HItting the Century Mark: Looking Back on Seven Months of B/R

Let me preface this by saying that I'm not trying to float my own boat.

This is an attempt to thank some of the people who have helped me, as well as a look back at some of my experiences.

So, here it is.

My 100th article.

Yeap...

I'm not really sure how I'm supposed to feel about this.

Is this the revelation that I have spent way too much time tapping away on this site as I perpetually did stat checking at baseball-reference.com?

Or is this the stamp of excellence?

The proof that I have a big enough following to last this long on Bleacher Report while some never contribute after joining?

My best guess is that the answer lies between those two.

I think my 100th means that I have overcome discouraging and disheartening turns of events to continue to voice my one-sided opinion.

It means that I have received encouragement, constructive criticism, and shots from trolls over that past seven months.

This article means that I'm an old man.

From my first article to some of my 1,000+ view articles, I think it's fair to say I've seen, received, and delivered, my share of blows.

I've gotten into, and regretted, two spats...

And gotten into another two others without regret.

I've seen more "morons" and "idiots" (in comments sections) than an usher at Citi Field (low blow?—ehh).

I've seen flops, and unexpected successes in my writing.

And, frankly, I don't know how I've seen the success I've seen.

I feel my writing is lax at times, and I know for a fact that I ramble.

Yet, I've been No. 1 in the Braves' community, am a Featured Columnist for the team, have been offered a paying position to write about the Braves, and rank in the Top-50 MLB Writers.

I just don't get it.

I guess it comes from guys like Joel Barker, Kevin Markum, Richard Nieh, and many others—my support group.

I really think that's the key to longevity in the world of fan-journalism.

A strong support group that always makes you feel good about what you're doing, even when you're not living up to your own expectations.

I am truly humbled by every "good job" or "entertaining piece" I get because I'm not completely sure that I should be that well-received.

I'm a bit arrogant and very opinionated.

I guess that means I make good points, since I very rarely get any hate...lqtm (see the profile for an explanation—and there's my arrogance).

One more thing...

Everyone seems to give their list of tips for writing/existing here on Bleacher Report, so I figure that I might as well insert mine here (keep in mind I'm still only a damn Scribe).

1. Make Friends
   Get friends in high places. 
   If they take a liking to you, they can use their influence to knock a troll off your back so you can focus on doing your thing.
2. Write Like You Speak
   What you read is exactly how I speak.
   Don't over-extend your vocabulary to try and make a point.
   It sounds insincere and can never really deliver a killing/important blow when you want to make one.
3. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS Thank the Editors
   These guys find your mistakes and fix them.
   They eliminate attacking points for the opposition and give your work a cleaner, more professional appearance.
4. Don't Call Anyone an Idiot, Even if They Deserve It
   I know I referenced the word "idiot" earlier, but I don't use the word in comments (EXCEPT for "teetering on the edge of idiocy" and "coming across as ignorant/idiotic/unintelligent—these ARE different).
   Making logical arguments (however illogical an opinion may be) is much more fun and makes it harder for your counterpart to retort with two-word answers.
5. Get a Support Group
   As I said earlier, these tend to grow up around you if people like you (the above four steps help with that).
   These are people you can talk to about your writing—how to improve it, make it flow better, etc..

Wow, that wasn't nearly as fun to make as I thought it would be...

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone I've ever come in contact with on Bleacher Report for what they've done for me.

Encouragement, put-downs, slaps, likes, etc,; it's all been appreciated.

This has been an incredible experience that has, for lack of a better term, consumed my life.

I look forward to everyone's input for my next 100!

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