Ok, so maybe getting kidnapped by Maoists wasn't the answer...

I've been hearing some rumors lately in the comments section that this blog is dead. I'm not gonna name names, but let's just say that the all-time leader in assists and steals isn't satisfied with the direction of the site. OK, fine, it was Stockton. But that's not really the point, is it? The point is that this blog is in trouble, and the time for pretending otherwise has past.

Part of it is on me. I haven't been writing as much as I used to, and it's quite possible that I peaked with that Jerry West story back in October. However, even when I had my foot all the way down on the accelerator, it was pretty clear that the auditorium was getting draftier and the seats were getting emptier.

Now, this is not a Dear John letter, and I'm not announcing my retirement. I'm writing this because I believe in this site, and I want it to make a full recovery. I may be naive, I may be crazy, and perhaps I shouldn't be writing on so many painkillers after rupturing my achilles; but I think we got some great days ahead. Yet in order to get there, we need to be honest about where we are now.

It isn't 2007 anymore. It's not even 2011. The Great Basketbawful may or may not come back, I honestly have no idea about that. What I do know is that I still have a few coherent sentences left in me, and there are still some readers out there looking for something different than what the mainstream offers. Back before I started writing for Bawful, I was a fan. I read this site because I wanted to be informed and entertained, and I suspect this is a common motivation. The purpose remains the same, but the question is how do we get there. Can I handle a full season's worth of Worst of the Nights while incorporating parody pieces and keeping up with breaking news? Evidently not. Can I inform you when J.R. Smith whips his cock out while occasionally crafting satirical pieces? Yeah, I probably can.

So that's what I'm asking. How are we going to evolve? I was going to write this letter after the playoffs, but the direness of the situation feels like it's increasing, and I'm suddenly less confident that the postseason will provide a deux ex machina. We have to do this ourselves. True, we've grown smaller, but there's a strength in that. As a smaller community, each voice has more power.

To those of you who've been keeping a dialogue going this season, (Wormboy and Barry I'm looking at you; yeah you too Stockton, also JJ, senormedia, nbacares, always dude your best!, the ubiquitous anonymous, and several others) I sincerely thank you. Your comments have kept me in the game.

Hopefully airing this stuff out will do some good. If not, my bad.
18 Comments:
Anonymous Anonymous said...
I'm seeing a lot of parallels between this blog and Brandon Roy's career. Hopefully we can change that.


Anonymous AK Dave said...
*Slow clap*

Blogger Savio said...
You know, I just want to read about basketball. The posts on Bynum, JR Smith or other stuffs like that maybe can be funny, I don't find them funny at all, but maybe is a matter of tastes, but the site is all around basketball and i don't find basketball anymore. Just people going at bad teams, sometimes. The regular season is now gone, and i feel that the blog passed on so many strong arguments i cant believe that this happened. The Lakers stuff, the rising of the knicks, steph curry braking records, boston being so bawful and so was dallas... Kobe destroy his tendon and i came here and there was nothing on this, man this is some crazy stuff going on. I just dont feel like that basketbawful can be the same blog without his creator, and try to imitate him is really a bad idea. Maybe you guys can start some other thing, but really, coming here to read people pretending to be like him it's not funny, not for me. I m not beating on you guys, i really appreciate your work and trying to keep up the site and all the stuff, but in my opinion this is just not going to work.

Anonymous Anonymous said...
I like it

Anonymous Anonymous said...
this is the best blogspot ever created since adam and eve...dont stop now keep on trucking

Blogger Tyrack Obama said...
I still believe!

Blogger rchie2013 said...
I am a big fan of basketbawful since 2008, and I believe adding additional volunteer writers with mamba like powers in offense is all we need to turn this around and some bad cousins tech mojo to bring this site back on the map ...

Blogger rchie2013 said...
I am a big fan since 2008, and I believe some additional writers with mamba like prowess in offense are needed.. with some cousin's tech mojo, this blog can be resurrected ala shawn livingston ...

Blogger gregsgourmet said...
Hi Glenn, we all appreciate the hard work you've put into the site. I don't comment much but I do check the site pretty much every day. What happened to everyone else who was brought on last summer? One of the reasons that Bawful worked so well is that there were multiple writers working in tandem with varying, yet equally entertaining bawful perspectives, so it was a well-oiled machine.

Anonymous Anonymous said...
This is one of the most entertaining basketball blogs out there. You guys are always give me a good laugh. I hope you figure out a way to continue to grow. Keep up the good work.

Anonymous Istvan said...
This was my favorite basketball site for many years and I would be very sad if it's going to die.

On the other hand I always wonder how you are able to put so much energy into it. May it be Matt McHale, Evil Ted or you, Glen, you all gave a lot for it. And I really believe that it is hard work with no money in it, very few fame and a lot of frustration.

It's true, you don't represent the mainstream, and thats the reason why I like this site. It gave my a lot of information and a completely different look on a lot of things happening within the league which I otherwise wouldn't be able to understand. You are funny as hell sometimes. And you were even able to touch me emotionally with some of your stories.

Back in the days - maybe two or three years ago, I always thought to myself: "Enjoy it while it last". So - I'm prepared for everything.

On the other hand, if you really are able to turn it around, I would be the most happiest guy in the world - at least for some time. A few seconds or so ;-) To make my so very very happy, even if it is only for such short amount of time, is an immense achievement.

Sorry for my english, not a native speaker.

Blogger Wormboy said...
You've done a great job Glenn. Part of the problem with blogs is if they lapse, they lose audience in a non-renewable way.

My fave was always the combination of some good humor with some good analysis, and people would post opinions or questions in the comments section. but we can't force it.

Blogger Glenn said...
Thanks everyone. You've offered a lot of food for thought and it might take a little while to digest it, but I just wanted to express my appreciation at all the comments. First and foremost, this is a blog about basketball. Perhaps I've lost sight of that a touch, but it's that passion that keeps us all here. I'm looking forward to the playoffs starting, and to getting lost in the art of the roundball again. I see a lot to be excited about in the comments and what Evil Ted posted. Keep the ideas coming. Cheers.

Anonymous Stockton said...
Keep ir running. If the Lakers came back from the dead, so can you!

Don't give up! Did Stockton give up after Ostertag blew up a perfect assist? Of course not. Stockton just kept feeding him the ball. Oh hell, now I'm in a bad mood...

Oh, and i'm not a robot!!

Anonymous Buncho said...
glenn you've been doing a great job keeping this site alive. It's ok. It's ok.

Anonymous Anonymous said...
No, please, no, this is a great blog, keep up the good work!

K., Poland

Blogger senormedia said...
Glenn, you've been the Paul Pierce of this blog, keeping it running through the lean years after the glory years. Now you just need a GM to help you to acquire a few key pieces to bring it back to contending.

Onward!

Anonymous Zaragozano said...
First of all, sorry if my english is not good, probably i am the only Spaniard here xD. I've been reading this blog since 2010, and it's one of my favourites sites on the web. I love your sarcarsm, it's great to read something beyond the typical AP reports. It's true that the blog isn't at his prime, but it's not over. So thank you all for your great work, and I hope that the blog will continue.