It gives me no pleasure to announce that Sens Army Blog is going on hiatus until further notice. The reasons for this announcement are entirely personal, but not private (so read on).
Maintaining a blog at a high level and being an opinion leader in any online forum is no easy task, and requires much time and dedication. Recently, I have had neither the time nor the interest required to maintain this blog at a high level.
This has become apparent to me over recent weeks as the team travelled and I found that I had nothing to say regarding their journey--wins or losses, I had no desire the analyze. Instead, I have become a spectator, pure and simple.
The Wedge and the Microscope
The strange thing is that this is making hockey more enjoyable. In recent years, I have found myself publicly fighting a shifting perception among sports fans. Fans seem to want to wedge themselves into the personal lives of hockey players (and other sports figures), for no reason other than to be critical. I have no desire to criticize Ray Emery for his driving habits, Dany Heatley for his trade request, or Alex Kovalev for his inexplicably sporadic scoring. I just want to watch and enjoy the game... and sometimes, not watch the game at all.
The pace and competition of blogging has created a demand for information that I feel is irrelevant. Though there may be many people out there who want to know the minute and mundane details of the Senators' morning skate, I am not one of them. In other words, I don't want to know such things and I don't think you need to know either. Too often I find myself wanting to use this blog as a soapbox to complain about these topics, but that doesn't make for a fun daily read.
The Good Times
That said, I have thoroughly enjoyed maintaining this blog for more than two years (and 948 blog entries!). I have gained much insight into sports fans, writers, blogging, podcasting, marketing, social media, and search engine optimization. If you want to gain insight or experience in any of these topics, then I recommend you start a blog right now!
I have met (either online or in-person) some incredible personalities: enthusiastic people who are ready to laugh with others and at themselves--they're the best people on earth. Those people who write honestly, and without thanks, about their favourite teams are a unique breed and should be commended for their efforts. So let me say: You rock! Don't listen to the haters and keep up the excellent work!
This blog has shown me the possibilities of being an independent creative writer. The hiatus of this blog certainly does not spell the end of my online writing adventures, that is for sure. In fact, it is my goal to do this as a career, though not involving hockey.
...and I guess that brings this little speech to a close. Check out some of the links in the sidebar to get your daily Sens fix from now on. Drop me a line if you ever feel like chatting about blogging or podcasting.
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