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Man, that picture right there feels like yesterday. I’m the second receding hairline on the left just in case you didn’t know. It was back in December 2006, days after the infamous New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets brawl at Madison Square Garden – my second in three seasons covering the Knicks and New Jersey Nets for HOOPSWORLD.
Three years later, I’m finally moving on.
After six years with the site and since defunct magazine, I made the decision Wednesday morning to end my working relationship with HOOPSWORLD after much pondering. For me, the journey there had run its course – from New Jersey and New York all the way to Portland.
It was time. I spoke with my wife. I prayed about it. Then I made the call.
It wasn’t an easy decision, but it was one I knew I had to make. Every offseason I take self inventory of my writing life and continuously check its heartbeat. Guess you could say I wasn’t happy with the beat lately for many reasons.
Credibility and professionalism played a part. They go a long way in my book when it comes to writing and matter far more than pageviews in a content plan. Always will. And that is the foundation in which I’ve attempted to work by since getting into this racket back in 2003. I just don’t believe those pillars are strongly practiced anymore with particular web publications. That was extremely concerning to me and weighed heavily in my recent decision to fly solo.
Again, there were other factors. That just happens to be one I couldn’t compromise any longer.
Besides, there are other writing endeavors I’ve explored the past several months and I’m truly excited about the adventures ahead. As some of you know, I’ve recently signed on with Portland Family Magazine to produce a blog (and contribute to their monthly magazine) about being a stay-at-home-dad with two little ones by day and NBA reporter by night (yes, I’ll still be covering the league and the Blazers). I’m also a contributing writer to the Northwest Examiner, which has been a great home over the past year for a monthly publication allowing me to pen some local sports history about Northwest Portland.
Many of you have also asked about the book project I’m producing with William Cornett, a professor at Portland State University, on the history of the West Coast Negro Baseball Association from 1946 (with working title). We are currently editing sample chapters with an October date set to begin discussions with literary agents in hopes of publishing before “the good Professor” turns 50. Time is ticking.
Stay tuned.
I also have a couple other freelance irons in the fire that I am extremely stoked about. Trust me, I’ll have plenty writing to keep me busy and this blog will continue to be the go-to-spot for those various ventures.
This post wouldn’t be complete without a sincere thank you to many of you; family members, readers, fellow writers and bloggers and friends from all over the place who have called, emailed, texted, or broke off comments on the blog, Facebook and Twitter. Amazing.
It made me quickly realize there is nothing like feeling appreciated for what I’ve done in this writing life over the last six plus years and the relationships I’ve forged.
I can’t end my run at HOOPSWORLD without a quick story. And there’s been so many. But this one sticks with me always because it was part of my daily life during three NBA seasons while in New York, particularly when I first started covering the New Jersey Nets – and it is a part of who I am today.
My wife and I lived in Manhattan on the Upper West Side along the Hudson River. I worked a day job in SoHo and was covering the Nets on the regular. We didn’t have a car in the city so we went everywhere by public transportation. Well, during the season I’d wake up at 6 am to take a 20 minute train ride to work and a 7-4 shift – sometimes without a lunch break. I’d change clothes at work and hop a 10 minute train ride uptown to Port Authority to catch the 5 o’clock bus over to East Rutherford, New Jersey where the Nets play. If I was early, I got a seat on the bus. If I was late, I’d have to stand for the half-hour ride with Keanu Reeves behind the wheel.
I was late a lot.
I’d make it to the arena – after hoofing it from the bus drop-off in the north forty – just in time to do an interview or two before tip-off. I’d cover the game and postgame, complete with press coach and player conferences and locker room interviews. By this time – around 11pm – the last bus into the city was departing, so I’d have to pull a Carl Lewis to catch the thing at the bus drop-off. If I was late, I’d have to catch a separate bus at a separate departure location.
I was late a lot.
Once I finally arrived back at Port Authority a half-hour later, I’d still have to take a train uptown and then walk three New York blocks (and if you’ve ever been to New York, you know how long those blocks are) to our apartment. By this time, it was around 1am….and I still had to write.
Then I’d stay up and crank out a post game story or two for the website which was required as part of the deadline.
After that, I’d crash for four hours only to wake at 6am to be at work by 7am all over again.
I did this for a full season. And I wasn’t getting paid. And the back-to-back home games were killers. And I loved every sleepless minute of it. Many nights I’d take that bus right from the arena back into Manhattan with a smile on my face knowing I’d finally found something in life I loved to do, regardless of the cost and worth and sacrifice it took to make it as a writer.
That was my purpose.
And it still is.
pic via: daylife
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I've followed your writing at HOOPSWORLD as well as here on this blog for the past few years, and quite frankly you're one of the best writers in the business. I applaud you for standing up for your credibility and professionalism in regards to certain websites; obviously that's been an issue for a long time from what I can tell from that site. I'd just like to wish you good luck for your future endeavors, I always enjoy your take, and I'd like to see you on tv a little more with the courtside boys. Perhaps go the Dwight Jaynes route and sub in on the radio once in a while? Whatever you do, I'll always be a fan. Keep up the great work.