1. I will not be doing game recaps and news recaps. Weaning myself away from daily posting will be an interesting challenge. I recommend SoSH, Full Count, and Extra Bases for breaking news and Over The Monster and Boston Sports Media Watch for news wrap-ups.
2. Game threads have been moved to Pro Boards. Several years ago, we had a discussion about moving the threads and I was persuaded to keep them here, which at that time was the correct decision. This summer, however, the nightly multi-tasking - keeping score, moderating, threading, finding out what I missed while I was threading, etc. - has not been fun, and I have felt disconnected from the flow, tension and excitement of too many games. Using a message board should mean less work during games. And while I don't like having one part of the blog at another location, the other option would be axing the game threads altogether.
If you are so inclined, go to the new JoS board and register. After I approve your membership, you'll be all set. We start with a day-night doubleheader tomorrow!
26 comments:
There are writing projects I want to pursue and, because additional hours are not being added to the day, that means cutting back on the blog.
Good luck! I hope this works out for the Joy of Sox community, but I especially hope it works out for you.
Also, I will throw in $7 to keep the new board ad-free for the remainder of August.
Bummer, but I understand. Your write-ups are the best part of the blog, particularly when I can't watch, I can quickly determine the important parts of the game that I missed. This is often not whether we won or lost, which you deemphasize over the critical plays or larger significance of a player's or pitcher's performance. Newspapers would benefit from following this format.
Your write-ups are the best part of the blog ... I can quickly determine the important parts of the game that I missed.
You're not making this any easier!
The recaps and news compilations will be missed, but it did seem like a lot of work, and if you aren't really enjoying the games, then what the hell's the point?
Game threads should be good over at Pro Boards without mod (other than the sign-up approval which should weed out the assholes). I haven't noticed any ads yet, but I do have ad block plus enabled, which I don't at home. Maybe we should do an SoSH style for these threads (i.e. anyone can start one, if they win, then that person has to keep starting them).
Game threads should be good over at Pro Boards without mod (other than the sign-up approval which should weed out the assholes).
Plus we can block IP addresses! This will be great heading into September and the postseason.
AND if someone sneaks through, you can delete everything he has posted with one click.
The recaps were fun, but the news stuff took time. And if I am ever going to get off my ass to do these things I want to try, I need time.
The doing-4-things-at-once during the games was not fun. In a recent game, there was a flurry of comments - which I liked - but I missed pretty much an entire half-inning.
I think there's some sort of enabling you have to do to enable me to view the game thread forum.
I guess if there isn't going to be threads, or news/recaps...it begs the question, what becomes of the site?
Yeah, what Dr. Jeff said.... And I hope the writing projects pick you up and flood you with adrenaline, endorphins, and universal light you can share with the world.
what becomes of the site?
Everything else will be the same: I will still do longer, opinion/essay posts - and (of course) Schadenfreude.
I think there's some sort of enabling you have to do to enable me to view the game thread forum.
You haven't sent in your subscription fee.
What projects do you have in the works, if you don't mind me asking?
I'm impressed that you have been as diligent as you have been with these posts. Whatever you choose to do is okay with me. Best of luck with your projects and I'll see you and everyone else on the boards!
What projects do you have in the works, if you don't mind me asking?
A couple of book ideas.
Thanks for all the recaps over the last few years. It was a great way to get a smart and Red Sox-friendly summary the morning after a late game.
I'll miss your news and game write-ups - I've read them after every game for years now, and would far rather have them than just about anything published on the sports page of the Globe. But I know what you mean - there just isn't enough time in life to do everything we want, and sometimes stuff's just gotta go.
Best of luck with the book projects!
I am sad. But that's the selfish me talking. JoS is my first (and sometimes only) stop in the morning for game recaps and analysis. Thanks for all you have done. It is a "joy." And, thanks for keeping Schadenfreude going.
The non-selfish me says, "Yippee for you" Best of luck.
I've often wondered how you manage to be so prolific and insightful with this site and still have a life outside of it, so I fully understand your decision. That said, I will sincerely miss the recaps and news reports; this has been the first place I go for anything Sox-related for several years now. Again, many thanks for your efforts, and best of luck with the book projects.
Good luck, Allan. Although I will really, really miss my morning check-in with JOS for the latest news and recaps, I certainly understand your desire to allocate your time in a way that makes more sense for you.
I am not sure how these new game threads will work. It should be interesting to see what happens. I have no experience with Pro Boards. I hope the threads continue, but I know how people are about change. I myself am terrible with change! The threads have been quieter this year, so who knows? Maybe this will increase participation. Time will tell.
Anyway, thanks for all you have done at JOS, and I look forward to seeing the new JOS and your new projects!
Thanks, everybody!
It's funny. I always saw the game recaps as the weakest part of the site. The old (young) sportswriter in me liked doing them, but they always seemed semi-redundant since most readers had probably seen the game.
I don't like all the talk in the past tense. Writing and watching/having opinions about the Red Sox are two things I need to do, and I have no intention of giving either of them up anytime soon. There are several things in drafts and I reserve the right to post like a fiend during the playoffs.
I have been looking back through past years, gathering links for a best-of JoS, and I have been surprised at how much the blog has evolved, even after it was sans politics.
Tim
Maybe we should do an SoSH style for these threads (i.e. anyone can start one, if they win, then that person has to keep starting them).
I like this idea, but not right at the very start. Maybe in a couple of weeks.
I was thinking that I would start the game thread early in the day, so people could post about whatever Sox news was going on -- but I also made the "news" folder, where anyone can start a thread. If I am staying away from the day-to-day updates, these should full in the gap.
Like I said, it will be an evolution.
I've often wondered how you manage to be so prolific and insightful with this site and still have a life outside of it,
A life outside it, you say? ;)
Working for a living and maintaining a creative outlet separate from that is challenging - as I'm sure many people here know. For a long time now, JoS has been that outlet - but Allan and I talk a lot about whether he will write another book, how, when, etc. - and increasingly it became clear that work/blog/book was not realistic.
Allan - what everyone else said. I have always gone to JoS FIRST to read about the game and the news, even if {maybe especially if} I just watched it. I'll miss it, but it's amazing you've been able to do this for so long. And please tell us that one of the book ideas is "A Big Jumbo Color Book of Schadenfreude".
Jeez, I take a day off and miss big news.
Anyway, I often wondered how you did it--all the in-game to-and-fro-ing AND actually sitting back to enjoy the game. The main reason I don't game-thread is that I rapidly get irritated at moving from TV chair to computer chair, catch-up, etc etc. Particularly irritating when Sox are losing. That said, your game reports were a must for me, even though I watched the game. Mainly because I'd compare your spin-free account with what the usual suspects are highlighting in the Boston media. Do they realize that most fans don't need to have "THE STORY IS" crammed down their throat, they can figure it out from an honest game report?
That said, good luck with your new projects and I'm looking forward to your continued columns and observations here.
Do they realize that most fans don't need to have "THE STORY IS" crammed down their throat
Yes, thank goodness, I don't have various pet peeves that I refer to constantly (coughnesnmissingpitches
moronswhothinkmoneyballmeansonbase
percentagethemediasrushtojeteratejeter
remycitingfieldingpercentageasevidence
ofgoodfieldinggrittywhiteguyslazy
brownplayersannouncerswhosimplymake
shituportellstoriesthathavebeen
debunkedatleast10yearsagoandohsomany
morecough), undoubtedly to the annoyance of more than a few readers.
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