Sports Frog

...to this, but I've got a pilonidal cyst on my ass that may or may not have developed from overexposure to a mattress spring that has been poking me while I sit here in my mom's basement.

I was directed to those comments by Firejoemorgan.com, a ridiculously good site that you should be reading right now instead of this one. Let me know when you get back.

Now, Junior has said pretty much everything I would say if he hadn't already said it. One point I would add is this: most mainstream sportswriters are no longer the best at showing insight to the world of sports. I'm sorry about that use of high-level punctuation back there, Reills, but I was assured by my editors that a colon was acceptable in that instance.

The fact is that -- yes, I understand the paradox of a blogger writing this -- that I would rather read blogs such as FJM for clever, coherent writing than many mainstream outlets. Hell, I don't even like newspapers!

You want irony? Follow this:

1) a guy writes that he is concerned about this "new journalism" that he might have to learn
2) same guy is the main reason that one of these "new journalism" proponents (read: me) canceled his subscription to an "old journalism" magazine (read: SI)

That's not really my point. (Fuck. I buried my lede. I'll never make it as a journalist.) Reilly asks in that link: "Why are they writing?" and I answer thusly:

I write because I enjoy it; it makes me happy to have an outlet. I don't do it for a paycheck or for any glory. Would I take it if said money or glory came my way? You're damn right I would.

I write because I am never so happy as when I am putting words on a piece of paper or in a tiny little Movable Type box.

I write for me, not for anyone else, though I am happy when people like things I write. I don't write sappy, preachy, pieces that foist how I feel upon others with the intent of making them feel the same way. I'm not better than anyone out there reading this just because I asked the guys that run this place if I could join them a few years back. I'm also not worse than a lot of guys with jobs at newspapers.

It comes down to chances. My chances led me in a different direction; that direction gave me a degree and a decent paycheck with which to pay my bills. What that direction didn't do was sate my thirst for writing. Nothing will. Ever. That's why I write. Maybe if Rick Reilly remembered that was why he started he'd understand why Joe Blogger does what he does.