A Word From The Outlaw - 001

“Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it.” – Albus Dumbledore (J. K. Rowling)

I think that quote from the final Harry Potter book/movie is a fitting way to open this first column/blog on my new platform. After all, while photos and the big headlines and stories do grab a reader’s attention, its the words you see in this part of the content which can make or break how someone’s career goes.

It’s been a long and interesting ride through the Fourth Estate for me.

One year at the Dyersburg News (1998-1999) to get my foot in the door and learn. Another at the State Gazette (1999-2000) to learn a different way. A move over to Weakley County was a big step. Spent two years at The Weakley County Press (2000-2002) and got what turned out to be my final seasoning from great people like Joey Guest (who I wish was still with us to see his Dodgers) and Stephanie Sturgis. It was also my first shot at a full-time spot, as I covered news for a few months before taking the Sports Editor position in November 2002 with the Dresden Enterprise where I feel like my career picked up and grew before leaving in 2011.

Finally, as many around Dyer County know, I came back home and, thanks to leadership from Mike Smith, solidified my career as the sports guy at the State Gazette. For over ten years – minus seven months away due to a necessary tenure at Tyson Foods – I dedicated myself to doing the best I could to serve our community and our young athletes.

I tell you this just in case we have some new folks joining in so they can see there is experience behind these words and that I’m just not some guy with a keyboard.

Then, on December 19, 2024, all that changed when I was informed my position at the State Gazette was being eliminated. No prior notice. Just a “this wasn’t a performance-based decision” and a thank you for your service.

Yep, just like that, effectively a ten-year tenure was over.

What’s next? This. JP Productions Sports.

The good thing about the age of technology we’re in is that everyone has the potential to have a voice. Now, I have always worried that, in some cases, too many voices are out there.

But, it’s funny, as much as some folks I know look down on professional wrestling, if you really, really pay attention, there are life lessons sprinkled in among it all.

To me, the Internet and social media is like a large room with a lot of people yelling. You know, a lot of wrestlers yell through their interviews (promos) and say they’re going to do this and they’re going to do that. But, some of the greats are able to speak in a pretty normal tone and capture the audience’s attention.

The greats captivate. They’re able to catch someone’s attention and hold it.

That’s my goal and it should be anyone’s who covers high school sports. I have always been a proponent of making sure the athletes in high school and middle school sports have their days in the sun.

There always needs to be a good source for local sports. After all, professional sports fans can get their news instantly. No need to read it in print three or four days after it happens. Same can be said for local sports. What if you miss Charles Dawson and his crew’s call or Bubba Cobb and Chuck Asa’s coverage? What if it’s the springtime or any fall sport other than football where there aren’t any broadcasts? How long before it’s old news?

This is my goal. A sports source covering middle school, high school and college sports where it is needed the most. And in a timely fashion. What will this look like? Only the next few months will decide that.

After all, the vast majority will get told sooner rather than later that their days as an athlete are over. So, I’ll throw this quote out though I am not sure the exact source other than the movie “Moneyball” - “We're all told at some point in time that we can no longer play the children's game, we just don't... don't know when that's gonna be. Some of us are told at eighteen, some of us are told at forty, but we're all told.”

That’s what local sports coverage is for. In the immediate, it’s for moms, dads and grandparents to clip out and save. And, down the road, the athletes will be glad there was someone there to snap that picture of the three-pointer against Westview or the walk-off celebration.

So, here we are, a new era and a new way to get a voice out there. We will see how this goes.