Michael Merritt's Sportswriter Profile

Michael Merritt

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I am a devout Christian. I live and die with Notre Dame Football. I am almost as crazed about Chicago Blackhawks Hockey. I am very happily married to my lovely bride Donna. I am a dog lover with two great dogs, Butkus and Cookie! I love everything about Austin, Texas but most especially the Live Music Scene.

I love movies with my favorites being Braveheart, Apocalypse Now, Pale Rider, Bourne Identity, Liar Liar, Terminator 2, Forrest Gump, Dances with Wolves, Rudy, Dirty Harry, and Happy Gilmore.

I am an avid music lover. My favorite artists are Joe Satriani, Ronnie Earl, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Marino, U2, The Duke Spirit, Soul Hat, Vallejo, The Stone Temple Pilots, Jane's Addiction, The Rolling Stones, Robert Cray, Albert Collins, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Michael Tait. On TV, I only watch sports and The O'Reilly Factor.

I believe the NHL Playoffs to be the most exciting playoffs of any sport on planet earth.

Favorite Athletes

Dick Butkus, Julius Erving , Walter Payton, Gale Sayers, Joe Montana, Raghib "The Rocket" Ismail, Tim Brown, Alan Page, Eric Pennick, Tom Clements, Ross Browner, Reggie Brooks, Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Dennis Sevard, Steve Yserman, Mike Bossy, Guy LaFleur, Tony Esposito, Dominek Hasek, Rob Ray, Otis Taylor, Willie Lanier, Len Dawson, Elmo Wright, John Stockton, Oscar Robertson, Steve Nash, Bernard King, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Mark Messier, Ruth Riley, Skylar Diggins, Adrian Dantley, Austin Carr, Ken McAffee, Golden Tate, Bob Golic, Mike Golic, Bob Crable, Chris Zorich, Luther Bradley, Michael Stonebreaker, Vegas Ferguson, Al Hunter, Jerome Bettis, Jeff Samardjiza, Mike Singletary, Doug Plank, Chuck Bednarik, Johnny Unitas, Pele, Earl Campbell, Barry Sanders, Hakeem Olajuwon, Muhammad Ali, Jimmer Fredette, Female Russian Tennis Players especially Anna Kournikova
Favorite Sports Teams

All Notre Dame teams but most especially football, Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Oklahoma City Thunder, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Sabres
Favorite Coaches

Knute Rockne, Frank Leahy, Lou Holtz, Vince Lombardi, Ara Parseghian, Scotty Bowman, Digger Phelps, Hank Stram, Bill Walsh, Mike Ditka, Brad Stevens, and Muffet McGraw
All-Time Sports Moment

Notre Dame's 1973 National Championship victory versus Bear Bryant's Alabama Crimson Tide
Most Memorable Game Attended

1996 Notre Dame vs. Texas Longhorns in Austin, Texas and 1976 Alabama vs Notre Dame in South Bend
Most Unbreakable Sports Record

Wayne Gretzky's Career Point Total 2,857, and over 3,000 points including the playoffs
Ruth or Mays?

Babe Ruth
Unitas or Montana?

Montana
Jordan or Russell?

Julius Erving
Gretzky or Orr?

Gretzky
Pele or Maradona?

Pele
Federer or Sampras?

Bjorn Borg
Tiger or Nicklaus?

Nicklaus
Petty or Earnhardt?

Petty
Schumacher or Senna?

Senna
ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12 or SEC?

Independence

Nicole Blum posted 99 days ago

Thank you very much! I appreciate the kind words. The Hawks are playing unbelievable hockey right now—in my opinion, they look better now than how they looked in 2010. Let's hope the Blackhawks continue their exemplary play throughout the rest of the season. Thanks again!
Rob Kirk posted 252 days ago

Michael, I appreciate the kind words. I try to put my Wings hat away when I write and call it how I see it. Everyone has their opinion on certain things and I just try to paint mine in a way that will most certainly offend but will also make people laugh whilst being offended. P.S. Didn't see many of the loud and proud Canuck-nation jumping to their (Keebler twins) defense either!
Doug Jolley posted 515 days ago

Michael, I saw your dialogue with BR writer Mike Chiari. Unfortunately, he hasn't taken your advice all these many moons later. In a day and age where quality seasoned professional writers with sterling resumes and large followings are getting the axe, you'd think a 21 year-old fresh out of J school would take a gracious heads-up like you sent him, but no. Sigh, what's the old saw - Youth is wasted on the young?

I miss Gandy's Seafood on Niagara Falls Blvd. I summered with my grandparents just outside of Lockport.
Dan Vasta posted 564 days ago

Thanks for being a part of my fan club bud, appreciate the kind words. Stay classy :-)
Amber Lee posted 636 days ago

Thanks Michael, I really appreciate the feedback on my article! I wasn't so sure how it was going to go over considering how subjective "toughness" is. I look forward to hearing more from you in the future and am glad you aren't a big NASCAR fan-- I've been warned not to go too hard on the sport! :)
Mike A posted 669 days ago

Thanks a lot for all the praise Michael, I appreciate it.
Jeff Merritt posted 683 days ago

How can I become a fan of Micheal Merritt? Mike, you really should write for Bleacher Report. It is a blast if you have the time.

Michael does not have any awards.

Michael Merritt commented on Nicole Blum's profile

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Good Day Ms. Blum,

As a lifelong Blackhawks fan, it is great to see the Blackhawks inspiring young writers to write about them. I just read your article on the "Three Reasons why the Blackhawks have the best penalty kill in the NHL". I believe your analysis was spot on, especially regarding Frolik and Kruger. Very nice job! I hope to read more of your Blackhawk's analysis in the future. Go Blackhawks!!

99 days ago
Michael Merritt commented on Rob Kirk's profile

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Good Day Mr. Kirk,

Though it pains me to credit someone associated with Red Wings, (I am a diehard Blackhawks fan), your quote on the softness of the Sedin Twins is legendary in my book. "Canuck fan, I think your twins are fantastically talented. They are two of the five best players in the league, arguably. But they are softer than a Kenny G. Holiday album wrapped in tissue paper and served up with a kitten-themed gift bag." I used to think Grantland Rice's quote regarding the Four Horseman of Notre Dame as the best sports quote of all time, but your Sedin Twins description is priceless. Needless to say, the Canucks have become despised by the Blackhawk faithful. We respect the Red Wings and their organization, though we loathe them, but the Canucks are a totally different story. I have been collecting, and documenting sports quotes, and your quote has made my top ten all-time. Great Job!

253 days ago
Michael Merritt commented on IrishBrewerGrl's profile

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Good Day IrishBrewerGrl,

Let me be the first to welcome you to the Bleacher Report Community. Since your a Brewers fan, you must be very proud of how they played this year. A small market team playing such great baseball is very refreshing for a sport that needed a spritz of air freshener. These high dollar teams such as the New York Yankees or the Boston Red Sox can spend all the money they want, and still not equal the heart and soul your Brewers are showing this season. I love it when the small market teams prove that money alone cannot buy Championships. I will be rooting for your Brewers to win it all! They epitomize what a team is all about. Baseball lost me with their steroids farce of the last 20 years, but it is teams like the Brewers that will bring people like me back to baseball. Go Brewers!!!!!

594 days ago
Michael Merritt commented on Mike Chiari's profile

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Good Day Mr. Chiari,

I was really going to take issue with your article "3 Reasons Why the Irish will Shock Michigan State", but I see your a Buffalo kid. My wife is from Buffalo, my Step-Mother is from Buffalo, I have friends in Buffalo, I am a Sabres and Bills fan, and I love the people, and city of Buffalo. Oh I almost forgot, the Beef on Weck, Friday Fish Frys, Buffalo Wings, and Pizza are just out of this world in Buffalo. That being said your article was really, really weak. The opener had you stating the "excellent play of Tommy Rees' . Tommy Rees is responsible for 5 of the 10 turnovers to start the season. His non-contact fumble at the 10 yard line was critical to losing that game against Michigan. I was happy with his drive at the end of the Michigan game, I love his mental toughness, but to call his play excellent shows a lack of perspective. I realize your working towards being a career sports journalist but articles like this are not going to advance your career. I live in Austin, Texas. I am not a fan of the Texas Longhorns or the Big 12 in general, but I absolutely love the sports journalism in this town. They are old school, saying like it is journalists. That don't spend all off season writing flowery tributes to the Longhorns like these writers on Bleacher Report do about Notre Dame. They dissect, analyze, point out weaknesses, highlight strengths, and essentially give the public a no-nonsense accurate assessment of the Texas Longhorns. When the Longhorns are good they tell you, and when the Longhorns are not so good they provide an accurate and fair commentary. They are always dead-on accurate about what type of team they have. Being that type journalist is what you should strive for. I know the public school systems practiced social engineering by raising a generation of kids to worry about hurting the self-esteem of others. This is FOOTBALL. Notre Dame Football! You are capable of doing better than that story. They know and love their football in Texas. They especially value perspective in their football journalism. The rest of the article, well I'll leave it alone. Good luck in your journalism career, and check out Howard Cosell on YouTube. I think you will be the better journalist for it.

615 days ago