I don't know how these things are really supposed to go, but I'll give it the old college try. I grew up in Massachusetts, south of Boston. (Not to be confused with South Boston, although everyone always does) I went to school at Northeastern before transfering to The George Washington University, where I graduated in 2009 with a B.A. in Journalism. That's the where.
The when, why, and how are a little harder. I've always loved sports, for as long as I can remember, and the writing thing has just sort of happened as I got older. But looking back, it seems like the most natural progression in the world.
I grew up reading about and watching sports. The horn to end the second period of Bruins games was my bedtime for about as long as I had one. I can still remember my first game at Fenway when I was no older than seven or eight. (against Oakland) I still remember walking on the floor of the old Boston Garden and feelin the ice that peeked up around the edges of the parquet. I remember my first Patriots game (against Indianapolis) in the freezing snow on those old metal benches. These are the days that just stick out above all the rest, the days when, for better or worse, you became a fan.
But I also remember when they tore down The Garden; I remember when Cam Neely took the cheap shot from Ulf Samuelsson; I remember when Aaron Boone hit a Tim Wakefield floater into the night sky; I remember when Ray Borque finally left after the fans plead with him for years to just get one before he retired; I remember when the Patriots finally turned the corner under Parcells, made the Super Bowl, and got blown out; I remember finding a Reggie Lewis rookie card on my dad's bureau maybe five years after Lewis died, and I remember how I could never get a straight answer as to why that was the only card he ever owned as far as I know.
These are the days I learned sports are so much more than just games -- that they can hurt, bad. Sports are always finding new and interesting ways to break your heart. Through that, though, I learned that these silly games we love are more than just white lines and numbered shirts and wins and losses -- they're people's lives, and life isn't all roses and Stanley Cups. These are the moments that, as a writer, I find fascinating. That is what really hooked me.
So now you know a little bit more about me and why I'm here. There's more, to be sure, but hang around, read what I've got to say, and you'll pick up a lot more of what I'm about.
I guess that's the who.
Let me know what you think?
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/300489-can-ny-giants-star-receiver-hakeem-nicks-win-rookie-of-the-year
1 day ago
Yo TJ...I am NY Giant feature writer so I rarely get outside Big Blue. I wrote this article two weeks ago right after Thanksgiving. I have...
Kenny Britt, anyone? The only rookie WR with two 100 yard games and has been playing best with VY
Dani Caplan replied…
100% Trenton. He has 3 tds in the last 3 weeks and is emerging as the...
Glad Cushing is in there. Good job with the article.
No, Michael Crabtree! Just kidding, but Crabtree has become already the best wide receiver that the 49ers offer. In six game he has 26 receptions which...
T.J. Donegan replied…
the killer for Moreno has been a lack of opportunity, really. When I originally started the...
Zane Ferguson replied…
Ya i think the Raiders missed BIG time on drafting DHB before Crabtree. But Murphy is...
No louis Murphy..he hasnt had a bad year for a late round draft pick.
T.J. Donegan replied…
Thanks for the comment and 100 percent agreed there. That's another problem in the "opportunity" department....
Zane Ferguson replied…
Completly agree T.J. I am just completley dissapointed in DHB. He has been such a let...
clay matthews has had a pretty good rookie year. he's been starting since day one and has been an impact player in many games. he provided...
T.J. Donegan replied…
He's got a bright future as well, I like his skill set in that system, too....
Would have to include another wide-receiver in this very deep class at that position, maybe Jeremy Maclin or Hakeem Nicks. I feel Nicks is being under-appreciated....
T.J. Donegan replied…
Totally agree, he's a victim, miraculously, of there being too much talent at WR in New...
In the NFL more than just about any other sport, the draft can make or break a franchise. Rookies in the league are required to learn on the job and, right from the beginning, are expected to contribute...
Glad to see Cushing get some recognition. It's hard for defensive players to draw attention to themselves without years of experience, being a weirdo, or just...
Maclin and McCoy are both doing pretty good relative to games started
T.J. Donegan replied…
I had a hard time excluding both, hence the last couple graphs. The issue there is...
Packer - Ravens on Monday Night. Get the inside scoop from my interview with Ravens writer John Eisenberg.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/302414-packers-vs-ravens-q-a-with-ravens-writer-and-author-john-eisenberg
3 days ago
In the NFL more than just about any other sport, the draft can make or break a franchise. Rookies in the league are required to learn on the job and, right from the beginning, are expected to contribute...
It's hard for Bill when he doesn't know what plays the other team is running.
T.J. Donegan replied…
The sad thing is the Saints didn't really do anything exotic in this game. They basically...
Last night's game was one of those touchstone games of the year, the kind of event that will make this regular season memorable for two fanbases. For New Orleans, this was, as was repeated throughout the postgame, their franchise's "signature win...
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