Sports on JU: Instant Death

Published on October 2, 2004 By Gideon MacLeish In Blogging

For anyone new to blogging on JU, I offer this advice: Don't touch sports.

Of the topics that draw Joeuser readers, sports is at the bottom of the totem pole. It should only be a subject of your blog if you're writing it for your personal collection, not for readership. Because they are rarely read and even more rarely commented upon.

My first sports blog on here was a blog entitled "(Past) Time for Griffey to Retire?". It generated comments from two users, which is well above my average of less than one. My second blog was entitled "Major League Baseball in Las Vegas? Wanna BET?", which met with a similar reception, this time eliciting comment from one user.

The common denominator of both of these articles was that they were, I felt, professional level sports op/ed pieces. Sure, they were short on word count, but brevity's something that can be remedied with the insertion of a few creative adjectives. My theory in that regard is to keep it brief for readership, and expand if the situation requires it.

As good as they were, they were pretty close to a tree falling in the forest. I could go through my other sports pieces up to the most recent and show the same thing. And they DON'T get referrals, despite namedropping celebrities, so residual points aren't going to be an issue here.

So, in summation: Burning bunnies is points, Griffey's baseball career is not.

Comments

trina_p

on Oct 02, 2004

I have to agree 200% - which is kinda sucky cause you (and I) put alot of thought and effort and even statistics (research) into your (my) sports blogs only to have them sink like stones.

I wrote a few about the football (granted there aren't that many Australians but there are still a few - but they're my lowest ranked blogs.

Then again sports seems to be doing alright for Mr Boo he's in the top 20.

Gene Nash

on Oct 02, 2004

"(Past) Time for Griffey to Retire?".... "Major League Baseball in Las Vegas? Wanna BET?"

Well, I read them both and commented on one.

I know what you mean, though. My Lakers/Ken Jennings article, while highly rated from being on the front page and receiving numerous referrals for "Jeopardy Champion," never got a comment. I think my picking the winners of the Super/Rose Bowls fetched a couple of comments, but I posted them in gaming, not sports. I did have an article called "The Bore de Lance" I never posted which I think might have been controversial enough to pull in a few responses, but who knows?

Sports and Art are definitely dead end categories.

Sure, they were short on word count, but brevity's something that can be remedied with the insertion of a few creative adjectives.

Anecdotes and quotes are even better....

For what it's worth, I think your latest articles are showing a marked improvement.

BlueDev

on Oct 02, 2004

From my experience Gideon, sports ones aren't the only ones. Entertainment blogs can often fall by the wayside as well. Very few of my "Song of the Day" posts get any comments. I completely understand that much of this is due to my taste in music, and don't begrudge it one bit. Just an observation I have made. Then again, my OS customization ones rarely get replies either, but often have become featured articles, so have ended up my biggest point earners. Sort of interesting the way things work.

Gideon MacLeish

on Oct 02, 2004

From my experience Gideon, sports ones aren't the only ones. Entertainment blogs can often fall by the wayside as well.

True, and I don't often blog in that category (notable exceptions being the now infamous Mary Kate article and my obit for Fay Wray), and the Mary Kate article was an obvious exception to the rule that those blogs go the way of the Titanic. But that has been almost completely due to outside referrals, not to registered users.

As for OS customization, I wish I knew more about it...lol. They're point whore wet dreams, as they're almost an automatic feature if they're properly put together, and they draw MAD offsite referrals.

For what it's worth, I think your latest articles are showing a marked improvement.

Thanks, Gene. I was reflecting on how I feel that being on JoeUser has helped me grow as a writer. While I have always had the ability, it's been largely dormant due to household needs being more pressing. When chip asked about our favorite articles, upon reflection, I had to say that virtually all of my favorites have been recent articles. The "hook" I have tried to use is in giving my readers a wide variety of material and not being one dimensional.

Shovelheat

on Oct 02, 2004

But they stay on the forums forever...

Sally jacobs

on Oct 02, 2004

I have a real passion for soccer. I love it, but refrain from writing about it, because there is no interest for it. I have written a few blogs, and I always check out the sports forum, but I know very little about baseball and such, as it's not popular here. Sometimes I get excited about something, and write it, but I'm sure to most people it's like I'm writing in another language. Waffle, sorry! It's late here and my insomnia's kicking in!

Abe Cubbage

on Oct 02, 2004

Sure, they were short on word count, but brevity's something that can be remedied

Brevity is good, not something to be remedied. I love brevity--as if you couldn't tell.

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