Blame it on the weather, but this reporter is a little nostalgic. The dust has settled on the National Championship and spring is upon us. A time of rebirth in so many ways, you need not look far to see the signs; from a budding flower, to a golfer desperately looking for a story off the course of life, to a football player shedding his former skin and developing into a creature that is a force to be reckoned with, the signs are all around us.
For me it is a time of introspection, a time to reflect on what we have accomplished here at TideSportsExtra.com, both professionally and personally. It has been a PHENOMENAL run thus far. If the work we have done is any indication of what is to come, then be prepared for only the best.
It is customary to for me to take something from every story that I am involved with. It’s just how I am built. I cannot help but leave something with the people I come in contact with, and inevitably I take something from all those I encounter as well. And I’ve learned in my life that this is a precious opportunity and it is lost on some (how sad). It is the chance to make a difference, either positively or negatively.
Jackie Robinson said it best, “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” It is a quote I try to live by.
Looking back on some of the amazing opportunities I have had since joining TSE, I am struck by the caliber of people I have come into contact with. There is John Croyle, the famous defensive end that became even more famous for giving thousands of kids a chance for a normal life by plucking them from unspeakable abuse (www.bigoak.org). Our whole crew ( Sean, Rattey and myself) was moved, I believe in a life changing way, by his story and what he has accomplished. I don’t know that I have ever been more proud of any piece of work than the John Croyle piece.
Most recently, I got a chance to visit with Dr. James Andrews; the rock star of orthopedic surgeons, as I like to call him. This man has done more Tommy John’s surgeries than you can shake a stick at, the number is somewhere over 2,500 and he shows no sign of stopping. He has cut on everyone from Jack Nicklaus to Bo Jackson and probably the teenager you’ve never heard of that can’t afford the surgery he so desperately needs. He is also the man that is preventing future injuries by helping to institute a pitch count in little league, and educating parents on the dangers of over usage and fatigue in sports. Through all of this he has stayed grounded and is probably one of the most humble human beings I have had the pleasure of meeting, ever.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention another group of people that I have had the honor of working with, and that is you the fans. You make my job worth doing. I feel like I am a storyteller in a sense and it is my extreme pleasure to be able to bring you the story. When I get feedback that you were moved; or felt the same way about a story, well that is all the validation I need.
So I want to thank you and tell you that it is an honor to bring you the stories that we do.
This reporter is signing off, I am headed out to chase that next BIG story.
