CANTON, Ohio – As Jonathan Hutton and I made out way to Cleveland and then here yesterday, we talked about two years of PaulKuharsky.com and came to realize we were on the move on the two-year anniversary of the site.
The Midday 180 will visit with Kevin Mawae today as he approaches his enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. For the second time in three years we will look to mingle with guys who are already wearing gold jackets and learn more about the game and the people in the game now from the best people to ever play it.
Camp started in 2017 before this site was up and running, and then I wrote for a while before the membership element was up and running. Once it was you guys jumped to show your support for an independent journalist on the team who works to offer second-level analysis, ask the tough questions while maintaining the important relationships and stays away from the predictable story of the day unless commenting on it feels necessary.
Here was the introductory post and here was the first really good post. [Unlocked]
We got a reasonable amount of hype after we kicked off, with a story in the Nashville Scene, a Quaz with Jeff Pealman and a piece of a podcast with Richard Deitch, then of Sports Illustrated. We were mentioned in stories about independent sites – all bigger than mine in scope – branching out as ESPN let contracts expire and good people move on.
I had no idea how to run a small business or a web site, but because I had the security of a great job on The Midday 180 and a lot of people telling me my name and coverage of the Titans was already a brand, I jumped. And a lot of you jumped with me.
So this is a big thanks, a reaffirmation of my commitment. The best thing about all of this is the community we’ve created and how it shows up against and again – in comments on stories, in your questions I prioritize for mailbags, on the private Facebook page for members only in the private Periscope and Facebook Live broadcasts we do where it can feel like a bunch of us are just hanging out in a bar or someone’s big living room, chatting about your favorite team.
Along the way, Tennessee Tickets, MDI Construction, Yazoo Brew, Nashville Baseball Academy and Dawghouse Saloon have been enormous supporters. Previously Pickers Vodka and Party Fowl were too. I love them all and would urge you to use them, drink them, eat their stuff as often as possible.
And Blake Beddingfield has been an invaluable resource, bringing us a scouting angle on the Titans that simply doesn’t exist anywhere else.
At the core of this operation is you. You like me, it seems, and you like what I have to say enough that after nine years at ESPN I was able to create a writing outlet of my own with no middle managers, where I can say what I want and see as most important with no filter. I am very grateful that you’ve made this such a success.
Here is to many more years of building it.
I’m always open to your suggestions for what we can add, how we can tinker. Reach out on the Facebook page or hit me at pkuharsky at gmail dot com.
Now let’s get back to work.
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