Hanging up my SSF blogging shoes

Mar 29, 2023 - 3:00 PM

Hello folks.

At the start of the 2015 season, Zach Bell and Max Mandel, the original creators of this fine establishment, decided it was time to move on. I had been writing for the site for free for a bit of time at that point, and I threw my hat into the “manager” search. For my efforts, I was handed over keys to the Twitter account and a stipend of $100 per month.

Things have grown a bit since then. Both within the blog and the basketball program, although the program is probably winning out in terms of accomplishments. Running this little corner of Gonzaga internet has never been a full-time job, although the hours that went into it definitely were more than a part-time job. I’ve always told myself I would keep on keeping on as long as it remained fun. For the most part, since taking over, it has stayed that way.

Life can’t always stay that way, however. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve seemingly got more busy. With what, I have no hecking clue. But it has eaten into my time to be able to produce the pieces I want to, to be able to write the stories, and analysis I’ve wanted to. In turn, it has made it all less fun. At the start of this season, I told myself this would probably be my last go-round. As the year progressed, that feeling just became more real.

On April 30, I am hanging up my blogging shoes (here) after over 10 years of writing on Slipper Still Fits.

I want to give a huge huge huge huge huge huge huge huge thanks to all of the people who helped get this site off the ground when the transition happened. Keith and AgeDude have been absolutely rock solid from the early days. Steven Karr wrote some of the most insightful stuff before ditching us for an actual job with Gonzaga. Tuck, Arden, and Ben have helped round it all out so that we could provide the best Gonzaga coverage outside of the Spokesman Review, and I am proud of that and this team. There are a host of people whose usernames appear on the bylines as we settled into the consistent contributors. All of them deserve a big thanks. It isn’t easy to keep this machine running smoothly, especially when doing it for barely any money.

I also want to give a big thank you to all of the commenters (well most of ‘em at least). The discourse was unusually civil when combining the TNT combo of the internet and sports fandom. The community is only as good as the people actively participating in it, and I have always been proud of our robust community here. It is a rarity across the blog networks.

Am I try to steal the thunder from Drew Timme’s Gonzaga departure? Yes. But unlike Drew Timme, I am coming back, sort of. I will occasionally (very heavy emphasis on the occasionally) posting things on my new venture: Another Gonzaga Blog. Dumb name? Yes. Do I care? Not at all.

I don’t know what is going to come of this site after me. The state of the internet is always fluid. It sounds like the intention from the SBN brass is to keep it open and find a new site manager. I hope that happens.

We will close out the year with player reviews, just like always. After that, I’ll see you in the comments section.