The state of the blog
by James Mirtle on Jan 13, 2010 8:00 AM CST
97 comments
Bit of a tough post to write.
What's been funny the past few weeks is that, when I talk to people about the work I'm doing covering the Leafs, one of the questions I often get is: "What about the blog?"
Truth is, I don't know – not yet anyway. What I do know is that the role I'm in at the paper is exactly the sort of job so many sportswriters in this country dream of, and it's going to be incredibly challenging, interesting and (hopefully) rewarding all at once.
What it likely won't do is leave me with oodles of time to weigh in here every day.
It's a bit sad to think that after more than five years of posting on my two silly sites, this could be the end (or the near end), but whatever happens, I'll still be blogging whenever I can. The Globe, for one, is going to be building up its sites, and I'll be helping in that regard, posting at Globe on Hockey (or potentially another site, if that's the way they go).
I'll also be writing on the Leafs (and the teams they play) at globesports.com, which has a terrific new editor in Darren Yourk and is improving all the time.
This isn't quite goodbye because, like I said, that's all yet to be determined. There's talk at SBN that there may be new voices writing here, and I definitely still encourage people to chime in on the FanPosts and FanShots to fill the void.
And, you never know, maybe at some point, I'm back to stay.
Speaking of SBN, I owe Tyler and Jim major thanks for being so understanding as I stepped away first from the manager's role here and now at least in part from the blog. It's hard not to be proud of honours like this and be grateful that so many talented people signed on to build something great on this network.
You know, I moved out to Toronto seven years ago hoping to one day get a chance to cover the NHL, and now that chance is here. And I don't think there's any way it would have happened without this site and all its success.
My thanks to you for that and I hope to see you over at the new digs (and on Twitter) once in a while.
Now if those Leafs could just win a few games...
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It won’t be the same without you, but best of luck! And congratulations in achieving your goal. Don’t be a stranger.
Raw Charge, an SBN Tampa Bay Lightning community. Calling shotgun in the clown car.
by Cassie McClellan on Jan 13, 2010 8:07 AM CST reply actions
Way to go!
Join me on the Hockey Blog Adventure! (or Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)
by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 13, 2010 8:49 AM CST reply actions
Well I know it’s not goodbye, but I think I speak for everyone when I say you did a stellar job putting together the NHL side of the network. I also think you’re in the perfect opportunity that, like you said, many sportswriters could even dream of. You’ll kick ass no matter what. It’d be arrogant to say I hope you return to these parts because you deserve everything you’ve worked for and I’m happy to see it’s really starting to come together on the up and up. Good luck with it all.
Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.
If you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you, its yours forever. If it doesn’t, then it was never meant to be. Wait, what are we talkin about again?
Vance
BanginPanger.com
DoubleEdgedSabres.com
Darren Pang?
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
by James Mirtle on Jan 13, 2010 10:13 AM CST up reply actions
Even if you aren’t writing on this blog, you’re still awesome James.
Space Weed Says (Insert Generic quote about blog here)
"DO NOT get stuck behind Kyle Wellwood in the buffet line. This isn't really etiquette, but it will prevent you from starving to death"- Down Goes Brown on Etiquette for Jason Spezza's wedding
by Kevin Sellathamby on Jan 13, 2010 8:57 AM CST reply actions 25 recs
Yup. Rec’d for truth.
"Grind now, shine later." - Wesley Johnson
by Afino on Jan 13, 2010 9:05 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Agreed. Let’s make it a 21 (rec) salute! Get 21 recs on there and then leave it alone.
http://sacrificethebody.blogspot.com/
Sacrifice the Body - Examining the NHL through statistical analysis, reasoned thought, and blind conjecture.
I wrecked it by making it 22.
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
by James Mirtle on Jan 13, 2010 7:12 PM CST up reply actions
Well, someone will have to UNrec it and restore its intended glory then!
Sincere congrtulations, James. Your reduced activity around here is already missed, but I guess I can accept that in the name of improving the quality of hockey beat coverage, period.
But damn you for making me read more about the Leafs.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
Wait – I have to read about the Leafs now? Wait, wait, wait…that wasn’t part of the deal. Okay. Now I’m traumatized for life. Thanks, James.
Raw Charge, an SBN Tampa Bay Lightning community. Calling shotgun in the clown car.
by Cassie McClellan on Jan 14, 2010 10:06 AM CST up reply actions
There you go.
SNN Sports - A theoretical Oilers blog (i.e. theoretically, I write stuff there). Link now 100% less broken.
Bah, someone couldn’t leave well enough alone. Fine, then I’m putting mine back!
SNN Sports - A theoretical Oilers blog (i.e. theoretically, I write stuff there). Link now 100% less broken.
I, for one, will be following you to Globe on Hockey, just make sure it isn’t too Leafs-centric! lol
Hopefully someone can either take FTR entirely, or co-write with you. But anyone who does will have some very big shoes to fill.
Congratulations on reaching your goal! The next thing you need to do is become one of the voting members for NHL awards. We need more writers/voters in the East who understand the West!
I voted for the awards last year, actually, and put all my picks up here. Check last year’s archives.
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
by James Mirtle on Jan 13, 2010 10:13 AM CST up reply actions
Just make sure not to submit your vote for the Rod Langway Award… although now that you’re in the club you can make a push for it.
Best of luck, James.
More fun than a stick to the face!
On the Forecheck is SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators.
Does that mean Duncan Keith has a chance to win the Norris?
Best of luck James as it’s been quite the enjoyment reading your blogs and talking hockey with everyone.
It's never about the eventual destination, but rather the long journey and its challenging obstacles that are presented and what it takes to overcome them, that makes the taste of success all the more worthwhile!!!
Good luck and godspeed. Of course most of us will still read your fine work at the Globe and such.
Brain: The irony of it all, Pinky. Years of trying to take over the world, and all I had to do was say "truculence".
Follow me I'm Boring!
by blindfolded tank driver on Jan 13, 2010 9:07 AM CST reply actions
Good luck James! This seems to have been a pretty eventful year for you. I’ll be reading over at Globe. Maybe you can leverage this blog and your many readers in your new position?
I’ll also be writing on the Leafs (and the teams they play) at globesports.com, which has a terrific new editor in Darren Yourk and is improving all the time.
Well, he’s clearly doing his best to suck up to the new boss, that’s for sure. It’s a multi-layered drive to the top of the G&M for Mr. Mirtle!
Good luck, James! And hopefully for your sake covering the Leafs is way more fun and interesting than watching their games on TV!
Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.
just curious
is getting the Leafs gig a reward or a punishment?
by garth the hoser on Jan 13, 2010 10:02 AM CST reply actions
Too funny. :-)
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
by James Mirtle on Jan 13, 2010 10:14 AM CST up reply actions
Better than my faculty gig
Even I can’t get mid-April through September off every year. :)
Congrats James, you deserve it. This is only one of the two hockey blogs I read religiously (the other is Wyshys because he pisses me off so much but is still entertaining, kinda like a hockey version of Jim Rome with a cigar stuck in his squawk hole).
We’ll miss ‘round these here parts but don’t be a stranger! Make sure you stop on by MHH to either dish up some crow or help yourself to some come March!
Good luck & best wishes!
"I think you should win if you have a two-goal lead. When you stop playing and stop working hard, that's when the other team is going to be all over you the whole time." - Peter Forsberg
congrats!!!
It sounds wonderful! Nothing better than hearing about a dream coming true! Best of luck to you.
dee
www.7thwoman.blogspot.com Updated almost as often as PointBlank, but not quite.
You'll be missed
from my anonymous corner of Halifax … and by others everywhere else, naturally. Thanks for your generous time, James, and for the consistently stellar blog. The breadth of coverage and the quality of it never waned, not once.
www.mjt.org
Godspeed, good sir.
It will not be the same, but you did a hell of a job expanding the hockey blogosphere, especially here on SBN. May you enjoy and take advantage of your current opportunities.
Great job, James. You made this blog a daily must-read. You will be missed. Good luck at the Globe.
Btw – JR isn’t crying in that photo… it’s just raining on his face.
I second every bit of that sentiment.
I have a blog too! www.scottyhockey.com
Let's Go Rangers!
by Scotty Hockey on Jan 13, 2010 1:45 PM CST up reply actions
Mirtle, you are such a Richard
Sell out!
How dare you!
Wait, you get paid to watch and talk about hockey?
Nevermind.
Proprietor of Hockey Wilderness - We take Minnesota hockey WAY too seriously.
shouldn't it be the Province of the blog?
Good luck James.
The New Improved Avalanche. Now with Real Coaches!
Jibblescribbits: C'mon over and waste some time
by Jibblescribbits on Jan 13, 2010 12:44 PM CST reply actions
This blog always did seem too good to be true. I certainly won’t begrudge you your success, James, but I will have to start reading Globe On Hockey now.
I fear for your comment section, though…
I've been looking at the sky
Maybe he can bring PPP and Saskhab over to help keep people in line. ;)
SNN Sports - A theoretical Oilers blog (i.e. theoretically, I write stuff there). Link now 100% less broken.
Common over and help me improve it. :-)
I’ll have to hit up Wysh for tips on how to deal w/ commenters.
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
by James Mirtle on Jan 13, 2010 8:04 PM CST up reply actions
From the Wysh's mouth
“Ignore them”
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Probably the answer given half them hate me already.
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
by James Mirtle on Jan 13, 2010 10:25 PM CST up reply actions
always the right answer with Yahoo commenters (present company excepted).
Honk if you love Justice!
"I'm betting that I'm just abnormal enough to survive. "
:-( Mirtleblog is how I discovered the wonder that is the NHL blogosphere, and how I finally became enlightened and was able to ditch awful ESPN and other mainstream sports media entirely. Congrats on moving forward professionally, you’ve certainly earned it; I just wish it wasn’t coming at the price of my favorite reading material. Best of luck out there.
http://sacrificethebody.blogspot.com/
Sacrifice the Body - Examining the NHL through statistical analysis, reasoned thought, and blind conjecture.
Same here. The links on the side of Mirtle’s old blog was how I found Battle of California and other hockey blogs.
Congratulations and good luck. You’ll be missed, James.
Same here, I had no idea what was out there until discovering Blogspot and James.
The population of Pominville keeps rising!
by Blackcapricorn on Jan 14, 2010 1:38 PM CST up reply actions
Honestly though,
would the Leafs be any fun to cover if they actually won games?
James, as sad as I am to see this blog (possibly) go after years of following it – I am so glad to have you assigned to cover the Leafs. Finally, someone I trust covering the team.
"The only way out is in a body bag. Go Leafs Go." - Blinky
by Karina on Jan 13, 2010 1:41 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
THIS IS TERRIBLE NEWS
For us.
Great news for you and well deserved. Please don’t become bitter like the mittenstringers. This immediately improves coverage of the team.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
by PPP on Jan 13, 2010 1:59 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
Don't worry James
Just cuddle up with Burke at his Dog House and all will be fine. You’re doing the hockey gods’ work. Those of us still stuck in mom’s basement eating Cheese Doodles for breakfast are jealous.
Thanks James,
You’ve done a fantastic job.
Fear the Fin: Sharing Joe Thornton's love of wooly mammoths since 2009.
Congrats Mr. Mirtle, live the dream for the rest of us.
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
Sucks Awesome
Hopefully the Globe will still let you write your great pieces from time to time non-leafs related.
Stay Gold Pony Boy…Stay Gold!
Congrats James, I’ve been reading since the blogspot days. Wish you all the luck!
PuckingHilarious.com - funny hockey apparel for hard core puck heads.
A toast.
The old blogspot days were almost like a new band recording their record in a barn. Then you signed with a small label like SBN, who expanded your audience. Now, you’ve got the gig you always wanted to play and the reach people dream of. Keep it going, and we could see your name in Hall with distinction as one of the original bloggers.
You’ve done this blog thing with class and integrity. Looking at issues that matter to the league and the sport.
To the best blogger in the country, and to paving the way for new media/journalism.
All the best and good luck.
Based on that analogy, just make sure the stuff at the Globe is more “Joshua Tree” than “Zooropa” and you’ll be fine.
Only kidding; congratulations on the move, James. Globe’s gain=our loss. Best of luck.
jrwendelman
The Artist Formerly Known as "Junior", who blogs at heroesinrehab.ca/blog
"But if someone so eager to engage into fist talk, we can always meet after season end in Minsk." (Mikhail Grabovski and a well-meaning but not particularly skillful translator)
Congrats James. It’s a well deserved hono(u)r, to be sure, and there’s no man better for the job. You still deserve better than the Leafs, though.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t give as much thanks as possible for allowing me to join SBN as a novice in the blogosphere, giving me the opportunity to build a site essentially from the ground up. For that reason I’m truly indebted to you.
With that said, enjoy that Flyers win tomorrow night.
Broad Street Hockey - SB Nation's Philadelphia Flyers Blog. Makin' it look mean since 1967.
Congratulations James. Thank you for raising the bar of hockey and sports blogging; as well as showing many that a reporter cannot only blog, but embrace it and actually be active with those who read and comment on it. You even went further than that, managing an entire sport for a network and filling it with a varied set of voices and perspective for each team. I personally thank you for reaching out to me way back before the season in 2008 and convinced me to continue ILWT among many others here.
Good luck with the new endeavor and I hope you enjoy the Rock in New Jersey when you come see the Leafs lose to the Devils.
Devils in my heart! Devils in my mind! Devils in my eyes! Devils until I die!
In Lou We Trust - The Devils SBN Blog
by John Fischer on Jan 13, 2010 4:43 PM CST reply actions 2 recs
Both sad and happy
Big congrats for realizing your dream! (Now nobody is going to accuse of being a Canuck fan) I started reading your blog during the lockout and I can’t stop checking it out ever since.
say it aint so
jeez. i feel like a drug addict that is taking his last hit, knowing that this is the last high. James, you’re taking away something i’ve been addicted to for so long! I still have some muscle memory left in me that opens up firefox and automatically starts typing mirtle.blogspot… Good luck, Sir James.
Please be sure to use this site as a place to link us to everything you’re writing.
Good luck
Good job on the career success. You should find some way to keep this alive though, even if it is just your twitter comments or something… There is always summertime too.
Aww, this sucks.
James, I used to point to this blog as proof that the demise of the newspaper industry wouldn’t result in a diminution of the quality of public discourse. The internet provides people who care about something with a platform to say it. This is particularly true for hockey, I thought – main stream media just has too many conflicts of interest to report objectively and critically on many subjects, and hockey is one of those subjects. You’re on the Leafs beat now – will you be able to take hard but fair shots at Burke and Wilson? I trust you to do so, but I don’t trust those two not to freeze you out and otherwise make your professional life suffer.
I also love your commitment to the numbers, and looking deeply at the stats. I share your belief that they are under-utilized by NHL teams (but also are not a replacement for eyes on the ice). Newspapers are horrible at publishing these kinds of stories (although the Globe is better than most papers at publishing them – loved Johnson’s pieces). Hope you keep pushing them through, and I saw you had a nice piece a few days back along these analytic lines. Keep it up!).
Thanks for many, many good reads, great insights, and intelligent discussions about the sport I love.
Congratulations on the promotion at the Globe – someone over there has made a smart move.
PS – Sorry for giving you a hard time for your piece on Ovie’s incredible season, which you happened to publish on the same day as Alfredsson took over the scoring lead!
Come back and visit, from time to time. All the best in your new job – don’t let the cynicism get to you!!!
"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."
Albert Einstein
by Say *plan the parade one more time*... on Jan 14, 2010 3:20 PM CST reply actions
But what about my separation anxiety disorder?
The switch from blogger was hard enough.
FTR is the most perspicacious hockey blog on the net. Whoever takes over, I can’t help thinking he won’t quite be able to fill your shoes, James.
Best of luck.
by turnituptoeleven on Jan 14, 2010 6:41 PM CST reply actions
We owe you a beer
a smile and much more for building us such a great hockey network, James. I know I’ll be in touch with you all the time, but your insight here will be sorely missed.
Thanks, man. For everything.
by Tyler Bleszinski on Jan 15, 2010 12:15 AM CST reply actions
man
this sucks. how am i supposed to fall asleep without reading an update? Or wake up without a fresh one waiting for me? Is life even worth living now?
You’ve already beaten them, so I guess it was time to join them eh? Good luck in the newspaper world, James.
PS: what will become of the Rod Langway award?
PPS: you have some strange-looking colleagues at the Globe.
by Passive Voice on Jan 15, 2010 4:56 AM CST up reply actions
All of my posts like that will likely resurface at The Globe blog.
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
by James Mirtle on Jan 15, 2010 11:38 AM CST up reply actions
If this is your dream, Dr. Mirtle, then so be it. Personally, I think you are joining a print media in it’s death throes, but what do I know. Good luck to you, sir, and we’ll see you on the high ground.
hooah
Let’s just say I haven’t been offered a lot of blogging jobs.
Down the line, my job probably looks more like what I did on this site; for now, the newspapers are still a major part of the equation. Look at how vital beat writers are in U.S. cities.
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
by James Mirtle on Jan 15, 2010 11:39 AM CST up reply actions
You might want to update your sidebar on the way out, if you’re now officially a Leafs beat writer.
SNN Sports - A theoretical Oilers blog (i.e. theoretically, I write stuff there). Link now 100% less broken.
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