Good Tuesday morning, Uni Watchers. I hope everyone had a safe and introsepctive Memorial Day.
As I noted yesterday, Memorial Day fell on May 26th — Founder’s Day — which marked the 26th anniversary of Paul’s very first Uni Watch column and also the one-year anniversary of Paul retiring from Uni Watch and passing the baton to me. But with Memorial Day falling on that date this year, we both felt it more appropriate to celebrate Founder’s Day today.
It’s hard to believe exactly one year has passed since Paul retired from the day-to-day operations (he certainly isn’t retired — far from it, as you’ll hear from him shortly). In a way, it feels like only a month or two ago that I picked up that mantle, but in a way, it also feels like I’ve been doing this for years. Of course, I had been doing weekends (and full weekdays every August) since 2008, so I have been at this for a while. I am so grateful to have learned from the guy who invented an entire genre for those 15 years. And once Paul handed me the baton, I posted my first article as Editor. It wasn’t the first article I wanted to write as Editor — that ended up being my second, as breaking uni news occurred between Paul’s last post, and my “first” one.
But if you click on the second link above (“Passing the Baton”), I laid out some plans I had for Uni Watch and I am actually looking back at this for the first time in a year. How did I do with what I hoped to achieve?
About the basics, here’s what I wrote:
(A)s far as the content going forward, I will endeavor to keep things as they have been, or as close to it as possible. Monday through Friday, I will always have at least one morning article, as we’ve always had for the entire time Uni-Watch.com has been in existence. And as we’ve had since the site redesign a couple years back, on most days there will be multiple articles daily (usually dictated by how much uni news there is). Initially, we will have the Ticker three days a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday), and those will be handled by our own Jamie Rathjen (Monday) and Anthony Emerson (Wednesday and Friday). Ideally, I’d like to expand that to M-F (whether that means I and new Weekend Editor Jim Vilk each take a day, or perhaps we’ll add a new Ticker-er).
Perhaps surprisingly, not only did UW have at least one moring article every Monday thru Friday, we were well served on the weekends first by Jimmer Vilk, who retired in January, and new Weekend Editor Anthony Emerson, who had moved from Ticker Assistant to WE. Anthony’s two Ticker days were filled by Mike Engle (Wednesday) and Susan Freeman (Friday), with Jamie staying in his Monday slot. So let me ask a couple questions.
What do you think of the current Ticker format?
It’s still, obviously, M, W and F. I’m still leaning towards having five weekly Tickers, but do you guys read it every day it’s published? Do you think there’s enough content in those three days (it still encompasses seven days of uni news) to keep it thrice weekly? Would you read it every day if it is published every day?
Do you enjoy the current format (morning lede followed by additional articles daily)?
There have been more than a few nights when there was no lede-worthy uni news, and I struggled to come up with content — but I still wanted to keep up with the morning-lede-every-day routine which Paul established years ago. As one who has been diagnosed with mild OCD, I am very much a creature of habit so I like knowing readers will always have something new when they wake up, as I always enjoyed when Paul was running the show (of course, for many of those years, UW had only one post per day, so having it in the moring was the obvious choice).
Do you guys still always want a full-length morning lede?
Or, on those nights when I don’t really have anything lede-worthy, would you be ok with a shorter article (but that will still have the usual subledes and sections)? I’m very proud that since Paul moved to Editor Emeritus, UW has published at least one article (and oftentimes several) for 365 days. Alternatively, sometimes there is big uni news in the late afternoon, which I tend to hold off writing about until the next morning. If I were to publish that article late afternoon or early evening, would you guys be cool if the morning lede continued the discussion of the big uni news from the previous day?
A little farther down in that Passing the Baton piece I wrote:
I have interacted (or worked) with many of you over the years to bring some pretty amazing articles to the site — you’ll notice a lot of by-lines in August or the weekends aren’t my own. That has been, and continues to be, one of the things I enjoy most: we’re ALL Uni Watchers, and so many of you have talents and abilities that are most welcome additions to the site. I’ve learned as much from you all as I have from Paul. And there are many areas and uni-related subjects in which some of you have way more knowledge than I — and I continue to welcome reader submissions and suggestions. So please…going forward…if there is any uni (or even “uni adjacent”) topic you feel would be great to share with the greater UW community, don’t hesitate to reach out! My e-mail is phil.hecken@gmail, and I look forward to hearing from you.
I have been privileged to hear from many of you and a good number of you have worked with me to have your work published on Uni Watch. To all those who have submitted, I thank you! But there are also a number of you who are active in the comments who I would love to feature as well. I’m sure many of you (even if you never comment) have a topic you’d love to share or see explored — reach out to me! My uni knowledge of the four major sports is pretty solid, but it’s less (in some cases MUCH less) for other sports and disciplines. Some of my favorite pieces on UW have been penned by those with deep knowledge (as well as uni knowledge) of smaller, niche or obscure sports, or sports that just don’t really get much coverage here in the United States. If you’re one of those, please — give me a shout. One can never impart too much uni knowledge, I say!
Finally, I’d love to hear your thoughts — good, bad or indifferent — about how this year has gone. In Passing the Baton, I wrote:
So, you may be asking, what’s Uni Watch going to be like without Paul? I can’t answer that — at least right now. I can say this: NO ONE can ever replace him; there’s a cliché about “big shoes to fill” and “breaking the mold when they made him” and both are true. I can never do exactly what Paul did, but I’ll do my level best to continue his legacy.
I don’t know whether I’ve succeeded, but I’ve certainly tried. I am absolutely loving being Editor of Uni Watch, and it’s literally almost everything I think about these days (well, maybe not so much Uni Watch as uniforms). It can be a lot of work at times — but that’s a labor of love — and hopefully going forward I can give this site even more attention. As most of you are aware, this past year I’d been dealing with a lot of family matters, and sadly my mom passed away about a month and a half ago. I’m still dealing with not just the mourning, but the rather unfortunate issues involved with a parent’s passing. As an only child with very few relatives, much of that falls on me. But hopefully once that’s all resolved, I’ll be back to working sixty-ish hours a week strictly on UW or uni-related matters.
But just to show you how great everyone has been, Paul especially — despite his “retirement” from UW — ably stepped in and penned several pieces while I was busy with mom’s visiting, funeral and burial, and he worked with the rest of the UW crew to bring some really great content in my stead. And a couple of guest authors also stepped up. We truly are a comm-uni-ty, and I could never do any of this without all your support.
So please, to borrow a phrase from former New York City Mayor Ed Koch: “How’m I doin’?” If there are some features you like or want to see more, let me know. If there are things you don’t like, don’t be shy: let me know. I’ve tried to keep the feel and rhythm Paul established, but I’m always open to new ideas and suggestions.
Thanks and please — even if you’ve never commented before — take a moment to say hello and let me know what you think! And following this piece, we’ll have a full article from Paul about what he’s been doing in the year since passing the baton.
Congrats, Phil. You’ve done a wonderful job. Uni Watch is still one of the first sites I start my day with. Thank you for doing what you are doing.
GTGFTU: 11/23/1972
Texas Stadium, Irving, TX
Thanksgiving Day Game
49ers 31, Cowboys 10
Kicker (#30) is Bruce Gossett; holder (#19) is QB Joe Reed.
From the reflection on Gossett’s helmet, that’s at Candlestick (back when they had turf). At Texas Stadium you would have had less light shining off the helmet because of the partial roof.
So the game is the infamous 1972 Divisional Playoff at Candlestick on December 23, 1972: Cowboys down by 15 in the 4th but come back to win 30-28.
I believe you’ve got it.
Nice photo, Jimmy, and Happy Anniversary, Phil! Keep up the great work.
You got it Charles, Dallas had one of the best onside kicks I ever saw.
Look the game up on youtube, Dallas does a behind the back onside kick
This was a tough one; Gossett was with the 49ers from 1970-74, Reed from ’72-74, and there was no #19 on the roster in ’70 or ’71. The Niners did not play the Cowboys in ’73 and used a different font in ’74 where the 1’s had no bottom serifs. They played each other twice in ’72 in these same uniforms; I guessed it was the game at Dallas on Thanksgiving as opposed to the playoff game in San Francisco, as I didn’t realize/forgot that Candlestick had turf at that time.
D’oh.
Number 19 is Hall of Famer Lance Alworth, he played the last two years of his career for Dallas in 1971 and 72.
I meant #19 on the 49ers, the holder for Gossett in the photo.
Joe Reed was #19 on the 49ers in 1972
My thoughts on daily content:
– I have complained a few times that the morning lede doesn’t feel up to standard, whatever that means. But I’d much rather have something to read than nothing at all, so those complaints are clearly shortsighted and harsh.
– I think the current Ticker format is great. One thing I’ve noticed over the last year is an increase in “unnecessary” items, and by that I mean either things that have already been covered in a different Ticker or in a standalone article. My fear is that the trend may continue and maybe even worsen if staff were pressured to publish a Ticker every day.
Having said all that…if you publish it, I will read it.
More importantly, congratulations on a fantastic first year Phil! You’ve taken over seamlessly and managed to keep the boat steady while adding your personal touch. I mean it when I say you’re the only person who could have possibly succeeded Paul at the helm. Great work!
Congratulations on a successful first year Phil! Some growing pains for everyone but it’s still Uni-Watch which I think is what most of us ever really wanted. As for the morning lede…if there is nothing, don’t force it. A simple “Good morning, here’s what’s coming up later today” would be find.
I still start my day with UW, as I have since around 2008. I would love to have a daily ticker, as there have been some Uni-news that break after the MWF ticker, but may not be worthy of an individual article. Other than that, I enjoy visiting daily and look forward to visiting, commenting, and maybe even writing an article!
I agree with Marcus! A Ticker every weekday would be great and may cut down on your need to have to write afternoon articles as often.
Regardless, you’re doing a great job, Phil!
Congratulations on the past year of maintaining the standard Phil!
I love what you’re doing, and I sometimes think, “He really goes above and beyond to do the guess the game segment, that’s gotta be brutal after having done it over, what, 500 times?”
So I would say try to keep the current format with the lede and MWF tickers. I miss having those every day, but I imagine it’s tough to keep up with and I’m happy with the way it is. I’m on board for whatever comes next though.
I do miss Paul’s “What I Ate Last Night” segment and trip recaps, so don’t hesitate to make him share or post your own!
I rarely read the tickers. I think I preferred the old format where the daily post included ticker stories, and then there’d be various other features that would run some days in addition to the daily post.
That said I am not necessarily sure I am missing anything in the ticker, as I am assuming anything noteworthy is covered in its own feature. Which is to say I really don’t care when small colleges or minor leagues do a rebrand that I will never see anyway, especially knowing that if there is something truly special about the rebrand or special uniform it will likely get covered in a feature.
Congrats on the 1 year anniversary Phil!
You are doing great. I have great respect for the work that goes into putting this together every day.
The Ticker 3 times a week works great. Yes, I would read it every day if published every day.
I think you have stepped in admirably Phil, especially considering your personal circumstances. PLus I like having GTGFTS 5 days a week. Which reminds me…
17 May 2006
Vizquel will draw a walk and later score on a Mark Sweeney single.
Final score was 10-1, the third consecutive blowout by the Giants over the Astros (previous games were 10-1 and 14-3).
I think you’ve done a great job carrying the baton. I enjoy the format of morning lede with additional articles as the day goes on, as it keeps it routine and relatively consistent. As for the ticker, I used to read the ticker almost daily in the old format of putting it at the end of the daily article, but haven’t really stayed up to date with it since. I don’t have a preference either way, but I understand why it’s its own thing now, and honestly, that might be a better way to do it. I also like the (seemingly) higher frequency of reader content. I think that really emphasizes the community aspect of the comm-uni-ty, and often times provides a lot of insight that we might not have otherwise gotten.
Thank you for keeping this ship afloat, and keep up the great work!
I much prefer the one post per day format. Throw it all in one easy to digest post, instead of peppering in smaller articles throughout the day.
That would be ideal, Rob. But the site wouldn’t be sustainable that way, due to the changing metrics of the Interwebs. One post per day is unfortunately a thing of the past. (Believe me, it would make my life a LOT easier, but it’s not practicable).
Love the tickers and everything you have done with the site. Keep up the great work. However, did I miss it or did you not cover the Players Weekend hats for this year. Saw it on sportslogos.net and was surprised I never saw it here. I am up for reading any and all uni related content. You have kept the flame burning as bright as before!
You are doing a superb job but don’t kill yourself doing it.
Ticker is usually my highest-priority UW read. I’m cool with whatever pace of production makes sense on the backend; if it’s daily, I’ll read it daily, but if it’s MWF, I’ll read it MWF. Just about my only complaint about the new-management site is that the Ticker usually sits one or two scrolls below the top of the page. I’d rather see it have top-of-page feature status.
As for lead articles, I find I’m usually surprised to find the normal daily bonus features (“guess the game” and whatnot) after reading an article that I clicked on based on the headline. Not a complaint or criticism, just noting that I don’t find any intuitive distinction between morning lead and bonus lead articles. If one wants readers to easily identify morning leads versus bonus articles, some kind of labeling or title formatting might be needed. I think I prefer the separate-article format, instead of running multiple features under a single headline.
“If one wants readers to easily identify morning leads versus bonus articles, some kind of labeling or title formatting might be needed.”
Thanks for that feedback Scotty! While it’s not ID’ed, the daily lede is always the first piece published and contains any subledes and my “outro” — let me speak with the powers-that-be to see if there’s an easy way to identify the morning lede vs. any supplementary daily articles.
The ticker was usually my favorite part (as it had so many fascinating tidbits) I have fallen almost completely off that habit, but it really doesn’t have anything to do with the new format other than I don’t really think about it now. Maybe it it was posted in a more ceremonious way. I guess it just gets buried because it doesn’t ever lead the home page. If there were a side feature on the home page that stayed pinned even as you scrolled that had the last let’s say 5 tickers at all times? Even if it was just dates without the summaries.
As for my thoughts on the site: I can say that the lack of “random thoughts”, “traditions”, “deep dive”, and “investigative journalism” content is something i do miss, but u also understand that that is a mix of Paul’s style of creative productivity, and years working the beat, and an insane amount of work. I also should say that even though this is mostly strictly “uni news” now, I got very worn out on Paul’s voice as a writer. bitterness and cynicism was the main course of just about every article and it bled into the comments as well (and hasn’t gone away there, sadly). Paul needed to put this site behind him, and it feels like a nice break for all of us, since then. Maybe us readers can kick in more quirky content and things. PS, I miss redesigns. I’ve got about 1,000 I need to polish and send, but I know people complained about too many of them, a while ago. Bollocks to that. Maybe if you’re still getting enough of them you can go back to a weekend collection of redesigns post like way back in the day.
Sorry if a very similar comment pops up below. One thing I have gotten used to over the last 15 years of following this site is how glitchy and crummy the technical end of the site is. I tried to post and the page dumped and reset on me (it does that about ten times a day while I’m here).
It’s not ideal Dave, to be sure. But the easiest thing is to join UW+ and you’ll see no ads (it’s the ads that cause the tech problems, and if you remove them, I promise your experience will be seemless).
If you don’t want to join UW+ I totally understand (there are very few websites I’ll pay for, because I’d rather just deal with ads, but there is definitely something to be said when you do). Believe me, I totally “get” not wanting to pay for content, but then you have to deal with ads.
Congrats Phil!
You have been doing great!
I prefer the one big article every day in the morning, but it seems like that ship has sailed.
I am fine with whatever you choose the publish and when. At worst I catch it the next morning.
You’ve been doing great, although I do find of miss Paul’s mix of “random idea”, “traditions”, and “investigative journalism” content in between uni news, I know that’s a combination of Paul’s creative processes, decades on the beat, and an insane amount of work. Oaul needed to step way from the site (probably at least a year before he did). Bitterness, close-minded old-school thinking, nimby-ism, hypsterism and cynicism were the underlying themes of pretty much all content he produced for a while toward the end and that bled into the comment section in a way that hasn’t gone away.
My only suggestions for you, phil, are maybe format the home page so that there’s a side panel, or top panel on phones, where non-lede content is featured categorically. Perhaps a tickers section, a games (guess the game, etc), a redesigns, and a QotW section. I know tickers can fe seen separately if I click two drop down menus. But that’s burying them two levels deep and doesn’t feature any other content categories. Don’t let grumpy commenters ruin redesigns, by the way. I miss them.
It is my favorite waste of time. I wouldn’t change a thing.
Happy Founders’ Day!
You’re doing a fine job. Paul brought a unique mix of parasocial sharing and creative/investigative insights that won’t be replicated. But also came across as increasingly pedantic and cranky as the years progressed. This is a refreshing change.
Phil, you have done a great job with the site and at the same time been able to bring your unique touches to it. I would not change the format from what it is now. Also I think a three day ticker is ideal.
First time commenter, long time reader. It’s the first site I pull up during my lunch hour, every M-F. Don’t change a thing.
Thanks Jeff, and welcome aboard (officially)!
Great job Phil, it took a month or two for me to adjust to your stewardship, but all in all, I think you;ve managed it masterfully. I’d probably prefer a daily Ticker over the MWF Ticker, but I also tend to “skim the headlines” of the Ticker, so I’m not too insistent on a return to Daily Tickers to be honest.
I think you’re doing excellent job, Phil! When Paul left, I was worried that things would change, but I can happily say that you’ve done a phenominal job of carrying on the Uni Watch tradition! If you’re happy with the current format, I would just keep things as is. However, since you asked the other questions, here are my thoughts:
1) What do you think of the current Ticker format?
The format of the Ticker itself is great! I’d love Ticker every weekday, but I know that’s a lot of work. I thought the Saturday and Sunday tickers were unnecessary and I often didn’t read them.
2) Do you enjoy the current format?
I do enjoy the current format! I really like knowing that I’ll get a daily lead not matter what with a predictable MWF Ticker. My only thought would be that you don’t have to do a new article for every single uniform development (e.g., “Arizona Wildcats’ Cactus Logo Set to Return to Basketball Court”). I really appreciate it, but it just seems like a lot of work for you. I wouldn’t be upset if you had to dial things back to manage your workload.
3) Do you guys still always want a full-length morning lede?
I’m not always interested in the content of the morning lede (patches, old photos, etc.), but that’s just my preference. It’s always great to go to the website every day knowing that the lede will be waiting there for me.
A year in and things are going well from my perspective – Phil is the ideal successor. I wouldn’t mind daily tickers, but more than anything I’d like to see the Ticker post type incorporated into the site search. I remember emailing Paul about it a few years ago; I *think* it’s fairly simple to do in WordPress, but requires some editing of some core PHP files. There’s a reason I’m a WordPress project manager and not a WordPress backend developer though…
I’ve really appreciated this site continuing and your willingness to step into the driver’s seat, Phil. Really happy Uni-Watch is still going.
My only suggestion for improvement is dialing down the number of afternoon articles. As a few others have mentioned, I preferred the old format of one big morning lede with ticker bits included, and the assortment of uni-watch-adjacent material as fill-ins for mornings where there wasn’t much happening in the uni-verse. I just find myself coming to Uni-Watch and not clicking and reading as much as I used to, since I am not as interested in uni-happenings in alt leagues, minor sports, or user-submitted items than in what’s happening at a big scale in the 4 big leagues. But obviously going with the latter route requires something else as morning lede (or fewer posts in general).
Phil – Great job so far. But hey man, do not work 60 hours a week. Life is too short.
Like some have mentioned, I was a bit worried about the future of Uni Watch once Paul decided to move on. I don’t have those concerns anymore. Phil, you’ve done a great job keeping the train moving and I like having the morning lede as something to look forward to.
Personally, I’ve always felt that three tickers a week is plenty. Sometimes, it even takes me “too long” to get through them as Mike and Susan have really upped the entries.
I do miss Jimmer Vilk on weekends. I realize this is going to come off as a shot at the current weekend editor, but there has been way too much emphasis on soccer and jersey/logo redesigns for those third-rate leagues. I find myself just blowing by the weekend content these days.
I’ve been reading this blog for almost 20 years (minus a few years break) and it’s basically been a daily thing for me. I don’t spend much time on the internet so I choose my time wisely by coming to this website. I don’t usually get to read it until the afternoon or early evening so whatever is published I will read. I think MWF is perfect for the ticker as I think some of the links would not be article-worthy, i.e: high school volleyball team getting their rings or some such. I like the lead story combined with the guessing games, even if I can never guess it! I think the one thing that obviously separates UW from Paul to Phil is the off-uni topics such as “What I Ate For Dinner” or his travelogues. But then I get my fill by subscribing to his Paul’s Substack. Keep up the good work Phil!
First, Phil, as one of the longest-time readers of Uni Watch and its previous incarnations under Paul, I think you’re doing a great job. The transition from Paul to you seemed very smooth, and the first year has been a very good one for Uni Watch.
As far as ledes, frequency and timing of big stories, number of tickers per week, etc., I’ll say this: Unless I’m aware of something big breaking in the uni world, I only check the site once a day, but I do it every day. For a reader like me, the timing (morning ledes) and frequency of aritcles isn’t as relevant. I get to it when I get to it, which is usually sometime after 8 a.m. CT, but today streached all the way to 6 p.m., for example.
Honestly, I’d be just as happy if all the content for a day went into one big artcile. But I have a feeling that the multi-piece format you use works better not only for you but also for many readers. So keep on keeping on.
1. Thank you Phil for taking over. So happy that UW is still here!
2. I like multiple posts. I read with my morning coffee every day, but it’s fun to check back in the pm, not knowing whether new developments may have happened, even if nothing did.
3. I still enjoy the Ticker, even at three days a week. Whatever works for you works for me.
Phil…
A year in, and I think you have steered the community in the right direction. You’ve done a credible job and kept things going in a way that works.
UW has been a daily read for me. While I agree with those who would prefer the once-daily format, it is not feasible, and I have to accept that as valid. I would prefer a daily Ticker but I have adjusted.
No real issues, keep up the great work.
I think you’re doing an awesome job, Phil. You’re daily dedication is admirable.
I’m an evening visitor, so by the time I get here, everything has been posted for the day.
And I’m for the format that brings you and the the contributors the most joy. As much as I want to be involved on your side, I also know the daily pressure to produce would stress me out (two young kids doesn’t allow for a lot of free time). So whatever it is that allows you all to avoid that feeling, I’m here for it.
At the risk of pushing some buttons, I’m honestly grateful for the change in leadership. I’ve been following UW since it’s first Page 2 publication all those years ago, but – imho – it was starting to feel like things were taking a really negative tact the last few years and I had effectively stopped reading as a result. But this last year has – again, just my opinion on the matter – generally been a nice change of pace and a great deal more affirming of alternate POVs. Thank you for all your work: it’s never easy to follow a legacy, but I think you’ve handled it well.
At the risk of pushing some buttons, I’m honestly grateful for the change in leadership. I’ve been following UW since it’s first Page 2 publication all those years ago, but – imho – it was starting to feel like things were taking a really negative tact the last few years and I had effectively stopped reading as a result. It was my wife who actually pointed it out first: one day she commented on the frustrated outbursts I was making while reading the site and it finally dawned on me that it had been awhile since I’d come away from it feeling positive. But this last year has – again, just my opinion on the matter – generally been a nice change of pace and a great deal more affirming of alternate POVs. Thank you for all your work: it’s never easy to follow a legacy, but I think you’ve handled it well.
I like the Ticker format and the site’s overall format. No reason I can think of to change it. I would like it if the Ticker went to every day, but I imagine that’s easier for me to say than for you to do.
As for the full-length morning lead, a wise man once said, “If you don’t have anything to say, don’t say it.” It’s not necessary to come up with something to write for the sole purpose of padding out space. Give yourself a break.
And since you asked, one quibble i have with the site is having a full-length story on uni changes on some Division III lacrosse or volleyball team and for minor league baseball teams. These are teams that the vast majority of readers don’t care about and will never see. You can put that stuff in the Ticker. Now I understand that without that stuff there might not be anything to post to keep the site fresh, but maybe you could publish some opinion pieces in their place. Just a thought.
Finally, I like the stuff by Mike Chamernik and Leo Strawn.
Hopefully you make enough money to justify the 60 hour work week. Otherwise put in your 40 and call it a week. I actually did not think the site would last this long due to potential burnout from the new editors. I would concur with only 1 post per day, but you explained why it isn’t viable, so I would keep doing what you have been. I might scrap the weekend content and have Emerson as a co-editor assisting during the week. It might give you more content and enable you to have weekends off.
Late, but thanks for all you do and Happy Founder’s Day.
Please change as little as possible. Stuff I’m not interested in I scroll past, just as I’ve done the last fifteen-odd years.