If you are a fan of Free Darko, or have ever enjoyed reading it, trying to decipher what the f*ck Shoals is saying with his $100 words, or even just like looking at cool ass pictures, go check out today's post from Shoals. He's pulling an NPR pledge drive to raise some money to keep him and company writing FD.
I'm not suggesting you donate. That is entirely up to you - I did donate (all of $6), which I never, ever thought I would do for any website. I don't pay for ESPN Insider, and get pissed off when I see an article about Fantasy sports with that Insider tag, or an old Simmons article (which I read a long time ago anyway) that I can't access now, or Chad Ford's basketball draft grades. But I still won't pay those f*ckers. I'm cheap, and I don't believe in paying to read a sports article/blog. Yet I gave to Shoals today, because, well... I like the site. It's a home for me. I can't imagine paying for any other site - seriously, not even Simmons. I did it because, in my own little way, I feel a part of the website. But it brings up a larger point about the AOL Fanhouse, and sports blogs in general.
Now before I continue, I'm going to issue a disclaimer: I've learned how some of you bloggers out there feel about people like me f*cking with your gravy train. The intent of this post is not to cause Jaime Mottram to stop paying ya'll, or anything like that, so please don't misinterpret this sh*t. I don't need another Hank Worrell type reading this post, thinking it's all about them (when it's not) and me f*cking with their moneys, and attacking me in my comments under various different names, okay? In fact, if you are sensitive herb, please stop reading this now. Thanks.
Oh, and just to clarify, since it probably needs to be said for some of ya Worrell-types: I'm writing this post from the perspective of a READER who likes reading sports blogs/sites, not from the prospective of a blogger myself. You know, again, because some of ya might misinterpret this sh*t, and complain that I'm jealous because I haven't been offered a job by Jamie or some crap like that. After that Deadspin post a few weeks back, who knows what nonsense the haters will come up with?...
Alright, so here's the deal. Jamie Mottram's AOL Fanhouse page has become the biggest juggernaut in this field. It has surpassed Deadspin, and is #1 according to Ballhype's rankings. It's hype is set at 1000. To give you some prespective, Deadspin, the #2 blog, has 823 hype rating; Awful Announcing is currently 10th with a rating of 258, or about 1/4th of the AOL Fanhouse. The 100th ranked blog has a rating of 76, and happens to be, right now... us. So those numbers are probably meaningless. I don't know how we got any influence or hype, but cool. We thank all ya for your support, no matter who you are.
We bring this up because it probably illustrates the readership. Deadspin averages around 6 million views a month I believe; AOL probably doesn't get that many just yet, but is pretty close we guess. And therefore has some deep pockets.
They have used their deep pockets to lure some of the most talented writers in the sports blog field. The Fanhouse posts around 507 post a week; among their "name" bloggers (60+ in total) is The Mighty MJD, Shoals, Captain Caveman, Miss Gossip, Nate Jones, The Hype... and those are just the ones I know from basketball. On the surface, it sounds perfect - the best bloggers in the business, getting paid to blog for the biggest audience possible. What could be wrong with it?
Well, one problem: these bloggers sometimes have to abandon their own blogs, and in doing so we lose as readers. It started with MJD... after getting "signed" to AOL Fanhouse (where, we should add, he writes the must-read of every morning, The Debriefing), he gave up writing for his blog. On the one hand we are grateful for The Debriefing. Getting paid has created a nice discipline for MJD - he writes his one long, well written piece a day. In the past he would sometimes write three short posts a day, then not write at all for a few days. So the structure thing is good for us readers.
The flip side is what's missing... he no longer writes creative, off-the-wall stuff, like letters from Joey Porter's dog, or whatever. He no longer writes his random thoughts on something that isn't covered in his morning post, and he no longer uses the "trim" tag. He does respond on occasion to his commenters, but not too often. At his old website you could actually have a conversation about his latest piece. And those AOL commenters... oh, man. As cliche as it is to say, low brow is still two floors higher than they can strive for, yo.
Shoals is an even more severe case. His AOL posts, while becoming more "Shoals-like", are still somewhat watered-down versions of what he writes. He even admits as much. It's not what he would be writing if he was writing for Free Darko, which is why he's asking for money.
I have no problem with writers getting paid to write. It's good to do what you like doing. It's even better to get paid to do what you enjoy doing. Let's not bullsh*t - if you paid me, I would write for AOL, too. Hell, I've entertained discussions of leaving this site to write for the SB Nation because they pay, so let's not be hypocritical. The issue isn't Shoals and MJD getting bread. The issue is this: because they can get more bread writing for AOL, we as readers are getting screwed. I can't see Shoals' posts at AOL being as great, or having as much creativity, as what he did on FD. You think he can do another FD Guide To Euros? Another FD "Wiggle From The Lavender Grave" (on a sidenote, I found the post by Googling "free darko nazi", because I couldn't remember the name - btw, no more mind-boggling titles for posts over at AOL for Shoals - and the only clue that I could provide to this awesome post was the discussion of why Raja Bell is represented by a Nazi. And now you can find my website by looking up "nazi and lupica". Great. End sidenote)?
Nope, those days are over. Get the picture? Even worse, we as commenters who love these blogs can't comment like we use to. If there is one thing that makes FD great, it's actually not Shoals, or even Billups (and it's definitely not Brown Recluse... we kid, we kid). It's the commenters. Where else can I get T. giving scoops and updates on Yi (Sidenote on that: I mentioned early last year that "the big Chinese guy" was likely the #3 pick in next's season's draft, and got some good info from T. about Yi, when nothing had yet been really written about him. That being said, he did come awfully close to being the #3 guy, which is cool considering no one knew who he was at the time - I had just read a small blurb somewhere about him, and stored it as useful knowledge... end sidenote). There are too many great commenters over there, I can't even begin to name them all.
So what's the point of this post? One, the question in the title - I made it as straight forward as possible, so no one misses that point. Two, that if you think AOL is possible a danger to your favorite blogs, that it might swallow up your favorite blogger... it is quite possible. If your favorite blogger is a straight forward, report the news type... no big deal. But if they are throwing off-the-wall creative sh*t around, well... it's probably over. So what are you going to do about it? Come up with a better way for your favorite blogger to get paid for doing his blogs, so he's not as tempted to forsake his blog for the pay-per-post riches of AOL. The advertising and t-shirt sales ain't getting it done. Let's get creative.
I don't know if this system will work. Too many problems - for one, once people start paying for sh*t, they get bitchy. I worry that Shoals is opening himself up to overwhelming criticism. Ironically, the most vocal critics will probably those that didn't even contribute. Secondly, it's too open-ended - for example I dropped $6, for what I figure is a six-month trial period. So that means I'm done donating, at least until 2008. Others might wait to see what comes down the pipe before deciding what to contribute, if anything. Point is, the money is not going to be coming in consistently, but sporadically. Shoals has to decide that he's committed to this idea enough that he'll give it a serious shot (like 6 months), and see how it works over that period. It's hard to gauge at this point, or in the next month, whether the money he raises will be sufficient to make it worth his time (versus pursuing the AOL $$). As an aside, I would suggest to both him, and other writers, that AOL isn't the only potential source of writing income; it is the only source for now, but who knows what else might come into play (see True Hoops and ESPN). So why give up your website, which is still your biggest marketing tool, when an income source we haven't even thought of yet might appear?
Me, personally... I'm bootlegging that sh*t. I'm just telling ya'll right now, if Shoals abandons ship to go write full time for AOL, I'm gonna start posting ill ass pictures that make no sense and lots of beautiful magnetic poetry sentences about basketball. That's right, I'm gonna rip off your sh*t. Then maybe he'll feel so disgusted he'll come back to take back what rightfully belongs to him....
Leave a comment
|
36 Comments
Comments
Wouldn't be nice if Google ads paid?
All jokes aside, great post SML. Very Free Darko without the abstract Russian Literature references.
I guess I battle with this dilemma all the time: do I shoot for a writing career or stick with what is paying the bills? What if I got paid to write about sports? Would my writing be the same? Would it be as fun?
All your points make sense, but I think feeling the way you do is almost selfish (not to knock you at all, you're just being honest, and i really liked this post). The one pretty cool thing about sports blogging is that everyone seems to be in it together, people always want to help a brother out. Because thats the nature of sports blogging, I think we're supposed to be happy for those who are good enough and fortunate enough to get paid. Sure you're going to miss all the great stuff that you've been getting from FD the past couple years, but i think you have to happy Shoals finally made it out of his parents basement, put on some pants, and is now getting paid to do something we all do for free.
As a writer for FanHouse, I have to say that working there hasn't hurt my homesite at all. In fact, it's increased my readership.
I'm also able to write about 4 posts a day at FanHouse while still finding time to do 5 or more at Foul Balls. The reason MJD doesn't update at his original blog anymore is because he chooses not to. Does it suck that we don't get that material as well? Hell. Yes.
But can we really be angry at him or AOL because of it? No.
Also, as far as our writing styles are concerned, we aren't asked to do anything different than we normally do, with the lone exception of swearing. Also, MJD just did a whole Debriefing on a letter from Bud Selig's dog, so the Letters from Pets series is still alive and kicking.
I understand your sentiment that the fact not everybody can maintain their old writing frequency, but I dont think it's going to hurt blogs in the long run. In fact, thanks to AOL's support of us, and the exposure they bring us, it's probably going to do nothing but help.
But that's just my opinion. I'm going to get back to eating caviar off of my $100 bills now. Seriously, they pay well at AOL.
The thing that confuses me about the FD Donation Drive is what about Recluse, Billups, Silverbird, etc. Do they get some money, or is it strictly a Save Shoals fund?
Thanks for the input, Fornelli. I did want to hear the opinions of others, to see if what I thought is the common perception, and to see if there are things I hadn't taken into account. Which is why I am glad you chimed in, so thank you again.
Different writers have different styles, and different ways of working. You have made the transition seemlessly, which is great. Others have had to make, from what I can see, subtle (or even large) changes in style. D-Wil, from what I see, had to tone down his posts, and I think he finally decided he would rather post on tennis for AOL, and save his thought-provaking stuff for his website. At least that's how I interpret it as an avid reader; maybe I'm misreading the situation?
Shoals, MJD both have had to cut back on their sites. So did Nate Jones. I gather that it's for different reasons - MJD I always figured had a "real" job somewhere, because his old website would have posts at odd times, and because he is so secretive about his identity. I figure he probably doesn't have time to do The Debriefing every day and post on his site. You bring up a good point about how he still maintain some creativity in his new format (the letter from Bud Selig's dog post), but I still can't help but feel that he's less active compared to what he was doing in his old site. He was willing to go back and forth in the comments, for example.
Anyway, I agree with you - I ain't mad at the writers. Like I said, get that bread. I would, too. And I'm not mad at AOL, they are getting their bread, too. And paying bloggers is a good step.
But I'm not sure I agree that AOL's support is going to help bloggers in general. It's a tough call. The "getting paid" aspect is a good thing - it might lead to more big sports sites turning to hiring "real" bloggers (like ESPN and True Hoops), bloggers that have developed or built an audience and a style. That's good for all of ya. But on the flipside, it makes it harder for those bloggers to maintain that style, and that original audience, too. I guess I would feel better about the AOL Fanhouse if they let the bloggers they hire write exactly like they were on their website... I mean, isn't that the point? Why would you hire someone, and then ask them to tweak their content... Shoals should be writing like Shoals. D-Wil should be writing like D-Wil.
Can you imagine if they ever hired Billups? How would that even work?
This was a GREAT post. The best one I have ever read by you. And it's not even really about sports.
"Can you imagine if they ever hired Billups? How would that even work?"
NO. Might as well have a Prince concert for the deaf.
Speaking of great posts, "Wiggle from the Lavender Grave" needs a follow-up. That will DEF get the money flowing at FD.
"The best one I have ever read by you. And it's not even really about sports."
Talk about a backhanded compliment.
Just kidding. This whole post (comments included) is pretty tremendous.
You want the 'real' you go to the true underground. Anything else is kind of like Bud Light (less filling)
I love that Lebanon flag man, Shoals better read this and have second thoughts.
Thanks Darren. These are photos of mine; I'm trying to incorporate them more into posts, because I do like taking pictures and have some cool ones. If anyone is interested:
-the first one is of some ancient, 2,000 year old Roman ruins in Syria, near Aleppo.
-the second one is of a guy that goes around the souks of Dasmascus selling tea; that's what that large thing on his back is. He washes the cup with some of the water, then pours in the hot water and tea. And he just walks around selling tea on the streets.
-the third one, which Darren likes, is of the shrine in Beirut at the time of my trip there for beloved former prime minister Rafik Hariri, who was assassinated via a car bomb just three months prior.
-the last picture is from the SantaCon. That guy's costume was great. It beat my Carlos Santana Claus idea.
This piece is 100x better than the Deadspin one. Good job.
This one made a lot of sense to me. At the same time, unfortunately, almost all of us would do the same thing. As a writer it's extremely hard to ever turn down good money. That's why you often see shitty screenplays written by great screenwriters. The premise was bunk, but the money was too good to pass on.
First, I get paid as a writer, not on the web. So I don't care. Just a bunch of emo-hipsters makin' bread on a trend. So lighten up, more creative blogs will pop. Second don't have time to figure how to make my blog popular, Again I don't care. So good for them. Stay outta my gin and don't cry at my bar! wfc ..nice post though
It's all cyclical.
You know who the best sports blogger around will be in 3 months? Someone no one has ever heard of. And the audience will find him or her, and forward their shit around, and the market will correct itself.
Because, well, once you're taking the corp dollars, you start to lose the edge that made you interesting in the first place... and besides, we're all working real jobs while doing this nonsense. It's a blowtorch on a candle. Your best hope is a couple of years of light, then a long twilight while Corporate Daddy loves your rehash.
And with that, please visit my blog, where we are perfecting the next wave of sports blogging: talking avatars. It's what the kids are into these days. The kids being, well, fucktards.
The issue here seems to be more about money than AOL Fanhouse specifically. To your final questions; as you point out yourself, AOL Fanhouse is ostensibly not ruining reading blogs. Quite the opposite. Readership is growing, writers are getting money and exposure, everyone's happy for the most part. This is all fairly new territory (Grandpa Deadspin isn't even two yet, right?), so who's to say how things will develop. But so far so good.
The FD posts you link as examples are the equivalent of someone posting samples from their book, or cd. That's to say, these are big projects/concepts, whether we get more of those in the future or not is more about the artists than the artist employers. If FD brings a style guide to AOL you think they won't consider it? It's more about what FD wants to do with it. Would it be worth the effort to use something like that as a free blog post that will roll off the main page in a week or two?
I find your notes about your own willingness to contribute as the thing most worthy of examination. In the end, it's all work. A j-o-b. I'm sure friends of Jay-Z would like to hear him drop more freestyles, or get an off-the-cuff mix cd just hanging around. You allude to feeling something more akin to a friendship than a writer-reader relationship with FD. But friends, too, have to respect the hustle. Your $6 is nice, cute even, but it's not paying the bills. Even the suggestion that FD/Shoals might give up the AOL gig based on the pledge drive seems to miss the point. Us writers/bloggers/content producers should be looking for ways to add revenue streams, not subtract, or choose between panhandling uptown, or panhandling downtown.
As someone who appreciates your comments/participation as a reader, I know this is well-intentioned, but in the end I think this sentiment is shortsighted and possibly undermining the very thing you hope to preserve.
Burn the Fanhouse to the ground. Let these writers get back to their original blogs, where they used to be somebody.
Instead of getting a pissy little pile of change for writing there, be an individual and write on your own blog.
One thing you forgot to metnion: the last f'n company I ever want to be associated with is AOL. I've never heard one good thing about them. They have a horrible reputation. Jamie seems like a pretty stand-up guy, but AOL still sucks the bag.
[Aside: my blog is no prize these days, but I'm more than happy to judge nonetheless.]
One of my big problems with the Fanhouse is the lack or rss feeds. You basically have to do all or nothing and can't really break it out by just the author you want.
Also, you don't have to be an insider to read Simmons' back catalog anymore. They opened up all of his stuff from insider status a little while ago.
DougOLis.
You can break it down by author.
http://www.aolsportsblog.com/bloggers/BLOGGERNAME/rss.xml
Also, Chris Clarke, it's hardly a piss pile of change and if you think that we FanHouse bloggers owe it to you to "keep it real" or whatever the hell your thought process is, you're kind of an idiot.
Fornelli,
That's life changing (read: capacity to avoid MDS) information. Thank you.
I don't know who you 'discussed' with (I kindof do) regarding SBNation, but no, they (we) don't pay. Plus after your bullshit parade surrounding the Bulls and Knicks a few months back, you'd have to pay us.
Not sure what you make of this, AOL makes a major impact, but deadspin is barely a blip. . .
http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details?site0=
deadspin.com&site1=sports.aol.com%2Ffanhouse%2F&site2=&site3=&site4=&y=r&z=
1&h=400&w=700&range=7d&size=Large&url=new7wonders.com
@TAN: As someone who appreciates your work (except when you are talking about the Knicks and/or Isiah Thomas), I agree with what you are saying. I wasn't making this post with the intentions of making it a choice between this or that; I second "add(ing) revenue streams", which is why I said we need to get creative as readers/bloggers. I was hoping for a discussion on new ideas, but alas....
Fornelli: Very useful. Thanks.
Matt: I didn't realize you were calling the shots over at SB Nation. Now that I know you're the big dog with the big whip, I think I'm less interested.
Thanks for your comment, but I think you are needed at your John Paxson shrine, son. On the real, if you think me writing a post about how I don't think that highly of John Paxson or the Bulls on my f*cking website makes me bullsh*t... son, you are a power herb. Your life must be dedicated to the goal of someday giving Scott Skiles a BJ. Keep working hard... dreams come true.
This is now the number one returned page when you search for "nazi" and "lupica".
Only until we start the website www.MikeLupicaIsANaziNoSeriouslyISeenThatShit.org
How much Fornelli? I truly doubt they're even paying enough for groceries, let alone rent.
Well I can't speak for every blogger as some of us make more posts a month than others, but AOL pays my rent and a couple of utility bills.
And I live in Chicago, where life isn't too cheap.
Damn.
I wouldn't worry too much about us "getting screwed". Odds are, someone interesting is just waiting to hop into the void created by big sites closing down.
Odds are, if some of these guys didn't find a way to get paid, they'd quit writing their blogs anyway. It's the nature of the beast. We all gotta eat.
I don't really want to comment generally on what you've said here, as it appears far more contentious than is my cup of beer. But:
"Hell, I've entertained discussions of leaving this site to write for the SB Nation because they pay, so let's not be hypocritical."
Maybe that is true in your particular instance, but you're painting a picture to readers that isn't necessarily true. I write for Sports Blog Nation. I am not paid by Sports Blog Nation. I have a job that pays for my hobby, which is sports blogging. I write about [My Team] exclusively because I love [My Team] and not because I am reimbursed financially for it. I am certain that is also true for others writers on Sports Blog Nation.
Maybe the reason they don't pay me is because I'm a shitty blogger, but it still needs to be pointed out that you did not correctly characterize SBNation.
Here's the question I have...what qualifies something as a "Sports Blog"?
Is it a certain format? A certain writing style?
For example, you could call KSK a satire/humor blog with a Sports twist. And Fanhouse to me is more of a Sports News site to me than a blog.
Either way, what does it all really matter? MJD still kicks ass in the debriefing and Shoals' long form is amazing. I can't blame them for wanting to succeed.
I think AOLSB can only validate the entire field of blogs/independent sites.
P.S.- Their commenting is terrible....that I can agree with. But what do you really expect from a bunch of AOL Subscribers?
Interesting question on the "sports blog" title. Personally, I don't look down at the word blog; the MSM does, but I think we need to take pride in it, and not be ashamed of it. "News site" might sound more "legit" - I can see AOL preferring to call the Fanhouse that than calling it "a collection of sports blogs" or something along those lines.
Well, I agree with AA, in that I want MJD and Shoals to succeed. But I would prefer to see them succeed without having to possibly compromise their style or quality; and it's not to say that they or anyone else definitely is compromising their quality or style, but... there are those of us long time readers who do worry about that aspect of it, and that's the basis of this post.
Again, I use the word "post" alot instead of "article" or whatever - it's because I personally don't consider myself a real journalist, nor am I ashamed to be called a blogger; I don't know where the distinction is... if I happen to get an interview with a real player (like Miss Gossip), does that mean I've crossed over into journalist? Interesting discussion topic... I may have to flesh out my thoughts on this at a later time....
Didn't realize this thread was still going but I think the Fanhouse topic is interesting. I think the idea behind it (good writers all in one spot doing something cool) is part of why I was happy to jump on the EpicCarnival.com ship, but I'm assuming conflicting visions within Jamie and AOL made it more news-focused than it should have been to start. The thing that I think you're not giving enough credit to with Fanhouse is that they're just now really embracing the notion that you need news guys (MDS, Watson I think) alongside personalities (aforementioned MJD, longform Shoals).
One thing I think AOL will realize soon is that for media sites, the next big step is an original content blog with aggregated content from other people doing the reporting. Imagine Gawker designed like MSNBC, but with real news to the side, and opinion-based news in the middle. But no one's really doing that yet...
Good site. Thank you:-)
552 bowflex dumbbell selecttech
Good site. Thank you:-)
552 bowflex dumbbell selecttech
Valid points all around...
Unfortunately, the financial reality faced by many of these writers does not lend itself to remaining patient.
I don't want to speculate too much, but I suspect that very few fledging sports writers went to Greenwich Country Day (cough...Simmons...cough) and can afford to hold down shitty part time gigs for years and years in order to pursue their writing dreams.
This is why AOL can throw some money - any money - in the direction of a Schoals or an MJD and request that they tweak their content.
And honestly, I don't blame them. I'm well aware of how much it sucks to be broke. As such, I've begrudingly come to accept this new structure, warts and all.
Hookers, blow, and rent money don't fall from trees, you know.