Influences

“Every sentence you write must make your reader want to read the next sentence you write.” 

- My Family. No brainer here. They inspire me to be better.

- Rick Reilly, ESPN. First read him on the backpage of Sports Illustrated. His writing is cutting and edgy. He gets phenomenal stories and interviews.

- Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon, Pardon The Interruption. Their show is based on arguing sports, which is awesome. What is more awesome, is their sense of being realistic with the climate of the industry.

- E:60, ESPN. This is a show of sports journalistic masterpieces where the journalists find stories that otherwise wouldn’t be told, or find a completely new and exciting angle on popular forums. Watch this show for 5 seconds and you will see the quality these journalists possess.

- Scoop Jackson, ESPN. I first started following Scoop right after he got picked up by ESPN. He came out with ‘The Scoop Manifesto’ and rocked my world with his passionate ‘street smart’ style of writing.

- Scott Van Pelt, ESPN. Listen to “SVP” for 1 minute and you can tell that he is more happy at his job than you are at yours. Van Pelt brings humor, sarcasm, and witty comments to his broad knowledge of sports. His radio show is a joy to listen to.

- Jim Rome, ESPN. Jim is the classic ‘tell it how it is’ guy. His radio show is pointed, sharp, and leaves no stone unturned. His ESPN show is an extension of that, but with some more intense looks at athletes off the field.

- Tom Shatel, Omaha World Herald. Growing up in the Omaha-Metro, Tom’s column was my first read in the sports page. Either I loved what he had to say, or I hated it. Tom never mixes words about the sports he covers, and I respect that.

- Sean Callahan and John Talman, HuskersIllustrated.com. These two do a great job reporting on everything Nebraska football. Their in-depth interviews are something to marvel at, and the inside information brings value to their site.

- Keith Jackson, former commentator, ABC College football. Growing up, Jackson was the man. His voice on ABC broadcasts was gold in my eyes. His knowledge, sense of history, and overall good guy aura made him a legend in the business.

- Bill Simmons (The Sports Guy), ESPN. Bill is hilarious to read. His stuff is so cutting edge and witty that you can easily follow what he has to say. His homer approach to reporting is funny as well, as it seems like Boston or bust for him. His Book of Basketball is a great read too, as he details some first-hand accounts with players and coaches from the game he loves.

- Tony Reali, Around the Horn, ESPN. Tony is funny, insightful, and witty. His ‘host’ role on ATH allows him freedom to score arguments based on validity. If only the real world were like this.

- Joe Buck, Fox Sports. Joe, the son of legendary Cardinals announcer Jack Buck, has made his own name in commentary. His is incredibly sharp, on point, and gracious during telecasts.

- Susan Baird. Mentor and social media guru/ copywriter. Visit her on facebook and twitter. She was also the journalism teacher who challenged me to write for the student newspaper in high school.