I didn't want to write about this. I generally like Dan Dakich and I even cover his son on a regular basis for the Zionsville Times-Sentinel. Unfortunately, when you go after people in the blogging community, people I respect, with random generalizations and general dismissal, I have to stand up. Yesterday Jumbo Heroes, an up and coming Purdue blog that started much like how I started this site, posted a response to Bob Kravitz's recent dismissal of claims that Purdue fans don't read the Indianapolis Star because "they don't cover Purdue enough." Here are the basics of the Jumbo Heroes response:
I understand it's a business decision and that's fine. I won't tell you how to run your business. When they make me angry though is when they complain about the lack of comments on a Purdue story and somehow make it seem like Purdue fans don't care or that there aren't enough of us out there to justify covering Purdue. What do I mean?
bkravitzBob Kravitz
Purdue people rip us for what they view as IU-heavy coverage, but here ya go: Zeller column has 116 comments, Hummel column 26
#itiswhatitis
dandakichDan Dakich
@bkravitz yo Kravvy..retweeted ur Purdue/IU comparison.. Lots of responses.. None originalGood old Bob Kravitz from the Indianapolis Star wrote this on his twitter account after posting a story about Robbie Hummel. Dan Dackich then tweeted at his friend Bob that, hey Purdue fans are dumb! They can't come up with original criticism of your statement! Well maybe that's because the original criticism is apt.
Earlier today Dakich responded with the following:
dandakich Dan Dakich
"
@_pdavis_:@dandakich Purdue fan responds. Original enough?"..no same ole same ole w misspellings..the truth/questioning is not bullying
Okay, you want the truth and some facts, then here they are. I am willing to present them even though, as a blogger, I obviously don't know what I am doing.
- Hammer & Rails received over 302,000 page hits in the month of October. This was over 25% growth from September.
- In March the site received over 400,000 page hits, mostly because of the situation involving Matt Painter. Why is that? Well, because people come here for Purdue news instead of the Star, and they knew it would be here much faster than through the Star.
- Kravitz uses the argument of comments. Well, there were 277 comments on the off-the-cuff preview of the Northern State game. There were 48 comments on Purdue's game wrap from playing Michigan on Saturday vs. 10 for the Star's wrap. Game Threads regularly top 1,000 comments. It appears that there are indeed Purdue fans out there, only they aren't reading the Star to comment. I wonder where they are going.
- Bob has gone on record about his dislike of blogs, as noted here in my favorite line:
The rest, though, are garbage. Some are little more than clearinghouses filled with links from mainstream media sources, including The Star. Others are dominated by the writings of people who hide behind ridiculous pseudonyms like Big Blue Shoe and Deshawn Zombie.
What's interesting is that I rarely do a links column anymore. Much of what you see here is original content with link provided to back up what I say with <gasp> facts. You know, this is what real live journalists do.
- Bob would have you believe you can't be a real journalist without proper schooling. Hmmmm, is that a degree in Communications I see on my wall (in my mom's basement, of course)?
- Bob would also have you believe you need to pay your dues before gaining an audience. Well, I've only been writing professionally for 12 years and building this site for five.
- Of course, you can only do proper journalism with live credentials. I guess those Big Ten Tournament and Big Ten Media Day credentials on my wall mean nothing then, especially when I sat next to Bob during several press conferences at the 2010 Big Ten Tournament and beat him to the punch with quotes.
- Some of the writing might be "unprofessional", as exemplified by the use of the word "douchebaggery" above. To me, that's what makes this site great. People come here because they enjoy its content and the voice I give. Honestly, I love that I have the freedom to use words like that. After all, sports are more fun with dick and fart jokes. Besides, I enjoy having what I feel is a personal rapport with most of the audience.
- In a call yesterday with SB Nation higher ups I was told that my audience could be tripled or quadrupled if there was another voice or two added to this site. I was also told that I was the most successful site within SB Nation that had just one writer turning out the majority of the content. They admitted they never expected a Purdue blog to be one of their 15 most successful college blogs out of almost 100.
It's just sad to see that some people refuse to see that it is 2011. Sites like this exist because of the quality and quantity of work put in by the authors. As for anonymity, it doesn't take a genius to figure out who I am. I am hardly hiding behind the name BoilerTMill. In fact, I am incredibly proud of the audience I have built here and it tickles me to no end that thousands of people would rather come here for Purdue news than the Star, mostly because they know that I'll cover said news. I guess I will just keep writing for this incredibly large (and growing) audience that I am blessed to have. I highly doubt that anything Dan or Bob says will stop that.
I have always been transparent about the success of this site and have been willing to discuss it with anyone. If Dan or Bob ever want to find out the real truth about me, Boiled Sports, or any of the other blogs I associate with all they have to do is ask. I mean, we have to be doing something right if we're stealing their audience.