My Name Is, My Name Is ...

Man, I gotcha!

What the heck is this story about, Marshall Mathers?

On Bleacher Report, I have read stories about love and the first time having cried as a Bleacher Report media rep without writing anything about the actual game.

Nope, this is a story to tell you who I am, and why I question (kindly) some stories that are sent to me for my perusal. I am far too old and in the past to have current street cred, so I am getting Sir Eminem to introduce my story.

"My Name Is, My Name Is, My Name is, Slim Shady ..." Not actual who I am, that is not important. My experience in the media is what is important. Paper cred, as it might be, LOL.

Now I don't know about Zander, Baby Tate, and other more "seasoned" writers, but I doubt many have the years as a writer for a major daily newspaper, which at one time had Sunday circulation of more than 120,000 readers. I wrote for the paper for more than two decades.

I have interviewed Merv Griffin, Geraldo Rivera (in college), Floyd Little, Jim Plunklett, Randall "Tex" Cobb, Buzz Aldrin and more. I have met Donald Trump and Mike Tyson on the job. And I was a college classmate of Academy Award winning actress Frances McDormand.

And now I am out of a job. Only in America, thank God.

I was a part-time sports writer for eight years, a full-time news reporter for five years and a writer/editor for about 10 years. When I got to the highest form of editing, as a copy editor, I didn't cut the mustard and I was out, baby.

It has been eight months now, and I couldn't be happier. I am working towards a career in another field. What that field is (culinary school), is not important to this story.

I have met NFL Hall of Famers and high school athletes who have made their name in college ball. I am comfortable meeting all kinds of people, celebrity or not, and treating them the same.

And if someone asks me to read their BR story, I will tell them what I think, drawing on my experience in the newspaper business.

I make mistakes on stories, as some have told me kindly, and some, not so kindly.

All of us in the newspaper business have gotten stories handed back to us two, three and four times. And our stories went through about three sets of eyes before making print.

So please, be kind and rewind, Crack A Bottle, or better yet, be receptive to criticism, be kind when criticizing others stories and think before you "speak" on another Bleacher Report story.

"Why Can't We Be Friends," Eagle and Cowboy fans, Mets and Phillies, and yikes, heresy, Yankees and Red Sox.

Or I'll send ole Slim after y'all.