your blog is a great read. Keep up the good work.

Regards,
Jason

Mark Iverson said...

Fair play Cassini - I didn't think you'd last this long! ;-)

Still a great blog after 3 years and I wonder how you manage it with a proper job as well.

All the best,

Mark

Graeme Dand said...

Hi Cassini.

Been a while since I commented on here mate. I can honestly say though that I've read every one of your posts since your blog's inception and I'm not sure too many of your readers can say that on here!

I'm guessing you maybe haven't made the link to the fact I'm back blogging again although to be honest, I'd be lying if I said my new blog was an interesting read. You'd be interested in it simply due to the fact it is looking at football ratings and systems I've developed last season and which I'm proofing this season. I'm not sure too many others would find it interesting though! I'd be interested in any initial thoughts you have on what I'm doing although I appreciate that the blog takes a big of reading to get up to speed on things.

Only you will know this and I'm not sure if you will remember it but I did send you a lot of football spreadsheets 3 years ago when I first contacted you via the blog. I had previously looked at doing something on the footie but it was very time consuming I found and for this reason, I decided to stick to the horseracing!

After running a successful horseracing tipping service for 12 months, I found that too took up far too much of my time for the returns I was making. The service ended at the end of 2009 and in January 2010, I set about trying to develop my own football ratings again. 15 months on and over 6 months proofed results this season, I appear to have something that works quite well I think. Just a case of refining it and deciding how I can use what I've done to maximise my returns.

Anyway, happy birthday to the blog and good luck for the next 3 years. I look forward to reading.

Graeme

PS. I couldn't be cheeky and ask for a link to my blog could I? http://the-football-analyst.blogspot.com/

Mark said...

Hi Cassini

Well Done for keeping the blog going for the last 3 years.

As a relatively new blogger (and one that burn't out after 3 months before) I look to blogs such as yours and Mark Iversons as the benchmark for what can be achieved.

I think I have found the secret to your stamina though. I'm sure I read somewhere on one of your posts that you were a long distance runner(jogger). I am sure that having the discipline to go out and run most days must help to bolster you discipline to stick with it with the blogging, also if I was a betting man ;-) I would bet good money that most of your good post ideas are formed whilst out on a run!

Anyway happy birthday green all over.

Mark

Anonymous said...

Happy 3rd Birthday matey. Keep up the good work.

Unknown said...

Well Done and congratulations on posting informing and interesting reads for 3 years!

geoffm said...

"Happy birthday"! - One of the first blogs I read in a morning and shows that its possible to keep an interesting blog updated without it becoming a p and l.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Started reading only a few weeks back, but have to admit I am thoroughly interested and impressed. Keeping fingers crossed for at least another 3 years.

All the best.