Blogging about college sports today is a double-edged sword. My assumption is that most college sports bloggers: 1. Have way too much time on their hands
2. Care way too much about their alma mater and the goings-on there a decade after they leave
3. Are very funny people or can at least pretend to be for 500 words or so
I don't think you keep doing it very long if you're not all three of those. And I love the community aspect of it as well. I've only been doing this for a few months but just in the realm of Syracuse-related-sports-blogging, there's a great brotherhood of bloggers like the guys at Orange44, Cuse Country and OrangeHoops. But the extent of blogging perfection extends beyond the confines of people who could pick out Todd Burgan in a crowd, believe it or not. And now there's an opportunity for everyone who deserves it to be celebrated.
Rocky Top Talk is hosting something called the 2006 College Football Blogger Awards and its quite an impressive array of categories to choose between. Nominees should be entered here. Nominations are open to all -- bloggers, readers, whomever -- so by all means don't just sit back and wait for me to tell you who I think should win.
The categories are as follows. I'll start picking my noms shortly...I've got a lot of reading to do...apparently there is a world of college athletics that exists outside Onondaga County.
FOR: Cogent, interesting analysis.
CRITERIA: Emphasis placed on statistical manipulation, well researched pieces that reveal something new, and/or solid argumentative pieces that function as the authoritative last word on a subject.
The Trev Alberts Quits To Do Construction AwardFOR: comic relief; overall hilarity.
CRITERIA: The funniest college football blog.
The Sports Fans Don't Cry AwardFOR: The blog that has suffered through its chosen team's dismal season with the most dignity.
CRITERIA: Continued engagement in the face of crippling, misery-inducing defeat. A stiff-upper lip and sane reaction to everything crumbling to dust.
The Keith Jackson Circa 1995 AwardFOR: The blog with the most consistently expressive and excellent writing.
CRITERIA: Mechanical competency, yes, but the ability to turn a devastatingly funny phrase or write something compelling is probably more important. This isn't an award for copy editing; it's an award for kickin' prose.
The Brady Quinn AwardFOR: The prettiest blog, the best layout and design.
CRITERIA: An aesthetic appeal, whether from a stylish banner, a pleasing layout, or an eye-catching incorporation of blog technology.
The New Blog on the Block AwardFOR: The best new college football blog.
CRITERIA: Must have launched sometime after last year's national championship game. Transitioning to a new blog or affiliating with a network mid-stream doesn't count.
The LOL, MSM AwardFOR: The blog best keeping tabs on the man and calling out all of the injustices in the college football world.
CRITERIA: Consistently ahead-of-the-curve on controversial issues in college football.
The Best Community Interaction AwardFOR: The blog with the best community interaction.
CRITERIA: A regular solicitation of input from readers and utilization of reader-produced content.
Awards for Posts
The Tyrone Prothro And His Amazing Catch Award
FOR: The finest individual post of the college football year.
CRITERIA: Best post for whatever reason.
The Chris Berman Antimatter Award
FOR: The best contribution to the lingo of our little interniche, be it a nickname, neologism, or catchy phrase used with frequency.
CRITERIA: Spread is important. The ideal candidate has been universally adopted by anyone with cause to use the term.
The Old Faithful Award
FOR: The best recurring feature of the year.
CRITERIA: The feature should be posted weekly and be generally good and stuff.
The That's Not Really Real Award
FOR: The best photoshop or other counterfeit gag of the year.
CRITERIA: Could be a photoshop, a Motivational Poster, an On Notice Board, or something similar, as long as it elicited more than a mere smile.
The You Talkin' To Me Award
FOR: The best back and forth between rival blogs the week before a rivalry game.
CRITERIA: Must be bi-directional, and both blogs must score points against each other. A unilateral beat-down will not suffice. Should be more in the spirit of fun than wildly abusive.
The I'm Just Like You But I Have a Podcast Award
FOR: The best podcast or podcaster of the year.
CRITERIA: Uh, must be audio. And about college football, you know. Note that this is "podcast" in a really broad sense. Parody songs, incoherent ravings about Tyrone Willingham, and whatever else you've got are nominate-able. One restriction: it has to be self-generated.